This summer is an exciting summer for me, and for twenty four others. For some including I, it will as well be the first time we are away from our family for more than a week. A week may seem like a long time or not long enough, but for us, one month will seem like plenty. Our task while away for the month will be to complete the installation of rain reservoir systems for schools throughout the Welkom city in the Free State of South Africa. It will be great challenge but worth every moment of our time and effort.

I’m here today to announce my first post dedicated to this project. I hope to continue writing both before and during the project. This will offer me a chance to both reflect on the current and past events but to as well provide insight to anyone who may wish to some day do a project themselves. So if by any chance I’ve gotten you hooked (without any spicy details) then keep posted.

You can now check us out on youTube by visiting my personal page or view our first video!

I’ve got some exciting news; this summer I’ll be participating on a brotherhood team which is going to Africa. I’ll be posting more information soon!

I’m calling on your support. To hold these companies responsible for there immoral and inexcusable acts. Price fixing. It’s against the law and it’s but a jig to our economy bring us down even further.

Virgin Mobile Canada and Koodo Mobile both sell a $25.00 phone plan that includes these same features.
- 100 Anytime minutes
- Unlimited Evenings and weekends (7PM-7/8AM & All day over the weekend)
- Unlimited messaging (Including MMS)
- Call Waiting, Conference Calling, 911,  and Per-second Billing

So what can be done to end this bull? Contact your local MP as well write to the better business bureau and maybe start a lawsuit?

Being subscribed to a really good website; I had the opportunity to learn about this fantastic new POS software. So after trying it… I must share it with you today!! Below are two links, one goes to a review done by TUAW or to their website. Be aware this software is only for mac but if you have a mac… you’re half way there!

Checkout Website
TUAW Review

It’s no suprise that Canada’s Telecommunication Industry is changing. Whether its for better or for worse, Canadians spend a lot of money on there electronics. And it’s this reason that many companies are looking to enter our market. But despite an interest in our market, business face tough laws as well as competition. Rogers, Bell and Telus all take in large profits as well as carry long term contracts with millions of consumers.

The greatest question for these new businesses is this; Are you here to making a good buck and leaving or are you interested in improving the prices and quality of service as well as marking a fair return. Of course we don’t need to ask the current companys this, we know they are truly interested in only the bottom and top line. Customers go from company to company looking for real customer service, quality products, and fair prices. It’s the hope that these new businesses will bring real people to their front line as well as prices that reflect the true cost associated with what you get as well as what is supports it. It’s because of this beginning change in our market place, I give our wireless market the 2.0 stamp.

What do consumers expect from our market? Is it fair prices that reflect the services they use or the customer service which they deal with? Is it the flashy advertisements posted everywhere they look?

It’s all of these and many more, but before I go into detail, I want to ask you a question. When you hear someone say “I can get that from Costco for less…”. Do you believe they are referencing it out of hate or out of enjoyment. I don’t think many people think about this but Costco customers are paying 50-100$ to shop at a store!?! It’s crazy but it’s worth it in the end, customers are happy with the service as well as the products. When was the last time someone said “I’m with Rogers, you should shop there… it’s got everything you need at the right price.” (Just don’t expect a whole lot from them after you sign the contract.)

So back to the rhetorical questions. Consumers have come to expect prices which are reasonable and meet the average persons budget, as well as meeting the needs and wants they entertain. Price =< Service Value but in most cases businesses try to make it look like this… Price => Service Value* (What you see and what you don’t see… blah blah blah legal b.s. blah blah blah). Advertisements away! It’s within a different part of the industry that we see this more in depth; We have the fastest Internet!(*^`+ (*Only when you are searching certain pages and not using a lot of bandwidth. ^Prices may go up as our costs go down. `Internet speed is not actually the fastest, only for advertising. +Two-Three year contract required. Rogers) Did anyone notice while we were reading this that in the USA… prices went down… speed actually went up! It’s this growing trend that we should pay higher prices for slower speeds because it’s twisted in advertisements that we are really getting better service. (Your speed on paper goes up but that fiscal speed… all the way down.)

So in conclusion, don’t sign any contracts just yet. Wait till these new businesses launch there network. Then and only then will the real games begin. Companies will then actually care for your business. As a result, prices should go down and service quality and quanity go up.

Firm Riot is holding a competition for it’s favourite fans. The goal is to produce a fantastic clip given the raw footage. After the break is my submitted video, let me know what you think!

Saunders is going on a school trip to New York and all students from grades 11-12 are welcome. You can get more information about this trip from Mr. Smith. As well, come time for the trip, you will be able to check this website for updates on the fantastic trip!

After the break are some cool videos promoting the trip.

I thought this would be cool to share with you all. This is a page taken off the BSA website…

Scouting provides youth with an opportunity to try new things, provide service to others, build self-confidence, and reinforce ethical standards. These opportunities not only help them when they are young but also carry forward into their adult lives, improving their relationships, their work lives, their family lives, and the values by which they live.

A 2005 study by Harris Interactive found that 83 percent of men who were Scouts in their youth agree that the values they learned in Scouting continue to be very important to them today. Eighty-seven percent of men who remained in Scouting five or more years attribute some of their self-confidence in their work to their Scouting experience. Half of the group say Scouting had a positive effect on their career development and advancement, and 83 percent say there have been real-life situations where having been a Scout helped them be a better leader.

As youth, Scouts are taught to live by a code of conduct exemplified in the 12 points of the Scout Law, and they continue to live by these laws in adulthood.

• Trustworthy: The majority of Scouts agreed that Scouting has taught them always to be honest (75 percent) and to be a leader (76 percent).
• Loyal: Eighty-eight percent of Scouts are proud to live in the USA, and 83 percent say spending time with family is important to them.
• Helpful: Eight out of 10 Scouts surveyed believed that helping others should come before their own self-interest.
• Friendly: Eighty percent of Scouts say that Scouting has taught them to treat others with respect and (78 percent) to get along with others.
• Courteous: Almost nine of 10 Scouts (87 percent) believe older people should be treated with respect.
• Kind: Most Scouts agree (78 percent) Scouting has taught them to care or other people, while 43 percent say their skills in helping other people in need are “excellent.”
• Obedient: Boys in Scouting five years or more are more likely than boys who have never been in Scouts to reject peer pressure to hang out with youth they know commit delinquent acts (61 percent vs. 53 percent).
• Cheerful: Overall, Scouts are happy with their schools (78 percent) and their neighborhoods (79 percent). However, because Scouting builds such high ideals in youth, Scouts are less satisfied than non-Scouts with the state of the world today (47 percent vs. 52 percent).
• Thrifty: More than eight out of 10 Scouts (82 percent) say that saving money for the future is a priority.
• Brave: Eighty percent of Scouts say Scouting has taught them to have confidence in themselves, and 51 percent rate their self-confidence as “excellent.”
• Clean: Nearly the same number of Scouts (79 percent) agree that Scouting has taught them to take better care of the environment and that Scouting has increased their interest in physical fitness.

Reverent: Scouting experience also influences religious service attendance. Eighty-three percent of men who were Scouts five or more years say attending religious services together as a family is “very important,” versus 77 percent of men who had never been Scouts.

Kelly McDougald – I never ever heard of her until she decided she was wrongfully dismissed and decided it might be best to sue tax payers. (Thats you and me for $ 9, 000, 000!)
On August 31st Kelly was fired because the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. was found to be spending money on things that did not relate to the business in any way. But thats okay right? I mean 30$ here… $3000 there… it’s all right – right?

NO, it’s not OKAY to spend public money on personal items just because you have access to them. This just shows how dumb people can be – when are people going to smarten up? So to Kelly, I do wish you the worst of luck in suing our government and I hope Canada Revenue Agency goes after you. And if I ever meet you, I’ll be sure to show you no respect – just like you have shown to your country and it’s citizens.

You can read the news report for more details - The Star.

So recently I read a blog which brought up a significant point. Apple has a controlling problem, maybe a law suite or federal investigation would help? Although for the time being, consumers are left with products that are supervised like babies whether it be during product marketing or day to day sales.

For instance, during the launch of Snow Leopard, Apple got it’s big lawyers to send a threatening letter to a news company who released images of the GUI. (They were already all over the internet) Not to mention when Microsoft were advertising. Through customers visiting a store and picking out the one they found to meet all their requirements and the price they could afford. During the advertisement they passed by an Apple stand and spoke about a specific price for one of the laptops. Of course Apple had lowered their prices a little so… Microsoft got a call asking for them to change what is said in the advertisement.

Or lets look at Pystar, they really want to offer a lower cost computer which supports OS X. Once Apple heard about this. Only a few days went by before a full on law suite was taken on against Pystar. After months of debate, Pystar still operates it’s business in Florida. But only recently have they filed a law suite against Apple for Anti-Competitive actions. Of course you would have to be pretty blind not to see that… Only Apple can make computers for OS X… sounds like a monopoly.

We can also look at Apples iPhone; ever see two companies selling it in one country? Of course thats not going to happen in North America! Apple would never allow it… also that is against the law… hmm…

So if you want “Dad” to choose how you use the computer, when you use the computer, what you can watch, where you can watch it, how much you pay for it, what you do with it… then buy Apple.