My Internet Friend

The Internet has become a fascinating tool.

I remember many years ago when I first received my desktop computer. I was so excited by it that I stayed online for hours every day just exploring its usage for the first time. I could really find anything that came into my mind, just by typing in a keyword and seeing hundreds or maybe thousands of search results pop up. Today, it is still a very useful means and has helped tremendously since very few products come with physical instruction manuals.

Aside from that,  one of the big advantages has been creating a pathway of socialization through the computer.  I have met so many interesting people over the years, some business associates when I was working, and others who transitioned into “acquaintances” and even "friends.”  An amazing journey especially with all the thoughtful notes locally and elsewhere sent to myself and family, as I was recovering from my illness.

The most interesting part of all of this to me is how connected we have all become. It is so great being able to speak to someone on here, either verbally through an application like Skype, or even through Facebook Messenger. Everything is instant! The beauty of it is that it does not matter where that person lives, you can even see each other using a webcam and most often you can chat for free.

Let me just give you one example of my recent connection through the Internet:

I was on my Facebook account and I saw a photograph that was posted by a gentleman named Arvind K. Pandey. We had corresponded with each other over the Internet and he lives in Prayag, Uttar Pradesh, India. We have exchanged messages with each other and have shared articles and other posts that we have found to be of interest or inspiration.  

Arvind is both a lawyer, practicing at Allahabad High Court, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, and a freelancer whose works have found place in many major publications across the globe. He also runs a blog: www.indowaves.wordpress.com which showcases his work.

So what does this all mean? Well, my sister, Marilyn was coming to visit me, so it started when I saw this photograph of him on Facebook and the message attached.

 

Here's what was written about him and the young lady standing with him:

"Rekha Pandey, eldest among my sisters, tying Rakhi on my wrist this Raksha Bandhan...

This Hindu festival is dedicated to the personal bond between brother and sister. A sacred thread gets tied on the wrist of brother by the sister to ensure his well beingness! Brother, in lieu of that, ensures her protection!"

I responded with:

"Amazing. My sister is coming to visit me soon and I read this terrific story."

Here was his reply sent back to me:

"Glad that the post struck a chord with you! This festival which is aimed at strengthening bond between brother and sister is usually celebrated in the month of August! Is there a similar tradition amongst other religions? I can't say."

It was amazing to me that we were sharing a similar bond,  at a time when we were both celebrating our sibling connection, regardless of being miles apart!  I was not aware of this special festival either until now, so I am sure many will find this information interesting. 

I hope you enjoyed this blog posting and if you have a sibling that is near or far, make sure to get in touch in some way. After all, it is never too late to reach out and say hello.

The Birthdate Future

I saw this fascinating title of an article, or rather photographs for the article, on my MSN.com startpage this  morning. 

Of course, I had NO idea what the answer would be and so immediately went to the website to see.

Oh my goodness what did I see?  Can you see it right away as well?  Here is the photo for my  year shot.  However, see if  you can understand the importance of exactly what I mean by looking at the photograph:

There it is.  The year for the first photograph for this 71 year slide project: 1945.  Obviously this is the most important year to keep everyone interested.  [What a dollar could buy the year you were born]

You guessed  it.  That is MY year of birth too!

Dell's Computers For Students

I received this note from my friend at Dell Canada.

Since it is so close to the new school year starting, I thought I would send it out so that if a new computer was needed, then you, dear reader, would see some Dell computer products that you might find of interest for your kids.  Or maybe even for yourself!

By the way, the  prices I have shown you may NOT be the prices today.  They change so quickly in the market-place these days. They at least give you an  indication of the range of costs the particular PC may be to help you decide which one you might  want to look at more closely.

Stay Ahead of the Class with Dell’s A+ Tech Devices for Back to School

Large selection of 2-in-1s, laptops, desktops, and gaming systems to fit every student’s budget, backpack or desk

TORONTO, August 3, 2016 – Students today know that having access to up-to-date technology is essential for them to engage in learning that will prepare them for success inside and outside of the classroom. Dell’s back to school products are the perfect companion for the techies, gamers, budding entrepreneurs, musicians, fashionistas and more looking for a system for school, work and entertainment. With ultimate visual experience, mobility, design and industry-leading battery life, students can start the year with their best foot forward.

Multi-functional Inspiron 2-in-1s: A Laptop and Tablet in One Device

Busy with class, athletics, internships and more, students need devices like the Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 to fit their multidimensional needs. Research shows that 2016 is the year for 2-in-1s[1] and it’s easy to see why with a versatile 360 degree hinge that enables four modes of use: laptop mode for typing out a paper, tent mode for reviewing recipes while cooking, stand mode for streaming a favorite movie, or tablet mode for keeping up on social media.

·         Inspiron 11 3000 2-in-1- Colourful, Affordable & Ultra-Portable

This 11-inch 2-in-1 combines the performance of a laptop and the convenience of a tablet in a stylish, affordable and ultraportable design that makes it easy to take anywhere. It features the latest processors from Intel^® providing speedy performance for surfing the web, writing a term paper, or chatting on the web and a bright HD (1366x768) touch display with impressive clarity. Colour options include Bali Blue, Alpine White and Tango Red (colour availability may vary by region). Starting price: $349.99 CDN.

·         Inspiron 7000 2-in-1s – The Most Powerful Inspiron 2-in-1 in a Selection of Screen Sizes

The Inspiron 13, 15 and 17-inch 7000 2-in-1s offer a brilliant aluminum design and the highest performance of the Inspiron line. The 7000s include a standard wide-viewing angle screen with FHD resolution, backlit keyboard, infrared camera and Waves MaxxAudio^® Pro audio software. The precision touchpad delivers more precise pointing and gesture recognition, and the 802.11ac wireless capabilities provide improved range and speed for better surfing, streaming and video chats. Starting price: $1099.99 CDN.

High Performance with Stylish Design: Award-Winning XPS Laptops & Desktops  

With premium performance and design, the XPS laptops and desktops are perfect for those overachievers who want to look good in the process.

·         XPS 13 Laptop – The Smallest, Award-Winning 13-inch Laptop on the Planet

This super light (starting at 2.7 lbs[2]) and slim (9-15 mm) device is the smallest 13-inch laptop on the planet,[3] squeezing a 13-inch laptop into an 11-inch frame. With the first virtually borderless InfinityEdge display and the longest battery life of any 13-inch laptop,³ up to 18 hours of run-time with FHD resolution,[4] it’s perfect for students to carry in their backpack or purse and keep them up and running all day. Starting price: $1,199.99 CDN.

·        XPS Tower, XPS Tower VR & XPS Tower Special Edition – Powerful, Elegant & Expandable Desktops

With the XPS Tower lineup, students can enjoy blazing fast speeds for gaming and system-intensive applications, plus huge expandability potential. It is engineered to run quietly, cool more efficiently and deliver the best sound possible in a desktop. Additionally, both the XPS Tower VR and Special Edition meet and exceed the minimum recommended specifications for running virtual reality, and the Special Edition has undergone and passed testing for the Oculus Ready and HTC Vive Optimized certification programs,[5] for immersive video and virtual reality experiences. The XPS Tower Special Edition will also feature a beautiful aluminum design, Intel K-processors and overclocking capabilities, heat pipe cooling and NVIDIA’s latest Pascal graphics. Starting price and availability: XPS Tower: $899.99 CDN (available for purchase on August 4); XPS Tower VR: $1,599.99 CDN (available for purchase on August 4); XPS Tower Special Edition: $1,699.99 (available for purchase on October 15).

Get in the Game with Alienware PCs: Leader in PC Gaming

For 20 years, Alienware has stood for leadership and performance, reliability and iconic designs. Engineered for some of the most demanding users, the best-in-class performance of Alienware devices will power students through their most difficult class assignment – and maybe more importantly, through the latest video game.

·         Alienware Alpha Desktop – Compact Design & Packed with Power

The new Alienware Alpha is both the perfect gaming console and desktop PC that can be transported easily between the bedroom, living room, LAN parties and more, with minimal set up. Its compact design now comes with 60 per cent higher GPU performance than the previous generation and better frame rates at higher resolutions and higher settings.[6] For future proofing and to push performance to virtual reality and 4K gaming levels, the new Alpha is now compatible with the Alienware Graphics Amplifier. Starting price: $799.99 CDN.

·         Alienware 13 OLED & QHD+ Notebooks – Alienware’s Thinnest and Lightest Gaming Laptops

The new Alienware 13 Notebooks are available in two outstanding display technologies, including OLED, the world’s first gaming notebook to offer this revolutionary technology with an astronomical contrast ratio of 100,000:1, and QHD+, a stunning resolution of 3200x1800. Both the OLED and QHD+ drive further immersion and visual enhancements to gameplay and are compatible with the Alienware Graphics Amplifier. Starting price: $1,699.99 CDN.

Students, parents and teachers can sign up for Dell Advantage Rewards, the award-winning loyalty program, and have access to free second business day shipping,[7] five-per cent in rewards for use on future purchases.

Dell wants students and teachers to love their new technology without worrying about price. If they find a lower price advertised on the internet for a similarly configured Dell, HP, Lenovo or Apple computer, or any identical electronics products, Dell will match that price.[8]

Students can also protect their back-to-school investments no matter where their studies take them with Dell Premium Support, Dell’s service for consumer PCs and tablets that gives customers proactive automated support for both hardware and software. Dell is the first and only company to combine proactive automated support with 24/7 access to expert technicians, on-site service after remote diagnosis,[9] and support for both hardware and software issues.[10]

About Dell

Dell Inc. listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.ca.

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[1] Why 2016 Will Be The Year Of The 2-in-1 PC – Digital Trends

[2] Weights vary depending on configuration and manufacturing variability.

[3] Based on June 2015 Principled Technologies Report sponsored by Dell, “Comparison of 13 Inch Class Notebooks”– Principled Technologies

[4] Based on the BrowsingBench benchmark test conducted by Dell labs in September 2015 with system brightness set to 150-nits (40%) and wireless enabled. For more information about BrowsingBench, visitwww.eembc.org. Actual battery life may be significantly less than the test results and varies depending on product configuration and use, software, usage, operating conditions, power management settings and other factors. Maximum battery life will decrease with time.

[5] Oculus Rift and HTC Vive sold separately.

[6] Based on Dell Labs testing in May 2016 using multiple 3DMark benchmarks (3DMark 2011, 3DMark Vantage) comparing the Alienware Alpha with an Intel Core i7-4565T, NVidia GeForce GTX GPU and 4GB memory to the Alienware Alpha R2 with Intel Core i7-6700T, NVidia GeForce GTX 960 GPU and 16GB memory. Actual performance will vary.

[7] Second Business Day Shipping is not available on TVs 40” or larger and 55” Dell Branded Monitors. Other exceptions apply. See dell.com/rewardterms.

[8] Price Match Guarantee: If you find a lower-price advertised on the internet for an identical electronic product or a similarly configured Dell, HP, Apple or Lenovo computer, Dell will match that price. Call or Chat online with a Dell Expert and we'll walk you through the process. Learn more at dell.com/pricematch.

[9] Onsite Service after Remote Diagnosis is determination by online/phone technician of cause of issue; may involve customer access to inside of system and multiple or extended sessions. If issue is covered by Limited Hardware Warranty and not resolved remotely, technician and/or part will be dispatched, usually in 1 or 2 business days following completion of Remote Diagnosis. Onsite Service is provided by Dell Marketing L.P.  Availability varies. Other conditions apply. For complete details about Onsite Service, see dell.com/servicecontracts.

[10] Based on a Dell analysis dated April 2016. Some Premium Support features are not available on all products.

Just Some Thoughts

Here are some interesting stories that I believe are important to write about and their issues which are just as interesting to read about as far as I'm concerned. It's pretty obvious to me that I should be posting them to remind you of some of these matters that I find so important. I have provided some of my comments as well that I have made with respect to the stories so that you will understand at least why I am posting them. So here all of this is. 

THE COUNTY LIBRARIES 

Such a disappointment again. I just don't understand what is going on. It is certainly a huge negative for the employees: 

"Library Strike Continues 

By Maureen Revait BlackburnNews August 8, 2016 

Negotiations on Day 45 of the Essex County library strike have failed. 

The 58 CUPE Local 2974 employees remain on the picket line over the issue of a new sick time policy. 

CUPE Local 2974 sub unit chair Lori Wightman says the union came forward with a new proposal but management refused to move on the issue. 

“We returned to the bargaining table with a new sick time proposal so we could start a dialogue to end this strike,” said Wightman. “Instead, management showed no movement and stuck to their original sick time position from June 22."  

In my opinion, the issues that are being dealt with in this strike really have little to do with the employees of the Libraries in the County. Rather, in my view, the fight is between Management and the Library Unions across the Province.  It just so happens that our local Union is being used as the precedent for other decisions involving Library Unions in different parts of the Province. And perhaps, more importantly, for other Government unions as well. 

Just in case one might think that there will be a resolution quickly in this matter because workers have been on strike for so long, think again:  

"There are no future negotiations scheduled." 

Moreover, I saw this comment in another article:  

"[Richard Meloche — chairman of the Essex County Library Board and deputy mayor of Essex]  acknowledged the negotiations could potentially affect future contract talks for other county workers."  (Julie Kotsis, Windsor Star, August 11, 2016)

WINDSOR POVERTY 

Oh my. When I read this introduction to the following article, I was quite shocked. What will the Government of Windsor really do: 

"Windsor’s final 2016 property tax bills were mailed out last week with what will likely be the last tax freeze the city’s citizens will see for a while.  

After eight years of tax freezes (so long as your property wasn’t re-assessed, upwards) the political forces desperate for a return to government growth are piling up the excuses to lay a really fat increase on you next year. 

The latest one: poverty. Apparently, some concerned citizens were shocked recently to discover that some Windsor neighbourhoods experience greater levels of poverty than others. Well, they’ve decided, this has to be fixed.  

So expect a big push this fall for a new “war on poverty” or “battle to take back the neighbourhoods” or some such gimcrackery that involves dipping deeper into your wallet.  

Some younger voters may be impressed by this big push for a new and improved form of social justice. But tax-scarred older voters have heard it all before. It’s really just political cover for justifying a return to property tax increases and the hiring of more special helpers."  (Chris Vander Doelen, Windsor Star, July 3, 2016)

The Star writer at the end of his article stated:  

"And I reiterate: every year, Windsor spends one dollar out of every three it spends, on poverty alone. A third of the budget is spent on a group which is much smaller than one-third of the population.  

Yes, that part of the population needs the help. But to suggest not enough is being done for them is the cynical politics of people trying to pad an already generous budget envelope."  

It shall be very interesting to see whether in fact taxes are increased in Windsor and, if so, what the justification for doing so is. It will also be interesting to see if the City's political leaders will say that a tax increase is not necessary and everything will be managed effectively to ensure that this happens including cutting certain programs in the City or hiring outsiders to do City work at a lower salary than City employees.  

AN INTERESTING BORDER STORY 

Here is something that I read by a gentleman who used to work at the Washington Post for over 25 years as his biography in his story claimed:  

"New $2.1 Billion Detroit-Ontario Bridge Project Hits Big Snags 

(Eric Pianin, The Fiscal Times, July 5, 2016)

In March 2015, the U.S. and Canadian governments reached an agreement to build a new $2.1 billion bridge connecting Detroit and Ontario designed to eliminate a massive bottleneck that for decades has put a crimp in the flow of commerce between the two countries.  

The goal was to replace the 86-year-old Ambassador Bridge, a deteriorating, two-mile long relic of a bygone era in serious need of renovation.  

Despite the initial optimism of Canadian and U.S. officials nearly 16 months ago, the project has become bogged down in complicated and time-consuming legal challenges. And Canadian and U.S. officials’ hopes of completing construction of a replacement bridge by 2020 now seem highly unrealistic."  

I must admit that I read the story back then and it really wasn't all that significant to me. There was not a lot of new news in it as far as I was concerned but then again, I am reasonably familiar with what has happened for so long.  

Then wow, guess what happened next. Here is what was written in the Windsor Star telling people in general what is happening: 

"A 2020 completion date for the Gordie Howe International Bridge is looking increasingly doubtful as challenges persist in getting the multibillion-dollar crossing between Windsor and Detroit to the next stage. 

The biggest hurdle? About 30 properties needed for the new crossing on the U.S. side  — 20 of them belonging to Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel “Matty” Moroun —  but considered “problematic” to acquire, according to Dwight Duncan, interim chairman of the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority. 

“I won’t be held to a date,” he told the Star on Friday, the first time he has addressed the delay." (Doug Schmidt, Windsor Star, July 16, 2016)

I just find this story and a lot of others that I have read recently to be quite interesting. Should people in this region expect that there might be a decision announced that there is now a deal finalized between the Ambassador Bridge Company and the Governments on both sides of the river?  

After all, these news stories are softening up all us a little bit for some reason aren't they!

Border Crossing Exclusive

Border Crossing Exclusive

Dear reader, I'm about to tell you what I believe is about to happen with the border crossing in Windsor/Detroit. I am probably one of the few people in both Canada and United States who is able now to figure it all out given what is going on now publicly.

Oh, don't think that someone from the inside has given me "secret" information so that I can give this to you exclusively. After all, since I have been so ill over a year and a half ago, I hardly talk to anyone about political matters because I just don't have the strength or interest in pursuing them.  That doesn't mean, however, that I have lost my desire to know what is going on because of everything that I have done for so many years previously. More importantly, I am so pleased that my brain is functioning so well now that I can write this article for you, dear reader, which I believe is pretty accurate.

Before I break my "news" to you about what I think is going to happen relatively soon, let me remind you a little bit of my history in the border file that is taking place between Windsor and Detroit for well over a decade.

Effectively, I made a decision early on about what was going to happen between the Governments of Canada and United States and the Ambassador Bridge Company. I joined the Board of "STOPDRTP" where I helped represent Windsor residents in the land area where DRTP was supposedly going to be built and became one of the executive members of the group set out to oppose that when I first got involved in the border file. At that time, obviously, I knew little about what was taking place and certainly about what was going to happen.

One of the first things I got involved in almost immediately when I joined up, along with the gentleman who was on their Executive, was a meeting with a senior person representing the Canadian operation of the Ambassador Bridge Company in Windsor, Canada. It was a very interesting session in which we learned about the history of the Bridge Company, what steps they had done in the past involving the border crossing and what they planned on doing at that time. To be direct, by the time I left the meeting, I was very certain that they would have what they wanted undertaken and that they would remain as the operator of the bridge crossing between Canada and United States. I did expect that there would be some difficulties hopefully designed to prevent them from being successful and then forcing them to sell out. However, I expected them to be the ultimate winner by the end of the matter.

I must admit that I did not believe that this file would take so long in concluding. In all the very many years since that first meeting, I was quite involved as a member of that citizens' organization. I also wrote border crossing opinions on my own website that I wrote on exclusively for many years. Finally I was very involved with the online newsletter that I helped start up and stayed with until just before my major illness around Christmas/New Year time, 2014 when I had already left for a few weeks previously.

In all of those many years of watching what was going on in the fights between the US and Canadian groups, there are so many factors that came into play. I am not going to bore you with them now but it was always my belief that ultimately the Ambassador Bridge Company would win.

But then, some interesting things might happen even if the Company was the victor.

My suspicion always was that the Governments expected that Matty Moroun would get out of the business once the Company had won and was building his new bridge and that his son would take over.  My belief was that they expected that his son would sell the border bridge because he really did not have a lot of interest in wanting to be involved in handling it. They probably thought that he would think that there were many other more important matters that would take up his time in all of the other affairs that his Organization was involved in. Moreover, the amount of money that they would have to pay to him was really not going to be all that much in the scheme of things although they believed that he would think that it was a considerable amount.

Naturally, the Government people messed up everything that completely ruined them and gave more reasons for the entire Moroun family to hang onto the Ambassador Bridge. One silly event as far as I am concerned in the entire border file was the one night that both Matty Moroun and Dan Stamper, his senior executive, spent in jail after being sent there by a US judge during a legal file. It was such a dumb move.

Let's be real about everything. Look at how many years the Ambassador Bridge has been privately owned. Nevermind how many crucial affairs there have been that could mean attacks on Ambassador Bridge including World War II and so many other battles and wars involving Canada and the US and their enemies, economic devastation in our countries, slowdowns and many other negative matters. Has anyone ever seen the Governments coming in before to buy the Ambassador Bridge to protect it? If they have not done so before because the feeling was that they had no such legal right to do so, then what gives them that power now? Which Court could now legitimately support the right of the Governments, for example, to expropriate the Morouns' interest in the Ambassador Bridge? Why haven't the Governments already done it? I find it strange that if the Government of Canada has that power, then they have done nothing so far.

Oh, there is a lot more for me to talk about that says that the Ambassador Bridge owners' interests cannot be taken over legally by the Governments. However, I will just leave you with that thought so that I don't have to write anymore about what I have said so far.

Given all of that, then why am I writing this article. The reason should be obvious. Here is my "Border Crossing Exclusive!"

I truly believe that there have been negotiations going on between the Ambassador Bridge Company and the Government of Canada. My belief is that these negotiations have been undertaken quite extensively once a new Prime Minister was elected in Canada. My belief also is that the Ambassador Bridge Company is feeling more positive about dealing with the Canadian Government not only because our new Government is treating them better but, more importantly, because our new Government seems to have a terrific relationship with the Government in the United States. I suspect that the Ambassador Bridge Company knows that they ultimately will have to sell out some interest in the Bridge to try to maintain a positive relationship with the Governments of Canada and United States but would like to do it as soon as possible and on terms that are acceptable to them. The last thing that they want to do is to keep on fighting this matter for who knows how many years. Who knows, some Courts at that time might be prepared to rule in favour of the Governments no matter what.

I'm just surprised that we have seen so many recent stories about "secret" negotiations going on with the Ambassador Bridge Company and a Government not only in some Canadian newspapers but in a big story in an American newspaper that I saw in one written recently by a writer who is hardly a friend of the Ambassador Bridge Company at all. It tells me that something different is going on now and something very important as well.

My own belief is that these writers may well aware of the ongoing negotiations and may well be expecting that there is to be a conclusion reached soon. They have to try and preserve their position and to try and give themselves a positive position even though they have failed completely in what they had hoped that they could achieve i.e. the kicking out of the Moroun Family who would have been forced to sell out to the Governments at a very low price.

My own "Border Crossing Exclusive" is that we will hear very soon that a deal in fact has been concluded between the Ambassador Bridge Company and the various relevant Governments. It will be presented as a huge victory for a US President who will be retiring soon and a newly elected Canadian Prime Minister! Of course, the Ambassador Bridge Company will not let everyone know that they are the real winners. It will all be done before the new US Government takes power at a time when the US President now has the power to promote the deal taking place.

The timing is actually perfect for something like this when one looks at what is going on in this matter. The Governments have never done anything in reality because my belief is that they know they would never win. The Ambassador Bridge Company is willing to make an interesting move now because the elder Moroun is so much older and they do not want pressure on his son as he takes over the business. All of the parties have finally realized that they need to settle it in a way that is advantageous for all of them. Of course, the Government of Canada still hopes that one day they will take over the entire bridge but they are not prepared to fight that battle now because they have done so badly over the last decade.

So there you have it, dear reader. That is why you see these strange news stories that are giving everyone interested in the border file some news that something is going to happen soon.  You have read in my opinion what is going to happen. I expect to be right!

Why Is Our Library Still Closed

I have to admit that I didn't go to the library very often when I was living in Windsor. Most often, I would take out a few books to read or spend some time researching a certain topic of interest. However, having the e-library available, making the trip to a library location wasn't always necessary.

Things did change quite a bit though when my wife and I moved to Tecumseh.  For quite a time after I was recovering from my horrific hospital days, I was reading my own book after book after book that I had not read before because all I was doing now was staying at home, inside. I had a huge library of books from my previous home, some that were taken with us and many others were sold or donated. My family also purchased a number of books for me that I really enjoyed and still do, like my growing collection of Winston Churchill.  However, as I started getting better and needed to go outside to exercise, I just did not seem to be as interested in sitting down to read. I wanted to be on the move and active! 

Then I discovered the Tecumseh Library and all it had to offer residents.

I am a big visitor to the Tecumseh library that is located just about a block or 2 away from my home. I discovered their services and was very impressed with what they offered to the public. Not only do they have an excellent library full of great books, but also DVDs. Before the strike, I would go into the Library and take out a bunch of DVDs to enjoy for several times a week. That means that I would probably be going twice a week to the Library and take out 3 or 4 DVDs at a time to take a look at them, to help me relax.  It was a terrific alternative for me from a health perspective. Also, the librarians there are just so helpful to the people who come in, not only to assist them in taking out books/dvds, but to let people know about any events happening too.

So why I am I telling you all of this? In case you don't know it, my Library and a bunch of others in the area have been closed down for well over a month now. The workers are on strike. Can you believe that something could ever take this long to get resolved! It is completely absurd as far as I'm concerned. It makes no sense to me whatsoever. I doubt very much that something like this would ever happen if private parties were involved.

Naturally, strikes in libraries in this County are easy to do. After all, I thought that each little County town has its own Library. In effect then, we have a bunch of small little libraries with few employees in each of them out on strike. A local Government is really under very little pressure as well to get this resolved because so few employees are involved in each Library.  Notwithstanding that Libraries are on strike when kids are at home because of the Summer holidays because their schools are closed, there is not much pressure to get the Libraries open again to satisfy their needs.

Here is what I have read:

"Fifty-eight employees from 14 branches have been on strike for 41 days. The sticking point is with short-term disability qualifications and sick days — even though both sides acknowledge library workers typically don’t abuse time off.

But Meloche said these negotiations could potentially affect contract talks of other groups in the future." (Craig Pearson, Windsor Star, August 4, 2016) 

It's enough already! Our Librarians should not be punished this way. I am NOT taking a position at all with respect to the particular points involved in the dispute for this strike. Rather, I am concerned that our Librarians are on strike as an example to be used in a whole bunch of other employment matters across the Province.

That is not how our Librarians should be treated and frankly, our Municipal Governments should not be allowed to do so any longer. Get this strike over with already so many residents, including myself can enjoy all the wonderful services that the libraries have to offer.

A light-weight Surprise: Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series

These days computer companies are offering a lot more attractive laptops for people to purchase. The desktop units themselves no longer seem to be as popular as before and their sales volumes are decreasing. I always thought that was a shame because I enjoyed using desktops so much. However, that is what happens out there and I have to get used to it.  When I was offered to review the Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series (7370) laptop computer, I was quite curious to see how this one would work.

I still remember quite clearly what happened when the courier service delivered my box containing the Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series (7370) laptop.  It is described as a "business–class" laptop which meant to me that it had a lot more features than a non-business model laptop, which would be a big advantage.

The big shock to me though was when I first received the Dell box supposedly containing the Dell Latitude laptop computer. I thought that there was a real big problem with it. The box weighed virtually nothing. Quite frankly, I was going to call up the lady at the company that forwarded to me the Dell computer and tell her that someone forgot to put it in.  Nevertheless, I thought that I would open up the box to see what was inside, if anything.

Of course, the Dell Latitude 13 laptop computer was inside the box! When I checked out the facts sheet, the weight of the laptop was less than 3 pounds!  That low weight is a real positive feature if one has to carry it around during the day.
Another great feature was the 13 inch screen. Here's how it was described:

"The Award-Winning Latitude 13 7000 Series is thinner and lighter than ever with a stunning 13 inch InfinityEdge display for incredible viewing, plus aerospace grade carbon fiber for amazing durability."

What is also very positive about the computer is the appearance of the screen considering its size. There is virtually no casing around the screen so that the cover itself is virtually completely the monitor. Again, this allows for a smaller sized laptop computer to be built with the larger screen. In addition, when one uses the laptop, the keyboard lights up when typing so that it is easier to deal with especially if it is not a well-lit area. I found that this really made it comfortable to type since I am a 2-fingered typist!

Another great feature is that the screen is anti-glare. Watching videos on Youtube, or simply watching a tv show or movie is quite impressive with the HD quality and anti-glare screen. I like to watch a lot of action films, and so seeing a great movie on this laptop will be quite a treat with such clarity and one can truly appreciate the visual effects so much more.

Take a look at what the Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series (7370) laptop computer looks like when closed.  I think the appearance is quite attractive:

Lastly, the battery life of this laptop is excellent!  I know that this aspect is very important for a lot of people, so let me share with you a great option that you can add on with your Latitude 13 purchase called the Dell Companion. It offers many more hours of battery life, and provides power for up to 2 smartphones, tablets, or any other USB-enabled devices. Obviously, this surge of power capabilities is quite impressive.

So there you have it. If you are searching for a super light-weight laptop that excels in durability, performance and offers incredible battery, check out the Dell Latitude 13 7000 Series. You will definitely not be disappointed!

http://www.dell.com/ca/business/p/latitude-13-7370-laptop/pd