I've just finished the Earth Day edition of ZeitCast!
As it was my Earth Day edition I talked about the Earth Day festivities where I interviewed Linda Duncan. I also talked about a new organization called "Eco-Air."
Sorry, I forgot to put it on the podcast but here are the links to learn more about Linda Duncan and "Eco-Air."
Once again I had to split the podcast into two parts:
ZeitCast Earth Day Edition Part 1
ZeitCast Earth Day Edition Part 2
Public permission to use music granted by Chumbawamba and Malajube. (Malajube from 3hive.com)
Personal permission to use music granted by Geoff Berner.
For a sneak peak into next weeks edition I will be talking about the fine art of Voodoo and about "Music Monday."
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
Some Animals Braving the Cold in an April Snowstorm
I looked outside the window to my backyard. On the tree I saw an unusual sight. I saw that in the middle of a snowstorm in April five robins were braving the cold.
How many robins can you see?
Here's a close up of one.
Well - right now we have tons of snow as you can see a little bit in the picture. Hopefully it will go away soon.
How many robins can you see?
Here's a close up of one.
Well - right now we have tons of snow as you can see a little bit in the picture. Hopefully it will go away soon.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Earth Day Still Goes On
Today in many cities are the Earth Day festivities for coming up Earth Day on Tuesday.
Although Earth Day is on Tuesday, Edmonton is celebrating Earth Day today in Hawrelak Park. And it's not exactly the best weather to be hosting an outdoor festival. Today Edmontonians woke up to probably about 1 foot of snow. Of snow! It's April 20th for goodness sakes! Actually, much of western Canada had tons of snow today and yesterday. In Saskatchewan and a portion of southern Manitoba it snowed 50 cm!
Then on the other end of the spectrum, from about south-eastern Manitoba all the way to Newfoundland had temperatures in the 20's yesterday. Toronto even got it's first smog warning of the year at 24 degrees.
Yet in Edmonton there will still be the Earth Day festivities which I will be going to and maybe even getting an interview with NDP candidate Linda Duncan for ZeitCasts.
Wish me luck...
I was listening to a DNTO (Definitely not the Opera) podcast this morning about the weather. It talked about how when someone talks about the weather they are really talking about their personality. For instance - say it was -20 degrees and snowed 2 feet. Then there were two people talking about the weather and one of them was talking about how cold it was and the other was talking about how much snow there was. That would tell someone about their personalities.
Although Earth Day is on Tuesday, Edmonton is celebrating Earth Day today in Hawrelak Park. And it's not exactly the best weather to be hosting an outdoor festival. Today Edmontonians woke up to probably about 1 foot of snow. Of snow! It's April 20th for goodness sakes! Actually, much of western Canada had tons of snow today and yesterday. In Saskatchewan and a portion of southern Manitoba it snowed 50 cm!
Then on the other end of the spectrum, from about south-eastern Manitoba all the way to Newfoundland had temperatures in the 20's yesterday. Toronto even got it's first smog warning of the year at 24 degrees.
Yet in Edmonton there will still be the Earth Day festivities which I will be going to and maybe even getting an interview with NDP candidate Linda Duncan for ZeitCasts.
Wish me luck...
I was listening to a DNTO (Definitely not the Opera) podcast this morning about the weather. It talked about how when someone talks about the weather they are really talking about their personality. For instance - say it was -20 degrees and snowed 2 feet. Then there were two people talking about the weather and one of them was talking about how cold it was and the other was talking about how much snow there was. That would tell someone about their personalities.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
ZeitCast Edition #1
Well, I'm guessing that you're all wondering where I've been the past two weeks. I have a very good reason for not writing anything on my blog. It's this:
I have been trying out podcasting.
I think that podcasting is a much better was to portray my ideas so I started to make the first edition of a podcast for this blog. My podcast is called "ZeitCast" and if you listen to the podcast you'll know why.
I've also called this series of podcasts "Your Almost Weekly Podcast" because, I'm sorry, I just can't do a podcast every week.
Well, now that you know the reason start listening to it.
There's just one things, I was only able to publish 10MB at a time so the podcast is split into two sections. So once you've finished the first section, come back here and listen to the second section.
ZeitCast "Your Almost Weekly Podcast" Edition #1 Part 1
ZeitCast "Your Almost Weekly Podcast" Edition #1 Part 2 Note: There is a big space of silence right in the middle of the podcast. I should have these kinks sorted out after a few weeks.
Permission to use their music was personally granted to me by Geoff Berner, Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy and Wintersleep.
I have been trying out podcasting.
I think that podcasting is a much better was to portray my ideas so I started to make the first edition of a podcast for this blog. My podcast is called "ZeitCast" and if you listen to the podcast you'll know why.
I've also called this series of podcasts "Your Almost Weekly Podcast" because, I'm sorry, I just can't do a podcast every week.
Well, now that you know the reason start listening to it.
There's just one things, I was only able to publish 10MB at a time so the podcast is split into two sections. So once you've finished the first section, come back here and listen to the second section.
ZeitCast "Your Almost Weekly Podcast" Edition #1 Part 1
ZeitCast "Your Almost Weekly Podcast" Edition #1 Part 2 Note: There is a big space of silence right in the middle of the podcast. I should have these kinks sorted out after a few weeks.
Permission to use their music was personally granted to me by Geoff Berner, Owen Pallett of Final Fantasy and Wintersleep.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Being an UM on Air Canada
I fly a lot to different places by myself. To Winnipeg, Vancouver and some other places. Many of you probably know about the incident with West Jets VIP program (also known as Unaccompanied Minors program.) A very young kid went on a flight from, I think it was Edmonton to Toronto and stopped in Winnipeg. This part is very strange because if you are under 12 and travelling alone you can't make any stops. Anyway, no flight attendant was helping her and she was about to get of in Winnipeg if it hadn't been for a kind stranger who was sitting next to her. West Jet got lots of questions about this and how this could have happened so they shut down their VIP program for an investigation. So then I didn't really know what to do to go to Vancouver every month, but what'd you know, Air Canada now has an Unaccompanied Minors program as well.
Now here's where my story comes in. First of all I'll say this, I don't really know why I'm like this but I really don't like Air Canada. Maybe on the verge of even saying that I hate it, but that might be a bit harsh, they're only an airline. I guess I've just become used to the great customer service and over-happy flight attendants on West Jet. But I was forced to take Air Canada for my trips out to Winnipeg and Vancouver. And I said this before but they are known for their bad customer service, at least within the airline industry they are.
When I got to the Edmonton airport to take my yearly flight to Winnipeg I was forced to stand in the Air Canada line, except for, you really don't know where to stand. After being shouted at ad told that I was Air Canada Jazz not Air Canada (what's the difference?) a couple times to move over to other lines we finally made it to the right counter. Now before we go on, at West Jet, you have to wear a very official looking necklace that says VIP and holds all my information. At Air Canada though I soon found out that I'd be flying as an UM, and I don't know about you, but I'd much rather be a VIP than an UM. It sounds like I'm more of a thought than an, um, person. The rest of the trip went a little bit bumpier but I got to the ground safe.
Now I come to probably the worst customer service I have ever experienced and may be the worst I will ever experience. This time I was flying on Air Canada Tango (how many are there?) and this time the plane was humongous compared to the tiny Air Canada Jazz plane. Whenever I've been on Air Canada Jazz or West Jet by myself I've always come up to the gate when they call Pre-Boarding, like I'm supposed to. So when they called Pre-Boarding on Air Canada Tango I went up to the gate. When I told them that I was an UM they immediately said that I'd have to wait until the end. When I asked why they said that I should have come up to the gate long before Pre-Boarding. When I tried to explain that I had always come up at Pre-Boarding she just said that this was how it was always done. Keep some consistency please! So finally when everyone had gone I came up to the gate and asked them one more thing. If they could actually take me to my seat because on Air Canada Jazz they just waved me through even though I had no clue where it even was! At this she totally didn't believe me! She said, as if she knew what had happened to me before, no, that couldn't have happened. It was absolutely crazy!
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't go on Air Canada. Well, unless you have to because you're an, um, UM.
Now here's where my story comes in. First of all I'll say this, I don't really know why I'm like this but I really don't like Air Canada. Maybe on the verge of even saying that I hate it, but that might be a bit harsh, they're only an airline. I guess I've just become used to the great customer service and over-happy flight attendants on West Jet. But I was forced to take Air Canada for my trips out to Winnipeg and Vancouver. And I said this before but they are known for their bad customer service, at least within the airline industry they are.
When I got to the Edmonton airport to take my yearly flight to Winnipeg I was forced to stand in the Air Canada line, except for, you really don't know where to stand. After being shouted at ad told that I was Air Canada Jazz not Air Canada (what's the difference?) a couple times to move over to other lines we finally made it to the right counter. Now before we go on, at West Jet, you have to wear a very official looking necklace that says VIP and holds all my information. At Air Canada though I soon found out that I'd be flying as an UM, and I don't know about you, but I'd much rather be a VIP than an UM. It sounds like I'm more of a thought than an, um, person. The rest of the trip went a little bit bumpier but I got to the ground safe.
Now I come to probably the worst customer service I have ever experienced and may be the worst I will ever experience. This time I was flying on Air Canada Tango (how many are there?) and this time the plane was humongous compared to the tiny Air Canada Jazz plane. Whenever I've been on Air Canada Jazz or West Jet by myself I've always come up to the gate when they call Pre-Boarding, like I'm supposed to. So when they called Pre-Boarding on Air Canada Tango I went up to the gate. When I told them that I was an UM they immediately said that I'd have to wait until the end. When I asked why they said that I should have come up to the gate long before Pre-Boarding. When I tried to explain that I had always come up at Pre-Boarding she just said that this was how it was always done. Keep some consistency please! So finally when everyone had gone I came up to the gate and asked them one more thing. If they could actually take me to my seat because on Air Canada Jazz they just waved me through even though I had no clue where it even was! At this she totally didn't believe me! She said, as if she knew what had happened to me before, no, that couldn't have happened. It was absolutely crazy!
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't go on Air Canada. Well, unless you have to because you're an, um, UM.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
China Suprises Everyone
China surprised everyone last week when they were in first place at the Ford World Women's Curling Championship in Vernon, BC. The China team is very new at these games as their first time at the World's was in 2005, and they never really did well... This year though they proved everyone who thought that they would be the same this year wrong when they beat the Canadian team twice in a row and ended up in first place. Everything turned around though in the final game when Canada ended up in first place with the Gold metal after a nervous start to the game by China. Canada though fought hard through all the games and came out first. Jennifer Jones, skip for the Canadian team was the second skip to bring Canada the gold on Canadian soil. Really all around it was a big surprise because the Japan team also did surprisingly well. It looked like it would be an all Asian final when Canada and Japan were battling it out to see who would go and try to beat China. But after that game Japan's standings dropped when the Switzerland team beat Japan to get the Bronze metal. Usually I'm not very interested in watching the curling games but this time I actually found it quite interesting. And it was also exciting to see a Canadian team win.
Calgary Shows How They Really Feel During Earth Hour
Last Saturday, as some of you may know, was Earth Hour. This is an hour where everyone is asked to turn off all their lights, appliances and other power generating electronics. Lots of people thought that none of this would really actually help the environment or reduce emissions(including me.) But we were proved wrong when they came out with the results of Earth Hour.
Before I show the results I should say that people really did do a lot about this Earth Hour. For instance in Toronto they held a whole Earth Hour festival in the dark. Nellie Furtado performed there, but of course acoustic. One small town in BC reduced their emissions by 100%! This was by gathering the whole population of the town in one big house.
Here is the percent of energy saved during Earth Hour in other, bigger, BC cities:
Abbotsford: 1.1%
Burnaby: 2.7%
Coquitlam: 5.6%
Delta: 2.9%
Langley: 2.6%
Maple Ridge: 2%
New Westminster: 1.4%
North Vancouver: 7%
Port Coquitlam: 6.7%
Prince George: 0.2%
Richmond: 2.7%
Surrey: 2%
Vancouver: 3.5%
Victoria: 2.6%
Source: BC Hydro
Now comes the sad part - the really sad part. The reason that the headline for this is how this is as it is is because Calgary in fact raised instead of reduced it's emissions. Even though Calgary was officially supposed to be involved in Earth Hour many people said that there was a much more important thing going on on that Saturday - The Battle of Alberta. The hockey game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames.
So that's how it is. Many good things came of Earth Hour, but there were also some disappointments.
Before I show the results I should say that people really did do a lot about this Earth Hour. For instance in Toronto they held a whole Earth Hour festival in the dark. Nellie Furtado performed there, but of course acoustic. One small town in BC reduced their emissions by 100%! This was by gathering the whole population of the town in one big house.
Here is the percent of energy saved during Earth Hour in other, bigger, BC cities:
Abbotsford: 1.1%
Burnaby: 2.7%
Coquitlam: 5.6%
Delta: 2.9%
Langley: 2.6%
Maple Ridge: 2%
New Westminster: 1.4%
North Vancouver: 7%
Port Coquitlam: 6.7%
Prince George: 0.2%
Richmond: 2.7%
Surrey: 2%
Vancouver: 3.5%
Victoria: 2.6%
Source: BC Hydro
Now comes the sad part - the really sad part. The reason that the headline for this is how this is as it is is because Calgary in fact raised instead of reduced it's emissions. Even though Calgary was officially supposed to be involved in Earth Hour many people said that there was a much more important thing going on on that Saturday - The Battle of Alberta. The hockey game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames.
So that's how it is. Many good things came of Earth Hour, but there were also some disappointments.
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