The +15, the indoor Calgary walkway is something I've grown to appreciate and can now walk through with the best of them. The 15 was originally designed to allow office workers to go from building to building and stay warm in the notoriously freezing Calgary winters. Back in the day, before global warming, Calgary was a freaking cold place, where it was possible to hit -40C. It sucks walking outside in -40C.
The business core of Downtown Calgary rivals Toronto and it's an interesting microcosm so far as business cores go. It's littered with the usual food stands & with a variety of Second Cups & Starbucks. There are also areas which are "outdoor" areas where people seem to go to smoke and have lunch. They're above the street level and seem to be fill up during lunch hour with folks looking to go outdoors without being at street level. It amazes me how far you can go in this town without ever stepping a foot outside and were it not for outdoor C Train stations, I could literally stay indoors until I reached my C Train station.
They've also connected certain condo towers with the +15 so the residents don't even need to walk outside to get to work (assuming they work downtown).
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Reading in the Herald yesterday that the Stelmach (Conservative) government are at the lowest point in the polls in recent history (as in decades). They've suffered a 19 point drop in the polls in Calgary and area.
Stelmach is a backwater farmer from some small town in Northern Alberta. Calgary is a major city that's diverse and cosmopolitan. Steady Eddie as they call him....appears to have trouble recognizing that international cities are complex structures and the problems are not fixed by shaking a few hands or spending 10 bucks fixing something with duct tape. It's interesting to watch this dynasty cave in & while people will blame Stelmach, I personally don't. Cities are complex creatures & the government of Alberta doesn't understand such complexity.
Stelmach is a backwater farmer from some small town in Northern Alberta. Calgary is a major city that's diverse and cosmopolitan. Steady Eddie as they call him....appears to have trouble recognizing that international cities are complex structures and the problems are not fixed by shaking a few hands or spending 10 bucks fixing something with duct tape. It's interesting to watch this dynasty cave in & while people will blame Stelmach, I personally don't. Cities are complex creatures & the government of Alberta doesn't understand such complexity.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Pizza
This.....yes this......is a "large slice" of pizza in Calgary. Note the comparison to the can of Coke. Cost? 2.50 for the slice.
The Stetson
I'm going to buy a cowboy hat. Not that I'll ever wear it, but I find it so amusing I'm going to shell out the 60 bucks for the hat.
Indian Graves
Apparently a really common thing to do out here on long weekends is to get a 4 wheeler ATV & go tear up the wilderness. The most common place to do this is Indian Graves, this place southwest of Calgary.
To each his own, but I really gotta wonder how riding a 4 wheeler in the woods destroying nature is getting you back to nature? How about buying a mountain bike and riding in the woods? It's amazing the number of people out here that have these ATV 4X4 things just for sport.
There are also alot of people offended by this stuff too. I was amazed at the number of people that wrote the Herald and called into a talk show about it. It made the top of the news for 2 days.
Call me weird but isn't getting back to nature when you walk in on foot and find the peace of nature, not tear it up with a giant truck?
To each his own, but I really gotta wonder how riding a 4 wheeler in the woods destroying nature is getting you back to nature? How about buying a mountain bike and riding in the woods? It's amazing the number of people out here that have these ATV 4X4 things just for sport.
There are also alot of people offended by this stuff too. I was amazed at the number of people that wrote the Herald and called into a talk show about it. It made the top of the news for 2 days.
Call me weird but isn't getting back to nature when you walk in on foot and find the peace of nature, not tear it up with a giant truck?
Monday, May 21, 2007
holy &#$*
Today I went grocery shopping for the first time living out here. I've been staying with people who were kind enough to let me live off their food & housing to get set up here.
I went to CO-OP which is considered much the same as Safeway. I started in the meat section where sliced meat is 2 to 4 dollars PER hundred grams. Sliced Havarti cheese is 2.79 per 100 grams. Over the fruits & veggie isle. A small bag of mini carrots was 3.69, 2 lemons 99 cents, vine ripe tomatoes 3 bucks a pound (these are the CHEAP tomatoes). Red Peppers, 3.50 a p ound and junk. Then to grab some bagels. 50 cents for each average bagel.
A small package of Becel was 4 bucks. Soy Milk is 5 dollars a package vs 3.49 at home.
I was in the isle looking for chick peas. I looked at the price, 2.00 a can, and I thought I was in the organics isle. Not. That's right, it's TWO bucks for a can of beans in Alberta. I paid 89 cents a can at home.
The meat section (i rarely eat meat) blew me away. Meat costs more here. Substantially more. Ironic, given that the meat is grown here, and it's raised on land that's pretty much useless for anything else. You can't grow much else on dead prairie grass. Bread is also more, which is retarded, given that this is the breadbasket of the world
Now, Superstore and T&T are cheaper, but these stores are large and require a long trip to get to one. I wanted to base the prices off my local supermarket
In short, food prices are 35% to 50% higher on average here in Calgary. And it's not much different eating out either. I don't each much fast food ,but I bought a burger combo at A&W and it was 9.14. Keep in mind that there is NO PROVINCIAL SALES TAX out here. So that price seems damn high.
Like to eat? You won't like it here.
I went to CO-OP which is considered much the same as Safeway. I started in the meat section where sliced meat is 2 to 4 dollars PER hundred grams. Sliced Havarti cheese is 2.79 per 100 grams. Over the fruits & veggie isle. A small bag of mini carrots was 3.69, 2 lemons 99 cents, vine ripe tomatoes 3 bucks a pound (these are the CHEAP tomatoes). Red Peppers, 3.50 a p ound and junk. Then to grab some bagels. 50 cents for each average bagel.
A small package of Becel was 4 bucks. Soy Milk is 5 dollars a package vs 3.49 at home.
I was in the isle looking for chick peas. I looked at the price, 2.00 a can, and I thought I was in the organics isle. Not. That's right, it's TWO bucks for a can of beans in Alberta. I paid 89 cents a can at home.
The meat section (i rarely eat meat) blew me away. Meat costs more here. Substantially more. Ironic, given that the meat is grown here, and it's raised on land that's pretty much useless for anything else. You can't grow much else on dead prairie grass. Bread is also more, which is retarded, given that this is the breadbasket of the world
Now, Superstore and T&T are cheaper, but these stores are large and require a long trip to get to one. I wanted to base the prices off my local supermarket
In short, food prices are 35% to 50% higher on average here in Calgary. And it's not much different eating out either. I don't each much fast food ,but I bought a burger combo at A&W and it was 9.14. Keep in mind that there is NO PROVINCIAL SALES TAX out here. So that price seems damn high.
Like to eat? You won't like it here.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Railway
When you get into the interior of BC, you start to realize the importance of the railway in Canada. It really is the thread that holds this place together. I think it would be a really cool trip to take the train th ru the mountains.
To Golden BC & Back Part Two
After leaving Lake Louise, the road splits so you can head north to the Ice Fields or towards BC. I took the BC route this time around, and it was a good choice. In Lake Louise, you think the mountains are majestic, then you hit BC, and there is no comparison. As you head into Kicking Horse Pass the scenery is amazing. This is one rugged area of Canada & when you hear about the "True North Strong and Free" this is it. As I drove down the road, I couldn't help but marvel that someone had built a road here. And a railway. That's a feat of engineering.
As you near Field, BC, you're in the Kicking Horse Pass valley along the Kicking Horse River. It's pretty wild with huge peaks around you. Unlike near Canmore and Banff, you're car has to go UP the side of the mountain, not just stay in the valley. If you get nervous driving 1000 metres above a canyon with a river in it, don't go. And the slope of the hill is amazing, you'll drive uphill for what seems like 10 kms, then go back down.
As you pass Field, you heard towards Golden BC. It's a few kms before Golden when you come to the part of the Trans Canada where you can't do more than 70 kms per hour. The road is twisty and curvy & the scenery is amazing.....the problem being you can't pull over to take pictures. I would also imagine this area is dangerous, given the number of crosses I saw at the side of the road. You really need to pay attention to drive this on a sunny warm day in May. You'd need to be wide awake at night to drive it & really aware. They also have these guard like things that drop down if the road is closed in winter due to avalanches (signs are everywhere). Apparently this place can get like 10 metres of snow, with the record being 25 metres in a single winter in Revelstoke.
There is also very limited cell service in the area, it seems to depend where you are and NO radio at all. I have Sirius so it wasn't a problem, but.....you can't even hear CBC Radio expect in Golden
Arriving in Golden, you'll find a sleepy small town, maybe 10 000 people. There looks to be a ski hill there & I'd guess the town is run around the railway that passes through. I drove into the downtown and didn't see much going on, but it's a sleepy place.
As you near Field, BC, you're in the Kicking Horse Pass valley along the Kicking Horse River. It's pretty wild with huge peaks around you. Unlike near Canmore and Banff, you're car has to go UP the side of the mountain, not just stay in the valley. If you get nervous driving 1000 metres above a canyon with a river in it, don't go. And the slope of the hill is amazing, you'll drive uphill for what seems like 10 kms, then go back down.
As you pass Field, you heard towards Golden BC. It's a few kms before Golden when you come to the part of the Trans Canada where you can't do more than 70 kms per hour. The road is twisty and curvy & the scenery is amazing.....the problem being you can't pull over to take pictures. I would also imagine this area is dangerous, given the number of crosses I saw at the side of the road. You really need to pay attention to drive this on a sunny warm day in May. You'd need to be wide awake at night to drive it & really aware. They also have these guard like things that drop down if the road is closed in winter due to avalanches (signs are everywhere). Apparently this place can get like 10 metres of snow, with the record being 25 metres in a single winter in Revelstoke.
There is also very limited cell service in the area, it seems to depend where you are and NO radio at all. I have Sirius so it wasn't a problem, but.....you can't even hear CBC Radio expect in Golden
Arriving in Golden, you'll find a sleepy small town, maybe 10 000 people. There looks to be a ski hill there & I'd guess the town is run around the railway that passes through. I drove into the downtown and didn't see much going on, but it's a sleepy place.
To Golden BC & Back
Took a trip out to Golden, BC & back today. I guess it's around 500 kms return & way worth the time & money
As soon as you pass Canmore (see my prior trip there), you enter Banff National Park. It's 18 bucks for a car to enter with 2 to 7 people, or 8.50 per person. They don't take debit, only Visa, so you are warned.
Once you enter the park, you'll drive for a bit & notice the mountains seem larger & closer to the road. The area starts to get more desolate & there are no roadside gas stations, etc, so fill up. It's a 4 lane road, so you can cruise along well past Banff. They also make it easy to stop along the road and take photos of animals........and you'll see quite a few, believe me. The entire road is fenced off from the forest to protect the animals (and drivers) from accidents.
Lake Louise:
I had figured this was a town, but it's essentially two places. The first is the part off the Trans Canada Highways, which is about 30 lodges/hotels, and a shopping centre with a few places to eat. If you're wanting to eat, the food is only so-so, and there is nothing that is quick. Be prepared to sit down tho there is a little food store you could get groceries in.
You then head up this hill, and I mean up. You drive upwards for what feels like about 10 kms until you find public parking in Lake Louise. The area is a large chateau & some hiking trails and a small lake with what looks like to be a glacier in the back. What I noticed first was that it was cold, maybe 1C, or about 15C colder than down at the bottom of the mountain. There was also alot of snow, and the lake was still frozen. Keep in mind this is May 24th weekend. The area is very nice & I wouldn't mind spending a weekend in the Chateau just to get that remote feeling.
There is a small lake that is a a side trip of sorts. I can't remember the name, but you'll see the sign going back down the hill. GO here. The scenery is amazing & there are some vistas you'll see from the top of the mountain (high enough to be in the clouds). At the end of the road is a lodge & a small lake and a huge rock face. You could probably spend an entire day there just walking around. It's not a tourist trap
To be cont....
As soon as you pass Canmore (see my prior trip there), you enter Banff National Park. It's 18 bucks for a car to enter with 2 to 7 people, or 8.50 per person. They don't take debit, only Visa, so you are warned.
Once you enter the park, you'll drive for a bit & notice the mountains seem larger & closer to the road. The area starts to get more desolate & there are no roadside gas stations, etc, so fill up. It's a 4 lane road, so you can cruise along well past Banff. They also make it easy to stop along the road and take photos of animals........and you'll see quite a few, believe me. The entire road is fenced off from the forest to protect the animals (and drivers) from accidents.
Lake Louise:
I had figured this was a town, but it's essentially two places. The first is the part off the Trans Canada Highways, which is about 30 lodges/hotels, and a shopping centre with a few places to eat. If you're wanting to eat, the food is only so-so, and there is nothing that is quick. Be prepared to sit down tho there is a little food store you could get groceries in.
You then head up this hill, and I mean up. You drive upwards for what feels like about 10 kms until you find public parking in Lake Louise. The area is a large chateau & some hiking trails and a small lake with what looks like to be a glacier in the back. What I noticed first was that it was cold, maybe 1C, or about 15C colder than down at the bottom of the mountain. There was also alot of snow, and the lake was still frozen. Keep in mind this is May 24th weekend. The area is very nice & I wouldn't mind spending a weekend in the Chateau just to get that remote feeling.
There is a small lake that is a a side trip of sorts. I can't remember the name, but you'll see the sign going back down the hill. GO here. The scenery is amazing & there are some vistas you'll see from the top of the mountain (high enough to be in the clouds). At the end of the road is a lodge & a small lake and a huge rock face. You could probably spend an entire day there just walking around. It's not a tourist trap
To be cont....
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Feist
Feist is playing Calgary tonight at the Jubilee at SAIT. In today's fragmented world of music, you've probably not heard of Feist......which is too bad. She's got alot of press lately for her new record The Reminder. And that's really too bad because it's no where near as good as Let It Die, which is probably the best record FM radio forgot about in the past 10 years.
The Ironwood
Friday night I went to the Ironwood Grill. It's located in Inglewood, an area in Calgary that is like a little city in a city & pretty low key. Way worth the trip there
The Ironwood looks like an old tractor barn. It has that rounded roof & steel walls that you'd see on a farm (like a storage shed). Inside, the floors are old beat up hardwood & the chairs and tables not much different. Sorta has the odour of "old west" inside. At the front of the bar is the stage and a cupboard with a stereo in it with CD's from the acts that have played there recently (presumably).
The food is great. For starters, a pint of Grasshopper is 5 bucks. That's cheap in Calgary. They serve flatbreads (you'd call them pizzas) and they're awesome. I had one with Artichoke & Portabello mushrooms on it. It's THE best pizza I had in Calgary so far. I also had a Buffalo burger, smeared in cheese and Chipolte Mayo. Again, like all Calgary burgers, it was excellent. If Calgary can have a claim to fame, it's the locally raised meat. Until I moved to Calgary, I rarely bothered with meat when I ate out, that's completely changed now. I'm sure some vegans get uneasy over this, but hey, the meat is locally grown & the veggies are not, so from an overall environmental impact, which is worse?
The Ironwood is pretty run down looking, but that's what gives it the charm. It's low key and the kinda place you could go watch live music alone if you wanted. People just do their own thing. To get to Inglewood in Calgary, it's 9th Ave SE, or you can take the bus there by getting on Number 1 Forest Lawn. There is parking in the back.
Survivor Ottawa
Conservatives 34, Liberals 31, NDP 16, Green 9.
I love reading this. Welcome to the new future of politics in Canada. No clear winner. Some claim this is bad, but I say bah. Now each and every political party has to work to appease everyone or risk getting the carpet yanked from underneath them. It's much like a game of Survivor where you cooperate with the person you hate so you can stay on the island.
Canada doesn't have proportional representation. I'm not sure why, but it's likely because the the two major parties in power know that if they enacted a bill to create it, it would greatly diminish their powers. That alone tells you how much these morons give a shit about people. It's all about themselves. I mean, only a politician would believe that 42% equates to a majority.
In fact, I'd argue that the current system is what creates so many fractures in the country. East vs West vs Quebec vs Maritime s. When the Liberals where in power, it was about Central Canada (Quebec and Ontario), it was exclusionary. No doubt Harper would be pro-west too, but given he can't do anything because of his minority, he's learned to try to be balanced. The kicker is, this has alienated his fan base in the west. The same thing happened to Klein as he got softer, some of his fans ran off and started a hard core right wing Alberta party which gets about 10% of the vote.
So here is to hoping this stalemate lasts forever. It's good for this country. It's democracy. No one has the absolute power to shove through what they want too. Because that's what it's about. Whenever you hear someone say "nothing gets done in a minority" you know they really mean "we can't push through our agenda anymore"
I love reading this. Welcome to the new future of politics in Canada. No clear winner. Some claim this is bad, but I say bah. Now each and every political party has to work to appease everyone or risk getting the carpet yanked from underneath them. It's much like a game of Survivor where you cooperate with the person you hate so you can stay on the island.
Canada doesn't have proportional representation. I'm not sure why, but it's likely because the the two major parties in power know that if they enacted a bill to create it, it would greatly diminish their powers. That alone tells you how much these morons give a shit about people. It's all about themselves. I mean, only a politician would believe that 42% equates to a majority.
In fact, I'd argue that the current system is what creates so many fractures in the country. East vs West vs Quebec vs Maritime s. When the Liberals where in power, it was about Central Canada (Quebec and Ontario), it was exclusionary. No doubt Harper would be pro-west too, but given he can't do anything because of his minority, he's learned to try to be balanced. The kicker is, this has alienated his fan base in the west. The same thing happened to Klein as he got softer, some of his fans ran off and started a hard core right wing Alberta party which gets about 10% of the vote.
So here is to hoping this stalemate lasts forever. It's good for this country. It's democracy. No one has the absolute power to shove through what they want too. Because that's what it's about. Whenever you hear someone say "nothing gets done in a minority" you know they really mean "we can't push through our agenda anymore"
Go home, it's Friday afternoon
One thing I'd forgotten about Calgary when I last lived here. Many businesses let the workers go home early on Friday. 9 hours M-T, then 4 hours on Friday so you can get out and enjoy the sun. I love it, because it means I can do my IT support when the office vacates on a Friday, so I don't need to work on Saturday
Calgarians aren't workaholics like back in Toronto. I can remember walking around the towers of commerce and seeing people at their desks at 7 PM. You're lucky if you see people at their desks here at 5 30.
Calgarians aren't workaholics like back in Toronto. I can remember walking around the towers of commerce and seeing people at their desks at 7 PM. You're lucky if you see people at their desks here at 5 30.
Dress Codes
I notice one thing about the oil & gas industry. While the players still wear the suits & ties, the mannerisms are much different than back in the towers of downtown Toronto. It's pretty common to hear people swearing at work or more laid back, street like small talk. There also seems to be less emphasis on things like "I got my MBA from..." etc.
Yet, like back east, Golf is a popular past time & it's very common to see invites for wine parties or people in the biz going to upscale restaurants. It's a little less formal & a little more down to earth but on the flip side, to some that prefer the "formal" that's probably a bad thing.
Yet, like back east, Golf is a popular past time & it's very common to see invites for wine parties or people in the biz going to upscale restaurants. It's a little less formal & a little more down to earth but on the flip side, to some that prefer the "formal" that's probably a bad thing.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Dress Codes
One thing I notice about Calgary is that it's really a fan of the corporate dress code. I travel to a few companies on a daily basis & I can't help but notice how well people are dressed. Fewer people seem to wear things like Golf shirts, which is nice.....because I hate them. It looks like the lazy I can't dress myself thing.
Unfortunately.....business clothes are uncomfortable. I'm sure they do this to make your day more miserable. Wool suits, UGH, and it's worse in the summer.
I think in the name of global warming we should wear shorts & sandals to work. No more AC at work, just open the window. I could use some fresh air in the server room anyway.
Unfortunately.....business clothes are uncomfortable. I'm sure they do this to make your day more miserable. Wool suits, UGH, and it's worse in the summer.
I think in the name of global warming we should wear shorts & sandals to work. No more AC at work, just open the window. I could use some fresh air in the server room anyway.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Sunlight
It's just before 10PM as I write this. Nothing unusual about it, except there is still daylight outside. It's also light by 5 30 AM in the morning.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Canmore
Today I made a trip to Canmore. If you're not aware, Canmore is about 80 kms from Calgary and about 20 kms into the mountains.
Much of the land to the west of Calgary is under the control of certain Native bands. It occurred to me this is probably a good thing, otherwise, the entire trip to the mountains would be nothing but vapid suburbs and "estate" homes for the wealthy who want a view. Thank god it's Native land and I hope they DON'T sell it.
Canmore is a nice little place, I'd guess about 10 000 people & modern in every sense. It's not a tourist trap like Banff is, so you're not overwhelmed by the usual tourist rubbish when you get to town. It was easy to find a parking spot & easier to walk around. The town is a mix of local stores and stores geared towards tourists that sell the usual touristy t shirts & stuff like that.
I did note that the housing costs are about the same as Calgary. This surprised me, because I think if I was to shell out the money for a 400K townhouse, maybe it's better to live in Canmore. I understand that you need to either have a job or own a business in town, but that's not hard when I am my own business. I'll just work out of Canmore vs Calgary ;-)
When you visit Canmore, you can't help but not want to move there just to experience what it would be like. The city is 90 kms from Calgary, but feels a world away from the rat race of the core of Calgary.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Conrad Black
Is anything more interesting that watching the soap opera between Eddie Greenspan & Radler? This guy defines "cocky".
End of the Boom Part 2
Today the Alberta Unemployment rate was released. It was 3.6%. While that seems low, it's interesting to note that Edmonton & Victoria have lower unemployment rates and Vancouver is 0.1% higher than Calgary.
This seemed to be missed by the media. I can't recall the numbers but I recall the city of Calgary having a rate of 2.6% a while back, so 3.6 is a rather large increase in percentiles. If the rate was to rise this fast elsewhere, people would be all over it.
The Stelmach government has stated several times that they expect lower tax revenues from Gas and Oil in the coming years. 30% lower overall, meaning profits in oil and gas will fall. One reason is that costs of extraction have risen 250%, so 60 dollar a barrel oil is no longer money in the pocket. Not to mention the tar sands are energy intensive. It takes a great amount of energy to extract the energy in the tar sands (same as ethanol).
I've heard several analysts on the radio talking about how things may go bust here in 5 years, and how the government of Alberta has (again) not planned for the future. You'd think after 80 years of boom and bust they'd use some of that money they rake in to create a diverse economy that doesn't rely for 70% of it's government revenue on Natural gas & oil (FYI, Natural Gas is 66% of the governments revenue).
To quote the Edmonton Journal, the boom may over. But no one seems to know it. And while I doubt that it will be a "bust" like it was in 1981, I have to wonder what will happen. What with all these 20 year old buying 350K condos with 0% down? What about the rampant, almost piggish spending out here? When you see a guy try to pay for a coffee with AMEX cause he has no "money" in his pocket, you start to wonder where it's all going.
This seemed to be missed by the media. I can't recall the numbers but I recall the city of Calgary having a rate of 2.6% a while back, so 3.6 is a rather large increase in percentiles. If the rate was to rise this fast elsewhere, people would be all over it.
The Stelmach government has stated several times that they expect lower tax revenues from Gas and Oil in the coming years. 30% lower overall, meaning profits in oil and gas will fall. One reason is that costs of extraction have risen 250%, so 60 dollar a barrel oil is no longer money in the pocket. Not to mention the tar sands are energy intensive. It takes a great amount of energy to extract the energy in the tar sands (same as ethanol).
I've heard several analysts on the radio talking about how things may go bust here in 5 years, and how the government of Alberta has (again) not planned for the future. You'd think after 80 years of boom and bust they'd use some of that money they rake in to create a diverse economy that doesn't rely for 70% of it's government revenue on Natural gas & oil (FYI, Natural Gas is 66% of the governments revenue).
To quote the Edmonton Journal, the boom may over. But no one seems to know it. And while I doubt that it will be a "bust" like it was in 1981, I have to wonder what will happen. What with all these 20 year old buying 350K condos with 0% down? What about the rampant, almost piggish spending out here? When you see a guy try to pay for a coffee with AMEX cause he has no "money" in his pocket, you start to wonder where it's all going.
Jim Buckee
Jim Buckee is a name most people probably don't recognize. He's an older, conservative looking fellow who happens to be the CEO of Talisman Energy, a large & very profitable energy company here in Calgary.
On Wednesday, during the Talisman shareholder meeting, Mr Buckee stated that "world oil production has maxed out". More literally, "Peak Oil".
Buckee is the first executive to publicly state that we've reached or are close to Peak Oil. If you are unsure what Peak Oil is, google it, and make up your own mind.
Like all good capitalists, Buckee see the bright spots in Peak Oil. Higher prices, which mean higher profits for his business. Always trust a capitalist to see the profit in what is otherwise a serious calamity for the world.
His comments where splashed across the business section in the Calgary Herald, along with a writer that talked about "if" Peak Oil would happen. Not sure how "if" fits in, considering the black goo is non renewable, but anyways....I was more surprised by the lack of coverage elsewhere in the media, notably the Globe and Mail. The G&M had a huge write up on this months back, but completely missed this comment. Enviro doods & granolas whining about Peak Oil mean nothing, but when an oil God says it, surely that must hold some weight?
On Wednesday, during the Talisman shareholder meeting, Mr Buckee stated that "world oil production has maxed out". More literally, "Peak Oil".
Buckee is the first executive to publicly state that we've reached or are close to Peak Oil. If you are unsure what Peak Oil is, google it, and make up your own mind.
Like all good capitalists, Buckee see the bright spots in Peak Oil. Higher prices, which mean higher profits for his business. Always trust a capitalist to see the profit in what is otherwise a serious calamity for the world.
His comments where splashed across the business section in the Calgary Herald, along with a writer that talked about "if" Peak Oil would happen. Not sure how "if" fits in, considering the black goo is non renewable, but anyways....I was more surprised by the lack of coverage elsewhere in the media, notably the Globe and Mail. The G&M had a huge write up on this months back, but completely missed this comment. Enviro doods & granolas whining about Peak Oil mean nothing, but when an oil God says it, surely that must hold some weight?
Ed Stelmach & Rent Control
An interesting thing is happening in Cowtown of late. People aren't suddenly embracing the "free market" like they once did. It's most notable in rent control
I don't really believe in rent control. I think that landlords need to have the right to recoup money they invest in their property. And, for every slum landlord, I'm quite sure there is a slum tenant. No one seems to ever mention "slum tenants".
The issue of rent controls is before the government and no one is to blame but the landlords themselves. When you live in a free market/capitalism 50% is being a good consumer, the other 50% is being a good vendor, or in this case, landlord.
The landlords upset with the possible rent controls shouldn't be lobbying the government, but their own. The landlords that push through rent increases of 100% or the landlords that toss out single moms in the street to make way for a couple with a high income create the problem. To quote Gordon Gekko, "greed is good". But a logical thinker also thinks of more than just greed, but the future & of the entire situation.
And the effects of this are being felt on the Stelmach government. There is talk that they Con's may actually fall in Calgary. When the last budget was pushed through, it did not resonate so well with Calgarians. They felt not enough was done, but I think people are unrealistic. You cannot rectify what was the literal starvation Calgary has endured over the past 15 years through the Klein government.
Calgary is now a city. A real city. All cities have good things (and this place IS a good place). And all cities have problems. Problems that rednecks and hayseeds in small towns don't understand. There is far too much influence from the rural areas in Calgary vs the cities. Yet Calgary is the source of much of the money.
In the future, I suspect you'll see a real divide between the prairie and C-town. Both socially & politically, which will make for some interesting times out here.
Welcome to cityhood Calgary. Hayseeds need not apply.
I don't really believe in rent control. I think that landlords need to have the right to recoup money they invest in their property. And, for every slum landlord, I'm quite sure there is a slum tenant. No one seems to ever mention "slum tenants".
The issue of rent controls is before the government and no one is to blame but the landlords themselves. When you live in a free market/capitalism 50% is being a good consumer, the other 50% is being a good vendor, or in this case, landlord.
The landlords upset with the possible rent controls shouldn't be lobbying the government, but their own. The landlords that push through rent increases of 100% or the landlords that toss out single moms in the street to make way for a couple with a high income create the problem. To quote Gordon Gekko, "greed is good". But a logical thinker also thinks of more than just greed, but the future & of the entire situation.
And the effects of this are being felt on the Stelmach government. There is talk that they Con's may actually fall in Calgary. When the last budget was pushed through, it did not resonate so well with Calgarians. They felt not enough was done, but I think people are unrealistic. You cannot rectify what was the literal starvation Calgary has endured over the past 15 years through the Klein government.
Calgary is now a city. A real city. All cities have good things (and this place IS a good place). And all cities have problems. Problems that rednecks and hayseeds in small towns don't understand. There is far too much influence from the rural areas in Calgary vs the cities. Yet Calgary is the source of much of the money.
In the future, I suspect you'll see a real divide between the prairie and C-town. Both socially & politically, which will make for some interesting times out here.
Welcome to cityhood Calgary. Hayseeds need not apply.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Water
Meant to write this a few days ago after I left the gym.....
Calgary tap water is awesome. It's almost always cold & has none of that "flavour" to it. And of course it's free. I've heard that Dasani (div of Coca-Cola) actually uses Calgary water for it's Dansani Bottled Water
Calgary water comes from the Glenmore Reservoir, which is fed by the Elbow River, which is fed by glaciers, currently declining in size. Apparently we get some water from the Bow River, tho I can't see that...it's a big river, just not that deep.
Speaking of water, why are the biggest granola bars always sucking back bottled water? Yes, it might be cleaner than the water in the tap, but is it better overall? Plastic is made from oil. And how about all that transportation? How much gas gets burned and how many greenhouse gases get made just because you want a bottle of water? And so what if you recycle it? Isn't it cheaper to buy a filter for your house and put it in a hard plastic bottle you can reuse?
Calgary tap water is awesome. It's almost always cold & has none of that "flavour" to it. And of course it's free. I've heard that Dasani (div of Coca-Cola) actually uses Calgary water for it's Dansani Bottled Water
Calgary water comes from the Glenmore Reservoir, which is fed by the Elbow River, which is fed by glaciers, currently declining in size. Apparently we get some water from the Bow River, tho I can't see that...it's a big river, just not that deep.
Speaking of water, why are the biggest granola bars always sucking back bottled water? Yes, it might be cleaner than the water in the tap, but is it better overall? Plastic is made from oil. And how about all that transportation? How much gas gets burned and how many greenhouse gases get made just because you want a bottle of water? And so what if you recycle it? Isn't it cheaper to buy a filter for your house and put it in a hard plastic bottle you can reuse?
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Dry Air
Today the temp hit about 28C in Calgary. It was clear, sunny & very nice. It's also very dry, and that's a GREAT feeling. The air feels thin & cool & when you're in a suit/business clothes, 28C doesn't feel that hot.
If I was to walk around Toronto in summer in a suit, I'd be dripping with sweat. I like humidity, but only when I'm at home, wearing shorts and sandals.
The lack of humidity makes for cooler nights, but the days are much more enjoyable. The air feels fresh and it's not heavy, and it's not unbearable. It also makes for a truly blue sky. The view of the Rockies were absolutely clear today in the morning.
And when it's hot out, Calgarians go out in droves. Stephen Ave was a wall of people when I walked out of Bankers Hall at Lunch.
If I was to walk around Toronto in summer in a suit, I'd be dripping with sweat. I like humidity, but only when I'm at home, wearing shorts and sandals.
The lack of humidity makes for cooler nights, but the days are much more enjoyable. The air feels fresh and it's not heavy, and it's not unbearable. It also makes for a truly blue sky. The view of the Rockies were absolutely clear today in the morning.
And when it's hot out, Calgarians go out in droves. Stephen Ave was a wall of people when I walked out of Bankers Hall at Lunch.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Oh, the lowly hamburger
To many, a hamburger is just a hunk of meat stuffed between two pieces of bread with a couple of toppings. It's fast food, low brow & cheap.
Calgary is the home of the hamburger. Out here, hamburgers actually taste great. Today I had one topped with melted brie cheese & roasted apples & cinnamon. A side order of fries was served with some curry dipping sauce, not the usual ketchup. It's damn good & different, away from the usual pub fare
It's pretty commonplace to complain about the food in Calgary. Veggies are expensive & the quality of them sucks in winter. But Calgarian restaurants take liberty with things like the lowly hamburger & actually make it interesting. Same for peanut butter & bananas on French Toast or garlic fries. They think outside the box & it's refreshing.
Calgary is the home of the hamburger. Out here, hamburgers actually taste great. Today I had one topped with melted brie cheese & roasted apples & cinnamon. A side order of fries was served with some curry dipping sauce, not the usual ketchup. It's damn good & different, away from the usual pub fare
It's pretty commonplace to complain about the food in Calgary. Veggies are expensive & the quality of them sucks in winter. But Calgarian restaurants take liberty with things like the lowly hamburger & actually make it interesting. Same for peanut butter & bananas on French Toast or garlic fries. They think outside the box & it's refreshing.
Goodbye Suburbs
Thank GOD for it too.
Found an apartment to rent, a year long lease, cost per month (sit down) $1409.00 a month. If you're reading this from outside of Calgary, you'll think it's a crazy price. If you live in Calgary and you've spent any time looking for a place to live, you'll recognize it's a deal. It's a 2 bedroom unit in a downtown neighborhood (4th Street area)
Renting in Calgary is best described as pure hell. I called better than 50 people, more than 50% of them were ignorant & rude. They don't return your calls. They don't care about you. They also exaggerate how "nice" their building is. There really is no place to rent out here. In one case, a unit in The Mission I had applied for...was given to someone else because they offered to pay MORE for the unit. That's right, the tenant asked to pay more. I heard of another person who was asked to leave after her lease ended so they could rent to someone else. She had two kids. Nice eh.
Typically, a 1 bedroom rents for 1200 out here. A two bedroom for 1400 to 1900, unless you live in the North East or along International Ave in the SE. Once you live here, everything else seems like a deal. Even The Beach in Toronto seems like a deal.
So if you're wherever in Canada & thinking of coming here think really hard. If you aren't in a high paying career type, you're better off living where you live and making 10 bucks an hour. Calgary isnt' a bad city, but the costs are incredibly high & finding a place to rent is almost impossible. I can't imagine how people making 30-40K that are single survive here. It would be impossible.
Found an apartment to rent, a year long lease, cost per month (sit down) $1409.00 a month. If you're reading this from outside of Calgary, you'll think it's a crazy price. If you live in Calgary and you've spent any time looking for a place to live, you'll recognize it's a deal. It's a 2 bedroom unit in a downtown neighborhood (4th Street area)
Renting in Calgary is best described as pure hell. I called better than 50 people, more than 50% of them were ignorant & rude. They don't return your calls. They don't care about you. They also exaggerate how "nice" their building is. There really is no place to rent out here. In one case, a unit in The Mission I had applied for...was given to someone else because they offered to pay MORE for the unit. That's right, the tenant asked to pay more. I heard of another person who was asked to leave after her lease ended so they could rent to someone else. She had two kids. Nice eh.
Typically, a 1 bedroom rents for 1200 out here. A two bedroom for 1400 to 1900, unless you live in the North East or along International Ave in the SE. Once you live here, everything else seems like a deal. Even The Beach in Toronto seems like a deal.
So if you're wherever in Canada & thinking of coming here think really hard. If you aren't in a high paying career type, you're better off living where you live and making 10 bucks an hour. Calgary isnt' a bad city, but the costs are incredibly high & finding a place to rent is almost impossible. I can't imagine how people making 30-40K that are single survive here. It would be impossible.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Downtown Calgary
I work downtown and have to travel back and forth between 4 or 5 offices in the city core. Over this week, I've really come to like Downtown Calgary. It has a system called +15, which is much like the PATH system in Toronto but is above ground. Once you figure your way around, you can pretty much traverse the entire downtown core inside (good in summer & more so in winter). The +15 connects every major building with another & is full of places to eat & small shops. There are a couple of places to get your drivers license & all that stuff updated.
The more I am downtown Calgary, the more I like it. Just takes your feet some getting used to walking 3 kms a day in business shoes.
The more I am downtown Calgary, the more I like it. Just takes your feet some getting used to walking 3 kms a day in business shoes.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Favourite paragrah(s) of the year
Anderson said the poll may reflect "the new normal" for both the Liberals and Conservatives, which is "not whether they can get to 40 (per cent) but whether they can sustain a number that's higher than 30 or 35."
"And that obviously puts in question whether or not there's a majority government for anybody in the forseeable future."
Excellent. Oh, it's not excellent for anyone involved in partisan politics. They'll complain that nothing is getting done, blah blah blah. I say whatever. From where I'm sitting it looks like the government is working just fine. Bills get passed, things get done JUST that it takes a little more co-operation than the political morons are used too. In less polite terms, it's know as "you can now longer show through your own agenda"
Since the gutless turds in Ottawa won't give us proportional representation, this will have to do. Everybody gets a hand in the cookie jar and everyone learns to share. NO MORE MAJORITY governments in Canada. Woo hoo. I'll take it.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
CCIE
I am about to start the final trek in computer networking. I'm going to get my C.C.I.E. 2 more years, then Toronto 2010.
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