Brant-Knights of Columbus

2011-12-22T10:25:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas everyone
-peace and good will to all

PLEASE I NEED YOUR IMMEDIATE HELP!!!!

2011-11-26T06:39:00.001-05:00

Hope you get this on time, I made a trip to Valencia,Spain and had my
bag stolen from me with my passport, credit cards and mobile phones in
it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly without my
passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills.
Unfortunately for me, I can't have access to funds without my credit
card, I've made contact with my bank but they need more time to come
up with a new one. I need you to lend me some quick funds that I can
give back as soon as I get in. I really need to be on the next
available flight.

I can forward you details on how you can get the funds to me.

I await your response.

Sieg.

Charity Giving seriesl

2011-11-19T19:38:00.001-05:00

This information helps donors make better decisions about their charitable giving. We'll be looking at how to choose the right charity, understanding administrative and fundraising expenses, how much to give, and more. Every 2 weeks, you'll receive a new set of tips and information to make your giving easier and have more impact.

Understanding Charitable Tax Credits

Not only is giving to charity a great act of generosity and support, it helps Canadians claim a credit on our taxes as well. Many people don't understand exactly what the credit is or how it works for them.

There is both a federal and a provincial charitable tax credit that you can claim. The federal tax credit is the same for all Canadians and breaks down as follows:

The tax credit on your first $200 in donations is 15%
Any amount donated above $200 is eligible for a 29% tax credit
If you made a donation of $500 and wanted to claim the tax credit, you would be able to claim:
15% of the first $200 = $30
29% of the remaining $300 = $87
That represents a $117 savings on your taxes! Of course, the more you give, the more you're able to save. To find out the provincial tax credits you are also eligible to receive on top of the federal amount, visit the Tax Credit Table on the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website.

Did You Know?
Donations must be made by December 31st in order to be claimed on that year's taxes.
To claim a donation on your taxes, you must donate to a registered Canadian charity. To make sure your organization is registered, visit the CRA website: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/charities/

You and your spouse (or common law partner) can claim donations made by the other to maximize the tax benefit.
Donating appreciated securities (stocks or mutual funds) is the most tax effective way to give. You pay no capital gains tax and you get the charitable tax credit.
You can claim unused charitable donations on your taxes for up to 5 years. If you've given less than $200 one year, you might want to claim that donation in a year when it will maximize the amount you can claim.
Donate today at www.canadahelps.org!

Knights of Columbus

http://www.canadahelps.org/GivingPages/GivingPage.aspx?gpID=7162

http://www.canadahelps.org/GivingPages/GivingPage.aspx?gpID=7101

volunteerism not elected dictatorship in the south

2011-11-16T12:59:00.001-05:00

http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2011/11/ron-paul-obama-presidency-on-verge-of.html

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

* More Deep Thoughts For Those Who Take Life Way Too Seriously*

2011-11-16T12:35:00.001-05:00

*Why God Never Received Tenure at Any University*
1. He had only one major publication.
2. It was in Hebrew.
3. It had no references.
4. It wasn't published in a referredjournal.
5. Some doubt He wrote it by Himself.
6. He mayhave created the world, but what has he done since?
7. Thescientific community can't replicate His results.
8. He nevergot permission from the ethics board to use human subjects.
9.When one experiment went awry, He tried to cover it up by drowning
thesubjects.
10. He rarely came to class and just told students,"Read the Book."
11. Some say He had His son teach class.
12. He expelled His first two students.
13. His office hours were irregular and sometimes held on a mountain top.
14. Althoughthere were only 10 requirements, all students failed save His
Son.

* Deep Thoughts For Those Who Take Life Way Too Seriously*

- Save the whales. Collect the whole set.
- A day without sunshine is like...night.
- On the other hand, you have different fingers
- 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
- 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
- Remember, half the people you know are below average.
- He who laughs last thinks slowest.
- Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
- The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets thecheese in
the trap.
- Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
- A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
- Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
- If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
- How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.

2011-10-26T11:46:00.002-04:00

The growing army of the unvaccinated

It's become a legal and politically correct form of discrimination: Unvaccinated kids are being booted from schools, summer camps, and even doctor's offices.
They're trying to make you feel like some kind of fringe weirdo for refusing to pump your kid full of live viruses, mercury, formaldehyde, chicken eggs, DNA from aborted fetuses, and all the other junk used in those shots.

But you're not a weirdo -- and you're not even fringe: New numbers show that a full 10 percent of American families now refuse or delay common childhood vaccinations.
And that's just the beginning -- because the survey in Pediatrics finds that even parents who toe the party line are having big-time doubts over this whole vaccination thing.

Twenty-five percent of those who get every vaccination say they believe it would be safer to delay some of them -- and nearly 30 percent say they don't think there's any harm in skipping the least necessary shots.

I agree -- as long as by "least necessary" you mean ALL of them!
Here are the facts: Vaccinations haven't protected or "saved" children. They've actually compromised the powerful natural immunity of the human body, making people weaker and sicker in the long run.

The perfect example is chickenpox. Kids used to get it all the time in early childhood, when all it meant was a few days of itching and scratching -- and then they were done with it.
You probably remember that yourself.

Today, the chickenpox vaccine has practically eliminated it in those early years -- but vaccinated kids and adults alike are now getting it later in life instead, when it can be dangerous and even deadly.
That's just one shot -- the rest are no better, and many are far worse.

The Institute of Medicine recently admitted that common vaccines can cause seizures, brain inflammation, infection, body encephalitis, pneumonia, meningitis, hepatitis and more -- and this was in a statement in DEFENSE of vaccinations!

If anyone treats you like a fringe weirdo for opposing vaccinations, just show them that. That should shut 'em up.
Proudly on the fringe,
William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

More hands are better-food for thought

2011-08-31T06:44:00.001-04:00

Revolutionary Discipleship

Ebook By M.E. Brines

The author lays out the problems of the Christian church in America today - declining attendance, spiritual apathy and cultural irrelevance - and demonstrates they are directly related to the lack of discipleship training provided by the church and expected of the average Christian. But how would Jesus recruit, educate and train disciples? Wouldn't it be great if there were a book on how to do that? Wouldn't that be the perfect way to model our lives? Wouldn't that be the perfect mission to organize a local congregation around? Isn't that what Christian churches are supposed to do? Currently there are dozens of books available on discipleship by all sorts of authors who come at the subject from every different perspective. But if we really want to know Jesus' ideas on the subject, why not examine the "books" written by the disciples that Jesus personally trained? Revolutionary Discipleship examines the Gospel of Matthew to see exactly how Jesus trained his original disciples and how Christ expects us to be disciples and to make disciples of others. Unlike most discipleship books you may have seen that quote two verses and then expand them into an entire book, he follows Matthew's account of Jesus' training of His disciples verse by verse and in context. It's a journey to discover what the Apostle Matthew said Jesus taught about discipleship, not what the author or any other merely human writer thinks discipleship ought to be. Think of the author as a fellow student; Jesus is your teacher. Along the way you see how the discipleship training that Jesus practiced two thousand years ago compares to what goes on in modern American churches today. How do we stack up against the teachings of the Master? If you want to truly be an effective and obedient follower of Christ in America today - you need to read this book.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: Fw: Fw: Stroke has a new indicator-useful information

2011-08-10T09:18:00.001-04:00

----- Original Message -----

From: MARY DUKE

To: Ken&Cis Doucette

Sent: Friday, August 05, 2011 8:39 PM

Subject: Fw: Fw: Stroke has a new indicator

This is worth knowing. You might have read it before. Ann

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Subject: Fw: Fw: Stroke has a new indicator

Stroke has a new indicator

They say if you e.mail this to ten people, you stand a chance of saving one life. Will you send this along?

Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue

I will continue to forward this every time it comes around!

STROKE: Remember the 1st Three Letters..... S. T. R.

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ...she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.


It only takes a minute to read this.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE


Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR. Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:


S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)

(i.e. It is sunny out today.)

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other  that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

I have done my part. Will you?

--
YOURS IN FRIENDSHIP

Your friends
Wendy and Ray

Wendy and Ray

Margaret Wall

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

real action -real consequences

2011-07-27T13:32:00.001-04:00

Rome recalls bishop after coverup report

Jul 25, 2011ARCHIVES | Religion & Spirituality | NEWS

ROME (UPI) -- The Vatican has recalled Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza to Rome following the release this month of the "Cloyne Report," which alleged a coverup about child abuse.

Vatican spokesman Ciro Benedettini said the bishop's recall "denoted the seriousness of the situation." He said the pope would "deal with it with objectivity and [with] determination."

Leanza was Rome's ambassador to Ireland.

The report found that clergy in the rural Irish diocese of Cloyne failed to act on complaints of abuse that were brought against 19 priests from 1996 to as recently as 2009, Vatican Radio reported Monday.

After the report's release, Irish lawmakers aimed their anger directly at the Vatican and not at local church leaders.

The report accused the bishop of the Diocese of Cloyne of ignoring complaints against priests and lying to authorities, The New York Times reported.

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny criticized the Vatican, saying, "the dysfunction, disconnection, elitism and the narcissism that dominate the culture of the Vatican to this day" should end.

The Cloyne Report spurred Irish ustice Alan Shatter to propose legislation penalizing anyone who fails to report child abuse, even if the information is given to a priest during confession.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Good changes -church renewal

2011-07-26T12:20:00.001-04:00

Australian church regrets forced adoptions

Jul 25, 2011ARCHIVES | Religion & Spirituality | NEWS

NEWCASTLE, Australia (UPI) -- Australia's Catholic Church apologized Monday for the forced adoption of thousands of babies taken from their mothers.

"It's with a deep sense of regret, a deep sense of sorrow that practices of the past have caused ongoing pain, suffering and grief to these women, these brave women in Newcastle [New South Wales] but also women around Australia," said Martin Laverty, chief executive of Catholic Health Australia.

The Maitland-Newcastle Diocese and the Singleton and North Sydney Sisters of Mercy also are issuing apologies.

At least 150,000 women -- mostly young, unwed mothers -- are believed to have lost their babies, taken against their will by churches and adoption agencies for placement in "better" homes from the 1950s though the '70s, the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reports.

The Maitland-Newcastle Diocese and the Singleton and North Sydney Sisters of Mercy will also issue apologies.

Juliette Clough told ABC how she was forced to surrender her baby in 1970, when she was 16.

"My ankles were strapped to the bed, they were in stirrups, and I was gassed ... and they just snatched away the baby," she said. "You weren't allowed to see him or touch him, anything like that, or hold him and it was just like a piece of my soul had died. And it's still dead."

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

of interest

2011-07-07T13:06:00.001-04:00

Crystal Cathedral draws Catholic interest

Jul 6, 2011ARCHIVES | Religion & Spirituality | NEWS

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (UPI) -- The Catholic Diocese of Orange said Wednesday it is looking into the possibility of trying to acquire the Crystal Cathedral complex in southern California.

The diocese said in a statement on its Web site Bishop Tod D. Brown has authorized a law firm and other lay advisers to explore whether the church should try to purchase the expansive property in Garden Grove, which is tied up in federal bankruptcy court.

The diocese said in its statement the bishop has followed the bankruptcy proceedings and is concerned about the future of the landmark facilities. It also noted the diocese does not have a cathedral to meet the needs of the 1.2 million Catholics in the county, the 11th largest diocese in the nation.

"While we continue to develop plans for a cathedral in Santa Ana, it is prudent to evaluate the opportunity to engage in the pending auction of this property and to mitigate the chance that it cease to function as a place of worship, if acquired by others," Brown said.

"I have authorized our advisers to contact the appropriate parties in the proceedings to determine a possible course of action. If the Diocese of Orange can prevent the loss of this important Christian ministry and what the Crystal Cathedral has represented to so many for so long -- and meet its own priorities for a new cathedral, we have a duty to at least review the options."

Chapman University, a private Christian college in nearby Orange, submitted a $46 million offer Tuesday. Earlier, Greenlaw Partners, a Newport Beach real estate developer, offered the same amount. The two offers differ in some aspects, including how much they would charge the megachurch to lease back buildings for its use.

The Crystal Cathedral, founded by televangelist Robert H. Schuller, is mired in financial problems compounded by an internal feud concerning control of its operations. Schuller's son, Robert Anthony Schuller, was voted off the board three years ago and just recently claimed his father also has been booted. However, Crystal Cathedral spokesman John Charles has said the elder Schuller remains board chairman emeritus.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

be careful with your medications

2011-06-27T13:39:00.001-04:00

Study: Common drugs dangerous together

LONDON (UPI) -- Older people taking a combination of common medicinesto treat routine conditions may risk death or dementia, a Britishstudy says.

Researchers say some well-known brands of allergy tablets, painkillersand sleeping pills, many available over-the-counter, constitute apreviously unrecognized health risk when taken in combination, TheDaily Telegraph reported Friday.

Some common bladder medications, heart drugs, eye drops and asthmatreatments were also found to be possible risks, the newspaperreported.

All of the drugs in question work by blocking an important chemical inthe nervous system called acetylcholine. Previous research has foundthat an excess of acetylcholine-blocking drugs can have a harmfuleffect on the brain and its function.

The study found that older patients who took a combination of suchdrugs had a 20 per cent chance of dying within two years, comparedwith 7 per cent for over-65s who did not take anything.

"What is really the problem is the additive effect," said researcherIan Maidment, a pharmacist at Kent University. "It is the cumulativeburden, which is very damaging."

The risk is that many patients may be regularly takingover-the-counter drugs their doctor is unaware of or which they do notreally need that increase their dosage up to a dangerous level,researchers said.

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Interesting notes

2011-06-25T11:54:00.001-04:00

Printer-Friendly |Post Comment |Share

Diocese removes cleric from abuse post

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (UPI) -- The Roman Catholic diocese of KansasCity-St. Joseph has removed responsibility for sex abuse cases fromits vicar general.

Officials said Wednesday Monsignor Robert Murphy will remain in thepost of vicar general, The Kansas City (Mo.) Star reported. But theRev. Joseph Powers, who is to fill a new position as vicar for clergy,will be in charge of allegations of sexual abuse by priests.

"As Vicar for Clergy, Father Powers will serve as a liaison...

Mental illness often ignored by churches

WACO, Texas (UPI) -- Mental illness is prevalent in church communitiesbut is also accompanied by significant distress that is often ignored,U.S. researchers found.

Study co-author Dr. Matthew Stanford -- a professor of psychology andneuroscience at Baylor University, and an expert in mental illness andthe church -- says families with a member who is mentally ill wouldlike their congregation to provide assistance.

The study surveyed nearly 6,000 participants in 24 ...

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

why unions grew

2011-06-18T11:15:00.001-04:00

How Good Were They?
Zig Ziglar
Most of us make the comment, "Things are not what they used to be --oh, for those "good ol' days"!

Question: How far do we want to go back? "Quotable Business" authorLouis E. Boone lists "Eight Rules for Office Workers in 1872":

-- Office employees each day will fill lamps, clean chimneys and trimwicks. Wash windows once a week.

-- Each clerk will bring in a bucket of water and a scuttle of coalfor the day's business.

-- Make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs to your individualtaste.

-- Men employees will be given an evening off each week for courtingpurposes, or two evenings a week if they go regularly to church.

-- After 13 hours of labor in the office, the employee should spendremaining time reading the Bible and other good books.

-- Every employee should lay aside from each payday a goodly sum ofhis earnings for his benefit during his declining years, so he willnot become a burden on society.

-- Any employee who smokes Spanish cigars, uses liquor in any form orfrequents pool and public halls or gets shaved in a barbershop willgive good reason to suspect his worth, intentions, integrity andhonesty.

-- The employee, who has performed his labor faithfully and withoutfault for five years, will be given an increase of 5 cents per day inhis pay, providing profits from business permit it.

Appreciate the good things we have today, and we will have somethingto smile about.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

great third party comment

2011-06-03T11:13:00.001-04:00

using it not losing it -congratulations -stand the course- it is our century Canadians !!!

Go North, Young Man, Go North

Canada is quietly surpassing the U.S. as the land of opportunity

James A. Bacon, The Washington Times, January 4, 2011

Unless the Winter Olympics are on television or someone is clubbing baby seals, Americans don't pay much attention to what's happening in Canada. It's as if we live in a house with a set of quiet, orderly neighbors on one side and a bachelor pad with drunken parties, girls in the hot tub and occasional gunshot eruptions on the other. To whom would you pay more attention?

I dare say Americans could correctly name the president of Mexico (Filipe Calderon) over the prime minister of Canada (Stephen Harper) by a margin of 5-to-1. That's too bad. While we have every reason to fear the disorder spilling over from our increasingly lawless neighbor to the south, our well-mannered Canadian neighbors have pulled their act together. We could learn a lot from them.

Look what's not happening in Canada. There is no real estate crisis. There is no banking crisis. There is no unemployment crisis. There is no sovereign debt crisis. Recent reports suggest that consumers are loading up too much debt, but Canada shares that problem with nearly every other country in the industrialized world.

Among the Group of Seven nations, which also include the United States, France, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy, Canada's economic activity has come the closest to returning to the pre-recession peak. The country has recovered three-quarters of all jobs it lost. The International Monetary Fund estimates that Canada will be the only country among the G-7 to have achieved a balanced budget by 2015.

Now, instead of expanding Canada's welfare state, the conservative government led by Mr. Harper is intent upon building the nation's global competitiveness. Our friends in the Great White North cut their corporate tax rate to 16.5 percent on Jan. 1 and will see it drop to 15 percent next year. That compares to the current U.S. corporate tax rate of 35 percent. That will give Canada the lowest corporate tax rate among the G-7 nations and an eye-popping advantage for businesses wondering whether to locate on the U.S. or Canadian side of the border.

The last time Canadians really caught Americans' eyes was when prime ministers such as Jean Chretien and Paul Martin, both leaders of the Liberal Party, were proving uncooperative in the realm of foreign policy. American media played up disagreements over the invasion of Iraq and Canadian participation in the American National Missile Defense Program, which made President George W. Bush look bad and confirmed the narrative that his cowboy foreign policy had alienated old friends around the world. By contrast, when Canadian soldiers under the conservative government became active combatants in Afghan-istan, the American media showed little interest.

But that's nothing new. Except to note how well or how poorly Canada's national health care system was working, Americans have paid little heed to news coming out of Ottawa. The titanic effort of both Canada's liberal and conservative parties in the 1990s and 2000s to rein in government spending largely escaped our notice. Nor did it ever occur to anyone to wonder why, with our economies so closely entwined, U.S. housing prices were busting through the roof while Canadian houses remained so sensible.

It turns out that Ottawa's housing policies and banking regulations tempered the boom in real estate prices. No tax deductions for mortgage interest payments. And get this: Buyers actually had to make down payments on their houses. Because there was no real estate bust, there was no banking crisis. (Indeed, healthy Canadian banks are snapping up U.S. financial assets.) Despite the lack of public policies geared toward stimulating homeownership, Canadian homeownership was 68.4 percent in 2008. That would be a higher number than in the United States, which was 67.4 percent in 2009.

Lesson to Americans: If you want affordable housing, stop promoting policies to make it more "affordable."

Meanwhile, Canada has many of the same assets that Americans like to brag about, such as an immigrant tradition that invites foreigners to live and work in the country. On a per-capita basis, the rate of legal immigration to Canada is comparable to that to the U.S. Settling in world-class, creative cities like Toronto and Vancouver, foreigners add immeasurably to the nation's wealth-creating capacity.

Talented Canadians have long regarded the United States as the land of opportunity. It may not be long before Americans see our northern neighbor as the land of the future.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

like a balanced budget for the good of this nation

2011-06-01T08:04:00.001-04:00

http://youtu.be/v1Kr-SnUf2s

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: Fw: Public Service: Your Liver (A Must Read!)

2011-05-28T09:36:00.001-04:00

Useful Information about your Liver pass it on

This is great information that I did not know,,,

I have never known exactly what the Liver does. Very informative.

Some interesting facts about our Liver

Take note! I wasn't informed about many of these facts.
When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others.

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Is this us -council humour

2011-05-27T08:01:00.001-04:00

AAADD

Recently, I was diagnosed with A. A. A. D. D. - Age ActivatedAttention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, Ilook over at my car and decide my car needs washing. As I start towardthe garage, I notice that there is mail on the porch table that Ibrought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mailbefore I wash the car.

I lay my car keys down on the table, put the junk mail in the trashcan under the table, and notice that the can is full. So, I decide toput the bills back on the table and take out the trash first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I takeout the trash anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I take mycheck book off the table, and see that there is only one check left.My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the houseto my desk where I find the can of Coke that I had been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Cokeaside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. I see that the Cokeis getting warm, and I decide I should put it in the refrigerator tokeep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the Coke a vase offlowers on the counter catches my eye--they need to be watered.

I set the Coke down on the counter, and I discover my reading glassesthat I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put themback on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.

I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container withwater and suddenly I spot the TV remote. Someone left it on thekitchen table. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I willbe looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on thekitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs,but first I'll water the flowers...

Now I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills onthe floor. So, I set the remote back down on the table, get sometowels and wipe up the spill.

Then I head down the hall trying to remember

what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

-the car isn't washed,

-the bills aren't paid,

-there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter,

-the flowers don't have enough water,

-there is still only one check in my check book,

-I can't find the remote,

-I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the carkeys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today, I'm reallybaffled because I know I was busy all day long, and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help forit, but first I'll check my e-mail.

Don't laugh -- if this isn't you yet, --your day is coming!

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc<http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975>
-"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge <http://sites.google.com/site/sunridgelodge> "Back to Eden"
quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group <https://sites.google.com/site/bpagsiegholle> -a
positive community affirmative action group that promotes goodwill and
timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well
being of Brant Brantford and Six Nations

What to do when the building is on fire

2011-05-20T22:20:00.001-04:00

The Building's on Fire!
Zig Ziglar
This little bit of satire from an unknown source struck my funny bone,and I believe it will strike yours, as well.

Fire: What To Do

During a recent ecumenical gathering, a secretary rushed in shouting,"The building is on fire!"

The Methodists gathered in the corner and prayed.

The Baptists cried, "Where is the water?"

The Quakers quietly praised God for the blessings that fire brings.

The Lutherans posted a notice on the door declaring the fire was evil.

The Roman Catholics passed the plate to cover the damage.

The Jews posted symbols on the doors hoping the fire would pass.

The Congregationalists shouted, "Every man for himself!"

The Fundamentalists proclaimed, "It's the vengeance of God!"

The Episcopalians formed a procession and marched out.

The Christian Scientists concluded that there was no fire.

The Presbyterians appointed a chairperson who was to appoint acommittee to look into the matter and submit a written report.

The secretary grabbed the fire extinguisher and put the fire out.

Obviously, we all know the above did not happen. But isn't it truethat many times when action is needed, there is a considerable amountof debate, and in the meantime, "the building burns down"? That's whenevery organization needs an efficient secretary or someone who has thepresence of mind to grab the fire extinguisher and put the fire out.

Those little fires that frequently occur in every company --antagonists go at each other, tempers flare, productivity stops --cause all kinds of problems. That's when a level-headed person needsto calm the antagonists down and bring order to the chaos. Such aperson in any organization is absolutely invaluable and gives everyonesomething to smile about.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: Smell -makes a difference

2011-05-20T09:01:00.001-04:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sieg Holle <siegholle@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, May 20, 2011 at 7:59 AM
Subject: Smell -makes a difference
To:

Aromatherapy's Amazing Effects on Your Mind and Mood

Alan Hirsch, MD

Scents have subtle yet powerful effects on emotions -- boosting confidence, easing stress, triggering fond memories and more. Here's how to use your sense of smell to manage your moods... and other people's, too!
Increase mental sharpness with fresh flowers. When you need to focus -- for instance, to memorize a speech or balance a checkbook -- keep a vase of mixed fragrant flowers nearby. Take periodic breaks to consciously "stop and smell the roses." For kids: This helps when doing homework or studying for a test.

Promote positive family interaction with Garlic. Serve garlic bread at dinner. In studies, this scent reduced negative dinnertime remarks by 22.7% and increased pleasantries by 7.4%. You don't even have to eat the bread to reap the benefits.

Feel younger with pink grapefruit. To make others perceive you as youthful (so you feel that way, too), apply a grapefruit-scented or other citrusy body lotion or spray right after your shower. Avoid: Lavender, which makes you seem granny-ish.

Feel more secure with baby powder. Keep a small bottle or resealable plastic bag of baby powder in your purse or briefcase. Before heading into a challenging situation (a meeting with your ex, a job interview), open the container slightly and take a small whiff. Don't inhale too deeply -- you may sneeze or get powder all over your face.

Curb food cravings with banana or peppermint. You needn't eat a banana -- just smell it (peeled or unpeeled). Or, place two drops of peppermint essential oil on a cotton ball, stick it in a plastic bag and take a whiff -- or try sugar-free peppermint gum or hard candy.

Combat claustrophobia with evergreens. Keep a small vial of evergreen essential oil in your pocket or purse. When in a cramped space (an elevator, a crowd), hold the vial near your nose and inhale two or three times. Repeat every 10 minutes as needed.

Assuage anger with cucumber. Hold a sliced cucumber one-half inch from your face and level with your lips -- inhale deeply, continuing for several minutes. To reduce road rage, use a cucumber-melon air freshener in the car. Avoid: Barbecuing or roasting meat when you're angry -- the scent stirs up fiery feelings that heighten aggression.

Relax and wind down with lavender. Lie down and place a lavender-scented eye pillow over your eyes -- breathe slowly and deeply for several minutes. Avoid: Jasmine, which promotes alertness.

Rev up a man's libido with pumpkin pie or black licorice. Bake a pumpkin pie for maximum effect -- or use a reed diffuser (a stick that wicks the aroma from a bottle of scented oil). On a date: Nibble on black licorice. Noteworthy: Perfume is only 3% effective at arousing a man's romantic feelings -- versus 40% for pumpkin pie and 13% for licorice.

Bottom Line/Women's Health interviewed Alan Hirsch, MD, founder and neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation and an assistant professor in the departments of neurology and psychiatry at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, both in Chicago. He has conducted more than 200 studies on smell and taste disorders and is the author of eight books, including Life's a Smelling Success (Authors of Unity) and Sensa Weight-Loss Program (Hilton). His Web site is www.smellandtaste.org.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: do you need the procedure

2011-05-16T09:24:00.001-04:00

interesting

Do You Really Need Surgery?

Dennis Gottfried, MD

Up to 30% of surgical procedures in the US are unnecessary. This shocking statistic was recently released by the respected nonprofit, nonpartisan policy analysis group, The Rand Corporation.
The analysis confirms why it's so crucial to request a second opinion from a physician who is not associated with your doctor before agreeing to any elective surgery.
Procedures that may not be necessary -- and alternatives to consider...

STENTS

Each year, more than one million heart patients are treated with angioplasty and stents, which restore normal circulation to the heart and reduce angina (chest pain).
With angioplasty, a deflated balloon is threaded into the coronary artery. It's then inflated to flatten plaque (fatty deposits), and a metal stent is placed inside the artery to prevent arterial deposits from reblocking the opening.
Problem: Angioplasty and stents are overused. A study of more than 2,300 patients presented at a recent meeting of the American College of Cardiology found that patients with stable angina, in which discomfort occurs in a consistent pattern (such as during exertion), who were treated with medications (such as nitroglycerine to dilate the blood vessels) had the same outcomes as those treated with stents -- without the dangers of an invasive procedure.
Who is helped by stents: Patients with a recent worsening of chest pain (unstable angina). For people with a significant blockage in the left main coronary artery or with three coronary arteries blocked and a weakened heart muscle, bypass surgery (which involves grafting a vein from another part of the body to bypass the blockage) improves life expectancy.
Who isn't helped by stents: People with stable angina. These patients usually should be treated with medications to control the pain and to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. Medications are just as effective at preventing future heart attacks and preventing death as stenting in these patients -- without the risks of a surgical procedure. Stenting and bypass surgery should be used only in patients for whom medication fails to adequately control chest pain.

CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY

About 20% of all strokes are related to blockages in the carotid arteries in the neck. With a procedure known as carotid endarterectomy, the blockages are surgically peeled away to improve circulation to the brain and potentially prevent a stroke.
Problem: Severe carotid blockages (generally blockage of 80% or more) occasionally can lead to "ministrokes" -- transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), which often precede a full-blown stroke. But if a person has a severe obstruction and no TIA symptoms, the likelihood of having a major stroke is very small. Performing a carotid endarterectomy in those people decreases the chance of having a stroke by only 0.7%.
Who is helped by carotid endarterectomy: People with severe carotid blockage and TIAs have a 13% risk of having a disabling stroke over the next two years. When a carotid endarterectomy is performed, the risk drops to 2.5%.
Who isn't helped by carotid endarterectomy: People with a blockage of less than 60% -- even if they have a history of ministrokes. In this group, the risk for stroke is higher after surgery -- perhaps because the risk of stroke-producing plaque being dislodged during the operation may exceed the patient's initial stroke risk.
In groups of people with severe obstruction and no TIA symptoms, more than 140 endarterectomies must be performed to prevent one stroke. For obstructions of 60% to 79%, there is no convincing scientific evidence for surgery. Nonsurgical treatment, including the use of aspirin and cholesterol-lowering drugs, is preferable in all of these cases.

PROSTATECTOMY

About 180,000 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and about 30,000 die from the disease. Surgical removal of the prostate (prostatectomy) often is recommended, but risks include infection, impotence and incontinence.
Problem: The majority of prostate cancers grow slowly. Most men with the disease would eventually die from an unrelated condition -- even if the prostate cancer weren't treated.
In a recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, older men with early prostate cancer who were treated with prostatectomy died at about the same rate as older men with similar cancers who had no surgery.
Who is helped by prostatectomy: Men who are in their 50s and younger with biopsy findings that show an aggressive form of prostate cancer are generally candidates for prostatectomy.
Who isn't helped by prostatectomy: Men whose life expectancy is less than 10 years at the time of diagnosis. They're less likely than younger men to die of their cancer and face a high risk for surgical complications. Older men with prostate cancer often do better with hormone therapy and/or radiation.

BACK SURGERY

Surgery for a herniated (ruptured) disk is among the most commonly performed orthopedic procedures in the US.
Problem: A herniated disk that presses on a nerve can be excruciatingly painful. But in 80% to 90% of cases, enzymes secreted by the body break down disk material and the nerve pain disappears in time. This can take many months, so surgery promises faster relief.
Disk surgery, however, has serious potential risks, including nerve injuries, buildups of scar tissue, infection and chronic back pain. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association compared the long-term outcomes of back patients who had surgery with those who didn't. The likelihood of recovery was virtually the same.
Who is helped by back surgery: People with severe, intractable back pain that radiates into a leg (sciatica) or those with a progressive neurological deficit, such as foot weakness, or a loss of bowel or bladder control, which indicates compression of a spinal nerve, require prompt surgical treatment.
Who isn't helped by back surgery: People whose only symptom is low back pain. Studies have shown that individuals with local symptoms do better with nonsurgical treatment, including anti-inflammatory drugs, acupuncture, massage therapy and physical therapy. For most people with mild sciatica, the pain usually disappears within a few months as the disk breaks down.

KNEE REPAIR

You shouldn't assume that you need surgery if you suddenly develop pain, inflammation and swelling in one or both knees. Sometimes the pain is from a medical problem such as gout or Lyme disease.
Problem: Even with knee injuries, many surgeons want to repair or remove damaged tissue without waiting enough time to see if normal healing will take place.
Who is helped by knee surgery: People in whom a ligament or tendon is completely severed. For these patients, the knee will rarely heal well enough on its own to restore adequate function and reduce pain. For people who engage in intensive sports, arthroscopic surgery (using a "keyhole" incision) for lesser injuries often is recommended since they may not be willing to wait for healing to occur.
Who isn't helped by knee surgery: For most people with knee injuries, surgery -- even arthroscopic -- is the last resort. First, rest the leg, use anti-inflammatory drugs and try physical therapy and braces. Follow this approach for at least one to two months before considering knee surgery.

Bottom Line/Health interviewed Dennis Gottfried, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, and a general internist with a private practice in Torrington, Connecticut. He is the author of Too Much Medicine (Paragon House). www.DrDennisGottfried.com

Have a good day, be well and take care Sieg
" a simple natural lifestyle and a chuckle a day keeps the doctor away'

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: helpful tips in breaking bad habits

2011-05-11T13:37:00.000-04:00

Fight Your Inner Chicken

Beth Weissenberger

We all have excuses for why we have not yet achieved our goals... and why it is not worth making the changes required to pursue our goals now. "It's too hard"... "too frightening"... or "just not the right time."
We take the safer, easier way out whether that means keeping our current job rather than trying something different that we would rather do... keeping quiet rather than standing up for ourselves... or continuing to indulge in bad habits rather than disciplining ourselves to change behaviors, such as overeating or not exercising.
According to principles taught by the executive-coaching Handel Group, these excuses come from our "inner chicken," that voice in our head that keeps us from taking a challenging path. We accept our inner chicken's excuses as valid, even when they are clearly flawed, because believing that the easy course is the proper course is less painful than admitting that we are deeply and perhaps irrationally afraid of the alternative.
To overcome your inner chicken...

Reflect on what you would like your life to be like. What are your goals in your professional life... family life... social life... and financial life?

Thinking about your goals lures your inner chicken from its pen to offer up excuses. Write down your chicken's excuses. Become familiar with them. This familiarity will make it easier to see through them later.
Example: When a middle manager who attended one of our seminars thought about his professional goals, his inner chicken warned him that his family life was too busy for him to devote more time to his career... and the economy was too iffy to take professional chances. When his boss asked if he would like to lead an important presentation, the manager's first thoughts were that he was too busy and that failing at this assignment could cost him his job at a time when new jobs were scarce. But because he learned that it was his inner chicken talking, he identified his excuses as fear responses. He figured out how he could schedule his time so that he could make the project a priority without neglecting his family. He also reminded himself that, in a tough job market, not taking a chance could be as risky as taking one.

Ask an expert or friend to evaluate your inner chicken's excuses. Obtaining an outside perspective often is the best way to separate valid excuses from those rooted in fear.

If an excuse is medical in nature, ask your doctor whether it is valid... if it is professional, ask a career coach, business consultant or mentor... if it is about a relationship, speak with a marriage counselor or pastoral counselor. If this expert agrees that your excuse is valid, that does not free you from pursuing the goal -- it simply means that you should pursue it via a different route.
Example: Your goal is to lose 50 pounds, but your inner chicken warns you that jogging may damage your knees. If a doctor agrees, give up jogging -- but replace it with biking or swimming.
If you lack the time or money to consult an expert, ask a friend or family member to evaluate the excuse -- but choose this evaluator carefully. Family and friends tend to let us get away with our excuses because they want to tell us what we want to hear... or because their own inner chickens make similar excuses. Your evaluator must be both savvy enough to see through flawed excuses and plainspoken enough to tell you difficult truths.
If you find an effective evaluator, ask this person to serve this role for you on an ongoing basis. Send him/her a weekly e-mail summarizing your goals, the steps you have taken to pursue them and your excuses for not doing more. Request an honest critique.

When your inner chicken starts clucking, remind yourself of the high costs of remaining in your box. We all prefer the safety of our comfort zones, and the chicken helps us stay there. But we pay a huge price for this safety.

A life without risk is a life without excitement and adventure... without feelings of accomplishment... and without any hope of fulfilling our dreams. Reflect upon these costs whenever you're tempted to choose the comfortable path. Our greatest happiness usually is found on the other side of fear.
Also, consider that facing fears is good practice. Like it or not, events outside of our control force us out of our comfort zone eventually. We'll be better able to cope with these situations if we previously have taken ourselves out of this comfort zone.
Example: Those who have remained in one job their whole career for fear of change are likely to have more trouble rebounding from a layoff than those who have been through the job-hunting process several times before.

Confront your inner chicken about being nonconfrontational. Our inner chickens often are afraid of standing up to others. They feed us reasons why it's better to just live with the annoying behavior of those around us. They assure us that confrontations are unpleasant... and that voicing displeasure only makes bad situations worse.

The secret to overcoming an inner chicken's nonconfrontational nature is to learn how to stage successful confrontations. Five keys...
Consider the matter from the opposite side before speaking up. Does this person have a good reason for doing whatever is annoying you? Are you doing anything that annoys this person?
Wait until this person is alone before raising the subject. People tend to become embarrassed and defensive when confronted in a group.
Ask for "permission" to raise a difficult issue before voicing your complaint. "I have something difficult to say. Is it okay with you if I say it?"
Present your complaint as something that could be done differently, not as a matter of right and wrong. Assume that this person does not realize that he/she is causing offense. Avoid any hint of righteousness or blame. Remember that this is all your opinion and from your point of view.

Do one thing each day that scares you. Tell someone what you really think, even if it's not what he wants to hear. Schedule an appointment that you have been putting off. Try a new food. Ask for a discount at a store. Spend time with a teen who has been angry and distant.

It's best to face fears that bring you closer to your goals, but facing any fear at least teaches you that you can stand up to your inner chicken. Facing one fear each day eliminates the paralysis of trying to face all of your fears at once. After you become good at addressing small fears, you can work up to larger issues.
Helpful: Keep a list of fears and the actions you could take to confront them. That will make it harder for your inner chicken to convince you to take a day off from facing fears.

Call yourself names. When you hear excuses in your head, call yourself a chicken. Silly as it sounds, this self-teasing can balance out your inclination to listen to your chicken -- and drive you toward braver choices.

Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Beth Weissenberger, cofounder and COO of The Handel Group, a corporate, private and educational coaching company based in New York City. The Handel Group's corporate clients include Sony BMG and New York University School of Medicine. www.HandelGroup.com

Have a good day, be well and take care Sieg
" a simple natural lifestyle and a chuckle a day keeps the doctor away'

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

true aging view

2011-05-09T09:15:00.001-04:00

George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get oldis when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're soexcited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six anda half. You're four and a half, going on five!

That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to thenext number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you'regonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life...you become 21.Even the words sound like a ceremony...YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you soundlike bad milk. He TURNED 30! We had to throw him out. There's no funnow, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40.

Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it,you REACH 50...and your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's aday-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HITlunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime.

And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "Iwas JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become alittle kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: Time to reform bloated MP pensions

2011-05-06T16:03:00.001-04:00

Positive change from positive people - pass it on make a difference please

 Dear Supporter:
 
 The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has sent letters to Opposition Leader Jack Layton and Prime Minister Stephen Harper urging them to reach across the aisle and reform bloated parliamentary pensions.
  
 Can you think of a better way to set a new tone in Parliament?
 
 The CTF has been in the headlines this week after releasing calculations showing 113 defeated and retired MPs from the 2011 General Election will collect a cumulative $112 million in estimated lifetime pension benefits. Former Bloc Leader Gilles Duceppe for example, will rake in $141,000 a year, fully indexed for life. That's nearly $3-million by the time he reaches age 80.
  
 These kind of self-serving arrangements feed voter cynicism and apathy. They must end! And maybe – just maybe – after 4 elections in the last 7 years our elected officials are ready to shelve all the posturing and truly set a new tone for politics in our country.
   
 Can you take a minute right now and do two things:
 
 1. E-mail Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Harper.S@parl.gc.ca) and Opposition Leader Jack Layton (Layton.J@parl.gc.ca). Congratulate them on their historic success in the recent campaign and urge them to reform Parliamentary pensions to a self-funding arrangement whereby taxpayers match MP contributions dollar-for-dollar. Currently, taxpayers cough up $4 for every $1 contributed by an MP. You can cc your e-mail to us at updates@taxpayer.com;
  
 2. Forward this e-mail to your contacts. Encourage them to JOIN the CTF at no cost, and sign our Reform MP Pension Petition. Our influence grows as our numbers grow. 
  
 We have set up a Reform MP Pensions Campaign Page. Please check back for updates and responses to our letters to the leaders.
  
 Thanks for all you do,
 
 --Troy, Derek, Courtenay, Shannon and the rest of the team
 
 PS: Canadians in every corner of the country have heard or seen a news story detailing bloated parliamentary pensions for one reason: The CTF calculates and releases the information. Nobody else does this work in Canada. If you support our efforts please consider a donation.

You are receiving this Issues and Action Update because you have either signed a CTF petition, signed-up through our home page or given a donation. If you do not wish to receive further Action Updates please click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this message.  Otherwise please add updates@taxpayer.com to your address book.  Our privacy policy can be viewed at http://taxpayer.com/about/privacy-statement. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is Canada's leading non-partisan citizens advocacy group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your contact info

 Our mailing address is:
Canadian Taxpayers Federation105-438 Victoria Ave E
Regina, SKS4N 0N7

Add us to your address book

 Copyright (C) 2011 Canadian Taxpayers Federation All rights reserved.

Unsubscribebacktoeden.ontario@gmail.com from this list.

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Interestong new pledge and insight

2011-05-06T09:04:00.001-04:00

BY A 15 yr. OLD SCHOOL KID

New Pledge of Allegiance (TOTALLY AWESOME)!

Since the Pledge of Allegiance

And

The Lord's Prayer

Are not allowed in most

Public schools anymore

Because the word 'God' is mentioned.....

A kid in Arizona wrote the attached

NEW School prayer:

Now I sit me down in school

Where praying is against the rule

For this great nation under God

Finds mention of Him very odd.

If scripture now the class recites,

It violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow

Becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green,

That's no offense; it's a freedom scene..

The law is specific, the law is precise.

Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.

For praying in a public hall

Might offend someone with no faith at all..

In silence alone we must meditate,

God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,

And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks...

They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.

To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,

And the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.

It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong,

We're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong..

We can get our condoms and birth controls,

Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles ..

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,

No word of God must reach this crowd.

It's scary here I must confess,

When chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make:

Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen

If you aren't ashamed to do this, Please pass this on..

Jesus said, 'If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my Father.'

Not ashamed. Pass this on.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge   "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group  "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

scammers are a real problem

2011-05-05T09:23:00.000-04:00

Scammers Get Rich and Get Away
Chris Durst and Michael Haaren

Who says crime doesn't pay? The Internet has blessed us with many things, but it also cursed us with torrents of fraud. And scammers are prospering, while overwhelmed authorities function in a time of reduced staffs and tight budgets.

$10 MILLION PER MONTH IN ONE SIMPLE SCHEME

We've been investigating scams since 2004, give or take, and have seen con games steadily proliferate as more people come online. And it takes very little to make a killing.

In 2008, we joined ABC News' "20/20" in investigating a number of websites, and we won't soon forget what we saw. One scammer alone, for example, was victimizing thousands and pulling in millions of dollars a month. And he's still living high off the hog, while his victims have never received a penny in restitution.

STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES OVERWHELMED

When consumers fall prey to online scams, they are often reassured to know that someone will hear their complaint. They can report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI. Or they can notify their state's attorney general or office of consumer protection.

Unfortunately, however, only a tiny fraction of complaints are prosecuted. Why? Con games have grown exponentially and gone international, while enforcement budgets have stagnated or shrunk. (The FTC, for example, has always been a small agency. Its appropriation for 2010 was only $292 million. For perspective, one alleged scammer alone was recently reported to have generated $350 million in his various businesses, almost 20 percent more than the agency's entire budget.)

Don't get us wrong; we're not promoting a political agenda, and more money doesn't always equate to more effective bureaucracies. But we can say that Tombstone was a wilder place before the Earps arrived, and the Internet looks more like Tombstone every day.

THE BAD GUYS LAWYER UP

With enforcement thin and the environment rich in "targets," the bad guys can afford to hire aggressive lawyers. Scammers may be represented by the top law firms in the nation and can spend money freely to resist official action. This means that the good guys have to choose their fights even more carefully by sticking to the "slam dunk" cases and the smaller fry.

More money also means being able to afford better advice on how to skirt or evade the law. The texts on some sites, for example, have been screened by lawyers who specialize in advising dubious marketers. And con men generally can now set up shell companies offshore in a matter of hours, in countries where the laws make it almost impossible to identify the true owners.

It's definitely not your mom's or dad's marketplace, and you need to be cautious and do your homework before making purchases online. Always keep records and notes of your transactions. Therefore, if things do go south, you can call your credit card company immediately and seek a chargeback. That way, it won't be a tragedy if the posse has to show up a little later than you might have expected.

Christine Durst and Michael Haaren are leaders in the work-at-home movement and advocates of de-rat-raced living. Their latest book is "Work at Home Now," a guide to finding home-based jobs. They offer additional guidance on finding home-based work at www.RatRaceRebellion.com. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2011 BY STAFFCENTRIX, DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

Go Vote!

2011-05-01T14:49:00.001-04:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Canadian Taxpayers Federation <updates@taxpayer.com>
Date: Sun, May 1, 2011 at 10:16 AM
Subject: Go Vote!
To: backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com

 Dear Supporter:
  
  Tomorrow (Monday) is Election Day. As proud Canadian citizens and as concerned taxpayers, each of us has the opportunity to cast our vote.
   
 The same day this election started, the CTF wrapped up its National Debt Clock Tour, which was designed to force politicians into taking action on our out-of-control finances. With your moral and financial support, we did just that, as each party has now vowed to eliminate the deficit; although unfortunately the NDP, Liberals and Greens promise to do it with tax hikes. The Conservatives promise to do it slower than we might like, but it's still quicker than originally scheduled in the Budget.
   
 During the lead up to the election, we have been your campaign promise watchdog. You can check out a couple videos with our platform analysis here:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2xCb9xlx9g
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOyQwSUbo3o
   
 But now it is up to you as a voter to decide which of those plans is most credible. We won't tell you who to vote for, but we do encourage you to vote.
  
 If you need help in finding out where you can vote or any other information, please visit the website for Elections Canada here: http://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&lang=e or call 1-800-463-6868.
   
 This is a rare opportunity to have your voice heard - get out there and do it!
  
 -- Derek, Scott and the rest of the CTF team.
  
 PS: Are you getting The Taxpayer magazine? The Vancouver Sun has called it "a Playboy magazine for taxpayers. Titillating, eyebrow raising, a bit shocking. The pages of The Taxpayer are bountiful with information and numbers that rivet attention." It's an exclusive perk of being a CTF supporter. Chip in $105 today to start getting The Taxpayer: https://taxpayer.com/donate.

You are receiving this Issues and Action Update because you have either signed a CTF petition, signed-up through our home page or given a donation. If you do not wish to receive further Action Updates please click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this message.  Otherwise please add updates@taxpayer.com to your address book.  Our privacy policy can be viewed at http://taxpayer.com/about/privacy-statement. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is Canada's leading non-partisan citizens advocacy group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your contact info

 Our mailing address is:
Canadian Taxpayers Federation105-438 Victoria Ave E
Regina, SKS4N 0N7

Add us to your address book

 Copyright (C) 2011 Canadian Taxpayers Federation All rights reserved.

Unsubscribebacktoeden.ontario@gmail.com from this list.

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: Toxic people defense

2011-04-23T11:36:00.001-04:00

interesting -do you know people that could use this advice

GIVE IT TO TAKERS

What to Say to a Jerk Mark Goulston, MD

Communication is challenging enough with the "normal" people in your life -- the ones who want to cooperate and make life better for everyone. When you are forced to deal with jerks -- people who don't care about social give-and-take -- communication can seem next to impossible, leaving you drained and upset.
Jerks tend to trigger powerful negative emotional reactions that take a long time to recover from and that interfere with clear thinking.
As a psychiatrist, I refer to jerks as "toxic people."
If being around a toxic person is having a destructive effect on your physical or emotional health, you may need to get that person out of your life completely. But in many cases, you can "neutralize" the negative effect that a toxic person has on you. Here, simple ways to do it...
Recognize when a person is toxic. Everyone can be uncooperative and selfish some of the time -- and the techniques in this article can work during those times. But a toxic person is different from a person who is just having a bad day.
Toxic people have a distinctive view of life. They perceive the world as having cheated them out of something or as owing them something. Nothing good that happens to them changes that perception for long.
In contrast to healthy people, who feel entitled to what they deserve... and neurotics, who do not feel entitled to what they deserve... toxic people feel entitled to what they don't deserve. They do not play by the usual rules of getting along with others. They feel justified in taking, with no compulsion to give.
This belief system reveals itself in different ways for different types of toxic people. A toxic bully may aggressively push others around to get his/her way, whereas a toxically needy person may feel entitled to have his hand held constantly or insist that other people fight his battles. Bullies scream and demand. Toxically needy people whine and complain.
Adjust your expectations. We expect people to behave reasonably, and the shock that we feel when toxic people do not do so can be quite painful.
Toxic people sometimes may appear to be caring and cooperative. This behavior will last only until they get what they want. Don't be fooled into thinking that they have changed.
In addition, the strategies that usually work with nontoxic people -- such as empathizing or appealing to fairness -- do not work with toxic people.
Once you have identified a person as toxic, your smartest move is to protect yourself from being blindsided. Expect the person to act solely in his own interests even when he appears to be kind and caring.
Hold part of yourself back. Toxic people get what they want by pushing others off balance. They do so by acting in ways that trigger rage, fear, guilt and other strong emotions in others. Remind yourself not to get emotionally engaged. This is their issue, not yours.
Helpful: Pause before responding. No matter what the toxic person says or does, make a practice of waiting several seconds or more before you reply. Stay calm.
The longer you wait before responding, the more the toxic person may escalate his behavior. For example, he may get even angrier or whine even more. But the behavior is less likely to upset you, because you are keeping your emotional distance.

WHAT TO SAY TO A JERK

Three good responses to nearly every type of toxic person...
"Huh?" This one word can stop a jerk in his tracks. Use a mild, neutral tone of voice. Do this when the toxic person says something utterly ridiculous but acts as if he is being perfectly reasonable. This response conveys that what the toxic person is saying doesn't make sense. It works because it signals that you are not engaging with the content of what he said.
"Do you really believe what you just said?" Use a calm, straightforward tone, not a confrontational one. This question works because toxic people often resort to hyperbole to throw others off balance. They are prone to using the words "always" and "never" to drive home their points. However, don't expect the toxic person to admit that he is wrong. He is more likely to walk away in a huff -- which is fine because then you won't have to waste more energy dealing with him.
"I can see how this is good for you. Tell me how it's good for me." This response is a useful way to deal with a toxic person's demands. If he stalls or changes the subject, you can say, "Since it's not clear how this is good for me, I'm going to have to say no."
Here are other responses to specific types of toxic people...

BYE TO BULLIES

A bully gets what he wants by scaring other people. Even when he is behaving himself, his presence triggers fear because you never know when he will explode.
What to do...
Disengage: Most bullies use words and tone of voice as their weapons. Say silently to yourself, This person is not going to physically harm me. Picture his words as rubber bullets that, instead of hitting you between the eyes, zoom over your shoulder. Caution: If there is any possibility that the person may be physically violent, leave at once.
Respond: Take a deep breath, and say out loud, "Ah, geez, this is going to be a long conversation" or "You gotta be kidding" (said mockingly to show that the bully hasn't scared or offended you).
Whatever the bully's reaction -- whether he demands an explanation or continues to attack -- you can calmly say, "You're upset, I'm starting to shut down, and before we get to anything constructive, the sun is going to set, and then we're going to have to start all over again tomorrow because I don't see us reaching any conclusion."
If he keeps pushing and says, "I am not upset -- you're just not listening," you say, "Nah, forget it, it's gone, gone... the opportunity even to get into a conversation is gone, finito, flew the coop." The bully eventually will give up.
You can repeat this approach the next time. If the bully says, "Don't try that with me again," you just say, "Sorry, I find this exhausting, and I need to preserve my energy. If you can figure out a way to talk with me instead of at me, I'm willing. Until then, count me out." Then walk away -- which will be easy once you let go of the expectation that you will ever reach a win-win solution with this person.

NEUTRALIZE NEEDY PEOPLE

Unlike people who have a healthy need for others, toxically needy people expect constant help and attention and often use guilt to get it. No matter how much you do for them, it is never enough. They act like victims, suck you dry and leave you feeling depressed and incompetent because nothing ever gets better for them.
What to do...
Disengage: Imagine that the needy person has a hook that he is trying to snag you with, but the hook has missed you.
Respond: A needy person might say in a nails-on-a-chalkboard voice, "It's not fair." Pause and calmly but firmly say, "It is completely fair to everyone that it affects."

GIVE IT TO TAKERS

The taker constantly asks you for favors but never seems to have the time or energy to pitch in when you need help. Whereas needy people make you feel as if they are sucking you dry, takers make you feel as if they are grabbing at you.
What to do...
Disengage: Picture the taker as a child grabbing at you to get your attention. Imagine yourself calmly tapping him on the wrist and saying, "Now, now, wait your turn."
Respond: Make a mental list of ways the taker could help you. The next time he asks for a favor say, "Sure! And you can help me out by... " If he balks, say, "I assume you don't mind doing a favor for me in return, right?"
Insist on a quid pro quo each time, and the taker will soon move on to an easier target.

8 Signs of a Jerk

A toxic person...

Have a good day, be well and take care Sieg
" a simple natural lifestyle and a chuckle a day keeps the doctor away'

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

The art of courage

2011-04-18T12:28:00.001-04:00

Finding the Courage to Act "Healing the scars of life challenges "

Maybe life has been easy for you and maybe it hasn't, but I bet that at some point in the past weeks you have wondered how you, personally, would have fared if you had been living in Japan when the earthquake and tsunami hit... or in the high-nuclear radiation zone... or, for that matter, in any of a number of other parts of the world where people must use every resource they have just to keep their lives going. That includes a particular "resource" that isn't canned goods, bottled water or emergency medications, but rather the personal wherewithal to remain calm and focused... to put aside your fears in order to make important, even lifesaving decisions... and to be a supportive problem solver for the people who rely on you. In other words, I'm talking about courage of the deeply personal sort.

Courage is a critical resource that we all need -- and not just when faced with a natural disaster or during wartime. The news is full each day of many people braving life under the harshest of circumstances, so this seemed an excellent topic to discuss with Lauren Zander, life coach and regular Daily Health News contributor. Zander had a lot to say because, as she pointed out, courage is not only an essential tool for navigating life's inevitable crises, but one you can use for enrichment when life is going well. "I can't think of a more important ingredient for having a fulfilled life than courage," she said.

Being Brave in the Face of Fear

Zander told me that we first needed to clarify an important point: People often believe that being brave means that you are not afraid -- but the reality is quite the opposite. Bravery is acting in spite of fear -- not without it.

During times of disaster and true crisis, we all have no choice but to overcome fear and take action. Those living in Japan have no time for sitting around scared. They must focus on surviving and rebuilding. The need for courage doesn't arise only in times of crisis, however. Zander points out that our daily lives often require inner fortitude as well. In our lifetimes, we face all manner of situations where we must confront fear and move past it. Sometimes it's dramatic -- for instance, accepting your own homosexuality in the face of your family's disapproval... or knowing you should speak up when someone in your office says something racist or sexist to a coworker. You also need guts to confront someone you love about a destructive habit, such as smoking or abusing alcohol. You need courage to end a relationship that is no longer healthy or productive... and it certainly requires compassionate bravery to keep showing up day after day after day to support a loved one as he/she faces the end of life.

According to Zander, there is a common thread through all of these sorts of situations -- the courage we need will be directly connected to our "personal truth."

"Many people find that they can be 'courageous' in the name of telling their truth or when they want very badly to accomplish something important," she said. But when it comes to speaking up, people tend to fall short about saying what they really want to say because it either will hurt another person or change the dynamic between them. Being the real you is only done through expressing your deeper hidden thoughts and feelings versus running your life to keep everyone happy. In that moment of potential willingness to reveal your true voice, you will need a serious dose of courage. "I can get most people to admit they have lists and lists of things that they feel they cannot say to people in their lives, and then matching lists of why not -- and all of this is fear of being authentic. This kind of courage is very connected to one's heart."

Does This Make You Uncomfortable?

How's all this sitting with you? What thoughts are going through your mind? Have you experienced situations that have called for personal bravery? Are you proud of how you have forged on and what you've accomplished? Or are some of these questions feeling uncomfortable?

Most of us would benefit from some spine-stiffening introspection. Ask yourself what you fear -- and what fears you might not be openly acknowledging. Here are some to get you started...

When was the last time you tried something new and different, something you didn't already know how to do? If it has been a long time, consider what might be holding you back. Challenge yourself to create a vision for a new and different future -- what might it look like and what you would like your vision to achieve or gain. Would you like to change careers? Overcome your fear of flying so that you can take an overseas vacation?

Does change -- no matter where or what kind -- scare you? Do you avoid potentially fun or enriching experiences so you don't have to risk the unknown?

Complete this sentence: "I need courage to __________." Perhaps that would be speaking up to your boss next time he/she speaks disrespectfully to you... going to a meeting of Weight Watchers or Overeaters Anonymous... pushing yourself to buy workout wear and go to a Zumba class... or even dating again after a painful divorce. Whatever your need for courage might be, filling in the end of that sentence will give you a good idea of where in your life you may want to think about practicing courage now.

Next Steps...

Taking the "next step" is the basis for any courageous action. Think about the classic Alcoholics Anonymous line, "One day at a time." It's just that next step you have to take, because the ones that follow can be dealt with in their own time. For instance, says Zander, "I never knew I could build a company based on my work as a life coach. The thought alone scared me. I found that I was really able to figure out my dream if I let go of all my fears and just chased it. The same was true for being on TV -- I had no experience and was scared to death to want it, let alone do it. I got a coach, went to improv class and just kept moving ahead. This is the best part about learning courage -- it works!"

We all have courage -- but it's easy for fear to overwhelm our courageous actions. By focusing on the goal and advancing one step at a time, you can move on to ever greater levels in life, challenges you might once have thought impossible. "If you are on a road where you encounter scary challenges that require courage to keep you moving, you are likely living your best life," says Zander.

Small steps , small victories make for big constructive leaps forward -give it a try you will be pleasantly surprised . S Holle

Source(s):

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: Friendship and brotherhood -a religious plus

2011-04-18T10:59:00.001-04:00

Now We Know Why Religious People Are Happier

It's long been known that people with religious faith tend to be more satisfied with their lives -- the question has been why. Now University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW) and Harvard University researchers believe they have come up with the answer, and the "secret ingredient" is... friendship.

"Our study offers compelling evidence that it is the social aspects of religion rather than theology or spirituality that lead to life satisfaction," wrote study author Chaeyoon Lim, PhD, an assistant professor of sociology at UW. I gave Dr. Lim a call to find out more.

Happiness Is Praying Together

To examine religion's impact on our sense of well-being, Dr. Lim and his colleagues analyzed data from the 2006 and 2007 Faith Matters Study. To collect this data, a commercial research company randomly phoned thousands of Americans twice in a one-year period and asked about their religious practices and life satisfaction and happiness. The survey included a representative sample of Americans, with most being of Christian faith, and smaller numbers of Jews and Muslims.

In a close examination of the results, Dr. Lim and his team found that...

One-third of people (33%) who attended religious services once a week and had three to five friends in the congregation were extremely satisfied with their lives (meaning that they ranked their satisfaction as "10" on a scale of one to 10).

In contrast, only 19% of those who attended weekly services but had no friends in the congregation reported extreme satisfaction.

Nearly one-quarter of those who attended services sporadically (several times a year) but still had three to five friends in the congregation were extremely satisfied with their lives.

Just 19% of people who never attended religious services -- and thus had no congregational friends -- were extremely satisfied with their lives.

After factoring in church attendance and congregational friendship, the authors also discovered that private religious practices -- such as feeling God's presence in daily life and praying -- did not have a measurable impact on life satisfaction.

Dr. Lim told me that he found this last finding a bit surprising, since earlier research had suggested otherwise, but he said that this study demonstrates that the social dimension of religion -- specifically, the closeness of the community where you attend services -- is what's important. "For life satisfaction," he says, "praying together seems better than either praying alone or, say, bowling together."

Results were published in the December 2010 issue of American Sociological Review.

Why Friends Matter

This provides yet more evidence of how and why our social connections help our health, but what is it about deriving social support from shared spiritual pursuits that is so special? Dr. Lim gets this question all the time and doesn't know the answer yet... although he noted that we do know that people with more friends in general tend to be happier. He doesn't rule out the possibility that one could get the same benefits from a group of close friends who meet on a regular basis, engage in meaningful activities and have a shared sense of social identity.

Then again, it could be that there is something unique about friendship based on religious faith -- what Dr. Lim calls "morally infused" social support -- that cannot be found in the secular community. He and his colleagues are currently gathering more data to address this question.

Source(s):

Chaeyoon Lim, PhD, assistant professor of sociology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin.

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

How to stop your space intrusions-smile

2011-04-18T10:19:00.001-04:00

How to Get Rid of Telemarketers

- If they start out with, "How are you today?" say, "I'm so glad youasked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all theseproblems; my arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dogjust died. When they try to get to the sell, just keep talking aboutyour problems.

- If they say they're John Doe from XYZ Company, ask them to spelltheir name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask themwhere it is located. Continue asking them personal questions orquestions about their company for as long as necessary.

- This works great if you are male: Telemarketing: "Hi, my name isJudy and I'm with XYZ Company...Wait for a second and with a realhusky voice ask, "What are you wearing?"

- Cry out in surprise, "Judy! Is that you? Oh my God! Judy, how haveyou been?" Hopefully, this will give Judy a few brief moments ofterror as she tries to figure out where she could know you from.

- Say "No," over and over. Be sure to vary the sound of each one, andkeep a rhythmic tempo, even as they are trying to peak. This is mostfun if you can do it until they hang up.

- If MCI calls trying to get you to sign up for the Family and FriendsPlan, reply, in as SINISTER a voice as you can, "I don't have anyfriends...Would you be my friend?"

More How to Get Rid of Telemarketers

- If the company cleans rugs, respond: "Can you get out blood? Can youget out GOAT blood? How about HUMAN blood?"

- After the telemarketer gives their spiel, ask him/her to marry you.When they get all flustered, tell them that you could not just giveyou credit card number to a complete stranger.

- Tell the telemarketer that you work for the same company, they oftencan't sell to employees.

- Answer the phone. As soon as you realize it is a telemarketer, setthe receiver down, shout or scream "Oh my Gosh!!!" and then hang up.

- Tell the telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask them ifthey will give you their HOME phone number so you can call them back.When the telemarketer explains that they cannot give out their HOMEnumber, you say "I guess you don't want anyone bothering you at home,right?" The telemarketer will agree and you say, "Now you know how Ifeel!" Hang up.

- Tell them it is dinner time, BUT ask if they would please hold. Putthem on your speaker phone while you continue to eat at your leisure.Smack your food loudly and continue with your dinner conversation.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

loyalty -food for thought

2011-04-16T09:14:00.001-04:00

Casey had that unique ability. He was so good at it that during his12-year stint, he won seven World Series and 10 American Leaguepennants. This is head and shoulders above what any other major leaguemanager was able to do with their team.

So, what was Casey's reward for this incredible record? He got fired.The circumstances are a little unusual, to say the least. When BillMazarowski of the Pittsburgh Pirates hit a dramaticbottom-of-the-ninth home run in the seventh and deciding game, the NewYork Yankees lost the 1960 World Series. Stengel was dumped just fivedays later and said, "I've been fired because of my age. I'll nevermake the mistake of being 70 again."

The New York Yankees' owner had a right to do what he did. However,it's like the bull standing on the railroad track. You admire hiscourage, but you question his judgment. You can admire the Yankeemanagement for doing what they thought was right, but you mustquestion their judgment for firing such an incredibly successfulmanager.

And what about fairness? Doesn't success deserve some kind of loyalty?Casey's fans were terribly upset about that turn of events, and itcauses all of us to wonder what we have to do in order to develop asense of loyalty on both sides of the table. Loyalty is a veryvaluable character quality, and those who have it really do havesomething to smile about!

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

useful video on communication

2011-04-14T10:40:00.001-04:00

http://video.ca.msn.com/watch/video/why-men-don-t-listen-to-women/17yxtwmdg

Men are not girlfriends and respond differently to challenges -linear not emotive -the key diffference

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: Leaders' debate: send in your questions

2011-04-05T19:36:00.001-04:00

Subject: Leaders' debate: send in your questions

         Provide your thoughts and input =be heard _  make a difference 

 Dear Supporter:
  
 CTV, Global TV, and CBC are hosting the federal leaders' debate scheduled for Tuesday, April 12th and are inviting questions from the public. It's important they hear from taxpayers. Can you take a minute right now and send in a question or two? Here are some suggested topics:
   
 1. Taxpayers pay $84.4-million a day on federal debt interest. Do you think this is a good use of tax dollars, and if not, why is there not more urgency around balancing the budget and paying down debt?
 
 2. Will you commit to no tax increases during your term as prime minister?
 
 3. Will you commit to not increasing your MP compensation in the next term or at least until the budget is balanced?
 
 4. Will you commit to making the auditor general's audit public on how Parliament spends half-a-billion tax dollars when it comes out later this year?
 
 5. The federal government hands out billions in direct subsidies and loans to business in Canada. Instead of high business taxes, why not lower them for everybody and end subsides for select businesses and industries?
  
 6. Employment in the civil service has grown by 3,700 bureaucrats since 2005, a 13% increase. Do you think this is responsible or sustainable given the deficit?
 
 7. What plan do you have to address the costs associated with an aging population whereby fewer taxpayers support higher costs associated with social security and health care?
 
 8. The tax-funded compensation of all elected officials in Canada is subject to public disclosure except elected officials on native reserves. Will you support a law requiring the compensation of reserve politicians be posted online?
  
 9. MP Pensions are wildly out-of-line with public expectations. For every $1 contributed by an MP, taxpayers contribute $4. Is that reasonable? Don't you think it's time to reform pensions to a dollar-for-dollar arrangement as many provincial legislatures have done?
  
 10. Senator Raymond Lavigne recently quit his job in order to hold onto his pension after being convicted of fraud and breach of trust. If elected, would you put in place the necessary reforms so that convicted fraudsters such as Lavigne would not get access to the taxpayer-funded portion of their pension?
   
 Questions posed in your own words will have a better chance of being considered. Submission deadline is this Thursday, April 7th. Please e-mail questions to question@electiondebtate2011.ca, and be sure to include your name, address, and daytime telephone number.
   
 Thanks for all you do,
  
 --Courtenay, Shannon, Troy and the rest of the CTF team

You are receiving this Issues and Action Update because you have either signed a CTF petition, signed-up through our home page or given a donation. If you do not wish to receive further Action Updates please click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this message.  Otherwise please add updates@taxpayer.com to your address book.  Our privacy policy can be viewed at http://taxpayer.com/about/privacy-statement. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is Canada's leading non-partisan citizens advocacy group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your contact info

 Our mailing address is:
Canadian Taxpayers Federation105-438 Victoria Ave E
Regina, SKS4N 0N7

Add us to your address book

 Copyright (C) 2011 Canadian Taxpayers Federation All rights reserved.

Unsubscribebacktoeden.ontario@gmail.com from this list.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc<http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975>
-"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge <http://sites.google.com/site/sunridgelodge> "Back to Eden"
quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group <https://sites.google.com/site/bpagsiegholle> -a
positive community affirmative action group that promotes goodwill and
timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well
being of Brant Brantford and Six Nations

Useful information -when and why to drink water

2011-04-05T13:59:00.001-04:00

Subject: WHEN to Drink WATER.........................

Correct Time to Drink Water....Very Important...
This is interesting!! I knew you need your minimum water to

Flush the toxins out of your body, but this was news to me.

Correct Time to Drink Water....Very Important
From A Cardiac Specialist!

Drinking water at certain time maximizes it's effectiveness on the body:

2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs

1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion

1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure

1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack

Please pass this to the people you care about.......I DID!!!!

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Your body is telling you what it needs through cravings

2011-03-27T10:02:00.001-04:00

Craving a Burger? Or Chocolate? Fred Pescatore, MD

It can strike when you least expect it -- an overwhelming desire to satisfy a food craving. You may be desperate for a burger, cake, chocolate, pizza or some other specific food.
Even though food cravings seem harmless enough, they are often a red flag that a person's diet needs attention. Strong food cravings generally don't occur unless the body is crying out for particular nutrients -- ones that can almost always be found in more healthful foods than what we may initially desire.

Five common cravings -- and what each may mean... *

Burgers and steaks. A craving for red meat is often a sign that you're lacking iron and/or conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid that helps your body burn stored fat.

Healthful alternative: To satisfy your body's need for iron, try dark leafy greens, such as spinach or Swiss chard. These vegetables may be a more healthful option if your diet is high in fat and carbohydrates.

An occasional steak (once a week) is OK, but try incorporating small amounts of red meat into your regular diet so you don't go overboard when you indulge this craving.

Consider adding small amounts of lean beef into a vegetable soup or a sprinkle of lean ground beef into a bean chili. Lacto-vegetarians can get CLA in butter and low-fat milk.

Baked goods. If you're desperate for a rich, gooey brownie, a piece of cake or a glazed donut, your blood sugar (glucose) levels are probably fluctuating, often in response to surges of the stress hormone cortisol. Too much cortisol triggers the release of glucose, thereby causing the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin to spike then drop precipitously.

Because baked goods are essentially sugar and carbohydrate, they provide a quick boost in energy and serotonin (a brain chemical that invokes feelings of happiness) when blood sugar levels are waning.

Healthful alternative: Try a piece of fruit or a glass of antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice. These natural sources of sugar provide nutrients that baked goods can't, such as vitamin C. To curb your craving for carbohydrates, consider trying the dietary supplement chromium picolinate (200 mcg, three times daily).

Caution: Check with you doctor if you have diabetes. Chromium picolinate may alter drug requirements.

Physical activity, such as walking, also will allow your body to use up some of the excess cortisol. Exercise activates the body's relaxation response to maintain healthy cortisol levels.

Chocolate. People who crave chocolate may be deficient in phenylalanine, an essential amino acid found in chocolate that the body converts into another amino acid, tyrosine. Tyrosine plays a key role in the production of the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin, which enhance mood and reduce pain. You may also crave chocolate when you need an energy boost.

Healthful strategy: Eat dark chocolate or cocoa powder with at least 75% cacao. Limit amounts of lighter chocolates, which contain more sugar and less cacao. Avoid all chocolate if you have phenylketonuria, a condition in which the body cannot process the phenylalanine found in chocolate.

Another option: Mix unsweetened cocoa powder with skim milk to taste (or follow the instructions on the cocoa powder container). Add the all-natural sugar substitute stevia and/or top with a small amount of whipped cream.

French fries. A craving for fries usually means your body is lacking sodium and/or serotonin or experiencing a blood sugar imbalance caused by high levels of cortisol.

Simple carbohydrates in potatoes break down into glucose, boosting your energy and serotonin levels. The salt used on fries satisfies your need for sodium, and the oil used for frying helps keep you satiated.

Healthful alternative: Eating about 20 salted nuts (two ounces) -- such as almonds, pecans or walnuts -- each day provides healthful omega-3s and sodium. (People with high blood pressure should eat unsalted nuts.) Nuts also provide a sustained glucose boost that helps stabilize blood sugar. A diet rich in proteins, vegetables, fruits and whole grains will naturally keep cravings for greasy, high-fat foods at bay.

Pizza. A craving for pizza usually means that you may be low in calcium (which is found in the cheese) and/or lacking in essential fatty acids (which are found in the cheese and olive oil).

Healthful alternative: Make your own pizza with a whole-grain crust, organic low-fat cheese, fresh tomatoes and veggies. Try adding to your diet more foods that are rich in essential fatty acids, including walnuts, avocado, flaxseed and fatty fish, such as salmon.

*If you continue to crave a certain food, consider getting tested for deficiencies in vitamins A, B-12, D and folic acid (these tests have been clinically proven, whereas the accuracy of other nutritional deficiency tests is questionable).

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Catholics are more tolerant -interesting study

2011-03-24T13:46:00.001-04:00

Report: Catholics support gay rights

              WASHINGTON (UPI) -- A majority of U.S. Catholics support legal rightsfor gays and lesbians, a report released Wednesday indicated.

The Public Religion Research Institute said Catholics are more likelythan Protestants to criticize the way their church deals withhomosexuals. Less than 40 percent gave the Catholic Church either an Aor B on the issue, while majorities of Protestants support theirchurches.

"It may come as a surprise to many that rank and file Catholics aremore supportive of rights for gays and lesbians than other Christiansand the public," said Robert P. Jones, the institute's CEO. "But thebest data available paints this consistent portrait across a range ofissues, including same-sex marriage, workplace non-discrimination,open military service, and adoption rights for gay and lesbiancouples."

One-third of Catholics, 33 percent, say the church's messagecontributes a lot to high suicide rates among young homosexuals, while37 percent say it has a small effect.

Almost half, 43 percent, of Catholics asked support gay marriage, and31 percent support civil unions. Only 22 percent are opposed to legalrecognition for gay relationships.

A majority, 56 percent, say homosexual sexual relationships are notsinful.

Almost three-quarters, 73 percent, support protections againstworkplace discrimination, 63 percent say gays should be able to serveopenly in the military and 60 percent that gay couples should be ableto adopt children.

The data came from surveys the institute conducted in 2010.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge   "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group  "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

save on your gas with these tips

2011-03-23T09:27:00.001-04:00

IT DOES SEEM TO MAKE SENSE

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here
in California we are paying up to $3.75 to $4.10 per gallon. My line of
work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to
get more of your money's worth for every gallon:

Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA
we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the
pipeline.. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline,
regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total
capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when
the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations
have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the
more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying
in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a
gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the
temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other
petroleum products plays an important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business.
But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the
pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle
to a fast mode If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)
stages: low, middle, and high. You should be pumping on low mode,
thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping.
All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the
fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor.
Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage
tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank
is HALF FULL. The reason for this is the more gas you have in your tank
the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than
you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof.
This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere,
so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I
work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every
gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the
storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up; most likely the
gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you
might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Re: FW: A LITTLE GASOLINE HUMOR IF THERE IS ANY

2011-03-22T09:49:00.001-04:00

On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 9:56 AM, Belinda K <bjkruis@gmail.com> wrote:

A little humour to ease the frustration (if possible!!)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kruis, Zoe <zoe.kruis@bmo.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Subject: FW: A LITTLE GASOLINE HUMOR IF THERE IS ANY
To:

Enjoy!!!

Gas Ouch - get a bike is an option

A LITTLE GASOLINE HUMOR IF THERE IS ANY

A LITTLE GASOLINE HUMOR.......

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

For the spring tune up -you smoothie-Pass it on for your health

2011-03-22T09:06:00.001-04:00

Health & Flavor Enhancers

Crocker has a long list of spices, herbs and other health promoters that you can add to smoothies, but the following are among those she particularly advises. Many of these are in your supermarket and if not, health-food stores will have them. Note: Always put these in with the other ingredients before you blend to be sure that they are well mixed.

Here are some suggestions to help improve general healing...
Cinnamon promotes digestion and insulin sensitivity and relieves nausea. Add one-quarter teaspoon per smoothie serving -- especially delicious with apples and blueberries.
Ginger calms nausea, aids digestion, relieves diarrhea and flatulence and may soothe pain of arthritis. Try one-quarter teaspoon of powdered ginger per serving or one-half inch of crystallized or peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped. (Ginger is not recommended for anyone with a bleeding disorder, gallstones, or who is taking a blood thinner, and it is not recommended for children under age two.) Ginger is a good complement to pears and peaches.
Dandelion supports liver, gallbladder and kidney health, helps with high blood pressure and is a mild laxative. Add one teaspoon of crushed, dried roots to vegetable smoothies.

To boost the immune system...
Astragalus boosts the immune system and alleviates adverse effects of chemotherapy. Use one teaspoon of dried, powdered astragalus per serving. It has little or no taste. Note: If you are using steroids, you should discuss with your doctor whether it's okay to consume astragalus.
Burdock, a mild laxative (it contains the fiber inulin), has prebiotic properties and is a diuretic. Crush dried roots into a fine powder, and use one to two teaspoons per serving. It has a crisp, slightly sweet taste. Burdock often is used in sushi, so it goes well with sweet or savory smoothies.
Cayenne stimulates blood circulation and digestion, is a diuretic, and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Start by adding just one-eighth teaspoon of powdered cayenne per smoothie serving and increase to one-quarter teaspoon if the spicy flavor doesn't bother you. Cayenne can be used in fruit or vegetable smoothies.
Cloves have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, and help relieve nausea, flatulence and diarrhea. If you don't mind the strong taste, add one-eighth teaspoon of ground cloves per serving. Cloves mix well with apples and peaches.

Other healthful candidates...
Flaxseed is a good vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids, plus it contributes to regularity. Add one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds per serving. Note: Flaxseed will thicken your smoothie -- especially if you leave the smoothie standing awhile before you drink it.
Lecithin is an excellent source of choline, which improves memory. Add the contents of two capsules or one tablespoon of granules to one to two cups of smoothie.
Sea vegetables provide a high concentration of vitamin A, protein, calcium, iron and other minerals. These work as a diuretic and may be an immune enhancer and also reduce risk for cancer. Add one to two tablespoons of powder or crumbled leaves to vegetable smoothies -- their salty taste isn't good with fruit. You may want to start with a smaller amount and increase as you get used to the taste.
Wheat germ is a good source of vitamin E and thiamin. Use two tablespoons per smoothie.
Blue-green algae, a type of sea vegetable, is rich in carotenoids and chlorophyll. Add two tablespoons per serving to vegetable smoothies.
Coconut oil improves cholesterol ratio by raising HDL (good cholesterol). (See Daily Health News, "Coconut Oil Helps Keep Weight Off," November 25, 2010.)
Protein is helpful for satiety and stabilizing blood sugar. Good choices include one tablespoon of powdered whey or two tablespoons of nuts, such as almonds or cashews.

Easy Smoothie Instructions

Always make smoothies in a blender, not a juicer, to retain fiber and those important cell wall constituents. Cocker recommends using a blender with numerous speeds, including one for crushing ice.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Re: Posting K. of C. 9262 Nominations Names

2011-03-22T08:20:00.001-04:00

Done Brother -great candidates for the good of the order

On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 1:35 PM, Patrick Luciani <pluciani@travelonly.com> wrote:

Hi Sieg

Appreciate posting our K. of C. 9262

…from our Nominations meeting 17^th Mar 11

Scott, post Election notice in bulleting once location found.

Please note your executive members elected for two year term.

"You nominating committee" proposing Following Names stand for 2011-2012;

Grand Knight –                  Andy Woodburn

Deputy Grand Knight - Jason Hutton                     Boris Jazbec.

Chancellor -                        Louis Burgess

Recorder -                           Ken Doucette                    2nd Name proposed (Bill Holly)

Treasurer -                          Adrian

Advocate -                          Barton Brennan

Warden -                             Walter

Inside Guard -                   John Tucztnski.

Outside Guard -                Paul Skoczylas.

3 yr. Trustee -                    Pierre Guay

2^nd Yr. Trustee -                 Sieg Holle

1 Yr. Trustee -                    Pat Luciani

Election, scheduled for 28 Apr @ 7pm.
Notice to be posted in Bulleting

Member, nomination accepted on election with mover/seconded
Everyone extended invitation.

See, you on 28^th Apr

Vivat Jesus

Patrick Luciani ACC

Chairman Travelonly
325 A West Street Suite 202
Brantford, ON N3R 3V6
Phone: (519) 752-4363 ext 2000
Toll Free: 1-800-608-1117 ext 2000
mailto:pluciani@travelonly.net

http://www.travelonly.net

P      Please consider the environment before printing this email.

This message, including any attachments, is intended only for those individual(s) to whom it was addressed and may contain information that is

privileged/confidential. Any other distribution, copying or disclosure is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient or have received

this message in error, please notify me immediately by return Email and permanently delete this message including any attachments, without reading

or making a copy. Thank you.

Ce courrier électronique est confidentiel et protégé. L'expéditeur ne renonce pas aux droits et obligations qui s'y rapportent. Toute diffusion, utilisation ou copie de ce message ou des renseignements qu'il contient par une personne autre que le (les) destinataire(s) désigné(s) est interdite. Si vous recevez ce courrier électronique par erreur, veuillez m'en aviser immédiatement, par retour de courrier électronique ou par un autre moyen. Merci.

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

A useful smile -have you heard these before ?

2011-03-15T10:31:00.000-04:00

Excuses If You Get Caught Sleeping In Your Cubicle

1. "They told me at the blood bank this might happen."

2. "This is just a 15-minute power nap like they raved about in thattime-management course you sent me to."

3. "I was working smarter-not harder."

4. "Whew! I musta left the top off the liquid paper."

5. "Oh, I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on our mission statementand envisioning a new paradigm!"

6. "This is one of the seven habits of highly effective people!"

7. "I was testing the keyboard for drool-resistance."

8. "I was trying to remember where that difficult "Z" Key was, and nowit is indelibly imprinted on my brain, or at least my forehead."

9. "I'm in the management training program."

10. "I'm actually doing a "Stress Level Elimination Exercise Plan"(SLEEP) I learned at the last mandatory seminar you made me attend."

11. "This is in exchange for the six hours last night when I dreamedabout work!"

12. "I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relievework-related stress. Do you discriminate against people who practiceYoga?"

13. "Darn! Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out asolution to our biggest problem."

14. "Uh, hey, whaddaya expect... the coffee machine is broken..."

15. "Someone must've put decaf in the wrong pot."

16. "Boy, that cold medicine I took last night just won't wear off!"

17. "Ah, the unique and unpredictable circadian rhythms of theworkaholic!"

18. "I wasn't sleeping. I was trying to pick up my contact lenswithout my hands."

19. "The mailman flipped out and pulled a gun so I was playing dead toavoid getting shot."

20. "Geez, I thought you (the boss) were gone for the day."

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

True laws of life with a smile

2011-03-12T08:23:00.001-05:00

Unavoidable Laws of Life...and the smile nod factor -enjoy

When one wishes to unlock a door but has only has one hand free, thekeys are in the opposite pocket. (Von fumbles law)

A door will snap shut only when you have left the keys inside. (Yalelaw of destiny)

When ones hands are covered with oil, grease, or glue, your nose willstart to itch. (Law of ichiban)

Your insurance will cover everything but what has happened. (Insuranceso sorry law)

When things seem easy to do, it's because you haven't followed all theinstructions. (Destiny awaits law)

If you keep your cool when everyone else is losing his, it's probablybecause you have not realized the seriousness of the problem (law ofgravitas)

Most problems are not created nor solved, they only changeappearances. (Einstein's law of persistence)

You will run to answer the telephone just as the party hangs up onyou. (Principle of dingaling)

Whenever one wants to connect with the Internet, the call you've beenwaiting for all day will arrive. (Principle of Bellsouth)

If there are only two programs on TV that are worth your time, theywill always be at the same time. (Law of wasteland)

The cost is always higher than one budgets for, and it is exactly 3.14times higher, hence the importance of pi. (Law of pi eyed)

The probability that one will spill food on one's clothes is directlyproportional to the need to be clean. (Law of Campbell scoop)

Each and every body sitting on a commode will cause the doorbell toring. (Law of ogolly gee!)"

Wind velocity will increase proportionally to the cost of one'shairdo.(The donking principle)

After discarding something not used for years, you will need it oneweek later. (Law of fatal irreversibility)

Arriving early for an appointment will cause the receptionist to beabsent, and if one arrives late, everyone else has arrived before you.(Law of de lay)

Do not take life too seriously, because in the end, you won't come outalive anyway." (Theory of absolute certainty)

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: Yes to pot, no to Debt Clock?

2011-03-10T07:01:00.001-05:00

for your interest and action- the BS factor on the hill , equal treatment is requested

Date: Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 3:44 PM
Subject: Yes to pot, no to Debt Clock?

 Dear Supporter:
  
   	 			 				We just released a new YouTube video today, showing our progress on the National Debt Clock Tour. Click HERE to check it out.  		
  Which of these things is NOT allowed on Parliament Hill – smoking drugs or the CTF's National Debt Clock?
  
 You guessed it. The bureaucrats in the Department of Canadian Heritage have banned the CTF's National Debt Clock from Parliament Hill when it arrives in Ottawa on March 17th. Bureaucrats called it a "prop" and cited fears of leaks from the generator.
  
 Yet, every April 20th thousands flock to the hill to smoke marijuana. In 2006, a Christian youth group held a rally with a giant video screen suspended by a crane. Even coffins were paraded around on Parliament Hill.
  
 But not the National Debt Clock.
 
 The truth is, bureaucrats and many politicians don't want to see the clock and hear the message that Canadians want spending controlled and the federal budget balanced.
 
 And we're not about to let them off the hook.
 
 E-mail the Minister of Canadian Heritage, James Moore, and ask him to tell his bureaucrats to allow the National Debt Clock on the Hill.
  
 When we asked the Prime Minister's Office for help getting permission, they said NO as well.
 
 E-mail Prime Minister Harper and ask him to allow the National Debt Clock on the Hill.
 
 Finally, send an e-mail to Opposition Leader Michael Ignatieff asking for his help to get the Debt Clock on the Hill.
  
 Let's get this clock on the Hill where every MP can see it and hear the message. Thanks for your support.
  
 --Courtenay, Shannon, Troy and the rest of the team
  
 PS: When we drafted the budget for the debt clock tour, we budgeted for gasoline prices to average $1.05/litre. With the recent unrest in the middle-east, gas prices have spiked, forcing us to dig up some more dollars to cover the costs.  Can you chip in a few bucks to help us get the clock to Halifax?

You are receiving this Issues and Action Update because you have either signed a CTF petition, signed-up through our home page or given a donation. If you do not wish to receive further Action Updates please click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of this message.  Otherwise please add updates@taxpayer.com to your address book.  Our privacy policy can be viewed at http://taxpayer.com/about/privacy-statement. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is Canada's leading non-partisan citizens advocacy group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.

Unsubscribebacktoeden.ontario@gmail.com from this list.

 Our mailing address is:
Canadian Taxpayers Federation105-438 Victoria Ave E
Regina, SKS4N 0N7

Add us to your address book

 Copyright (C) 2011 Canadian Taxpayers Federation All rights reserved.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your profile 

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

smile-on getting old

2011-03-09T07:26:00.001-05:00

Getting Old

- Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it wascalled witchcraft. Today, it's called golf.

- Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your ageand start bragging about it.

- The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

- Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want topeople to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way andsome of the roads weren't paved.

- How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?

- When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, thinkof Algebra.

- You know you are getting old when everything either dries up orleaks.

- One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it issuch a nice change from being young.

- One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.

- Ahh, being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

- Old age is when former classmates are so gray and wrinkled and bald,they don't recognize you.

- If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything tolaugh at when you are old.

- First you forget names, then you forget faces. Then you forget topull up your zipper, then...Oh, my goodness, you forgot to pull yourzipper down!

- If you jog in a jogging suit, lounge in lounging pajamas, and smokein a smoking jacket, WHY would anyone want to wear a windbreaker??

And best of all...

- I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Fwd: FAIR News Release: New Facebook page: "No More Ouimets"

2011-03-08T14:44:00.001-05:00

New Facebook page: "No More Ouimets"

Canadians who are upset at the half-million dollar payout to former integrity commissioner Christiane Ouimet now have a place to register their feelings. The whistleblower organization FAIR (Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform) has created a Facebook page entitled "No More Ouimets".

David Hutton, the creator of the page, says there are two main messages. The first message is 'We want our money back!'

"There's no possible justification for such largesse with our tax dollars," says Hutton, "especially when the recipient was under investigation for serious misconduct. The government should also sanction Ouimet to the full extent permitted by the law, for her non-performance and misconduct in office."

The second message is 'Fix this anti-corruption agency and make it work!'

"This fiasco reinforces the need for an agency to investigate and expose government misconduct – and to protect courageous whistleblowers who come forward. That's what the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner was supposed to do. The government must commit to rebuilding this agency and making it work, with new legislation and a new commissioner."

The Facebook page can be seen here:

No More Ouimets: Integrity and Whistleblower Potection in Ottawa

Visitors can also send an email to Prime Minister Harper and the other party leaders.

David Hutton
Executive Director, FAIR
Contact: 613-567-1511

About FAIR

Federal Accountability Initiative for Reform (FAIR) promotes integrity and accountability within government by empowering employees to speak out without fear of reprisal when they encounter wrongdoing. Our aim is to support legislation and management practices that will provide effective protection for whistleblowers and hence occupational free speech in the workplace. FAIR is a registered Canadian charity.

FAIR is a volunteer-run charity with slender resources. If you feel that our work is worth supporting, please consider making a donation.

Unsubscribe from this newsletter

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Insight on life and the risk

2011-03-08T07:07:00.001-05:00

Live Life to the fullest take the risk

William Arthur Ward expressed it so poetically:

To Risk

"To laugh is to risk appearing a fool,
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another is to risk involvement,
To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To place your ideas and dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss.
To love is to risk not being loved in return,
To live is to risk dying,
To hope is to risk despair,
To try is to risk failure.
But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow,
But he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or live.
Chained by his servitude he is a slave who has forfeited all freedom.
Only a person who risks is free.
The pessimist complains about the wind;
The optimist expects it to change;
And the realist adjusts the sails."

As another has said, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The timid soul asks, 'What do I stand to lose if I do it?' The fruit-bearing Christian asks, 'What do I stand to lose if I don't do it?' Real life is lived on the cutting edge."

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

New definitions for a smile

2011-03-07T09:55:00.000-05:00

New Office Vocabulary

Essential NEW WORDS FOR 2004 editions for the work-place vocabulary:

BLAMESTORMING

Sitting around in a group, discussing why a deadline was missed or aproject failed, and who was responsible.

CUBE FARM

An office filled with cubicles.

PRAIRIE DOGGING

When someone yells or drops something loudly in a cube farm, andpeople's heads pop up over the walls to see what's going on. (Thisalso applies to applause from a promotion because there may be cake.)

MOUSE POTATO

The on-line, wired generation's answer to the couch potato.

STRESS PUPPY

A person who seems to thrive on being stressed out and whiny.

XEROX SUBSIDY

Euphemism for swiping free photocopies from one's workplace.

PERCUSSIVE MAINTENANCE

The fine art of whacking an electronic device to get it to work again.

ADMINISPHERE

The organizational layers beginning just above the rank and file.Decisions that fall from the "adminisphere" are often profoundlyinappropriate or irrelevant to the problems they were designed tosolve. This is often affiliated with the dreaded "administrivia" -needless paperwork and processes.

404

Someone who's clueless. From the World Wide Web error message "404 NotFound," meaning that the requested document could not be located.

OHNOSECOND

That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you've justmade a BIG mistake (e.g. you've hit 'reply all').

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Knights renewal retreat

2011-03-05T10:01:00.001-05:00

Brothers

Please put this weekend on your calendar and circulate among your membership!

Council 7969, Stoney Creek, invites all males, (Knights and friends) to join us (approx. 25) and make your own car pool to the Augustinian Monastery north of Toronto.

It starts on Friday, March 25th register, get your room assigned, and get settle in, before 6pm. Attend a welcoming at 7pm, and an opening talk at 8:30pm.

Sat. March 26th 8:15am prayers in chapel, breakfast, conference, stations, presentations, group discussions, reconciliation, video, exposition and adoration till midnight. Finally, Sunday, March 27th morning prayers at 7:30am, breakfast, mass in Our Lady of Grace Shrine at 9am, visit to the Shrine gift shop, retreat closure and benediction in Chapel, lunch at 12 noon then farewell and departure.

The cost is by a donation of what you can afford (weekend and meals is worth $150).

Your donation is eligible for a complete income tax receipt.

Accommodation is Spartan private style with one and two bedrooms.

Bathrooms at end of hallways. Ground and 1st floor rooms available.

Meals are great! They are prepared by Mexican Nuns, Augustinian Sisters of Good Council.

It is an uplifting weekend that recharges those that attend!

Check this link: http://www.marylakemonastery.com/

Marylake Retreat Centre

P.O. Box 550

13760 Keele St., King City, Ont., L7B 1A7

ph 905-833-3239

fax 905-833-2515

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Smile if you agree

2011-03-04T10:55:00.001-05:00

10 Commandments of Marriage
Commandment 1. Marriages are made in heaven. But so again are thunder and lightning.

Commandment 2. If you want your wife to listen and pay strict attention to every word you say, talk in your sleep.

Commandment 3. Marriage is grand -- and divorce is at least 100 grand!

Commandment 4. Married life is very frustrating. In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the woman listens. In the second year, the woman speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they both speak and the neighbors listen.

Commandment 5. When a man opens the door of his car for his wife, you can be sure of one thing: Either the car is new or the wife is.

Commandment 6. Marriage is when a man and woman become as one; The trouble starts when they try to decide which one.

Commandment 7. Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something you say. After marriage, he will fall asleep before you finish.

Commandment 8. Every man wants a wife who is beautiful, understanding, economical, and a good cook. But the law allows only one wife.

Commandment 9. Marriage and love are purely matter of chemistry. That is why wife treats husband like toxic waste.

Commandment 10. A man is incomplete until he is married. After that, he is finished..

Bonus Commandment story. A long married couple came upon a wishing well. The wife leaned over, made a wish and threw in a penny. The husband decided to make a wish too. But he leaned over too much, fell into the well, and drowned.

The wife was stunned for a moment but then smiled, "It really works!"

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Church bulletin bloopers..smile

2011-02-20T15:40:00.001-05:00

Brothers-Thank you for the support of the St Joe"s elevator fundraising event today -here are some smiles

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.

The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, "Break Forth Into Joy."

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.

The eighth graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

Thursday night Potluck Supper. Prayer and medication to follow.

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

Don't let worry kill you, the church can help.

This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.

Thursday at 5:00 pm there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All wishing to become little mothers, please see the minister.

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

The ladies of the church have cast off clothing of every kind and they may be seen in the church basement Friday.

Announcement in the church bulletin for a National PRAYER & FASTING Conference: "The cost for attending the Fasting and Prayer conference includes meals."

During the absence of our Pastor, we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when J.F. Stubbs supplied our pulpit.

The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.

This evening at 7 P.M. there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

"Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

good advice

2011-02-19T12:04:00.001-05:00

If You Had to Do it All Over Again ...
Zig Ziglar

If you had it to do all over again ...

This question is frequently asked of people after they've reached a certain age in life. One unknown father gave the question some serious thought and came up with some answers I believe have a lot of merit:

1. "I would love my wife more in front of my children," simply meaning he would speak more words of affection, hold her hand more, put his arm around her more and hug her more.

2. "I would laugh with my children more at our mistakes and joys." Laughter breeds happiness, and a happy home has far fewer problems.

3. "I would listen more, even to the smallest child." It is amazing what little ones can teach us as those "pearls of wisdom" often come tumbling out.

4. "I would be more honest about my own weaknesses and stop pretending perfection." Kids know we are not perfect, and it's comforting to them to know we can acknowledge our humanness.

5. "I would pray differently for my family. Instead of focusing on them, I'd focus on me." After all, that's really where it starts.

6. "I would do more things together with my children." We repeatedly hear about fathers who get too busy to spend precious moments walking, talking, playing, shopping, fishing, cycling, etc., with their children. That's where bonding takes place.

7. "I would be more encouraging and bestow more praise." It is said that encouragement is the fuel of hope. And praise, particularly for effort, brings about even more effort in the future.

8. "I would pay more attention to little things, deeds and words of love and kindness." When you add all those little things up over a lifetime, they make a huge difference.

9. "I would share God more intimately with my family through ordinary things that happen in a day."

This unknown father has some marvelous lessons we can all use. Take his approach, and I'll see you at the top!

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Freedom of religion food for tjought

2011-02-15T08:02:00.001-05:00

Daily Encounter by
Richard (Dick) Innes of ACTS International...

Please be a missionary and:
1. To forward Daily Encounter to friends CLICK HERE
    and then on the  button.
2. To become a People Power for Jesus Partner:
    CLICK HERE
3. To receive the TEXT edition of Daily Encounter rather
    than this HTML edition with pictures, CLICK HERE.
4. See Weekend Encounter ... without charge every
    weekend: quotes, humor, practical tips. For the
    current edition CLICK HERE.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

1. Freedom of Religion Vs Freedom of Worship

"We [the High Priest] gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!"¹

In his weekly American News Commentary Jerry Beavan wrote, "We pointed out that since November, 2009, Mr. Xxxxx and his people have been using the term "Freedom of Worship," instead of the traditional "Freedom of Religion" as provided in the United States Constitution. In 2009, two clergymen, Dr. Gary Dull and Rev. David Kistler, announced in Washington the formation of The Faith and Freedom Institute (TFFI), to stress the Christian principles which have made America great. . . . TFFI points out that "Freedom of Worship" would force people to practice their faith behind closed doors."²

"Freedom of Worship" can be extremely deceptive in that it can totally eliminate "Freedom of Religion." Freedom of worship means we would be free to worship as we please in the privacy of our own home but not necessarily anywhere else. Furthermore, without freedom of religion preaching against certain behaviors that God's Word condemns and calls sin, could be labeled as hate crimes and, as such, be punishable by law that could include a prison term. Freedom of worship could, in time, prohibit the preaching of the Gospel and Word of God in churches and in any public place or arena throughout the country.

Be not deceived, politicians can be extremely gifted in the use of words to deny reality and deceive the masses. The thin end of the wedge for controlling what churches can or cannot preach in the years ahead is already being forged.

Recently I received an email message from a young man in a Muslim country where there is no freedom of religion. This fellow wanted to know how he could pray to Jesus, telling me that if he got caught, he would get his throat slit. For Muslims, praying means praying out loud and often in public. So I told him that he could safely pray to Jesus in the privacy of his own dwelling if he were alone, or just in the quiet of his mind and heart.

With the ever increasing anti-Christian attitude by so many here in North America wanting to get rid of God and every vestige of Christianity from the public arena, if/when we are forbidden to speak out against and/or preach the full council of God's Word, will we, like the disciples of Jesus also say, "We must obey God rather than men" and be willing to pay the consequences?

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

smile for those who take life very seriously

2011-02-15T07:59:00.001-05:00

Thoughts For Those Who Take Life Too Seriously

1. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
2. A day without sunshine is like, night
3. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
4. I just got lost in thought. It wasn't familiar territory.
5. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
6. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
7. I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
8. Honk if you love peace and quiet.
9. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
10. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
11. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
12. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.
13 I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.
14. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
15. Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7 of your week.
16. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
17. Save the whales. Collect the whole set.
18. Get a new car for your spouse. It'll be a great trade!
19. Plan to be spontaneous tomorrow.
20. Always try to be modest, and be proud of it!
21. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
22. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand...
23. OK, so what's the speed of dark?
24. How do you tell when you're out of invisible ink?
25. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
26. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
27. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
28. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.
29. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
30. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
31. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
32. What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
33. I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out.
34. I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.
35. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?
36. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened.
37 Just remember - if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.
38. Light travels faster than sound. That is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

why competition works - restrictions often fail -worth a read

2011-02-11T10:21:00.001-05:00

history shows that regulated solutions do not always work

http://www.fcpp.org/publication.php/3544

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Helpful senior texting short cuts -smile

2011-02-10T10:01:00.001-05:00

ATD: At The Doctor's

BFF: Best Friend Farted

BTW: Bring The Wheelchair

BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth

CUATSC: See You At The Senior Center

DWI: Driving While Incontinent

FWIW: Forgot Where I Was
FYI: Found Your Insulin

GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker Battery Low!

GHA: Got Heartburn Again

HGBM: Had Good Bowel Movement

LMDO: Laughing My Dentures Out

LOL: Living On Lipitor

LWO: Lawrence Welk's On

OMMR: On My Massage Recliner

OMSG: Oh My! Sorry, Gas.

ROFL...CGU: Rolling On The Floor Laughing...

Can't Get Up

SGGP: Sorry, Gotta Go Poop

TTYL: Talk To You Louder

WAITT: Who Am I Talking To?

WTFA: Wet The Furniture Again

WTP: Where's The Prunes?

WWNO: Walker Wheels Need Oil

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

De rat the race please

2011-02-09T19:16:00.001-05:00

The Days of Bridge and Leisure -- Why Not Again?
Chris Durst and Michael Haaren

Many Americans have been justifiably demoralized by record unemployment and "underemployment" rates. And experts are predicting that we may never reach pre-recession employment levels.

Such news makes the 1990s sound positively magnifique. But let's step back a few more years and see what we've really left behind and what we might aim for even yet.

BASELINE: THE 1950s

As many boomers can testify, the 1950s were pretty good years, money-wise. Dad drove a new car to a stable job from the new house in the new suburb, and the average commute was well under an hour. Mom didn't have to work outside the home if she didn't want to.

There was leisure , too. (Remember that word? Sounds like Middle English, now.) On the weekends, people played bridge. In 1958, Charles Goren, a famous bridge player, appeared on the cover of Time. Bridge was "America's No. 1 Card Game." Goren had a TV show and a column in Sports Illustrated. No skimpy swimsuit, just plain cards. People played golf and tennis. They joined country clubs. They dressed up and went to "cocktail parties."

Now, it all sounds like the Russian nobility, kicking up their heels before the Bolshevik Revolution.

FAST FORWARD TO 2011

If you're driving a new car these days, that guy in the rearview mirror with the tattooed pate and intent look on his face is probably a repo man (followed by a reality TV crew).

And if you expect to have a lifelong job, you may have just tumbled out of a flying saucer and haven't woken up yet. (In distant galaxies, the 1950s may still prevail.)

If you commute an hour each way, count your blessings. In northern Virginia recently, with a bit of snow on the road, it took Mike eight and a half hours to drive 9 miles. Some drivers took 13 hours to cover their 20-mile commute.

Bridge? A reckless few might play solitaire on their computers at work now and then (if they've still got a job). But it's awfully hard to imagine someone coming home from a 60-hour week working three part-time jobs to spend their four remaining minutes of free weekend time joyfully relaxing with complex statistical calculations and strategic hypotheses. You might as well go back to work or help your kids with algebra.

For our part, we haven't been to any cocktail parties or country clubs lately, though that's not to say we wouldn't go if invited (if we could find the time or the energy; or maybe we'd send an avatar). Some people still play golf and tennis -- though the recession has hurt these industries, too. But it's much cheaper and more convenient to pick up a Wii controller and play on the screen. And you might actually cajole your partner or an offspring into joining you, too, and spend some precious time together.

FAST FORWARD TO 2021

Times have changed again. But now, people are working from home as often as they like, and when they walk down the street for lunch, they meet their neighbors and have a meal together.

The choice of jobs and occupations is much broader and more interesting than it used to be, because employers don't have to be local. With advanced videoconferencing and other communications, you can interact realistically with anyone just about anywhere.

The workweek has receded to reasonable levels, because younger workers finally drew the line and refused to accept their parents' crushing schedules. Many have gone into business for themselves, rediscovering the entrepreneurial drive that used to be a signal trait of the American spirit.

And now we have bridge, too. If not the card game, something even better -- a bridge to a better life.

Christine Durst and Michael Haaren are leaders in the work-at-home movement and advocates of de-rat-raced living.

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations

Interesting mystery explained

2011-02-04T19:52:00.001-05:00

The Economics of Sex

Basic economic theory holds that demand goes up when price goes down. The authors of the new book Spousonomics explain how to apply this to improving your sex life.

Look Hot, Feel Cold

How turning down the thermostat in winter may help make you skinnier (not to mention making your heating bill cheaper).

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group

-a positive community affirmative action group that promotes goodwill and
timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well
being of Brant Brantford and Six Nations

apology is the right thing to do

2011-02-02T14:09:00.001-05:00

New Orleans diocese posts slave records
NEW ORLEANS (UPI) -- Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans
apologized for the Catholic Church's role in slavery Tuesday as he
released a database of early records.

The archdiocese launched the Internet database, which includes
thousands of baptisms and weddings at St. Louis Cathedral between 1777
and 1801, the (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported. Archivist Emilie
Leumas said the archdiocese hopes to put all its colonial-era records
from 1718 to 1812, when Louisiana became part of the United States, on
line by next year.

Aymond said Tuesday was selected for release of the first records
because it is the beginning of Black History Month. He said he wanted
to recognize the role played by slaves and free blacks in the history
of the church and the church's own record as a slave owner.

Aymond pointed out that the records for slaves do not use family
names, stripping them of some of their humanity -- and also making
21st-century genealogical searches more difficult.

"I apologize in the name of the church because we allowed some of
these things to continue. This is sinful. Racism is sinful," he said.

Brant Positive Action Group <https://sites.google.com/site/bpagsiegholle> -a
positive community affirmative action group that promotes goodwill and
timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well
being of Brant Brantford and Six Nations

Wisdom and the reality of Retarded Grandparents?

2011-02-01T11:19:00.001-05:00

-Priceless wisdom from the innocent on growing old

* RETARDED GRANDPARENTS

Written by a third grader, on what his grandparents do.

After Christmas, a teacher asked her young pupils how they spent their
holiday away from school.
\*

*One child wrote the following:

We always used to spend the holidays with Grandma and Grandpa. They
used to live in a big brick house, but Grandpa got retarded and they moved
to **Arizona** . *

* Now they live in a tin box and have rocks painted green to look like
grass. They ride around on their bicycles, and wear name tags, because they
don't know who they are anymore.*

* They go to a building called a wreck center, but they must have got it
fixed because it is all okay now, they do exercises there, but they don't do
them very well. *

*There is a swimming pool too, but they all jump up and down in it with hats
on. At their gate, there is a doll house with a little old man sitting in
it. He watches all day so nobody can escape. Sometimes they sneak out, and
go cruising in their golf carts. Nobody there cooks, they just eat out.
And, they eat the same thing every night - early birds. *

*Some of the people can't get out past the man in the doll house. The ones
who do get out, bring food back to the wrecked center for pot luck.*

* My Grandma says that Grandpa worked all his life to earn his retardment
and, says I should work hard so I can be retarded someday too. *

*When I earn my retardment, I want to be the man in the doll house. Then I
will let people out, so they can visit their grandchildren.

PRICELESS

Why? This is a good question?

2011-01-29T14:39:00.001-05:00

> Subject: Why?
>
>
>
>
> A young Arab asks his father, "What is that weird hat you are wearing?"
>
> The father said, "Why, it's a 'chechia' because in the desert it protects our heads from the sun."
>
> "And what is this type of clothing that you are wearing?" asked the young man.
>
> "It's a 'djbellah' because in the desert it is very hot and it protects your body." said the father.
>
> The son asked, "And what about those ugly shoes on your feet?
>
> His father replied, "These are 'babouches", which keep us from burning our feet when in the desert."
>
> "Tell me," added the boy.
>
> "Yes, my son?"
>
> "Why are you living in Dearborn, Michigan and you're still wearing all this shit?"
>
>
>
>
>
>
> =======
> Email scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found.
> (Email Guard: 7.0.0.18, Virus/Spyware Database: 6.16790)
> http://www.pctools.com
> =======
>
>
>
>
>
>
> =======
> Email scanned by PC Tools - No viruses or spyware found.
> (Email Guard: 7.0.0.18, Virus/Spyware Database: 6.16790)
> http://www.pctools.com
> =======

--
Hollecrest & Associates
Inc<http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975>
-"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge <http://sites.google.com/site/sunridgelodge> "Back to Eden"
quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

How to be a true friend and brother- here is the gold

2011-01-27T09:49:00.001-05:00

years ago how a friend said that some people are "cursed with the
affliction to give advice." I had no idea what he meant. Sure sounded
strange to me. Now I understand. He was talking about unsolicited
advice; that is, giving advice where it is neither asked for nor
wanted.

According to Webster's Dictionary, people "offering unwanted advice or
services" are officious. I think that word is close to "obnoxious."
Such advice can be thinly veiled criticism.

I'm not talking about going to a lawyer, an accountant, a car
mechanic, or whatever when we need professional advice. What I'm
talking about is when we share our struggles and feelings with a
friend and they have a compulsion to tell us what we should or
shouldn't do, or how we should or shouldn't feel. They are in fact
putting us down in that they are assuming that they know our needs and
understand our situation better than we do ourselves.

Even when some people want advice about a personal issue, it is more
effective not to give it to them, but help them come up with their own
options and solutions.

A good counselor doesn't tell people what they should or shouldn't do.
He helps them see for themselves what they need to do.

What I want from a friend when I am feeling in the pits, is someone to
listen to me with their heart, to give me their presence, and accept
me as I am, and let me know that they care—not try to fix me—or
someone who will weep with me when I weep. Such friends may be rare
but they are worth their weight in gold.

Get real -interesting thoughts on apathy and the phony facade

2011-01-25T10:35:00.003-05:00

Everyone's challenge - organizational or individual apathy,denial

Apathy is just one of our problems. While we all struggle with various problems to one degree or another, my personal belief—either rightly or wrongly—is that our biggest problem is that of denial; that is, being unreal (avoiding the truth about ourselves). We hide our true feelings and motives behind a facade or mask of busyness, intellectualism, performance, success, achievement, religiosity, saccharine sweetness, rationalization, belligerence, control of others, addictive behaviors, superficiality, over- conscientiousness, self-righteousness, aggressiveness, satirical humor, shyness, a negative critical attitude, and any one of a hundred or more other ways—including apathy.

Some of us who say we stand on the Word of God actually hide behind it. Ironically we use God's Truth as a defense to avoid facing the truth about ourselves. Controlling, dictatorial religious leaders do this. They hide their deep insecurities behind a façade of theological rigidity, super-spirituality, and/or authoritarianism—and deny that they are in denial.

Sadly, people living in denial don't recognize what authenticity is and, in fact, are threatened by it. They may withdraw from authentic people. For others, it "rattles the cage" of their phony facade and, when they are in denial, they tend to shout all the louder and get even more belligerent, or become very defensive.

--

Hollecrest & Associates Inc -"Turnaround Consultants" .

Sunridge Lodge "Back to Eden" quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -

Brant Positive Action Group -a positive community affirmative action group that promotes goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant Brantford and Six Nations

Get real -interesting thoughts on apathy and the phony facade

2011-01-25T10:35:00.001-05:00

Everyone's challenge - organizational or individual apathy,denial

Inspirational video from Jason Nelligan for your comment and thoughts -pass it on please

2011-01-24T12:29:00.001-05:00

Here is a video made by Jason and Paul in relation to a death in Jason's council. They have worked extremely hard on this and as a result it is extremely well done and provides a great message that need's to be shared will all our members. Feel free to show it.

The boys have asked for your comments on it.

Click on this link to watch the video on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhvasyW0aNw

--

- Brant Knights of Columbus Free throw

2011-01-24T11:52:00.001-05:00

Brant Knights of Columbus Free throw was a successful event-good fraternity,good sportsmanship with many smiling faces . Well done one for the community

You are invited to view s's photo album: Brant Knights of Columbus

Brant Knights of Columbus

Brantford -

Oct 22, 2009
by s

Photos of Knights -people and events

View Album
Play slideshow
Contribute photos to this album

Message from s:

Brant Knights of Columbus Free throw 2011

If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=BacktoEden.Ontario&target=ALBUM&id=5395386357745558353&authkey=Gv1sRgCJHW4u6Zt4jH7gE&feat=email

To share your photos or receive notification when your friends share photos, get your own free Picasa Web Albums account.

Food forthought is technology killing jobs

2011-01-21T09:48:00.001-05:00

Great for consumers bad for busines?

Three Ways Technology Is Killing Businesses Cliff Ennico

It's been more than 30 years now since the first personal computers, and more than 15 years since the Internet, gave us all a digital life. Who today can remember what it was like to do business in the days before e-mail, PowerPoint, laptops, BlackBerries, iPhones, iPods, iPads, mobile apps, Facebook and Twitter?

Today's technology is truly a marvel -- all the information in the world in your hands, at any time. But it is making it harder for businesses to make an honest buck.

Proposition No. 1: The Internet Is Killing Jobs. Back in the 1970s, if you ran a billion-dollar (in sales) corporation, you needed hundreds if not thousands of midlevel executives running around, managing the systems that made those complicated business models possible. Many of those employees were duplicating effort, providing checks and balances to ensure that all of the key functions were executed properly and correctly.

Today's information technology solutions have made most of those people obsolete. With the right technology solutions, a billion-dollar (in sales) corporation can be run by fewer than 100 full-time employees.

Think I'm kidding? In 2008, YouTube.com was acquired by Google in a $1.65 billion transaction. At the time, YouTube.com had only 72 full-time employees.

By doing complicated tasks effectively, quickly and with 100 percent accuracy, the Internet enables today's executives to perform tasks in a few minutes that used to take a team of employees days to accomplish. Great for productivity, but lousy for the employment picture.

Greater efficiency and productivity kills jobs. A famous British advertisement of the 1980s showed a photo of several angry-looking factory workers wielding sledgehammers, baseball bats and other weapons of mass destruction, over the caption "The lads would like to have a word with the new computer." While the information technology industry has created some jobs, these are dwarfed by the number of jobs lost to technology in traditional industrial and manufacturing companies.

Proposition No. 2: Technology Turns Everything into a Commodity. Today's technology creates a world of "perfect information," especially for those too lazy to spend time comparing prices. I just read about a new mobile phone application that will tell you exactly where you can find the lowest price for just about any piece of brand-name merchandise.

Great for consumers, but think about it from a retailer's perspective. When you can see competitive prices at a glance, and can order the items electronically in "real time" for instant gratification, why in a million years would you choose anything but the lowest price? Retailers who provide greater service to their customers and accordingly cannot discount to the lowest levels a Walmart, Amazon.com or Costco can are bound to suffer. People will visit these retailers to do their research, learn more about the available options, make their decision, then go online and buy the item elsewhere for the greatest possible discount.

One of the great myths of small business is that customers will actually pay more for better, more personalized service. Baloney. People want the service, but they also want everyday low prices.

Someone -- I think a famous economist -- once said that "in a world of perfect information, everything would sell for exactly one penny over cost." Many traditional retailers have relied on the unavailability of perfect information to inflate their prices on the assumption that people are too busy or basically lazy to engage in aggressive price comparison. The Internet, by making comparative price information instantly available, will force all retailers to congregate at the bottom of the market, turning virtually all products and services into "commodities" that compete only on price.

Proposition No. 3: Technology Is Killing Margins By Eliminating "Barriers to Entry." It costs a lot of money to publish a book in print format. There's the cost of paper and ink, the bindings, the cover design, the shrink-wrap, the author's royalty, shipping, warehousing and fulfillment, yada, yada.

By comparison, it costs hardly anything to publish a book in electronic format. You get the manuscript from the author, you edit it and lay it out in the appropriate e-book format, post it on your website, and people pay to download perfect, identical copies that live only in cyberspace.

Great for the reading public and wonderful for the environment, except for one thing: Can you realistically charge more than a few pennies for each download when your production costs are so low?

A quick look at Stephen King's books on Amazon.com shows that his e-books sell for a significant discount from his hardcovers and paperbacks. What's interesting is that the e-book prices are only 25 percent to 30 percent (on average) lower than the printed book prices. That won't last, especially for authors who don't have the industry clout King has.

By minimizing production costs and other "barriers to entry" generally, today's technology is also erasing margins. Once something can be produced for pennies, in a competitive market, it becomes impossible to sell them for dollars. Unless, of course, you have a monopoly (for example, patented technology or exclusive rights to a popular author's novels) and can charge whatever you like.

No wonder there's such a ruckus about the future of copyright protection in the publishing world ...

--

In challenging times do not quit- tough it out

2011-01-18T09:17:00.001-05:00

A little motivation for everyone

If you feel like giving up and quitting, perhaps the following poem will encourage you to hang in, hang on, but never hang up when the going gets tough.

Don't Quit

    When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
    When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
    When the funds are low and the debts are high,
    And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
    When care is pressing you down a bit,
    Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
    Life is strange with its twists and turns,
    As every one of us sometimes learns,
    And many a failure turns about
    When he might have won had he stuck it out.
    Don't give up though the pace seems slow –
    You may succeed with another blow!
    Success is failure turned inside out –
    The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
    And you never can tell just how close you are,
    It may be near when it seems so far.
    So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit–
    It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.2

I also like a quote that Robert Schuller has used: "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Or as the title of one of his books says, Tough Times Never Last. Tough People Do.

--

3 Anglican bishops become Catholic priests

2011-01-17T19:48:00.001-05:00

LONDON (UPI) -- Three former Church of England bishops were ordained Saturday morning as Roman Catholic priests after being received into the church, media reports said.

The three were the first Anglican clergy to join the Ordinariate, set up by Catholic Pope Benedict XVI to provide a home for traditionalist Anglicans, The Daily Telegraph reported. Under Vatican rules, married Anglican clergy can become Catholic priests but not bishops.

Archbishop Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, presided over the ceremony at Westminster Cathedral in London.

"Many ordinations have take place in this cathedral during the 100 years of its history. But none quite like this," Nichols said in his homily. "Today is a unique occasion marking a new step in the life and history of the Catholic Church."

The three new Catholic priests are John Broadhurst, former bishop of Fulham, Keith Newton, who was bishop of Richborough, and Andrew Burnham, former bishop of Ebbsfleet. Newton told the BBC he expects as many as 50 Anglican priests to join the Ordinariate. It will function as a kind of diocese for ex-Anglicans in England and Wales.

Major sticking points for traditionalist Anglicans include the ordination of women, their possible consecration as bishops and the role of openly gay clergy in the church.

Priests who convert will lose their stipends. Churches and other real estate will remain the property of the Church of England, and some members of conservative parishes are likely to stay in the Church of England.

--

Is stress the new status symbol? a worthy read

2011-01-12T23:20:00.001-05:00

Is Stress the New Rolex? Chris Durst and Michael Haaren

"I've been working so many hours that my kids would probably call 911 to report a break-in if I came home when they were still awake."

We actually overheard a woman say this laughingly to a friend at a cafe a few weeks ago.

We were taken aback by the note of pride in the speaker's voice. After all, why would you be proud that you never see your children? You can imagine our surprise when her friend responded not with a tip on how she might slow down, but she instead answered with a clear attempt at one-upmanship.

"I hear you," she said loudly. "Jim has started sleeping in the guest room because he says I wake him up when I come in after working late -- and not for the right reasons! Ha Ha!"

And so it went back and forth, a volley of "my stress is bigger than your stress" remarks, until they picked up to leave.

The tone reminded us of those cocktail-party conversations in which the newly affluent "casually" drop details of their new car, "bespoke" clothes or exotic vacation, all while shooting freshly-monogrammed cuffs or scarring your cornea with a 5-pound gold watch launched from a well-tanned wrist.

A NEW TREND SWEEPING THE LAND?

Suspecting a new trend, we noted several similar conversations in the weeks ahead -- between businessmen at an airport, businesswomen, stay-at-home moms (an interesting joust involving who is taxiing the children around more), teachers and even a few college students. Yes, it indeed seems that stress is the new status symbol.

TAKE OUR STRESSED-OUT STATUS TEST

With so many projects, violin lessons and people harrying every Tom, Dick and Harry, we thought it might be helpful to put together a little test so that you, too, can see where you stand on the Stressed-Out Status Scale.

Give yourself one point for each of the following statements you agree with:

-- "I am too stressed to sleep at night without the assistance of a sleep aid." (Two-point bonus if the sleep aid requires a prescription.)

-- "I sleep fewer than four hours a night." (Ten-point bonus if you've eliminated sleep from your life entirely.)

-- "Within the past three months, I have missed a significant family event due to work or a similar obligation." (Three-point bonus if it involved breaking a promise to one of your children.)

-- "I text during family meals." (Two-point bonus if you don't have time for family meals.)

-- "PTA, school plays and church/synagogue/mosque are wonderful business networking opportunities." (Five bonus points if you have children and don't know what "PTA" is.)

-- "I regularly arrive late at day care to pick up my child(ren)." (Two-point bonus if you're charged for overtime and still can't get there punctually. Five-point bonus if Child Protective Services has been called at least once.)

-- "My dog is beyond uncomfortable when I finally get home to walk him." (Two-point bonus for each "accident" in the past six months.)

-- "I have no time for a love life." (Twenty bonus points if you don't know what "love life" means.)

-- "My social life has dried up and disappeared." (One bonus point if you never had one to begin with.)

-- "I am busier than all of my friends." (Three-point bonus if you're so busy that you've lost your friends.)

-- "I need at least three energy drinks to get me through the day." (One-point bonus if drinks are non-FDA approved.)

SCORING YOUR STATUS

If you scored 10 or more, you've achieved certified upwardly-mobile stressed-out status. If you scored 20 or more, you're a certified stressed-out VIP.

We'd congratulate you, but we're too busy.

--

Six principles- Good helping thoughts for 2011

2011-01-12T10:20:00.001-05:00

.Six principles on Fully Living— "Jesus wept."1 reprint

In this, our final part in this series on "Fully Living—Fully Loving," we ask the question, how do we remove the barriers in our life that hinder or block our learning how to fully live and fully love?

First, we need to recognize that we have a problem—and admit it. As long as we deny the truth about ourselves, there is no healing or recovery. So I need to admit, "I have a problem. I need help."

Second, read good books, listen to CDs and tapes, attend classes, seminars and retreats that deal with personal growth and recovery. Learn all you can but, remember, intellectual knowledge doesn't produce healing or recovery, it just helps to understand our problem and know how and where to look for help.

Third, realize that we get damaged in damaged relationships and get healed in healing relationships. Every one of us—single or married—needs a soul-brother for men or a soul-sister for women. That is, we need someone who won't judge us, put us down, try to fix us or give us unsolicited advice—someone with whom we feel totally safe so we can be totally open and honest, and feel free to share our deepest emotions (negative as well as positive), as well as our joys, sorrows, successes, sins and failures and thus be known for who we truly are—warts and all.

We all need someone who knows us fully and loves and accepts us exactly as we are. This is what frees us to change and begin to experience healing in the deepest parts of our personality. Furthermore, only to the degree that we are known can we ever feel loved. Nobody can love a mask and nobody can ever feel loved who hides behind a mask. As long as we stay in hiding, we can never experience healing and grow to become a whole and loving person.

Fourth, if we have deeply repressed emotions we may need, as I did, intense skilled therapy. We each need to find the type of therapy that works for us, and a therapist with whom we can work. What works for me may not work for you and vice-versa. Group therapy can also be very helpful.

Fifth, many of us will need help to learn not only how to get in touch with our feelings, but also how to express them in healthy and creative ways. Learn from the life of Jesus. When he was sad, he wept.1 When he was angry, he expressed his feelings. At times he did this verbally and when he found the money changers ripping people off in the temple, he got a whip and drove them out.2 What we need to remember, however, is to always speak and act the truth in love.

Last and most important of all, learn to put God first in your life and seek his guidance and help for every area of your life. Learn how to pray effectively by praying the right prayers.3 Ask God to confront you with the truth about yourself. If you are serious about this, God will show you; but be prepared because it usually takes pain to break through our defenses. For me personally, only when my pain is greater than my fears am I able to get in touch with my inner pain. Remember as God's Word says, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."4 God's Word also says, "Behold, You [God] desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom."5

If you consistently follow these six principles, you too, will be well on the road to fully living and fully loving

--

Fwd: January Newsletter

2011-01-12T10:15:00.001-05:00

For everyone interest

Please notify us ifyou wish to receive future mail by postdelivery.

Making the rules fair for everyone

2011-01-12T10:06:00.001-05:00

Mortgage Madness

An investigation by the CanadaMortgageNews.ca blog says the penalties for breaking a mortgage are thousands of dollars higher than they should be. Note: the federal government said in the last budget that it will standardize mortgage penalty rules. Sounds like a good chance to crack down on excessive charges.

--

The believe in good religion is proven to help your wellbeing

2011-01-11T16:40:00.001-05:00

Very religious exhibit higher well-being
PRINCETON, N.J. (UPI) -- U.S. adults who say they are very religious
have higher overall well-being than their counterparts who are
moderately religious, a survey indicates.

For this analysis by Gallup, Americans' degree of religiousness is
based on responses to two questions asking about the importance of
religion and church attendance.

The very religious are defined as those to whom religion is an
important part of daily life and attend church, synagogue or mosque
services at least every week or almost every week.

The moderately religious do not fall into the very religious or
non-religious groups but gave valid responses on both religion
questions. The non-religious say religion is not an important part of
daily life and seldom or never attend church, synagogue or mosque
services.

Jews have the highest well-being of any of the faith groups, followed
by atheists/agnostics, Catholics, Mormons, Muslims and Protestants.
However, 55 percent of U.S. Jews were classified as non-religious and
16 percent say they were very religious.

This suggests a well-being benefit to the church-, synagogue- and
mosque-going experience that is independent of religious faith, but
may capitalize on the social aspects of attending services, Gallup
officials say.

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index research is based on an
analysis of more than 372,000 interviews conducted Jan. 2, 2009, to
July 28, 2010. The margin of error is 5 percentage points to 6
percentage points.

--
Hollecrest & Associates
Inc<http://www.ic.gc.ca/ccc/search/cp?l=eng&e=123456239975>
-"Turnaround Consultants" .