God, how could you do this to me???

when the world is falling apart around you.......

clipped from www.inspireme.net The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small,  uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied. It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just may be a smoke signal that summons God.

Senate Reform?????

clipped from www.thechronicleherald.ca Farcical reform Wed. Nov 7 - 4:47 AM TALK is cheap, and especially so when it comes to current plans to reform the much-maligned Senate of Canada. The upper chamber has become the whipping boy for federal politicians. Prime Minister Stephen Harper vows to enact major reforms. A Tory-sponsored bill restricting terms to eight years got bogged down in the Senate; while encouraging provinces to stage Senate elections, with the prime minister making future appointments from the winners, has mostly fallen on deaf ears. Only in Alberta, where calls for Senate reform have been the loudest, have elections been held, producing a list from which Mr. Harper filled a vacancy. Liberals are reluctant to reform a chamber they now control, while New Democrats have just raised the stakes in their crusade to abolish the Senate by calling for a national referendum. "It’s a 19th-century institution that has no place in a modern democracy," Jack Layton told party faithful in Winnipeg on Sunday.

The old girl’s up on the hoist

this piece dose a good job of explaining why the Canadian Senate exists & the political idea of Senate Reform. Well those in power would reform by eliminating the whole roll. I'm not the one to decide the fate of this historic chamber of sober second thought but I'll always stick to the logic "If it ain't broke don't Fix it!"

read more | digg story

Time for Tories to admit immigration failure

This is a story that will be interesting to watch. The opinion in the column is a bit political in nature but the issue involves Millions of tax payers dollars & hundreds of lives

clipped from www.thechronicleherald.ca Time for Tories to admit immigration failure STEPHEN McNEIL LIBERAL PARTY Mon. Nov 12 - 5:27 AM IN 2002 the Conservative government announced a new immigration strategy with much hype and fanfare. The government made the announcement at Pier 21, the historical entry gate for many immigrants. The Provincial Nominee Program, the government said, would give newcomers the opportunity to share in the wonderful quality of life enjoyed by Nova Scotians while providing much-needed employees to many underrepresented professions in the province.

best homelesss sign ever!!!!

This is one I haven't seen in Halifax YET!

clipped from www.pinkbike.com

More history.... from Cape Breton

One of my favorite places in the whole world is the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Badeck, Cape Breton ... The exhibit uzzes with the mans genius ... so many things that we use every day and consider essential came from this mans mind. A visionary, a creator, a business man and a family man its all there to be seen.

clipped from www.capebretonpost.com Mileposts mark century of flying The Cape Breton Post Two anniversaries this week stand as towering signposts to a century past of remarkable technological advances in moving people in very unnatural ways. On Monday, more than 600 Grade 6 students from around Cape Breton gathered at Baddeck to share in events marking the creation 100 years earlier of the Aerial Experiment Association, the group of innovators and daredevils who assembled around Alexander Graham Bell and wife Mabel to undertake the quixotic task of inventing their own airplane. Just 17 months later, Douglas McCurdy flew the most famous of their contraptions, the Silver Dart, across the frozen waters of the Bras d’Or. The centenary of that first controlled powered flight in Canada and the British Empire will be celebrated on Feb. 23, 2009. The 20th century pace of flying machine development was breathtaking. Tomorrow marks 50 years since the launch of Sputnik,

Part of our history

It always amazes me how many 'Firsts' happened in Cape Breton. Growing up in Sydney I often heard the stories told by my grand parents about the 'Italian' and his Tower. When you realize that for my grandparents cross Atlantic voice communication started during their early adulthood & here we are with cell, internet, wireless and u tube. How the world has changed .....

clipped from www.capebretonpost.com 100th anniversary of first transatlantic wireless service celebrated on both sides of the ocean Marconi milestone marked LAURA JEAN GRANT The Cape Breton Post GLACE BAY — A communications achievement that will forever put Cape Breton and Ireland in the history books was commemorated Wednesday on both sides of the ocean. The 100th anniversary of the opening of the first commercial transatlantic wireless service — which began Oct. 17, 1907 between a station in Clifden, Ireland and Guglielmo Marconi’s home and Marconi Towers station in Glace Bay — was celebrated at the same sites with special messages sent between the Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean and the president of Ireland, Mary McAleese. Using Morse code, Sydney Amateur Radio Club member Mike Butler received the message from McAleese and sent a message from Jean to McAleese via radio operators in Ireland, which were then read aloud to the crowd in Glace Bay which consisted of local history buffs, area residents and students.

What dip????

People think in terms of minutes, hours & days....Business runs in weeks, months & years the internet grows in leaps bounds, and sputters ..... a dip in traffic for a site that is still growing exponentially (in most areas) is nothing more than a sputter that will regain its focus, direction and grow ever more dominant.

clipped from blog.adaptiveblue.com When Facebook launched, we all came and played with it. Was it cool? Kind of. What is useful? Sort of. Was it indispensable? Not really. When I am thirsty, I enjoy the first coke can. Then second I enjoy too, but less. The third I can drink, but the forth one is going to burst out. This law is called the law of diminishing marginal utility. And thats why the traffic is down. As I’ve written recently on Read/WriteWeb there are various issues, including the whole information overload bit. But what is at play here, I think, is the simple law of economics. It goes like this: Yes, Facebook is good. Yes, they build the platform. Yes, people are excited. But how much can be excited about it and for how long? I don’t get why people are surprised about Facebook traffic dip. Why Is Everyone Suprised About Facebook Traffic Dip? How many people really need Facebook and want to use it? I know that I am using it, but I am busy and do not want to use it all the time.

Will we ever learn???? Don't think so......

Most of my revenue comes from coaching small business owners and 'freelancers' on the best way to grow their business.... the five points made in this article are key to the failure / success of any business. When your a one man operation it is really quite easy to trip over every one of these issues. Professionalism is key but how do you get there if there is no 'practice makes perfect'?

In large organizations where they have the budget for 'Sales Cycle' training their front end representatives at least get the chance to hear themselves ask the right questions, hear the answer and see what works best for them. The small business or freelancer is forced to use real live clients as training guinea pigs ... an expensive way to learn.

clipped from freelancefolder.com My Top 5 Biggest Freelancing Mistakes You have a right to earn a fair price for your work, and doubly so when you are good at your job and have excellent experience. How do you know if you are underpricing? If you do good work but you never lose a bid then your prices are too low. Most of us will have done this at some point, many of us still do. Money is a difficult subject for a lot of people. While I am better at talking about money now than I was, I still find it an uncomfortable topic. Problem is, while you might not find it easy it is absolutely critical. 1. Under-pricing Every freelancer will have their own stories to tell, here are mine. I hope you find them useful and maybe you will share your own in the comments. It is often said we learn more from mistakes than successes. Sometimes it is nice to learn from another persons goofs rather than your own!

I am Canadian!!

Wednesday, 26. September 2007, 09:07:44


Another Canadian dies in Afghanistan!!!

Soldier believed in Afghan mission
Calgary tank crewman 71st to be killed in Afghanistan

By DENE MOORE The Canadian Press | 5:57 AM

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Before boarding a military flight to Afghanistan last month, Cpl. Nathan Hornburg told a newspaper in his hometown that danger would not deter him.

“It’s more of an argument we should be there — we know it’s a mess and that’s why we’re there,” he told the Calgary Sun in July.

The above was clipped from the front page of the Halifax Herald this morning.

I've long been a believer that there are situations in this world that have to change before we can move on to a better world. 911 aside the reality of Afghanistan has been ignored by the world for decaids. Everyone diserves the right to wake up in a safe home , get the education that best suites their lives, work an honest day for a liveable wage and to grow old in their own world.

When a country breaks down and can't insure those basic rights for its people, we (the rest of the world) should be able to provide whatever support is required to reestablish that platform of stability. That's where the United Nations is supposed to come in but it hasn't been able to perform as a united force for years, far too much internal politics.

Everytime there is a news item that starts with "Another Canadian dies...." I kringe in pain for the family and friends of the fallen but I feel that once we as a country stepped up to the plate and went to help, Canada should be there till the stabliity is re-established and the people of Afghanistan can live and grow as they should.

There is so much good that we can do, as a stabilizer, as a humanitarian force, as a breath of fresh air. There are no short term fixes for a country which has lost its foundation of safety and growth for its population. It takes time; unfortunatly as individuals we measure time in hours, days and weeks but a fundimental change in the lifestyle of a nation has to be measured in years, decaids and centuries.

The termoil in Afghanistan has to end. Until the Canadian forces can put an end to the violance, which for the most part is as a result of outside forces, there will be more unfortunate deaths. One life is far too valuable to come to its end if the goal of safety for the Afghanistan people is not met. The only rationizable justification is that the end of the violence is near and the platform of safety that is so desparatly needed is just around the corner.

As Canadians we should be looking at the situation in Afghanistan to be a long term commitment, moving from the current stage of aggressive force, to a policing action then on to a supportive roll and eventually reaching the goal of a joint venture partner in the health, education, development and growth of a New Afghanistan that comes out of the platform of safety & allowing the people of Afghanistan to determine their own direction; without outside influences from us or any other organization that has alternative goals.

Cpl. Nathan Hornburg may you rest in peace...