Courtesy of autotechs.co.uk

When I bought my first car, a 1976 Camaro with 350 under the hood and dual hemis, I put in a fantastic custom stereo. Little did I expect that every few months my car would be vandalized and my stereo stolen. Now with kill switches and the retail costs of stereos so low by comparison, accessory thieves have moved on to airbags. In my wildest imagination it would have never occurred to me that airbags would be a hot commodity. The kicker is that you could have had your airbag stolen and you wouldn’t even know it. The only way to know for sure is to have your car inspected.

Apparently they can be removed in under two minutes. All that any thief has to do is loosen a few screws under the steering wheel and the airbag conveniently comes out as a complete module, ready for resale. Thieves are getting any where from $100 - $150 per airbag and some enterprising fellows are snatching up to 50 airbags in an evening. You can even buy an airbag on eBay for $150 - $300. In the US the National Insurance Crime Bureau estimated that airbag theft cost Americans $50 million in 2003.

Airbags have been mandatory in Canada since 1997. They can only be used once so after your airbag has been deployed, you need a new one. The cost of a factory replacement will run around $2,000, so it is very attractive for mechanics to buy a stolen airbag for $100 - $300, bill the customer for a new one at $2,000 and make a tidy profit. The danger is that there is no way to know if the airbag was damaged and if it will deploy in an accident.

What can we do about this? Let’s follow the lead of New York State and enact anti-airbag theft laws that dictate that all airbag deployments must be listed on both police and insurance accident reports, and all replacement airbag serial numbers must be listed on repair invoices.

Courtesy of Prince of Wales School

I had never heard of a school without written tests and homework, except for those few alternative schools that operate outside of the mainstream, until I recently read about the Prince of Wales elementary school in Barrie. This new style of teaching is referred to as transactional, or working together as opposed to the old style of teaching that most of us know, now referred to as transmissional, where teachers simply impart information.

The whole environment of the classroom is transactional and the new style of learning is cooperative and collaborative. The desks are not all in a row with the short kids in the front and the taller kids farther back. The teacher does not sit at a desk in the front of the classroom. Students sit where ever and how ever they please, on the floor or at desks, working alone or in groups. The teacher moves about the room talking to students about their work and giving them instant feedback.

The Canadian Education Association reports that only about 1/3 of 32,000 students across the country, from Grades 5 to 12, are interested in class. That’s a dreadful statistic. These new transactional schools are looking for ways to interest students in learning and are trying things like forgoing the classics in favour of graphic novels and accepting a voice recorded essay instead of a written one. Some schools are even allowing older students to design their own courses. Is this a great idea? I don’t know. Certainly life could be complete if you don’t read Moby Dick, but learning to write an essay is an important skill and will be required in institutes of higher learning.

Is this style of teaching a good idea in the long run? There haven’t been any long term studies to see what happens to these students once they have to transition to a traditional environment in college or university. While I applaud the concept of interesting students in the process of learning, I don’t know if it is a great idea to de-program students for what they will encounter in college and university. The very environment that encourages learning may put these students at a deficit later on. Are we helping them now and hurting them later? What do you think?

Courtesy of t.o. night

Compact and glossy, t.o. night is Toronto’s latest edition into the free newspaper market, but this one is aimed at the afternoon commuter. Distributed daily from 3:30 PM – 6:30 PM in the downtown core, t.o. night is relying on wire stories, not reporters as their news source and they are partnering with a local blog, BlogTO for local interest stories. Occasionally it will feature a guest columnist.

Instead of paper boxes, 100,000 copies of t.o. night will be handed out by modern day paper boys called “Newsies” who will be strategically stationed near downtown Toronto’s public transit hubs. Not an offspring of another newspaper company, t.o. night’s investors include media giant, St. Joseph Communications, Richard Costley-White, owner of Blackburn Radio and a former publisher of The London Free Press, and unnamed private investors. They obviously are betting on the success of a free evening daily and can look to successes in Britain and Australia to support their theory. However, the detractors are saying that commuters would rather read their news online on hand held devices than read news wire stories in t.o. night. Only time will tell which of the opposing sides is proven to be right.

t.o. night is small, only 8.5 inches by 10.5 inches, making it very easy to handle and less likely to disturb your commuting neighbours than the larger Metro and 24. It is also published in full colour on coated magazine paper. This no doubt makes it considerably more attractive than the other free morning dailies, but on the downside, it makes it a much more costly paper to publish. Advertising will make or break the paper and it remains to be seen whether they see the value in t.o. night. Do you?

Courtesy of veg.ca

The 25th Annual Vegetarian Food Fair is on from September 11^th – September 13^th. Admission is absolutely FREE. Let’s do what ever we can to be as environmentally friendly as possible and please bring your own cutlery and plates in order to reduce waste.

Fair Hours:

Friday, September 11^th from 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Saturday, September 12^th from 12:00 PM 9:00 PM

Sunday, September 13^th from 12:00 PM 7:00 PM

Fair Location:

Harbourfront Centre

235 Queens Quay West

The Vegetarian Food Fair is the largest of its kind in North America. Over 100 exhibitors will be on hand displaying new products, conducting workshops, making interesting presentations, and offering cooking demonstrations. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore vegetarian cuisine whether you are a vegetarian, considering the possibilities of transitioning to a vegetarian diet, or are interested in how to add nutritious and ethical foods to your diet. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Keynote Speakers:

Brenda Davis - Registered Dietician and Nutritionist

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau - Author and founder of Compassionate Cooks

Gene Baur - President and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary

These exciting keynote speakers and other presenters will be offering valuable information on how we can live healthy, well balanced lifestyles by making some dietary changes.

Reduce your carbon footprint and leave the car at home. Harbourfront Centre is easily accessible by TTC. From Union Station take either the 509 Streetcar or the 510 Streetcar. Both of these streetcars stop in front of Harbourfront Centre. There is also bicycle parking available on site.

Courtesy of i.treehugger.com

If you are truly eco-conscious and want to make the ultimate statement, you can die green by choosing to have a green funeral. Most of us don’t take into consideration that burials contaminate the ground with toxic chemicals, concrete, and metals. Cremation is not eco-friendly either with approximately 27 litres natural gas required to cremate a 150-pound body. In Ontario we have eco-friendly burial options. Smith’s Funeral Homes in Burlington, Ontario is the first Canadian funeral business to be certified by the Green Burial Council. They are making an effort to reduce their carbon footprint by:

• Supplying biodegradable caskets that have no metal, plastics or harsh chemical finishes
• Offering containers for cremated remains that are biodegradable and made of 100% recyclable materials
• Planting a tree in memory of the deceased for every funeral that they handle
• Use 100% recycled paper products
• Using plant-based embalming fluids
• Using energy efficient lighting
• Recycling

Cobourg, Ontario is home to what is believed to be Ontario’s first eco-friendly burial ground. Located on a half hectare meadow, every effort is taken to ensure that everything related to the burial is as environmentally friendly as possible. And, eco-friendly burials may also save you a considerable amount of money.

• Nothing is put into the ground that is not harmless and biodegradable
• No pesticides are used - weeding is done by hand
• No markers, headstones or concrete vaults are permitted – wildflowers or shrubs mark the burial location
• Small commemorative plaques may also be placed on one of several fieldstones scattered around the meadow
• Caskets are simple wooden boxes
• Graves are dug by hand when ever possible

Courtesy of Greater Toronto Airports Authority

Many of us can clearly identify what drives us crazy about airports, but rarely do we consider what makes an airport great. Skytrax has taken 39 different elements of a possible airport experience into consideration and surveyed over 8.6 million passengers from over 95 nationalities. This survey took 10 months to complete and involved 196 airports worldwide. In case you’re wondering, our beloved Pearson International did not rate in any category.

Top 10 Airports in the World for 2009

1. Seoul Incheon

2. Hong Kong

3. Singapore Changi

4. Zurich

5. Munich

6. Kansai

7. Kuala Lumpur

8. Amsterdam

9. Centrair Nagoya

10. Auckland

These are the elements on which the airports were rated.

1.     Getting to & from Airport / Accessibility
2.     Public transportation options
3.     Taxi availability / prices
4.     Availability of luggage trolleys (airside & landside)
5.     Terminal comfort, ambience & general design / appearance
6.     Terminal cleanliness
7.     Seating facilities throughout terminal(s)
8.     Immigration - queuing times (departure / arrivals)
9.     Immigration - staff attitude (departure / arrivals)
10.   Waiting times - at Security
11.   Courtesy & Attitude of Security staff
12.   Check-In facilities
13.   Terminal signage
14.   Clarity of Boarding Calls / Airport PA’s
15.   Flight Information Screens - clarity / information
16.   Friendliness of Airport Staff
17.   Language skills for Airport Staff
18.   Ease of Transit thru Airport (between flights)
19.   Location  of Airline Lounges
20.   Washroom / Shower facilities
21.   Cleanliness of Washroom facilities
22.   TV / Entertainment facilities
23.   Quiet areas / Day rooms / Rest areas
24.   Children’s play area / facilities
25.   Choice of Shopping
26.   Prices charged in retail outlets
27.   Choice of bars / cafes & restaurants
28.   Prices charged in bars / cafes & restaurants
29.   Internet facilities / WiFi availability
30.   Business centre
31.   Telephone / fax locations
32.   Bureau de change facilities
33.   ATM facilities
34.   Smoking policy / Smoking lounges
35.   Standards of disabled persons access / facilities
36.   Baggage Delivery times
37.   Priority Baggage Delivery efficiency
38.   Baggage Delivery - efficiency / lost luggage
39.   Perception of airport security / safety standards

The Top 3 Airports in North America

1. Dallas/Forth Worth
2. San Francisco
3. Vancouver

Best Duty Free Shopping

1. Dubai
2. Singapore
3. Amsterdam

Best International Transit Airport

1. Seoul Incheon
2. Singapore
3. Munich

Best Airport Dining

1. Hong Kong
2. Singapore
3. Bangkok

Best Security Processing

1. Seoul Incheon
2. Hong Kong
3. Centrair Nagoya

Cleanest Airport Washrooms

1. Kansai
2. Seoul Incheon
3. Zurich

Best Terminal Cleanliness

1. Seoul Incheon
2. Singapore
3. Hong Kong

Best Baggage Delivery

1. Helsinki
2. Hong Kong
3. Singapore

Best Leisure Amenities

1. Singapore
2. Amsterdam Schiphol
3. Seoul Incheon

Best Immigration Service

1. Kuala Lumpur
2. Singapore
3. Munich

Courtesy of altiusdirectory.com

It’s hard to believe that it’s already September and that the summer is gone. Considering the weather that we had, most of us are still waiting for summer to arrive and unfortunately that ship has sailed. There is always a lot of confusion about what is open and closed on Labour Day weekend. Saturday, September 5^th and Sunday, September 6^th are just regular weekend days and regular weekend hours of operation will apply. Monday, September 7^th is an entirely different story because Labour Day is a legal statutory holiday and that means lots of closures. The TTC and GO Transit will be running on a holiday schedule.

What will be closed on Labour Day?

• Government offices
• There will be no mail delivery because the post office is closed
• LCBO
• Beer Stores
• Most supermarkets – notable exceptions are Bruno’s and some No Frills stores
• Libraries
• Most businesses
• Malls in Toronto, except for the Eaton Centre
• Most stores

What is open on Labour Day?

• Yonge Street from Richmond Street north to Grosvenor
• The Eaton Centre
• Queen’s Quay
• Yorkville – stores will decide individually to open or close
• Vaughan Mills will be open from 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Pacific Mall will be open from 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM

What is there to do on Labour Day?

• Visit the CNE.
• Attend the Labour Day Parade. It starts at 9:30 AM at Queen and University and proceeds down Queen to Dufferin and then south to the Dufferin Gate at the CNE.
• Take in Brazilian Day at Yonge-Dundas Square from 2:00 PM – 7:30 PM. It promises to be a great event and it’s FREE.
• Enjoy the Hispanic Fiesta at Mel Lastman Square.
• Learn all about Dogs with Jobs at PawsWay, located at 245 Queens Quay West.

Courtesy of tiff.net

The Toronto International Film Festival is one of most prestigious film festivals in the world. From September 10 – 19 an incredible list of luminaries from the film world – film makers, actors and actresses, and industry professionals – will all be in Toronto to celebrate the art of film making. Stake out a spot on your favourite patio because this is a just partial list of just some of the celebrities that have confirmed to date.

1. Ally Sheedy
2. Amanda Seyfried
3. Atom Egoyan
4. Chris Rock
5. Cillian Murphy
6. Clive Owen
7. Colin Farrell
8. Colin Firth
9. Colm Feore
10. Danny DeVito
11. Danny Glover
12. David Duchovny
13. Demi Moore
14. Drew Barrymore
15. Edward Norton
16. Ellen Page
17. Emily Blunt
18. Ethan Coen
19. Eva Green
20. Ewan McGregor
21. George Clooney
22. Georgina Reilly
23. Gordon Pinsent
24. Guy Maddin
25. Hugh Hefner
26. Ian Fitzgibbon
27. Isabella Rossellini
28. Jack White
29. Jacob Tierney
30. James Purefoy
31. Jane Campion
32. Jason Reitman
33. Jeff Bridges
34. Jennifer Connelly
35. Jennifer Garner
36. Jimmy Smits
37. Joel Coen
38. Johnny Hallyday
39. Jon Amiel
40. Jonathan King
41. Julianne Moore
42. Juliette Lewis
43. Keanu Reeves
44. Keir Gilchrist
45. Keisha Castle-Hughes
46. Kevin McDonald
47. Kevin Spacey
48. Kerry Washington
49. Kristin Scott Thomas
50. Kyle MacLachlan
51. Liam Neeson
52. Lisa Kudrow
53. Marica Gay Harden
54. Mariah Carey
55. Matt Damon
56. Megan Fox
57. Sir Michael Caine
58. Michael Douglas
59. Michael Moore
60. Michael Sheen
61. Miranda Richardson
62. Naomi Watts
63. Natalie Portman
64. Neil Diamond
65. Neil Jordan
66. Nicolas Cage
67. Oliver Parker
68. Oprah Winfrey
69. Patricia Clarkson
70. Paul Bettany
71. Paul Schneider
72. Paula Patton
73. Penélope Cruz
74. Peter Berg
75. Peter Sarsgaard
76. Philip Hoffman
77. Rachel Ward
78. Ricky Gervais
79. Sir Ridley Scott
80. Rob Lowe
81. Robert Duvall
82. Robin Wright Penn
83. Rossif Sutherland
84. S. Epatha Merkerson
85. Samantha Morton
86. Sarah Ferguson
87. Sarah Polley
88. Sheila McCarthy
89. Sissy Spacek
90. Snoop Dogg
91. Steven Soderbergh
92. Tatiana von Furstenberg
93. Ted Kotcheff
94. Terry Gilliam
95. Tilda Swinton
96. Tom Ford
97. Tyler Perry
98. Viggo Mortensen
99. Willem Dafoe
100. Woody Harrelson

The films this year promise to be outstanding and tickets can be purchased online.

Courtesy of landmarkeducationnews.info

There is a great deal of controversy surrounding this issue. Infertile couples believe that it is the responsibility of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) to pay for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments claiming that infertility is a disability. According to the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada there are approximately 8,000 IVF treatments performed annually in Canada, about 5,000 of those performed in Ontario. In Canada the average price for an IVF treatment is $10,000. It is estimated that 28% of women who conceived as a result of IVF have multiple births.

It is currently estimated that one in eight couples in Canada suffer from infertility. According to Dr. Ri-Cheng Chian, scientific director of the McGill Reproductive Centre, the causes of infertility include tube blockage, pollution, stress, low sperm count, and in some cases older age. IVF has approximately a 40% success rate, and it usually takes three treatments before a woman gets pregnant.

What does OHIP currently pay for when it comes to IVF? Since 1994, OHIP contributes to the basic fee for IVF only for women under 40 whose Fallopian tubes are bilaterally blocked. The patient is responsible to pay for drugs and laboratory services which can equal or surpass the cost of the basic fee. If the man is infertile, there is no contribution by OHIP for IVF. However, artificial insemination is fully covered. If OHIP paid fully for IVF, how many treatments should they pay for? At $10,000 each, couples would be more than happy to continue trying when they had no financial burden to bear.

As a society we all want access to high quality health care, but should we be responsible for helping people to conceive children? There are only so many health care dollars to go around. Is funding IVF the best use of the taxpayer’s money? Then there is the reality of life once the baby or babies arrive. Who is going to support them financially? If you can’t afford the treatment to get pregnant how can you afford to raise the child or children? The Vanier Institute of the Family estimates that the current cost of raising a child to age 18 is approximately $164,483 for a boy, $163,464.00 for a girl. The cost of IVF is just the tip of the iceberg.

Courtesy of fightfraud.nv.gov

The next time that the Canada Revenue Agency contacts you, don’t be too quick to give out any information. A good number of people are being scammed by what they believe is the CRA. This is how the scam works. You receive a telephone call, letter, or email from what appears to be the CRA asking for personal information – social insurance number, credit card info, bank info, or passport number. This is a copy of the fraudulent letter being circulated. It all seems to be legitimate and because we trust and or fear the Canada Revenue Agency we are all too quick to provide what ever information they are asking for. The problem is that the CRA hasn’t asked for the info and you’ve just been scammed.

The CRA will never ask for your social insurance number in an insecure way.

The CRA does not have people’s email addresses.

What can you do?

• NEVER provide personal information.
• Unsolicited e-mails claiming to be sent from the CRA should be deleted immediately.
• Do not follow any links listed in the e-mails claiming to be sent from the CRA as these websites contain harmful software.
• If you have an accountant, contact him/her before you take any action.
• Contact Phonebusters immediately.

This is not the first time that scam artists have pretended to be from the CRA. In fact this is the third year in a row where there has been a similar scam. In 2007 there was an email scam where what appeared to be a request from the CRA asked for personal financial information and directed people to phony websites. In 2008 documents were sent out from what appeared to be the CRA saying that there was insufficient information regarding tax returns, with instructions to fill out an enclosed form with personal financial data and return it by mail. Beware of communications from the CRA.