Too Much Week Left At the End of Your Pay Check?

Maybe you've found yourself in this situation before, you've just spent the last of your pay check on a tank of gas for your car and you've forgotten to get some groceries. You can't survive with out food and need a cash advance to get you through until your next pay check. I've been in the same kind of predicament. But where do you go to find a secure cash advance? Let me tell you a little about a website I stumbled over.

I found a website (www.trustsource.org) with a page with links to reviews and different secure online payday loan providers. Applying for a loan online is safe and secure; most of these websites do not require you to fax any documents which make the approval process even easier. With today's hectic schedules its important to find information as well as goods and services fast and easy, this website will certainly help you find the right cash advance you are looking for.

Next time you find yourself with more week left than your pay check stop by the website and take a peek. Why not leave a review of the website you used to find your loan; others have been satisfied with the service and so can you.

Image source: Another Word About the Canadian Dollar

Invading Aliens

Apparently aliens are being found in Antartica. Not the little green men kind of aliens, but species that are alien to Antartica. Forms of life such as moss, lichen, insects, seeds and spores that are alien to the Antartic continent are being found. As our climate changes the average temperature in Antartica is rising and becoming a new environment for life.

It's said that visitors to the continent are carrying seeds and spores as well as cargo ships bringing rats and mice. Some plants have already taken hold on the island of South Georgia. A European species of grass is suspect, not that there really is anything alien about grass. It's not unusual for life to be invasive, considering that a some years ago there was a lot of press for an invasive species of mussels in the great lakes area. The zebra mussel was originally from Russia and was found to be clogging pipes here in the North American Great Lakes area.

It seems like everywhere we go, different varieties of life always follow us. Visitors to the Antartic continent have unknowingly brought seeds, spores and insect eggs with them. The continent is the last pristine environment on the planet and people are trying to keep it that way. There has been patches of grass found underneath tents and invasive plantlife found out side of Russian reseach tents. Right now researchers at the Troll Station are only allowed fresh fruits when visitors are flown in to a local airstrip.

There was one swedish scientist who found eight different unknown species in a small pond. This is just evidence that life can survive in harsh climates. But tourism groups are making an effort to reduce the risk of foreign invading species to the continent. An Australian group requires visitors to vacuum their clothes to remove any seeds or spores that may be travelling with them and visitors are banned from bringing food ashore. Are all these restrictions enough to keep life from flourishing on the Antartic continent? Maybe, but really only time will tell. What do you think?

Image source: WP Clipart
News Story: FEATURE-Antarctica on alert for alien invaders

Climate Change Brings New Challenges

I came across an interesting article today about climate change and the military forces of the world. Climate change doesn't just affect military forces but everybody and this is where new challenges for militants and citizens of this world lies. Floods and droughts will inevitably change the face of the planet as well as increase the number of challenges the weather will throw at us. It is said that 200 million people will become climate change refuges by the middle of this century.

As we are the species that introduced global warming to the rest of the life on this planet we are charged with reducing the effects of climate change. As our planet warms the oceans of the earth will rise. Floods are the most likely challenge people will face as the planet continues to warm. But there is hope yet, there is dozens of things that you and I can do to reduce our environmental foot print. Although we all can do something to try and avert the dangers of global warming, governments should start making plans to deal with the rising number of people displaced by natural disasters and conflicts that will arise from the after effects of floods and famine.

Policies for coping with change due to natural disasters should be forming as you read this posting. When hurricane Katrina hit the southern coast of the United States officials found themselves unprepared to deal with the number of people that were displaced from the hurricane. Granted there are quite a few hurricanes every year, as the planet warms oceans will become warmer giving hurricanes more fuel increasing their strength. We all need to make changes to our lives in order to reduce the impact we have on the natural world.

When all of these changes take place military forces are going to be called upon to aid those who are directly affected. It is imperative that the use of force to get people to comply is minimal. There will be a lot of people who would be affected by a rise in sea levels, even if the rise is only 1 metre there could be drastic changes to landscapes around the world. there could be new inland lakes forming and new bays that used be above sea level formed. When people get displaced by climate change, Eco-terrorist could step up their extremist protests and displace even more people.

The main point that I got out of the article was that we have to make small changes now and plan for the worst. Climate change doesn't just affect North America, it affects everybody. Some scientist predict that the average global temperature could increase by 1.8 to 4 degrees over the course of this century. Even a 1 degree increase could melt enough of the polar ice caps to change the map. If I've learned anything from my history classes in school, it's that change does not come easy so we must be prepared for facing the new challenges that our reckless abandon on pollution will bring about. The attitude that 'I'll be dead before these dangers face us' has to change considering that the average life span of humans has increased and is increasing with new medical knowledge.

Our generation will face different challenges than those of previous generations. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing our generation. I'm going to finish this post with a question; what are the challenges that are a direct result of climate change?

Inspiration: Armed forces face strain of climate change-report
Image source: Meta Sphere

Japan Looks To Cut Greenhouse Gases

I read an interesting article yesterday before I went to bed. The article was about Japan and their interest in offshore wind turbines. Japan is looking to follow Europe's lead in developing offshore wind farms. The current wind farm talked about in the article, Nunobiki Plateau Wind Farm currently produces enough green electricity to power 35000 homes. This is hardly enough to put a dent into Japans commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, but none the less it is a start.

I know that here in North America some of us have a choice between coal and nuclear supplied electricity and carbon and radiation free renewable electricity provided by one of our planet most untapped resources, the wind. If this choice were available in my area, which I still need to look into, I would seriously consider switching providers. Although I really have my heart set on purchasing some solar panels and a grid tie in system so that when I'm not drawing electricity from the grid, the solar panels are producing electricity for the grid. There are some advantages to that as the electricity produced is unadulterated and green. Definitely a good step forward towards reducing my carbon footprint on the planet.

The choice of electricity providers is a definite step forward, but back to Japan. Japan is looking to harness the sea breeze to further reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, this is a noble step towards keeping breathable air on our planet. Currently they have two 600 kilowatt offshore turbines in the northern town of Hokkaido and they are finding them hard to maintain. Granted that offshore power sources come with their own set of maintenance challenges, these are small barriers compared to the danger that our planet really is in. Small changes everywhere will make a difference. If you don't believe me, think about this, if everyone in one city planted one tree every year, how many new trees will be able to help scrub carbon dioxide from the atmosphere? Imagine the improvement of air quality that would gradually happen over the next few years.

Now what would you prefer? A nice luxurious ride all tricked out or plenty of clean fresh air which is symbiotic with good health. Would you prefer status and choking smog or good health and fresh air? Well that's my opinion, whats yours?

Image source: City-Data.com
News Story: FEATURE-Japan follows Europe by tapping offshore wind for power

Insert Quarter, Pull Lever, JACKPOT!!!

How many of you out there love playing online slots games? One of my favourite online games is video slots. I've seen quite a few different websites for online casinos; I've recently stumbled across another one and just had to share it with everyone. The website I stumbled upon was www.privbetting.com. On first glance it seems like there isn't much choice, but the website links to a couple of different online casinos. I'm going to try out some of the instant play slot games next time a get a chance to visit the website.

I've played at a couple of different online casinos and so far, the two that are linked to on this website have superior graphics. I'm not the best at most of the games found on these websites, but its fun to play once and a while. I know that there really is no secret to winning at slots as they pay out randomly, some people have their preferences when playing slots though. If you get a chance you should go check out the website and see for yourself. Why not check it out and let me know what you think of the website as well? Will 'Lady Luck' smile on you?

Image: Doctored screen shot!

Some Ones Destroying the Rain Forests Again

Today I read a rather disturbing article. At least I find it disturbing. Apparently deforestation has been on the rise in the past few months. Its alarming because deforestation increases the amounts of carbon in our atmosphere and contributes to Global Warming. Some think that the rate of deforestation for this year will be higher than 2007.

How many times did you heard about deforestation last year? I didn't hear very much about it last year. I remember a lot of information about Climate Change as well as a recent U.N. hosted Climate Change conference in Bali, Indonesia. There really wasn't that much in the news about deforestation. While the war in Iraq still rages on and Canadians are stilled killed by insurgents in Afghanistan, news from the two fronts on the war on terror keep us preoccupied. Our climate is changing and we have to change with it.

We have been changing the face of our planet for our own purposes for thousands of years, is it not time for us to work towards more of a harmony with our planet. Granted we need to grow food and raise animals for food, but how much of the forests do we have to remove to do that? Not that long ago I was reading some information on where some 'fair trade' coffees are grown and learned that in order to grow better coffee beans, the plants grow better and produce a higher quality of coffee bean when grown in amongst large trees. It was interesting to find out that coffee requires a forest canopy to produce a high quality coffee.

The article I read about an increase in deforestation was interesting to say the least, but I thought I would share a couple of my thoughts about Climate Change and deforestation in this post. The tangent about coffee should illustrate the fact that even plants need plants, every animal and plant on earth seem to be intertwined in a web of necessity. We are dependant on the fruits of the earth and we are only killing ourselves by disrupting the natural balance of things. Well, those are my thoughts, what do you think?

Image source: Monga Bay
News Story: Amazon deforestation surging again - scientist

U.S. Healthcare???

I was originally thinking about posting a rant about Britney Spears and her dominance in the head lines, but I received my daily email from Reuters Alert Net and found a different story. This one was based on a report from a survey of 3500 people over the age of 19, the survey was on health insurance. According to the surveys results 68% of Americans think that every individual should have health insurance and government aid should be provided for those who cannot afford health insurance. This is being reflected by both Republican and Democratic candidates for the up coming U.S. Federal election.

I find this interesting because here in Canada we have a health care system. Its interesting because there have been many debates over our health care system amongst Canadians, but the fact that health care is making its way into U.S. politics is really quite interesting. I've heard and seen a few different points of view on government funded health care and its interesting to see that with the rise of medical fees no one in the U.S. seems to want a government funded health care system which makes life more affordable for the average person. This recent survey would suggest otherwise.

Obviously times are changing. The average person needs access to doctors and medical care, which needs to be affordable. A health care system would help the average person get to see a doctor when needed. Is this a good move for Americans? What do you think?

Image source: Artvex
News Story: Most in US back mandatory health coverage-study

Another Word About the Canadian Dollar

Today I was reading a report on the Canadian economy. But more specific, a report on job growth in Canada. The recent rise of the Canadian dollar has made many changes to the Canadian economy, one of these changes affects business. With the Canadian dollar trading at par with the U.S. dollar or greenback, U.S. companies are now finding it more costly to manufacture goods in Canada. When the Canadian dollar was trading roughly at 75 % of the U.S. dollar, the exchange rate made manufacturing goods in Canada much more appealling because the actual cost was about 75 % of the numbers due to the exchange rate. Now that the Canadian dollar is close to or at par with the U.S. dollar, costs simply are rising.

With a growing economy, job growth is definitely a key ingredient for sustaining long term economic growth. The fact that manufacturing jobs have been cut in most provinces should not discourage Canadians from investing in Canadian business'. It is imparitive for sustained growth that Canadians continue to purchase Canadian made goods and services. The recent out cry for lower prices got national attention and the Retail Council of Canada took notice. Some prices have come down along with a 1% cut in the G.S.T. (Goods and Services Tax, for those who are not familiar with this tax) has made goods and services a little easier to afford. But what does this all mean for our economy?

Simply put, a larger amout of disposable income will inevitably increase the amount of larger purchases. The tax on a new home will now be 1% cheaper than last year, every Canadian will now save a whole 1 cent on every dollar spent. This really doesn't sound like a lot, but when you put 1000 pennies together you do get $10. Granted this small decrease doesn't look like much, but don't worry it all adds up, eventually. But back to the report on job growth.

With American business finding it cheaper to do business in the U.S. it is important that Canadian manufacturers realize that there is more room for diversity in those sectors. Not only do Canadians need to adopt a policy of 'Buy Canandian' but we need to realize that the departure of U.S. corporations from our manufacturing sector creates room for Canadian business. It is possible that the Canadian economy can benefit from sustained economic growth, we just need people with ideas as well as investment capital to create more growth. The Canadian government will give out grants for those willing to start a new business. If you have an idea, it would be worth the time it takes to look into attaining a grant from the government to get started. What do you think?

Image source: my camera phone

News Story: Loonie slumps on feeble jobs report

An Act of Bravery

This morning I was looking for something to write about, had a little case of writers block that is until I came across a story on the C.B.C.s website. The story was about a boy scout, as a former scout myself I felt this story needed some more attention. On the island of Horafushi, the president of Maldives was saved by a boy scout when a man jumped out of the crowd at a welcoming event. The reason why I think this story needs more attention is that this selfless act of heroism gets buried beneath other issues such as the primaries for the U.S. elections.

The man who jumped out of the crowd had a knife in his hand and was attempting to stab the president in the stomach. The boy scout, Mohamed Jaisham Ibrahim injured his hand while thwarting the attack and was flown to Male for further treatment after complaining he couldn't move his fingers.

I think we all can rise to the occasion and show everybody that despite rising political tensions violence doesn't solve them. Political issues require diplomacy to resolve them and not violence. Violence begets violence, its a simple and proven fact. Sometimes it takes a heroic act to show us all that violence doesn't solve anything. What do you think?

News Story: Boy scout thwarts attack on Maldives president

Image source: A History of the Boy Scouts of America

Gold, Silver, and More...

I came across an interesting website earlier today. It was a website featuring gold. The website was for Monex Precious Metals. Throughout history gold has been desired by everyone, but in today's market the price of gold continues to rise. Gold bullion has been sought by pirates to modern day treasure hunters, as well as the smart investor.

Even though there are not a lot of pirates on the high seas, there are a lot of investors looking for items worth investing in. Gold bullion is an excellent investment, considering that gold has been revered for thousands of years and the oldest currency in our world. Purchasing gold is an investment in your future, considering the price of gold ten years ago was around the $300 mark, today its nearly triple that. If you are looking at investing for you future, I hope that you will take a look at the precious metals market before deciding where to invest your money.

Keep in mind that you can purchase gold in more than one form. Monex offers a variety of gold coins as well as gold bullion. Personally I have my eye on their gold Canadian Maple Leaf; hopefully I will be able to purchase some in the near future. You should take a couple of minutes to see what Monex has to offer, if your looking for some beautiful gold coins they have it, if your looking for some gold bullion they have it, and if your looking for silver, platinum and palladium products they have them. Take a couple minutes and see for yourself.

Image Source: Wiki Commons

Its A Four-peat!

Four years in a row Canada's Junior hockey team brings home the gold. I wouldn't be much of a Canadian if I didn't mention anything about the achievement of our 17 and 18 year old team. Especially since this is the fourth year in a row that they have captured gold! I missed the final game, but I saw all the highlights after watching my favourite failing hockey team lose yesterday. Apparently it was a real nail biter.

The game went to over time and Canada defeated the Swedish team in a 3 - 2 victory. This was the second time Canada faced Sweden in this tournament. Sweden ended Canada's 21 game winning streak in the round robin. Up until the gold medal game yesterday Sweden was undefeated in the tournament. The Game winning goal came at 3:36 of the overtime period and the game winning goal went to Forward Matt Halischuk. Goalie Steve Mason made 26 saves, the biggest was in the overtime period when Sweden's forward Tony Lagerstrom was denied.

The final standing for the tournament are:
Gold - Canada
Silver - Sweden
Bronze - Russia


Image source: Sports Logos screen savers
News Story: Canadian juniors capture 4th straight gold

Ozzy Osbourne In the News.

Do you think Ozzy Osbourne could be a news anchor? Do you think he could manage to be an anchor on Anderson Cooper 360? I saw an interesting video with Anderson Cooper and Ozzy Osbourne on C.N.N.s website.

From what I've seen of Ozzy's interviews, speaking clearly is sometimes not one of his strong points. Has he been able to speak clearly enough in recent times to be understood as news anchor? Well the video of Ozzy on AC360 shows that he could do it.

What do you think? Can Ozzy manage to become an announcer on AC360?

Image Source: Satan Stole My Teddy bear
News Story: C.N.N.

Another Thought of the Day: Elections

Today I found out that Pakistan is moving their elections from January 8, to Feb 18. The elections were moved to better facilitate a free and fair electoral process for Pakistan. The elections in Pakistan are crucial for democracy to succeed in said country. Then again, free and fair elections in any country is critical for democracy to succeed.

Here in Canada, we haven't had a federal election in a couple of years. The party I voted for didn't win the election, but the candidate did win a seat in the house of commons. Sometimes one vote doesn't make a difference, but if you don't cast your vote you are letting others speak for you. I'll never forget some of the commercials that elections Canada ran on TV networks encouraging people to vote.

In the United States, another federal election is on the horizon. This coming November U.S. citizens will be casting their votes for the next President of the United States. We are not too far away from finding out which Republican and Democratic Presidential hopefuls will be on the ballot for the U.S. federal election. I think a candidates foreign policy is very important, and it should be on the minds of every U.S. citizen eligible to vote.

Well those are some of my thoughts on elections, what are yours?

Image source: Visual_Studio_Dot_Net
News Story: Pakistan postpones election until Feb. 18

Welcome To 2008

With all the turmoil our world is facing, it is nice to post about something that is less depressing then world news. Today is the start of a new year, 2008 and reports are coming in that the majority of the festivities went off with out incident. Even in war torn Iraq the only bullets fired were ones by party goers to celebrate the new year.

It was a fine celebration worldwide, but my question for you is; did you make any New Years resolutions? Personally I don't believe in making New Years resolutions, I have been setting goals for myself every month. The goal I set for this 'weblog' was to get an average of 20 visits per day, I am happy to report that for the month of December I had 799 total visits and 1139 page views. I reached my goal, even exceeded it slightly.

Now my attention turns to 2008. Should I set monthly goals, weekly goals, or goals for the year? Goals are more important than New Years Resolutions, I find it easier to attain a goal than to keep a New Years resolution. So since I am on the topic, I am going to mention two of my goals for the month of January. First is to get an average of 30 visits per day to this blog, and an average of 5 visits per day to my secondary blog Majik's World. And my second goal for January, is to post a minimum of 20 posts for the month.

Well thats my New Years post, Happy New Year to all.

Image: Rob Griffith/Associated Press
News Story: Revellers around the globe welcome 2008