Here's a wonderful chalk drawing seen in a Fairview alley yesterday afternoon. We'll never know exactly what the artist had in mind but we can guess. Click the images to enlarge them.
There's been a threat of snow in Vancouver's weather forecast for a few days. This is in contrast to my friend's iPad -- no matter how much she wants it to snow on her iPad, it's forecast to stay clear and bright through the holidays and beyond.
It's a WordPress.com thing. You know... the free Internet blogging dew-hickey?
My friend couldn't really think of much to do with her WordPress blog, after a friend created it for her. Then she heard about the festive feature to make it snow on a her blog until January 4th.
She turned on the "Snow" option in her WordPress General Settings, but waited in vain for the expected flurries -- not a single snowflake. Even her friend with a 7-inch, "door-crasher special," generic Android tablet could see snow on their WordPress blog -- and I could see it on my Windows 8 waffle iron, if I cared to -- it was only her new iPod Air that couldn't. She wasn't happy about that. It didn't help any when she found out we could all see the snow falling on her blog.
WordPress.com explains the feature is "disabled on mobile devices because it’ll drain the battery too much." So to WordPress, all iOS devices look like iPhones.
It's a WordPress.com thing. You know... the free Internet blogging dew-hickey?
My friend couldn't really think of much to do with her WordPress blog, after a friend created it for her. Then she heard about the festive feature to make it snow on a her blog until January 4th.
She turned on the "Snow" option in her WordPress General Settings, but waited in vain for the expected flurries -- not a single snowflake. Even her friend with a 7-inch, "door-crasher special," generic Android tablet could see snow on their WordPress blog -- and I could see it on my Windows 8 waffle iron, if I cared to -- it was only her new iPod Air that couldn't. She wasn't happy about that. It didn't help any when she found out we could all see the snow falling on her blog.
WordPress.com explains the feature is "disabled on mobile devices because it’ll drain the battery too much." So to WordPress, all iOS devices look like iPhones.
True I've had problems with my new Nikon; it has dust in the lens and will be taking a trip to Japan soon. However the blurriness of this image is no reflection on the camera -- it's a reflection on the lid of a dumpster. Special thanks to the Fairview Chamber of "Merch" and the elves they dispatch to hand-polish the dumpsters. Click the images to enlarge them.
What a nice little cat. And cute? The photo just doesn't do her justice. Goodbye kitty! Click the image to enlarge it.
Encorp Pacific is testing a pilot program called "Return-It Express" at a Kensington Square location -- little more than a kiosk where people can drop off their pre-bagged containers.
Encorp Pacific, the industry-based group that oversees the Return-It bottle depot system, unveiled the new Express concept last year to depot operators, and described it as an important new way to further increase beverage container recycling rates. Encorp described the Express experience like so:
Payment is through the customer's online account.
Encorp say the Express concept will increase container recycling, and points to the success of similar systems in Newfoundland, Maine and Oregon. The key to the Express depot is a major change behind the scenes: a central counting centre.
Blah, blah, blah. Under this kind of scheme, recycling rates could increase dramatically, but so would costs. All the sorting that is currently done by customers for free, would become paid work. Is this where the binners come in -- as low-paid sorting labour? Because under this system they certainly can't be customers.
Another benefit Encorp envisions is reduced space requirements for depots (note that Encorp doesn't refer to bottle depots -- just depots).
How could centralizing sorting -- which will actually add new expense to the system -- increase "potential revenue streams" and profitability?
The 17 industry-based Product Stewardship groups are charged under legislation with implementing post-consumer recycling plans for a huge range of consumer products. Each group needs to have drop-off points. Naturally they're turning to the existing network of Return-It bottle depots. That's potentially a lot of money in handling fees for depot operators -- if they can make some room.
Encorp Pacific, the industry-based group that oversees the Return-It bottle depot system, unveiled the new Express concept last year to depot operators, and described it as an important new way to further increase beverage container recycling rates. Encorp described the Express experience like so:
"Return-It™ Express will offer a fast "in depot" experience. Customers create an online account from home, collect empties in a standard blue recycle bag, bring them to an Express location, confirm their name and the number of bags on a touch screen and drop off the bags at the Express window. The customers Depot visit is complete."
Payment is through the customer's online account.
Encorp say the Express concept will increase container recycling, and points to the success of similar systems in Newfoundland, Maine and Oregon. The key to the Express depot is a major change behind the scenes: a central counting centre.
"The goal of the Count Centre is to remove the depots' labour requirement to sort and count single stream material by leveraging efficiencies and technology for greater performance."
Blah, blah, blah. Under this kind of scheme, recycling rates could increase dramatically, but so would costs. All the sorting that is currently done by customers for free, would become paid work. Is this where the binners come in -- as low-paid sorting labour? Because under this system they certainly can't be customers.
Another benefit Encorp envisions is reduced space requirements for depots (note that Encorp doesn't refer to bottle depots -- just depots).
"Our goal is to help increase potential revenue streams for depot owners and increase their profitability."
How could centralizing sorting -- which will actually add new expense to the system -- increase "potential revenue streams" and profitability?
- Removing bottle sorting from individual depots reduces redundancies and increases throughput, allowing depots to handle more potential volume.
- Removing bottle sorting frees floor space so depots can earn fees accepting more kinds of recyclables on behalf of other B.C. Product Stewardship groups besides Encorp.
The 17 industry-based Product Stewardship groups are charged under legislation with implementing post-consumer recycling plans for a huge range of consumer products. Each group needs to have drop-off points. Naturally they're turning to the existing network of Return-It bottle depots. That's potentially a lot of money in handling fees for depot operators -- if they can make some room.
[caption id="attachment_8165" align="alignnone" width="497"]
Go Green's Anthony Ryder totaling-up on the new touch screen system.[/caption]
Sixteen years of tradition came to an end today as the Go Green bottle depot stopped counting bottles manually and began using a touch screen computer system. The Point of Return Application has been used by most Return-It bottle depots for over a decade. It's designed to simplify the process of counting a customer's bottles by allowing front counter staff to simply enter totals for pre-defined beverage container types. The system does the math and provides the customer with a detailed receipt.
Go Green's Anthony Ryder totaling-up on the new touch screen system.[/caption]Sixteen years of tradition came to an end today as the Go Green bottle depot stopped counting bottles manually and began using a touch screen computer system. The Point of Return Application has been used by most Return-It bottle depots for over a decade. It's designed to simplify the process of counting a customer's bottles by allowing front counter staff to simply enter totals for pre-defined beverage container types. The system does the math and provides the customer with a detailed receipt.
The barista at the front counter of the Waves coffee house wasn't waiting to take my order; she already had a slice of gingerbread loaf plated and the POS display was beaming with the details of my large, extra-hot, dark mocha. I forget what I said, but her reply was: "you're the high point of our day!"
What do you say to that? Not what I said -- something like, "that's sad," and how maybe they don't get out enough. It's a reflex on my part. I have trouble taking compliments gracefully, if at all. My people-person barista said as much; chiding me: "Don't refuse the compliment; accept it!
Good advice. What did her partner-in-java, who made my dark mocha, think of my gauche behaviour? Well she made a face. Click the image to enlarge.
What do you say to that? Not what I said -- something like, "that's sad," and how maybe they don't get out enough. It's a reflex on my part. I have trouble taking compliments gracefully, if at all. My people-person barista said as much; chiding me: "Don't refuse the compliment; accept it!Good advice. What did her partner-in-java, who made my dark mocha, think of my gauche behaviour? Well she made a face. Click the image to enlarge.
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