A Penny for your dreams

“Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson

You are the engine that fuels your dreams into reality—your participation is paramount

The Newfie Millionaire

For all my wife's Newfie relatives

Jarge, from Newfoundland ,appeared on 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire'  And towards the end of the program  had already won 500,000 dollars. 

"You've done very well so far," said Chris Tarrant, The show's presenter, "but for a million dollars You've only got one life-line left phone a friend. Everything is riding on this question.....will you go for it?" 

"Yes,Buy," said Jarge. "I'll have a go Aye!" 

"Which of the following birds does NOT build its own nest? 

a) Sparrow

b) Thrush,

c) Magpie,

d) Cuckoo?" 

"I ain't gatta a clue." said Jarge, 

''so I'll use one-a dem dare loif-loins and phone my friend Charlie back home in Carner Brook." 

Jarge called up his mate, and told him the circumstances and repeated the question to him. 

"Fookin hell, Jarge!" cried Charlie. "Dat's simple......It's a cuckoo." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Lard Je'sus Buy I'm fookin sure." 

Jarge hung up the phone and told Chris, 
"I'll go wit Cuckoo as my answer Aye cause Charlie gots a grade eight dee-ploma." 

"Is that your final answer?" asked Chris. 

"Yes  it is, Buy" 

There was a long - long pause, and then the presenter screamed, "Cuckoo is the correct answer!

Jarge, you've won 1 million Dollars!" 

The next night, Jarge invited Charlie to their local pub to buy him a drink. 

"Tell me, Charlie ole cock? How in da Lards name did you know it was da Cuckoo that don't build its own nest?" 

"Because he lives in a Fookin clock!"

Healthy Aging

To get you started on rein­vent­ing yourself, here are some ideas from the editors of Healthy Aging® Magazine (www.healthyaging.net). Maybe they will help you think outside the box:

10 Tips for Reinventing Yourself 

1. Do not act your age or at least what you think your current age should act like. What was your best year so far? 28? 40? Now? Picture yourself at that age and be it. Some people may say this is denial, but we say its positive thinking and goes a long way toward feeling better about you. (Tip: Do not keep looking in the mirrtor, just FEEL IT!)
2. Be positive in your conversations and your actions every day. When you catch yourself complaining, check yourself right there and change the conversation to something positive. (Tip: Stop watching the police reports on the local news.)
3. Do you have negative friends who complain all of the time and constantly talk about how awful everything is? Drop them. As cruel as that may sound, distance yourself from people who do not have a positive outlook on life. They will only depress you and stop you from moving forward. Surround yourself with energetic, happy, positive people of all ages and you will be happier too. (Tip: Smile often. It is contagious and wards off naysayers.)
4. Walk like a vibrant, healthy person. Come on. You can probably do it. Analyze your gait. Do you walk slowly because you have just become lazy or, perhaps, have a fear of falling? (Tip: Make a conscious effort to take big strides, walk with your heel first, and wear comfortable shoes.)
5. Stand up straight! You can knock off the appearance of a few extra years with this trick your mother kept trying to tell you. Look at yourself in the mirror. Are you holding your stomach in, have your shoulders back, chin up? Check out how much better your neck looks! Fix your stance and practice it every day, all day until it is natural. You will look great and feel better. (Tip: Your waistline will look trimmer if you follow this advice.)
6. How is your smile? Research shows people who smile more often are happier. Your teeth are just as important to your good health as the rest of your body. Not only is it the first thing people notice, but good oral health is a gateway to your overall well-being. (Tip: Go to the dentist regularly and look into teeth whitening. Nothing says old more than yellowing teeth!)
7. Are you lonely? Stop brooding and complaining about having no friends or family. Do something about it now. Right this minute. Pick up the phone, land line, or cell and make a call to do one or more of the following: Volunteer your time, Take a class,  Invite someone to meet for lunch, brunch, dinner, or coffee. (Tip: Volunteer at the local public school to stay in touch with younger people and to keep current on trends, take a computer class or a tutorial session at your cell phone store to keep up with technology, choose a new person every  week for your dining out.)
8. Start walking not only for your health but also to see the neighbors. Have a dog? You will be amazed how the dog can be a conversation starter. (Tip: If you do not have time for a dog, go to your local animal shelter and volunteer. You will be thrilled by the puppy love!)
9. Make this month the time to set up your annual physical and other health screenings. Go to the appointments and then, hopefully, you can stop worrying about ailments for a while. (Tip: For a list of recommended annual health screenings, a great resource is the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
10. Find your inner artist. Who says taking music lessons is for young schoolchildren? You may have an artist lurking inside you just waiting to be tapped. Have you always wanted to play the piano, violin, or tuba? Have you ever wondered if you could paint a portrait or scenic in oil? What about working in wood? (Tip: Sign up now for fall art or music classes and discover your inner artist!)

Vblogs (Video Blogs) that share the world with us

YouTube allows anyone to travel without leaving home, for example You can tour France ... in this virtual presentation ...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-oME72bwzg all you need is an Internet connection and a computer. Learning the language is helpful but enjoying France visually is still very good. More than 40 million people visit each year and many know little or no French.

There are also many travel related sites, for example those of you who watch Public Television in the United States or Canada know Rick Steves. Rick posts new content all the time about Europe's top destinations and tips to help you have a smarter, happier trip on his YouTube Channel. Don't miss a thing. Subscribe at https://goo.gl/8iBEnS 

The Travel Documentary Channel  is an online series that describes travel in general or tourist attractions without recommending particular package deals or tour operators. 

If you prefer a hint of the past in your online adventures then Travel Film Archive on YouTube may be the place to start. You can travel back in time and around the world with The Travel Film Archive. The Travel Film Archive is a collection of travelogues and educational and industrial films -- many of them in color - that show the world the way it was between 1900 and 1970. Their holdings include archives of the renowned travel filmmakers Burton Holmes, Andre de la Varre, and James A. FitzPatrick, as well as footage shot by many other intinerant cameramen.

Another interesting site is Travel videos of the world all free Videos include but are not limited to Italy, France, England, Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Budapest, Prague, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Greece, Spain. USA, South America, Canada, Egypt, and Asia. The travel movies are entertaining, educational and show how to get the most out of your trip. Most episodes are 10-15 minutes in length, and all of the movies are free.

Someone named Mathew Karsten who became a world traveler in 2010 has a website dedicated to the best travel video sites on YouTube. Check it out here
Some of the channels he recommends are:

 Fun For Louis His name is  is Louis Cole. he make a Daily Video blog of my life!  Heenjoy travelling the world with friends, having fun and inspiring others!

Sona's Travels  Sonia says that traveling is about an attitude, not about a checklist. Each city has it's own vibe, pace and energy. Come along with me as I show you the little nooks and corners that have made my trips special for me. And because every traveler needs to be prepared, I bestow on to you the tips and tricks I have gathered over the years about everything you need when traveling: packing, etc. She puts out a new Video Blog every Thursday

Travel with Kristen Sarah The videos you’ll find on Kristen’s channel help you experience a place through her eyes, and it’s often pretty damn funny. She also publishes interesting how-to videos. 
 
Davids Been Here   David roams the planet with a camera, giving you quick & simple facts about the many locations he visits. He’s got over 1300 videos on his channel, so depending what country you’re interested in, odds are high that David’s been there.

Inequality has deepened under Mr. Harper’s watch

The following was written by  Lana Payne and published in the Halifax Telegram 

Statistics from Unifor economist Jim Stanford comparing a slew of economic indicators pre-Harper government to today show a deteriorating economic and labour market situation, not all of which, by any stretch of the imagination, can be blamed on the 2008-09 global financial crisis.

And since the government has bragged repeatedly of its record coming out of the recession, perhaps that bragging should be tested with some facts and data. Yes, the stuff this Conservative government derides and mocks with increasing frequency.

Employment and labour force participation rates are lower today than they were in 2006, part-time employment is up, corporate taxes are  significantly lower (22.1 per cent in 2006, 15 per cent today) business capital investment saw no increase and has been static at 19.1 per cent of GDP, business R&D spending as a percentage of GDP has declined, exports as a percentage of GDP from 2006 to today have dropped significantly from 36.7 per cent of GDP to 30.8 per cent. 

Inequality has deepened under Mr. Harper’s watch, job quality has declined, wages have stagnated, economic growth has been anemic, social protections have been reduced while corporate profits and CEO pay soar.

Not exactly great economic numbers. Add to this the over $600 billion in cash being hoarded by corporate Canada and Mr. Harper is heading into a federal election with more than a few economic weak spots.

Throw in the fact that wages are stagnant and inequality is growing and the only folks doing better are those at the top who are accumulating more and more wealth under Mr. Harper’s failed economic policies.

Inequality and poor jobs are not inevitable. Nor are they just because of technological change and globalization, as some would want us to believe. We can, with good economic policy, make a difference for the citizens of Canada, but we have to first believe that government has a role to play.

A recent report from the Broadbent Institute entitled “Haves and Have-Nots: Deep and Persistent Wealth Inequality in Canada” highlights just how bad the concentration of wealth is in this country. Inequality is not just a U.S. problem.

The report found that the top 10 per cent of Canadians hold almost 50 per cent of all wealth, while the bottom 30 per cent account for less than one per cent of all wealth. Stunning. Indeed, the bottom 50 per cent of Canadians controlled less than six per cent.

The concentration of wealth for the top 10 per cent is highest in British Columbia at 56.2 per cent and lowest in Atlantic Canada (31.7 per cent) and Quebec (43.4 per cent).

More and more countries and experts, including economists, are recognizing the importance of higher minimum wages, including their ratio to average wages, as important in alleviating working poverty. Of course, it should go without saying that strong collective bargaining is also important in combating poverty and inequality.

As Martin Luther King once noted, the best anti-poverty program is a union.

The report for the G20 ministers concludes that higher minimum wages and increased coverage for collective bargaining are key if governments wish to address working poverty and inequality. So, pretty much everything the Harper government hasn’t done.

Given all of this, it appears the NDP has hit on something with their call for a $15 federal minimum wage.

Canada can’t change the pattern of inequality if it doesn’t take steps to do so.