The passing of Jack Layton

Sadness across Canada yesterday as news of the death of Jack Layton, leader of the NDP party swept the nation. He was a kind and descent man who truly cared about the country and it's people. Even in his own battle against cancer he's priorities remain the same, in building a stronger, united Canada. In his final letter, he remains optimistic and urges canadians to continue fighting in his cause.
Mr. Layton worked hard for the common man, the elderly, those with disabilities and our your younger generation. He addressed difficult issues and kept opposition leaders on their toes by continuously pushing them to do better. He gave Canadians something to believe in and proved that not all political parties are the same. For many he was a symbol of hope that better times lay ahead and the worse were now behind us.
Jack Layton will surely be missed but will never be forgotten.
Sincere condolences goes to the Layton family.




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The topless law

Canada is a beautiful country. Filled with natural resources, great food and rich in culture. For the most part I'm proud to call myself a Canadian. What I'm not to fond of is some of our laws.
This morning I pick my morning morning paper, staring at me on the cover page is a young woman with no shirt on, breast completely revealed. Twenty years ago our government passed a law that woman are allowed to be topless in public. This morning the story re-surfaced in my morning paper because not enough women are practicing their rights to bear it all. Activists of the law call it equal rights, because men are allowed to be shirtless in public. I'm all for equal rights in work, school and socially however the notion of exposing our private parts in public for all to see does not qualify as equality. To me it affirms that women are objects in which men can gawk at. The article features a beautiful blond woman topless, walking past some construction workers, who were smiling and whistling at her. I can't see how we as women expect to be treated as sophisticated, intelligent equal members of society, while exposing our breasts. I'm not sure that's what our ancestors were fighting for in terms of equality.
I believe in freedom of speech and of expression, I just don't see how exposing ourselves publicly benefits anyone.
My other issue with this law and those who are practicing it is rather simple. How can it become socially and legally acceptable for some to walk around half naked yet those who choose to cover are considered abnormal? The acceptable notion of "it's my body and if I want to share it with everyone I can", should also include: "it's my body and I don't want everyone to see it".
We only have one body. It should be taken care of with dignity and respect, both inside and out.


(This is an opinion piece.)


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Health care

After attending a health seminar that my chiropractor, Dr. Sandy Bhasin delivered to his patients last night. I felt it was important to share some thoughts.
The bulk of his discussion was about the importance of total health care. Which I have to admit is a bit strange coming from a chiropractor. As he began his presentation it was very apparent how much he actually cared about people's health and in teaching proper care of the body. There are a few things that stuck with me. Before getting into his demonstration he made us stand up and say "I am happy and I am healthy". I'm a big fan of this type of encouragement, but what I found is it opened the room to him. When he would ask a question, we, his audience of patients would openly answer him. The second thing was his entire speech was focused on ways to obtain optimal health. Normally these types of doctors are only interested in fixing the immediate issue, such as neck or back pain. However, Dr. Sandy carefully designed this seminar to help his patients understand where the root of the problem is, how to get better and how to remain healthy in order to lead a more fulfilled life. I have never seen this level of care in any health care practitioner I have visited. I'm not knocking down other doctors here don't take this the wrong way. But rather how many sick people there are visiting their doctors and these same physicians do not have the time to spend with each individual patient. I really feel that these types of seminars
are important in educating people on the importance of maintaing health.

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Reflection

I was recently talking with an old friend of mine from high-school. We were reminiscing about the dreams we had and where we ended up in life. It got me thinking although I'm no where near my dream of being a corporate lawyer, single woman living with a bunch of cats. I think this place where I'm at in my life journey is so much better. I would not trade my family for anything. Thinking back now I can't see myself alone without my children or my husband. Even the notion of being tied up in court all day defending corporations is really not appealing. I would much rather do what I do now by working with small business entrepreneurs at helping them to succeed within their business. Where I can take my office with me anywhere I am.
I think it's important to take a minute to truly appreciate the things you have as well as your accomplishments. Even though i have managed three degrees, no credentials in the world can replace or even compare to my two children.
I would like to ask you all to take a moment of reflection and think of all the things you are most proud of in your life right now. If you find yourself not happy with what you see, maybe it's time to start working on a new dream.
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A note on helping others

Helping those who are in need in my opinion is everyone’s responsibility. There are little things that we can do on a daily basis in order to help someone else. Little things like holding a door open, or carrying your neighbours groceries.
Donating your time to a special cause is another way to help those who are less fortunate. A few hours a week is all you need to truly make a difference in someone’s life. Recently I have met a couple wonderful ladies who have been diagnosed with MS (muscular dystrophy). One lady named Stacy is the owner and designer of Gothic Gourd Girl (http://gothicgourds.com/). She is raising money and awareness for CCSVI treatments. Another woman I have had the privilege of meeting is Tessa. Tessa is a single woman who is alone on journey to raising money in getting the help she needs.
CCSVI (Chronic cerebro-spinal venous insufficiency) treatment is term that was developed by an Italian Dr. Paolo Zamboni. (Wikipedia) Through the use of angioplasty, patience suffering with MS has seen improvements to their overall health. The problem is the procedure is not offered here in Canada. I am working with these two ladies to help raise the funding they need to get treatment in the U.S as well as working to raise awareness to bring the treatment here.
I am currently trying to put together a few campaigns. One of which is selling some Avon products off my website www.cecavonstore.com and some hand crafted jewelry in order to donate the funds to them. I am also going to post the links to their websites so any interested people who are willing to help could donate directly.
I will posting some information as it comes in about their journeys as well as on MS and available treatments.
To learn more about CCSVI in Canada please visit; http://ccsvi.ca/

http://www.gofundme.com/Tessa-CCSVI-re-treatment
http://www.gofundme.com/HelpGothicGourdGirlStacy

Positive thinking, the Power of Choice

I have recently been attending many business related webinars that have been geared to “changing your personal way of thinking”. This has been a fascinating topic for me. Not because it’s a topic I am not familiar with, but rather how much people do not realize how important this is. The way you see yourself and internalize yourself is important not only business but also with your personal life. If you are constantly focusing on your negative points and telling yourself you cannot do something, you will never achieve your future goals. By changing the way you think about yourself will also change the situation that surrounds you. Now of course I’m not going to babble about this with out actually putting this theory to the test.
I have always been a fan of Freud, for more reasons than I can count. However, for the topic of this blog I will tell you the one thing that I always valued about his theories and that is that he tested his ideas on his own children. This is a something that I have put to practice myself since my daughter was born.
How does this apply with changing your internal messages? I took one simple idea, from a recent lecture of putting up a post it note with the sentence “I choose…” rather than the conventional “I see myself…” Now I decided to test this theory not only with my daughter, but myself and husband as well.
First small background on my daughter, she is a naturally negative person. Not sure where she has gotten this from because for the most part my family is very positive, always seeing the “glass as half full,” or at least half. My daughter unfortunately has always just seen the negatives of the world around her, and now she is internalizing this. So for her I put something little on her note. “I choose to do well in school”. For myself I put “I choose to be a writer and share my writing”. For my husband, it’s rather funny and longer term, but it was his choice, “I choose to live in a scenic area”.
Now the point of this exercise is to read this note 20 times a day for 30 days. This apparently is how long it takes to internalize the thought and make it happen. I can only speak of the results for myself and my daughter, because my husband is more of a retirement goal.
For my daughter, who is struggling in school and is just barely getting by, has turned her C average to a B-. No dear readers you have not read this wrong. She has done a vast improvement in the past month that no one can believe.
For myself I have been writing up a storm lately. I have jobs that I didn’t even think I could get let alone accomplish and gotten positive feedback, which is always good for one’s ego.
This is my quest for all of you my dear readers. Take a page from Freud’s book and try this method on yourself and family as well. Start clearing your heads of all those negative thoughts of “I can’t”, “it’s not possible”, “I’m not good enough” and so on. Replace those with “I choose.” Choose to reach your personal and work related goals, no mater how big or how small they are.

Biography block

Recently I have been working on a project for a sister in the United Kingdom. I have been asked to write a personal/professional biography. I thought this would be an easy task, considering that I have picked up many projects ranging in details. I have written content articles for business, website articles, published in online sites, even did some marketing campaigns. Yet I find myself lost for words.
I would like to believe that I am not the only one in the world that can’t write a personal or professional biography. I think it to be rather silly that I can’t think of any thing that I would like to put together about myself. I have gotten as far as “mixing educational and business background to create…” I have even tried to tackle this as just another article and the person I am writing about is not myself but rather another fellow writer who coincidentally has the same credentials I do. This I have to admit is not working very well.
Now I try to voice my opinion here on my own work space. Maybe this place will help to jog my mind and unlock my words. Clearing my thoughts giving me room to come up with a thought provoking biography.

Writer's inspirational notes

I have just finished reading “Eat Love Pray”, by Elizabeth Gilbert. She has by far become my favourite author and “ideal”. I heard something recently that has stuck with me throughout this entire book. A cleaver statement: “that you always find what you’ve been looking for right when you need it”. The day I found this book, I had many things going on. I was writing articles for a few clients and suffering of lack of inspiration. My business and marketing strategies were becoming overwhelming. Yet there was this copy of a book I normally would have over looked, waiting for me. To quote a character from one of my favourite TV shows Raj on “The Big Bang Theory”, “Eat Pray Love, changed my life.” This it truly has. I will not go into the details of how a simple memoire of an author can do this. However, as a writer I respect her and her style of writing. I have recently listened to a speech she gave found on her website www.elizabethgilbert.com, which has truly inspired me in my own work. I think as artists we need to feel that we are not alone with certain types of feelings and struggles. We need to be reminded by those who have gone through the process and the motions and have emerged stronger. It encourages us to keep doing what we are passionate about.
This is why I have chosen to share this with you all tonight my dear readers. I find this woman fascinating and inspirational. We as the creative ones of the world should take a moment and listen to her incredible journey.

Writers personal notes

I have been diligently working on many projects recently for other people. Between writing content articles, marketing plans, advertizing solutions and trying to work on my book, I have not taken much time for myself. To write freely on topics that mater to me the most, this is the reason for my most recent “personal journey” postings. However, tonight I want to share something different with you my dear readers.
A few months ago I published an article about “what type of writer are you versus reader”. The just of the article was to explain how I love to read fiction novels yet I can not write in this genre to save my life. I like to write non-fiction, yet will normally not pick up those types of books. I’m not a romance reader or a “chicken noodle soup for the soul” type of reader either. I like murder mystery, science fiction and magical. My normal routine when I go to any store that has a small book section is to quickly scan the titles. Today I noticed one entire rack dedicated to some vampire collection. I don’t mind the occasional vampire read, but it seems that this is becoming an overly saturated market. Then something caught my eye. “Eat Pray Love”, by Elizabeth Gilbert, featuring a very beautiful Julia Roberts on the cover, instant flash back to movie preview. I stood for a moment debating, all the while thinking, “I don’t read books made to movies”. Simply because it ruins the movie for me, apparently my imagination and vision of how the characters and scene flow are very different than that of the movie director. I always end up feeling so cheated after watching a movie in which I read the book first. Hence why I have not read any Harry Potter books yet, desperately waiting for the final chapters of the movie to be published before going ahead with the novels.
Still standing in front of the book, Julia Roberts picture staring back at me almost calling me. I pick up the book, flip the pages, feel the cover and decide it’s mine. Taking it home anxiously, I begin reading the first few pages then realize that this is a book about the author’s journey. Amazed by the notion, I read the back, the cover, the prologue to make sure I am not making any mistakes. Nope no error here, this is her journey. I’m hooked, this is my deepest secret, my most favourite books are those written by authors who dare to share their personal experiences. The few brave souls who take the plunge by putting their reputation on the line to create a novel which is not considered an “auto-biography”, but rather a personal revelation.
I have to say I have just begun reading this book and have not put it down till now to share it with you. I have been carrying it with me the entire day reading it at every given moment. I have not loved a book this much since my teen years when I first discovered the writings of John Saul and Dean Koontz. Tonight at dinner I started to read, suddenly I felt something watching me looked up to see both my children staring at me. Reminded me of the same stare my mother used to give me before ripping the book out of my hands and saying “not during dinner.”
I have no idea what the movie is like, to be honest I may not watch it now. I do however, highly recommend this book. It’s written well it’s written in much the way I write. But the author’s style and the combination of words she uses makes you feel like she is talking directly to you. Like a letter from a dear friend who has been on an amazing journey and is writing to you about it. Truly fascinating is her tale of her travels to Italy, India and Indonesia.
I will be definitely searching for other books written by Elizabeth Gilbert, she writes both in non-fiction and fiction genre.
“Eat Pray Love” is the title, if you have not read it yet, I strongly recommend you do.

My favorite Shaklee products

To continue on my Shaklee journey, I would like to take a minute to introduce my favourite Shaklee products. But first I have a secret, I like them all.
I will start with my very first experience. I’ll be honest when my first order came in I was very exited, but still a bit sceptic about the products. Like most people I was brainwashed into thinking that “clean” means strong smelling, chemical based products.
My first test was the Basic H2, the all purpose cleaner. I decided the floors should be my test subject. I followed the instructions on how much soap to water ratio. I am normally not this particular about such details, but I really wanted to examine this cleaner. I was absolutely amazed at how clean my floors came out. My son had spilled some grape juice on the floor that wouldn’t come out no matter what I tried on it. Two passes of the mop with the Basic H2 and the stain was gone. I kid you not my dear readers, the stain is non existent. The other thing that really surprised about this soap is the smell. It smells like nothing I have ever smelled before. It’s fresh and clean. Also, normally once I am done washing the floors with other cleaners I get a bad headache and I get very dizzy. That didn’t happen with this product.
Once the floors were all nice and shiny I thought what next? Bathroom lets see how well this product can clean up in there. I decided to do the bathtub first. Little bit of soap to a bit of water, I took a regular cloth and washed it down, didn’t even have to scrub. Toilet same thing, two drops got the job done. Now what I really truly enjoyed in here, is normally I would use a glass cleaner to do the taps. Not with the Basic H2. Quick wipe down and rinse and the taps were sparkling. It’s a truly amazing product. I highly recommend if you try nothing else to at least put this one to the test. I guarantee you will never go back to your old cleaners again!

Tune next time to hear more about these amazing Shaklee products.

To find out more on how to order Shaklee products, please visit http://newday.myshaklee.com

My personal journey

For my post today it will be more on a personal note. I would like to share some of my journey over the past few months.
My husband and I moved here to Mississauga, about 5 months ago. We moved here for a few different reasons, but mainly for my husband to get some training and for us to find a different opportunity. This came about after the corporation of the gas station chain we were retailers of decided to sell our station.
This turned out to be more of a blessing than we had imagined.
In the few short months since coming here, I have finished my course and gotten my accounting degree. From there I decided to start a small business offering personal tax and financial advice to individuals and small businesses. I also made a career change and decided to follow my passion as a freelance writer. This has given me the chance to really learn and grow. I have learned many things in terms of marketing, advertizing and how the internet works. This has really helped to enhance my portfolio.
While trying to find some writing jobs one night, I stumbled upon an advertisement which has changed my life and my families’ life for the better. It was about a business opportunity. I filled out a simple submission form and was taken through a serious of training videos explaining the prospect.
After the first video was complete I knew I had found the opportunity my husband and I had been searching for. We were looking for something that wasn’t a franchise that we would have full ownership of and most importantly something that reflected our values. That is exactly what I found through the Freedom Project and Shaklee.
This new business venture has truly been a life altering experience. I will be dedicated the next few posts about our journey with Shaklee and what opportunities are out there waiting for you as well.

Celebrating Earth Day

Taking care of our environment and being eco-friendly conscious should involve more than turning off our lights for one hour tonight during “Earth Day”. Everyone can do small things each and everyday to help save the planet.
A common catch phrase from when I was in middle school comes to mind, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. The first time I heard these three words was in sixth grade when a fellow class-mate was featured in our local newspaper promoting the recycling program. I can remember some of our teachers talking of the importance of less waste and to recycle whenever possible. They also warned us of the dangers that pollution caused to our ozone layer and atmosphere. “Unless you want your children to only be able to see trees in a museum, and to live in a bubble dome unable to ever go outside due to the sun’s dangerous rays. Then it is up to each and every one of you to take care of our planet”. These words spoken by my sixth grade teacher have always stayed with me.
I thought I would share this story to commemorate “Earth Day”, and as a reminder that it is up to us to be more Earth conscious. Remember every day we can “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”.
Join our eco-friendly team by visiting http://cthgreen.weebly.com you can also learn more about products that are safe for your family and the planet.

Happy Earth Day and remember to turn off all your un-needed lights tonight.

Cause for Alarm continued

I have recently published an article on the dangers found in everyday household products. Please refer to the Triond widget to the left of your screen to read the entire article.
However, I just wanted to emphasize a more personal note. The more research I conduct into the "toxic compounds" found in our household products, the more sick I become. I can not believe that we as a society have become so lazy and ignorant that we would let ourselves and our children be exposed to such dangerous products. Some examples include: Formaldehyde, DEET, Benzene, Sodium Hydroxide, Pesticides, there are also neurotoxins and nerve-deadening chemicals. The first thing I noticed while reading the long list of ingredients found in every day use products is that many of these are the same that are in cigarettes. With our anti-smoking corrolations, it really bothers me that it's ok to allow these cancer causing agents into our homes and bodies simply because there "cleaning agents" beliving that they can not be that bad for us. Thirty years ago, we didn't thought the same about cigarettes, lead, mercury,ect. It's only until there are serious injuries or many deaths before people take notice forcing governments to introduce new regulations.

Here are some small facts:
Cancer and accidental poisoning is the top killer of children ages 5 to 9.
Childhood asthma has jumped 400% in the past decade.
Our children are suffering from mental illness' that no one can seem to find the causes to, such as ADHD and numerous learning disabilities.
One in three women will suffer from a miscarriage.
Infertility and prostate cancer is on the rise.
The EPA reports that indore air polution is five times higher than that found outside.
An average household generates more than 9kg of hazardous waste each year.
We are exposed to approximetly 150 chmicals everyday and only about 10% of those have been tested and deemed safe for consumers. We as a society are conducting a cruel experiment on ourselves, our children and our future generations. It's time to take a stand and make a change to a healthier life. By choosing safer, natural products.
To learn more on natural products free of toxins and phosphates, please visit http://cthgreen.weebly.com
I will posting a series of articles this week on the "toxic brew" we find ourselves surrounded in along with what we can do to protect ourselves, our families and our environment.

Triond site

I would like to apologize for not posting in a while. I have been having technical difficulties with my computer that hasn’t supported my blogger website. I’m here now and would like to share with you what is slowly becoming my favourite site.

My favourite publishing site is Triond. I discovered it while working on a article in which I needed information on public sites that buy and publish articles. Here is a snippet from their site. “Triond is a complete publishing service that enables users to easily publish quality content of any type, in media format.” Once you submit your work, Triond takes care of the rest. They publish and market your pieces, allowing you the freedom and time to work on your creativity. It’s a free site to use. You crate a portfolio, display your published work and are rewarded for your efforts.
What I like the most about Triond is the social network side of it. Once you join you are linked into a world of talented people. You can share stories, get feedback on your work, and get support when you need it. It is also a great way to enhance your portfolio if you are serious about started a writing career. You can send potential clients to previous articles you’ve published on Triond.
Whether you are serious about becoming published, or just want to share your creativity with others. Triond is the site for you.
I have added my Triond widget here, if you are interested in viewing some of my previously published work. Some articles are my earlier works that I posted here.

A day in the life: Winter Blues

A day in the life: Winter Blues: "February might be the shortest calendar month of the year; however it seems to be the longest out of the winter months. The shorter da..."

Winter Blues

February might be the shortest calendar month of the year; however it seems to be the longest out of the winter months.  The shorter days and presence of the fluffy white stuff everywhere takes a toll on some people.  They may begin to feel the pinch of the winter blues also known as “seasonal effective disorder”. (Wikipedia)  The disorder was defined in 1984 by Norman E Rosenthal.  “The US National Library of Medicine notes that some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change.  They may sleep too much, have little energy, and may also feel depressed. (Wikipedia)

Other signs and symptoms include:

·         Difficulty in waking up in the morning

·         Nausea

·         Changes in eating habits

·         Cravings for foods rich in carbohydrates

·         Weight gain

·         Mood swings

·         Depression

·         Lack of enthusiasm

Common causes behind seasonal effective disorder are the lack of serotonin in the body’s system and the lack of vitamin D.  Serotonin is a chemical component in our system that helps the nerves to communicate with one another.  Low serotonin is the reason for increased appetite and depression like symptoms.  There are medications available to help regulate the body system back to the right levels. Vitamin D on the other hand helps with the development of our bones and teeth.  Vitamin D is produced naturally by the sun’s rays on our skin.  During the winter months, deficiency in Vitamin D is common from the lack of sun light. Taking a multi-vitamin daily with vitamin D-3 will help with the energy levels during the longer winter months.

What else can you do to help cope with the winter blues?  Here are a few simple and effective tricks you can do at home. 

Leave the curtains open before going to bed to allow natural light enter the room in the morning.  Get in the habit of getting out of bed right away after waking up and going outside even just for ten minutes.  This will help you to wake up and feel energized ready to tackle the day.  You may want to invest in a light box, however these are not regulated.  Make sure to use one with a diffusing screen to filter out UV rays.  It is important to get as much light as possible during the winter months to avoid the winter blues.

Spend at least a half hour outside.  Going out for a daily walk or getting involved with a winter sport or activity. Although they might not be visible, the sun’s rays are more direct during the winter months giving us plenty of Vitamin D.  Also the winter fresh air is very beneficial for breathing, especially for those with allergies, asthma or breathing difficulties. Being active during the winter will also help you to regulate your weight and shed off unwanted pounds.  It will also help to regulate the serotonin levels helping you ward off  the winter blues. 

Keeping a healthy life style even during the long winter months is essential for overall health.   Being in good mental and physical shape will help to prevent seasonal effective disorder and keep feeling your best.

Sources:

“Seasonal Affective Disorder”. Wikipedia-the free encyclopedia. 2011.  Web 25 January 2011. http://en.wikipedia.org/.

Bad Weather

Saying that driving conditions during the winter season on our Canadian roads are bad is an understatement.  Yesterday while driving back from Northern Ontario.  My family and I were re-directed off Hwy 11 to a back road.  Not knowing why until we seen the local news.  A 40 car pileup was the cause for the detour this afternoon. Low visibility mixed with bad road conditions were the cause of this massive pileup.  Tragically one woman died from this accident.  At this time we would like to offer our sincere sympathies to the family of the young woman. Our thoughts and prayers are with you in this time of mourning.

The storm had started in the early morning (aprox. 1:00am)  My husband and I had decided rather than taking chances on the road to pull over and find a place to stay for the night.  Once we took the road again later on in the morning.  We witnessed four collisions before being detoured due to the pileup. 
Even with police presence and seeing accidents some drivers did not seem to take the road conditions seriously continuing to drive at speeds of 100km/hour.
In our great Canadian weather, with the rapid changing conditions and sudden drops of temperature. We must as drivers exercise much procaution while driving.  It might look like a bright sunny day when you leave the house.  But that can change rapidly. 
For the few months of winter that are left.  Let's all do our part to make the roads a bit safer by taking our time out there.
Tragic accidents such as this one is a reminder of how dangerous the roads can be when you least expect it. 
Take care out there.

Relief for webs.com users

Uproar of happy voices was heard this afternoon as the webs.com websites finally came back to life.  Answers are still a bit sketchy on why the websites were actually down in the first place.  However the company marked the problem as solved within the forum. (http://support.webs.com)

“Apparently AT&T blocked username.webs.com due to it mimicking their login window. In other words a phishing site. The site was created - 2011-01-14 06:38:01.0 The site was reported to our abuse team and by AT&T Fri Jan 14 11:21:24 EST 2011 to our abuse team. Our abuse team froze the site - Fri Jan 14 13:02:05 EST 2011. Meaning the site was immediately no longer accessible. ATT was notified during this time of action taken. Additionally, I sent an email to their security team on 1/15/2011, which was posted in my updates.

Unfortunately, there was a break in communication within AT&T's internal departments/ This delayed knowledge of the action taken by Webs.com. Also, their Tier 1 team can not handle blockage issues and are trained to state no site is blocked regardless of the evidence. This is what I was told by several managers.

Thanks to you guys, the continual publicizing of the issue and our push on the back-end resulted in the blockage being removed. “

Cheers,
CT
Webs Management

The company continues to ensure its users that an incident such as this one is unlikely to occur again.  The company has plans to once again change their websites hosting name from webs.com to possibly prowebs.com as a safety measure.  Some are still skeptical however.  It sounds very similar to the situation the company had back in 2009 in which they opted to change their users name from freewebs.com to simply webs.com. 

It is a happy ending for most after a long 5 day black out which affected many small business owners and non-profit organizations.  Their websites are back up and visible to the general public. Some users such as myself, have opted to conduct their business elsewhere. 

In any event there is a harsh lesson to be learned here.  When conducting any kind of business online and/or other.  Extensive research into the company operations is essential.  Being a well informed as a consumer will protect you from this sort of disaster.

webs.com black out-5th day

Rolling into the 5^th day of the webs.com black-out, with no resolution from the webs.com team.  They are still claiming it’s an issue with ISP providers.  Ignoring every other possibility and not taking responsibility.

For most users this is frustrating to say the least.  They create a website with webs.com to conduct business or for non-profit organizations.  With the websites not being able to be viewed this causes a huge problem for the users who have invested time and money into creating and promoting their websites.

After looking deeper into webs.com company.  I have discovered that they have 19 pending complaints with the Better Business Bureau.  They have had similar “crashes” in the past in which case they have gone from “freewebs.com” to just simply “webs.com”.  There have also been reported cases of copyrights infringement charges, however I’m still waiting confirmation on that.

When I asked the Official Representatives hosting the “help forum” for the users of webs.com on what was being done on the issue from the part of webs.com. CT who is an employee of webs.com stated this:

“If I may Caroline just get an official statement from webs.com so that I can forward it along as well to others who are looking into this issue. I mean what I’m looking for is a formal statement on what exactly webs.com is doing other than advising it’s users on this forum to contact their ISP.
Is what I asked in the forum.

I did not get a response from Caroline, however CT said this:
The official statements are the updates Cec.
Cheers”

Now I take that as a “no comment” statement from the part of webs.com.

On the first day of the issue.  The Official Representatives of webs.com had asked the users of the forum to post their IP addresses, along with ISP users.  To help them eliminate some causes of the blackouts.  Users obviously were co-operative in trying to resolve the issue and did in fact provide this information to webs.com on the public forum.  It was never mentioned by any representative of webs.com that this information provided by the users would be posted at the top of the forum for public view. 

Today however, on day 4 of the black-out.  There was an up-roar in the forum as users realized that their IP addresses and private information about computer software was still posted at the very top of the forum.  Where the Official Representatives had been instructing all users to view for updates on the situation.  It took many pleas from the users in question, along with threats to legal action before the information was finally removed. 

In my opinion this is very bad practice for a company who professes to “be one of the top 150 best sites in the world.  With 20 million users and 50 million websites”. (from Official Representative at webs.com forum: Caroline)

On their website they also advertise “…the best tools, easy-of-use, innovation and reliability.” 

This is an issue that has gone past the scope of the public forum used by the webs.com representatives.  It should be addressed higher up in their corporation.  As previously mentioned this has affected small business owners and non-profit organizations.  Here is an example of one non-profit organization:

• “Severely Autism people cannot access the procedures you are advising. AT&T is my carrier. My website is down or blocked. I am losing Autism livelihood to support my independent special needs because of this. I do not use telephones. I cannot follow your procedures. I rely on webs.com to get this straightened out. AT&T & DHS cannot claim telecom immunity against an ADA / Sec. 504 discrimination lack of access claim, & they have a duty to fix it upoon webs.com contacting them and telling them webs.com is speaking for its disabled, blind, deaf, severely Autistic and other disbaled customers. So, pls. do something to get this fixed or have your legal team write an access letter to AT&T & DHS. DHS has its own C.F.R. that prohibits it from discriminating against disabled Americans & our access. So this makes no sense and is not okay to just leave our websites down / blocked for days, and tell us we have to fix it - webs.com is the one with the legal duty to get it fixed. That is the Autism disability access requirements of federal laws. Thx. Also, if AT&T is doing this, it is a Sherman Act restraiint of trade. If they are attacking webs.com, it is affecting severely Autism people with websites. They don't just get to restrain trade because they are big.  Mary Katherine May”

This is one example with over 400 others on the public forum experience the same issue.  Webs.com is not a company I want to be associated with if it does not care about it’s community.

30+ hours out and still no word from webs.com

It has been over 30 hours since the discovery of the webs.com websites going down.  The webs.com is not shedding any light on the subject.  There are currently 335 members on the forum that I am following. However, no official representative from webs.com present. 
We are seeing outages from accross the globe mostly in North America.  Many outside groups and forums are being created to inform the general public of this issue.  Most of us who have sites on webs.com are opperating business' through this website provider.  This becomes a frustrating time for us to try to inform everyone.  Naturally webs.com has not taken any action in helping with informing the public, rather it seems they are hiding away somewhere.
Sites to consider http://wwpmmedianet.wordpress.com/ updates on the situation.
                          http://www.complaintsboard.com/ there is an open discussion.

Webs.com website down

I have spent an exhausting day on a forum trying to resolve my website issue with my website service provider called webs.com
To no avail.  There was much back and forth blaming our Internet service providers, our IP address' not working ect...(this was done by webs.)
My Internet service provider was very pro-active in trying to resolve the issue.  In the end the tech. who was helping said it was an issue with webs. and not my IP or with my Internet.
What did webs respond?
"In regards to customers calling their ISP. Please note, free users are not exactly our customers but we are willing to assist in any way possible. Also, those having the issue are also customers of the ISP. Therefore, yes, we need for you guys to call them. " 
That is a direct quote from one of webs.com employees on the forum.  Now does that sound like a company you would want to deal with? 
First a little background.  Webs.com is a free provider to help you build your website.  They put advertising on your website, so in fact we are not free users.  Also it's not just the free users having an issue.  Those who paid to have a premium site (their own domain name) also could not access their websites.
My suggestion is not to use webs.com for any of your business ventures.  Their manner in deal with issues is very questionable.  I'm very upset as were the 300+ customers on the forum I was just on. 
I just lost 2 months of work, as well as my entire online business.  My website was my business, and now it's gone with no action being taken to fix the issue.

My dear friends, I ask with the power of Internet, lets not let webs.com get away with this.  Please forward this to anyone you know.  Get the word out there. 

Does the perfect research exist?

Cecile Gagnon

January 12, 2011

“…there is no hope for doing a perfect research”.

(Griffith’s 1998, p.97) Do you agree?

           

Research is a compilation of many thoughts and theories combined together to formulate one working idea.  To conduct a perfect research, would leave no room for further understanding or future advancements.  Searching, finding and creating on any level is vital to our evolution.  Making mistakes and re-designing is what turns a simple idea into actuality.  “…the definition of research includes any gathering of data, information and facts for the advancement of knowledge.” (Definition of research)

The need to expand on ideas furthers our society to reach a clearer understanding of our evolution while pushing the limits of our imagination.  Expanding on something simple such as using fire to keep warm or for cooking, escalating to more complicated ideas such as sending man to the moon. 

From the first mega computer to the notebook and hand held devices.  Such advances would not have been possible without extensive continuous research on the part of many dedicated individuals.  Computer technology and information connects our world.  The first computer stemmed from a simple idea, to create something that could easily store and organize data.  It “…was unveiled in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania.  Conceived and designed by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert” (Wikipedia), along with a team of engineers to assist in the development.  The “Eniac” was designed to “…be reprogrammed to solve a full range of computing problems.”(Wikipedia)  The development of this first computer gave way to rapid technological advancements.  Telecommunications, scientific and medical advancements, weather predictions, planetary discovery and earth watching in general; have all been affected by the ideology behind the first computer.  Without continuous research, trial and error, these advancements would not have been possible.

Even the greatest minds of our time, constantly searched and re-designed their own inventions and theories in search of perfection.  Galileo for example, proved many theories with experimentation and changed the perception of how the Universe works.  However, he was never truly satisfied by his own work.  Galileo is well known for many things.  Nevertheless his invention of the telescope is by far the finest one.  He was never truly satisfied with his creation.  Galileo was continuously re-designing it in hopes of a clearer picture of the Universe.  With the use of his telescope, Galileo was able to see the craters on the moon.  Proving that the moon’s surface was not flat and smooth as previously thought.  He also made a striking revelation that the earth was not the center of the Universe.  Which led him to realize that the planets rotated around the sun, not the other way around as was the common belief of that time. This discovery opened the doors to many great scientific researchers into understanding how our surrounding world works.  Scientists such as Newton for example, expanded on Galileo’s theory of gravity.  Newton developed three laws of motion, backed by extensive research and mathematical calculation on the forces of nature and its motions due to those forces.

            Even with extensive research there are always unexplained variables to take into account.  A concept that is unexplainable due to lack of understanding.  This will baffle scientists or researchers for years, until a new theory or concept can be added to enlighten the unexplained variable.  “We may improve the quality and quantity of a research process but that doesn’t necessarily imply that we have done the perfect job.” (by Umardaud)  The endless search for the perfect research is what has redefined our understanding of the world around us and beyond.

References

Definition of research, experiment-resources.com, 7 January, 2011

Wikipedia-the free encyclopedia, 7 January, 2011

Unardaud, http://expertscolumn.com/, 8 January, 2011

Changing the tone

Hello everyone,

I have noticed recently that my postings are following a gloomy pattern.  As an optimist (I see the glass as being half full), I feel it’s time to change the mood around.  Discuss something positive to offset the negativity surrounding my blog before we all slip into a depression coma.

We see often articles written in news papers and magazines about the “influential people” of a specific year or era.  However, have you ever taken a moment to think of people who have been positive role models in your own life?  Someone who you looked up as a child or maybe it’s someone who you never met but agree with their principles. 

For me it’s a wide spectrum of people with no visible correlation between them; such as my husband, my grandmother, Ahmed Deedat and Angelina Jolie to name a few.  Although they have nothing in common with each other and two of them I have never met personally.  However, they have influenced me in different aspects of my life. 

I grew up in a single family household.  My grandmother was a strong character in my life as she helped my mother to raise me.  She was a confident woman with strong morals and values.  She gave me strength to believe in myself and my abilities always pushing me to achieve my goals.  “My (grandmother) was the most splendid woman I ever knew…I have met a lot of people around the world, but I have never met a more thoroughly refined woman than my (grandmother).  If I have amounted to anything it will be due to her.” (Charlie Chaplin.  He was speaking about his mother, but I changed it to grandmother to suit the context.)

Ahmed Deedat, was a writer and a confident public speaker.  He was a Muslim scholar with a broad range of knowledge not only about Islam but also about Christianity.  He spoke many different languages, which enabled him to have a clearer understanding of the religious scriptures.  This strengthened his ability to debate with Christian missionaries. “He was driven and goal oriented. He was focused and never let up until the job was done. He was sharp, perceptive, forthright, fiery, and daring in his challenge of those whom he debated, particularly against those who equal his missionary zeal and sense of audacity”. (IPCI website, he is the founder of this organization)  Despite criticism he stayed firm on his mission right up until his death in 2005.  He inspires me to speak and write freely on topics that I am most passionate about.   To always stay firm on your morals and beliefs despite the obstacles you might face.

Angelina Jolie, actress, business woman, mother of six children and humanitarian.  I respect her not only as an artist.  But as a mother who does not place distinction between her children.  Her inner strength and confidence shines through  everything she does especially her humanitarian work. 

She has won two humanitarian awards for her work in obtaining aid in many countries such as Cambodia, Darfur and Jordan.  She is also an ongoing activist for refugee rights.  She has also founded the MJP organization, which was created to further conservation efforts in the Northern Territory of Cambodia.  (see Lahle Wolfe, about.comguide to read the entire biography)  Angelina Jolie is a sign of independence and strength to all women. 

The last influential person to be highlighted is my darling husband.  He is the most stable character I have ever met.  When the world feels like it’s spinning too fast and out of control, he is always there to take my hand and guide me to safety.  He is a devoted to me and our two beautiful children.  We share the same goals, morals and even fears.  He is my truest companion in life.  He gives strength when I am weak, he is my legs when I cannot walk (I do mean that literally, I can’t even count the times he has had to carry me around the house because my legs just don’t want to work), my voice when I cannot speak.  He knows me completely, just by my eyes he can tell if I’m sick, happy, worried, mad, ect.  He inspires me every day to wake up and get out of bed and to continue our life journey together.

I end with a wise quote "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade".

The bystander effect

I was appalled this week while reading the Toronto Sun. The story of a young woman struck down by not one but two vehicles while she was crossing the street.  What makes this story even more sickening is the second driver who ran over the injured woman did not bother to stop.  Two sister's who witness the accident ran to the woman's side trying to comfort her and keep her warm until helped arrived.  They reported to the Toronto Sun that they couldn't believe how this tragic event did not seem to slow down the traffic from around them. 
As I was reading this story I was reminded of my first year psychology class.  My professor was giving a lecture on the bystander effect.  Which was introduced in the 1960's after the tragic death of "Kitty Genoves".  A New York city woman who was raped and stabbed to death near her apartment building.  Early reports suggested that 38 people had either witnessed or heard part of the attack however failed to call police.  This tragic event prompted psychologists to study the effects of violent acts and the way witness' respond to them.
Studies in these types cases showed that individuals are less likely to offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present.  One person will almost always assume that someone else is going to do something. Observers seeing other people not taking action take that as a signal that the correct response is not needed or appropriate. Some passer-bys might also fear their own safety and choose to ignore the situation assuming that someone else more qualified to handle it will come to offer help.  This is known as the bystander effect or diffusion of responsibility. 
Even with today's cell phone technology, those who happen to witness a crime of any kind will be hesitant to pick up their phone to report it to the police.  It usually isn't until much later once they hear about it on the news does it strike them that they were present at the scene and could have offered some assistance.  The implementation of anonymous tip lines such as crime stoppers has helped to give confidence to witnesses to report any information related to a felony.  These programs have helped police close many unsolved cases and give closure to the affected families.

Lesson to be learned, the next time your passing by a situation that doesn't seem right to you.  Don't hesitate pick up your phone and report the event to the proper authorities.