New Year's Eve Fireworks in Alexandria Ontario

Rachel Davis

Looking through old files I found a photo of Rachel Davis, a girl I knew who'd been shot to death in Vancouver after she'd gone to the aid of someone she didn't know who was being beaten outside a club in Gastown. She'd shielded the victim from the blows, but unfortunately that someone was a drug dealer who'd just called his buddy to get a Glock and then began firing it into the crowd, killing her and Richard Hui, and injuring four others.Vancouver Province Story

She was like that! I saw her being protective of girls who'd gotten too drunk at parties....

I interviewed her dad for the Star - first time I've ever covered anything serious where I knew the victim personally.

If you are trying to break up a fight, don't get BETWEEN anybody, even if they are smaller than you - they can attack you without warning  -  you should stand away at a safe distance and phone police.

Her family set up an award to commemorate her at racheldavis.ca

with Sam Dinicol

Too cloudy to see eclipse, solstice in a few minutes

I went out just when the eclipse began then went back to bed - at near total eclipse I went out again, but it was too overcast! Solstice in 10 minutes! Solstice and Lunar eclipse on the same day!

Chickadee scavaging deer carcass

I didn't know that Chickadees would eat deer remains! Deer had been butchered and remains dumped in parking lot of ski trail, which schoolkids use!

Kid with Traffic Cone on Head

Not shown - car that fell in pothole that was marked by this cone (just kidding!)

100000 Mark Note Hyperinflation

After the First World War, the Allies asked Germany to pay them damages for the war (It finished paying this year, 2010). Indirectly this lead to hyperinflation, where the German Mark became almost worthless. The hyperinflation and the occupation of the Ruhr almost certainly helped the Nazis take power in 1933.

Speaking of Hitch, sorry I missed him in Toronto last month!