With only two tellers working at the bank, the line I was standing in was moving very slowly. As I waited, I began to fill in my withdrawal slip. Not sure of the date, I turned and asked the woman behind me.
“It’s the fifth,” she replied.
From the back of the line a man advised, “Don’t write it in yet!”
A golfer, well into his golden years, had a lifelong ambition to play one hole at Pebble Beach, California the way the pros do it. The pros drive the ball out over the water onto the green that is on a spit of land that juts out off the coast.
It was something he had tried hundreds of times without success. His ball always fell short, into the ocean. Because of this he never used a new ball on this particular hole. He always picked out one that had a cut or a nick.
Recently he went to Pebble Beach to try again. When he came to the fateful hole, he teed up an old cut ball and said a silent prayer.
Before he hit it however, a powerful voice from above said,
“WAIT... REPLACE THAT OLD BALL WITH A BRAND-NEW BALL.”
He complied, with some slight misgiving, despite the fact that the Lord seemed to be implying that He was going to let him finally achieve his lifelong ambition. As he stepped up to the tee once more, the voice came down again,
“WAIT... STEP BACK... TAKE A PRACTICE SWING.”
So he stepped back and took a practice swing. The voice boomed out again,
“TAKE ANOTHER PRACTICE SWING.” He did. Silence followed.
Then the voice spoke out again.
“PUT BACK THE OLD BALL.”
EATONIA
TUESDAYS, JUNE 6, 13
• Eatonia & District Recreation Board “Adult Walking Soccer” 6:30 PM at Eatonia Football Field. Drop-ins.
SATURDAY, JUNE 17
• Eatonia Beach Volleyball 4 on 4 Tourney. Beer Gardens and Concession. Prizes to be won! Deadline to register a team: June 4. Contact Morgan at 306-430-1557 for more information.
SATURDAY, JUNE 24
• Eatonia Show & Shine 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM on Main Street. Call 306-460-7767 for more info.
ESTON
SATURDAY, JUNE 3
• Join us in support of Eston Caring Hands Annual Community Garage Sale 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Pick up your maps at Eston Jubilee Lodge Gazebo $1 each. Meet us under the Gazebo for BBQ Burgers and Drinks $5 11:00 AM1:30 PM.
FRIDAY, JUNE 9 - SUNDAY, JUNE 11
• 2023 Eston Summer Kickoff at the fairgrounds and arena. Slopitch tournament, food trucks, petting zoo, kids carnival, market, pancake breakfast, beer gardens, dance. Contact Kim Lane at ecdev@eston.ca for more information.
SATURDAY, JUNE 17
• Eston Bull Riding Committee presents 2nd Annual World Professional Bull Riding.
SATURDAY, JULY 1
• Eston Riverside Park presents Canada Day Celebrations. Pancake Breakfast 8:30 - 11:30 AM. $10 Park Admission per car includes entry to: Backyard games for all ages, Pickleball at Hall, Free Swimming from 1:00-5:00 PM, Free Mini Golf. 1st ever Golf Cart Parade at 2:00 PM. (anything with wheels - bikes, cars, etc.) Call the Clubhouse to register your float!
* Wheatland Centre Potluck Supper fourth Friday of each month 6:00 PM. $5.00. Bring your own utensils. Coffee & tea provided.
KERROBERT
FRIDAY & SATURDAY, JUNE 2 & 3
• Prairieland Players Dinner Theatre at the PCC
SATURDAY, JUNE 3
• 1963 Class Reunion visiting 2:00-4:00 PM Seniors Hall.
TUESDAY, JUNE 6
• Kerrobert Swimming Pool Opening
TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6 & 7
• Kerrobert & District 4H Show & Sale
FRIDAY, JUNE 9
• KCS Elementary Track & Field
KINDERSLEY
THURSDAY - SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2, 3
• 30th Anniversary edition of the Kindersley Indoor Rodeo at the West Central Events Centre. See back page for events and times.
FRIDAY, JUNE 2
• Antique Seeding Demonstration with Horses 11:00 AM at the Kindersley & District Plains Museum. Horse-drawn wagon rides. Hamburgers and Hot Dogs for sale.
SATURDAY, JUNE 3
• Kindersley & District Plains Museum Rodeo Pancake Breakfast 9:00-11:00 AM. Sponsored by Redemption Baptist Church. Admission by Donation (Recommended $5.00).
MONDAY, JUNE 5
• Monday Night Jam Sessions at the Norman Ritchie Community Centre. Doors open at 6:30 to set-up, then the fun begins at 7-11 PM. Call Keith 306-460-8633.
• Interested in a support group for weight management? TOPS meetings; every Monday at 6:00 PM in the Kindersley Senior Centre OR contact Jill at 306-463-4210.
• PickleBall is at the outdoor court next to the West Central Events Centre every Monday & Wednesday 6:30 PM. $50 per season or $5 drop in. More info call 306-460-8356.
FRIDAY, JUNE 9
• Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of West Central Abilities Inc. and 35th Anniversary of
Kindersley SARCAN. Employee Recognitions, Retiree Service Awards. Doors open at 5:30 PM. Dinner at 6:00 PM. Norman Ritchie Community Centre. Presentations to follow. RSVP 306-463-2727 by June 2.
LEADER
SATURDAY, JUNE 10
• Annual Community Garage Sales brought to you by Leader Tourism 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Maps can be picked up at the Leader Tourist Booth on that day.
• Leader & District Chamber of Commerce is holding their Sandhills Credit Union Marketplace Kick-Off Party from 5:00 - 8:00 PM. Live music, food vendors.
LUSELAND
SATURDAY, JUNE 3
• The Luseland & District Museum invites everyone to join their Country School Tour. Leaving from the Museum at 1:30 PM. The tour will take you to each country school site in the area plus a number of other historical sites. Snacks at Niagra School (Bell Acres Club House) around 3:30 PM.
THURSDAY - SATURDAY, JUNE 8, 9, 10
• Pothole Productions presents “Wheel of MISFORTUNE” Luseland Homecoming Hall Annual Dinner Theatre. Tickets available at West of the 3rd Graphics 603 Grand Avenue, Luseland. Call 306-372-4404.
MAJOR
SATURDAY, JUNE 17
• Community BBQ
MANTARIO
SUNDAY, JUNE 18
• Mantario Lions Club 2nd Annual Father’s Day Rib Supper 4:40 - 7:00 PM at Eyre Park Hall. Sundae Dessert Bar, Cash Bar. Call Dennis 306-460-7400 or Duane 306-463-9294 for more info.
Q.Ireally enjoyed a series of movies with Noah Wyle called “The Librarians.” I read that it’s being turned into a series. Where and when can I watch? — H.H.
A.Noah
Wyle (“ER”) starred as librarian Flynn Carsen in three separate TV movies beginning in 2004: “Quest of the Spear,” “Return to King Solomon’s Mines,” and “Curse of the Judas Chalice.” The actionadventure telefilms were later spun off into a successful weekly series called “The Librarians,” which ran for four seasons on TNT with Wyle, Rebecca Romijn (“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”) and John Larroquette (“Night Court”).
Now, five years after its cancellation, the CW network has announced that it will launch another series, “The Librarians: The Next Chapter,” with original executive producer and showrunner Dean Devlin at the helm. According to “TVInsider,” the new version “centers on a ‘Librarian’ from the past, who time traveled to the present and now finds himself stuck here.” There will also be a “new team to help him clean up the mass he made, forming a new team of Librarians.”
Due to the ongoing writer’s strike and the fact that the show is still in the development stage, it’s uncertain whether the show will be part of the * * *
Q.Where
ed on her departure from the show, but hopefully she’ll bounce back with a new gig soon.
VICTIM SERVICES
have I seen the actress who plays Det. Muncy on “Law & Order: SVU?” Was she ever on a soap? — A.E.
A.Ifyou’re a “Days of Our Lives” fan then, yes, you’ve seen actress Molly Burnett before. She played Melanie Jonas on the NBC (now Peacock) soap from 2008 to 2016. She was also a regular on the USA network series “Queen of the South” before making the leap to “Law & Order: SVU.”
Her role as Det. Muncy on “SVU” began as a recurring one before turning into a series regular by the seventh episode of season 24. However, during a crossover episode with “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” her character announced that she’s leaving for a new assignment on the DEA task force. So far, Burnett hasn’t comment-
NBC recently announced that “SVU” will be back for an impressive 25th season this fall, which will solidify stars Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T as the longest running male and female actors in television. Some are speculating whether Burnett’s exit might mean they’re making room for Kelli Giddish to return as Det. Rollins, but at this stage, it’s just speculation. * * *
Q.What happened to Christine on the Netflix series “Selling Sunset”? Is she still selling houses?
— W.J.
A.After five years as the villain on the real estate reality series “Selling Sunset,” Christine Quinn either left or was fired from the Oppenheim Group, the brokerage firm featured on the show. She doesn’t appear to miss it, however, hinting that she might someday start her own firm, and she’s also said in interviews that she’d like to get back into “scripted” acting again. Her previous credits include parts on “Ballers” and “Drop Dead Diva.”
Noah Wyle starred in “The Librarians” TV movies as well as the weekly spinoff series.
Depositphotos
By Lucie Winborne
Constituency Office Unit 5, 1001 Main Street Box 2620, Kindersley, SK S0L 1S0 Phone: 306-463-4446 kfrancismla@gmail.com
1. Name the ice cream flavor Baskin-Robbins created in celebration of the Beatles coming to America for the first time.
2. Which artist wrote and released “Duke of Earl”?
3. What’s the name of the street the Beatles are crossing on their 1969 album cover?
4. Name the first rock group to ever play Carnegie Hall.
5. Name the song that contains these lyrics: “It’s late September and I really should be back at school, I know I keep you amused but I feel I’m being used.”
Answers
1. Beatle Nut. A reporter called Robbins and asked if a new flavor was being created. Nothing was planned and Robbins had to think fast. He said yes, and five days later the walnut, pistachio and chocolate ribbon ice cream was being delivered.
2. Gene Chandler (born Eugene Drake Dixon), in 1962. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002.
3. Abbey Road, near Grove End Road, in North West London.
4. Chicago, in April 1971.
5. “Maggie May,” by Rod Stewart, in 1971. The song tells the story of a college boy with an older woman for a lover. The song was released as the B side to “Reason to Believe.”
• In a study to improve hospital design for children, researchers polled 250 kids about their opinions on clowns. The verdict was unanimous: Every single one reported disliking or fearing them. Well, so do some adults.
• A Texas woman named Verda Byrd, adopted by a Black family in the 1940s, only discovered she was white after finding her adoption papers in 2013.
• In 1987, a barge left New York for North Carolina with a whopping 3,168 tons of trash on board. North Carolina didn’t want it either, so the barge traveled for seven long months trying (and failing) to find someone to take it, launching a national conversation on the subject of landfills and recycling.
• The town of Dull in Scotland has been twinned with the town of Boring, Oregon, since 2012.
• Because goats can eat poison ivy with no ill effects, some farmers rent out the animals to clear parks, golf courses and historical sites without having to use chemicals or herbicides.
• A nuclear bomb is stuck somewhere in the ice on the coast of Greenland.
• Retired NFL wide receiver Steve Smith left his cleats on the field after every game to raise awareness of homeless people who don’t have shoes.
• In 1993, a Missouri man purposely damaged a levee on the Mississippi River to delay his wife coming home from work so he could party. The plan spectacularly backfired when the river flooded 14,000 acres, leading to his arrest and conviction for causing a catastrophe and a life sentence in prison.
• There are cases of identical twins in which only one is born with Down syndrome.
Thought for the Day: “Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic.”
The Toronto Blue Jays entered this season expecting to contend for an American League East title while featuring a vastly different style compared to many of the teams that came before. A one-dimensional offence added left-handed bats to balance the order. The outfield was overhauled to improve athleticism and limit extra-base hits. Speed and versatility were behind every transaction beyond designated hitter.
The off-season strategy was to upgrade the pitching and defence to complement an everyday lineup designed to beat teams in a variety of ways. This group wasn’t going to sit back and wait for a homer, it intended on applying pressure by hitting balls to the gaps, moving runners over and taking extra bases. The refresh was a success through much of April. The Jays opened with an 1810 record while Kevin Kiermaier made dazzling plays in centre, reliever Erik Swanson put up zeroes and Chris Bassitt proved his worth as a reliable mid-rotation piece. For a few weeks, the only thing standing between the Jays and first place was a historic start by the Tampa Bay Rays.
May was not kind. The Jays have struggled for much of May. The bats often were cold and the starting pitching was inconsistent. After a recent homestand started with a sweep of the Atlanta Braves, the Jays have dropped nine of 12 games while falling into last place, 10 1/2 games back of the Rays. There has been a recurring theme of a non-competitive start from Alek Manoah. A finalist for the Cy Young Award last year. Much like José Berríos in 2022, Manoah has
transitioned from ace to liability, seemingly overnight. His 5.54 ERA is the fifth-worst in the majors among qualified starters and nobody has allowed more baserunners than his 1.79 per inning. Manoah’s season- long struggles have stopped the Jays from getting on a roll and held back an otherwise satisfactory rotation that ranks 10th with a 4.03 ERA.
The Jays’ decision to not upgrade their bench during the off-season was questionable before and it’s more questionable now, even without any major injuries. Pinch-hitting for a guy with a .563 on-base-plus-slugging percentage against left-handers shouldn’t be controversial, it should be automatic. It’s the lack of alternatives, which speak to the bigger issue.
Gabriel Moreno and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., the two players traded for Varsho — have made the optics look worse. While Varsho struggles, the two former Jays are thriving in Arizona. Moreno is batting .304 while throwing out 52 per cent of baserunners in his first full season. Gurriel is off to the best start of his career with a .928 OPS that would lead all Jays. The Jays could live with that if Varsho was producing, but he’s not. Beyond his Gold Glove defence, he was acquired to make the lineup more dynamic. Instead, his .639 OPS, the league average is .739 for outfielders, has made it less potent. Varsho’s struggles and George Springer’s slow start have left Kiermaier’s resurgence as the only positive in the outfield where the Jays rank 21st with a .393 slugging percentage.
The story for the season is a familiar one. Some of the faces are different, but the script has been the same. That will have to change soon, otherwise last year’s movie is destined to become the sequel nobody wanted.
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) The often skeptical Aries might find that an answer to a question is hard to believe. But check it out before you chuck it out. You might well be surprised at what you could learn.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your resolute determination to stick by a position might make some people uncomfortable. But if you’re proved right (as I expect you to be), a lot of changes will tilt in your favor.
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Constituency
ment you need.
LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You’ve come through a difficult period of helping others deal with their problems. Now you can concentrate on putting your energy to work on your own projects.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Forget about who’s to blame and, instead, make the first move toward patching up a misunderstanding before it creates a rift that you’ll never be able to cross.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Good news for the travel-loving Sagittarian who enjoys galloping off to new places: That trip you put off will soon be back on your schedule.
Constituency Office
Unit 5, 1001 Main St.
Ken Francis, MLA Kindersley Constituency
PO Box 2620 Kindersley, SK S0L 1S0
Phone: 306-463-4446
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might feel conflicted between what you want to do and what you should do. Best advice: Honor your obligations first. Then go ahead and enjoy your well-earned rewards.
Constituency Office Unit 5, 1001 Main St. PO Box 2620
kfrancismla@gmail.com
Kindersley, SK S0L 1S0
Phone: 306-463-4446 kfrancismla@gmail.com
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) That financial matter still needs to be sorted out before you can consider any major monetary moves. Pressures ease midweek, with news about a potential career change.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) A workplace problem threatens to derail your well-planned project. But your quick mind should lead you to a solution and get you back on track without too much delay.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A mood change could make the gregarious Goat seek the company of just a few friends. But you charge back into the crowd for weekend fun and games.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A decision you made in good faith could come under fire. Best advice: Open your mind to other possibilities by listening to your challenger’s point of view.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20) You can avoid being swamped by all those tasks dangling from your line this week by tackling them one-byone, according to priority. The weekend brings good news.
well-being and a renewed sense of purpose. 213 Main St., Kindersley 306-463-1033 Book online at www.tranquilwaterspa.ca
VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) An opportunity opens up but could quickly close down if you allow pessimism to override enthusiasm. A trusted friend can offer the encourage-
BORN THIS WEEK: You have a fine business sense and a love of the arts. You enjoy living life to its fullest.
Twice last week, SaskEnergy set new daily natural gas usage records, and we can thank Alberta for most of our supply
BY BRIAN ZINCHUK
BY BRIAN ZINCHUK brian.zinchuk@pipelineonline.ca
I woke up the morning of May 25 and my early-rising wife informed me the power had been out for an hour. She expressed disappointment she couldn’t have her morning coffee, nor make a hot breakfast.
Not only was Saskatchewan setting electrical consumption records during the cold snap of last week of December, we also set two consecutive natural gas consumption records, too.
By the time I was moving, power was back, so no big deal. I had to reboot my computer (protected by not one, but two uninterruptable power supplies, but their batteries had run out). Good thing I saved that file the previous night.
And five nines would mean only 5.3 minutes of outages per year.
According to SaskEnergy in a Dec. 31 release, “Extreme cold weather across Saskatchewan this week resulted in record-breaking natural gas demand in the province. On December 28 and 29, natural gas consumption surpassed the previous daily record of 1.57 petajoules (PJ) which was set in February 2021.
But as I turned on CJME to listen to John Gormley, the news focused on a power outage that took out the eastern half of Regina.
“A new daily record of 1.62 PJ was set on December 28 and broken again on December 29 with total system delivery of 1.64 PJ. Delivery numbers for December 30 and 31 are not yet finalized, but are also expected to exceed 1.6 PJ.”
My guess was thunderstorms the night before might have been the culprit, as the SaskPower map showed unplanned outages across central Saskatchewan. Outlook, Davidson, Englefield and Clavet were all out. The men and women in orange and white trucks had a busy day ahead of them.
It’s a good thing their trucks run on diesel, because if they were charging overnight, and the power went out, they’d have a hell of a time getting out in the field, wouldn’t they?
The natural gas records coincided with record power consumption. On Dec. 29, SaskPower set another record in power consumption for Saskatchewan. At 5:27 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2021, Saskatchewan homes and businesses reached 3,868 megawatts (MW) in power use, according to the Crown corporation. The previous record of 3,792 MW was reached four years ago to the day, on Dec. 29, 2017.
But these things happen. Storms, be it thunderstorms, tornadoes, plow winds, blizzards or frigid cold are part of the reality of living on the Canadian Prairie. And by 9 a.m., the power was largely restored.
How many nines?
Saskatchewan’s power production has increasingly shifted from coal to natural gas as a fuel source. In December, Boundary Dam Unit 4, a coal-fired generating unit, was retired, reducing the Boundary Dam Power Station to 672 megawatts capacity. On the natural gas side, Saskatchewan has seen the construction of several new natural gas-fired power plants. They include the baseload North Battleford Power Station (289 megawatts), Yellowhead Power Station peaking plant (also at North Battleford, 135 megawatts), the baseload Chinook Power Station at Swift Current (353 megawatts) and peaking plant Spy Hill Power Station (89 megawatts). Another 353 megawatt baseload
Reliability is sometimes measured in “nines.” If you did the math, I would estimate that most places in Saskatchewan see power outages like this totalling less than six hours a year. That would mean our reliability would be roughly 99.9 per cent. Some places, the grid is less reliable, and has seen more frequent power outages, and for much longer period. But if you said SaskPower’s reliability is in the range 99.9 per cent (three nines), you wouldn’t be too far off. To hit four nines, outages would have to be around 53 minutes in total or less over a year.
plant, very similar to Chinook, is under construction at Moose Jaw.
All of this added natural gas-fired power generation has, in turn, driven higher usage of natural gas during times of high electrical consumption.
The Crown noted that increased demand from SaskEnergy’s industrial customers, including natural gas use for power production, was the main driver of this week’s record-setting consumption.
Some might think well, 99 per cent should be okay, right? Well, that would mean power outages totalling 87.6 hours – or 3 days, 15 hours, 36 minutes. And we’ve had people in Saskatchewan recently who endured that at a stretch. Think of the recent blizzard near Estevan that broke a pile of power poles? People went for days without power, and for them it was a crisis.
SaskEnergy said it measures daily natural gas consumption for the 24-hour period from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. A PJ is a unit of measurement equivalent to one million gigajoules (GJ) of natural gas. An average Saskatchewan home consumes about 100 GJ of natural gas each year.
That’s because a nuisance can lead to ruin. Three days without power and everything in your fridge and freezer are likely garbage. And perhaps the appliances, too. All productivity goes to hell. No computers, you can’t even charge a cellphone unless you use your car.
“SaskEnergy’s natural gas system design can accommodate additional capacity to manage increased consumption even on peak days,” SaskEnergy president and CEO Ken From said in a release. “Throughout the year, SaskEnergy employees inspect, maintain and enhance the system to support safe and reliable natural gas delivery in all weather conditions. In addition, employees monitor the system 24 hours a day to ensure sufficient system capacity to meet customer demand across the province.”
Three days without any power in -36 C can be deadly. Animals that need to be kept warm could die.
Energy is the lifeblood of our economy and electricity is the air that it breathes. Just like breathing, the second you stop, it’s a crisis. The second the lights go out, everything comes to a halt.
This province is now largely dependent on neighbouring Alberta to fulfill roughly two-thirds of our natural gas needs.
What does that mean in real terms? Grid reliability or lack thereof in Estevan, no less, meant that the local Dairy Queen lost its inventory a few years ago because the power was out for too long. That was economically devastating to that restaurant. Now they have a large backup generator, nicely wrapped with signage, immediately behind the store, ready to go at a moment’s notice.
When natural gas prices took a tumble roughly 14 years ago, Saskatchewan’s domestic gas production fell off a cliff. Targeted gas drilling went essentially extinct, with next to no gas-specific wells being drilled in this province for most of the past decade. Our domestic gas production is now largely based on associated gas production that comes with oil production. As a result, Saskatchewan went from being a net gas exporter for the period of 1988 to 2009 to a net importer that year.
They can afford to do that. Or perhaps more importantly, can’t afford to not have it.
Having a generator capable of replacing your grid power at hand is not a cheap endeavour. Most individuals, businesses and farms in Saskatchewan do not have them, because in recent decades, they have not needed them.
But they soon might. If you have a generator business, this could be an opportunity.
LR RANGER HOLDINGS LTD.
The irony is that many of those who have been crying the most for wholesale adoption of wind and solar may not be able to afford having a backup generator (and the fuel required for it), should the power go out because said wind and solar fail.
And don’t think it can’t happen. Last November-December, the Alberta Electric System Operator put out five “grid alerts” in three weeks, warning people to not use high-power appliances like dishwasher, let the grid be in peril of rolling blackouts. The usual culprit was the frigid temperatures caused demand to peak and wind turbines to shut down, coinciding with the sun going down.
Let me be clear – Alberta has more coal, natural gas, and oil than God, because God gave all of his to Alberta. If ever Alberta, or Saskatchewan for that matter, should find itself in peril of rolling blackouts because it was too cold, the wind didn’t blow or the sun didn’t shine, it was because of sheer and utter incompetence at the top.
What we could end up with is a situation common in much of the Third World. Power is unreliable, so everyone who can afford it has a backup generator. And for those who don’t, too bad.
Look at what’s been happening in South Africa – their grid’s reliability has been collapsing, driven by corruption, and so, too, is their society. That country is falling apart as a result.
Reliability trumps all
You often hear politicians and activists talk about “affordability, sustainability and reliability.” But the reality is reliability trumps all. The second the power goes out, the other two don’t matter very much, do they? A house’s power bill might be $200 a month, but if the power goes out, the owner will likely pay $50 a day for gas to keep a generator going, much more for a farm or business. And you don’t really care
how sustainable that generator is, as long as it works.
This is why I’ve been writing so much about the reliability, or lack thereof, of wind and solar. The more I’ve seen how truly unreliable they are, the more alarmed I’ve become.
It’s too easy to pick on solar. It’s like picking on the fat kid at school. As the earth has yet to stop turning, the sun goes down every night, and solar power goes to zero. But I was amazed at how little solar power we get in November-December-January, three months where power is doubly important.
But after 17 months of frequent monitoring, I’ve found that wind, too, frequently drops to next to zero, and does so pretty much every month. On May 12 Alberta’s wind dropped to 2 megawatts out of 3,618. On May 26, it fell to 3 megawatts. And this happens many times a year, for hours at a time. If you were counting nines, like above, you wouldn’t even get two. There are so many times that wind drops to next to nothing, it’s astonishing.
We’re throwing away what we know works – coal and natural gas – for something we know that absolutely doesn’t work – wind and solar.
We’re building the BHP Jansen mine, the biggest potash mine in the world. It needs 200 megawatts. What do we do if build a whole bunch of wind power, like Alberta’s 3,618 megawatts, and it drops to 2 megawatts? Sorry, boys shut her down. Good luck coming out tonight, or breathing when the ventilation loses power. The feds said we can’t use coal or gas anymore, so good luck.
Reliability of the electrical grid is everything. Without it, nothing else matters.
Brian Zinchuk is editor and owner of Pipeline Online. He can be reached at brian.zinchuk@pipelineonline.ca.
ALUMINUM OIL CAP KINDERSLEY
Ewwwww!
A visitor at Wonderland amusement park in Toronto, Ontario, was filled with more than wonder as he rode the Leviathan roller coaster on May 16, the Toronto Sun reported. Hubert Hsu of Toronto said as his coaster car neared the top of one of the ride’s loops, it collided with a bird -- possibly a pigeon. “I looked down and saw blood on my hands and my face,” Hsu said. “There was a feather on my hand, and feathers on the girl next to me’s shirt. It seemed like the coaster car hit the bird and then it sort of exploded on us.” Hsu said attendants gave them a roll of industrial brown paper towels, and he ended up washing up in a restroom. “The kids who work in the park seemed like they had no idea what to do, and that might be an issue,” he added.
It’s Come to This
Two Louisville, Kentucky, roommates got into a heated dispute at their home on May 20, The Charlotte Observer reported, over an unlikely subject: Hot Pockets. Clifton Williams, 64, was charged with second-degree assault after he allegedly shot the victim. Williams “got mad he ate the last Hot Pocket and began throwing tiles at him,” police said. When the victim moved to leave the home, Williams retrieved a firearm and shot the man in the posterior. He remains in the custody of Louisville Metro Corrections.
Kindersley & District CO-OP
Kid’s Korner
KID’S CLUB BIRTHDAYS FOR JUNE 4-10
Leif Bews
Graysen Coghill
Carter Dudley
Meverick Fries
Arabella Gilroy
Kaycie Goddard
Brayden Kleinsasser
Oaklyn Larson-Pateman
Jory Lehman
Avery Longmire
Samantha Mandel
Caleb Roland Mundt
Cohen Ness
Daylen Thompson
Maxton Wagner
Joanne Waldner
Caydence Walsh
Posting Date May 29, 2023
• On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution, which determined that the U.S. flag would consist of 13 alternating red and white stripes and 13 white, five-pointed stars on a blue background.
• On Feb. 25, 1570, Pope Pius V declared England’s Queen Elizabeth I a heretic and excommunicated her from the Roman Catholic Church by way of a papal bull releasing Catholics from any loyalty to her and calling upon them to remove her from the throne.
• On June 12, 1817, the earliest form of bicycle — known as the Laufmaschine in German and in English by the derogatory term “dandy horse” — was demonstrated by its inventor, Karl Drais.
• On June 16, 1903, Pepsi-Cola became an official trademark. The Pepsi Cola Company had launched just the year before, to immediate success, and by 1910, boasted more than 200 franchises in 24 states.
• On Feb. 22, 1879, Frank Winfield Woolworth opened the Great 5 Cents Store (later Woolworth’s) in Utica, New York. Originally promising that nothing would cost more than a nickel, the chain expanded over the next 50 years to 1,000 stores, but retail market changes eventually forced the last U.S. shop to permanently close in 1997.
• On June 18, 1978, American serial killer and sex offender Jeffrey Dahmer murdered his first victim just three weeks after his high school graduation. Dahmer had lured 18-year-old hitchhiker Steven Mark Hicks to his house with the promise of a few beers.
• On Feb. 21, 1933, Miriam A. “Ma” Ferguson, who made history by becoming the first woman governor of Texas, announced that Feb. 26 through March 4 would be officially known as “Texas Week.” The state’s Independence Day, March 2, falls in this period.
• On June 13, 1981, Queen Elizabeth II was shot at with six blank rounds by Marcus Sarjeant while she was riding a horse. The queen managed to keep her horse under control and was not injured. When police questioned Sarjeant about his motives, he said: “I wanted to be famous. I wanted to be a somebody.”
• On Feb. 26, 1951, American novelist James Jones published “From Here to Eternity,” about the U.S. Army in Hawaii before the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. It was later memorably adapted into an Academy Awardwinning movie featuring such Hollywood luminaries as Deborah Kerr, Burt Lancaster, Donna Reed and Montgomery Clift.
Get National Egg Day off to a Delicious Start With Budget-Friendly
Shakshuka
Did you know that National Egg Day is coming up on June 3? I hope you’re ready to celebrate and start your day with a delicious and nutritious meal, because I’ve got a recipe for you that’s sure to impress: Shakshuka!
The history of Shakshuka is a bit murky, with some claiming it originated in Tunisia, while others say it was invented in Israel or North Africa. Regardless of its origins, Shakshuka has become a beloved dish around the world, and for good reason. It’s a comforting, warming dish that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
So, without further ado, here’s the recipe for Shakshuka: SKILLET SHAKSHUKA
Yield: 4 servings
Total Time: 30 minutes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and chopped
1 (4 ounce) can mild green chilis
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
tomato sauce may cause a reaction with the metal. It won’t hurt you, but the Shakshuka will taste metallic and may harm the seasoning of your cast iron pan.
In your skillet, warm the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and let that cook for a few minutes to soften. Add the bell peppers and green chilis, cooking for 5 minutes, stirring as needed.
• On Feb. 20, 1962, the NASA spaceship Friendship 7, named and piloted by Marine Lieutenant John Glenn, was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the first complete orbit around Earth made by an American astronaut.
• On June 17, 1985, fighter pilot and Saudi prince Sultan bin Salman Al Saud became the first Arab, the first Muslim and the first member of a royal family to fly into space, on NASA’s Discovery Space Shuttle, as a payload specialist. He chose not to fast for Ramadan while he was training and in space, but brought a small Koran along for the trip, with a prayer from his mother asking God to protect travelers, and tied his feet to the shuttle floor to prostrate himself in prayer as best he could.
• On June 15, 2019, Babe Ruth’s baseball jersey became the most expensive sports memorabilia in history when it sold for a staggering $5.6 million. According to Hunt Auctions, the jersey dated to between 1928 and 1930 and broke the previous record of $4.4 million set by a 1920 Ruth jersey.
• On Feb. 23, 1997, the three-anda-half hour Holocaust drama “Schindler’s List” aired commercial-free on the NBC television network. Seen by 60 million people, it was the first film to display TV Guide’s rating of TV-MA (unsuitable for children under 17), due to scenes of violence and brief nudity, which also sparked some political controversy.
• On Feb. 24, 2020, American film
producer Harvey Weinstein’s career
But first, let’s talk about egg prices. Yes, it’s true, the cost of eggs has doubled since this time last year, but there’s hope on the horizon. Eggs are expected to drop a total of about 30% by the end of the year, according to the USDA. The price isn’t back to where it was, but at least it’s going in the right direction.
But fear not, dear readers, because even with these prices, eggs are still a nutritional bargain. Not only are they an affordable source of protein, but they’re also packed with nutrients like vitamin D, choline and omega-3 fatty acids.
And what better way to enjoy these little nutritional powerhouses than in a classic dish like Shakshuka? For those who are new to this dish, Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern breakfast dish made with eggs poached in a flavorful tomato sauce. It’s a delicious, easy-to-make one-pan wonder. And it’s versatile enough to accommodate a range of dietary needs.
1 tablespoon cumin
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
8 eggs
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled or sliced
Parsley or cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
Add the garlic, paprika and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and their juices. Reduce heat and let this simmer for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavor to marry. At this time, if you choose, you can place the skillet on very low heat and let it simmer until you’re ready to cook the eggs. Using the back of a spoon, make wells in the tomato mixture. Crack the eggs into the sauce, spacing them evenly apart. Cover and allow the eggs to cook until the whites are set and the yolk is cooked to your desired consistency, about 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately, sprinkled with feta cheese, chopped parsley and lots of crusty bread.
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4 thick slices of crusty bread
Note: Don’t use a cast iron or aluminum skillet, as the highly acidic
Diva Tip: Use a vegetable peeler to thinly slice the feta cheese so it melts beautifully over everything. And there you have it, folks. Celebrate the humble egg with Shakshuka. It’s a delicious and affordable meal that’s perfect any time of day. Bon appetit! ***
Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime — Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com
