Archive for August, 2011

Out of Time: A Paranormal Romance

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

By Monique Martin

This is the first in a series of books about a middle aged University Professor from Southern California named Simon Cross and his assistant Elizabeth West . Simon is a Professor of Occult Studies – not the most serious of subjects according to many.

Simon has always cultivated a lifestyle of being alone and not depending on anyone. His lonely schooling at Eton in England only confirmed that he was better off depending on himself. He prides himself on not having any “entanglements” in life. After his grandfather died when he was 10 years old under mysterious circumstances his family closed ranks and hid any reference to the one person whom Simon loved most.

Elizabeth West on the other hand is just the opposite. She is outgoing and handles almost every situation well. Her one hangup is that she is in love with Simon Cross who won’t pay any attention to her. Working as his teaching assistant seems to make things even harder.,

One night she is returning marked papers to him when Simon invites her in to see some recent arrivals. There are crates of things which have come from his family which contain the effects of his Grandfather. He feels compelled to share some of them with her as there are rare items amongst them. They are both examining an ancient scarab ring which has a crack through the stone and an unusual pocket watch when they realize that a lunar eclipse begins to occur. Suddenly there is a blue electrically light radiating from the ring and both Simon and Elizabeth are sent reeling.

Moments later they come to in an alley filled with garbage cans and refuse blowing in the wind. The look out of the alley to see many old Model-T cars driving past and honking their horns. There are people rushing past and they must figure out what has happened to them. Where are they? When are they? And so an adventure begins.

This is a fun read and one you’ll enjoy. I won’t give up more of the plot. It’s yours to relish.

10 Things To Do for Your Finances This Month

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

By Jessica Swesey April 06 2011

We’ve pulled together this list of action items to help motivate you during Financial Literacy Month in April. Some of these are quick hits, while others are more ongoing and all about taking that first step today.

Pay off your credit cards
This is the type of debt that will continue to pile on the longer it goes unpaid. Use these tried and true methods and tools for paying off your cards.
Make the most of workplace benefits
Many people underestimate the power of their workplace benefits to make a difference in their financial situation. Read how to ensure you’re on top of this.
Get a lower interest rate on credit credits
Why pay more interest than you need to? Try our script for negotiating a better rate.
Get started with retirement savings
It’s never too early but often too late to start saving for your golden years. Use our quick-start guide for help.
Maximize your RRSP & TFSA match
Not everyone gets offered an employer match, but if you do then by all means take it. Learn more about the match.
Pick the right investment mix
Saving for retirement is only part of the battle. You’ll also be faced with many investment decisions along the way. Here’s a sound way to approach these decisions.
Invest with smarts and ease
Follow these simple rules of investing and you’ll eliminate much of the stress that can paralyze you from making decisions.
Set a budget
Budgets may be no-brainers, but they’re often easier said than done. Follow these tips for easy budgeting in your everyday life.
Save money today
Saving is like exercise: We all know we need to do it, but it’s often much harder to enforce than we think. Follow these tips to pick up extra savings with ease.
Know what creditors know
Your credit report is the financial blueprint lenders use to make decisions about you and your creditworthiness. Find out what yours says about you and get your free annual report. The links will be published as future articles.

ShelterBox – Double Your Donation

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

I urge you to make a donation of whatever size you are able before September 15, 2011 to ShelterBox Canada for East African Relief. Please watch the video at ThatChannel com Interview 2011 08a 25 Sue Ricketts ShelterBox

Then go over to http://www.rotaryclubofguelph.com/ and look for the donation form on the left hand side. Fill in your particulars so that you can receive an income tax receipt for your donation and mail to ShelterBox Donation, c/o 206 Rickson Avenue, Guelph ON N1G 4Y6. If you are able to help before September 15th, 20 the Canadian Government will double that donation through the Canadian International Development Association- Double Your Donation.

When you receive your tax receipt you will get a tracking number. You can then go back to the Rotary Club website and follow the instructions on how to track your box to its destination. For a history of ShelterBox check out this video Disaster film Shelter Box

Rumours & Money for All – Quickly

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

by Sue Rickertts

Upon receiving the email at the bottom of this article from a friend, I immediately questioned it. This is one of those things which is being forwarded round and round the internet without any questions being asked. First the idea got a reading when it was introduced early this year, then there was an election held and the bill has never been re-introduced. But still …. the email circulates and nothing is added to it to define it’s current status. You will note that the figures used to support the idea are wrong according to the newspaper who published them. The highest rates are only for those who come here with special needs – not the average immigrant.

The people I questioned were our local MP who is a Liberal and also the Conservative candidate for Guelph who is running in this fall’s provincial election. Interestingly enough, the MP responded as below but the candidate did not. I guess he doesn’t have an opinion on this subject. Too bad because it is a potentially divisive issue in Ontario, particularly in the GTA area where so many immigrants have settled. It’s an attempt to buy votes from that community. Misguided in my opinion because every Canadian citizen will have to pay increased taxes in order to support the idea.

Taking care of the people who have contributed to Canada is more needed than lowering requirements for those who are newly arrived.

Have a read and see what you think? Should the bill come back?

Response from our local MP:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns related to Bill C-428, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (residency requirement) and the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) for refugees.

Bill C-428 was introduced in the 40^th Parliament by Ruby Dhalla, the former MP for Brampton-Springdale and only received First Reading before Parliament was dissolved for the General Election held on May 2^nd. Since my return to the 41^st Parliament, Bill C-428, or any other Bill similar in nature, has not been re-introduced and it is highly unlikely that one would be brought forward.

As your Member of Parliament, I was not prepared to support Bill C-428 in the 40^th Parliament should it ever have come to a vote, an event which was highly doubtful, and I am not prepared to support a similar Bill should one be introduced in this Parliamentary session.

Forty percent of Canadians have no savings for retirement and another forty percent have savings inadequate to provide for them during retirement. Retirement income and national pension reform deserves serious consideration and should be debated in a national public forum. It is important to take action for the tens of thousands of Canadian seniors that currently live in poverty. All seniors deserve to age with dignity and a reasonable standard of living. I will continue to advocate for measures that will improve the quality for life of all seniors including increasing financial support, improving access to health and long-term care, & access to affordable housing.

Regarding the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) figures provided in the e-mail, they are the result of an inaccurate article that appeared in the Toronto Star in 2004 and the article was retracted by the newspaper. The RAP is a contribution program that has two main components: income support and a range of immediate essential services. Income support can be provided for a maximum of up to 12 months for regular stream Government Assisted Refugees (GARs), and for up to 24 months for Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) refugees. Only refugees with special needs qualify for JAS. Therefore, the duration of RAP funding is very limited, it can last up to one year from the date of arrival in Canada, or until the refugee can support her or himself, whichever occurs first, and should not be compared to the CPP.

Furthermore, Government Assisted Refugees are not eligible to receive provincial social assistance while receiving RAP income support. RAP income support is provided on a monthly basis and entitlement amounts are guided by provincial social assistance rates for food and shelter. The support provided under RAP covers only the most basic needs, including start-up items such as household furnishing, pots and pans, linens and other items necessary to establish a household. A single Government Assisted Refugee that settles in Ontario typically receives $768.00 per month of RAP income support for 12 months. In most cases, the first month’s instalment is larger as it includes a one timeamount of up to $1,830.00, depending on family size, to cover essential start-up needs like food, furniture and clothing. The newcomer will continue to receive the monthly allowance of $768.00 for another 11 months or until he or she becomes self-sufficient. According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, only three quarters of resettled refugees receive financial assistance from the federal government, for a limited time, and at levels lower than Canadian pensioners. I invite you to visit the following link from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration’s website which should dispel myths and misconceptions about immigration and citizenship programs:http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/facts/aid.asp

Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to express your views, and I continue to welcome your feedback. Please call me should you need me for anything.

Sincerely,

Frank Valeriote, M.P. Guelph

_________________________________________________________________________________

Upon receiving the email at the bottom of this article from a friend, I immediately questioned it. This is one of those things which is being forwarded round and round the internet without any questions being asked. First the idea got a reading when it was introduced early this year, then there was an election held and the bill has never been re-introduced. But still …. the email circulates and nothing is added to it to define it’s current status. You will note that the figures used to support the idea are wrong according to the newspaper who published them. The highest rates are only for those who come here with special needs – not the average immigrant.

The people I questioned were our local MP who is a Liberal and also the Conservative candidate for Guelph who is running in this fall’s provincial election. Interestingly enough, the MP responded as below but the candidate did not. I guess he doesn’t have an opinion on this subject. Too bad because it is a potentially divisive issue in Ontario, particularly in the GTA area where so many immigrants have settled. It’s an attempt to buy votes from that community. Misguided in my opinion because every Canadian citizen will have to pay increased taxes in order to support the idea.

Taking care of the people who have contributed to Canada is more needed than lowering requirements for those who are newly arrived.

Have a read and see what you think? Should the bill come back?

Response from our local MP:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns related to Bill C-428, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (residency requirement) and the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) for refugees.

Bill C-428 was introduced in the 40^th Parliament by Ruby Dhalla, the former MP for Brampton-Springdale and only received First Reading before Parliament was dissolved for the General Election held on May 2^nd. Since my return to the 41^st Parliament, Bill C-428, or any other Bill similar in nature, has not been re-introduced and it is highly unlikely that one would be brought forward.

As your Member of Parliament, I was not prepared to support Bill C-428 in the 40^th Parliament should it ever have come to a vote, an event which was highly doubtful, and I am not prepared to support a similar Bill should one be introduced in this Parliamentary session.

Forty percent of Canadians have no savings for retirement and another forty percent have savings inadequate to provide for them during retirement. Retirement income and national pension reform deserves serious consideration and should be debated in a national public forum. It is important to take action for the tens of thousands of Canadian seniors that currently live in poverty. All seniors deserve to age with dignity and a reasonable standard of living. I will continue to advocate for measures that will improve the quality for life of all seniors including increasing financial support, improving access to health and long-term care, & access to affordable housing.

Regarding the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) figures provided in the e-mail, they are the result of an inaccurate article that appeared in the Toronto Star in 2004 and the article was retracted by the newspaper. The RAP is a contribution program that has two main components: income support and a range of immediate essential services. Income support can be provided for a maximum of up to 12 months for regular stream Government Assisted Refugees (GARs), and for up to 24 months for Joint Assistance Sponsorship (JAS) refugees. Only refugees with special needs qualify for JAS. Therefore, the duration of RAP funding is very limited, it can last up to one year from the date of arrival in Canada, or until the refugee can support her or himself, whichever occurs first, and should not be compared to the CPP.

Furthermore, Government Assisted Refugees are not eligible to receive provincial social assistance while receiving RAP income support. RAP income support is provided on a monthly basis and entitlement amounts are guided by provincial social assistance rates for food and shelter. The support provided under RAP covers only the most basic needs, including start-up items such as household furnishing, pots and pans, linens and other items necessary to establish a household. A single Government Assisted Refugee that settles in Ontario typically receives $768.00 per month of RAP income support for 12 months. In most cases, the first month’s instalment is larger as it includes a one timeamount of up to $1,830.00, depending on family size, to cover essential start-up needs like food, furniture and clothing. The newcomer will continue to receive the monthly allowance of $768.00 for another 11 months or until he or she becomes self-sufficient. According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, only three quarters of resettled refugees receive financial assistance from the federal government, for a limited time, and at levels lower than Canadian pensioners. I invite you to visit the following link from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration’s website which should dispel myths and misconceptions about immigration and citizenship programs:http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/facts/aid.asp

Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to express your views, and I continue to welcome your feedback. Please call me should you need me for anything.

Sincerely, Frank Valeriote, M.P. Guelph

_________________________________________________________________________________

FROM: The Hon. Diane Finley P.C.M.P., Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

I am pleased to respond to your electronic message which was forwarded to me by the Office of the Prime Minister the Right Honourable Stephen Harper regarding private member’s Bill C-428.

As you know Bill C-428 proposes to amend the Old Age Security Act to reduce the residence requirement for entitlement to a monthly pension from ten years to three years. This private member’s bill was introduced in the House of Commons by M.P. Ruby Dhallaa Liberal Opposition Member.

As the Minister responsible I have been very clear that when this Bill comes forward we will strongly oppose it.

The Old Age Security (OAS) pension is paid to seniors in recognition of the contribution that they have made to Canadian society the economy and their community. The OAS program is non-contributory and is based solely on age and residence in Canada after the age of 18. The ten-year residence rule is consistent with many other countries that have residence or contribution requirements associated with their national pensions to ensure that benefits are given in proportion to years of residence or affiliation with their pension programs. With this in mind it is felt that the current ten-year residence requirement represents a balance between a reasonable contribution to Canadian society and the right to receive a lifelong pension.

It is estimated that reducing the ten-year eligibility requirement to three years would cost over $700 million annually in additional OAS and Guaranteed Income Supplement benefits. Given that the OAS program is funded entirely from general tax revenues this would be costly and place an additional burden on the Canadian taxpayer.

Yours sincerely The Hon. Diane Finley P.C.M.P. Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development

Don’t quit yet ………………… The email going around the Internet. It’s meant to inflame everyone and stir up controversy. Fair enough . But the accuracy and truthfulness would help. ___________________________________________________________________________________

Bill #C-428 [THANKS TO RUBY DHALLA AND BOB RAE]

Only if you disagree with this Bill … pass this message along.

This bill should not have seen the light of day … and yet it will receive second reading at the next session.

Please read the bill and make your own decision. If you disagree with the bill send this to everyone over the age of 50 in your address book …. or those who may be turning 50 a few years

Hopefully by letting your member of parliament know your feelings on the bill it will be defeated.

If you agree with the bill you don’t need to do anything..

URGENT ATTENTION About Our OAS pensions Bill C-428 An Act to Amend the Old Age Security Act (residency requirements)

Bill C-428 will allow recent immigrants to apply for OAS in 3 years instead of the existing 10.

This bill had first reading in the house on June 18, 2009. It was seconded by Bob Rae! MP Ms Ruby Dhalla who introduced the bill represents the riding of Brampton whose population is mainly East Indian. Right now you have to have lived in Canada for 10 years in order to qualify for Old Age Security. She wants the time reduced to 3 years. Thousands could come to Canada when they are 62 years old never having worked or contributed to this country’s tax system etc and qualify for full Old Age Security benefits. 10 years minimum is reasonable – 3 is not!

Look this up Google C-428 and you will see this bill has only one purpose and that is to ‘featherbed’ a select group of people for votes.

I certainly hope this bill does not get passed. It is about time we called our elected MP’s to ask them to NOT support this bill. Their response may be one factor in helping us determine who gets elected in the next election.

Keep on reading and then ACT !

What Can You Do?

1. Spread the message to family friends and e-mail buds.

2. Write letters send e-mails to all your list and call Members of Parliament

It is time Canada looked after it’s vets and long-term citizens before tossing OUR hard-earned money around on people who have no right to this money, never having paid taxes or contributed to our economy. If a family wishes to bring elderly relatives here and are willing to waive their own right to collect these funds in order that the elderly relatives can receive them … fine. Otherwise do not expect the Canadian taxpayers to do it.

There are too many people abusing the generosity of the Canadian people. We need to stop this NOW. We, our children and our grand children currently owe the global investment community over $500 billion dollars … the sum of our accumulated National Debt that is never publicized.

Now READ THIS..

Canada Pensions… Only in Canada

* It is interesting to know that the federal Government of Canada allows :

a.. A monthly pension of : $1,890.00 to a simple refugee

b. plus: $580.00 in social aid

Equals ========== A grand total of : $2,470.00 monthly X 12 months

Equals ==========$28,920.00 annual income

By comparison the Old Age Pension of a senior citizen who has contributed to the development of Our Beautiful Big Country during 40 or 50 years CANNOT receive more than :

a. Amount/month $1,012.00 in Old Age Pension and Guaranteed Income Supplement

x 12 months

Equals ============

$12,144.00 annual income

A difference of : $16,776.00 per year

* Perhaps our senior citizens should ask for the Status of Refugees instead of applying for Old Age Pension.

* Let us send this message to as many Canadians as possible and maybe the allowance of refugee could then be reduced to $1012.00 and that of our Canadian pensioners (who actually deserve it) raised to $2470.00 per month… the money that they have been paying in income taxes for 40 or 50 years AN INCREDIBLE NONSENSE !!!

OUR CANADIAN SENIORS CITIZENS DESERVE BETTER

Please circulate this text to see the reaction of your contacts !

And in conclusion I say, please don’t circulate anything without thinking about what it is and questioning it’s accuracy. Always get the facts right before telling others.

The Day the Falls stood Still

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

By Cathy Marie Buchanan

This fictional retelling of some of the stories about Niagara Falls was recommended by a friend. The authour was born in Niagara Falls and now lives in Toronto. Her tale has a ring of truth to it and she knows the geography of the city and the area of the upper and lower river as well as the many whirlpools, eddies and rapids stretched along it’s length from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

One of the stories told is about a day in 1848 when ice blocked the entrance to the Upper Niagara because the wind blew strongly from the west. This actually caused the great torrents of water to stop flowing over the gorge for some time. It must have been truly frightening for those who saw it.

Did you know that in 1969 American and Canadian engineers deliberately stopped the water flowing over the American falls in order to map the riverbed and check the rock face for damage and strength? If you follow this link http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/16/5661928-niagara-falls-without-water-as-seen-in-1969 you will find pictures of how it looked at that time. A truly astonishing sight.

This book is essentially a love story of two people and their attachment to the river and each other. It is the story of a young girl who has lived a privileged and sheltered life at the Loretto Academy for young ladies. She has looked out her window every day at school and seen the mist rising above the falls and imagined that when the sun glints in a certain way which turns the water to bright silver, a prayer is rising up to heaven to the ear of God.

Doesn’t take very long for that trust and belief to disappear through the hardships of real life. But her one abiding remaining miracle turns out to be a young man named Tom Cole. The grandson of the legendary river giant, who saved many lives, proves himself her anchor to all that is good. He helps to restore her faith in an unexpected way.

A delightful story and a good read. Savour this one.

Seven deadly money disorders: workaholism

Sunday, August 21st, 2011

By Julie Cazzin From MoneySense Magazine, June 2011 / Comments (0)

Selling your soul to the company

Workaholism is one of the few addictions that society approves of. It’s true that climbing the corporate ladder can make you temporarily happier and you can earn the respect of others. But if you completely depend on your job and the approval of your superiors and co-workers to build self-esteem and to satisfy deep emotional needs, it can lead to unhealthy behaviour.

Jordan McGuire, 39, had always wanted to become a pro hockey player, but he gave up his dream to prove himself to his distant father by getting a job at the family-run manufacturing business. McGuire worked seven days a week, every week, to grow his father’s company. He was the company’s chief executive as well as its top salesman and spent more than 200 days a year on the road.

Still, no matter how hard he worked, McGuire’s father never acknowledged his son’s success. “He just kept saying that without him I’d be nothing,” says McGuire. “So I worked harder and longer to win his approval and became more and more frustrated when it never came. Looking back, I realize I come from a very messed-up family.”

McGuire eventually looked for relief in various addictions—first in drugs and alcohol, and then, eventually, food. After years of struggling to give up drinking he even developed a 10-month addiction to Gummy Bears, causing him to gain 50 lbs. The turning point came three years ago when his daughter Brianna was born. McGuire took a long, hard look at his life and decided he needed to change everything. “I never held Brianna when I was drinking or on drugs,” says McGuire. “And since she arrived, I’ve accomplished a lot of things. I spend as much time as I can with her now.”

McGuire has put his multimillion dollar company up for sale and he is enrolling in a community college course to pursue his new goal of becoming a counsellor for teens. “Don’t get me wrong—it’s a really tough decision to let it all go,” says McGuire. “But to me, money is just evil. I now realize that it was never something I wanted. What I really wanted was for my dad to acknowledge my hard work and to be proud of me.”

Overcoming workaholism
To stop workaholic behaviour, start small. Gradually cut down the number of hours you work each week. Make it a rule not to work weekends. That may mean delegating more tasks to others or being less of a perfectionist. As well, along with the regular meetings you schedule every day, schedule a set period of time daily for a short walk, trip to the gym or simply a half hour at the coffee shop to read a book for pleasure.

Look into a hobby or leisure activity that you enjoy that has nothing to do with work, so that you can talk to family and friends about it. It may be a book club, a weekly cooking class or a new sport like tennis. Most importantly, don’t let yourself feel guilty when you’re not working. It’s hard to do, but until you can, your job will rule your life.

A Predator Priest

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

By David Margolick

Of all the great institutions in the world it is hard to imagine that the Roman Catholic church has fallen on such hard times that they draw so many warped personalities to run their local organizations. How the mighty have fallen.

The church was built on the faith and martyrdom of their early believers nearly 2,000 years ago. That’s right, the church wasn’t founded until some time after the death of Jesus. They are by far the largest Christian sect with over one billion members today. But still, many people have become disillusioned, non-believers because of the actions of some people.

How did it go from the loving and kind teachings of Christ to the malevolent paedophiles who prey upon the innocent youngsters put under their care by the church and often by trusting, believing parents who couldn’t imagine any harm coming to their children?

Of late there have been a number of stories written about wayward priests from all around the world who took their vows while hiding incredible dark secrets in their hearts. Hoping against hope that somehow faith would “cure” their tenancies and then finding no help or support from their church superiors they caved in again and again to their carnal desires. The only solutions provided were to shift them from one place to another in order to hide their sins from view and give them a “new beginning”.

This book focuses on a family in the northwestern United States whose parents brought them all up to respect and honour the Church and everything about it. The parents beliefs were so strong that they let their priest dictate that birth control was a sin and so they had 13 children. The Dreary family of Putnam, Connecticut had no idea that when Father Bernard Bissonnette, a local boy who heard the calling, arrived at their parish that horror and shame came with him.

It wasn’t until years later when the eldest boy Tommy put a hose in the window of his car and sat in the back with his Bible open to read and died there that the truth began to come out. Father Bernard was a monster.

Tommy’s brothers start trying to find Father Bissonnette and through many false trails finally find him in New Mexico a broken old man suffering ill health and the ruination of alcoholism. They follow a disturbing pattern which has allowed for many, many more victims all across the country as he was shifted from one disgrace to another. Father Bernard is living with a younger man openly when they track him down after his retirement from the priesthood.

The lies and heartache, duplicity and bribing that have tried to hush up the actions of this man are truly sad and unbelievable. Why would such a grand institution accept this behaviour and become complicit in covering it up. This is only one of the stories of the bad things which have been done throughout history in the name of religion. It doesn’t matter which religion you point to, it seems that all of them have been exploited at one time or another by those seeking power and personal gratification or avenging themselves upon some minority which they need in order to feel better than the rest of humanity.

This is a sad book to read but very important to help understand and perhaps ensure that this particular kind of venality won’t happen again for a long time.

Seven deadly money disorders: underspending

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

Living poor to die rich

By Julie Cazzin | From MoneySense Magazine, June 2011

Every now and then the news reports on someone who lived like a pauper during his lifetime, only to leave an estate worth millions of dollars when he dies.

Recently, researchers got some insight into why that happens when they discovered that it physically pains chronic underspenders to part with their cash. Like money hoarders, such extreme misers worry constantly about money even if they have healthy savings and little debt. But in their case, the disorder is more an aversion to spending more than a desire to stockpile. They’ll leave an embarrassingly small tip at a restaurant, and when they shop they tend to haggle excessively over quality and price to get a better deal. The underspender’s income makes no difference — he could be the president of a corporation making $500,000 a year, or a bartender making $30,000.

In some cases, underspenders can grow to loathe their own cheapness, but they can’t change their ways. “My biggest concern has always been that I can’t bring myself to buy gifts for the people I love,” Angela Samson, a 49-year-old human resource specialist, told me at a Nashville workshop for people who suffer from money disorders. “It’s a small thing but the whole idea of spending money on things that seem luxurious overwhelms me. It just seems so wasteful.”

The refusal of underspenders to enjoy the spoils of their wealth is often based on a sense of guilt or a compulsive need to be self-sacrificing. Often such sacrifice is equated with moral goodness. Underspending habits start early and are hard to change. Chronic misers live with a deep dread of financial ruin. They’re convinced they’re on the verge of disaster no matter how much they have.

Overcoming underspending
One method for treating underspenders is to convince them that spending can, in some cases, actually be an investment. Not an investment in stocks or bonds, of course, but one in their happiness.

Going out to dinner with friends, for instance, can be presented as an investment in friendship, and a European vacation with the family can be seen as an investment in the kids’ education and development. “It’s just so much easier to spend when I remind myself of the value I’m getting from the purchase instead of concentrating on the money that I’m giving up,” says Samson. “Plus, I remind myself that I’m spending on the things I value and love. That’s what works for me.”

It can be a slow process. If you usually don’t tip at restaurants, start by forcing yourself to throw a few dollars into a charity collection box. The next step might be to treat a friend to lunch. The positive re-enforcement from seeing your friend’s delighted reaction will make it easier to do it again.

Spammers, Fools & Other Annoyances

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

By Sue Ricketts

Having four websites of my own as well as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts I have been noticing that once again the hackers seem to have found ways of getting around the security programs. This is an annoying problem and I guess the makers of software protection need to go back to the drawing board again.

I use WordPress, a very common online program, to manage two blogs. One of them is about elections and voting in my area, the other is to host the articles which I publish in my newsletter. Both have been invaded lately by particularly time-consuming annoyances. Finding an easy way to get tech support at WordPress is not an easy thing. They only have forums which are generally rather cumbersome and not simply to try to get help. WordPress technicians are out there but need to be paid for their work. I find this an interesting way of doing business. The “I’m not going to be responsible to help you use what I sell” approach is really a great way to annoy everyone, don’t you think?

For the uninitiated, when you run a blog on WordPress every item that is published has a comment section at the bottom where readers may make comments, ask questions, or refer to other websites where information pertinent to the articles might be found. These are not, and were never, intended to be places for advertisements for your business legal or illegal, non-prescription drugs, etc. The system is set up so that the owner of the blog can review the comments before they get posted online (thank heavens), so I don’t know what advantage there is to spamming with hundreds of messages when they will likely never see the light of print.

An annoying one out there currently is some jerk who sends out 20 – 30 unsolicited messages each day to the same address using different male first names to list his website address and say “Buy Generic drugs no prescription” which is generally misspelled. This waste of everyone’s time means that the manager of the blog has to actually spend time flagging and then deleting these messages one by one. But heaven help you if you have actually had comments sent to your other email addresses. You have to delete them there too. Yes, I know you can put them on your Blocked Sender list if you have one. But this particular anonymous dolt doesn’t send from the same email address and uses different names each time. I just don’t get what someone would accomplish out of doing that. Really, really stupid waste of time all around.

Then there’s those other people who start a business up but are too cheap to spend money on traditional advertising vehicles – even Facebook has ads which are reasonably priced these days. They pull the same tactics as the anonymous creeps, but they are stupid enough to use their business name. The latest offender is ibidbrokers.com a real estate sales website which is supposedly sponsored or approved by all the top names in the real estate business in Ontario. They are filling all the blog comment sites with their unwanted and wasted notices that they exist. I found 12 in my comments this week. What has that to do with a website on cooking, or voting, or writing, or financial information? Nothing at all!

Did they pick a high school student to run their marketing department? Did the major real estate companies really give permission? I doubt they would, but then somebody’s kid may need a job. He or she knows enough to be dangerous but really doesn’t understand much. Too bad that the bosses don’t know better too.

Please folks, think it through. Who’s your target audience? What do you think your accomplishing? Just creating a lot of bad will with those who have to deal with it. Before you use any media for advertising take the time to find out how to use it, what it’s target audience are thinking about and why they might be visiting this spot on the world wide web. If you really want that audience contact the website owner, offer to make some payment and design an ad which will compliment your business and not detract from it.

Robopocalypse

Sunday, August 7th, 2011

By Daniel H. Wilson

This is a novel which really feels like it might come true. It is well written and I enjoyed it from start to finish. The only problem is that the title is just too cutesy. It doesn’t do justice to this interesting tale.

The book begins in the Yukon territory in the high northern regions with a small group of people trying to fight against hundreds and hundreds of small metallic devices which have pinchers and are filled with two liquids which will explode when they are mixed – as in when the pinchers ever meet – usually when they pierce into human skin. Not a good thing to happen as the blast is strong enough to blow off an arm or leg, or separate your organs from one another.

The hero of the story is able to use the best method that’s been found to get rid of these annoying menaces – a flame thrower which can melt their shells. The neat thing is that they are programmed to look for heat sources and pounce on them. A heap of melting metal is a lot bigger attraction to them than a single human. Thank goodness for that or Cormac “Bright Boy” Wallace and his small band would not be able to rescue a weird black box which has been secreted miles below the surface. The box contains a history of the war between the humans and a computer called A.I. who has christened himself Archos. The box tells the story from the point of view of the computers.

Archos found a way to unite all the mechanical servants of civilization from cell phones to cars, to cameras and to all manner of robots in use around the world. His aim is to have robots control the next age of civilization on Earth. Mankind has ruined nature and not learned how to live in harmony with the rest of the world. Robotkind will live better and in synch with the natural species of the planet.

What would happen if all phones were controlled by an alien mind who hated humans? What if car computers decided that they would get rid of the passengers inside them by running them down or drowning them? And what if every security camera was reporting to a single huge computer so that they could find you anywhere? How would people survive if things like this started happening all at once in cities around the world?

This is an interesting premise and certainly gets you looking a little askance at the laptop, phone and computer which are so much a part of our lives. We know right from the beginning that the good guys win. But how did they manage it? Are we really smarter than our ultimate creations? What quirk of fate let certain ones last long enough to find a way to gain control again? How did they figure out the tricks which would keep them alive?

Great read! Do enjoy.

Archive for August, 2011

Taking care of the people who have contributed to Canada is more needed than lowering requirements for those who are newly arrived.

Have a read and see what you think? Should the bill come back?

Response from our local MP:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns related to Bill C-428, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (residency requirement) and the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) for refugees.

As your Member of Parliament, I was not prepared to support Bill C-428 in the 40th Parliament should it ever have come to a vote, an event which was highly doubtful, and I am not prepared to support a similar Bill should one be introduced in this Parliamentary session.

Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to express your views, and I continue to welcome your feedback. Please call me should you need me for anything.

Sincerely,

Frank Valeriote, M.P. Guelph

_________________________________________________________________________________

Taking care of the people who have contributed to Canada is more needed than lowering requirements for those who are newly arrived.

Have a read and see what you think? Should the bill come back?

Response from our local MP:

Thank you for contacting me regarding your concerns related to Bill C-428, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (residency requirement) and the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) for refugees.

As your Member of Parliament, I was not prepared to support Bill C-428 in the 40th Parliament should it ever have come to a vote, an event which was highly doubtful, and I am not prepared to support a similar Bill should one be introduced in this Parliamentary session.

Once again, I would like to thank you for taking the time to express your views, and I continue to welcome your feedback. Please call me should you need me for anything.

Sincerely, Frank Valeriote, M.P. Guelph

As your Member of Parliament, I was not prepared to support Bill C-428 in the 40^th Parliament should it ever have come to a vote, an event which was highly doubtful, and I am not prepared to support a similar Bill should one be introduced in this Parliamentary session.

As your Member of Parliament, I was not prepared to support Bill C-428 in the 40^th Parliament should it ever have come to a vote, an event which was highly doubtful, and I am not prepared to support a similar Bill should one be introduced in this Parliamentary session.