Don't Drink And Drive

Alcohol is involved in nearly half of all traffic fatalities and impaired driving is one of the leading cause of death in Canada. This is a sad and scary stat. Grande Prairie has one of the worst record in the province for D.U.I.s ( Driving Under The Influence ). Impaired driving affects so many people, those innocent victims, and the family of anyone involved.
Impaired driving refers to the operation of a car or other motor vehicle such as a snowmobile or boat when the driver's ability to operate the motor vehicle is impaired by alcohol or drugs. A person can be convicted of the criminal offence of impaired driving when there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt of the person's impairment.
There are many organizations making people aware of this problem across Canada.
SADD ( Students Against Drunk Driving )
MADD ( Mothers Against Drunk Driving )
Our school two years ago lost a student to some one who was impaired, he was in grade 11 at the time it happened. There is a picture of him hanging in the hallway to remind us of that sad day.
There is some good news in Canada that I have found. The rate of impaired driving charges have dropped in Canada over the past 30 years by 65%. The highest recorded total in Canada was in 1981, since then there have been fewer people charged.
I learnt a lot by researching and doing this blog.
Check out the laws in Alberta about impaired driving in the site I’ve shown below.
Share some of your views on this subject.


http://www.calgarycriminallawyer.com/ImpairedDriving.html

Action Figure Slow Motion Punches

I put this video on because I found it interesting the things we don't catch with our own vision. It is also some what amusing how the human head can change shape so fast. (ouch!)

My Story

My War Experience

I knew we had reached the German territory when gun fire whizzed over our plane. The odd shot even hit our plane making shrapnel fly everywhere hitting and injuring some soldiers.
My breathing got heavier as the red light by the open door turned on. Everybody had their own way of keeping themselves calm, but I knew whatever they were doing wasn’t working at keeping their nerves at ease, for they like me were too afraid of the Germans below our planes.
Sergeant Moncton yelled for our company to stand up, “Soldiers, take your place, ready position!”
One by one everybody stood up nervously. Then Moncton told us to hook up, after he told us to have a gear check. Everybody’s gear was in place and with Moncton knowing that he just stood at the front of the place in silence waiting for the green light to appear on.
In a couple slow , nervous minutes the light turned on. I began to sweat and my heart raced for I would jump after Moncton and Spiers. We had to jump as soon as the other soldier in front of us had left so we would land as close as possible near each other. Moncton waited a second and then jumped with Spiers following close behind him. I stepped up at the open door looking out down at the black ground way below lit up by tracer bullets. I paused for a second until Ryan yelled at me to jump, “Go Carter, jump now!” I had a terrible feeling as I leaped out of the plane into night air, counting to four seconds. Then I looked up to my open chute. It felt graceful in this chaos. Before I knew it I had hit the muddy ground, wet from the spring’s rain days ago.
As fast as I could I pulled my chute off myself. Then I quickly grabbed my gun as I heard something in the bush. “Thunder,” yelled someone in the dark woods.
“Flash,” I nervously yelled back and in an instant Spiers popped out from the large wet bush. “Thank God it’s your Carter,” Spiers said.
I had a relieved look on my face, then laughed, “That was quite a ride.”
“Get down,” Spiers whispered. I popped down onto the wet mud and grass. I was terrified again as I heard something in the bush rattling the branches. Pointing my gun in the direction of the sound. I suddenly saw two German soldiers .pop out and walk towards me. I shot my m1 Grand rifle a few times at the two dark foreign soldiers. I then looked at the ground seeing two bodies motionless. Spiers got up to check the soldiers and so did I. The one man had bleached blonde hair, a broken nose, a very long and skinny neck, with huge floppy ears. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Once again my heart raced as I felt nervous for I have never killed anybody before. “Ew, they don’t look too pretty,” I said trying to sound brave.
Chuckling Spiers said, “Come on, follow me. I hopped off my knees and went with Spiers into the misty dark forest that had been torn to shreds from bullets.
“Do you know where we’re going?”I asked.
“Not a clue.” Spiers talked calmly. Having a map or even a compass would help us but we had none of these at the time. We stuck to the forest for we felt it was probably safer than traveling in an open field. A couple hours had passed and we were still bush whacking in the same old mucky forest until we suddenly walked into a disced field.
We scanned the field carefully in the dim light checking for any Germans that would ambush us. The field seemed clear and we were about to cross it to another forest that could keep us safe. We were jogging but it felt like it was miles when it was only about 170 meters across.
“A little too long,” I yelled at Spiers between breaths.
But then Germans popped out from every direction, and started shooting with their machine guns. Tracer bullets lit up the muddy disced field. Bullets hit and tore up the ground everywhere around us, but then one lucky bullet hit me in the left leg. I stumbled forward until I laid motionless on the ground. Pain was shooting up my leg. I opened my eyes and saw Spiers dragging me in the forest. I realized he had also been shot in the hand.
“We have to get a medic!” he said to me.
I noticed my leg had been broken from the bullet. With Spiers dragging me minutes seemed like hours, but we finally lost our German predators. Soon we reached an American post where we saw Moncton and Ryan sitting on the wet ground.
“You made it, Carter!” Ryan screamed in laughter.
“Yeah, we did,” I murmured.
A couple minutes later, I entered into an army hospital that was really an old farm house. They tried to fix my leg the best they could, but it was still damaged.
“And well Mr. Burke that was my war experience, shortly after I was sent home the Germans Surrendered. You wrote everything down right?” I asked sitting in my well worn wheelchair.
“I’ve got it, Mr. Matt Carter,” he said . Then he suddenly left me sitting in the senior complex that has been my home for 22 years so far. Those memories still make my heart beat faster.

Hockey Saves

Tournament

This weekend we had a hockey tournament. The tournament was in Falar and we had to play them at 9:00 in the morning. We had a 1:30 hour drive to get there so we left from are house at 6:30. Are team did not have a very good game and we lost 12-5. Are next game was in about 3 hours so in that time I watched other teams play, I ate, and are team went on a 4 story slide that sent you going about 40 mph. And then are next game we were outplayed again and we lost 7-2 against Manning. We then had only 1:30 hours until we played the best team Beaverlodge. And in that time I ate to get renergized for the game. The one kid on Beaverlodge had an 106km shot. This game we lost 8-1 against Beaverlodge and we got last in the tournament. Even though we lost I still had some fun in that tournament.

Movies

Over the holidays I watched two movies that were very good. The first one I saw was The curious case of Benjamin Button, and the second one that i saw was Marley and Me. Marley and me was about a dog growing up with a family and its life. And the other one was about a man that basicly aged backwards then us . Tell me what movies you saw or would like to see.

Laughing baby

This is extremely funny !

Christmas

This christmas i got a bunch of clothes, fable 2, call of duty 5, guitar hero world tour, rock band 2, books, a water bottle, gift cards to best buy, movie passes, and 200 dollars. This was a pretty good christmas as you could tell. And for most of christmas we were at Edmonton staying at my grandpa, or grandmas. Comment on what you got for christmas or what you did.

A Hockey Weekend

Last weekend we had a lot of hockey. On Friday my class went to the mall then we went to watch a hockey game, that was fun. And on Saturday I had two hockey games, the first game my peewee team played Wembly we lost 10-2. The second game I played with bantam and we won 4-3 against fairview. And then on Sunday I had a skills compition for about 5 and a half hours which was really fun. So that was my hockey weekend.

Christmas

The Christmas holidays are coming really soon and I can not wait. I am going to Edmonton for a week of the holidays, and the other week I am going to be staying home and having fun being away from school. I have really no clew on what I am getting for Christmas, but I hope it is something really good and cool. We haven't put up our tree yet but we will really soon, I always like putting up the tree for some reason I think its fun decorating it. I am kind of hoping for clothes, xbox games, ski wear and things like that. But it doesn't really matter what I get.

A Quote

This is a quote that I was suppossed to put on at the beginning of the year, and so hear it is.

" Who was the first guy that took a look at a cow and said, I think I'll drink whatever comes out of those things when I squeeze them?" - Calvin and Hobbes ( comic )

I think when we try new things, that others might consider crazy, turn out great. =)

Xbox 360

Xbox 360's are the best in my mined. I think they have the best games and also the best graphics. Its not like any of the other game systems aren't good but I don't think they are as good with graphics, games, and I don't think the games are as fun. But remember that's just my thought of this. Games you should get if you have a 360 are Halo 3, Fallout 3, N.H.L 09, and some others that aren't at the top of the head at the moment. Comment on what you think and like about the game consoles or even say some good games.

Halloween

This Haloween we went in town with two of my friends. After an our we stopped because we wanted to go back to are community and get candy, also because all the house's were done giving candy, and because we had a pillow case full of candy so it was getting a little heavy to hold. I think this candy will last me all year. But it may not because I had to share some candy with my family, but I kept most of the candy that love the most. So even if my candy wont last all year it was a pretty good Halloween! Hope yuo had a great Halloween like the one I had!

Hockey

This weekend I had a hockey game. I am supposed to play in Peewee but I played under age with Bantam. My friend also played under age with me. I was the only goalie on are team, and the other team had 2. The other team also had more players than us. At the begging of the game the other team was out playing us with shots, and mostly everything else. Their team had closer chances in the first period and the were also winning 2-0. Their first goal they scored on me was in from the slot, they put it in the upper corner to the left and the second was in from the slot but they put it in the upper right corner. The second period was even with both teams having chances and shots. They still out shot us by a bit but are team got a goal, and they also did. Are goal was on a breakaway and the player shot the to the side of the net. Tier goal was a slapshot from a dot that left the puck flying to the upper corner. In the third period we out played them by a bit, we also got a goal from the same player that scored are first one. This one he scored at the begging of a powerplay. But they also scored a goal which should not of bean aloud. They wacked the puck out from my glove even when I had the puck for 4 seconds. The puck then terned loose and they jammed it in. So then the game was over in a while having us loose 4-2. But I still had a lot of fun for my first Bantam game.

A Walk

Today my dad and myself went for a walk in our woods. We brought my two pellet guns hoping to get a grouse.As me walked down a trail my dog that came along scared and chased something. While she was chasing this animal my dad and myself continued to travel along the trail. Then we stopped, we had spotted a grouse. While my dad was going to take the shot my dog came pouncing out of the bush, scaring the grouse and making it fly away. But then my dog went into the trees looking for something to chase, so my dad and myself kept on going along the trail. But my dog came back and scared a grouse which we soon realized was on the trail. My dog went after that grouse so me and my dad decided to go on a different trail. We kept on going but then we heard barking and yelping. We called my dog which soon came. So thinking there was something in the forest we went out into a field, which was nearby. That's when my dad and I saw a coyote out in the field running away. Quickly we took my dog and got out of there. And on the way back home we saw 40 trumpeter swans that flew over our head. Comment on something exciting you did!


A picture of a male ruffed grouse that my dad had taken.

Thanks Giving

This Friday my Grandpa came down for thanks giving. He arrived around 3:00 which was the perfect time because that was when my mom and dad came home from school. Everybody including me and my sister visited. The time wiped by and before we new it, supper was ready. After we had supper my dad and grandpa went to watch hockey as I went outside to hunt a few grouse. Since I already came across one earlier today with my dog that I did kill, I wasn't as lucky at getting one. So everybody then went to bed at 12:00. In the morning everybody was lasy so my family didn't do much but have breakfast. Later that same day me, my dad and my dog Meeka had chased a squirrle up onto a tree which we did get with my pellet gun. The only reason why we are killing the squirrles is because they eat all of the bird feed that we put out for the birds. My mom and sis were in town so I have no clue what they did. When everybody was back home we had lasagna for supper [YUM]. Then my mom and dad friends came over and visited. When they left it was 11:30 so I had to go to bed. The next morning I got up realizing it was Thanks Giving day. I had the same old boring morning but in the after noon it was different. My sis, dad, and me were shooting at a target we put up. We used are pellet pistol, and my 2 pellet rifles. Later me, my dad and my dog went back into the woods where we saw a grouse. Me and my dog chased it as it flew away, we then ended up in the woods near a female moose carcase. My dad took pics of the carcase with his camera. We then thought we should hed back home and get ready for are awesome Thanks Giving supper. My family and grandpa all sat around are table for supper taking and putting many things on are plates. I took some white meat, black meat, lettuce, potatoes, vegtables, stuffing, and to drink, some chocolate milk. That was what I took to eat, Im not sure what everybody else took. But I do know that I had an awesome Thanks Giving.

The Woodpecker

The morning of Friday I went outside to my truck and heard a very loud sound coming from the woods. I soon realized what this sound was, it was a Pileated Woodpecker. This woodpecker is the largest in Canada. The sound is a very loud yucka-yucka-yucka-yucka that travels great distances through the woods. Since I realized what this creature was, I went back inside my house to get my iPod and speakers. The reason I got these 2 items and brought them outside was because my iPod had bird calls on it. So when I played the Pileated Woodpecker the sound from the iPod speakers making it sound like I was a bird. This would then make the Pileated Woodpecker come near me and let me take some pics of it with my camera.The woodpecker would fly from tree to tree communicating to the sound coming out of the speaker thinking that the sound was from an actual woodpecker . I stayed outside for about an hour taking pics of this bird, but I then decided that I had enough pics of the bird and went inside to warm my frozen hands. After I went inside I didnt find the woodpecker again that day.



This was a pic that I had
taken in the early morning
of the red headed, black
bodied Pileated Woodpecker.

My New Room

My room is actually done. This summer me and my family finished my new room. My old room was painted white and it also had wallpaper all around the bottom of the wall. Now my room is painted green and the bottom of the wall now has a trim instead of wallpaper and the trim is painted reddish brown. The top part of my wall is painted green. so all I can say is, I love my new room, allot more than my old one anyways.






These are some pics of my great new room and also the thing s that are inside my cool room.

Hockey

I dont have a favourite hockey team but i like Oilers, Pittsburgh, and Detriot. My favourite defensmen is Dion Phaneuf. My favourite goalie is Henrik Lunqvist. My favourite left winger is Alex Ovechkin. My favourite center is Sidney Crosby. And my favourite right winger is Jarome Iginla. I think that all of these players have amazing tallents at what they do. Everybody in the N.H.L has amazing skills but i think that these players stand out the most when their playing a game. And also my favourite rookie from last year was Patrick Kane who also stood out on the ice. To be playing in the N.H.L you would need lots of different skills and tallents to stand out and get around other players on the ice.

Kinuseo Falls

On the weekend we went to Kinuseo Falls near Tumbler
Ridge B.C. 60 meters high makes them taller than the Niagra Falls. The Murry River flows through this valley. It was pretty, but one could see all the damage done by the little Mountain Pine Beetle. After we saw the falls we drove to a small little camp site with a fire place, there we stared a fire and had smokies with my friends family. Me and my friend were feeding a few birds that came by with some pieces of bread. But then my friend saw a squirrel. We stared to chase it and throw rocks at it. The squirrel would jump from tree to tree with us chasing it with sticks and rocks. After a while we had it treed on a small tree, it was rate before my eyes so i went to swing at the squirrel with my stick but it jumped rate over my head, landing on the ground then running away leaving us blankless were it went. Then are two familys went on a good hike near the
falls. After the 1.3 km hike we drove 4:00's back to are homes.

The Goalies

I will be talking about goalies this time and mostly because i am a goalie. Being goalie is a very hard position to play , it takes a lot of skill. It takes skill for your mind mostly because you always have to be thinking what to do and what to do next.Another example of using your mind is when you let a goal in , you cant give up you just need to think confedent , or say somthing positive like ill get it next time. Another good example of skill is using power in your body. Like when you have to push from post to post on rebounds, and breakaways. These examples are not even close to being half of the complex skills of being a goalie. As you can see my fav goalie is Henrik Lundqvist .
There are plenty of good goalies in the NHL but hes my fav mostly because the way he plays. I like his stance , the way he moves and there are many more things i like about him but i wont say all of them. Another thing that i found out this year is that i went to the same hockey camp as he did when he was playing in the juniors. So when i heard that i was excited. This is all for now but i will be doing more posts about hockey.

Giant Water Bugs

I video taped a week ago Giant Water Bugs that we collected one morning below our yard light in Alberta Canada. We have had these big bugs before but never as many as this. My dad and I scooped up over 60 of them, they all came in one night. One of our dogs was barking lots and when my dad went to check there were about 10 flying around the yard light. We live near a creek and figure that is where they came from. The next day we decided to take some pictures of them, we learnt that when they are about to fly they pump their bodies. We figure this is to get blood to their wings. When the first one took off a Northern Flicker swooped out of one of our trees and grabbed it. It let it go and the beetle continued to fly, the bird bit it again only to let go again. The bug had got away. The next one that flew was not as lucky, it was snatched up by a Bluejay. It picked it apart in the tree. The third suprised my dad and me, it was a Chickadee, and the bug was almost as big as it. The little bird made it to the spruce tree where it dropped it, the bug got away. A few flew at us making us scream and run, my dad can scream like a little girl. Has anyone else had this happen to them ? Tell me about your bug stories.

My First Post

Hey everyone this is my first post and most of the time i'll probably be talking about something cool, wierd, interesting, funny, amazing, or just out of your mind. So I hope that you enjoy my blog!