Pat Drummond's Blog

Using Social Media for Business

2012-02-09T12:18:00.006-05:00

Social media websites are services that provides tools for people to share information and communicate. Most of them are completely free to use. They includes Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, location-based services, blogging services, photo-sharing services and Youtube, a video-sharing service.

Your Next Customer is Online

Business people need to reach out and get connected to their customers via social media. Some sites are expanding rapidly - Twitter now distributes 2 billion postings (tweets) per month, and most users are between 25 and 54, not kids. 80% of individuals aged 16 years and older used the Internet for personal use and half the country is already using Facebook. And 85% of moms share photos of their kids online before they're two years old!

Getting Started in Social Media

Your business should get your feet wet with Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and a blog. Have a strategy in place, especially if you have your staff using the accounts. Your aim should be to create a community, communicate with people, and establish your brand online. It's important to commit your business just as you would for promotion and advertising. And most important of all, be transparent and authentic online.

Most of the social media sites require you to open an account. I suggest you create a new email account for your business just for social sites (you will appreciate this separation later). You can create a Facebook page for your business once your have created a personal account - the business page can be public even if your personal account is private. Facebook will delete your account if you use a fake name. Twitter postings (tweets) are completely public and can be searched by a word or hashtag (word prefixed by #). Register a short "name" since Twitter is restricted to 140 characters, including the name. LinkedIn requires an account to use it and caters exclusively to business. Make the information as accurate and complete as possible as soon as possible to you can connect with the right people.

Using Social Media Sites

Use social media sites regularly to create an identifiable presence for your brand. Don't just create an account, post once and then abandon it for weeks. Use social media Monday to Friday (especially lunchtime) when people are online - they have better things to do on the weekend.

When you post to social sites, you shouldn't just talk about your products and services. You should communicate interesting information that is useful to your customers such as how-to tips or information related to your community or your business area.

You need to create a community to win people over to your company or brand. It's tempting to be deadly serious, but maybe your staff can get together and come up with some good ideas. If you try something creative, people will find you online.

Humour is always a useful tool. You don't need to tell jokes, just be entertaining once in a while. Humour is especially useful if you make a video about some aspect of your business. If your staff has a baseball team, take some video during the game and afterwards - edited of course! And don't forget to get permission from people before publishing them online.

A Blog works with Social Media

Because Twitter is restricted to 140 characters, and Facebook posts are usually short, it can be useful to provide a link to a web page with additional information. If you are posting about your business, then a blog serves this purpose quite well. In addition, a blog belongs to your business and you have complete control over it. You can post videos and photos, and any interesting news or information. A blog can expand on problems your customers may have had and explain any new policies that your business has adopted to improve services. Be sure to set your blog to allow "comments" (and email notifications) so you can communicate with people. If your blog software allows it, be sure to setup an RSS feed so that people can "subscribe" to your new posts. A blog adds your voice to the online world. Treat it with respect but don't be afraid to use it!

Get connected to your customers online!

In the end, don't be afraid to use these terrific online services. The sooner you begin, the better, and the faster you will understand what they can do for you. They will expand your business into the online world to reach people and other businesses that you could never connect with in any other way.

How I use Social Media
I am almost retired, but still operate two websites that benefit from using social media.

Boating in Canada on Twitter
Boating in Canada Blog
The Manotick Directory on Twitter
The Manotick Directory on Facebook
Pat Drummond (Manotick Directory) on LinkedIn

Smartphones & Tablets - do you need one?

2012-02-02T20:45:00.004-05:00

Portable Devices offer much more than a Laptop

Portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets, have capabilities that your laptop just doesn't have. And it's these features that will be the reason you will buy one, not just as an alternative to a phone or laptop. E-readers are just simple tablets tied to a media retailer via WiFi or 3G strictly for buying media. On the other side, a computer with a keyboard is the best option for a lot of typing, graphics design or anything that requires complex software.

It's obvious that portable devices are smaller and lighter than laptops and their batteries usually last longer. They do not read CDs or DVDs, but some can read flash cards or you can install one inside. They do not have hard disk drives like most laptops but use solid-state drives - more expensive but tiny, silent and use little power. There are two common connections on the portable device itself for charging and transferring files - micro USB or mini USB. Most recharge batteries using a USB connection to a computer, 110-volt wall adapter, or a 12-volt car adapter.

Connecting in a Wireless World

Most portable devices have WiFi connections so you can connect to the Internet from a home wireless router or anywhere with a wireless Hotspot, which is often offered free. Since most portable devices operate on 3G mobile connections too, they can connect from almost anywhere with mobile service to make mobile calls (if you buy voice service) and access the Internet (if you buy data service).

Buying a Portable Device

In Canada, the sales model for portable phones ties them to mobile corporations and their service plans. Phones are usually bought from one of the mobile providers (Rogers, Bell, Virgin, Wind...) and offered at subsidized cost if you sign up for three years of 3G voice and optional data service. The other option is buy an "unlocked" phone (or have it unlocked) and shop around. Once unlocked, the phone will work with a SIM card from any of the mobile providers. You can buy any of the plans, but you will not get the same help with problems or software upgrades.

How they Work

Portable devices use an operating system just like computers, but use "apps" to do various functions. These are stand-alone programs that do many useful tasks such as reading e-mail, browsing the Web, checking Facebook, watching YouTube videos or movies, translating languages, calculating expenses, calling people on Skype (with video if your device has a front-facing camera), and thousands of other tasks. Many apps are free, but others you have to buy.

Restrictions Buying Apps and Media

Apple devices must get all their apps, music and movies from Apple Corp., iTunes, etc. Android devices usually include access to Google's Android Market, although you may also buy apps from "3rd party" stores or even buy using your computer and transfer the app to the phone for installation. Kobo readers buy their media from Canadian Chapters and Indigo. Kindle readers buy their media from Amazon.com in the United States. You can get around the buying restrictions in most devices, but most users don't bother and just buy from the store that is provided. It's a monopoly world once you choose a portable device so buyer beware.

Multi-use and Portabe too!

It's great to have multiple functions in a single device that fits in your pocket: camera, movie camera, mobile phone*, turn-by-turn instructions (GPS), golf course info (GPS), note-taker, calculator, voice recorder, music player, video player, alarm clock, timer, and Internet (email, web browser, Facebook), games, and lots more to come. WiFi connection to the Internet can be useful if you don't need a data plan for access on the road or cannot afford the high rates. Some mobile providers offer short term data service at daily or weekly rates, but read the details - it may be restricted to browser use only so you must use webmail instead of email apps.

Of course some devices have all the great features and some have only a few, usually reflected in the price.

Here are a few of the features that might be included in a portable device:

GPS - locates your geographical position to display maps, turn-by-turn driving directions (even without a data connection), geo-tracking (running, walking, parental monitoring), stolen device locator
Mobile wireless service - 3G voice (phone) or data (internet)
Camera - take digitial photos, videos (with sound), scans codes
Touch Controls - device controls and selection, "typing" on screen keyboards
Multi-Touch Controls - magnify/reduce (pinch), complex controls
WiFi - wireless connection to a router to access the Internet or connect to other devices on your network (control media, display screen, transfer files)
Bluetooth Connections - wireless connection to other bluetooth devices: speaker, headphone, headset, keyboard, mouse, computer (control. transfer files)
FM Radio - listen to local radio, requires a headphone cord as antenna
Accelerometer - detect motion for games, simulators, geo-tracking (GPS),
Magnetic Field Sensor - detects compass direction, used in geo-tracking and maps (GPS)
Orientation Sensor - detects if screen is horizontal or vertical. Used for display switching, game controller.
Proximity Sensor - detects your face close to the phone during calls - turns off display to prevent accidental 'touch' and turns back on when you're done so you can disconnect the call.
Light Sensor - can be used to control display brightness, camera exposure

My first smartphone was an HTC Tattoo running Android 1.6 and was "unlocked" - bought on eBay. It replaced a Palm IIIc. I was stunned to discover it did not have the android "Market" included in the operating system (it cannot be added), so had to locate 3rd party app stores. I used it for a while without mobile service and finally got a Rogers SIM card ($10) and pay-as-you-go plan ($100/yr.) It had many of the features above including the FM radio. I bought Ndrive, a stand-alone GPS, and bought a 16gb SD-card for the maps (and my music), with a 12-volt charger. The phone got a bit hot running like this but it worked fine. It wouldn't run the more interesting games, but I had a pile of great free apps to keep track of info and remind me of appointments. It actually had buttons at the bottom which were actually faster than touch buttons.

My second phone is a Galaxy S Captivate running Android 2.3 also unlocked. I managed to transfer Ndrive over to it and have the same voice service. It has all the features above except the FM-radio, which I miss a lot. I transferred the SIM card and activated it with Rogers and continued the pay-as-you-go plan. I can buy data service for a day or week "as required" from the phone - haven't tried that yet.

That's all folks!

Technology can Fail when you Need it Most

2012-01-18T17:38:00.003-05:00

With another winter storm on the way, we discovered yet another way that technology can fail us. Two years ago we installed a very expensive automatic generator system that powers our furnace, fridge and sump pump. In the event of a power failure, it promised to prevent a flooded basement, not to mention freezing in winter. But as with most equipment, it will fail when you need it most. We decided this would solve the constant worry of another lengthy power failure (the power grid in eastern Ontario just hasn't been reliable since the 1998 Ice Storm).

So we were less than thrilled when the generator failed it's weekly test the very first time the temperatures dropped to -20C last winter. Apparently operating on propane instead of natural gas was the "cause". We installed a "heater" which was promised to solve the problem. A year later the weekly test landed on another -20C day. We hadn't heard it run its 10 minute test, so I waded through the snow and lifted the lid (who designs these things anyway!) to discover a red light labelled "overcrank". I immediately called the company and was instructed by phone to attempted a manual test. Half a crank and then nothing, not even a red light now.

The battery was suspected, but when the repair guy arrived the next morning he discovered a burned out starter. Of course the closest part was in Toronto. Although the gen is guaranteed for several years, the labour and overnight delivery still cost another few bills. So in addition to the initial cost (gen, installtion, inside electrical work and pony board, installing and filling a propane tank) you have to remember to add the annual costs (maintenance, propane fillups). Plus repairs and addons. Just another mechanical/electric beast to add to the list of "things" that end up complicating in our lives instead of making them easier.

Hospitals are strange places

2011-10-21T18:37:00.002-05:00

I've spent way too much time visiting hospitals lately. Hospitals are good places to stay out of -- you knew that right? After visiting the skipper every day during two hospitalizations, I came home exhausted every night. A few reasons may sound silly - or not.

Why are there so many beeps and other electronic noise in hospital wards? I look around and no one else even notices. The staff must have filters in their ears (one hopes) to hear the important ones. When the skipper's IV pump kept stopping, I finally hit the start button myself. Then I restarted the pump of the other patient in the room. Are they all defective? Or just the people installing the shunt? Constant beeping rubs my nerves totally raw. I guess other people just get cranky and don't know why.

Press the red call button and someone may come in 5-10 minutes. So I learned how to help the skipper with the simple needs (you know). As soon as he was mobile, I had learned how to unplug the monitors and taught him how to push the IV in front of him. Simple stuff but it meant he could use the john instead of a pee bottle and bed pan. Small things mean a lot.

Why does the staff talk so loudly to patients - they are ill, not deaf! How about "DID YOU HAVE A BOWEL MOVEMENT TODAY?" for the entire ward to hear. If you sit around, you can listen to the most personal information being talked about in lower but still pretty loud tones.

Patients have to forego all personal dignity. Nurses are usually very patient and pleasant to sick people, but really, who really likes to have their ass on view, to see other people's asses, have a stranger help them pee, and as for bed pans...

The really scary problem is there are not enough staff especially at night to deal with patients in recovery who are not "lucid". The nurse called me at home at 10:30 pm as I was going to sleep because the skipper had torn out his IV when he woke up agitated. Hey guys, he didn't know he was in a hospital and just wanted OUT - I would react the same way. I was given 3 choices to keep him from hurting himself - come in myself, authorize restraints, or hire an outside agency. So I hired an agency ($200 for 8 hours) to sit with him and make sure he didn't get out of bed. In the end they used drugs, so I may as well have chosen restraints. During the day, they also used sedatives and a chair/tray restraint even if I was there. If he was in bed they turned on a bed alarm that made an awful noise if he leaned on the bed side rail. I set it off several times before I learned what it was. Thank god he started to recover and ended the worry and cost. I hadn't slept much one night so went home in the afternoon, a 90 minutes round trip, for an hour nap. As I arrived home, and friends down the street were just finishing cutting our grass. I was so tired, grateful and surprised, I nearly burst into tears.

The skipper thought at one point he was in prison. Even prisoners have something to do, so interesting comparison. The regular wards have TVs to rent with 32 channels - can you get hockey using that? A brochure listed their absurd rates, but not how to pay! Hospital staff didn't know. Just as I was leaving, a person came in to disconnect the TV and asked if we wanted TV service. So I paid for 4 days. A day later, they moved him to the 'obs' ward - with no TV at all. The waiting room had a broken TV. So no hockey for the skipper. Airlines recognize you can keep people happy by providing movies, music, and food. Wouldn't hospital staff would have an easier time if they provided some distractions for restless patients? As soon as he was mobile, he wandered all over the hospital just to see if he could - no problem.

I found out by accident that you can arrange Wi-Fi for a patient at this particular campus of the hospital. So brought in the laptop and it took 20 entire minutes to connect - and I'm a computer geek. Sheesh. A little complicated for someone who just had brain surgery for g*d sake. I haven't seen such a crappy Wi-Fi setup in years. Plus too slow to watch a movie. Next day I brought the skipper a radio - he was not happy. I finally sprung him back home a day early so he got to watch our team get wiped in glorious high def. The good news is he's back in his own bed, where he doesn't have a team waking him at 6 am and nurses checking him every hour. I get to do that now. Dear God, please let the next scan be good.

Friends are Vitamin F

2011-10-21T15:09:00.004-05:00

Our new friends have proven how simple it is to make someone's life easier. The skipper has been in hospital twice and had surgery, so the last month or so has been a stressful time. After driving to the city every day to be with him, I was a little sleep-deprived and feeling sick so I returned home for a nap one afternoon (90 minute round trip). I found my neighbours Nancy and Steve just finishing mowing our grass! Nancy said, you know how people always ask what they can do to help. Well, she knew I was worried about how much time the lawn takes - so they just came over and did it with 2 mowers. I nearly burst out crying right in the driveway. They did it again a few weeks later and this week they mulched the leaves. A matched pair of angels.

Next time I know someone who is going through something like this, I'm going to invite them for meals, walk or feed the dog -- or even cut their grass. I will try to remember NOT to ask 'what can I do'? Like many people, I just couldn't seem to ask for help. It's more effective to offer to do specific chores that you know they need to do, but may not have time or energy for.

Dr. Oz calls them Vitamins F (for Friends) and friends are essential to our well being. How true.

SpiderOak not ready for Public use

2011-06-29T12:40:00.003-05:00

SpiderOak (www.spideroak.com) as a backup and sync tool using cloud storage which gives you 2GB free cloud storage. But it should come with a warning (or get fixed). The software on my Win7 system caused havoc on my hard drive. (The following is from memory.)

First I disabled Dropbox so there wouldn't be any conflicts. Dropbox does the same job but requires all your files to be under the "My Dropbox" folder. I was told in an internet newsletter that SpiderOak offered better security - passwords and encryption are all done before files are uploaded.

I installed the SpiderOak software on the Windows 7 computer. I set it up to backup 6 website folders. The folders all had the same name, and all appeared in the SpiderOak cloud storage called "website". Well, I had expected SpiderOak to mirror my folder tree (d:\AAA\website). So I edited the backup settings to the parent folders to give a unique and descriptive name in the cloud storage. There was very little feedback to indicate if the backup was working or if it was finished, which seems an important indicator to leave out.

Then I noticed many files were missing in the cloud storage. After much searching, I found an option that had been checked to NOT backup older files. I cleared the setting and again had trouble determining if/when the files had been backed up.

I was going to setup the "Sync" function next, to mirror the cloud folders to another computer. But for some reason I tried the download function instead. By the time I realized it was taking a long time and cancelled it, SpiderOak had copied hundreds of files from the cloud right back into computer #1, but many of them went into the WRONG sub-folder with the SAME name. In other words, files backed up from d:\AAA\website were downloaded into d:\BBB\website, resulting in extra files but also over-writing existing files! I had a huge mess to clean up since I use a lot of sub-folders with the same name. The only good news is that I "mirror" websites daily on an external drive. But folders where I simply copy updated files was more tedious - I had to inspect every file as well as remove the added ones. Even with recent backups, it took me 2 hours to clean up the mess.

When I went to the website to report this, all I found was a forum. Hope it is monitored by people who can figure out how on earth this happened.

Rideau River safety and erosion

2011-06-19T20:17:00.003-05:00

Recently, Parks Canada held a meeting (invited people of their choosing) about "Risk Assessment of the Rideau Canal System" from Kemptville to Hogs Back. They invited me because I am the webmaster of "Pat's Boating in Canada", and also a boater and shore resident.

The list of attendees were 3 politicians, 2 police, 2 Canadian Power And Sail (CPS), Friends of The Rideau, 2 Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, 5 Wakeboard and Ski Schools, 3 Shoreline Residents, 1 Marina (!), 8 Parks Canada, Muskoka Lakes Association (?), and last but by no means least - the author of the risk assessment report.

The comments in the report about 'noise' were insulting and irrelevant to any type of risk. Shoreline destruction was mostly ignored. After reading the report recommendations and list of attendees, I decided not to go. I figured we were just there to rubber stamp the report. (A boater/landowners who attended said he was sent to a discussion of a section of the Rideau not even close to where he lived or boated.)

The report was obviously written by someone who obviously had never boated on the Rideau, witnessed a collision, nearly hit by a boat while swimming, witnessed close-calls of water-skiers too close to other boats, witnessed boats being damaged by wakes, watched drunken skippers after dark, witnessed boats almost sink from wakes, or watched so many having to rebuild their shoreline due to erosion.

I also had the shore-side experiences of having my well-tied runabout almost sink when wakes from large boats hit the boat, then the break wall and back on the boat. Even with an extra line holding it away from the dock, it had dock scars and took on water. We moved the boat to a marina when we went on a holiday just so we wouldn't have to worry about it breaking the dock, itself or sinking from water over the stern. I finally got tired of worrying about it, and sold it. We still have a canoe and kayak but it just isn't fun to paddle in the wakes and the river isn't wide enough to avoid them. I gave up trying to swim here several years ago, since you have to swim in the weeds close to shore or risk being run over.

In addition, it cost us a huge amount of money to repair the erosion of our property. Even with a steel break wall, we finally had to spend 5 figures to get the wall removed and the entire shore rebuilt to Conservation standards.

When we started boating over 30 years ago, a 28-foot boat was considered a big boat. People who threw wakes passing a marina or slower boats were yelled at. Times have changed dramatically, but the regulations have not changed at all. We now live on the river near one of the largest Sea-ray dealers anywhere. (It's actually the mechanics testing the boats that throw the largest wakes, not the boat owners.) In addition to the many water-skiers that have always used the river, there are now several "wake-boarding" schools. Although small, they must throw a large wake for the person to ride. On a Sunday, you will always see at least 3-4 speed boats in the 40-50 ft. range. In summer, add in the steady traffic of cruising boats travelling the waterway. I guess until someone actually has a collision or chops up a tows full of kids, or has a break wall collapse into the river, no one will do anything about so many boats of all sizes, some travelling very slow, others at high speed, using a river that was more designed for fishing.

Cost of Living vs Actual Costs

2011-04-05T12:33:00.007-05:00

Just when you think you are getting ahead of the game, they blindside you. Starting immediately, the skipper will pay 28% more as a pensioner for the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) family level 2 ($46.36 to $59.32). The basic level coverage goes up an astonishing 43%. No notice, unless you count a news item 5 years ago about cost sharing that no one understood.

In the last year, fuel oil has gone up 31% and gas for the car has gone up 23%. (fuel prices) Hydro rates have shot up. The base cost per kWh increased 14% (5.7¢ to 6.5¢) in the year before September 2010, when TOI pricing began. This was offset somewhat by Ontario deducting 10% from the bill -- it's an election year. (sigh) Comparing groceries is harder, since it varies so much as we cook from scratch. We rarely eat out any more.

The City of Ottawa was busy congratulating themselves on keeping our tax increases to 2.5% this year. Huh? It would be nice if our income was going up that much! Meanwhile, our biggest expenses for fuel, food, utilities, and taxes are increasing above the "Consumer Price Index" (CPI), currently 2.2%.

This year's indexed pension checks went up 1.7%. The Public Service pension, Canada Pension Plan (CPP and Old Age Security (OAS) are supposed to be increased every January based on the CPI but it doesn't seem to match our cost increases at all. Fuel, food, utilities, and taxes have all gone up more than 1.7%. They are our largest costs and all difficult to reduce without starving, freezing, not using hot water, or selling our house and car!

Return from Veradero, Cuba endurance test

2011-02-21T21:46:00.004-05:00

Just got back from Cuba at 3 am this morning and still trying to catch up on sleep, email, messages and such. Exit from Cuba was an endurance test - worst in 7 trips to Verradero. The bus was 40 minutes late picking us up. Then a long line just to enter the airport terminal - a first. Inside was sheer madness with long winding lines with no one to help direct anyone - and the airport couldn't begin to accommodate the criwds. They just keep building new hotels with the same old airport. It's just one huge hall with agents at the front of lines that cannot possibly hold the number that are bussed in. (Reminded me of Ottawa airport after an ice storm when all flights had been cancelled the day before and thousands of people were lined up for regular and extra flights.) Most people trying to get on the Ottawa flight were sure we'd never make the plane -- the usual line jumpers put everyone on edge. Extra agents from Sunwing flights already checked started checking our flight, which finally got things moving ever so slowly. Then to another line to buy the "exit tax", another line for customs, then a line for security (I had to take off my belt, still set off the alarm, but still had my water bottle in my bag). Then we had to get in another line to get on the plane - which involved walking downstairs, across the tarmack (with large holes to fall into). Wait again to get on the plane. I counted 7 lines before we got in the air. A few tired people said they would never do it again. Two weeks of relaxation completely undone in 9 hours (hotel to home). Last year we had to be at airport at 6 am and then 5 am to start back but the airport was quiet at daybreak - apparently all the European planes fly overnight which makes for the huge crowds in the evening. All those new hotels but same old airport facilities just makes no sense. Fleeing the revolution couldn't have been worse! The only good part is we were fairly sure we would not be shot or thrown into prison!

What do you do when your Internet or Power Disappears?

2011-02-05T20:56:00.002-05:00

I was thinking what I could do if my internet service died - then it did! Everyone thinks that when the power goes out, Internet service is not usable because the high-speed modems require power. But if you still have phone service and a battery-powered laptop with a modem, you can connect to a "dialup" internet service. We just forget! I have kept a dialup account just for emergencies, but forgot to test it when I bought a laptop. You need to know how to dialup and get connected (and pay) if you need service in an emergency.

And maybe you have a mobile phone with text messaging - it seems I can tweet via text message. Logon to twitter.com and select the account "drop-down" arrow (top/right) and select Preferences. But only one account can use a mobile phone number, so I have to choose (I manage 3 twitter accounts). You probably don't.

I can also post to my blog by email but I can't afford a "data package" on my cell phone so I just have a pay-as-you-go account. With that, if I want to use Internet on my phone, I can choose to pay about $2/day (as long as it's 'low' usage). Then I can email, tweet, surf for the entire day. Haven't tried it yet though so no idea if it works.

To help people in Egypt, Google and Twitter cludged together a system to allow people to phone a number and leave a voicemail which was transmitted into twitter somehow. I don't know of anything similar I can use here in Canada.

If you know any other methods to keep connected when everything fails, let me know.

Keyboard suddenly displays the Wrong Keys!

2010-11-26T13:42:00.006-05:00

Problems are filling up the forums with pleas for help "my keyboard displays the wrong key", or "typing J, K, and L displays the wrong keys". On a laptop it's very easy to hit the Num Lock key by mistake and you can waste a lot of time checking keyboard settings, buying a new keyboards or even repair shops. Small keyboards have a Function key that is held down while pressing the Num Lock key to toggle some letters on your keyboard into a keypad for 0-9 (you'll see the numbers in another colour by these keys. On some keyboards you have to hold down the ALT key while pressing the Num Lock. Larger keyboards have a Num Lock key you just press to toggle it on - very easy to do by accident. Since most people use only the numbers across the top, it's a shame the system doesn't just allow you to disable this function.

Any easy way to prevent setting any Lock key by mistake is to use Microsoft Windows Accessibility settings to "beep" whenever you hit one. Go to the Control Panel (Start > Run > type "Control Panel") and find Ease of Access, then Ease of Access Center, then Make the keyboard easier to use (last item). Check the box for Toggle Keys. Click OK. Now when you hit the keys for Caps Lock, Num Lock, or Scroll Lock, you will hear a high tone (on), when you hit it again, you will hear a low tone (off). No more surprises when you are typing.

Another solution may be to turn off all Hot Keys that change your keyboard. Most computers have multiple language keyboards available. Go to Control Panel , then Regional and Language. then Keyboards and Languages tab, click Change Keyboards then hit the Advanced Key Settings tab. If any hot keys are set, change it to something you will never hit by accident, or even change it to "not assigned".

Hope these hints help someone. Sadly, I still have an intermittent problem on my laptop keyboard/external keyboard. Only some of my keys lose their mapping on some programs - I type " and get ` or / will displays é. Restarting (Firefox, Thunderbird, Notetab Pro) solves it. If anyone knows what causes this one, I'd be happy to hear from you!

"Stupid" smart phone update

2010-08-17T12:57:00.004-05:00

For months I've been struggling with my android smart phone - and still do not have phone service. Still using it as a pocket computer. WiFi allows me to read Twitter sitting on the dock or in a hot spot.

My woes with Android "Market" continue (I do not have it in my android system so cannot access the market at all). I have downloaded many apps from SlideMe.org, Handango, Softonic, Andappstore, etc. Thank gosh android is a relatively 'open' system or I would have nothing on my phone.

My recent experience buying NDrive (GPS app) was a case in point. They ignored my message not to process the purchase if I needed the Market. I downloaded a huge file - several GB -- to my PC that installs the maps I bought to my phone microSD card via USB connection - that worked great. Then the setup tells me to download the NDrive app from Market. After 2 message to their website (unanswered) and 1 to the address in my purchase email, I finally got someone who understood english and emailed me the APK file. I immediately installed it to my phone to find it wouldn't run until I "upgraded". In the Market of course. Grrrr. I'm just about to ask for a refund but I persevere. (No normal person would spend this much time trying to spend money.)

My next email went into the void and I appealed to the nice folks on the Mobilism android forum and someone gave me the file I needed. I really should not have to expose myself to files from strangers to get an APK that is essentially free. I installed it and it started just fine - took a bit of work to register the maps - nothing is easy or obvious. Such as first time you run the app, it should be smart enough to see your maps are not registered and ask if you.. ah well. Once again I tried to contact NDrive and finally got another reply. They are willing to send me the apk's and updates. Probably so they don't have to deal with $$ in the market. Oddly enough all the map, voice and alert files are available on their site. Just the most important file is only available via Market.

Until I travel a bit, I won't be able to test it properly. Hopefully it is as good as the reviews.
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Spring plants

2010-05-16T18:41:00.003-05:00

Just read that we should have already planted onions, peas, snow peas, carrots and radishes. Oh, come one guys, We`ve never planted anything before May 24. Mind you, I live in Canada, where weather is the topic of conversation in every region where vegies or fish is a source of income. Still, I feel like such a failure even though hubby plants the veggies and will be surprised to find out he should have planted early.

New "Smart" Phone is Dumb

2010-03-21T17:39:00.006-05:00

In a moment of weakness I bought an unlocked HTC Tattoo "smart" phone from eBay to replace my aging Palm pilot. (Maybe even use it as a phone if rates ever get in my range). It has Wi-fi, GPS, browser, and apps for email, Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, calendar, clock, etc.

But, who knew?! If you buy an Android device without a "Market" app already installed, you can't download apps from the Android Marketplace - that contains most apps you might actually want to get. There does not appear to be any way to acquire the Market app if it's not already there. You literally have to become an extreme techie and use a Linux system to flash the rom (or something like that).

There are other sites such as Slideme.org that have apps but a very poor selection. Apps for GPS, sky maps, etc. are just not there.

Then I tried to install the HTC Sync app - something fails and the device driver doesn't install. No idea where to get help after a few hours of searching. I even uninstalled it and tried to link it as a "drive" using the USB connection - nope. Then I removed the microSD card, put it in the adapter and inserted into my laptop's card-reader. Nothing at all. Am I jinxed or is it the weather?

I'm about ready to turn this brick over to someone who wants a nice phone with the basics installed apps (which are actually pretty useful).

HTC Tattoo tech woes

2010-02-09T15:16:00.005-05:00

I decided to buy a smart phone to replace my aging Palm PDA. Little did I know what I was getting into. First I bought an HTC Tattoo on ebay that had wifi and was unlocked, so I could use it without phone service to start. Took six weeks to arrive as it was first sent without enough postage then got hung up at the border. First it announced "sim card is missing" and turned off. What. Wish I had kept better notes setting it up, as it was painful. (And I still get the sim card error) I get past the error by hitting the Menu key.Fortunately I had searched online for info and already knew that setting up Wifi to my home network probably wouldn't work (it doesn't) Apparently Tattoo/Android v1.6 can't use WPA encryption. Changing my router & laptop to use WEP was another frustrating exercise. Wasted too much time changing router settings, and finally reset it back to factory default, upgraded the firmware (from linksys.com), then set up WEP 64-bit encryption (Wifi security option under 802.1x). At some point I did something (probably a network name change) and the network finally appeared properly on my laptop network list. I connected to it using the passphrase. Now back to the Tattoo, and more messing with wifi settings. Again, I don't remember what I did to get it to connect finally. But I do remember having only a few seconds to "type" in the passphrase - the Tattoo kicked my out several times before I could press the digits on the touch screen keyboard fast enough. Shabby.

I've been using computers since we used to toggle in machine code - what on earth do mere mortals do when they run into tech woes. I suppose someday it will be as easy as internet connections are now. Does anyone remember when a dial-up connection took just the right software and a long list of settings to get a connection to work?! Here we go again.

Next step, downloaded "HTC Sync" to my laptop and installation spit out a big error window - so of course it doesn't connect or sync anything. I suspect a device driver needs updating - still looking.

Fisher seen in Carleton Golf & Yacht Club (09Nov)

2009-12-02T13:49:00.010-05:00

Last Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, neighbours saw a fisher running through our yards on Marina Drive. The previous week, we had seen a muskrat running from house to house and along a nearby street headed towards the river and wondered the obvious. Then someone sent me a copy of the photo taken by Marv Sywyk (click for larger photo). I had no idea fishers grew this large! I'm tempted to measure the tree to see if I can estimate it's size. Big enough to kill a small pet for sure. If you want to compare, here's a drawing of a muskrat:

Returning North to Autumn

2009-10-30T18:40:00.005-05:00

Returning from South Carolina was a shock. Our yard was covered with leaves - maple and elm. The linden hasn`t dropped yet. Cold and rainy, 10C. Brrr! Our visit to Myrtle Beach started out cold (it`s all relative I know) and we had some great golf weather. Then it warmed more and we walked the beach and touched up our tans. Water 74F but I never got up the nerve to swim in it. MB has wonderful long, fine sandy beaches you can walk for hours. Sadly Ocean Annies closed the moment we arrived one evening - apparently the cost of a live band and licence was too high for the small numbers of tourists. (At Easter it`s a happening place on the beach, which beach condo owners have mixed feelings about.) Then it started to drizzle so we gave up and went back to the condo.

It`s odd not to have the sailboat to work on in the fall. We used to spend weeks taking our sailboat apart for winter, removing sails, canvas, rigging, lifelines, etc. then rigging the mast cradles fore and aft to hold the mast. We unloaded the boat and winterized the engine, cockpit drains, holding tank and water system. Then after Thanksgiving we took the mast down. We rigged frames for the tarp, then wrapped the boat like a sausage with lines holding the tarp to the steel boat cradle. This year we went golfing and walking the beach instead and wondered how the new owner was making out. (We got an email from him in SC asking a few questions, but you can`t put 24 years of experience in an email)

HST Increases Costs on most Services by 8%

2009-09-12T18:52:00.005-05:00

Increased prices on all services and commodities that were previously exempt from PST (gasoline) will reduce demand (it always does), so the economy could stall or even reverse back into recession. "On a $500,000 home in Toronto, the HST will mean $6,000 in new taxes. (first $400,000 of any new home is now exempt). (financialpost.com) Fight back! We're crazy to accept this.

Here is my personal list of services that will increase by 8% next July:

new house purchase (over $400,000)
lawyers fees & legal services
hydro charges
municipal water charges
home heating fuels (oil, gas, electric)
furnace installation & service
Home services: plumber, electrician, other trades
Professional services: lawyers, accountants
postage stamps
magazines, newspapers
cell phone & internet services
car/boat fuel (gas, diesel, oil)
car repairs
boat dockage & mooring
boat winter storage
boat repair & other services
boat mast stepping
boat haulout & launching
boat holding tank pump out
marine surveyor services
brokerage sales fees
safety equipment

Different services

2009-07-17T21:12:00.002-05:00

(Published in the The Ottawa Citizen Letters, July 15, 2009)

Re: Cable Internet giants oppose new rules, July 14.

So why can't Rogers Communications and Bell Canada figure out how to offer their customers a different service level that allows the Internet service providers (ISPs) to throttle when needed? Customers would know what to expect, and service to other levels for other uses would not be harmed. VPNs (virtual private networks) would work and file transfers could be done.

The companies could learn a lesson from our provincial hydro agency. When it wanted to solve power overloads caused by too many air conditioners on summer hot days, it came up with a carrot: a free programmable thermostat in return for occasional throttling your air conditioner for two hours.

Transparency is not just something people want from their governments. They want it from the businesses they deal with too. It would really make me angry to pay for service and not get it. Unless there is proper regulation, I might never know.

Pat Drummond, Manotick

Modern communication isn't working

2009-04-12T18:19:00.003-05:00

Why won't people phone when the situation requires it. It's always easier to email if you have a question or if your message is sent at an inappropriate time (between 9pm and 9am). But if someone wants to arrange a meeting that suits both people, email is painfully slow! A short phone call would replace a lot of typing. So why don't people just pick up the phone?

I lost out on visiting a friend because she chose to email her invitation. Since she had forgotten to tell me her new email address, my "spam" filters didn't deliver it. I had been expecting this invitation, and wondered why it never came. With no reply, she probably thought I wasn't interested. By the time I found out what happened the opportunity was over.

Recently, I had another experience where a call would have solved a problem. I phoned and left voice mail to "phone" so I could ask about what was involved in a volunteer job he was leaving. He emailed instead. When he finallly called days later at 9 pm, I was slightly cranky.

Email, Facebook, Twitter, IM, text messages, etc. have effectively replaced people actually talking to each other. Although I have a Skype account, people prefer the occasional personal Facebook message or email. Ditto with Twitter, although even e-friends don't use it yet. (e-friend - someone you know more online than offline.)

There is only one living person who wrote letters to me. Then emails. Then she got Skype installed and called me. And now she updates her 'status line' on Facebook. Sign of the times.

Why don't websites work in Firefox?

2009-02-17T14:55:00.003-05:00

I'll tell you why so many websites don't work with Firefox, Opera et all (more than a fifth of the people using my Canadian websites are using these). Because the webdesigners are too darn lazy to code for and test in any browser except Internet Explorer - you know the one that people use if you ask them WHAT they use and they haven't a clue. They don't even know there is a choice. For the rest of the world who have discovered better software, you're nearly out of luck unless you do a lot of legwork. Firefox at least offers an adddon "ietab" that allows you to mimic Internet Explorer. The bad news is that is exposes you to all the same security issues you were trying to get away from by NOT using Internet Explorer.

Here is a short list of sites I have embedded into "ietab". Some are surprising!

Web Services:
http://secunia.com/*
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/*
http://*.spaces.live.com

Financial, Utilities:
http://*.tdcanadatrust.com/*
http://www.ecare.bell.ca/*
https://secureq.bell.ca

Municipal:
http://webcam.city.ottawa.on.ca/*
Business:
http://marinasontario.com

Copyright, privacy, net neutrality & U.S. security

2009-02-06T15:35:00.005-05:00

Warning: This is my collection of rants and pet peeves so read with an open mind!

Government Copyright

President Barack Obama brought a complete overhaul of the White House website. The public now has the right to use any information on Whitehouse.gov as they see fit. In Canada, you must obtain written permission to use anything on gc.ca. Why on earth is government information (paid for by our tax dollars) not available for our use?

President Obama is also linking trade policy and intellectual property protection with other countries. He shouldn't have any problem with Canada, since Prime Minister Harper supports legislation that would make it a crime for me to record my favorite TV shows (time-shifting) and listening to my music player as a copyright infringement. How on earth I can be infringing copyright for creative output I have already paid for is beyond me, but they may not stop there. I always thought Canada was way ahead in technology and innovation, but we are falling right off a cliff. I support small 'C' conservative principals, but can't see how this kind of reactionary policy would help anyone. Talk about 'throwing the baby out with the bath-water'...

Online Privacy

Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), which manages the dot-ca domain revised their WHOIS framework with some restrictions on the public accessibility of domain name registrant information - such as my home address. Unlike the Pleasure craft registration registry at Transport Canada that lists registered pleasure craft, complete with the owner's name and address for anyone to see -- and thieves to use. My husband enquired by phone and was told they have to publish the "vessel registry" by law. It used to be published in paper form only, but now everything is online. Listing a company address is a huge difference to someone's home address in a searchable web directory. I sent a complaint to the Privacy Commissioner but never received a reply, so apparently the government doesn't care about online privacy.

Email Spam

What ever happened to a new policy to stop spam? We had the studies, the public consultations, the reports (which were very good), and then nothing. Canada's new government should get off their tory bottoms and pass some legislation with teeth (unlike the worthless do-not-call list). I can't tell you how much time I've wasted dealing with spam before ISP's started developing mail filters. The costs to ISP's and users must be in the billions. The time LOST to dealing with spam, throughout the Internet, ISP's, traffic volumes, computer time, human time, is also huge. The only winners are spammers and antivirus software sellers.

Net Neutrality

There was a fight over Net Neutrality at the CRTC between independent ISP's (providers) and Bell was followed by a noticeable improvement in my Skype connections using Rogers Internet - coincidence? I bought a 'Skype-out' credit that allows me to use Skype software on my computer to call regular phones. I would often get annoying 'drop-outs' that only I could hear. Recently I've had only one problem - a disconnection (first time). Hmmm...

Canada-U.S. Border Paranoia

The new The new United States Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is being pressured by a few members of Congress and Homeland Security for a review of the U.S.-Canada border situation. Canucks are so very dangerous, eh? For all the changes requiring passports (to enter their country), it's interesting to note that Canada has never changed it's regulations for entering Canada. I was hoping the American paranoia would subside a little, but U.S. drones will soon be flying along the 49th parallel. The War on Terror is right here, kids!

Women in Science

2008-11-25T17:14:00.002-05:00

I just read that between 2002 and 2007, the proportion of women graduating in computer science and engineering fell from 19% to 12%. Everyone is wringing their hands about fixes to bring the numbers back up and trotting out all the old trash about why women do/do not go into science careers. It has always annoyed me that people forget that maybe individuals (like me) don't fit into what they assume "woman" can do. Sexism is alive and well. Women are not supposed to want to be good at science or actually be good at it. Well surprise -- I am good at science, I like science, I am not pale, fat or antisocial. I like people and love music/art/sports. Some women are good at it, some not. Park your stereotypes.

Admittedly, my experiences are a bit antique, but when I went to University of Saskatchewan in 1964, it never entered my mind to register for engineering. In the 60's it was unusual enough for a girl to study math and physics, never mind engineering, agriculture, and medicine. I ignored "Do you want to be a nurse/secretary/teacher?" when I said I was going to university. I was raised by depression era people who revered education as a way to get ahead - what they never had. I had straight A's in high school, and had won a medal in music and made money with my drawing. It was just assumed I would go to university, even without money, so I opened a bank account. I was small, and didn't do well at sports, but kept fit, spending winters skating and summers swimming with my friends - and running to school because I always slept in. Like my sister before me by 8 years, I went to university. Unlike her, I had enough money to finish, plus the assumption that I could. She told me that was the difference. Her high school marks were better than mine without studying (I knew so MANY smart women back then), but she quit university by Christmas because she had money worries and had fallen behind.

I had read Betty Friedan's book "The Feminine Mystique" a few years earlier and it resonated with me (I read a lot). I did not want to have a life like my mother, divorced with three young children, and few choices. I decided at 12 that I wanted to be a computer programmer and wrote the closest IBM office in Regina asking for advice. They told me to study mathematics. I jokingly tell people that I chose math because it was the only subject I could beat my friend Christine (she got 100% even university biology, and became a doctor).

When I went to university, I was eager to experience everything the school had to offer - meeting new people, some from other countries, newspaper work, getting elected to student council, learning to play the guitar, and taking electives in art and astronomy (I wonder if a math major can do that now). I remember getting jibed as teacher's "favorite" when I got a particularly high mark in a physics test. I suspect I might have been offered scholarships to continue if I had been a guy. I just assumed you got a job after graduating, and had no idea you could continue study for a masters without gobs of money. I travelled to Banff to work for my last summer and met people from all over Canada. We played guitars and sang constantly - I knew far more people who rode horses and hiked in the mountains than smoked pot. I had a great time, didn't get pregnant and saved enough for my last year at school (others weren't so lucky).

With no encouragement and nearing the end of my year, I went looking for a job at the university office that arranged interviews. They had told me I probably couldn't get a job with "just a B.A.". I was able to get several attractive interviews. While at a third interview with IBM, the 'executive' told me to my face that, although they had many women working in their company, they had poor experience with them staying and progressing, so likely wouldn't be hiring more. I was so taken aback, I probably didn't say anything, much less the right thing. Until that day, I had no idea there was anything I couldn't do. Having never failed, I had also reached 19 years of age completely ignorant of sexist attitudes!

After I graduated, I accepted a job in a federal government agency in Ottawa. Even in the easy economy of 1967, I realized I was lucky to have found a good job. I actually received (and turned down) a job offer from Atomic Energy in Chalk River, even though I had missed my interview and all they had was my application form! Hard to believe, but true. I was hired because of my grades by a interviewer who at least seemed to be gender-blind. To this day, I wonder what happened to all the women in my math and science classes - I rarely saw women in my work.

Still, discrimination against women was obvious by their large numbers in lower-level jobs but tiny numbers in management (the glass ceiling). Sexist attitudes were common in the workplace (I don't have time or energy to list examples). I worked with men who still assumed women worked only until they married - even though surrounded by married women and working mothers. My independence as a women in a male-dominated society was enabled by a few amazing women decades earlier, but the workplace and "life" changed completely for us after "the pill". By the 70's we could finally control our own reproduction or even choose to have careers without children. (I still joke about the fact that we came of age between the pill and AIDS, making us the luckiest, and randiest generation in history!)

In my first full-time job, I was referred to as the "blond mathematician" behind my back. When my employers discovered my ambition to be a programmer, I was able to transfer to the engineering lab and was given top-notch training and got to work on cutting-edge computer projects. Unlike most others, I would say later, I loved the "work" but disliked the "people". Well, most anyway. Engineers at the time went to school with other guys and didn't develop many social skills. (I hope they are different today.) I frequently ended up working with military people -- now there's a field with even fewer women than computer science. Some military men accepted and respected me as a computer specialist. Unfortunately some did not - the military seemed to attract the worst of these. An officer once hissed under his breath just before a meeting, so only I could hear, "Maybe you should stay home in the kitchen." I had the last laugh. The meeting had been called by my boss to resolve the problem caused by that officer obstructing our work (well, ok 'my' work) at the military base. I had phoned my boss to tell him about the problem, that there was no way I could continue the work, and "I'm leaving". This caused a panic back at the office, since he thought I meant I was "resigning", instead of simply leaving the military base and returning to my office.

A few years after this, I was the second women to travel to our Arctic military base - as part of a working team that is. By the number of undies framed on the walls of the NCO Mess, I gather they had many female entertainers visit previously. (I declined to contribute to the single remaining space on the wall!) I was invited to the cockpit (one of the few perks of being the sole woman). I was asked by one of the flight crew if my husband minded me travelling like this! I was a bit startled, but told him I wouldn't have married any guy who minded me travelling in my job. I was surprised to find another woman on the transport plane, part of a training crew, but they continued on, leaving me in the last outpost before the North Pole, being the only women for a thousand miles. I was billeted in the officers mess far from my travel mates, since there were two communal bathrooms in that building, one all for me. The first thing I did was bundle up in Arctic clothing and go for a walk in the -30 C permanent night (at noon there was a red glow on the southern horizon). I took photos, not realizing this was not allowed. I was passed by a guy who was totally startled when he looked at my face, the only part of me showing, and realized I was female! It was an experience I shall never forget. I had at least one proposal on the local radio station, but still had to drink my white wine alone in the officers mess after work.

In the 70's, military women were not sent to isolated postings, so there was resentment against women. They didn't seem to realize that meant military women couldn't hope to even get their particular jobs because of these restrictions, but I held my tongue around this sea of testosterone. One guy even told me he had discovered that women "smell" different than men, which he hadn't noticed down south. I liked their openness, even though some of the things they told me made me uncomfortable. Still, I felt completely safe - if any guy had made a move towards me, a dozen would have jumped on him.

As for my career as a programmer and analyst, I can honestly say, I completed projects on time, under budget and with no bugs. I had learned software techniques called software design by "step-wise refinement", or "structured design" if you prefer, which resulted in code that was bug-free. Really. That was unheard of in the 70's. For that expertise, I got a big salary,but I expected at least a shot at a promotion. I was surrounded by engineers who couldn't write good software - they worked by the seat of their pants and produced programs that "broke" easily and was impossible to "update". Comments? Documentation? What's that for? (I wondered why schools didn't teach software design techniques in their "computer engineering" courses.) I "burned out" before they had a name for it, and quit to take a year off... Two years later, I tried to return in the middle of a recession, but no one would hire me. I never returned to that world.

Crazy Judge

2008-06-19T18:38:00.002-05:00

The world has gone mad. A Quebec judge stopped a father from discipling his daughter - he nixed a 3-day school trip. What kind of judge does that? She had posted photos on a dating site - she's 12 years old for god sake! I'd ground her much longer than 3 days. In fact, what kind of daughter takes her dad to court to get her way - and WINS! http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/19/father-court.html

New oil taxes - are you mad?

2008-06-19T17:41:00.000-05:00

Dion figures he can win the next election by creating a new government tax while oil prices are rising every week - huh? We're already the most taxed people on earth. Revenue neutral, schnootral. A big new tax on propane, heating oil and diesel would increase the cost of everything you buy. And how exactly do I stop heating my home or else absorb double heating costs in two years? That is not enough time to adjust to both price increases AND taxes. Inflation for certain, but keep the SUV humming along. Boo to Dion.

Winterlude in Ottawa

2008-02-10T17:44:00.000-05:00

Just got back from a beach holiday tanned and relaxed. Undone in no time, when we returned to digging your car out and driving through a blizzard to get home . Only good news was they cancelled everything all day so there wasn't much traffic. Unfortunately, that included snow plows - Hunt Club Rd hadn't been plowed in hours!

Simply sloth - I haven't yet made it to Winterlude or the Rideau Canal skateway to see the best ice sculptures in the world (I'm sure this is true). Also giant snow sculptures across the Ottawa River in Quebec. If you are up to standing in the cold for hours, you can watch free outdoor concerts. Not even the Road Hammers could coax me. The ice has been terrible due to constant snow and freeze/thaw. Once the festival is over next weekend, the NCC will quit working on the ice and I sure hope it finally stops snowing every day! I really want to skate on the canal - longest skating rink is the world eh! (Also a world heritage site.)

Winter in Canada

2007-12-07T14:27:00.000-05:00

Piles of snow is certainly a sign that winter arrived early. My nice new leather boots are encrusted with salt and my coat zipper snapped in the cold. Fashion is foolish. I'm back to the Michelin man look with my 'oh-my-god-it's-cold' down parka with my legs disappearing into giant Apollo 11 boots. My hands are woolly stubs. Bardot - you never had your hairdo ruined by a toque. Still, it's like walking into a Christmas card with such white snow, evergreens and a blue sky.

Pepper cat's lastest "escape" out the front door lasted 2 minutes. I whistled and a furball flew past me back into the warm house. Ha, fooled you!

2007-07-12T13:18:00.000-05:00

It must be July! Every boater I talked to this week is fed up, not just with the rain, but with inconsiderate boaters. Everything from people "saving" park docks in the Thousand Islands to boat congestion on the Rideau. You can't legislate common sense unfortunately. I saw a boat drag a water-skier through a weed patch - he is now "green" and very lucky not to have a family of ducks pasted to his face! And yes, it was within 100' of shore, so it was also illegal.

Everyone says it's amazing no one has died on our section of the Rideau Waterway (now a world heritage site), south of Manotick. There are just too many speeding boats, PWCs, kids swimming, people fishing and canoeing. Boats going 40 kts (74 kph) belong on the St. Lawrence, not in a narrow channel. Cruisers throw huge wakes, especially towing tubes and boards. I finally sold my runabout after it nearly sank right at the dock! I can't swim or paddle anyway, until I get rid of painful 'golf elbow'.. I mean 'sailing elbow'!

Spring work

2007-05-08T09:31:00.000-05:00

Especially in spring, I wonder if life wouldn't be better if there was less to maintain. More time and money to do other things. Still, I don't think I'm ready for a condo just yet. Before spring arrived, we went with friends to South Carolina for the golf and beach - waves and seagulls make the perfect soundtrack for thinking about life. I'd like to simplify my life so I can do a few things while I'm still healthy and fit enough - travel, sail trip, try some new things. I took lots of photos like this (aren't digital cameras great!) as I walked and thought. On returning home, spring work awaited (one bit of luck, the river didn't flood) and a sequence of workmen arrived, fixing the drainage system, installing an Internet connection, replacing the sliding door (then getting it fixed), filling holes in the back yard, aerating and planting grass. Then I phoned about kitchen hardware under warranty (still waiting), and trying to replace a mirror that mysteriously fell and broke while we were away (?). I nearly didn't notice crocuses, daffodils and tulips spreading bursts of colour around the yard! Then off to take the tarp off the boat, cleaning/waxing/painting (2 hours driving each time). In a few days, it will get launched, and we have to raise the mast and rigging the entire boat. We are both getting grumpy. Pray nothing breaks so we can fit in some play time!

Simple Living (live cheap, but live)

2007-03-15T13:35:00.000-05:00

Last week The Hour's latest installment of Portraits of Canadians aired featuring Simple Liver Marv from Omemee, Ontario. Everyone wanted to know how he managed to live without a job. Marv said:
"Simply, the key to the whole thing is learning to live within your means. Getting out of debt and staying out of debt is the only way out. If you can at some period in your life become debt free and end up with a roof over your head and owe nothing to anybody, at that moment you will sense a great feeling of freedom. ... Take pride not in what you have saved but in what you don’t spend. Resolve to separate your needs from your wants."

A friend summed it up best, "If I don't spend it, I don't have to make it." Works for me.

Small Things with Great Love

2007-03-14T17:26:00.000-05:00

(This was on a yellowed clipping by Craig Kielburger, Chair of the Board, founder and volunteer with Free The Children)

We learned our greatest lesson in humility in the slums of Calcutta. Marc and I spent a day with Mother Teresa at her convent. We asked how she kept hope alive surrounded by much sickness and death. "They die one at a time, so I save them one at a time," she humbly replied.

It's easy to get bogged down by staggering numbers. It's natural to feel over-whelmed by the immensity of problems. But with her simple words, Mother Teresa reminded us that behind each problem, each issue and each statistic, there is a human life that can be made better through our choices, our actions and our passion. Through one small meaningful action after another, any of us can change the world. Her parting words to us became our touchstone:

"In our lives, we can do no great things," she said, "only small things with great love."

2007-03-12T15:15:00.000-05:00

Ottawa just finished its budget debacle again and I can see so many ways they have saved money - and my tax bill. The city recreation department offers fitness classes (aerobics, aquafit, yoga, etc.) well below market rates. This not only puts local fitness businesses at a big disadvantage trying to compete, but also costs us higher taxes to subsidize these classes. A private business has to pay for facilities (pool, rooms, lockers, change rooms), sports equipment, parking (and snow removal), first aid, emergency equipment, insurance, advertising, web site, office services, and even a lifeguard! The city doesn't appear to cost these things into their pricing - how else can they charge a third as much for year-round membership? And that includes (in some cases) 16 classes a week to choose from rather than 3! I personally know two people who were teaching privately who work for the city recreational programs. It's only a matter of time before my favorite class disappears as the paying customers follow them.

Another obvious saving would be to amalgamate school systems. One office instead of several. One school bus system instead of ... let's see, how many buses are there? Buses for public and Catholic, primary and high schools, kindergarten and junior kindergarten, more for french schools. Every single bus you see involves a huge amount of cost, operating, maintenance, insurance, salaries, parking, etc. It's no wonder I was paying more for taxes in Kanata in 2001 (small house, 35' wide lot) than someone with a half million dollar house on a quarter acre of land in Richmond, B.C. Not to mention that I lived within walking distance of 3 schools, yet at least 4 school buses went down my street every morning.

Boating in January

2007-01-05T16:56:00.000-05:00

Today I saw a ski-boat on the Rideau River in Ottawa - a first for January (it's 9C and cloudy). We were wondering when someone would do it after golfers made the newspaper recently. The grass is green and some shrubs are budding. I haven't heard any weather jibes from BC relatives lately. Seems they have OUR normal winter weather.

Happy New Year

2007-01-01T15:30:00.001-05:00

As I look across the open water on the river in the low afternoon sun, I'm amazed at the weather this past year. Snow finally, but it's soggy out there from contant rain. At least it's white, and the yard looks like a Christmas card. The bad news on New Years Eve was freezing rain; good news is the power only went out for a minute! The automatic lights and cordless phone always wake me up when the power comes back on.

Blogs and News

2006-12-12T14:46:00.000-05:00

Why not? Have a look at my first blog "Boating in Canada News" <boatingincanada.blogspot.com>. I created it because it provides RSS feed service - the news at Boating in Canada <boatingincanada.com> was just a web page. It's easy for people to subscribe, but first they must have a "news/RSS" reader. Thunderbird <www.mozilla.com> is my choice - read all your mail, news and RSS accounts in one place. You can also subscribe to feeds in Firefox web browser or get a separate reader. See my downloads for free stuff at the PDQ Library <www.pdqwebdesign.ca/lib/download.html).