So, another week at CalgaryUrbanite, another revelation I have to share with everyone. Last week I mentioned how we are all driving the Oil Sands business whether we like developing them or not.  Well this week I drop an even bigger bombshell (We are entering the Fall sweeps season after all).  Forget the latest Ponzi-Scheme bust in Calgary, we are part of the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.]]> http://calgaryurbanite.com/post/crossiron_mills http://calgaryurbanite.com/post/crossiron_mills Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:39:28 -0700 Derek McBurneysadsa

Alberta hasn't had a new shopping mall built in twenty years.  This isn't because Albertans hate shopping malls, quite the contrary, our malls are some of the most popular locations in the province.  The lack of new shopping malls in Alberta boils down to (like so many other things) making money.  Shopping malls are expensive to build and strip mall retail centers are considerably cheaper.  Sure, they lack roofs and you have to drive from one end to another just to get to all the stores, but the people will still come, enclosed mall or not.  Why?  Because with developers building poorly designed suburbs in search of a better bottom line and people looking to live in a house a little bigger than their means buying into them, these strip malls are often the only shopping available that is anywhere near.  Everyone wins, well, except your gas tank, and the environment.  But you get a quiet neighbourhood and the developers maximize their profits.

When I found out CrossIron Mills was defying the trend and being built as an enclosed shopping mall, I got excited.]]> http://calgaryurbanite.com/post/powered_bicycles_now_with_less_hassles http://calgaryurbanite.com/post/powered_bicycles_now_with_less_hassles Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:31:39 -0700 Cody Torgerson

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As of July 1st, you will no longer need a license or insurance or registration for a power-assisted bicycle (a helmet is still required though). This is in effect for all power bicycles that have an 500 watt electric motor and have a top speed of 32 km/h.]]>

There's probably two things you can talk to any Calgarian about to fit in.  The first is the weather.  You can fit in with any Calgarian talking about the weather because you can make statements and get an expected response back, like they were an old friend.  "Man, this winter just never ends" usually yields a "No kidding".  It feels good to know what a stranger in the elevator or at the checkout will most likely say... it's like you get them.  You suddenly have confidence talking to members of the opposite sex that you never had before because you know they'll appreciate your anecdote about how the weather sucks here (getting to a new line of conversation after the weather is the tricky part, and I wish all CalgaryUrbanite readers good luck in your romantic endeavours). 

The other sure fire line of conversation on which Calgarians relate is of course, our public transit.]]> http://calgaryurbanite.com/post/no_one_said_this_would_be_easy http://calgaryurbanite.com/post/no_one_said_this_would_be_easy Mon, 09 Mar 2009 21:45:58 -0700 Derek McBurneysadsa

Sometimes making the right decisions to help out the environment can be easy.  Sometimes it's tough.]]> http://calgaryurbanite.com/post/between_a_rock_and_a_hard_place http://calgaryurbanite.com/post/between_a_rock_and_a_hard_place Mon, 02 Mar 2009 01:54:18 -0800 Kurt

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So it’s been 2 months since I’ve returned from an almost 3 year experience in Pakistan and India. So much has changed for me, that even still I find re-adapting to the Canadian culture difficult.]]>