Sunday, September 18, 2011

New Toys ... Buying a laptop


Buying a laptop is pretty much like buying a vehicle; this item is going to be with you for quite some time and prompt you to make the right decision. Http://www.Canadapost.ca/shopper/ has currently great deals on laptops and the site is worth looking into.

To answer some questions about what you want to get out of the laptop is always a good starting point and because of the great variety on the market one can find the ideal working companion.

What is your budget? Keeping in mind that laptops often require some additional software on top of the purchase, the price what you see is not the price that you’re going to pay. Adding another $200 towards the budget for upgrades might be a good idea. 

For $389 and free shipping the ACER Iconia Tablet looks like a really good deal.
This product comes with a touch screen, Bluetooth, Android and on top of it free shipping.

For the traveler or person relaying on mobility and action, the ThinkPad is an ultra-light portable tablet with HDD storage capacity and LCD display and has a 20% mark down.

Notebooks are also great assets for people who work on office computers, sometimes need to be out of office, but still stay in contact with the workforce. The HP Notebook as great features. 

When doing research on laptops compatibility with your home computer, DVD burning capacity, Blue Ray, editing and Wi-Fi amongst other features are important to keep in mind. The laptop will become and integral part of your daily schedule and to get the most out of it take the deal and enjoy the results.

The Mirror

THE MIRROR

Wendy drives her seventeen-year old daughter to a home where two nurses, a doctor on call, a dietician and a social worker await their arrival.

The scenery on their way there is quite picturesque with cattle seeking the shadows of the trees, seagulls cropping from the leftover of harvest and farmers on tractors, plowing the land in preparation for the next season.

They sometimes make small talk, avoiding the theme that changed their relationship and casted a shadow over the future, most of the time keeping their silent thoughts from each other.

“Coffee?” asks the teenager, opens the lid of the flask and pours the liquid into a mug. She takes a sip and then holds the mug for Wendy. “Coffee isn’t good for you,” says Wendy and bites her lip. “There is orange juice in the cooler.” The coffee has a bitter taste to it.

The teenager turns on the radio and searches for a wavelength with an upbeat. As she finds the rock she turns it really loud, excluding Wendy from her world. They drive through the gates towards the grayish building and Wendy notices the other girls in the garden pruning the roses, picking flowers, sit knitting on the benches or wide-legged on the lawn, drinking from the rays of sun.

The Social Worker meets them at the car and welcomes the teenager as if she belongs there. Wendy follows the worker inside the falsely decorated building with drawings and thank-you cards towards the office. The nurse with a no-nonsense attitude takes the teenager by the arm and pulls her gently away. “Some test and a questionnaire,” empathizes the Social Worker and her blue eyes turn somewhat grey. “This is the right decision and all the girls here seems to be content with their choice.”

After what feels like an eternity they walk back to the car and the teenager takes her suitcase and extra pair of shoes out, ready to walk the pebbled pathway towards the house with opened windows. Wendy looks once again at some of the girls waving at her teenager.

She gets in front of the teenager.
“You can’t stay here,” and with a sigh continues “look at them, they all look…”

“So pregnant?” asks the teenager.

“They all seem to have issues, they look so troubled.”

“Really?” asks the teenager, unwilling to hide from her rebellious moment.

In front of Wendy is her baby of seventeen years ago. She sees the skinny legs of the teenager and a barely noticeable bump between the hipbones.

“What you need is some distance to gain perspective,” consoles the Social Worker as the teenager turns her back on Wendy and walks away without saying her last goodbyes

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Worldwide Delivery

WORLDWIDE DELIVERY

With the Toronto International Film Festival for 2011 almost over, Canada is getting ready for the chilly Fall starting October 23. However, before we get there, let us recap the buzz that once again placed Canada on the map. It was amazing to see people from all over the world with passes hanging around their necks while carrying heavy camera equipment to either attend press conferences, red carpet events or meeting potential buyers in the Media Lounge.

Between these professional industry people were the streetwalkers with camcorders, Androids, BlackBerry or iPhones and digital cameras ready to get an action picture or footage as the celebrity in the Cadillac pulls over. Some got lucky, others had to wait for the next time around. This time of the year is a rewarding time to hang around between the theatres and coffee shops in Toronto, regardless of who one might see.

On the train on my way back home I had a good view of all the students getting ready to go back to school.  Whether they are searching their class schedules or adding new friends on Facebook, they have laptops on the trays flashing the strength of Wi-Fi signals and gadgets plugged into their ears.

Next to me sits an older lady on her way to visit her grandchildren in Stratford. She knits, looks through the window, sips on her tea and continues to knit the red sweater.  “It is chilly,” she says. I nod in agreement. “The nice part of a new season is wearing clothes long forgotten; in my home country all seasons are more or less the same and as a child I never had the chance to wear boots or furry coats.”

I look through the vouchers and handouts received during the festival and find the postcard with compliments from Canada Post: For mailing in Canada and Delivery Worldwide (http://www.Canadapost.ca/shopper), I hand it to the lady: “please have it and send my regards...”

The lady next to me looks at the picture of John Candy printed on the front, “he sure is a handsome gentleman,” she says and reaches for a pen in her purse, “thank you kindly.”

“No, thank you.”

Modern day fashion depends on what you carry in your hand, not what you wear and this is most likely not to change. It is nice to have an HD-camcorder, laptop and cell phone to be in touch with the Wi-Fi world out there. It is, however nice to know that a handwritten postcard to a sunny country and a red knitted sweater from grandma still have a place.    




     

Sunday, September 4, 2011

UNDER THE SCISSORS

Paying a visit to a hair stylist and showing up at the dentist has a lot in common where to say the least, you will be at the mercy of the cutter or driller. To yield control of vanity and control required.

At the age of eleven, the dentist filled a small cavity on my left front tooth with a huge chunk of gold. What was he thinking? Left teeth chattering cold, with a self-esteem hitting rock bottom and only twenty years later replaced it with advanced technology called porcelain crowning. Today an implant can cost as much as a month’s hard-earned salary unless you want to live on smoothies and learn to pronounce words in a British fashion, keeping the lips hooped.

Recently while enjoying the subway stations and high-rise buildings of Toronto, I spot a “Walk-ins welcome” saloon and while this La Belle Femme Saloon is close to the Eaton Center I do not question their reputation.

“Please don’t take too much off,” I ask, “the tips need a little trimming.”

Am I allowed to ask “Before you take up that scissor are you sure you can deliver?” but being polite I do not.

Once again, I learn that nothing in life is for sure and halfway through the process I want to ask her to make sure the bullet hits my heart. This might seem to be dramatic and I will give you that together with a mirror. Honestly woman, the one side is shorter and now is the other until the uneven cut hair is under my ears.

“A blow-wave?” asks she as she finally realizes she is not getting anywhere.

“No thank you“ and add out of nowhere, ”I’m going for a swim.” In hindsight drowning myself was more on target.

At least this walk-in cut did not cost me an arm and a leg, after many months too short hair can grow back and rest assure I’m on my way to the mall to find some saloon that can share my setback, only this time I want to see the stylist’s certification before she picks up the scissor.