Mike Jenkinson's Newsroom

A service fee complaint that is not about Ticketmaster

2009-07-03T17:39:00.003-06:00

I just bought a ticket to the Downhere/Building 429 concert in Edmonton at the end of August. The company handling the tickets charged me a $3.50 "service fee" and a $2 "handling fee" (which together added approximately 50% to the price of the $12 ticket). That was bad enough, but then I paid $0.57 to have the ticket mailed to me. Umm ... $5.50 in extra charges, and you can't swallow the cost of a stamp?

Celebrating Canada Day at the Alberta Legislature

2009-07-02T19:32:00.005-06:00

From Canada Day at Alberta Legislature

Some random thoughts:

We got there just as the 21 gun salute started. I should regain my hearing by Canada Day 2012.
The marching band was excellent. They started their 30 minute set playing the national anthem (O Canada) and then followed it up with the other national anthem (The Old Hockey Night In Canada Theme).
The line to get into the Legislature was enormous. There were thousands of people out.
Believe it or not, despite working in the Legislature, I'd never been in the chamber before. I made sure to snap a picture of my boss's seat.
People are awe-inspired by the Alberta Legislature. It's a beautiful place.
The dog show was tremendously fun. The kids had a blast.
Next Canada Day, if you want something to do, go to the Legislature!

Happy Canada Day!

2009-07-01T07:43:00.003-06:00

I restate my offer for $2.95, take it or leave it

2009-06-30T18:01:00.001-06:00

CNW Group | CTV INC. | CTVglobemedia statement

TORONTO, June 30 /CNW/ - Today CTVglobemedia issued the following statement, "Shaw Communications informed us this afternoon that they will not be proceeding with the purchase of CTVglobemedia's television stations in Windsor, Wingham and Brandon."

Sunday afternoon humor

2009-06-28T19:52:00.001-06:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Ol' MacDonald had a campground

2009-06-28T17:45:00.002-06:00

We took our first camping trip to Ol' MacDonalds Resort out in Erskine this weekend, and it was lots of fun. Normally, we camp in Drumheller, but we've been looking for a place that's closer to Edmonton, and had heard good things about it, so we booked ourselves a spot. It did not disappoint.

We left as soon as the kids were done school Friday afternoon. When we arrived, we were a bit overwhelmed, as it's a much bigger campground than the one we're used to in Drumheller (I've never needed an actual road map to get around a campground before). Our camping spot was nice - shaded, and spacious enough for two tents with lots of room left over.

Friday night was basically setting up and building a fire. We quickly learned that the kids will eat anything as long as it's cooked in a pie iron over the fire.

We woke up Saturday to a very cool and cloudy morning. I wasn't planning to build another fire in the a.m., but it was so freaking cold out that it didn't take much convincing. That, of course, gave the kids another chance to make grilled cheese sandwiches in the pie iron, to go along with the eggs and bacon (cooked in a pan over the camping stove).

When it was still cool and blustery, we walked over to Buffalo Lake, and the kids played mini-golf in the little museum that's onsite.

Most of the much warmer afternoon was spent split between hanging around our campsite and going to the petting zoo. Nicole, being the big animal lover and zoo volunteer, was in her glory- particularly when she got Dusty, the old retired horse, to come across the field to her and get petted. Michelle, Char and I were amused by the zany antics of the piglets (I named them Chop, Bacon and Ribs) who chased each other around the pen, as well as the goats and sheep, which we fed a steady diet of leaves and grass we picked off the ground.

We capped of Saturday with a fireworks display on the beach that ended close to midnight (and resulted in me sleeping until 7:30 this morning, which is literally the latest I've slept in since I moved to the Premier's office in October).

Today was spent mainly hanging around camp - enjoying the campfire, making stuff in the pie iron - before cleaning up and heading home. Oh, and we visited the coffee shop to buy lattes. (Yes, we're addicted.)

It was a really good time. In fact, we've already booked the exact same camping site for next year.

I'm alive

2009-06-26T05:43:00.002-06:00

I'm still here. Just had a busy week and nothing struck my fancy enough to blog about it. Going camping this weekend, so I might have some photos to share next week.

Commercial for the new Ultimate Fighter

2009-06-22T16:02:00.001-06:00

Shame that my eagerness to see this means by the time it comes, winter will be at our doorstep.

There's hope for me yet

2009-06-21T14:54:00.001-06:00

Chubby people live longest: Japan study

Health experts have long warned of the risk of obesity, but a new Japanese study warns that being very skinny is even more dangerous, and that slightly chubby people live longer.

People who are a little overweight at age 40 live six to seven years longer than very thin people, whose average life expectancy was shorter by some five years than that of obese people, the study found.

Sunday afternoon humor - bonus Father's Day edition

2009-06-21T12:19:00.000-06:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Sunday afternoon humor

2009-06-21T12:01:00.000-06:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

The House Hippo ad

2009-06-19T14:21:00.000-06:00

I love this ad. Not because it reminds us that not everything we see on TV is real, but because it makes me realize that tiny hippos would be the cutest pets ever! Seriously .... if any of you mad scientists out there can make me a tiny hippo for a pet, I'd love to get one.

SummerSlam poster

2009-06-18T20:32:00.003-06:00

Umm ... what?

EDIT: There's strong opinion on the Net that this is not the actual SummerSlam poster, but a very good Photoshop fake.

Memo to newspapers

2009-06-18T07:13:00.001-06:00

Putting links to your stores on Twitter is fine. But when those links take me to graphics-laden pages that take $90 worth of airtime to download on my BlackBerry, you've kind of missed the point of linking to your stories on Twitter.

The joys of biking to work

2009-06-15T14:58:00.002-06:00

Sunday afternoon humour

2009-06-14T12:04:00.000-06:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Tim Sylvia vs. Ray Mercer

2009-06-14T06:41:00.000-06:00

This brings me so much joy!

Legendary Japanese wrestler dies in the ring

2009-06-13T10:38:00.001-06:00

Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online -- WWE, TNA, UFC and International Wrestling and MMA Headlines - MISAWA PASSES AWAY AFTER BACKDROP IN HIROSHIMA MATCH

Mitsuharu Misawa, one of the greatest pro wrestlers of all-time, was declared dead at 10:10 p.m. Saturday night at a hospital in Hiroshima from an apparent heart attack after being being given a back suplex in a tag team title match.

Let's do brunch ... or maybe let's not. Yes, let's not.

2009-06-13T09:05:00.001-06:00

Brunch is hell - The Globe and Mail

It’s a meal that should be the most relaxing time of the week. So why is brunch punishment for patrons and servers alike? A food-industry insider serves up the truth

Better just serve up eggs and toast yourself.

... but it's the same odds as getting hit by a meteor, so what are you worried about?

2009-06-12T15:51:00.002-06:00

Boy Hit by Meteorite - Yahoo! News

A 14-year old German boy was hit in the hand by a pea-sized meteorite that scared the bejeezus out of him and left a scar.

"When it hit me it knocked me flying and then was still going fast enough to bury itself into the road," Gerrit Blank said in a newspaper account. Astronomers have analyzed the object and conclude it was indeed a natural object from space, The Telegraph reports.

Where to watch UFC 99 in Edmonton and Calgary

2009-06-11T16:08:00.001-06:00

My (semi) regular post on where to find a bar to watch the UFC 99 PPV. The link is here.

Your daily dose of hysterical news

2009-06-11T06:21:00.001-06:00

French Scientists See Earth-Venus Collision In Future | AHN

New York, NY (AHN) - French researchers studying the solar system's future using computer simulation saw a potential disruption of Mercury's orbit that may lead to a collision between Earth and Venus billions of years from now.

Good thing none of these scientists will be around to say "I told you so."

Another day at the office

2009-06-10T19:56:00.001-06:00

Well, actually, out of the office. Have I mentioned recently I have the best job in the world?

Pet peeve. I SAID, PET PEEVE! TURN THAT DOWN!

2009-06-09T05:11:00.000-06:00

In Edmonton, a bell is not only mandatory equipment on a bike, said bell is to be used when passing a pedestrian.

Fine. But all the bell ringing in the world makes no difference when 90% of joggers on bike paths are wearing iPods and wouldn't hear a helicopter dropping on them.

Downhere - Unbelievable

2009-06-08T05:18:00.000-06:00

These guys are supposed to be coming to Edmonton in August, and I do plan to be there. Here's a classic from their album Wide Eyed and Mystified.