...dear Sarah.....!

I will try to work on this posting a bit more when I have a chance ...for now, just a few comments on what I think about the recent efforts by the Republican Party to run Alaska Governor Sarah as future V.P. of the ticket.

No question about it, she comes across as a wonderful down to earth, beautiful lady and she was obviously picked by the party to capture or convert the Hillary votes when it became clear that Mr.Obama had made up his mind not to ask Senator Clinton to be his V.P.

BUT:

To run for high office, president or vice, in the United States today,one should have a basic minimum of qualifications to be prepared for a job like this. A background in political science, history,geography and human relations should be an absolute base or minimum requirement...imagine the comment of D.Q. a few years ago I better brush up on my Latin so I can talk to people on my upcoming trip to Latin America..or something like that.Governor Sarah was under the impression that they speak African in Africa, she was not sure..is Africa a country or a continent.Incredible really....I will add more to this post soon...

...and the beat goes on:-

...events are rapidly taking shape...I look forward to the new Obama administration in the States, hopefully the end of the Bush regime will be a positive one, with some resolve or solution to the auto industry in North America and a positive bailout to this important sector of our economy...

Two groupes of three Canadian Soldiers blown up in Afganistan within the last few days make our participation in this troubled area of the world rather difficult. As well, our recently elected PC government is on shaky grounds and could soon be out of office, not a good time to plan or impliment drastic changes to our infrastructure or large capital projects which need the support of all parties and all Canadians.

Internet Fraud..indeed antivirus2008

...further to my last post,below, a friend now retired but for many years with IBM tells me that this horrible antivirus thing is a fraud sceme by what he calls the Russian mafia...figures...
Lots of information available on these horrible fraud artists if you take a few minutes to google for it... here is another typical complaint by a lady about this nonexisting fraudulent software...:
It appears that this lady somehow is under the impression that she is dealing with a normal business in Northamerica,....live and learn...I made the same mistake.
On May 18, 2008, while reading my e-mail, a popup from what I thought was my Windows Antivirus detactor indicated that my computer was infected with 41 different dangerous viruses, torjans and etc. I closed out my e-mail, and went back to the Windows Antivirus window, only to discover it had expired. Assuming that the popup was from Windows, I open the link to the Software-payment website, still thinking it was coming from Windows, I proceeded to purchase the Antivirus 2008 Software @$49.95, the AlphaWipe Tracks Cleaner 2008 @$34.95 and the Premium Support @$24.95. The purchase was done throught Software-payment.com with my Debt/Credit Card for a total of $110.24. If one does the math, the company also charged a $2.00 processing fee, of which was not mentioned in their Product Information Package. After I filled out the Software's online invoice, which included Name, Phone Number, E-Mail Address and Debit/Credit Card Number, a notation at the bottom of the invoice instructed that I would receive all download information through my e-mail address, of which they did do. The following is their portion of the e-mail I received: (My personal information is omitted)We appreciate you making your order.Product: Antivirus 2008 - 49.95 USDAlphaWipe Tracks Cleaner 2008 - 34.95 USDPremium support - 24.95 USD Site: www.software-payment.com Order Billed As: billinternet.com 8778717412 Order Number: 7164809 Your code for Antivirus 2008 is: a long list of complaint follows here...not needed to repeat ...these circumstance I have only been contacted once, by you, SO I AM MAKING THE FOLLOWING DEMANDS:I WANT MY SUBSCRIPTION CANCELLED AND THE PAYMENT OF $110.24 REIMBURSED TO MY DEBT CARD IMMEDIATELY. YOUR BILLING DEPARTMENT HAS ALL MY INFORMATION ON RECORD, SO THERE SHOULD BE NO NEED FOR ME TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER. Please be assured that I will not recommend that anyone purchase this companies products. Disgruntly Customer,Today is July 10th and I have yet to receive a reply from Robert.Thank you, I hope you can help me ......, Missouri U.S.A.
Antivirus2008 is a corrupt anti-virus tool that is widely promoted as a legitimate security application. In truth, it is nothing more than another scam of the countless army of malware parasites attacking computers via internet, daily. Antivirus2008 (also known as Antivirus 2008) is distributed through malicious websites that sell other fake anti spyware tools as well. Antivirus 2008 presents itself as VistaAntivirus2008 and System Antivirus 2008 as well. All these names hide the same fraud. The most common fabricated report displayed by these malwares is "Halt! Critical System Warning".Antivirus2008 is an unreliable program that displays exaggerated scan results in order to gain a purchase. DO NOT trust this scam and remove Antivirus2008 ASAP if you've been infected.

Canadian Federal Scene

Finance Minister Flaherty has already acknowledged that the government is considering the sale of assets in an attempt to reduce or eliminate any deficits. I agree that deficits must be strictly controlled and provide demonstrable direct benefits.
However, the presence in the Harper cabinet of Harrisites; Baird, Clement and Flaherty, all ideologues to the core, raises a large red flag if they are involved in the sale of government assets. Or....for that matter approve the sale of crytical privately owned assets sold into foreign control...
As a group, these men strongly endorsed the privatization Ontario Hydro. The problems Hydro faced at the time were mainly two fold;
1. A lack of transparency as demonstrated by the governments of all three political parties over decades. It was most evident by their interference with the setting of electricity rates and in the building of nuclear generating facilities.
2. Poor management practices in the running of Ontario Hydro. It was broken up and was sold at bargain prices, while leaving the public with a huge “stranded debt” and the new companies being managed by executives who are over-paid and have guaranteed golden-parachutes should all not go as planned.
This trio also endorsed the sale of the bargain priced 407 highway mainly to avert a deficit.
I can not understand or condone the sale of our public highway ( now a toll road) sold to a so called Spanish Consortium. The result was a momentary relief from a deficit while leaving Ontario drivers totally at the mercy of the private sector for longer than any driver at the
time would be driving.
This same group is in a position of influence in the evaluation of the possible sale of Canada’s assets. Potential candidates likely include:- Atomic Energy of Canada, just when nuclear power is about to become the main source for “green” power for years to come; the CN tower, a major communication hub in southern Ontario; Canada Post, surely a significant requirement in any nation; the CBC, for years an essential part of the life of the rural areas of the country. Based on their Ontario track record, I have doubts there will be any sustainable benefits for Canada.

INTERNET FRAUD ,from Russia

You have got to be kidding.....like a bat out of hell your antivirus promotion appeared on my computer...almost impossible to get rid of nagging efforts to sign me up...your software claimed to have found x number of viruses...after briefly installing your ware ( it was the only way to get rid of your promotion) this was to have been removed..Fraud, these virus items never existed in the first place.
...soonafter I received the same forced ads on my computer...again..this time called antivirus2009 instead of 2008...same or similar viruscomponent detected, fraud I figured and cancelled the thing.
I am not using your software, I have no idea what you want from me at this time and unless there is some kind of copycat outfit I consider what you are doing and your methods as clear fraud I want to expose...phonebusters.com will be sent a copy of this and I hope they will assist in stopping this kind of nonsense.I am using legitimate, purchased antivirus software, not your stuff and in order to clean up my computer I was forced to upgrade to xp professional, after dumping your software the machine never worked properly with the original xp.
This, above, was my response to an e mail just received....

This is the e mail, six months after the incident:-
>From: "support" <administrator1@antivirus2008y.com>>To: "F...L..." <xxxxxxx>>Subject: For user of the program «Antivirus 2008».>Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 07:23:18 +0100>>>>>>>>>>Esteemed F....L.... user of the program «Antivirus 2008».>>>>>On 2008-06-17 your have used the website http://www.antivirus2008y.com/ to purchase the copyrighted software «Antivirus 2008», which is our private property.>As the owners of the product we haven’t received the funds you paid for it yet. Your actions are in the nature of theft and fraud. We are preparing papers for the police and the courts to bring you to criminal liability to recover the monetary damages you brought.>For a complete clarification of the incident and to resolve the arisen conflict by a peace settlement, we need your cooperation. To do this you have to send us a written confirmation of purchasing our software. (the text of the letter you have to send is attached, please print it and fill in the fields «from ______», indicating your name, address, phone number, e-mail and other data identifying your person and sign the letter). Attaching the copy of a bank payment document confirming the payment for the purchased software (check, receipt, money orders, bank statements or other) to your letter is obligatory.>You must send good quality scan of your filled letter and bank payment document within 3 days after receiving this warning to e-mail support@antivirus2008y.com>In case no response from you is received we reserve the right to go to court and the police for your action are illegal to recover the monetary damage you brought.>>>Thank you for your understanding and look forward to a peaceful resolution of the conflict arisen.>>>Sincerely http://www.antivirus2008y.com/ site Administration.>>
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The rest of the story:-
Some six months ago my computer was molested with an ad message...for free...no charge ...a certain programme would scan my confuser and tell me if there were any virus components of any sort on my machine...
Impossible to get rid of this message, I took the FREE test and indeed..apparently 50 some odd serious virus related items were found by this outfit...free up to this point...but for a relatively small amount of money, they would instantly dispose of these nagging uglies on my machine.
I was stupid enough to give this outfit my visa info...and found later that I was billed not only for the antivirus program but also for two other items, a scan thing to use daily and a years free advise or something like that.
Aside from that....with my virus crap all cleaned up, supposedly, a new ad appeared on my machine....this time it was called the same as the last one,except instead of 2008...they used 2009...
Curious I took the test...and sure enough..the program detected 50 some odd virus related component on my machine. Guess I'm a little slow, but I suspected a scam, called my Visa/ Bank people and cancelled the payment.
A third party billing company apologised and eventually processed the refund....well.
I should have taken other actions, reported this to the Internet police or something but I'm getting too old to fight idiotic scams and let it go, unfortunately.
Now, six months later, it looks like this outfit, scam artists, is coming out of the woodwork, threatening me with police action and trying to collect money from me.

interesting times...

..the economy-the American scene--Canadian political troubles--housing market--wars and related terror aspects--failure by governments to act on urgent needs, infrastructure,trouble preparedness--Internet related happenings--world hunger--aids--china--India--Russia--Somalia--,

these are all topics we should have an opinion on. write about whether capability or talents as a writer are adequate or not, at least one should voice opinions and with some conviction stick with and promote new ideas...

CANADIANA CONFERENCE...

I recall clearly, as if it happened only recently, being sent to a conference as the local delegate from Scarborough East, to a happening labelled Canadiana Conference, some 40 or more years ago. At the long ago torn down hotel, 401 & Kennedy road somewhere in East Toronto a small liberal party delegation was appointed to look at future planning and related aspects...suggestions to the then Liberal Government in Ottawa.
It was in the days of creating a land bank in the east end of Toronto,Pickering area for the purpose of building a future new large airport replacing Malton/Pearson airport which had sort of outgrown itself.
There was also talk about a new similar project in Montreal, the feds were assembling land to construct what eventually ended up as the white elephant named Mirabel.

My suggestion to the planning group...chairman Colin Vaughan, broadcaster-architect, was to forget about a new airport for Toronto or Montreal but instead consider a new site, in or near Kingston Ontario for a now east-central region facility to serve Toronto-Montreal and Ottawas needs for long distance international flights. To bring passengers to the new facility, rapid-train links from the three areas to Kingston could be built, all of it probably at a far lesser cost with plenty of land available. After some discussion about the pros and cons, a working paper was to be submitted to the federal government.
..and that was the last I've heard of it.
C.V. commented " the french will never go for it".
The Pickering Seaton land thing is still unresolved an airport there will probably never be . The Mirabel airport has been built at great expense but did not work out very well, this multimillion dollar facility has been mothballed.
Times have changed much in the nearly two generations since I had the opportunity to participate in this planning conference. Many airlines have come and gone and the once existing Transcanada/TCA/Aircanada and CP Air are long history or have been sold.

The two Railways CN and CP are in foreign hands, little has been done to put new track where it should be, rail cars, many with dangerous cargo are rumbling through small towns, when new lines away from populated areas should have been built long ago.