25 March 2012
March 31, 2012
31/03/2012 03:24
Welcome To SAP And Good Morning!
Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa hot coffee and spend 10 minutes to start your day with St. Albert's only daily news site.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
$tarbuck$: Dark Cloud Hangs Over Council
A story in today's St. Albert Gazette has cast yet another shadow over the city's messy $tarbuck$ deal in $ervu$ Place.
Excerpts from the story:
Reports detail nature of arrangement between city, Starbucks and restaurant
"Depending on who you ask, the city is, might be, or is not subsidizing Skybox Grill, the restaurant located at Servus Credit Union Place, under a lease that was renegotiated when the city purchased its Starbucks licence.
But documents obtained by the Gazette indicate the restaurant does benefit financially from the arrangement.
City of St. Albert documents, obtained off the city's public website by the Gazette, indicate that a renegotiated lease with Skybox Grill, combined with the city's sub-leasing floor space from the restaurant owners for its Starbucks concession in Servus Credit Union Place, has created a financial benefit for the Skybox restaurant. Acting city manager Chris Jardine says the benefit is not, however, the rumoured $80,000."
Read the entire Gazette story here: Skybox Grill benefits from lease deal
St. Albert's Place has had a copy of that confidential material for weeks, without those blacked out censored bits in the official city release.
What remains unclear from reading them, is whether the $80,000, clearly stated in those documents despite the city's denial, is a one time payment or does it continue annually for the length of the lease? If one checks the documents, it certainly appears that the cost will be born for at least five years, bringing the cost of the deal to over $400,000. If that five year period is correct, and it might be longer, it would be in addition to the $280,000 the mayor and council claimed it would cost taxpayers. Did city council actually spend nearly $680,000 or even more?
Did the city deliberately withhold the information from taxpayers cloaked under some misguided privacy policy? The mayor continues to hide behind that policy and refuses comment, but at least one councillor believes the city is wrong in making such a policy.
Councillor Cam MacKay has gone on the record as supporting all costs of business deals the city makes, with any business for any reason should be up front, in public and debated in an open council meeting.
Three cheers for MacKay as well as councillor Malcolm Parker, the only other council member to oppose the $tarbuck$ deal.
What the $tarbuck$ at $ervu$ Place fiasco appears to have done though, is erode the confidence of the citizens of this city in Mayor Crouse and the four members of council who approved this back-room deal.
St. Albert Steel Likely Leaving $ervu$ Place
But Was New Sponsor Informed Of Move?
Second AJHL Team Likely
Leaving $ervu$ Place
The score now reads AJHL 2 - St. Albert 0
The worst kept secret in St. Albert was made official yesterday when the AJHL announced the St. Albert Steel is seeking permission from the league to move the team to Whitecourt.
This coming mere days after the city announced it has a new sponsor for Performance Arena in $ervu$ Place, the home ice surface of the team.
Was the city forthright with the new arena sponsor to inform them that the major draw to that arena was pulling out? That was the burning question on SAP's Live Chat yesterday afternoon when the news was announced.
It is but one more question that the city needs to answer, but likely will once again hide behind that misguided privacy policy.
No financial details were made public by the city about the deal. Nor was any mention made of the rumoured departure of another auto dealership as a sponsor from $ervu$ Place.
The only information provided was that Sturgeon County was also dropping their $100,000 per year sponsorship in $ervu$ Place.
So, mayor and council, what's the bottom line? Did the new sponsor cough up enough cash to replace the total sponsorship lost by Sturgeon county and that other dealership? Are we ahead of the game or in a negative position so taxpayers will have to dig deeper to cover even more of the operating costs of $ervu$ Place?
Oh, sorry, we can't ask can we? After all, it's public money, but cloaked in secrecy in deals made behind closed doors.
Sponsoring anything in $ervu$ Place is a huge risk for any business as nearly half of local residents still have a deep resentment of a white elephant they voted against building.
A sponsor is much more likely to lose more sales than it gains by making such an arrangement with the city in $ervu$ Place as a result of that resentment.
Is The Easter Bunny Is Getting Ready?
Well, he may not be THE Easter Bunny, but he is kind of cute. This guy was caught by the lens of fishing columnist Paul C near the Ron Hodgson used car lot on the St. Albert Trail.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
RIM sale would not be blocked by Ottawa - CBC
Winning mega Millions ticket sold in Maryland - CNN
Harper spokesman Persichilli stepping down - CTV
Pilot dies following helicopter crash - Edmonton Journal
Poll: Wildrose continues wild rise - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
An interesting dessert idea . . .
He's
My
Hero!
Two-Year-Old Jailhouse Rocker
This one is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Give the little guy a hand As well As O.R. in Nipawin, SK. for finding this gem!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tonight At LB's Pub
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
$tarbuck$: Dark Cloud Hangs Over Council
A story in today's St. Albert Gazette has cast yet another shadow over the city's messy $tarbuck$ deal in $ervu$ Place.
Excerpts from the story:
Reports detail nature of arrangement between city, Starbucks and restaurant
"Depending on who you ask, the city is, might be, or is not subsidizing Skybox Grill, the restaurant located at Servus Credit Union Place, under a lease that was renegotiated when the city purchased its Starbucks licence.
But documents obtained by the Gazette indicate the restaurant does benefit financially from the arrangement.
City of St. Albert documents, obtained off the city's public website by the Gazette, indicate that a renegotiated lease with Skybox Grill, combined with the city's sub-leasing floor space from the restaurant owners for its Starbucks concession in Servus Credit Union Place, has created a financial benefit for the Skybox restaurant. Acting city manager Chris Jardine says the benefit is not, however, the rumoured $80,000."
Read the entire Gazette story here: Skybox Grill benefits from lease deal
What remains unclear from reading them, is whether the $80,000, clearly stated in those documents despite the city's denial, is a one time payment or does it continue annually for the length of the lease? If one checks the documents, it certainly appears that the cost will be born for at least five years, bringing the cost of the deal to over $400,000. If that five year period is correct, and it might be longer, it would be in addition to the $280,000 the mayor and council claimed it would cost taxpayers. Did city council actually spend nearly $680,000 or even more?
Did the city deliberately withhold the information from taxpayers cloaked under some misguided privacy policy? The mayor continues to hide behind that policy and refuses comment, but at least one councillor believes the city is wrong in making such a policy.
Councillor Cam MacKay has gone on the record as supporting all costs of business deals the city makes, with any business for any reason should be up front, in public and debated in an open council meeting.
Three cheers for MacKay as well as councillor Malcolm Parker, the only other council member to oppose the $tarbuck$ deal.
What the $tarbuck$ at $ervu$ Place fiasco appears to have done though, is erode the confidence of the citizens of this city in Mayor Crouse and the four members of council who approved this back-room deal.
St. Albert Steel Likely Leaving $ervu$ Place
But Was New Sponsor Informed Of Move?
Leaving $ervu$ Place
The score now reads AJHL 2 - St. Albert 0
The worst kept secret in St. Albert was made official yesterday when the AJHL announced the St. Albert Steel is seeking permission from the league to move the team to Whitecourt.
This coming mere days after the city announced it has a new sponsor for Performance Arena in $ervu$ Place, the home ice surface of the team.
Was the city forthright with the new arena sponsor to inform them that the major draw to that arena was pulling out? That was the burning question on SAP's Live Chat yesterday afternoon when the news was announced.
It is but one more question that the city needs to answer, but likely will once again hide behind that misguided privacy policy.
No financial details were made public by the city about the deal. Nor was any mention made of the rumoured departure of another auto dealership as a sponsor from $ervu$ Place.
The only information provided was that Sturgeon County was also dropping their $100,000 per year sponsorship in $ervu$ Place.
So, mayor and council, what's the bottom line? Did the new sponsor cough up enough cash to replace the total sponsorship lost by Sturgeon county and that other dealership? Are we ahead of the game or in a negative position so taxpayers will have to dig deeper to cover even more of the operating costs of $ervu$ Place?
Oh, sorry, we can't ask can we? After all, it's public money, but cloaked in secrecy in deals made behind closed doors.
Sponsoring anything in $ervu$ Place is a huge risk for any business as nearly half of local residents still have a deep resentment of a white elephant they voted against building.
A sponsor is much more likely to lose more sales than it gains by making such an arrangement with the city in $ervu$ Place as a result of that resentment.
Is The Easter Bunny Is Getting Ready?
Well, he may not be THE Easter Bunny, but he is kind of cute. This guy was caught by the lens of fishing columnist Paul C near the Ron Hodgson used car lot on the St. Albert Trail.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
RIM sale would not be blocked by Ottawa - CBC
Winning mega Millions ticket sold in Maryland - CNN
Harper spokesman Persichilli stepping down - CTV
Pilot dies following helicopter crash - Edmonton Journal
Poll: Wildrose continues wild rise - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
An interesting dessert idea . . .
He's
My
Hero!
Two-Year-Old Jailhouse Rocker
This one is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Give the little guy a hand As well As O.R. in Nipawin, SK. for finding this gem!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tonight At LB's Pub
Bubba Doesn't Pay
31/03/2012 03:24
No problems for the first few stops - a few people got on, a few got off, and things went generally well.
At the next stop, however, a big hulk of a Bubba got on. Six feet four, built like a wrestler, arms hanging down to the ground.
He glared at the conductor and said, "Bubba doesn't pay!" and sat down at the back.
Conductor didn't argue with Bubba, but he wasn't happy about it. The next day the same thing happened – Bubba got on again, made a show of refusing to pay, and sat down. And the next day, and the next.
This grated on the bus driver, who started losing sleep over the way Bubba was taking advantage of poor conductor. Finally he could stand it no longer. He signed up for body building courses, karate, judo, and all that good stuff.
By the end of the summer, he had become quite strong; what's more, he felt really good about himself. So, on the next Monday, when Bubba once again got on the bus and said, "Bubba doesn't pay!"
The driver stood up, glared back at Bubba, and screamed, "And why not?"
With a surprised look on his face, Bubba replied, "Bubba has a bus pass."
Be sure to visit our home page.
WEBBITS
31/03/2012 03:24
Who Knew?
31/03/2012 03:23
* Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least three hours prior to burning.
* To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!
__________________________________________________________________
City Council
Starbucks
Coffee At
$ervu$ Place
Decision
Links To Today's Outstanding Photographs
31/03/2012 03:23
Today's Activity Corner
31/03/2012 03:23
Word of the Day
Word of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
Article of the Day
Article of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
This Day in History
This Day in History
provided by The Free Dictionary
Today's Birthday
Today's Birthday
provided by The Free Dictionary
In the News
In the News
provided by The Free Dictionary
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day
provided by The Free Library
Match Up
Match Up
provided by The Free Dictionary
Hangman
Hangman
provided by The Free Dictionary
March 30, 2012
30/03/2012 05:58
Welcome To SAP And Good Morning!
Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa hot coffee and spend 10 minutes to start your day with St. Albert's only daily news site.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
Poll: 85 Percent Reject Election Signs
St. Albert's Place was curious to know just how much effect election signs have on how people will vote.
As it turns out, not much.
Fully 85 percent of poll respondents rejected the signs as having any effect on their voting decisions.
Now, if only we had a city council with the wisdom to pass a local bylaw to rid this city of all election signs, including their own.
Did I just use wisdom and city council in the same sentence? Sorry about that.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Starbucks under fire for Frappucchino contents - Global
The penny's days are numbered - CBC
Gang forced high school girls into prostitution - CNN
Budget cuts 19,000 jobs, boosts energy - CTV
Budget: GG to start paying income tax - Edmonton Journal
Museum, airport thorny issues - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
There is much truth and wisdom in this quote below . . .
Whoa!
He Must Be
Outta Crackers
Blind Trash Pile Dog Rescued
A touching story of the rescue of a dog named Fiona.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tonight At LB's Pub
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
Poll: 85 Percent Reject Election Signs
As it turns out, not much.
Fully 85 percent of poll respondents rejected the signs as having any effect on their voting decisions.
Now, if only we had a city council with the wisdom to pass a local bylaw to rid this city of all election signs, including their own.
Did I just use wisdom and city council in the same sentence? Sorry about that.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Starbucks under fire for Frappucchino contents - Global
The penny's days are numbered - CBC
Gang forced high school girls into prostitution - CNN
Budget cuts 19,000 jobs, boosts energy - CTV
Budget: GG to start paying income tax - Edmonton Journal
Museum, airport thorny issues - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
There is much truth and wisdom in this quote below . . .
Whoa!
He Must Be
Outta Crackers
Blind Trash Pile Dog Rescued
A touching story of the rescue of a dog named Fiona.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tonight At LB's Pub
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
The Longer You've Been Married . . .
30/03/2012 05:58
An old married couple was at home watching TV.
The husband had the remote and was switching back and forth between a fishing channel and the porn channel.
The wife became more and more annoyed and finally said:
"For god's sake! Leave it on the porn channel. You already know how to fish!"
Be sure to visit our home page.
WEBBITS
30/03/2012 05:58
Could Eating Chocolate Make You Thinner?
30/03/2012 05:58
If true, there's got to be a catch, right?
__________________________________________________________________
City Council
Starbucks
Coffee At
$ervu$ Place
Decision
Links To Today's Outstanding Photographs
30/03/2012 05:58
Today's Activity Corner
30/03/2012 05:58
Word of the Day
Word of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
Article of the Day
Article of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
This Day in History
This Day in History
provided by The Free Dictionary
Today's Birthday
Today's Birthday
provided by The Free Dictionary
In the News
In the News
provided by The Free Dictionary
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day
provided by The Free Library
Match Up
Match Up
provided by The Free Dictionary
Hangman
Hangman
provided by The Free Dictionary
March 29, 2012
28/03/2012 07:32
Welcome To SAP And Good Morning!
Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa hot coffee and spend 10 minutes to start your day with St. Albert's only daily news site.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
Photographs From Our Readers Libraries
St. Albert's Place reader and local resident Alan Towey, who is visiting Portugal sent us these shots of the flowers native to the area.
Election Signs: Helpful Or Visual Pollution?
There is debate in every election about just how effective campaign signs really are in influencing how people vote.
SAP is interested to know how our readers view election signage and ask readers to answer this quick poll on the subject.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Budget to put brake on MPs' pensions - CBC
Bluegrass great Earl Scruggs dead at 88 - CNN
Budget cuts to focus on bureaucracy - CTV
Feathers fly over backyard chickens - Edmonton Journal
Only one poll matters: Premier Redford - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
Waitress, that's not what I expected when I ordered the Fish 'N Chips . . .
Perpetual
Motion
Bulldog
Always Marry A Good Speller
If you need help, you should know how to spell.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tonight At LB's Pub
Songwriters Showcase with Robbie Taylor at 9:00
Then an Open Stage hosted by "Shaved Posse", Gordie Matthews, Rocko Vaugeois and Kenny Skoreyko
MGD $4.25, great food, service and music.
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
Photographs From Our Readers Libraries
St. Albert's Place reader and local resident Alan Towey, who is visiting Portugal sent us these shots of the flowers native to the area.
Election Signs: Helpful Or Visual Pollution?
There is debate in every election about just how effective campaign signs really are in influencing how people vote.
SAP is interested to know how our readers view election signage and ask readers to answer this quick poll on the subject.
Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Budget to put brake on MPs' pensions - CBC
Bluegrass great Earl Scruggs dead at 88 - CNN
Budget cuts to focus on bureaucracy - CTV
Feathers fly over backyard chickens - Edmonton Journal
Only one poll matters: Premier Redford - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
Waitress, that's not what I expected when I ordered the Fish 'N Chips . . .
Perpetual
Motion
Bulldog
Always Marry A Good Speller
If you need help, you should know how to spell.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tonight At LB's Pub
Songwriters Showcase with Robbie Taylor at 9:00
Then an Open Stage hosted by "Shaved Posse", Gordie Matthews, Rocko Vaugeois and Kenny Skoreyko
MGD $4.25, great food, service and music.
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
Different Ways Of Looking At Things
28/03/2012 07:20
'And I've decided to give your wife $775 a week.'
'That's very fair, your honour,' the husband said.
'And every now and then I'll try to send her a few bucks myself.'
Be sure to visit our home page.
WEBBITS
28/03/2012 07:14
Freshly-Cut Grass Smell Actually Plant Distress Call
28/03/2012 07:07
A group of German scientists studying a wild tobacco plant noticed that the compounds it released - called green leaf volatiles or GLVs - were very specific.
Full details here.
__________________________________________________________________
City Council
Starbucks
Coffee At
$ervu$ Place
Decision
Links To Today's Outstanding Photographs
28/03/2012 07:02
Today's Activity Corner
28/03/2012 07:02
Word of the Day
Word of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
Article of the Day
Article of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
This Day in History
This Day in History
provided by The Free Dictionary
Today's Birthday
Today's Birthday
provided by The Free Dictionary
In the News
In the News
provided by The Free Dictionary
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day
provided by The Free Library
Match Up
Match Up
provided by The Free Dictionary
Hangman
Hangman
provided by The Free Dictionary
March 28, 2012
28/03/2012 06:21
Welcome To SAP And Good Morning!
Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa hot coffee and spend 10 minutes to start your day with St. Albert's only daily news site.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
Alison Redford: The Kim Campbell Of Alberta?
If one believes the polls by the Edmonton Journal and Edmonton Sun we linked to below today, it looks very much like the Alberta Tories are in a lot of trouble.
The Wildrose have far more support than anyone suspected, especially the over-confident Tories.
It would appear Albertans want no more of the same, thanks anyway.
A do-nothing, pork-barreling bunch of Tories at the trough have worn out their welcome in this province and the end is nigh. You might say the fat lady has begun to sing.
None of it thanks to the fumbling NDP or the lacklustre Liberals either. Albertans will once again likely soundly reject those two parties. They are little more than washed up also-rans and will almost certainly see their numbers in the legislature reduced.
All this because the Willdrose found a charismatic leader in Danielle Smith to challenge the Tories. Don't blame it on a female Tory leader either. People are just tired of the status quo and reject any current party as just 'more of the same'.
Will Alison Redford become the Kim Campbell of Alberta politics and lead her party to ruin? Redford ought to be concerned.
The Thailand Files
Always an interesting shot to come from Doug and Helen during their tour of Thailand. The resort looks nice, but what the heck is that thing below?
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Federal budget raises cutback anxiety - CBC
Magic Johnson group to buy LA Dodgers - CNN
Aussie couple stuck with $1 million bill - CTV
Surging Wildrose threatening Tories - Edmonton Journal
Poll: Wildrose would form majority - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
What a difference a few days make . . .
Did That
Cat Just
Scratch Me?
Happy Cows?
Who would have thought cows could be so happy? Just released from their winter barns for the first outing of spring, these cows are just happy to be outside.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
Songwriters Showcase with Robbie Taylor at 9:00
Then an Open Stage hosted by "Shaved Posse", Gordie Matthews, Rocko Vaugeois and Kenny Skoreyko
MGD $4.25, great food, service and music.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
Alison Redford: The Kim Campbell Of Alberta?
The Wildrose have far more support than anyone suspected, especially the over-confident Tories.
It would appear Albertans want no more of the same, thanks anyway.
A do-nothing, pork-barreling bunch of Tories at the trough have worn out their welcome in this province and the end is nigh. You might say the fat lady has begun to sing.
None of it thanks to the fumbling NDP or the lacklustre Liberals either. Albertans will once again likely soundly reject those two parties. They are little more than washed up also-rans and will almost certainly see their numbers in the legislature reduced.
All this because the Willdrose found a charismatic leader in Danielle Smith to challenge the Tories. Don't blame it on a female Tory leader either. People are just tired of the status quo and reject any current party as just 'more of the same'.
Will Alison Redford become the Kim Campbell of Alberta politics and lead her party to ruin? Redford ought to be concerned.
The Thailand Files
Always an interesting shot to come from Doug and Helen during their tour of Thailand. The resort looks nice, but what the heck is that thing below?
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Federal budget raises cutback anxiety - CBC
Magic Johnson group to buy LA Dodgers - CNN
Aussie couple stuck with $1 million bill - CTV
Surging Wildrose threatening Tories - Edmonton Journal
Poll: Wildrose would form majority - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
What a difference a few days make . . .
Did That
Cat Just
Scratch Me?
Happy Cows?
Who would have thought cows could be so happy? Just released from their winter barns for the first outing of spring, these cows are just happy to be outside.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
Songwriters Showcase with Robbie Taylor at 9:00
Then an Open Stage hosted by "Shaved Posse", Gordie Matthews, Rocko Vaugeois and Kenny Skoreyko
MGD $4.25, great food, service and music.
City Administration Yuppie
28/03/2012 06:21
The driver, a man who works for the city of St. Albert wearing a custom made suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and silk tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?"
Fred looked at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing stock and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?"
The yuppie parks his car, whips out his iPad, connects it to his iPhone, and surfs to a NASA page on the internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-high-resolution photo.
The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop and exports it to an image processing facility offshore. Within seconds, he receives an email on his iPhone that the image has been processed and the data stored. He then accesses the city database through an ODBC connected spreadsheet with email on his iPhone and after a few minutes, receives a response.
Finally, he prints out a full-color, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturized laser jet printer, turns to the cowboy and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."
"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says Fred.
He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the back of his car.
Then Fred says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"
The young man thinks about it for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"
"You're a member of St. Albert city administration", says Fred.
"Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"
"No guessing required." answered the farmer. "You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked. You used millions dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know a thing about how working people make a living or about cows, for that matter. This is a herd of sheep. Now give me back my dog.
Be sure to visit our home page.
WEBBITS
28/03/2012 06:21
Clever Ideas To Make Life Easier
28/03/2012 06:21
Why didn’t I think of that? You’ll be uttering those words more than once at these ingenious little tips, tricks and ideas that solve everyday problems, some you never knew you had!
Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones – so much more fun and easier for kids to eat:
Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. Much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff:
Bake cupcakes directly in ice-cream cones – so much more fun and easier for kids to eat:
Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. Much healthier and cheaper than the packet stuff:
You Should Rub Honey On Your Everywhere
28/03/2012 06:21
Honey also has some pretty amazing properties, its broadly antimicrobial and seemingly able to promote healing. My Nan would always give me a spoonful of honey alongside other meds when I had colds and flus but as you can see below it can have pretty amazing results on far more serious injuries.
Full story here.
__________________________________________________________________
City Council
Starbucks
Coffee At
$ervu$ Place
Decision
Links To Today's Outstanding Photographs
28/03/2012 06:21
Today's Activity Corner
28/03/2012 06:21
Word of the Day
Word of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
Article of the Day
Article of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
This Day in History
This Day in History
provided by The Free Dictionary
Today's Birthday
Today's Birthday
provided by The Free Dictionary
In the News
In the News
provided by The Free Dictionary
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day
provided by The Free Library
Match Up
Match Up
provided by The Free Dictionary
Hangman
Hangman
provided by The Free Dictionary
March 27, 2012
27/03/2012 04:12
Welcome To SAP And Good Morning!
Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa hot coffee and spend 10 minutes to start your day with St. Albert's only daily news site.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
The City's Dubious Distinction - That Teddy Award
(From The St. Albert Taxpayers
Association March Newsletter)
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) recently nominated St. Albert for a “Teddy” award; an annual award it gives out to federal, provincial and municipal governments across Canada to highlight examples of wasteful spending. St. Albert was nominated because of Council’s decision to spend $280,000 to open a Starbucks coffee outlet at Servus Place. Mayor Crouse was not amused, claiming that the City only purchased a “licence” to sell Starbucks coffee, not a “franchise.” He then lashed out at CTF for spreading false information.
A city News Release called the nomination “misinformed and irresponsible”.
The reason for the Teddy nomination was obviously lost on the author of the news release which went on to say that “The operation is operated on a for-profit basis and is a good use of taxpayer money with the return on investment being reinvested in the facility to reduce its deficit – the other option would be to increase taxes for taxpayers.”
The difference here is that unlike the CTF, St. Albert residents and most business owners, the City obviously thinks that opening and operating a taxpayer subsidized business that competes with private, taxpaying businesses that have no access to government subsidies is the right thing to do. Secondly, while it’s noble to argue that the new facility will generate a return on investment to reduce the facility’s deficit, one is left to wonder why, given the opportunity to do so, no private investor stepped forward and offered to put his money at risk by opening up a Starbucks outlet at Servus Place?
We’ll see how well the Starbucks concession is doing when in April, the City releases information showing the financial performance of the coffee outlet.
You can read the entire newsletter here.
SINC SAYS:
The release of that information must be in an honest and open form, not manipulated. That is to say it should include all start-up costs to date, including payments to Starbucks as well as payments to the former tenant of the space Starbucks now occupies at $ervu$ Place. Will anything less be viewed as more smoke and mirrors from this mayor and council by taxpayers? We think the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Will council for once tell us the truth about this behind-closed-doors deal? If not, it will be a huge slap in the face and a show of disrespect for its citizens by this council.
Photographs From Our Readers Libraries
St. Albert's Place fishing columnist Paul C sent along this shot of a downy woodpecker.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
How judicial views on prostitution have evolved - CBC
U.S. soccer team eliminated from London games - CNN
Appetite for independence endures in Quebec - CTV
Golfers 'chomping at the bit' to hit the links - Edmonton Journal
Man wanted after Edmonton shooting - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
This LEGO cake might be a tad crunchy . . .
That Train
Creates One
Big Splash!
Dogs In Cars
Dogs in cars doing what they love to do best. Enjoy! Thanks to SAP reader Kelly down in Arizona for putting us on to this one.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
The City's Dubious Distinction - That Teddy Award
Association March Newsletter)
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) recently nominated St. Albert for a “Teddy” award; an annual award it gives out to federal, provincial and municipal governments across Canada to highlight examples of wasteful spending. St. Albert was nominated because of Council’s decision to spend $280,000 to open a Starbucks coffee outlet at Servus Place. Mayor Crouse was not amused, claiming that the City only purchased a “licence” to sell Starbucks coffee, not a “franchise.” He then lashed out at CTF for spreading false information.
A city News Release called the nomination “misinformed and irresponsible”.
The difference here is that unlike the CTF, St. Albert residents and most business owners, the City obviously thinks that opening and operating a taxpayer subsidized business that competes with private, taxpaying businesses that have no access to government subsidies is the right thing to do. Secondly, while it’s noble to argue that the new facility will generate a return on investment to reduce the facility’s deficit, one is left to wonder why, given the opportunity to do so, no private investor stepped forward and offered to put his money at risk by opening up a Starbucks outlet at Servus Place?
We’ll see how well the Starbucks concession is doing when in April, the City releases information showing the financial performance of the coffee outlet.
You can read the entire newsletter here.
SINC SAYS:
The release of that information must be in an honest and open form, not manipulated. That is to say it should include all start-up costs to date, including payments to Starbucks as well as payments to the former tenant of the space Starbucks now occupies at $ervu$ Place. Will anything less be viewed as more smoke and mirrors from this mayor and council by taxpayers? We think the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Will council for once tell us the truth about this behind-closed-doors deal? If not, it will be a huge slap in the face and a show of disrespect for its citizens by this council.
Photographs From Our Readers Libraries
St. Albert's Place fishing columnist Paul C sent along this shot of a downy woodpecker.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
How judicial views on prostitution have evolved - CBC
U.S. soccer team eliminated from London games - CNN
Appetite for independence endures in Quebec - CTV
Golfers 'chomping at the bit' to hit the links - Edmonton Journal
Man wanted after Edmonton shooting - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
This LEGO cake might be a tad crunchy . . .
That Train
Creates One
Big Splash!
Dogs In Cars
Dogs in cars doing what they love to do best. Enjoy! Thanks to SAP reader Kelly down in Arizona for putting us on to this one.
Dogs in Cars from keith on Vimeo.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Lady Pilot
27/03/2012 04:12
He has a heart attack and dies. She, frantic, calls out a May Day.
"May Day! May Day! Help me! Help me! My pilot had a heart attack and is dead.
And I don't know how to fly. Help me! Please help me!"
She hears a voice over the radio saying:
"This is Air Traffic Control and I have you loud and clear. I will talk you through this and
get you back on the ground. I've had a lot of experience with this kind of problem.
'Now, just take a deep breath. Everything will be fine! Now give me your height and position."
She says, "I'm 5'4" and I'm in the front seat."
"O.K." says the voice on the radio, "Repeat after me: Our Father, who art in Heaven . . ."
Be sure to visit our home page.
WEBBITS
27/03/2012 04:11
Hoisin-Glazed Meatloaf Sandwiches
27/03/2012 04:11
Delicious on its own, this thoroughly modern meatloaf takes on a terrine-like texture when chilled overnight, just right for deluxe open-face sandwiches with a banh mi-like flavour profile.
See the recipe here.
__________________________________________________________________
City Council
Starbucks
Coffee At
$ervu$ Place
Decision
Links To Today's Outstanding Photographs
27/03/2012 04:11
Today's Activity Corner
27/03/2012 04:11
Word of the Day
Word of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
Article of the Day
Article of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
This Day in History
This Day in History
provided by The Free Dictionary
Today's Birthday
Today's Birthday
provided by The Free Dictionary
In the News
In the News
provided by The Free Dictionary
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day
provided by The Free Library
Match Up
Match Up
provided by The Free Dictionary
Hangman
Hangman
provided by The Free Dictionary
March 26, 2012
26/03/2012 03:57
Welcome To SAP And Good Morning!
Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa hot coffee and spend 10 minutes to start your day with St. Albert's only daily news site.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends. Travellers
Photographs From Our Readers Libraries
St. Albert's Place reader and local resident Alan Towey, who is visiting Portugal sent us these shots of the flowers native to the area.
Notice of General Meeting
Seniors United Now Society St. Albert Chapter
Come out and hear about the St. Albert Seniors Working Group.
We will also be introducing:
Senate Candidate Len Bracko
Liberal candidate Kim Bugeaud
Wildrose candidate James Burrows.
Monday March 26, 2012
1:30 PM
St. Albert Legion
6 Tache Street
St. Albert, AB
Local Information phone 780-460-7736
Members of the public welcome.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Decision on Canada's sex-trade laws today - CBC
North Korea moves long-range rocket to pad - CNN
Ottawa opens emergency drug stockpile - CTV
Oilsands work-camp population booms - Edmonton Journal
Cameron reaches bottom of the ocean - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
This one's aptly titled, 'Hang In There' . . .
A Very
Close
Call
The Dubai Fountain
A tribute to Whitney Houston.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
March 27
Marv Machura (Guitar and vocals) and
Arnold Wilkinson (Guitar)
Arnold - has been a regular visitor to many, many open stages in and around St. Albert. I named him the backdoor man due to the fact that he always sets up at the back and waits to do fill in lead breaks. Arnold has sat in on the jam scene to create a style and sort of grungy blues tone thats all his own. A well deserved night for the backdoor man for all his years of commitment to playing guitar live. Arnold has sat in with a lot of players in the last six years and is well known in the music community.
Marv - Marv Machura has been performing, teaching, and writing for the past 35 years. As a writer, he has written poems, stories, articles, humor columns, academic papers, and songs in Nashville and across North America. Machura has entertained hundreds of audiences (either solo or with his band The Marv Machura Band). He has released four CDs and is working on his fifth. Penguin Eggs Magazine described Machura as a "winning singer and talented guitar player.” Edmonton radio station The Sound (95.7FM) calls him “Edmonton’s hottest folk-rocker.” Peter Pirquet of the Full Moon Folk Club described Machura as “a crowd favourite … imagine John Denver with an electric guitar.” As a songwriter, Machura follows traditions of contemporary roots artists like Fred Eaglesmith, Steve Earle, Gordon Lightfoot, Ian Tyson, and John Denver. Very nice to have Marv in for the first time moosehead/barsnbands appearance. http://www.marvmachura.com/press
The Tuesday
Moosehead/Barsnbands
Open Stage
Every Tuesday night from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Hosts Mark Ammar, Jim Dyck and Randy Forsberg
Moosehead Beer Specials and barsnbands prizes
Moosehead Beer
Barsnbands
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends. Travellers
Photographs From Our Readers Libraries
St. Albert's Place reader and local resident Alan Towey, who is visiting Portugal sent us these shots of the flowers native to the area.
Notice of General Meeting
Come out and hear about the St. Albert Seniors Working Group.
We will also be introducing:
Senate Candidate Len Bracko
Liberal candidate Kim Bugeaud
Wildrose candidate James Burrows.
Monday March 26, 2012
1:30 PM
St. Albert Legion
6 Tache Street
St. Albert, AB
Local Information phone 780-460-7736
Members of the public welcome.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Decision on Canada's sex-trade laws today - CBC
North Korea moves long-range rocket to pad - CNN
Ottawa opens emergency drug stockpile - CTV
Oilsands work-camp population booms - Edmonton Journal
Cameron reaches bottom of the ocean - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
This one's aptly titled, 'Hang In There' . . .
A Very
Close
Call
The Dubai Fountain
A tribute to Whitney Houston.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
Marv Machura (Guitar and vocals) and
Arnold Wilkinson (Guitar)
Arnold - has been a regular visitor to many, many open stages in and around St. Albert. I named him the backdoor man due to the fact that he always sets up at the back and waits to do fill in lead breaks. Arnold has sat in on the jam scene to create a style and sort of grungy blues tone thats all his own. A well deserved night for the backdoor man for all his years of commitment to playing guitar live. Arnold has sat in with a lot of players in the last six years and is well known in the music community.
Marv - Marv Machura has been performing, teaching, and writing for the past 35 years. As a writer, he has written poems, stories, articles, humor columns, academic papers, and songs in Nashville and across North America. Machura has entertained hundreds of audiences (either solo or with his band The Marv Machura Band). He has released four CDs and is working on his fifth. Penguin Eggs Magazine described Machura as a "winning singer and talented guitar player.” Edmonton radio station The Sound (95.7FM) calls him “Edmonton’s hottest folk-rocker.” Peter Pirquet of the Full Moon Folk Club described Machura as “a crowd favourite … imagine John Denver with an electric guitar.” As a songwriter, Machura follows traditions of contemporary roots artists like Fred Eaglesmith, Steve Earle, Gordon Lightfoot, Ian Tyson, and John Denver. Very nice to have Marv in for the first time moosehead/barsnbands appearance. http://www.marvmachura.com/press
Moosehead/Barsnbands
Open Stage
Every Tuesday night from 9:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Hosts Mark Ammar, Jim Dyck and Randy Forsberg
Moosehead Beer Specials and barsnbands prizes
Moosehead Beer
Barsnbands
The Horseback Ride
26/03/2012 03:57
In terror, she grabs for the horse's mane, but cannot seem to get a firm grip. She tries to throw her arms around the horse's neck, but she slides down the horse's side anyway
The horse gallops along, seemingly oblivious to its slipping rider. Finally, giving up her frail grip, she attempts to leap away from the horse and throw herself to safety.
Unfortunately, her foot has become entangled in the stirrup; she is now at the mercy of the horse's pounding hooves as her head is struck against the ground over and over.
As her head is battered against the ground, she is mere moments away from unconsciousness when to her great fortune, Frank, the Wal-Mart greeter, sees her dilemma and unplugs the horse.
And you thought all they did was say hello.
Be sure to visit our home page.
WEBBITS
26/03/2012 03:57
15 American Foods That Are Weird To Foreigners
26/03/2012 03:57
When deconstructed in this way, a simple childhood dessert like Jell-O suddenly sounds rather vulgar and disgusting. And that was the point.
Or, rather, it was Dr. Ricky's counterpoint to yesterday's post from EOW blogger Sam Brown on foods to avoid, which included foreign treats such as fugu (a.k.a. poisonous pufferfish liver -- which, to be fair, can kill you) beondegi.
What the heck is beondegi?
__________________________________________________________________
City Council
Starbucks
Coffee At
$ervu$ Place
Decision
Links To Today's Outstanding Photographs
26/03/2012 03:57
Today's Activity Corner
26/03/2012 03:57
Word of the Day
Word of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
Article of the Day
Article of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
This Day in History
This Day in History
provided by The Free Dictionary
Today's Birthday
Today's Birthday
provided by The Free Dictionary
In the News
In the News
provided by The Free Dictionary
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day
provided by The Free Library
Match Up
Match Up
provided by The Free Dictionary
Hangman
Hangman
provided by The Free Dictionary
March 25, 2012
25/03/2012 05:56
Welcome To SAP And Good Morning!
Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa hot coffee and spend 10 minutes to start your day with St. Albert's only daily news site.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends. Travellers
Photographs From Our Readers Libraries
Remember that pileated woodpecker our fishing columnist Paul C shot a couple of weeks back? This time Paul was able to catch one on the wing . . .
Notice of General Meeting
Seniors United Now Society St. Albert Chapter
Come out and hear about the St. Albert Seniors Working Group.
We will also be introducing:
Senate Candidate Len Bracko
Liberal candidate Kim Bugeaud
Wildrose candidate James Burrows.
Monday March 26, 2012
1:30 PM
St. Albert Legion
6 Tache Street
St. Albert, AB
Local Information phone 780-460-7736
Members of the public welcome.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
20,000 birds die in poultry farm fire - CBC
Dick Cheney gets heart transplant - CNN
Mulcair wins NDP leadership - CTV
E. coli-related beef recall expanded - Edmonton Journal
Anti-racism, white-pride clash - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
No, sorry, but I haven't seen your tennis ball . . .
New Soccer
Protective
Equipment
Two Dogs Dining
A number of readers have asked for a repeat of this video, so here it is, enjoy.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends. Travellers
Photographs From Our Readers Libraries
Remember that pileated woodpecker our fishing columnist Paul C shot a couple of weeks back? This time Paul was able to catch one on the wing . . .
Notice of General Meeting
Come out and hear about the St. Albert Seniors Working Group.
We will also be introducing:
Senate Candidate Len Bracko
Liberal candidate Kim Bugeaud
Wildrose candidate James Burrows.
Monday March 26, 2012
1:30 PM
St. Albert Legion
6 Tache Street
St. Albert, AB
Local Information phone 780-460-7736
Members of the public welcome.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
20,000 birds die in poultry farm fire - CBC
Dick Cheney gets heart transplant - CNN
Mulcair wins NDP leadership - CTV
E. coli-related beef recall expanded - Edmonton Journal
Anti-racism, white-pride clash - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
No, sorry, but I haven't seen your tennis ball . . .
New Soccer
Protective
Equipment
Two Dogs Dining
A number of readers have asked for a repeat of this video, so here it is, enjoy.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Deaf Italian Bookkeeper
25/03/2012 05:56
His bookkeeper is deaf. That was the reason he got the job in the first place.
It was assumed that Guido would hear nothing so he would not have to testify in court.
When the Godfather goes to confront Guido about his missing $10 million, he takes along his lawyer who knows sign language.
The Godfather tells the lawyer, "Ask him where the money is!
The lawyer, using sign language, asks Guido, Where's the money?
Guido signs back, "I don't know what you are talking about." The lawyer tells the Godfather, "He says he doesn't know what you are talking about" The Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Guido's head and says, "Ask him again or I'll kill him!"
The lawyer signs to Guido, "He'll kill you if you don't tell him." Guido trembles and signs back, "OK! You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed at my cousin Bruno's house.
The Godfather asks the lawyer, "What did he say?"
The lawyer replies,
"He says you don't have the guts to pull the trigger."
Be sure to visit our home page.
WEBBITS
25/03/2012 05:56
The Onion Festival
25/03/2012 05:56
Welcome To SAP And Good Morning!
Pull up a chair, grab a cuppa hot coffee and spend 10 minutes to start your day with St. Albert's only daily news site.
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
Is The City Flogging A Dead Horse Claiming Victory Over Finishing Behind Edmonton?
SINC SAYS:
Yesterday morning at 5:39 a.m. we posted a story stating that Edmonton was a better place to live than St. Albert, according to MoneySense magazine and St. Albert's Place On The Web stands by that story. St. Albert finished behind Edmonton, that's a fact.
Did it really take all day, (until 4:25 p.m. yesterday) for the city to issue a press release to try and spin that information?
Sorry mayor Crouse, but a feeble attempt to make it better, makes us look worse. You cannot change fact with spin. No siree, it doesn't work. Edmonton beat us fair and square, a bit of a disappointment for those among us who expect gold standards.
When public trust begins to fade in the mayor's office, can it ever be recovered? Here's the release the mayor issued to try and spin the latest bad press for the city:
St. Albert Ranks High In National Poll
On Best Canadian Cities To Live
MoneySense Magazine's Canada's Best Places to Live 2012 Rankings
St. Albert is the top third city to find a job, top fifth to raise a family, top 12th to live and top 47th to retire, according to MoneySense magazine’s 2012 poll of the country’s best places to live.
“St. Albert City and Council are committed to making our city the best place for families,” says Mayor Nolan Crouse. “While the rankings can be interpreted in many different ways and are not a complete representation of what matters most, what they do tell us is that St. Albert is considered among the best places in Canada to live – in fact, compared to cities of similar size, we’re ranked number five. We are proud to be among the top-rated cities.”
“We are happy with the rankings overall, but an outcome we wish to see from the economic development focus is more work opportunities locally. Whereas St. Albert was weak on the criteria of biking to work -- as around 60 per cent of people commute to Edmonton -- we have fantastic biking paths in the city, but these are recreational. With the number of seniors steadily increasing in our community, affordable housing is a priority for Council, and with our current situation, it is an area that worked against us in this ranking. ”
Canada’s Best Places to Live 2012 ranked 190 cities and towns, up from 180 last year, in Canada by 22 separate categories including housing, income taxes, household income, weather, population growth, crime, amenities and culture, and provided a snapshot of the benefits and drawbacks of urban communities in Canada. The magazine article and related information is available online.
This year’s list included new categories: Best Places to Retire, Best Places to Raise Kids and Best Places to Find Jobs.
SINC SAYS:
The score to date is Edmonton 1 - St. Albert 0. In addition, former councillor and Crouse supporter to buy those rocks behind city hall, Carol Watamaniuk, added fuel to the fire for Crouse. In a letter to the St. Albert Gazette yesterday, she scolded local citizens who oppose this council's actions, in support of the beleaguered mayor.
Local resident Jared Milne took offence to that letter you can read here and asked St. Albert's Place to publish the following letter in response:
Excuse Me Ms. Watamaniuk, But . . .
Ms. Watamaniuk:
I didn't realize that daring to express a dissenting opinion and using my free speech rights in a way that you disapprove of somehow means that I seek to destroy the City's spirit.
By "well-researched and passionate", I'm assuming you're referring to the well-thought out arguments and presentations given by Lynda Flannery and others who keep trying to point out that we can't afford to maintain the level of spending that we are, particularly when so many of our seniors and young families are being driven out of St. Albert.
The people who criticize Council's decisions are every bit as much part of St. Albert as you are. Contrary to what you may believe, most of the St. Albert residents I've spoken to expressed tremendous frustration with the poor performance of former City Manager Bill Holtby, and do not appreciate being accused of wanting to destroy the spirit of our community when they criticize purchases such as the Steinhauer sculptures.
I've done research work for the Heritage Museum. I'm good friends with Senator Thelma Chalifoux and I strongly support the work of the Michif Institute. I cherish our walking trails and the natural beauty of our suburbs. I want these things to be remain viable in St. Albert for as long as the community exists. What I and many other people are concerned about is how long we can continue to afford these things, particularly when so many citizens are complaining about the high costs of living.
I, for one, would vastly prefer to see our arts and heritage dollars be used to support and maintain what we already have, rather than making new purchases when we're already committing large sums of money to a variety of other projects. Does that somehow mean that I, who have lived in St. Albert for almost thirty years, who am completely and totally opposed to the idea of amalgamating with Edmonton, who has contributed to understanding our city's heritage, am seeking to destroy the City's spirit?
Ridiculous, at best!
Jared Milne
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
So there you have it folks. Did the mayor read this web site yesterday and upset at its content, make matters worse by responding? Would it have been better if he had said nothing at all? Did he swallow the bait, hook, line and sinker only to confirm the city is indeed a runner up to Edmonton? Or was this yet another one of those knee-jerk responses which did nothing to justify the city's position?
Please Help Recognize Purple Day In Canada
Don,
Purple Day is a cause near and dear to my heart as it brings awareness to Epilepsy and the serious consequences the condition can develop into without intervention. My only daughter, Samantha Martin, suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 13 years on December 3, 2006 which I believe to be the result of untreated seizure activity.
Please become aware of the medical condition that affects 1 out of 100 individuals! In other populations, the statistics may be even greater. As is the case with the rare chromosome disorder, Tetrasomy 18p Syndrome, that my daughter was born with; at a rate of 25% of persons affected.
Help us recognize March 26th as Epilepsy Awareness Day in Canada!
Sincerely,
Velvet Martin
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
Always happy to be of service Velvet. I hope the ad below, hot linked to the home site, further helps the cause. The ad will appear at no cost until March 26.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Morphine mislabelling prompts urgent warning - CBC
Broken toilets cause layover hell - CNN
Gas retailers to pay fines for price fixing - CTV
Canada back in form at curling worlds - Edmonton Journal
Mr. Sulu kids over Wildrose bus booboo - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
It happens every spring, but we never tire of the giggle . . .
Hand Lift
Warehouse
Trick Driving
The Alberta We Know and Love
Watch this one in full screen view and remember to breathe.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
Not from St. Albert? Not to worry, there's plenty for you too.
A great way to put a smile on your face before you begin your day.
Have an opinion, gripe or grin to share? Use our Live Chat feature below to share it with other readers. Try our frequent recipes. Give our puzzles a whirl or a game of hangman. Check out our outstanding linked photos. Got a story or photo to share? We love your stuff from any location. Go ahead, send it in. We dare you!
Best of all, it's all free thanks to our advertisers. Enjoy and please, tell your friends.
Is The City Flogging A Dead Horse Claiming Victory Over Finishing Behind Edmonton?
Yesterday morning at 5:39 a.m. we posted a story stating that Edmonton was a better place to live than St. Albert, according to MoneySense magazine and St. Albert's Place On The Web stands by that story. St. Albert finished behind Edmonton, that's a fact.
Did it really take all day, (until 4:25 p.m. yesterday) for the city to issue a press release to try and spin that information?
Sorry mayor Crouse, but a feeble attempt to make it better, makes us look worse. You cannot change fact with spin. No siree, it doesn't work. Edmonton beat us fair and square, a bit of a disappointment for those among us who expect gold standards.
When public trust begins to fade in the mayor's office, can it ever be recovered? Here's the release the mayor issued to try and spin the latest bad press for the city:
St. Albert Ranks High In National Poll
On Best Canadian Cities To Live
MoneySense Magazine's Canada's Best Places to Live 2012 Rankings
St. Albert is the top third city to find a job, top fifth to raise a family, top 12th to live and top 47th to retire, according to MoneySense magazine’s 2012 poll of the country’s best places to live.
“St. Albert City and Council are committed to making our city the best place for families,” says Mayor Nolan Crouse. “While the rankings can be interpreted in many different ways and are not a complete representation of what matters most, what they do tell us is that St. Albert is considered among the best places in Canada to live – in fact, compared to cities of similar size, we’re ranked number five. We are proud to be among the top-rated cities.”
“We are happy with the rankings overall, but an outcome we wish to see from the economic development focus is more work opportunities locally. Whereas St. Albert was weak on the criteria of biking to work -- as around 60 per cent of people commute to Edmonton -- we have fantastic biking paths in the city, but these are recreational. With the number of seniors steadily increasing in our community, affordable housing is a priority for Council, and with our current situation, it is an area that worked against us in this ranking. ”
Canada’s Best Places to Live 2012 ranked 190 cities and towns, up from 180 last year, in Canada by 22 separate categories including housing, income taxes, household income, weather, population growth, crime, amenities and culture, and provided a snapshot of the benefits and drawbacks of urban communities in Canada. The magazine article and related information is available online.
This year’s list included new categories: Best Places to Retire, Best Places to Raise Kids and Best Places to Find Jobs.
SINC SAYS:
The score to date is Edmonton 1 - St. Albert 0. In addition, former councillor and Crouse supporter to buy those rocks behind city hall, Carol Watamaniuk, added fuel to the fire for Crouse. In a letter to the St. Albert Gazette yesterday, she scolded local citizens who oppose this council's actions, in support of the beleaguered mayor.
Local resident Jared Milne took offence to that letter you can read here and asked St. Albert's Place to publish the following letter in response:
Excuse Me Ms. Watamaniuk, But . . .
Ms. Watamaniuk:
I didn't realize that daring to express a dissenting opinion and using my free speech rights in a way that you disapprove of somehow means that I seek to destroy the City's spirit.
By "well-researched and passionate", I'm assuming you're referring to the well-thought out arguments and presentations given by Lynda Flannery and others who keep trying to point out that we can't afford to maintain the level of spending that we are, particularly when so many of our seniors and young families are being driven out of St. Albert.
The people who criticize Council's decisions are every bit as much part of St. Albert as you are. Contrary to what you may believe, most of the St. Albert residents I've spoken to expressed tremendous frustration with the poor performance of former City Manager Bill Holtby, and do not appreciate being accused of wanting to destroy the spirit of our community when they criticize purchases such as the Steinhauer sculptures.
I've done research work for the Heritage Museum. I'm good friends with Senator Thelma Chalifoux and I strongly support the work of the Michif Institute. I cherish our walking trails and the natural beauty of our suburbs. I want these things to be remain viable in St. Albert for as long as the community exists. What I and many other people are concerned about is how long we can continue to afford these things, particularly when so many citizens are complaining about the high costs of living.
I, for one, would vastly prefer to see our arts and heritage dollars be used to support and maintain what we already have, rather than making new purchases when we're already committing large sums of money to a variety of other projects. Does that somehow mean that I, who have lived in St. Albert for almost thirty years, who am completely and totally opposed to the idea of amalgamating with Edmonton, who has contributed to understanding our city's heritage, am seeking to destroy the City's spirit?
Ridiculous, at best!
Jared Milne
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
So there you have it folks. Did the mayor read this web site yesterday and upset at its content, make matters worse by responding? Would it have been better if he had said nothing at all? Did he swallow the bait, hook, line and sinker only to confirm the city is indeed a runner up to Edmonton? Or was this yet another one of those knee-jerk responses which did nothing to justify the city's position?
Please Help Recognize Purple Day In Canada
Don,
Purple Day is a cause near and dear to my heart as it brings awareness to Epilepsy and the serious consequences the condition can develop into without intervention. My only daughter, Samantha Martin, suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 13 years on December 3, 2006 which I believe to be the result of untreated seizure activity.
Please become aware of the medical condition that affects 1 out of 100 individuals! In other populations, the statistics may be even greater. As is the case with the rare chromosome disorder, Tetrasomy 18p Syndrome, that my daughter was born with; at a rate of 25% of persons affected.
Help us recognize March 26th as Epilepsy Awareness Day in Canada!
Sincerely,
Velvet Martin
St. Albert
SINC SAYS:
Always happy to be of service Velvet. I hope the ad below, hot linked to the home site, further helps the cause. The ad will appear at no cost until March 26.
_________________________________________________________________
Welcome To St. Albert's Place Live Chat
Links To Other Stories In The News:
Morphine mislabelling prompts urgent warning - CBC
Broken toilets cause layover hell - CNN
Gas retailers to pay fines for price fixing - CTV
Canada back in form at curling worlds - Edmonton Journal
Mr. Sulu kids over Wildrose bus booboo - Edmonton Sun
__________________________________________________________________
The Things That People Send Us
It happens every spring, but we never tire of the giggle . . .
Hand Lift
Warehouse
Trick Driving
The Alberta We Know and Love
Watch this one in full screen view and remember to breathe.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Playing Tomorrow Night At LB's Pub
Things Worth Knowing
25/03/2012 05:56
* Queen Elizabeth I regarded herself as a paragon of cleanliness. She declared that she bathed once every three months, whether she needed it or not.
* Slugs have 4 noses.
* Owls are the only birds who can see the colour blue.
__________________________________________________________________
City Council
Starbucks
Coffee At
$ervu$ Place
Decision
Links To Today's Outstanding Photographs
25/03/2012 05:56
Today's Activity Corner
25/03/2012 05:56
Word of the Day
Word of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
Article of the Day
Article of the Day
provided by The Free Dictionary
This Day in History
This Day in History
provided by The Free Dictionary
Today's Birthday
Today's Birthday
provided by The Free Dictionary
In the News
In the News
provided by The Free Dictionary
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day
provided by The Free Library
Match Up
Match Up
provided by The Free Dictionary
Hangman
Hangman
provided by The Free Dictionary
