Once you know the basics, you can get crazy with it.

The Edmonton Bicycle Commuters’ Society (EBC…hey, what happened to the S?) is launching a series of cycling courses this month.

I see…they’re shaming me into riding my bike more…clever…

The courses range from getting to know your bike, actually learning to ride, riding with the family, commuting in the city, and CAN-BIKE 2 which is is a nationally certified cycluing training program. For the hardest core cyclists; CAN-BIKE 2 is 16-hours of bikes, bikes, bikes! The cheapest of the courses and presentations will cost you $20, and up to $100 for the big, bad CAN-BIKE 2. (Everything is cheaper if you have an EBC membership.)

Hey, the better you are on your bike, and the more you know the rules and best practices, the more you can know it’s the drivers who shouldn’t be on the road. To register for a course (or have EBC teach your group of riders) head to edmontonbikes.ca/ridingeducation.

Now get on your bikes and ride!

You may have noticed posters around Edmonton with people from local news, media, sports, and the Mayor all wearing white.

Through the month of June the mall has been making counselors available (including this afternoon), and you can drop off clothing for women’s shelters. Thursday night, however, is likely the biggest night of the month.

Thursday is “White Night,” on the pedway bridge that crosses over 101 Street. White Night will include a cocktail party and fashion show.

You know we love fashion over here.

One of the designers we talked about during the last Western Canada Fashion Week, Edmonton’s own Genette Salgado, will be among those showing off designs. Salgado’s going to incorporate the white ribbon (a symbol of awareness and the overall campaign against domestic violence) into her dress for the evening’s event. In a news release she’s quoted as calling the white ribbon dress “Empowering.”

All 12 of the dresses making appearances in the White Night fashion show will be auctioned off. (You can see the dresses at the mall right now.)

White Night is Thursday at 8pm. But the need to end domestic violence (and just about every other kind of violence) continues beyond this week.

This past weekend, we were invited to be on a panel of Speed Mentors (FYI, also the name of my new deep house project) at Edmonton Next Gen’s super cool DIYalogue.

As part of our “mentoring,” we figured we’d better make a list of the upwards of four things we’ve learned from working on the edmontonian. That evolved into a handout, which we brought to share with anyone interested – and just in case you happen to be a blogger, content generator, or other interested party, we figured we’d post it here too.

Click below to download.

Click to download our "Tips for Content Generators" handout

Back in March, Twestival helped raise money for the EPSF. Since today was the real big fundraiser (and kick-off to getting ready for next school year) all you tweeters who bought a ticket or won a silent auction item, and businesses and organization which donated an auction item, were recogznied through our EPSF-Twestival connector, Brittney Le Blanc.

You can see Brittney in a Twestival video (below) with EPSF Chair Sandra Woitas, which explains a little more about what the foundation does.

All of the placemats and centrepieces at this morning’s breakfast were designed by kids!

If you live in the Edmonton-Centre riding you’ve got a date tonight.

Tonight, at Metro Billiards, Edmonton Next Gen and interVivos, are putting on another candi(date) – last seen during the Edmonton election in October.

Here’s how it works: Candidates speak with small groups of voters for 10 minutes, like it’s a speed date.

Voters will be able to “date” Conservative Laurie Hawn, Green David Parker, Liberal Mary MacDonald, Marxist-Leninist Peggy Morton, New Democrat Lewis Cardinal, and Pirate Mikkel Paulson.

Paulson’s not a real pirate, just running for the Pirate Party of Canada (think Internet and copyright, not cannonballs on the high seas). Though, you should treat him like a sea pirate and see how the conversation goes.