For oil changes, which matters most: time or mileage?

RICHARD RUSSELL
The Globe and Mail
July 15, 2013

Most vehicles have recommended maintenance at either time or distance points. As my driving is low mileage, why is it important to follow the time points? Why not just follow the mileage points? – James

As you point out, maintenance schedules are based on time or mileage intervals.

While it may seem to make sense to delay oil changes due to low mileage, the problem is that low mileage. For example, the oil in an engine acts not only as a lubricant, but as a cooling agent and a method of pulling nasty minute and possibly damaging particles caused by wear into the filter and boiling off harmful chemicals caused by combustion.

Those particles or chemicals might remain in the oil of a lightly used engine. As well, oils and other fluids can break down over a period of time, losing their effectiveness.

One reason for following the recommended intervals is to ensure warranty coverage, the other is to ensure a long and trouble-free life for the engine, transmission, etc.

If the vehicle is off warranty and you don't intend to keep it for years, the monies saved by delaying maintenance may be appealing, but only for the short term.

One important factor to keep in mind when looking at the suggested maintenance schedule is whether your driving pattern falls into the "normal" or "severe" category. You might be surprised to learn that the majority of Canadian drivers fall into the "severe" list, not because we drive like racers but because of our climate and geography.

Severe conditions include frequent trips of less than 15 kilometres, lots of stop-and-go driving, cold weather operation, towing a trailer, dusty roads and idling for long periods. Notice there is no mention of excess speed; the opposite is the case, infrequent use or short hops that never allow the engine and transmission to achieve proper operating temperatures.

I have a couple of vehicles that cover low mileage – 1,000 to 2,000 km a year – one still under warranty and one past that stage. I change the oil annually regardless of mileage or time and ensure that other suggested service items are addressed as well.

Mark Cullen's spring gardening advice

By: Mark Cullen
Toronto Star
May 11, 2013

Q: Can I use the grass seed and lawn fertilizer that I have stored from last year?

A: If it was kept dry, yes. Temperatures do not change the efficacy of either grass seed or fertilizer, but moisture will. In the case of the seed, mice will wreak havoc but not change the germination viability of it, either.

Q: Can I plant now?

A: There's a loaded question. If you want to plant frost-tender vegetables or annual flowering plants, you are best to wait until May 24. . So-called "hot crops" like tomatoes and cucumbers thrive in soil that is over 18C. There is no harm in waiting a week or two after the 24th of May if you are unsure.

All other plants can be planted now. Trees, shrubs, evergreens, roses, and perennials, to name a few. See my column in last week's Homes & Condoslast week's Homes & Condos section, at thestar.com, for details.

Q: Can I prune my cedar hedge (or lilac, or maple tree) now?

A: Yes and no. You can prune up to one-third of cedars any time of year. Evergreens lend themselves to spring pruning as most of their growth takes place in late May and June. The flush of new growth always looks good after a haircut.

Flowering shrubs will not be harmed by a spring pruning but you will remove the blossom buds if you prune before they flower. Remember this: spring-flowering shrubs set their blossom buds in the autumn while late-summer flowering shrubs set their buds late spring and early summer. You can't go wrong by pruning a shrub six to eight weeks after of its flowering period.

Trees are generally best pruned this time of year. Hardwood trees like birch and maple will bleed sap excessively if they are pruned while dormant. I recommend that you prune them while in full leaf.

Q: Can I move my peony now?

A: Perennial plants can be moved now, but do not leave it much later. Peonies are quite forgiving if you move them in spring, but they prefer to be moved in September. Hosta, monarda, daylilies and the like will move nicely this time of year.. Time is of the essence. Dig them with a garden fork or use a sharp spade or shovel. Then cut them as you would a pie: once in half and then in quarters. Replant the divisions or give away to gracious friends and neighbours.

Q: How do I treat grubs in my lawn?

A: In We now treat the white and grey grub with beneficial nematodes — microscopic worms that eat grubs and exist naturally in our soil. Timing is critical: spring is one period of application and the other is late August and September. The grubs migrate through the soil, moving up near the surface during these two windows of time, where they are most accessible to the nematodes. After application, it is important to water very thoroughly to move the nematodes to the root zone — the feeding area — of the grubs.

Q: How do I kill the weeds in my lawn?

A: Now we talk about controlling weeds, not killing them. These days we compete them out of existence and it is easy to do — it just takes a few changes and patience. Follow my recipe below and you will eliminate 90 per cent of your weeds within two years. Not a quick fix, but a permanent one:

1. Cut your lawn seven to eight 8 cm high. The higher the grass blades, the deeper the roots and more drought tolerant your lawn.

2. Use a mulching mower which returns the nitrogen-rich, natural goodness of the cut grass blades back to the root zone of your lawn.

3. Apply a quality lawn fertilizer that contains high nitrogen that is slow- release. I use Golfgreen.

4. Re-apply fertilizer once in late spring/early summer and again in fall.

5. Water seldom but when you do, apply it deeply since the grass roots will follow the water down.

6.Where bare patches exist , spread three to four centimetres of triple mix or lawn soil over the area and broadcast quality grass seed at the rate of 500 grams per 40 sq metres.Rake smooth, step on it to bring seed and soil in firm contact, and water thoroughly until established.

Mark Cullen is an expert gardener,author, broadcaster and garden editor.

CAW Local 584 Receives Community Service Award from The Knights Table

Thanks to both our Active and Retired members for their
support both financially and through volunteering.

At 90, saving, sharing
and planning for 100

By James Daw
Dec 24 2012

Alex and Esther are able to save and share much of their $80,000 annual income, yet are still concerned about their future.

"Our doctor tells us that we will live to 100," the 90-year-old husband writes by email.

He and his equally remarkable wife no longer travel far; yet remain socially active, in "reasonably good health", and fully capable of managing their own finances.

Alex does worry about dying first, however. Much of their income would disappear; 40 per cent of his employer pension and Canada Pension, and all of his Old Age Security.

His wife and daughter — whom they support by paying her mortgage—would depend more on investment income, and draw more from savings. Interest rates are low, but not expected to remain so indefinitely. Stock markets are volatile.

"I have not used a financial adviser for over 12 years," Alex writes. "My wife feels I should get some advice regarding our financial situation."

We turned to Shelley Smith, a personal financial planner with TD Waterhouse Financial Planning. She proposed one way to cut monthly expenses, and two strategies to raise and secure income.

Step One: Approximately half of the couple's nonregistered savings are in bank accounts or guaranteed investment certificates (GICs), not earning enough interest after taxes to keep up with rising prices.

"I recommend they pay off their daughter's ($94,000) mortgage balance at maturity next August, thereby reducing their monthly debt obligation," Smith suggests.

It's a waste to pay 4.6 per cent interest for the mortgage while earning far less on their savings. Eliminating the mortgage would cut their expenses by $8,400 a year. Yet, by waiting until August, they would avoid an early payment penalty.

To avoid hard feelings within the family, Alex and Esther might consider adjusting their wills to reflect this early distribution from their estate.

Step Two: Smith recommends the couple keep $10,000 of nonregistered savings for emergency needs, and invest the remaining $60,000 in a way that would pay a blend of taxable interest and tax-paid capital.

They could choose the type of annuity available from banks that would guarantee payments for a set number of years, or one that would pay for life (with a guaranteed payment period) from a life insurer.

The option Smith suggests is a 'return of capital' mutual fund, designed to provide a tax-efficient monthly cash flow from a nonregistered account. The portion of the investor's original investment that gradually paid back to him or her is not considered income or capital gains, and is therefore not taxable. Investors are able to defer capital gains tax until they redeem their investment.

"For example," Smith notes, "an ROC fund with an 8 per cent annual distribution would provide the couple with a consistent monthly income of $400."

"While Alex's work pension will reduce by $1,000 (per month) upon his death, Esther will still receive $1,200 monthly, (not fully indexed to inflation). This amount, in addition to her government pensions and new investment income of $400, will provide her with a stable monthly income of approximately $2,300, sufficient to cover the household expenses.

"Once we include the annual income of $19,475 from registered retirement income funds, Esther's total annual income increases to $47,000."

Step Three: Don't give up on the stock market.

"Given their age, Alex and Esther would like advice on whether they should move out of equity assets and into GICs," says Smith.

"But with real interest yields at zero (after deducting for the loss of purchasing power due to inflation), assets perceived to be safe will result in erosion of their purchasing power over the next 10 years.

"Savers are having to buy different (riskier) asset classes to try and achieve the return they have received in the past. However, with a reasonable time horizon and a focus on quality, dividend-paying companies, their expected returns should be better than GICs.

"They may be perceived as riskier than a GIC over the short term, but greater exposure to equities (stocks) is more likely to help this couple meet their retirement income needs."

Step Three B: Don't give up on bonds, but don't rely on them exclusively.

Alex and Esther have a significant portion of their registered retirement income funds invested in bonds, at a time when the interest yield on government and high-quality corporate bonds is at an all-time low.

"With bond yields between 2 and 3 per cent, there is little remaining for investors after taxes and inflation," says Smith.

"Fixed income securities continue to provide stability and capital preservation, (but) from a total-return perspective, Alex and Esther's retirement income needs will be better served through a diversified portfolio (including stocks and bonds)."

"I am not recommending that everyone move into equities, but client goals cannot be achieved in fixed income alone as the returns of the past cannot be repeated going forward," says Smith.

The clients
Esther 88, Alex 90

Their situation
They have ample income and assets to reach age 100, as their doctor predicts they will do together. But Alex is helping a daughter, and if he were to die, Esther would receive less pension income.

The strategy
Pay off their daughter's 4.6 per cent mortgage and invest $60,000 to guarantee Esther $400 of monthly income. Choose dividend-paying stocks of solid companies over guaranteed income certificates, and keep bonds as part of diversified portfolio.

Liabilities:
$0

Assets:
Home: $425,000
Retirement income funds: $153,000
Tax-free savings: $45,000
Non-registered savings: $165,000
Total: $788,000

Annual income
Pensions $53,000
Retirement income funds: $19,475
Interest, dividends: $7,525
Total: $80,000

Expenses/savings
Income taxes: $11,00
Property taxes: $4,000
Car expenses: $3,000
Utilities: $2,500
Household: $8,300
Insurance: $2,500
Miscellaneous: $3,500
Charity: $700
Daughter's mortgage: $8,400
Savings $35,600
Total: $80,000

Preparations will keep
car safe for winter

December 21, 2012

When the weather outside is frightful, a little advance preparation will take the scare out.

A few preventive vehicle maintenance steps can help keep you from being stranded in severe weather:

Check the battery and charging system for optimum performance. Cold weather is hard on batteries.

Clean, flush and put new antifreeze in the cooling system. As a general rule of thumb, this should be done every two years.

Make sure heaters, defrosters and wipers work properly. Consider winter wiper blades and use cold-weather washer fluid. Typically, wiper blades should be replaced every six months.

If you're due for a tuneup, have it done soon. Cold weather magnifies existing problems such as pings, hard starts, sluggish performance and rough idling.

Check the tire tread depth and tire pressure. If you'll be driving in snow and ice, consider special tires designed to grip slick roads. During cold weather, check tire pressure weekly.

Check the brakes. The braking system is the vehicle's most important safety component.

Inspect the exhaust system for carbon monoxide leaks, which can be especially dangerous if you'll be driving with the windows closed.

Check to see that exterior and interior lights work and headlights are properly aimed.

Be diligent about changing the oil at recommended intervals as dirty oil can spell trouble. Consider changing to "winter weight" oil. Check the fuel, air and transmission filters.

Keep the gas tank at least half full to decrease the chances of moisture forming in the gas lines and possibly freezing.

Check the tire pressure of the spare in the trunk.

Stock an emergency kit with an ice scraper and snow brush, jumper cables, flashlight, flares, blanket, extra clothes, candles, matches, bottled water, dry food snacks and needed medication.

That's the advice from the experts at the Car Care Council, the source of information for the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair.

5 tips for Cyber
Monday shopping

November 24, 2012
By Marc Saltzman
Toronto Star

Canadian retailers have jumped onboard the "Cyber Monday" bandwagon, where shoppers are encouraged to go online the Monday after U.S. Thanksgiving to score great deals.

Whether you need an excuse to shop or not, gadget lovers can take advantage of great deals on Monday, November 26. If you want to ensure you're getting a good price, consider some of the following tips before you pull out your credit card.

Do your homework: If you know what you want - such as a new iPod touch, digital camera or lightweight laptop – compared prices at online retailers, but also calculate the shipping costs, too. Some websites, like DealGenius.ca, will compare product prices for you, across multiple retailers. Be sure to read professional and customer reviews of products before you buy.

Related: More Canadians to shop by mobile phone

Do more homework: Some Canadian sites like RedFlagDeals.com will also highlight great deals on tech products found on the web. These sites will advertise some of the more aggressive sales on the main page, but you can also click to see coupons, flyers and group deals -- from WagJag, DealFind, Groupon and LivingSocial – that can also help you save cash.

Save on shipping: If you're looking to buy a few products, do as much as you can at one online store as they'll typically wave the shipping costs when you buy over a certain amount. Also, you're more likely to see free shipping when you shop at Canadian online retailers opposed to American ones (since they'll probably only ship for free to the U.S.).

Related: 8 tips to safer online shopping

Auction sites, classifieds: While they're less likely to have Cyber Monday specials – compared to regular retailers, consider online marketplaces, such as eBay, or online classifieds sites like Kijiji and Craigslist. Contrary to popular belief, not all goods on eBay are "previously enjoyed" (about half are brand new, says eBay) and if you don't want to bid for something, many items can be purchased outright.

Let's get digital: While many still prefer media that's tangible – such as a video game, Blu-ray Disc, book or music CD – remember prices are generally better if you buy that media digitally. Therefore, if you're shopping for a murder-mystery lover who owns a Kobo eBook reader, gift a digital best-seller they can download via a code. Or what about an iTunes gift card to download the latest Pixar animated flick instead of buying it on disc? You get the idea.

Related: Should you let sites save your credit card info

Here's what to do if
your car skids on ice

November 22, 2012
Toronto Star

Some parts of the country have already been hit with a first blast of snow, a reminder for everyone else to prepare for the coming challenges presented by winter driving, experts say.

"Too many people decide to fill up on washer fluid and get their winter tires on after the first snowfall hits. Check any automotive store where they sell and install winter tires and you'll see long, long lineups when it first starts to snow," said Scott Marshall, director of training for Young Drivers of Canada.

"Get your winter tires, get your winter supplies ready — like now."

Marshall said now is also the time to bone up on winter driving strategies.

"The fact is, how we drive in everyday conditions is for ideal conditions, and driving in the wintertime is not ideal."

That means be prepared to drive slower, steer more smoothly and brake earlier.

"Skids and slides are caused by change, either change of direction or change of speed," he said.

Drivers should be looking far ahead to anticipate the need to change speed, to steer into another lane or turn.

"Start braking earlier than you normally would by coming off your gas, let the car's idle speed start to slow you down … and then gently apply the brake in a smooth fashion, you want to avoid the sudden sharpness of a brake," Marshall said.

Braking should be done before steering the wheel for a turn, he added.

"It's always best to do all your braking in a straight line before you're making a turn, that way your wheels have a chance to grip better."

Heading too quickly into a turn can cause a nightmare scenario for drivers: a fishtail, when a vehicle's rear wheels lose traction and send the car spinning.

"The weight differential all shifts to the front of the vehicle (when braking) and if you steer a bit too sharply, because there's less weight at the back of the vehicle, it could cause your car to fish tail," Marshall said.

If that starts to happen, drivers should steer into the skid. So if the car's rear wheels begin drifting to the left while making a right-hand turn, the driver should turn the wheel left.

Slamming on the brakes while driving too fast can also cause the wheels to lock, which propels the car forward out of control. Putting the car into neutral or stepping on the clutch pedal will help slow it down and regain control.

Another potential problem is driving over a patch of slippery black ice. Anne Marie Hayes, an instructor with Canadian Tire Drivers Academy and president of Teens Learn to Drive, said drivers who suddenly hit black ice need to focus on retaining control and shouldn't panic.

"Understand that if you do hit black ice, patches are usually around six metres or less — so there is a beginning and there is an end," Hayes said.

"Take your foot off the accelerator when you start to lose traction, keep your eyes high looking ahead … and then as soon as you start to gain traction again, put your foot back on the accelerator and gently accelerate."

Drivers who are nervous about encountering dangerous conditions may want to stick to the right lane whenever possible, she added.

"Then you only have one lane of moving traffic next to you, which is a good thing, and in an emergency you can use the shoulder of the road," said Hayes.

If drivers aren't feeling confident about their ability to drive safely they should definitely stay off highways, added Marshall.

"If you feel for your comfort zone you're going to be going slower than most other drivers then leave the highway, go on a road that has a slower speed limit," he said.

"If you find that other drivers are driving too quickly for your ability and for your safety and comfort zone then you don't want to be near them anyway."

A long list of groups — Transport Canada and the Canadian Automobile Association among them — recommend winter tires, but some drivers are still skeptical of how much they're really needed.

Winter tires actually come in handy as soon as the temperature drops below 7C, even if the roads are completely clear of snow, slush and ice, said Sachin Deshpande, spokesman for Michelin.

"An all-season tire is made from rubber compounding that starts stiffening below seven degrees Celsius and if the compounding stiffens, what essentially happens is your grip pad becomes smaller, the tires are not as malleable as they should be and you start losing traction," Deshpande said.

"Whereas the rubber compound in a winter tire is softer, so what happens is it stays soft even in freezing temperatures and that is why it gives you the optimal grip."

Ripping off Grandma: Why seniors should practise tough love

ROB CARRICK
The Globe and Mail
October 16, 2012

The Bank of Grandma and Grandpa needs to toughen up.

It's one thing for seniors to plan inheritances for family members and provide cash gifts when affordable.

Where they must set limits is in co-signing or guaranteeing loans for relatives.

Seniors guaranteeing loans is bad business and it also comes dangerously close to elder financial abuse, an unseen but serious problem that can leave seniors destitute.

Elder financial abuse means the illegal or unauthorized use of seniors' assets – money or property. Laura Tamblyn Watts, a lawyer and senior fellow at the Canadian Centre for Elder Law, said research shows one in 12 seniors will experience financial abuse. Given how under-reported the problem is, she suspects the actual figure is one in eight.

Seniors are a natural target at a time when debt levels are high, economic growth is modest and the divide between rich and poor is wide. "The seniors that we have right now have an overwhelmingly cautious financial vision – they were the savers," Ms. Tamblyn Watts said. "They may not have a lot of money, but they've saved, they've been careful and they've been prudent."

The research firm Harris/Decima issued a study in 2006 that estimated $1-trillion would be transferred from seniors to younger family members in the 20 years following the report. Some relatives are too impatient to wait, though. Estimates show that one-half to two-thirds of elder financial abuse cases involve family members, Ms. Tamblyn Watts said.

Asking a senior to co-sign or guarantee a loan is a form of elder abuse when he or she is not in a financial position to pay the entire amount being borrowed without suffering financial harm. "Most people don't realize that when you guarantee or co-sign a loan, you're as good as taking out the loan yourself. You're completely liable for that sum," Ms. Tamblyn Watts said.

There are few statistics on financial elder abuse in Canada, but a 2009 report by insurer MetLife pegged the total annual loss suffered by victimized seniors in the United States at $2.6-billion (U.S.). Anecdotal evidence from that country suggests seniors who co-signed or guaranteed mortgages were hit hard when the housing market crashed several years ago, Ms. Tamblyn Watts said. "We've seen massive foreclosures on seniors and massive poverty as a result of loans guaranteed and foreclosures when the bubble burst."

In less severe outcomes, a senior might have to use up a big part of his or her savings to make good on a loan. Or, a long paid-off house might have to be remortgaged. Seniors are especially vulnerable to these setbacks because they don't typically have the time or means to replace what's gone. Ms. Tamblyn Watts said it's possible in rare cases to reverse a senior's commitment on a loan, but doing so is both difficult and expensive because of legal costs.

Ideally, a senior would co-sign or guarantee a loan for a relative and then have no further involvement as the debt is repaid in a timely way.

But Ms. Tamblyn Watts said the type of person asking for help getting a loan is often a bad risk. "We call it the unsuccessful grandson, or the nephew in the basement – someone who has never been completely successful in life and has a new enterprise. That situation almost always goes awry."

Seniors may also be asked to guarantee or co-sign loans for family members who are trying to make a fresh start, possibly after a divorce.

Ms. Tamblyn Watts said that whatever the pitch from a family member, seniors tend to think in terms of family loyalty rather than what makes financial sense.

A suggestion for seniors on how to take a business-like approach to requests for help with a loan: If repaying the loan would in any way jeopardize your financial security, say no. Put another way, don't guarantee or co-sign a loan unless you can afford to give the same amount of money as a gift.

Seniors should be vigilant about financial abuse by investment advisers, contractors and caregivers as well as family members. But it's the latter group that Ms. Tamblyn Watts has her eye on. Her reasoning is that while seniors have been financially responsible, their baby boom children haven't matched that standard in many cases.

"People used to wait until their parents died until they went after the money," she said. "Today, with longevity being what it is and with increased financial pressures, what we're seeing is boomers going after the assets of their parents while they're alive."

Is it better to buy
or lease a car?

JEREMY CATO

Toronto STar
October 9, 2012

To lease or not to lease? That is the question. To buy? Perchance to own? What's cheaper? What's better for my bottom line?

With a nod to Shakespeare – Will, Deals of the Week apologizes for invoking your great words in a crass car column – buying is cheaper than leasing, although the marketplace is awash in some very interesting, even attractive lease deals.

Take the Honda Civic LX ($17,740). Honda Canada is offering current Honda Finance Lease customers owners a $500 "pull-ahead" (Stackable Lease Maturity Cash) to sweeten a new deal, and it can be combined with a $500 cash bonus (Consumer Incentive Dollars), and lease support of 1 per cent, which would reduce the 48-month lease rate offer reported by www.carcostcanada.com to .99 per cent.

So what's all that mean in hard dollars, in monthly payments? The number is $194.09 a month with no down payment, not including taxes and the $1,495 freight charge. But you'll need to do all the parts of the deal to get that payment. That is, nail down the two $500 rebates that drive down the capital cost to $16,740. Make sure you also get Honda's own posted $8,515.20 residual rate, which reduces the amount amortized to $8,224.80.

You see, the payment calculator on Honda Canada's website does not factor in the two $500 offers and the posted interest rate I found there for 48 months is 1.99 per cent. The figure quoted in a www.carcostcanada.com pricing report details Honda Canada's Lease Maturity Support offer, which as we said, effectively reduces your rate to a very tidy .99 per cent.

A sub-$200 monthly payment on a new Civic is pretty attractive for anyone on a tight monthly budget. The problem is, after four years of making that payment, you'll still need to come up with the $8,515.20 lease buyout, or sign up for a new lease and more monthly payments.

As Eric Evarts writes at www.consumerreports.org, "The head-turning lease deals that grab attention in print, radio, and television advertising this time of year tend to be heavily subsidized, enabling very low lease payments." However, he continues, "What the ads don't tell you, of course, is that after years of making these low payments, covering the most expensive years of a car's life, you still don't own a car…But, the better deal long-term is to buy a reliable car and hold on to it."

If you can afford it, of course – afford the monthly payment – then buying is a better deal than leasing over time. You will without question get the best long-term deal if you do your research, run the numbers and negotiate hard with your dealer. Obviously, however, at some point the dealer will reach a bottom line offer below which he or she simply cannot go and remain in business.

Our kids think we
need a seniors' home

David Eddie
Special to The Globe and Mail
August 30, 2012

The question

My husband and I are both almost 80. We live on government pensions plus a small disability pension from the Korean War. We are not "consumers" so we do okay. But our children worry about us. For example, we have driven the same car for the past 22 years. It runs well, even with 400,000 kilometres. Our children, however, bought us a 2009 car. I would rather keep driving my old one. They think we should go into an assisted living place, but we want to keep driving to Mexico each winter, where the cost of living is much less. There, we live in a small house in a small village. We drive home for the summer and stay in a campground. How can we get our children to leave these decisions up to us? Or should we listen to their ideas, then do what we want?

I had to read this question twice before it sank in that you spend your whole summers camping.

Holy DIY, Batman. I tried to camp with my wife, Pam – once. It started to rain. I was trying to start a fire. She was trying to put up the tent. Neither of us was meeting with much success.

I became testy and snapped at her. The look in her eyes said: "Should I go through the bother of divorce and a custody battle and all that, or would I get away with it if I just killed him here and buried his body in the woods?"

We made up, but I swore, then and there: never again.

And yet you and your husband maintain "happy camper" status all summer, then tootle down south (in a car so well maintained you've squeezed 400,000 kilometres out of it) to spend the rest of the year in a Mexican fishing village, swimming, tanning, eating tacos and sipping tart, tangy margaritas (I'm speculating here, just please let me have my fantasy) while the rest of us slosh through the slush, shiver in the frigid air and shovel snow – all on a pair of tiny pensions?

Why would you need to go into an "assisted living facility"? People should come to you for assistance in living their lives with such facility!

Assisted living facilities, or ALFs, in my understanding, are aimed at people who are, to use the jargon of that world, having trouble with ADLs ("activities of daily living"), e.g. shopping, cooking for oneself, grooming and so on. Often, people in such facilities have some kind of disability or difficulty with mobility and/or are afraid to leave their house for fear of injury.

Meanwhile, you two are toasting weenies over the campfire and throwing Frisbees on the beach. In the autumn of your lives, you're living the dream – my dream, anyway: endless summer.

It's hard to understand why your kids would want to intercede in your lifestyle at all, let alone stuff you in a home.

(You mention a "disability pension" – could it have something to do with that? It sounds as if you're coping with whatever it's for rather well.)

Whatever the reason, their impulse is grounded in love and compassion, I'm sure.

I'd push back, though. They're being annoying and ageist. Just because you're octogenarians doesn't mean you can't be independent and self-sufficient – as you emphatically seem to be.

Your husband fought in the Korean War, sounds like! What have they ever fought, besides traffic?

I'm not talking about just listening to them quacking, then ignoring them. That way leads to danger. They might get some sort of ball rolling, achieve busybody consensus, and next thing you know a nurse is bringing your morning mush and asking for details of your bowel movements.

You don't want that. That's why I'm saying: push back.

Sit them down. Explain to them you're doing just fine, you appreciate their concern, but you'd appreciate it just as much if they took their proboscises out of your affairs and allowed you to live your lives as you see fit.

You know what I'd do if I were in your flip-flops? Gather the meddlesome offspring around the campfire and say: "We appreciate your concern, but it's unnecessary. We've got an idea. Why don't you just give us a cheque for what it would cost for a year of assisted living and we'll spend it on surfing lessons? We've always wanted to learn to surf."

They ought to get the hint. Don't take any money from them, of course. But about that car your kids gave you … if you don't use it and they won't take it back … well, heck, it's yours, after all. Why not sell it and spend the money on a series of delightful al fresco Mexican dinners, maybe a tour of the Mayan pyramids?

Life is short, after all.

David Eddie is the author of Damage Control, the book.

Ooma helps get rid of
monthly phone bills

By Marc Saltzman
Toronto Star
April 13, 2012

The Ooma home phone service is now available in Canada.

It sounds very promising - a box that lets you make free, unlimited calls to anywhere in Canada and there are no phone bills to pay - and so I wanted to take it for a spin to see if it really worked.

The answer is yes. And very well, at that.

But there is a $230 cost which might be a deterrent to some. After that, however, this thing pays for itself after a few months - especially for those who make a lot of long-distance calls to friends and family to other parts of Canada.

Ooma Telo is a black device that plugs into your high-speed modem or router via an Ethernet cable (included). Then you plug a landline into the Ooma Telo, be it a wired phone or cordless one. That's all there is to the set-up, other than registering the device on a website with a code you get in the box and choosing from one of the available 10-digit phone numbers, such as 647-555-1212 (more on this below).

Related: How to get rid of monthly phone bills

The Ooma uses VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology, which means it relies on your Internet connection to place or accept calls. Surprising, the audio quality of the calls is virtually indistinguishable from a regular landline. Ooma says its second-generation VoIP service employs five technologies collectivity referred to as PureVoice HD, to help ensure a high level of clarity. The service also has a nice sound effect when you first pick up the receiver, before it kicks into the dial tone.

Those concerned about how much data is used, Ooma only consumes about 350MB of data per month, based on 500 minutes of talking.

This service also includes a few basic features, such as voicemail, caller ID, call waiting and of course, 911 service, which requires you to register your address, just like other VoIP solution. The Ooma box has glowing blue touch-sensitive buttons on top to access most of these features.

After the initial outlay , it's free to make calls anywhere in Canada. But you do have to pay $3.98 a month for a regulatory compliance fee, 911 service fee, and taxes.

Related: Pros and cons of Internet phones

There is an optional Ooma Premier service that costs $9.99/month, which lets you also call anywhere in the U.S., and talk for as long as you like. It also has call screening, three-way conferencing, call forwarding, blacklisting, distinctive ringtones (for different people) and a multi-ring option, where both home and cellphones ring at once.

Another optional, one-time charge is if you want to port your existing phone number for $39.99. Otherwise, Ooma customers can choose a new home phone number for free from 28 Canadian area codes.

While I don't love the cost of the unit north of $200, Ooma says the average Canadian phone bill is $40 a month, therefore this service pays for itself after six months. And those who spend a lot of money on long distance within Canada will save even more, of course. Ooma also offers inexpensive international calling plan to 61 countries for about a penny per minute -- I called someone's mobile phone in the UK and it cost me all of 12 cents.

And all calls made between Ooma devices anywhere in the world are always free.

A potential issue, though, is if you want your home phone base to be in, say, a kitchen, so you can easily pick up voicemail while cooking dinner, but your modem or router is in a home office. You can opt for an Ooma wireless adapter for $49.99, but that adds even more to the cost. There are other add-ons, too, like an Ooma Bluetooth adapter ($29.99) that allows you to answer mobile phone calls on your landline, while the Ooma Mobile HD app ($9.99) lets you make free calls on your iOS (iPhone, iPod touch or iPad) or Android device.

Related: Bell to charge $2 for paper bills

Overall, Ooma Telo is an excellent product that lives up to its promise and could save you money in the long run. One thing you might want to keep in mind before you switch, however, is if you're on a discounted "bundle" plan with Bell or Rogers, for example; pulling out of the landline service could make your other services go up, such as TV, Internet and wireless.

And what could make the product better? If it offered unlimited U.S. and Canadian calling in the basic plan instead of the U.S. only part of the $10/month premium plan. And a reduced cost for the Ooma Telo unit would be more appealing (it sells for $196.32 on Amazon.com in the U.S., for example).

Canadians interested in picking one up can do so at Costco, Costco.ca, Amazon.ca or London Drugs.

9 ways to protect yourself
from computer fraud

By Marc Saltzman
Toronto Star
April 9, 2012

Identity theft isn't anything new – be it a pickpocket on the street, a waiter copying your credit card information at a restaurant or someone looking over your shoulder to see your PIN at a bank machine.

Increasingly, however, identity thieves are going online, sending out "phishing" scams, Trojan viruses or other high-tech means to retrieve information you type on a public computer's keyboard.

Here are a few ways to reduce your risk:

Email from your bank: If you receive an email from your bank or credit card institution asking you to confirm your account information, it's a phishing attempt that will take you to a phony website. Banks and credit card companies don't send you emails asking for this information. Look at the URL and you'll see it's not your bank. Do not click on the link, which will take you to the spoof site. When in doubt, contact your bank directly.

Better passwords: Pick a password for your bank, company site or social networking home that's at least seven characters and use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. Don't use your child's name, dog's name or your phone number. And for heaven's sakes, don't use "12345" or "password."

Related: 5 ways to take care of your PC in 2012

Secure purchases: Don't buy anything online with a credit card unless the website is secured with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), indicated by an icon of a padlock in your web browser. If you shop on eBay, use a secure payment method — like PayPal or a credit card — to protect your purchases in case of a dispute (never send cash or cheque).

Anti-malware software: Good anti-malware software can detect suspicious emails and websites. I use Norton Internet Security 2012 from Symantec, but there are other good products out there. Some free alternatives are available at Download.com, but most only handle viruses and spyware.

Microsoft updates: Microsoft releases software fixes on a regular basis. Choose "automatic updates" in your operating system or web browser's security settings. These fixes plug holes that hackers exploit. Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9 has extra tools that can detect malicious websites.

Related: How to protect your smartphone from fraud

Home wireless: If you set up a wireless network in your home, make sure to use the security features. A "WPA" and "WPA2" password is better than the older and weaker "WEP." If a neighbour joins your network, they not only will get free Internet access but could possibly read your files, slow down your performance and help you reach your monthly Internet data cap prematurely.

Public networks: Try to avoid entering confidential information on public computers a hotel, library, airport lounge or school. These systems may contain "keylogger" software that records everything you type. Also, be sure to delete your browsing history after surfing on a public computer (including your cookies, form data, history and temporary Internet files) and never click "yes" for the site to remember your password or login information.

Free Wi-Fi caution: While it might be tempting to sniff for free Wi-Fi networks at a café or hotel, they could be the work of nearby hackers out to access files on your PC. This is sometimes referred to as a "rogue network." Be sure to ask what the establishment's wireless network name is to ensure you're logging on to the correct one.

Related: The best free software for students

Over-the shoulder-snoops: Watch out for snoops at cafés, schools or on airplanes. While you might not need one of those special mesh screens that make it hard for people to see what you're typing, try to turn down the brightness of your laptop screen, reduce the font size and be aware of what you're typing while in public.

2012 income tax season:
11 questions you
are afraid to ask

James Daw Toronto Star
March 5, 2012

It’s never wise to fib, fiddle, or fake on your tax return. The longer you get away with dodging tax, the worse it will be when you finally get caught.

But who doesn’t think about accepting cash and not declaring it, or exaggerating write-offs? Well, it’s not worth it if you are caught. Before you travel down that road, read the answers to these and other related questions.

What happens if I don’t report my income?

If your income is low, you could miss getting money from the government to raise children, or to help pay rent, food, sales taxes, etc. If you owe taxes, and fail to file a tax return, you will be charged interest plus a penalty equal to 5 to 17 per cent of taxes owed.

If you are convicted of evading taxes, you might get free room and board — in jail — like Daniel Frank Kobelt. The Burnaby, B.C., maker of marine products was sentenced to two years, less a day last October.

He had attempted to avoid taxes by claiming Canada’s constitution does not permit taxation of living, breathing persons; only corporations. Naturally, Canada Revenue Agency told him he was crazy. Even so, Kobelt did not disclose $1.77 million of personal income he earned in 2005 and 2006. Now he must also pay double the $512,867 in taxes he would have owed.

What are my chances of a tax audit?

That’s not something CRA discloses. But chances of an audit are far better than most lotteries, because targeting suspicious cases pulls in billions of extra dollars annually. CRA estimates 12.2 per cent of small businesses do not comply with tax law, and nearly half of those it targets for audits. Audits are almost a sure thing if a former spouse, employee, tenant, competitor, or customer calls the CRA’s informant lead centre (1-866-809-6841).

“People think they only have a three-year window when tax returns can be checked, but in case of fraud there is no statute-barred exemption,” says Katz.

What’s the worst that could happen?

In the year ended last March, there were 204 taxpayers convicted of tax evasion or fraud. Kobelt was sentenced to jail last October. In November, Brothers & Wright Electrical Services Inc. of Markham was fined $165,000, or double the tax evaded, by claiming that construction expenses for two directors’ cottages were company expenses.

Also in October, Michael Habash of London was fined $28,746 for evading as much in Goods and Services Tax when he operated Carey’s Bar and Grill.

I forgot to report income, but my employer will have told the CRA. Should I worry?

Yes, says Nancy Belo Gomes of KPMG LLP. “The CRA has started to get really tough on taxpayers who repeatedly forget or fail to report T-slip income.”

More often now the agency is imposing a 20 per cent penalty on top of federal and provincial income taxes, as prescribed by Subsection 163(1) of the Income Tax Act. So, it’s cheaper to file an amendment to your tax return than to wait for CRA’s computers to catch the oversight.

CRA says it was able to collect an additional $600 million in fiscal 2011 after comparing individual returns with the information slips supplied by employers and financial institutions.

I deliberately left out income. What should I do?

Use CRA’s voluntary disclosure program to negotiate a deal to pay the tax, without interest or penalties, says Gomes. A tax preparer may negotiate a binding settlement without identifying you.

Search the CRA website for details.

Move smartly to volunteer and pay as soon as you have a deal. You won’t qualify if CRA starts an investigation first, she warns.

It’s not hard for the CRA to catch landlords who are not declaring rental income. Computers can match the tenant’s home address and claims for tax credits with the landlord’s address and income.

Is stuff I sell on eBay taxable?

Not if you’re just selling your old stuff. The CRA only looks for sellers who make it a business. Anyone who frequently buys and sells goods, or even homes, should report their profit, after expenses, as income.

Can the CRA track rent that our tenants pay in cash?

It sure could! The tenant is likely to file a tax return and give your property as the address. He or she may also report the amount of rent paid to claim Ontario’s property tax credit. CRA’s computers can easily cross-check tax returns.

Are travel rewards gained from work trips taxable?

Only in some circumstances: You are converting the points to cash; you are granted reward points as a form of remuneration or with the deliberate intent of avoiding tax.

I don’t declare income from a foreign source. Has the risk of getting caught increased?

“Yes it has,” says Gomes. Most of Canada’s major trading partners have already signed agreements. This year new agreements with Dominica and Netherlands Antilles came into force. Agreements with Aruba, Costa Rica and Saint Lucia will come into force later. Negotiations are under way with 14 other states including Antigua and Barbuda and the British Virgin Islands.

I was born in the U.S. Is it too late to file tax returns under their amnesty program?

No, it’s not too late says Steve Sherman of Cross Border Tax Services in Toronto.

Taxpayers will have a choice whether to file eight years of returns under the recently extended (January 9) Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative or to file six if you can offer a “reasonable cause” for not knowing you had to file. The voluntary option was extended “until otherwise announced”. Each approach has its benefits and risks.

What is becoming evident, says Dean Smith of Cadesky and Associates LLP, is that taxpayers should become compliant before the Internal Revenue Service comes after them. U.S. citizens and Green Card holders living outside the U.S. are also expected to file a Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Report (FBAR) if total foreign financial accounts in a tax year exceed $10,000 (U.S.).

A lawyer seems to endorse a risky tax strategy in a letter I’ve seen. Should I trust him?

The advice should be regarded with suspicion if the promoter of a tax shelter lawyer hired the lawyer. If you proceed, expect CRA to ask hard questions. So far, more than 150,000 taxpayers who have been denied $5 billion in charitable tax credit claims after participating in dodgy tax-avoidance schemes.

Now lawyers who provided advice are being targeted in the courts. In January, lawyers at Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP agreed — while denying any errors — that it would contribute to a partial, $11 million payment to 3,000 participants in the Banyan Tree Foundation tax-shelter scheme. Halifax tax lawyer Edwin C. Harris Q.C., also failed to escape a class action suit on behalf of 9,925 participants in the ParkLane Donations for Canada Charitable Gift Program.

Related:

How to file an audit proof tax return

How to avoid these 8 tax-filing mistakes

The final winner list of
2012 Academy Awards

Best Cinematography: Robert Richardson, "Hugo"
Best Art Direction: Dante Ferretti and Francesca Lo Schavo, "Hugo"
Best Costume Design: Mark Bridges, "The Artist"
Best Makeup: Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland, "The Iron Lady"
Best Foreign Language Film: "A Separation"
Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Best Editing: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"
Best Sound Editing: Phillip Stockton and Eugene Gearty, "Hugo"
Best Sound Mixing: Tom Fleischman and John Midgley, "Hugo"
Best Documentary: "Undefeated"
Best Animated Feature: "Rango"
Best Visual Effects: "Hugo"
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Best Original Score: Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"
Best Original Song: Bret McKenzie, "Man or Muppet"
Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"
Best Live Action Short: "The Shore"
Best Documentary Short: "Saving Face"
Best Animated Short: "The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore"
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Best Picture: "The Artist"

ABS brakes can add to stopping distances

November 25, 2011

Many motorists overestimate their braking skills and their vehicle's braking ability.

This time of year, tire grip levels start to diminish as temperatures drop and road surfaces change. We soon could be driving on snow, ice, slush or asphalt covered in sand, salt or water and each of these variables has an effect on how well our tires grip and how effective our brakes are.

The ideal gap from the vehicle in front of us should be at least two seconds. That gives us time to assess the situation and determine the appropriate action, which works out to be approximately half a second to a second. Then we will need another half a second to react and actually apply the brakes.

More: Here's why it pays to brake slowly

More: Here's the secret to surviving winter driving

Keep in mind, studies show that the vast majority of drivers do not apply the brakes hard enough in the first stages of emergency braking and lose valuable stopping distance.

In temperatures below seven degrees Celsius, winter tires will shorten your stopping distances on all types of road surfaces and especially on ice and snow compared to all season tires. On ice and snow, a quality brand of winter tire can shorten stopping distances by 50 per cent, compared to an all season tire.

Here is a fact that catches a lot of motorists by surprise: if the vehicle we are driving is equipped with ABS brakes, our stopping distances on ice and snow will be longer than if our vehicle did not have ABS brakes. In older vehicles and less expensive vehicles, ABS can lengthen our stopping distances by up to 50 per cent compared to non-ABS. In more modern vehicles and, in particular, ones with very sophisticated ABS braking systems, the difference is not so pronounced.

When we double our speed, our braking distances are not twice as long. They are four times as long. In other words, if it takes our vehicle 50 metres to stop from 50 km/h, it will take 200 metres to stop our vehicle from 100 km/h. Our braking distances will square with our speed. Which means our braking distance would be an astounding 450 metres if we tripled our speed to 150 km/h

When driving on wet roads, we can expect our braking distances to at least double, compared to a dry road. On snow or icy roads we are looking at braking distances that are a staggering 10 times longer.

All vehicles are not created equal and that also applies to braking efficiency. High performance sports cars and sedans usually have the most effective braking systems and shortest stopping distances. The most expensive vehicles tend to have the most sophisticated ABS systems and the biggest brakes. Pickup trucks tend to have the longest stopping distances of all vehicles followed by minivans and SUVs.

Adding weight to the vehicle or towing a trailer also makes braking distances noticeably longer. When towing a trailer full of snowmobiles, we have to at least double all the stopping distances.

The worst case scenario would be an older pickup truck with ABS on old all-season or off-road tires pulling a trailer full of snowmobiles on a wintery day. It seems to me that this is not an uncommon sight on our roads each winter.

We all have to give our braking the respect it deserves. In winter conditions, slow down and leave more space for the vehicle in front.

Give your brakes a break and you won't end up stuffed into the vehicle in front trying to come up with an excuse for why you couldn’t stop in time

I cut my phone and
cable bills by asking

November 20, 2011
By Jennifer Stewart
Toronto Star

After seeing ads for discounted prices on phone, internet and television plans, I looked into my own services to see how I could reduce my monthly bill.

We were paying $112 a month, or $1,334 a year for a basic television and phone plan with five calling features.. With a few calls, I was able to save $42 a month on my three services – a savings of $504 a year.

Here's how:

Compare prices

I called several other companies, including Rogers, to get prices on their products with similar plans to mine. Armed with this knowledge, I called Bell to negotiate a better price. When calling the competitors, I told them that I was a Bell customer contemplating switching my services. They wanted to provide me with their best prices to motivate me.

By bringing these competitor prices back to our service provider and asking them to match them, we reduced our television price from $44 a month to $30 a month.

Speak to retention

Another option is to speak with retention. This department's purpose is to keep current customers, and often, they can adjust your bill so that you don't take your business elsewhere. If you don't get where you want with a customer service rep, asking to speak with retention is always an option.

By doing this, we cut out Internet bill from $50 a month to $31.

Change your Plan

We were paying $51 a month for our phone bill. This included 1,000 minutes of long distance. I called Bell to find out how many of those minutes I had actually used in previous months. It turns out I was only using half of the minutes I was paying for. Given this, I changed to a 500 minute per month plan and reduced my phone bill to $42.

If you're looking to cut back on your monthly television, phone and Internet bills, one thing I've learned is that your provider is motivated to reduce your bill and will likely do so to compete with other companies. However, if you don't ask, don't expect to save. You need to do your homework and be persistent.

Also, don't be afraid to switch service providers if it means increased savings. Most services do not have cancellation fees and most new service providers will waive start up fees for new customers.

Car warning lights
should never be ignored

As today’s vehicles have become more sophisticated and dependent on technology, the number of warning lights has multiplied, and they have become far more sensitive to the inner workings of your car.

If you’ve driven a vehicle for any length of time, then you’ve probably seen — and probably ignored — a few warning lights in your time.

A recent study by CarMD showed that over 50 per cent of people driving with the check-engine light on have driven like that for more than three months.

I’ve heard horror stories where drivers have failed to heed critical warning lights, hoping that a problem would magically go away. Their naiveté inevitably led to major engine failures and costly repairs.

Almost every day, service departments at new car dealerships run diagnostic tests and perform repairs on vehicles, where warning lights have alerted drivers about a potential problem.

Dashboard warning lights are designed to detect signs of engine failure or mechanical/operational malfunction. If it’s a critical warning light, the issue should be addressed immediately.

In some cases, this means pulling the car over and having it towed to a repair facility. Sometimes a self-diagnosis can identify the problem. In my experience, it’s always better to err on the side of caution than to pretend a problem doesn’t exist.

Ignoring a critical warning light not only jeopardizes the safe operation of your vehicle, it could compromise your manufacturer’s warranty coverage as well.

Here are some common critical warning lights that are installed on modern passenger vehicles and light duty trucks:

Oil Pressure Light. This light refers to possible low oil levels, a worn or broken oil pump or excessive main bearing wear. Ignoring it could result in a seized engine or major engine damage.

Brake Warning Light. This could refer to driving with the handbrake engaged, low brake fluid level or worn out brake pads. Brakes are the most important part of your vehicle; they affect the safety of the driver and all occupants. Don’t ignore this light!

Air Bag SRS. If this warning light comes on, your air bag is not going to inflate on impact, which could jeopardize your safety. Malfunction is usually caused by a crash sensor fault, bad electrical connection or air bag module malfunction.

Engine Temperature Light. This means the coolant level is low, the cooling fan isn’t working or the thermostat is failing to open. If this light flashes on, stop driving immediately, turn off the engine, and seek mechanical assistance. Driving while the temperature light is on can do serious and expensive engine damage.

Battery Charging System Warning Light. This usually refers to an alternator failure, loose or torn alternator belt, faulty battery or a broken wire. The light indicates a problem with the charging system; get it repaired at your earliest convenience.

Tire Pressure Warning Light. This light could be triggered by a flat tire, low tire pressure, tire pressure light not reset or bad air pressure sensor. Excessively worn tires or insufficient tire pressure not only affects fuel economy, it poses a risk.

Some warning lights are less critical than others, such as Service Engine Soon, Seatbelt Warning Light, Low Fuel, Door Ajar, Over Drive Off and Service Reminder.

Whether you own or lease a vehicle, warning lights (critical or not) should never be taken lightly. In some cases, a flashing light represents nothing more than a loose connection, or an on-board computer module that has to be reset, which is a quick and inexpensive procedure.

For more information about warning lights, consult your owner’s manual or contact a service advisor at your local new car dealership.

How winter tires differ
from snow tires

Richard Russell - Globe and Mail
October 22, 2011

There are two factors that determine how well a tire grips the road – tread compound and tread design.

The compound is made up of a mixture of products, chemicals and production methods. The design is not only what you see, but the structure of the tires beneath the tread.

In the old days, a winter tire was called a snow tire and it had a much more aggressive tread pattern designed to cut into snow. Many people still use the term snow tire – but in reality tire companies no longer offer such a product.

As chemistry and production became more sophisticated, so did tires. The old snow tire was replaced by the winter tire. The difference was a tread designed to grip both snow and ice and remain supple in cold conditions.

These are critical factors. That old snow tire may have bitten into deep snow thanks to those big lugs and deep, wide grooves. But it got hard when cold and was not as good as a summer or all-season tire in wet or dry conditions, especially on ice.

The development of winter tires involved more closed tread patterns that remain supple in cold conditions and project thousands of little edges to grip ice. Because they do not stiffen up and have treads designed to throw off snow, they continue to be effective in snow.

The tire industry considers seven degrees Celsius as a key point. Below that, all-season tires stiffen up and offer much less grip while above that, winter tires become softer and start to wear excessively.

This has led to a new class or type of tire, all-weather, as opposed to all-season. These new tires are a hybrid of sorts, combining a compound that remains flexible in extreme cold with one that does not become too soft in warm weather.

These new tires, generally at the high end of a company's range, pass all the severe weather tests necessary to wear the "mountain/snowflake" symbol recognized by Transport Canada and the Rubber Association of Canada, yet can be used year-round.

But that is not to say they are the ultimate tire, that they are perfect in all conditions. Once again, we have a compromise.

The compounding and design that allows these new all-weather tires means they re not as supple and suited to extreme cold conditions as a pure, no-compromise, winter tire. Similarly, they cannot hold a candle to quality summer tires in terms of outright grip when turning or braking in hot conditions. Ironically, we have all-season tires that are decent in spring, summer and fall but fall off when it gets cold and all-weather tires that are decent in fall, winter and spring but fall off when it gets hot.

Some like it hot – summer tires; some like it cold – winter tires; and some straddle the fence, not liking it hot or cold. All-season or all-weather, both are compromises. The best and safest solution is two sets of tires, one of which should be winter tires.

With winter approaching, the temperature of the surface of the road in the morning will be single digits, and often below that seven-degree point. A pure summer tire will offer minimal grip at that point and an all-season tire will be falling off while winter and all-weather tires will be coming into their element.

Do not associate the need to change tires with the arrival of snow. The critical issue is temperature. That's why consumers should stop thinking and talking about snow tires and switching to winter tires.

55,000 eligible Canadians aren't getting CPP. Why?

By Gordon Pape | Aug 22, 2011
Toronto Star

When it comes to finances, many of us are at a kindergarten level. Millions of Canadians have no understanding of some of the most basic concepts needed to function in today's world, from budgeting to handling debt.

The federal government's Task Force on Financial Literacy was more diplomatic in its language but that was the essence of its message to the government and the Canadian people in its final report, published earlier this year.

Recent polls confirm that the level of financial knowledge among Canadians is discouragingly low. For example, in June 2011 the non-profit Investor Education Fund, which is funded by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC), released a study which reported that the average score for respondents who were asked 23 questions about personal finance was only 50 per cent. Taking 60 per cent as a passing grade, only 29 per cent of Ontarians scored well. The survey found that knowledge of financial planning and goal setting was extremely low.

"As a matter of note, every question was answered correctly more often by people who are putting away money for retirement now than by those who are not," the survey concluded. "This echoes a finding in many other studies that people are more likely to get informed when they are personally involved and need to make decisions."

In other words, people aren't going to take the time to learn about money out of academic interest. There has to be a tangible, real-life benefit involved to motivate them.

Well, how about this for an incentive: Ignorance and/or indifference costs Canadians billions of dollars every year — that's right, billions! Here are some almost unbelievable numbers from the findings of the Literacy Task Force.

•Roughly 160,000 eligible seniors do not receive the Old Age Security benefit (representing almost $1 billion in pre-tax benefits).

•About 150,000 eligible seniors do not receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

•Approximately 55,000 eligible Canadians are not receiving Canada Pension Plan benefits.

•The take-up rate for the Canada Education Savings Grant is just 40 per cent.

•The median RRSP contribution represents only 6 per cent of the total eligible room available.

As might be expected, the Task Force called for more financial education, both for young people and adults. That's clearly necessary. However, in what I regard as a very pertinent comment, the report zeroed in on the same motivation issue that was highlighted by the Investor Education Fund. All the courses and books in the world won't help if people aren't willing to allocate time to learn.

"Research shows that people are most interested in financial learning when it is associated with real money or a real financial decision," the Task Force report states. "Those 'teachable moments' include when workers join a pension plan or workplace retirement savings scheme; when consumers are seeking financial advice or considering the purchase of a financial product or service; or when individuals apply or check their eligibility for, or obtain benefits from, government programs."

This is directionally a good suggestion, but it is too limited. "Teachable moments" may arise any time. They aren't limited to joining a pension plan or applying for a government program. For example, it's a "teachable moment" when you prepare your tax return, apply for a credit card, consider buying a house, take out a student loan, make an RRSP contribution, or work on the family budget. Anything that involves a financial decision offers an opportunity to learn something about good money management.

I believe that the real key to improving financial literacy quickly is to provide people with easy access to tools that will help them solve their immediate problem while educating them in the process.

For example, not long after the Task Force report came out, it was announced that the very first application (app) created for Research in Motion's new tablet computer, PlayBook, was designed to help people enrol in company pension plans. The idea is to make it easier and less stressful to complete the paperwork necessary to sign up. Not surprisingly, it was created by Sun Life Financial, which administers many corporate plans in this country.

Sun Life's senior vice-president of senior retirement service, Thomas Reid, described the app "a real catalyst for changing behaviour." He added: "We actually are quite convinced it's going to be very powerful in getting higher enrolment rates."

Obviously, a higher enrolment rate would be good for Sun Life's business. But it would also be good for the financial future of the people who sign up, some of whom might not have done so had the process not been made so easy.

This may be where some of the best solutions to financial illiteracy ultimately lie: in the creation of wide range of user-friendly money apps for popular devices like the iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Galaxy, and all the other new electronic gizmos.

In fact, many already exist. One example is Account Tracker, made for Apple products. It was chosen as App of the Month by Zoomer magazine in the May issue. In its review, the magazine described it as easy to use and said it can "turn any account and budgeting nightmare into a manageable situation."

Some other iPhone financial apps that are available include Tomorrow's Gas Price for Canadians, Canada Sales Tax Calculator, Canada Income Tax Calculator, HMP Canadian Mortgage Calculation, ATM Locator Canada, AM Canadian Mortgage Advisor, iTip Calculator Canada, Tax Man RRSP, and Canadian Taxes Discounts and Tips. Many financial institutions also offer their own apps, usually at no cost.

Even though both are Apple products, many iPhone financial apps are not available for iPad and the choices for tablets in general are still very limited. A search of the Apple app store only turned up one specifically for Canadians: the TurboTax Refund Calculator, a very basic app that is also available on the Intuit Canada website. There are hundreds of finance-related apps. But a lot of them are games or gambling related while others are media apps (e.g. Bloomberg, CNBC) and teaching tools for children. Some are not suitable for Canadians because of our different tax laws, retirement savings options, etc.

Among the best iPad bets according to customer ratings are Account Tracker ($2.99), a budgeting and expense application; Pocket Expense ($1.99, also available in a stripped-down free version), which will track bill payments, categorize expenses, and more; Currency (free), which provides exchange rates for more than 100 currencies; Budgets for iPad (free); and Debt Free ($0.99) which helps you work out a plan to get rid of credit card debt.

My advice is to check out what is available for your specific device. Apps that enable you to track stock markets, follow business news, prepare a budget, or perform basic financial calculations don't need to be modified for Canadians but many others do. Once you have found an app you think meets your needs, do an on line search to see if you can find any reviews of the product, especially if it is relatively expensive. There's no point spending money only to discover that the app you've purchased won't solve your problem.

Map publishers facing
a rough road

By Vanessa Lu
Toronto Star
Aug 20, 2011

When Don Boyes was driving up north last week, heading to a cottage where he had never been before, he brought along his iPhone.

Armed with an app that serves as a GPS device, he could manoeuvre all the right turns along the roads.

Suddenly at one point, where cellphone service became spotty, he lost his connection, and his directions. But Boyes, a senior lecturer in the geography department at the University of Toronto, wasn't worried, because his car's glove compartment is stuffed with paper maps that could guide him to his destination.

About 15 minutes later, he got his phone connection back, but Boyes says this incident illustrates why he thinks paper maps won't disappear.

"I hope people will still have them around. I don't think we're at a point where we can rely 100 per cent on technology," said Boyes, who specializes in Geographic Information Systems, where databases are attached to a map.

He points to horror stories of individuals who blindly followed the voice on their GPS, telling them to drive toward a lake or the wrong way on a highway, saying millions of data points have to be recorded, so there can be mistakes.

"It is interesting how psychologically, people want to depend on these things and want to believe that they are always right," Boyes said, adding sometimes people ignore their common sense because that's what the GPS says.

Even though more people will be using electronic maps and new technology, Boyes believes a digital divide remains in Canada, with smartphone use at about 33 per cent.

"It's going to change as prices come down, and people see the value of it," he said. "But I hope if people are driving in the country or some place where they haven't been before, will keep that paper map handy."

The summer is peak travel season and the south central Ontario offices of the Canadian Automobile Association has seen an increase in requests for maps, especially for domestic travel, despite online mapping programs and GPS.

Requests for the classic TripTik — the precursor to Google maps, where members can request individualized routes through Canada and the U.S. — has fallen almost in half in the last decade.

This year, the CAA in this region expects to issue about 80,000 classic TripTiks, complete with arrows to highlight the route, down from about 150,000 a decade earlier, said Anna Halkidis, manager of community relations and auto travel.

"There's far more detail. You can see where there is construction, gas and lodging, or areas of interest," she said. "It's not a typical Google map or MapQuest map."

Halkidis says many members stick with the classic flip maps for the detail it offers, but an electronic version is now available online.

Peter Heiler, CEO of Map Art Publishing Corporation, an Oshawa-based map company, said demand for paper maps has fallen by at least half, with the peak being in 2005.

"It's a tough business," Heiler said. "The problem is maps have to be updated, whether you sell one or 10.

"But people still like paper maps. They are friendly for some people. You can open them up and have an overview," he said. "I think there will continue to be a market for it."

"If you're listening to your navigation system, you really don't know where you are, or don't know where the lake is in relationship to where you are."

Heiler estimates that the consumer map business — from maps, books and atlases — is worth about $30 million today in Canada, and seems to have stabilized after a dramatic drop in sales.

Police departments, delivery companies and taxi drivers often have both electronic navigation systems and paper maps in their cars and trucks, he said.

Heiler believes paper maps are sometimes more attractive because they are often updated annually, compared with online or GPS maps that sometimes lag behind, due to the cost of mapping all the data navigation points.

Despite the boom in mapping apps and new technology, paper maps will continue to serve a purpose, he said.

"If you're going to visit a new city, and you've looked at a map, and you know where the water is, where the train station is, you have a nice overview," Heiler said.

"On a GPS, turn right, go left, do this, do that, you don't really know where you are."

Questions about map reading

Are we producing a generation of people who can't read a map?

University of Toronto's Don Boyes credits the advent of Google maps for making people comfortable with maps, in the context of where you are and where you need to go, getting from Point A to Point B.

But if Boyes put someone in the middle of nowhere with a paper map and compass, he isn't sure they would be able to find their way out, by using only landmarks and a compass.

Can map reading have an impact on aging?

Map Art's Peter Heiler believes map reading does force the brain to work in different ways from a GPS navigational tool.

"It does do a different mind exercise, to study a map and try to retain the trip in your memory, and maybe the places you might want to stop off in the trip," Heiler said.

McGill University researchers last year presented studies that showed the way we navigate the world today may affect how well our brains function as we age.

When people are trying to find their way, there are two different strategies. One is a spatial navigation strategy where people build cognitive maps using things like landmarks as visual cues. The other is a stimulus-response strategy, going left or right, as the most efficient way to get from point A to point B. If you use a GPS, that stimulus-response may seem familiar.

In the McGill study, those who navigated spatially had increased activity in the hippocampus, an area of the brain believed to be involved in memory and navigation and play a role in finding shortcuts or new routes.

The study found health young adults tended to use a spatial approach when navigating a virtual maze, while older adults used a response strategy.

That shift may lead to atrophy of the hippocampus, a risk factor for cognitive problems in normal aging and in Alzheimer's disease.

Should I always have
collision coverage?

JOANNE WILL
Globe & Mail
August 14, 2011

Let's remember the basics when it comes to collision insurance for a car that you own. "By law, under the Insurance Act, you don't have to purchase 'physical damage insurance' – which is also known as collision or comprehensive," says Anne Marie Thomas, a manager at InsuranceHotline.com

Collision covers the repair or replacement cost of your vehicle if you're involved in an at-fault accident. What if you're involved in a collision and not at fault? "In Ontario, if you're not at-fault and you don't have collision insurance you're still covered; the section of your policy that responds in that case is called the direct compensation section," says Thomas.

There is, however, an exception. "One thing for the consumer to be aware of is if you're hit by an unidentified third party, also known as a hit-and-run, even though you're not at fault, that type of loss is paid out under the collision section of your policy," says Thomas.

Making a decision about when to stop paying collision insurance on an older vehicle is a matter of doing your due diligence. You need to consider the maximum an insurance company will pay if you're involved in an at-fault accident and your vehicle is written off.

Searching your local automotive classified ads should put you in the ballpark. Then work through the math and make the decision. Look at the cost of a replacement, your premium, the deductible, the settlement you'd receive and consider the likely increase in your insurance costs if you make a claim.

If you find that the average cost to replace your car is $2,000, subtract your deductible, which is the amount you'd be required to pay in an at-fault accident before an insurer covers any expenses. Let's say your deductible is $500. Then subtract the collision portion of your insurance premium – say it's $200 per year. So if you have a loss, in this example, you'd net $1,300 in compensation.

The example above is only based on paying for collision insurance for one year. If you remain accident-free through year two, three, four and beyond and meanwhile your car is depreciating, you're spending more money for less coverage every year.

There's no rule of thumb, it all comes back to math – and the amount of financial risk you're willing to or can absorb.

Automated bill payments not always a good idea

August10, 2011
By Krystal Yee
Toronto Star

Many personal finance professionals will tell you that automating your finances is one of the best ways to manage your money. You can automate your pay cheque deposits, deposits to savings, RRSPs and investment accounts, as well as all of your monthly recurring bills.

But when you think you're making your life easier by automating everything and not having to stress about whether you paid the bills on time, you might be doing more harm than good. Automating your finances can lead to bad spending habits, because you aren't conscious of where your money is going. And, when all of the work is being done for you, you might not check on your accounts as often as you should.

I personally only automate the essentials – such as my pay cheque from my full-time job, my mortgage payment, and my maintenance fees. Everything else – such as utilities, cell phone, internet/cable, credit card bills, and taxes – I make as manual payments.

Here's why:

My income fluctuates

Even though I have a full-time job, my income can fluctuate wildly from week to week, depending on how much money I bring in from my part-time and freelancing jobs. While it's possible to budget and automate when your income varies, I find it's a lot easier (and a lot less stressful) to manually enter in bill payments. Especially when not all companies and services offer monthly billing cycles that end at the end of each month. Instead, I keep track of when my payments are due by tracking them in Quicken, as well as in a Google calendar. That way, I always know that I have money in my account to pay each invoice.

I like seeing progress

It is extremely satisfying to click a few buttons and see bills getting paid, or my savings account growing. It's proof that my hard work is worth something, and it reminds me that my goals are real and attainable. It's a feeling you can't get when the bank does all of the work for you.

Don't forget to read the terms and conditions

Sometimes life can get busy, and by the time you get around to looking through your cell phone bill, you might have already had the payment deducted from your account. I worked in a call centre for a company whose terms and conditions stated that receiving payment is your acknowledgment and agreement to all of the charges on the invoice. So it's important to look through your invoices in a timely manner, as well as carefully read through your terms and conditions of service with each company.

It forces me to pay attention

Over the past five years, I've made it a habit to log into my online bank accounts at least three times each week. This year I caught two fraudulent charges on my credit card. If my credit card bill payments were automated, I would be much less inclined to check my accounts as often, or as closely, so I might have missed catching and disputing those charges.

Companies make it so easy to automate payments. From your Netflix account to your gym membership to those domain names you've never used that keep auto-renewing every year – sitting down to pay your bills might take an extra hour out of each month, but it really forces you to see where your money is going. It helps you have a better relationship with your finances, and you might realize that you're paying for a lot of things that you just don't use.

Kids are safest with grandparents behind the wheel: study

CHICAGO—American kids may be safest in cars when grandma or grandpa are driving instead of mom or dad, according to study results that even made the researchers do a double-take.

“We were surprised to discover that the injury rate was considerably lower in crashes where grandparents were the drivers,” said Dr. Fred Henretig, an emergency medicine specialist at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the study’s lead author.

Previous evidence indicates that car crashes are more common in older drivers, mostly those beyond age 65. The study looked at injuries rather than who had more crashes, and found that children’s risk for injury was 50 per cent lower when riding with grandparents than with parents.

The results are from an analysis of State Farm insurance claims for 2003-07 car crashes in 15 states, and interviews with the drivers. The data involved nearly 12,000 children up to age 15.

Henretig, 64, said the study was prompted by his own experiences when his first grandchild was born three years ago.

“I found myself being very nervous on the occasions that we drove our granddaughter around and really wondered if anyone had ever looked at this before,” he said.

Reasons for the unexpected findings are uncertain, but the researchers have a theory.

“Perhaps grandparents are made more nervous about the task of driving with the ‘precious cargo’ of their grandchildren and establish more cautious driving habits” to compensate for any age-related challenges, they wrote.

The study was released online Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

Northwestern University Professor Joseph Schofer, a transportation expert not involved in the research, noted that the average age of grandparents studied was 58.

“Grandparents today are not that old” and don’t fit the image of an impaired older driver, he said. “None of us should represent grandparents as kind of hobbling to the car on a walker.”

Grandparents did flub one safety measure. Nearly all the kids were in car seats or seat belts, but grandparents were slightly less likely to follow recommended practices, which include rear-facing backseat car seats for infants and no front-seats. But that didn’t seem to affect injury rates.

Only about 10 per cent of kids in the study were driven by grandparents, but they suffered proportionately fewer injuries.

Overall, 1.05 per cent of kids were injured when riding with parents, versus 0.70 per cent of those riding with grandparents, or a 33 per cent lower risk. The difference was even more pronounced — 50 per cent — when the researchers took into account other things that could influence injury rates, including not using car seats, and older-model cars.

The study does not include data on deaths, but Henretig said there were very few. It also lacked information on the types of car trips involved; for example, driving in busy city traffic might increase chances for crashes with injuries.

Schofer, the Northwestern professor, said other unstudied circumstances could have played a role. For example, grandparents could be less distracted and less frazzled than busy parents dropping their kids off at school while rushing to get to work or to do errands. Driving trips might be “quality time” for older drivers and their grandchildren, Schofer said.

Few would trade health benefits for $10,000 cash

July 13, 2011
By sherylsmolkin
Toronto Star

Results from the 2011 sanofi-aventis Health Care Survey reveal that Canadian employees value peace of mind over cold, hard cash.

When offered a choice between $10,000 and their workplace health benefits, 59 per cent of survey participants chose to keep their benefits. Even when the ante was raised to $20,000, half still opted for their current medical coverage. Nearly twice as many employees over 55 (66 per cent) would stick with their health plans as compared to their 18-34 year old co-workers (34 per cent).

Laura Mensch, VP of Insurance Solutions at ADP Canada says older workers are driving these results. "The average age of the workforce is now over 45 and these people have experienced serious chronic and even catastrophic illnesses. They don't want to risk major medical bills in the last 20 years of their working life."

However in light of the economic downturn and its lingering hangover, Manulife Financial VP of group marketing services Marilee Mark finds these results somewhat surprising. "You'd think more people would take the money. There is obviously a high awareness of the value of benefits, particularly as a safety net."

A typical employer spends $3,000 to $4,000 per employee on health benefits, with drugs making up 60 to 80 per cent of the total. Because health care costs are increasing by 12 to 14 per cent a year, there is pressure on employers to manage costs to keep their plans affordable.

But employees place such a high value on their group health care plan that a significant number (41 per cent) are prepared to pay higher premiums to maintain their current benefits.In contrast, over one-quarter of the employees surveyed would prefer increased co-pays by people who use the services instead of across the board premium hikes. Only 12 per cent believe benefit cuts are the answer.

"The one thing that is clear is the reluctance to reduce benefits," says Aon Hewitt Consulting VP Art Babcock. "At 12 per cent, that's the lowest it's been historically."

Mensch thinks the trend will be to hybrid plans that include core catastrophic insurance for claims over a certain amount along with a health spending account that provides choice for employees at different ages and different stages of life.

How old is too
old to drive?

JEREMY CATO
Globe & Mail
July 4, 2011

How do we decide when someone is too old to drive? Or perhaps just too old to drive at night? Or only too old to drive on the highway at any time?

Good questions and the answers matter as the first baby boomers turn 65 this year. To that end, a new national study on licensing policies for older drivers suggests we might have an incipient mess on our hands.

A Canadian research team found that Canada is a regulatory patchwork of requirements "for license renewal, reporting practices," and "appeals processes." As a result, options for restricted licenses largely depend on where someone lives, note researchers, Anita Myers from the University of Waterloo, Brenda Vrkljan from McMaster University and Shawn Marshall from the University of Ottawa.

As is often the case in Canada, the provinces and territories generally disagree on how to identify and regulate older drivers, says a news release, noting the study was funded by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation and Transport Canada.

Transport Canada data, in fact, shows that in 2009 there were 3.25-million licensed drivers aged 65 and older in Canada. That's 14 per cent of the total driving population, reports the study. Now sit down and consider this: the number of senior drivers is expected to more than double in the next decade.

Said Myers: "While older drivers are involved in proportionately fewer collisions than younger drivers, they are more likely to be seriously injured or die as a result. The rate of fatal collisions starts to rise at age 70 and continues to increase for drivers in their 80s and 90s."

What's the problem with aged and aging drivers? The researchers suggest a greater likelihood of vision and other health problems that may compromise driving safety.

Not all provinces require drivers to undergo a medical review once they turn 70, 75 or 80. To do so is expensive and interestingly enough, says the study, has shown minimal impact on fatalities.

The researchers suggest that experts agree on one thing: "The focus should be on identifying potentially medically-at-risk drivers regardless of age and thoroughly assessing each person's capabilities for continued safe driving."

All well and good, but this means the health care system – doctors – could be facing yet another demand: identifying increasing numbers of older patients with chronic conditions while lacking valid tools to determine fitness-to-drive.

Meanwhile, many seniors want to keep driving; it provides freedom of mobility and such independence is important. At the same time, "Licensing authorities are under pressure to expand restricted licenses for older drivers, comparable to graduated licenses for novice drivers," says the study.

So what should authorities do? Put in place a comprehensive approach to licensing older drivers or something else? Or muddle along and simply do nothing?

How to choose an executor for your estate

Why do I need a lawyer to help me with my will?

Wed May 25, 2011

Wills can be tricky. For example, if you are leaving something to someone in your will, that person can't witness when you sign. Even pulling out a staple can lead to questions about your will.

Dealing with wills and estate plans requires a special understanding of law, taxes, and money matters. Here's a quick look at the reasons you may want to get a lawyer, and the dangers of not getting legal advice.

Why do I need a lawyer for my will?

When you write your will, a lawyer helps you:

• Understand what you need to do and why
• State your true wishes so they will be carried out the way you want them to be
• Make sure your will follows the laws of your province
• Reduce taxes and other costs your loved ones may face after your death
• Make sure your estate can be quickly settled
• Choose someone to care for any children you may leave behind (called a guardian).

A lawyer who deals with wills knows how to make your wishes clear so they will be carried out the way you wanted them to be. This becomes even more important if your estate is complex, or if you have concerns that someone will try to fight your will.

Example: What if you decide you don't want to leave money to a person who is expecting to get some? There are right ways and wrong ways to do this. If you make mistakes, the person you cut out can fight your will by going to court. Then your loved ones will have to deal with a dispute after your death.

What are the dangers of not using a lawyer?
There are many ways that you might make your will invalid without meaning to. Mistakes can be costly, and can start family disputes. Those you care about may not get what you wanted them to have.

Remember: Most people need a lawyer to help with their wills.
Even if you choose to write out your own will, it's still a good idea to get some professional legal advice. It's the best way to ensure your final wishes will be carried out the way you intended.

How to eliminate your
car's dreaded 'blind spot'

Ian Law
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
May 15, 2011

A good number of collisions are caused by our lack of using the mirror, a simple device that has its origins in vanity.

If only we used our mirrors to look at others as much as we look at ourselves we could save ourselves a lot of trouble, money and even some lives.

Most modern cars have three mirrors. A rearview mirror positioned in the middle of the vehicles' interior on the windshield and two side-mounted mirrors located on the leading edge of the driver- and passenger-side doors. These latter two are referred to as side-view mirrors.

Your mirrors are an important safety feature that allow you to see where and what traffic is doing behind and to the side of you. The intent is to prevent you from striking the side of an adjacent vehicle or from "cutting off" a passing vehicle. They are not intended for applying makeup or checking your teeth for foreign objects. Their sole purpose is to save you from a collision.

This raises the question, "Why do so few of us use them or know how to adjust them correctly?"

To use them properly, they first need to be set correctly.

The rearview mirror, which is usually adhered to your windshield, should be aimed directly out your rear window and slightly biased to the passenger side. You should not see your own head in the rearview mirror unless you suffer from a narcissism complex. Every driver should be checking their mirrors every five to 10 seconds to ascertain what traffic is doing behind and around them. Many rear-end collisions could be avoided if each of us checked our mirrors as we came to a stop at a traffic light, stop sign or in traffic congestion.

The most common mistake with mirrors is not positioning the side-view mirrors correctly. The majority of drivers like to set their side-view mirrors so that they can just see the side of their vehicle when they glance in the side mirror.

If you are currently setting your side-view mirrors in this position, you are missing the big picture. With your mirrors set this way, you will also notice you can see cars behind you in your side-view mirrors. You now have three mirrors showing you the same picture making two of them redundant.

Your side-view mirrors are just that, "side-view mirrors," and are there to show you what is beside you, not what is behind you. To obtain this view, and eliminate your car's dreaded blind spot, you will need to turn these side-view mirrors outward. The ideal way to have your mirrors positioned is as follows.

As a vehicle comes up to pass you in the left lane, it will first appear well behind you in the rearview mirror. As it progressively gets closer to you in the left lane, it will eventually disappear from view in the rearview mirror and, as it does, it should then begin to appear in your side-view mirror. For most vehicles, you will then notice that the passing vehicle will remain in the side view mirror until it eventually appears in your peripheral vision as it leaves the view of the side mirror. You have now eliminated your blind spot.

You should not be able to see the side of your car in the mirrors if set properly, hence losing your point of reference, but this is the safest way to position them. On another note, the passenger side-view mirror on most modern vehicles is convex in shape. This means that it has a curvature that allows a wider field of vision at the expense of depth perception. In other words, it is more difficult to judge how close the other vehicle is in relation to your vehicle. Because of this curvature the passenger side usually does not need to be aimed as far to the outside as the driver's side.

Here are four more tips to help you set your mirrors properly.

1. Do NOT try to adjust your mirrors while driving. Wait until you have come to a stop at a red light or have someone help you adjust your mirrors in a parking lot. Taking your eyes off of traffic in front of you to adjust your mirrors while moving can lead to a serious crash.

2. To get a "rough setting" on your side-view mirrors, try this simple procedure. For the driver's side, sit in your normal driving position and lean your head over so that your head just touches the driver's side window. Adjust the side-view mirror outward so that you can now just see the rear corner of your vehicle. When you return to your upright seating position, you will not be able to see the side of your vehicle in the side-view mirror. This should be close to the correct position. For the passenger side, lean your head over to the middle of the vehicle and set the passenger side-view mirror so that you just see the side of your vehicle. This will get you close to the ideal location and now some fine-tuning is all that is required.

3. You will invariably say to yourself, "I don't like this" at first. It is only because you are not comfortable with this new setting yet. A lot of this feeling has to do with the fact that you no longer have a point of reference when looking in your mirror. The rear corner of your car gave you comfort only because you were able to locate other objects in relation to your vehicle. Please have peace of mind in that you do not need to see the side of your vehicle during your drive. It will be still be there when you reach your destination.

4. Do not stop checking your blind spot simply because you have eliminated it. I know of some instructors that suggest you no longer need to do a shoulder check with your mirrors set this way. Not taking your eyes off the road to check your blind spot means always keeping your eyes on what the traffic in front of you is doing. Although this can be a good thing, not checking your blind spot can mean you may miss the vehicle making a lane change from two lanes over on multi lane roads. Continue to check your blind spots before making a lane change.

Give yourself time to get comfortable with these new mirror settings. Soon, you'll wonder how you ever drove safely with your old mirror positions.

Five common road offences you might
not know

Throwing a cigarette butt out the vehicle window constitutes a "litter highway" violation.

May 10, 2011
Eric Lai
Special to the Star

Following up on a previous article outlining five common traffic offences drivers may not be aware of, here are five more common violations that you may commit without realizing it.

Information below was verified by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. Charges are at police discretion and subject to interpretation by the courts.

1. Driving with the lap belt secured but the shoulder belt portion under your arm or behind your back is a "fail to properly wear seatbelt" violation under S. 106(2) HTA. Improper seatbelt use would obviously increase your risk of serious injury in a crash.

2. Throwing a cigarette butt out the vehicle window constitutes a "litter highway" violation under S. 180 HTA. This is a common cause of roadside grass fires.

3. Drivers with a pet sitting in their lap risk a "drive while crowded" charge under S. 162 HTA. This is because the animal could interfere with their control of the motor vehicle, particularly in an emergency collision-avoidance scenario.

Consider a screen divider to keep unruly pets in the cargo area of SUVs, or a doggie seatbelt harness to secure your furry friend. Note that all airbag-equipped seating positions are potentially fatal to animals should the airbag deploy.

4. Ironically, one burned out tail light on your car or truck isn't an offence, but a nonfunctioning licence plate light at night or in darkness is a violation under S. 62(19) HTA.

Section 62 (1,2) HTA requires only one working tail light on motor vehicles at night or in poor visibility. However, for your own safety, drivers should ensure that all vehicle lights are working properly.

5. Most drivers realize that jumping the green light to turn left ahead of stopped oncoming traffic at an intersection is wrong (where neither side has an advance green). But you might be surprised to learn that this action falls under the new "street racing/aggressive driving" legislation and violators may face an on-the-spot driver's licence suspension and vehicle impoundment for 7-days, and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted under Ontario Regulation 455/07, clause 3(8)(iv).

Lease a car or buy it?
Some pros and cons

John Leblanc
Special to the Star
April 28, 2011

You've done your test drives and you've picked your new vehicle. You've gone through the colour charts and looked at all the options. Now comes the question: "How do I finance it?"

For those not fortunate enough to have the cash on hand to buy a new vehicle outright, the lease versus loan question is a tough one — especially because of the changes in the new car market caused by the recent economic downturn.

Because of a sudden drop in new vehicle residual values for some makes and models, and the crisis in the financial market, many automakers simply got out of the leasing business in the last few years.

But by all accounts, leasing is back. However, in general, interest rates aren't as low as they once were, and for some models and makes, residual values aren't as high, resulting in larger amounts to finance.

All of these changes only mean that doing your homework on the "leasing versus loan" question is more important than it ever was.

You may already know that leases and loans are just two different ways of financing. One pays for the use of a vehicle; the other funds the purchase. And each has its own pros and cons.

So, say you're considering either leasing or borrowing a $40,000 vehicle. When you buy, you have to borrow for the entire $40,000 — plus interest charges, plus sales taxes, plus administration fees — all up front.

When you lease, you pay the difference in what the vehicle is worth today new, and what it will be worth used at the end of the term (which is usually 36 to 48 months). If that $40,000 vehicle has an estimated resale value of $23,000 after 36 months, you pay only for the $17,000 in depreciation — plus interest charges, plus sales taxes, plus administration fees.

You can see why leasing offers significantly lower monthly payments than buying. You can also see why leasing a vehicle that suffers low depreciation is important as well.

Faced with the decision to lease or loan, you have to not only look beyond the financial comparisons (rates, terms, required deposits, administration fees), but also review your lifestyle priorities:

— Is having a new vehicle every two or three years with no major repairs more important than long-term cost?

— Are long term cost savings more important than lower monthly payments?

— Do you like to own your vehicle, as opposed to having lower up-front costs and no down payment?

— Is the thought of having your vehicle paid off enticing, even if that means higher monthly payments for the initial few years of ownership?

In the end, leasing usually does not build equity, while buying a vehicle (and paying it off) does.

Even simpler: leasing equals lower payments, no equity; borrowing equals higher payments, with some equity.

In either case — lease versus loan — choosing a vehicle that will retain its value after three or four years is essential, and will pay off in the long run.

Should I rust-proof
my new car?

JOANNE WILL
Globe and Mail
April 25, 2011

Ever wonder why you don't see as many rust buckets on our roads these days? The difference between vehicles from the 1980s and modern cars is that galvanized metal is now used to prevent rust from occurring. Galvanization is the process of coating the metal with zinc to prevent corrosion.

So why are dealers even offering additional rust protection? Isn't galvanization enough?

"One thing about coated metal is that it's a bit vulnerable to stone chipping. Most people, especially in Canadian winters, are driving in situations with stones and sand, and these can damage the paint and metallic coating, and leave the ferrous materials exposed to corrosion. Most vulnerable is the area inside the wheel wells, and immediately behind the wheels," says Dr. Joseph McDermid, a professor of mechanical engineering at McMaster University.

Tips in some vehicle manuals include immediately touching up any stone chips or scratches in the paint; repairing your vehicle as soon as possible if it's damaged due to an accident, or any other cause which destroys the paint and protective coating; and hosing off the undercarriage at least once a month, especially if you've driven on salted or dust controlled roads, or near the ocean.

On top of the manufacturer's built-in corrosion protection system, some dealerships offer additional rust protection packages. These can range in price from a few hundred to well over $1,000. They vary from a protective coating sprayed on the underbody of the vehicle, to full-body and interior packages with electronic corrosion protection.

An electronic corrosion protection system is a block of metal placed under your car with an electrical connection, which will corrode instead of the metals in your car. It's a standard corrosion protection technique, called cathodic protection, which is used in gas and water pipelines.

"Cathodic protection has a very firm fundamental electrochemical basis. It's pretty smart; but you've already got that in your car. The metallic coatings are a form of cathodic protection. The metallic coating – the zinc – will corrode before the steel does. So all you're doing is putting another chunk of metal onto a system where there's already a bunch of metal to do the same job," says McDermid, who also holds a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada/U.S. Steel Canada/Xstrata Zinc Industrial Research Chair in Zinc-Coated Advanced Steels.

"My opinion is that offering additional rust-proofing is a bit of a scare thing. But what I would always personally do is make sure you have your wheel wells sprayed, because those rubbery, rust-proofing coatings help protect the wheel wells from stone-chipping damage. I also think mud flaps are a really good investment, because they help prevent stone chipping," says McDermid.

Many car manufacturers already have rubberized coating inside the wheel wells, so check this before you take action. If you're going to opt for a spray-on undercoating, it's imperative that the area is spotlessly clean.

Other motorists swear by oiling the underside of their vehicles. Oiling is temporary though; it's like applying furniture polish. You have to do it repeatedly, as with any regular maintenance. Again, the vehicle should be clean. Some mechanics and motoring enthusiasts argue, however, that an oily underside traps dirt and moisture, and can lead to corrosion.

With a brand-new car, you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with an anti-perforation guarantee, and the corrosion protection system already designed into your vehicle. Make sure you keep your car clean, and if you're really worried, treat your wheel well area to a good protection coating.

CPP survivor benefits
start at $2,500

The 3 worst things drivers do, according to top racer

Lorraine Sommerfeld
Special to the Star
March 6, 2011

We keep trying. Everyone writing in this section, every level of government, every police force — everyone.

We keep telling people how deadly our roads can be. And if it feels like the headlights are on but nobody's home (when they've bothered to put their lights on at all), you would think we would get sad and bitter and shut up.

But we don't.

Collision fatality rates are coming down, but that's because car manufacturers are implementing new technologies that basically save you from yourself.

You'll note I used the word "collision." You should start using it too. There is essentially no such thing as an accident on our roadways. You may be on the horrible receiving end of someone else's mistake, but driver error is never an accident.

I met a man this week who knows a great deal about driving. Generally acknowledged as Canada's most versatile and long-running racing champion, Ron Fellows has won at every level of competition from sports car racing to NASCAR to the 24 Hours of LeMans, and competed on virtually every race track in North America.

His career spans decades; by the late 1990s he was moving into his role as the primary development driver for GM's Corvette C5-R program and he remains one of the top technical advisors for GM Racing. He teaches at the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch near Las Vegas, while making his home here in Mississauga.

All of this is interesting, and attests to the fact that he is an excellent driver. But I wanted his take on the conditions of our roads for another reason: he wins a lot of Most Popular Driver awards from fans. He's a helluva nice guy. I figured if readers are sick of the rest of us trying to explain why you shouldn't drug and drive, or text and drive, or speed or run red lights or blow off stop signs, maybe you'd listen to him.

"Top three worst things drivers do," I asked him. He exhaled heavily, eyes glancing around the coffee shop. You can tell he instantly knows the three things, but is searching for a way to make his words count. He has three kids; he knows people tune out instruction in general, and lengthy instruction in particular.

"Stay out of the left lane. Just, get out. If you're not passing, get out of that lane. Period. And passing on the right. That's insanity. Do not pass on the right," he said.

I asked if this was one and two, or all one. "One and two. They're that important," he smiled.

"In Europe, you just don't see this. You don't pass on the right, because there is a passing lane. Here, we have badly trained drivers. They are trained to pass the test, but the level of instruction is abysmal."

Fellows is a huge proponent of simulators being used in driver training.

"Kids are already familiar with doing things like this. It may be more of an adaptation for older people, but the level of skill involved is superior to any classroom and road-only training that most schools do. Look for training using simulators," he suggests.

Before I can ask, he's arrived at No. 3. "Awareness. There is a total lack of awareness on our roads," he says, leaning forward. Distracted, inattentive and unprepared; with two of his kids driving and a third coming up, Fellows is facing the same concerns of many parents.

"Parents are putting high performance cars into their kids' hands, cars that 12 years ago were race cars. Poorly trained drivers are operating race cars," he says, shaking his head.

So, where does this all lead to? Every journalist, every instructor, every cop, every emergency room worker, every firefighter and paramedic and now this top-flight road racer, all keep having the same conversation: better driver training.

When do we start taking it seriously?

The final winner list of 2011 Academy Awards

Art Direction: "Alice in Wonderland."

Cinematography: "Inception."

Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, "The Fighter."

Animated Short Film: "The Lost Thing."

Animated Feature Film: "Toy Story 3."

Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, "The Social Network"

Original Screenplay: David Seidler, "The King's Speech"

Foreign Language Film: In a Better World, Denmark

Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, "The Fighter"

Original Score: "The Social Network", Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Sound Mixing: "Inception"

Sound Editing: "Inception"

Makeup: "The Wolfman"

Costume: "Alice in Wonderland"

Documentary (short subject): "The Warriors of Qiugang"

Live Action Short Film: "God of Love"

Documentary Feature: "Inside Job"

Visual Effects: Inception

Film Editing: The Social Network

Original Song: "We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3" by Randy Newman

Directing: Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech"

Actress: Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"

Actor: Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"

Best Picture: "The King's Speech"

Oscar wins by film

The King's Speech: 4

Inception: 4

The Social Network: 3

The Fighter: 2

Toy Story 3: 2

Alice in Wonderland: 2

Black Swan: 1

The Warriors of Qiugang: 1

God of Love: 1

Inside Job: 1

The Wolfman: 1

The Lost Thing: 1

Here is the full list of the nominees

Best Picture:

"Black Swan," "The Fighter," "Inception," "The Kids Are All Right," "The King's Speech," "127 Hours," "The Social Network," "Toy Story 3," "True Grit," "Winter's Bone."

Actor:

Javier Bardem, "Biutiful"; Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"; Jesse Eisenberg, "The Social Network"; Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"; James Franco, "127 Hours."

Actress:

Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right"; Nicole Kidman, "Rabbit Hole"; Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"; Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"; Michelle Williams, "Blue Valentine."

Supporting Actor:

Christian Bale, "The Fighter"; John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"; Jeremy Renner, "The Town"; Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right"; Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Speech."

Supporting Actress:

Amy Adams, "The Fighter"; Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Speech"; Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"; Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"; Jacki Weaver, "Animal Kingdom."

Directing:

Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"; David O. Russell, "The Fighter"; Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech"; David Fincher, "The Social Network"; Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "True Grit."

Foreign Language Film:

"Biutiful," Mexico; "Dogtooth," Greece; "In a Better World," Denmark; "Incendies," Canada; "Outside the Law (Hors-la-loi)," Algeria.

Adapted Screenplay:

Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, "127 Hours"; Aaron Sorkin, "The Social Network"; Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich, "Toy Story 3"; Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, "True Grit"; Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini, "Winter's Bone."

Original Screenplay:

Mike Leigh, "Another Year"; Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson and Keith Dorrington, "The Fighter"; Christopher Nolan, "Inception"; Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, "The Kids Are All Right"; David Seidler, "The King's Speech."

Animated Feature Film:

"How to Train Your Dragon," "The Illusionist," "Toy Story 3."

Art Direction:

"Alice in Wonderland," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1," "Inception," "The King's Speech," "True Grit."

Cinematography:

"Black Swan," "Inception," "The King's Speech," "The Social Network," "True Grit."

Sound Mixing:

"Inception," "The King's Speech," "Salt," "The Social Network," "True Grit."

Sound Editing:

"Inception," "Toy Story 3," "Tron: Legacy," "True Grit," "Unstoppable."

Original Score:

"How to Train Your Dragon," John Powell; "Inception," Hans Zimmer; "The King's Speech," Alexandre Desplat; "127 Hours," A.R. Rahman; "The Social Network," Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.

Original Song:

"Coming Home" from "Country Strong," Tom Douglas, Troy Verges and Hillary Lindsey; "I See the Light" from "Tangled," Alan Menken and Glenn Slater; "If I Rise" from "127 Hours," A.R. Rahman, Dido and Rollo Armstrong; "We Belong Together" from "Toy Story 3," Randy Newman.

Costume:

"Alice in Wonderland," "I Am Love," "The King's Speech," "The Tempest," "True Grit."

Documentary Feature:

"Exit through the Gift Shop," "Gasland," "Inside Job," "Restrepo," "Waste Land."

Documentary (short subject):

"Killing in the Name," "Poster Girl," "Strangers No More," "Sun Come Up," "The Warriors of Qiugang."

Film Editing:

"Black Swan," "The Fighter," "The King's Speech," "127 Hours," "The Social Network."

Makeup:

"Barney's Version," "The Way Back," "The Wolfman."

Animated Short Film:

"Day and Night," "The Gruffalo," "Let's Pollute," "The Lost Thing," "Madagascar, carnet de voyage (Madagascar, a Journey Diary)."

Live Action Short Film:

"The Confession," "The Crush," "God of Love," "Na Wewe," "Wish 143."

Visual Effects:

"Alice in Wonderland," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1," "Hereafter," "Inception," "Iron Man 2."

What to wear to a funeral

Cassandra Szklarski
The Canadian Press
Feb 24 2011

Black is still the traditional colour to wear at a funeral, but these days the bereaved are more likely to switch it up when attending a memorial service, say observers and etiquette experts.

Mourners in bright colours, jeans, plunging necklines and even shorts can regularly be seen at what used to be sombre farewells, bemoans Peter Post, the great-grandson of the late manners maven Emily Post.

"I have been somewhat taken aback at times by the clothes that people choose to wear to what is a respectful and sort of a solemn occasion," Post says from the Emily Post Institute in Burlington, Vermont. "I've seen people show up in shorts, which I thought was wrong."

But those extreme cases are rare, says Toronto funeral director Jordan Benjamin while conceding that strict conventions about what to wear to a funeral service have loosened.

"In the past, where it may have been all black and dark colours, I think it's more a question of people dressing respectfully and dressing for the weather, whatever that may be," says Benjamin, whose family has provided Jewish funeral services at the Benjamin Park Memorial Chapel for four generations. "Most of the time they're still in the darker shades."

Still, there are enough infractions to get Clinton Kelly of TLC's What Not to Wear in a fit over poorly dressed mourners. "I hate when people wear jeans and sneakers to a funeral," says Kelly, who advocates wearing black or grey. "That really bothers me. It's just disrespectful. It's like, would you show up in pyjamas if you could?"

Saskatoon pastor David Tumback says he's noticed dressed-down mourners, too, but doesn't believe it in any way signals disrespect. "People have taken a more casual approach to everything; of course, this also has a spillover effect in the church," says Tumback, who serves a relatively young Catholic congregation of about 2,000 families.

When it comes to funerals, even pastors have turned away from black, he notes.

"The wearing of the black vestments is an option but I'm going to say the great majority, and probably about 90 per cent, wear white vestments at a funeral because it's a symbol of joy," says Tumback, who was ordained in 1995.

Society's changing view on how best to honour the dead has shifted the way in which some people regard funerals, adds Post. He recalls a service that concluded with a standing ovation for the deceased, giving the ceremony an air of celebration rather than sorrow.

"The whole audience stood up and it became like this really positive sort of recognition of the specialness of the person rather than just a sort of a tearful farewell," he says.

This was certainly the case at a packed public funeral for theatre legend William Hutt in 2007, an emotional ceremony that in many ways served as a tribute to his life. Among more than 400 people who packed an Anglican church to remember the Stratford Festival icon was an actress dressed in a brightly coloured floral print dress and an actor in a cream suit.

One of Tumback's most memorable services had him looking out over a sea of purple, when the family of a young girl who had died requested that mourners wear her favourite colour.

"And that was, I thought, a really kind of a cool gesture and certainly it assisted the family in mourning," says Tumback, noting that he, too, wore purple.

"The funeral was in December and our advent colour is purple so I was in purple as well. It just kind of worked out that way."

Still, even if there is a relaxed dress code, Post cautions against straying too far from tradition. The danger of offending a grieving family when emotions could still be raw is considerable.

"You can be safe about that much more easily by wearing something that is more subdued, something that is not drawing attention to yourself in that kind of situation," he advises.

"It's about paying respect to the people who are really going through a terrible loss and are mourning. You don't want to wear a Hawaiian shirt, but you can wear anything that's sombre," says Kelly, who also has stern words for revealing clothing. "I have seen cleavage at a funeral, which I think is also inappropriate because God is watching. God is watching us from above and He can see right down in there.

"Or She is watching. I don't mean to be gender specific."

5 things to consider when choosing a funeral home

By Ryan Starr | Feb 22, 2011

People typically select a funeral home because it has been recommended to them, they've been there before and the location is convenient for friends and family.

Most of the 100 or so funeral homes in the GTA accommodate all faiths and cultures, although many groups have favoured spots that cater to their community. For example, Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel and Steeles Memorial Chapel perform a large portion of the services for Jews and in most cases the remains are buried in Jewish cemeteries.

Service providers catering to the Muslim community in the GTA include the Islamic Foundation of Toronto, Scarborough Muslim Association and Aftercare Cremation and Burial Service. These companies will look after the transporting of the body to a Mosque, where it is bathed and enshrouded, and then transfer it to the cemetery to be buried.

Muslims have traditionally been buried in non-denominational cemeteries across the GTA, but there are plans for a Shia-Sunni Muslim cemetery in Richmond Hill.

No matter the faith, the basic costs of a full service funeral remain the same. The average for a service, visitation, body preparation and interment or cremation is $4,663, according to the Ontario Board of Funeral Services, which regulates the industry. Benjamin's says their average is about $4,800, while Aftercare says it is about $4,000 in their case.

If you go no frills, the costs can come down 50 per cent or more.

Here are the five things to keep in mind when looking for a funeral home:

1. Ask friends and family for a recommendation. How were they treated? What services were provided and at what price?

2. Ensure the funeral home is able to accommodate your religious and cultural needs.

3. Call around or go online and compare prices and features. Get a final quote in writing.

4. When getting a quote the main components include the cost of the body preparation, service, burial/cremation and the casket/burial container.

5. Every funeral director and transfer service operator is required by law to have price lists available at no charge and without obligation.

All funeral homes are overseen by the Board of Funeral Services a self-regulating body, set up under the Funeral Directors and Establishments Act. The board serves as a consumer protection agency and is the place to go when you have a complaint.

The board offers compensation when:

1.A pre-paid funeral contract has been cancelled and funds and interest accrued were not appropriately paid out;

2.A prepaid service was not fulfilled and a person was forced to go elsewhere; or excess pre-paid funds were not returned to the estate of the beneficiary.

3.There are allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence.

"There are protections to make sure the standards are consistent and that there's accountability," says Doug Kennedy, managing director of operations at Turner & Porter Funeral Directors. Kennedy sits on the Board of Funeral Services and is the past president of the Ontario Funeral Services Association.

Some funeral service providers allow you to arrange funerals online, so you don't have to actually visit a home. This can be convenient, especially in cases where a funeral hasn't been pre-planned and you don't live near the deceased whose funeral you are arranging.

Online services tend to be more affordable because they have less overhead than a conventional funeral home.

One example of a company that offers Web-based services is Basic Funerals and Cremation Choices, a Mississauga-based licensed funeral establishment that has a physical funeral home location, but it mainly targets the online market.

Customers can peruse options and prices or chat with an online funeral director, then contact the provider via e-mail or phone to finalize details and payment.

"There's really no reason you need to pull someone from their home and away their family at a time like that, especially for the arrangement process," says the company's CEO Eric Vandermeersch. Basic Funerals doesn't offer funeral services at its location, but acts as an intermediary, arranging funerals with partner funeral providers across Ontario. So its costs are lower and the savings can be passed on the client.

As such, a basic cremation through Basic Funerals costs $1,695; a burial and graveside service costs $1,800; and a basic funeral with casket is $3,200 (including taxes, fees and disbursements).

"If you compare what we offer to a traditional funeral home package, our services cost on average 50 per cent less," Vandermeersch says.

Basicfunerals.ca can also film the service and stream it over the Web, particularly handy in a place like Toronto, Vandermeersch notes, where "there's so many people here who have extended family elsewhere in the world."

Beckett-Glaves Family Funeral Centre in Brampton also broadcasts funeral services online.

A growing number of traditional funeral providers also enable customers to browse options and obtain a quote online, but recommend that pre-planners eventually pay a visit to the funeral home.

"A funeral is not like buying a CD or book online," says Jim Cardinal, president of Cardinal Funeral Homes. "There's a lot more involved - decisions we want to make sure people are clear on."

If you don't want a funeral

Cases where a funeral isn't required, a transfer service offers the most basic options for dealing with the deceased.

A transfer service will remove the body from the place of death, put it in a container, deliver it to a cemetery or crematorium, and file the necessary documents with the government.

Known as direct disposition, this service costs on average $1,626, with the price of the casket or burial container around $340, according to Ontario's Board of Funeral Services (BFS), which regulates the industry.

A transfer service is truly no frills. By law it is not allowed to provide visitation or funeral services, nor any kind of body preparation, such as embalming.

Of the more than 27,000 deaths registered in Ontario in 2009, just over 3,600 (or 13 per cent) were handled by transfer services, according to the BFS.

******************************************

My mother's pre-paid funeral story

Is it a good idea to
prepay your funeral?

Victoria Glencross is a funeral director and pre-need
manager at the Cardinal Funeral home in Toronto.

Colin McConnell/Toronto Star By Ryan Starr
Feb 21, 2011

Funerals aren't cheap. On average it costs around $7,400 for the funeral itself and everything that surrounds it, according to Ontario's Board of Funeral Services (BFS), the organization that regulates the industry.

For most people, the funeral planning process is a mystery. If the death is sudden, things unfold in a hurry with lots of tough and expensive choices to be made quickly. If the death is expected, there's more time to plan, but the financial decisions are just as difficult.

Today Moneyville launches a series examining the financial considerations and logistics involved in organizing a funeral, including pre-planning and pre-payment; the variety of funeral options; selecting a grave site and funeral service provider; and what you need to know about cremation or internment. The series continues all week online.

There were a little over 88,000 registered deaths in Ontario 2009, the most recent year for which statistics are available. A little more than half of the subsequent funerals involved cremation with the rest ending up as a burial.

Setting aside the emotional stress surrounding death, there are ways to contain the financial stress of a funeral. It all starts with a plan.

Among the things you need to consider:

• Your preference of funeral home and cemetery;

• Whether you want a traditional service or a casual get-together;

• If you prefer cremation or burial; and the kind of urn or casket you'd like.

Once that basic decision has been made there are different choices for each type of funeral. What remains the same is that you must decide how you'll pay, whether out of pocket, drawing down a trust account set up long ago or cashing in an insurance policy.

Difficult though it may be to think about, some form of pre-planning makes it a lot easier later on. Pre-planning ensures the bulk of the costs are paid for up front and guaranteed, despite the passage of time and inflation. Planning ahead also means you can outline your personal preferences, ensuring you head into the hereafter just the way you want.

Of course it's tough to provide a totally accurate sense of typical funeral costs, given the wide variety of choices out there. "There are as many options as there are people," says Eileen Fitzpatrick, president of The Simple Alternative Funeral Centres, part of the group that operates Mt. Pleasant Cemetery.

Funeral planning doesn't have to involve spending money up front. You can just put your preferences on file with a service provider, you could outline what you want in an addendum to your will, or you can simply discuss the matter with family and friends.

But pre-paying for your funeral is common practice. As of 2009, 230,814 people had pre-paid funeral contracts had been purchased in Ontario, totalling more than $1.4 billion in funerals, according to the BFS.

"People do it because they want to have peace of mind and get their affairs in order," says Jim Cardinal, president of Cardinal Funeral Homes. "All decisions can be made ahead of time when you're thinking clearly and you're not under any kind of time restraints. Plus, you can shop around."

Costs vary widely depending on where you live and the services you select. These can include the funeral facilities and vehicles, the casket/vault or urn, disbursements (fees for the cemetery/crematorium, religious service, newspaper announcements etc.), your final resting place (grave, crypt or niche) and what sort of monument or memorialization you want.

On of the most important funeral-related decisions — where you want to be laid to rest — is often made well in advance.

"People are more likely to pre-plan at a cemetery than at a funeral home," says Daniel Reid, director of sales and marketing for Park Lawn LP, a group of six Toronto-area cemeteries and crematoriums." They want to make sure they can get a spot in the cemetery where they want to be."

When it comes to the funeral itself, there are two ways to pay in advance. The first option is to deposit the money in a trust account, where it will earn interest until the time the funds are used to cover the funeral costs (or the funeral services contract is cancelled).

The other option is to purchase insurance. You pay for your funeral either in one lump sum or through an installment plan (terms range from one to 10 years). An insurance policy covers only the funeral cost, not the specifics of the ceremony itself; these must be arranged separately with a funeral service provider.

Cardinal notes that a person is fully insured once that first cheque goes through. "So you could make a $500 deposit, the paper work goes in, and if you die before your next payment, you've got your funeral."

Only a licensed funeral provider can accept prepayment funds, and BFS says that the provider cannot make any items mandatory, nor can they require you to purchase specific services or supplies.

Once you've made your arrangements, the funeral service provider must give you a copy of the contract, signed by both parties. The document should have an itemized list of services you've agreed to purchase and how much you'll pay for them.

The contract must identify the purchaser and the beneficiary or recipient (the person for whom the services are to be provided) and the name of the provider you're dealing with. It should also clearly state whether or not it is guaranteed.

Under a guaranteed contract, if there aren't enough funds to cover the services arranged in advance — because of rising costs — no additional money will be owed at the time of your death, provided the terms of payment have been met. (Taxes, however, are not guaranteed.)

If there is money left over, the balance is returned to the deceased's estate, though Cardinal notes that a small administration fee is usually retained by the provider.

A non-guaranteed contract means that if there are insufficient funds for the funeral, the shortfall will need to be paid for by your estate or whomever is charged with managing your affairs.

By law you can cancel a pre-arranged contract at any time before the services or supplies have been rendered. Upon cancellation, the provider must refund your money.

These days it is possible to do much of the funeral planning on the Web, without requiring a face to face meeting with a service provider (at least initially). Many funeral homes offer a variety of information and quotes online, enabling you to shop around.

While pre-planning your funeral helps alleviate stress on your loved ones at the time of your passing, service providers suggest leaving a few things for your family to decide.

"It's really nice for those left behind to make a few decisions, because they want to," Cardinal says. "When everything's done up tight as a drum, it can be a disappointment."

What happens if you declare bankruptcy

By Michael Lewis | Mon Jan 10 2011
Toronto Star

When Valerie Freeman entered the commerce degree program at Ryerson University, she couldn't help but notice the credit card come-ons that seemed to be everywhere — in the student halls, pubs, even residences.

An optimistic 19-year-old, she took up the offers and was approved on the strength of her future income. Freeman, freshly armed with plastic, indulged in outings at the nearby Eaton Centre for stress-relief shopping.

It turned into more and more; she bought clothing, shoes, gifts, a laptop, "You name it, I charged it," Freeman told the Star.

She rang up $12,000 in consumer debt before she'd completed her second year of studies. "The stores were just so close by and it was so convenient. It didn't feel like I was spending real money," Freeman says.

She managed to arrange a debt consolidation line of credit at a bank — and ran that to its limit with a few more shopping trips. More than $42,000 in the red, she was in full-blown panic mode.

"I couldn't go to my parents. I spent the money and I needed to be an adult and get myself out by myself."

Freeman contacted debt counseling agency Credit Canada, which negotiated a payment scheme with the credit card vendors. She pays $955 a month toward her debt and plans to increase the amount, thanks to a new job and a raise.

She managed to avoid bankruptcy and the black mark she think a "consumer proposal" (see below) would have left on her credit rating. She graduated in 2002 and says she will be debt-free by March 2012.

But for many others the tough choices may be just around the corner.

With the number of insolvencies — which include both bankruptcies and the less-drastic consumer proposal — was 22.5 per cent higher in October than the pre-recession levels recorded in 2007-2008, James Callon, superintendent of bankruptcy, took an unusual step Friday. He warned Canadians they may be an interest rate hike, or "a major life event" away from the harsh realities of insolvency.

So, what are the warning signs of impending financial crisis, and what are the options for survival?

• The hallmarks of consumer insolvency — defined legally as having assets insufficient to cover debts — include delinquent loans, unpaid property and income taxes and harassment from collection agencies. Often, serious difficulties are triggered by job loss, serious illness or divorce.

• Canadians can avoid impending bankruptcy a number of ways. They can plead their case with creditors and negotiate a private arrangement. More formally, they can file a consumer proposal. That's a legal process under the federal Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act that has serious implications since the individual may be forced into bankruptcy if the proposal is rejected by creditors.

• If a proposal is denied and bankruptcy is unavoidable the process begins with the good news: the filing brings legal proceedings and creditors' attempts to collect debts to a halt.

• The next step in bankruptcy is for assets to be assigned to the trustee in bankruptcy for distribution among creditors.

• Mandatory counseling on managing financial affair follows.

• If requirements are met, an automatic discharge from bankruptcy can be ordered in nine months for first-time bankrupts who do not report income that is defined as surplus.

• You're discharged from the repayment of all eligible debts.

"I just think it's very important right now for consumers to be educated on managing debt and avoiding major troubles," said Laurie Campbell, executive director of Credit Canada, a Toronto-based not-for-profit agency that offers no-charge consultation and assessment.

Bankruptcy is a profound step, a complex legal process that leaves a black mark on the consumer's credit report for up to 10 years, but one that can also provide a fresh start.

It will wipe out eligible liabilities — credit card balances, personal loans, certain tax obligations and payday advances. Debts not removed through bankruptcy include some student loans, child and spousal support, fines and most court-ordered restitution payments.

The bankruptcy process begins when an insolvent individual retains a licensed trustee, as required by statute, and provides an under-oath disclosure of liabilities and assets, including all assets disposed of in the year leading up to the filing.

Debtors in bankruptcy are required to surrender credit cards and release copies of pay stubs and proof of other income to the trustee, who calculates any so-called surplus income that must be earmarked for debt repayment.

Bankruptcy rules allow individuals enough money to live, but require that at least half of the surplus income, any take home amount in 2009 above a threshold of $1,870 per month for a single person, be disbursed to creditors.

If an insolvent person has surplus income of more than $200 per month, the consumer will remain in bankruptcy for a minimum of 21 months, or 36 months if previously bankrupt. Also, if there are tax debts above $200,000 that account for more than 75 per cent of total debt, an automatic discharge is not in the cards. A court hearing will be required to end the bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy trustee Robert Shier, of Stern Cohen Shier Inc. in Toronto, said its crucial that amount of income that will be deemed surplus be accurately estimated up front the so that there are no surprise arrears owing when the process is complete.

He also said a discharge is not automatic, particularly if the debtor fails to demonstrate that they have learned from their financial mistakes. In such cases, the bankruptcy court can impose conditions that must be met before a discharge. The court can absolutely refuse a discharge, but rarely does so.

The Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act also mandates at least two credit counseling sessions for applicants.

After filing for bankruptcy, the debtor's property is assigned to the trustee, who sells any assets and divides proceeds among creditors. Normally, lenders can withdraw money directly from the bank account of an individual in the bankruptcy process.

Rules allow two bankrupt persons in a close financial relationship to have their cases dealt with as one file, although bankruptcy does not normally affect a spouse unless they have co-signed a loan. The trustee will help the debtor complete forms, including property assignment and financial disclosure documents that must be signed and filed with the bankruptcy court's official receiver, who may also require an examination under oath.

If the applicant follows the rules, a meeting with creditors is generally not necessary. Employment is unaffected except, for example, in cases where the debtor needs to be bonded for work.

Bankruptcy involves administrative costs, including court fees, mailing costs, and government-set fees for filing. Any GST credits or tax refunds will be lost. In most cases, only creditors and those involved in the process will know about the bankruptcy filing. There is a filing fee to be paid to the Superintendent of Bankruptcy. The minimum charge for a trustee in bankruptcy's service is $1,800.

Credit counseling agencies typically charge 10 per cent of the applicant's debt to negotiate a reduced payment program, with the fee added to the payments.

Debtors in a bind who want to avoid the seizure of assets that bankruptcy requires have options. These include a debt consolidation loan or a consumer proposal, The latter option has gained in popularity since changes to the bankruptcy act in September 2009 gave consumer more flexibility in filing proposals.

In a proposal, a licensed trustee files a request with creditors to extend payment periods, reduce amounts and eliminate interest. The consumer is typically eligible to reapply for credit two or three years after the debt is paid, although consumers complain that debts can linger on credit reports long after they should have been expunged.

Debt counselors say proposals make sense when the insolvent individual is prepared to pay a premium for quick resolution, when the process of being discharged from debts is likely to be contentious, and if the debtor aims to continue in business or maintain a professional accreditation.

Proposals are also the best bet if the insolvent person wants to retain assets such as a property or pending inheritance, and when there has been a previous bankruptcy.

Holding onto a home in bankruptcy requires that the debtor pay all of the equity to the trustee before the bankruptcy is complete. Bankrupt persons in Ontario can retain personal possessions, motor vehicles, furnishings, trade tools and farm property up to specific limits, while most pension plans, some life insurance policies and certain RRSPs are also exempt from seizure.

Debtors must owe less than $250,000 excluding a mortgage on a principal residence to qualify for a proposal arrangement, which must still be accepted by creditors. If creditors refuse and mediation fails, bankruptcy may be the only option.

Oil changes: who’s right – automaker or dealer?

Eric Lai - Toronto Star

July 19, 2010

Q: I bought a new 2009 Ford Escape last August. When I picked up the car, I was shown in the owner’s manual that the oil change interval is 6-months or 12,000 km. As expected, it says to change more frequently in severe operating conditions.

I took it in for its first oil change in February with 7,000 km on it. When I got it back, the window sticker said the next service date is May 5, 2010 or 10,867 km. That would put the next oil change at 3-months and 3,900 km, which seems like over-servicing to me.

The letter I received dated May 7, 2010 from the dealer said: “Our records indicate that your 2009 Ford Escape is due for its next scheduled maintenance. Regular scheduled maintenance reduces the risk of costly repairs; maintains your warranty; and maximizes resale value.”

Is the dealer suggesting my warranty is void if I don’t take it in according to their own schedule of 3-months or 4,000 km, as opposed to the automaker’s stated 6-months or 12,000 km service interval?

Being retired, I’ve only put on 1,700 km since the last oil change. And most of that was highway driving at normal operating temperature, rather than frequent short trips in cold weather that would constitute severe operation.

A: Kerri Stoakley, communications manager for Ford of Canada, replies:

Proper maintenance protects you from major repairs resulting from neglect or inadequate maintenance, and may even help increase the resale value of your vehicle.

As per the Customer Information Guide (in your owner’s manual package), Ford of Canada recommends a dealership service visit every 6-months or 12,000 km, under normal operating conditions, for an oil and filter change, as well as a multi-point inspection.

A dealer may recommend a more frequent interval if you make frequent short trips, drive in stop-and-go traffic, idle for long periods, drive in dusty air conditions, tow a trailer or live in a cold-weather region.

As the vehicle owner, you know your driving habits best and can decide if your vehicle may require more frequent service as outlined in your Customer Information Guide.

Q: Is my new car warranty void if I have oil changes on my 2009 Ford Escape done anywhere but the dealership. For example, if I took it to an independent garage or even did the job myself?

A: Kerri Stoakley, communications manager for Ford of Canada, replies:

Regardless of who performs the maintenance, it is the vehicle owner’s responsibility to make sure that all of the required scheduled maintenance is performed, and that the parts and fluids used meet Ford engineering specifications.

Failure to perform scheduled maintenance as specified in the Scheduled Maintenance Services section of the Customer Information Guide will invalidate warranty coverage on parts affected by improper maintenance.

Ford dealerships have factory-trained technicians and use only Ford-approved parts.

Make sure that receipts for completed maintenance work are retained with the vehicle and have the dealer complete the Scheduled Maintenance Validation Record.

Eric Lai adds:

If servicing the vehicle yourself, consult your owner’s manual for the correct grade and viscosity of motor oil for your vehicle (e.g. SM 5W20).

Though any Ford-approved aftermarket oil filter will suffice, if you wish to install the identical Ford Motorcraft oil filter and/or motor oil that the dealership technicians would use – and thereby eliminate any debate that the parts used meet Ford standards – it’s available to do-it-yourselfers at the dealership parts counter.

Retain all receipts for parts in case of a warranty claim.

3D: mainstream in
homes in two years?

July 11, 2010
Georgina Prodhan - Reuters

Watching 3D television at home could become mainstream in as little as two years as prices for 3D TV sets drop and events like the soccer World Cup raise awareness of the technology.

Although many believe that consumers will never want to wear 3D glasses at home, and 3D TVs have only been on sale for a matter of months, a combination of factors points to faster adoption of 3D than of previous new technologies.

Often, new technology finds itself in a chicken-and-egg conundrum in which consumers do not buy new equipment until content is available, while media companies are not motivated to produce content until consumers buy the equipment to consume it.

But TVs are already on sale from Samsung that convert two-dimensional signals into 3D in real time, meaning that consumers can already start to enjoy images leaping out of the screen, even with little original 3D content yet available.

The technology is not yet perfect but could soon eliminate the need for equipment that studios use to upgrade 2D to 3D -- made by the likes of India’s Prime Focus -- which many analysts consider potential choice investments.

Stu Lipoff, a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers -- the world’s largest technical society -- said: “It’s one of the most remarkable things I’ve seen in 30 years in engineering.”

“The processing power is comparable to what five years ago you’d only find on a supercomputer in a university lab,” he says of the technology, which is made by businesses like Texas Instruments, Broadcom and NXP.

EVERYONE’S INTERESTED

Samsung, which was first to market, is expected to sell the lion’s share of 3D TVs this year, but Sony, Panasonic and LG Electronics are not far behind.

Sony hopes 3D models will make up 10 per cent of the more than 25 million LCD TVs is aims to sell in the next fiscal year. .

Technology research firm ISuppli expects 4.2 million 3D TV sets to be sold this year, or about 2 per cent of all LCD TVs, rising to 78 million in 2015.

Interest in 3D has grown fast, both among experts and the general public.

Public enthusiasm for 3D has been driven by the blockbuster movie “Avatar”, released at the end of 2009, which single-handedly raised awareness to 60 per cent from 40 per cent among U.S. consumers, according to TV analyst Stewart Clarke of research firm Informa.

Sports are also a fertile ground for 3D as the viewer feels the excitement of being placed in the middle of the action, instead of being a distant observer.

Walt Disney’s sports broadcaster ESPN used the soccer World Cup to launch its first 3D channel, and ESPN’s president told Reuters this week the network had had “off the charts” success with its coverage.

In Britain, satellite broadcaster BSkyB and its major shareholder News Corp are making big bets on 3D. Sky plans to launch a 3D channel this year after whetting appetites with 3D broadcasts of Premier League soccer in bars.

“It’s absolutely incredible. It’s fantastic. It’s the biggest development since black and white,” said Robert Kerr, a 27-year-old projects consultant, near London’s Westfield mall.

Asked whether he would buy a 3D TV, he said: “Personally, I’d always wait for the price to come down. When it comes down to about 1,200 pounds ($1,820 U.S.), I wouldn’t hesitate. In 18 months, definitely.”

Currently, 3D TVs cost about one-and-a-half times as much as equivalent 2D high-definition sets, but prices are falling.

GLASSES CONUNDRUM

Typically, new consumer technology is considered to reach a take-off point when 20 per cent of the population has it.

In the past, consumers have kept TV sets for an average of about 11 years, but far faster replacement cycles for other consumer electronics such as cellphones are changing attitudes.

Informa believes 3D TV will take off only after the need to wear glasses has been removed, which it forecasts will happen some time after 2015. But the IEEE’s Lipoff says it is not unreasonable to believe it could happen in two to four years.

LG has recently started offering 3D TV sets that can be viewed wearing so-called passive glasses that are far cheaper and lighter than battery-powered active-shutter glasses.

The televisions are more expensive because more of the work is done inside the set -- a 47-inch TV costs $2,200 in the United States -- but the glasses cost next to nothing.

Technology to view 3D without glasses does exist -- chipmaker Intel demonstrated a version at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas -- but is limited by only being viewable from certain angles.

As such, it is more likely to succeed on screens watched by a single viewer like computer and cellphone displays.

Nitrogen versus old-fashioned air in Your Tires

Rob MacGregor Globe & Mail Dec 2009

For the nitrogen versus old-fashioned air the jury is still out.

I hate to sound like a fence-sitter but because this technology is new, it's difficult to commit to a firm statement one way or the other.

The theory behind using N is that the molecules are slightly larger than air, which is really a makeup of 78 per cent nitrogen and 22 per cent oxygen. That small concentration of oxygen molecules is just enough to create a dilution of the overall mix, allowing for a greater chance of the air molecule to literally leak between the rubber molecules. This is the norm with tires. Many of you will have experienced this when leaving a vehicle or a boat trailer unattended for more than a month. The tire pressures will drop off noticeably through this process.

Another advantage to N is the fact that it is non-corrosive, unlike air or more importantly, the oxygen in the air. Oxygen has been blamed for the rust that forms on the inside of a mounted tire and wheel assembly, because as everyone knows, rust is simply the combination of oxygen and iron, or iron-oxide. With only nitrogen inside the tire/wheel combination, there is no way for rust to form.

But the downside of nitrogen is that there is not much in the way of infrastructure support for refilling your tires. This is the biggest push back on this issue and it's a strong case, not to mention that there is usually an added cost by installing N.

I actually had a set of new tires installed on my car and was asked if I wanted to use nitrogen. Based on the info above I elected to go with good old-fashioned air.

The case is getting stronger and stronger in favour of N, especially when you get front men like Jay Leno advocating for you. His video is on this web site: http://www.getnitrogen.org/

Many Canadian provinces and U.S. states are adopting hands free cell phone laws.  This is what you, the driver, need to know.

It’s no secret that driving a vehicle while distracted is incredibly dangerous to both you and other drivers on the road.  One major distraction that has crept up on lawmakers throughout Canada and the United States is the cell phone.  Cell phones do indeed make our lives easier is countless ways, but there is a time and a place for such convenience.  It is not a convenience that one should abuse while behind the wheel.  We need our full wits about us when driving and, needless to say, governments in many provinces and states have taken action in this regard.  This is what you need to know about hands free driving laws in Canada.

What’s So Bad About Talking Or Texting While Driving?

Before discussing hands free laws, we first need to take a look at what effect a lack of attention on roadways has.  A rather informative research paper by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) reveals a lot about what occurs to a driver when they are too concerned with their cell phones.  Specifically, the OMA points out that cell phone use while driving contributes to a reduced field of vision, inconsistent speed, safe following distance infractions, delayed braking and lack of a full response to stoplight changes.  On top of those reasons, the OMA also found that drivers who paid more attention to their cell phones tended not to pay attention to their mirrors, experienced a lack of stoplight inspection and did more hard braking.

Plainly, the dangers of paying too much attention to your cell phone while driving are numerous and quite real.  Even though it is not mentioned, the most obvious danger of cell phone use while driving is the potential to cause an accident.

Canadian Law

Currently, there is not a widespread Canadian law governing the use of cell phones while driving.  However, a few provinces have taken the initial step to curb cell phone usage while driving.  The provinces that have made it illegal to talk or text while driving are Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador and Nova Scotia.  In other words, if you are caught talking or texting while driving, you may face a potentially stiff fine and points on your driver’s license.

The next province to officially ban the use of cell phones while driving is Ontario (along with emailing, watching DVDs, playing with video games and operating MP3 devices).  The law was recently passed in April, but it does not take effect until November.  Once November comes around though, drivers caught breaking this law can be subject to a maximum fine of $500 (CAN).  Under the current configuration, there will be no points charged to one’s license, but if you are found to be endangering others on the road (or off), you can face a maximum fine of $1000 (CAN) and six points added to your license.

What Do I Do?

Seeing that many provinces are now cracking down on cell phone usage while driving, you, the driver now have to take action.  I know that it may seem like an ingrained habit to talk or text while driving, but there are safer alternatives that are in line with the law.

Use the speakerphone.  Almost all modern cell phones have a speakerphone function, which can be activated at the touch of a button.  If that is not your style, check out your cell phone a bit more to see if it has Bluetooth technology included in it.  If your phone has Bluetooth, go out and spend a little money on a hands-free earpiece.  They are simple little devices that fit into your ear and connect with ease to your phone.  If your phone does not have Bluetooth, it most likely came with a 'wired' earpiece that hooks up to your phone via a small jack on the side or bottom of it.  It may not be as convenient as a Bluetooth device, but it works.

If none of those options fit your needs, do the simple and right thing if you have to make or take a call.  Pull over somewhere convenient and then deal with the cell phone.

Picking the best among the classic Mustang, Camaro and Challenger

Scott Burgess Det News

Lots of cars used to come strapped with muscle, they've been on display along Woodward Avenue all week. With big V-8s crammed under their hoods, they bubbled with power at every stop light.

But times have changed. Direct injection has replaced scoops, and computers have replaced cables. Wrenching just about any new car today requires a lab coat and degree from MIT.

But for the first time in nearly 10 years, the modern interpretations of three classic pony cars are available as new models: the Mustang, the Camaro and the Challenger. These names are so recognizable that you don't need to include their respective brands, Ford, Chevrolet and Dodge. People just know.

Each model comes in three basic forms: Basic (think V-6); Mid-level (think sporty); and Ferocious (think mean and snarling).

Around Detroit, people know the difference. Recently, I drove the Ford Shelby GT500 through a parking lot, and a little boy pointed out the car to his father. "Look Daddy, a Mustang."

"No, that's a GT500," the father corrected him.

There is a difference. The Challenger SRT8, the Camaro SS and the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 have no other competition, and figuring out the best among the three is no easy task.

There's no changing the minds of loyalists. A Ford man knows with all his heart that Mustangs rule, and the Chevy lover and Mopar maniac are just as confident. But everyone else knows you can only buy one: So which one is it? It's a task more difficult than you think: I love all three for slightly different reasons.

Exterior

Each car offers a distinctive look and follows a slightly different path -- though all conjure up their respective heritage without duplicating it.

Challenger: This is the most retro of the three cars. Reintroduced in 2008, the Challenger draws the most from its past. The four headlamps set deep in the grille. The long body has added a few pounds around its waistline, approaching middle age with the same demeanor as many of its owners.

Mustang: The GT500 joins the redesigned 2010 Mustang with a new exterior and clean, fast lines. It's modern but points back to its roots. Like the Challenger, it's thicker than the original, but carries it well. The new Mustang includes sequential blinking tail lights and the chamfered corners.

Camaro: Of the three, the Chevy is the most modern and futuristic-looking. Its small greenhouse, chiseled lines and big back end give it a unique look. It's a generation removed from the traditional Camaros with the design based on the concept car shown a few years ago at the Detroit Auto Show. That car was loosely based on the 1967 Camaro. The end result: Perfection.

Winner: Draw

Interior

While each exterior stands on its own merits, the same is not true of the interiors. Every carmaker provides all the high-tech amenities car owners want, such as Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free phone operation, top-of-the-line stereos, but only one stands above the others.

Challenger: Simple and clean, the Challenger offers the most space of the three. It's the only coupe of the three that can seat five people -- the others can only carry four. However, the big hulking dashboard comes across as cheap and the finishing details need to improve. It's a nice start, but it feels incomplete.

Camaro: The interior space is comfortable and sophisticated. Recessed speedo and tach gauges add to the car's appearance and I never missed the navigation system, knowing OnStar was just a push of a button away. Real metal trim would have fared much better than the plastic designed to look like metal. There's a lot more attention paid to peripheral details, such as door inserts and ergonomic controls, and the seats are extremely comfortable.

Mustang: Ford has had the most time to improve its interior because it has never discontinued the model. The additional time pays off with an all new dash with aluminum trim. The gentle, curving center console feels balanced, and shortening the emergency brake means your knee will no longer rest against the handle while driving. The plethora of accessories provides everything an owner could want. Ford's voice-activated infotainment system Sync is ahead of the others.

Winner: Mustang

Performance

All of these cars offer more power, more abilities and more, well, power, than any person really needs. They will blow their historical counterparts from the '60s off the road. Each also provides an incredible V-8 rumble that no turbocharger can ever duplicate. Listening to them idle is a mechanical symphony.

Camaro: Combine a 422-horsepower 6.2-liter V-8 and an independent suspension, and you've got a great ride. The SS may have the strength of 40 mules, but it races on the highway like a thoroughbred. The steering is clean and provides great feedback without working out your forearms. The Camaro manages 24 miles per gallon on the highway, which is 2 mpg better than the Ford and 5 mpg better than the Dodge.

Challenger: The legendary 6.1-liter Hemi V-8 gives the Challenger SRT8 a little more muscle than the Camaro. But it needs it because of its length and size. Both the Camaro and Mustang feel smaller on the open road, though the Challenger in straight line takeoffs is excellent.

Mustang: It may have the smallest V-8 in the bunch, but the supercharged 5.4-liter engine crushes the competition when it comes to raw power producing 540 horses. It's the kind of power that surges through you when hit the accelerator. Additional suspension tuning and great tires helps the GT500 handle corners better, despite having the solid rear axle. But there's almost too much power surging through this car. Hit a concrete seam through a big turn and you'll learn how scary axle hops can be.

Winner: Camaro

Overall winner

For many people who want to own a modern-day muscle car, the price will be the first consideration. The Camaro SS is nearly $10,000 less than the Challenger SRT8 and $17,000 less than the GT500, making it a steal by comparison.

However, Ford has created an entire series of Mustangs out of its pony car with its partnership with Carroll Shelby. Furthermore, the GT500 can come as a drop top, something the Challenger and Camaro do not offer. (A convertible Camaro is due to arrive in 2011 and Dodge has no plans to produce a convertible Challenger.) Really, there is something for everyone. But if I were to pick an all-round, top-of-the-line muscle car, the crown would go to the GT500. It's the complete package with power, comfort and an engine note that grumbles sweet nothings.

But in this race, coming in second is not bad either.

Joan Brunet pulled one last weed from the wet ground of her Oakville garden, then watched in horror as a spider latched on to her finger, oozing a clear, whitish venom into her hand.

Panicked, the senior shook her hand and finally knocked the spider off, but seconds later, she was drenched in sweat, losing control of her body as her vision blurred.

By the time an ambulance arrived, Brunet was still conscious, but said the spider bite had turned her body to "jelly."

Doctors were puzzled at first, but an entomologist ruled the bite to be from a black widow.

"I couldn't move my arms, I couldn't close my hands or anything," she said yesterday from Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, where she has been since she was bitten July 28. "Now I've got just about everything back."

Though she is slowly regaining mobility in her arms, Brunet still has no feeling below her knees and can't yet walk.

After the bite, she struggled into the house and managed to pour an entire bottle of rubbing alcohol over her swollen red and blue hand, dulling the pain.

Then she fell to the floor, almost completely paralyzed. She managed to call her daughter in Toronto, who called an ambulance.

Brunet remembers telling her daughter, "You cannot call the ambulance, it's just a silly spider bite."

Brunet's encounter was unusual. A black widow's neurotoxin is usually reserved for its insect prey and the spiders are naturally timid, preferring to retreat than attack.

"Their behaviour is such that we don't come across them that much," Royal Ontario Museum entomologist Antonia Guidotti told the Star.

In the last year, there have been two other northern black widow sightings in the GTA. Brunet said an Australian patient in a nearby hospital bed was shocker to hear of a black widow bite in Ontario. Another patient and avid gardener encouraged her to talk to the press, so GTA gardeners would be aware of dangerous spiders and wear gloves.

Northern black widow females – the poisonous ones – can be recognized by hourglass-shaped orange colouring on their abdomens.

Gratuitous Tips on Tipping

Not knowing the proper tip or gratuity for a service can be very unsettling. The rest of your party might not know it, but inside you may feel highly stressed as you walk up to the coat check or curbside check-in. The challenge is not everyday situations, but when you are taken out of your normal environment. For example, if you travel only occasionally, hotel tipping etiquette can be a real mystery.

Remember that tipping is discretionary. If you don't think tipping is necessary in a particular circumstance, then don't tip. This is a guide for people who are planning to tip and want to know the customary amount. If you think tipping in general is stupid, then don't tip. But don't complain that the minimum wage is too low. Don't complain that the only new jobs being created are low income.

This is a guide. It is not implying a moral obligation to tip. That said, if you are using a service that is widely-known to be a tipped service, such as restaurants, bars, hair salons, valet parking, etc., then I believe there is a moral obligation to tip for good service. Here is why - a waiter at a restaurant provides you service with the expectation of being compensated a minimum of 15% for quality service. If you don't intend to tip, then you should tell the waiter up front so that he can decide whether or not to provide you the service.

Have mercy!

Have you had a hard day traveling or at work? Do you feel a little grumpy? Were you sharp with someone?

Well, guess what! People in service industries don't always have great days either. Show them a little mercy and assume the best about them. Maybe your waiter is a little absent-minded because his mother is sick in the hospital.

Instead of skipping the tip, talk to the manager about poor service.

Pre-tax or post-tax?

This is a common question. Custom says that tips are calculated pre-tax, but many people just use the total bill either for the sake of simplicity or to be more generous. In other words, either way is fine.

Coupons and gift certificates

If you received a coupon or gift certificate, how do you calculate the tip? Tipping is always based upon the normal price of the good or service. If you get a coupon for 20% off, then tip on the original price. The amount of work done by the server is not less because you paid less. If you have a coupon for a free entree, then tip based upon the regular price of the entree.

Many gift certificates today act more like a debit card. A $50 card is the equivalent to $50 cash, but it can only be used at the named store or restaurant. In that case, you can use the card to pay for the tip as well as the food or service. If you have a gift certificate for a free meal or spa treatment, call the manager before you go and ask if the gratuity is included. If it is not, ask for the estimated value of the gift certificate, and then tip in cash based upon that amount.

But the service is already so expensive!!

With proper tipping etiquette, the percentages of your tips do not change because of the cost of the service. Let's take a hair salon, for example. Of course, you can always tip on the lower end of 10-20%. But if you are going to go to a more expensive salon, then it is assumed that you can afford $120 plus tip. If it is really a big crunch for you, then I would recommend going less often or finding a salon that is more within your budget.

Tipping the Owner

This is the question I get asked most via email - do you tip the owner of a company when he or she provides your service. The answer used to be no. Now it is yes.

Christmas Holiday Tipping Etiquette

Christmas is a great time of year to remember those people who serve you regularly. Since it only occurs once a year, holiday tipping can be a source of holiday stress, but it need not be so. I recommend a gift or a tasteful Christmas card with a tip inside. Delivery should occur in the month of December prior to Christmas day. Tip those who serve you all year long and with whom you have a personal relationship.

• Maid - one week's pay. This is for maids in your employ whom you pay directly. If you use a service and never know who is coming out, don't tip at all.
• Gardener - $20-50.
• USPS Mail carrier - Non-cash gifts with value up to $20. This is for mail carriers that you know and see regularly. Read more below.
• UPS - Regular driver - $15.
• FedEx - Not allowed to accept cash gifts, but a gift up to $25 in value is permissible.
• Apartment building superintendent - $50-200. Tip less if you tip throughout the year.
• Apartment Doorman/concierge - $10-80 or more each, depending upon building. The fewer doormen the building has, the more you tip each one. Those who serve you more should get a bigger tip.
• Apartment building handyman - $15-40 each.
• Apartment building elevator operators - $15-40 each.
• Shampoo - $10
• Manicurist/pedicurist - $15 or more
• Hairdresser/stylist - $15 or more
• Massage therapist - $15 or more.
• Newspaper carrier - Daily - $25 - 50, weekend - $10
• Regular overnight delivery person - $10-30
• Teacher - $25-100. Give a gift certificate to a bookstore or office supply store. If you know the teacher's hobbies or interests, then a gift certificate would be nice from the local movie theater, hobby shop, mall, fine restaurant or day spa. Some teachers might feel uncomfortable receiving gifts around grade time. If you are unsure, ask your principal first.
• Coaches, tutors, ballet instructors, music teachers - A small gift from your child.
• Garbage collector(s) - $15-30 each. Nowadays, most garbage collectors are really truck drivers. The truck has an arm that does all the work. If this is your situation, there is no need to tip.
• Baby sitter - One night's pay, plus a small gift from your child.
• Full-time nanny - One week's to one month's pay based on tenure, plus a small gift from your child.
• Au pair - One week's pay, plus a small gift from your child.
• Day care service - $25-70, plus a small gift from your child.
• Parking attendants - $10-20 each
• Personal trainer - $60-100 upon reaching goal.
• Country Club - I believe in tipping at Christmas regardless of the club's tipping policy. I recommend a minimum of $50 for your waiters, locker-room personnel, front-desk employees, and golf professionals. For head waiters or special service, make it $100.
• Dog groomer - 1/4 - 1/2 cost of a session.
• Dog walker or sitter - 1-2 week's pay.

Gifts for USPS Mail Carriers

There are rules regarding gifts for USPS mail carriers. I'll quote them from the a USPS article.

At the airport

The first opportunity to tip during travel is usually upon arriving at the airport or train station. Here are some tipping guidelines:

• Porter or skycap - $2 per bag or more if the bags are heavy. $2 extra for curbside check-in is optional. If you arrive late and he helps you get to your flight on time, tip an extra $5-20.
• Electric cart driver - $2-$3 a person.
• Wheelchair pusher - If they are just pushing you down the ramp from the gate to the plane (or in reverse), then nothing. If it is from the ticket counter to the gate/plane or from the gate/plane to the luggage carousel, then $5 is appropriate. Tip more if they help you with your luggage ($1-2 per bag) or if they help you to your car. If they are pushing you from one terminal to another (long distances), then $10-20 would be appropriate plus extra for luggage. Tip less if they are unpleasant or rude.
• Flight attendant or other in-flight personnel - Nothing .
• Charter pilot - Nothing. It is not necessary to tip pilots unless they provide extra services. Then it is whatever you deem appropriate for the service.

Tipping on Trains

Tipping on trains can be very confusing because most people don't travel by train often and the situations can be confusing. For instance, sometimes the meal is included, sometimes it isn't.

• Dining car waiters, stewards and bar car waiters: 15 percent of bill (or estimated cost of meal when included)
• Red caps, or porters: $1 per bag
• Sleeping car attendant: $5 per passenger per day

Ground transportation

• Taxi, limo, paid shuttle, or van driver - 15% of the total fare. Up to 20% if the driver helps with the bags or makes extra stops. No less than $1. If someone else is picking up the tab, they are responsible for tipping also. Be careful, the rate quoted for limos often includes gratuity.
• Driver of courtesy shuttle - $1-$2 per bag if he helps with the bags.
• Auto dealership shuttle driver - Nothing.

At the hotel

Before you arrive at a nicer hotel or resort, inquire as to whether gratuities are included in the price of the room. Some hotels are now charging a daily fee that covers all tipping for hotel services. If there is not a daily fee, these rates are appropriate:

• Valet or parking attendant - $1-3 is appropriate for parking or returning the car. It is not necessary to tip for parking, but always for returning the car.
• Doorman - If he hails you a cab, $1-2. If he helps you with your bags in or out of the car, $1 a bag. Use $1-2 per bag if he carries them all the way to the room. If he just opens the door, nothing. If he is helpful with directions or restaurant recommendations, $5.
• Bellman - When he helps you with your bags, tip $1-2 per bag. Give him the tip when he shows you your room. If he just carries the bags to the front desk and then disappears, save it for the person who carries the bags to your room. Upon checkout, tip a bellman who helps with your bags. Tip more for additional services.
• Front Desk - Typically there is no tip for the front desk, but if they help you with early check-in or late check-out, tip $1-2.
• Concierge - $5-10 for help with hard-to-get dinner reservations or theater tickets. Tipping is optional for just plain advice, but $5 is the minimum. Tipping can be done at the end of the trip or at the time of service, just keep is straight so that you are fair.
• Butler - $5-10 per service or $50-100 per night. Very special services like meals when the restaurant is closed are more like $50.
• Room Service - If gratuity is included, add nothing or $1. Otherwise add 15-20% to the total charge.
• Delivery of special items - If you request extra pillows or an iron, tip $1 per item received, minimum $2.
• Maid service - $3-5 per day typically, up to $10 per day depending upon how much mess you make. Tip daily because there might be a different maid each day. Leave the tip on your pillow. Err on the side of being generous, and tip on the last day also. If they change out your linens by request, give $1-2 each time.
• Bath Butler - 15-20%. Bath butlers are not very common. They draw a luxurious bath for you with your choice of available options such as champagne, candles, chocolates, aromatic salts, rose petals, music, etc.
• Swimming pool or gym attendant - Nothing, unless you require special services such as extra seating or inflating pool toys; then it is $2-5. If you want the same deck chairs every day, then tip $2-3 per chair beginning the first day.
• Tanning Butler - $5-10 per lotion application.
• Ski Valet - $2-5 per person, per day. A ski valet helps with rentals, stores shoes and provides dry boots each day, and stores your gear at the end of the day. They also provide trail maps, ski lift times, rides to the lift, etc. If he serves as a guide on special trails, tip an extra $50.
• Hotel maintenance staff or Technology Engineer - Nothing to replace a light bulb, fix the air conditioning, internet access, etc. If they teach you how to do something on your computer that is not a responsibility of the hotel like burning a CD, then tip $10-20.
• Personal Shopper - Personal shoppers don't typically work for the hotel. 10% of the total purchases is appropriate. You can also have the hotel send them a gift of jewelry or wine. Recommending their services to others is a great tip.
• Spa Technician - Most hotels automatically include an 18% service charge in the bill. If it is not included, tip 18%. If the service is provided in your room, the hotel will typically add a separate fee of $25-40 to your treatment - the 18% tip is on the new total.

Tipping at a Bed and Breakfast (B&B)

Many, if not most B&Bs have a no-tipping policy in the US and Canada. In other countries it varies. It never hurts to tip, but it is definitely not expected, and many B&Bs specifically ask that you do not. Most are family owned and the price they charge covers everything.

The safest bet is to inquire at the specific Bed and Breakfast where you plan to stay before you arrive.

If there is hired housekeeping staff, then tip the same as at a hotel.

Tour guides

Check ahead. If the tip is not already included, give 10-15% of the tour price. No less than $1-2 for a half-day tour, $3-4 for a full-day tour, and $5-10 for a week-long tour. This is a per-person rate. Tip private tour guides more. If the bus driver is particularly helpful with bags, then tip $1-2 per bag.

• Boat trip - If the trip is over 3 hours, tip $10-$75 depending upon the cost of the excursion and the quality of service.
• Outdoor guides (fly fishing, horseback riding, river rafting, etc.) - 15% of the cost of the service. Some companies have a no-tipping policy. Check when you book the trip.
• Private Yacht Charter - Tip the crew 10-20% of the charter fee based upon the quality of service. Hand the gratuity to the Captain for distribution to the crew.

Cruise ships

Many cruise ships have a no-tipping policy. Find out in advance. If you are supposed to tip, find out if it is done at the end of the trip or at the time of service. Oftentimes, at the end of the cruise you are provided envelopes with suggested tip amounts. If you are supposed to tip, budget about $20 per day.

• Waiter - $3 per day per person.
• Cabin steward - $3 per day per person.
• Bus boy - $1.5 per day per person.
• maitre d' - Not necessary unless special services provided.
• Bar steward - Usually, 15% is automatically added to bill.

Restaurants or bars

If you get awful service, talk to the manager. The manager cannot correct the situation if he doesn't know about it. Skipping the tip will not accomplish anything, and the next poor customer who gets that server will get the same service you did.

If you are buying the meal and someone offers to get the tip, tell them they can buy next time, and you pay the whole thing. This prevents any uneasiness about them seeing the amount of the bill or worrying that they will be stingy on the tip.

Restaurants report a percentage (around 12%) of the gross sales for food and beverage to the IRS for their staff. This means that if you have a $200 food bill and $200 wine bill, the restaurant will report 12% of $400 or $48 as income to the server. In other words, the server has to pay tax on it whether you tip it or not. If the restaurants do not report it accurately, the restaurant and the wait staff get audited by the IRS.

Please don't get hung up on the 12%. It is just a reasonable example. I recommend tipping 10-15% on the alcohol and 15-20% on the food. 10% on the wine is perfectly acceptable. Whether to tip 10 or 15 percent would depend in large part on how helpful the server was in choosing the wine and serving it.

• Food server - 15-20%.
• Self-service restaurant or buffet - Nothing unless there is some service. Tip 10% if the server delivers all or part of your meal or keeps your drinks refilled.
• Takeout - If you get good service, in other words, the waiter gets and packages the food, then at your choice you can tip $1-2 or up to 10%. Nothing is really necessary.
• Drive through - Nothing.
• When breakfast is included in the price of the hotel room - Estimate the value of the meal by looking at a menu. If there is no breakfast menu, consider the quality of the hotel and the price of an evening meal, then make your best estimate. Your tip is 15-20% of your estimate.
• Teppanyaki chef - 15-20% of the total bill. The gratuity will be split among the wait staff and the chef.
• Counter service - 15-20%.
• Cocktail server - 15-20%. For free drinks in Vegas, tip $1-2 per round.
• Bartender - 15-20% or $1 per drink. If at the bar before a meal, settle up with the bartender before you go to your table.
• Wine steward or sommelier - 10% of wine bill.
• If a bar has a cover charge, you do not tip on it.
• Busboys - Nothing, unless he did something extra special like cleaning up a huge mess. Then give him $1-2.
• Maitre d' - Nothing, unless he gets you a special table or the restaurant is full and you had no reservation. Then give $5-10 or more.
• Coat check - $1
• Restroom attendant - $1
• Separate checks - If you want separate checks, ask the server to go ahead and add 18% gratuity to each check.
• Musician that visits table - $2-3 if you make a special request. Optional if he just stops by and plays.
• Musician in lounge - $1-5

Double time

If you hold a table for two serving periods, make sure that you tip double. In other words, if you spend enough time at a table that a waiter could have typically gotten two parties seated and served, then compensate him for his time by tipping him twice. I like to ease his mind by telling him this about half-way through.

Barbers, salons, spas

• Barber - $2-3
• Hair Stylist or Color Specialist - 10-20%. $3-5 extra for last-minute service.
• Hair extensions - 10-20%, regardless of the cost of the service.
• Shampoo or other assistant - $2-5 for each person. Hand the tip directly to the person providing the service.
• Manicure or Facial- 15%
• Massage therapist - No tip if at doctor's office. 10-15% otherwise. If they come to your home or hotel room, find out in advance whether a tip is included in the price.
• Electrologist, laser hair removal - Nothing.
• Salon or spa package - Determine in advance whether a service charge is included. If none is included, then 15-20% split among the service providers. You can ask for it to be divided, pay each person at the time of service, or leave it in envelopes available at the front desk.
• If the salon messed up your service, and you return for a re-do, do not tip again.
• Owner who provides any of the above services - Follow the rules above.
• The location of the service provider is irrelevant in determining the tip. It doesn't matter if they work in a salon, rent their space, or work out of their home.

Country club

At many golf or country clubs, tips are included in your monthly bill. 57% of country clubs have a no tipping policy. It is worthwhile to look it up or check with your club first.

• Shoe shine - $2 per pair.
• Golf cart girls - 15%, minimum of $1-2. Round it.
• Small errands - $5. What's a small errand? Running to the store, sending a fax, calling a cab.
• Bag guy - $1-2 per bag.
• Large errands - $10-20. For concierge-type services of ordering flowers, obtaining hard-to-get theater tickets, etc.
• Golf caddies - $15-25 per person above any fee for the caddy.
• Golf or tennis pro lessons - Nothing.
• Restaurants - same as at any other restaurant. See above.

Weddings

Many contracted services for weddings include tips in the final bill. Make sure you read your contract carefully so that you are not double tipping. As always, if you receive service above and beyond what you expected, extra tipping is recommended.

• Civil ceremony officials - $50 - $75, more if travel involved
• Wedding planner - Nothing.
• Minister, priest, rabbi - Minimum of $100, more if travel involved. Give the gratuity to the best man who will in turn give it to the officiant following the ceremony.
• Coat check - 50 cents per guest.
• Limo driver - 15% of the total fare. Make sure the tip is not included already in the bill.
• Florists - Only necessary when service is beyond expectations, up to 15%
• Photographers - Only necessary when service is beyond expectations, up to 15%
• Bakers - Only necessary when service is beyond expectations, up to 15%
• Reception Musicians or DJs - Only necessary when service is beyond expectations, up to 15% or $25-50 per person.
• Open bar at receptions - There are two views on this. Some say tip $1 for each visit to the bar. Other's contend that the tax and tip are included in the cost of the open bar, and that the guest should only tip if it is a cash bar. I lean toward the latter view, but it never hurts to be generous. If you are the host of the event, make sure it is not included. If it is not included, the tip is 15-20%.
• Catering hall wedding coordinator - $50 for the coordinator, and something less for the assistant ($25). Make sure it is not included in the price of the event.
• Banquet captain - $20-100.
• Wedding organist, musician or soloist - First check whether or not the gratuity is included in the rental of the church. If not, $50 per person or $75 per person for close friends.

Funeral Etiquette

The tip or gratuity for the clergyman who performs a funeral service is called the honorarium. The amount of the honorarium is typically $50-200. The amount is personal and varies based upon many factors:

• How much of the service does the clergyman perform, and does it include a graveside service?
• How many ministers are speaking at the service.
• How well do you know the minister?
• How good of a job does he do?
• What is customary for the area?
• How much can you afford?

When my daughter died, I had two ministers from my church perform the services. One spoke for the memorial service, and the other did the graveside. Both refused the honorarium. When this happens, wait a couple of months and do something special for him. Be sure to send a thank you card regardless.

If you are still not sure how much to give, then ask for some help from the funeral director. He will know what is customary.

You do not tip a funeral director.

Tipping Caterers

Tipping Caterers can be a real mystery. The best thing to do is to talk to the caterer in advance. Most caterers have a service charge that is included in the bill and is distributed to the cooks, driver and wait staff. If there is no service charge or it is not for the people doing the work, then tipping 15% of the entire bill is appropriate. This amount should be divided among the servers by the on-site manager. If it is included, you don't need to tip any more. Of course, if someone really goes out of his way for you, then feel free to tip that individual extra, remembering that it will be extra.

Tipping Movers

There are many things to consider in a move. A professional mover is going to be careful to protect your floors, walls, doorways, and belongings. That said, it is unlikely that your move will go perfectly, whether you are moving yourself or paying someone else to do it. Something will get broken. The question that matters is were they being careless, or was it a genuine accident? Every time I have moved furniture myself, I have caused more damage to my home than movers ever had. I take this into consideration when I look at accidents.

Tipping occurs at the completion of the job. Consider providing lunch if the move extends over lunch, and always provide beverages for the movers.

• One mover - limited move - 1-10 items and nothing over 20 pounds - $10-20
• One mover - difficult move - The degree of difficulty changes based upon stairs, narrow passages, small elevators, large or heavy items, appliances, etc. - $20-50.
• Multiple movers - Basically tip each mover the same as above, but lower it by $5-10 for each mover. Feel free to pool the tip and give it to the supervisor for distribution, but don't lower the amount because you combined it. The problem with combining the tip is that you cannot reward people based upon their individual performances.
• Car Shipping - There is not much information available about tipping the truck drivers. $20-25 is probably appropriate.

Emergency roadside service

Consider the level of danger. Tip an additional amount if it is roadside service versus in a parking lot.

• Towing service - $5 - $20 depending upon circumstances and your desperation.
• Jump start - $3 - $5
• Tire change - $4 - $5
• Locked out of car - $5 - $10

Miscellaneous services

• Accountants - Nothing.
• Appliance repairman - Nothing.
• Auto mechanic - Not necessary. If you insist, tip about $10-20 for bills up to $500, and $50 for bills over $500.
• Bagger at grocery store - Check in advance to see if the store has a no tipping policy. Most have one. If it doesn't, then $1-3 for the bagger and $1-5 for the person who loads your car.
• Baptism - Nothing.
• Car detailing - 15%
• Car salesman - Nothing.
• Car wash - $2-3 for a car; $3-5 for an SUV or large vehicle. If there is a tip jar, leave your tip there. It will be split among the workers. Otherwise, tip the person(s) who did the cleanup after the wash.
• Carpet cleaners - Nothing.
• Clown at children's party - $15-25 depending upon the quality of the performance and the heat level of the day. Others say 15-20% of the performers fee.
• Contractors, installers, and home remodelers - Nothing. Offer a cool drink instead.
• Cosmetologist at makeup counter - Nothing. Makeover specialist at department store - Nothing unless you used over 15 minutes of her time and then bought nothing.
• Electricians and plumbers - Nothing. Offer a cool drink instead.
• Exotic club - Nothing. Shame on you. I can't believe you would even ask.
• Farriers or horse haulers- Nothing.
• Financial planners - Nothing.
• Graphic designer - Nothing.
• Interior designer - Nothing.
• Maids - Nothing, except at Christmastime. See above.
• Mary Kay representative - Nothing.
• Mortgage loan officer - Nothing.
• Nurses - Nothing.
• Painters (house) - Nothing. Offer them a cool drink instead.
• Personal shopper or salesperson at department store - Nothing.
• Pet groomers - Most pet groomers are paid based upon a commission, not a regular salary or hourly wage. Typically your tip is 15% of the bill or $2 per dog, whichever is greater. If your dog is difficult, then tip more. Obviously, don't tip if the quality is poor.
• Pet sitters - Tipping is not required, but most pet sitters will appreciate a tip. 15% is appropriate if you want to tip.
• Physical therapist - Nothing.
• Piano tuner - Nothing.
• Realtors® or real estate agents - Nothing. The best way to say thanks is to refer people to them.
• Sports arena in-seat food service - This one is tricky. At most arenas you tip the person who takes the order 15%. You tip at the time of payment, not delivery. The best thing to do is to ask before you order. You definitely do not need to tip both the order taker and the deliverer unless you split it.
• Shoeshine - $1-2.
• Swimming lesson instructor - Nothing.
• Tailor or seamstress - Nothing.
• Tattoo or piercing artist - 10-20% or whatever you can afford. It isn't necessary, but it is appreciated.
• Telephone, security, cable, satellite, internet installers or repairmen - Nothing.
• Title company closing agents - Nothing.
• Travel agents - Nothing.
• Tree removal service - Nothing.
• Weekly lawn or landscaping service - Nothing.
• Window tinting service - Nothing.
• Window washer - Nothing.

Tipping for Deliveries

• Furniture or appliance deliveries - $5-10 per person. If the delivery is huge, then $20 per person.
• Grocery delivery - Usually included in the fee.
• Pharmacy deliveries - Nothing. If you insist, $2-3 per delivery, not per prescription.
• Flower deliveries - $2-5 for normal deliveries and $5-10 for large ones.
• UPS/Fed Ex - None.
• Dry Cleaning or Laundry Delivery - Nothing. Most services instruct drivers not to accept gratuities.
• Liquor delivery - 10-15%.
• Newspaper - Nothing except at Christmastime. See above.
• Pizza deliveries or other food deliveries - 15%, but not less than $2.
• Delivering a big box like a TV to your car - Nothing. Most stores prohibit employees from receiving tips, and the employee may be subject to discipline for doing so.

Full-Service Gas Stations

If you receive service (clean windshield, check fluid levels, etc.), the tip varies from $1-5 depending upon how much they do. $1-2 for a good job on the windshield, and $3-5 for windshield and fluid check. If you have to ask the person to do these things or they do a poor job, then I wouldn't tip anything for windshield only or $1-2 for the full whammy.

There is one big exception. If the price of gas at the self-service pumps is $1.70 and the price for full-service is $2.50, then they are already charging you for the service.

Casino Tipping

Before we talk about casino tipping, let's discuss a budget. Before you go to a casino, you should determine how much you are willing to lose before you call it quits. Gambling is fine for entertainment, but it is not a good means of wealth accumulation. If the odds weren't in the house's favor, casinos would not make as much money as they do. Gambling without a budget is poor stewardship of your money. I personally recommend against gambling. I know too many people who didn't expect to have a problem but are now addicted to gambling. It can ruin families and finances.

Casino workers are a part of the service industry and make 2/3 of their income from tips. Without tips, they are grossly underpaid.

One general rule for tipping at a table is that you tip when you are winning, not losing.

• Craps or blackjack dealer - $5+ chip per session. If you prefer, you can place a side bet for the dealer up to 10%. The size depends upon the table's minimum bet; however, it need not ever exceed $25. At a $5 table, the tip would be a $1 chip. At a $25 table, use a $5 chip.
• Poker dealers - $5+ chip per session. You may tip 10% of your winnings, but not to exceed $25.
• Roulette dealers - $5+ chip per session.
• Keno writers/runners - $1+ for first ticket. If you play a lot, tip more. 5% if you win.
• Drinks waiter - $1+ chip per drink. Remember that you are getting free drinks because alcohol lowers your inhibitions and you will gamble more.
• Slot machine changers - These guys are pretty much obsolete because most machines today spit out paper receipts of winnings. If you do have a machine that pays in coins, tip $1+ chip per change, plus 5% on a jackpot, not to exceed $25.
• Slot machine attendants - $1-2 chip when they repair your machine.

Tip Jars

They're showing up everywhere -- tip jars. Most people hate them. Where is it appropriate to leave a tip in a tip jar? We'll cover some of the basics.

• Starbucks - Nothing.
• Any fast-food restaurant - Nothing.
• Buffet-lines or cafeterias - Nothing. If there is a person who comes around and keeps your tea glass full, tip him personally $1-2.
• Donut, bagel or coffee shop - Nothing.
• Sports arena concession stands - Nothing.
• If you get the idea that tip jars are out of place at any food-service establishment that does not actually bring the food to your table and keep your drinks refilled, then you are correct.
• Laundry service - Nothing.
• Car wash - $2-3 for a car; $3-5 for an SUV or large vehicle. If there is a tip jar, leave your tip there. It will be split among the workers. Otherwise, tip the person(s) who did the cleanup after the wash.
  
  

 Life span vs. age at retirement

1. Most Creative Years in the Life

The Nobel Laureate, Dr. Leo Esaki, delivered the distinguished lecture entitled "Innovation and Evolution: Reflections on a Life in Research" in the University of Texas at Dallas in the afternoon of Feb. 23, 2002 during the 2002 US National Engineering Week. In this lecture, Dr. Esaki indicated that most of the great discoveries and innovations by the Nobel Laureates occurred at the average age of 32 even though the Nobel prizes were awarded 10 or 20 years afterwards. Furthermore, Dr. Esaki indicated that the peak creativity of most scientists occurred around the age range of 20 to 30 years. As one gets older, the experience increases but the creativity decreases steadily with the age.

It is, therefore, very important to stimulate, encourage and cultivate many young people to get interested in science and engineering at their young age and to provide the optimal R&D environment for these very powerful young scientists and engineers to unleash their very strong creativities during their most precious and creative years around the age of 32.

2. Longevity Vs. Retirement Age

The pension funds in many large corporations (e.g., Boeing, Lockheed Martin, AT&T, Lucent Technologies, etc.) have been “Over Funded” because many “late retirees” who keep-on working into their old age and retire late after the age of 65 tend to die within two years after their retirements. In other words, many of these late retirees do not live long enough to collect all their fair shares of pension money such that they leave a lot of extra-unused money in the pension funds resulting in the over-funded pension funds.

Dr. Ephrem  (Siao Chung) Cheng provided the important results in the following Table 1 and the associated chart from an actuarial study of life span vs. age at retirement. The study was based on the number of pension checks sent to retirees of Boeing Aerospace.

Table 1 – Actuarial Study of life span vs. age at retirement.

Table 1 and the chart indicate that for people retired at the age of 50, their average life span is 86; whereas for people retired at the age of 65, their average life span is only 66.8. An important conclusion from this study is that for every year one works beyond age 55, one loses 2 years of life span on average.

The Boeing experience is that employees retiring at age of 65 receive pension checks for only 18 months, on average, prior to death. Similarly, the Lockheed experience is that employees retiring at age of 65 receive pension checks for only 17 months, on average, prior to death. Dr. David T. Chai indicated that the Bell Labs experience is similar to those of Boeing and Lockheed based on the casual observation from the Newsletters of Bell Lab retirees. A retiree from Ford Motor told Dr. Paul Tien-Lin Ho that the experience from Ford Motor is also similar to those in Boeing and Lockheed.

The statistics shown in the Pre-Retirement Seminar in Telcordia (Bellcore) indicates that the average age that Telcordia (Bellcore) employees start retirement is 57. Therefore, people who retire at the age of 65 or older are minority as compared to the number of early retirees.

The hard-working late retirees probably put too much stress on their aging body-and-mind such that they are so stressed out to develop various serious health problems that forced them to quit and retire. With such long-term stress-induced serious health problems, they die within two years after they quit and retire.

On the other hand, people who take early retirements at the age of 55 tend to live long and well into their 80s and beyond. These earlier retirees probably are either wealthier or more able to plan and manage their various aspects of their life, health and career well such that they can afford to retire early and comfortably.

These early retirees are not really idling after their early retirements to get old. They still continue doing some work. But they do the work on the part-time basis at a more leisure pace so that they do not get too stressed out. Furthermore, they have the luxury to pick and chose the types of part-time work of real interest to them so that they can enjoy and love doing that “fun” work at a more leisure pace. 

The late retirees are small in number, tend to die quickly after retirement and disappear from the population of old people beyond the age of 70. Late retirees, therefore, have very little weight on the statistical average life expectancy of the population of “old people” dominated by the early retirees.

Several years ago, a Japanese friend of mine told me that most Japanese people retire at the age of 60 or earlier. This may be one of the factors contributing to the long average life span of Japanese people.

3. Changing Trend of US Pension Plans

The traditional pension plans of many major US companies used to place a lot of value on the experience of long-term older employees by increasing the pension money rapidly and nonlinearly for long-term employees as their age + service year increases beyond the threshold of the rule of 75. Most long-term employees cross this critical threshold at about the age of 55. On the other hand, the early retirees incur very heavy penalty in pension and in other associated retiree benefits (e.g., employer paid medical insurance, employer paid life insurance, death benefits for family, etc.) when they retire before they meet the rule of 75.

However, in recent few years, many large US corporations are switching from their traditional retirement pension plans to the new portable Cash Balance Plans. The new portable cash balance plans are much more favorable to the younger employees but are very unfavorable to the long-term older employees. Some older long-term employees found that when their employers switched from the traditional pension plans to the cash balance plan, their pensions were reduced by 30% to 50%.

One of the implications of this trend towards the new cash balance plan is that the US corporations are now placing more value on the higher creativity and adaptability of younger employees and less value on the experience of the older employees. This is consistent with the accelerating pace of innovations and technology advances. The creative and dynamic younger employees are better positioned, than the older employees do, to keep up with the faster pace of technology advances.

4. Conclusion and Recommendations

The most precious, creative and innovative period in your life is the 10-year period around the age of 32. Plan your career path to use this precious 10-year period wisely and effectively to produce your greatest achievements in your life.

The pace of innovations and technology advances is getting faster and faster and is forcing everybody to compete fiercely at the Internet speed on the information super-highways. The highly productive and highly efficient workplace in USA is a pressure-cooker and a high-speed battleground for highly creative and dynamic young people to compete and to flourish.

However, when you get older, you should plan your career path and financial matter so that you can retire comfortably at the age of 55 or earlier to enjoy your long, happy and leisure retirement life into your golden age of 80s and beyond. In retirement, you can still enjoy some fun work of great interest to you and of great values to the society and the community, but at a part-time leisure pace on your own term.

On the other hand, if you are not able to get out of the pressure-cooker or the high-speed battleground at the age of 55 and “have” to keep on working very hard until the age of 65 or older before your retirement, then you probably will die within 18 months of retirement. By working very hard in the pressure cooker for 10 more years beyond the age of 55, you give up at least 20 years of your life span on average.

By Sing Lin, Ph.D.  林星雄 博士

Member of National Council of

Chinese Institute of Engineers – USA/Greater New York Chapter, and

Member of Board of Director of

National Taiwan University Alumni Association – Greater New York

March 2002

No matter what the economic climate, we would all like to be bailed out of higher auto insurance premiums.

Certainly that was a dominant theme during our online forum yesterday on thestar.com. Here is a sample of the questions and answers. To read the complete hour's worth of discussion, look under my columns on the website.

Q: Is it true that the business model of the auto insurance industry is based on collusion and fraud? I asked for rates from five brokers and their quotes were almost all identical.

A: There are three possible explanations for the similarity in prices quoted.

1. You happened to call five brokers that represent the same insurers. A handful of insurers that sell through brokers account for a high proportion of Ontario auto insurance business. Three other larger insurers (State Farm, The Co-operators and Allstate) do not sell through brokers. Other insurers market directly to affinity groups such as university alumni, for example TD Meloche Monnex, underwritten by Security National.

2. You have recent at-fault claims or driving infractions that make you such a high-risk driver only a couple of insurers – or the high-risk industry pool known as the Facility Association – would accept you as a policyholder.

3. Insurers have an acute streak of irony and have put out the word to brokers to direct all conspiracy theorists to Kingsway General.

You could use the online rate quotation services (insurancehotline.com, kanetix.ca, myinsuranceshopper.ca) to look for better rates than you were quoted.

Q: I found out that Grey Power hiked their rates by 15 per cent. Because of this I changed our car, van, and house insurance to another firm and got a much better rate for the same coverage. We have never had an at-fault accident and think Grey Power's move is unfair. Why are they allowed to do this?

A: Grey Power puts the bulk of its customers with Trafalgar Insurance, a subsidiary of Intact Financial Corp., which is the former ING Canada. Trafalgar has had two general rate increases approved by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario in the past year: 4.88 per cent for renewing customers last November, and 4.5 per cent starting June 1, for a combined increase of 9.6 per cent.

Your 15 per cent increase was obviously above the average, and I cannot guess the reason. Your business may not have been with Trafalgar, or your vehicles, neighbourhood or the Grey Power group of drivers may have had an increase in claims costs that was higher than average.

FSCO looks at the company's claims losses relative to premiums before approving rate increases and allows for companies to make a profit. Many Ontario insurers are complaining that their cost of injury claims is rising quickly, and will be applying for more rate increases if the government does not come up with a reasonable solution to the rising cost of claims, one that controls the amount of money spent on minor sprains and strains while leaving enough money to care for those with more serious brain and other injuries.

Q: I retired at the end of May. I called my insurance broker. I will not be driving to work any more. I was told to wait six months and then call them and to submit a form and return it to them. Should the broker adjust my premium now? Why wait six months? It does not make much sense to me.

A: Some insurers only adjust their rates at the time of contract renewal, while some (I am thinking of the Chieftain option with Dominion of Canada General) will adjust rates sooner, which has its advantages when rates are falling, but not when rates are rising, as is now the case. You could ask about your company's refund policy, shop the market for a cheaper rate based on your new driving status, and then judge whether it would be worthwhile to switch sooner.

Just be aware that some companies may have applied for rate increases that could kick in later. To get an idea about which companies have and have not raised rates, you could visit the website fsco.gov.on.ca and look under auto insurance and auto quarterly rate approvals.

Buy North American
Remember your kids are watching!

Click here for short video (or right click and save target as....)

CAW PENSION RALLY APRIL 23, 2009

Thanks to all Our Retirees
That Participated!

Also Thanks to Local 584 for their support and providing transportation.

Activists Converge on Queen’s
Park for Massive Pension Rally 

Over 15,000 demonstrators lined the grounds of Queen's Park, waving flags and holding placards outside the Ontario Legislative Building on April 23, demanding immediate action from governments and corporations to protect workers pensions.  

The event brought together union and non-union activists, community groups and senior organizations from across the province, a symbol of what CAW President Ken Lewenza called the “collective power of people” in his fiery speech to the crowd.

“Employers are taking advantage of this economic crisis to roll back the progress workers have made over the years to improve their standard of living,” Lewenza said. “But we’re going to use the collective power of the people to win economic and social justice.”

Lewenza was joined by labour leaders Ken Georgetti (President of the Canadian Labour Congress), Wayne Samuelson (President of the Ontario Federation of Labour), Smokey Thomas (President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union), and Sid Ryan (President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees – Ontario).

“Workers will not be fodder in this mess – workers didn’t cause this mess,” said Ryan.

CAW Retired Workers Council President and National Executive Board member Len Harrison spoke about the important contributions retired workers make to communities across the country every day through their tireless volunteer efforts.

Harrison, a General Motors retiree from CAW Local 199 in St.Catharines, Ontario, has been outspoken on the desperate need to ensure the Ontario Pension Benefit Guarantee Fund is fully backstopped by government. Premier Dalton McGuinty has indicated the Fund was in jeopardy should a major corporation, like GM, go bankrupt.

Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath spoke about the connection between manufacturing job losses in the province and the growing pension crisis, calling on the government to backstop the Fund and increase the maximum monthly payout from $1,000 to $2,500.

Former CAW Local 1530 President Mary Jane MacKinnon, who represented workers at Nortel in Belleville, Ontario, and General Motors Salaried Pension Organization President Brian Rutherford, representing non-union employees at General Motors in Oshawa, also spoke at the rally.

The pension crisis is not just an issue that affects workers in the manufacturing sector, but one that touches all workers across the country, Lewenza said.

“It’s about working people having the right to retire with dignity and respect, and not having to worry about their pension and retirement income.”

Labour rallies will continue across the country in the coming weeks as part of the Canadian Labour Congress’ Get Real! It’s the Economy campaign.

Check the CAW website for more information: http://www.caw.ca/en/7317.htm

The likelihood of a bankruptcy by one, two or all of the big 3 is relatively high. What is bankruptcy and how will it affect you? Why are the corporations and both the Federal and Provincial governments demanding concessions to retirement pensions and benefits? Why are retirees and workers being blamed for the present situation in the Auto industry? What can we do as Retirees to fight this?

These and many more questions were raised at an Auto Council meeting in Toronto on Monday April 6th. It is hard to comprehend the severity of the possible consequences we could all face over what may transpire over the next few crucial weeks. This letter is not intended to cause you unnecessary worry and grief but to inform you of what may happen and to build some support.

Gm and Chrysler have dominated the news over the past few months while Ford has been perceived as being safest and healthiest and most likely to succeed of the big 3. Once you start looking at Ford’s situation a little closer you find that they too are in a financial crisis. They too have borrowed billions from private institutions, this being done just before the big economic downturn when credit was more accessible.

Ford of Canada has recently been leaking anonymous information to the media in order to get a message across that Retiree Benefits and their legacy costs are too high and have to be cut in order for them to be competitive. They have also publicly stated that the GM deal did not go far enough and they want the cuts to be a lot deeper. It’s a proven fact that cuts to wages and pensions will not make a difference, even if we went without any pay at all this would only keep the company going for an extra week or two. The bottom line is they need to start selling cars, if no one buys their vehicles, no one will survive.  

Both Tony Clement and Dalton McGuinty are demanding more concessions and are focusing in on Retiree pensions and benefits and are threatening to end any financial relief to GM and Chrysler if cuts are not made which in turn is encouraging Ford to ask for even more reductions.

The government does not have the legal ability to reduce or take away pensions or benefits but they want the corporations to do it. We have earned our pensions during our working life and these are contractual commitments made and cannot be resolved at the bargaining table.

These politicians are the same people that are guaranteed a lifetime pension after only two terms in office (6 Years), how dare they ask to give up ours. They are also the ones saying that no government monies will be used for pension shortfalls. They are also the same politicians that allowed the corporations to take holidays from their pension funding obligations even when the corporations were making billions of dollars in profits.

The most recent figures as of December 2008 give the funding of pensions at the Big 3 at, GM 57%, Chrysler 91% and Ford 73%. Since this time the stock markets have taken enormous hits causing these funds to drop on average anywhere from 20 to 25%. That could have the Ford pension at possibly 54% funding. In a worst case scenario in a total wind up of the Ford Pension Plan in bankruptcy a retiree would only be eligible for 54% of their pension and no benefits. 

In 1980 the Ontario government started up the PBGF (Provincial Benefit Guarantee Fund) which guaranteed a worker a minimum of $1000.00 per month in the event of a pension wind up. Since then a government task force was set up to review this plan and they came back suggesting that this amount be raised to $2,500 a month. In the meantime there has been talk of this fund going bankrupt and the government is backing away from any commitments to fund it.

Bankruptcy could be a very real option and the attached document should be read so you can understand what happens in this situation and how it will affect retirees. * (Click here for Document)

If what you’ve read so far has made you uneasy then you’re not alone, the CAW bargaining committee has many concerns and many variables to contend with as I’m sure you know from the media coverage. The reassuring note comes from CAW President Ken Lewenza who has committed to fight for retirees and has already put the corporations and governments on notice that retiree pensions and benefit takeaways are not on the table. In order for him and the bargaining committee to successfully achieve this they will need the support of all the retirees. Their fight is also our fight!

Who would have thought that we would be in this position today.  What happens over the next few weeks will determine what state our pension and benefits will be in for many years to come. Can we make a difference, you bet we can.  All of the things we enjoy today were not always easy to obtain and in most cases were hard fought. I believe that the time to fight to save what we have is now and we have to show that we are all in this together.

We have to show the government and the corporations that we stand together in this fight and we refuse to burden the blame for the global financial meltdown and become pawns where the little guy, who can least afford it has to make all the sacrifices.  We have to let them know that they have no right to touch or even threaten to reduce or take away what we have earned and is rightfully ours.

On April 23, 2009, 12 Noon we will be asking all retirees and their spouses to give up a few hours to join thousands of others in a rally at Queens Park to not only show support for our union’s fight but to all other pensioners who are just as vulnerable in today’s economic climate. We cannot be silent, just your presence will make a big difference. Let’s all stand up and be counted.

If you would like to participate in this rally then please email me back with your support and I will be in contact with you as soon as more of the details become available. Please pass this message along to all your Retiree friends.  

In Solidarity,

Chris Wilski
Chairperson
CAW Local 584 Retirees Chapter

retirees@cawlocal584.com

BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION:
What Would It Mean for the Auto Industry?
(Click here for Leaflet)

***********************************************

April 18, 2009

Dear Retirees:

In the fall of each year CAW Loc.584 invites all our retirees and their spouses, to our annual Thanksgiving Dinner. This event becomes more and more successful every year but still there are a number of you that do not participate, I guarantee if you attend you‘ll be thoroughly delighted with meeting friends from the plant that you haven't seen in a while or just re-new past acquaintances (I hesitate to use old). Participation as a group is what it’s all about.These are times of celebration and like now, times of crisis and survival.

Hopefully you have been keeping pace lately with the crisis in the economy, more specifically the Auto Industry. And surely by now you must realize retirees have become the latest scapegoats for the Corporations, the Federal and Provincial governments and let’s not leave out the fence sitting media.

Now imagine, the spokespersons for the corporations who have millions stashed away in offshore accounts from the hours we toiled for the past 30-40 years and they will get millions more when they leave. Then you have the likes of Harper, Clement, McGuinty and Flaherty, people who have held office for short periods of time with good wages and lucrative expense accounts, and after two terms in office (6yrs.,) will receive indexed pensions for LIFE worth more than you were making working overtime. Now they are sticking their noses in the collective agreement process the parties agreed upon. These nervy conceited politicians are doing everything possible to crush unions. They want to steal what benefits we have left, and drive our pension income into poverty levels.

What concessions did they demand when the banks and the financial communities were getting billions of your tax dollars? No (they say) we will go back and we’ll kick the working class again, the pensioners, they're vulnerable, pushovers. Watch the news, everyday you see Lewenza and his CAW leadership fighting to keep our industry alive, making sure retirees, their spouses, partners, and surviving spouses maintain what income and benefits we have left, yet still work out some compromise suitable to get this economy back on its feet.

In my 30-40 years of involvement, no CAW or UAW leader has ever been faced with a crisis of this magnitude, this new young courageous leader and his peers who inherited this mess, need to know that WE will be there for them on APRIL 23/09 We all have a responsibility to participate and support our cause, call your friends neighbors, car pool to the buses.

We need your participation now and let’s show them that our pensions can’t be touched.

Call or e-mail if you can attend. Contact Chris at cwilski@rogers.com or Frank at frank@3ringstudios.com or phone 519 534-1776

Fraternally,  
Frank Marek 
Vice Chair
Loc.584 Retirees               

CAW LOCAL 584 IN-PLANT ELECTION RESULTS

RUNOFF ELECTION RESULTS

Alt. Committeeperson- Shift 3

            Vito Bellomo     109    Elected

                                         Terri Fletcher           65 

Total Ballots:  175

Spoiled Ballots: 1

Alternate Benefit Rep

Geoff Riddle    84

             Melony Luffman    89     Elected

Total Ballots:  175

Spoiled Ballots:  2

Recording Secretary

Dan Armstrong   163    Elected

                                 Mariola Lombardi   60

Total Ballots:  227

Spoiled Ballots:  4

Trustee (3)

Chris Moody   162    Elected

Alison White   162    Elected

Kim Timmins   134    Elected

                                   Pat Riley   123         

Spoiled Ballots: 2

Sergeant at Arms

John Honcharsky   143    Elected

                               Arlene Rudolph       81

Total Ballots:  227

Spoiled Ballots:  3

Plant Chairperson

Kim Clout   109    Elected

                                      Richard Green   31

                                      Tim Borden   67

Total Ballots: 209

Spoiled Ballots:  2

Committeeperson – Shift 2

Gary Rumboldt  119     Elected

                                  John McCloskey   88

Total Ballots:  209

Spoiled Ballots:  2

Committeeperson – Shift 3

Damien Long  109    Elected

                                    Bryan Levasseur   99

Total Ballots:  209

Spoiled Ballots:  1

Alternate
Committeeperson – Shift 3

Terri Fletcher   85    Run-off

Vito Bellomo   93    Run-off

                                    Andrew Calbery   30

Total Ballots:  209

Spoiled Ballots:  1

Alternate Benefit Rep

Melony Luffman   69    Run-off

                                 Claudio Parise   57

                                 Geoff Riddle   80    Run-off

Total Ballots:  209

Spoiled Ballots:  3

Education Chairperson

Mark Machado   135    Elected

                                  Chris Englund   85

Total Ballots:  227

Spoiled Ballots:  7

Human Rights Chairperson

Ariff Azees   136     Elected

                                    Melony Luffman   85

Total Ballots:  227

Spoiled Ballots:  6

Women's Committee Chairperson

Lisa Bogden   147    Elected

                                    Tammy Dempsey   75

Total Ballots:  227

Spoiled Ballots:  5

Alternate EAP Rep

                                   Michelle Harwood   67

Glen Swatman   138    Elected

Total Ballots:  209

Spoiled Ballots:  4

CAW Council Delegate (2)

                                Kim Clout   109    Elected

Dave Champagne   161    Elected

                               Gary Rumboldt   64

                               Richard Green   33

                               Tim Borden   65

Spoiled Ballots:  1

CAW Convention Delegate (2)

                                Kim Clout   124    Elected

Dave Champagne   183    Elected

Terri Fletcher   40

Tim Borden   83
Spoiled Ballots:  3

*******************

Nominations

President.                               Dave Champagne             Acclaimed

Vice President.                       Ken Donaldson                Acclaimed

Financial Secretary.                Arvin Gangwar                 Acclaimed

Recording Secretary.              Dan Armstrong                 Accept
                                              Mariola Lombardi             Accept

                                                 
                                                
Trustee (3 Required)              Chris Moody                    Accept
                                              Alison White                    Accept
                                              Kim Timmins                    Accept
                                              Pat Riley                           Accept
                                                 

Guide.                                    Barb Morrison                  Acclaimed
                                                 

Sergeant at Arms.                      
                                              John Honcharsky              Accept
                                              Arlene Rudolph                Accept

Plant Chairperson.                  Kim Clout                        Accept
                                              Richard Green                  Accept
                                              Tim Borden                      Accept

Committee Person                 Gary Rumboldt                  Accept
#2 shift.                                  John McCloskey               Accept

Committee Person                  Bryan Lavasseur               Accept
#3 shift.                                  Damien Long                    Accept

Alternate Committee Person   Justin James                      Acclaimed
#2 shift.                                         
                                                     

Alternate Committee Person   Terri Fletcher                    Accept
#3 shift.                                  Vito Bellomo                    Accept
                                              Andrew Calberry              Accept
                                                     

Health and Safety.                  Thayne Smith                     Acclaimed

Alternate Health and Safety.   Steve Burns                       Acclaimed

Benefits.                                 Sharon Burton                   Acclaimed

Alternate Benefits.                  Melony Luffman                Accept
                                              Claudio Parise                   Accept
                                              Geoff Riddle                     Accept

Education Chairperson.           Mark Machado                Accept
                                              Chris Englund                    Accept
                                                     

Social Services Chairperson.  Penny McCabe                 Acclaimed
                                                                     

Recreation Chairperson.         Sandy Pitman                    Acclaimed

Human Rights Chairperson.    Ariff Azees                        Accept
                                              Melony Luffman                Accept

Women's Committee              Lisa Bodgen                      Accept
Chairperson.                          Tammy Dempsey               Accept

Women's Advocate.                      
                                              Vacant

EAP.                                      Michelle Harwood            Accept
                                              Glen Swatman                   Accept
                                                       

Alternate EAP.                       Nasir Naghar                    Acclaimed

By-laws Committee                Tammy Dempsey              Acclaimed
2 required.                             1 Position Vacant
                                                      
CAW Council                        Kim Clout                         Accept
2 required.                             Dave Champagne              Accept
                                             Gary Rumboldt                   Accept
                                              Richard Green                   Accept
                                              Tim Borden                       Accept

CAW Convention                  Kim Clout                         Accept
2 required.                             Dave Champagne              Accept
                                              Terri Fletcher                    Accept
                                              Tim Borden                      Accept
                                                    

Labour Council Delegate        Damien Long                     Acclaimed
 3 required                              Penny McCabe                 Acclaimed
                                              John McCloskey               Acclaimed

Election Committee

Retiree Bob Stevenson Voting
                                                   

Ontario motorists can now apply for the new high-security enhanced drivers' licences that will be among the only documents U.S. border guards will accept as proof of identification starting June 1, but the odds of getting one by the deadline are tight.

Transportation Minister Jim Bradley unveiled the new licences yesterday, acknowledging that everyone who wants one will "probably not" get one by the deadline because 15-minute interviews required as part of the application process won't begin until May 19.

"Some will but not all," Bradley told reporters, suggesting passports are an alternative that can be used more widely because the licences are good only for land and water crossings to the U.S.

The new licences are proof of Canadian citizenship and contain a radio frequency identification chip.

The Liberals took too long to get the new licences out and missed their own winter deadline, which could hamper traffic flow across the border for some people, said Progressive Conservative transportation critic John O'Toole.

"You didn't get it done," he charged in the Legislature.

The licences, which cost $40 on top of the $75 licence fee, are available only at ServiceOntario centres in nine major cities – not at transportation ministry licence bureaus.

Ontario’s Drinking &
Driving Law is changing.

On May 1st, 2009 new sanctions come into effect in Ontario to prevent drinking and driving and increase road safety. 

What's changing?

Currently, a driver who is stopped by police in Ontario and who is found to have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between 0.05 and 0.08 (more commonly known as the warn range) would have their driver's licence immediately suspended for 12 hours.  The suspension wouldn't be recorded or tracked.
 
Effective May 1st, warn range driver's licence suspensions will be tracked and drivers will face new, increasing sanctions:

First Time:

*           three-day licence suspension
*           $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty

Second Time (within five years):

*           seven-day licence suspension
*           Mandatory alcohol education program
*           $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty

Third Time (within five years):

*           30-day licence suspension
*           Mandatory alcohol treatment program
*           Six-month ignition interlock licence condition
*           $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty

Subsequent infractions (within five years):

*           30-day licence suspension
*           Mandatory alcohol treatment program 
*           Six-month ignition interlock
*           Mandatory medical evaluation
*           $150 Administrative Monetary Penalty

These roadside licence suspensions cannot be appealed. Suspensions will be recorded on the driver’s record. For up to five years, these roadside suspensions will be considered when determining consequences for subsequent infractions.

The introduction of these new sanctions is an important change to help prevent drinking and driving and promote community safety.

For further information on impaired driving sanctions and road safety in Ontario, please visit the the Ministry of Transportation's Web site (www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/index.shtml).  For information about how alcohol affects the body, blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and factors that affect BAC, please click here (www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/safety/impaired/fact-sheet.shtml#bac).

Please drink and host responsibly.  If you are planning to drink, the safest choice is not to drive.  As a host, please encourage your guests to use designated drivers, take public transit or taxis.    

The Beatles

JUST CLICK ON THE TITLE OF THE SONG YOU WANT TO HEAR AND SEE THE VIDEO-CLIP (ADDITIONALY YOU WILL HAVE THE WORDING OF THE SONG AS WELL AS SOME OTHER INFO RELATED TO THAT PARTICULAR SONG !!