Inside Every Man Lives the Seed of a Flower (13.21)
Maestro Nick Storring- not afraid to integrate electronics into classical instrumentation
Gardens was composed, performed, recorded and mixed spring 2011-autumn 2013. All instruments performed by Nick Storring. The work was designed as an informal tribute to arranger/ producer/ composer Charles Stepney. Its titles refer to the Come To My Garden by Minnie Riperton which Stepney co-wrote, produced and arranged. No musical materials were borrowed, however.
The creative processes which birthed this album was funded by the 2011 Toronto Emerging Composer Award, which is administered by the Canadian Music Centre and generously supported by Michael Koerner and Roger D. Moore. No effects processing was employed aside from simple dynamics, equalization, mixing, and spatialization. Other ‘processing’ is strictly through acoustic or electromechanical means.
Instrumentation: violin, cello, electric mandola, electric bass, guitalele, Strumstick, banjo, harpsicle, autoharp, esraj, kemence, rebab, ananda lahari, Hohner Pianet-T, Yamaha CP60M stage piano, glockenspiel, steel pan, thumb pianos, toy pianos, roto-toms, snare drum, djembe, khol, bells, thunder tubes, rainstick, woodblocks, cymbals, other found/ homemade percussion, jaw harps, melodicas, harmonicas (diatonic and chromatic), tuning reeds, harmonium, khêne, mey, hulosi, xaphoon, concert flute, bansuris, sulings, recorders (alto, soprano, sopranino), various other flutes, mijwiz, been, pan pipes, kazoo, found wind instruments, voice.
Many thanks to those who offered listening, feedback, instruments, support and exposure (through various channels) during the creation of this work. There are many of you, and I truly value your contributions.
TRDWTR, pronounced ‘treadwater’, is a mature take on the superhero genre, set in a plausible geopolitical future. The franchise will kick off with a graphic novel on September 30th, 2014. A live-action series based on the novel is set to follow suit in 2015. A preview of the graphic novel will be staged in America’s largest comic book store today, September 10th. To commemorate the launch, a teaser trailer for the TRDWTR franchise has been made available to the general public. And here it is!
TORONTO, CANADA – The world’s most successful program connecting seasonal workers with agricultural employers has kicked into high gear.
Administered by Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (F.A.R.M.S.), the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) links approximately 14,000 requests for seasonal workers with jobs at Ontario farms this growing season.
Not only does the 52-year-old program provide a long list of benefits to the workers and the farmers, but also it creates two Canadian jobs in the agrifood industry for every worker employed through SAWP at Ontario agricultural operations, says Ken Forth, president of F.A.R.M.S.
“Governments and agricultural organizations around the world are looking at this program as a model,” Forth says. “For decades, this program has provided Ontario farmers a steady source of reliable labour as a supplement to local labour. At the same time it gives the seasonal workers well-paying employment, benefits and educational opportunities not available at home.”
Not without critics- the Seasonal Agri-worker program has been linked to the continued decline of the “family farm” and the continued trend of “farm industrialization”- See supplemental section link below CP
Seasonal workers employed at Ontario farm operations through SAWP:
Sign contracts that guarantee them all the protections and benefits that Canadian workers receive, including WSIB, certain EI benefits and provincial health care coverage.
Receive an hourly wage rate set by Human Resources & Skills Development Canada.The hourly rate is not less than the provincial minimum wage rate or the local prevailing rate paid to Canadians doing the same job, whichever is greatest.
Earn up to five times more than they could in their own countries, which enables them to support their families, educate their children and buy and operate businesses and farms in their own countries.
Farmers have also realized great benefits from the program for more than 40 years, enabling them to hire staff that would otherwise be extremely challenging to find because of the ongoing shortage of suitable and available local Canadian workers.
Social justice groups point to concerns over health and safety
“Ontario farmers pay the highest farm worker wages in North America and face intense competition from low-wage competitors,” Forth says. “Without this program, many Ontario farmers simply couldn’t continue to grow fruits and vegetables. They’d stop growing altogether or move into less labour-intensive crops.
About the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program:
More information about Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) can be found at www.farmsontario.ca
For those of you unfamiliar with technical fabrics, you should know that the textile industry is currently experiencing a modern renaissance. With a long list of product innovations including: jade fibers that cool the skin, treatment methods that conserve water and fabrics that repel bugs, the textile industry is driving an evolution in performance materials while churning out a constant supply of new fabrics every day. Not surprisingly, competition in the industry is intense. The key to becoming truly successful in the field is to focus on improving and optimizing existing technologies to exceed current expectations of performance standards.
An early example of “technical fabric”- crucial to the beginning of high altitude, high speed, high G force flight. CP image: salimbeti.com
Garmatex Technologies, a progressive inventor of intelligent fabric solutions, is one of the companies driving this innovation. Located in Surrey, British Columbia, the team has developed over 40 unique technologies. Each developed with the intention of improving quality of life while anticipating how consumer needs change and evolve over time.
Garmatex’s focus on crafting better solutions has led them to invent a number of products. One of these solutions is their anti-microbial Bact-Out® technology. Not a new innovation, fabrics that inhibit the growth of germs have been a staple in the industry for some time. While usually produced through a topical treatment that sometimes includes silver, Garmatex’s Bact-Out® really stands out because the embedded technology does not involve a potentially harmful metal and lasts for 50 washes compared to the 20 washes that most competitors focus on achieving.
IceSkin shirt technology- the latest design from Garmatex utilize jade crystals!
A more recent innovation to the market is found in materials that help regulate temperature, most often achieved through the use of a chemical cooling ingredient usually found in chewing gum. Garmatex has improved the science behind cooling comfort products by introducing IceSkin™ technology. Developed through a proprietary combination of knitting techniques, natural jade minerals and CoolSkin® quick dry filaments, IceSkin™ technology provides a longer lasting superior cooling alternative.
Science-fiction has paved the way for real-life products. One example are the stillsuits used by the Fremen on Arrakis from the novel and movie Dune
In the area of protective garments, Garmatex has produced another new technology that encapsulates steel fibers inside of a CoolSkin® micro poly shell. This fabric, aptly named SteelSkin™, provides tremendous abrasion resistance and flexibility. Add to this the ability to be colored dyed to any shade, and this material fabric is certain to open many protective industrial and apparel applications.
In a highly competitive industry, Garmatex will continue to outperform its competitor’s because of its technical innovation and relentless optimization of its existing technologies.
How to succeed in business school: Five tips for first year students
ST. CATHARINES, Ont. – The start of university can be intimidating enough for most first-year students. But business students face an extra set of challenges as they balance their coursework with gaining work and extra-curricular experience to help take them from campus to career.
From co-op work placements to mock interviews and networking breakfasts, the business school experience is designed to help students gain professional polish, acquire leadership skills and learn the foundations of management, accounting and entrepreneurship.
So how can new students and their parents make sure they are ready to take advantage of the available opportunities? These five tips will make sure first year students are ready for the transition from high school to business school:
Be prepared (Textbook not required)
There’s is no need to read your textbooks cover-to-cover over the summer. Instead, spend some time getting comfortable with all that is available at your future school- both offline and online.
Spend a day on campus before the first day of class and figure out where your classes will be held. Don’t forget to attend your orientation. Most schools will offer a faculty specific orientation in the days leading up to the first day of classes.
And do your research online. Follow your business school on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Figure out the online registration system, how to access your student email and the online learning platforms. These online tools will be used throughout the academic year so access them early so you don’t miss any emails or messages.
Going to University is your full-time job
While University doesn’t pay you a regular paycheck, it does pay you in grades. At the end of your degree, you will be able to use your straight A’s as currency to get a great job.
Everything you learned at your summer job about responsibility, punctuality and honesty can be used in business school. So, impress your professor just like you would your boss. Show up to class. Stay on top of your assignments and hand them in on time.
Get involved (and stay involved)
Want to stand out at a job interview? Join a business student club. These clubs focus on everything from accounting to marketing and every subject area in between. Joining a club is a great way to make new friends and apply coursework to real life situations.
One key tip: it’s not enough to sign up and attend the occasional meetings. If you really want to have an experience that stands out on your resume, get involved on the executive team, attend a case competition or organize an event. You’ll have an experience you’ll never forget and something unique to mention during a job interview.
Make friends (with everyone)
We guarantee that you’ll make friends in your classes and in residence. But don’t forget to build meaningful relationships with faculty, staff and upper year students. They can become important mentors who can help point you to on-campus resources and introduce you to new connections. Plus, if you know your career centre staff they’ll be sure to recommend you to employers who are hiring students.
Do you want to guarantee straight A’s on group projects? One successful strategy we’ve seen Goodman students use is to have a group of friends from different concentrations. When it comes time to write that paper, you’ll have every subject area covered, from HR to entrepreneurship.
Ask for help
It’s a new school, a new environment and new friends. This is a big transition and it’s normal for there to be ups and downs during your first year. Fortunately, your university has resources available to help you succeed. From study skill workshops to mental health resources, there is a lot of support available to you on-campus.
If you need any type of help, talk to your academic advisor or a professor as early as possible. Don’t put your academic career at risk; there are people available to help you get through any type of problem you encounter. For the Silo, Don Cyr, dean of the Goodman School of Business at Brock University.
Don Cyr, dean of the Goodman School of Business at Brock University
About the Goodman School of Business:
Based at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont., the Goodman School of Business is one of only eight schools in Ontario that is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The Goodman School of Business is home to more than 2,600 undergraduate students, 450 graduate students and has 7,000 alumni worldwide.
RENOIR SAUVAGE- Vous êtes cordialement conviés à la prochaine destination de l’Apéro Sauvage en cavale qui vous fait découvrir à chaque dégustation, un chef et un resto, en plus des merveilles de notre terroir sauvage. La prochaine soirée aura lieu le 3 septembre prochain sur la magnifique terrasse du restaurant Le Renoir, sur la rue Sherbrooke, au centre-ville de Montréal.
L’Apéro Sauvage en cavale propose des 5@7 de réseautage épicurien, de plaisirs gourmands pour tous les sens et de découverte des produits sauvages du Québec, en 2 ou 3 bouchées copieuses, en accord avec des vins et cocktails d’exception. Cette édition très spéciale mets en vedette les champignons sauvages en 3 accords exceptionnels, crées par le grand chef Olivier Perret et le maître-pâtissier Roland Del Monte – MOF, du restaurant Le Renoir, en collaboration avec Terroirs Québec, Bobby Grégoire et Natalie Richard. Venez célébrer les champignons sauvages et les découvrir comme vous ne les avez jamais goûté, grâce au savoir-faire et à la créativité de deux grands maîtres de l’art gastronomique.
Venez faire votre propre cueillette de champignons sauvages avec le chef Perret! Tous les mercredis à partir de 18h, dans le cadre de l’Apéro Sauvage, en collaboration Terroir Québec.
Poêlée de champignons sauvages au choix sur tartines de pain grillé de la boulangerie Hof Kelsten, servi avec accompagnements saisonniers
Be sure to ‘like’ Johnny’s Facebook “Jam Page” (link at the end of this article)- you can find live videos, recordings and other trivia and info about Johnny Mac Slater.
For those in the country music scene, talented Johnny Mac has a song for you. Known first to family and friends as John McIntosh, he added ‘Slater’ as a surname, hence his stage name is Johnny Mac Slater. It is a handle that fits his style well. He writes stories from the heart and magically transforms the words into beautiful songs which he sings and plays. Johnny Mac Slater spent some time in Nashville, writing songs and developing his craft. Now living in Hamilton, and happy to be close to his roots, he is working on a new project. Johnny says “I’ve recently been recording at Westmoreland Recording Studios in Hamilton for awhile now, and a CD release will happen soon.”You can bet he will stick with his life’s stories and experiences. Typically his lyrics are centered around girls and love, both lost or found, and then performed with passion and filled with emotion. He also appreciates a good party and quirky story. All of which are found in his songs. It is easy to see, he feels that “nothing makes a better song than a good story.”Some of his early influences you’ll find varied, including Glen Campbell, Keith Urban, Eric Church, Micheal Martin Murphy, Elton John, Kris Kristofferson, and even Boston, Pete Townsend and Motley Crue.The musicians he has teamed up with for his soon to be released CD have added some great sound. From a strong drum beat, clean bass lines and some very sweet guitar licks. There is no doubt it will be a hit CD. Watch his You Tube home page for a sneak preview of a song or two that will be on the new CD.
Yeah this image is a little “Hollywood” but seriously, Europe DID have a Little Ice Age not that long ago……
The delicate balance of the planet’s biosphere is tipping — threatening all life on earth. Scientists are calling it our Holy Shit moment on climate change, and world leaders meet at the UN next month — we have until then for all of us, everywhere, to act, in the largest day of action on climate change in history, to call for action and fight for everything we love. Sign up to join in:
The last ice age happened in 6 months. 6 months for the planet to unleash a giant wall of ice across central Europe and the Northern Hemisphere. This is what happens when we hit a climate ‘tipping point’, and right now we’re rushing towards 3 more of these catastrophic reactions.
It’s our “holy shit” climate moment according to a leading NASA scientist, and only a holy shit massive coordinated day of action response, right now, can change the future we’re facing.
One agreement with common sense steps to end dirty energy can save us. That’s why the UN has called an urgent climate meeting next month with all major world leaders — if we greet them on September 21st with the largest ever global climate mobilisation in history, we can break through the walls of mega coal, oil, and business that prevent even the best politicians from doing what is right.
There’s no way to get around how big a task this is. But together, each small action will add up into a millions-strong movement that literally drowns out the opposition and gives our leaders the best reason to break free and build a hopeful, clean and green future. Click below to join in:
“Tipping points” are feedback loops, where climate change feeds back on itself and causes rapidly accelerating, catastrophic consequences. Right now, methane gas that is 25 times worse for global warming than CO2 is frozen into arctic ice. But as the ice melts, the gas escapes into the atmosphere, increasing global warming, melting more ice, and thus releasing more and more gas… everything starts to spin out of control. And that’s just one example. These tipping points are the reason why scientists are yelling from the rooftops that we have to act now.
We actually have the tools and the plan we need to make sure we don’t cross into a world where tipping points destroy us. And while it will take global cooperation on a bigger scale than ever before, our 38 million-strong movement already has real people power to help move leaders from every country to take the first steps. Recently, the United States and China announced serious new plans to curb their carbon pollution. Momentum is building ahead of next year’s critical Paris climate summit where a deal could be inked, and next month we can take it up a notch further.
Taking to the streets in a record setting show of power and coordination is one of the most effective ways to create change — from the anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa to civil rights in the US, it’s sometimes been the only way. This is our chance to bring that power to the most important issue of our time: survival and a thriving future for our families, their families and the generations of people to come. Click below to be a part of it all:
We know we can do this… and do it big. When our community was just 3 million people we held 3,000 actions on the same day to protect our planet. We’re now 38 million strong, twelve times that size! Imagine what we can achieve together now…
With so much hope for our future,
Ricken, Emma, Iain, Lisa, Alice, Emily, Uilleam and the rest of the Avaaz team
The Benq 1075- a full 1080p HD image, with the promise of over 1 billion colors and options for 3D. We want! CP
COSTA MESA, Calif. — BenQ America Corp., an internationally renowned provider of visual display solutions and the No. 1-selling DLP® projector brand in The Americas(1), today introduced its next-generation Colorific™ home entertainment projectors: the HT1075 and HT1085ST. Building on the incredible success of the company’s top-selling W1070 and the short-throw W1080ST, the new home theater devices have been designed to take content to an entirely new level — combining the magic of over 1 billion colors, 3D-readiness, and the realism of full HD 1080p picture quality. What’s more, the new projectors add streaming and mirroring capabilities for devices equipped with Mobile High-definition Link (MHL) to allow the transfer of small-screen content from any portable device. When such an astounding feature set meets such a small price tag, enthusiasts can now easily bring home a full-on cinematic experience.
“BenQ has taken two enormously successful projectors and made them even better,” said Bob Wudeck, Associate Vice President, Strategy and Business Development at BenQ America Corp. “Sustaining our value promise to our customers, the all-new HT1075 and HT1085ST provide enhanced benefits such as Colorific image quality, SmartEco technology, and flexible setup options that allow users to install and easily integrate the projectors with their MHL devices. Available at an amazingly low price, the duo delivers more vibrant colors and richer contrast levels for the ultimate in big screen entertainment.”
Featuring BenQ’s Colorific image quality, the HT1075 and HT1085ST provide more vivid and accurate color reproduction, higher brightness levels, crisper contrast, and longer-lasting picture quality. Both units offer full HD 1080p and 3D support, while the short-throw HT1085ST allows users to fill screens measuring up to 100 inches by simply setting up the device at only 6 feet away — making it an ideal choice for urban environments or media room settings where installation space is limited. Adding to the projectors’ razor-sharp imaging are 2,200 ANSI lumens of brightness and a 10,000:1 contrast ratio, which turn colors from TV shows, movies, or sporting events into more natural-looking, film-like content. The projectors are also ISFccc-certified by the Imaging Science Foundation® (ISF®), enabling viewers to enjoy a professionally calibrated picture with two optimized modes — ISF Day and ISF Night.
To create a household media hub, users can easily connect Blu-ray players and gaming consoles to the projectors via HDMI® as well as view cloud content using any MHL-ready streaming device, including Roku®, Chromecast®, and Apple® TV. As a result, viewers can bring their favorite content from popular services such as Netflix® or Hulu™ onto the screen using their streaming player of choice or even directly from their smart device. Rounding off the unparalleled convenience are the units’ new 10W chamber speakers, which offer rich audio to create a complete solution whenever a dedicated sound system is not practical, or in outdoor situations such as movie nights under the stars.
Further reducing installation and setup time is a new vertical lens shift option for the HT1075, allowing users to perfectly align the projected image to the center of the screen, thus eliminating any tedious tinkering. To ensure even more placement flexibility, both models offer horizontal and vertical keystone correction, which delivers picture-perfect projection at the push of a button. Saving money by lowering total cost of ownership (TCO), the projectors are equipped with BenQ’s SmartEco™ lamp-saving technology to prolong lamp life up to an amazing 6,000 hours while lasting three times as long as projectors sold just a few years ago. Additional cost-saving features include a filter-free design built around a sealed DLP chip that eliminates the need to clean or change messy filters; a unique lamp door design that enables lamp replacement down the road without needing to take down the projector; and a special sleep mode that reduces power consumption to under half a watt when connected but not in use.
To further simplify installations, a new optional wireless connectivity kit will be sold separately and is planned for release in Q4 2014. The fully wireless system will allow users to send content to the projectors from up to 100 feet away, giving homeowners the freedom to move the projectors throughout the house or even take them outdoors without the need to run cable.
Available in September 2014, BenQ’s all-new HT1075 and HT1085ST projectors retail at $1,199 (USD)and $1,299 (USD) respectively.
More information on BenQ’s full line of products is available at www.BenQ.us.
About BenQ America Corp. The BenQ digital lifestyle brand stands for “Bringing Enjoyment ‘N’ Quality to Life,” fusing lifestyle with technology, enjoyment with productivity, and aesthetic design with purpose-built engineering. It is this mantra that has made BenQ the No. 1-selling DLP® projector brand in The Americas(1). BenQ America Corp. offers an extensive line of visual display and presentation solutions that incorporate the very latest technologies. The company delivers a broad range of Colorific projectors, RevolutionEyes™ monitors, and flat-panel displays for any application and market — education, home, gaming, enterprise, government, house of worship, digital signage, A/V, and IT — with cutting-edge models that lead the industry in performance, reliability, environmental sustainability, and aesthetics. Whether it’s interactive digital whiteboards for classrooms, full HD 3D projectors for home theaters, short-throw projectors for boardrooms, interactive flat-panel displays for digital signage, or LED backlight monitors for professional gaming, BenQ continues to defy the limits of digital displays. The company’s products are available across North America through leading value-added distributors, resellers, and retailers.
The daisyrock debutante guitar, ready to break a few hearts
As a younger man, I was like a cat in a bag, probably not unlike most, scratching for meaning and adventure. So when I got the chance for a job teaching in the Bahamas, I decided to go for it. Before I went out to my post on the island of Andros, I stopped over in Nassau to meet with my cousin who lived there. She cooked me dinner, and afterward she showed me around her house. In the basement there was a sandy old guitar leaning against the wall. She didn’t play it anymore and suggested I take it out to the island. I told her I didn’t know how to play, didn’t know anything about music, and didn’t want to take it. But I took it anyway. That teaching job was a total washout, but that’s a story for another time. Six weeks later I was back in Canada, with no job for a year, living with my parents again as a 29 year-old. It was a difficult circumstance. For some reason, that old guitar made the trip back to Canada with me, and I remember it staring at me in my bedroom. I didn’t know E from G, but decided that for me to be in this situation, with this guitar, with the time to learn it, was some kind of important sign I needed to recognize. So I started taking lessons, once a week, at my local hometown music store. Like any beginner it was a struggle, but struggle I did, learning those Neil Young songs that all the kids start with. It was very liberating. A couple of years later I met a real nice girl—Lisa, a chiropractor. Definitely marriage material. I’d been seeing her for quite a while, and it was getting to that crux-time of commitment, where future plans need solidifying, lest a biological clock begin to ring too loudly.
I was keenly aware of my responsibilities and knew that I loved this girl, but I just wasn’t sure if I was ready or not. The soul-searching had been going on for weeks and the matter continued to be grey, and I’m certain she felt me creating a certain distance while I figured things through. It was at my house one day when decisiveness finally cleared a path through my tangled emotions. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you” came out of my mouth. Lisa wasn’t in the house when I said that. Nobody was. But my guitar was sitting snugly in its stand, and it heard those words, and that was it. I broke up with Lisa the next day.
Such an important part of that decision was knowing my guitar playing would essentially stop if I went to the next level with her, and I was just starting to make real leaps in my ability, and had so much further to go since I’d started so late in my life. I couldn’t leave it behind now. The chapter was still being written. As much as I loved Lisa, I had to let her move on. Since then I’ve probably written 100 songs (definitely a couple about that situation), released a CD, cut my teeth in Nashville…too many things to mention. I’ve met so many great people and had so many great opportunities because of that guitar. The spirit and the energy surrounding it all is unparalleled. None of it would have been realized if I had different words for my guitar that day. As tough as it was, I know I made the right decision. Lisa is married and has a child now, and I feel really good about that.
For the Silo by John McIntosh (Speaking of Nashville, it really is true that you’ve got to “know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ‘em.” It’s a key to life. I’m reminded as well of a cameo in the Canadian road movie One Week. Tragically Hip frontman Gordon Downie is questioned by the protagonist: “How do you know if you’re really in love.” His answer is uncommonly succinct: “If you have to ask, you’re not.” Maybe the real question is: who, or what, do you love enough to live by? ed.)
GregoryTaylor,Deputy DirectorofpublichealthatthehealthagencyofCanada,saidthat you between800and1000dosesofthevaccine,knownasVSV-EBOV,doctorswithoutbordersweresenttoahospitalinGenevaat the requestofthewho,andalsototheorganization.
He informedtheorganizationthathadinfectedbyhavingcontactwiththeAmericanAdvisor to theLiberianGovernment, whichflewinJulytoLagosandthereleddisease. Themanfaintedattheairportandwastreatedwithoutthatwereknownatthebeginningthatit wasebola.
Sincethen, theemployeeofEcowaswasquarantined.HiscaseraisesthreedeathsbythevirusinNigeria,wherethere aremorethan100peopleinobservation.Gambia,IvoryCoastandZambiahavesuspendedflightsfromthatcountryforfear of contagion. Doctorswithoutborders,whichhashundredsofpartnersinWestAfrica,welcomedthedecisionofthewhotouseexperimentaldrugs,butwarnedthattheyalone will notstoptheproblemandmakingitremains to increasemassivelythemedicalteam.
As of August9, 2014there wereabout1,800confirmedandsuspectedcasesofebolaintheregionandmorethan1,000deaths,according towhofigures.
Dear Silo, There is a contraband tobacco economy that has sprouted over the past two decades that rivals the volumes that the “Big Tobacco” companies produce for the legitimate market. That black market economy has spawned much criminal activity, false reporting and tax dodging to the point now where the majority of tobacco farmers are complicit in the black market and the marketing board that was set up to regulate the legitimate licensing of tobacco growers has shown itself to be nothing more than a cartel to keep tobacco money in the hands of a self-selected few.
The Federal Government has taken a pass on trying to deal with contraband tobacco except for offering truly stupid tobacco product tax increases that do nothing but drive smokers to the black market. We will hold judgment on the announcement that $90 million will be spent on the contraband tobacco file through the RCMP. To date, the RCMP have not been able to make an impact on the growth of the cigarette black market in Canada. What is certain at this point, however, is that the extra $4 levy on a carton of smokes will drive many current smokers to buy cigarettes that are unburdened by provincial or federal taxes. That will also spur on the commitment of biker gangs and other mobsters to supply the product. Why buy a pack of cigarettes at a gas station for $14 or $15 when you can get 10 packs for the same price under the table?
The TTP Program – A Transition to Chaos
The Canadian Government has much to answer for in the creation of the tobacco diversion schemes in the first place and recent budgetary moves just reinforce the culpability. In 2008 the Federal Government decided that it should spearhead a plan that would enable farmers to leave the tobacco business and migrate their businesses to other, less controversial lines – the Tobacco Transition Program (TTP). As it turns out, it was this TTP idea itself that created a bunch of cheaters out of a bunch of honest farmers.
On August 1, 2008 a press release issued by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced that, “The Government of Canada is providing more than $300 million to Ontario’s flue-cured tobacco producers, including $286 million for a Tobacco Transition Program to help them exit the tobacco industry, and $15 million for community development initiatives.” An average of $272,000 was paid to each participating farmer. By 2015, 133 recipients of over $30 million dollars in TTP money continued to be involved in tobacco growing.
The Ontario Government has been totally inept at dealing with the problem of contraband in the province. In 2012, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) took over responsibility for licensing tobacco growers so as to control the production, distribution, sale and purchase of raw leaf tobacco to help ensure the supply of tobacco stays in the legal market and serves the interests of all tobacco farmers equally. The idea at the time was to take the quota system and self-regulating elements out of the cartel environment and put tobacco sourcing regulation and control in the hands of the government to ensure fairness and transparency – and effective tax collection, one would assume.
We learned that just days after this transfer took effect the Ministry of Finance issued a news release announcing a temporary grace period that would permit growers the time to learn about their obligations and apply for the appropriate registration certificates for the upcoming growing season. That hiatus has now been extended until sometime in 2015 and some think it will be a couple of years after that before the MoF gets its act together.
While the MoF diddles, anarchy reigns. Farmers are under-reporting their yields and selling the overages to the black market for a 400% mark-up from their contracts with the legitimate manufacturers. They claim storm damage but actually siphon off vast amounts of tobacco to sell to the underworld. Sometimes they call the missing tonnage, “stolen”.
Last year, Frontline Security magazine published a series of articles on the contraband tobacco industry. Based on the reporting in that magazine about the involvement of Ontario farmers, FrontLine received a number of calls from farmers who were not involved in the skimming of tobacco yields to contraband but they expressed worry that if their neighbours were making big money selling tobacco at $8 to $10 per pound versus $2 to contracted legitimate manufacturers, why should they miss out?
With each passing season, the moral compass of the Canadian tobacco farmer gets tested and increasingly farmers are succumbing to the pressures of a big payout. The trend is very disturbing. In 2010, it was estimated by FrontLine that more than 60% of 241 farmers were diverting portions of their harvest to unlicensed buyers where the tobacco was heading for illicit markets. Today, it is estimated that 90% of farmers are now involved in siphoning leaf to the black market producers and most of those are producing thousands of pounds for crime based enterprises.
The impact of this moral degeneracy has ripples that go far beyond the rolling hills of tobacco country in Ontario. This past spring, we saw a massive bust in the Montreal area that netted 28 arrests and seizures of 40,000 kilograms of tobacco that were diverted from farms all over North America, including in the Tillsonburg area. A key outcome of that bust was the knowledge that the Italian Mafia have become involved which brings the entire contraband tobacco controversy into a new light and brings the Ontario Tobacco farmers to a new low in conspiring with organized crime.
As alluded to earlier, the farmers aren’t the only ones who have lost their moral compass. In an institutional way, so has the Ontario Ministry of Finance. When the Ministry took over from the chaos in regulation created by the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers’ Marketing Board, expectations were that meaningful change was on its way. However, as the Ministry continues to kick it’s responsibility for actual enforcement down the road, it has created a loophole that will inspire many more farmers to engage in producing tobacco that will be diverted to the black market.
Edward R. Myers– freelance journalist and Editor of FrontLine Security magazine.
It doesn’t take a lot of imagination of smarts to understand that toxins can travel in water. Ohio and Southwestern Michigan which have notified the public of the water crisis are dangerously close to other Lake Erie shoreline communities. Some communities such as Norfolk County already have beaches posted with bacteria warnings and notices that the water is NOT tested by local health officials.
The Silo @thesiloteam · now
What are implications for #Oxford#NorfolkCounty#Haldimand County communities water supply? Bacteria/ Algae signs already posted on beaches
While barbecues, sports leagues, family vacations, days at the beach and nights out with friends are fun, keeping up with summer recreation while maintaining a steady work schedule can be challenging, says Budge Collinson.
And before we know it, we’ll be back into the busy fall grind, getting kids up and off to school, participating in clubs and civic groups that have been on summer hiatus, and yes, before we know it, planning for holidays!
“We like to tell ourselves that there will be a period of rest before the next big thing, but usually there isn’t,” says Collinson, a food science expert with a passion for health and fitness. “The truth is, most of us like having full and often fast-paced lives, even if we tend to get worn out more quickly as we get older.”
Don’t resort to caffeine and other stimulants for a temporary energy boost, Collinson says.
“Replacing the nutrients that are depleted when you’re active is a much smarter way to maintain or increase your energy level, and many of those nutrients have long-term benefits as well,” says Collinson, who formulated an effervescent, natural multivitamin beverage called Youth Infusion, to make it easier to get all the essential nutrients and minerals in one 6-ounce drink.
He discusses the revitalizing powers of specific nutrients:
CoQ10 for that extra energy boost. Every cell in your body uses CoQ10 to produce energy, but your heart needs it the most. CoQ10 can help balance your blood pressure, and its mature aging.
Arginine to help with your endurance during workouts and your daily routine. Arginine helps the cardiovascular system by assisting in nitric oxide production, making the arteries more elastic. It also supports the functioning of your hormones and s waste and promotes wound healing.
Theanine helps support better moods. Theanine is a calming extract of green tea. Clinical research indicates that it helps focus a distracted mind. To a lesser extent, theanine has also been shown to reduce anxiety.
Resveratrol: a versatile antioxidant for term peace of mind. Resveratrol promotes healthy circulation, prevents cholesterol oxidation and protects your entire cardiovascular system from the effects of dangerous free radicals. Initial research shows resveratrol helps defend the body against a number of diseases, including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Vitamin D – for when the sun isn’t as bright as Up to 90 percent of the vitamin D the body needs comes from sunlight, which is in much shorter supply after summer. Vitamin D is required for the regulation of the calcium and phosphorus in the body. It also plays an important role in maintaining proper bone structure and supporting immunity.
About Budge Collinson
Budge Collinson was the beneficiary of his mother’s natural health formula as a sick baby, which led to a deep interest in health and wellness at a young age. After years of research and seeing the growing demand for natural products with clinical support, he founded Infusion Sciences, www.infusionsciences.com. Collinson earned a bachelor’s degree in food and resource economics from the University of Florida and certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Recently, he became a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and consistently attends the Natural Products Expo, where he learns the latest science and news about nutritious ingredients. Collinson is also a go-to source for media outlets across the country for healthy lifestyle and food source discussions.
We may never know who the artist was that made the auctioned cel. Walt Disney employed many young, pretty women to work in the inking and cell departments. Image: Still from an early 1940’s Walt Disney film explaining how cartoons were being made. CP
“It’s an extraordinary price for an extra ordinary piece,” said Jim Lentz, Director of Animation Art at Heritage. “This is really a Holy Grail piece of animation and one of the best I’ve ever seen, from one of the best early Mickey cartoons and one of the very last black and white Mickey cartoons before Disney changed everything by going to color.” Besides the rarity of the cel and the background, it is also believed that this is the only known black and white production cel featuring Goofy in private hands. In the classic cartoon Mickey (voiced by Disney himself), along with Goofy and Donald, do their best to find a squeaking sound in Pete’s roadster. Naturally, they take the car apart looking for the source of the annoying sound, which turns out to be a cricket.
One of the great surprises of the auction came in the form of a set of 1961 storyboards from The Bullwinkle Show (Jay Ward Studios), three extremely rare trimmed storyboards by Roy Morita for the episode “Buried Treasure,” on Ward Inc. storyboard paper, which crushed its $750+ USD pre-auction estimate to finish, amidst very spirited bidding, at $44,460 USD. One panel features Rocky and Bullwinkle, one has a close up of Bullwinkle, and one is an amazing drawing of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota, with the handwritten notation “B+R House” and an arrow pointing out the specific abode.
I was sitting in the drive-thru at the McDonald’s on Rymal Road and Upper James St South in Hamilton a few nights ago and I found myself drawn towards a large advertisement set up on the wall between the two drive-thru windows. (see below) The ad wasn’t radical in any way- it showed some French fries, a pop and ice cubes and a Big Mac along with a few menu items in graphic type fonts.
I was a bit confounded because at first, I couldn’t understand what was drawing me into the advertisement- then I remembered a well worn paperback book I have called Media Sexploitation by Wilson Bryan Key, sitting on a book shelf somewhere back home. That book is all about subliminal advertising and its photo section showing examples of ‘hidden words and symbols found in ice cubes’ has stayed with me. So I studied the McDonald’s ad again, this time paying special attention to the ice cubes and that’s when I saw it: “Sex”.
We’ve copied and enhanced a portion of the advertisement to help illustrate where the word “SEX” can be found. The left side of the image is unaltered and ‘as found’- this ad was much larger than can be shown here in our post and the ice cubes were easier to “read”. CP
Did you know? Subliminal advertising is banned in the UK and Australia but is legal for use anywhere except television and radio in the USA and Canada.
I turned to my 15 year old son- (the reason for the McDonald’s visit in the first place was to buy him an after- Summer Hockey root beer) and asked him if he could see the words “Sex” in the ice cubes. It didn’t take long for him to get excited because he saw it immediately.
That’s when the drive-thru line was getting ready to move ahead and I jumped out of the car, grabbed my iPhone and took the photograph you see above.
“On January 27 2007, viewers watching the Food Network’s Iron Chef America may have noticed a brief flash of red that appeared for a split second towards the end of a show when the challengers’ entries were being assessed and two men raised their glasses. What had audiences seen but barely been aware of – all but invisible to the naked eye? A McDonald’s logo that popped up for a single frame together with the hamburger giant’s slogan, ‘I’m lovin’ it.’ Following the revelation, accusations of subliminal advertising were met with claims that it was a “technical error” by the television network, but skeptics unsurprisingly weren’t convinced. How could such a thing occur accidentally? A McDonald’s spokesman said: “We don’t do subliminal advertising.” Sure, just an accidental glitch – a supersized one. ”
So you be the judge- these drive-thru advertisements are probably found in most Southern Ontario McDonald’s drive-thrus and you can take a look for yourself. We’d love to hear back from you on what you find. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker
The music collective GANFUNKEL released the 5-song-EP Fighting Music with Music following the successful 2013 release of Machine Coincident Jazz. The former album produced one song that reached #1 on jazz radio charts, 2 songs that reached #2, and one song that reached #3.
Ganfunkel listing on SOMA FM charts.
Ganfunkel is California-based and led by Simcoe native Rik Ganju. Personnel on Fighting Music with Music have recorded and toured with Esperanza Spalding, the Kronos Quartet, John McLaughlin, Terry Riley, Bela Fleck, Wayne Shorter and Zakir Hussain.
Ganfunkel’s sound is influenced by rock, jazz, funk and Indian classical music. Standing out on the new album is Stars Fell on Daniel featuring tabla maestro Salar Nader, and the legendary George Brooks on saxophone.
“The success of Machine Coincident Jazz validated our belief that multi-genre music has an audience that doesn’t want to be confined by traditional categories, “ says Ganju. “People are open to many styles of music depending on their mood. And just as film music evolves from minute to minute, our sound changes texture as the mood of the tune allows.”
Ganfunkel albums are available today on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and most major music download sites, and music videos can be found by searching on Ganfunkel at Vimeo.com
Ganju’s experiments with multi-genre music stretch back to the mid-2000s when he collaborated with Jarrod Barker on many avant-garde experiments.
Jarrod Barker
The track listing for Fighting Music with Music:
Chunky Town (featuring Kai Eckhardt and Dana Hawkins)
Shot in a Gambling House
Stars Fell on Daniel (featuring Salar Nader and George Brooks)
That Feel on Flesh (featuring Kai Eckhardt and Dana Hawkins)
It takes strength to usher in change and there’s strength in numbers.
For those who are not aware of Monsanto or its global influence, I would like to provide you with some background information before explaining just why it is important to stand against the corporation and its actions.
Monsanto is an international agricultural corporation which is based out of the United States. It originated in 1901 and has functioned mainly as a pesticide corporation but as of recently it has been implementing genetically engineered seeds. These seeds, which are being sold and grow in many parts of the world, do not have the ability to reproduce, thereby forcing farmers to purchase a new set of seeds from the company each season. In many situations, the farmers have no choice but to continue paying into the corporation because no other seeds are available in their area. Monsanto is also the leader producer (and creator) of the herbicide “Glyphosate” (a herbicide which is used specifically to kill weeds around the GM crops but leave the crops un-harmed. This is made possible through the genetic tampering of the seeds which makes them resistant to the herbicide).
Monsanto has been adamantly rejecting many accusations that have been coming their way in more recent years. In fact, they go out of their way to address the international conversation that has been taking place about their “terminator” seeds and their inability to reproduce (provide seeds that can then be planted the following season). They claim in a statement on their website that “Monsanto has never commercialized a biotech trait that resulted in sterile – or “terminator” – seeds” (Monsanto Website). The website is littered with fabricated stories, pictures of smiling farmers and claims that Monsanto has their best interests at heart. The truth is many farmers are struggling to make the expensive purchases of Monsanto seeds and herbicide. Debt is rising in rural areas around the world (India taking one of the hardest hits, with thousands of farmer suicides being said to be associated with debt owed to Monsanto and their inability to support themselves) and a countless number of individuals are suffering because of the negative side effects. Monsanto has a huge stake in the worlds production of seeds and is already working on spreading their patents to broccoli and eggplant despite international disagreement.
This is why we march. The global March Against Monsanto is a worldwide call of action aimed at informing the public of the long term health, environmental, and financial effects of genetically modified foods. Last years globalized day of action took place with over 2 million people took to the streets to express their opinions and attempt to reclaim the food systems. We march for seed freedom (because seeds are a source of life, and corporations should not have the ability to patent life), for the labeling of GMO foods, to promote organic and sustainable alternatives, to demand the accountability of those responsible for corruption, and to further the scientific research around GMOs. *name withheld on request
The Harper government to allow passengers to use portable electronic devices during all phases of flight.
Last month, The Honorable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, announced an important change that will benefit travelers flying with Canadian air operators, as well as the aviation industry. Passengers will soon be able to use portable electronic devices such as cameras, electronic games, tablets and computers during all phases of flight. This includes while an aircraft takes off, climbs, descends and lands, provided the device is in non-transmitting, or flight mode, and that their airline has met certain safety conditions outlined by Transport Canada.
Previously, passengers could not use their devices at their leisure during take off and landing. This change, which is made possible through an exemption to the Canadian Aviation Regulations, means that passengers will soon be able to work or play whenever they please on flights in Canada. It strikes the appropriate balance between safety and passenger comfort that Transport Canada and airlines always strive to achieve. The use of electronic devices on any flight will be at the discretion of the air operators, who must demonstrate that their aircraft are not affected by the use of the devices and that during critical phases of flight and during emergencies, all passengers are aware of and able to follow crew instructions.
Quick Facts
Canada has an aviation safety record that remains one of the best in the world.
Passengers will soon be in a position to use portable electronic devices such as cameras, electronic games, tablets and computers during all phases of flights, provided their airline has met certain safety conditions.
As always, passengers who use transmitting portable electronic devices such as tablets, smartphones or e-readers, will need to ensure they are in a non-transmitting or flight mode before using them on an aircraft.“This is great news for air passengers, and an exciting day for the Canadian aviation industry. By collaborating with our aviation partners, we are able to offer airlines the tools they need to safely enable passengers to use portable electronic devices on airplanes, while still maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.”Associated Links
Raise your hand if you want to build a Lego robot arm.
San Francisco, CA, The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book (No Starch Press, June 2014, 396 pp., $34.95, ISBN 9781593275327) is the latest No Starch Press book to tackle the LEGO MINDSTORMS robotics system. This second edition of the best-selling LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book remains the ultimate beginner’s guide to this powerful kit for anyone who wants to start making their own robots. http://post.oreilly.com/rd/9z1zpuf5li32jp78bt80j96lr32hkugv7u2d0q5lpag
Author Laurens Valk brings his robotics expertise to bear as he teaches readers the techniques essential to successful robot building. Valk has been building MINDSTORMS robots for years and was even recruited by the LEGO Group to test and develop this new generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS. The depth of his knowledge comes through on every page.
The first full-color MINDSTORMS book from any major publisher, The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Discovery Book features all new content that takes readers from gearing and fundamental mechanics through advanced programming techniques as they build these six robots:
The EXPLOR3R, a wheeled vehicle that uses sensors to navigate around a room and follow lines
– The FORMULA EV3 RACE CAR, a streamlined remote-controlled race car legged walking creature that adapts its behavior to its surroundings
– SK3TCHBOT, a robot that lets you play games on the EV3 screen
-The SNATCH3R, a robotic arm that can autonomously find, grab, lift, and move an infrared beacon
– LAVA R3X, a humanoid robot that walks and talks
Valk rounds out the fundamentals with more than 150 building and programming challenges that encourage readers to discover the countless possibilities of the EV3 kit and to start inventing robots of their own.
About the Author
Laurens Valk is a member of the MINDSTORMS Community Partners, a select group of MINDSTORMS enthusiasts who help test and develop new MINDSTORMS products. One of his robot designs is featured on the EV3 packaging as a bonus project. His previous work, the best-selling LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 Discovery Book, introduced more than 50,000 beginners worldwide to the powerful world of LEGO
MINDSTORMS robotics. He blogs about robots at robotsquare.com. http://post.oreilly.com/rd/9z1zd3clg63cmhkarcqv9pht1e936tdk1htdcus1rs8
SAN JOSE, CA – ILOOK, an over-the-top (OTT) pay-TV platform for YouTube channels, is announcing its launch today. The platform instantly converts YouTube channels into mobile TVapps that behave like television networks. Through this easy-to-use technology, anyone—amateur or celebrity personality—can now have their own TV network without the traditional barriers and regulations.
Whether you create your own workout instruction videos, like to cover Katy Perry songs or are already a YouTube sensation, you can now transform your channel into its own mobile TVapp for free!
To create a TVapp, users simply log in to their YouTube channel from www.ilook.tv. Once logged in, ILOOK automatically generates a mobile app and submits it to supported app stores where it becomes available for download by television viewers. TVapp video is viewable on the mobile screen, as well as any TV screen that is connected to the Internet via AppleTV, Chromecast or Xbox, allowing viewers to watch on the big screen or small.
ILOOK also offers advanced features that enable video syndication and monetization. Video owners can export videos into TVapps that they do not own, TVapp owners can import videos from video owners, and for a fee anyone can have their videos inserted across all TVapps as TV commercials. This gives everyday video makers the same exact revenue opportunities as larger media organizations—a unique offering for consumers.
Unlike traditional pay-TV services that exclude long-tail content, ILOOK extends the pay-TV business model to include long-tail video and monetizes it by creating a TV marketplace for video aggregators, video owners and advertisers. Owners of long-tail video are now able to monetize like traditional TV networks with TV commercials, subscriptions and pay-per-view. They can also attract attention like traditional TV networks by co-locating on the same mobile screens with cable channel apps like CNN and MTV.
Following the actions of major TV networks who have recently published their cable channels as TVapps, it’s expected that thousands of YouTube channels will soon follow suit and cover the same narrowly defined interests that are currently covered by over 18,000 print magazines. Special interest and long-tail TVapps, like affinity print magazines before them, will command CPMs [cost per impression- http://www.marketingterms.com/dictionary/cpm/ CP ] that are four to eight times higher than CPMs for more broadly focused TV networks.
Peter Redford- CEO of iLOOK
Peter Redford, CEO of ILOOK stated “Owners of long-tail YouTube channels are now able to attract attention and monetize like traditional TV networks, by co-locating on the same mobile screens with cable channel apps like CNN and MTV. We’re deeply excited to launch and bring these capabilities into the entertainment market.”
Television has been slowly moving away from an appointment format and into the anywhere, anytime arena. ILOOK is spearheading this movement by giving anyone and everyone the ability to become part of this groundbreaking movement in television history. What are you waiting for—it’s time to TVapp your talents for everyone to see!
ILOOK Corporation was founded in 2009 by Peter Redford, Ngoc Do and Jacek Minko and is based in Silicon Valley, California. The company provides the world’s first OTT (over-the-top) pay-TV platform for YouTube channels. The platform instantly converts YouTube channels into mobile apps that appear on the mobile screen alongsideTV network apps like CNN and MTV. YouTube channels effectively become TV networks, monetized by pay-per-view, subscriptions and commercials. http://www.ilook.tv/
CNBC’s half-hour primetime series “Secret Lives of the Super Rich,” premiered Tuesday, June 10th at 10PM & hour episodes began airing each Tuesday for four consecutive weeks.
Reported by CNBC’s Robert Frank and featuring New York City super broker Dolly Lenz, “Secret Lives of the Super Rich” unlocks the mansion gates and gives you rare access to a world inhabited by the wealthiest people on the planet. Here’s a sneak peek courtesy of The Silo: http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000236913.
Dolly Lenz
In the first episode, we met a man who’s taken his lifelong Lamborghini obsession from land to water. Also, “Secret Lives of the Super Rich” gets a rare invite on a luxury safari where there’s no shortage of wild life, or champagne. And, an exclusive look inside a Star Trek mega-mansion that may have you wondering if it’s actually the Starship Enterprise (video: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101735785 also see Star Trek Home Theater profiled here at the Silo: https://www.thesilo.ca/beam-me-up-35000000-usd-home-theater-for-sale-in-boca-raton/)
An example of an approved Child Airplane Travel Harness. CP
Toronto, June, 2014 – Summer travel means quality time with family. New places, new experiences, and best of all, spending time with each other in a relaxed environment. Clek, the award-winning car seat company, offers the following tips for a fun and safe vacation:
1. Research your destination to ensure it is child friendly. Find out if your destination will accommodate infants and toddlers to ensure you have a relaxing, worry-free vacation. A great place to start is the local tourism board. Check online reviews to find out if it is family-friendly.
2. Plan to travel safely. Whether you’re traveling by air or ground, ensure you have access to a car seat for s says Trudy Slaght, Beyond safety, bringing your own car ” Transport Canada highly recommends the use of an approved child restraint for all phases of flight. The use of a child restraint system provides the greatest degree of protection for the infant or child and its use during flight will help in case of unanticipated turbulence. By using the child restraint on the aircraft, it will also ensure that you will have it available for use in the car at your destination.
Don’t worry about going over the carry-on limit for air travel, you’re allowed the extra item where car seats are concerned. Plus, Clek’s weelee is a universal travel bag that makes bringing your own car seat a breeze!
3. Give yourself extra time.
Everything takes longer with kids so arrive early. For air or bus travel this means you can have your seats pre-assigned, maybe even be placed in a row with extra space, otherwise you risk being separated from your kids. For road trips, be sure to t over pack your vehicle so as to impede visibility. Plan pit stops along the way: playgrounds, parks, landmark attractions, etc. Buckle up and have fun!
4. Plan what to bring.
You won’t have access to all your preferred comforts on the road. Beyond your packed items, bring these essentials with you that should be easily accessible:
For baby: Diapers, wipes, change pads, bottles, extra clothes, formula, etc.
First Aid Kit: Band aids, hand sanitizer, antiseptic cream, gauze pads, plastic bag (for car sickness), medicine, etc.
Favourite toy: A familiar object will make your child more comfortable on the road (i.e. teddy bear, blanky, pillow, book, etc.). Keep in mind it could get lost. Something special and new for the trip can make it extra fun too.
Other: sunblock, bug spray, flashlight, phone charger, gps/road side assistance plan, maps, disposable toilet seat covers, etc.
About Clek: Clek, based in Toronto, Canada, provides modern safety products for today’s families on the go. Utilizing contemporary styling cues and advanced engineering techniques, Clek products excel in both form and function. With simple innovative solutions, Clek products are designed to make life easier without sacrificing style or safety. Clek 2014 products are free of brominated and chlorinated flame retardants as per a study with HealthyStuff.org. Clek seats are recyclable through Clek’s recycling program.
“Do it for the love of it. Ignore the scary things you read about book publishing industry. In fact, don’t read news at all. They will only distract you from writing. Hole up and create.” Ksenia Anske
For aspiring writers- I thought very hard about what to write, and decided to settle on a little advice for aspiring writers. Because if you’re one of those hopefuls, you might get scared too easily and give up. The world of book publishing is changing. It looks frightening. The big publishers are fighting for survival, buying off little companies, merging, you name it. Why? Because big companies like Amazon made it possible for anyone to publish a book.
And the world of indie books is growing. I can imagine any starting writer look at this, get the scare of her life and run and hide, and give up on her dream. Because how can you possibly make it? Moreover, how can you possibly make a living? It’s harder than ever to get through to agents. It’s very intimidating to try to self-publish, with all these scary things to be done: finding an editor, a book cover designer, a text formatter, figuring out how the online uploading tools work, promoting your book once it’s published. If you have any kind of embonpoint in any part of your body, metaphorically speaking, it’s enough to lose it, and your brains too. Just by reading this you’re probably already getting scared. There is no way you will make it, is there? There is.
Let’s for a second imagine that none of this exists. Let’s think that writing a book is something you always wanted to do. Not to make a lot of money. Not to become rich and famous. Not to flaunt it into your former classmates faces at your high school reunion. None of it. Let’s imagine you simply always wanted to write a book because you have a story to tell. It’s bursting out of you. You can’t help it. Like a chronic tosspot with this irresistible draw toward alcohol, you simply can’t hold yourself back. May I say something to you? I might not have enough credibility, or clout, or whatever you want to call it. I have only started writing full time 2 years ago and have self-published only 4 novels so far, but I’ve
Ksenia Anske
been never happier in my life. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I saw a doctor. I started writing for therapy, and never in the million years did I think anyone would be interested in reading my writing. But people do! People read my books! Can you imagine? I still can’t. I still pinch myself. It’s a miracle. There is a lesson I learned from it, and I keep shouting it at every corner. I want to shout it here, to you, so that you will hear me. It’s very simple. You can do the same.
Don’t be intimidated by the amount of books already published (I know I am, still). Don’t worry about making a living (I know I am, still). Don’t even think about wether or not anyone will read your books (I think about it, too). That doesn’t really matter. What matters is, while you write your book, you get a high which no other drug can give you. You are so happy. When you hold your finished book in your hands, the only other experience that can be compared to it is maybe that of holding your child in your hands for the first time. It is your child. It’s your story. You did it. Funny enough, if you write it for yourself, you’re more likely to find readers. If you forget about the business of book writing and think about the art of book writing, you will produce something extraordinary.
The Writers Retreat inspired by the garden retreats of two literary greats – Virginia Woolf and George Bernard Shaw – whose properties are under the care of the Trust. – See more at: http://www.scottsofthrapstonblog.co.uk/2012/06/a-magical-connection/#sthash.xvVzvEtp.dpuf
Know what it is? You will make yourself a little happier, and with that you will make people around you a little happier, and with that you will make the world around you a little happier. Now, imagine what happens when you write your second book, and your third, and your fourth. Do it for the love of it. Ignore the scary things you read about book publishing industry. In fact, don’t read news at all. They will only distract you from writing. Hole up and create. Pour your everything into it, do it so well, that people will want to see what the deal is about. It’s what happened to me, still happening. It’s what will happen to you. So go ahead, write that book. You know you want to. You know you can. I know you can. The rest will happen on its own. For the Silo, Ksenia Anske.
The Grand River watershed was 85 per cent forest 200 years ago. However, tree cover dropped to just five per cent by 1900 as land was cleared for farming and urban areas. Today, the tree cover has rebounded to about 19 per cent. Environment Canada suggests a healthy watershed needs a tree cover of about 30 per cent.
New forests are rising on old farm fields in Mapleton Township in an effort to improve water quality in streams feeding Conestogo Lake reservoir. About 70,000 trees are being planted this year and next on two parcels of land totalling 40 hectares (100 acres) on the north side of the reservoir.
The GRCA is planting a variety of species that are native to the area, including spruce, tamarack, white pine, bur oak, silver maple and cottonwood. In addition to the new forests, the GRCA will also do some reshaping of the landscape to create some seasonal wetlands that will also help improve water quality and provide additional habitat.
As the trees grow in coming years, the areas will quickly become home to a variety of animals, such as deer and wild turkeys. Later, as the forests mature, it’s expected that several bird species including scarlet tanagers, ovenbirds and great horned owls will take up residence. A 12 hectare parcel near Wellington Road 10 and Concession Road Five has been planted this year. The second parcel of 28 hectares is near Concession Road 5 and Sideroad 15. About 18 hectares has been planted this year and the rest will be planted in 2015. The land was acquired by the GRCA when it built the reservoir in the 1950s. It has been leased to farmers since then.
These two parcels of land were prone to erosion which sent a lot of sediment down the streams into the reservoir, explained Ron Wu-Winter, watershed forester with the GRCA. In addition, the sediment also carried nutrients – phosphorous and nitrates – which are found in manure and commercial fertilizers. The nutrients would spur algae and plant growth in the reservoir, resulting in lower water quality.
The northwestern part of the Grand River watershed contains some of the best farmland in Ontario. As a result, the forest cover is some of the lowest in the watershed. Forest cover is estimated at 15 per cent or less. A healthy watershed should have forest cover of about 30 per cent. Trees help raise water quality in several ways. They soak up nutrients in the soil, so reduce the volume that runs off the surface into a watercourse. Trees along a stream shade it, keeping it cooler in summer which is good for some coldwater fish species.
The total cost of the project is about $150,000. About $50,000 was contributed by the Grand River Conservation Foundation. It is also supported by the Trees Ontario Foundation which is contributing $65,000. For the Silo, Dave Schultz.
Tree Facts
* Across the entire watershed, the GRCA will plant about 400,000 trees this year, including 95,000 on its own land and 300,000 in partnership with private land owners.
* The GRCA operates a nursery near Burford, in Brant County, where it grows more than 150,000 trees a years from 60 different species.
* Since it was created in 1934, the GRCA has planted more than 27 million trees on both private land and its own land.
* The Grand River watershed was 85 per cent forest 200 years ago. However, tree cover dropped to just five per cent by 1900 as land was cleared for farming and urban areas. Today, the tree cover has rebounded to about 19 per cent. Environment Canada suggests a healthy watershed needs a tree cover of about 30 per cent.
* To learn more about the GRCA’s tree planting program, go to the Tree Planting section of the GRCA website. The GRCA helps private landowners develop planting plans, plant the trees and find grants to offset costs.
According to a 2011 Swedish study couples in which one partner commutes a long way to work (more than 45 mins.) are 40% more likely to divorce than couples who don’t have to travel so far for their jobs. More: http://umu.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:415050
Mike Schreiner, leader of the Green Party of Ontario and candidate in Guelph, wants to get you home faster and will be honest about how to do it.
“Our great grandparents invested in Niagara Falls to power our homes and businesses. Our grandparents invested in 400 series highways to move the goods we produce. Those investments have powered Ontario’s economy,” says Schreiner. “Our generation must invest in the transit infrastructure needed to move our economy forward in the 21st century.”
The average daily commute time in the GTHA is 80 minutes long. That’s the equivalent of eight 40-hour work weeks every year — or about seven years in a working lifetime. Gridlock costs us $6 billion a year and will cost more than double that by the end of the decade.
“We can fix gridlock for less than it costs,” says Tim Grant, Green Party Transportation Critic and candidate in Trinity-Spadina. “It mystifies me that the other parties promise the moon but can’t tell us where the money is coming from, as if we’re children who believe in the tooth fairy.” The Green Party is willing to say how much it will cost and where the money is going to come from. We propose a combination of province-wide and urban-focused mechanisms (including a gas tax, congestion charges, commercial parking levies, and land value capture) to produce the revenue necessary — $3 billion a year — to build and operate the public transit and transportation infrastructure we need.
“For $250 a year for each person in Ontario, we can solve a lot of problems,” says Scheriner. “We can save people months stuck in traffic. We can lower costs for businesses trying to get goods to market. We can help employees take the jobs they want because they know they can get to work.”
The Green Party is committed to bringing better transit to Ontario, and honesty, integrity, and good public policy to Queen’s Park. For the Silo, Candice Lepage.
EDMONTON, AB – May, 2014 – Cold beverages won’t be getting warm anytime soon in the Pelican ProGear™ 20QT Elite Cooler. Perfect for use while fishing, boating, camping or hanging out on the beach, the newest Pelican ProGear Elite Cooler holds up to 21 U.S. liquid quarts (18.9 liters). Additional tailgate and picnic friendly features include a stainless steel lock protector that doubles as a bottle opener, four integrated cup holders in the lid and an extra-wide pickup handle for easy team and individual carrying.
Like all Pelican ProGear Elite Coolers, the 20QT is built tough to exacting military standards and is engineered with rugged polymer
exterior walls. Its extra-thick polyurethane foam core works with secure Press & Pull latches and a freezer-grade o-ring to deliver extreme ice retention.
“The new Pelican ProGear 20QT Elite Cooler now gives tailgaters, golfers and beachgoers another reason to enjoy the fresh air. With Pelican core DNA built in and extreme ice-retention, this cooler is as tough and dependable as Pelican cases used by professionals who work in extreme environments around the globe,” said Stephan Corti, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales – Pelican Products, Inc. “It doesn’t matter if it’s an extended fishing trip or hunting adventure, this new portable cooler is designed to protect and keep your food and drinks cold for the duration.”
The cooler is available in either Marine White or Outdoor Tan and has an MSRP of CAD$274.98. Manufactured in the company’s South Deerfield, Massachusetts facility, the Pelican ProGear 20QT Elite Cooler (along with the 35QT, 45QT, 65QT, 95QT, 150QT and 250QT models) can be purchased through their authorized Pelican Dealer network. All Pelican ProGear Elite Coolers are backed by an industry leading lifetime guarantee of excellence.
The Pelican ProGear brand includes rugged, protective consumer products designed to allow users to transport and protect all that they value, regardless of environmental conditions. The line is presented to consumers via www.PelicanProGear.ca.
About Pelican Products
Pelican Products, Inc. is the global leader in design and manufacture of both high-performance protective case solutions and advanced
portable lighting systems. Their products are used by professionals in the most demanding markets including fire safety, law enforcement,
defense / military, aerospace, entertainment, industrial and consumer. Pelican products are designed and built to last a lifetime.
The company operates in 19 countries, with 28 offices and six manufacturing facilities across the globe. For more information,
visit www.Pelican.com or www.behrmancap.com.
