The Urban Country

I heart India

2009-07-09T22:33:00.001-04:00

Editor’s Note: Kimi Sokhi is a Toronto resident and IT Consultant who is currently on a 3-month work leave living with family in Dubai. She’s currently traveling in India and shared her thoughts with the Urban Country via e-mail about her visit to New Delhi, India.

We landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport at 4 am on July 7th. My first impression was "Wow! I haven't been hit in the face and overcome by 'The Smell' as we walk off the plane". You see in the past I have always been hit by 'The Smell' (particularly in the summer) which is at the heart of the Indian Experience. 'The Smell' is a combination of dust, pollution, dirt, garbage and human excretions.

Moving on; we walked into the terminal (sans 'The Smell') and we were surprised to see how clean it was. No garbage, white walls, clean floors. My mom chimed in "they renovated the airport a few years ago and now they are adding a brand new terminal". Cool! Leaving aside the mass chaos that ensued due to the Swine Flu screening, the experience at the airport was a welcome and pleasant surprise.

Infrastructure and the Environment

As we drove home at the crack of dawn, we were in for our second surprise: The sky was blue. There was no smog. Five years ago New Delhi was second only to Cairo for the worst air quality in the world. Between 2000-2005, the pollution due to automotive emissions was at an all time high. There was a massive increase in cases of lung disease and face masks had become part of the Delhi-ite's everyday garb. In the past few years the government has put in place more stringent emissions standards for all vehicles.

All public transit vehicles are being converted to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). Many privately owned cars also run on CNG. ALL three-wheeler auto rickshaws and taxis run on natural gas. Around 50% of the old buses have been phased out and replaced by the new buses. In fact, Delhi already has the world's largest fleet of CNG vehicles. Don't get me wrong, I am sure Delhi is still one of the worst cities in terms of air quality but the difference we felt was plainly obvious. There is no visible smog. None of us are coughing like we normally do when we get here. Check out the local government's efforts to make the city pollution-free by the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Delhi has also built a new Metro system that connects this massive city of 18 million residents and its satellite towns. I have been on the Metro a few times and I can attest to the fact that it is one of the cleanest and most organized public transit systems around. It beats the (Toronto) TTC hollow. It is shocking that it is as clean as it is. India does not have the best track record of maintaining public property. However, the citizens of Delhi take such pride in this transit system that they are committed to keeping it clean and functional. Makes me proud to be an Indian :)

East meets West

After my first day of shopping and bargain hunting, it has become plainly obvious that India is experiencing a growth spurt like never before. The hoards of young professionals dressed in the latest western fashions, packed into hip coffee joints confirms the fact that India is a growing economy. It is one of the handful of countries that has not been affected by the recent worldwide recession. What warms my heart is that even though India is moving forward and embracing modernization, it has not forgotten its roots and culture. It is still a place where the young respect their elders, where guests are considered a gift from God (and treated as such!) and where Cricket and Bollywood are the two favorite national pastimes (obsessions!).

India has managed to maintain its cottage industries and also put up malls that have designer stores. In fact, close to my uncle's house are two malls that have only the most exclusive designer brands. With such a huge population, there is a market for everything. Louis Vutton and the export surplus stores are available in the same strip mall. Street food vendors and Pizza Hut are both doing roaring business.

How to Bargain in India:

Last night I saw my mom in full-blown bargaining action: The storekeeper was asking for 450 Rupees for one shirt and 480 for the other (that's $22 CAD). So he was willing to give both the shirts for R/- 900.

My mom: 'no way, R/- 500 is my last offer'. They argued back and forth for about 40 seconds stating how ridiculous and unrealistic the other one was being. '

The man screamed: 'what do you think my margin is lady? I also have to make a living' etc etc.

Super mom: 'R/- 600 is my last and final offer' and we both walk away. (I know when to walk away instinctively since I have grown up seeing this happen on almost a daily basis when we lived in India).

About 3.8 seconds later we hear “alright give me R/- 600 for both”. Victory!!!!

That's how you do it people. Here are some quick tips in case you happen to be in a bargaining war with a stubborn shopkeeper in India:

Remember: it is a war of persistence. You have to bargain the other party into submission until they can't take it anymore and they will give you the item at any price that gets rid of you :)
Always start your first offer at 50% of the asking price. If the price is $1000, offer $500 and then work you way up *very* slowly
In a delicate game of offers and counter-offers, work up to a compromise. However, never pay a dime over 75% of the asking price or else be assured that you are getting ripped off
If this method of "suggestive pricing" does not work, give your best offer (no more than 75% of asking price!) and simply walk away. Now wait. 99% of the time you will see the shopkeeper chase after you and agree to your price
Once you have purchased the item at a price much lower than the ticket price, revel in your victory but not for too long. Close the deal ASAP by making your payment and getting your purchases packed up
Extras: it is common in India for a clothing store to provide free alterations and most of them also home deliver your purchases so that you can continue shopping without the hassle of carrying bags around. However, do not take the home delivery option unless it is reputable and established store (not a street vendor or such)
Good luck, God speed and happy bargaining!

Photo by Kimi Sokhi - The Le Meridian lobby in New Delhi, India

With Glowing Hearts, We See Thee (temperature) Rise

2009-07-06T23:40:00.001-04:00

Last Wednesday, Canada celebrated her 142nd birthday. A recent poll suggested that only 21% of Canadians knew how old their country was turning. If it isn’t bad enough that reportedly 4 percent of Canadians think that Canada is younger than 100-years-old, another recent study takes an even bigger dump on our beloved country.

A 51-page World Wildlife Fund (WWF) study released on Canada Day now ranks Canada dead-last in its G8 Climate Scorecard. Yup, no kidding here; Canada has become the lowest-of-the-low for climate performance - falling behind the United States into last position - while Germany picks up first place, up from 3rd position in last year’s ranking.

The study assesses each country against the following measures:

Improvements since 1990
- Past emission trend from 1990 to 2007
- Current distance to the Kyoto target
- Increase of the share of renewable energy sources
Current Status
- Emissions per capita
- Emissions per GDP
- CO2 per kWh electricity
- Energy efficiency in industry
Policies for the Future
- Leadership in climate negotiations
- Electricity/nuclear
- Industry
- Households and services
- Transport
- Renewables

With its ever-rising emissions, Canada fails in every single category with the notable exception of the “CO2 per kWh electricity” category, given Canada’s extensive hydro-power generation.

The United States can thank the Obama administration for its improvement in the WWF ranking, “Overall, there has been more action in the US on climate change in the last four months than in the last three decades – a trend that will hopefully continue in the coming years.”

But don’t get too excited my Americano friends; the G8’s highest absolute emitter received a failing grade in all but 3 categories, scoring “yellow” in “Leadership in climate negotiations”, “Renewables”, and “Emissions per GDP”.

Given the number of environmental initiatives I witness firsthand every day in Toronto, it’s particularly frustrating for me that a handful of selfish, spoiled over-consumers and politicians have to ruin it for those of us who actually give a shit.

But the environmental movement is not in vain; I strongly feel that we’re at the beginning of a long process of change that will continue to evolve to overcome the challenges that are presented in a country with such a large land-mass and a commodity exporter like Canada.

Canada desperately needs a leader who is willing to take the initiative to tackle today’s tough environmental challenges. Far from being a tree hugger, Barack Obama has managed to put the United States back on a more positive path than any of the previous administrations with his environmental initiatives. Let’s hope he keeps the United States on the right path because it can only set an example for other lagging countries to adopt similar environmental policies.

Meanwhile, if Canada doesn’t change its course, we can sit back with our glowing (nuclear) hearts and see thee (temperature) rise.

And for those ignorant Canadians who can’t recall Canada’s year of birth, all you need to do is recall the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup, then add 100 years. It’s as simple as that.

To download the full WWF report, click here.

Photo courtesy of wisforworlddomination on Flickr

Living Off the Grid

2009-07-01T22:14:00.001-04:00

Image ‘Wired-II’ courtesy of Buck Lewis on Flickr

What do a solar backpack, a wind up lantern, a pedal-pump generator, and a rollable water-proof solar panel have in common? Firstly, they all provide sustainable energy “off the grid”, and secondly, they can all be purchased from a really neat website called Modern Outpost that I recently stumbled across. Modern Outpost “specializes in self-reliant power technology for people who live, work & play in the great outdoors”. They are based out of Courtenay, BC and they have been in business for over 10 years, with a very focused line of products that relate to sustainable energy.

I’ve been fascinated with self-reliant energy for as long as I can remember, but I became truly passionate about it last year when recent technological advancements made self-reliant energy a more viable option in the future. In an Urban Country article last December I profiled a Freeplay LED wind-up lantern that I purchased from Mountain Equipment Co-op and I discussed a rock band called the Ginger Ninjas that was touring completely “off the grid” by generating electricity on their bicycles while they rode from city-to-city.

So when I stumbled upon Modern Outpost, a website that deals almost exclusively with sustainable energy creation, I was naturally excited and giddy. But what really makes the Modern Outpost stand out is that they test all of the products that they sell and they provide their own words to explain how the product works, how you should use it, and what sort of actual performance you should expect from that product.

A perfect example is an article where Modern Outpost describes how to choose a solar panel for your canoe or kayak. They walk you through all of the decisions you need to make, how to estimate your power needs, what sort of wattage output to expect from the solar panels, and which battery pack you should purchase to store the power generated by the solar panel.

I’ve recently been toying around with a future business idea / eco-social experiment where I would purchase a piece of land in a remote area on a lake and I would build sustainable cabins on the property that are completely off the grid, but still provide some of the basic luxuries that most people expect as the “norm” in today’s society. These cabins would be rented out for eco-conscious people who are looking to escape the city but want to minimize their energy usage. Each cabin would have access to a canoe and/or kayak to take out on the lake that would (hopefully) be free of gas-powered boats.

If this plan comes to fruition some day I would profile the progress in a series of articles to showcase the benefits and hurdles in building a sustainable home. In an article in March 2008 I profiled a house in Toronto that was built in 1996 by inventor Rolph Paloheimo to be self-sustaining home with a 2,700 watt solar panel system built on the roof.

Paloheimo was ahead of his time when he built his home in 1996, but a trend is beginning as we speak with people becoming more aware and conscious about the harm we’re causing to the earth. I wouldn’t be surprised if more people build “off-the-grid” homes in the next 5-10 years as the environmental movement unfolds.

I just finished reading Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point where he talks about how a product gains traction before “tipping” and becoming successful. Earlier today I pondered when the environmental movement would “tip”. It’s only a matter of time before it happens, and the prospect of an environmental “tipping point” is what keeps me driven every single day.

Check back in to the Urban Country for a review of the 7 watt solar panel I purchased to charge my GPS, phone, camera and MP3 player during my Toronto to Montreal kayak trip this summer.

Kayak Trip: T-Minus 14 days

2009-06-28T22:18:00.001-04:00

It’s now official. During the wee hours of 13 July 2009, I will set forth on a solo 560KM kayak journey from Toronto to Montreal to raise money for Noah’s Ark home for children in the Philippines. If you would like to support this cause, please pledge an amount of your choosing by either e-mailing me or commenting on this article (you’ll receive an income tax receipt for your donation amount). After I successfully complete the trip I will either collect the money from you or you can choose to send it directly to Noah’s Ark.

My training has been in full effect over the last couple weeks including running every 2-3 days and kayaking each weekend. My final preparation is under way and the last item I need to procure is a waterproof solar panel to charge my camera, MP3 player, GPS and cellular phone. I have my sights on PowerFilm rollable solar panels which range in price from $179.99 to $439.99 CAD depending on how many Watts you need to store.

For those of you who haven’t yet considered taking up kayaking or canoeing as a hobby, here are 10 reasons you should consider paddling as a hobby:

The following photos were taken this weekend while kayaking in Algonquin Park

Adventures of the Past, Present and Future

2009-06-23T01:43:00.001-04:00

It’s 30 degrees Celsius – the wind is blowing in my face, and bugs are splattered across my goggles as I cruise along the Trans Canada Highway. It’s September 2004 and I’m on a solo motorcycle epic adventure that took me 4,712.5KM on my Yamaha XT 225cc enduro motorcycle to explore 5 provinces in just 9 days.

Walking home from work tonight reminded me of the 24-year-old explorer of my previous self. Little has changed in the ensuing 5 years – I still yearn for an adventure and a challenge – and most of my adventures involve the open air.

Last summer I was looking to pick up a new summer hobby. It had been 3 years since I sold my motorcycle – if it can be considered a motorcycle – and I had always dreamed about owning a KTM 990R or a BMW F650 enduro motorcycle and riding it across the continent.

But burning more oil and emitting pollution and carbon into the air was something I was trying to avoid altogether. Bicycling is a great sustainable hobby that I truly enjoy, but I’ve never been a fan of sharing the highway with cars doing 100KMH+ on long bike trips.

Then one day I was biking across the white pedestrian bridge that crosses the Humber River where the river meets Lake Ontario in Toronto when I noticed a beautiful and peaceful yellow sea kayak exploring about the river. It was at that moment that I experienced an epiphany that would forever change the way I view the world. Within 2 weeks I had purchased my first ever kayak and by the end of the summer I had completed a 107KM 2-day kayak adventure.

Being out on the water on a kayak is a feeling like no other. You’re free from exhaust fumes, free from traffic, free from dependence on oil, and it allows you to experience a side of nature that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to experience. Kayaking is also a fun way to travel – albeit much slower than cycling. If only I had known about this great sustainable hobby when I was a teenager – I would have saved the thousands of dollars I spent on my pollution-spewing toys – snowmobiles, dirt bikes, and four wheelers.

I spent the better part of the two days over the weekend kayaking at a cottage that my sister had rented in Bobcaygeon. I couldn’t help but resent the big motor boats and Sea Doo’s on the lake disturbing my sacred bonding with nature. There was once a day when all I wanted to do is ride on Sea Doos and power boats, but I now feel that these luxuries are only a product of an unnatural and harmful existence.

The great Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) - who died before the Wright brothers were born - said it best - “Thank God men can not as yet fly and lay waste the sky as well as the earth”.

Now the year is 2009 and I have begun preparing for my next great adventure, a 560KM solo kayak trip from Toronto to Montreal. Being on the water and sleeping alongside nature for 2 weeks will be an unforgettable experience – much like riding my small motorcycle alongside the countless trucks on the 401 on my way out East, or running out of gas in New Brunswick and hitchhiking to a gas station or almost being blown off the 12.9KM Confederation bridge from New Brunswick to PEI.

We can all learn something from Thoreau’s philosophy on life. One of my favourite Thoreau quotes is “That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest”.

NASCAR’s Environment

2009-06-16T22:58:00.001-04:00

Photo by James Schwartz / The Urban Country – Jeff Gordon’s long-lost brother

If rush-hour traffic levels are an indicator of economic prosperity, then Detroit is in very poor shape. I traveled through the Motor City on Friday at 5:30PM expecting a flood of cars leaving the city at the end of the work day - but instead there were very few cars traveling – compared to what I’m accustomed to here in Toronto.

Of those few cars that I did see, nearly all were North American brands. I’ve always been amused by Americans expressing their patriotism by exclusively purchasing “American-made” automobiles. But I wonder if they know that more than 1.2 million Toyota automobiles were manufactured in the United States in 2005. That’s almost as many automobiles as Chrysler manufactured in the US in the same time period.

I arrived at Michigan International Speedway on that Friday evening to spend the weekend with my brother, father and his longtime friends to attend Sunday’s NASCAR race – a tradition for my father for some 31 years.

NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) was founded in 1948 by William France Sr. and operates as a family-owned business venture. It boasts 75 million fans and broadcasts in over 150 different countries.

You can imagine how difficult it must be for an environmentalist to support a sport that inherently emits a massive amount of greenhouse gases and pollution into our atmosphere. Other people have already calculated the footprint of NASCAR race cars - but for me the impact on the environment goes well beyond the cars themselves. From the thousands of massive bonfires at the track campgrounds, to the constantly running gas-powered generators that provide electricity for the tens of thousands of luxurious motor homes, to the 4 x USAF fighter jets doing a fly-by, to finally - the 5 MPG - 850-horsepower engines on each of the 43 race cars. Not to mention the fact that they brought in 43 x US Army Humvees to drive each race driver around the track for a ceremonial pre-race wave to the audience.

My goal this weekend was to highlight the environmental initiatives that I stumbled across at the NASCAR race (if any). The first encouraging sign came on Saturday at about noon. We purchased a hot dog from a vending booth at the track and it was served in what appeared to be a regular clear plastic container. As it turns out, the plastic container was made from corn and is fully compostable and biodegradable. In disbelief, I looked up the manufacturer of the container and found that the “Monogram Sustain” line of products was launched by U.S. Foodservice in late 2008 and appears to be a leading edge, sustainable method of packaging food.

Another encouraging sign that didn’t exist 3 years ago when I last attended a NASCAR race was a “Green” sponsor. You see, each car has its own corporate sponsor that pay for the day-to-day costs of operating the race car in exchange for exposure to millions of American consumers. This year a NASCAR Camping Series truck driven by Steve Park is sponsored by Waste Management and I even witnessed race fans with shirts reading “My white is green”. It’s encouraging to see a sponsor that departs from your typical cigarette brand, liquor brand, or Hooters restaurant and actually contributes to the environmental movement.

Here’s a fun video of NASCAR fans walking down the ramps to exit the track:

The most bothersome aspect of the race for me personally – from an environmental perspective - was the large trucks, giant motor homes, gas-powered generators and other luxuries that NASCAR fans enjoy. At one point in the weekend I could hardly breathe because of the thick cloud of smoke resulting from the thousands of campfires. Coming back to the congested city yesterday made me feel like I was wearing an oxygen mask because the air is so clean relative to the track campgrounds. I do however concede that the smell of racing fuel from the cars at the track is extremely addictive.

For the first time in decades, my father decided to rent a motor home this weekend - instead of our usual tradition of sleeping in a tent. It was very large and luxurious – I joked that it was bigger than my downtown Toronto loft. I couldn’t personally justify such a large carbon footprint in exchange for these luxuries for any reason whatsoever. Out of principle I wanted to sleep in my tent, but I didn’t want to offend my father whom I love dearly.

With green initiatives slowly absorbing into NASCAR culture, the future can only be more promising. NASCAR has in the past been slow to embrace environmental initiatives – its cars were using leaded gasoline until 2007 – but there are small environmental initiatives that are beginning to take shape. Formula One is actively working on green initiatives for its cars and Indy cars run purely on corn-based ethanol. NASCAR will eventually catch up in future years and The Urban Country will continue to keep NASCAR in check.

But when it comes to the majority of the fans - I have to agree with the sticker on the back of the truck in the photo above – wasted wages indeed.

Google’s Commitment to Sustainability

2009-06-08T23:28:00.001-04:00

Photo “The Googleplex” courtesy of jpstanley on Flickr

What do the David Suzuki Foundation and Google Inc. have in common? Not much at first glance, but when you look beyond the surface you’ll see many similarities.

Since 1990, the David Suzuki Foundation has been using “science and education to promote solutions that conserve nature and help achieve sustainability”. Google Inc. on the other hand is the high tech firm that strives to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”. Google started out as a Stanford research project in 1996 by two really smart men - Larry Page and Sergey Brin - and now employs over 20,000 full-time employees at its Mountain View, California “Googleplex” campus.

Like the David Suzuki Foundation, Google Inc. is also dedicated to sustainability, and unlike many other corporations, Google doesn’t simply write fancy words about its social responsibility; it is actually taking tangible steps to substantiate its commitment to sustainability.

For starters, at its “Googleplex” corporate headquarters, Google has installed 9,212 photovoltaic panels to supply 1.6 megawatts of electricity, or about 30% of the electricity required to operate the 20+ buildings on its campus at peak times.

Google’s commitment to sustainability manifests from the values espoused by its co-founders. Page and Brin are seriously committed to making renewable energy a reality by investing in sustainability projects - such as Tesla motors electric car initiative, as well as allocating over $1 billion worth of Google shares to fund Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google Inc. which focuses on environmental and global health issues.

In November 2007, Google.org announced its “RE<C” (Renewable energy for less than coal) project with the aim of (as the name states) producing renewable energy from solar, wind, geothermal and other renewable energy sources at a cost cheaper than burning coal. The goal of the RE<C concept is to generate 1 gigawatts of renewable energy – enough to power the entire city of San Francisco from these renewable sources. This isn’t a “pie in the sky” project either; Google plans to achieve their goal in years – not decades.

Back at the Google campus, hundreds of community bicycles are placed everywhere so that employees can quickly and easily travel between buildings. They also provide a fleet of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that are used in its free car-sharing program and Google.org’s RechargeIT initiative invests in technology to accelerate the adoption of plug-in vehicles. In a pilot program, Google.org has been able to achieve an amazing 115MPG in a Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.

Photo “Hometime at Google” courtesy of yoz on Flickr

When it comes to food sustainability, Google’s campus cafe is partially-supplied by its on-site organic garden and Google’s Cafe 150 provides food grown within 150 miles of the Google campus.

On May 1st, 2009, Google announced it was renting 200 goats from California Grazing as a low-emission approach to mowing the fields on its campus. California Grazing is an environmentally-friendly company that boasts a fleet of 800+ cute goats that provide “holistic land management and brush & weed control through grazing.” According to Google, “It costs us about the same as mowing, and goats are a lot cuter to watch than lawn mowers”.

Inside the Google buildings, Google purchases its furniture and materials that meet the stringent LEED certification as well as the Cradle-to-Cradle certification – an innovative and sustainable method of creating products that we discussed last July. Google also exclusively uses sustainably-harvested wood for construction in its campus buildings.

Photo “G-succulents” courtesy of mrjorgen on Flickr

Ten years ago, Google Inc. changed the world with its effective search algorithm. Now its founders are changing how energy is produced and consumed. Google’s environmental initiatives are a reflection of the core ideology found in its young founders and it represents a new level of corporate social responsibility that was virtually nonexistent in most corporations just ten years ago.

I’m excited about what Google’s brilliant minds will be able to accomplish to help the environment; and if I ever need to mow the lawn, I just might consider renting a bunch of cute sheep for a week.

Sustainitiatives is a section on The Urban Country where we highlight companies or individuals who are taking initiatives to help reduce our harm on the environment.

Sustainable Commuting: the Bicycle

2009-05-29T20:47:00.001-04:00

Here’s my latest contribution to blogTO entitled Sustainable Commuting: the Bicycle, excerpt:

“The bicycle is the most efficient means of human-powered transportation, meaning it can travel the most distance with the least amount of energy exerted. Invented in the 19th century, bikes take up very little space, they're quiet, and they don't pollute. In Toronto, there are few faster ways to get around the city. Safety, however, has always been an impediment to potential cyclists with our lack of bike lanes and the "door prizes" that Toronto drivers periodically hand out.”

Photo “Bicycle Race” courtesy of Tony the Misfit on Flickr

Clean Energy – Circa 1970

2009-05-28T00:02:00.001-04:00

Sketch it! is a fun section on The Urban Country where we feature random napkin sketches from our resident sketch artist and writer, George Pechtol (Against his will).

Today’s sketch features what we thought was clean energy in 1970.

Finding Mecca in the Toronto Islands

2009-05-23T19:24:00.001-04:00

Birds are chirping and the water splashes as I look at the horizon to see the Toronto city skyline contrasting the nature that surrounds me. In the heart of the city, a mere harbour away from the CN Tower, the Toronto Islands provide a Mecca that feels a world away from the automobiles, pollution and the noises of the city.

Instead of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for a cottage that requires you to sit in your polluting automobile for 3 hours each way, I can walk to the harbour, jump in my kayak and arrive at this summer getaway in 20 minutes or less. Did you know that the Toronto islands comprise the largest urban car-free community in North America?

Watch this not-so-dramatic video played in double-speed of me “escaping” the wilderness of the Toronto islands to reveal the Toronto skyline:

The Toronto Islands consist of Centre Island, Algonquin Island, Olympic Island, Forestry Island, Snake Island and Ward’s Island (depending on which map you look at). Ward’s Island is actually connected to Centre Island, but we can just pretend it’s its own island.

In the video below, you can enjoy the silence with me:

There are 262 homes on the island. Homeowners own the structures but the city owns the properties which are leased to the homeowners on a 99-year lease. In an effort to prevent bidding on homes that would result in only the wealthy living on the island, Toronto Island Community was setup in 1993 to oversee sales of homes on the island. They use a lottery system to provide an equal opportunity for everyone to own a home on the island. When a home goes up for sale, if your name is pulled, you can purchase the home for the value of the structure (typically $100,000 to $150,000) plus the value of the 99-year lease (approximately $40,000 to $57,000).

If you purchase a home on the island, you’re obligated to live in the home for the majority of the year and you can’t rent it out. That would be fine with me; take a look at how beautiful this house is:

These pictures remind me of Algonquin Park:

If your name doesn’t get pulled for the island homeowner lottery, you could always buy a houseboat and dock it at Centre Island like this family:

This picture could have been taken on a Muskoka lake, but in reality it’s a home on Ward’s Island:

Beautiful sailboats docked at the Queen City Yacht Club:

Heading back to the big smoke:

Next time you’re thinking about driving hundreds of kilometers to find your natural Mecca, consider renting a canoe or kayak and exploring the Toronto islands. Nothing relieves stress better than being out on the water in a human-powered-boat and few things are more rewarding than finding nature without stepping foot in an automobile.

Check back in for more details on my 2-week Toronto to Montreal kayak adventure later this summer.

The Future of Online Advertising

2009-05-22T00:13:00.001-04:00

Dictionary.com's new homepage layout captures what online advertisers have been struggling with since the beginning of the Internet: to advertise effectively without impeding users.

Newspapers have been coping for years with the decline of print circulation. Most people get their news online and newspapers haven’t been able to generate the same level of revenue with their online readers.

Some newspapers (such as the New York Times) use a “paging” system in their articles, forcing the reader to browse through multiple pages to read an article. This generates more ad impressions, which in turn generates more revenue. Nonetheless, the New York Times still faces tough times ahead, mounting tens of millions in losses and hundreds of millions owed in loans. The Huffington Post asks the question “What Will We Do If the New York Times Tanks”.

It’s not as if the New York Times is losing readers. In 2000 the Times’ circulation was around 1 million, while they now enjoy approximately 15 million unique visitors each month. The issue with online advertising is that advertisers aren’t willing to dish out the big cash. Google AdSense for example pays when a user clicks on an ad, but actual ad impressions without clicks generate very little ad revenue.

My friend Nariman brings up a great point when he says “My eyes are trained to ignore ads; I don’t even see them anymore”. How often do you actually read the little Google “AdWords” advertisements? I know I rarely notice them.

Does anyone actually look at those ugly horizontal banner ads that some sites still use on the top of the page? Not likely.

That’s why websites are trying to seamlessly integrate ads directly into the layout of the page instead of using polarized ad “sections”. The new Dictionary.com layout is a brilliant example of how an advertisement can be integrated into the site and still be unimposing to the user.

Recall the early days of Flash when advertisers would pop up an ad in your face that forces you to click “close” before you can see the content on the page. If a website does this now, I’ll immediately leave the site because I feel violated.

The new Dictionary.com is next to impossible to ignore, but it’s actually visually appealing and it integrates nicely into the layout and overall design of the page. Could this type of advertising solve the problem newspapers are having with generating revenue?

If a newspaper can figure out how to integrate an ad into the page layout of a newspaper without imposing on the user, then advertisers would be willing to pay much more for ad impressions and it just might solve the cash crunch that newspapers are currently facing.

Fallen Leaves as Sustainable Food Packaging

2009-05-17T11:47:00.001-04:00

McDonalds could learn a thing or two from the Chinese about sustainable food packaging.

This delicious dim sum dish consists of steamed glutinous rice filled with chicken, mushrooms, sausage, scallions and shrimp. It’s called “Nuo mi ji” in Chinese (Mandarin) or “Lo mai gai” in Cantonese and it’s nicely packaged inside a lotus leaf wrapping. Although the Chinese have been serving this dish for a very long time, in modern times it illustrates an interesting opportunity for sustainable food packaging. I can’t think of a better way to package food than to wrap it inside a fallen leaf. Where I live at least, leaves aren’t going away anytime soon and nothing is worse than seeing 16 bags of full of fallen leaves inside those big orange plastic garbage bags headed for the landfill.

When it comes to fast food, there is absolutely no reason that a visit to a fast food chain should result in any waste whatsoever. In McDonalds’ 2008 Corporate Social Responsibility report, it claims that it has “been thinking and acting green for more than thirty years”, boasting that in the 1990’s, it “eliminated 300 million pounds of product packaging by redesigning items and reducing materials used.” Although this may be true, this is more of a testament to its wastefulness and poor packaging prior to the 1990’s than anything else.

It’s 2009 right now and when you walk into a McDonalds and order a single hamburger, you’re given by default a large bag containing the fully-wrapped burger and a pile of napkins, even if you’re eating in. You actually have to specify that you don’t want a giant brown bag (albeit one with interesting quotes from Olympics athletes scribed on it) and that you don’t need any napkins. After your meal, you’re presented with a single trash bin where you’re obliged to throw away the bag that was used for all of 30 seconds to transport your food from the counter to your seat, 20 feet away. And what do you do with the perfectly recyclable cardboard container that your burger was served inside? You have 3 choices: You can throw it in the trash bin, the garbage bin or the waste bin. Even to this day, there is no recycling container in McDonalds (in Toronto locations I’ve visited anyway).

Again from the Corporate responsibility report: “Our approach considers a product’s entire lifecycle. It starts with where we source our materials and the design of the food packaging. Finally, we look at “end of life” options such as recycling and composting. Why not make it sustainable from the outset? That’s the goal with our packaging.”

Wouldn’t it be great if that sentence wasn’t just a load of fluff? Wouldn’t it make you feel good if the pimple-faced McDonalds employee handed you a hamburger wrapped inside a lotus leaf or even at minimum some form of recyclable wrapping?

A friend attended a conference recently and was introduced to a company called Verterra who uses fallen leaves that would have otherwise been burned to create party-ready dinnerware (a fancy name for disposable plates/utensils). They use a process of applying steam, heat and pressure to create the dinnerware, and their products decompose after only 2 months. Here’s a fancy diagram that shows their process:

For some odd reason (wink wink) they fail to mention that their products are produced in India and shipped overseas so that we can enjoy our wasteful lifestyle. I suppose it’s a forgivable omission since a picture of a dirty ship in their fancy green diagram traveling halfway around the world probably wouldn’t sit well with prospective customers. I’m not one to support any kind of disposable dinnerware regardless of its composition, so this company wouldn’t earn my business anyway. But putting Verterra’s imperfections aside, the very fact that they’re using a natural, sustainable resource to create products that were historically unnatural and unsustainable is a step forward and opens all sorts of opportunities for other companies to follow suit.

The day that I see an influential fast-food chain like McDonalds using truly sustainable packaging is the day that I will start attending church, because if this were to happen, then there must be a God.

All Photos by James D. Schwartz / The Urban Country (With the exception of the Verterra diagram)

Urban Motor Home

2009-05-15T07:05:00.001-04:00

The Urban Motor Home challenges the conventional SUV to a duel

Life in the city is easy without an automobile; it’s healthy and refreshing to commute to work by foot, and I can travel most places I need to on a daily basis fuelled on peanut butter and jelly. There are however special occasions when having a car can be both convenient and advantageous.

Meet my Urban Motor Home: This 1998 Acura 1.6 litre has very low emissions and fuel efficiency comparable to a typical hybrid vehicle. It took a fair amount of time to pack everything aboard for this year’s first Algonquin Park camping trip, but I was finally able to strap on our 2 bicycles and kayak successfully without compromising one another. Although the weather isn’t as favourable as I’d hoped (high of 8 degrees Celsius on Sunday), we’re still planning to make the most out of this trip and welcome the summer in style.

Who needs an SUV when you can squeeze everything you need to into a low-emission compact automobile? Making the most out of small spaces makes life more interesting and you learn to appreciate things more when you have less.

Carpooling with Twitter

2009-05-11T07:41:00.001-04:00

While driving on the highway yesterday I had a thought. Wouldn’t it be nice if there weren’t so many cars on the road with so many empty seats?

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could easily find someone heading to the same destination as you to carpool with? Well Twitter could be the tool that makes this a reality. Who would have guessed that twitter could help us reduce our impact on the environment?

Several friends have asked me what the point of twitter is and why should they care. I typically respond by telling them that twitter is a good tool to share little tidbits of information with people with common interests.

“But Facebook already does all that”, they respond.

Facebook is useful for sharing information with people you already know, but Twitter makes it easy to share information with people you don’t know and you don’t need to expose personal information about yourself to your “followers”.

I find that twitter is currently good for exposing something interesting you’re doing, sharing details about a conference you’re attending, sharing an interesting article you just read, or sharing something interesting that you witnessed.

There are more useful applications of twitter that will surely surface in the future, and I think twitter would be a good candidate to coordinate carpooling.

Sure there are sites out there already dedicated to carpooling, such as carpool.ca or carpooltool.com or ride-share.com. But it would be much more convenient if for example, you tweet:

jamesschwartz Driving from Toronto to Montreal May 15th for the weekend #carpooling

Somebody else could do a search for “Toronto + Montreal + #carpooling” and they would see that I’m driving to Montreal (Don’t get too excited, I’m not actually driving to Montreal; this is just hypothetical).

It doesn’t get any more convenient than this; especially with twitter’s compatibility across hundreds of devices.

I did a quick search on twitter and at least one person has used twitter for this purpose:

“quin_tessential: . out of town friend needs ride to SF from Hollywood this Sunday. Anyone down for a #carpooling with a cute Swede?”

There’s of course some risk involved in using twitter to find carpool partners, but you could use twitter to leave feedback on your carpooling partner in the form of a “tweet” so that other people can see your feedback. They would simply search for “@jamesschwartz #carpool” to see what others are saying about their experience carpooling with me.

There are many possible uses for twitter, and we’re sure to see its usefulness expand in the future as it evolves to become a more mature method of communication in today’s high tech world.

Photo courtesy of jerryjohn on Flickr

Medical Marijuana: Rights over Reason?

2009-05-06T23:13:00.001-04:00

In May 2005, legal pot smoker Steve Gibson was asked to leave the premises of Gator Ted’s restaurant in Burlington Ontario.

Since then, Gator Ted’s owner Ted Kindos has been battling Gibson; mounting tens of thousands of dollars in court legal bills with his business on the line.

Gibson received a medical certificate to smoke marijuana in 2004 to help ease the neck pain he experiences as a result of a 1989 accident that occurred at his job in Mississauga. Gibson has been living off a disability pension since.

After the confrontation in 2005, Gibson went to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, claiming he was discriminated against because of his disability. Gibson won against bar owner Kindos, who was only acting on complaints from his patrons.

Kindos was prepared to settle the dispute and pay Gibson for “pain and suffering”. In the agreement, he was also obligated to train his staff on human rights code and post signs in his restaurant to show his customers that legal marijuana users are welcome.

It wasn’t until the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario warned Kindos that serving a patron who possesses a “controlled substance” is a violation of the liquor license act that Kindos decided to fight back.

As stipulated in the Ontario Liquor License Act as a condition of liquor sale licenses in section 45:

“The licence holder shall not permit a person to hold, offer for sale, sell, distribute or consume a controlled substance as defined in the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (Canada) on the premises or in the adjacent washrooms, liquor and food preparation areas and storage areas under the exclusive control of the licence holder. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 719, s. 45 (2); O. Reg. 247/02, s. 17; O. Reg. 24/04, s. 1.”

Kindos and Gibson are now scheduled to go back to the Ontario Human Rights Commission in a series of hearings that start on June 8th.

Kindos is looking to settle the dispute without being forced to violate the liquor license act and Gibson just wants to be treated like a regular cigarette smoker.

Did common sense just go up in smoke?

Is this really a violation of Gibson’s rights? Don’t regular patrons who pass through the front door have a right to not be exposed to marijuana smoke as well?

Doesn’t Kindos have a right to decide what’s best for 99% of his patrons?

At the end of the day, Gibson just wants to be treated like any other smoker. That’s why he’s fighting this, right?

We can only take his word that this is the case and that he’s not fighting Kindos for the $20,000 settlement that he was originally asking for.

Surely this can’t be about money, can it?

Couldn’t Kindos move the “regular” smoker section further away from the door and then allow Gibson to join the regular smokers?

When I asked Kindos whether he considered this option, the Gator Ted’s “Webmaster” (who has intimate knowledge about the case) told me that this wasn’t a feasible option given there’s a grocery store to the left, another restaurant to the right, and a parking lot out front.

In a complicated world where drivers are battling cyclists for the roadways and Hollywood stars are battling news agencies for twitter followers, this marijuana story seems so trivial.

But one man’s neck pain is another man’s pain in the neck, and this one will be settled in the courts.

Photo courtesy of Kesneme on Flickr

Cherry Blossoms & Unexpectedly Friendly Geese

2009-05-02T22:54:00.001-04:00

Spring is in full swing, summer is nigh, and the cherry blossoms in Toronto’s beautiful High Park are a sight to see. We cycled to the 398 acre park along the Martin Goodman trail to see the beautiful Japanese trees blossoming.

The sun came out periodically, though there was overcast most of the day.

A family of Canada Geese were crossing the path when we arrived:

The baby Geese were adorable. This little one was having trouble opening his eyes:

He let me get within 2 feet of him without any concern:

This goose was taking a nap and didn’t mind that I was mere inches away:

When the sun was hiding behind the clouds it became chilly, so the 6 little goslings tucked themselves under their Mom’s wing to keep warm:

Sustainability and Loblaw’s Keiser Soze

2009-04-30T21:50:00.001-04:00

Sustainitiatives is a section on The Urban Country where we highlight companies or individuals who are taking initiatives to help reduce our harm on the environment.

Corporate Environmental Sustainability is something we hear a lot about recently; however it’s not something we should take at face value. Many companies are more pre-occupied with “greenwashing” or are simply moving at a snail’s pace when it comes to sustainability.

In the late 1980’s, long before most companies were on the environmental bandwagon, Loblaw inc. learned that a forest the size of P.E.I. was being destroyed each year to produce pulp and paper products in Canada.

This was an eye opener for the company which prompted them to release their first line of PC G.R.E.E.N. products in 1989; paper towels and bathroom tissue made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Since then, Loblaw has introduced an additional 41 PC G.R.E.E.N. products and have solidified themselves as leaders in the industry.

I interviewed Loblaw Independent Scientist and Environmentalist Colin F.W. Isaacs. Isaacs is President of CIAL Group, “Canada’s leading experts in design and implementation of advanced environmental and Sustainable Development strategies.”

Isaacs is well-known in the industry for more than twenty five years of environmental work. He appears regularly on CH Television’s CH Live at 5:30pm program, and he was a regular environment commentator on TV Ontario’s popular Studio Two program in addition to being an environmental columnist in the Financial Post from 1990 to 1994.

He has been conducting an independent review of PC G.R.E.E.N. products since its inception in 1989.

I wanted to know more about the illustrious man whom Loblaw has confided in for 20 years of reviewing its environmentally-friendly products.

Educated in Chemistry, Isaacs first became involved in the environmental movement via Politics when he was a Councillor for the town of Stoney Creek in 1975. In 1979 he was elected into the provincial legislature as an NDP Critic, being defeated in 1981 by only 150 votes; partially for his refusal to support the construction of the Red Hill Valley Parkway in Hamilton, which was delayed for close to 30 years before being officially opened November 17th, 2007.

In his 25-year environmental career, Isaacs notes that the industry has went from “Silent Spring” to a situation where a growing number of companies and governments are adopting environmental practices. Isaacs is very excited about the enthusiasm he’s seen; especially in recent years.

When it comes to sustainability, Isaacs says “we have a huge long way to go. We’re hardly on the scale yet. For 10 years, the Liberal Government talked a good line but didn’t do much. Now the government doesn’t talk a line and doesn’t do anything.”

He believes that the only way we’ll overcome environmental issues is for cooperation between government, corporations and individuals. He says it’s difficult for individuals to have a great impact in our current market without the services and products that encourage sustainability. “If people don’t have recycling programs, they can’t recycle.”

He believes that in the future, more individuals will participate in encouraging corporations to be environmentally competitive and by differentiating environmentally-friendly corporations from non-friendly corporations. More people will participate and “green industry” will perform better.

To Isaacs, the biggest environmental concern of the day is by far Climate Change which “poses a huge threat to our economy and society”. “We have got to start dramatically reducing our Greenhouse Gas emissions. We’ve hardly started yet.”

When asked about Canada’s role as leaders to developing nations, Isaacs believes that it’s unfair for us to criticize a developing nation with our lifestyles and footprint. Isaacs says that we need to adapt to the way we live before we can expect a developing nation to reduce its emissions since we have access to the technology, capital and the wealth; the three pillars that he claims a developing nation needs in order to reduce its environmental impact.

“In North America, we’ve grown our economy and society beyond what the land mass can support. We’ve recognized it, but it will be a long long time before we will fully address it”.

And what’s the biggest faux pas with respect to the environmental movement that Isaacs has witnessed lately? Isaacs attended the Green Living Show this past weekend, and made an observation:

“Companies are pushing their products, but nobody is taking the time to ask people if they really need those products. If you don’t need the product don’t buy it. If you need it, buy green. Don’t just buy green for the sake of buying in addition to your regular consumption.”

Amen.

2009 Adventure: 560K for Kids

2009-04-26T22:45:00.001-04:00

For approximately $270, you could purchase a return flight from Toronto to Montreal, arriving in 1 hour and 14 minutes. Alternatively, for $140 you could take a VIA train and arrive in about 5 hours, while driving takes about the same.

Rather than using these “typical” methods of transportation, I’m planning to paddle the entire 560KM in my kayak for this year’s fundraiser adventure.

Each year I try to organize a fundraiser to raise money for my Aunt Linda who runs a foster home / education centre in the Philippines called Noah’s Ark. My adventures fall somewhere between mildly challenging to borderline crazy. Last year I solo-kayaked 107KM in two days on Lake Ontario, raising close to $6,000 and in 2006 I biked 260KM to Niagara and back, raising $1,845.

This year’s trip allows me to raise some money for a good cause while providing me an adventure I’ve been itching for. It’s also a great way to do some traveling on a small budget given the current state of the economy.

I’m normally reluctant to donate money to charities because I’ve always believed the charity system in the U.S. and Canada to be ridden with loopholes and corruption. Even charities that seem altruistic on the outside aren’t always fiscally prudent, with overpaid executives and lavish headquarters.

My opinion on charities was confirmed in a timely news article about a Toronto man who runs a charity that provides bogus tax receipts to its donors. The subject of the article, James Arion, a twice-bankrupt con-man runs the charity “The Orion Foundation” which received 200 million dollars in donations over the past 2 years.

Arion provides tax receipts to donors in the sum of 5 times the value that was actually donated, allowing donors to actually make profit on their donations. Although Arion’s foundation does do some actual charity work, there is no evidence to prove how much of that money actually gets to those who need it and with 83,000 charities registered in Canada and only 40 auditors, it’s very difficult to weed out the “bad apples”.

Arion also runs a shady computer business that provides fake credit card charges for escort services as a cover for curious wives whose husbands are paying for sex with credit cards.

By donating to a foster home like my Aunts, your money goes directly to those who need it, bypassing the middle man and the financial books are open and transparent. Ninety percent of your donation goes directly to the foster home, while 10% is charged as an admin fee for processing tax receipts.

The children of Noah’s Ark are housed, nurtured and educated temporarily until they are healthy enough to return to their families or be adopted. In addition to the dozens of children who live at Noah’s Ark, they also provide milk for 15 babies in the area and they are educating 120 elementary and high-school children in the area through the Child Care Plus Sponsorship Program in Canada.

2009 marks the 20th anniversary of Noah’s Ark and since its inception 123 children have lived at Noah’s Ark Home, 18 children have graduated from college or university, 343 students have received educational scholarships through Child Care Plus and 27 babies have received milk and vitamins.

My kayak trip will take place in either late July or late August over a 2-week period (pending my work schedule), and I’ll be camping along the shores of Lake Ontario each night before my anticipated arrival in Montreal where I’ll be meeting some friends and family to spend a few days in the city before strapping the kayak on the roof of my car to head home.

If you’d like to support this cause or if you’d like more information about Noah’s Ark, please feel free to e-mail me; my contact information is available on the About Us section of this site.

Photo by James D. Schwartz – Kayaking Lake Ontario, Summer 2008

Sketch It: Recession Lounge

2009-04-23T00:20:00.001-04:00

Sketch it! is a fun new section on The Urban Country where we feature random napkin sketches from our resident sketch artist and writer, George Pechtol (Against his will).

Today’s sketch features a downtown Toronto lounge during the current economic recession.

Sustainable Living: Celebrating Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T02:17:00.001-04:00

Earth Day was officially born in 1970 after a proclamation by its founder, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson in September 1969 that stated a “nationwide grassroots demonstration on the environment” would take place in Spring of 1970.

Thirty-nine years later, Earth Day is alive and well and nothing gets me more excited than knowing that billions (yes billions) of people around the world are thinking about the earth and reflecting upon the harm we are causing.

On the other hand, there will always be a fringe group of people who spend Earth Day burning plastic bags, idling their SUVs, and dumping solid waste into lakes and ponds. That may sound like fun and all, but I’d rather spend my earth day doing something more constructive.

Earth Day’s founder Gaylord Nelson was a revolutionary in his day. Like myself, I can imagine that every day was an “Earth Day” for Nelson. Nelson didn’t pass a legislation to celebrate Earth Day so that only he himself could reflect on the earth; he wanted the world to reflect on the earth.

Nelson summarizes his view on the economy versus the environment in this wonderful phrase:

“The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment, not the other way around.”

You see, Nelson believed that the economy wouldn’t exist without a healthy environment, and placing economic development before the environment can only leave us to regret what we have left our children to deal with.

Nelson also believed that overpopulation was a major cause of the environmental issues of that day. Given the post-war baby boom, this was a common position to take in those days.

Many people still have this same concern about overpopulation, but I strongly believe that the earth can thrive even at its current level of population; we just need to address the overconsumption nature of our current lifestyles in addition to embracing initiatives that address sustainability.

The most important environmental issues of today (in my opinion) are:

Climate Change
Air and Water pollution
Sustainable energy solutions
Solid waste diversion / Consumer packaging
Urban Sprawl / spread / low-density housing
Loss of cultivatable farm-land
Lack of Water Conservation

Earth Day 1990 led to an increased awareness about recycling which ultimately planted the seed for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 1992 summit was a wake-up call that resulted in the creation of the Kyoto Protocol.

I wanted to share some of the things that I practice on a day-to-day basis to help reduce my personal impact on the environment:

Responsible energy consumption: Never use a dryer, hang-dry clothes, use less hot water, shorter showers, turn off lights, environmentally-friendly bulbs, unplug electronics.
Reduction in air pollution: Walk first, bike second, public transit third, drive last.
Reduction in waste: Plastic reusable lunch containers, reusable shopping bags, biodegradable trash bags, re-use muffin bags for dog poop.
Reduction in Carbon emissions: Eat less meat, purchase carbon offsets when you absolutely need to travel, drive less.

… and some other options that are becoming available in some cities:

Bullfrog power – purchase energy exclusively from sustainable, renewable sources.
Green-bin organic recycling – Currently only available to house dwellings in Toronto, but should become available to condominium complexes in the near future.

Sustainable living is an attainable pursuit that starts at home. There is nothing more frustrating than someone telling you that they have no concern about their personal impact on the earth because it doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. When everybody does their part, it adds up and it really does matter.

If we all contribute in our own way, we will leave the earth a better place for our children to live in.

Photo by James D. Schwartz / The Urban Country, Algonquin Park, 2008

Recession Ready? Relief for some, Anxiety for others

2009-04-16T20:15:00.001-04:00

In a series of articles entitled “Recession Ready?”, The Urban Country is interviewing people around the world who are affected by the recession to understand how different people are coping.

On the morning of March 26th, AutoCAD Operator Megan Howlett arrived at work at a downtown Toronto Architecture firm as if it was any other day. As the day wore on, her colleagues were called into the boardroom, one-by-one. Nobody knew what was happening. It wasn’t until it was her turn to be called into the boardroom when it became apparent: she and 7 others were being laid off from the 35-person firm.

How did Megan handle the news?

“I felt relieved! I didn’t like the work I was doing. I saw this as an opportunity to find employment elsewhere in my field”

Megan is one of the thousands of people in Ontario who have been hit by the economic downturn that has devastated the manufacturing industry in this province.

For the first time in history, Ontario will be receiving equalization payments from wealthier provinces; $357 million to be exact. The equalization program was first introduced in 1957 and prior to this year, Ontario was the only province that had never qualified to received payments. Until now.

Fortunately Megan has a positive attitude about her future employment, given her specialization in the Architecture/Design field. She plans to look for employment in the same industry, though she hopes to have more interaction with clients rather than sitting at a computer all day.

Most people who have suffered her fate however are not as optimistic. Factories in rural towns have been closing, leaving very little hope for finding work. Some have even decided to take up Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall’s offer for employment. Earlier this month Premier Wall was visiting Toronto in a recruitment drive to fill 6,200 vacation positions in his booming province.

When asked how Megan’s colleagues handled the news:

“Initially they were shocked. Since the New Year we could all tell work was slowing down, but never thought layoffs would happen so quickly. Working in a small firm, you become close like a family and it's hard to see anyone leave the team. Talking to others who survived the layoffs, who currently still work at the firm, say it's like there were multiple deaths. It takes time to adjust to the missing personalities.”

Fortunately for Megan, she doesn’t have a family to support or a mortgage to pay. But the layoff that Megan has faced has become the reality for many others in Canada as the economic crash in the United States has begun to be felt North of the 49th parallel.

To me, the recession is a great opportunity for all of us to begin to assess our needs versus our wants and determine what’s important in our lives. Knowing that we could be next can help us appreciate what we have and help put us on a path toward sustainable lifestyles.

Photo courtesy of zncjmom on Flickr

Armstrong: April Turn, Goldman Conspiracies, and Life Behind Prison

2009-04-15T21:06:00.019-04:00

Martin Armstrong has somewhat of a cult-like status in internet forums, likely fanned by the fact that he has spent more years in prison for contempt of court than he would have had he actually been convicted of the securities crime he was originally charged with.

Some consider him to be one of the greatest economic minds of our time. His Economic Confidence Model has been used to predict market turns, in some cases, to the day; but, rather than receiving a Nobel prize for it, he is relegated to recording his thoughts on a type writer and releasing weekly newsletters from prison.

His latest newsletters, “Behind The Curtain” (April 9th) and “Destroying Capital Formation” (March 23), are provided for those interested in his unique take on the unfolding drama; mind you, some dismiss his work as "hand-typed booklets with crude illustrations and Unnecessarily Capitalized Letters that float around in conspiracy theorist circles" - needless to say, buyer beware.

Nonetheless, his dates are watched by many: even if the outcomes are miss-forecasted, the dates do typically represent an inflection point. The latest turn from The Forecaster You Cannot Ignore is fast approaching this Sunday and would coincide with the top that others are forecasting for the recent market rally:

The earliest turning point appears to be April 2009. Yes, we have the half-cycle turning point for April 19th, 2009. Usually the half-cycle targets do not produce major events. There have been some exceptions such as 19878 produced the precise low for the crash on October 19, 1987. If that were to produce a reaction high, then we may see the market turn south for a low in July 2009 on an intra-day perspective. The key weekly target seems to be the week of July 5th, 2009. A simple Breakline on the monthly chart places the ideal technical support at around 4200 for July.

As a point of reference, the DOW closed today at 8029.62.

On a somewhat lighter note, one of the changes he has consistently pushed for is abolishing personal income tax (while the excerpt below is from an older letter, the principle is echoed again in his recent pieces as well):

Stop the Marxism! We need to return to basics. End the income tax & replace it with a 10% National Sales Tax (excluding raw food & basic clothing) that also include real estate. China has boomed because it had no income tax! This is what the men who established this nation established until Marxism began with the passage of the income tax only for the rich in 1909, that now applies to everyone. Stop borrowing money from the poorest with no interest masking it as a "refund" check confusing them to make it appear as a gift. Do this, and we will re-establish jobs in America and it will matter not if someone is an illegal alien or not for they will still pay their fair share. We are losing jobs because of high taxes and high heathcare costs that just make it cheaper to set up service oriented jobs in India, Philippines, or Mexico. It is time the BOO pound gorilla lost a little weight. This will create a offsetting economic boom that will save the nation.

Criminal or genius, one thing is certain: the almost violent upward swing of late remains nothing more than a bear-market rally. Headlines quick to hang the Mission Accompolished banner need to be approached very cautiously.

How Could You?

2009-04-12T22:40:00.011-04:00

I wanted to relay a recent piece that I came across; written by Jim Willis in 2001 [1], it is one of the top-cited essays of its kind and is still making the rounds 8 years later:

When I was a puppy, I entertained you with my antics and made you laugh. You called me your child, and despite a number of chewed shoes and a couple of murdered throw pillows, I became your best friend.

Whenever I was “bad,” you’d shake your finger at me and ask “How could you?” — but then you’d relent and roll me over for a bellyrub.

My housebreaking took a little longer than expected, because you were terribly busy, but we worked on that together. I remember those nights of nuzzling you in bed and listening to your confidences and secret dreams, and I believed that life could not be any more perfect. We went for long walks and runs in the park, car rides, stops for ice cream (I only got the cone because “ice cream is bad for dogs” you said), and I took long naps in the sun waiting for you to come home at the end of the day.

Gradually, you began spending more time at work and on your career, and more time searching for a human mate. I waited for you patiently, comforted you through heartbreaks and disappointments, never chided you about bad decisions, and romped with glee at your homecomings, and when you fell in love.

She, now your wife, is not a “dog person” — still I welcomed her into our home, tried to show her affection, and obeyed her. I was happy because you were happy. Then the human babies came along and I shared your excitement.

I was fascinated by their pinkness, how they smelled, and I wanted to mother them, too. Only she and you worried that I might hurt them, and I spent most of my time banished to another room, or to a dog crate.

Oh, how I wanted to love them, but I became “prisoner of love.” As they began to grow, I became their friend. They clung to my fur and pulled themselves up on wobbly legs, poked fingers in my eyes, investigated my ears, and gave me kisses on my nose. I loved everything about them and their touch — because your touch was now so infrequent — and I would’ve defended them with my life if need be. I would sneak into their beds and listen to their worries and secret dreams, and together we waited for the sound of your car in the driveway.

There had been a time, when others asked you if you had a dog, that you produced a photo of me from your wallet and told them stories about me. These past few years, you just answered “yes” and changed the subject. I had gone from being “your dog” to “just a dog,” and you resented every expenditure on my behalf.

Now, you have a new career opportunity in another city, and you and they will be moving to an apartment that does not allow pets.

You’ve made the right decision for your “family,” but there was a time when I was your only family.

I was excited about the car ride until we arrived at the animal shelter. It smelled of dogs and cats, of fear, of hopelessness.

You filled out the paperwork and said “I know you will find a good home for her.” They shrugged and gave you a pained look. They understand the realities facing a middle-aged dog, even one with “papers.”

You had to pry your son’s fingers loose from my collar as he screamed “No, Daddy! Please don’t let them take my dog!”

And I worried for him, and what lessons you had just taught him about friendship and loyalty, about love and responsibility, and about respect for all life.

You gave me a good-bye pat on the head, avoided my eyes, and politely refused to take my collar and leash with you. You had a deadline to meet and now I have one, too. After you left, the two nice ladies said you probably knew about your upcoming move months ago and made no attempt to find me another good home. They shook their heads and asked “How could you?”

They are as attentive to us here in the shelter as their busy schedules allow. They feed us, of course, but I lost my appetite days ago. At first, whenever anyone passed my pen, I rushed to the front, hoping it was you that you had changed your mind — that this was all a bad dream… or I hoped it would at least be someone who cared, anyone who might save me.

When I realized I could not compete with the frolicking for attention of happy puppies, oblivious to their own fate, I retreated to a far corner and waited. I heard her footsteps as she came for me at the end of the day, and I padded along the aisle after her to a separate room. A blissfully quiet room. She placed me on the table and rubbed my ears, and told me not to worry. My heart pounded in anticipation of what was to come, but there was also a sense of relief.

The prisoner of love had run out of days.

As is my nature, I was more concerned about her. The burden which she bears weighs heavily on her, and I know that, the same way I knew your every mood.

She gently placed a tourniquet around my foreleg as a tear ran down her cheek. I licked her hand in the same way I used to comfort you so many years ago. She expertly slid the hypodermic needle into my vein.

As I felt the sting and the cool liquid coursing through my body, I lay down sleepily, looked into her kind eyes and murmured “How could you?”

Perhaps because she understood my dog speak, she said “I’m so sorry.” She hugged me, and hurriedly explained it was her job to make sure I went to a better place, where I wouldn’t be ignored or abused or abandoned, or have to fend for myself — a place of love and light so very different from this earthly place.

And with my last bit of energy, I tried to convey to her with a thump of my tail that my “How could you?” was not directed at her. It was directed at you, My Beloved Master, I was thinking of you.

I will think of you and wait for you forever. May everyone in your life continue to show you so much loyalty.

That it’s powerful and inspiring is a severe understatement. Incidentally, I happened upon the letter in Toronto's pet section of Craigslist – some passer byer deemed it necessary to remind those who looking to part with their “family.”

As a recent and first-time dog owner, I’ve developed a new-found duty to instill a deep and unrelenting sense of caution in anyone looking to adopt a pet: in my view, it is a profound, life-altering decision that is far too often taken lightly. There aren’t nearly enough warning signs out there informing would-be adopters of the true nature of responsible pet ownership – this point can’t be understated and is an entire topic in its own right.

However, the topic also touches on another sensitive discussion that’s been at the forefront of our lives for the last few months: the practice of neutering male dogs. (While much of the philosophy behind the argument can extend across genders, I must admit that we’ve focused almost exclusively on the male ramifications in our research – there are some notable differences between the two.)

There are generally 3 arguments in favor of neuterings: sterilization, behavioral (marking their territory, roaming, etc.), and prevention of testicular cancer. The cited disadvantages are numerous too: increased risk of obesity, a fourfold increased risk in prostate cancer, a twofold increase risk of osteosarcoma (bone cancer), increased risk of hemangiosarcoma and urinary tract cancer, increase risk of adverse reactions to vaccinations, and some cases of hormone-responsive alopecia (hair loss).

The behavioral aspect of the debate is largely irrelevant, given the gravity of the surrounding factors. While respecting the seriousness of the overpopulation risk, I do think that most owners and vets alike approach the neutering debate as “no brainer” under a false pretence of benefiting the animal’s long-term health and happiness. At the most primitive level, I don’t think we can summarily dismiss 100,000 years of years of evolutionary advancement to suggest that removal of this organ somehow improves overall health and wellbeing! Nor do I see any convincing science that supports that line of thought.

But clearly, quality of life, for the wider community (and not the individual in question), is what the debate boils down to. To that end, anyone who’s considering keeping their male intact must also accept the full responsibility that either the dog will not be allowed to run unsupervised or be willing to bear the full consequences of his actions (in owning the full and true lifetime cost of accidental births and ensuring the same quality of life for the litter that was afforded to the father). The implementation of this, of course, present some challenges – and accidents do happen.

An interesting exercise, data permitting, would be to segment the unwanted pet population into groups based on whether they are a result of: a) commercialization, b) indifference and ignorance or c) bonafide accidents between dogs who's owners have otherwise taken every precaution.

Responsible dog owners have an obligation to review the facts and seek different opinions. With Jim Will’s narrative in mind, and the thousands of similar deaths every day at shelters around the world, decide what makes sense for you and yours – and keep the following words of wisdom in mind too:

Either is okay as long as you understand the pros and cons and get the information from good sources; i.e. veterinarians who are honest. Be careful when reading about some of the ratios on developing cancers in neutered animals. The veterinary literature is fraught with studies that lack power, especially ones in veterinary oncology. You would have to go back to some of those papers and look at how many dogs are in the study and look at statistical significance. I do believe that in regards to hemangiosarcoma (a terrible cancer of blood vessels that can appear anywhere in the body but most commonly found in the spleen), this is a repeatable finding that more dogs that are neutered/spayed are overrepresented.

The most important thing for you to realize if you chose not to neuter your dog is that at some point in the future when he becomes an adult, it may be important to consider neutering your pet as a therapy for an underlying disease. For instance, in diabetes, the presence of progesterone antagonizes insulin, therefore spaying an animal may help better control diabetes that is otherwise difficult to regulate. A perianal adenoma is a hormone responsive disease. If your dog were to develop this benign tumour, it would likely recur if you did not neuter him.

[1] – A note from the Author: If “How Could You?” brought tears to your eyes as you read it, as it did to mine as I wrote it, it is because it is the composite story of the millions of formerly “owned “pets who die each year in American & Canadian animal shelters. Anyone is welcome to distribute the essay for a non-commercial purpose, as long as it is properly attributed with the copyright notice. Please use it to help educate, on your websites, in newsletters, on animal shelter and vet office bulletin boards. Tell the public that the decision to add a pet to the family is an important one for life, that animals deserve our love and sensible care, that finding another appropriate home for your animal is your responsibility and any local humane society or animal welfare league can offer you good advice, and that all life is precious. Please do your part to stop the killing, and encourage all spay & neuter campaigns in order to prevent unwanted animals. -Jim Willis

White Wolf – Classic Canadian Rockers

2009-04-12T21:58:00.006-04:00

Back in 1980, a band was formed in Edmonton Alberta called White Wolf. Many remember White Wolf as a talented, yet underrated Canadian Heavy Metal acts of the 1980’s. In 1984 they signed with RCA and their debut LP “Standing Alone” which went on to sell 250,000 copies worldwide.

The band enjoyed much success and toured North America and were featured on radio stations across the nation as well as Much Music in Canada and MTV in the United States.

In 1985 they flew to Holland to record their second album “Endangered Species” which was released in 1986. The album was sitting at #114 on the Billboard charts, heading to break 100 when their record label RCA was purchased by BMG.

Sensing a lack of support after the record company merger, the band went their separate ways in 1988.

With the rise in popularity of 80’s music this decade, White Wolf resurfaced in 2007 with former members Don Wilk and Cam Macleod reuniting to release their third album “Victim of the Spotlight”. Wilk has since changed his legal name to “Don Wolf” and he and Macleod have been touring Europe to promote their new album.

The band has recently re-issued a double digipack of their first two albums “Standing Alone” and “Endangered Species” and are selling their live in Germany performance on their MySpace page:

“White Wolf are legends, make no mistake and this is a worthy addition to your collection. With the 2007 release of the third White Wolf album "Victim of the Spotlight" (ESM155) and the reissue of the two earlier albums then the future is bright for this Canadian six piece.”

“The Wolf shall prowl once more…….this is a fantastic live performance and essential for anyone wishing to experience the sheer power of this magnificent hard rock band.”

Given that my father’s brother was an original member of the band, I’ve always been delighted when I meet people who grew up in the 80’s and were fans of the band. It’s also great to see the band has been partially re-united to preserve the history of Canadian Hard Rock.

Here’s the song “She” from the 1986 album “Endangered Species”

Change is on the Horizon

2009-04-10T08:57:00.001-04:00

Photo by James D. Schwartz, Algonquin Park Sunrise, 2008

You might have noticed some changes that have been happening on The Urban Country over the last couple months. This is no accident. I’m expanding the site to offer a much a wider variety of topics from a more diverse group of people.

I’ve already recruited a few talented and passionate writers into our contributor pool, and over the next several months we’ll continue building a team of writers who really care about the world and our state of being. Each writer will have his or her own unique position on these important issues with the common objective of making the world a better place for everyone.

The decision to expand the site is primarily based on my intent to expand the topics we cover. Over the last year or two I’ve been very focused on urban affairs, the environment and sustainability. I do however concede that my readers would prefer to see a wider variety of topics than simply environmental sustainability.

By expanding our contributor base, I can focus more on environmental and urban issues as well as spending more time on investigative journalism. At the same time, we can offer more frequent content and more special features such as our “Trash Talk” section, “Sketch It!” section or our “Recession Ready?” section.

A Brief History of The Urban Country

The Urban Country was born in 2004 as a way for me to share my personal stories and thoughts with the world. The first article I wrote in June 2004 was entitled “Beer Can War” about my experience at a NASCAR race.

In the ensuing months in 2004, the site became an outlet for humourous stories, funny quotes and news (With posts such as “Chris Rock quotes of the week”, or the Dec 2004 article “How to impress a woman at the gym”)

As a result of poor choices by the Bush Administration, the site then took a new slant and became an outlet for me to vent my political frustrations; primarily about America’s wars.

Throughout 2005 the site contained a mixture between political commentary and humour but by 2006 I had started to focus more on environmental issues and simple living. In 2007 the humour had taken a back seat to more serious deep thoughts (Such as my thoughts on living on Toronto Island).

By the start of 2008, virtually all articles were related to sustainable, simple living, and many readers who were entertained by the humour over the years eventually dissipated while the site became more attractive to those who are passionate about the earth.

Titles such as “Corporate Environmental Responsibility”, “Pollution vs. Greenhouse emissions”, “Self Sustaining Home” and “Dixie Trash” became the norm and the era of educating myself and my readers on sustainability was born.

Now The Urban Country is entering a new era on the premise that “we don’t accept the status quo of society”. We’ll offer a mixture of serious articles (Economy and Politics), as well as entertainment (Sketch It! and perhaps Movie Reviews) and being passionate about living active, healthy lifestyles will always be a part of The Urban Country’s values.

I’m excited about what the future holds for us at The Urban Country, so I hope you follow us through our journey to a world of new and unique content!