New Central Valley Greenway bike path: Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster

A new 24-kilometre walking-cycling path opens today (shared with cars for some of the way) . It links Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster. That means if you're up for a long ride it is a new way of rolling into town.

TransLink says the Central Valley Greenway intersects about 20 bike routes and connects with 13 SkyTrain stations (indirectly for some of those stations!).

The total price tag is around $25 million. The grand opening of the Central Valley Greenway is Saturday at noon at the Winston Overpass in Burnaby.
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I checked it out today walking from Willingdon to Holdom Skytrain station and was not at all impressed! From behind the Burnaby Costco on Willingdon the path (still under construction) quickly turns into a "bike lane" on Still Creek Ave, followed by confusing signage at Douglas Road. To get to the Holdom Skytrain station from there involves walking along the road, crossing railway tracks, walking on Goring Street (no sidewalks) with lots of trucks. There's an impressive pedestrian overpass at Sperling station, but apparently cyclists/pedestrians still have to share the road along parts of the Still Creek/Burnaby Lake route...

Nice start but could be a heck of a lot better!

tags: bike trails, cycling routes, coquitlam, burnaby, vancouver, bicycle trails, walking paths, cheap commuting

Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel Review and Deals

Just stayed at the luxurious Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel and Spa in Victoria BC. I've stayed at a number of hotels in Victoria over the years but this is by far the best location and value in my opinion for a luxury hotel in the harbour area.

The views are incredible, there is a seawall right in front of the hotel that goes for miles, and the rooms are very quiet, away from the highway. Spinnaker's Brewpub and Downtown Victoria are an easy walk, or you can hop on one of the mini ferries at the hotel that will get you there even faster.

If you click on the picture below you can see the BC Legislature building, The ivy-covered Fairmont Empress to the left, Undersea Gardens, the Royal BC Museum, the Wax Museum, the COHO ferry that goes 3 times a day to Port Angeles, WA and the local harbor ferries that shuttle passengers around Victoria Harbour.

Click for a larger image:
View from our Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel Room

The Victoria harbour is constantly a beehive of activity that's always entertaining to watch. Seaplanes come and go regularly in front of the Empress, the Coho ferry and Victoria Clipper make regular trips in and out of the harbour, kayakers are everywhere and the mini ferries that cross the harbour to various destinations make it easy to get around without using a car.

I recommend selecting a Signature Club full-harbour view room at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel , which also gives you a deluxe continental breakfast in the Signature Lounge and free appies from 5 to 7 in the evening. The 5-star LURE Restaurant in the hotel also gives you an option for fine dining with an incredible view.

Check room rates at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel

You can get some great hotel rates right now for Victoria so book online here:
Victoria Hotel Deals at Hotels.com

Fairmont Empress Hotel Victoria

BC Ferries Coast Saver Fares to Victoria, Nanaimo - Hotel deals

BC Ferries is bringing back its discounted early summer fares. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from June 2nd to the 25th, the car and driver fare from the Lower Mainland (Tsawwassen, Horseshoe Bay) to Vancouver Island (Victoria, Nanaimo) will be $39.

Mid-week walk-on ferry fares will be only $4.50 on these routes:

Victoria (Swartz Bay) to Vancouver (Tsawwassen)
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay)
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Duke Point)
Nanaimo (Duke Point) to Vancouver (Tsawwassen)
West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay)
Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay)

There's also some great June hotel rates available too: Vancouver , Victoria , Nanaimo . Book online or call 1-800-780-5733 and mention discount code 71430 for the best rates. Check out the deals at Fairmont Hotels too...

Cross border shopping: Vancouver, Bellingham , Seattle outlets

As of June 1, 2009 Canadians will need a passport, nexus card or enhanced driver's licence plus birth certificate to cross the border into the U.S.

Vancouver area shoppers can save big on certain items by shopping at Bellis Fair in Bellingham or the Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip. Outlet stores in Tulalip (just north of Everett, WA) include Adidas, Aeropostale, Banana Republic, BCBG, Calvin Klein, Eddie Bauer, Fossil, GAP, Guess, Jockey, Lucky Brand, NIKE, PacSun, Ralph Lauren, Restoration Hardware and Tommy Hilfiger.

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To book your stay online at the luxurious Tulalip Resort Casino Hotel, use the Expedia link on the right for the best rates.

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Canadian residents who have been out of Canada for 24-47 hours can claim $50 in purchases at Canada Customs without duty or taxes; more than 48 hours but less than 7 days, $400 ; and 7 days or more, $750 . If the value of the declaration exceeds the personal exemption, you must pay duty on the remaining value.

If you're looking for a hotel in the area, check out the deals in Everett, Lynnwood or Seattle or use Priceline.com to bid on a hotel room in the general area. You can also find some great hotel deals in the area using the now discounted Entertainment 2009 Vancouver or Seattle Coupon Book. Get more info at Seattle-Deals.blogspot.com

If you prefer to avoid border lineups, online stores that ship to Canada include JC Penney, Lands End, Altrec and Bare Necessities. You can access their websites from here or here.

Vancouver Hotel Deals: Cheap 4 star or 5 star rooms, discounts with Hotwire, Priceline

If you're looking for the best deal on a 4 or 5 star hotel in Vancouver, or anywhere in Canada or the US, visit Hotels-vancouver.blogspot.com. You can name your own price using Priceline, or specify a neighborhood and star rating with Hotwire to get greatly discounted prices and deals on last minute room purchases. Travelocity and Expedia also have some great hotel and flight specials that you can access from there.

tags: fairmont hotel vancouver, waterfront, hyatt regency, sutton place, deals, cheap, 4-star, 5-star, discount, coupon code, travelosity, travellocity, expedia.ca, holiday inn, westin bayshore, pan pacific

JCPenney free US shipping offer and sale

Check out http://free-shipping-deals.blogspot.com/ or http://christmas-store.blogspot.com/ for a current JCPenney free US shipping offer.

If you have a US shipping address (Blaine, Point Roberts, etc.) you can get free shipping on your order. JC Penney has a great sale on bedding, housewares, Levi jeans, Dockers pants, jewelry and watches and lots more, including online outlet items...

JCPenney also ships to Canada for a reasonable price. Find out more at http://northdelta.net/canadaspecials.htm

tags: kitchenaid mixers, relic watches, seiko, levis jeans, docker pants, sale, free shipping, jc penney, canada, canadian, arizona jeans, cuisinart, jackets, shorts, swimwear, lingerie, flexees, shapewear, bali bras, plus size

Unwigged and Unplugged Concert in Vancouver tonight

Harry Shearer, Michael McKean and Christopher Guest talk about their Unwigged and Unplugged Tour, appearing tonight in Vancouver...

How to fix "Invalid Engine Code" error on Lexmark Optra Printers

An Invalid Engine Code error message may mean that your Lexmark printer has lost the stored operating code for the engine board.

What to do

1. If you have not yet done so, try turning the printer off and then back on. Simply resetting the printer may restore it to a working condition.

2. If this does not clear the error, the code on the printer's engine board will need to be rewritten. You can obtain the engine code file from our website and send the file to the printer without having the printer serviced. Before sending the engine code file to the printer, it is helpful to put the printer into "Flash Engine" mode. Do the following:

1. Turn the printer off.
2. Press and hold the Menu, Select, and Return buttons.
3. While holding these buttons down, turn the printer on.
4. When Performing Self Test appears on the printer, release the buttons. The printer screen should now say Invalid Engine Code.

3.

With the printer in "Flash Engine" mode, you can now copy the engine code file to the printer. The method to use depends on how your computer is connected to the printer. A direct parallel connection to the printer from a computer with DOS on it works best. However, you can also send the files to the printer through a direct USB connection or via an FTP connection across a network. Refer to the appropriate link below for instructions.

How to copy engine code via parallel cable
How to copy engine code via a USB connection
How to copy engine code via an FTP session

If copying the engine code to the printer does not clear the error message, the engine/system board will need to be replaced. This will require service to the printer...

Optra firmware engine code authorization:
# Optra S (4059) series: 4059engn
# Optra T610, Optra T612, Optra T614, Optra T616: optrateng
# Lexmark T520, Lexmark T522, Lexmark T620, and Lexmark T622: lextengn
# Lexmark T630, Lexmark T632, Lexmark T634: e551416
# Lexmark W812: eng204

tags: lexmark, optra, error codes, printer, repair, how to fix, firmware

Allegiant Airlines flights for Canadians: Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Reno, Phoenix, Los Angeles from Bellingham WA

Allegiant Airlines, a no- frills carrier, flies out of Bellingham, Washington to destinations like Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Oakland, Phoenix, Reno, San Diego and San Francisco.

Allegiant recently announced non-stop jet service to Los Angeles (LAX) from Bellingham International Airport beginning May 2/09. Allegiant is celebrating the new service by offering fares as low as $78* one-way to LAX.

One advantage for Vancouver BC area residents is the much lower taxes involved in flying out of Bellingham. Customers can typically save hundreds of dollars and enjoy non-stop direct flights to warm U.S. destinations all year round.

Parking at Bellingham airport is $9 US per day, and is located right next to the terminal.

Allegiant has a few unexpected fees, like a $14 "segment fee", $18 "PFC fee", $10 "security fee", $10 Priority boarding fee, $11 seat selection fee, $27 "convenience fee", and baggage fees ($30 first bag). There's no free food or beverages on board, but snacks and drinks can be purchased from the flight attendants...

Overall the service is cheap, reliable, convenient, and unlike many US flights out of Vancouver, is non-stop to the sunny tourist destinations: Bellingham to Las Vegas, Phoenix or Palm Springs takes about 2.5 hours.

For more info on deals to Las Vegas and Palm Springs through Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline and Hotwire, visit Vegas-bargains.blogspot.com .

Tulalip Outlet Mall, Casino Hotel - Seattle Shopping and Hotel Deals

British Columbia residents can save a bundle on designer clothing, shoes, housewares and more by making a short trip across the border to the Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip Washington (just north of Everett).

Located next door to the Tulalip Casino, Seattle Premium Outlets has 100 outlet stores including Adidas, Aeropostale, Banana Republic, BCBG, Calvin Klein, Eddie Bauer, Fossil, GAP, Guess, Lucky Brand, NIKE, Pac Sun, Ralph Lauren, Restoration Hardware and Tommy Hilfiger.

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To book your stay online at the luxurious Tulalip Resort Casino Hotel, use the Expedia link on the right for the best rates.

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Canadian residents who have been out of Canada for 24-47 hours can claim $50 in purchases at Canada Customs without duty or taxes; more than 48 hours but less than 7 days, $400 ; and 7 days or more, $750 . If the value of the declaration exceeds the personal exemption, you must pay duty on the remaining value.

If you're looking for a hotel in the area, check out the deals in Everett, Lynnwood or Seattle or use Priceline.com to bid on a hotel room in the general area. You can also find some great hotel deals in the area using the now discounted Entertainment 2009 Vancouver or Seattle Coupon Book. Get more info at Seattle-Deals.blogspot.com

If you prefer to avoid border lineups, online stores that ship to Canada include JC Penney, Lands End, Altrec and Bare Necessities. You can access their websites from here or here.

tags: tulalip, casino, hotel, online, reservations, rates, deals, cross border shopping, specials, outlets, outlet mall, lynnwood, marysville, everett, wa, seattle, hotels, expedia, priceline, travelocity

388 Translink new bus service from Walnut Grove, Langley, Surrey, North Delta, 22nd Street Skytrain

There's a great new bus route from Translink / Coast Mountain Bus Service that runs from Walnut Grove in Langley along 88th avenue through Surrey, Nordel Way through North Delta, over the Alex Fraser and Queensborough bridges to 22nd Street Skytrain station. It runs every half hour in both directions in the morning and afternoon rush hours, Monday to Friday.

Very few riders have tried the 388 route so far, but it can actually be faster than driving your car, thanks to the special bus lanes that allow it to bypass long bridge lineups. On most days the trip from Scott Road and Nordel to 22nd street station takes only about 15 minutes!

Check out the 388 bus schedule at Translink's website .

keywords: translink, coast mountain bus service, schedule, 388, nordel way, scott road, walnut grove, surrey, langley, alex fraser, bridge, queensborough, new westminster, new, fastest, commuting, alternatives, transit

Pattullo Bridge Fire Damage Sunday January 18: Bridge Closed

YouTube videos of Pattullo Bridge fire January 18:




A fire on the Pattullo Bridge early today will have it shut down in both directions for at least 4 weeks.

The blaze began around 3am.

The wooden beams under the bridge deck caught on fire and then spread to the actual bridge itself.

Inspector Derren Lench with Surrey RCMP says there were cars on the bridge when the fire broke out.

"Upon arrival they found flames that were coming up onto the south end of the Pattullo Bridge from both sides of the bridge deck. There was traffic found on the bridge, I think there was a bus actually stopped right in the location of the fire and some other vehicles."

Ken Hardie with TransLink says the span will remain closed until structural engineers can do a thorough assessment.

" We have damage assessments such that they don't feel safe letting the bridge open. We're going to take a look at those timbers to see what are our options are."

What started the fire has not yet been determined, however investigators are treating the fire as suspicious.

keywords: Pattullo, patulo, patullo, bridge, fire, arson, closure, video, pictures, photos, youtube, closed, surrey, new westminster bc, videos, news

$13 Free Bonus from ING Direct Canada when you open an account

ING Direct Canada is offering you a $13 bonus when you open an account online or over the phone. You can either visit INGDirect.ca or call 1-800-464-3473 to open an Investment Savings Account, Tax Free Savings Account, unMortgage or Streetwise Funds account.

Use this Orange Key Referral Code to get your $13 bonus deposited into your account:

16180913S1

keywords: ingdirect, ing direct, bonus, savings, tax free savings account, interest rate, rates, free, $13, referral, canada, bank, best, accounts

Video: Skytrain New Westminster Door Open Problem

On December 27, 2008 the Skytrain travelling from New Westminster Station to 22nd Street Station had a door malfunction, causing at least 2 doors to be open while travelling between stations. Translink blamed the problem on someone forcing the doors open at New West Station, but also admitted that a technician had disabled the door alarm function while working on the train earlier.

Lesson to be learned: Don't lean against the doors while the train is moving!

Read about another scary Skytrain adventure here .



keyword tags: skytrain, vancouver, new westminster, canada, problem, door, doors, open, opening, december, video, pictures, travel, youtube

CPR 2816 Steam Train trip from Vancouver BC to Mission

Filmed and produced by Dieter Hecker, Oct. 4, 2008.
CPR 2816 Steam Locomotive on a special return trip from Vancouver to Mission BC.

More Buses Now Campaign: Email Kevin Falcon, BC Transportation Minister

More Buses Now is a grassroots campaign striving to bring improvements to the Metro Vancouver bus system that will benefit both passengers and riders. The campaign is being sponsored by the members of Canadian Auto Workers local 111 - the bus driver's union.

Are you TIRED of riding overcrowded buses?

Are you ANGRY watching full buses pass you up time after time?

Are you FED UP at the lack of adequate service in your area?

SO IS YOUR BUS DRIVER. And bus drivers are doing something about it – but they need your help.

What’s the problem with our bus system?

Consider the following: currently we have only 1100 buses in service in our entire Metro Vancouver system – that’s not nearly enough! That works out to just one bus for every 1800 Metro Vancouver residents. But 15 years ago, Metro Vancouver had one bus for every 1200 residents. That’s also the current rate of buses in Toronto and Montreal. In other words, we have 50% more residents per bus than we used to, or that Toronto or Montreal have now! No wonder you can’t get on. And it’s not supposed to be that way. Metro Vancouver’s Livable Region Strategic Plan called for 1900 buses to be in service by 2006. And Translink’s own first 5 year Strategic Plan projected 1600 buses in service by 2006. It’s no surprise we have a problem – we are between 500 and 800 buses short.

Visit More Buses Now to email the Transportation Minister now!

Newton / North Delta Federal Election Candidates Oct. 14/08

Newton--North Delta (British Columbia) General Election (Tuesday, October 14, 2008)
Candidates:

Harjit Daudharia (Communist Party of Canada)
Sukh Dhaliwal (Liberal Party of Canada)
James William Miller-Cousineau (Independent)
Sandeep Pandher (Conservative Party of Canada)
John Shavluk (Independent)
Teresa Townsley (New Democratic Party)
Liz Walker (Green Party of Canada)

When you vote, you MUST prove your identity and address. You have three options:
Option 1:

Provide one original piece of identification issued by a government or government agency containing your photo, name and address (e.g. driver’s licence).

Option 2:

Provide two original pieces of identification authorized by the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada. Both pieces must contain your name, and one must also contain your address (e.g. health card and hydro bill).

Option 3:

Swear an oath and be vouched for by an elector who is on the list of electors in the same polling division and who has an acceptable piece or pieces of identification (e.g. a neighbour, your roommate).

Make sure you get out and vote!

CP Empress 2816 Steam Train Vancouver to Mission BC trip

On Saturday October 4, the CP Empress 2816 Steam Locomotive will be making a special 4 hour trip from Vancouver to Mission to help raise money to send some special kids to camp. Tickets cost $25 and include lunch. To order tickets, contact 604-873-1865.

Check in at Pacific Central Station at 10:00 am, Train departs 11:00, Returns at 3:00 pm.

Presented by VIA Rail and Canadian Pacific. Proceeds to Easter Seals...


2816 Steam Train in action: Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge BC

Canadian Do-Not-Call List available Sept. 30

Canadians will be able to avoid unsolicited telemarketer calls by registering with the national do-not-call list by phone or online starting Sept. 30.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission warned calls will not stop immediately upon registration, as telemarketers have 31 days to update their calling lists.

Exceptions to the list include calls from charities, political parties, polling companies, newspapers selling subscriptions, and organizations with which the consumer has an existing business relationship.

Those registered with the list will also be able to file a complaint with a yet-to-be-named third-party investigator if they are still receiving calls from an unexempt organization after the 31-day grace period.

Telemarketers found in violation of the list could face fines of up to $1,500 for individuals and up to $15,000 for corporations.

Canadians will be able to add their land line, cell or fax numbers on the national do-not-call list online at www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca or by calling 1-866-580-DNCL (3625). For TTY service only (for the hearing impaired), the toll-free number will be 1-888-DNCL-TTY (1-888-362-5889).

Corporate business blog postings, news, press releases, blogging services

Visit News-releases.blogspot.com/ to post relevant business press release info, new product information or corporate website information updates for free. By posting to this blog, your important news can be listed in Google and other search engines much faster than by submitting web pages the traditional ways.
Free blog postings for corporate business news releases for a limited time...

Business supplies and travel links can be found at Oncompanybusiness.com

Free seminar on Biorefining and biofuels – Lignol’s developments on the BCIT campus

Lignol Innovations has recently moved its facilities to BCIT’s Burnaby campus where it has built a pilot scale biorefinery to complete development of its cellulosic ethanol technology. Lignol’s process produces both biofuels and biochemicals from feedstocks such as wood waste and agricultural residues.

This talk will describe Lignol’s process technology, their progress to date and the path to commercialization; it will also explore some of the benefits of biorefineries in reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and providing a viable alternative to petroleum-based energy and chemicals.

Mr. Michael Rushton is currently Chief Operating Officer of Lignol Innovations Ltd. where he is leading development and commercialization of an innovative biorefining technology for producing cellulosic ethanol.

Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Time: 2:45 – 3:45 PM
Location: BC Institute of Technology Room SW1 - 1205

Lignol is a Canadian company based in BC which is undertaking to construct biorefineries for the production of fuel-grade ethanol and biochemicals from Canadian forests and vast supplies of biomass feedstocks. Lignol has acquired and since modified, a solvent based pre-treatment technology that was originally developed by a subsidiary of General Electric. The pre-treatment technology was previously commercialized in a major pulp mill by Repap with an investment of over $C 100 million.

Lignol acquired the technology, plant operations and related engineering data together with the original GE pilot plant, which is now being integrated in Vancouver, BC with recently acquired process capabilities to convert cellulose to ethanol. Lignol has recently produced ethanol and other bio chemicals from both hardwood and softwood species representative of Canadian forests, and is one of the world's more promising cellulose to ethanol companies.

Download Google's Chrome Web Browser - Features and Review

Google Chrome Browser (BETA) for Windows
According to Google, Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.

Chrome works with Windows Vista or XP
-One box for everything
-Type in the address bar and get suggestions for both search and web pages.
-Thumbnails of your top sites
-Access your favorite pages instantly with lightning speed from any new tab.
-Shortcuts for your apps

You can download the Google Chrome browser here .

Other features include :
* a New Tab page * Application shortcuts * Dynamic tabs * Crash control * Incognito mode (hide your browsing history) * Safe browsing * Instant bookmarks * Importing settings from other browsers * Simpler downloads

Seems to work well so far in our testing....

Entertainment 2009 Coupon Book - Free Shipping

Get Free Shipping now on the 2009 Entertainment Coupon Book
Coupons are valid now through Nov. 1/2009. Books available now for Vancouver BC, Vancouver Island, Okanagan, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary and more...
Order online and get Free Shipping now!

Enjoy hundreds of half price restaurant deals and discounts on hotels, travel, attractions and retail shopping...

Problem with YouTube, DailyMotion, MetaCafe, or Flash Video Not Playing or Stops After a Few Seconds in Firefox?

Problem: When viewing Flash video streaming content in Firefox 2 or 3 on video hosting sites, such as YouTube, MetaCafe, DailyMotion, Vimeo, Veoh, Revver, iFilm, GoFish and others, or on web pages that embed Flash code from these video sharing sites, the streaming video is not playing, or stops playing after 1 to 3 seconds.

Solutions: The easiest temporary fix is to clear your cache in Firefox, then restart the browswer. Having too many Firefox windows open can make the problem more likely to recur.

A better fix is to download the latest Flash player from Adobe, currently Flash version 10 Beta.

JC Penney Free US Shipping Promo Coupon Code

Free US Shipping on JCPenney Online Orders of $99 or More! Offer Valid Now Through July 30th, 2008.

Use promo code 26FS99 at checkout to receive free US shipping on Bali, Jockey underwear, Maidenform lingerie, Rago underwear, Levi jeans, Dockers clothing, shoes, boots, American Living, Waverley and Chris Madden bedding and bath items, Kitchen Aid, Cuisinart, kitchenware, housewares and more...

Police Truck Chase in Maple Ridge captured on video

Televised live this morning from a Global TV newscast. RCMP reopened Lougheed Highway to normal traffic just after 11 am, after this morning's police chase. Police say the man at the centre of a dangerous pursuit in Maple Ridge threatened to blow up a bridge before leading officers on a 30 minute chase.

RCMP Constable Dave Babineau says workers at a nearby farm first called 911 after a naked man showed up and stole a five-ton truck. He says they tried to confront him, but backed off because he was acting erratically.

Minutes later, police caught up with the suspect near Harris Road and Lougheed Highway, which is when he made the threat to blow up a bridge, but didn't name a specific span.

Police then pursued the suspect through the streets of Maple Ridge for nearly forty minutes, as he careened into medians and onto sidewalks, at one point smashing into two police cruisers.

Schwinn Electric Folding Bikes at Canadian Tire

Here's a cool folding bike with electric assist that can go up to 20km/hr and up to 20 km on single charge, with normal pedaling. Check it out - you can order it online from Canadian Tire here:




Schwinn, iZip and other electric/folding bikes are available in the USA from Amazon.com Bike Store:

Westjet flights to or from Vancouver 50% off today

50% off Westjet flights. Today only.

- Book by today, April 9, 2008 (23:59:59 MT) for travel from until June 24, 2008. Advertised fares are for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and may be slightly higher on other days of the week.

Westjet Seat Sale
Special fares departing from Abbotsford Calgary Charlottetown Comox Edmonton Fort McMurray Grande Prairie Halifax Hamilton Kelowna Kitchener / Waterloo Kona, Hawaii Las Vegas Los Angeles (LAX) London Moncton Montreal Orlando Ottawa Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic Prince George Quebec City Regina Saskatoon Saint John
St. Johns Thunder Bay Toronto Vancouver Victoria Winnipeg
Book online now at Westjet.com

YouTube HQ Audio tips: Stereo, mp4, 44.1 KHz download and save FLV, MP4 videos

YouTube has started to create better quality versions of many videos, adding links that say, "Watch this video in higher quality." Adding &fmt=6 to the end of any Youtube video's url will give you Youtube's new high quality setting.

Getting iPod compatible mp4s:
Using &fmt=18 generates an mp4 using h264 with AAC stereo, which is compatible with video iPods. Using fmt=18, you get a video transcoded from the original clip the user uploaded. The bitrate is lower on the mp4 version, but since the resolution is smaller it compensates. The h.264 codec has better looking videos at lower bitrates. We finally get stereo on youtube with the mp4 version. It has a widescreen 16/9 aspect ratio rather than 4/3.



If you want to download HQ videos from YouTube, use the Better YouTube Firefox Extension from LifeHacker.

Embed High Quality Youtube Clips

This code works fine to embed the mp4 version. The query string var is "&ap=%2526fmt%3D18" specifying format 18.

Vancouver BC Translink : Lousy Bus service, Skytrain service

Where's the improved bus and Skytrain service now that we're paying higher fares???

TransLink reports an $87 million surplus in their 2007 financial report, giving the transit authority an accumulated surplus fund of $408 million. But don't expect any break in fares anytime soon.

Dale Parker, Chair of the TransLink board of directors, says the excess money is already alloted for the future. "We have to avoid thinking about this as a 'surplus,'" because that fund is already spoken for, either in terms of sustaining the expansion TransLink has put in place or starting the next round of transit service and road improvements to meet demands over the coming years.

TransLink says additional revenue outweighed the rising cost of operating transit last year. The report shows $301 million has been added to the surplus fund since 2005. TransLink says they'll be drawing on their surplus fund (currently at $408 million) beginning in 2009.

Translink says revenue increased as more riders bought two and three zone passes, because of the high cost of gas. Additional revenue was also generated by parking related taxes bringing in $5 million more than budgeted for.

Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan says TransLink has a bad habit of charging more tax than necessary. "That happens over and over again, I mean they've had surpluses in the past you'll remember because they got a windfall in the rise in property assessments."

Corrigan also says if some of the surplus was due to undelivered service , that's not really a saving because the public was inconvienced.

FIDO Overcharging on Fido to Fido Service? Ripoff alert

After receiving a couple of huge FIDO cell phone bills recently, I phoned customer service to inquire about some calls that were listed on the statements. I have the cheap 50 minutes + free Fido-to-Fido (F2F) plan. Apparently I was charged an extra $170 for calls to other local Fido users that should have been free.

After spending 30 minutes on the phone to FIDO Customer Service going over each call that should have been free, I was told that YES, they do have a technical problem with overcharging for Fido to Fido calls, and YES they are working to find a solution, and NO you will not automatically get a refund unless you phone them up and basically do what I did, and go through each phone number that you were billed for to find out if they were a FIDO customer.

Anybody else run into a similar problem? Or have you even noticed that you're being overcharged?

You can file a complaint with the CRTC HERE ,

but it doesn't look like they'll be very helpful, as they suggest discussing problems with your provider first. Maybe a class action lawsuit would be the best thing to resolve FIDO's service problems...

Comments?

How to make Paneer: Indian cheese you can easily make at home

Paneer is an Indian cheese which is used in many recipes for appetizers, main courses and desserts. It does not melt when heated. Paneer is very easy to make at home. Try this easy to follow recipe. Using whole milk, paneer contains about 20 - 25% fat. (To make a low fat version, try using 2% milk). Unlike most cheeses, paneer is also low sodium, unless you add salt when making it...



Here's another instructional video on how to make Paneer (but use lemon or lime juice instead of vinegar!):

American online stores that ship to Canada

With the Canadian dollar close to par with the US dollar, many Canadians are heading south of the border to shop, often facing 2-4 hour lineups at border crossings.

To avoid this hassle, why not order online and have your merchandise shipped right to your house? Online retailers that ship to Canada include JC Penney, Lands End, Altrec and Bare Necessities. You can access their websites from here or here.

Cheap flights on Westjet: Book online today

Westjet Flight Sale: Reserve online now at Westjet.com by March 27, 2008 (11:59 P.M. MT).
For Canadian destinations, travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until June 25, 2008.
For U.S. destinations, travel from April 1 until June 25, 2008. Sample one way fares from Vancouver to:

Calgary $114
Charlottetown $294
Edmonton $124
Fort Lauderdale $251
Grande Prairie $159
Halifax $294
Hamilton $224
Honolulu, Hawaii $209
Kelowna $79
Kitchener / Waterloo $229
Kona $209
Las Vegas $139
London $224
Los Angeles (LAX) $181
Maui $249
Moncton $294
Montreal $249
Orlando $245
Ottawa $199
Palm Springs $164
Phoenix $185
Prince George $124
Regina $149
St. John $294
Saskatoon $139
St. Johns $324
Tampa $245
Toronto (Pearson) $249
West Palm Beach $251
Book online now at Westjet.com .
For Canadian destinations, fares are for travel until June 25, 2008 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and maybe slightly higher on other days of the week. For U.S. destinations, fares are for travel from April 1 to June 25, 2008 and travel day restrictions do not apply.

BC Ferries Coast Saver Fares: Save up to 40% on ferry fare: Tsawwassen, Duke Point, Victoria

BC Ferries has discounted fares substantially on a number of sailings between Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

Here's the scoop from the BC Ferries website:

"Introducing CoastSaver Sailings from BC Ferries. Huge savings on selected sailings between Vancouver and Victoria or Nanaimo, for all passengers and vehicles.

Arrive early to ensure space on these sailings or make a reservation. The CoastSaver Sailings offer is only available for scheduled CoastSaver sailings. The Coast Saver Sailing fare will only be applied at the time of ticket purchase."

Coast Saver Sailings are currently scheduled for travel between Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo on select sailings until April 30/2008.

Victoria (Swartz Bay) to Vancouver (Tsawwassen)
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay)
Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Duke Point)
Nanaimo (Duke Point) to Vancouver (Tsawwassen)
West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) to Nanaimo (Departure Bay)
Nanaimo (Departure Bay) to West Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay)

Coast Saver Sailings Fares : Savings of up to 40% on passenger and vehicle fares. Check it out here .

There's also some great off-season hotel rates available too: Vancouver , Victoria , Nanaimo . Book online or call 1-800-780-5733 and mention discount code 71430 for the best rates. Check out the deals at Fairmont Hotels too...