The Q92 Morning Crew

Ho ho ho! Here comes jolly ol’ Shawn and Mel, taking part in this year’s Santa Claus Pub Crawl! That’s right, it’s an annual event and you’re invited too!

This Saturday, December 15th, the 10th Annual SCPC will be hitting the streets of Timmins. It’s a fun night out to spread Christmas cheer, plus you’ll get to see Mel in an elf costume…worth it. Just make sure you go all out on the costume too.

Itinerary:

• 8pm - Mickey J’s
• 9pm - The Standard
• 10pm - Moneta
• 10:30pm - Corner Pockets
• 11pm - St. Charles
• 11:30pm - Windsor
• 12am - Victory Tavern
• 1am - Fusion
• 2am - Chez Nous

So pick up a Santa suit or elf outfit and get into the Christmas spirits…Merry Christmas and we hope to see you this Saturday.

Thanks to Anything Goes “For all your scrap-booking needs and dance-wear or shoes at 21 Mountjoy South” for supplying the Q Morning Crew with festive costumes.

This morning we were talking about how great it is to have a REAL tree at Christmas time. There’s no substitute for that fresh spruce smell…except maybe that PinSol aroma after washing the floors.

Then Q92 listener Derek emailed us a video that shows how quickly a tree can catch fire. Wow! Take a look, then read on to learn how you can fireproof your tree this Christmas. Thanks Derek.

Fireproofing Solution for your Christmas Tree

1. Once you get home with your new tree, get a saw and IMMEDIATELY make a fresh cut at the base of the tree trunk. This is mandatory for any tree you’ve bought. Make your cut about an inch above the bottom of the trunk.

2. Next, you’ll need a place to store your tree for a few days before taking it into your home, as it takes a few days for the preservative mentioned in the next step to fully saturate the tree. An ideal place would be the carport/garage or possible a balcony for apartment dwellers.

3. Immediately after making your cut from the bottom of the tree, mix the homemade preservative as follows:

Into a 2-gallon (or 1-gallon jugs) bucket, add HOT WATER from the kitchen tap. Fill the bucket to within an inch or so of the top, then add the following ingredients:
…2 cups of Karo syrup
…2 ounces of liquid chlorine bleach
…2 pinches of Epsom salt
…½ teaspoon of Boraxo
…1 teaspoon of chelated iron (pronounced KEY-lated)

Stir these ingredients thoroughly in the bucket(s); then IMMEDIATELY stand the trunk of the tree in this solution. Leave the tree in the solution containers for a day of two until you’re ready to take it indoors and decorate it.

4. After taking the tree indoors, make sure to put it in a stand with a water reservoir at the bottom. Once the tree is secured in its “final resting place”, get the bucket containing your preservative and FILL THE RESERVOIR IN THE TREE STAND TO THE TOP.

5. Last but not least, EVERY DAY, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, MAKE SURE THE RESERVOIR IS KEPT FILLED TO THE TOP WITH THE PRESERVATIVE SOLUTION.
That’s all there is to it. If you follow these steps faithfully, you will have a completely FIREPROOFED Christmas Tree to enjoy throughout the holidays.

And, for those inquisitive minds, here’s an explanation of why and how it works.
The Karo syrup provides the SUGAR, and it is only in the presence of sugar that tremendous amounts of water will be taken up by the exposed tissue at the base of the trunk. Without the sugar, only the smallest amount of water will be absorbed. However, in the presence of sugar, you can expect more than 1½ gallons of the solution to be absorbed by the tree during a 10-14 day period.

But there’s more. Thanks to the boron you have supplied (in the Boraxo), the water and sugar will be moved to every needle and branch of the tree. Remember, boron is what makes sugar move, not only in trees, but vegetables, fruits and even houseplants.
Then, there’s the Epsom salt and the chelated iron. Epsom salt is magnesium sulfate, and magnesium (together with iron) is the center molecules in the process we know as chlorophyll production. By making the magnesium and iron available to the tree, you’re assuring yourself of green needles, even if the tree was not sprayed at the tree farm before being shipped to the market.

But what about the chlorine bleach? Chlorine stops a mold from forming when water and sugar stand for any period of time. Here, the chlorine stops the mold from forming in the bucket and the reservoir of the tree stand where your preservative sits.

Benefits

1. Your tree will be SOAKING WET with water. In fact, at least 800% more water than when the tree was growing in the forest! This in turn prevents the tree from becoming a fire hazard.

2. No needles will drop, no matter what variety of evergreen you choose to display in your home. At the same time, the tree will give off a fragrance like that which you’ve sensed while walking through a forest of evergreens or strolling through the Christmas tree lot.

3. Finally, make the test yourself. When the holidays are over and the tree is taken down and moved outdoors, cut one of the branches off. Move away from the tree and try to light the branch with a match. IT WON’T BURN!!! So, take the time to fireproof your live evergreen tree this Christmas and enjoy a safe holiday!!!

Deck the halls!

It’s almost December and we’re in full winter mode now. I’ve been plugging my Christmas lights in each night for a while now. Mostly just because I actually put them up early this year. But there is no tree in sight right now at the Shawn household. It’s way to early for that, for two reasons: I get a REAL tree every year - that’s right, no imitations. And, I’m really not in the Christmas spirit yet. Maybe it’s because I’ve been avoiding anything resembling shopping, maybe it’s because it’s been a busy month here at Q92, or maybe I’m really just a Grinch…no that can’t be it. Whatever the reason though, there will be no eggnog in my fridge for at least a couple more weeks.

Are you in the festive mood?

In other news, Melissa had a chat with MPP Gilles Bisson about the Ontario Northland strike and he foresees a resolution very soon. With parliament getting back into business next week, it should be something at the top of the to do list. With Christmas coming soon, that would be great news for many holiday travelers

How has the bus strike affected you?

So the snow is here, and it’s minus 10 this morning so it’s not going to melt today. But does that mean we should get out the shovel? I say “Hell no!” The weather network is predicting a plus 10 high on Tuesday. Wait it out, the snow will take care of itself…this time.

Truth is, I still haven’t put away my garden hose. Yes, I know. So now it’s frozen and covered in white. I really need that 10 degree day to finish winterizing my backyard!

As far as this coming winter goes though, expect a cold one. Mel talked to David Phillips, a climatologist with Environment Canada, earlier this week. He says, it will be long, cold, and snowy. Good news for all those skiers and snowmobile trail permit holders though!

What did I sign myself up for?

So a friend of mine asked me to join his football team. Well when he asked me, it was a sunny and warm afternoon. I thought to myself, sure, that would be fun and a good way to get some exercise too.

Well, excellent foresight Shawn.

Now here we are with freezing temperatures and snow in the forecast and we’ve got 3 more games this season. Suddenly it doesn’t sound quite as inviting to get dressed for a 9am Sunday game when it looks more like skiing weather outside.

On a positive note though, it can be fun to throw the pig skin around in the snow a little - it’s a man’s sport after-all. Besides, it’s good exercise, right? Wrong. Sure playing sports is a good way to get some fresh air and burn a few calories. But with this particular football team, game-day also includes a mandatory beer (or ten). So, there goes the health benefits.

See you on the field, or at Mickey J’s afterwards. Hut!

Alright, I don’t want to be a pessimist here. But every day I hear that Timmins is “BOOMING” and I’m sick of it. Okay, so the mining industry is doing great with no sign of slowing down. But take a look around this city and it hardly looks like one that’s thriving.

Sure we’ve got development in the west end, but what about the heart of the city with the heart of gold. Take a drive on Algonquin Boulevard and you’ll find countless vacant buildings. The downtown core is also alive with empty storefronts. And all over town you can spot homes and businesses that have been boarded up. How about Schumacher?

In Winnipeg, after spending years of ordering property owners to maintain or repair run-down and vacant properties,  the city now plans on seizing them. That’s right, they’ve had enough. They’re seizing a number of derelict buildings, knocking them down and making way for the future. (Read the story here.) Why not do the same in Timmins?

Maybe the “BOOMING” mining industry could lend us some explosives and we could really get this city booming.

It might make a delicious ice cream, but a rough ride can be hard on your car (not to mention your lap when you spill your hot coffee.)

Yelling at your steering wheel might relieve some stress. Will it re-pave a messy street? I haven’t done any scientific studies, but I’m guessing it won’t.

Instead of raising your voice, let your fingers do the talking at WorstRoads.ca. The CAA has been doing this campaign for five years now, and they say the votes they receive actually get results.

For example, Algonquin Road has brought in many complaints to the website. Is its recent makeover just a coincidence?

The Q will be keeping an eye on this year’s Worst Roads survey. We’ll let you know which Timmins roadway is getting the thumbs down from motorists.

Or, um…another finger.

The Mac. Wednesday night. 6:30 to 9:00pm. Be there.

‘Welcome to Timmins Night’ is greeting the city’s new comers with information on sports, services, and some other fun stuff. Shawn and I will be there, finding out what Heart O’Gold land has to offer. With the cool weather looking like it’s here to stay, I’d say it’s time to find a new hobby. I’m thinking…maybe something involving fire. Hmmmm, do you think there is a local fire throwing club? Show up to find out!

If you aren’t looking to sign up for some extra-curricular activities, I bet there’ll be a ton of swag (like pens and pins) up for the offering. You can never have too many of those.

Oh, and if you are new to Timmins, glad to have you here!

P.S. So David Usher is coming to the Vic. Will you be checking him out live? Let us know if you’re a fan.

Today is the official start of the 2007 Provincial Election in Ontario. You probably noticed candidate’s signs popping up around town on your drive to or from work.

We were discussing how this is the time of year that you can get your politicians to do whatever you want, like mow your lawn, do your homework, or maybe pick you up from the bar after a few… well we were half kidding about that. But the fact is, 3 candidates are vying for your vote. Learn more about these 3 guys here:

• Steve Kidd (PC)
• Pat Boucher (Liberal)
• Gilles Bisson (NDP)

And there’s something else going on with this general election. With the first ever referendum on electoral reform, you control the future of the province’s electoral system. What the heck does that mean? You are being asked to decide the way that we elect members to our provincial legislature. It’s kind of a big deal, and if you’re like me and you’ve got some questions, click here to learn more about Referendum Day or visit Elections Ontario.

Then remember to vote on October 10th. Gotta go, Gilles is here to fold my laundry, Pat’s cleaning my oven, and Steve is washing my floors… See you at the polls.

Flicking through the channels last night and guess what I found? Timmins was on Global National as a special report on the economic boom here. Watch the video: