A Firkin is an old English unit of volume. The name is derived from the Middle Dutch word vierdekijn, which means fourth, i.e. a fourth of a full-size barrel.
For beer and ale a firkin is equal to nine imperialgallons or a quarter of a barrel (40.91481 litres). Casks in this size (themselves called firkins) are the most common container for cask ale.
For wine the firkin had a larger size, namely a third of a tun. A tun being 210 gallons in the UK and 252 fluid gallons in the US, thus a wine firkin is about 318 L (318.226 or 317.975). It is also called tertian or, preferably, puncheon (in the US also shortened to pon).
Butter and soap used to be sold by the firkin, too. In these cases it was rather a measure of mass, 56 lb (25.4 kg) and 64 lb (29.0 kg) respectively.
The term firkin is currently used to refer to antique wooden buckets, usually with wood handle and lid, about 10 inches (250 mm) high and 10 inches in diameter (about 10L or 2-3 dry gallons in capacity), formerly used to store sugar and other items.
Next up is the Firkin Group of pubs (beware, annoying sound begins playing as soon as you visit the site). Yes it's a play on words, but given the definition above, it's obviously a play on several levels. The WFCU and Firkin should have done a better job of explaining their concept to arena patrons from the start, especially given the young age groups likely to use the arena. On the other hand, Mr. Helbich and other parent's now have a great teaching opportunity to expand their children's knowledge of what a firkin really is.
I actually think this is a good initiative and good value for taxpayers. The videos will not cost the City anything due to sponsorships by the participating businesses. I couldn't help but laugh though, when I read the following:
City hires N.Y. firm to produce promotional videos
When asked why the city chose an outside company, Rodgers said the U.S. firm possesses “unique” technology. “They’re unique in that they told us they have online video technology that is viewable regardless of which web browser or software you use,” she said. “No other company can provide this technology.”
The company did hire a local videographer, Rodgers added. “We were happy when they hired someone locally to shoot all these videos,”
The videos will be available via links on the city’s website starting early next year, says Rodgers. So far, the city has ordered 10 videos while 66 local businesses have signed on to the campaign, she says.
The city will not incur any costs for its videos, which will be financed through the “sponsorships” of the participating businesses, says Rodgers.
Uhmm...can you say YouTube or Google Video? It was good enough for Barack Obama, why not anyone else?
This is my video section on the WE Speak website. Cost? Zero. The content was created by me and the hosting is provided by YouTube. My only cost is the actual hosting for WE Speak, about $5.00 per month. Here's another example from Alan Halberstadt's section on WE Speak. It's a Windsor Essex Environment Committee Public Service announcement that I converted from a DVD and then uploaded to YouTube. Alan has posted the whole series of videos on his site over the last year or so. Cost? A couple of hours of my time to convert and then upload the videos.
Especially in these tough economic times, we need to be able to look outside of the box and begin leveraging tools and technology that are available for little or no cost.
Update: (cue the loud applause) RCMP to fight organized crime with Wikipedia
No expensive new software system designed from the ground up. No mulit-million (billion?) dollar computer systems required. Leverage some robust open-source software combined with current infrastructure to deliver a modern product, quicker, cheaper and with greater accuracy.
5. I've got an idea for what we can do with some of that money that's no longer needed for the Detroit Grand Prix. Give the rest to Festival Epicure so they can run a weekend long local Iron Chef competition with a big-name judge and a possible Food Network filming.
6. Gord Henderson: Greenlink honoured with super-secret yet to be named award. Chris Schnurr - “We ask that you keep the information about your awards confidential until ACEC New York issues it’s press release at the end of March.”That worked well.
Congratulations to my friend Steve on the successful launch of Biscuits and Gravy
"Windsor's newest restaurant, opening soon open now in the heart of downtown at 322 Pelissier Street, near the corner of University West.
Some of our standard fare will include southern fried chicken, gumbo, baked mac and cheese, catfish, and of course the aforementioned biscuits and gravy.
We will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Breakfast/Lunch
Monday to Friday - 7 AM to 2 PM
Saturday and Sunday - 9 AM to 2 PM
Dinner
Tuesday to Saturday - 5 PM to 10 PM
Also opening soon is the Tecumseh Roadhouse - December 18th. Located at 10672 County Rd 42 (Google Maps shows it as 10814 Division Rd, Tecumseh), the Tecumseh Roadhouse is Mark Boscariol's latest venture.
If the 86% increase was so urgently required two years ago, why have we failed to spend the appropriate amount each year in infrastructure upgrades and replacements? We were told over and over again by the Mayor and Councillor Lewenza that our water system was in a state of virtual collapse and without these funds there would be dire consequences.
Where has this money gone? We are now heading into the third year in a row of spending far less than what was recommended. Shouldn't the warnings be even louder now than what they were two years ago? Should local retailers begin stocking up on rubber boots to prepare for the imminent collapse?
If we haven't spent it, has it been transferred to reserves for future use?
Last year it was the Province's fault for WUC not being able to complete required work, now we're being told that falling revenues are at fault. Nothing to do with the recent contract settlement. Nothing to do with the "dividend" paid to the City each year. Next year the excuse will probably be a shortage of materials due to all the infrastructure spending.
I know I have the dividend info somewhere, but if someone knows what it is, please feel free to post the details in the comments. I'm interested in what the WUC dividend to the City was in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
Note: Anyone else find it strange that with the majority of our water bills consisting of fixed rate charges and levys that declining revenues can have such a dramatic impact on the budget?
If the 86% increase really was required to fix our infrastructure, then it should be spent on that. There should be no dividend paid to the City of Windsor, because all it really is in this case is a back-door tax increase.
Fiddling as Rome burns
Francis, who believes people lose their grasp of what really matters when they spend too much time in the halls of government, away from the real world, has one snarky bit of advice for distracted politicians: "Get your act together."
One has to wonder if politicians in Windsor ever read their own quotes.The one above beats anything else out there right now, even the "under-budget" arena love fest occuring right now, although the "due diligence" audit of the 400 building comes a close second. (Have we officially reached the point yet where the audit of the building has taken longer than the actually construction?)
The Mayor's letters to the Province, the Federal government and Henderson's accompanying editorial are nothing more than the mindless pablum that politicians think people expect them to churn out.
Politicians at every level bemoan dropping voting rates while refusing to look in the mirror for root causes. Bonus:Life on Tour's Don McArthurwith the info citizens really need as opposed to what they normally get.
Voting has now ended for the 2008 Canadian Blog Awards. All that's left is the tallying and the partying! The first awards should be announced in two days time. The award organizers are planning on announcing four awards a day until they are all given out.
First Round voting in the 2008 Canadian Blog Awards is complete. Windsor Eats has completely and utterly dominated Scale Down in this years preliminary round. Despite vague references to "handing" Windsor Eats something this year, Scale Down, although an excellent blog, has been shut out of the final Awards
All kidding aside, Windsor Blogs have again done very well in the first round of voting in the 2008 Canadian Blog Awards.
Below are the Windsor blogs remainining in the final round. Voting begins today, November 30th and runs till December 6th.
1.
Congratulations to my friend Steve on the successful launch of 
Windsor Eats Dominates!