PLWBlogSpot2

Christmas Fulfillment May you have the fulfillment of seeing around you the people you love the most. May you have the satisfaction of creating special memories they will remember with pleasure forever. May you feel peaceful and contented, knowing what Christmas means, and celebrating it your way.

USA SYSTEM A serious accident or illness could put you on the hook for staggering medical bills that will haunt you for years. Enrollment in federal and state insurance exchanges began Nov. 1 and runs until Jan. 31, but Dec. 15 is the last day to get in if you want coverage starting Ian, 1. Protecting yourself against an accident's financial consequences "provides a peace of mind that you won't be in tons of medical debt for years and years to come." If you lack coverage, you're worried about money and you're confused about your choices, here are four questions to consider: 1. What will insurance do for me? You can count on coverage (or what the government calls essential hearth benefits. All plans sold on the federal marketplaces must offer them. Preventive services such as shots and screening tests are free. You cant be denied coverage for a preexisting hearth condition. Expect to pay some of the cost for other covered services, su

FALL COLOURS IN NORTH BAY  PICTURES FROM THE SURROUNDING DISTRICT. 

H The sprawling network of high quality tents are located in the city of Mina, spreading across a 20 square km valley, and are only used for 5 days of the year by Hajj pilgrims. As the website Amusing Planet reports, "For the rest of the year. Mina remains pretty much deserted.' The wealthy Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states receive zero Syrian refugees 36 million refugees from Syria [95 percent) are found in Ihe following five countries Turkey,  Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypl Lebanon is hosts lo 1 1 million refugees registered wilh UNHCR, which amounts lo about 26  percent lof Ihe country's population Jordan hosts 616,615 registered refugees, which amounts to 98 percent of the population Turkey is hosting 1 6 million refugees, which amounts 2 4 percent the population Iraq hosts 225,373 registered refugees, which amounts 0 67 percent of the population Egypl has 142,543 registered refugees, which amounts 0 17 percent of the population

North Bay Hydro was here for about 2 hrs. to replace connections to our house and at the transformer supplying it.We have been  on intermittent power for 2 days. Fix - so far so good.  Cause - Lineman advises salt spray  from the roads in the winter corrodes the connections. Ask anyone who lives on Canada's coast or on the Florida Coast. All autos sold in Canada in the last few years are mostly aluminum,stainless steel  and fibre carbon. Older steel  cars are called rust buckets and no one wants them. Salvage yards crush them and the steel is used in manufacturing. An example is Fords new truck the F150 is completely made of aluminum. 

NORTH BAY - One North Bay business could see water bills reach a peak of more than $12,000 a year if water costs are determined using meter size. The city's special water committee went into closed session to discuss how the new pricing system would impact specific commercial operations. "We need to know who the big users are" . "We want to be fair to everyone and we don't want to put anyone out of business over water rates." The special committee has been looking for an equitable water costing formula for two months and is due to bring its recommendations to city council on Sept. 8. However, the committee has determined it needs more time before presenting a final report."We need to get this equity right"  Committee members have agreed to a flat rate for water services adjusted according to meter size with all users paying the same price per cubic metre of water, appears to be the fairest. If this adjusted billing system is ap

ECONOMY, TAXES AND POCKET BOOK ISSUES   Cosnservatives: - Introduced a "family tax cut'' that allows couples with children under age 18 to split up to $50,000 of income; caps non-refundable benefit at S2,000. - Retain Income Splitting for families. - Increased annual contribution limit for tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs) to $10,000 from $5,500. - Increased Universal Child Care Benefit to $ 6o a month for children under age six, up from $100; added new monthly benefit of  $ 6o for children age six to 17. - Reduced small-business tax rate to nine per cent from current 11 per cent by 2019; have reduced corporate tax rate from about 22 per cent to 15 per cent. - Promise to balance the budget this fiscal year. - Increased eligibility age for receiving Old Age Security benefits to 67 from 65. - Are examining ways for Canadians to voluntarily contribute more to the Canada Pension Plan. *********************************************************** The Liberals promi

MIAMI Scientists are starting to suggest that, in the long run, much of South Florida cannot be saved and that policymakers should begin planning for how to best deal with a massive northward exodus in the coming decades, as some of the most iconic real estate on the continent begins to succumb to the sea. "Sooner or later, this city, as you see it right now, won't be like this,1' says Henry Briceno, a water-quality researcher at Florida International University. "Miami and the whole of South Florida is not going to be like this any more. So we have to develop a way to plan and supply services in a changing scenario, and that's not easy. And then, sooner or later, we'll have to move. Most of the population will have to move." Imagine a prohibition on fossil fuels, effective tomorrow. Every gas-guzzler off the road; every coal plant shuttered; every source of greenhouse-gas emissions brought under control. Even then, by some estimates, t

George Iny, the director of the Canada-based Automobile Protection Association, a consumer advocacy group, says the difference in cost is unfair to Canadians. “I know that’s really galling for Canadians,” Iny says. “You might be punished if you brought in a new vehicle from the U.S. depending on the brand you’re buying.” “The manufacturers want to protect the price in the higher-price market as much as they can,” Iny adds. “Our sense is that it’s a strong-arm tactic and it’s an indirect way to restrict the trade of vehicles.” Iny says it’s up to the government to step in to protect consumers. “It’s absolutely designed to restrain the trade of vehicles between the borders - and that, that’s an element of equity,” he says. “The carmaker benefits greatly from free trade in cars and car parts, and the customer should at least be entitled to that benefit as well. “If we are going for free trade for the carmakers, then it should to some degree be free - equally free

******************************************************* Our next door neighbor who looks after our driveway and mail has  bought a condo and planning to sell his house. We will have to make  some changes and get someone to do our mail and snow removal in  the Winter. The mail service here is trying to install those central type mail boxes, everyone hates the problems it will cause, especially with the Winter's we have here. Old age catches up with everyone and we will be faced with  the same problem in a few years, at least we have lots of time to make decisions.  ********************************************* In case you are thinking of an extended Holiday from  Canada's Winter and you still want your mail. Here is what it costs. Now  if you live in the good old USA this service is free.  By the way it's TAX FREE DAY in Ontario.. How much do we pay in taxes  - last I heard around 49%. That puts a crimp in your Holiday plans.

These little guys have memories. We noticed one at the the window - no feeder. Jean made up a mix put the feeder out and there he is. ********************************************************* Hey the same thing happened to us yesterday! Martyn saw a greenfinch on the edge  of the bird bath and looking in at us through the window....hmm, ahe thought...must be  time to get the winter feed out for the little birds. So he filled up the bird feeder and  almost immediately, we had birds fluttering all round it...they sure do have memories!  We can’t understand why people talk about bird brains.... Incidentally, our bird feeder is from Canada and is designed to prevent squirrels  getting at the seeds...which is funny to us as we don’t have squirrels here in NZ.

If you do not follow Air Canada's New Rules it will cost you $25.00 per bag and relocated to the baggage storage in the hold. For a family of 4 with 2 bags each that's a big chunk out of Disney's rides. Our new luggage ---yes we had to buy new ones are  made buy Ricardo - Canadian and right now they have a buy one get next one 1/2 price. That will set you back about $180.00 just the penalty for 4 with  the WRONG bags.

It has been said by ministry staff that if a procedure is deemed medically necessary it will continue to be covered by OHIP. We are hopeful that this might perhaps also lead to some additions to OHIP, as there are other medical procedures and services currently not covered by the program that are in some cases medically necessary. For example, eye exams for persons aged 20-64 who do not have medical conditions requiring regular eye examinations are not currently covered by OHIP. Eye exams can and are used as a diagnostic tool for patients with an undefined medical condition and should be covered. Alternative health remedies are also often recommended by doctors when western medicine is failing a patient, however, acupuncture, chiropractic services and neuropathic remedies are not covered even though they are in some cases medically necessary. Our only hope once it is revealed what health services have been cut and perhaps added to OHIP is that the Ministry of Health an

North Bay Pothole Crew 466 FL. Highway East West Corridor No Snow or Frost make driving pothole free in Florida where we live for 6 months. ***************************************************  North Bay City Crews  are looking for help tracking them all down. North Bay’s public works department is asking residents to contact it to report pothole locations that require attention. The service is available around the clock and can be reached at 705-474-4340. City crews are also patrolling streets to identify problem areas and to patch potholes using cold mix asphalt. Patching is a temporary fix until the asphalt plants open, using in mid-May. The city is warning that, due to extreme weather conditions this winter and above-normal frost penetration, this is expected to be a severe pothole season. Potholes are prevalent during the spring due to freeze thaw cycles. During the warm weather, snow melts which causes water to seep into cracks in the asphal

Why do eligible young people not vote in Canada? Apathy, nothing in the budget for them.  They figure their vote will not matter. Lazy, to far to walk. Well in Australia it's different it will cost you if you do not vote.  That would get them off their duff if adopted in Canada.

A couple of days after we arrived from our Florida Diggs this greets us. I guess retribution for  the time  we were away. However it did not stay and  it melted away by the end of the day. A very harsh  Winter we were lucky to avoid.

For many, there is still time to avoid Obamacare tax penalties next year If you didn't sign up for health insurance in the federal marketplace in 2014 and were surprised by the penalty when you filed your taxes, you may still be able to sign up for coverage and avoid a penalty next year. The federal government has extended the health-insurance sign-up period to April 30 for people who qualified for health insurance but didn't know about the requirement and the associated penalty. The penalty was $95 per adult and $47.50 per child in 2014. It increases to $324 per adult and $162.50 per child this year. The fee will increase again in 2016 to $695 per person and $347.50 per child and will be adjusted for inflation in years afterward. Individuals can also sign up for health insurance throughout the year under special circumstances, such as having a baby, getting a divorce or changing/ losing jobs. Keep in mind that not all uninsured people will have to pay a pe

Almost 70 years separates these trucks in age. Now which vehicle would you be able to recognize if you you knew what they were? The top one is a Studebaker no longer in production and a 2015 Ford. For me the Studebaker wins hands down.All trucks by the "Big Three" in 2015 almost look the same.

My Cousin in New Zealand has some input when governments make poor decisions that are detrimental to segments of the population that do not have the means to cope. The same thing  could happen to Ontarians. ----------------------------------  We worked for this Company for nearly 40 years and have seen it go from a World recognized company to a comedy of errors caused by  a Liberal government who have no idea what they are doing. ---------------------------------- --------Original message------- From: Martyn and Stephanie (GMT-05:00) To: Peter & Jean  Subject: Re: Hydro one Hi Peter- Our electricity companies were publicly owned until a  right-wing government in the 1990s decided privatisation was the  way to go. Result? Rocketing prices for consumers, fat profits for  the private owners....we wish we could go back to the way things  were. Old people here don't get any rebate for rising power  prices. Each winter there are tales of old

The nearly $68-billion Ottawa will send to the provinces next year in healthcare, postsecondary education and equalization transfers is an aggregate amount. But how that money gets divvied up between the provinces is based on a series of mind-bogglingly complex formulas that factor in tax revenues, population shifts, recent economic performance and a host of other variables. That means that, although overall federal cash transfers will increase by 4.6 per cent next year, every have-not province except Ontario will see a much smaller increase. Overall, equalization payments will increase by $672-million next year. But Ontario will get 56 per cent of that total. With $iJ25-billion or 6 per cent more from Ottawa next year, Ontario will again replace Quebec as the biggest recipient of overall federal transfers, with a haul of $204-billion. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne might consider this only right, considering that last year, Ottawa cancelled a discretionary program that e

President Obama himself tweeted on May 16, 2014: “97% of scientists agree: climate change is real, man-made and dangerous.” John Kerry, Al Gore, and a host of others have championed this statistic. Since then, it has become clear that this statistic was inaccurate.  The Wall Street Journal went as far as to say, “The assertion that 97% of scientists believe that climate change is a man-made, urgent problem is a fiction.” Forbes headlined “Global Warming Alarmists Caught Doctoring ’97% Consensus’ Claims.” Come to find out, the study President Obama was citing was botched from the start.  A host of other problems for the global warming crowd are emerging, such as . . . Leaked emails from global warming scientists state that the Earth is not warming, such as this one from Kevin Trenberth that states, “The fact is that we can’t account for the lack of warming at the moment and it is a travesty we can’t.” Claude Allegre, the founding father of the man-made global

You can read the entire article on Snopes. Both have the same amount of calories, butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams. Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter according to a recent Harvard Medical Study. Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods, butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added! Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods. Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years. Now for Margarine, very high in trans fatty acids triple risk of Coronary Heart Disease, Increases total and LDL ( This is the bad Cholesterol), Lowers HDL cholesterol and this is the good one, Increases the risk of cancers by up to five fold, lowers quality of breast milk, decreases immune response, and decreases insulin respo

As the State of the Union shows, Mr. Obama is a U.S. liberal and Mr. Harper is a Canadian conservative. That the two men stress different priorities domestically doesn't matter much, but they can lead to conflict. Mr. Obama, for example, believes in the seriousness of Climate change, whereas Mr. Harper does not, a clash that has shaped their dispute over the Keystone XL pipeline. The Harper government has allowed that one pipeline to excessively define the state of bilateral relations. A grievance mentality has settled over the Harper government because of Keystone XL, which Mr. Obama obviously opposes, although no final decision has been rendered. The grievance mentality is deepened by the sense that the Americans have given nothing in return for Canadian participation in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the venue Canada provided for the U.S.-Cuba talks. With political optics defining almost everything in Ottawa, the Harper government dreaded a late-February meeting

Our Florida home badly needed new rugs or flooring. We choose the latter. Louie S. installed it. Took him 4 days as there were lots of laminate to install. With a couple of area rugs to finish off the floor area, we think it looks pretty good.