Canada’s Dark Ages Policies Shafts its Citizens in the Digital Age

Canadians pay more for their cell phone plans than most countries in the world, and now the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) has approved big telecom providers to charge a usage-based fee to customers. The federal government just needs to pass it into law, which means we will pay extra for every byte we go over a base rate. Imagine the costs!

To explain what this means, you can search the ‘Net (while it’s still affordable to go online!) about this. George Stroumboulopoulos talks about it on his show, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, which OpenMedia linked to on their page. In it he says that it costs Internet providers LESS THAN 1¢ PER GB, but some plans are charging BETWEEN $1 – $4 PER GB! Imagine what that can mean for you as a customer as more and more content is put on the Internet and the bandwidth keeps going up and up!

Here’s the link to the Strombo Show’s clip. Please root around on OpenMedia’s page after clicking on the link. There is a lot of information compiled there, and it will inform you of the issues.

There’s also a really good article in The Tyee that explains how usage paid internet will work, and why it’s a really bad idea.

Finally, OpenMedia is circulating an Online petition. Click on the image to take you to the petition.

If you’re not keen on Online petitions, you can always write a letter and CC it to your MP, the PMs office, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, Liberal Digital Critic Pablo Rodrigue, NDP Leader Jack Layton, Leader of the Bloc Québécois Gilles Duceppe, and whoever the Conservative MP is who’s responsible for radio and communications. You can also check back on OpenMedia’s Resources page, and use their Sample Letters to MPs when they post them. You will find this information at the bottom of the Resources page.

It’s really important that we take action and redirect this decision to something that is beneficial for Canadians!

Ingrid
Proponent of positive progress in the public puddle.

New Year’s Day Training – 2011

Finally!

I’m finally posting evidence of this year’s Jan. 1 antics. Three hardy souls, Neil, Kyle and Justin, braced the cold and plunged into the ice-covered waters of Indian Arm after running and training on frozen sand. They literally had to punch through 2″ of ice in order to dunk themselves! This year they had an audience, and our dear friends Christine and David came down and supported Our Hero in his brave and lionhearted greeting of the New Year.

So grab a java, tea or other beverage of choice, and for your viewing pleasure from the comfort of your favourite chair, I present to you, New Year’s Day Training, 2011.

It was a gloriously beautiful day with diaphanous clouds and a bright sun floating in a light blue firmament. With the stage set with this backdrop, our Karateka demonstrated their courage and resoluteness to follow-through with their New Year’s Day training and icy plunge.

Our “Three Karateers”!

Justin with a curious crowd behind him.

Looking down the beach at our three brave karateka with curious onlookers behind.

Kyle, focused, the power of his will pushing him on.

Neil, steady, focused and powerful.

I love this picture. All the diagonals reaching down: Justin’s arm, his misty breath, the tie on his gi, the little boy in the background and the sun-flare off the lens. There’s a lot going on in this photo.

Long shadows of the three men. Large chunks of ice dot the waters behind them.

The sun glints off the water as the three men train on the beach with their silhouettes reflected in a tidal pool.

The same move at three different stages of completion.

A little boy, Connery, plays in the sand and snow as our “Three Karateers” face the floating ice on the water.

Sensei Chuck couldn’t participate this year because he had pneumonia, but he happily demonstrated a throw he wanted the guys to do. I suspect he came down just to knock someone to the ground!

Justin knocks Kyle to the sand as Neil looks on attentively. If you look carefully, you can see the spray of sand coming off Kyle’s foot.

Standing by the water’s edge, the men catch their breath and brace themselves before they deliberately and willfully count and walk and punch their way into the water.

Here’s a gallery of images of them going into the water. When they got out to the edge of the ice, they couldn’t go any further because it was too thick to break, so Neil punched it with his fist so it shattered, and the three leaped up and dove in. Look carefully at the one of Neil. Behind him you can clearly see the thickness of the ice!

After their plunge, our resilient heroes took a moment to collect themselves and meditate.

Connery plays while the crowd looks at the three clothed, wet men kneeling on the sand meditating after an icy plunge. The crowd cheered and clapped when it was all over!

As a sign of respect to each other and the art of Karate, the three men bow deeply, touching their heads to the ground.

This is my favourite part of the whole day, when they shake hands. I love the camaraderie and the knowledge that the beginning of the year has started off on such a positive note. Overcoming the bracing cold and rigorous training on Jan.1 is like a metaphor for overcoming the difficulties that may certainly lie ahead in the coming year, and reminds one of the importance in recognizing and embracing the warmth and security of companionship and the power of confidence.

Our dear friends Christine and David, who enthusiastically shared in Neil’s triumph. The joyous mood was infectious!

You can see the hole in the ice with the large chunks of ice floating on top!

A sailboat sits peacefully in the sound, surrounded by ice, waiting patiently for summer and her warm embrace.

Neil and I made chili the night before and brought it with us to serve the gang. After a hearty, warming bowl, everyone went home proud of their accomplishment and looked forward to the coming year of karate training.

For our part, Neil and I finished the day with a healthy, hot sauna followed by a cool shower. We slept very well the first night of 2011, dreaming of endless possibilities and realized potential.

Look out 2011, here we come!

Ingrid – Picture-Taker of people Puddle-Plunging