Correspondance… 11?

HOLY MOLY.   How long has it been?  How long has it been since I wrote on here? 

Here are some things that have changed:

• I’m now using Visa
• I almost had my legs perminantly split while getting rolled under 7 foot waves at Bondi
• I was within inches of man eating sharks (there was glass between but still)
• I’m within weeks of getting my Graduate Diploma in Manufacturing and Management Engineering – One more semester till the Masters
• I’ve tried on a pair of child’s size 6 Shreck underwear
• I’ve pranced around as a spartan with other spartans to go watch a movie about spartans
• It is cold in Sydney.
• I’ve gone on an Australian Wine tour
• I’ve hung out with Kangaroos that eventually didn’t like me because contrary to popular belief – I mean despite the fact that I’m really fat -, I don’t always carry food on me

The list goes on and on… and the incriminating details I’ll leave till when I get back.  Most importantly, this experience is definitely changing me and opening my eyes to new things.  I’m done classes now and have 3 exams at the end of the month.  The content of the courses is still awesome.. I’m just waiting to hear about a placement for second semester.  I’m also getting used to the group of guys that I do all our projects with.  Most assignments are group oriented and we have a set team of two Indians, an Isreali, an Irish Chinese guy, and myself.. the Canadian.  It’s kindof a hilarious time of year… campus is has been very windy lately.. I think 50 umbrellas lose their lives a day out here.  When will they learn???? Umbrellas aren’t meant to stop wind!  Or Windy Rain!  Only rain.  Rain.

So I went on a wine tour with 8 other peeps and we hit up 6 different wineries.  Man, it’s different to Ontario.. well I haven’t toured in Ontario but these people just party their asses off when wine tasting.  And they go and dance with live music; it’s basically a big ho-down but with wine instead of screach or cider.  Pretty good wines too.  Then on the way back we stopped off at an insane asylum.  It’s actually a community for mentally ill people.  So that means, you know, good times.  But the reason we went there is because there are tons of really tame kangaroos that bounce around the place.  See, the community’s located about 5k out from a small town and people often go there to feed the roos.  I wish I could show you the video I took.  We got out of the car right in the middle of a road and kangaroos just started bouncing up from everywhere.  I felt like Willard with his rats.. but these are much bigger.   They bounce right up to you and sniff you for food.  And eventually they learned that we forgot to buy a load of bread at the convenience store.. and they bounced away.

Finances are running tight so I’m applying for lots of jobs around campus.  Might be a tutor, might be an english language transcriber (whatever that is), might be a test subject for neural stimulation, might be a lab researcher.   Who knows.  I don’t.  But all you can do is try.

 Well, the library’s about to close so I have to “vacate the computer station” according to the PA system overhead.  Makes me feel like I’m on the Enterprise.  wow.. nevermind.

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Buying a New Car?

Buying a New Car?         

I finally bought the bullet and bought a new car. My old chevy van had enough, although the engine was upwards of 350k, the transmission couldn’t get the job done.  It had finally seen its day. I have no doubt that the engine could have gone to 500k if I plopped down the $1800 for the transmission rebuild. This of course doesn’t take into account the other repairs the van needed. It was at the time of its life that most of us dread – The invisible ½ way point between a good reliable vehicle and a money pit.

In getting some transmission re and re quotes, the price was $1800, thinking that $1800 was a down payment towards a new vehicle, we decided to shop around. This was definitely a good thing for the family. I hadn’t had a new car in almost 20 years, and had moved from beater to beater. Even the van itself was purchased from auction for $250; It e-tested and certified for total of $400. I actually spent more on towing to the mechanic tahan I paid for the van. It lasted us 1.5 years with only 1 repair which was a pulley with a total cost of $40. Amazing van, powerful engine, and tough as nails, but being a mid 90’s model, the rust was starting and the repairs required were adding up to an easy $3000.

There are a number of car dealerships in my area and we decided to pay them a visit. The first dealer Georgian Pontiac, offered a 2004 Buick Rendezvous. It was a luxury SUV, cost was about $15k and It had some factory warranty remaining.  After talking with the salesman, we arrived on our magic number. The monthly payments were within reach, but it just didn’t seem a good fit. GM offered a $1000 rebate called “Car Heaven” for the old van, and we had some cash but I had to think about it. Just tire kicking for the moment. I couldn’t justify that monthly payment for a used car without a full warranty. A full warranty by the way is in excess of $1500 for 1 – 3 years.

Ok, so one GM dealer put their offer on the table, we had one more GM dealer to visit. I know the imports are better rated and have a higher customer satisfaction rating, but I’ love the GM brand, always have. The last remaining GM dealer was Paul Sadlon Motors. They hadn’t left me with a good impression from previous visits. Although I was just browsing, we had actually walked right through the showroom on a Saturday afternoon without ever being approached by a salesman. I thought this was poor service and vowed not to return. Oddly enough, we ended up buying our car from this very same dealer.

My wife and I decided to visit this dealer and immediately were approached by a salesman named Owen. We quickly set out our needs, and mentioned that we visited the competition. We outlined the deal he gave us and asked if he had anything similar. “Step into my office” he said. I asked about the GM car heaven program and he confirmed we were eligible. He also asked us about our particular needs – what we used the car for, family size, space and seating requirements. I had always dreamed about the new Chevy HHR,

 

but was most likely to settle on a Chevy Vibe (Toyota Matrix) crossover. I need a vehicle as close to my Astro van as possible without the same characteristics of the gas guzzling beast (I say that lovingly) and I do still miss my Astro van!

In arriving at a monthly payment scheme, we were just above our budgeted amount until the dealer mentioned a neat little surprise – an additional $1000 GM Loyalty rebate. This put the car within reach, and not just any car, but my Chevy HHR!  
Just to satisfy the boss (the wife) I had to check out the Chevy Uplander. These came in at a great price, under $20k, however upon actually sitting in one, I wasn’t ready to purchase one. It has all the features one could ask for, but from a purely vain perspective – it just didn’t “POP”. My HHR did, and I could have it! You could have thrown anything at me and I would have said no. The decision was made.  My wife was now even convinced that the HR was the way to go. Something sporty, semi-roomy, great fuel economy and that it was “cute” I’ve never used the word cute in context of a car’s description – but hey, if the wife’s happy, then we’re all happy.

We purchased a black HHR LS. This is the base model, but includes many things that the higher models may have included. Air, CD Player with iPod jack, Cruise, Onboard car computer (2 trip counters, oil life, coolant life, fuel usage and statistics on your average MPG) etc.

When we sat down to go over the financing, I was reminded of the research I had done, including what I should and should not purchase as extras. Insurance, not the regular automobile insurance but Life, Disability, and damage insurance were offered by the dealer. Each of these were roughly an additional $16 per month. Add $16 per month, over 48 months and the total is $768. Rust proofing, paint protection, were also options that could be purchased separately.

Paint protection could be installed by a 3^rd party company, so no need to purchase it. Rust proofing is nice, but I don’t like the fact that they actually drill holes into my car to apply it. You are left with little black caps everywhere. Isn’t there a better way to rustproof without drilling holes?

The factory warranty covered 5 years power train and 3 years bumper to bumper. If you wanted an extra 2 years bumper to bumper – again, you could purchase it separately. A recent radio report I heard said Consumer Reports magazine has warned potential car buyers to stay away from these options. They are nice to have, however are not financially smart. Each option you add means approximately $768 extra on top of your monthly payment – for which you are paying interest on.  Paint protection (keying, scratches etc.) can often be purchased, but may end up costing you more than the actual damage. I’m no expert, but repairing a chip or a scratch should be much less than $768?

Leasing vs. purchasing – well the decision is yours, but the differences are pretty clear. Ownership vs rental. Leasing affords a lesser monthly payment, allows you to write off a larger portion of the lease costs towards your business, but has annual travel restrictions. 24k km’s per year is standard and .12 cents/km over and above 24k. Depreciation in an owned vehicle is often said to be 30% as soon as it drives off the lot, regardless of the actual numbers. Both leasing and owning have factory warranties, so you’re covered. GM’s roadside assistance will tow your car to the nearest GM dealer, CAA and Canadian Tire Auto Club will tow you to your preferred mechanic (depending on what plan you purchased)
GM roadside covers the car, CAA covers the member in any car.

As for my HHR, I love it, and you can stay tuned for the review. I’ve never done a car review, so please heed the warning now.

   

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What’s your Beef? – Canadian Digital Copyright Laws

Beef? – Xbox 360 media content, Apple TV media content, VOD content in Canada.

Xbox 360 & Xbox Live

• We pay the same amount of money for the “Live” service as other countries (U.S.)
• We do not get the same content
• We do not have access to TV, Movies, HD Content

Apple TV

• There is no monthly or yearly subscription fee (YAY!)
• The major draw to buying an Apple TV is to stream video
• Canadians do not have access to TV, Movies or anything that is good on iTunes
• If all we wanted was to stream audio why buy a Apple TV?

Major Television Networks

• NBC, ABC, etc….
• Their shows are offered on demand
• Canadians do not have access to these VODs

What’s the problem?

Many people believe that it’s the company’s that are holding us down but they would be mistaken. In fact it is our own copyright laws that prevent these offerings from showing up to Canadians everywhere. I was extremely p’od when I wasn’t able to watch my missed LOST episodes on ABCs website. I got the following message “Only viewers in the United States can watch these Full-length episodes.” I did some research and it was clear that these companies would like to tap into this very “connected” country but they cannot.

No wonder Canadians are constantly being caught pirating Movies and TV shows! We don’t have a choice and I assure you that if we did we would purchase. Just look at the online sales of music in Canada. It’s an extremely successful business model. I think it may be time to amend Canada’s Digital Copyright Laws!!!!!

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DMCA coming to Canada – Stop iT NOW!

Recent reports coming out of Ottawa are pointing to an upcoming DMCA law for Canadians. As if the US version isn’t bad enough. At least they had an excuse – They nothing to base or compare their implementation of DMCA. It is now almost 10 years old and has done nothing to improve the state of affairs for all involved. Piracy is still rampant, limitations on legitimate purchases, headaches for programmers and the general public.
Canada at least – has a US version to use for comparison and can draw the successes and failures from it, however they are not going to bother.
if YOU bother to take notice of those “you can make a difference” ads and campaigns, then you should get involved.

This effects us all (internet, music, movies, and even us bloggers!)

We need to call and write to our local politicians!

Thanks to Michael Geist for the scoop on this!

Link

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RUSH – Canadian Rock Heroes return!

I don’t often take the time to write about something that I like – for fear of being impartial of sounding biased, however I’ll make an exception. All Canadian musicians, have no doubt heard of these Canadian heroes. Not only for their squeeky clean images, and careers spanning over three decade, but also for their hardships. RUSH is a band not known for flashy shows or theatrics, but more for their amazing songwriting ability and pure progressive rock talent.  30 years and counting, members of the Order of Canada, politically correct and always perfectly polished, RUSH are the symbol of a pure rock band that need not rely on a show, or distractions to get their message across.  IN 2000, the band experienced a potential end to their careers when Neil Peart lost his entire family, first his daughter to a car accident, and then a year later, lost his wife to cancer.

Neil then began a journey of discovery and mourning. Always known as a prolific writer, and one of the most popular poets of modern day rock music. Neil wrote a book called Ghost Rider, the book took you along on his inner journey, as well as on the highways. The journey – travelling 18,000 kilometers from Canada to South America. Neil pondered life and of course the future of RUSH. All of us fans were deeply saddened by his loss, and could wholehearedly agree with Neil’s decision to move on with his life and leave the band be. Knowing that this power trio were family foremost, then friends, no one would blame him, and they would have most likely expected Neil to move on. Geddy Lee and ALex Lifeson, the other members of RUSH lost family members as well.

During that phase, I personally met my childhood hero – Geddy Lee. I won a contest from Q107 in Toronto to meet Geddy Lee at the radio station  to help promote his solo album. I shook his hand, and thanked him for giving me so many challenges over the years – to copy his songs and play them just like him. He was a very mild mannered fellow, and was very personable. I brought my daughter along, although she had never heard of RUSH – she was 12 or so, I thought it was an opportunity for her to meet someone famous. Geddy signed a postcard for her, and gave her an autograph. Very cool!

5 years had passed and the world thought… that RUSH was done. Geddy and Alex both releasd solo albums and side projects. That is more than we could have expected as fans, until RUSH announced a reunion, an a NEW album! Although it seemed like a long time, it was soon evident that RUSH were back with a fury! They released RUSH in RIO, a documentary and a concert following them through their reunion Tour, then R30, a 30th anniversary collection of videos, concerts and interviews – and a world tour, and Rush Replay – a rerelease of their first three concerts, along with sone 18 hours of new unreleased footage.

Today, RUSH announced an upcoming tour for their new album Snakes and Arrows. You can listen to the debut single called farcry on their website.

Thank you RUSH for persevering!  I’ll see you in Toronto!

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BRP Can-Am Spyder Grand Sport Roadster

Canada’s very own Bombardier looks as if they are coming out with another innovative vehicle for the thrill-seeking crowd:  a 3-wheel motorcycle.  Officially, it is called the BRP (Bombardier Recreational Products) Can-Am Spyder Grand Sport Roadster.  Several companies have done the 3-wheeler before but having 2 wheels in the front is a relatively untapped design idea.  Judging by the success of the company’s other products:  snowmobiles, small business aircraft and small trains, the new toy seems poised to become a collectors item.

(photo by Automedia) 

But just how powerful and fun will this thing be??

Well, for starters, it will be powered by the same engine as is used in the Aprilia RSV-R superbike; a 1000cc, 60-degree water-cooled V-twin.  From it’s performance in the Aprilia RSV-R, the one litre engine has proved it can easily crank out the claimed 106 bhp @ 9,200 rpm, surely enough for any speed junkie.  Rumours are circulating that you will be able to operate one of these machines without a motorcycle license in certain countries, but I doubt this will be the case in North America.  Prices should start around $15,000, but it is unclear when we will see any actually for sale in Canada.  For a video test drive, check out Ben Stewart reporting from San Diego: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid507904792/bctid507310221

Bring it to Canada soon Bombardier, I love the sound of those Aprilia engines!

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Canadian laws that you never thought existed

Here are some very strange Canadian laws that are obviously outdated but still exist and could be enforced. Watch yourself and make sure to never drag a dead horse down the street on a Sunday!

Ontario

• In Toronto you cannot drag a dead horse down Yonge St. on a Sunday
• In Oshawa it’s illegal to climb trees
• In Oshawa you must clean snow off of municipal sidewalks. If you do not the city will clean them at your expense.
• In Etobicoke a bylaw states that no bathtub can be filled with water above 3.5″
• In Uxbridge residents are not allowed to have internet connections above 56k
• Guelph is considered a “No-pee zone”
• In Ottawa it is illegal to eat ice-cream on Bank Street on a Sunday

Alberta

• Businesses must provide rails for tying up horses
• You cannot use dice to play crapps
• Wooden Logs may not be painted

British Columbia

• It is illegal to kill a Sasquatch

Quebec

• You are not allowed to turn right at a red light at anytime
• All business signs must be in French. If you would like to have English as well, the French writing must be twice as large.

Montreal

• The Queen Elizabeth Hotel must feed your horse while you stay there
• You cannot wash your car on the street
• You cannot park your car and block your own driveway
• You cannot spit or “relieve” yourself on the street

New Brunswick

• Driving on roads is not allowed

Nova Scotia

• You may not water your lawn while it’s raining

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