Calgary and vicinity

[Mona]

Hello,
I just wanted to share this story with you. There was an unusual stabbing incident in downtown Calgary.

http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/Mountie+stabbed+multiple+times+Calgary+police+office/3098655/story.html

here is the story:

CALGARY — An RCMP officer is in hospital after being stabbed multiple times inside a downtown Calgary police office Tuesday morning.


Calgary police say a man showed up unannounced at the offices of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team at the John J. Bowlen Building and asked to speak with an officer. The plainclothes Mountie escorted the man to an interview room where, police say, he attacked the officer, leaving him with life-threatening stab wounds.


"He has been upgraded to serious but stable (condition), but to be clear his injuries are very, very serious," said Calgary EMS spokesman Stuart Brideaux.


RCMP Supt. Randy McGinnis said the officer's family has been notified.


"I can just imagine what this spouse and family feel like right now because they are being transported to hospital," McGinnis said.


An officer from the Calgary Police Service received a minor defensive knife wound while attempting to arrest the suspect. He was treated at the scene.


The suspect, who is known to police, was also injured during his arrest and was brought to hospital. He remains in custody but has not been charged.


Both injured officers are assigned to the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, the office that oversees investigations of police use of force. The ASIRT offices have secure doors requiring electronic passkeys for access.

 

[Mona]

I just wanted to share this story with you even though I am a bit late. We got a terrible hail storm yesterday with golf ball sized hail. Today we have been getting heavy rain fall all day long with a day time temperature of only 9 degrees Celsius. It’s a really chilly day but I am not surprised. What the story seems to not inform the readers of is that the clouds were sprayed with silver iodide, this procedure is usually called cloud seeding with silver iodide. I am not sure if any of you are familiar with this insane technique in controlling the weather, but what this supposes to do is actually make the storm less severe. Well, that is not what I learned in college when we were discussing this in our chemistry class and the storm yesterday did not seem any less severe, I actually think this damn chemical made it even worse. I remember our professor saying, and this was a long time ago before this technique was put into use, it was only being discussed as a possible way to make severe thunderstorms less damaging to property, that this technique will actually make the storms even more severe in force. Anyway, I remember that silver iodide was known to be highly toxic to wildlife and humans alike, but that fact is not being taken seriously as this technique is still being used to this day. Well, despite the effort to make the storm less severe with the cloud seeding we got a very severe storm that ended with a lot of property being damaged, some funnel clouds were also spotted near the Strathmore area outside of Calgary, it also caused some flooding and it is still to be confirmed if any of the tornadoes touched down. We have had a heavy rain fall all day long with no sight of it ending, it actually seems that the clouds are not moving at all.
I just don’t get those stupid human Gods. They keep on playing with matches despite getting the house on fire and they seem not to see it burning. How can an intelligent and educated human still think that he can achieve something that is impossible to achieve despite all that evidence that it just does not and will not work.


Thunderstorms bearing heavy hail roll over Calgary, south Alberta


July 13, 2010 Comments (6)


Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Hail+storm+pounds+Calgary+Stampede/3267529/story.html#ixzz0tbnDE3zO

High winds, heavy rain, and most of all, large hail, left a swath of damage across some communities in Calgary and southern Alberta during a Monday afternoon marked by tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. The forecast for tomorrow raises the possibility of a repeat performance.
To the east, tornado warnings were issued through the afternoon for areas ranging from Drumheller, through the Strathmore region and into south eastern Alberta counties as at least three storm cells moved through, bringing rain, hail, high winds and the threat of even more severe weather. At least one funnel cloud was spotted near Strathmore during the storm, prompting some to head to their basements to wait out the severe weather.
Environment Canada meteorologist Sandy Massey said more rain is expected, with some areas north of Calgary predicted to see up to 70 mm falling tonight and tomorrow.
Wednesday is expected to be a bit drier, she said.
The sudden downpour and marble-sized hail forced Calgary Stampede visitors to flee for the exits or seek shelter in nearby buildings. Heavy winds sent cowboy hats scattering and the lucky few with raincoats braved the elements in search of food and entertainment.
Best friends Brittney Crosby and Jessica Whittington shivered in tank tops and shorts while they waited for the Stereos, a pop-rock band from Edmonton, to take to the Coca Cola stage after a weather-related delay. "I really don't care that it's raining and cold," said Whittington. "You have to expect it... this is July in Calgary."
The soggy conditions forced many to seek refuge in the BMO Centre, a boon for local vendors who welcomed the crowds.
Meanwhile, it was a quiet afternoon on the normally bustling midway, and some buildings saw minor flooding.
But Mother Nature didn't spoil the fun for happy children who splashed in massive puddles and enjoyed few lineups for rides and food. For Okotoks resident Eleanor Whitesmith, who brought her three granddaughters to the park, it was a perfect day. "We brought raincoats and umbrellas. It's maybe a little cooler than we thought it would be, but having fun no matter what," she said.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald


Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Hail+storm+pounds+Calgary+Stampede/3267529/story.html#ixzz0tbn3vMcH

 

[D Rusak]

Hi Mona,

Thanks for the update and I did see that you guys have been experiencing some strange weather up there (down on the East Coast here we have been too- unusually warm weather since mid-March, after a very snowy cold winter that broke records, no rain, and now downpours every day this week). I am hoping the mountains where I am staying will mitigate this somewhat but it's good to be prepared. I hope you didn't encounter any damage. My friend who lives about 45 minutes from downtown got a few good-sized dents in the roof of her car, but that's it.

 

[D Rusak]

Now that I'm up here in Canada, I'm just dropping a note to say it's looking like I won't be on the forum much in the next month. :( This is the first time I've had to check email in a couple of days...so far averaging 9+ hours of rehearsal on top of practicing, masterclasses, and other sessions. I take an hour to go up in the mountains to remind myself they are really here. :P

 

[Mona]

Rusak, have a wonderful time in Canada. It sound like you are close to the Rocky Mountains. Just watch out for the bears. A few weeks ago I visited the Banff town and just as we were taking a walk on the golf course just below the Banff Hot Springs hotel, we spotted a grizzly bear about 200 meters away from us. It was cool but also frightening.

Just be careful.

 

[D Rusak]

Yes, I am here and a friend came back running to a restaurant I was at the other night, claiming he saw a cougar on the trail back. I didn't take any chances on the way back, we went on a well-lighted path with a very large group of people singing very loudly, hoping to frighten it away. Don't mess with cougars and bears! Many of the trails around the area near Lake Minnewanka are closed due to bear sightings- it's beary season (groan!). It is beautiful both here and in Calgary, where I played a couple of concerts this week as well. Really amazing.