The Heart of the New West

Heartland Season 1 Episode 6 and 7

2011-03-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Episode 06. One Trick Pony

Lou's boyfriend Carl from the city turns up out of nowhere and informs Lou that he has just received a job in Chicago. Carl is covertly trying to get Lou to come to Chicago with him.

Meanwhile, Amy is puzzled by why a new horse at Heartland called Pirate, who won't obey commands.

Will Lou go to Chicago and will Amy find the answers to Pirate's problems?

Episode 07. Come What May

Heartland takes in a pregnant mare named Melody. Mallory gives Ty riding lessons. Ben competes in a horse show and refuses to talk to Lisa.

Meanwhile, Jack and Ty go on a cattle round up and Tim is the trail boss. Ty finds out that Tim is Lou and Amy's father, and he is mad that Jack never told him about it.

Heartland Season 1 Episode 4 and 5

2011-03-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

Episode 04. Taking Chances

While Amy and Lou empty their mother's room, they find a letter dated seven years before from Tim saying he wants to get back together with Marion. A new guy named Ben is sent by his aunt to Heartland and nobody likes him, especially Ty.

Amy gets knocked off her horse while taking Ben's horse across the river and Tim tries to save her which is seen by Jack. Lou and Jack take Amy to the hospital and it is unknown if Jack and Tim reconcile.

Ty is offered a job at Briar Ridge, the ranch that the snobby girl Ashley's mother owns even after Amy accidentally tells Ashley that Ty is on probation and when Amy hears that Ty might take the Briar Ridge job, she snaps at him. Ty decides to take the job at Briar ridge, and Amy doesn't want to talk to him.

Episode 05. The Best Laid Plans

Lou drives friends and family to distraction as she arranges to have a video made to promote Heartland. Amy sees Ty at a party, and they talk.

Ty says that he wasn't going to leave Heartland until Amy said she wanted him gone. At the end of the episode, Ty comes back to Heartland, as Amy says she wants him there.

Heartland Season 1 Episode 3

2011-03-06T13:35:00.000-08:00

Episode 03. Breaking Free

Heartland has its first "Open House" and Lou invites their dad and he accepts the invitation. Amy works with Lisa's horse Promise and Val accuses Amy of giving Promise drugs to make him calm for the "Open House" and after Amy proves Val wrong Val has to eat her words.

Jack kicks Tim off of the property. Meanwhile, Pegasus is depressed because of Marion's death. After Lou and Amy put their mother's jacket beside Pegasus' stall, he gets better.

Watch episodes 4 & 5 here

Watch Heartland Season 1

2011-03-04T17:00:00.001-08:00

SEASON 1 EPISODE 2

02. After the Storm

Lou sends home Mrs. Roach's horse, despite the fact that his fear of vehicles has yet to be cured. Val Stanton begins spreading rumors about Heartland and their skills without Marion. Ty's probation officer comes to the ranch while he is off showing Amy the jumping course he made for her.

Watch Episode 3 Here

Watch Heartland Online

2011-03-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

Heartland is a Canadian television drama series which debuted on CBC Television on October 14, 2007. The series is based on the Heartland books by Lauren Brooke.

Heartland was filmed near Calgary, set against the backdrop of the Alberta Rocky Mountains. Heartland is a family drama following sisters Amy and Lou Fleming and their grandfather Jack Bartlett through the highs and lows of life on a horse ranch.

SEASON 1 EPISODE 1

01. Coming Home

Amy discovers that a horse named Spartan is being abused at Mallen's farm and convices her mother Marion to rescue the horse. A storm on the way home sends their truck and trailer off the road. When Amy wakes up, she's in a hospital and discovers that her mother died in the accident.

Amy's sister Lou comes home from New York to help the situation. Refusing to put Spartan down, Grandpa Jack brings the horse back to Heartland.

A boy named Ty who was hired by Marion before she died comes to work at Heartland, because he is on probation. At first Amy doesn't get along with Ty, but Mallory has a crush on him.

Watch Episode Two here

Chemtrails in Calgary

2011-02-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

First the fluoridation of Calgary's tap water...and now chemtrails. These globalists sure aren't wasting any time carrying out their plans...

Clean The Goddamned Roads!

2011-01-10T17:52:00.000-08:00

Another winter and another chaotic driving season in Calgary. It seems that this city has a proportionately higher number of asinine drivers.

Whether it be the the redneck 4x4 owners that cut off other drivers without any regard for, or sense of, slippery road conditions, or the clueless filipino foreign workers, who operate their vehicles as if they are driving a donkey cart, the roads in Calgary are a total mess!

And this new city council under Nenshi hasn't done much to change things either. Sure, he says he'll do a better job when it comes to snow removal, but things are as nasty as they are every winter in Calgary. And to think we live in a "world class city".

Justin Bieber in Calgary

2010-09-23T23:31:00.000-07:00

Justin Bieber in Calgary at the Saddledome on September 20, 2010. This sonofabiatch is sure makin a lot of money!

The HIV Terrorists of Canada

2010-08-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

Presently, there is a lot of chatter surrounding the recent arrests of three suspects who allegedly tried to orchestrate terror attacks in Ottawa. But there is another story which was relegated to the back pages of all newspapers, but is equally disturbing; and that is the HIV assault by Apay Ogouk, a 26 year old man from Sudan, on women.

Ogouk was arrested today by the Calgary Police when he turned himself in. There had been a nationwide warrant for his arrest for knowingly infecting multiple women in Winnipeg with HIV. So far, only two women have come forward, but there is a high probability of more women being infected.

Often times, the public gets riled up when they hear about conventional terror plots, but seldom do people comprehend the severity of HIV infections spread by reckless people with a degenerate lifestyle.

This man, who is originally from Sudan, went on a sexual rampage, having unprotected sex with women, without any regard for their health or well-being.

But let's also be just in our assessment here; it's the women who AGREED to having unprotected sex with this person. With a VERY high incidence of HIV/AIDS in Africa, I find it astonishing that ANYONE would take such a ridiculous risk with someone who is originally from there.

I'm not suggesting that these women deserve what they got, but I can only hope that this incident will serve as a warning to other women who think about going that route.

Those who know me, are aware that I don't mince my words and I say what's on my mind even if it's not politically correct. So if what you read what follows offends you...then good. I also hope it makes you think!

We're all aware that Africa has a shockingly high rate of HIV which is constantly rising. Anyone from that continent, specially countries like Nigeria, Sudan, South Africa, and Ethiopia etc. is of severe risk.

Let's look at the facts: Sudan alone, has over 400,000 HIV infected people which is more than 2 percent of their adult population. It is also a well known fact that black men have a proportionately higher rates of HIV. According to the Centers for Disease Control, African males account for more than HALF of all HIV cases in North America.

According to the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, African Americans "comprise the greatest proportion of HIV/AIDS cases.."

These facts speak for themselves. Some of these dudes may have "big sticks", but their "sticks" carry horrible and lifelong consequences for women.

And this is not the first incident of an African male spreading HIV through sex. There are multiple examples, and TWO of those chaps were from Sudan. And that's just Canada folks. There have also been reports in the U.S and Britain, of African refugees and asylum seekers infecting local women with HIV.

But like I stated earlier, women are equally to blame for their sluttish behavior. Do they really have to be told that it's unsafe to have sex with strangers?? Having a lifetime of sickness and affliction is not worth a few minutes of fun & enjoyment.

Sure you can use a condom; but there's still a significant chance you can still contract HIV and other STDs.

Remember...there is NO CURE for AIDS! You get infected, you could die. So be smart and avoid having sex with people you do not know anything about.

As for Ogouk, prison may not be punishment enough for him. This country needs to get seriously tough on these kinds of criminals and deport them, as well as ensure, that more "terrorists" like him do not end up amongst us.

Surely, there will be many nervous women in Calgary right now, trying to book their HIV tests with their local clinics. Their imbecility should be a lesson for other women to not make the same brainless mistake!

Calgary Stampede Parade

2010-07-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Calgary Stampede Parade (July 9 2010)

calgary exhibition and stampede breakfasts events, chuck wagon race, grounds map location of stampede park

Can You Meet Me Halfway

2010-06-07T14:31:00.000-07:00

Next time you set up a coffee or lunch date with a long-distance friend just say let's meet half way'

All you need to do is go online, type in the two locations, and MeetWays.com gives you an exact halfway point.

This site works in 35 countries across the globe and allows users to specify the type of trip with a point of interest like a restaurant or a coffee shop, and gives you perfect halfway meeting locations.

Just pop in your address or postal code, then your friend's, and the type of place you want to meet at. After a brief encounter with a giant eyeball (suspicious eh?), the systemcalculates a good halfway point and laso list it's own suggestions. You can even send a permalink with the results to your friend(S) so they can chime in.

Lisa W. Reports for Shaw TV Calgary Canada on MeetWays.com

Buying a Used Car in Calgary

2010-06-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

The first thing on the agenda for a lot of newcomers to this city is buying a car, and most of the time, people want to buy a pre-owned or used vehicle.

Often times, these people make the mistake of going to auto dealers or car auctions to purchase their ride....BAD idea!

Your best bet - if you're looking to buy a used car in Calgary - is to check out Craigslist and Kijiji. Often times, you can find good cars for great prices on these two sites.

There are a lot of folks who are moving who just want to sell their automobiles as soon as possible. Some of them also post ads for their vehciles on the Calgary Herald & Calgary Sun websites

Also, there are people who cannot afford their car payments so they try to sell them without thinking about making a profit. It's also much easier to negotiate with individuals than it is with car dealers.

Just make sure you do your research before buying, because the chances of getting ripped off is higher. But if you know what to look for and how to ask the right questions, you'l be safe.

Here are some articles to prepare you before buying a used car or truck.

Used Car Buying Tips

Negotiating Tips for buying a car

Armin Van Buuren in Calgary

2010-05-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

He's coming back!

After last year's boombastik event, Armin is heading back to the Heart of the New West and the number 1 DJ in world will be rocking Flames Central on June 27' 2010.

The producer and host of State of Trance, the most popular radio program in the world, has quite a huge following in Calgary and I'm guessing that the event is already sold-out. But die-hard fans can still try to snatch over-priced tickets online.

If any reader has more info on the program, please leave a comment below. merci!

free online progressive trance radio

Calgary Comic Expo 2010

2010-04-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo @ BMO ROUND UP CENTRE
20 Round Up Way SE Calgary, AB

Special guests featured..Leonard Nimoy, Brent Spiner, Billy Dee Williams, Paul McGillion, Tony Todd, Malcolm Mcdowell, Peter Facinelli, Tahmoh Penikett, Tyson Houseman among many others.

Cosplay Shenanigans

Leonard Nimoy at the Calgary Comic Expo 2010 answers some questions..

Spring Snowstorm in Calgary

2010-04-29T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here we go again...

Just what cow-town needed...a snowstorm in late April. Although, it's really not a bad day to go for a bike ride along the Bow River!

Tango Dancing in Calgary

2010-04-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

Ann Coulter in Calgary

2010-03-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

The 'Cirque de Coulter' comes to Calgary. For the VERY few fans of this media whore, it must have been a delightful performance, (you gotta hand it to her - she knows how to sell tickets), but for the majority of Canadians, she is as repulsive as an unexpected winter blizzard which brings with it grief and many inconveniences.

Her theatrics at the University of Ottawa scored Coulter and her minions some publicity, (it's amazing how the Canadian media got suckered into this non-event), and she used that to her advantage in Calgary. And by the way, it wasn't U of O who cancelled the event, it's Ann Coulter who decided to run away from the students and then whimper about how the "commies" treated her badly.

Calgarians, relativley speaking, tend to have conservative tendencies, so it's no surprise that she got a receptive audience here, (perhaps the majority of it was Americans who make up 10% of Calgary's population), but it's hard to believe that most of them would have been impressed with her non-sensical diatribe in which she was trying very hard to be funny.

But make no mistake, that under the guise of free speech and discussing current issues, this radical group - led in Canada by the top provocateur and hate-monger, Ezra Levant - is only encouraging bigotry and animosity against Muslims.

These people use every single opportunity, from the cartoon issue to the burka and niqab, to malign and humiliate. The definition of 'Fascists' applies very well to them.

It's shamelessly hypocrytical for this pro-zionist gang and it's hateful Fuhrer, ezra levant, to advocate freedom of speech when these very same thugs lobbied the Canadian government to deport Ernest Zundel (no matter how racist he was) or to not allow George Galloway, the British Member of Parliament, to enter into Canada. Apparenlty, freedom to express their "politically incorrect" views is only the birthright of neo-con radicals. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

But even after being exposed to all of her mental sewage and her "raw" and un-intelligent ideas, I still believe that she should be allowed to have her fifteen minutes of fame. Let this moron spew her venom and get it over with. To organize huge protests against this unimportant person is to provide her with credibility she does not deserve.

Is Calgary's Job Market Improving?

2010-03-09T08:09:00.001-08:00

Are things getting better in Calgary? Is the local economy on the rise again. Some claim that it is, others are not so optimistic.

There may be some employers who are adding more people to their payroll, but for the most part, the city's economic engine is still stalled in the middle of 'Recession Street'. Fact is, Calgary is not doing so well, it certainly is not the attractive job market it once was.

I don't think that the new graduates from U of C, SAIT and Mount Royal will have an easy time landing a job. They may have to work at their local Safeways and Borders' to pay their bills (and the student loans).

I have been working in Fort McMurray for the last 6 months and if the job market up here is any indicator of the overall provincial - and even national - economy, then there isn't much reason to be hopeful. Companies like Suncor and Syncrude have been laying off people lately and there is much more competition as an increasing number of migrants from Newfoundland and other eastern provinces make their way to the Oil Sands region.

Unless there is more investment in new projects from big corporations and until banks change their tight lending policies, the gap between the number of posted jobs and people looking for them will stay large. In fact, that gap may be the only thing that grows in the year 2010.

Calgary Torch Relay

2010-01-26T21:30:00.000-08:00

Torch relay on Macleod Trail on January 18,2010

GoForth Institute - Business After Hours

2009-11-25T09:51:00.000-08:00

GoForth Institute attends Business After Hours

Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers - October 8 2009

2009-10-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

Bow River Flow

2009-08-13T16:47:00.000-07:00

Druh Farrel's controversial lane closure for a street festival starts next weekend. After a lot of debate within city hall and the media, it has been decided that Memorial Drive will be closed between 10 st & 3 st every weekend. Let's see if Druh's brainchild is popular or ends up as a huge PITA!

Calgary Transit vs NYC subway -- Apple & Oranges

2009-07-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

Today I came across an article on the Calgary Rants blog; the author had taken a trip to the Big Apple and was dazzled by the city's sophisticated underground transit system which prompted him to compare the subway network with that of of Calgary's C-Train system. He seemed to be critical of this city's conveyance structure by examining in contrast the networks of the two cities.

There is no doubt that New York's subway system is one of the best in the world, but to match-up the MTA with the C-Train is like comparing apples and oranges (in this case, comparing the big apple with a little kiwi fruit). The authors also raves on about how vastly more efficient the subway is compared to our little street cars and how they can accommodate thousands of passengers more (again...DUUH).

Now, granted that Calgary's transit system is not fulfilling the current needs of the population and it goes without saying that it needs revitalization and a make-over. But to say that NYC's transit is ideal would be an exaltation it does not deserve.

As a former New Yorker, I can say this with certainty; it is NOT as safe as some people think it is. The drug problems are still there - even after Giuliani tried to clean it up - the riders are extremely rude, and the fares go up whenever city hall feels like it. In fact, there was a feature report in one of New York's publication a few years ago describing the fragility of the subway system. The entire network is plagued by constant threats of floods and fires and built on technology that predates the automobile.

To many, the grass seems much greener on that side of the fence, but the allure fades away when one has to deal with impaired coordination of the MTA, (not to mention the unprofessional attitude of the subway police).

In contrast, the C-Train, with all it's flaws and imperfections, has the potential to be exceptional. Perhaps, new tacks around the Sarcee ring road and an extension further down south with more express buses can make transit more desirable for people who don't use the system currently, but would like to once they know how convenient and enjoyable their trips can be.

Trip to the Calgary Zoo

2009-07-23T21:47:00.000-07:00

We are Number-3

2009-07-23T21:09:00.000-07:00

It's official folks...Calgary has become the third largest city in Canada, after Toronto & Montreal (not including suburbs). According to the municipal census of 2009, cowtown now has 1,065,455 people as of April 2009. The city has grown very rapidly in the last 3-4 years, and a lot of people have moved here, primarily to find jobs.

Unfortunately, it has also brought along crime and street drugs to this once peaceful place. The criminal scumbags have established a lurative enterprise in Calgary doing their dirty deeds. But the good news is that the law enforcement authorities are on their asses and have cuaght quite a few thugs and put them behind bars.

Another issue that is talked about quite frequently these days is the congestion and traffic jams in Calgary. The sudden increase in population has forced city-planners to come up with a viable solution for dealing with future developments. The Plan It Calgary is a step in the right direction.

Calgary ain't what it used to be...it's gotten big, noisy and chaotic, but nonetheless, it's still a good place to work and live (much..MUCH better than toronto of-course ;-)

Chris Pirillo's Favourite Places in Calgary

2009-07-23T20:18:00.000-07:00

Anybody who has even the slightest interest in the latest gadgets or internet apps and technologies knows about Chris Pirillo and his lockergnome website. He is the uber-geek, the GURU of all things geeky.

A couple of days ago, Chris posted a blog about his Top 10 Places to Visit in Calgary, which include the usual suspects like the Canada Olympic Park, the Stampede, and Banff National Park, (even though technically speaking, it's not within Calgary).

However, I was surprised to see the Calgary Police Youth Centre as one of the places to visit in town. Usually, Calgarians don't really think of the CPS as a touristy area. But I checked it out and it seems like a groovy place for kids and teens and give them insight on what a policeman's (or policewoman's) work entails.

Sometimes we take resources like these in our city for granted. But hey...this city is so big, (and growing fast), you learn something new about it everyday.

Free and Low Cost Dental Care in Calgary

2009-07-04T19:18:00.001-07:00

There are a lot of people who cannot afford Dental care for themselves or their children. The province of Alberta in partnership with the Calgary Health region has a oral health program for folks like these.

If you want to learn how to get free or low-cost dental procedures done, consult these places for eligibility requirements.

HOW TO GET DENTAL CARE IN THE CALGARY REGION

1. Alberta Child Health Benefit (ACHB)
Phone: 1-877-469-5437
Web: www.employment.alberta.ca/achb
E-mail: achb@gov.ab.ca

Who is eligible?

Children under the age of 18 (19 if attending high school) in low-income families.
Eligibility based on income and number of eligible children in the family.
Must apply. Call for an application or download from website.

Coverage

Free basic health benefits and routine dental services.
Show benefit card to a dental provider.

2. Alberta Health Services - Calgary Region
Community Dental Clinics
Chumir 403-955-6888
Northeast 403-944-9999
Airdrie 403-912-8484
Web: www.calgaryhealthregion.ca/programs/dental

Who is eligible?

Children and adults with limited income that do not have a dental plan.
Eligibility based on income and family size.
Families must apply. Call for application or download from website.

Coverage

Reduced fee dental care.
Routine and basic services including cleanings, x-rays, fillings and removal of teeth.

3. Burns Memorial Fund
Phone: 403-234-9396
Web: http://www.burnsfund.com

Eligibility

Must be under the age of 21 and lived in Calgary for at least 6 months.
No dental insurance/benefits.
Referral letter and treatment plan needed.

Coverage

Payment or cost-sharing for dental or orthodontic treatment.
Payments are not given for services already provided in a dental office before applying to the Burns Fund.

Dental Care for Low Income families

New Science Centre in Calgary

2009-07-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

The Telus World of Science is moving near the Calgary Zoo, to a bigger and better building! It'scheduled to be completed in 2011 and will be the first science centre to be built in Canada in 40 years, replacing the old building in the Calgary downtown area.

The centre will be a 153,000 square foot building with a 240 seat dome theater and a 10,000 square foot atrium. Total cost: $160 million

Lunatic Rafters on the Bow

2009-06-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

Summer in Calgary can get hot no doubt, and for folks who want a way to "chill" and "cool-off", the Elbow River is a great place to do just that. People go there to relax by the riverfront, swim and river-rafting. Most people abide by the "play rules" and behave well. But there are many idiots who flout the rules.

Evidence: Last weekend, by-law officers had to issue close to 800 warnings (no tickets though) to revelers for stupidities like drinking, not wearing life-jackets, and EVEN urinating in public!

Now, I could care less about the dimwits who think they are invincible and can swim to shore if they fall into the COLD river, even when they are drunk! But the laws are plain and simple - put your life jacket on.

It's doesn't hinder your fun. It's in the event where you cannot swim to shore due to fatigue and leg cramps. Try getting one of those and swimming 40 feet to shore! As far as booze goes - there are those who stumble out of the raft and then get into their cars to drive...need I say more?

Let's NOT just give these morons more warnings. Fine the idiots, fine them with an obscene amount and then maybe they'll think twice before getting drunk and throwing beer cans in the river.

We're already being milked by city hall in the form of higher taxes and fees; if one of these nincompoops falls into the river, the taxpayers will have to foot the bill for EMS to come save their ass.

So if you don't want to follow the rules - then be prepared to pay the fines without whining about it and when the unthinkable happens and your luck runs out - be prepared to pay the costs for your rescue and recovery. It should not be my responsibility to pay to find you or care for you when you deliberately do something so incredibly stupid!

Tori Stafford Murdered

2009-05-20T13:12:00.000-07:00

A man and a woman from Woodstock, Ont., have been charged in the abduction and killing of eight-year-old Tori Stafford.

Michael Thomas C.S. Rafferty, 29, and Terri-Lynne McClintic, 19, were taken into custody on Tuesday night. They made brief appearances as charges were filed Wednesday morning at a court in the southern Ontario community.

Rafferty was charged with abduction and murder. McClintic was charged with abducting the child, assisting Rafferty in escaping the area and being an accessory to murder after the fact.

The charges leave no doubt as to the fate of the little girl, though neither police nor family have confirmed the child's death. Victoria, known as Tori to her friends and family, has been missing since early April, when she failed to return home after school.

New Homes in Calgary

2009-05-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

More Jobs Being Created in Calgary

2009-05-17T23:30:00.000-07:00

A 10 minute drive just north of Calgary and you come to Balzac. This is where a new super-mall is being constructed, and this little town will soon be home to a new walmart distribution centre for all of Western Canada. The building is going to be huge -- almost half a million square feet, and one of the largest refrigerated buildings in the country. This is good news for Calgary and the surrounding towns like Airdrie.

In a sluggish economy, where the oilpatch is not performing well and a lot of folks have lost their jobs, this investment by walmart - which will create over a thousand jobs - is much needed. And since the starting wage at walmart's other supply chain centre in Calgary is around $15/hour, one can hope that people will find this an attractive place to work.

Canadian Military's Exercise in Calgary

2009-04-20T22:55:00.000-07:00

Heavy gunfire was heard in the South-East part of Calgary this morning, but it was not a shootout between the police and a gang members, but a military exercise in urban warfare by the Canadian Forces. The military was simulating a real life battle at a firefighters training area. The media and the military are showcasing this "exercise" as training for newbie soldiers, but when I saw the story, my mind went straight to an article about foreign soldiers patrolling the streets of American cities in the event of a martial law.

Now to some, this may sound nonsensical, and even conspiratorial, but I have been doing a lot of research into this matter and I have found that there is indeed an agreement between the United States Northern Command and the Canadian military that in case of a civil unrest, Canadian troops will provide support to their American counterparts.

If martial law is declared in America -- and all the signs are there for it -- then the questions that beg to be asked are.....Is this exercise being conducted to prepare the Canadian soldiers to quell any unrest south of the border? And what do the Americans need us for when they have a military much powerful than ours? Do they want us to do their dirty work and use Canadian soldiers to fire on American citizens in case their own marines refuse to harm their fellow citizens? Something to ponder upon...

Bitter-Sweet Day for Calgary

2009-04-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

So we lost to the Blackhawks...again (never UNDERESTIMATE an opponent) and we're down 2-0 in the first round of playoffs. It's frustrating for the fans when you're team loses despite leading by two goals. Chicago came back strong and it was not easy getting through the "Bulin Wall". The Flames are back at the saddledome for game three and the team MUST raise the level of their game with the home-ice advantage.

But in good news, despicable Calgary gangster Jackie Tran, has lost his appeal against deportation to vietnam. Now the sooner he's put on a plane and sent back, the better. This city has more than it's share of thugs and gang criminals and it's about time that we started getting rid of these people and keeping our streets safer and drug free.

A Disgusting Display of Arrogance on Fox News

2009-03-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

Ignorance, insensitivity and greed, this is the "Faux" News Creed. This is how the US is making enemies around the world. After 116 Canadian military personnel have given their lives in Afghanistan, fox news insults the Canadian military. These are the people who keep Americans up to date and misinformed.

These comments came at an inappropriate time. 4 soldiers died the day before this aired. There isn't an excuse for this. Shame that our soldiers have laid down their lives for Assholes such as these to brag about "the greatest country in the universe". They certainly have an inferiority complex. As Canadians we should boycott the corrupt, racist, and hate-mongering fox network every way we can.

And it's also about time that we force our government to bring our troops home as they are not serving any purpose other than to die for an American war and to protect karzai, the "mayor of kabul". Canada can't afford to lose anymore of it's brave soldiers. Let the Americans fight all by themselves; they don't need people in "red jackets who ride horses" anyway...

A Western Welcome for 'Dubya' in Calgary

2009-03-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

March 17; protestors welcome bush with shoes and shame, and a bunch of losers line up to see him speak.

Green Light Cameras in Calgary

2009-03-07T21:30:00.000-08:00

So the city of Calgary has found another way to make more money in this recession. Since they have already hiked property taxes this year and they know that people may rebel against another proposed tax increase, Bronco and his minions have a solution, siphon more money off Calgary's drivers...

The city is going to use cameras installed at 44 intersections in Calgary to fine drivers caught speeding. So you'll get ticketed not just for riding a red light at those signals, you will also get a ticket mailed to you if you cross them over the speed limit. Until April 1st 2009, you will only get a warning; after that, a minimum fine of $250 will be applied.

Here's the list of intersections where the cameras have gone into effect;

1) Macleod Trail & 162 Ave SE
2) Macleod Trail & 12 Ave SE
3) Centre St & 20 Ave N
4) John Laurie Blvd & 53 St NW
5) 68 ST & 16 Ave NE
6) Sarcee Tr & Richmond Rd SW
7) 4 St & 6 Ave SW
8) 61 Ave & Barlow Tr SE
9) Crowchild Tr & 24 Ave NW
10) 11 Ave & 4 St SW
11) 11 Ave & 14 St SW
12) 17 Ave & 44 St SE
13) 14 St & Heritage Dr SW
14) 14 St & Northmount Dr NW
15) 64 Ave & 4 St NE
16) Anderson Rd & Acadia Dr SE
17) 9 Ave & 11 St SW
18) Barlow Tr & 32 Ave NE
19) 52 St & 32 Ave NE
20) Bowness Rd & Shaganappi Trail NW
21) Canyon Meadows Dr & Bowbottom Tr SE
22) Southland Dr & Acadia Dr SE
23) Fairmount Dr & Southland Dr SE
24) Elbow Dr & Southland Dr SW
25) Beddington Tr & Centre St N
26) Falconridge Blvd & 64 Av NE
27) 1 St & 17 Ave SE
28) McKnight Blvd & Barlow Tr NE
29) Barlow Tr & Centre Av E
30) Shaganappi Tr & Northland Dr NW
31) Blackfoot Tr & 42 Ave SE
32) Memorial Dr & 52 St NE
33) 16 Ave & 10 St NW
34) Edmonton Tr & McKnight Blvd NE
35) Memorial Dr & 28 St NE
36) Macleod Tr & 7 Ave SE
37) Bow Tr & 33 St SW
38) 17 Ave & 33 St SW
39) Elbow Dr & Heritage Dr SW
40) Country Hills Blvd & Beddington Tr NW
41) Glenmore Tr & Barlow Tr SE
42) McKnight Blvd & Falconridge Blvd NE
43) Macleod Tr & 25 Av SE
44) Country Hills Blvd & 14 St NW

NHL in Calgary: Tampa Bay Lightning vs Calgary Flames

2009-03-02T19:16:00.000-08:00

An exciting game of hockey ensued at the saddledome last night. The game had pretty much everything, a high score, a brawl, lots of close calls, and in the end an anti-climactic end. Enjoy the highlights.

The Future Skyline of Calgary

2009-02-17T22:05:00.000-08:00

The city of Calgary has ambitious plans to transform the skyline of Cow-Town. Check out these futuristic renditions of what our city may look like in a few years.

Jack And Diane go to Taber

2009-02-09T21:34:00.000-08:00

Fed up with long commute times and high cost of living, a lot of folks from Calgary are moving to smaller towns. Join a young couple as they explore the possiblity of relocating from the daily grind of the big city to the easy living of small town Alberta. Great jobs, lower cost of living and lots of things to do make Taber a great option for people. Take the trip with Jack and Diane and discover all that Taber, Alberta has to offer.

Links:
Destination Taber
Wikipedia Profile
Town of Taber

Best Recession Proof Careers in Calgary

2009-01-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that Canada is in a recession. Calgary, aka Oil City, is also experiencing the effects of the downturn in the global economy. Construction which was booming -- and employers were falling over each other to seduce workers -- has now come to a halt. Gone are the days when you would apply for a job in this city and the companies would call you within 15 minutes to hire you.

Most employers are laying off people, and those that aren't, have pulled back from the high wages that were being offered. But does that mean that jobs have completely dried up in Calgary...?

Far from it. In-fact, there are careers which still have a shortage of people and employers are having a tough time finding qualified people. A while back, I published a post about the hottest careers in Alberta on THTNW. Minus the construction workers, the list is still pretty valid.

However, I will list some additional occupations that are recession proof and in-demand in and around Calgary.

Health Care

Health services do not cease during an economic downturn. If anything, more people end up at hospitals and clinics because of high stress and physical illness. There is a serious need for RNs, RPNs, and medical lab technicians etc. The Calgary Health Region is a good place to start if you're searching for these type of positions. Dentists' offices also hire dental assistants in this industry.

Software Development

There is still a need for developers and programmers to help with updating software and managing databases for oil companies. If you are a DBA or an IT consultant, you should not have too many problems securing a good position with an employer here.

Energy/Mining

Calgary being oil capital of Canada, there are always jobs in the fields of Geology, Pipeline Engineering and Land Administration.

Environment

With the growing noise around global warming and environmental pollution, the prospects are very good.

Criminal Justice/Public Safety

Bad economy=increased in crime. Calgary's gang problem is getting worse, and the city is hiring more police officers.

Tax Accounting

Death and taxes are certain. Enough said...

Education

Kids don't stop going to school and when people are out of work, they tend to upgrade themselves at community colleges, hence the need for teachers.

Military

It's a verifiable fact that military gets most of it's recruits during tough economic times. If you don't mind being away from home and want to feel the pride of serving your country, contact the Canadian Forces.

Skilled Trades

There is still a shortage of welders, pipefitters, plumbers, and millwrights in Calgary. And with a major portion of the governments stimulus plan being spent on infrastructure, workers in these trades are going to be hunted by recruiters.

Self Employment

Instead of waiting to land a plum job, why not create one. You can take advantage of this slowdown to start your own business and be self-employed. Sure beats job-hunting!

I hope this list gave you folks some ideas. If you have any questions or want to share your own list, leave me a comment :-)

Snow Removal in Calgary

2009-01-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

I'm sure a lot of you folks are not too pleased with the poor job the city has done in regards to plowing snow and keeping the roads and highways clean in Calgary. Record numbers of auto accidents because of icy roads have prompted angry calls to the municipal government, but the Aldermen and Alderwomen are not taking action the way the citizens want them to.

I, myself, sent an email to my ward's alderman and here's the reply I recieved from his office;

(Note: text in Violet are my comments)

Mr. McCoy,

Thank you for your email sent to Alderman Stevenson's office.

I have forwarded your email to our Roads department. All areas in Calgary are experiencing the same difficulties and we are requesting that citizens be patient. We received the following information from our Roads department on Wednesday and I hope you find it helpful. These stats are before the snow received Wednesday.

(that's what they do.....send you a bunch of stats..)

Our SNIC material usage in all of 2008 was approximately 40,000 tonnes of salt and 48,000 tonnes of pickle.(pickle...??!)

Since December 20 we have removed 2,600 truckloads of snow from the downtown core and surrounding areas. Our SNIC Priority One and Priority Two Route Maps identify over 7,600 lane km of road network to maintain. Our sander trucks have travelled over 163,000 km maintaining the SNIC routes - the equivalent of driving around the equator four times. (jeez....must be a huge accomplishment eh)

Our sander drivers have logged over 11,000 hours of driving time behind the wheel. Our grader operators have logged over 1,700 hours of operating time.

Priority One: Major roadways with traffic volumes exceeding 20,000 vehicle per day
Central Business District streets which carry 8,000 vehicles per day
Designated routes on high-traffic-volume arterial roads

Priority Two: Roads which carry 5,000 t- 19,000 vehicles per day
Traffic lights and controlled crosswalks
Designated emergency routes (hospital, police and fire stations)

Priority Three: Designated feeders collector routes (too important to give it priority 3, IMHO)
Bus routes
School and playground zones
Designated hills
Stop.yield signs and bus stops

Priority Four: Designated hills

Sanding and Salting

Our crews are continuing to respond to snow conditions according to the Council Policy for Snow and Ice Control. During periods of snow like we experienced Wednesday, our sander drivers shift their focus back to conditions on the Priority One and Two Routes. When winter driving conditions are stabilized on the major roads, the crews shift their focus to the Priority Three and Four Routes. This entails spot sanding at designated feeders, collectors and bus routes as well as spot sanding at identified trouble spots. (ookaay....what priority are McKnight and John Laurine Blvds then....?)

Plowing

Plows are continuing work on Priority Two and Three Routes. Some work is necessary to continue to move snow further off the roads where initial plowing occurred but the road width is narrow because of the buildup of snow. Crews are also attending to windrows of snow at bus stops. (windrows is a misnomer, they should call it plowrows, as it is the plowing trucks who create these barriers in the first place)

Our crews have investigated a number of residential road plowing requests recently. In cases where our crews responded to alleviate conditions on a complaint basis, they continued to monitor the effects of our efforts. Our observations, and the public response, are similar to what we experienced when we conducted a trial of residential snow plowing a number of years ago. When our trucks and equipment respond, they often break through the existing hard pack due to their weight. Often that results in worse conditions that if we stayed away.(have to agree with that...you guys make matters worse).

Also, since we cannot remove snow from the residential roads, the windrows we create from plowing often cause a new set of problems. If temperatures drop, the windrows freeze and become harder to deal with. Cars cannot climb over the windrows to get into the travel lane. (unless one is driving a Land Cruiser).

The windrows also hamper the flow of water to the catch basins during warm weather, resulting in flooding problems.

Snow Removal and Storage

The snow removal crews are working on Priority One and Priority Two Routes. Crews are focusing their efforts on the structures and bridges. Where there are school and playground zones on the Priority One and Priority Two routes, they are also being evaluated.

Sidewalk Snow Removal

Hand crews are working on Priority Two and Priority Three locations with shovels and small equipment. Roads Maintenance Crews are contracted by Calgary Transit to clear bus stops, and this is occurring within the Priority Three work lists. (I drive quite a bit; haven't seen any...)

The Snow and Ice Control unit has been working around the clock to alleviate the problems. Again, thank you for your email and if you have any further questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact us.

Best regards,

Lynne Banning
Community Assistant,
Ward 3 Office of Alderman Stevenson,
City of Calgary
Phone (403) 268-4854
Fax (403) 268-8091
PO Box 2100. Stn M Calgary, AB T2P 3M5
Ward03@calgary.ca
www.ward3calgary.ca
Proudly Serving a Great City

Hmmm.....same old response. Winter ain't over yet. Let's see what we have in store for the rest of the season...

International Hotel Suites Calgary

2009-01-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

Smile (and wave).....you're being watched!

2009-01-08T16:26:00.000-08:00

With the recent increase in crime and gang activity in Calgary, the police department has decided to install over twenty video surveillance cameras in the downtown area to keep an "eye" on suspicious activity.

The folks at Calgary Police Services are inclined to believe that more cameras will translate into less crime. To say that this thinking is flawed would be an understatement. There is no credible evidence that criminal activity slows down due to surveillance cameras. They install cameras in the downtown core and the gang members will move somewhere else.

The recent triple murder on new year's day - in broad daylight at a restaurant- is proof that gang members do not limit their activities to downtown Calgary. We cannot put up cameras everywhere and the taxpayers money could be better spent on something useful - like snow removal to prevent auto accidents!

Another component that concerns me is the invasion of privacy. Is there any guarantee that the video footage collected from these cameras would not be misused? There is growing evidence that the police in the U.S and Britain have used the surveillance systems to send out tickets for traffic or by-law violations. In fact, I was told by one British visitor that after tourism, cameras are the second largest source of revenue for the London city government. So this apparatus is more like a cash cow for city councils than a detterent for crime.

Gangsters and drug dealers will eventually find a way to avoid these cameras, and the general public won't fee any safer. The best way to combat crime in this city is to change the criminal justice system and enact tougher laws to punish the crooks, instead of creating a totalitarian police state where big brother watches everything you do.

Extreme Cold Weather and Heavy Snowfall in Calgary

2008-12-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

Calgarians are enjoying their first heavy snowfall of the season (pardon the facetiousness) and bracing themselves for extremely cold temperatures. The weekend started with temperatures of around -25 degrees (celsius that is) which will further drop down to -30 C (around -22 F). With the wind chill being factored in, it will be around -45 Celsius. Yep.....it's gonna be fun :-#

Finally, some excitement in Canadian politics!

2008-12-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

For a long time, politics in Canada has been dull and frequently overshadowed by American politics. More people tuned into the US presidential campaign of 2008 than the election of last October. But that has changed. Since the possibility of a "coup d'etat" in Ottawa has been on the horizon, the tension on parliament hill has increased and there has been passionate debate among Canadians on both sides of the political spectrum on who is more capable to lead.

I'm not going to go into much detail here as other bloggers are doing a good job of "analyzing" the situation and making predictions about the future government of Canada. I just want to gleefully showcase the entertainment that is being provided to us by our politicians.

Watch and enjoy the mud-slinging (also known as a debate, or question period) that was going on in the House of Commons on December 2nd 2008. Don't forget to comment!

Colorado Avalanche vs Calgary Flames NOV 18 2008

2008-11-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

A very good game between the Flames and the Avalanche. In the end, Colorado got their asses whooped by Iginla and company.

The Global Recession and the Future of Alberta Oil Sands

2008-11-10T22:33:00.001-08:00

Okay....so the world is going through a man-made economic recession, that's old news. But the effects of the credit crunch are being felt here in Alberta as well, which a lot of folks thought would remain immune to the problems created by the U.S fed. Our Premier, Ed Stelmach is running around Europe trying to convince investors there that the oil sands projects are a great investment in these tough economic times.

While rest of Canada (Ontario and Quebec in particular) is hardest hit, "Wildrose Country" is faring much better. But effects are being felt here as well. Less people will be employed in the oil sands this winter and the labour markets in Calgary and Edmonton have become competitive. And with the price of oil much lower than it was last year, the royalty money that the province will get won't be as huge as previous years.

But this is the right time for Alberta to diversify it's economy and invest in it's public infrastructure. Not only will help people stay employed, but it could prepare us for the future by investing in new technologies and industries. Trying to persuade the tree hugging Europeans to invest in the oil patch is like inviting the pope to a stag party. Instead, the premier should sit down with PM Stephen Harper and discuss a way forward for Alberta as it is the driving engine of the Canadian economy.

Stelmach also missed the regional meeting of the Canadian Premiers, in which there was an agreement about infrastructure investment where Ontario and Quebec were pushing for a high speed rail service between Toronto and Quebec city. I believe that Alberta should also go ahead with it's own plan for a bullet train corridor between Calgary and Edmonton.

The downturn in the economy is a blessing in disguise for Alberta's tar sands and we should use this opportunity to initiate creative plans for the future economic stability of Alberta. Let's not put all our eggs in one basket and consider alternative energy sources such as nuclear power. The government doesn't have to be in a rush to sell the oil, and sell it cheaply. Time for the politicians to get smart and get to work.

The Cost of Uncontrolled Migration

2008-10-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

Another day, another shooting, and more deaths in Calgary. The crime situation in this city keeps getting worse. Even with more police officers being recruited by the CPS, Calgarians are not getting any respite from the gang violence and drug activity in their neighbourhoods. The gun violence typical of Toronto is rearing it's ugly head in this otherwise safe city.

Speaking of Toronto, I had the chance to visit the city last week, and it really feels like you are in a third-world waterhole. Hog-Town truly has become a city of pigs; and now, all the swines (gang members) from that city are heading to Calgary because of the economic boom here. All the black and asian gangs have extended their franchise and plying their dirty trade here.

As for the restaurant where the shooting happened, it was a chinese establishment in a neighborhood which is mostly ethnic (chinese, filipino and black); and it's a well known fact that the drug trade in Canada has a predominantly asian flavour to it. The politically correct blockheads may ramble on about how you can't pin the blame on certain groups, or that any one neighbourhood can't be singled out, but the fact is that Marlborough is a hotbed of illegal activities and there needs to be more police presence there ALL the time.

Do we really want turf wars and drive-by shootings in this city? Some concerned citizens organized an anti-violence walk recently and sent a clear signal to the folks in city hall that they will not tolerate the city turning into a wild west for drug dealers and pimps, but the decrepit politicians have the same old vapid answer that we need to hire more police officers. I'm not going to pay for any more officers with my tax dollars, because we have enough of them. They just need to do their job instead of fulfilling a quota of handing out traffic tickets.

Let's just hope that the politicians come to their senses and all three levels of government do their part to crack down hard on these thugs before the people take matters into their own hands.

Another Black Spot on Cecil

2008-10-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

So there was another murder at the infamous Cecil Hotel in downtown Calgary on Sunday. According to the Calgary Sun;

"Cops were called to the notorious watering hole about 1 a.m. where they found a man dead from undisclosed injuries."

Also, according to a police source, "That seems to be the place where you'd have deals with money or drugs."

Is that right Mr.Policeman?

I have never understood why there aren't more officers in the vicinity of the hotel and the adjoining pub. This place is KNOWN to be one of the drug dealing hot spots, and more homicides have occurred near Cecil than any other area. Most people have no idea as to how bad this place is. Just read this tongue-in-cheek review of the place;

"The Cecil is by far the best place in town if you like the smell of stale booze and piss! It is great when you are greeted at the door by a wasted, toothless, homeless Ukrainian. If you show up more than once he will remember your name and greet you with a hug or a $h!t covered hand shake! Be sure to order up a short rye and coke and grab a front row seat for the blues band on stage that has that "who the Fu@K booked us here?" look in their eye! Be sure to wave goodbye to the blood covered crack whore on your way out as she is getting the sh!t kicked out of her by a drunk pimp demanding his 20 bucks so that he can fill his crack pipe. I have heard they are under new management and are offering room discounts to those who are willing to stay for more than 20 minutes"

I would guess the ONLY folks who stay at Cecil are people who are looking to pick up prostitutes or are hopelessly addicted to drugs and cheap booze. You can be guaranteed that your life expectancy will be very short if you are anywhere near that place. In short, this is not the venue to entertain your date.

There are some who think that the hotel should be bought by the city (paid by tax payer dollars) and be restored as a historical building, as it was built in 1910. I personally believe that it should be torn down. Calgarians deserve to enjoy a pleasant weekend walk in the downtown area and the city would be better off without this ugly structure in it's core.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

2008-09-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a video of Calgary that I found on You Tube. It's a bit old but gives you a good intro to the oil capital of Canada. Enjoy!

The Federal Elections and the Economy

2008-09-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

As election campaigns are in full swing in both the U.S and Canada, the economy has become a hot button issue in both countries, specially when the North American markets keep tumbling downhill (Dow Jones down 128 points and the TSX down 186). Even Calgary, with it's hot job market is not immune. Gas prices have gone went up to $1.40/litre before stabilizing at $1.26/litre.

But why am I talking about this, when almost every media outlet is yapping about the economy and the credit disaster in the U.S? Because I'm pissed off! Pissed off at the incompetent government in Alberta which, even with it's overflowing coffers from oil royalty cash, is not doing enough to help thousands of people in this province raise their standards of living.

Calgary is one of the richest cities in North America, but there are over 3000 homeless people. Just today, I learned that the provincial government has given an Australian company the contract to build and maintain schools in Calgary and Edmonton. WHAT??!!

Why the heck are we giving away contracts to foreign companies when we have expertise in this country...in THIS city to build them?? Why is the Alberta Heritage fund not investing in building our educational institutions?

Speaking of the heritage fund, Norway, which produces about the same quantity of oil as Alberta, has about US$200 billions in it's future fund. And how much does "Oilberta" have? a measly US$14 billion. UN-FREAKIN-BELIEVABLE!!!

We have rising crime in Calgary because of all the gangs moving here but the city can't afford to hire 200 police officers that it estimates it needs to fill the shortage. The government in Edmonton is indifferent at best. And the frikin politicians in Ottawa aren't any better.

Calgary being his hometown, Prime Minister Stephen Harper needs to do more to ensure that the city's economy -- which is supporting the whole country -- does not crater. A lot of people from all over Canada and the United States moved to Calgary because of it's quality of life and it being a safe city, but that status is in danger. The folks in charge need to do get their act together and fix the problems here before this city turns into another Los Angeles or Chicago.

Trip to Sylvan Lake, Alberta

2008-09-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had to go to the town of Sylvan Lake for work (installing new equipment at a bank).

Sylvan Lake is a summer destination for millions of Canadians, specially wealthy Calgarians. I had time to kill during the software installation, so I went for a walk across town. It's not really a big place (took me about 15 minutes to walk from south end of the town to the north, where the lake is).

It was a chilly day and a weekday, so there weren't that many people at the lake. I had my camera with me, so I took some shots of the trendy places in Sylvan lake. I'm posting them here for the enjoyment of my readers.

Disclaimer: The photos were taken by a very lousy and amateur photographer (me), so if any one of you gets an upset stomach from the bad quality.......well, you have been warned.

Sylvan lake, with Jarvis bay in the distance

The marina and the village of Norglenwold

...unfortunately, there were no bikini babes at the beach

Smuggler's Inn; their seafood is WICKED!!

A very big and assuming lighthouse (NOT)...

beautiful, eh....!

Lakeside water-park

HIT ME! (insert joker sound-effect here...)

The House of Flags (flags of all Canadian provinces)

Sylvan lake's very own - all though a bit small - Clock Tower.

Hot Careers in Calgary (and Alberta)

2008-07-23T21:42:00.000-07:00

Even though the pace of employment growth in Alberta has slowed somewhat, the province is still the fastest growing job market in Canada. I was researching the Alberta labour market recently and found out that careers in health and retail are very hot these days. Here is a list of the most in-demand occupations in Alberta.

1. Construction Workers

The demand for construction workers will be strong for the foreseeable future. In addition to the the province of B.C, Alberta will have a major shortage of skilled people in all construction trades, specially with British Columbia attracting a lot of tradesmen for the construction of the 2012 Winter Olympics venues.

A significant number of workers are from Europe, and Alberta is competing with other provinces to attract these people for it's booming oil and gas sector. The most common trades -- carpentry, pipe-fitting, welding, drywall, and foundations -- are all still in very high demand and will be for the foreseeable future.

2. Nursing

With a growing population of old people and the provincial government spending more in the health care sector, nurses have become one of the most in-demand employees in Alberta. Alberta has a special recruitment bureau under the province's ministry of health, and they have traveled to the United States and Europe to recruit nurses. A handsome salary and flexible schedules are few of the perks that Alberta offers to it's nurses.

3. Information and Communications Technology

Although the Information Technology sector has seen some shrinkage in the past few years, there are still many opportunities in this area, specially as increasing number of small businesses are implementing and upgrading technologies in their workplace and are in need of experts who can handle the computer networks and telecommunication infrastructure that they have. The IT occupations are expected to grow between 2-5 percent in the next few years.

4. Accountants

With tough new regulation of the financial industry by the government, the need for charterered accountants and compliance experts has increased. Again, the demand is being fueled mostly by oil and gas companies.

5. Protective Services

The Calgary Police Services and the Calgary Fire department have launched a huge recruiting campaign across North America and the U.K, because of a serious shortage of police officers and EMS/paramedic personnel.

6. Power Line Technicians

A journeyman power line technician is one of the highest paying occupations these days. According to one career adviser, even apprentices can earn six figure salaries. As the population grows and more electricity transmission lines are being put in, there is no shortage of work and the prospect is long-term.

7. Truck Drivers

With the rise in transportation of goods and equipment across Alberta, truck drivers are in high demand. From hauling gravel and cement to transporting the famous Alberta beef, trucking is a rapidly growing business in the heart of the new west.

8. Teachers

With an ever increasing student population, the need for teachers and educational instructors will be high for a long time to come.

In addition to the above mentioned jobs, careers in Engineering, Retail, Financial services, Health care, and Sales are emergent. You can get more information at the Employment Alberta site.

Calgary Stampede 2008

2008-07-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

Well folks, this year's Stampede has concluded. Even though the weather wasn't too good, with lots of rain and a hail storm, the event was well attended, although the visitor count was not as high as last year. This year, the Stampede's theme was "parlez vous yahoo!", dedicated to Quebec City, the sister city of Calgary, because of it'400th anniversray.

Here are some videos from this year's event. Enjoy!

Stampede Parade 2008

The annual tradition of Stampede breakfast

Quebec band La Bottine

Rides @ the Midway

And of course, the firworks....

Leave a comment and let me know if any one of you guys attended the stampede this year. Cheers!

When will people use their brains...?!

2008-07-11T20:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a story that I just found in the local media. A missionary couple from Calgary were attacked by machete wielding gangsters in Kenya. Here's an excerpt:

'In a cell-phone interview with The Canadian Press from his hospital bed in Nairobi, John Bergen described the attack by men who left him for dead and repeatedly raped and beat his wife earlier this week.'

"All of a sudden, right there in the middle of the yard, is about four or five guys that jumped me and knocked me to the ground and started attacking me with clubs and machetes, clobbering me and cutting me and so on, and scars will be on my legs to show it. "I just didn't know how I was going to come out of this alive. They were just real mean."

But the couple have stated that they will NOT be leaving kenya and continue to help the orphans there. A very noble intent no doubt, but I honestly think they are crazy. You can only help people who are civilized and accept your help graciously and with gratitude, not bite the same hand that feeds them. By the way, the night watchmen who were supposed to guard the compund where the Bergens were staying, were sleeping like donkeys when the attack occured.

It's about time that Canadians use reason rather than emotions before going to dangerous countries like kenya for their so-called missions. Africa is in a mess, with anarchy and lawlessness everywhere. You have people leaders fighting for power and dictators like mugabe murdering his own people. There is no reason for us to be caught in-between their tribal warfare.

There have been quite a few incidents of Canadians travelling abroad, getting into trouble and then the government pays for the expenses like medical and transportation costs, and all of that comes from taxpayers money.

Use your brain people, help the needy in your OWN country, and city; there are plenty who need help here. Let others sort out their own problems.

Yeeeehaaaww...!!!

2008-07-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year folks, The greatest outdoor show on earth, Calgary Stampede 2008 has begun! Wannabe cowboys and cowgirls will be gracing the stampede park. Some of the main attractions at this year's stampede include: The Rodeo (of course), Saddledome concerts (can't wait for James Taylor), the legendary chuck wagon races and the 2008 GrandStand show.

There's tons more info at the Calgary Stampede website. If you live in Calgary or it's surrounding, don't forget to drop by at one of the stampede breakfasts in your neighborhood. There's going to lotsa food, lotsa music and a wagon-full of fun!

And if you're one of the people who are not big stampede fans and don't like crowded places, then leave a comment here about any alternative gatherings you might have, where like minded people can join you. You shouldn't have to dress up as a cowboy or cowgirl to enjoy this festive season!

Cowboys at the stampede corral

The main entrance to the stampede park

Rides at Midway Park

Bareback Riding

Babes on broncos

Why Calgary is not attractive to migrants anymore

2008-06-25T21:44:00.000-07:00

According to CBC News, the flow of people from other provinces to Alberta has slowed down considerably. In-fact, a lot of folks have moved back to their respective provinces. In addition to that, numerous families are transplanting themselves in less expensive places like Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

One of the major reasons for this slowdown is the insanely expensive real estate in Calgary (and Alberta as a whole). Here are some of the comments that people have left on a website relating to Alberta's soon to be bust;

"This Province has seen an amazing boom over the years,
but unless you are getting an amazing amount of money,
it is to the point where it's not affordable to live here anymore.
Not everybody is making it rich from the oil industry.
A lot of people are struggling just to make ends meet"

There is no doubt that the cost of living in Calgary has risen quite a bit, for some folks, disproportionately to their income. The city has done it's part to raise municipal taxes to suck out the last hard-earned dollar from the labourer.

Some people have also complained that us westerners - that is, the folks from the Canadian West - have not been very welcoming and friendly, even though we tout our western hospitality. There is a lot of truth to that as well.

A comment from another reader points to the regional animosity between central and western Canadians;

"Alberta has developed a strong hatred to people who
come from other provinces. I think that they prefer
minorities from third world countries that they can
pay only minimum wages and give all the really menial
jobs to. Canadian from other provinces know how much
their labour is worth. Third world labourers don't.
Do I think they are predjudiced? Yes.
Are Alberta companies really cheap? Absolutely!"

Well I'm not sure if hatred is the right word here, but there sure is a lot of resentment from the past when central Canada had all the goodies and provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan were dirt poor and had slogans like, "The West wants in.."

Since Canada does not have the problem of illegal immigration like the United States, Canadian companies look to these so-called "Third World" countries to provide them with workers in the form of immigrants and refugees. Alberta companies are cheap no doubt, but so are Canadians, who are too selfish to have kids and establish families, and Alberta is the largest offender in this regard, (but that's another topic for a future blog post).

I hope that Calgary does not lose it's status as a city where anything is possible and where folks come to realize their big dreams. And in order for that distinction to be maintained, the large, and ever-increasing divide between the rich and poor will have to be narrowed so all of us, in this Heart of the New West, can live a fulfilling life.

Where's the compassion....?

2008-06-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

The media in Calgary has been scuttle butting the story of a recent murder-suicide, where a 34 year old man killed his wife, two young daughters and a female tenant. A public memorial was held today for the whole family including Joshua Lall, the person who took his family's life.

Now there are some folks in this city who can't seem to stomach the idea of "remembering the killer". But let's look at this from a different perspective. These people were victims of the head of the household who was suffering from a mental sickness. What he did was in no way acceptable, but for people to be blatantly antipathetic to Joshua Lall is to be prejudiced and unjust towards a mentally ill person.

We need to respect the families on both sides, that they want to remember and say farewell to their loved ones without focusing on the tragic incident. Folks who are ticked off because they think that a murderer is being celebrated need to just back off and let these people mourn their loss. No one has the right to be judgmental. And if the people who are irritated by this, truly care so much, then they should volunteer themselves to helping the mentally ill, and I can assure you, there are a lot of people like that in our city.

May the Lall family rest in peace.

image courtesy of CBC news

The women in Calgary are nuts.....

2008-06-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

Yes...indeed they are, specially the younger ones. Why do I say that...? Well read this.

The chicks in Calgary (and Alberta and Canada overall) are complaining that Canadian men do not know how to court them or ask them out for a date. They think that American men are more assertive and confident, not shy about making the first move.

But do Canadian women (specially Calgarian chicks) really appreciate chivalry? The answer to that -- from my experience so far -- is a resounding no.

I have tried meeting women in this city, so have my other buddies, but we can tell that women are intimidated by our confidence and "openness". One has to be a phony to say that they prefer men who come on to them and then shoot down guys who approach them and consider THEM to be worthy of attention!

You'll see women in this city walking around like they are royalty and want guys who they can pu$$y-whip, but when they come across a man who has his sh!t together and is self-assured, they get nervous and will even avoid eye-contact.

A lot of chicks also lack social-skills and the ability to have a decent conversation. The only topic you can talk to them about is what clebrities are doing or what her ex did to her. For the love of Mary, I'm not here for talk therapy!

Try starting a conversation with a woman on the C-Train and you'll understand what I'm talking about. Infact, it's much easier to talk to older women, who are in their 40's and 50's (maybe that's due to the cougar effect)

Regardless, the women in Calgary need to start appreciating the fact that guys here are not going across the border to Montana or Idaho to look for women and still willing to give them a chance. If they miss this opportunity, then this is what their social gatherings will look like....

Is the job boom in Calgary over..?

2008-06-01T21:57:00.001-07:00

It is becoming more and more difficult to get a desirable job in Calgary. Only a couple of years ago, businesses were closing down because they could not find employees and it was almost impossible to hire anyone to for less than $12/hour, but now, it seems like there is a lot more competition in the labour market and that companies have quite a few options when it comes to hiring new people.

The Alberta government encouraged people to move to the province -- most of whom moved to Calgary -- even though there wasn't any cheap accommodation available at the time. A lot of people just got fed up with the situation and left, but those who found a decent job and a place to stay are also facing new problems. Companies which initially hired people with zero skills have more choices now, and folks who for some reason lost their jobs are having a tough time finding new ones.

A big reason for that is the saturation of the labour pool, where more people are competing for the same opportunities. Crazy real estate prices are another reason why companies are relocating to places like Saskatchewan and Winnipeg. It looks like Calgary's reputation of a boom town is not going to last too long.

Saskatoon, here I come..!

Step off the gas!

2008-05-31T13:29:00.000-07:00

A lot of folks have been complaining about the recent gas prices in Calgary which are hovering around $1.29/litre (for you Americans who are used to gallons, that's around $3.96/gal). But at the same time, I do not see most people make less use of their automobiles.

We all like to focus on how greedy the oil companies have become and how they are gouging us, but rarely does anyone accept their own bad habits. Yes, there are an increasing number of people using bicycles as their mode of transport, but still, a huge majority is needlessly driving their cars and trucks, (Calgarians for some reason have this love affair with their trucks).

So if the price of gas is too expensive for you, then drive less; stay home on the weekends instead of going to the malls, and spend time with your family in your backyards. Those of you not blessed with a backyard should just take a walk in the park. It can't be any simpler than that.

What's the problem with the Lebanese barbers...?

2008-05-27T19:53:00.000-07:00

I have a beef with the Lebanese barbers in Calgary. Everytime I go for a haircut, I am bound to get a lecture on the realities of life and how society is unfair. It's like I'm there for a sermon on human values. I don't mind chatting with the hairstylists - (and they insist on being called that, even though their shop signs say 'barber') - as they are great people, but I would prefer to talk AFTER I have my hairdo taken care of. They stand there, rousing their scissors in the air with fervor, sometimes too close for comfort.

You don't have to tell me that crime in Calgary has increased, I know that traffic is really bad and I KNOW that there are a lot of racist b@$tards in this city who taunt people of other ethnicities, but if you need to vent, then call the Calgary Distress Centre.

It seems to me that these guys need somebody to listen to them about what's happening "back home" or the war that's screwing up their country, or that their kids want to be more western, but seriously, do you think you're gonna get any sympathy by getting in your customers face and decrying the "injustices of society"? All you're doing is agitating us.

I really like the Lebanese folks, but I think I'll be looking for hairstylists of other nationalities, because after all, I'm paying them to tidy up my hair, not mess with my mind. If anyone of you knows good barbers (who don't suffer from verbal diarrhea), let me know.

Rain, rain go away....

2008-05-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

The weather in Calgary has been really crappy for the past few days. Persistent rain and cooler temperature has dampened the mood for a lot of folks. Looks like the curse from Vancouver has reached cow town. And the fact that the city is slacking off on fixing potholes in some areas isn't helping either. I guess they're waiting for somebody to "drown", that would be a story...

On a positive note, the Lilac Festival went well.

Howdy...!

2008-05-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

...And welcome to Calgary... "Heart of The New West". This is the only blog you'll find on the net - last time I checked, there were none - about CowTown. I am going to give you folks the inside scoop on this city, from a citizens perspective. What's hot, what's not, who's making a difference and who's screwing up, all of that and more, you'll find here.

I believe in giving info in a No Bull-crap, No nonsense manner, and y'all can expect me to be very blunt about things that I find messy in this town. So stay tuned, and be part of the THTNW, this is gonna be a thrill ride!