This and That - Edmonton news

Time for a reality check on Alberta's dirty oil - "The real problem here is that most Americans don't have a clue of the importance our energy resources are for them.

Shame on them for not knowing, Shame on us for not telling them loud and clear.

It is our energy that keeps them warm in the winter and cool in summer, and without it they are going to have a very difficult time competing with rising powers like China, India and Brazil.

Getting that message out is becoming increasingly important.

Op-ed articles in the New York Times and USA Today can help. As can forums at scholarly think-tanks. But how do we really do it?

Well, like it or not, those cable television news programs and talk-radio big mouths are what is driving political debate in the U.S. right now. That is where we have to tell the Americans that without our oil they are doomed.

That will get their attention. And it has the added benefit of being true."

As he points out in the article, America's other sources, are not so reliable Middle East, Nigeria and Venezuela to name a few.

United Way raises $20.6 million in Edmonton area - "A struggling economy failed to curb Edmontonians' generosity as companies and individuals throughout the capital region donated more than $20.6 million to the United Way during its recent fundraising campaign."

The total finished just shy of the $20.7-million goal but still beat last year's effort by $56,000.

"Although the City of Champions slogan originated in the sports world, it is truly exemplified by the unmatched generosity, compassion and engagement of its citizens," Wayne Shillington United Way Campaign chairman

What generosity! Way to go Edmonton!

A Different kind of exploration in the oil patch - "Jim Carter, the former president of oil sands miner Syncrude Canada Ltd., recently returned from a trip to Abu Dhabi, where he attended the World Future Energy Summit. Mr. Carter was named chair of the Alberta Carbon Capture and Storage Development Council in April, 2008, and has become a leading proponent of the province's bid to develop the greenhouse gas-busting technology.

Alberta has spent $2-billion to build four pilot carbon-capture-and-storage (CCS) sites. It's a controversial investment in a province that has careened into multi-year deficits, but Mr. Carter's time in the Middle East convinced him Alberta could become a global technological leader if it continues on its path."

Alberta is often a technological leader can' t wait to see how this pans out.