Winnipeg - Of Interest

[vid]

Wow, no wonder you guys have so many fucking mosquitoes. :rolleyes:

No one even has a dock! What is the point of living on water if you don't have a dock?

[Only The Lonely..]

Wow, no wonder you guys have so many fucking mosquitoes. :rolleyes:

No one even has a dock! What is the point of living on water if you don't have a dock?

We're not like you Ontario sucks..

The voyageur's didn't need a dock and neither do we.

[newflyer]

The section in the middle is like an Island.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Kinguni/ilakes.jpg

Hey nice island ... :D

[wags_in_the_peg]

I knew mentioning a house in Island Lakes will cause an uproar. 2 of my brothers live there and house prices in older area (built late 80's) for for $225-$300, newer area built 2000-present go for $275-$500.

Anyway, scratch my Island Lakes example. Someone can buy a beautiful older home in Norwood Flats, (15 min walk to Forks, 20 minute walk to downtown) for anywhere from $195k, to over $300k (that would be biggie or a very fixed up one).

[newflyer]

I knew mentioning a house in Island Lakes will cause an uproar. 2 of my brothers live there and house prices in older area (built late 80's) for for $225-$300, newer area built 2000-present go for $275-$500.

Anyway, scratch my Island Lakes example. Someone can buy a beautiful older home in Norwood Flats, (15 min walk to Forks, 20 minute walk to downtown) for anywhere from $195k, to over $300k (that would be biggie or a very fixed up one).

No uproar from me. I have friends who live in Island Lakes in a very nice house. :yes:
They would probibly make a very nice profit, if they sold.

[drew]

Wow, no wonder you guys have so many fucking mosquitoes. :rolleyes:

No one even has a dock! What is the point of living on water if you don't have a dock?

Come on now, it's the ultimate in Suburban living to have your property back onto a storm water retention pond!

[wags_in_the_peg]

my parents back onto one of these storm retention ponds in Soudale and they love it. beautiful sunrises (nobody across pond from them). and there doesn't seem to be more mosquitos there than anywhere else. city has minnows eating the larvae and they are always spraying or putting stuff in there. it's the ditches that are more of a concern out there! and what about the old cars people have sitting in there yards. that drives me crazy.

[Kinguni]

Wow, no wonder you guys have so many fucking mosquitoes. :rolleyes:

No one even has a dock! What is the point of living on water if you don't have a dock?

What's the point in having a dock if you can't use the backyard due to goose poop? :yuck:

[1ajs]

my parents back onto one of these storm retention ponds in Soudale and they love it. beautiful sunrises (nobody across pond from them). and there doesn't seem to be more mosquitos there than anywhere else. city has minnows eating the larvae and they are always spraying or putting stuff in there. it's the ditches that are more of a concern out there! and what about the old cars people have sitting in there yards. that drives me crazy.
old cars sitting in yards hmm i'm guilty of that but it still runs

[1ajs]

What's the point in having a dock if you can't use the backyard due to goose poop? :yuck:
esay get some airsoft guns or water pistals

[Andy6]

Here's a great article in today's Toronto Star.

link (http://www.thestar.com/Travel/article/595857)

That's the image that Winnipeg has to build on. Quirky destination for upscale and cultural-industry people looking for unusual destinations with an air of authenticity, even if they're rough around the edges.

[1ajs]

aww brunch at the garry what a gem that is. has anyone been to the sunday brunch its worth going

[Kinguni]

esay get some airsoft guns or water pistals

Or a goose dog. :tup:

[Only The Lonely..]

:previous:

Nice article Andy. Thanks for posting that.

[1ajs]

Or a goose dog. :tup:

theres still the dog poop problem though

[Kinguni]

theres still the dog poop problem though

Believe me, the poop from 1 raw fed dog is far, far less than that of a few dozen geese. :yuck:

[1ajs]

i'd rather have no poop

[flatlander]

i'd rather have no poop

Adrian, I am starting to collect some of your better posts. So far that one is in the Top Five.

[1ajs]

Adrian, I am starting to collect some of your better posts. So far that one is in the Top Five.
this is so going to haunt me but ok lol

umm whats ur top 5 then?

[flatlander]

Just kidding. So far my list has 1. And I'll probably forget it. But the comment is definitely list-worthy.

[1ajs]

lol ok then

[Only The Lonely..]

Developer leads charge to build green
By DAVID SCHMEICHEL, SUN MEDIA

Last Updated: 4th March 2009, 3:32am


The Canada Green Building Council launched new national LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating systems for homeowners and homebuilders.
Play Video Talk about LEED-ing by example.

A local property developer is among those leading the charge in the area of environmentally friendly construction standards, by adhering to a new national rating system launched yesterday across Canada.

Having already created similar standards for office towers and business, the Canada Green Building Council unveiled its new LEED (that's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) criteria for homeowners and homebuilders yesterday.

"We know that building green is the future," said Cam Dobie, president of Dobie Properties Ltd. "This is the way it should be, and we want to be ahead of the curve."

Yesterday's announcement -- made simultaneously in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal -- took place in a former church hall in the North End, a site Dobie is renovating into condo spaces using the new green building requirements.

Dobie listed soy-based spray foam insulation, triple-pane windows, low-flow plumbing fixtures and energy efficient light fixtures among the materials that will help him make certification. He also pledged to recycle everything from old hardwood, ceiling finishes, hammer tresses and even coffee cups to reduce the amount that winds up in a landfill when he's done.

"It takes vision and commitment to build sustainable buildings and homes, but ... it pays off in the long term," said Rodney McDonald, chair of CGBC's Manitoba chapter. "A LEED home will use energy and water more efficiently, it'll use sustainable, longer-lasting and durable material, it'll be a healthier indoor environment for the building's occupants, and it'll provide increased comfort to those occupants."

A recent Nielsen survey showed 82% of potential homeowners were willing to spend more on a home if they knew it was LEED-certified.

"We want to be part of the solution," said Dobie. "We suspect some builders will be slow to warm to sustainable construction. But we know when we build green, it improves our bottom line."

[SKYSTHELIMIT]

Here's a great article in today's Toronto Star.

link (http://www.thestar.com/Travel/article/595857)

That's the image that Winnipeg has to build on. Quirky destination for upscale and cultural-industry people looking for unusual destinations with an air of authenticity, even if they're rough around the edges.

Nice article indeed, I also liked the fact they used my building for the photo:tup:

[Kris22]

^^It's nice to hear a positive overview of our city. Funny though, because from my experience, nearly everytime someone actually visits Winnipeg they leave with so many positive things to say. Most the negativity comes from people who either haven't actually visited, or from Winnipeggers themselves who are just bitter, blind to what's around them (or just sit around and never actually go out and do things), or are convinced with making it "big time" somewhere else. Not saying I think our city is perfect or anything, I just enjoy myself here and always make an effort to go and check out all the interesting places in the city.

I swear, if more Winnipeggers (I'm thinking lots of suburbanites I know) would just go and be a "tourist" in their own city--hit up the Forks, walk to the exchange to check out the shops, grab lunch in osborne/corydon--they would see there's lots to do.

[vid]

Every city is like that. People just don't know what they have.

[h0twired]

I swear, if more Winnipeggers (I'm thinking lots of suburbanites I know) would just go and be a "tourist" in their own city--hit up the Forks, walk to the exchange to check out the shops, grab lunch in osborne/corydon--they would see there's lots to do.

How is any of that "being a tourist"?

If Winnipeggers consider walking around the Exchange or the Corydon/Osborne areas to be "touristy" I think that they have actually no idea as to what urban living really is.

In most cities people head downtown to see a show, do some shopping or have dinner. I don't think they feel they are "being tourists"... just urban.

[vid]

You people living in the suburbs, though, being "urban" is being a tourist.

[Kris22]

How is any of that "being a tourist"?

If Winnipeggers consider walking around the Exchange or the Corydon/Osborne areas to be "touristy" I think that they have actually no idea as to what urban living really is.

In most cities people head downtown to see a show, do some shopping or have dinner. I don't think they feel they are "being tourists"... just urban.


Well, considering I said I was referring to most of the young suburban people I know, then yes, of course they have no idea what urban living really is. And since I don't live downtown, I guess I don't either. Yet when I, and pretty much everyone else I know, go to another city, we're all more than willing to explore the downtown and live the "urban" life for a few days.

And the reason I put "tourist" in quotation marks was because I was using it lightly. I was referring more to the 'sensibility' a curious tourist has, as in wanting to go out and see all the unique things a place offers. Going downtown to see a show, shop, and have dinner--those are things many suburban people do as tourists in other cities, but not as often in their own.

And the Forks and The Exchange are without a doubt tourist destinations.

[sledhead35]

i just stumbled accross the article about the future of our downtown job force posted by 1ajs, and it got me kinda turned on...did i just say that? but ya, its a good read. found in the "future canadian skylines" thread. i reccommend y'all paying a visit there.

[viperred88]

Not really news but atleast they are putting them to work and earning some responsibilty. Same deal will happen with the aboriginals
_____________________________
MMF, city launch neighbourhood cleanup programStaff

1:00 AM | Comments (0) / wpg free press

many Winnipeggers, David Chartrand has watched some of the city's once charming neighbourhoods decay.
On Friday, the president of Manitoba Métis Federation announced he will put together a team to clean up the city's most impoverished areas one street at a time.

Chartrand and Mayor Sam Katz held a news conference to announce the launch of the It's My Community Too program. A team of seven Métis or Inuit Manitobans will receive training in grounds maintenance, graffiti removal, fence painting and repair and other aspects of neighbourhood beautification. They will then clean streets, boulevards and back alleys.

"By next year, I'm sure you will see a very different core area in the city of Winnipeg," Chartrand said.

The idea was years in the making, Chartrand said, but made possible because of help from city hall.

The city will provide equipment -- trucks, trailers and smaller gear -- for the first seven-person team. The MMF will pay team members "more than minimum wage," Chartrand said.

He will appeal to the private sector to donate other equipment such as paint and brushes.

The MMF will soon take out advertisements in newspapers to hire the first team and Chartrand said he hopes to add more people by next year.

There are about 100,000 Métis people in the province, about half of whom live in Winnipeg.

The city is working on a similar program with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs aimed at aboriginal people, a spokesman for Katz said.

Chartrand said the work will start as soon as possible in the North End, an area where signs of decay have spread over the years.

But he was quick to add the effort is meant to benefit all Winnipeggers

[Andy6]

This idea took "years" to come up with?

[vid]

No, they woke up on Monday with this great idea and it was so well thought out from the start that the city supported it immediately.

[viperred88]

This idea took "years" to come up with?

Sadly yeah, its amazing what a person can do when they stop drinking 24-7.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Sadly yeah, its amazing what a person can do when they stop drinking 24-7.

ouch.... they aren't ALL like that you know. it may seem like it but they aren't.

[vid]

The problem is that they're more public with their drinking. They don't hide it. It's a cultural thing.

[Only The Lonely..]

City plans to get active at last. Proposal calls for link between Waterfront Drive, Kildonan Park

By: Bartley Kives | Winnipeg Free Press - March 10, 2009


Trail-building money is finally going to flow to the long-neglected North End, as a $3.3-million plan to create new bike and pedestrian paths this year will connect Waterfront Drive with Kildonan Park.

Winnipeg's 2009 active-transportation plan, which comes before city council's public works committee this morning, calls for the city to spend $405,000 on the North Winnipeg Parkway, a recreational bike and walking path on the west side of the Red River.

The North End route will improve one of the worst Winnipeg sections of the Trans-Canada Trail and "will also serve to solve a dangerous situation" that finds "children running out in front of the Redwood Bridge," according to a report authored by active-transportation co-ordinator Kevin Nixon.

Along with the North Winnipeg Parkway, the city's active-transportation plan calls for three other major recreational paths to be built this summer: the western portion of the Bishop Grandin Greenway, the Silver Avenue Trail in St. James and the Donald Street Parkway, which will run parallel to the first phase of the southwest Winnipeg bus corridor.

The $3.3-million trail-building kitty will also be used to create new Exchange District bike lanes, a bike-commuter route on Eugenie Street in St. Boniface, $250,000 worth of new regional sidewalks and $170,000 worth of bicycle-parking facilities.

The plan also calls for the city to spend $685,000 to research future active-transportation corridors and promote the infrastructure the city is building, a commitment that has taken the city's chief trail-building advocate by surprise.

"They're actually spending money on promotion and research!" said Janice Lukes, executive director of the Winnipeg Trails Association, who was also pleased to see the city siphon off $200,000 worth of parks money to fund the Silver Avenue Trail and use $400,000 in existing federal and provincial funds to build the North Winnipeg Parkway.

"Super allocation of funding, super creativity in funding," said Lukes, who's usually critical of the city. "It's very interesting and very good."

Despite her praise, Lukes said she remains concerned the city does not have a long-term trail-building plan and has trouble completing the commuter and recreational trail projects it plans to build.

In 2008, roughly one third of the city's active-transportation projects were not completed or were delayed until this year, mainly because the work was not tendered until August or September.

The incomplete projects will be finished this year, along with all the new projects in the 2009 plan, said city spokesman Ken Allen.

He noted this year's active-transportation plan will be approved two months earlier and will also be vetted in front of trail groups.

"Now that these processes are in place, the work is expected to proceed more quickly," he said in a statement.

The 2009 trail plan still requires city council approval.


bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

$3.3 million finally flows for pedestrian and bike trails


Active-transportation projects planned for Winnipeg in 2009:


New pathways and corridors

Bishop Grandin Greenway West (Pembina Highway to Waverley Street): $650,000, with a combined $400,000 coming from the province and Ottawa


North Winnipeg Parkway (connects Kildonan Park to Waterfront Drive): $405,000, with $200,000 from a federal/provincial municipal infrastructure program


Silver Avenue Trail (Hamilton Avenue to St. Matthews Avenue): $370,000, with $200,000 coming from parks and playgrounds


Donald Street Pathway (Parallel to new southwest rapid-transit corridor): $325,000.

McDermot and Bannatyne Avenue bike lanes: $115,000


Eugenie Bikeway: $80,000


Other projects

New sidewalks (St. Vital Bridge, Levis Street, Hargrave Street and Carlton Street): $250,000


Red River Crossing feasibility study (options for connecting St. Vital to the University of Manitoba): $250,000


Spot improvements (various locations): $200,000


Signage strategy: $200,000


Bike parking (various locations): $170,000


Pembina Highway study: $95,000


Promotion (commuter challenge, Bike To Work Day, new cycling map): $85,000


Research projects (GPS cycle route study, design guidelines, others): $55,000


Trailhead signage: $50,000

[Only The Lonely..]

Core isn't a full retail district yet: BIZ study

By: Geoff Kirbyson | Winnipeg Free Press - March 10, 2009

MORE restaurants, grocery stores and sporting goods outlets are required downtown before it can be considered a full-service shopping district, a new study shows.

The report, based on nearly 1,250 person-on-the-street interviews with downtown employees, also found additional security measures are required because many people, women in particular, feel considerably less safe once the workday is over.

Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone (BIZ), which commissioned the study, said his goal is to provide its 1,400 members with as much information as possible so they can provide the right type of retailing mix to the 57,000 workers who call the central business district home from 9 to 5. The data will also be plugged into its downtown retail attraction and retention strategy, which will be unveiled within the next three months.

"We really want to help our business community get a handle on who these workers are, what their income is, what they buy or don't buy downtown and what they'd like to buy downtown," he said.

A quick snapshot of respondents shows 72 per cent of them earn more than $50,000 in annual salary, 65 per cent have about 30 minutes of free time over the noon hour and the majority of their food purchases are made at breakfast and lunch. Half of the respondents said they shop on their lunch break while a quarter of them said they shopped multiple times a week.

Grande said a significant opportunity exists to target post-work meals, either in restaurants or the take-home variety.

Jino Distasio, director of the Institute of Urban Studies at the University of Winnipeg, which interpreted the results for the Downtown BIZ and helped design the study, said with Manitoba Hydro opening its new Portage Avenue headquarters, which will be home to 2,000 workers, plus a number of smaller companies relocating downtown, a first impression is key.

"We need to expose these new workers to the many services available downtown and make it a positive experience for them. It might help fill in some of the vacant storefronts we see as well," he said.

Distasio said he expects retail activity will also be given a boost when the downtown walkway system is completed, giving shop owners year-round exposure.

Scott Jocelyn, president of the Manitoba Restaurant Association, said while he can't see a void of a particular type of restaurant in downtown Winnipeg, he's confident demand could sustain more eateries because of the continued high level of activity at the MTS Centre.

"We have a nice mix of restaurants already. From quick service, such as A&W, to high-end, such as Hy's Steakhouse, to independents, such as One Night In Bangkok," he said.

Grande said one of the ongoing challenges is combatting the continued perception that downtown is an unsafe area, even though it is home to just one-tenth of the city's criminal activity.

"More police foot patrols would address this immediately," he said.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca

[vid]

Since Thunder Bay introduced foot patrols in it's three cores, they've done quite well, and the public reaction has been very good. Downtown Fort William in particular has progressed quite a bit over the past nine months.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Go Manitoba Go!

from cjob.com
Wpg Entering Positive Hiring Climate
An employment outlook survey suggests we're moving into a positive hiring climate for the second quarter of 2009.

Manpower's Regional Director Susan Wright-Boucher says 17-percent of Winnipeg employers are poised to hire, while 5-percent are expected to reduce their workforce. The rest are holding steady. However Winnipeg's second quarter net employment outlook is down considerably from the same period last year.

Nationally, Western Canada and the Atlantic provinces are leading the way in hiring expectations.

[viperred88]

old news is newer news I guess.

its slowly getting there at a snails pace but it don't help when the city does a half ass job in cleaning up downtown, and making it destination place.

I know this is ridiculous but about over inflate the lot taxes in the residential neighborhoods downtown and build some mix income apartement blocks. This would sure get rid of the people who live in house they don't pay for and care for. And make housing downtown more attractive.

Core isn't a full retail district yet: BIZ study

By: Geoff Kirbyson | Winnipeg Free Press - March 10, 2009

MORE restaurants, grocery stores and sporting goods outlets are required downtown before it can be considered a full-service shopping district, a new study shows.

The report, based on nearly 1,250 person-on-the-street interviews with downtown employees, also found additional security measures are required because many people, women in particular, feel considerably less safe once the workday is over.

Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone (BIZ), which commissioned the study, said his goal is to provide its 1,400 members with as much information as possible so they can provide the right type of retailing mix to the 57,000 workers who call the central business district home from 9 to 5. The data will also be plugged into its downtown retail attraction and retention strategy, which will be unveiled within the next three months.

"We really want to help our business community get a handle on who these workers are, what their income is, what they buy or don't buy downtown and what they'd like to buy downtown," he said.

A quick snapshot of respondents shows 72 per cent of them earn more than $50,000 in annual salary, 65 per cent have about 30 minutes of free time over the noon hour and the majority of their food purchases are made at breakfast and lunch. Half of the respondents said they shop on their lunch break while a quarter of them said they shopped multiple times a week.

Grande said a significant opportunity exists to target post-work meals, either in restaurants or the take-home variety.

Jino Distasio, director of the Institute of Urban Studies at the University of Winnipeg, which interpreted the results for the Downtown BIZ and helped design the study, said with Manitoba Hydro opening its new Portage Avenue headquarters, which will be home to 2,000 workers, plus a number of smaller companies relocating downtown, a first impression is key.

"We need to expose these new workers to the many services available downtown and make it a positive experience for them. It might help fill in some of the vacant storefronts we see as well," he said.

Distasio said he expects retail activity will also be given a boost when the downtown walkway system is completed, giving shop owners year-round exposure.

Scott Jocelyn, president of the Manitoba Restaurant Association, said while he can't see a void of a particular type of restaurant in downtown Winnipeg, he's confident demand could sustain more eateries because of the continued high level of activity at the MTS Centre.

"We have a nice mix of restaurants already. From quick service, such as A&W, to high-end, such as Hy's Steakhouse, to independents, such as One Night In Bangkok," he said.

Grande said one of the ongoing challenges is combatting the continued perception that downtown is an unsafe area, even though it is home to just one-tenth of the city's criminal activity.

"More police foot patrols would address this immediately," he said.

geoff.kirbyson@freepress.mb.ca

[hexrae]

National accounting firm sets up shop at Canwest Place (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/national-accounting-firm-sets-up-shop-at-canwest-place-41195957.html)

MEYERS Norris Penny officially set up shop on Thursday alongside the rest of the city's finance and legal head offices at Portage and Main.

The national accounting firm that was founded in Brandon 45 years ago now has 70 offices across the country and 2,700 employees.

"It's great to part of the downtown hub," said Dan Trotter MNP's regional managing partner.

He said it was a strategic move for the company to move its 145 Winnipeg folks downtown to about two-and-a-half floors in Canwest Place.

"We're now in closer proximity to some of our clients and the banking and legal community we interact with," Trotter said.

The firm has also recently moved into downtown Edmonton, MNP's largest office. MNP is the seventh largest chartered accountancy and business advisory firm in Canada.

[hexrae]

Firms calling on Winnipeg (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/firms-calling-on-winnipeg-41195862.html)
City builds international reputation for strong IT customer support

By: Martin Cash

Winnipeg has been flagged as one of the most attractive emerging locations in the world for the next wave of business process outsourcing.

In a recent report called Exploring Global Frontiers, KPMG identified Winnipeg as one of 31 international cities with attributes attractive to firms seeking information technology and business process outsourcing (BPO) services.

The intent of the KPMG report was to identify the cities that can provide the next stage of high-tech evolutionary growth in the outsourcing business from Indian cities like Bangalore and Chennai and other saturated call-centre locations.

"Each city was explored against a number of different criteria," said Mark Finkelstein, director of information technology advisory for KPMG in Vancouver. "Winnipeg scored quite strongly on a number of different criteria, which together make a compelling case for the city, but only when these factors are taken in tandem."

Among other key drivers for the IT-BPO business, KPMG highlighted the city's education system, sizable bilingual workforce, availability of quality office space, government support and the city's overall business competitiveness.

Hal Ryckman, executive vice- president of EDS Canada's western Canadian division, said these were exactly the kinds of attributes that persuaded EDS Canada to invest about $18 million in Winnipeg to build a high-tech service centre.

"The KPMG report validates a lot of what we said that convinced the company to build the centre in Winnipeg," he said.

EDS considered other locations for the centre, including jurisdictions that offered more attractive incentives.

"Winnipeg is cost-competitive enough, but the main thing is the labour force," said Ryckman.

"Winnipeg has a large, well-educated, well-diversified labour force partly because of the diversified economy."

Since last summer, EDS has hired more than 100 people for the new Manitoba centre, which will provide a variety of services to national and international customers including hardware and software support, financial services, back-office customer support, document processing and accounting and administrative services.

Over the next five years, the centre could employ up to more than 600 people.

The labour-force characteristics in Winnipeg are starting to become noteworthy, even on an international scale.

"Skills and reliability are very important." Finkelstein said. "What is really fascinating with Winnipeg is the super-strong retention rate averaging more than 100 months. That is exceptional."

The city's customer-contact centre business peaked at about 12,000 employees earlier this decade and has declined a bit to a level of about 10,000.

But Stuart Duncan, CEO of Destination Winnipeg, said the key factors in the growth of that industry are still relevant today -- the Central time zone, low operating costs, an affordable and accessible skilled labour pool and low employee turnover rates.

"Now the effort is to get the focus on higher-end, technical and BPO centres and Winnipeg has the skill levels and labour pool to meet those opportunities," said Duncan.

The growth of the customer-contact centre business in Winnipeg has led to curriculum development at Red River College and more industry-led training.

"All these are advantages have made the conditions right in Winnipeg for growing that industry here," he said.

In particular, Duncan said information-technology companies are an attractive sector in and of themselves, but they are especially attractive because they represent enabling technology that is relevant across a broad business sector.

"Every industry needs information technology support," said Duncan.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca

I recall the EDS story from last year, although then it was thought to add up to 1000 jobs. Source (http://www.techvibes.com/blog/eds-to-add-1000-jobs-in-winnipeg)

[wags_in_the_peg]

Free Press has launched an archive site of all papers going back to 1874, it a fee site. $3 a day, $100 a year.

http://archives.winnipegfreepress.com/

[1ajs]

MTS Centre "Tops"
CJOB News Team reporting
3/13/2009

The MTS Centre has been named "Major Facility of the Year".. at the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards. Ceremonies were held Thursday night in Toronto. The award is for venues with a capacity of 8-thousand or greater. The MTS Centre currently ranks 19th on PollStar Magazine's list of the top 100 entertainment venues in the world in terms of tickets sold.

[viperred88]

MTS Centre "Tops"
CJOB News Team reporting
3/13/2009

The MTS Centre has been named "Major Facility of the Year".. at the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards. Ceremonies were held Thursday night in Toronto. The award is for venues with a capacity of 8-thousand or greater. The MTS Centre currently ranks 19th on PollStar Magazine's list of the top 100 entertainment venues in the world in terms of tickets sold.

:tup:

Bring in the WHL and it will be even busier. and if dreams did ever come true dump the AHL for the NHL.

[1ajs]

Rocket Scientists Shoot Down Mosquitoes With Lasers
Humans, Butterflies Remain Unharmed; The 'Star Wars' Connection
By ROBERT A. GUTH

BELLEVUE, Wash. -- A quarter-century ago, American rocket scientists proposed the "Star Wars" defense system to knock Soviet missiles from the skies with laser beams. Some of the same scientists are now aiming their lasers at another airborne threat: the mosquito.

In a lab in this Seattle suburb, researchers in long white coats recently stood watching a small glass box of bugs. Every few seconds, a contraption 100 feet away shot a beam that hit the buzzing mosquitoes, one by one, with a spot of red light.

The insects survived this particular test, which used a non-lethal laser. But if these researchers have their way, the Cold War missile-defense strategy will be reborn as a WMD: Weapon of Mosquito Destruction.

"We'd be delighted if we destabilize the human-mosquito balance of power," says Jordin Kare, an astrophysicist who once worked at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the birthplace of some of the deadliest weapons known to man. More recently he worked on the mosquito laser, built from parts bought on eBay.

The scientists' actual target is malaria, which is caused by a parasite transmitted when certain mosquitoes bite people. Ended in the U.S. decades ago, malaria remains a major global public-health threat, killing about 1 million people annually.

Efforts to eradicate the disease languished for years until recently.

Big-money donors like Bill Gates, the United Nations, the U.K. and non-profit such as Malaria No More re-launched the war on malaria, devoting billions of dollars to vaccines, methods of prevention and novel ways to kill mosquitoes.

"You can say we are very lucky -- the right place at the right time," says astrophysicist Szabolcs Márka, a Columbia University specialist in black holes. He has a grant to develop a "mosquito flashlight" designed to knock out the bugs' eye-like sensors.

Scientists around the world are testing ways of thwarting mosquitoes with microwaves, rancid odors, poisoned blood and other weapons that disrupt the sense of sight, smell and heat mosquitoes use to find their prey.

There's work on genetically altering a bacterium to infect and kill a mosquito, and a project to build a malaria-free mosquito genetically enhanced to overtake the natural kind.

There's also a researcher in Japan who thinks mosquitoes can be a force for good. He is working on transforming them into "flying syringes" that deliver vaccines with every bite.

The mosquito laser is the brainchild of Lowell Wood, an astrophysicist who worked with Edward Teller, father of the hydrogen bomb and architect of the original plan to use lasers to shield America from the rain of Soviet nuclear arms.

President Ronald Reagan embraced the idea in the 1980s, dubbing it the Strategic Defense Initiative.

Senator Edward Kennedy mocked it as "Star Wars." Eventually it became a footnote in history.

Its rebirth as a bug killer came thanks to Nathan Myhrvold, a former Microsoft Corp. executive who now runs Intellectual Ventures LLC., a company that collects patents and funds inventions. His old boss, Mr. Gates, had asked him to explore new ways of combating malaria. At a brainstorming session in 2007, Dr. Wood, the Star Wars architect, suggested using lasers on mosquitoes.

Soon Dr. Wood, Dr. Kare and another Star Wars scientist teamed with an entomologist with a Ph.D in mosquito behavior and other experts. They killed their first mosquito with a hand-held laser in early 2008.

"We like to think back then we made some contribution to the ending of the Cold War" with the Star Wars program, Dr. Kare says. "Now we're just trying to make a dent in a war that's actually gone on a lot longer and claimed a lot more lives."

The scientists envision their technology might one day be used to draw a laser barrier around a house or village that could kill or blind the bugs. Or, laser-equipped drone aircraft could track bugs by radar, sweeping the sky with death-dealing photons.

They now face one big challenge: deciding how strong to make the weapon. The laser has to be weak enough to not harm humans and smart enough to avoid hitting useful bugs. "You could kill billions of mosquitoes a night, and you could do so without harming butterflies," says Mr. Myhrvold.

Demonstrating the technology recently, Dr. Kare, Mr. Myhrvold and other researchers stood below a small shelf mounted on the wall about 10 feet off the ground. On the shelf were five Maglite flashlights, a zoom lens from a 35mm camera, and the laser itself -- a little black box with an assortment of small lenses and mirrors. On the floor below sat a Dell personal computer that is the laser's brain.

The glass box of mosquitoes across the room is an old 10-gallon fish tank. Each time a beam strikes a bug, the computer makes a gunshot sound to signal a direct hit.

To locate individual mosquitoes, light from the flashlights hits the tank across the room, creating tiny mosquito silhouettes on reflective material behind it. The zoom lens picks up the shadows and feeds the data to the computer, which controls the laser and fires it at the bug.

In a video, researchers showed what happens when they deploy deadly rays.

A mosquito hovers into view. Suddenly, it bursts into flame. A thin plume of smoke rises as the mosquito falls. At the bottom of the screen, the carcass smolders.

There's ready supply of fresh recruits nearby, where an intern feeds a saucer of goat blood to a colony of anopheles stephensi, one species of mosquito that transmits malaria.

Not only can the laser target a mosquito, it can also tell a male from a female based on wing-beat.

That's a crucial distinction, since only females feed on blood and thus transmit disease. Males in the wild eat sugary plant nectar. (In the lab they get raisins.)

"If you really were a purist, you could only kill the females, not the males," Mr. Myhrvold says. But since they're mosquitoes, he says, he'll probably "just slay them all."

Write to Robert A. Guth at rob.guth@wsj.com

[drew]

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/03/19/mb-auto-theft.html
Last Updated: Thursday, March 19, 2009 | 12:21 PM CT
CBC News

A long-awaited milestone in Winnipeg was reached this month when, for the first time in decades, there wasn't a single auto theft during a 24-hour period.

According to Manitoba Public Insurance, that day was March 3.

Nobody's talking about making it a civic holiday but it is being hailed as a major achievement.

MPI president Marilyn McLaren called it a sign that Winnipeg is shedding its long-held title as the car-theft capital of Canada.

'This zero-theft day is sure to be the first of many.'—Marilyn McLaren, MPI

The statistics bolster her claim, suggesting that auto-theft rates in Winnipeg have dropped 62 per cent in the last two years.

Last year, auto theft claims dropped to a 17-year low with 3,173 vehicles stolen or attempted to be stolen. That number peaked at 16,986 in 2006.

McLaren credits the decline to anti-theft measures such as the province's immobilizer program and the Winnipeg Auto Theft Suppression Strategy (WATSS).

Under the WATSS program — a partnership launched in 2005 involving police, Manitoba Justice and MPI — justice officials contact the highest-risk auto thieves every three hours with at least one in-person visit every day.

In March 2007, $500,000 in new funding was announced for the city of Winnipeg to add five police officers to the stolen auto unit, allowing it to operate seven days a week.

In September 2007, the immobilizer program was expanded, making Manitoba the first province in Canada to require the use of electronic immobilizers in vehicles deemed to be at high risk of theft, based on most popular models stolen.

Without an immobilizer, vehicle owners are denied registration of their vehicle.

Now, federal regulations require immobilizers to be installed in all new cars, vans, light trucks and sport utility vehicles for sale in Canada and built after Sept. 1, 2007.

"This zero-theft day is sure to be the first of many," McLaren said Thursday.

[sledhead35]

i hope im wrong but i have a feeling kids will read this and say, "oh yeah? watch this!" good news anyway!

[The Jabroni]

i hope im wrong but i have a feeling kids will read this and say, "oh yeah? watch this!" good news anyway!

Either way, car thefts have gone down over the last couple of years, all thanks to the immobilizer, and of course, responsible car owners. :D

[wags_in_the_peg]

yeah immobilizer may have played a part, but I think locking up some of the Level 3 and 4 offenders have helped more. or they have graduated to more fun crimes like trying to hit cops.

[metonymy]

Doer, are you listening?

"Saskatchewan will cut education property taxes by 14 per cent and boost spending by more than $1 billion, according to a provincial budget that shows few signs of the economic storm battering the rest of Canada. For a Regina home with a taxable assessment of $100,000, the savings would be $457 in 2010, the government said. (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2009/03/18/budget-main.html) "

Ah, maybe he is...

"The Manitoba government could move to revoke the taxation powers of school boards.Education Minister Peter Bjornson said he has reached the end of his patience with school boards that continue to ignore the government's demands to hold the line on taxes (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/03/20/mb-school-tax.html?ref=rss)."

[drew]

yeah immobilizer may have played a part, but I think locking up some of the Level 3 and 4 offenders have helped more. or they have graduated to more fun crimes like trying to hit cops.

Obviously getting the offenders off the streets helped, but I think the bigger issue is that 80+% of the "easy pickings" vehicles are now off limits to bored kids looking for a joy ride.

These kids stole the high risk cars because they were easy and plentiful.

The good news is that once these lower car-theft stats filter into the system, Winnipeg's crime rate is going to drop substantially, and Maclean's will need to start using a new cherry-picked crime stat to bolster their "Toronto isn't really that dangerous" annual crime issue.

[1ajs]

Canadian-made Ebola vaccine used after German lab accident

Last Updated: Friday, March 20, 2009 | 12:34 PM CT Comments1 (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/03/20/ebola-vaccine.html#socialcomments)Recommend2 (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/03/20/ebola-vaccine.html#)

The Canadian Press


An experimental vaccine against the deadly Ebola virus made by researchers at Canada's national laboratory in Winnipeg was given to a German scientist who may have been infected during a lab accident last week.
The scientific director of the National Microbiology Laboratory said Canadian officials were asked to provide some vaccine to the unnamed woman within hours of the accident, which took place March 12.
'It was a tremendous response on the Winnipeg side to get that out the same day and get it over and get this delivered.'— Dr. Heinz Feldmann Dr. Frank Plummer said he and Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer, quickly came to the conclusion they would allow use of the unlicensed vaccine following a request from the woman's doctor. A team of international experts in viral hemorrhagic fevers had recommended use of the vaccine.
The vaccine was on its way to Germany the same day, Plummer said.
"It's a pretty unusual situation to be in. But we thought that there's a chance to save a life here," he said Thursday.
First person to receive vaccine

The vaccine arrived in Germany last Friday and was given to the woman the next day, making her the first person to receive this vaccine. The scientist who led the development team praised Canada's quick response.
"It was a tremendous response on the Winnipeg side to get that out the same day and get it over and get this delivered," said Dr. Heinz Feldmann, former head of the special pathogens unit at the Winnipeg lab.
"She got immunized within 40 hours after exposure. And considering that this had to be shipped across the Atlantic, I think that's quite an achievement."
Feldmann is now chief of the laboratory of virology at the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Mont.
He knows the woman but has not spoken with her since the accident. Feldmann said she made the decision to use the vaccine.
A news blog connected to the journal Science reported the woman's fever spiked about 12 hours after receiving the vaccine. While it's not clear if that was a response to the vaccine or a sign of onset of disease, the timing suggests it was a sign her system was responding to the vaccine, Feldmann said.
Lab worker pricked with needle

The woman, whose identity has not been revealed, pricked herself with a needle while working with Ebola virus at the Bernard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg. It's not yet known if she infected herself in the process.
Her temperature has since returned to normal. As of Thursday — a week after her accident — she was not showing any signs of disease. While that is considered a hopeful sign, the virus has an incubation period of between four and 21 days, so the woman is not yet in the clear.
"She's still within the window. But every day that goes by makes it more likely she'll be OK," Plummer said.
Feldmann suggested if she is still disease free by Monday, people may start to feel more comfortable.
The vaccine was made by scientists at the Winnipeg lab in collaboration with researchers from the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Md., and the biodefence clinical research branch of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
Testing on non-human primates has been positive

While testing in animals, including non-human primates, has been promising, the vaccine has never been tested on people. Plummer said the Winnipeg team calculated what they thought would be a human dose based on the work with macaque monkeys.
"You're really flying by the seat of your pants, because you don't know," he said.
A lab accident can be a nightmare in the research world. In 2004, a Russian scientist died following a similar exposure to the Ebola virus, which is one of the deadliest pathogens known to humankind.
Between 50 per cent and 90 per cent of people infected with Ebola virus succumb to a horrible death of internal bleeding. There is currently no cure, though some people have survived with what is called supportive care — essentially keeping patients hydrated while waiting for the body's immune response to catch up to and hopefully overtake the infection.
Word of the lab accident spread quickly within the small global community of researchers who work on Ebola and similar viruses. They convened a conference call to discuss options that might be open to the woman and recommended the Winnipeg vaccine.
Other vaccines in development

Several Ebola vaccines are in development and one, made by researchers at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, has even been safety tested in humans.
But the Winnipeg vaccine has been shown to increase chances of survival in what's called a post-exposure setting.
Most vaccines are given to prevent illness. But a few, like those for smallpox and rabies, are used after infection to help the immune system fight off the invading pathogen.
In a study published in 2007 in the journal PLoS Pathogens, the Winnipeg team reported three types of animals survived infection when given the vaccine post-infection. Four of eight primates injected with a lethal dose of Ebola virus survived when they were given the vaccine within 30 minutes of exposure.
The vaccine also protected 100 per cent of mice and 66 per cent of guinea pigs treated within the 30 minutes window. When researchers waited 24 hours to give infected guinea pigs the vaccine, 50 per cent survived.

[rrskylar]

originally posted Feb. 24th Not a construction topic but with Shaw increasing their internet speed has anyone on Shaw noticed a significant improvement in performance

I`m using MTS so called high speed, my download speed is 2.2 Mbps and my upload speed is 642 Kbps.

The Shaw speed test is here: http://speedtest.shaw.ca/speedtest/runtest/

Got an email a few days ago from MTS notifying me that download speeds had been increased 40%. Well here are my new results: download 2.3 mbps, upload 364 kbps, ping 178ms


So much for an increase!

[Kinguni]

originally posted Feb. 24th

Got an email a few days ago from MTS notifying me that download speeds had been increased 40%. Well here are my new results: download 2.3 mbps, upload 364 kbps, ping 178ms


So much for an increase!

I got the email too, 2 or 3 weeks after the upgrade, but my speeds are actually faster than what they advertise.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/433227815.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[rrskylar]

^Tried your speed test.


http://www.speedtest.net/result/434465391.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[1ajs]

u in an apartment building?

[rrskylar]

No, but I do live in an older area. I am paying for lightning high speed from MTS, I expect faster internet regardless wether the area has new wiring or old.

[1ajs]

its probly the old wires somehwere or the distance u are from the node or ur router

[Kinguni]

^Tried your speed test.


Testing to Chicago seems to be more accurate, still it should be faster than that. Mind you, I have the TV package as well and use a router to handle the PPPoE login. Problems could be in the lines anywhere though. There are so many things which can effect a DSL connection.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/434475001.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[h0twired]

MTS has TERRIBLE internet service.

Shaw is so much better.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/434715849.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[vid]

Shaw has a speedboost and throttles file sharing programmes. :\

[Kinguni]

MTS has TERRIBLE internet service.

Shaw is so much better.



All depends on personal experience, where you live and who your neighbours are. I've had good and bad experience with both. MTS has been fantastic here and meets all of my needs at a cheaper price than Shaw, plus I don't have to worry about exceeding Shaw's bandwidth limitations.

I had Shaw cable briefly at this location but the power of the dollar and bundle discounts keeps me with MTS, and I have zero issues with the service provided.

Now, Videon had great service, way better than anything Shaw has ever provided. :P

[metonymy]

Shaw in Osborne Village is 10x worse than MTS - too many customers for too few nodes. Horrendous online gaming ping spikes.

[1ajs]

yea shaws got a faulty switch down the hole at the end of my st makes for interesting pings at times... mts has a bad line in my ally cause people keep setting fie to the same dumpster all the time

[bomberguy]

Shaw ftw.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/419198344.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[ILYR]

WINNIPEG PERCEIVED AS CITY WITH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY

From Destination Winnipeg
http://www.destinationwinnipeg.ca/news/releases/201

March 23, 2009

Winnipeg, March 23, 2009 – One-third of Canadian adults say they would consider moving to Winnipeg under the right circumstances, citing job and economic opportunities as attractive qualities.

The national survey, released by Destination Winnipeg, polled Canadians on Winnipeg’s image, what they hear about Winnipeg, where their information about Winnipeg came from and whether they would consider moving to Winnipeg.

The survey, conducted in February, showed 13% of Canadians say their perception of Winnipeg is improving, compared with only 4% who say their perception has worsened. (As expected, most say their perception of this city is unchanged.) Friendly people, location/landscape, a beautiful clean city and a thriving arts and culture scene were described as the top positive attributes of Winnipeg.

Destination Winnipeg recognizes that in parts of Canada, there are some negative perceptions about our great city and that many of those perceptions are from people who have never been here. This is an ongoing long-term challenge. However, the research clearly indicates that Canadians who have visited here are much more likely to hold positive impressions, especially in light of Winnipeg’s economic turnaround in the past five years. More positive news about Winnipeg is reaching more Canadians.

Other survey highlights include:

62% of Canadians say job/economic opportunities would be the main reason they would consider moving to Winnipeg.
Nearly one-quarter (24%) of Canadians believe Winnipeg’s economy is in better shape than their own, versus 17% who believe their economy is better.
Western Canadians largely thought their local economy was better; while Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada overwhelmingly believed that Winnipeg’s economy was doing better than their own economy.
34% of Canadian would consider moving to Winnipeg if the right job or lifestyle opportunity became available.
Canadians aged 18-34 were more interested in considering Winnipeg as well as people from Ontario, Saskatchewan and rural Manitoba.
Of those not considering a move, most people pointed to barriers in their own lives rather than perceived shorting comings of Winnipeg – with 35% citing they like their current way of life and 22% citing weather as a factor.
13% of Canadians visited Winnipeg within the last five years, 20% report they visited Winnipeg at some point more than five years ago.
Weather (33%) and Sports (10%), were cited as the last thing read, heard or seen about Winnipeg.
41% of information about Winnipeg came from television reports, with newspapers (19%), word of mouth (16%) and internet (8%) being the next closest sources of information.
“There are encouraging trends in this national survey on perceptions of Winnipeg in most parts of Canada. It is important to notice that those Canadians who have been to Winnipeg hold a more positive impression of the city than those who have yet to visit, commented Scott MacKay, President of Probe Research Inc. “The number of Canadians willing to consider the city for job opportunities is also positive for Winnipeg’s relatively stronger economy at this time, particularly the fact that one-half of younger adults (18-34) would consider the city for the right job.”

The national survey was designed by Probe Research and Destination Winnipeg and represents a random sampling of 1,000 Canadians. Results are 95% certain within ± 3.1 % of what they would be if the entire Canadian population was interviewed.

These surveys, as well as other research Destination Winnipeg conducts, are part of the market research mix utilized for initiatives. These survey results were useful, for example, in the Find Your Place Here awareness campaign targeted in southern Ontario. This is a sizeable region relatively open to Winnipeg, but largely not aware of what the city has to offer.

See link for pdf file with more details
http://www.destinationwinnipeg.ca/files/File/General/2009%20National%20Survey.pdf

[Only The Lonely..]

:previous:

Good stuff! :tup:

[newflyer]

:previous:

:tup: :tup: :tup:

[hexrae]

Glowing review for hotels (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/glowing-review-for-hotels-41880797.html)
Winnipeg's some of best performers across Canada

By: Murray McNeill

WINNIPEG has one of the best performing hotel sectors in the country, according to a new industry report issued Wednesday.

Colliers International says in its 2008 hotels report that Winnipeg had the second biggest increase in hotel valuations in 2008, at 3.3 per cent, and is forecast to have the second biggest increase in 2009, at 2.3 per cent.

The only market to boast better numbers is Regina/Saskatoon, with an increase of 6.2 per cent last year and a projected gain of 3.5 per cent this year.

Hotel values are based on a combination of factors, including the operating performance of a market, industry trends, and the return expectations of investors.

Alam Pirani, executive managing director with Colliers International Hotels, said operating performance takes into account things like revenue growth, and Winnipeg's hotel sector rang up revenue growth of 9.5 per cent in 2009. That was second only to Saskatoon's 16 per cent.

"Winnipeg has had a good run -- six consecutive years of growth (in hotel values)," Pirani said. "And that (9.5 per cent growth in revenues) is a great number."

He attributed the strong growth to a combination of factors, including a strong local economy, which tends to lead to more business and leisure travel.

Winnipeg also has a relatively stable hotel market that isn't plagued by an oversupply of rooms, which drives down both occupancy rates and room rates, Pirani said.

The chairman of the Manitoba's largest hotel chain -- Canad Inns -- confirmed in an interview this week that it's posting some strong numbers in spite of the economic downtown in Canada.

"We haven't taken a hit yet," Leo Ledohowski said.

He said the chain's revenues in January were "way above" those for January 2008. February's were on par with a year earlier, and "March looks like we're on track to match last year's March," he said.

He also attributed it in part to the relative strength of the Manitoba economy, as well as in North Dakota, where Canad Inns also has a hotel.

The Colliers report also examined the average value per room in each regional hotel market in Canada. That figure is based on the dollar value of hotel transactions in each region in 2008, and Manitoba's price per room last year increased by 3.8 per cent to $83,700 in 2008. That was the fourth highest average among the seven regions covered in the report.

However, Parani noted the Manitoba figure is based on only one hotel transaction in 2008 -- the sale of the 263 room Radison Hotel Winnipeg Downtown for $22 million.

With only one transaction for the entire year, "it (the 3.8 per cent increase) is not a good indicator" of the state of the hotel valuations here, he said.

The Colliers report said the Canadian hotel industry saw $1.1 billion in sales of existing operations last year, down 77 per cent from a year earlier.

This worked out to $116,500 per room, a decline of 25 per cent from 2007.

Bill Stone, Colliers' executive managing director, said the overall reduction reflected diminishing credit availability and the fact the economy took a sharp turn for the worse in 2008.

"Certainly for the first half -- almost seven months -- of (2008), activity remained strong, and then there was a pullback," Stone said. "So I think we really felt the effects of what's been happening globally."

That said, Stone said there's been renewed interest from potential buyers in recent weeks. He attributed this partially to new assets becoming available as some owners have large amounts of debt or expensive renovation projects coming due.

-- With files from Canwest News Service

murray.mcneill@freepres.mb.ca

[h0twired]

Glowing review for hotels (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/glowing-review-for-hotels-41880797.html)
Winnipeg's some of best performers across Canada


When is Winnipeg going to actually get some high end hotels?

[DowntownWpg]

I see that Google is coming to Winnipeg, and 10 other Canadian cities "in the coming weeks" to film Google Street View.

The privacy concerns don't bug me personally.

What's funny, though, is that they'll be filming Winnipeg at a time when there are no leaves on the trees and brown grass; and the sand, dirt and accumulated random crap from the winter will still be everywhere!

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/03/26/tech-090326-google-street-view.html?ref=rss

[wags_in_the_peg]

I see that Google is coming to Winnipeg, and 10 other Canadian cities "in the coming weeks" to film Google Street View.

The privacy concerns don't bug me personally.

What's funny, though, is that they'll be filming Winnipeg at a time when there are no leaves on the trees and brown grass; and the sand, dirt and accumulated random crap from the winter will still be everywhere!

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/03/26/tech-090326-google-street-view.html?ref=rss

yeah what a horrible time to be filming our streets, it should be done in June. I'm not concerned over privacy either. I kinda wish I knew when they would be by my place so I can stand on the front porch with my kids and dog and wave at them! or maybe moon them (of course I would make sure my kids were inside if I did that :))

[wags_in_the_peg]

The Free Press hopes you believe in Winnipeg too

The Winnipeg Free Press and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce plan to launch a new campaign to get the city to feel good about itself.

"We Believe in Winnipeg" will see a series of stories about successes in the city run over several months, beginning on April 12.

"We need to keep reminding ourselves we live in one of the best places on Earth," Free Press co-owner Bob Silver told a business audience at a breakfast this morning.

The effort is not a marketing campaign, said chamber president Dave Angus.

Similar campaigns in the past included Love Me, Love My Winnipeg in the 1980s and 100 Reasons to Love Winnipeg in the 1990s.

Silver and Angus said Winnipeg needs to get over its inferiority complex and do a better job of trumpeting its success stories.

[hexrae]

Google will be here "in the coming weeks", so hopefully it'll be later than sooner. At least the beginning of May would be fine.

Silver and Angus said Winnipeg needs to get over its inferiority complex and do a better job of trumpeting its success stories.

:cheers: to that!

[The Jabroni]

The Free Press hopes you believe in Winnipeg too

The Winnipeg Free Press and the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce plan to launch a new campaign to get the city to feel good about itself.

"We Believe in Winnipeg" will see a series of stories about successes in the city run over several months, beginning on April 12.

"We need to keep reminding ourselves we live in one of the best places on Earth," Free Press co-owner Bob Silver told a business audience at a breakfast this morning.

The effort is not a marketing campaign, said chamber president Dave Angus.

Similar campaigns in the past included Love Me, Love My Winnipeg in the 1980s and 100 Reasons to Love Winnipeg in the 1990s.

Silver and Angus said Winnipeg needs to get over its inferiority complex and do a better job of trumpeting its success stories.

Exactly!

People should stop whining and do something about it to make our city better!

[vid]

Google's Street View car has gone right up to the border at Grand Portage and Sault. Ste Marie, I figured they already got the Canadian photos and were just waiting for some legal stuff to clear up to post them.

[ILYR]

WINNIPEG – AN ECONOMIC GROWTH LEADER IN CANADA IN 2008

March 27, 2009

WINNIPEG, March 27, 2009 – Today Destination Winnipeg released its Quarterly Economic Highlights for the fourth quarter of 2008 with data covering the year as a whole. Continuing the city’s roll in the past five years, Winnipeg had another solid year overall on the economic front in 2008.

Among the highlights:
• The Conference Board of Canada’s Metropolitan Outlook Winter 2009 projects Winnipeg’s real GDP at 2.7% in 2008, well above the national average of only 0.6%. This is the 4th highest of 27 Canadian cities and highest of all major cities (over 500,000 population).
• Retail sales were strong, projected to increase 7% in 2008, the highest growth rate of all major cities in Canada.
• The Winnipeg economy continues to create jobs, with over 6,500 net new jobs in 2008. The Conference Board of Canada noted that Winnipeg’s solid economic growth in recent years has led to steady employment expansion, with more than 20,000 jobs created between 2005 and 2008.
• The Winnipeg REALTORS® reported record dollar volumes of over $2.4 billion in 2008, up 9% from the previous year.
• Building permit values in Winnipeg hit the $1 billion mark for the first time, growing by 15% in 2008 – the best growth rate of major cities in Canada.
• The unemployment rate lowered to 4.3% for the year, consistently among the lowest unemployment rates in the country.
• Personal disposable income was projected to increase a solid 4%.
• While manufacturing shipments declined across Canada, shipments from Manitoba manufacturers experienced slight growth in 2008.

Destination Winnipeg’s Quarterly Economic Highlights provides recently available, straightforward statistical information from a Winnipeg perspective. Quarterly Economic Highlights provide concise analysis of a number of economic indicators, trends, comparative city data, labour and real estate and construction numbers. The 4th Quarter report covers data from 2008 and the sector spotlight is on the tourism industry. Winnipeg’s tourism sector brings in well over $500 million annually in direct visitor expenditures and represents nearly 14,000 jobs. In 2007, Winnipeg had the best growth rate of major cities in Canada in terms of overnight visitor expenditures and in 2008 experienced overall growth in the local tourism sector.

[waffler]

http://www.speedtest.net/result/439336702.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[newflyer]

They say there is a time for everything and in one aspect this time has come. It has been a long time in the making, but I am ecstatic to announce I will be coming home to Manitoba. A very good opportunity has presented itself and it took me very little time to jump on it. (very little time) I have been all smiles since, not just because of the excellent career opportunity, but also because I am looking forward to my return to the Manitoba lifestyle. It will be great to be back!!

My departure has highlighted how good Winnipeg really has it. I have a renewed appreciation of the Winnipeg quality of life and hope to be taking in many of the great attributes it has to offer, including the many cultural entertainment options. I also hope to be at the opening game of the Goldeyes and even looking forward to what I am expecting to be a fairly rough year for the Blue. I am really looking forward to those long summer days on those great Manitoba beaches this summer.

Since I moved from Winnipeg a few years ago I have noticed the level of business confidence in the city has climb significantly. From what I have seen myself and have heard during some very meaningful discussions, it is evident things are definitely going in the right direction. Winnipeg’s economy is really gaining momentum, even during a horrible recession and I give Sam Katz a great deal of the credit for focusing much of his efforts on building the local economy. In my opinion, the future of Winnipeg is now looking much brighter. I am looking forward to seeing this momentum continue as the city becomes a more attractive place to invest …. and I am also looking to being part of this strong environment in the years to come.

[1ajs]

but does the lybrary have up to date books yet for yer feild nf?

[newflyer]

but does the lybrary have up to date books yet for yer feild nf?

No not really, but that is not a problem, as I have a good size collection of resources at home and at work.

[1ajs]

No not really, but that is not a problem, as I have a good size collection of resources at home and at work.
true but it still be nice to be able to injoy the atrium no?

[wags_in_the_peg]

No not really, but that is not a problem, as I have a good size collection of resources at home and at work.

out of curiosity, are you renting in Calgary? I have a friend whose house has been on market for 6 months with no movement. Best of luck to you and welcome back! Have you decided which neighbourhood you'll be moving too?

[flatlander]

Inquiry dominated by Manitoba legal expertise.
By: Mia Rabson
9:41 AM | Comments (0)
PRINT E–MAIL SHARETHIS
OTTAWA - The long awaited inquiry into the business dealings of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and German businessman Karlheinz Schreiber is underway in Ottawa.
Manitoba's legal community may be paying more attention than usual to the proceedings because the inquiry is dominated by Manitoba legal expertise.
Inquiry Commissioner Jeffrey Oliphant is the former Associate Chief Justice in Manitoba. He resigned that job last July when he was appointed as the commissioner for the Mulroney/Schreiber inquiry.
Also, lead commission counsel Richard Wolson, senior commission lawyer Evan Roitenberg and junior commission lawyers Sarah Wolson and Peter Edgett all are practicing Manitoba lawyers.
Wolson got the inquiry underway this morning with an opening statement that outlined the reasons for the inquiry and how it will proceed.
The hearings will be held for two days this week hearing from four witnesses.
They will reconvene April 14 when Schreiber will take the stand.

[newflyer]

out of curiosity, are you renting in Calgary? I have a friend whose house has been on market for 6 months with no movement. Best of luck to you and welcome back! Have you decided which neighbourhood you'll be moving too?

Yes .. I have been renting. When I got to Calgary the ridiculous boom was already in process, and I didn't want to be any part of Calgary's notorious unstable real estate market at unsustainable prices. I also have a number of friends who are having lots of problems unloading there homes in Calgary. The housing market has fallen significantly and it continues to fall.

As far as my move goes, I haven't descided where I will be living yet.

[newflyer]

true but it still be nice to be able to injoy the atrium no?

When you and I went to the Millenium Library for my first view I was very impressed with the atrium. I expect to spend some time there in the future.

[hexrae]

Citizens asked to share views on making city more sustainable (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Citizens-asked-to-share-views-on-making-a-more-sustainable-city-42281582.html)

Mayor Sam Katz is asking citizens to share their views on how Winnipeg can become a more sustainable city.

Katz is asking the public to register to speak at a day-long Symposium on Sustainability, which will be held Saturday, April 25 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

Citizens may register for the symposium through the city’s website, Winnipeg.ca, or by phone at 986-7367, beginning Monday, April 6.

The symposium will hear from up to 100 Winnipeggers who register through this process.

Their recommendations will be used to help develop a successor to Plan Winnipeg, the city’s long-term planning and land-use blueprint.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Province introduces Innovation Council
CJOB News Team reporting
4/6/2009


The provincial government has struck up a new council, aimed at developing innovation projects in Manitoba.

The Manitoba Innovation Council will implement an action plan to commercialize innovation and technology projects in the province.

Trade Minister Andrew Swan says the council will help strengthen the ties between business, research and the investment community.

[Boreal]

I sincerely hope that this is pursued with the greatest level of vigor possible. For Manitoba (and the rest of the provinces and territories of Canada) the only way we will have even the most remote of chances to compete with the larger economies (USA, India, China) is too strong arm innovation from the elected level. With roughly only 1% of people across the globe having the ability to function at the highest level intellectually, Canada suffers simply from a lack of numbers relative to the large economies, and therefore there needs to exist a body - like the above proposal by Andrew Swan - to push innovation, those who can apply the innovative technologies, and the monies necessary to drive products to market in the form of goods or services. Great news - but only if this gains legs. This is paramount to Canada's future, and of course Manitoba's future, and growing beyond what we are now - a resource economy, or post-war economy with a limited vision of where we want to be and who we want to be in the future.

[viperred88]

Citizens asked to share views on making city more sustainable (http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Citizens-asked-to-share-views-on-making-a-more-sustainable-city-42281582.html)

Mayor Sam Katz is asking citizens to share their views on how Winnipeg can become a more sustainable city.

Katz is asking the public to register to speak at a day-long Symposium on Sustainability, which will be held Saturday, April 25 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

Citizens may register for the symposium through the city’s website, Winnipeg.ca, or by phone at 986-7367, beginning Monday, April 6.

The symposium will hear from up to 100 Winnipeggers who register through this process.

Their recommendations will be used to help develop a successor to Plan Winnipeg, the city’s long-term planning and land-use blueprint.

only a 100 eh why not more? Plan winnipeg is for every Winnipeger.

Why don't they have several meetings asking input from every organizations like Urban planning departements at the U of M, urban studies @ U of W, Spence neighborhood. and all other biz groups, and other input from every winnipeger.

[1ajs]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3644/3423145566_70f592899f_o.jpg

[flatlander]

I noticed Albert St Burgers closed - to be replaced with White Star or White Spot or something. I wonder if the health violations travel with the owner or if the slate is wiped clean ...

[rgalston]

ASB had the worst case of "Winnipeg hours" I have ever seen, and I am glad something is replacing it.

[trueviking]

^ there is also a handbag boutique that replaced the sneaker boutique on mcdermot....and retro clothing store where artists emporium used to be on albert.

[rgalston]

^ there is also a handbag boutique that replaced the sneaker boutique on mcdermot....and retro clothing store where artists emporium used to be on albert.

That vintage store looks good.
And October closed their Exchange District store, and the space is for lease. Garnet's Tailor moved in with that new boutique at 63 Albert.

The restaurant in the Royal Albert, for the quality of its food, is one of the best "$" range restaurants in the city. But it is no wonder they are empty most of the time, since most (non-scenester) people could walk past the Albert every day and think that place is closed. What happened to all the plans for that hotel?

[rrskylar]

They say there is a time for everything and in one aspect this time has come. It has been a long time in the making, but I am ecstatic to announce I will be coming home to Manitoba. A very good opportunity has presented itself and it took me very little time to jump on it. (very little time) I have been all smiles since, not just because of the excellent career opportunity, but also because I am looking forward to my return to the Manitoba lifestyle. It will be great to be back!!

My departure has highlighted how good Winnipeg really has it. I have a renewed appreciation of the Winnipeg quality of life and hope to be taking in many of the great attributes it has to offer, including the many cultural entertainment options. I also hope to be at the opening game of the Goldeyes and even looking forward to what I am expecting to be a fairly rough year for the Blue. I am really looking forward to those long summer days on those great Manitoba beaches this summer.

Since I moved from Winnipeg a few years ago I have noticed the level of business confidence in the city has climb significantly. From what I have seen myself and have heard during some very meaningful discussions, it is evident things are definitely going in the right direction. Winnipeg’s economy is really gaining momentum, even during a horrible recession and I give Sam Katz a great deal of the credit for focusing much of his efforts on building the local economy. In my opinion, the future of Winnipeg is now looking much brighter. I am looking forward to seeing this momentum continue as the city becomes a more attractive place to invest …. and I am also looking to being part of this strong environment in the years to come.



Wow!! The HRM, a new Blue Bomber stadium and the return of newflyer, all in one year!

[1ajs]

now all we need is the rapid transit to start construction and for the fort gary park to get under way and some redidential to start going up in the downtown...

[1ajs]

why at this time of year :shrug:


Google cars roaming Winnipeg streets, taking pics

Last Updated: Wednesday, April 8, 2009 | 6:04 PM CT Comments1 (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/04/08/mb-google-car.html#socialcomments)Recommend1 (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/04/08/mb-google-car.html#)

CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html)


http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2009/04/08/googlecar.jpgThis car, outfitted with cameras, is one of two that have been cruising Winnipeg's streets, taking pictures for Google's Street View online service. (Chris Armstrong/CBC)Get ready for your close-up, Winnipeg.
Internet giant Google has been roaming the Manitoba capital this week, snapping photos of city streets, people, buildings, landmarks, park benches and just about anything else as part of a virtual online map called Street View.
Winnipeg is one of 11 Canadian cities to get the Google treatment over the next few months. The others are Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, Halifax, Quebec City, Saint John and Saskatoon.
The Street View service, which provides viewers with an image that can be rotated a full 360 degrees, hasn't launched in Canada yet. The company hasn't set a date, only saying a couple of weeks ago it will happen "very soon."
The service is already available in cities in the U.S., the U.K., Spain, Australia, Japan and several other countries. It offers close-up views of city streets as someone driving along them would see them.
That's exactly how the images, linked to the company's Google Maps and Google Earth applications, are captured. The car cruising through Winnipeg is outfitted with a series of cameras and a tall tripod on its roof.
As part of privacy laws, Google has promised to blur any faces captured by the camera to protect identities.
The application has come under criticism, especially in the U.K. The head of Google Maps, John Hanke, told The Times Online newspaper this week that the feature might help burglars plan where to strike.

[jmt18325]

That's going to make the city look bad....its hasn't finished melting, everything is brown, and spring cleanup hasn't happened.