Neil Morrison – 107.7 Pulse FM Radio

Jun 22

What’s The Rush?

I jokingly refer to Highway 10 between 152nd and 168th as the, ‘Autobahn’ due to the speeds you can see people hit along that stretch of highway. In fact it’s not funny and people could kill with speed along that stretch. That said, for the past week or so I have been re-routing my commute due to construction on 152nd between 36th and 40th avenues. My re-route has me driving north on King George Boulevard from 152nd to Highway 10. This week i’ve been doing something I admit I sometime don’t always do…I set my auto-cruise at the speed-limit of 70kms and hour between the stretch of the 99 overpass and Highway 10. I have learned a valuable lesson about driving in BC this past week – the speed limit seems just to be a suggestion. Today for instance – after I set the cruise at 70km/hr – not one vehicle stayed behind me. Every single one passed me. Some doing 10-20-30kms over what I was doing. So, I have an idea. Rather than raising insurance rates year after year for drivers who – for the most part – stick to the speed limit, why not just have Surrey RCMP set up daily somewhere on that stretch of road? Without certainty, it would be a steady cash cow for the government and police services. What’s the rush?

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

@neiltalks

Jun 21

National Selfie Day Struggle

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

I’ll never quite understand the Selfie and it’s enormous popularity. To me, taking a picture of yourself using your phone makes no sense. What is the point? Why do a selfie? What is it’s purpose? On this National Selfie I day I find myself confused and wondering, ‘Is it a generational thing?’ How about this – How about we create a place to go to see all the selfies we want to see via an app, or a website, and the rest of us can blissfully return to our lives, Selfie-free.

Jun 20

October 17th

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

The Prime Minister says October 17th is now the date Marijuana becomes legal in this country. He made there statement in the House Of Commons today just before MP’s go on their summer break. (When are you going on yours?) Mr Trudeau announced the government will push back the original legalization date of July 1st so that the provinces and territories will have more time to be ready and to have everything that needs to be set up, set up. In case you missed it earlier this week the senate backed down on wanting individual provinces to decide whether growing personal marijuana would be legal or not. One amendment of a few they have since backed down on. It will be legal to grow for personal use. The Justice Minister says legalizing Marijuana will protect young people and keep organized crime out of the Pot Market. In the state of Colorado it has done nothing to curb the underground economy. Evidence shows this. There is more to understand and so much more to learn. From the perspective of those in chronic pain – this may finally be a way to end their suffering. Good thing. But if the stoners cause the price of a bag of sour cream and onion chips to go significantly due to lack of supply…bad thing.

@neiltalks

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

Jun 19

Something Fishy…

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

A study by the University of BC has shown that up to 25% of the fish being sold in the greater Vancouver area, is incorrectly labeled. Researchers collected 281 different samples from various grocery stores and restaurants and did some testing. What they found was 70 of their samples – just under 25% – were completely mislabelled. Snapper was the big mistake. 31 of the 34 samples weren’t Red Snapper at all – Tilapia and other cheaper fish. The UBC study fails to point fingers saying instead that depending on where the fish is caught and processed, it could be incorrectly mislabelled at any point on it’s journey from the ocean to your plate. Still, a rather disturbing study none the less.

@neiltaks

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

Jun 15

Fun Father’s Day Facts

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

Sunday is Father’s Day. But what is Father’s Day and why do we have a day to celebrate Father’s? Father’s day was started just a little south east of us. A woman from of Spokane, Washington, is credited with starting Father’s Day after hearing a sermon on Mother’s Day while attending church with her father. She wanted to honour her father who was a Civil War veteran who raised six children after his wife died during childbirth. The first father’s day was in celebrated Spokane in 1910. According to Stats Canada, there are 8.6 million dads in Canada. And to show just how society is changing, the number of stay-home dads has tripled in the past 25 years. 12% of dads now are considered stay-hone dads while their partner continues to work. And if you want to know what Dad really wants this Father’s Day? He just wants your company. Oh, and Beer. There’s a good chance he wants Beer, too.

@neiltalks

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

Jun 14

World Cup Geek

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

I have to admit, I am a World Cup Geek. Been waiting for this tournament to come around since the final in Brazil four years ago. It’s during this month long period you forget you are Canadian first and you support the country of your parents, or grand-parents, or where you have friends or family. In my case, my mother is English. It’s England all the way for me but sadly, they’re not going to go far. It’s also a time for some good ol’ ribbing and jokes amongst friends of different cultures and heritage. For instance, my friends of German heritage simply love to tell me how good their team is and how bad mine is. Sadly, they’re right. One thing we do have in common is our dislike for a team that isn’t even at this years world cup: Italy. Let me tell you the first thing about soccer (football) if you know nothing about the world cup…if you’re not of Italian decent, YOU DON’T LIKE ITALY. Why? It’s long and complicated and if you have to ask, you don’t need to know.

@neiltalks

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

Jun 13

Boycott Trump?

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

If you want to truly affect someones life, hit ‘em where it hurts – in their wallet. That’s what people are calling for after the latest round of, ‘Let’s go to (Trade) war with America.’ The president – for some reason – has chosen Canada to bully and pick on this week via Twitter. The PM at this point is standing up to the President. Macleans Magazine have written an article that’s headline reads, ‘How Canadians can boycott Donald Trump.’ And what you get is a list of companies either owned by, or selling products owned by Donald Trump. The author talks his truth when he writes, ‘it is futile for western countries to penalize American industries in the hopes it will dissuade Trump from his trade wars – he simply doesn’t care. But, if these countries were to aim at Trump’s personal business interests, he would back down swiftly.’ Not sure about that. But if you care enough to be willing to alter your life and where you shop and what you shop for; here’s a list compiled by Macleans via the ‘grab your wallet’ campaign. If interested (you can see the list on my blog page at pulsefm.ca) here is the list of companies that are either owned by or sell Trump products in Canada :

* Trump Hotel: Vancouver

* Walmart

* Winners

* Whole Foods (a subsidiary of Amazon)

@neiltalks

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

Jun 12

The Aging Poor

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

Hearing the news today that senior citizens in this country are the poorest in the nation comes as absolutely no surprise to anyone who has elderly parents in the this province. A report was released by the LM United Way and the Social Planning and Research Council of BC. In that report they say there are more seniors in the province living in poverty, and that number is growing. 8.8% is the average in BC. 8.8% is there national average. When you look at the number of seniors who were below the poverty line in 2000 that number was around 34,000. In 2015 that number has climbed to more than 70,000. Last year the provincial Liberals committed $500 million to seniors care. Of course when a new government is formed, those promises go out the window. Seniors are our most valuable commodity. They teach us about our past and they have earned every right to complain when it’s too hot. (even when it’s not) If we continue to ask seniors to fork over their life savings to greedy care homes/seniors residences, a few care-givers who are in the wrong occupation judging by efforts I’ve seen, and those who pull scams to try and take their money illegally, I believe this number will only grow. Seniors in this province deserve to be treated better. And it starts with letting them keep more of what they’ve earned.

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

@neiltalks

Jun 08

Anthony Bourdain

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

Those who knew and loved his show are in shock today with the news of the passing of CNN host Anthony Bourdain. He was found earlier today in his hotel room in France – dead by an apparent suicide by hanging. Anthony Bourdain was a hero to those who didn’t have a privileged life. He was a man who overcame personal demons, from drug addiction on the mean streets of New York City to a show on CNN that is/was so much more than just food. Tony Bourdain could use his words and images and tell you a story about a place on this earth you may never ever see – and he was your perfect tour guide. He was able to be an historian, a reporter, a political correspondent, a realist, and a genius. He didn’t hold back. The news breaking today of his death has so many people not truly understanding why a man who seemed to have the greatest job on earth – why he would choose to end his life in a hotel room in France. The culinary world also shocked to hear the news. Local Chef, Restauranteur and Businessman Vikram Vij called Bourdain the, ‘Keith Richards’ of the restaurant industry. Tony Bourdain was 61 years old, he leaves behind a 10 year old daughter and a legion of fans (myself included) that are heartbroken and devastated by this news. In Canada, suicide is one of the top 10 leading causes of death. 11 people end their lives in this country every day. If you feel you need help please call:

BC Crisis Centre

Toll free: 1-800-784-2433

No area code: 310-6789

We need you here.

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

@neiltalks

Jun 07

Seas The Day

By Neil Morrison | Neil Morrison, News

Ocean plastic is a big big problem. And one of the main causes of wildlife death is from a certain plastic that isn’t discarded properly. And that plastic is the plastic you get whenever you purchase a six pack of pop. or beer, or any other number of drinks that come in six packs. The plastic that you get with it is often thrown out before you take scissors and cut escape routes for birds, turtles, and other sea life. A craft brewery in Florida have rectified that problem. The have developed a 6 pack holder for their beer that is also made out of wheat and barley. It’s 100% biodegradable and if an animal comes in to contact, they can also eat their way out of the problem. The company the craft brewery have partnered up with is hoping that bigger breweries and eventually all companies that make the product that uses the plastic rings – they hope they will switch to the new safer non plastic, biodegradable ones. Not a moment too soon.

nmorrison@pulsefm.ca

@neiltalks