I am so smart . . .

S-M-R-T

But apparently Joanne is smarter than me. We watched the CBC's Test the Nation show whenever it was on and we followed along, writing down our answers as the show continued. In the end I ended up with a score of 50 out of 60, which apparently equates to an IQ of 127.

Compare that with the averages of the various groups in the audience below:

Surgeons 119
Millionaires 118
Fitness Instructors 112
Mayors 110
Radio DJs 108
Tattoo Artists 101
Celebrities 98

So big whoopee, I did better than most of them and I'm well above average, just three points off of 130, which is considered "superior" or something like that.

But I get to marry Ms. Smartypants who scored a 130 herself. She still won't let me live it down.

You can still do the test I think at www.cbc.ca/testthenation

If anyone does so, let me know how you did.

A National Community

Today's leading story on the CBC's National is the perfect example of a news story and how things go in the community newspaper world.

Working in community newspapers in and around a highly populated area can be interesting. Working for the Vancouver Sun or Province they simply look for anything of newsworthiness, cover it, and are done. For us we look for anything newsworthy as long as it has a Chilliwack (or Yarrow or Harrison Hot Springs or Agassiz) angle and if it doesn't, we don't cover it.

I always joke—and it is completely unoriginal, but I can't remember where I got it from—that if the prime minister of the day were assassinated down the road in Abbotsford we wouldn't cover the story. Unless of course, the assassin came from Chilliwack.

But the reality is with a big story that we would search for a local angle of some sort.

This morning I heard on the CBC that Highway 1 was closed both ways at the Sumas exit in Abbotsford because of an accident where three were killed. I thought of cruising over there with my camera, but it is not in the 'Wack, so I figured, "why bother."

Then after various updates I heard the noon CBC news, which said that the van carrying 17 immigrant workers was on its way to Rainbow Greenhouses in Chilliwack. Suddenly, it's a Chilliwack story and we are all over it, likely with a photo from our companion paper in Abby, an interview with the greenhouse owner, and an above the fold page 1 story.

So as a community newspaper reporter I literally went from complete disinterest in a story that made the headlines on the CBC news, and that happened about 20 kilometres from my house, to a major interest because of a thread of connection to our community.

Anecdotally interesting at best to me, but frankly quite sad given the situation of those who died and were seriously injured. Hopefully this brings some attention to those underappreciated and possibly abused workers who pick strawberries and tend to flowers so suburbanites can enjoy cheap products.

Another beautiful view

Never take for granted the beauty of your surroundings.

Those are my words of wisdom for today, and I never forget where we are, particularly when there is cool light at sunset or under moonlight or whatever.

Heres a couple shots of our local Mt. Cheam (pronounced "shem" or "sheeyam" depending on who you talk to). The first one is at sunset a few days ago.



And here's one with Cheam and the moon.