Experience The Mountain Parks Blog

20 Dumb Questions

I just came across an article in the Calgary Herald referring to the "unusual" questions people are asking when coming to the mountains.
This list has been compiled by Stu Back of the Banff Lake Louise Tourism Bureau. So here is an excerpt of this article with just the questions asked, have fun!

1. Are the animals with collars tame? (These animals have been fitted with tagged collars because they have had incidents with people. It is important to stay a safe distance away from wildlife.)
2. We are going into British Columbia. Do we need to change our money into Euros?
3. Can we drive our car onto a glacier anywhere? (Not to our knowledge, but you might enjoy a trip on the Ice Explorer across the Columbia Icefields.)
4. Do we need snow tires or chains to drive to Lake Louise in July?
5. Where are the igloos and the Eskimos?
6. If the Columbia Icefield melts before we get there, can we do a different excursion?
7. Can you see polar bears at the Columbia Icefield?
8. Can I walk around P.E.I. in a day?
9. Can I get from Vancouver to Toronto by driving in a day?
10. At what elevation do the deer turn to elk?
11. How much does that mountain weigh?
12. Is this all natural?
13. While working at the (Banff) Gondola on a rainy day I was asked to turn the fog off at the top so they could see.
14. While working at the Gondola, I got asked when we release the animals so they can start feeding them. I had to remind them that this wasn’t a petting zoo, the animals are wild and come out when they please — and please don’t feed them.
15. Where’s that place where I can see the bear in the cage? Can I get a photo with him?
16. If I see a bear when I’m hiking, can I just keep walking past it?
17. Can you guarantee wildlife sightings?
18. Where is the rocky mountain?
19. What’s the best trail to take a bike on to see a cougar?
20. Where are the animals kept at night?

Bonus Question: Where can I find a wife?

Have you got one you'd like to share? Please send it to us.

What would your answer be to educate these visitors? We take our knowledge for granted, don't we?

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Who should we trust (the banks)?

Today's post might be a little off topic - well not really as I was driving to the Rockies- but I was looking at sharing it as I so far don't have an answer.

So the other day as I was driving through Calgary heading West to the mountains  I saw a billboard saying "Making money make sense" and in the bottom right there was the Bank of Montréal (BMO) logomark.
It made me wonder. How come there is no "s" in "make"? Why did they forget the letter "s"? Did they forget it on purpose?
And I started imagining that it might have been the exact point of this ad, forgetting the "s" to get a punching message across.
But as a second thought it didn't make sense either!
I tried to turn it around and it would sound like "When making sense makes money".
Is it working? Well actually may be in these (financially) troubled times. Is making money doesn't really make sense? Is money no sense at all? Is the sense or non-sense of money attached to BMO? Did the people who thought through this also thought through the actual sense of the words?

Further on I decided to make some internet research on who did the campaign and what could have been the rationale.
No luck, I haven't found a real answer on the why the "s" is missing. What might have worked in my opinion is simply adding a comma and neglecting the "ing"; like "Make money. make sense". What I can't believe on the top, they registered it as a trademark. Look Below!



Nonetheless I found a funny ad movie though so I'm posting it here.

So if there is anybody out there with a comment, and may be a good answer, that would be appreciated.
But don't get me wrong, I found the campaign good and these ads funny and well done.
So anybody from BMO or the Cossette agency out there with the right answer?
Nobody's perfect, so if you find out a misspelling, or mistake, or any other error, please let us know so we can correct it right away.
Thank you.

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A Shocking Scenario

We are a health conscious society especially here in the Bow Valley. We know a healthy and attractive body is the result of several factors. Nutrition, cardiovascular exercise, resistance training, Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi are a few of the better-known and employed elements that positively change the human physique. Not to mention all our local outdoor activities. There is one aspect of physical change that often goes overlooked.

Take a look around you today and you may notice a shocking scenario – poor posture..
We all focus on diet and exercise, which are very important, but often we neglect our posture. Consider the person who has a good diet, exercises regularly, but has very poor posture. The image is one of sickness, not health. Poor posture can spoil an otherwise positive approach to the care of the body. Beyond just the appearance, posture can affect overall health.

At one time or another I suspect you have been told to "stand up straight...watch your posture". Hopefully, you have taken that advice. You will look better and have more energy if you do. There is much more to posture than most people realize. Your posture is the position of your ligaments, muscles, spinal bones, and the condition they are in.

A large number of adults and kids are sitting, standing or walking incorrectly to the extent that they could be creating problems without knowing it. Without good posture, your overall health and total efficiency may be compromised. The long-term effect of poor posture can affect the bodily systems (such as immune, respiratory, digestion, circulation, elimination, muscles, joints, and ligaments), a person who has poor posture may often be tired or unable to work effectively or efficiently.

How you carry yourself when at school, work, relaxing, or playing can have big effects on your health. Did youknow that just fifteen minutes of reading or typing when using the wrong position exhausts the muscles of your neck, shoulders, and upper back? "Strain issues, such as neck strain, low back pain or carpel tunnel syndrome are the most common effects of bad posture," says Dr. Kristine Fortuna, assistant professor for the department of orthopedic surgery at Temple University in Philadelphia. "These come from overuse of the muscle."


What Does Poor Posture Look Like.
While most of us can point out someone else with bad posture, we may not realize it in ourselves. Even if we do, we may not do anything about it. "People are aware of easy arm and wrist stretches they can do at the desk. But they don't pay so much attention to their head's jetting forward and their rounded shoulders," said Dr. Al Wu a Chiropractor in Virginia. "I see lots of people with cervical thoracic strain and it's very much related to sustained poor posture at the computer."

Poor posture can come from many sources, including incorrect sitting and standing habits, obesity, pregnancy, an improperly arranged work environment, not enough flexibility and weak muscles. Signs that you may have poor posture include:

• Slouching and hunching your shoulders over
• Holding your head and neck forward and/or down
• Arching your lower back too much
• Commonly carrying a heavy purse or backpack on one side of your body
• Sitting on a wallet in your back pant's pocket
• Holding a phone receiver between your neck and shoulder
• Slumping forward while seated

Good Posture Affects Your Overall Health.
Why should good posture be achieved and maintained? There are several reasons to maintain good posture: Not only do you appear taller but many posture enthusiasts claim that correct posture can instantly make you look 10 pounds lighter. In fact, without proper posture you can never achieve the flattest stomach and smallest waist possible. Compare to someone who is slumped over in his or her chair working to someone sitting tall, the difference is obvious.

Several studies have been done on posture and self-esteem / confidence. The studies have found that those who sit, stand and walk tall exude greater confidence and self-esteem. They also received more promotions at work. They stand out among crowds or groups of people. They generally have greater concentration and mental ability, usually a result of less pain and fatigue from poor posture. Correct posture exudes a more confident, competent, vigorous, youthful appearance.

Correct posture allows you to be able to use your muscles more efficiently, because your bones and joints are in proper alignment. This will result in less pain, sprains, strains, and fatigue, as your body will require less energy to move around. It will prevent your spine from becoming fixed in an abnormal position. Which can lead to constricted blood vessels and nerves, over-stressed muscles, discs, joints and organs. Correct posture can lead to optimal organ and muscle function for maximum energy, biomechanics, endurance, and vigor.


How to Check Posture.
Stand with your back to a wall. If your shoulders, butt and back of head are all touching the wall without forcing, then your posture is correct. A better way is accomplished with a partner. Both should wear shorts and either no shirt or a sports bra. Now from the front you should see that they are looking straight ahead, ears are level, shoulders are level, hips are level, knees are level, toes are straight ahead or slightly turned out.

From the side their posture requires you to use a plum line to align their earlobe over the middle of their shoulder, over their hip joint, as well as over a point roughly an inch in front of the ankle joint. Draw that line mentally; then line their body up accordingly. Shoulders should be back and down, with the chin and chest slightly up, and the waist tucked slightly in. Any deviations equal postural distortions.


Adapt Good Posture Today.
While it will take time to adapt your body to naturally assume good posture assuming you have strayed from it, you can use these tips to improve your posture today. With a little perseverance, your posture will be back on track and, remember, modeling proper posture is essential to ensure that your kids have good posture, too!


Good Posture Tips While Sitting.

• Keep both feet flat on the floor (if your feet cannot reach the floor, adjust the chair or use a footrest)
• Align your back with the back of the chair
• Don't slouch or lean forward
• Adjust the chair so your knees are even with your hips, or slightly higher, and your arms are at a 75-90 degree angle at the elbows
• Keep your shoulders straight
• Choose an ergonomic office chair with good back support
• Get up often and stretch
• Use a an elevated document holder to limit looking down while at the computer

Good Posture Tips While Standing.

• Keep your weight on the balls of your feet, not your heels
• Let your arms hang naturally by your side
• Keep feet about shoulder-width apart
• Don't lock your knees
• Keep your head level and in line with your neck and spine, not pushed forward
• Keep your shoulders upright and stand up straight

How's Your Sleeping Posture?
Your posture while you sleep can make a difference in your sleep quality and your health. "Sometimes poor habits are the cause of a poor night's sleep. Other times, it is because people sleep in a posture that puts a strain on their bodies," says Michael Wiles, dean of the chiropractic program at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, Minnesota. What's the best sleeping posture? The two best sleeping positions are the fetal position, on your side with your knees drawn up with a body pillow between your knees and arms and a little pillow under your neck, or on your back with a slight pillow under your knees and neck. These positions support the natural curves of your spine. Sleeping on your stomach may be the worst sleep posture, as experts believe it can increase back pain by exerting pressure on joints in the spine, especially the neck and low back.

Posture is the window to the spine and good health. If posture is out of balance, then the spine is out of balance, putting unhealthy pressure upon your disc’s and nervous system. Activities as subtle as sleeping, standing or walking abnormally; too more obvious traumas like emotional stress, work, auto or sports injuries, and even the birth process itself can result in spinal imbalance. Your spine is the most important factor affecting your posture. In order to have the best possible posture (and health), your spine has to be in the best possible condition. If you have an extremely bad posture and a history of back injuries or backaches, it will be good to
visit your local chiropractor for a professional assessment. He/she can advise you on how to better take care of your back and improve your posture.

The fastest way you can improve your health and appearance is by paying attention to your posture. Straighten up and start enjoying the benefits that good posture provides–today.

By Dr. Jason Young

We're very excited to count Dr. Jason Young as one of our contributors. See our contributors page here.
Dr. Jason Young is based in Canmore.

Dr. Jason Young received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College after attending Springfield College and Colby-Sawyer College. 

Dr. Jason practices chiropractic medicine in accordance with the belief that healing comes from within. He believes that the condition of a person’s structure dictates how well his or her body will function and feel. Dr. Jason works to rejuvenate their health by recognizing each person’s unique differences. He believes that educating his patients is a critical aspect of restoring their health. His knowledge, compassion and experience have resulted in success with increased patient quality of life.

Dr. Jason believes when there is interference within the body compromising its ability to maintain and heal itself, pain and ill health can result.  Dr. Jason works to find that interference, remove it, and allow the body to return to optimal health.

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2009 Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival

The 2009 Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival is coming up, October 31, 2009 to November 8, 2009, don't miss it!

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Did I forget something?

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