Chronological Index of Ensign Articles for
January of 2004

2004 as it looks from here
Thursday
January 1, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: Yes its time once again to gaze deeply into the salad bowl and come up with some insights into the new year.

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Icy wind from the North
Friday
January 2, 2004
Tisdale: How appropriate to begin the new year with appropriate weather. It was noon when we produced the pictures for this story and -21ºC with a nasty North wind. The story includs a QuickTime Virtual Reality Panorama.(400K)
John would have liked it
Saturday
January 10, 2004
Saskatoon: On Sunday we were at the John Diefenbaker airport in Saskatoon. Though Saskatoon has every reason to be proud of the renovated city owned facility I am certain the old guy would be so pleased to have his name on this portal. This story includes a QuickTime VR of the inside of the airport.
The Greenwater Report
Monday
January 12, 2004
by: Gerald Crawford
Greenwater Provincial Park: We did not have a picture to go with last week's Greenwater report so today's report includes both this week's report and last week's column. Looks like Gerald is coping pretty well with the snowfall yesterday and Saturday night.
The Scandal of the Century: Saskatchewan Authorities found guilty of malicious prosecution
Monday,
January 12, 2003
by: Mario deSantis
Nipawin: The trial is over and the judge has ruled that the prosecutor, the police investigator and a therapist all worked together to maliciously prosecute a number of people sending one person to jail for a crime that not only did the accused not committ but a crime that never ever occurred. This story gives some insight into the thoughts that went into the judge's decision.
Not a Nieuport but a Camel
Tuesday
January 13, 2003
by: Brian D. Marlatt
White Rock, B.C. : Yes I should have known two guns instead of one. Brian gives us some details on one of the most outstanding fighters in history and built by a company that continues to produce outstanding aircraft to this very day.
Catch 22 for the Tories
Tuesday
January 13, 2004
by: Brad Thomson
Ottawa : Brad wrote this story on December 31, 2003 but I was unable to post it until today and it seems like the perfect time to do so with Peter MacKay announcing this morning that he is unable to participate in the contest for leadership of the newly merged Conservative Party. But Brad's is not the last word on this subject as we post two other stories on the same topic one by Joe Heuglin and the other by Bruce Federick.
The hypocrisy of conventional economic gurus: Exporting America and combating terrorism
Tuesday
January 13, 2004
by: Mario deSantis
Nipawin: This story and its wealth of references point out the preculiar and conflicting conclusions that the economic gurus have drawn about the negative economic conditions that are engulfing the world as a result of the selfish behaviour of the United States.
PC party loyalists reconstitute the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Tuesday
January 13, 2004
by: Joe Hueglin
Niagara Falls: This news release came out last Friday and unfortunately we were unable to post at that time but with MacKays announcement not to run for leadership of the Conservative Party this story takes on a new meaning and has some long reaching consequences in the coming spring election.
Boil Water order for Tisdale
Wednesday
January 14, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: Tuesday morning town waterworks people discovered a chlorination unit on a well did not kick in and untreated water had pumped into the system over night. As a result the boil water warning was issued and will not be lifted until chlorine levels rise throughout the town water system.
Despotism and the hypocrisy of the top 1% class: A game of lies at the expense of people at large
Wednesday
January 14, 2004
by: Mario deSantis
Nipawin: This story is just a brief summary of the research that went into its conclusions. It is clear that there is something very rotten in the republic to the South of us as the wealth of that nation is consolidating in only the smallest minority of people. This is not just an American problem because a similar trend is occuring here, it is simply unavoidable because of the integrated economy that has evolved.
Bigger Hair 2000
Thursday
January 15, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: Downtown hair dressing shop is building an addition onto the back of their building.
NASCAR's Le Grande Experiment Is Amateurish At Best
Thursday
January 15, 2004
by: Ron Thornton
Edmonton: Thousands of people are wrapped in the drama of the motor racing culture and enjoy the television excitement through each racing season. Ron tells us about some changes in NASCAR that are upsetting fans.
A permanent target for the Air Farce chicken cannon
Thursday
January 15, 2004
by: Bruce Frederick
Cobble Hill, B.C.: I can think of no other character in political life who has been more of a let down and perhaps much worse than Peter MacKay. Ah, some will point out the problems of Stockwell Day, yet they are minon in comparison to the man that promises, signs and deal, kills a political party and stays on as an example of bad judgement.
Privatising Justice at the expense of public interest: President Bush, Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennel, Premier Berlusconi
Thursday
January 15, 2004
by: Mario deSantis
Nipawin: The equation that determines who is being served by governmental action is something that so often seems much less apparent than it should. The assumption that we have government and authority to serve and protect the over all good for all people is so often discretionary and sadly sometimes just plainly self serving by the elected official.
ERROR in "One Conservative Voice": A most imprudent slogan
Friday
January 16, 2004
by: Joe Hueglin
Niagara Falls Ontario: Stephen Harper is certain to be elected the new leader of the newly "reformed" Conservative Party of Canada, but Joe Hueglin casts some serious doubt about Mr. Harper's claim to be speaking for the "one conservative voice" in Canada.
Interesting but useless
Friday
January 16, 2003
by: Cassandra Shire
Winnipeg: We have been told often enough that we now are in the "information age" and there certainly is plenty of evidence of information "stuff" cluttering up our world. Here is a list of some more "stuff", perhaps you might find a use for some of it.
Barneys 1940 Plymouth
Saturday
January 17, 2004
by: Barney Caufield
British Columbia: Because this site is visited frequently by various search engines people often find things they are looking for within the site. Over the years it has been cars that seem to attract a lot of interest and two owners of 1940 Plymouths have recently been in touch with us about their beloved cars.
Bush Promises the Moon, But Where are the Jobs?
Sunday
January 18, 2004
by: Mark Weisbrot
Washington: As part of his election strategy the US president is promising America to return to the moon and put Americans on Mars. Here is a practical look at these promises.
The Greenwater Report
Monday
January 19, 2004
by: Gerald Crawford
Beiseker, AB: Gerald is on a trip and sent his weekly column as he makes his way around Alberta and stories that take is along on the trip.
If I were Brian France
Monday
January 19, 2004
by: Ron Thornton
Edmonton: Today Ron takes a positive look at the controversy over the scheduling of this season's NASCAR races and the way the season might be better organised to produce the heightened suspense at the season's end.
Around the clock in Wascana
Tuesday
January 20, 2004
by: R. W. Shire
Regina: Wascana Lake is no longer a drained mini lake but now it is a major construction project as earth moving equipment work down lowering the lake bottom 24 hours a day.
Servant Leadership and Common Sense versus Selfish Leadership and Specific Clarity: The case of the demented Saskatchewan Justice
Tuesday
January 20, 2004
by: Mario deSantis
Nipawin: The astonishing refusal of the Saskatchewan Government to accept the overwhelming decision by the court on malicious prosecution of the Klassen family really calls into question the whole point of government. The ruling was completely and totally in favour of the Klassen family and the idea of rule of law should be the guiding principle but apparently there is a lesson to be learned here.
Lean on me
Wednesday
January 21, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: This page is not a story but perhaps it tells a story. Four images in a Flash presentation with "Al Green's" song "Lean on me". This page requires QuickTime for the music to play.
And the Winner Is?
Thursday
January 22, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: When September ended hundreds of weeping Tisdale folks were left without a place for their morning breakfast and coffee as Garry McPeak closed Hannigans. A search and extensive testing has been carried out and today we declare a winner.
One condition for world social and economic growth: The United Sates must learn from the principle "give more, take less"
Thursday
January 22, 2004
by: Mario deSantis
Nipawin: It is a pretty long stretch to imagine the United States acting as former Prime Minister Chretien once suggested "be nice". But this story suggests that the country that most threatens peace on the planet has to re-evaluate its behaviour if things are going to improve. Martin Luther King was murdered in that country but he was leading at the time of his death a crusade to make the changes needed.
Deflation is a natural phenomenon of the global market: More emphasis on full employment and purchasing power
Friday
January 23, 2004
by: Mario deSantis
Nipawin: This week when the Governor of the Bank of Canada announced the reduction in the Canadian interest rate he asked Canadian businesses to "increase the productivity". Indeed, he like so many present day economists worship a false god called "GDP" and when the Free Market deals them a natural consequence their response is to fiddle with the economic monster they have themselves created.
Kindersley PeeWee Klippers "AA" 8-6 over Tisdale PeeWee Ramblers
Monday
January 26, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: Sunday afternoon Kindersley PeeWees were in town and it was one of those high scoring games with four goals in the first period and eight in the second. So there was lots of action for the fans.
The Greenwater Report
Monday
January 26, 2004
by: Gerald Crawford
Greenwater Provincial Park: Back with their new RV and enjoying the cold weather Gerald has some great pictures of cross country skiers who were participating in the Loppet this past weekend.
Richelle
Monday
January 26, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: This page presents a complete 12MB streaming video of a figure skating performance that took place Sunday afternoon during a hockey game.
Battle moves from the courtroom to your desktop
Tuesday
January 27, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: This issue is far greater and more complex than can be dealt with in a short story on this web site but mid afternoon yesterday the latest worm "MyDoom" began arriving in our e-mail and it is just pouring in today. This one is related to the fight for control of computer operating systems and at the base of it all is the "American way of doing things".
Flat tax unfairly increases burden of low income home owners
Wednesday
January 28, 2004
by: Joyce Neufeld
Waldeck: With the changes that have been made in the Urban Municipal Act city and town councils have tended to lower their mill rate and utilise a flat tax that has in effect drastically increased the amount of taxes paid on the lowest valued properties. One house in Waldeck, just East of Swift Current has seen its property tax increase by 346% while the second highest valued property in that village saw its taxes actually go down.
Rhapsody in Blue
Thursday
January 29, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: Here are a set of pictures taken Wednesday after sunset as the temperature descended toward -40º. The arid air and the darkening sky provide a background for one of the most significant pieces of music produced in the twentieth century. To hear this music you will need QuickTime installed in your computer (download Quicktime free)
The madness of privatisation: The root of an injustice system, in Saskatchewan and elsewhere
Thursday
January 29, 2004
by: Mario deSantis
Nipawin: This is a very complex article as Mario deSantis explains that private and public good can be extraordinarily confused and this should not be the case. Read this story carefully and check out the wealth of references the help to explain the problem.
Sunlight and fog
Friday
January 30, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire
Tisdale: Habitation fog, meteorologists call it "ice fog," is relatively common in arctic towns, villages and cities. Most noteably Whitehorse where the Porter Creek area actually is frequently socked in with fog of its own making. But for the rest of us it is rare and with this recent cold snap we had it three days running. These interesting pictures were taken Thursday morning.
Parkland Photography club January 2004
Friday
January 30, 2004
by: Gerald Crawford
Greenwater: Despite some adverse weather the club got together to share this month's "landmark" theme and consider various club activities. Great pictures this month.
The Uplook
Saturday
January 31, 2004
by: Timothy W. Shire, Illustrated by Dawn LaRochelle
Tisdale: As intelligent life forms we have a tendance to somehow impress ourselves with our own decision making yet the reality of life is that much of what happens is out of hands. Many people find it frustrating and downright upsetting to make this discovery but alas our individual significance is grossly overstated.
Reclaiming Control
Saturday
January 31, 2004
by: Mike Reilly
Winnipeg: There is a serious danger in parliament passing legislation without giving the process and the consequences the kind of consideration needed. When this happens we all suffer and here is a case in point.