Ok...here we are day 10 of 2013 and winter has returned. Lets recap yesterday. This is what its really like to live in this wonderful city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. But, not everyday is like this
6:00am - Winds 24 km/h -8 degrees with a chinook arch in the western sky
8:00am - Winds 40 km/h 0 degrees scattered cloud
10:00am - Winds 40 km/h 5 degrees more cloud - gusty
12:00pm - Winds 50 km/h 7 degrees and cloud
2:00pm - Winds 40 km/h 6 degrees and cloud
4:00pm - Winds 30 km/h 3 degrees and more cloud
6:00pm - Winds 20 km/h -6 degrees cooling (wind changed direction) snowing
from this point on the snow and temperature has continued to fall into today (accumulation is now around 6-8 inches), and shows no sign of stopping soon. Although, if we look at the long term forcast, we can see that the overnight lows will be around -20 degrees for 2 days and then (this does not take into account windchills):
Today Low= -21 High= -11
Friday Low= -21 High= -15
Saturday Low = -23 High= -11
Sunday Low = -23 High= -9
Monday Low = -16 High= -1
Tuesday Low = -4 High= +3
Wednesday Low = -4 High= +4
One has to remember that these big fluctuations in temperature create big pressure changes as well. For the average person with Migraine issues, this is what makes their life hell. I can only speculate what it must feel like inside their head before and after a chinook has blown through Calgary.
On another note, we look forward to these wonderful breaks in winter that raise temperatures enough sometimes to melt the snow and allow everyone to go outside and play for extended periods of time without freezing your ass off. Enjoy the good weather when its here, try to hide inside when its really cold.
January 10, 2013
September 19, 2012
Weatherman - huh?
When asked about what was in the air yesterday, and how it got there (ie. the smoke).
The weatherman responded with: "its sort of an inversion, its sort of smoke from bc, and its sort of a cold front pushing a chinook wave." Then he said : "its alot of things and I can't really explain it."
Try me...
I think its complicated too, but can someone explain whats going on?
Is it the beginning of the apocalypse?
Is it the end of the world as we know...and i feel fine?
Can you tell me one thing, when will it improve and stop being smokey?
The weatherman responded with: "its sort of an inversion, its sort of smoke from bc, and its sort of a cold front pushing a chinook wave." Then he said : "its alot of things and I can't really explain it."
Try me...
I think its complicated too, but can someone explain whats going on?
Is it the beginning of the apocalypse?
Is it the end of the world as we know...and i feel fine?
Can you tell me one thing, when will it improve and stop being smokey?
April 25, 2012
Alberta Election 2012 - Part I
The latest Coup d'etat by the WRP (Wild Rose Party) was a dismall failure. In a world where social media is the norm and people want to be connected to the cutting edge of information, we have to ask ourselves...
Do the Pollsters use Social Media to determine what is happening? I don't think so.
This is an old world method that relies on Phone demons, a witches brew, a few good old friends, a three eyed frog, a mage, random sampling, the caramilk secret and...wait for it...Raw Data.
They utilize 3 methods to determine what is really going on in peoples minds :
(notice I did not include mind reading) dah!!
1. Benchmarking
- 10 to 12 months before the election.
- about 100 questions in length
The 5 Essential Elements to Benchmarking
1a.) Political Mood of the people
1b.) Voters attitudes of important issues
1c.) Voters attitudes of Candidate Personality
1d.) Perceptions of Candidate Weakness
1e.) Reactions to Arguments (debate) with Opponents
2. Trend or Brushfire
- 4 to 6 months before the election.
- about 50 questions in length
- used to determine how the initial strategy is working
- based on many environmental changes (who knows), reactions are made
3. Tracking
- 2 months to voting day of the election.
- about 25 questions in length
- near the election date - sub-sampling of a fractional portion polled everyday
- in most cases a "Rolling Poll" is done in the final days
Allan Rivlin once referred to polls as X-RAYS and was quoted as saying ; "an X-ray reveals the underlying structure - and that structure remains, even if the surface expression changes."
In the case of this election - the X-ray must have looked like this:
or maybe this :
Best of luck to you pollsters in the future. Don't quit your day job!!
I won't say that I can do a better job. What I will say is don't believe your hype.
...to be continued...
Do the Pollsters use Social Media to determine what is happening? I don't think so.
This is an old world method that relies on Phone demons, a witches brew, a few good old friends, a three eyed frog, a mage, random sampling, the caramilk secret and...wait for it...Raw Data.
They utilize 3 methods to determine what is really going on in peoples minds :
(notice I did not include mind reading) dah!!
1. Benchmarking
- 10 to 12 months before the election.
- about 100 questions in length
The 5 Essential Elements to Benchmarking
1a.) Political Mood of the people
1b.) Voters attitudes of important issues
1c.) Voters attitudes of Candidate Personality
1d.) Perceptions of Candidate Weakness
1e.) Reactions to Arguments (debate) with Opponents
2. Trend or Brushfire
- 4 to 6 months before the election.
- about 50 questions in length
- used to determine how the initial strategy is working
- based on many environmental changes (who knows), reactions are made
3. Tracking
- 2 months to voting day of the election.
- about 25 questions in length
- near the election date - sub-sampling of a fractional portion polled everyday
- in most cases a "Rolling Poll" is done in the final days
Allan Rivlin once referred to polls as X-RAYS and was quoted as saying ; "an X-ray reveals the underlying structure - and that structure remains, even if the surface expression changes."
In the case of this election - the X-ray must have looked like this:
I won't say that I can do a better job. What I will say is don't believe your hype.
...to be continued...
August 02, 2011
The dog days
Everyone knows that once you pass into August, summer slowly fades away with the beauty of the vibrant summer sun.
As I sit here listening to Live365 for yet another day in serious of continuous moments, I can't help but wonder, has the American government lost control of the financial situation. Do they really know what is good for America anymore. Has the American become less a dream and more a fading memory. As America gets fatty at the seams, do they really know where they are going. Excess, commercialism, off-shore industrialization, and the new globalized economic order. Can and will the average american wake up and realize what is really happening? Are they lost on the information highway, waiting for their 15 minutes of fame. Is this the new American dream? No longer prefaced with hard work, ethics and determination to create what people need?
I am happy to say, that I am a Canadian. But we are just as prone to the same excesses and fork in the road that lead us to...temptation. I can only say, I watch with anticipation as the global market continues to spiral into the chaotic fibonacci curve.
Only Canadians can make a difference for canadians. I hope to be a part of it.
Keep it real...make a difference!!
As I sit here listening to Live365 for yet another day in serious of continuous moments, I can't help but wonder, has the American government lost control of the financial situation. Do they really know what is good for America anymore. Has the American become less a dream and more a fading memory. As America gets fatty at the seams, do they really know where they are going. Excess, commercialism, off-shore industrialization, and the new globalized economic order. Can and will the average american wake up and realize what is really happening? Are they lost on the information highway, waiting for their 15 minutes of fame. Is this the new American dream? No longer prefaced with hard work, ethics and determination to create what people need?
I am happy to say, that I am a Canadian. But we are just as prone to the same excesses and fork in the road that lead us to...temptation. I can only say, I watch with anticipation as the global market continues to spiral into the chaotic fibonacci curve.
Only Canadians can make a difference for canadians. I hope to be a part of it.
Keep it real...make a difference!!
March 01, 2011
One Year
so...here we are, one year to the day from last years post and I've decided its time to BLOG more.
Its a chilly -29 this morning and this winter has been a series of cycles. The thermometer has been up and down like an amplified SINE wave this winter. Sure hope Spring can bring some stability and moderate temperatures. I do not recall ever having this sort of temperature in the month of March. That aside, lets cover off a few topics:
I have recently changed jobs. I now work for AMEC BDR. They are a smaller company under the AMEC umbrella. Today is Day 6. Things are looking good. More to follow later this week.
I feel a rant coming on. stay tuned.
Its a chilly -29 this morning and this winter has been a series of cycles. The thermometer has been up and down like an amplified SINE wave this winter. Sure hope Spring can bring some stability and moderate temperatures. I do not recall ever having this sort of temperature in the month of March. That aside, lets cover off a few topics:
I have recently changed jobs. I now work for AMEC BDR. They are a smaller company under the AMEC umbrella. Today is Day 6. Things are looking good. More to follow later this week.
I feel a rant coming on. stay tuned.
March 01, 2010
Coming Up Roses
I gotta say. i'm not sure how things come together sometimes, but life does hand you some interesting events from time to time. My deep view on it includes the hand of God at some point. And I'm not referrring to Diego Maradona's famous goal either. Lets take a first instance if you will.
Well, that day was last Thursday. I headed over after work and did not have high expectations for a better than good outcome. I walked into the store and quickly began to scour the place for a something similar in a Brooks Brothers frame. I did find one that was very close, but not exact by any means. I was starting to feel as though it was never meant to be. Then, I asked the Girl at the desk, would she have anything else to look at that I had not seen. And within minutes of opening the first drawer, inside the first box was several pairs of frames scattered about. I was not very hopeful. Then, like a diamond in the rough, she pulled out the EXACT same frames (color, make and model) from the box and asked me to hand her the original pair. She checked them over and then told me she would take them to the back to let the Lense Specialists have a look.
I had no idea what was going to happen next. I took a seat in one of the occassional chairs and began to wait patiently. After 5-10 minutes had elapsed, she returned with something in her hand. It was the old Frames, neatly crushed and then carefully disposed of in an instant. I was shocked, as she said, "you won't need those anymore". I was speachless. How could I find another replacement elsewhere after she had thrown them out without asking.
She placed a set of complete frames, with lenses, on the table in front of me. I looked in awe. I said "Are those mine". She responded with "Yes, they are". I said "Wow". I was totally amazed.
She asked if I wanted to replace the lenses as a part of the 50% deal they had on the frames. I said "No", the lenses were the one reason why I had not thrown them out. And the shear fact, that I do not like to throw things out anyway.
The price on the frames were listed as $169.99. I figured this was an amazing deal. And after she had entered the data into the computer, the price was adjusted further.
Cost to go to store = 20 minutes of my time
Initial cost of new frames = $169.99
Reduced cost of frames (sale) = $129.99
Feeling of getting exactly same frames back = PRICELESS
This was a day to remember!
- I had broken my glasses back in November to 2009.
- I had to replace them with a newer pair because the crazy glue was not holding up any more.
- Problem solved, got a new pair.
- Left the old ones on the shelf and at some point,
- I was going to have to throw them out.
Well, that day was last Thursday. I headed over after work and did not have high expectations for a better than good outcome. I walked into the store and quickly began to scour the place for a something similar in a Brooks Brothers frame. I did find one that was very close, but not exact by any means. I was starting to feel as though it was never meant to be. Then, I asked the Girl at the desk, would she have anything else to look at that I had not seen. And within minutes of opening the first drawer, inside the first box was several pairs of frames scattered about. I was not very hopeful. Then, like a diamond in the rough, she pulled out the EXACT same frames (color, make and model) from the box and asked me to hand her the original pair. She checked them over and then told me she would take them to the back to let the Lense Specialists have a look.
I had no idea what was going to happen next. I took a seat in one of the occassional chairs and began to wait patiently. After 5-10 minutes had elapsed, she returned with something in her hand. It was the old Frames, neatly crushed and then carefully disposed of in an instant. I was shocked, as she said, "you won't need those anymore". I was speachless. How could I find another replacement elsewhere after she had thrown them out without asking.
She placed a set of complete frames, with lenses, on the table in front of me. I looked in awe. I said "Are those mine". She responded with "Yes, they are". I said "Wow". I was totally amazed.
She asked if I wanted to replace the lenses as a part of the 50% deal they had on the frames. I said "No", the lenses were the one reason why I had not thrown them out. And the shear fact, that I do not like to throw things out anyway.
The price on the frames were listed as $169.99. I figured this was an amazing deal. And after she had entered the data into the computer, the price was adjusted further.
Cost to go to store = 20 minutes of my time
Initial cost of new frames = $169.99
Reduced cost of frames (sale) = $129.99
Feeling of getting exactly same frames back = PRICELESS
This was a day to remember!
January 31, 2010
The Long Day
Today was a long day. One where you run into trouble off the get go and never really recover until the time your head hits the pillow. I'm not sure if its a full moon or perhaps its just the end of the month (January). The weather man lacked the knowledge to properly cover his butt today as well. predicted highs of -5 turned to -12 for today. What can you say, we live in Calgary and the weather is always a topic of discussion and based on our geographic location, its apparently hard to predict.
Mark it down then.
1 for the weather
0 for the weatherman
---------------------------
One other thing. I've been using Autocad now for over 15 years and I have to admit, it has improved dramatically. But the one thing that baffles me is Autodesks inability to make the Sheet Sets more CADD Manager friendly. What is the secret to the DST files already. I"ve been all over the internet and simple cannot locate anything to view these things. There is lots of talk about them being XML based, but what are they now. I'm not sure yet, but I am sure to share this little secret as soon as i figure it out.
Thats it for today - Kirk out!
Mark it down then.
1 for the weather
0 for the weatherman
---------------------------
One other thing. I've been using Autocad now for over 15 years and I have to admit, it has improved dramatically. But the one thing that baffles me is Autodesks inability to make the Sheet Sets more CADD Manager friendly. What is the secret to the DST files already. I"ve been all over the internet and simple cannot locate anything to view these things. There is lots of talk about them being XML based, but what are they now. I'm not sure yet, but I am sure to share this little secret as soon as i figure it out.
Thats it for today - Kirk out!
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