Sprint's Dear John customer letter TechRepublic Photo Gallery: "Sprint's Dear John customer letter"
Would it not be nice to write a similar letter or opt-out letter to government agencies as a customer who keeps paying for services that are not being delivered. PR
Friday, July 13, 2007
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Office politics destroys companies
Raw ambition and quik fixes do not make up for a lack of talent or ability to deliver results
Saturday, April 21, 2007
The purpose of democracy and freedom of choice Food for thought
What is the essence of sovereign government?
Ultimately, is government something done for us, or done to us? The whole discussion turns on this. In the final analysis, is government to serve or impose?
Social and economic programs, for example, ostensibly represent governments acting “for” us -- whether as an innovative private company or as an indulgent uncle it is never clear.
On the other hand, policing – taxation – licensing of cars, dogs, restaurants and guns – and everything down to standard weights and measures, are typically done to us, or to someone else. They regiment what we all must do and must not do.
Any of these impositions may be absolutely necessary for public order, or may be utterly stupid; but either way, it’s what sets governments apart – their power to impose.
The purpose of democracy
Efficiency is the concern of supermarkets and car dealers. Maximum sale for minimum investment. They have competitors. They must be imaginative and efficient, or perish.
But governments don't. No organization that can compel the entire population to pay for its own overstaffing, irresponsible mistakes and occasional blatant injustices will be creative and efficient, except at imposing its will, because that is its business.
It is a fundamental error to see governments merely as administrative services, like the sales and accounting staff at Walmart. Walmart can't force ypou to surrender 40% of your income for products you can't get and probably don't want.
For this reason, it's best to give the most powerful government as little responsibility as possible, and favour less powerful, more controllable orders of government with more. For the lower and closer sovereignty lies to you and me, the easier we find it to control. But this been said often enough.
Given Ottawa’s usurpation of social sovereignty over the past 50 years – from the unemployment insurance revenue grab in 1940, to the ponzi-scheme Canada Pension Plan in the 1960s, to the straitjacket Canada Health Act in the 1980s – it is surely time to bring the democratic reins back closer to hand and back to the provinces (or the grass roots citizens and taxpayers) where it originated.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Normal people donotmake thatmuch / MSN Finance - Surprise! We don't make that much money
Take this incontext of the rapidly expanding 100,000 $ club of government employees.PR
Savings & Debt John Caspar - Sympatico / MSN Finance - Surprise! We don't make that much money: "Surprise! We don't make that much money
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By John Caspar
April 04, 2007
Last week, I regaled you with some interesting data from the good folks at Statistics Canada regarding retirement savings. That was all about what we save. This week, let's talk a little bit about what we make. Specifically, how much money are people making out there, and where do you stack up?
All the data here is for the 2004 calendar year, which is the most recent income data available.
Just so you can brace yourself, we'll start with median total income. The median is the mid-point, where half the included population is higher, and half is lower. “Total income” in this case includes income from employment, investment, government transfers, private pensions, registered retirement savings plans and other income. You know. Total. And the median total income for Canadians with an income was…$24,400. If you made more than $24,400 in 2004, congratulations, you were in the top half of income earners.
Now, before you calculate that fully half of Canadians work for less than $12.20 an hour, bear in mind that “total income” will capture part-time employees, after-school student jobs, etc. Those people will pull down the average with a low income that may not be representative of hardship. That being said, the bottom half of total income earners is also populated by people who are out of the work force and living on low incomes provided by pensions and government benefits. Many of those people do indeed have financial hardship.
The median employment income for Canadians in 2004 was $25,400. That's just counting the working folks.
Now, before you calculate that fully half of Canadians work for less than $12.20 an hour, bear in mind that “total income” will capture part-time employees, after-school student jobs, etc. Those people will pull down the average with a low income that may not be representative of hardship. That being said, the bottom half of total income earners is also populated by people who are out of the work force and living on low incomes provided by pensions and government benefits. Many of those people do indeed have financial hardship.
The median employment income for Canadians in 2004 was $25,400. That's just counting the working folks. The highest median employment income by province was the Northwest Territories by a wide margin ($35,400), followed by the Yukon ($28,300), Ontario ($27,900) and Alberta ($27,500). Newfoundland was the lowest at $17,000.
But let's move back to total income for Canadians, and climb further up the scale to see where the meat is. Let's move all the way up to where about 2/3rds of individuals have lower incomes. In 2004, you were in the top third of incomes if you made more than…are you ready? $35,000.
I know what you're saying. Let's go higher! Okay, let's move up to the top quintile line. At this level of income, 80 percent of people made less than you. The number? Only 19.8 percent of Canadians with an income made $50,000 or more in 2004.
Now, although a bit over 12 percent of individuals had incomes between $50,000 and $75,000, the atmosphere thins out pretty quickly above that. Only 7.6 percent of people had incomes of $75,000 or more in 2004. Only 3.4 percent made $100,000 or more. And by the time we get to the $150,000 or more category, we're down to just 1.3 percent of income recipients.
People with 2004 incomes of $200,000 or more were a rounding error: only 0.7 percent made $200,000 or more. And you can be 99.5 percent sure that any randomly selected Canadian earned less than $250,000.
Those are the stats for individuals. The nice folks at Stats Canada also track the incomes of various family groupings, so we can get an idea of where entire households compare by income. “Couple families” are couples (married or common-law, including same-sex couples) living at the same address, with or without children. No singles or lone parents are included. The median total income from all sources for all members of such families in 2004 was $64,800. Less than a quarter of such households had total incomes of $100,000 or more. And just over 8 percent had incomes of $150,000 or greater.
So, there are the stats, and that's what we make. Now, consider some of the implications of this information. If there were folks who made $50,000 a year and didn't feel like they were making enough to get by (and there are), it would be useful for them to consider that based on 2004 figures, 80 percent of Canadians with an income make less. If their individual income was close to $65,000, that would be enough to push them into the top ten percent of incomes received by Canadians just two years ago. Ninety percent of the 23.4 million people with an income in Canada made less. If they felt they weren't getting by at an income level that's higher than that of the vast majority of the people in one of the richest countries in the history of the world, do they have an income problem? Or is it a problem related to something else, like choices or expectations?
Looking at the statistics of what we all make, it looks like it couldn't just be the money.
Th"
Savings & Debt John Caspar - Sympatico / MSN Finance - Surprise! We don't make that much money: "Surprise! We don't make that much money
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By John Caspar
April 04, 2007
Last week, I regaled you with some interesting data from the good folks at Statistics Canada regarding retirement savings. That was all about what we save. This week, let's talk a little bit about what we make. Specifically, how much money are people making out there, and where do you stack up?
All the data here is for the 2004 calendar year, which is the most recent income data available.
Just so you can brace yourself, we'll start with median total income. The median is the mid-point, where half the included population is higher, and half is lower. “Total income” in this case includes income from employment, investment, government transfers, private pensions, registered retirement savings plans and other income. You know. Total. And the median total income for Canadians with an income was…$24,400. If you made more than $24,400 in 2004, congratulations, you were in the top half of income earners.
Now, before you calculate that fully half of Canadians work for less than $12.20 an hour, bear in mind that “total income” will capture part-time employees, after-school student jobs, etc. Those people will pull down the average with a low income that may not be representative of hardship. That being said, the bottom half of total income earners is also populated by people who are out of the work force and living on low incomes provided by pensions and government benefits. Many of those people do indeed have financial hardship.
The median employment income for Canadians in 2004 was $25,400. That's just counting the working folks.
Now, before you calculate that fully half of Canadians work for less than $12.20 an hour, bear in mind that “total income” will capture part-time employees, after-school student jobs, etc. Those people will pull down the average with a low income that may not be representative of hardship. That being said, the bottom half of total income earners is also populated by people who are out of the work force and living on low incomes provided by pensions and government benefits. Many of those people do indeed have financial hardship.
The median employment income for Canadians in 2004 was $25,400. That's just counting the working folks. The highest median employment income by province was the Northwest Territories by a wide margin ($35,400), followed by the Yukon ($28,300), Ontario ($27,900) and Alberta ($27,500). Newfoundland was the lowest at $17,000.
But let's move back to total income for Canadians, and climb further up the scale to see where the meat is. Let's move all the way up to where about 2/3rds of individuals have lower incomes. In 2004, you were in the top third of incomes if you made more than…are you ready? $35,000.
I know what you're saying. Let's go higher! Okay, let's move up to the top quintile line. At this level of income, 80 percent of people made less than you. The number? Only 19.8 percent of Canadians with an income made $50,000 or more in 2004.
Now, although a bit over 12 percent of individuals had incomes between $50,000 and $75,000, the atmosphere thins out pretty quickly above that. Only 7.6 percent of people had incomes of $75,000 or more in 2004. Only 3.4 percent made $100,000 or more. And by the time we get to the $150,000 or more category, we're down to just 1.3 percent of income recipients.
People with 2004 incomes of $200,000 or more were a rounding error: only 0.7 percent made $200,000 or more. And you can be 99.5 percent sure that any randomly selected Canadian earned less than $250,000.
Those are the stats for individuals. The nice folks at Stats Canada also track the incomes of various family groupings, so we can get an idea of where entire households compare by income. “Couple families” are couples (married or common-law, including same-sex couples) living at the same address, with or without children. No singles or lone parents are included. The median total income from all sources for all members of such families in 2004 was $64,800. Less than a quarter of such households had total incomes of $100,000 or more. And just over 8 percent had incomes of $150,000 or greater.
So, there are the stats, and that's what we make. Now, consider some of the implications of this information. If there were folks who made $50,000 a year and didn't feel like they were making enough to get by (and there are), it would be useful for them to consider that based on 2004 figures, 80 percent of Canadians with an income make less. If their individual income was close to $65,000, that would be enough to push them into the top ten percent of incomes received by Canadians just two years ago. Ninety percent of the 23.4 million people with an income in Canada made less. If they felt they weren't getting by at an income level that's higher than that of the vast majority of the people in one of the richest countries in the history of the world, do they have an income problem? Or is it a problem related to something else, like choices or expectations?
Looking at the statistics of what we all make, it looks like it couldn't just be the money.
Th"
Monday, April 09, 2007
Food banks -the reality
This is really disturbing particularly when the story of the government 100,000 dollars club of publically funded civil servants is growing disproportionately. How long will the " let them eat cake" attitude of getting more forproducing less attitude prevail . Wake up, people and start righting this imbalance of your funds.
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor: "Thousands rely on Brantford Food Bank
By Michelle Ruby, Expositor Staff
Local News - Monday, April 09, 2007 Updated @ 9:16:00 PM
A box of crackers, a bag of pasta, a bag of lentils, a box of cereal, one kilogram of peanut butter, three cans of vegetables, two cans of fruit, four cans of soup, and one can of beans.
Throw in a few loaves of bread and a litre of milk and that's what the Brantford Food Bank is able to give a family of four once a month.
The offering, put together based on nutrition and portion recommendations in the Canada Food Guide, is meant to be an emergency supply intended to last a family two or three days.
But Catherine Lawrence, director of development for Community Resource Service which operates the food bank, admits that concocting meals from the medley of foodstuff can be a challenge.
On a recent weekday, some 20 people sat in the lobby waiting to register for their grocery boxes. At this time of year, about 30 people a day come into the food bank. At other times, that number swells to 80 a day.
Those who came in last week were lucky. With Easter, public donations are generous. Recipients might walk away with a bit of meat or some snack foods.
In 2006, the Brantford Food Bank gave away 521,000 pounds of food. About 127,000 pounds of that went to community organizations that prepare meals for those in need. Local residents can get a free meal pretty much every day of the year at various churches and from other charitable groups.
Tammy Masters, 24, has been coming into the food bank once a month for about two years. The single mother of a five-year-old recently lost her job at a local sub shop where she earned minimu"
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor: "Thousands rely on Brantford Food Bank
By Michelle Ruby, Expositor Staff
Local News - Monday, April 09, 2007 Updated @ 9:16:00 PM
A box of crackers, a bag of pasta, a bag of lentils, a box of cereal, one kilogram of peanut butter, three cans of vegetables, two cans of fruit, four cans of soup, and one can of beans.
Throw in a few loaves of bread and a litre of milk and that's what the Brantford Food Bank is able to give a family of four once a month.
The offering, put together based on nutrition and portion recommendations in the Canada Food Guide, is meant to be an emergency supply intended to last a family two or three days.
But Catherine Lawrence, director of development for Community Resource Service which operates the food bank, admits that concocting meals from the medley of foodstuff can be a challenge.
On a recent weekday, some 20 people sat in the lobby waiting to register for their grocery boxes. At this time of year, about 30 people a day come into the food bank. At other times, that number swells to 80 a day.
Those who came in last week were lucky. With Easter, public donations are generous. Recipients might walk away with a bit of meat or some snack foods.
In 2006, the Brantford Food Bank gave away 521,000 pounds of food. About 127,000 pounds of that went to community organizations that prepare meals for those in need. Local residents can get a free meal pretty much every day of the year at various churches and from other charitable groups.
Tammy Masters, 24, has been coming into the food bank once a month for about two years. The single mother of a five-year-old recently lost her job at a local sub shop where she earned minimu"
Saturday, March 31, 2007
YouTube - The Big Brother State
This is really scary . People should be more aware how their basic liberties
are being eroded. Get your rights back say no to the big brother security establishment. PR
YouTube - The Big Brother State: ""
Monday, March 26, 2007
Winning over hearts | Markets | Stocks | Canadian Business Online
David versus Golliath - lets do the same with Back to Eden living
Winning over hearts | Markets | Stocks | Canadian Business Online: "Winning over hearts
Erin Pooley
From the March 26, 2007 issue of Canadian Business magazine
In the global cardiovascular drug industry, Medicure Inc. is a David among the Goliaths. With just 90 employees and a market capitalization of less than $140 million, the Winnipeg-based drug-discovery company is a small player compared to the pharmaceutical giants that compete in the US$70-billion heart-disease space. But despite its size, Medicure is working on a drug with the capacity to reduce the risk of heart damage due to cardiovascular disease — the No. 1 killer in both Canada and the United States. Recent safety concerns regarding drug-coated stents — an alternative treatment to coronary artery bypass surgery — could also pump some new life into this biotech's sagging share price (TSX: MPH).
Currently in pivotal Phase 3 trials, Medicure's MC-1 drug is a cardio-protectant, designed to reduce the damage to the heart when arteries are blocked and when they are subsequently reopened after bypass surgery. In a previous trial involving 900 bypass patients, the drug reduced the heart attack rate by nearly 50% in the first 30 days. If Phase 3 trials are successful — results are expected in March 2008 — MC-1 could be on the market in the U.S. as early as the beginning of 2009, following shortly after in Canada. (Medicure has already received fast-track approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for MC-1.)
'I call it the second Aspirin,' says Claude Camiré, a biotechnology analyst at Toronto-based Paradigm Capital Inc. 'A lot of people use Aspirin or blood thinners [after surgery], but those only help your blood flow — they don't really protect your heart like M"
Winning over hearts | Markets | Stocks | Canadian Business Online: "Winning over hearts
Erin Pooley
From the March 26, 2007 issue of Canadian Business magazine
In the global cardiovascular drug industry, Medicure Inc. is a David among the Goliaths. With just 90 employees and a market capitalization of less than $140 million, the Winnipeg-based drug-discovery company is a small player compared to the pharmaceutical giants that compete in the US$70-billion heart-disease space. But despite its size, Medicure is working on a drug with the capacity to reduce the risk of heart damage due to cardiovascular disease — the No. 1 killer in both Canada and the United States. Recent safety concerns regarding drug-coated stents — an alternative treatment to coronary artery bypass surgery — could also pump some new life into this biotech's sagging share price (TSX: MPH).
Currently in pivotal Phase 3 trials, Medicure's MC-1 drug is a cardio-protectant, designed to reduce the damage to the heart when arteries are blocked and when they are subsequently reopened after bypass surgery. In a previous trial involving 900 bypass patients, the drug reduced the heart attack rate by nearly 50% in the first 30 days. If Phase 3 trials are successful — results are expected in March 2008 — MC-1 could be on the market in the U.S. as early as the beginning of 2009, following shortly after in Canada. (Medicure has already received fast-track approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for MC-1.)
'I call it the second Aspirin,' says Claude Camiré, a biotechnology analyst at Toronto-based Paradigm Capital Inc. 'A lot of people use Aspirin or blood thinners [after surgery], but those only help your blood flow — they don't really protect your heart like M"
Sunday, March 25, 2007
winnipegsun.com - Editorial - Flexible PM outfoxes budget critics
winnipegsun.com - Editorial - Flexible PM outfoxes budget critics: "Knowing how the punditry in Canada operates, if Harper had produced a budget more in line with his party's core values, no doubt many of the same people criticizing Harper for being too Liberal with this budget would have raged about the 'inflexible' and 'dogmatic' prime minister plunging Canada into yet another unnecessary election.
Harper is getting far too little credit for creating a budget that gives him the support he needs in the Commons to keep his minority government alive, while at the same time bolstering the party's fortunes in Ontario and Quebec so that the PM can eventually win a majority.
Frankly, that's a pretty deft bit of stick-handling from a politician who has been woefully misjudged his entire career. "
Harper is getting far too little credit for creating a budget that gives him the support he needs in the Commons to keep his minority government alive, while at the same time bolstering the party's fortunes in Ontario and Quebec so that the PM can eventually win a majority.
Frankly, that's a pretty deft bit of stick-handling from a politician who has been woefully misjudged his entire career. "
Saturday, March 24, 2007
RED HERRING | Bye-Bye Bankers?
RED HERRING | Bye-Bye Bankers?: "Bye-Bye Bankers?
Zopa nabs $12.9M as online lending gains believers.
March 19, 2007
By Ken Schachter
A new crop of online lending marketplaces is letting even the hoi polloi try their hands at being angel investors or micro-bankers.
On Monday, U.K.-based Zopa, an online loan marketplace that unites lenders and borrowers without a bank in the middle, announced a $12.9-million third round investment led by Bessemer Venture Partners to fund a U.S. launch.
Zopa, launched in March 2005, joins a group of online lending marketplaces that includes raisecapital.com, a Port Washington, New York-based startup that matches startups and angel investors and Kiva.org, a San Francisco-based site that lets lenders make microfinance loans to Third World entrepreneurs.
Should direct lending online gain a foothold in the marketplace, it could put pressure on a market traditionally dominated by banks, savings and loans, and credit unions."
Zopa nabs $12.9M as online lending gains believers.
March 19, 2007
By Ken Schachter
A new crop of online lending marketplaces is letting even the hoi polloi try their hands at being angel investors or micro-bankers.
On Monday, U.K.-based Zopa, an online loan marketplace that unites lenders and borrowers without a bank in the middle, announced a $12.9-million third round investment led by Bessemer Venture Partners to fund a U.S. launch.
Zopa, launched in March 2005, joins a group of online lending marketplaces that includes raisecapital.com, a Port Washington, New York-based startup that matches startups and angel investors and Kiva.org, a San Francisco-based site that lets lenders make microfinance loans to Third World entrepreneurs.
Should direct lending online gain a foothold in the marketplace, it could put pressure on a market traditionally dominated by banks, savings and loans, and credit unions."
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Health Policy - Dr. Mike Magee provides education and insight into health policy and current healthcare issues.
And it starts - a systematic policy to reduce the liberty of the overeight QJ
Health Policy - Dr. Mike Magee provides education and insight into health policy and current healthcare issues.: "Taking Action on Obesity
Download PDF Version
Transcript
The obesity epidemic is very real, and we hear about it constantly. But the talk is mostly about the problem – not the solution – and in the meantime, the situation is actually getting worse. Between 2005 and 2006, adult obesity rates continued to rise in 31 states, and it’s extremely unlikely that any state will be able to meet the national goal of reducing adult obesity levels to 15 percent or less by the year 2010.1,2 As for children, obesity rates have more than doubled over the last 25 years.3"
Health Policy - Dr. Mike Magee provides education and insight into health policy and current healthcare issues.: "Taking Action on Obesity
Download PDF Version
Transcript
The obesity epidemic is very real, and we hear about it constantly. But the talk is mostly about the problem – not the solution – and in the meantime, the situation is actually getting worse. Between 2005 and 2006, adult obesity rates continued to rise in 31 states, and it’s extremely unlikely that any state will be able to meet the national goal of reducing adult obesity levels to 15 percent or less by the year 2010.1,2 As for children, obesity rates have more than doubled over the last 25 years.3"
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Budget 2007 - Sympatico / MSN Finance - Backroom budgeting
Interesting changes in the air PR
Budget 2007 - Sympatico / MSN Finance - Backroom budgeting: "Backroom budgeting
The budget process is increasingly political and increasingly irrelevant too.
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By Deirdre McMurdy
February 08, 2007
For a great many years now, there’s been a Holiday Inn rule in place between Ottawa and Bay Street: No surprises.
The Finance Department had learned to respect the need of financial markets to avoid jolts, sudden changes of direction or measures that might cause scrambling. That implicit partnership in maintaining an even keel worked well and along with it, came an elaborate system of pre-budget consultations that allowed everyone with a vested interest in the outcome of a budget to come forward and make their case.
That relative transparency effectively de-politicized the budget process. And the assurance that there’d be no surprises on the day of its formal delivery, meant that currency, bond and stock markets weren’t buffeted about. Predictability engendered a degree of mutual trust between private and public sectors.
That’s no longer the case – something that anyone who watched the changes to the tax status of income trusts go down last October can attest."
Budget 2007 - Sympatico / MSN Finance - Backroom budgeting: "Backroom budgeting
The budget process is increasingly political and increasingly irrelevant too.
advertisement
By Deirdre McMurdy
February 08, 2007
For a great many years now, there’s been a Holiday Inn rule in place between Ottawa and Bay Street: No surprises.
The Finance Department had learned to respect the need of financial markets to avoid jolts, sudden changes of direction or measures that might cause scrambling. That implicit partnership in maintaining an even keel worked well and along with it, came an elaborate system of pre-budget consultations that allowed everyone with a vested interest in the outcome of a budget to come forward and make their case.
That relative transparency effectively de-politicized the budget process. And the assurance that there’d be no surprises on the day of its formal delivery, meant that currency, bond and stock markets weren’t buffeted about. Predictability engendered a degree of mutual trust between private and public sectors.
That’s no longer the case – something that anyone who watched the changes to the tax status of income trusts go down last October can attest."
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Bigger bang for research buck needed
RE 96% of the Expositor Reader poll of 486 do not want to spend $300,000 on the 2-way traffic study for Dalhousie and Colborne street.
It would appear that Brantford ratepayers are tired and skeptical of yet another study to help the downtown. Maybe they are tired of paying for studies that are never used or implemented or common sense obvious. The reverse of the penny wise pound foolish thinking, it seems that they are tired paying a pound to get a penny worth of results at their expense.
We , the Brant Taxpayers Coalition agree with these readers and suggest another use of these public funds. We suggest on a constructive basis, that council establish a committee of councilors and knowledgeable citizens form the ratepayers, to determine the viability of establishing a commercial casino that has the potential of creating an additional 2000 jobs. This study would include calls for proposals from the private sector to renew the overall recreational complex in the area and which would include an upgraded civic centre , Our information indicates that a commercial casino was at one time considered but narrowly defeated under the stewardship of former mayor Friel and that a promised public plebiscite was never conducted . This approach could have more benefits, get wider community acceptance , and be more visible , then the proposed traffic study A bigger bang for the taxpayer's research buck is respectfully requested.
Sieg Holle Communications director Brant Taxpayers Coalition
Brantford, On
It would appear that Brantford ratepayers are tired and skeptical of yet another study to help the downtown. Maybe they are tired of paying for studies that are never used or implemented or common sense obvious. The reverse of the penny wise pound foolish thinking, it seems that they are tired paying a pound to get a penny worth of results at their expense.
We , the Brant Taxpayers Coalition agree with these readers and suggest another use of these public funds. We suggest on a constructive basis, that council establish a committee of councilors and knowledgeable citizens form the ratepayers, to determine the viability of establishing a commercial casino that has the potential of creating an additional 2000 jobs. This study would include calls for proposals from the private sector to renew the overall recreational complex in the area and which would include an upgraded civic centre , Our information indicates that a commercial casino was at one time considered but narrowly defeated under the stewardship of former mayor Friel and that a promised public plebiscite was never conducted . This approach could have more benefits, get wider community acceptance , and be more visible , then the proposed traffic study A bigger bang for the taxpayer's research buck is respectfully requested.
Sieg Holle Communications director Brant Taxpayers Coalition
Brantford, On
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor
This is an excellent expose of what afflicts the public in Ontario. Let all parties make visibilty and accountablity of our public institutions a priority platform PR
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor: "Public routinely kept in dark, Osprey survey shows
James Wallace
Queens Park - Thursday, March 08, 2007
Osprey News Network
Secrecy, stone-walling, manipulation and ignorance within Ontario institutions is undermining fundamental public rights to hold government accountable, a four-month survey by Osprey Media newspapers has found.
In many cases, municipalities, police forces, hospitals, universities and provincial bodies supported by taxpayer dollars routinely deny, reject, delay or challenge requests for information that should be public and easily accessible.
For example, police in Cornwall refused to identify a high school that had been vandalized by two teens on the grounds the school was “like a victim” and police are not required to identify victims of crime.
Such concerns are familiar to Brian Beamish, Assistant Commissioner Access at Ontario’s Office of Information and Privacy.
Beamish said the findings of the Osprey survey come as no surprise to him and called on public institutions across the province to “embrace the spirit of openness” contained within Ontario’s Freedom of Information Act.
“There are definitely situations described (in the Osprey survey) where out expectation would be that information would be disclosed even without the need for a formal FOI request,” Beamish said.
“They seem quite clear these are situations where information should be made freely available to the public as a matter of course,” he said.
Premier Dalton McGuinty also expressed concern at the failure of some public institutions to readily release in"
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor: "Public routinely kept in dark, Osprey survey shows
James Wallace
Queens Park - Thursday, March 08, 2007
Osprey News Network
Secrecy, stone-walling, manipulation and ignorance within Ontario institutions is undermining fundamental public rights to hold government accountable, a four-month survey by Osprey Media newspapers has found.
In many cases, municipalities, police forces, hospitals, universities and provincial bodies supported by taxpayer dollars routinely deny, reject, delay or challenge requests for information that should be public and easily accessible.
For example, police in Cornwall refused to identify a high school that had been vandalized by two teens on the grounds the school was “like a victim” and police are not required to identify victims of crime.
Such concerns are familiar to Brian Beamish, Assistant Commissioner Access at Ontario’s Office of Information and Privacy.
Beamish said the findings of the Osprey survey come as no surprise to him and called on public institutions across the province to “embrace the spirit of openness” contained within Ontario’s Freedom of Information Act.
“There are definitely situations described (in the Osprey survey) where out expectation would be that information would be disclosed even without the need for a formal FOI request,” Beamish said.
“They seem quite clear these are situations where information should be made freely available to the public as a matter of course,” he said.
Premier Dalton McGuinty also expressed concern at the failure of some public institutions to readily release in"
Monday, March 05, 2007
winnipegsun.com - Editorial - Hey Dion: It's not the East versus West
What a concept -no more divide and conquer- how refreshing ! PR
winnipegsun.com - Editorial - Hey Dion: It's not the East versus West: "Mon, March 5, 2007
Hey Dion: It's not the East versus West
No part of Canada should ever be baited by politicians for short-term, partisan gain.
It was wrong when the old Reform party used to do it to Quebec. And it's wrong now that the same old Liberal party is doing it to Alberta -- again.
What else are Canadians to think when Liberal Leader Stephane Dion takes a trip out West and blames oilsands workers for 'living too fast for the easy money' and being bad for our economy?
Honest work is bad for our economy?
Perhaps Prof. Dion should spend a few weeks getting his hands dirty in the oilfields before lecturing Canadians on how 'easy' it is.
Then there's Liberal Natural Resources critic Mark Holland, who seems to imagine himself a right little terror of a fellow.
This for lecturing Alberta about how it must reduce oilsands production, now that the Liberals have rediscovered global warming after signing the Kyoto accord in 1998 then forgetting about it for eight years, until they were tossed out of office.
If Holland, who's from Ontario, really wants to make himself useful, let him explain to Ontario auto workers how many thousands of their jobs the Liberals are prepared to forfeit as part of their new-found zeal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, after falling 35 per cent behind their own targets while in power.
Why isn't Holland, or, more important, Dion, holding daily news conferences demanding their Liberal cousin in Ontario -- Premier Dalton McGuinty -- shut down Canada's single largest greenhouse gas emitter, the Nanticoke coal-fired electricity generating station?
That, along with three other greenhouse gas-emitting, coal-fired energy plan"
winnipegsun.com - Editorial - Hey Dion: It's not the East versus West: "Mon, March 5, 2007
Hey Dion: It's not the East versus West
No part of Canada should ever be baited by politicians for short-term, partisan gain.
It was wrong when the old Reform party used to do it to Quebec. And it's wrong now that the same old Liberal party is doing it to Alberta -- again.
What else are Canadians to think when Liberal Leader Stephane Dion takes a trip out West and blames oilsands workers for 'living too fast for the easy money' and being bad for our economy?
Honest work is bad for our economy?
Perhaps Prof. Dion should spend a few weeks getting his hands dirty in the oilfields before lecturing Canadians on how 'easy' it is.
Then there's Liberal Natural Resources critic Mark Holland, who seems to imagine himself a right little terror of a fellow.
This for lecturing Alberta about how it must reduce oilsands production, now that the Liberals have rediscovered global warming after signing the Kyoto accord in 1998 then forgetting about it for eight years, until they were tossed out of office.
If Holland, who's from Ontario, really wants to make himself useful, let him explain to Ontario auto workers how many thousands of their jobs the Liberals are prepared to forfeit as part of their new-found zeal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, after falling 35 per cent behind their own targets while in power.
Why isn't Holland, or, more important, Dion, holding daily news conferences demanding their Liberal cousin in Ontario -- Premier Dalton McGuinty -- shut down Canada's single largest greenhouse gas emitter, the Nanticoke coal-fired electricity generating station?
That, along with three other greenhouse gas-emitting, coal-fired energy plan"
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor
Another affront to human dignity and the concept of natural justice
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor: "Man can't afford to fight extradition order
By Susan Gamble
Local News - Monday, March 05, 2007 Updated @ 11:08:07 PM
Carrying no more than they could shove in a few suitcases and cram in backpacks, Mohammed Naim, his wife Ilona and their four children fled from a frightening, corrupt world in Budapest.
They came to Canada in 1997, settling in the Paris area, far from the extortion, threats and killings that marked their lives in Hungary.
The most important thing, the Naims reminded each other, was that they were safe and together.
Now that’s no longer true.
Mohammed Naim, 49, turned himself in to Brantford police Wednesday evening to face extradition to Hungary.
He’s panicked at the idea of leaving his family, but the Naims simply can’t afford to continue to pay their Toronto immigration lawyer any more money to fight the order.
Hungary has 40 days to send for Naim. Meanwhile, he languishes in the Brantford jail where, he told his family, he is mocked and spit upon by other prisoners.
How did a once-wealthy businessman come to such an ignoble position?
Naim’s wife and eldest daughter sat down with The Expositor on Saturday to explain their tale. "
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor: "Man can't afford to fight extradition order
By Susan Gamble
Local News - Monday, March 05, 2007 Updated @ 11:08:07 PM
Carrying no more than they could shove in a few suitcases and cram in backpacks, Mohammed Naim, his wife Ilona and their four children fled from a frightening, corrupt world in Budapest.
They came to Canada in 1997, settling in the Paris area, far from the extortion, threats and killings that marked their lives in Hungary.
The most important thing, the Naims reminded each other, was that they were safe and together.
Now that’s no longer true.
Mohammed Naim, 49, turned himself in to Brantford police Wednesday evening to face extradition to Hungary.
He’s panicked at the idea of leaving his family, but the Naims simply can’t afford to continue to pay their Toronto immigration lawyer any more money to fight the order.
Hungary has 40 days to send for Naim. Meanwhile, he languishes in the Brantford jail where, he told his family, he is mocked and spit upon by other prisoners.
How did a once-wealthy businessman come to such an ignoble position?
Naim’s wife and eldest daughter sat down with The Expositor on Saturday to explain their tale. "
Sunday, March 04, 2007
winnipegsun.com - Editorial - PM should relax, enjoy view from top
winnipegsun.com - Editorial - PM should relax, enjoy view from top: "PM should relax, enjoy view from top
By Licia Corbella
Two polls in two days. Both are favourable to the governing federal Tories. Both show the numbers for the federal Liberals, under the inept leadership of the flip-flopping Stephane Dion, freefalling.
As a result, many Parliament Hill pundits and opposition politicians are predicting that Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party will 'force' an election sooner rather than later. "
By Licia Corbella
Two polls in two days. Both are favourable to the governing federal Tories. Both show the numbers for the federal Liberals, under the inept leadership of the flip-flopping Stephane Dion, freefalling.
As a result, many Parliament Hill pundits and opposition politicians are predicting that Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party will 'force' an election sooner rather than later. "
Friday, March 02, 2007
"Breaking the Link Between Poverty MSN Hotmail - Message
"Breaking the Link Between Poverty
and Obesity
It's not easy being healthy and fit in America, and for those in lower income groups, staying fit is a huge challenge. Research shows that in the United States, minorities and the poor have higher rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Among women, higher obesity rates tend to be associated with both low income and lower education. (The relationship between obesity and income is a little murkier with men for no known reason.) A casual observer could be forgiven for reaching the conclusion that poverty causes obesity. But the truth is a lot more complicated. There are some good reasons why the link between poverty and obesity is so strong -- not the least of which is the fact that poverty is also generally accompanied by the low cost of high-calorie foods containing high amounts of fat and sugar.
'Obesity is a political and social problem,' says Mark Hyman, MD. 'There's a medical-industrial complex designed to keep people sick and fat,' Dr. Hyman told me. 'We're spending billions of dollars a year subsidizing soybean and corn production, some of which winds up in our food supply as high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated soybean oil.' High fructose corn syrup is a main sweetener in many foods and is found in high-caloric processed foods and sweetened beverages... hydrogenated soybean oil is a source of trans-fats. Both are among the cheapest source of calories on earth.
Indeed, research presented at the Institute of Food and"
and Obesity
It's not easy being healthy and fit in America, and for those in lower income groups, staying fit is a huge challenge. Research shows that in the United States, minorities and the poor have higher rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Among women, higher obesity rates tend to be associated with both low income and lower education. (The relationship between obesity and income is a little murkier with men for no known reason.) A casual observer could be forgiven for reaching the conclusion that poverty causes obesity. But the truth is a lot more complicated. There are some good reasons why the link between poverty and obesity is so strong -- not the least of which is the fact that poverty is also generally accompanied by the low cost of high-calorie foods containing high amounts of fat and sugar.
'Obesity is a political and social problem,' says Mark Hyman, MD. 'There's a medical-industrial complex designed to keep people sick and fat,' Dr. Hyman told me. 'We're spending billions of dollars a year subsidizing soybean and corn production, some of which winds up in our food supply as high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated soybean oil.' High fructose corn syrup is a main sweetener in many foods and is found in high-caloric processed foods and sweetened beverages... hydrogenated soybean oil is a source of trans-fats. Both are among the cheapest source of calories on earth.
Indeed, research presented at the Institute of Food and"
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
yes
We live in a period of improbable technologies such as self-cooled beer, artificial retinas of the eye, full automated factories. All these open new methods of preservation and transfering of energy.
AC Energy Introduction to Technology
Wednesday February 28, 6:02 am ET
GARDNERVILLE, NV--Feb 28, 2007 -- AC Energy (ACEN P K - News) is committed to leading the world in research and development of TOP quality alternative power sources for cell phones and other small and large electronics.
Our target is to revolutionize the battery industry by providing consumers with products of unparalleled convenience and efficiency.
Through the establishment of select strategic partnerships, AC Energy will maximize its market reach, penetrating every
sector of the cell phone and electronics power source industry.
Using their advanced battery technology, a phone could operate for its entire
life without ever needing to be plugged into an outlet or cigarette lighter -- it could actually charge itself. Imagine,
a cell phone that never needs charging!
Furthermore, their product will have the capability to meet the energy needs of the entire small and large electronics market, with minimal
adaptations to the original technology.
AC Energy's Technology "The battery that never needs to be charged" could work in cell phones, laptops, music players or any other portable device.
It will be a self-contained unit that will replace the original battery of the device. It can be made to work with any existing product.
It's not some kind of story or something like this, we provide you with 100% information.
Energy is our future, don't waste time.
Conversation problems
In 21st century
energy supply problems are standing for every man.
Prices for oil, gas, coal are rising higher and higher.
The governments of many countries discuss using of the renewed kinds of energy such as biofuel, energy of the sun and so on. But the issue of saving energy also is of great importance. Because of it energy conservations is needed vitaly. One of perspective directions is the technology hydrogen. But Proton Exchange Membrane is required in order to modernize this technology. It's developing now by the following company.
AC Energy, Inc is an electrochemical power company pioneering strategic energy
pathways in the milliwatts to kilowatts range. AC Energy is creating
energy solutions designed for all spheres of modern life.
The fuel cell technology, Proton Exchange Membrane ("PEM") is
touted as the "Catalyst for the Hydrogen Age".
PEM, declared as the major candidate to replace the internal
combustion engine, has created investor interest. Famous developers, knowledgeable in commercialization issues, possess the expertise to capitalize on new concepts.
The strategies of AC Energy have an excellent understanding of these
issues and elive that because the Company has right team that certain market niches can be dominated by it.
Read more about Proton exchange membrane at wikipedia.
AC Energy symbol is ACEN
Watch, trade, invest, buy it today on Feb 28 2007 for tomorrow and beyond tomorrow.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor
Osprey Media. - Brantford Expositor: "Finally, it's a deal
City, county ink tentative pact on boundaries
By Michael-Allan Marion
Local News - Friday, February 23, 2007 Updated @ 10:45:16 PM
At long last, Brantford and Brant County have an agreement in principle on boundary changes and long-term growth that will change the future of more than 4,000 acres of rural land.
Negotiating teams for the two councils, aided by a provincial facilitator, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing officials and staff from both municipalities, spent Thursday morning at the Best Western Brant Park Inn haggling over the final wording to resolve their remaining differences.
Then, after the negotiating team members finished nodding their heads through one final reading of the text, Brantford Mayor Mike Hancock and Brant Mayor Ron Eddy pulled out their pens.
They signed an agreement in principle that, if approved, would transfer more than 3,000 acres of county land to the north and east of Brantford into the city effective Jan. 1, 2008. That would handle the city's industrial and residential development needs for the next 30 years.
The vast majority of what has long been mostly agricultural land is now in the hands of development companies that have bought major tracts, particularly over the past four years, in anticipation of the deal.
The tentative pact also would allow the county to create new industrial and urban settlement in two areas of about 1,000 acres in its jurisdiction-- a parcel south of Paris and an expanded one in Cainsville -- which now is excluded from development.
And the pact gives the county a special deal under which the city would supply more water to Cainsville a"
City, county ink tentative pact on boundaries
By Michael-Allan Marion
Local News - Friday, February 23, 2007 Updated @ 10:45:16 PM
At long last, Brantford and Brant County have an agreement in principle on boundary changes and long-term growth that will change the future of more than 4,000 acres of rural land.
Negotiating teams for the two councils, aided by a provincial facilitator, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing officials and staff from both municipalities, spent Thursday morning at the Best Western Brant Park Inn haggling over the final wording to resolve their remaining differences.
Then, after the negotiating team members finished nodding their heads through one final reading of the text, Brantford Mayor Mike Hancock and Brant Mayor Ron Eddy pulled out their pens.
They signed an agreement in principle that, if approved, would transfer more than 3,000 acres of county land to the north and east of Brantford into the city effective Jan. 1, 2008. That would handle the city's industrial and residential development needs for the next 30 years.
The vast majority of what has long been mostly agricultural land is now in the hands of development companies that have bought major tracts, particularly over the past four years, in anticipation of the deal.
The tentative pact also would allow the county to create new industrial and urban settlement in two areas of about 1,000 acres in its jurisdiction-- a parcel south of Paris and an expanded one in Cainsville -- which now is excluded from development.
And the pact gives the county a special deal under which the city would supply more water to Cainsville a"
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