PLWBlogSpot2

 How much is a mile worth? A: A frequent flyer mile is generally worth between one and two cents. There are a number of ways of arriving at the one- to two-cent valuation. For instance, airlines sell miles to program partners and others at that rate when promoting sales of their products and services. Or, if you assume that the revenue from a ticket averages $400, and you can redeem 25,000 miles for it, then the value of the miles on that trip is 1.6 cents, which is in the middle of the range. Notice, however, that the value of a mile relates directly to the dollar value of the ticket for which you're redeeming the miles. If you redeem 25,000 miles for a ticket you would have purchased for $89, the value of the miles you will have used is 0.36 cents per mile. However, if you use the same miles to procure a ticket priced at $2,000, then the value of your miles increases to 8 cents per mile. So, when redeeming your miles for an award ticket, consider the value of those miles

The Winn Dixie grocery store has a good deal - they call it the fuel perks club - they have certain items you buy and they give you (5, 10,etc. fuel perks) and if you spend $50.00 (not hard to do) you get 5 fuel perks.  The last time we filled up with gas we got 69 cents a gallon off.

How does a country lay claim to the seafloor? Under the convention, a country can secure control of ocean floor beyond the internationally recognized 370 nautical kilometre limit if it can demonstrate the seabed is an extension of its continental shelf. What's Canada's case? An Arctic expert at the University of Calgary, Rob Huebert, recently told The Canadian Press that Canada does have a geologic justification for its claim -- an undersea mountain range called the Lomonosov Ridge that stretches north from Ellesmere Island in Nunavut. The Arctic is believed to contain as much as one-quarter of the world’s undiscovered energy resources. Canada, Demark and Russia say they believe the mineral and oil-rich Lomonosov Ridge, which runs beneath the ocean and close to the geographic North Pole, is a natural extension of their continental shelves.

  An estimated 600,000 Americans are currently homeless, including nearly 70,000 veterans, according to the recently released The State of Homelessness in America from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. That's a small drop-off from 2009, but U.S. rates are alarmingly high: 21 homeless per 10,000 people across the country. The USA metros with the highest rate of homelessness are Tampa, New Orleans, Fresno, Las Vegas, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Seattle. ********************************************************************* Despite sporadic success in addressing homelessness in Canada, little progress has been made toward a permanent cross-country solution, says a national report into the extent of the problem. The vast majority of Canada's homeless (176,000 to 188,000) are "transitional homeless" — individuals and families who enter the shelter system for a short stay of generally less than a month. For them, homelessness is usually a one-tim

TORONTO – 2013 wasn’t a great year financially for most Canadians, according to a new survey. An Ipsos Reid survey conducted in November for Sun Life Financial found that, overall, 57 per cent of Canadians felt they were not any better off financially than they were a year ago. Those feelings were even stronger among women and those aged 55 and older, with 61 per cent of both groups saying their financial position had not improved year over year. On the flip side, 38 per cent of those surveyed did say their finances had improved compared with a year ago. Albertans were most likely to say they felt better off, at 47 per cent, followed by those in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, at 45 per cent, and Atlantic Canadians at 43 per cent. Quebecers were least likely, with 63 per cent saying their financial position was no better than a year ago. “It’s concerning that a majority of Canadians aren’t feeling better off financially than they were last year as we head into a holiday seaso

  Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice. 1. Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters. How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power. 2. Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer- fighting enzymes. How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches. 3. Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes. How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil. 4. Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol. How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal. 5. Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxi

  Ray has found where the malware came from that infected PLWBlogSpot Original. Unable to delete the re-direct I started new PLWBlogSpot2. From Ray: The first image I sent was showing the stuff on your page,and the other two were the IP Address and location of that first crap on your blog, so you could see where it was coming from. In case you deleted that stuff, their IP Address is 212.117.180.97 and it's coming from somewhere in Luxemborg. If you do a Google of "Where is 212.117.180.97" then you should get the story on it for yourself. If you look at the various references, they aren't all good.You should add that to your blacklist. Moral of this little story. Update your password and make it tough with alternate Capitals, Numbers, and Symbols.

The Crown corporation will phase out door-to-door delivery in favour " of community mailboxes " as part of a new business model to try to stop bleeding money. The volume of letter mail has been in free fall and Canada Post expects the trend to continue. The new system will allow Canada Post to compete in the fast-paced and technology-driven global parcel market," the new business plan states. Canada Post spokeswoman Anick Losier said it's about meeting consumer demand while strengthening the bottom line. "We spoke with thousands of Canadians over the last six months or so and they told us two things that are really important — they're using us differently regardless of what we do, and they don't want us to become a burden on their taxes." she said.

  Northern Ontario is not the only area that has problems with Black Bears. Florida has laws protecting all Black Bears and you would be hard pressed by Fish and Game if  you shot one.   Orlando Sentinel Second bear trapped and killed in Longwood by wildlife officials A 200-pound male bear was put down because it matched the description of an animal that injured a woman last week. For the second time in less than a week, a bear has been euthanized after being caught in a trap set by wildlife officers in the Longwood neighborhood where a woman was mauled. A 200-pound male bear captured late Sunday "closely fits the description of the animal" involved in the Dec. 2 incident that left 54-year-old Susan Chalfant with serious injuries to her face and head, said Karen Parker, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokeswoman.

The absence of a spring bear hunt in Northern Ontario has created a severe public safety risk, with five bear attacks being reported across the province this year. Before its cancellation, the spring bear hunt also generated over $40 million per year in economic activity and sustained a number of jobs in northern Ontario, jobs that have since flowed to the neighbouring provinces of Manitoba and Quebec which continued to have hunts. Many years ago when I worked in a Power Station located in Northern Ontario we had a problem with bears and garbage.Bears will eat anything alive or dead that walks,flies or swims.The wooden garbage ninbin was no match for these powerful animals. Since very young children played outside we had no alternative but to shoot them. After 3 were shot,others did not come back. They learn fast.   "The OFAH has been unwavering in its position that the spring bear hunt is a valuable wildlife management tool t

                                             ARE YOU A COFFEE HOUND? Three of the caffeinated brands came out on top with a "very good" rating. The No. 1 caffeinated coffee, Eight O’Clock Coffee 100% Colombian, was also one of the most reasonably priced, at $6.28 per pound or 15 cents per 6-ounce cup . It beat out brands like Gloria Jean’s and Peet’s Coffee, which sell for $13-$14 a pound (32 cents a cup), and which both got "good" taste ratings.   Top 10 Caffeinated Coffees (100% Colombian) "Very Good" Rating 1.Eight O’Clock Coffee 100% Colombian, $6.28 per pound 2.Caribou Coffee Colombia Timana, $11.76 per pound 3.Kickapoo Coffee Organic Colombia, $14.33 per pound "Good" Rating 4.Starbucks Coffee Colombia Medium, $11.53 per pound 5.Bucks County Coffee Co. Colombia, $8.85 per pound 6.Archer Farms (Target) Colombia Supremo, $9.05 per pound 7.Gloria Jean’s Coffees Colombian Supremo, $12.99 per pound 8.Chock Full o’Nuts 100% Colo

    Finally had our backup camera installed. Fortunately there was a small 7" cubbyhole just above the transmission selector. They were able to install it there. No wires, are visible as it's a wireless system. The camera installs on the license plate and a transmitter is installed under the trunk lid. Cost of all this about $300.00. Camera & Monitor $214.99 Install(Best Buy) $80.00 The guide frame boxes are about 3 ft. each. So we are parked a little over 10 ft. from our shed. Manufacturer advised that "Best Buy" installers were qualified  to do the installation. 

      The Canadian Senate flexed its muscle Tuesday and in an unprecedented move tossed three of its members  Senators Mike Duffy, Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau — out of the chamber over allegations of “gross negligence” related to their expense claims,  cutting their salaries and use of office resources.  They do retain their Health Benefits. *************************** The Canadian Senate is an unelected body that acts as a body of review or "sober second thought"; senators are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of his or her Prime Minister. The allocation of seats in the Canadian Senate is based on the relative equality of regions rather than individual provinces. Hence, unlike the elected US Senate , The Canadian upper house(Senate) does not generally have a record of representing provincial interests, leading to calls for senatorial reform. The approximately 300 million Americans are represented by 535 elected federal legislators (435 members of the H

The single payer system that Canada has used for the last 25 years has drastically simplified their administration costs. For instance, it takes more people to administer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts that it does to administer the entire health care system of Canada.. The Canadian system is a publicly funded insurance program where costs are controlled and both hospitals and doctors are private. Any Canadian can go to any doctor or hospital in the country. Each province has its own system and its own unique way of funding it. In spite of this decentralized approach, there are agreements among all provinces that provide for treatment of any Canadian citizen regardless of where the need occurs. The great success of their system causes almost all Canadian politicians, even conservatives, to defend it vociferously. It is called single payer because there is only one "payer"; there is no alternative program, such as private health insurance, to which Canadians can turn

    The main contractor for Obamacare’s troubled Healthcare.gov website, blamed early problems on another contractor’s software, according to written testimony posted to a congressional website on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, the (front door software) created a bottleneck that prevented the vast majority of users from accessing” the federal health insurance marketplaces, CGI senior vice president Cheryl Campbell said in testimony submitted to the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee. CGI Federal is a subsidiary of CGI Group Inc. of Montréal, Canada’s largest technology company which employs 39,000 people worldwide and recorded revenue of $4.8 billion in 2012. CGI blames Verizon for many of the problems relating to the website access.    

Brussels — The EU and Canada signed a free trade accord Friday after four years of  tough talks, saying it will boost growth and set the stage for others, including a massive  EU-US deal.Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper hailed it as the biggest (trade) deal our  country has ever made while European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso said it  was highly ambitious and far-reaching. It will provide new opportunities by increasing market access and be the basis for  gaining a strong foothold in the North American market and so provide a catalyst for  growth and the creation of jobs in Europe, Barroso said. The accord is widely seen as a possible template for EU efforts to conclude a similar  Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States, touted as  one of the biggest free-trade agreements ever. According to EU figures, bilateral trade in goods last year was worth  ($84 billion), with  Canada the EU's 11th largest trading partner, while the 28-memb

Canadian retailers say prices are higher here than in the US. in part due to higher labour costs, rents, import duties and suppliers' prices. A relatively small population spread over a vast geography costs more to service. BMO found most of the narrowing in the price gap over the last six years is due to the decline in the value of the Canadian dollar relative to the US. greenback. To eliminate the price gap completely, the Canadian dollar would have to fall to 88 cents US., Porter said in an interview. Apart from the currency, the price gap between the two countries is narrowing, very gradually, the report found Ottawa's attempt to reduce the price gap by cutting import tariffs on some items — including baby clothes and hockey gear— have had only a limited impact on overall pricing. A small minority profits from this narrow tarrif relief. Free trade what a non bonus for Canadian shoppers. If you live close to the border the benifits are there with a short drive to the USA bor

Here in Canada, we have 20.7 doctors for every 10,000 people, according to the World Health Organization. The average Canadian can expect to live until the ripe old age of 82. Compare these figures to a third world country Rwanda, however, where there are only 0.6 doctors per 10,000 people. The average life expectancy for Rwandans? Sixty — more than two decades shorter than in Canada and five years before most Canadians retire. Partners In Health, however, has long been working to build long-term health capacity in the developing world, especially in Rwanda and Haiti (one of the founders of Partners In Health, by the way, is the current president of the World Bank). To view your Country click link below http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_phy_per_1000_peo-physicians-per-1-000-people

Reasons Why You Should Eat Popcorn Ask your retailer for mushroom style kernals, they are bigger and more of them pop. The main reason that people love going to the movies is because of the popcorn. There is something magical about walking into the lobby of your favorite theater, and smelling the warm and inviting smell of hot buttery popcorn. POPCORN IS HIGH IN FIBER- Eating bran, whole grains, and oats is not the only way to get fiber. Many do not realize that popcorn actually has more fiber than snacks with refined flour. Popcorn is made from a seed, which is actually a whole grain. Therefore when popped, it's considered to contain as much fiber as other grainy treats. POPCORN PREVENTS HUNGER- Salty chips and chewy candy bars are good ways to alleviate that snacky feeling. Because popcorn is a fibrous food, it's heavy enough to make one feel full, but light enough to stave off hunger and prevent overindulging at meal time. POPCORN IS LOW IN CALORIES - Provided that there is

Dr Oz Popcorn Recipe Popcorn—One of Dr Oz’s favorite smart snacks ¼ C popcorn (mushroom variety-most pops -less waste) Pour in brown bag (bag can be reused) Fold over top Put the bag in microwave for 2 minutes or until popping stops Pour into container 1 tsp. of olive oil margarine (Becel) microwaved 30 seconds Sea Salt to taste. This reminds me of movie popcorn served back in the 1950's. (sans the grease, I hope!) This popcorn has no synthetic fats and is a good alternative to fatty snacks. Also high in fiber.

 Ottawa, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013. Victims of Wednesday’s crash are: Michael Bleakney, 57; Connor  Boyd, 21; Kyle Nash, 21; Karen Krzyzewski, 53; and Rob More, 35. Woodard (bus driver) had very mild diabetes, but that couldn’t have  been a factor in the crash, his brother said. “He took care of himself health-wise, food-wise,” Steve Woodard    advised. He had been with the bus company for ten years  and he had a good driving record.  More than 30 other people were injured in the collision, which took  place just before 9 a.m. in Ottawa's southwest end. On Friday, the Transportation Safety Board said the gates, lights and  bells at the rail crossing where the crash occurred were all in proper  working order at the time. They had been activated 47 seconds  before impact and the gates were “fully horizontal” 25 seconds prior  to the collision, the TSB said.  Ontario law states that "school buses" must stop at all crossings,

Ontario's Negative Wind Policy It's one thing for Ontario's wind turbine owners to be paid extravagantly for the electricity they produce, but it's quite another for them to be paid not to produce electricity. But that's what's happening. As of Wednesday, Ontario has been paying its wind generators not to produce electricity. The government says the deal will actually save money, because the turbine operators will halt production when the province's electricity system is in surplus. Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli says turbine operators will be paid reduced rates not to produce electricity, a deal that should save about $200 million a year. It sounds like a Monty Python sketch, but the problem is electricity generated at these volumes can't be stored. Not only have wind turbine companies been handed generous contracts to generate electricity, contracts that are arguably unsustainable, now they're going to be paid not to produce power

Quebec would become the only jurisdiction in North America to  impose a sweeping ban on religious clothing for public employees  including at schools, hospitals and courthouses, under a “Charter of  Values” whose details were released Tuesday following months of  speculation. If adopted by the Quebec Provincial Legislature, the plan would apply to hijabs, kippas,  turbans and larger-than-average crucifixes worn by religious public  servants. It would impose a career-or-faith dilemma on judges, police, and  prosecutors; public daycare workers; teachers and school  employees; hospital workers; municipal personnel; and employees at  state-run liquor stores and the auto-insurance board.

Do you laugh a lot? Are you happy? Do you enjoy life? Do you  worry? Are you sad? Are you angry? Researchers examined how every day people felt about their lot, their life and their prospects. Their answers were cross-referenced with their country's economic  social, political, environmental and religious profiles. What the researchers discovered was that six factors — per capita  income, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices,  freedom from corruption, having someone to count on in times of  trouble and personal generosity — accounted for three-quarters of  the variation in national happiness. The second point that jumped out of the data was that mental illness  — a low priority for most governments — was the single most  important cause of global unhappiness. Their third observation was that life satisfaction rose in Latin  America, the Caribbean and sub-Saha-ran Africa and fell in the  Middle East and Western Europe. To present their findings in an easy-to-underst

Solar panels could destroy U.S. utilities ??? Solar power peaks at midday, which means it is strongest close to the point of highest electricity use — “peak load.” Problem is, providing power to meet peak load is where utilities make a huge chunk of their money. Peak power is the most expensive power. So when solar panels provide peak power, they are reducing demand, they’re reducing demand for the utilities’ most valuable product. Utility investors are accustomed to large, long-term, reliable investments with a 30-year cost recovery — fossil fuel plants, basically. The cost of those investments, along with investments in grid maintenance and reliability, are spread by utilities across all ratepayers in a service area. What happens if a bunch of those ratepayers start reducing their demand or opting out of the grid entirely? Well, the same investments must now be spread over a smaller group of ratepayers. In other words: higher rates for those who haven’t switched to solar. First, the

Ontario Power Generation (OPG) is the public generator - it is one successor of Ontario Hydro, in turn Ontario Hydro succeeded Sir Adam Beck's Hydro-Electric Power Commission, which had a "Power at Cost" slogan.That slogan has sure faded from this Liberal run government.   OPG's largest hydro-electric generating stations are the Beck generating stations (2000MW capacity) in the Niagara Plant Group, and the R.H. Saunders (1045MW capacity) generating station on the St. Lawrence river; these are 'regulated' hydro assets, meaning the Ontario Energy Board sets the rates they receive for their production. Water generated power is always the cheapest power to Produce.

On a scale of 1-10 Ontario's Power Foresight Ontario's Politican's 10    Ontario's Consumers 0 Global adjustment extra charge hits households and businesses.Who do  we blame " Ontario's Liberal Government's obstinate stand on using Wind  Power ". The price of power for many Ontario households and businesses has  spurted higher as the "global adjustment" — an extra fee tacked on to the  market price — has jumped to a record high. But the global adjustment for  September will add another( 8.72 cents) per kilowatt to the market price  for customers who aren't covered by the province's regulated price plan. The Independent Electricity System Operator said Tuesday that it will start  to "dispatch" wind power starting Sept. II/2013 . That means wind output,  like most other forms of generation, will be called on only when there's a  demand for it. Wind producers will still get paid for a portion of the unused output, up to a 

HP NAGS For the last couple of weeks ---since a install of a colored cartridge I receive constant "nags" screening that the cartridge  is not a HP genuine replacement. That is  correct but the replacement is 1/3 the price and works perfectly. These constant nags are a real pain in the donkey.Solution if you have  this problem. Glary Utilities  will block  this process. On the bottom row select Process Manager and block any HP item you see. That does the trick. HP does not want you installing  refilled ink cartridges and wants you to buy  their $55.00 one.  Glary also does many other chores.  3 cheers for Glary Utilities,and it's free.

    Boeing's twin-engined Dreamliner will be a much smaller aircraft -- seating 200 to 300 passengers -- with the latest engines and materials, and upturned wingtip "winglets," for maximum efficiency. For the cost of a single Airbus A380 (about $250-$300 million), an airline could conceivably have two or three 787/7E7 Dreamliners, or more. Declining wages for airline pilots are likely to make such a multiple-plane scenario less costly than before.   Air Canada is targeting seven major Canadian cities as departure points for the long-range Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The first plane in the carrier’s order for 37 Dreamliners will arrive in the first quarter of 2014, followed by six more of the aircraft that year, said Ben Smith, Air Canada’s chief commercial officer. "Starting in the first quarter 2014, AirCanada expects to take delivery of our first of 37 Boeing 787 Dreamliners aircraft, comprised of (15) 787-8s and (22) 787-9s,"   The carrier will now expect six 78

  The most troublesome spots tend to be in our back and necks. That's because every time you move, you bend your spine, squishing and compressing the discs between its bones. Sometimes too much spinal pressure on a disc can cause it to bulge out and press on a nerve, causing the nerve to get inflamed and signal pain that just won't let up. Our bodies have more than 50 nerves off the spinal cord.  Vitamin B12  A vitamin B12 supplement boost helps to ease your back pain by encouraging your body to thicken its protective coating around your nerves, so they don't "short circuit" and cause pain.B12 rich foods include liver (best source), chicken giblets, kidney and egg  yolk. Legumes such as dried beans, lentils, split peas, almonds, nuts and  soy products are also rich in B12. Starches like sweet potatoes, potatoes,  wheat four and whole grains.  You can find vitamin B12 in your daily foods you may already eat with out  knowing. Here are some rich in B12: Cod liver oi

  Boswellia Extract Boswellia, also known as Indian frankincense, is an herbal extract that alleviates joint pain by reducing cartilage damage. Available at health stores, be sure to purchase boswellia extract with a concentration of at least 40% to get the most benefits. Take at least 3OOmg daily to reduce joint pain and increase mobility.   Powdered Ginger The oils contained in ginger reduce inflammation at the site of the joint. Take a half-teaspoon a few times a day for the next 7 days by adding the powdered ginger to hot water in the mornings, stirring it into your lunchtime lemonade, or concocting whatever ginger drink tastes best to you! You can also take a ginger tablet or capsule in doses of 1 to 4 grams every day either all at once or divided into smaller doses. re three all-over pain solutions to help you lead a pain-free lifestyle.   Intense Pain Relief: Arnica When your pains intensify without warning — say a sore back, shoulder or knee — try all-natural arnica gel. It'

Pain Reset: Positional Release Therapy Before you endure another day with spasms or sore muscles, shut down your pain in 90 seconds or less with positional release therapy. This technique is strong enough to get rid of your pain, but gentle enough to be used in any age group, and only needs to be done once a week. Its a low-risk way to reset the body by positioning the body in a strain-counter strain method, alleviating any type of pain from your neck, elbow, leg, arthritis pain, or even menstrual cramps. Find the tender point that hurts the most. Then, take a pencil and use the eraser end to press down on the tender point for about 90 seconds. As you press down, rotate the eraser to work out the muscle while simultaneously relaxing the area by taking deep breaths. Positional release therapy breaks the pattern of pain in the muscle, melting away tightness. When you hold the eraser down on the spot, it signals your nerves to relax that spasm of pain, providing the instant relief your bo

  I took this picture on my daily walk.  Very pretty posies. Don't know what they are. Remind me of Azaleas in Florida, but I think our climes are little too cold for them. Does anyone have a idea what they are?

  If you want to get the old view back, here's what to do: 1. Head to Gmail's settings and go to the Inbox tab. 2. Next to "Inbox type," open the drop down and select any option besides "Default." 3. Rearrange your inbox sections as you desire. *************************************** Replies to emails are at the bottom of the Senders Email To add .jpg's in same place click camers,add pic's and then upload them. ***************************************** No matter which option you choose, you'll get the old segmented inbox back. From there you can choose how many/which sections you want. You will lose the sorted tabs, though: for now, it seems you can only use one type of inbox or the other. We don't know if Google is going to eventually roll out the new inbox system as a mandatory upgrade for all users, however for the time being the choice is entirely up to you.

      Do You want something different for your desktop. Picasa 3 makes it easy for you. In fact there is a section that will isolate faces for you so if you like a People Picture it's no problem. 

  !@#$% ^&* Conduit Task Bar     How to get rid of it is a real problem it piggy backed on a update of Imageburn in my case. Probably should have known better, as a couple of year's ago I was duped with the same type download and this maleware showed up.  The way I figured out is to restore Windows to a previous date. This can save you a lot of time and frustration.