Wasaga Beach …The Good Ole DARD

Oh sweet Dardanella, I love your harem eyes.
I'm a lucky fellow, to capture such a prize,
Oh Allah knows my love for you, And he tells you to be true,
Dardanella, Oh hear my sigh, my Oriental.
Oh sweet Dardanella, prepare the wedding wine,
There'll be one girl in my harem when you're mine.
We'll build a tent, Just like the children of the Orient.
Oh sweet Dardanella, my star of love divine.

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Photos taken and supplied by Joe Bickerstaff

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WASAGA BEACH SENIOR CITIZEN SCAMMED

 

Provincial police are investigating a phone scam that saw an elderly woman bilked out of $5,000.

Huronia West OPP were contacted by a 75-year-old woman on Tuesday saying she had been a victim of phone fraud.

According to police, someone claiming to be her grandson called her to say he was in trouble with the law, but not to tell his parents. He said a lawyer would contact her.

A man later called claiming to be the lawyer and asked for $2,500.

The money was sent and the next day, the same man called to say another $2,500 was needed. That amount was also sent.

Police say the woman did not find out she had been scammed until she contacted her real grandson several days later.

Help For Haitians

Collection headquarters. Wasaga Beach Rotarian Peter de Boer and his wife Sharon are coordinating the collection of hundreds of items that will be delivered to Haitian refugees living in the Dominican Republic in March. Please help by donating items at a number of drop-off locations in the area.                       photo: Trina Berlo

Read more of this story by Trina Berlo go to http://www.simcoe.com/news/news/article/933752

WASAGA BEACH – A group of local people preparing to deliver supplies and services to impoverished Haitian refugees living in the Dominican Republic is looking to the community to help gather supplies.

The trip is organized by the Rotary Club of Wasaga Beach and Area and the team will include two dentists, two doctors and a nurse. Aside from providing medical and dental care the team will also distribute a number of items to refugees living in six makeshift villages near Puerto Plata.

Items being collected:

Protein powder food supplements: As many as possible
Personal hygiene packs:  750+
(People are welcome to assemble the kits or donate items such as hand soap, shampoo, washcloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush, razor, Aspirin, Band-Aids, hand mirrors, tweezers and sewing kit.)
Crank type flashlights: 250+
Work gloves: 80 minimum
Aspirin/Tylenol/Advil (small bottles): 250+  
Coloring books and crayons: 300 sets
Hair bands and barrettes: 250 +  
Children's flip-flops: 200 pairs+   
Combs, brushes and hair picks: 500+
Skipping ropes: 250
Hand mirrors: 100
Frisbees: 100  
Yo-yos: 50+

Distribution team coordinator Peter de Boer said the most important items include protein powder, which is added to food to enhance the villagers' protein deficient diet, crank flashlights, work gloves and various personal hygiene items that will be used to make up more than 750 kits.  

He said he is also looking for a source for more than 100 mosquito nets treated with insecticide to protect people from malaria. Anyone with a source for mosquito nets is asked to contact de Boer at 705-322-4150.

 

Wasaga Beach Cold Snowy Trip Along Beach Drive & Eastdale Road

A cool drive along the beach front drive, Eastdale Road in Wasaga Beach, that shows the challenges created with the huge amounts of snow we see here in The Beach. Congrats to the hard working folks of Public Works for keeping all streets and road in Wasaga Beach open, no matter what Mother Nature throws at us!

The War of 1812 in Southern Georgian Bay

This is a full presentation... but very good.
It's done in High Def so enlarge to full screen and enjoy.

Tribute to Sgt. Ryan Russell

Costa Rica Hotel Costa Verde presents a Boeing 727 Fuselage Suite

 

According to the message that accompanies this set of photographs, the images depict an old aircraft that has been converted into an attractive and well appointed private home. The images and description circulate via email and have also been posted to various blogs and social networking websites. As has apparently become the norm with virtually any unusual photographs posted online, at least a few self-proclaimed experts have declared their believe that the images have been "photoshopped" and do not depict a real structure.

 

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Thanks and credit must be given to Mr. Vincent Costello for these pictures.

However, in this case, the photographs are perfectly genuine although the description of the images in the message is a little inaccurate. The photographs do indeed show an old plane converted into permanent (and non airborne) accommodation. However, this accommodation is not a private dwelling as suggested in the message but instead a suite that forms part of the Hotel Costa Verde, a hotel located near Quepos, Costa Rica. The aircraft is an old Boeing 727 that has been transformed into luxurious two bedroom accommodation for well-heeled travellers. The same photographs, along with a more accurate description, are available on the Hotel Costa Verde website. The webpage notes:

Hotel Costa Verde is proud to present its newest lodgings:
The fully outfitted, meticulously detailed, two bedroom, Boeing 727 fuselage suite. We have refurbished a vintage 1965 Boeing 727 airframe, which in its prior life shuttled globetrotters on South Africa Air and Avianca Airlines (Colombia).
Our phoenix is now ready for its future duty as the most exclusive hotel suite in Costa Rica.

Accommodation in the "Boeing 727 fuselage suite" will set you back between $400 and $500 per night depending on the time of year.
Although still unusual, reusing old aircraft fuselages fro dwellings and other purposes is certainly not unprecedented. A May 2003 article published on the Airport Journals website describes several homes that have been created out of old aircraft. And children at a school in Stoke-on-Trent in the UK attend lessons in a classroom converted from the shell of a decommissioned S-360 that once proudly flew the skys above Spain and Ireland.

Editors Note: Let’s get one of these in Wasaga Beach.

How the Irish Learned to Dance

10-digit local dialing starts in Ontario's 705 region on January 15, 2011

New area code 249 will be added on March 19

OTTAWA, Jan. 13 /CNW Telbec/ - Beginning January 15, 2011, residents of the region served by the 705 area code in Ontario will be required to dial 10 digits - the area code followed by the seven-digit phone number- for all local calls.

"10-digit dialing affects all residents and businesses in the region served by area code 705. It is important that everyone takes the time to reprogram their systems and communications equipment prior to January 15, 2011, in order to avoid any inconveniences that may be caused by the changes," stated Glenn Pilley, spokesperson for the Canadian Numbering Administrator.

Special numbers like 9-1-1 will still be dialed using three digits.

Programming communications systems and devices

Consumers and businesses must add the 705 area code to all local numbers stored in the memory of their communications systems and devices, for example, telephones, wireless devices, computers, and fax machines. They must also verify with their service provider that their alarm or security system has been reprogrammed for 10-digit dialing. Useful information can be found at www.dial10.ca

Network message

Starting January 15, 2011, local calls dialed with seven digits may be interrupted by a network message. The message reminds callers that they must dial 10 digits when making local calls. Calls will continue to go through until March 5, 2011, after which time seven-digit local calls will not be completed.

New area code

Starting in March 2011, a new area code, 249, will be added to the 705 region using the overlay method. This new area code will coexist with the current 705 area code and will cover the same geographic area. Customers with area code 705 numbers will retain their numbers. Numbers with the new 249 area code will only be assigned to customers for additional services on an as-needed basis. Introducing a new area code does not affect local calling areas.

Key dates

• January 15 - The transition to 10-digit local dialing will start. If the area code is not dialed, an announcement will remind the caller, but the call will be placed as dialed.  
• March 5 - 10-digit dialing will be mandatory. If the 10-digit number is not dialed, the call will not be completed.  
• March 19 - New area code 249 will be introduced to the 705 area. New telephone numbers may be assigned the 249 code. 

The Telecommunications Alliance

The Telecommunications Alliance, whose members include Bell, Rogers and TELUS, was formed to spearhead this public awareness initiative. Interested parties can find detailed information on how to get prepared for local 10-digit dialing at www.dial10.ca.

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Molson’s Bringing in More Vats to get ready for May 2-4 in Wasaga Beach

The beer vats are huge — 45 metres long, eight metres high and more than seven metres wide — and so is the effort to get them from Point A to Point B. – CTV news

Challenger Motor Freight Inc. has worked with 70 different organizations in planning the route to avoid overpasses, co-ordinate with several police forces to close intersections, raise or cut hydro and cable wires to get the vats through, steer trucks by remote control through tight areas and remove metal poles then weld them back in place. – CTV News

Total cost to move them: $24 million

One guy’s sole job is to tweet.

see more great photos

Courtesy of http://pattifriday.com/2011/01/molson-beer-vats/

Spectacular ..The Mountain at Night

Photo by Joe Bickerstaff….The Blue Mountain Ski Runs Taken  From Woodland Beach across Nottawasaga Bay

Wasaga Beach Internet Cafe and Computer Repair and Service Centre

Wasaga Beach Welcomes Sledders!

 

Give us the snow and the open trails!

We will WELCOME Sledders!

Let's get the word out!

We have a community that should be a recognized destination or stopping point for Ontario Snowmobilers.

This weekend Stonebridge Town Centre was alive with sleds coming and going... with Snowmobilers from far and wide enjoying the friendly hospitality of Wasaga Beach businesses! 

Let's keep 'em happy... let's keep 'em coming!

Welcome 'em to The Beach!

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Boston Pizza Owner Seeks Simcoe-Grey Liberal Nomination

Wasaga Beach resident  Alex Smardenka, owner of Boston Pizza and husband of 2010 Deputy Mayor Candidate Sandy Smardenka has announced his intention to run for the Federal Liberal nomination in Simcoe-Grey. If successful in his bid, he will replace outgoing candidate Andrea Matrosovs of Collingwood who ran against Helena Guergis in the last federal election. 

The process for gaining the seat includes gaining support from area Liberals who will vote for the candidate they wish to see represent the Simcoe-Grey riding in the next election. There is no announcement yet about when the Riding Association will vote on the matter but with nobody currently occupying the seat, the Liberals are under the gun to find a candidate quickly. 

Wasaga Beach Transit System is Growing

Starting today the Wasaga Beach Transit bus will stop at the Waterside Retirement Lodge on Zoo Park Road every hour on Route 1.

Town Councillors officiated at a special ceremony this morning to kick off the new stop on the route.

Here are a few photos taken by “the Bench Guy” Joe Bickerstaff.

 

Dog Days of Winter in Wasaga Beach

Time’s Up

Wasaga Beach Blogger Awarded Silver Medal

 

 

 

The winners are here!
After more than a year of preparations, nominations, coding, writing, primping, preening, and two jury rounds, we have finally arrived at the final announcement of the inaugural 2010 Canadian Weblog Awards.
Congratulations to all the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. We are proud to show off your mad blogging achievements. Thank you for doing Canada proud.
Huge thanks also goes out to all the jurors who volunteered their time and effort to make this juried award a reality. We are honoured to have such dedicated individuals to realize this vision. Canadian Weblog Awards.

Arts & Culture / Arts et culture

First: The Ampersand (National Post)
Second: Patti Friday (Wasaga Beach)
Third: tonyfoto/drool (Ottawa)

Patti Friday is a Canadian Author, Photographer & Blogger who shares life, images, works, words & ideas about popular culture with readers and friends. Patti lives in Wasaga Beach and has been Blogging since June 2007 gaining an international following.

Patti believes that anything goes. “You have the freedom to define your life & personal style and the license to change your mind always and often. Knowledge of our society & culture, its places, people and their ideas empowers all of us. You are ‘at-liberty’ to create your world.”

Editor’s Note:

Wow! ..2nd place behind the National Post, quite an honour but you deserve it. Remember that little quote by Calvin Coolidge that we talked about many years ago."Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “Press On” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." You are the epitome of that saying..keep up the good work and Congratulations!