tagged w/ Calgary
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July 9, 2011
From the pages of the Toronto Sun
CALGARY - A horse has been put down after it suffered an injury on the opening night of the Stampede.
The Rangeland Derby got off to rough start — Rookie driver Cliff Cunningham’s right wheel horse went down with a broken leg going into Turn 2 and Cunningham was forced to pull his wagon to a stop.
Stampede spokesman Doug Fraser said the veterinary team was on the scene immediately.
“During the fifth race, one of Cliff Cunningham’s horses suffered a broken leg,” Fraser said.
“This is considered a catastrophic injury, and the vet made the decision to euthanize the animal immediately.”
Fraser said the type of injury the horse suffered is not uncommon in the racing world.
“It’s one of the most common types of musculo-skeletal injuries that you’ll see with thoroughbred racing,” he said.
“It’s not just with chuckwagon racing. “But we will send a blood sample out to toxicology to determine if there were any contributing factors.”
The Stampede cut the number of outriders in half in an attempt to reduce the number of equine casualties. Every outriding horse finished Friday night’s races without issue.
“With all the different measures we’ve taken over the past year to increase animal safety, we are greatly saddened by what happened.
“We’ll review all the circumstances to see if there’s anything that could have been done differently and to see if we can learn from it.”
.July 9, 2011
From the pages of the Toronto Sun
CALGARY - A horse has... more
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IN-FEST ‘93
This three day event, IN-FEST ’93 was an ‘Independent Music and Arts Festival’ of notable proportions for Southern Alberta in the early 90’s and even by today’s standards.
Carrying headlining acts such as THE RAMONES & BAD BRAINS, supported by over 40 or more other bands throughout the three day event, this festival should be noted not only in Alberta, but Canadian Music History as well.
As fans and musicians alike flooded the area of High River, in fact the festival population exceeded the population of High River over night. ‘Tent-cities’ went up in a matter of hours, with fire-pits and lawn chairs. The sound of ghetto-blasters and acoustic guitars was everywhere. It was Woodstock for punk rockersIN-FEST ‘93
This three day event, IN-FEST ’93 was an ‘Independent... more
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Calgary Herald - Poor weather, a drop in attendance, six horse deaths and a midway accident that injured 10 were some "challenges" to this year's Calgary Stampede, the head of the annual event said this morning.
But Stampede chairman David Chalack said there was also cause to celebrate as park guests reported the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth met or exceeded their expectations this year and there was an increase in out-of-town visitors hitting the grounds.
"There were some challenges," Chalack said this morning at a press conference, noting there is something to be learned from every incident.
He said the organization's thoughts are with Amy Carver, who was injured during the cattle penning competition when her horse collapsed and rolled on her, as well as the teens hurt when the midway ride they were on crashed to the ground. Six of them were sent to hospital.
Read more:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/Despite+challenges+Stampede+boss+sees+positives+this+year+event/3296602/story.htmlCalgary Herald - Poor weather, a drop in attendance, six horse deaths and a midway... more
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CBC - The cost of renting a monthly parking stall in downtown Calgary has reached $453.38, making it the priciest in Canada and among the most expensive in the world.
On the worldwide list of parking costs, Calgary is now ranked at number 14, the only Canadian city to make the list.
Toronto is ranked number 2 on the Canadian list, with the median monthly parking cost pegged at $336.25.
Montreal places third at $280.62.
The median monthly parking rate across Canada is $224.10, while the median daily rate is $14.83.
According to Colliers, a commercial real estate firm that calculates Canadian parking costs each year, Canadian drivers are going to be squeezed even more in the future.
"Parking garages are the only commercial real estate sub-sectors that seemed to remain stable even during an economic turmoil," noted Wayne Duong, the research director for Colliers International in Canada.
Over the past year, parking rates increased by 2.2 per cent, a moderate hike compared with the 9.9 per cent jump in Canadian parking costs in the previous year's survey.
Read more:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/07/19/con-parking-costs.htmlCBC - The cost of renting a monthly parking stall in downtown Calgary has reached... more
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CBC - The company that owns and operates a midway ride that malfunctioned at the Calgary Stampede was investigated last year for a roller-coaster mishap, CBC News has learned.
Ten people were injured on the Scorpion on Friday night when one of the pods came off while it was about 10 metres in the air and then crashed to the ground. The ride features rotating pods at the end of long mechanical arms that rise and fall as the ride spins.
North American Midway Entertainment, the owner and operator of the ride, called the incident "unprecedented."
But last year, a roller-coaster car at the Stampede released prematurely and ran into the back of another.
Eight people suffered minor injuries, including a child who was taken to the Alberta Children's Hospital, said Chris Tye, executive director of safety services for Alberta Municipal Affairs.
Despite the two incidents, Tye said, the number of accidents with midway rides in Alberta is low.
"We believe that records show that rides are safe in Alberta. We have a system in place that provides for professionals to inspect these rides prior to operation."
Read more:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/07/19/calgary-stampede-midway-ride-scorpion-roller-coaster-inspection-hurt.htmlCBC - The company that owns and operates a midway ride that malfunctioned at the... more
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660News - As the Stampede continues, a campaign has been launched stateside telling Americans not to come to Alberta.
Billboards asking tourists to rethink their travel plans to Alberta rolled out across four major U.S. cities Wednesday, marking the first wave of a multi-year ad campaign aimed at painting Alberta as one of the world's dirtiest destinations.
There's also an online component to the campaign.
San Francisco-based Corporate Ethics International compares Alberta's tar sands with the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Michael Marx, head of the firm, says the ad will urge would-be visitors to reconsider traveling to the province.
"Alberta is spending millions to brand itself as an environmentally-friendly destination for tourists, when in fact we think it's the most environmentally-unfriendly place in North America because of the tar sands," he says.
The first phase of the campaign includes large billboards in Denver, Portland, Seattle and Minneapolis.
The next wave of the campaign will be launched in two weeks in the U.K.
Via: http://www.660news.com/news/local/article/77392--anti-alberta-campaign-launched-by-u-s-firm660News - As the Stampede continues, a campaign has been launched stateside telling... more
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AutoBlog - By the end of this year, Calgary utility company Enmax Corporation will begin piecing together one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) test fleets in all of Canada. More than 400 Enmax employees have displayed interest in driving EVs and the company is more than eager to please its workers. Enmax brings energy to more than 600,000 Canadian residents and is strongly committed to advancement in alternative energy programs.
Mitsubishi will supply its i-MiEV to the fleet while Toronto Electric will bring its A2B EV prototype along. Additional EVs will join in on the action during the next four years. The long-term trial will help automakers and energy providers determine EV charging behavior, energy demands, range limitations and more. It must be nice for the Enmax employees who displayed an interest in driving EVs; like magic, their company will whip up 100 vehicles for them to use. Now, if only it was that simple for the rest of us
Via:
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/07/12/calgary-utility-company-enmax-will-use-100-electric-vehicles-in/
Read More:
http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2010/07/calgary-utility-to-test-100-electric-vehicles-including-i-mievs-by-year-end.htmlAutoBlog - By the end of this year, Calgary utility company Enmax Corporation will... more
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http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/bermuda-shorts-day/16afjsggn
Bermuda Shorts day is a decades-old tradition at the University of Calgary. A recent unsanctioned addition, couch races is an event that many students chose to start the day out with.
"Hundreds of students gathered Friday morning on the toboggan hill in St. Andrews Heights near the school to celebrate Bermuda Shorts Day. The boozy annual tradition features couch surfing, where students jump on modified sofas to race down the hill."
-CBC.cahttp://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/bermuda-shorts-day/16afjsggn
Bermuda Shorts day... more
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People call things FAILs, when they aren’t FAILworthy at all. I attempt to find WINness in everything. This is another edition of some FAILs that I don’t think are really FAILs.
There is no way that this is a FAIL. The composition is incredible! The magenta borders really accent the figure's thighs.
At this level of competitive gameplay, your opponents will distract you with anything they can think of. If you succumb to that alleged-WIN in the corner, you will FAIL.
These firefighters are hardworking professionals. They work long hours, to do jobs most of us couldn't. But lunch starts at noon, everyday. No exceptions!
I know you think puns are stupid, but that's when humans think of them. It's amazing that this cat can even comprehend puns, let alone write one. She calls this performance "CAT-ctus". What further brilliance can we expect from this tiny feline?
This picture points out the inadequacies of the tenure system at American universities. Facts change over time, and professors must adapt. I say hire new instructors, so we can finally find out what 4 & 3 make.
I know you don't support Canadian autonomy, but this is a joke. The owners of this laminated sheet are humorously noting the nuances of Canadian English. You should learn for yourself. One day you might want to convince a girl from Edmonton, that you're from Calgary, and you do not want to slip up.
Hey buddy don't worry, you're still safe. That's not her real mouth. She's just wearing a mask with a cartoon face on it. She's not going to infect you.
Catch up on your FAILs that aren’t FAILS.
- Some FAILs that I don't think are FAILs #16
- SFTIDTAF #15
- SFTIDTAF #14
- SFTIDTAF #13
- SFTIDTAF #12
- More STIDTAF
People call things FAILs, when they aren’t FAILworthy at all. I attempt to find... more
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For those of you who have been waiting for a lower end Droid phone on Verizon, well, your lucky day is soon to be here.For those of you who have been waiting for a lower end Droid phone on Verizon, well,... more
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By now you probably know about the Droid, the iPhone competition that Motorola is rolling out. However, they are also bringing another low-end Google Android phone to Verizon as well.By now you probably know about the Droid, the iPhone competition that Motorola is... more
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I am grateful to Mr. Don Harkins the editor of THE IDAHO OBSERVER, (USA) and her associates Ms. Anne Wilder Chamberlain to help me prepare my story.
The following short note comes from them:-
KHALID
When we first began corresponding with Khalid Awan in 2007, we had no idea why he was serving time in U.S federal prison.We soon discovered Awan was one of the first of thousands of Muslims taken prisoner in the post-9/11 U.S "terror War". As the story began unfolding in our letters, we began to realize that this honest, humble and sincere man was not only innocent, but the ongoing injustice being done to him provides critical insight into the mindless, mean-spirited, bureaucratic-yes-men idiocy fueling the illegal U.S. "War on Terror" (and just about everything else that is going wrong in this country). At our insistence, Awan wrote his story and supplied us with whatever documents we requested. And now, after three months of cooperative efforts, the story of Khalid Awan can be told. We have come to know Awan as a peaceful man engaged in peaceful work, who has been wrongfully accused, detained and repeatedly convicted of crimes he did not commit because he was a Muslim with international connections and an office in New York on 9/11. Anyone who might of the Muslim belief, especially a person raised overseas who has difficulty understanding our language and our corrupt judicial system, can be arrested and detained indefinitely in this country, certainly without a trial before a jury of his peers. Khalid is one of these Muslims.
We present this to you in faith that you will realize a deeper understanding of the levels of complicity necessary for the "land of free" to tolerate the phony war on terror year after year and in hope that Awan --- and all the other million or more political prisoners being held by this country---will one day be reunited with their families.
(Thanks from the bottom of my heart to you, Mr. Don Harkin and Ms. Anne W. Chaimberlain for your devoted, caring attention in helping me expose my plight and injustices being suffered by myself and others. Your humanitarian devotion, on-going help and attitude truly an inspiration to me in my life!)
Khalid Qayyum Awan (From USA Federal Prison)
CONTACT OR MAILING ADDRESS IS GIVEN BELOW
Khalid Awan # 50959-054
USP Marion
P.O.BOX : 1000
Marion, IL 62959
USA
http://khalidawancanadian.today.com/
http://awankhalid.com/,I am grateful to Mr. Don Harkins the editor of THE IDAHO OBSERVER, (USA) and her... more
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If you've ever planned to visit Calgary, Alberta Canada, you likely wondered what there may be to see and do. Why not get ideas from a local, instead of just a standard web search of "attractions"? Austin Q emailed me from the heart of Calgary, a place he loves to call home. He came up with his list of top 10 recommended places to visit in Calgary after reading my blog post of places to visit in Seattle.If you've ever planned to visit Calgary, Alberta Canada, you likely wondered what... more
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Alberta’s largest city, Calgary can be found in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The first city in Canada to host the Winter Olympics – and featuring a typically cold and snowy winter climate – it is now a well-known ski and winter activity haven. The city’s best-known attraction is the Calgary Stampede; a large annual outdoor rodeo. Calgary is also home to a beautiful natural landscape, exemplified in Banff National Park – Canada’s first national park. In this video, we continues our travel series with a look at Calgary, Alberta Canada.Alberta’s largest city, Calgary can be found in the foothills of the Rocky... more
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A car made of hemp may sound like someone's wacky fantasy, but it's as real as General Motors' bankruptcy. Motive Industries in Calgary is building a vehicle using panels and other parts made of a hemp fibre material that's lighter and cheaper than glass fibre. It's being put together to try to win the$10 millionXPrizecompetition for the car thatA car made of hemp may sound like someone's wacky fantasy, but it's as real... more
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The Canadian housing market could face a similar housing bust to the United States, particularly in more bubbly markets as Vancouver and Calgary, said Robert Shiller, the University of Yale professor who predicted both the 1990s stock market boom and bust and the U.S. housing slump.The Canadian housing market could face a similar housing bust to the United States,... more
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For Manniecar Dagpin Senillo, marrying "a Western man" was a transaction, a tool to improve her life and that of her family in the Philippines.
And that's what the 25-year-old woman said she and her Canadian husband, businessman George Spiller, had agreed on when they met two years ago on an Internet website popular with Filipinas looking for men in the West.
After half a year of phone and email correspondence, the couple wed in November 2006 on Spiller's first visit to the Philippines.
Despite a 32-year age gap and, according to Senillo, disapproval from his Toronto family, Spiller sponsored her. She joined him in Calgary in August 2007. But her dream for a new life was short-lived.
Spiller, 56, died of alcohol poisoning a month later. Although foul play was not suspected, the widow is now being accused by Spiller's family of entering a marriage of convenience and may have her permanent resident status revoked and be sent back to her impoverished homeland.
Senillo says the complaint against her to Immigration Canada stems from her having left Spiller's Calgary home just before his death and not attending his funeral. In addition, she applied for all her Canadian ID in the Toronto area with help of an aunt and uncle, instead of through her residence in Calgary.
In February, months after her husband's sudden death, Citizenship and Immigration Canada told Senillo, who now lives with her aunt in Whitby, that she was under investigation.
At issue is whether she was in a genuine relationship.
She said she had become afraid of her husband, who turned into a different person after her arrival in Canada, "smoking and being drunk all the time."
"But I knew little about him," admitted Senillo, who used to be a waitress and now works at a fast-food chain.
She said it wasn't until she saw an obituary by Spiller's family that she learned her husband had two sons from an earlier marriage. A coroner's report later revealed his history of "chronic ethanol abuse, smoking, hypertension and depression," something Senillo said she was not aware of.
A Status of Women Canada report has documented the emerging number of Filipina "mail-order brides" brought to Canada since the 1990s. It is estimated several thousand Filipina brides now live in Canada.
Senillo's aunt, Janeth, and uncle, Tom Werry, insisted their niece entered the marriage in good faith. Werry said he paid for his distraught niece's airfare to come to Whitby after learning of Spiller's drinking problem. The separation was not intended to be permanent, he added. Werry also reported his niece's reasons for leaving Calgary to the RCMP and to Calgary police; he said he was concerned about her immigration status upon leaving her husband. He said Senillo didn't have the money to fly back to Calgary for Spiller's funeral.
In Spiller's will, dated March of last year, Senillo was named the beneficiary of the deceased's life insurance policies, registered retirement and pension plans. It is currently being handled by the executor, one of Spiller's friends.For Manniecar Dagpin Senillo, marrying "a Western man" was a transaction, a... more
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After nearly eight years, the longest running complaint against the Calgary Police Service has ended with a rare public apology from the chief to a family who was the victim of a botched drug raid.
In a reconciliation of sorts, Nancy Killian Constant and her husband Fernand have agreed to withdraw their ongoing complaints with the Calgary Police Commission and Law Enforcement Review Board, while also settling their civil lawsuit over the search warrant gone wrong.
The family's persistence and refusal to drop the case led to mounting legal costs for both sides, but resulted in significant changes in how the police department obtains search warrants and put the spotlight on how allegations of police misconduct are handled.
"We apologize to the Killian Constant family for all the trauma and grief that came upon them as a result of a search warrant," police Chief Rick Hanson said Tuesday in a dramatic turnaround from his predecessor, who vigorously defended the department and its officers.
"We made a mistake. We've put a lot of work into identifying and fixing the problems. . . . It shouldn't have happened."
Neither side could speak about the terms of an out-of-court settlement, but both agreed it was a satisfactory resolution and said it's time to move on.
"The last eight years have been extremely difficult," said Nancy Killian Constant, whose complaint became a lightning rod for changes in how allegations of misconduct are handled.
"The initial event had a huge impact on every aspect of our lives, right from our personal lives to our business.
"It's a huge weight lifted.
"Today, I'm inspired and impressed with the Calgary Police Service."
It was a quiet evening in September 2000 when Nancy Killian Constant opened her door and came face-to-face with a police officer pointing a gun at her head.
The door, she later complained to police, was violently jerked from her grip.
The woman was forced backward into the home, where her husband, 89-year-old grandmother and family lawyer were sitting.
Several other officers stormed past her and began a search, the commotion waking her 12-year-old son upstairs, whom she alleged was ordered to the floor at gunpoint when he emerged from his room.
With the couple's other three small children asleep in their beds, the officers proceeded to search the home for evidence of a marijuana grow operation. Problem was, there wasn't one. And the information that police used to obtain the search warrant turned out to be false, the source of it a landlord with whom the family had been feuding.
The family lodged a complaint. After two years, they received a letter from then police chief Jack Beaton, acknowledging mistakes were made. At least one officer received a minor reprimand, and Beaton said he was sorry in writing, but Nancy Killian Constant wanted more.
She took her case to the Law Enforcement Review Board, the police commission and even took on Beaton, alleging he didn't properly investigate the case.
For his part, Beaton maintained the officers weren't negligent, defending himself and the service.
At one point during the family's legal odyssey, the Law Enforcement Review Board -- where citizens can take their complaints if unhappy with how the police or its oversight body have dealt with them -- ordered the couple to pay $5,000 to cover part of the police department's legal bill.
The ruling, which called the couple's efforts vexatious and frivolous, came despite the surfacing of an internal police memo that suggested the grounds used to obtain the search warrant on the family's home were based on notes altered by an officer.After nearly eight years, the longest running complaint against the Calgary Police... more
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The annual parade launches the 10-day event. At the helm of the parade was Patsy Rodgers, who was crowned the Stampede's first queen in 1946.The annual parade launches the 10-day event. At the helm of the parade was Patsy... more
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