#sask and destroy

[traumadumpling]

Also to keep going in regards to the Saskatchewan post, I just wanna make it known that Saskatchewan is:

Being governed by a man that killed a woman whilst driving under the influence

Making it law that teachers must inform parents if their child changes pronouns at school, thusly endangering trans children

Suspending funding for measures for harm prevention. Harm prevention practices help reduce the infection rate of HIV and Hep C (which sask has incredibly high rates of)

Absolutely destroying healthcare and education to the point that teachers and medical professionals are either leaving the province or abandoning their career paths altogether. Which then just creates even more strain on Sask schools and hospitals.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Many Farmers Have No Fodder or Hay At All," Kingston Whig-Standard. May 7, 1934. Page 1. ---- Conditions Near Laura, Sask., Reported Bad - Farmers Are Considering Destroying Their Horses. --- SASKATOON, May 7-(CP)-Many farmers in Montrose district, near Laura, Sask., have no fodder or hay whatsoever, according to A. B. Chambers, large scale farmer of that vicinity, who today contradicted statements made here Saturday by Hon. Howard McConnell, K.C., Saskatchewan Minister of Municipal Affairs.

At the junction of four municipalities, Montrose, Harris, Perdue and Loganton, near Laura, the feed situation was very drastic, Mr. Chambers claimed. Horses were being turned loose on the prairies and roadsides to shift for themselves. There was not enough fodder in the district to last even a week, he claimed.

Most farmers had enough seed grain, but were without the power to plant it. Horses were being fed seed grain at the rate of three to four bushels a day on many farms.

Not many horses had been shot up to date, Mr. Chambers added, although, if conditions became much worse, farmers were considering destroying many animals. Conditions in all four municipalities were practically the same.

[saskanddestroy]

#40YearsOfMetallica

HAPPY and a HEAVY Birthday, @Metallica!

All the best,

#SaskandDestroy

#40YearsOfMetallica

HAPPY and a HEAVY Birthday, @Metallica!

All the best,

#SaskandDestroy

[rockislandadultreads]

Book Recommendations: New Science Fiction

Where it Rains in Color by Denise Crittendon

Lileala has just been named the Rare Indigo – beauty among beauties – and is about to embrace her stardom, until something threatens to change her whole lifestyle and turn the planet of Swazembi upside down.

Colonized by the descendants of Earth’s West African Dogon Tribe, the planet of Swazembi is a blazing, color-rich utopia and famous vacation center of the galaxy. No one is used to serious trouble in this idyllic, peace-loving world, least of all the Rare Indigo.

But Lileala’s perfect, pampered lifestyle is about to be shattered. The unthinkable happens and her glorious midnight skin becomes infected with a mysterious disease. Where her skin should glisten like diamonds mixed with coal, instead it scabs and scars. On top of that, she starts to hear voices in her head, and everything around her becomes confusing and frightening.

Lileala’s destiny, however, goes far beyond her beauty. While searching for a cure, she stumbles upon something much more valuable. A new power awakens inside her, and she realizes her whole life, and the galaxy with it, is about to change…

The Last Feather by Shameez Patel Papathanasiou

Twenty-two-year-old Cassia's sister is dying, and she doesn't know why. Soon after, Cassia wakes up in another realm, not only does she find her missing best friend, Lucas, but he knows how to save her sister.

Meanwhile Lucas is part of a community of Reborns, people who were born on earth and after death, were reborn in this realm with magical abilities. The original beings of the realm, the Firsts, rule over them.

But, to keep the Reborn numbers manageable, the king of the Firsts releases a curse to cull them and Cassia finds herself in the middle of it. She needs to break the curse before her time runs out, otherwise she will be trapped there forever.

This is the first volume in “The Selene Trilogy.” 

Flint and Mirror by John Crowley

As ancient Irish clans fought to preserve their lands and their way of life, the Queen and her generals fought to tame the wild land and make it English.

Hugh O'Neill, lord of the North, dubbed Earl of Tyrone by the Queen, is a divided man: the Queen gives to Hugh her love, and her commandments, through a little mirror of obsidian which he can never discard; and the ancient peoples of Ireland arise from their underworld to make Hugh their champion, the token of their vow a chip of flint.

Arch-Conspirator by Veronica Roth

Outside the last city on Earth, the planet is a wasteland. Without the Archive, where the genes of the dead are stored, humanity will end.

Passing into the Archive should be cause for celebration, but Antigone’s parents were murdered, leaving her father’s throne vacant. As her militant uncle Kreon rises to claim it, all Antigone feels is rage. When he welcomes her and her siblings into his mansion, Antigone sees it for what it really is: a gilded cage, where she is a captive as well as a guest.

But her uncle will soon learn that no cage is unbreakable. And neither is he.

The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz

Destry is a top network analyst with the Environmental Rescue Team, an ancient organization devoted to preventing ecosystem collapse. On the planet Sask-E, her mission is to terraform an Earthlike world, with the help of her taciturn moose, Whistle. But then she discovers a city that isn't supposed to exist, hidden inside a massive volcano. Torn between loyalty to the ERT and the truth of the planet's history, Destry makes a decision that echoes down the generations.

Centuries later, Destry's protege, Misha, is building a planetwide transit system when his worldview is turned upside-down by Sulfur, a brilliant engineer from the volcano city. Together, they uncover a dark secret about the real estate company that's buying up huge swaths of the planet―a secret that could destroy the lives of everyone who isn't Homo sapiens. Working with a team of robots, naked mole rats, and a very angry cyborg cow, they quietly sow seeds of subversion. But when they're threatened with violent diaspora, Misha and Sulfur's very unusual child faces a stark choice: deploy a planet-altering weapon, or watch their people lose everything they've built on Sask-E.

[ocean-anchored]

Dear Future Self... June 13, 2023

I’ve been procrastinating hard.  I don’t know why, it’s not like life hasn’t been good, I think I’ve just been on a high and go go go the last several months that I don’t spend too much time sitting and thinking. Allowing myself to fully feel out my thoughts, to process or anything. I have these quick thoughts that come in and pass through. I think of things that I want to make note of and write for my update but it’s like a sentence, it’s not an emotion. It’s not deep, it’s just as though I’m writing out an event or something that happened rather than the emotion behind how I felt.  Anywhoo. Vegas won tonight! I watched the game and they absolutely destroyed. What an amazing team and season, they totally deserved it and I’m so stoked for them. Work has been going well. It’s been slow and not busy with Danny’s side, I haven’t been working too much honestly but I’m trying to now with some extra time to accumulate hours and keep the income. I paid my taxes for last year which was just under $3K which wasn’t too bad. I created a Business Number today and now have to figure out how to get a GST number next. Work with Ed has been great still. Learning a lot and things are always changing which keeps me on my toes. The direction is endless, there’s so many ways and routes and channels he’s going but I still thoroughly enjoy it and am really blessed to be working for him. I want to spend a little more time in listening and understanding the things he’s teaching. Our last friday training lunch was about Self, Other and Context as well as the OD/Work Culture ring he designed about where to fit in, internally or externally. Understanding more on looking at Self, Other and Context to become a better assistant to him and relieve more from his plate. Everything else is going pretty good. Still had been spending a lot of time (most my nights) with Zack. I’m trying to remember the last update I gave.. I don’t know if I really did one much. Amber and Naythan met Zack two weeks ago and then Amber & I went to Jeremiahs for his birthday cocktail night which was fun. Met Daniel another australian that was hilarious. Gray’s birthday party was that sunday which I can’t believe he’s going to be 2 soon. He’s growing up so fast, I made a 2 shape out of cupcakes in a race car track theme which turned out well. Went to the driving range with Abigail last week to practice more golf, Nova turned 5 last Thursday as well. I can’t believe it, she’s my whole world. I spoiled her but she deserved it. Zack was gone that night to Sask, went paddleboarding with Amanda which was nice. It’s been good to spend time with her. We’ve been talking about going to Silverwood theme park. I really want to but part of me also doesn’t, idk why. Zack will probably be gone then anyways because his work is picking up so I won’t see him as much but I just don’t want to have to arrange and pay for Nova care, and even though she said they would “pay” for the hotel etc I don’t want to feel that burden and like I owe them. I know they wouldn’t ever make me feel that way but idk, feels too hard with my work schedule being gone 3 days and having to work nights to catch up. We’ll see, haven’t fully made a decision yet. Last weekend Zack & I helped Amber & Naythan rip down their fence, we also had Senior’s pizza which was absolutely delicious. Saw the new spiderman movie with Steven, amanda and Cloude which was really good. I’ve been getting this weird reaction or allergy to something I’m still trying to source out. I had thought it was syasilic acid face oil but I backed off that, then I thought it was my mascara, now I’m thinking its the SPF bb cream so I stopped using that. Frustrating but the last day has been a bit better and my eyes aren’t fully burning anymore. I haven’t been eating very good lately, nor have I been watching my spendings either. I also just bought a portable cooler humidifier cause its been brutally hot lately and almost unbearable to sleep. Zack and I have just been going out too much, enjoying time together. We’ve spent a lot of time together but we’re at the comfortable point of not feeling like we have to entertain each other, just want to be in the presence of the other which is nice. He really does love me and I can tell. It’s really cute how he can get jealous though, reminds me how much he cares. I still fully trust him. He’s never given me any reason or any red flag to not trust him... like legit he’s so honest and is basically me in a man with values and the importance of honesty and communication etc. Like we’ve had two instances so far with miscommunication. One was when he (oh my side tangent of how I really hate that he got back into smoking.. hope that one dies out soon. we both know he can quit but yuck) had bought cigars for us before canmore and I had made a joke which turned out to not be funny I later realized, about how he should have a lighter for all his cigarettes. He didn’t like that one and I didn’t realize thats what it was about because it was an honest joke and I wasn’t mad. He was silent on that walk, I definitely knew and felt we were off. Came back home and had tried to get him to talked. I remember the feeling, I felt gross. It was literally 2 weeks into us seeing each other just before we went to canmore and I felt miserable, I really thought he hit a switch of not wanting to be with me or something, he was so distant. I finally got him to talk cause we went outside (I get it that he felt uncomfortable with Bob in the other room & wanted privacy) and then we easily just talked about it that it was a trigger and he thought I was mad at him for some reason and my “joke” wasn’t funny which we so easily communicated after to clear things up. It was actually right after that.. I remember exactly, we were about to walk back inside and he hugged me and said he was worried about his past, he was worried that I would think of him differently and hold something against him in a way? I said “who you were before I met you is a past version of yourself, I’ve fallen for who you are today, who you are right now” and he looked at me and said I love you. Precious. Ill remember that moment forever. Anyways, second “miscommunication” was a few weeks after that (I make it sound like its far a part but we’ve literally only been together for like 6-7 weeks. A month and like a week or whatever). He was going to come over, he was super tired from work an said it would be a little bit and I said to let me know & that I was going to Newcastle to watch the Knights game till he was ready to come. Anyways, turned out that he kept pushing coming over and then said he was too tired, we didn’t really go to bed the best way, neither of us slept much and when we talked about it the day after he thought that was me saying that I wanted the night away from him by going to the pub, he didn’t know i went alone haha, but he thought I went with Cody and wanted time away from him as well as being anxious about work and stressed. We talked it through just as easy. Past that there’s been no communication issues. He’s just straight up. It’s honestly so different than Richardt.. or even anyone for that matter. Like the other week when he was away and I stayed up super late for his facetime but he never did, I admit i sent a slightly passive aggressive text at 3am when I woke up and his morning text was saying he thought I fell asleep because he called me and I didn’t answer. He even showed me after that he did try to call so idk why it didn’t come through then and he made a point that he’ll text next time. I didnt even have to ask that which is stupid and basic but just really refreshing how honest he is and how much he does try and put in effort. Hes been gone since yesterday morning and he’s made efforts to text and facetime me. He won’t be back till friday or saturday I think which sucks man. I miss him a lot. He always makes me feel so damn special though. Tells me every day how pretty I am and makes me feel like I’m the only one. He’s so easy to talk to. Like easy to feel that he can be that best friend, that kind of relationship you always want. He always makes me laugh, we have such a playful side but we still have serious conversations. Ive met a few of his friends and his coworker now. It’s actually funny how many people have told him how lucky he is to have me and how he needs to hold onto me. Like legit there must be at least 10-12 people so far, half being total strangers that we’ve talked to that have told him that, which is great for me lol. Solidifies my confidence. Man I miss him so much and it’s been not even 48 hours. Sure there’s some things that I wish like his craving for smoking again and hes very aware of how much he drinks and how much is too much but I know he enjoys drinking, I’ve enjoyed it too and I always enjoy our time out, though I’m thankful for how aware he is about all of that. Like honestly his self awareness with most things is just so attractive. It’s so refreshing and really makes for that extra layer of relationship. He hit it off with Amber and Naythan so well too, which I knew because he’s just like Naythan but it’s funny how much he talks around them which is great. We’re so on point with goals and our future too which just keeps making me question or wondering if what he’s saying is true. How much he wants to travel which is such a big part of who I am and what I desire. How important family is but understanding all aspects of what having kids entails. Like with Travis all he cared or said was he wanted kids and a family. Even when we just barley were getting by on bills and life, no savings, nothing that would support or create a healthy life and future for kids, nor even any regard for understanding the intensity and responsibility of having kids. More of the “lets just have them and figure it out” sense but Zack is so different, obviously because he has a daughter of his own so that’s a massive understanding but to be on the same page of understanding is just so nice. And his love for Nova just warms my heart, its almost like he loves her as much as I do, but he also has made comments about how he can see how much I love her and care for her which is nice. He does notice the details and the little things. Again such a huge difference especially from Richardt. Like what Zack knows about me and who I am and what I’ve come from is literal night and day to Richardt, who I was seeing for friggin what, almost 5 months? I’ve been seeing Zack for just over a month and he knows me 100x better and deeper and has put in 100x more effort. He lives in Airdrie and yet still makes continuous points to ensure that we’re both equal and that I’m still doing things I want to do, he’s always asking me what I want. Anyways, I’m getting tired and I need to text Zack to tell him how much I miss him now before bed. I do keep saying but I wanted to get better at writing and not missing all the little things. Writing more emotion in my posts of reflecting. I know I posted a note a few weeks ago probably before my last update which was from that night of when I went to Newcastle and Zack didn’t end up coming over and our miscommunication and it’s still good to write that out. I was in fear and I was feeling so vulnerable and it’s ok. What’s different from that versus what and how I used to write these posts about Richardt or even Travis was the mere fact that what I was writing was red flags. I was silently acknowledging the issues and hoping that they would resolve over time rather than seeing it was a flag that hey this isn’t a good thing and won’t necessarily change. Whereas with Zack it’s my fear of loosing him and being vulnerable and hurt again. I don’t actually believe he would hurt me and I trust him 100.  More to come... as well as getting back into shadow work... also really want to pick that back up again. Catch ya in a week.. or two.

[filamentzine]

Kostas Mitsopoulos - Kukuraxa

Α piece of music that needs to be played loud

The Stooges - Search and Destroy

A piece of music that moves you forward

Beach House - Myth

A piece of music that gets stuck in your head

Saske - Παντού

A piece of music that makes you want to dance

Sidney Bechet - Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me

A piece of music that makes you feel badass

Future - March Madness

A piece of music that you remember from your childhood

Τα Στρουμφάκια - Το Τραγούδι Του Χουζούρη

A piece of music that reminds you your hometown

Θανάσης Παπακωνσταντίνου - Άστρο του πρωινού

The piece of music you’ve listened to the most

Sufjan Stevens - Come On! Feel The Illinoise!

Hi I am Kostas. I enjoy using my limited skills in piano, guitar and music production to create weird, well, sometimes less weird, pieces of music. In 2019 in Rotterdam we started the musical duo Kukuraxa with Katerina Sereti and recorded our first album. We were inspired by our urban surroundings, by the old times and by everyday life. Before that I used to play guitar in Rotterdam based band Daatura. Currently I am living in Athens, preparing the second Kukuraxa album with Katerina, and keeping busy with other music projects as well.

Spotify

Bandcamp

Youtube

[omniversalobservations]

Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen (1965)

Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen is a 1965 science fiction novel by American writer H. Beam Piper; it is part of his Paratime series of stories, and was expanded by John F. Carr to form the Kalvan series (with some installments co-written by Carr and other writers). It recounts the adventures of a Pennsylvania state trooper who is accidentally transported to a more backward parallel universe. It is Piper's last science fiction novel.

The book is an expanded version of the novelettes "Gunpowder God", which had been published in the November 1964 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact, and "Down Styphon!", which had been published in the November 1965 issue of Analog. "Gunpowder God" itself is a Paratime-series rewrite of the unpublished story "When in the Course", which takes place in the Terro-Human Future History milieu.

Plot Humans on an advanced time-line have discovered "lateral" time dimensions that allow them to travel to "worlds of alternate probability". They use it to exploit natural resources from these alternate realities. The Paratime Police are tasked to keep the invention of lateral "time travel" secret and to combat abuses. Occasionally, objects or people get caught in the paratime "conveyors" and are inadvertently transported to alternate timelines. This happens to Corporal Calvin Morrison of the Pennsylvania State Police.

Morrison ends up in a significantly different version of Pennsylvania. Initially confused by the old-growth forest and lack of settlements, Morrison meets some friendly peasants who speak an unknown language. When they are attacked by a raiding party armed with flintlock pistols, Morrison is able to fight them off with his police-issue .38 revolver. Reinforcements arrive, but in the confusion, he is wounded by the beautiful young woman leading them. While recuperating, he learns the local language.

This alternate version of North America is split up into a number of kingdoms, each composed of small principalities, with a level of technology roughly equivalent to that of the late European Renaissance. Morrison finds himself the guest of Prince Ptosphes of Hostigos — whose daughter Rylla was the one who shot him by mistake. He learns that the principality is being threatened by two of their neighbors, Nostor and Sask, with a third, Beshta, hungrily looking on. Ptosphes' overlord, Great King Kaiphranos of Hos-Harphax, refuses to intervene because the priests of the god Styphon want Hostigos to be destroyed. The religious sect uses its monopoly on black gunpowder, known as "fireseed", to control the various princes and kings. Hostigos has a sulfur spring; since sulfur is a key ingredient of fireseed, Styphon's House intends to seize that spring once Hostigos is destroyed.

Morrison (or Lord Kalvan, as the people begin to call him) uses his basic knowledge of chemistry to begin producing gunpowder in quantity. He also introduces the rapier and improved cannons with trunnions and rifling. With his understanding of military strategy and tactics, he reorganizes the outnumbered Hostigos army and repulses Nostor, capturing an important border town in the process. Then, to undermine Styphon's priesthood, he sees to it that the knowledge of gunpowder manufacturing is spread far and wide.

Source: Wikipedia

(image via The Miniatures Page)

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Trader Burns His Rival’s Post, Gets Four Years in Penitentiary,” The Globe and Mail. April 4, 1938. Page 09. ---- Prince Albert, Sask., April 3 (CP). - Pleading guilty to setting a rival trading post on fire, Charles Adan, trader at Camsell Portage, about 350 miles north of Prince Albert, was sentenced to four years in Saskatchewan Penitentiary here Saturday by Magistrate W. G. Elder.

Adan was brought to Prince Albert by plane last night in custody of Constable R. J. J. Ball of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Crown Prosecutor G. M. Salter told the court that Adan had set fire, March 21, to the trading post operated by Ali Omar, with the result the combined trading post and dwelling and its contents were destroyed. A loss of almost $6,000 was involved.

Omar, asleep, was awakened by a noise and walked to the front of the store to find the front porch ablaze. He saw also a figure departing from the scene. Omar finally caught the man, who proved to be Adan. 

[saskanddestroy]

I spent WAY TOO LONG creating this. Please reblog! Hahaha!

[insanethrottlebikernews]

Despite the notoriety of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club associating with them isn’t risky enough to justify not honoring an insurance payout on a biker clubhouse destroyed

Despite the notoriety of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club associating with them isn’t risky enough to justify not honoring an insurance payout on a biker clubhouse destroyed

Despite the notoriety of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, associating with them isn’t risky enough to justify not honouring an insurance payout on a biker clubhouse destroyed in an arson attack, a judge has ruled. The unusual court case followed a fire that destroyed the clubhouse of the Heretics Motorcycle Club in Estevan, Sask. The bikers’ clubhouse was in a leased commercial building at the…

[globalnewses]

Sask. family spending Christmas in hotel after home destroyed by fire

Sask. family spending Christmas in hotel after home destroyed by fire

A Saskatoon mother and her seven kids are spending Christmas in a hotel after their home was destroyed in a fire. Shannon Kay says it won’t be the celebration they’d hoped for, but she’s trying to stay positive. She says the main thing is none of the kids were hurt, and they’re all together. “It hasn’t been the greatest. We’ve always had a home. But we’re doing okay,” she said. They’re also…

[freenewstoday]

New Post has been published on https://freenews.today/2020/11/29/hundreds-of-students-in-covid-19-isolation-across-saskatchewan-cbc-news/

Hundreds of students in COVID-19 isolation across Saskatchewan | CBC News

Michelle Ganuelas has jokingly started to refer to herself as “room service” in her Lumsden, Sask., home. 

That’s because two high school students in her care — her daughter and a teen she’s guardian for — are in self-isolation after being exposed to COVID-19 at Lumsden High School. And they’re not alone.

More than 70 per cent of the school’s 300 students and 30 per cent of its staff are currently in isolation, after at least 12 cases of COVID-19 were recorded at the school. 

For Ganuelas and her family, the situation has been hard. 

“It’s heartbreaking,” she said. “The stress that I’m watching these kids going through is incredible. I can’t fathom what that must be like.”

She said both of the students she cares for are working hard to ensure they’re keeping up with their studies, but both do better in an in-school environment.

“This is definitely taking a toll,” she said. 

The two students are currently isolating in different parts of the home. Ganuelas herself is isolating as a precaution and has had to step back from helping folks in the community through her independent-living business, as she wants to ensure her clients are kept safe as well.

Worried about long-term effects

Her family is tight-knit and they’re trying to keep things light around the house, but she says one of her main jobs has been supporting the two students as they isolate.

“My biggest role I think right now is just being their listener,” she said. “Cheering them on and telling them, ‘You only need to do what you’re capable of doing and then you need to cut yourself some slack.'” 

She says one of her biggest concerns is the long-term mental-health effects of the isolation, as a result of the stress the kids are under. She’d like to see more mental-health supports in place for students who are facing so much uncertainty. 

“I am concerned that this could very well evoke post-traumatic stress disorder,” she said. “This is affecting people’s mental health, children’s mental health, and we as parents are left to help them with that, and we’re not educated in it.” 

She has questions as to whether or not widespread self-isolation is the best approach to curb the spread of COVID-19. While she says she knows the illness is serious, she wonders what the next steps will be.

“I’m afraid that we are destroying ourselves,” she said. “What are we going to do if this is the only solution and we’ve done this for two years? How many people are going to be homeless, sick, [with] no homes, no money?” 

More than 200 students from the Lumsden High School are in isolation after at least a dozen cases were recorded at the school. (Submitted by Ashlyn George)

The Prairie Valley School Division, which includes Lumsden High School, transitioned the school to online learning earlier this month. The plan was to have kids return to school on Dec. 7, but Ganuelas thinks it’s likely classes will remain online past that date. 

Other parents, like Carmen and Jeromey Schroeder, said while they’re at peace with the situation, they feel it’s unfortunate so many students are being asked to isolate. They suggest only close contacts, as defined by the health authority, should be asked to isolate, with others being asked to self-monitor. 

In a Facebook message, they said they’re confident students at Lumsden High School will be back in class as planned. They don’t believe the school is the hub of transmission, but rather “a window into what is going on in the community.”

Their son is eager to return to in-school learning. 

“The teachers are amazing at teaching through the online platforms provided and our son is engaging. But they have all expressed the preference of in-person education,” they said in the message.

“We do not want to see online learning become permanent in our society. We do understand that in the meantime, we all have to work together and make the best of it. We have had a few months to prepare and it is working much better than in the spring.”

Goal is to keep schools open

Alana Johnson, communications manager with the division, says officials are meeting regularly to discuss the path forward at Lumsden High School and they’re working closely with public health to ensure the proper plans are in place. While the current date to see students return to school is Dec. 7, conversations are ongoing, she said.

“We are constantly in contact with health as to what is happening in the communities and what that means for students and schools,” she said.

She says staff within the Prairie Valley School Division have done an excellent job of staying positive as they work through the process and safety measures in place. 

“Our goal, fundamentally, is to keep our schools open,” she said. “We know that in-person learning is incredibly valuable.”

She says so far, feedback from families about the transition has been positive, adding the decision to close the school was “not taken lightly.” 

“Schools are working so hard to stay open, but of course, when it needs to happen, we’ll do what we need to do following the provincial health direction to keep our community safe.”

Hundreds of students in isolation 

The students in Lumsden are just some of an unknown number of students who are in self-isolation at the direction of the Saskatchewan Health Authority across the province.

Any student who is in a classroom where a case of COVID-19 is detected in Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert and North Battleford will now have to self-isolate for 14 days. A frequently asked questions document shared on the Prairie Valley website indicates this may be the case for schools in that division as well.

While exact totals were not available in terms of how many students and staff are in isolation, as figures can change daily, the province’s major urban centres have dozens of classes with self-isolation orders in place, which would include hundreds of students.

The Saskatoon Public School Division has 59 classrooms, a mix of high school and elementary, under isolation orders. The city’s Catholic division has 26.

In Regina officials say there are roughly 25 classrooms where “a varying degree of numbers of students/staff currently in self-isolation.” Figures from the Regina Catholic School Division were not available.

The Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) extended its thanks to parents and students who underwent the transition to online learning, noting it understands the process has not been an easy one. 

“Families have done a fantastic job adapting to changes, and we’re really thankful for their support and co-operation,” said a GSCS statement. 

“We work with families and try to ensure students have access to technology, when possible.” 

Kids are just so resilient and so adaptable, and it’s been really encouraging to see how well students can accept change​​– Alana Johnson, Prairie Valley School Division

The Catholic school division also noted child care is an issue for some families. It’s sharing information on the federal government’s Canada recovery caregiving benefit, which provides support for people who miss work because they have to care for a child under the age of 12 due to school or daycare closures, or because a child or family member has to self-isolate.

In a statement, the Saskatchewan Health Authority said officials have been working closely with the Ministry of Education and school divisions on back-to-school planning and ongoing support through the pandemic, resulting in “low transmission rates” within schools.

In Saskatchewan, schools have not become hot spots for COVID-19 transmission. As of Saturday afternoon, with 21 outbreaks, schools accounted for only 16 per cent of the province’s total 128 outbreaks.

SHA working to address resource shortages

However, the SHA noted challenges in keeping up with some contact tracing efforts.

“With rapidly rising case numbers in some larger urban centres, there is a shortage of resources, causing increasing difficulty for public health to identify and provide timely notification of potential close contacts in the school setting,” the health authority said.

The SHA stressed it is currently “working to address the strain on resources.” 

The Prairie Valley School Division’s Johnson praised kids not only in Lumsden, but across the province, who have been continuing their education through a difficult time. 

“Kids are just so resilient and so adaptable, and it’s been really encouraging to see how well students can accept change,” she said.

Saskatchewan Education Minister Dustin Duncan says the province’s school divisions have ‘plans and procedures in place that allow for quick, responsive modifications to the delivery of education in their schools.’ (CBC News)

In a previous statement sent to CBC, Saskatchewan Minister of Education Dustin Duncan said school divisions across the province are working directly with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and local medical health officers to determine what restrictions are needed.

“School divisions have plans and procedures in place that allow for quick, responsive modifications to the delivery of education in their schools — if there is a need to move to a different level of the plan,” Duncan said in a statement.

“As the situation with COVID-19 in Saskatchewan is fluid, the Saskatchewan Safe Schools plan provides consideration for changes, as needed.”

Source

[viralarcadian]

oh even better, the NDP didn't actually close any hospitals, they converted badly maintained and seldom used acute care units in tiny farm towns to health centers THAT ARE STILL OPEN

the pc party in sask destroyed the province in the eighties, saddled us w so much debt we nearly went BANKRUPT and defrauded tax payers to the tune of half a million dollars. the party doesn't effectively exist in sask anymore because of that scandal and the ensuing fallout

the sask party is what was created from the remains of the pc party and its run by exactly the same sort of ppl as the pcs were, ie they haven't changed at all. the only thing in their playbook is blaming the NDP for eveything bad that happens like they're the boogeyman, and i want them to all die and die violently. they should do like that one torie did when the arrests started happening and eat their guns

the saskparty put out a political ad blaming the NDP for the collapse of our health care system even though the NDP hasn't been in power in 15 fucking years

[delicatelysublimeforester]

SAVE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY APRIL 17, 2020

Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper – Cypripedium parviflorum Courtesy James St. John cc2-0

Horned Grebe Podiceps Auritus

Horned Grebe Podiceps Auritus Nesting

Horned Grebe Podiceps Auritus

Horned Grebe Podiceps Auritus

Save the Critical Habitat of the Horned Grebe.  A facebook fundraiser https://www.facebook.com/donate/164658128131085/

Ontario takes the preservation of this endangered species very seriously and has compiled a management plan.  The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources considers species at risk, natural, valued and protected, and to this end have documented ways to help the Horned Grebe.  What does the Province of Saskatchewan say? The Species at Risk Act SARA, similarly has a recovery strategy.  Committee On The Status Of Endangered Wildlife In Canada COSEWIC has an assessment and status report written up for the Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus.  The Government of Canada has developed a species profile and action plan in its Species at Risk Act Action Plan Series.

Did you know that “The federal, provincial, and territorial government signatories under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk (1996)Footnote2. agreed to establish complementary legislation and programs that provide for effective protection of species at risk throughout Canada?”

In 2018, Saskatchewan’s Wildlife protection act was 20 years old, and it was found then that the Sask. law falls short when it comes to protecting wildlife: prof  

EcoJustice has written up a report; Failure to Protect: Grading Canada’s Species at Risk Laws. This is the Government of Canada Activity Set Back Distance Guidelines for Prairie Plant Species at Risk and the Wild Plant and Animals Protected news release from Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management Minister.

“Mother nature has given us a strong signal through this pandemic:  we must change our habits and slow down if we are going to continue living on this planet. It is a perfect time to make people realize on a global level that flattening the curve of climate change and environmental destruction is just as important as flattening the curve for COVID-19. It’s a perfect time to formulate and refine your ideas and put the planning and strategy in place to make them happen.” Marianna Muntianu  UN Environment Program

The Saskatchewan Government reports; “Despite many programs focused on maintaining and enhancing wildlife populations, some species have become threatened with extinction and require special attention to help ensure their survival. The mission of the Saskatchewan species at risk program is to protect species from extirpation or extinction and to prevent new species from becoming threatened with extinction. ”

The Government of Saskatchewan protects species at risk and their habitats from risks to their survival associated with human activity.

The Canadian-Saskatchewan Agreement on Species at Risk; “Species at risk protection and recovery in Saskatchewan will, to the extent possible, be designed and delivered in a manner tailored to address the ecological, social and economic circumstances of the province;       Planning and actions to prevent species from becoming at risk, and to protect and recover species that have been identified as being at risk will be informed by the best available information on the biological status of a species, including scientific knowledge, community knowledge and aboriginal traditional knowledge”

So, as one can see, there are numerous plans and strategies in regards to the Horned Grebe.  What exists Nationally, Provincially and Municipally for the other endangered species which exist in the afforestation area locally?  Both the horned grebe and barred tiger salamander are listed as a species of special concern by the Committee On The Status Of Endangered Wildlife In Canada – an Independent Advisory Panel to the Minister Of Environment and Climate Change. The Red-necked Phalarope, Baird’s Sparrow and Grasshopper Sparrow are special concern, and Bobolink, Bank Swallow is threatened nationally under the federal Species at Risk Act SARA Schedule 1.  According to Chet Neufeld, Executive Director Native Plant Society referencing “the provincial rare species database, there have been occurrences of endangered Whooping Cranes observed near the area in 2017 and an occurrence of Small Yellow Lady’s-slipper (date unknown)” (email Dec 25, 2019)  The Small Yellow Lady’s Slipper was indeed confirmed with another sighting by the Saskatoon Nature Society.

On Friday April 17, there are 5 days before the April 22 and the 50th birthday of Earth Day celebration! This year’s Earth Day 2020 theme is Climate Action, which will be explored during Earth Month.

At Nature Saskatchewan the Stewards of Saskatchewan program are calling for people to reach out to them with species at risk sightings as the spring season begins. If you have a sighting you would like to share please call 1-800-667-4668 (HOOT) or email a program staff member.

April 19, 2020 is the cutoff date for this crowd fundraiser should you care to do your part for the environment during Earth Month.  Any funding raised would help to erect motorized vehicle barriers to protect the afforestation areas, and therefore protect the wetlands from illegal motorized vehicle trespass.

Shoreline edge of the permanent wetlands in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area with cattails and emergent vegetation in the summer showing illegal vehicle trespass, mudding, and ruts in the spring

with cattails and emergent vegetation in the summer showing illegal vehicle trespass, mudding, and ruts in the spring

Thanks for comments, likes and shares on facebook.  And if you care to make a donation too 😉  Not only do vehicle mitigation barriers help the Horned Grebe, but they also help school children, class field trips from being run over from illegal motorized vehicle trespass, and the semi-wilderness habitat, and the other endangered species, as well as all the users to the afforestation areas!  Raising funds to erect vehicle mitigation barriers, also places stops on illegal trash dumping, which is also way cool!

Canada Helps

For directions as to how to drive to “George Genereux” Urban Regional Park

For directions on how to drive to Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

For more information:

Canada Helps

Blairmore Sector Plan Report; planning for the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area,  George Genereux Urban Regional Park and West Swale and areas around them inside of Saskatoon city limits

P4G Saskatoon North Partnership for Growth The P4G consists of the Cities of Saskatoon, Warman, and Martensville, the Town of Osler and the Rural Municipality of Corman Park; planning for areas around the afforestation area and West Swale outside of Saskatoon city limits

Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada north of Cedar Villa Road, within city limits, in the furthest south west area of the city. 52° 06′ 106° 45′ Addresses: Part SE 23-36-6 – Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A Part SW 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063 Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)? with map

Pinterest richardstbarbeb

Facebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Facebook: StBarbeBaker

Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

Facebook: South West OLRA

Instagram: St.BarbeBaker

Twitter: StBarbeBaker

You Tube Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area

You Tube George Genereux Urban Regional Park

Please help protect / enhance your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail)

Canada Helps

Learn.

2./ Experience

3./ Do Something: ***

Recycle today for a better tomorrow.

ANONYMOUS

Recycle. The possibilities are endless.

ANONYMOUS

A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy.

JOHN SAWHILL, attributed, The Greatest Guide to Green Living

Save an endangered species SAVE AN ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY APRIL 17, 2020 Save the Critical Habitat of the Horned Grebe…

[saskanddestroy]

Please reblog all my James Het... memes!

Anybody have any other ideas?

[bluepointcoin]

Early morning fire engulfs two houses and a garage in Pense, Sask.

Early morning fire engulfs two houses and a garage in Pense, Sask.

Saskatchewan

Firefighters are battling a fire in Pense, Sask., that has destroyed two homes and a garage.

The local fire department was alerted there was a fire around 4:45 a.m. CST

CBC News · Posted: Mar 06, 2020 9:36 AM CT | Last Updated: March 6

A house in Pense, Sask., was fully engulfed in flames Friday morning. (Emily Pasiuk/CBC)

Firefighters are battling a fire in Pense, Sask., that…