I have often wondered about what causes a heart attack. There is a lot of information out there but we seldom connect the dots.

Atherosclerosis (hardening of artery due to plaque) is a form of arteriosclerosis (hardening of artery) and is one cause of heart attacks. 

From what I have read, the main contributors to atherosclerosis could  be:  diet, smoking, exercise, stress mgmt  and genes.

Genes are difficult to overcome but knowing about them does prepare us.

The other factors are ALWAYS within our control.

Better to be educated than surprised ...or worse!

The exact cause of atherosclerosis, in addition to natural aging,  is not known (surprise, surprise) but here are some details that might help you:  

Manageable Causes - smoking, cholesterol, triglycerides, hypertension, obesity, diabeties

Unmanageable Causes - accidental artery damage, chronic inflammation, genes, aging  

Prevention - reduction of causes you can control ... and don't get old 

Detection - If you suspect you (or someone you know) may be affected, ask your doctor if one of these might be appropriate: echocardiogram,  electrocardiogram, or coronary angiography. 

easy/inexpensive long-distance

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If you are looking for a long-distance service that is easy to use, KeepCalling is the one i use for 1.2 cpm (cents per minute) in Canada. 

For instance, England, Australia, Ireland, India, Italy are only 3.5 cpm. Zambia is only 6 cpm.

It has an easy method of speed dialing numbers. 

I just code my most called numbers into their website and refer to them in my phones (home or cell) and one click does it.

If you know of one that is easier and/or cheaper, let me know.

bottled water has to go

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If you were wondering about the global impact, this link describes in vivid detail (even if it isn't 100% correct).

Time to STOP using plastic containers for water.

Cars - India and China - significant impact

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Well, there goes any CO2 reductions we could hope for over the next few years. Just another example of disregard for global warming impact.

China has out-produced the USA for automobiles for three consecutive quarters...and their vehicles will have significant impact on CO2 levels.

It is good to see other countries can product inexpensive vehicles ... a sign the USA will eventually be out of the automobile manufacturing business.

Two concerns:

1. why India did not wait until an inexpensive electric (or hydrogen) vehicle was possible

2. why does General Motors continue to cry poor and product high priced inefficient vehicles ... could it be the expensive labour force or the high exec salaries or both 

The worst may be yet to come this year

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I suggest you don't consider any large purchases for a few months. 

The prices may come down further ... or you may have less disposable income.

The Bank of Canada cut its borrowing rate to .25% ... the lowest in 75 years and lowest practical level possible. 

The governor of the Bank of Canada said "the recession in Canada will be deeper than anticipated, with the economy projected to contract by 3% in 2009."

pesticides/herbicides - April 22nd - Grubs

I have mentioned this before but now is the time to prepare your lawn for 2009.

Ontario has new laws (effective today) .

Rona has the right products and u should consider something like nematodes to take care of grubs. 

U will know if there are grubs; holes in your lawn right now (raccoons go for grubs at this time), round bare spots in July (tooo late). 

Canadian Tire has Nemaglobe has this product and April/May is the right time (as long as temps are between 13 and 35).  

Taking care of your back

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Well, my pain from sciatica is slowly reducing. 

I am now using the Costco version of Robaxacet (2 pills) and one Arthrotec a day ... instead of the Percocet/Arthrotec combination. The generic product also has Methocarbamol and one of these three:  acetaminophen, ASA or ibuprofen.

Costco (or Walmart) is half to third the Robax prices.

For those who sit a lot, this item in my Bicycling mag offers good information - lean back.

  

can't find the special on TV?

Have you ever had to flip thru the TV listings trying to find the time for the Formula One or special golf event, etc?

Rogers doesn't have a search facility. Bell does but it is tedious.

Well this  site may help.

KYOTOplus - nothing changes

12.14.11: Back in 2009, i was optimistic we (aka Harper) would see the light and correct the illiterate understanding many Canadians have of the Kyoto accord.


I was wrong! Nothing has changed (literacy or parliamentary) in the past 2.5 years.


Canada has done extremely little to improve our carbon footprint ... and plans to do no improvements in the next few years. It is getting even more embarrassing.


It seems our parliamentarians (those WE elected) feels USA, China and India need to do a lot before Canada gets on-board.
Many Albertans agree with Harper and Kent. But is it enough to get re-elected next time?


If only the world could rid itself of oil without doing irreversible damage.


Check out this Canadian blog for more comments.


04.05.09: We really need to ensure our government in on board in this next round of KYOTO protocols in Copenhagen in December. Pls sign the petition now.
Canada's commitment has to be strengthened and firmly committed, as right now we looks as bad as the USA.
The top four countries appear to be (in order of negative climate change impact) are USA, China, India, Russia.

While Canada is not a serious contender, it is a global initiative and world view of Canada could be a lot better.
We do not look good in Afghanistan (while we are on the offensive) and ignoring KYOTO really does NOT help with our image.

Maybe this time, we can show a truly committed Canadian position.

Phishing and Pharming

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You have probably heard the terms ... not related to agriculture.

Phishing - an e-mail trying to acquire personal information for fraudulent purposes

Pharming - re-direct you to a fraudulent site

A full description of both.

A quick test to determine how good you are at detecting Phishing.

Earth Hour is approaching (March 29, 8:30pm)

14.02.27: Earth Hour continues again for the fifth year with emphasis on the Great Barrier Reef.

Having visited the reef (Agincourt reef), and a few other reef areas, I have come to appreciate the uniqueness of the GBR (and I am envious of those who can descend lower than 10 feet).

This initiative continues to receive increased attention from those people around the world who understand the impact of carbon dioxide to our environment. This, of course, excludes our federal govt (especially Harper) who have their heads in the oil.

I encourage you (and your children) to participate and spread the word.

For those interested in HD views of coral reefs.


March 28th at 8:30PM.

Turn out your lights for one hour.

Why not sign up?

WWF is asking people to register your participation at EarthHourCanada.org. Even if you are already planning to turn out your lights for Earth Hour, please lend your name to the cause so WWF can track and report on participation here in Canada, and around the world, to show world leaders that Canadians want action on climate change, and are ready to be part of the solution. Make your voice heard today - sign up atEarthHourCanada.org! 

Income Tax Online

It's that time of the year again.

I use WebTax4U, as it is quite simple and groups family members ... and costs under $20 for husband and wife. They also have an easy connection to Netfile, so everything is online. 

If your income is less than $20,000, they do it for free.

FYI, Canada Revenue Agency has a handy site outlining opportunities for seniors (and other less important taxpayers) to reduce your taxes.

DDD - one of the joys of the aging process

Degenerative Disk Disease can go unnoticed ... or (in my case) can really let you know it is happening.

Back.com has a very easy to read analysis of DDD and these two images illustrates how the disk collapses.

In basic terms, DDD is the collapse of the disk between two vertebrae.

Check this site and follow the arrows to see what happens when DDD occurs. 

When this happens, it can go unnoticed or it can cause pressure on the sciatic nerve which translates into PAIN in the lower back or the neck or the right leg (which can be manageable or can be debilitating to the 

degree you cannot sit or stand for more than a few minutes). This means you spend most of the day (24 hours) flat on your back or stomach.

Causes - aging. injury. improper posture. one leg shorter. sports, etc.

In my case - all of the above caused herniation at L4-L5 and L5-S1.

Treatment - this site lists the various options of which I did not plan to follow.

The two options I looked into were Inversion Table (together with exercises) and DRX9000.

  

I believe most people (with continuous debilitating pain) succumb to the DRX9000 approach that boasts at least 86% success rate ... an offers your 

money-back, after 7 visits, if you are not satisfied with progress.

It didn't take very long to conclude a $200 

Inversion Table was a worthwhile approach before investing in a $4,600 DRX9000 therapy solution, even though the DRX9000 folks offer a convincing argument (as I would expect, after investing in a $100,000 piece of equipment). 

I will be seeing an orthopedic surgeon in early April. Hopefully, I see substantial improvement with the table before then ...

BMI and Wii

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Once again, more information on the importance of maintaining a BMI between 20 and 25.

In fact, this study suggests 23 to 24 is ideal.

If you don't have one, a very good toy for ascertaining and improving your BMI (and having fun at the same time) is Wii Fit.

I recently received it for my birthday and everyone who visits has a great time with the various fitness routines (such as ski jump, ski slalom, soccer header, tightrope, etc).

Even with a bad back I am able to enjoy the relaxed competition and the re-testing of my BMI every few weeks.

Time to have a little fun, as we enter our declining years.

More Stupidity from Harper and Baird - $3B Trust Us

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Have you read this in the Star today?
Harper surprised the opposition by including an additional $3 billion 'emergency fund'. Baird has refused to indicate how it will be spent right away to "jump-start" the economy. Can you imagine our government refusing to outline expenditures of this size?
Our tax dollars  being used wisely ???

The Liberals are preparing a motion requiring the government to list the departments and programs. If they don't, there may be an election.   

Thermoplastic Roof Shingles

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Solar roof shingles.

Every house built in the future may come with them.

More research is needed to confirm feasibility (cost, durability, longevity, ROI, etc) but it certainly is a step in the right direction. 

Might be worth investing in, as we come out of this recession (in a year or two).

Here is an article by DOW on their plans with Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPVs). Apparently, solar electricity cost is approx 300% more than conventional. Dow is planning to reduce this to approx 25% more.   It will be interesting to see how they progress in the next few years.

More CEO concerns

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It must be just me ... but I cannot understand how CEOs are able to command such salaries when they do not perform. Why aren't their salaries tied to performance???

In this instance, he tried to mitigate negative feedback by giving $3M to charity (instead of leaving it at the bank??) of the $11M he received ... when TD shares fell 37.5% in 2008. 

HOW ARE CEOs ABLE TO RECEIVE SUCH HIGH COMPENSATION WHEN THE COMPANY PERFORMS SO POORLY?

And this is one of those banks that withstood the current recession much better than all other banks in the major countries!

Peak Oil - Doomer or Sheeple?

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Both these articles are in the Sun Star Feb 15th.

We are running out of oil ... the question is "when does it become a serious issue?"

Have you seen to second Mad Max movie "Road Warrior"? 

The Peak Oil article indicates oil will will probably be $200-$300 a barrel within 4 years (your next car purchase better be the MOST fuel efficient hybrid or electric) and this will lead to urban violence which will lead to ecological degradation and financial chaos ... the apocalypse is fast approaching! 

The Doomers think this will happen in the next few years and they want to be ready. They will bunker down and hide with their years supplies. I wonder how they will handle the greenhouse gases impending disaster.

The Sheeple see the shortage coming  but understand we will roll with it (see the book "The Upside of Down") and methodically move to alternate sources of fuel.

I wonder how both look at the greenhouse gases impending catastrophe?

In My opinion, we need more concrete actions NOW and not wait for things to logically happen (or go hide and wait it out). McGuinty is moving in this direction ... why isn't Harper?

Green Car Incentives are Poor in Canada

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Once again, Harper has spent a lot of our money for nothing ... as noted in this Star article of Sat Feb 14th.

Approx $1B in attempts by Harper to buy votes and, again, not taking the environment seriously. 

Why doesn't he see clearly enough that getting our votes can be achieved by setting tighter efficiency/emission stds, raise gas cost, support technology, and make taxation simple and progressive. 

Anybody have a different opinion?

NIMBYism - nip it in the bud

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An excellent article in the Star today (even though it is by an NDPer). 

This article communicates all the right things to move us towards leadership in the race to reduce greenhouse gases, including closing all coal plants and the dirty Alberta tar sands.

Wind power is a critical part of greenhouse gas reduction, as it is the fastest growing source of electric generation around the world.  

USA Bailout - trickle down the american way

Checkout this YouTube example of how some of the American banks are deploying the bailout monies.

Why does none of this surprise me...

As we get older, we must consciously focus on the good and, although we store many bad examples, try to not bother with the bad things that have happened.

I have faith in our offsprings ... and can hardly wait until they really get going.

Darwin - the discussion continues

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Larry has been a friend since childhood.

This is a sensitive subject to many but he isn't afraid to get involved and spread the 'gospel'.

There will be a lecture on Feb 13th ... see the article (from Monday's Star) for details.

Auditor General report

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Excellent report!

Is it just me or does everyone see how stupid the conservatives are about the environment?

I am truly impressed with Sheila and Scott.

Let's see how long they last! 

Lost Generation?

Have you seen this YouTube item created by a member of the next generation?

We can only hope a conviction shared by most of her peers.

However, conviction is not action ... and i don't see enough action yet.

The 2009 Budget - not enough job/green incentives

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Here are two interpretations of the federal budget delivered a few days ago.

Once again, smoke and mirrors presented by this conservative gov't ... and extremely little green/jobs emphasis. Why subsidize renovations instead of jobs for lower income folks? 

I agree with most people (a poll by CARP) the liberals did the right thing by not rejecting it. 

Do you have an opinion?

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Have you had good experience with this "Canadian leader in non-surgical spinal decompression" for chronic back pain? First page attached.

I received a brochure in the mail

While I don't feel at the chronic stage yet, it has been over two months and my sciatica doesn't seem to be improving as quickly as I had hoped. 

Do you know of any good procedures not requiring surgery?

Israel-Hamas Situation

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This article in the Star today seems very clear on the Israeli position. If this is the general feeling within Israel, the conflict may never end until Hamas has been completely eliminated.

If this is a correct positioning, it is puzzling why only Harper supports the Israeli action in Gaza (out of 47 countries).

I think most people believe Hamas (Sunni Muslim Palestinian extremist group) is a terrorist group supported by Iran. Terrorism is a unique animal ... it doesn't have scruples or regard for human life and will hide behind the weak and defenceless and use any means it can to gain sympathy.

In my opinion, we must have genuine agreement from many countries and then a concerted effort to eliminate it. Unfortunately, I really don't see genuine commitment nor concerted action.

If you have an opinion, pls share it on this blog.

our planet - environmental impact

If you haven't seen the Leonardo DiCaprio narrated documentary 11th Hour, you (and your children) should. This should be mandatory viewing (and testing) in our high schools.

You can view the movie trailer here.

The one that started this environment awareness is the Al Gore narrated documentary An Inconvenient Truth.

You can view the movie trailer here. 

There is also an excellent NatGeo documentary, Aftermath: Population Zero, on what happens if all humans were suddenly removed from the planet.

You can view the trailer here.

If you would like a copy of the complete film, let me know.

Oil Sands development - a serious problem

Not that I am looking for more environmental items to focus on but this oil sands development in  Alberta appears to warrant some attention IMMEDIATELY.

Apparently, producing a barrel of oil from oil sands produces 3 times the amount of greenhouse gases than from conventional methods.

As per the Sierra Club, in 2000 the GG emissions from oil sands produced approx 3% of our total GGs. 

The GG emissions from oil sands will increase to approx 3 to 5 times by 2015.  

If you are interested, read this item from the Pembina Institute and then the Greenpeace item and indicate your support by signing your name to the petition.

Mining companies can take over your property

It appears any mining company in Ontario can decide there is a mineral on your property and stake a claim to the area underground and mine it at their leisure ... and you have no recourse!
Apparently, this Ontario law was set at the turn or the 20th century and no one has forced a change ... yet.

 

Here is some information on the outdated mining law and a situation that was finally resolved without penalty. I think the mining folks felt it might be better to withdraw than force change to the law.

 

You folks in cottage country better be very cautious about ownership of your property.

PeakSaver PLUS and Energy Display

13.12.24: How to use the Energy Display (PowerCost Monitor)

There is now a link to the PowerCost Monitor setup site.
I used it to set up our electrical energy use monitor. Follow the screen-by-screen instructions for each setting and be sure to include Sat/Sun as off-peak.

The monitor is quite useful for determining impact of an appliance (old freezer, fridge, clothes dryer, computer, etc). 

13.11.19: Peaksaver PLUS and Energy Display

In Ontario, there is a program that will install a free Peaksaver PLUS thermostat (illuminated screen) in your home and provide a PowerCost Monitor.

Powerstream has included this Peaksaver PLUS offering under its Energy Management tab.

Caveat, if you have the original Peaksaver installed, they will NOT provide the newer illuminated model ... unless your thermostat is somehow broken...

The Energy Display unit is given to you but not set up. However, it is a little technical to set up. I am about to contact technical support for assistance.
Be sure you have a couple of hours available, before calling your power supplier.
Update - quite easy via the online setup above.

09.01.23: With your permission, PowerStream will install (at no cost) a programmable thermostat that allows them to briefly reduce the central air conditioning electricity usage during 'critical' peak use times – typically weekday afternoons during the hottest days of the summer, but not on holidays or weekends. 

As added incentive, you receive $25 from the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) for signing up.

How to sign up:Contact PowerStream's peaksaver call centre at 1-866-323-0206 to book an appointment for a service technician to come to your home to install a programmable thermostat.

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