[Xelebes]

Just remember the importance of time in Islam, especially with regards to Ramadan and the calling to mosque. No different than Christian carillons.

[sim]

Anyone else had a chance to check out the glowing balls on the bow by Prince's Island? They are there until the 21st. I especially recommend some of the resident photogs go do their thing there. Unfortuantely some douches did what douches do best and threw a rock at one right by where we were sitting and wrecked its covering.

I'd also just like to say that yesterday was a pretty good day to be out and about. Chinatown, Taste of Calgary, Afrikadey, fireworks and glowing balls!

[freeweed]

Just remember the importance of time in Islam, especially with regards to Ramadan and the calling to mosque. No different than Christian carillons.

Yeah, those buildings would look right at home in the 14th century.

[Innersoul1]

Thought I would post this! Should be pretty awesome when complete.

Vs-Hk5mbpqU

[Aegis]

Can anyone recommend a good US news site? CNN.com is such sh1t these days.

[fusili]

Can anyone recommend a good US news site? CNN.com is such sh1t these days.

I read the NYTimes online. Depends on the perspective you want. I actually read them more for international news than US news though.

[jeffwhit]

Can anyone recommend a good US news site? CNN.com is such sh1t these days.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1001

[Ramsayfarian]

Can anyone recommend a good US news site? CNN.com is such sh1t these days.

http://news.google.com/news?ned=us

Google news is my goto source, it will default to Canadian news, but the above link is the US version. Google also allows you to customize your page and pick specific topics/ categories.

[freeweed]

Fox News. __

^- extra characters added because apparently it's "too short". I hope this is now long enough for the forum. I wouldn't want to make a post that is too short as it wastes computer time if you don't have enough filler.

[Aegis]

http://news.google.com/news?ned=us

Google news is my goto source, it will default to Canadian news, but the above link is the US version. Google also allows you to customize your page and pick specific topics/ categories.

Thanks. No more Bieber.

[Ramsayfarian]

PBS has in interesting slide show about China cracking down on illegal buildings.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/multimedia/china_building/index.html

[mr.steevo]

Hi,

Reminds me of this video. Perhaps you've all seen it before.


g7z-FQUrfhc

Apparently Turkey has similar issues with rampant illegal construction and poor workmanship.

s.

[mooky]

I've seen that before, and I'm sure they had a reason for tearing it down, but the main hull of the building sure as hell didn't look like shoddy construction, it stayed intact when it rolled over and played dead.

Worse then shoddy construction is that they cheaped-out on the demolition company ;)

[kw5150]

I've seen that before, and I'm sure they had a reason for tearing it down, but the main hull of the building sure as hell didn't look like shoddy construction, it stayed intact when it rolled over and played dead.

Worse then shoddy construction is that they cheaped-out on the demolition company ;)

When they tear down "Sun Life Plaza" (my secret wish) hopefully it goes better!

[Jimby]

local speedtrap locations (http://www.speedtrap.org/city/5/Calgary&page=1)

[freeweed]

local speedtrap locations (http://www.speedtrap.org/city/5/Calgary&page=1)

Current as of June 29th! Useful!

Mind you, I just do the intelligent thing and keep my speeding to 10-15 over the limit, depending on road. It's really not that hard to not get a ticket.

[Innersoul1]

This guy had a hell of a time three years ago:

b5qzQ2HBh0s

[Jimby]

I wasn't sure what thread this should be posted in, but I thought it was a really good idea to harvest fruit from trees where the property owners don't want the fruit.
The urban forest can be productive for our needs even in Calgary. Small scale urban agriculture of this type should be encouraged as it is the most sustainable and doesn't have large transportation costs to get to market.
We should think local and for example, drink Saskatoon berry juice which is healthier instead of orange juice which is now become a heavily marketed Coca Cola agro-industrial commodity.
http://www.calgaryharvest.com

[Jimby]

Urban farming behind a growing garden revival


BY TRENT EDWARDS, CALGARY HERALD AUGUST 22, 2010



Michelle Avis opens her cupped hands. In her outstretched arms are a bunch of ripe, red strawberries. Popping one in my mouth, I bite down. The burst of sweetness makes my mouth water.

This is Avis's answer to the question of why anyone would want to carve out their lawn in favour of a food-producing garden. We are standing in a "food forest" of berry bushes, radishes and fruit trees that Avis and her husband Rob have planted in their Forest Lawn front yard. My tastebuds urge me to rush home and plant my own food forest.

After generations of urban Calgarians spent their summers chasing the idea of a perfect lawn, there is a growing trend in the city toward converting lawns into miniature farms. There has been a huge increase in the number of community gardens in the city.

. . . .

TEDWARDS@THEHERALD. CANWEST. COM

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald


http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/gardens/Urban+farming+behind+growing+garden+revival/3428534/story.html

[DizzyEdge]

^^ Really suprised that they didn't interview Paul Hughes about that.

[Xelebes]

Remember to only post an excerpt of the article, not the whole article. :)

[Vascilli]

Okay I assume at least one person here is an audiophile, so I'll ask them this: A used pair of Shure SCL5s for $125. Deal or no deal?

[bookermorgan]

Okay I assume at least one person here is an audiophile, so I'll ask them this: A used pair of Shure SCL5s for $125. Deal or no deal?

Have you checked eBay? I buy $125 vmoda buds there for $25

[Jimby]

Anybody see Weeds last week? Nancy and family had to flee California so they chose Calgary as their destination!
They didn't make it here, but it was nice to see they had good taste in hide-out cities!

[Innersoul1]

Anybody see Weeds last week? Nancy and family had to flee California so they chose Calgary as their destination!
They didn't make it here, but it was nice to see they had good taste in hide-out cities!

That's too funny! I am a couple seasons behind. What did they say about the city? Why was it their choice?

[fusili]

That's too funny! I am a couple seasons behind. What did they say about the city? Why was it their choice?

Maybe because Tommy Chong is from here, they figured they would have a good market for their product? :haha: :haha:

[Jimby]

Innersoul
****SPOILER ALERT IF YOU'RE 2 SEASONS BEHIND!***

I hate to say it but I think Stampede was the attraction. The guy at the border told them they had already missed the Stampede, so they decided to come back when it was on (as they didn't have documentation for Nancy's new baby with the Mexican druglord and couldn't enter Canada).

Fusili, Tommy was born and raised in Edmonton, but was run out of Calgary by the mayor!

[bulliver]

Maybe because Tommy Chong is from here, they figured they would have a good market for their product? :haha: :haha:

He may have lived in Calgary, but he is 'from' Edmonton. Jeez, Calgary even takes credit for Edmonton's potheads :P

[fusili]

He may have lived in Calgary, but he is 'from' Edmonton. Jeez, Calgary even takes credit for Edmonton's potheads :P

Sorry dudes. You get all credit for Tommy Chong. We get credit for Jann Arden.


Wait, that's not fair.

[bulliver]

^ I don't care for her music, but did you see her on Rick Mercer Report? She's actually pretty funny.

Edit: Here it is:

N_lqpnfn4Zc
N9YgLxa2ctI

[MalcolmTucker]

My folks are selling their place in Calgary - if you know anyone that wants to move on up to the west side, to Signal Hill, check it out.

Video Tour (http://bit.ly/adZ61P)

Listing (http://bit.ly/dzOKqN)

View from all three levels towards downtown and the Elbow Valley:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v72/165/32/120600257/n120600257_31022670_371.jpg

[Me&You]

To piggy back on Vascilli's audiophile post -

I'm looking for a new TV. I have a large room and lots of natural light. I currently have a 40" LCD and something larger is definitely needed. So far I've got my eye on the 55" Samsung 8000 series LED.

Does anyone have any advice? Is LED worth it? Is 3D worth it? What other brands should I look at? I certainly don't want to spend any more money, so if I can save money by looking at another brand, or eliminating some extras, I'm all for it!

TIA

[MalcolmTucker]

3D not worth it - the technology is in its infancy, wait a couple years (more like 5) on that one. (or whenever they start using adaptive optics to allow multiple point 3d without glasses, and at different distances and angles).

Since LED usually comes with higher end panels in the first place now, no reason to not get it - especially for a bright room. That being said, I bought a big panel for my place a couple of months ago and the modern ones with CFL backlight are pretty damn good already, and you save a lot. If you watch a lot of movies with letter boxing, and SD tv not stretched, it might be worth it to go LED.

[freeweed]

3D as it currently exists is a stupidly overrated fad that I can't believe hasn't died out yet. I've finally seen a movie done in it, and it makes things far, far worse. I wear glasses naturally so that isn't even a big deal for me (although having to have pairs for friends and putting them on every time you look at the TV... yuck). It's what the image looks like.

At its best, it *almost* enhances the movie with a feeling of true depth. At its worst, it's not only pointless, it's insanely distracting. Part of this is director's insistence in going for 1950s shots of shit flying right at you (highly annoying), but the simple fact is that 3D isn't anywhere close to THERE yet. Your eyes constantly have trouble adjusting to foreground/background blurriness and it's no wonder so many people report headaches. Again, as someone who wears glasses I'm used to weird focussing and my peripheral vision being blurry, but even I wanted to walk out of the theatre it can get so bad during action scenes.

Another annoyance is semi-reflective surfaces, where the left camera picks up a bright reflection off something but the right does not. Your eyes try to combine this into a subtly flickering mess (I have far lower tolerance to high frequency flicker than most people, I've found). It's an effect that just about never happens when you're actually looking at a real object, and it's very distracting.

I can't for the life of me understand how people continue to pay money for these. I've tried it a few times and every single time I end up watching half the movie with one eye closed. And you know what? A good movie is still damn good "flat" - our brains interpolate depth very well. A bad movie with 3D is a fucking abomination. And with most movies being not very good...

*ahem* Sorry, I just had to rant. I really truly don't see why they're still making this crap, or at least why people are still going to it. It sounded like a fun fad with Avatar but it just doesn't work. It's minorly more impressive than 3D in the 80s but not by much. And it simply isn't needed.

[Boris2k7]

*ahem* Sorry, I just had to rant. I really truly don't see why they're still making this crap, or at least why people are still going to it. It sounded like a fun fad with Avatar but it just doesn't work. It's minorly more impressive than 3D in the 80s but not by much. And it simply isn't needed.

I found the effect neat at the start of Avatar. By the end of the movie though, it was an annoyance.

[mersar]

Yep. Personally the only scenes I think work really well are ones where things are flying, though not flying at you. So parts of Avatar in that respect worked well, and I'm actually tempted to go see Legend of the Guardians in 3D just as a lot of that movie should be that type of shot. The tech does have a ways to go yet though, and directors need to get out of the mood of shooting everything in 3D just cause they can (Alice in Wonderland was a prime example of that, though the entire film was sub-par at best)

[jeffwhit]

To piggy back on Vascilli's audiophile post -

I'm looking for a new TV. I have a large room and lots of natural light. I currently have a 40" LCD and something larger is definitely needed. So far I've got my eye on the 55" Samsung 8000 series LED.

Does anyone have any advice? Is LED worth it? Is 3D worth it? What other brands should I look at? I certainly don't want to spend any more money, so if I can save money by looking at another brand, or eliminating some extras, I'm all for it!

TIA

Samsung, or Sharp. I don't think LED is worth it, (LED is just the back lighting tech, "LED" TV's are still LCD panels.) LED is going to be completely standard soon enough though. 3d, certainly not. Though, if you might be interested, there's no harm in getting a 240hz tv now to ensure you have access to it in the future. The thing is, don't go really cheap and get less than 120hz refresh rate, that way you can watch Blu-Ray in 24fps without any frame doubling. (120 being a multiple of 24.)

Oh, and at all costs avoid a glossy screen. This is going to be tricky, but unless your room is completely free of windows and any light, you will be greatly annoyed.

Also don't buy HDMI cables from wherever you buy your TV. These will suffice. (http://www.shopxscargo.com/product_catalogue/cat_product_details.asp?category_id=6&product_code=26003&sub_category_1_id=12&category=Accessories)

[Me&You]

Thanks everyone for your responses!

I've yet to see any recent 3D movies. I was wondering if, at this price point, it should be something of a 'must-have' feature, or if it was simply a gimmick. You guys have made that pretty clear ;)

Jeff - My understanding is LCD/LED is best for bright rooms, while glossy-screened Plasmas are best for dedicated (dark) theater rooms - no? I was definitely going for 240hz... It's football season with NHL just around the corner, I must have 240!

I guess I drank the BestBuy koolaid and didn't really consider that LED=LCD. My reason for getting an "LED" is that I will wall mount this TV and from an aesthetics point, I cannot stand the clunky look of a 4" deep tv on a wall... looks stupid, so I'm trying to minimize the Cliffhanger effect.

Basically, I don't want to buy into obsolescence. If everything is going to be in 3D in a couple years, I'll be kicking myself for not getting it now. On the flip-side, if 3D tech is rapidly evolving, I don't want to invest in it now if it will be wildly different in a 2 years.

Sir.Humphrey.Appleby - Which set did you recently pick up?

Any other advice guys?

Thanks so far!

[MalcolmTucker]

double post

[MalcolmTucker]

The Hz rate isn't the most important - if your response time is low enough it is really hard to tell the difference between 120 and 60 Hz even in normal use, let alone 240 and 120 hz. I ended up with a LG LD450 series - 60 Hz, 4 ms, 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. I saw lots of sets at 120 Hz with 8ms response time or more - you can certainly see the blur during sports with that, especially on a 1080i feed - basically means you end up with 16 ms response time.

A couple things I would recommend to test before mounting it on your wall once you get a unit home:
how long it takes to switch between modes
how long it takes to boot up
how long it takes to switch DTV channels (to get true HD football, and there are some on local broadcast I believe, nothing beats a digital antenna)

I would also look at your cable / sat set up. Make sure they are bringing in the 720p channels for Fox (and I think ABC) not 1080i to transmit to your set.

As for 3D - buying the sets on sale now would be to buy into obsolescence. Remember that watching a 3D program on cable or sat tv are basically in 505i or 360p since they are not building new set top hardware to carry it and integrate higher data rate HD 3D. Plus that bandwidth itself is expensive. Unless you plan on buying a bunch of 3D bluray discs, it is pretty pointless in my mind for now.

[freeweed]

A couple things I would recommend to test before mounting it on your wall once you get a unit home:
how long it takes to switch between modes
how long it takes to boot up
how long it takes to switch DTV channels (to get true HD football, and there are some on local broadcast I believe, nothing beats a digital antenna)

I would also look at your cable / sat set up. Make sure they are bringing in the 720p channels for Fox (and I think ABC) not 1080i to transmit to your set.

All of this. I find just about all specs are meaningless these days unless you want to sit with a magnifying glass and oscilloscope and analyze to the pixel what's happening. Just about all TVs (and computer monitors, for that matter) are more than "good enough" for just about every purpose, in terms of image quality. I'd be much more concerned with the actual USE of the screen, basically the points above. Also pay attention to which and how many inputs you have. It's surprising how quickly you can load them up even today. Long story short, specs are about pissing contests these days. Worry about functionality.

As for 3D - buying the sets on sale now would be to buy into obsolescence. Remember that watching a 3D program on cable or sat tv are basically in 505i or 360p since they are not building new set top hardware to carry it and integrate higher data rate HD 3D. Plus that bandwidth itself is expensive. Unless you plan on buying a bunch of 3D bluray discs, it is pretty pointless in my mind for now.

Agreed again. Considering how long HD took to become even remotely "common", and all that is is a higher resolution camera... 3D, even if it takes off (and I have serious doubts that it will) is 5-10 years away from mass acceptance. By that I mean when your average show will actually be filmed in 3D. For right now it's just a handful of movies and I don't see that changing quickly. Again, with HD it took nearly 5 years to go from "one hockey game a season in HD" to "most games in HD" - and that was just a matter of a couple of new cameras. 3D has far bigger challenges to surmount, even if the tech was perfected today - which it clearly is not, at least to my eyes. I can't see more than 10% of broadcast content being in 3D before 2020, and that's assuming the whole thing doesn't fade away like the fad it appears to me.

[kw5150]

To piggy back on Vascilli's audiophile post -

I'm looking for a new TV. I have a large room and lots of natural light. I currently have a 40" LCD and something larger is definitely needed. So far I've got my eye on the 55" Samsung 8000 series LED.

Does anyone have any advice? Is LED worth it? Is 3D worth it? What other brands should I look at? I certainly don't want to spend any more money, so if I can save money by looking at another brand, or eliminating some extras, I'm all for it!

TIA


I personally find that the LED tv's take all of the magic out of movies. The make the character hyper realistic and that ruins it for me. They are great for sports and animation but that may not the only thing you would be watching. Im not sure about the 3d TVs but I never purchase the newest technology when it comes out.

I recommend a 120hz 46-52 inch LCD TV with a non-glossy surface. They are SUPER affordable at the moment and still very good. I think they may even have 240hz as well (as stated above). You have waited just long enough to cash in on the good deals. Dont wait too much longer because they go up in price during christmas. They are also cheapest in January and February when they clear out the last year models. Happy hunting, your timing is great.

[Innersoul1]

SWEET JESUS I really need Bell to jump on the Sportsnet One train!

[Me&You]

I personally find that the LED tv's take all of the magic out of movies. The make the character hyper realistic and that ruins it for me. They are great for sports and animation but that may not the only thing you would be watching. Im not sure about the 3d TVs but I never purchase the newest technology when it comes out.

I recommend a 120hz 46-52 inch LCD TV with a non-glossy surface. They are SUPER affordable at the moment and still very good. I think they may even have 240hz as well (as stated above). You have waited just long enough to cash in on the good deals. Dont wait too much longer because they go up in price during christmas. They are also cheapest in January and February when they clear out the last year models. Happy hunting, your timing is great.

Totally agree about the hyper-real look to movies. Ive found that you can change the settings and get back to that "glossed-over" look that I think (and you seem to agree) that movies need.

I'm definitely sticking to the LED screen, if only for the slim design. 3D is out unless it happens to come with my otherwise ideal TV.

Thanks again everyone!

[kw5150]

Totally agree about the hyper-real look to movies. Ive found that you can change the settings and get back to that "glossed-over" look that I think (and you seem to agree) that movies need.

I'm definitely sticking to the LED screen, if only for the slim design. 3D is out unless it happens to come with my otherwise ideal TV.

Thanks again everyone!

Cool, good to know. I didn't know about the option for the less-realistic look. I would purchase one for sure now. They are SO slim and amazing and they use even less energy than regular LCD. You may have even chose a good time to buy the LED LCD. The have come down a bit I think....

Thanks!

[Vascilli]

So who's going to the Calgary Electronic Music Festival this Saturday? I'll probably be there most of the time.

[jeffwhit]

The Hz rate isn't the most important - if your response time is low enough it is really hard to tell the difference between 120 and 60 Hz even in normal use, let alone 240 and 120 hz.

hz rate is important to consider if 3d or blu-ray is part of the equation. Being able to watch a film in 24fps is a huge bonus for picture quality, and unless your 60hz tv can flip to 48 hz (some can, but there can be discrepancies even within a single model, with my Sharp, only a certain serial number range within the model has this feature) you'll lose out.

240hz + hdmi 1.4 is required for blu-ray 3d.

Other than that I agree with you.

[jeffwhit]

I personally find that the LED tv's take all of the magic out of movies. The make the character hyper realistic and that ruins it for me. They are great for sports and animation but that may not the only thing you would be watching. Im not sure about the 3d TVs but I never purchase the newest technology when it comes out.

Almost all TV's are set out of the box to look best in a large big box store, even with LED that is easy to fix within the settings. The reason for this is to make the picture "pop" in comparison to the myriad of competition on all sides. Of course, some people, for whatever reason, like the technicolour dreamshow look.

During my brief stint as a electronics salesman, I had a customer complain about the one decent line of speakers we sold, because when he closed his eyes he couldn't tell where the speakers were placed (this is pretty much one of the best compliments you can give a speaker) so he exchanged them for some loud, harsh shitboxes.

[freeweed]

During my brief stint as a electronics salesman, I had a customer complain about the one decent line of speakers we sold, because when he closed his eyes he couldn't tell where the speakers were placed (this is pretty much one of the best compliments you can give a speaker) so he exchanged them for some loud, harsh shitboxes.

Yeah, this one kills me. When I see people showing off their 276.1 speaker systems, I always have to ask: why do you WANT to know where each speaker is sitting? The whole point is to be SURROUNDED by sound, ie: not know where it's coming from.

Then they see my luddite-worthy system, with 3 front channels and a sub, and question my sanity because I'm not competing in the audiophile pissing contest. :haha: Well, that and the fact that I don't crank the volume loud enough to shake the windows makes people really look at me funny sometimes.

[mooky]

HD Nation on Revision3.com did a great cast about the whole Hz image quality of movies at the theater vs at home.

http://revision3.com/hdnation/appletv about 24 minutes in is the relevant content.

I could talk about it, but Robert and Patrick do a much better job.

[Riise]

Unfortunately for Corndogger, Hank H., and other faithful commentators on the Calgary Herald's website, it appears as though another social engineer has been trained-up and slated for release. This morning I got my provisional mark for my dissertation and if it gets rubber stamped by the board next week I'll be receiving my MA in Urban & Regional Planning next month! Consequently, I am drinking in my pj's!

:cheers:

[Bigtime]

Unfortunately for Corndogger, Hank H., and other faithful commentators on the Calgary Herald's website, it appears as though another social engineer has been trained-up and slated for release. This morning I got my provisional mark for my dissertation and if it gets rubber stamped by the board next week I'll be receiving my MA in Urban & Regional Planning next month! Consequently, I am drinking in my pj's!

:cheers:

Congrats! :tup:

[freeweed]

Much more importantly, look what's finally coming to Canada! (http://life.nationalpost.com/2010/10/07/kfcs-double-down-comes-to-canada-on-oct-18/)

[Bigtime]

Without even clicking that link or hovering over it I know it is about the KFC "Double Down"! Yeaah!

[YYCguys]

Unfortunately for Corndogger, Hank H., and other faithful commentators on the Calgary Herald's website, it appears as though another social engineer has been trained-up and slated for release. This morning I got my provisional mark for my dissertation and if it gets rubber stamped by the board next week I'll be receiving my MA in Urban & Regional Planning next month! Consequently, I am drinking in my pj's!

:cheers:

Many congratulations Riise! Where did you do your MA? And which company is lucky enough to have your talent on their staff?

[freeweed]

Without even clicking that link or hovering over it I know it is about the KFC "Double Down"! Yeaah!

I know! This may be the single most important news story of the year!

[Bigtime]

And it comes out the day of the election, will voter turnout end up lower due to everyone lining up for this revolution in chicken sandwiches? :haha:

[srperrycgy]

And it comes out the day of the election, will voter turnout end up lower due to everyone lining up for this revolution in chicken sandwiches? :haha:

Hmm....I think I'll vote first, then indulge......and then keel over at my desk as the stroke takes hold. Mind you, Baconators haven't killed me yet. I think walking to Wendy's or KFC helps to temper the toxicity of these yummy things. :tup:

[Bigtime]

Mmmm, Baconators...love that applewood smoked bacon on them, took it to a whole new level :slob:

[srperrycgy]

If I'm not craving Wendy's, it's still enjoyable to walk by with the smell of bacon in the air....

[DizzyEdge]

I know! This may be the single most important news story of the year!

Bahaha that's funny as I sent an email out to a bunch of coworkers titled "Best news of the year!"

[DizzyEdge]

And it comes out the day of the election, will voter turnout end up lower due to everyone lining up for this revolution in chicken sandwiches? :haha:

Nenshi should set up volunteers at every KFC.

[freeweed]

Bahaha that's funny as I sent an email out to a bunch of coworkers titled "Best news of the year!"

:haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

Good to see I'm not the only one frantically spreading the Good Word.

Corporate shill, or grease addict? You decide!

[Riise]

Many congratulations Riise! Where did you do your MA? And which company is lucky enough to have your talent on their staff?

Thanks guys!

I did my masters program at the University of Westminster. Unfortunately I'm yet to find employment as a planner and it looks like I won't in the near future. While there is a dire need for town planners in the UK, with the massive spending cuts in the public sector Councils aren't looking to hire and private firms that are looking for planners are looking for experienced planners. As such, I might head back to Canada for a while and return to the UK before the time-limit to apply for the Highly Skilled Migrant visa that I'll be eligible for upon graduation expires.

[Ayreonaut]

Mmmm, Baconators...love that applewood smoked bacon on them, took it to a whole new level :slob:

God I hope that was a joke, because the burger certainly is. There's a good chance I'll never go back to Wendy's, I'm disappointed every time I give them another shot.

[Bigtime]

Different strokes for different folks I guess. I don't mind the odd Baconator when I get the craving.

[Calgarian]

I avoid fast food at all costs, well, the burgers anyway, I eat at Subway and the like every now and then.

[Ayreonaut]

OK, so I see both SN1 and SN Sens on the guide. I really hope that doesn't mean I'll get a tonne of Sens games while missing out on 19 Flames games.

[DizzyEdge]

Herald put out a photo album of halloween ideas.. all fairly typical, but what surprised me was it included everyone's favorite autotuned singer, Antoine Dobson.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/life/Halloween+costumes+2010/3627384/story.html

[jeffwhit]

OK, so I see both SN1 and SN Sens on the guide. I really hope that doesn't mean I'll get a tonne of Sens games while missing out on 19 Flames games.

On Bell you mean?

[Ayreonaut]

On Bell you mean?

No, I have Rogers. I think I have Sportsnet Sens rather than SN Flames. I live in Newfoundland, btw.

[Ramsayfarian]

I hope the poor from the slums rise up and level the place.


"Ambani, his wife and three children have moved into the building which is named Antilia, after a mythical Island. It contains a health club with a gym and dance studio, at least one studio, a ballroom, guestrooms and a range of lounges and a 50 seater cinema.
There is even an elevated garden with ceiling space to accommodate small trees."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8063385/Indias-richest-man-Mukesh-Ambani-moves-into-630m-home.html

[jeffwhit]

No, I have Rogers. I think I have Sportsnet Sens rather than SN Flames. I live in Newfoundland, btw.

Oh, I had no idea you had moved.

[Ayreonaut]

Oh, I had no idea you had moved.

Yeah, and I now know that I won't get any Calgary games on Sportsnet. So I guess I'm missing out on ~50 Flames games this season. Maybe it's for the better though, that would be a lot of late nights and missed classes.

[jeffwhit]

Hmmm, if I were you I might go for the online option, NHL Game Center, it's not cheap, ($160 for the season) but it beats no hockey.

[MalcolmTucker]

Centre Ice would be around the same price no?

[jeffwhit]

^^Centre ice is $40 per year more. The online option has built in PVR features, so it might be a lot less costly for someone in Nfld.

[Ayreonaut]

Watching the game online right now, I'm not sure it's much of a loss not being able to watch the games. I haven't seen one good shift from the Flames all night. The PP in particular is godawful.

[jeffwhit]

^^yeah, that's probably a good plan.

[srperrycgy]

CityTV Calgary HD is now on Shaw Channel 214. Let the simsubbing commence. ;)

[DizzyEdge]

Since a lot of you are on beyond, curious what people thought about this:

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/canada/2010/10/20/15766626.html

Article about the Feds possibly banning RHD cars

[Me&You]

Since a lot of you are on beyond, curious what people thought about this:

http://www.calgarysun.com/news/canada/2010/10/20/15766626.html

Article about the Feds possibly banning RHD cars

Please, oh please be true!

[freeweed]

Seems a bit excessive. I think I've seen 10 RHD cars in my entire life on this side of the pond.

I think their higher accident rate has a lot more to do with the types of people I've seen driving them than the cars themselves. We might as well ban high performance cars in general if safety is what we're worried about.

[Ayreonaut]

Seems a bit excessive. I think I've seen 10 RHD cars in my entire life on this side of the pond.

I usually see that many each summer. There's a used car lot outside of Vernon, BC full of RHD vans (Mitsubishi Delica). I've always wondered why they were legal, I'd never feel comfortable driving one.

[Me&You]

Seems a bit excessive. I think I've seen 10 RHD cars in my entire life on this side of the pond.

I think their higher accident rate has a lot more to do with the types of people I've seen driving them than the cars themselves. We might as well ban high performance cars in general if safety is what we're worried about.

No offense, but if you've only seen 10 RHD cars, you haven't been paying attention. There's probably at least that many at each and every high school parking lot in Calgary :P

I agree, the accident rate probably has more to do with the drivers than the cars, but the vast majority of the RHD cars here are (relatively) high-performance Japanese vehicles favoured by young and inexperienced drivers. There's several problems with this -

For one, the cars are favored by young drivers because they're cheap... They're cheap because they are literally junk in Japan; they cannot legally be driven due to their age and Japanese emission regs... They're often in poor condition mechanically... Who's going to spend money on maintenance when they know they won't be driving the car in a year or two? When they arrive here, they're (generally) bought by by young people with limited budgets. It's frightening to see the number of threads on Beyond looking for "lenient" inspection shops!

Secondly, these relatively powerful cars, in questionable mechanical condition are in the hands of inexperienced drivers. I'm young enough to remember how I drove when I was 16-20 - I had the "I'm young and invincible" attitude. I'm lucky that I had a good car, in good condition, without a lot of power; I can only imagine what (additional ;)) trouble I could have got in with more power!

Add to that the fact that everything about our roads and traffic system is designed for a LHD position... They're driving on the WRONG SIDE OF THE CAR! Left hand turns, proper merging, passing on two-lane highways, all take experience and become many times more difficult from the right side.

What I'd ideally like to see is a graduated program. Have your license for, say, 5 years and qualify to drive a RHD. That would allow young drivers to gain proper experience in a LHD car and, once they reach the level of experience required, and if they still desire, they can drive a POS from Japan (though hopefully this would kill the market).

True (read more mature) collectors and enthusiasts wouldn't have to worry about a ban on their toy that they take out a couple times a year. Win-win I say.

[drew]

Seems a bit excessive. I think I've seen 10 RHD cars in my entire life on this side of the pond.

I think their higher accident rate has a lot more to do with the types of people I've seen driving them than the cars themselves. We might as well ban high performance cars in general if safety is what we're worried about.


I would argue they dangerous, and shouldn't be allowed. I guess city driving isn't bad, but what about when you drive on a 2-lane highway? How do you safely check to pass?

[mooky]

I would argue they dangerous, and shouldn't be allowed. I guess city driving isn't bad, but what about when you drive on a 2-lane highway? How do you safely check to pass?

Go toward the shoulder instead of over the center line?

I'm leaning on the side of driver, not car in most of the accident involving these cars. Sadly we can't regulate stupid.

[freeweed]

For one, the cars are favored by young drivers because they're cheap... They're cheap because they are literally junk in Japan; they cannot legally be driven due to their age and Japanese emission regs... They're often in poor condition mechanically... Who's going to spend money on maintenance when they know they won't be driving the car in a year or two? When they arrive here, they're (generally) bought by by young people with limited budgets. It's frightening to see the number of threads on Beyond looking for "lenient" inspection shops!

Huh. Most I see look to be in damned good shape, and I always assumed people purchased them because they're wanting a model you just cannot get here, LHD or otherwise. Maybe I just notice the nicer ones. :P

What I'd ideally like to see is a graduated program. Have your license for, say, 5 years and qualify to drive a RHD. That would allow young drivers to gain proper experience in a LHD car and, once they reach the level of experience required, and if they still desire, they can drive a POS from Japan (though hopefully this would kill the market).

True (read more mature) collectors and enthusiasts wouldn't have to worry about a ban on their toy that they take out a couple times a year. Win-win I say.

This I could totally go for. I know many places in North America use RHD buses (Victoria's double-deckers, for one) and I assume drivers need extra training to operate those. They seem safe enough.

Personally I think our government needs to deal with cellphones/texting long before the few RHD cars on the road, so I guess I'm just looking at this as a matter of priorities. I'm nearly sideswiped at least once a week by some texting asshat. :hell:

I know a lot of people drive LHD cars in England - do they have special licensing/training requirements for those?

[mooky]

I know a lot of people drive LHD cars in England - do they have special licensing/training requirements for those?

No, but the roads are reversed too to compensate ;)

[Riise]

Sadly we can't regulate stupid.

However, we can regulate drivers which we fail to do correctly in Canada. It is WAY too easy to get your license in Canada and the States, this is where the Feds need to start.



I know a lot of people drive LHD cars in England - do they have special licensing/training requirements for those?

Yeah, they have to prove they are more than capable of safely operating any motor vehicle...

[mooky]

However, we can regulate drivers which we fail to do correctly in Canada. It is WAY too easy to get your license in Canada and the States, this is where the Feds need to start.





Yeah, they have to prove they are more than capable of safely operating any motor vehicle...

I'm all in favor of tougher driving requirements, and even mandatory retesting if need be. Whether that is for all drivers, or after a certain age, I'm not sure. There are bad/cocky drivers at all ages, but statistically younger and elderly drivers make the worst mistakes.

[freeweed]

I'm all in favor of tougher driving requirements, and even mandatory retesting if need be. Whether that is for all drivers, or after a certain age, I'm not sure. There are bad/cocky drivers at all ages, but statistically younger and elderly drivers make the worst mistakes.

Change the driving age to 25, and seriously beef up public transit to compensate, and most vehicular deaths would stop overnight.

Of course, this would seriously screw over a lot of responsible 16-24 year olds, who are in the majority.

If we put in proper graduated licensing (zero tolerance for anything - ie: you lose your license for 2 years on any offense - until age 25?), it might help. Most younger drivers don't really care because they know they'll not actually lose their license unless they kill someone. Especially in a city like Calgary, where Mom and Dad seem all too willing to pay $5000/year for insurance just so little Johnny can keep driving.

[Innersoul1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora_RadioI wish that there was a way to Listen to Pandora Radio in Canada. While I was in the US for the past 2 weeks I had it going on my comp non stop! SOOO Awesome~!

[bookermorgan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora_RadioI wish that there was a way to Listen to Pandora Radio in Canada. While I was in the US for the past 2 weeks I had it going on my comp non stop! SOOO Awesome~!

Two Words
Proxy Server

I had hotspot shield installed on my computer. When I wanted to do US only stuff I "Protected" myself.

[freeweed]

Has that technology ever matured? I've tried "suggestion"-based music in the past and it's always been a wasted experience. The iTunes version is particularly atrocious.

Maybe my tastes just differ that much from the average person. :haha:

[MalcolmTucker]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandora_RadioI wish that there was a way to Listen to Pandora Radio in Canada. While I was in the US for the past 2 weeks I had it going on my comp non stop! SOOO Awesome~!

Pandora works at my office for some reason. Otherwise at home Groove Shark is pretty ok.

[DizzyEdge]

Article about the possibility of mandatory vehicle emissions testing in Alberta:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=186076

posting here as I don't think the Alberta & BC forum gets a lot of traffic.

[freeweed]

Awesome. Too bad it won't stop idiots in newer diesel trucks blasting out black fumes everywhere. I swear, something happens to trucks in this province to make them act like 1970s diesels when they accelerate hard.

It pains me to say it, but it's true: Calgary does have a smog problem now. We need to do something about it.

[DizzyEdge]

I'm not against mandatory testing, but as some commenters pointed out, it should definitely include diesel, and then if so, should it also include big rigs and construction equipment?

[Slug]

It should but I'm sure they (the industry) can weasel out a exemption by flexing a little job clout.