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    A Tale of Two Politicians So Far_ Election 41 #Cdnpoli #elxn41

    April 5, 2011 - By 

    Prime Minister Stephen Harper Sunday night The lobby of the Ignatieff town hall event Well it’s been a bit since I did the federal election dance. Ten years about. This weekend I found myself dancing again as two of the leaders of Canada’s federal parties swung through town. It was a most unexpected weekend. I started Thursday with the Ignatieff town hall. Michael Ignatieff, Harvard graduate and well known genius, packed the Best Western Lamplighter Inn. Here was a Liberal leader shrugged off as pretty much unelectable a couple of years ago. And yet the polls have started to indicate maybe more…

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    Soul Surfer Rides Into Theatres Soon

    April 1, 2011 - By 

    Picture Helen Hunt playing the Mom of a surfer girl who experiences a great tragedy and learns to come back from the brink. If that doesn’t peak your interest, then imagine a killer soundtrack. Dennis Quaid as a Dad. Lots of beach shots and stunning cinematography. Put them all together with big screen debut of Carrie Underwood. Excited yet? I am incredibly fortunate to be able to bring information about this amazing new movie to my readers. Soul Surfer is an inspirational true story of a teenager named Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcame…

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    Deadbeat Dads and What is Missing in the Ontario Budget 2011

    March 31, 2011 - By 

    Well the long-awaited 2011 budget came out Tuesday with a galley full of bobbleheads and not so many surprises really. It was a document that looked a lot like an election year budget. Restrained, yet well worded with so much emphasis on FDK, as they call it. Not surprising Premier Dad is hanging it all on full day kindergarten. By no means am I against full day kindergarten. It makes sense for working parents and it makes sense too for typically developing children. It is not the answer for every child. It would never have worked for my youngest, a…

  • FASD - Parenting - special needs

    A Girl and Her Dog: Autism Services Dogs and Sophie

    March 28, 2011 - By 

     No Frill’s owner Brian Macdonald with Sophie Davies-Hales, mom Dana and their newly certified Autism Services Dog Crosby Tweet   Meet Sophie. She has a riot of dark brown curls, cheeks as round as apples, a little brother who likes to play dressup and a big sister. Sophie also has a whole host of largely invisible special needs, and now an autism service dog that shadows her every move. Sophie was adopted as a baby by Mom Dana Davies-Hales and Tony Hales. She was three when she was diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Neurological Developmental disorder ( a condition that falls under the umbrella term of fetal alcohol…

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    Monday Mingle: Life Apps

    March 28, 2011 - By 

    Hi there and Happy Monday! Pop by Jennifer Regan’s site over at http://www.eightymphmom.com/ and visit more of my favourite blogger and vloggers for a fun start to your week. Cheers! Tweet

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    Clean Up Your Couponing With Coupon Chief

    March 26, 2011 - By 

    I am sadly the messiest person on the planet with my coupons. Just ask my kids! They are savvy coupon clippers. I am training them well. LOL. But the problem with that is my crazy coupons are: in the dining room; on the fridge; in my wallet (there are more coupons there than cash actually); in the pockets of my purse; in my daughter’s room; on my computer and on my KOBO. Really, I tucked one into my Kobo sleeve. Sometimes they fall from my pockets and I feel like that little cartoon character PigPen on Charlie Brown. Sooo  Embarrassing. But then…

  • FASD - Health - special needs

    FASDOne Symposium

    March 23, 2011 - By 

     Fasd camp 2009 outside London, Ontario Many London parents, professionals and educators will head to Toronto tomorrow for the first ever province-wide symposium tackling a challenging disability gaining national attention. The FASDOne symposium began with a limit of 300 parents and professionals, but demand for the training and information being offered has been so great that organizers have had to cap attendance at 425 and turn people away. A large number of participants are from the London area, many are part of a local group of experts and professionals here called the FASD ELMO (Elgin London Middlesex Oxford) network. Health Minister and…

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    Virtual Politics Pre-Budget Consultations: Numbers Talk

    March 23, 2011 - By 

     Picture courtesy of Wiki Images  Love it or hate it – virtual politics is all about the numbers. 100,000 to be precise. This week Londoners took part in an experiment, a virtual telphone townhall that was part of Ontario’s pre-budget consultations. There have been several of these townhalls across the province and they began in February. Telephone townhalls have taken place in Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury and Kitchener already as well as a few other areas. Last week the consultation process took to Ottawa. The virtual stop in London was the most successful so far with 20,000 people…

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    Virtual Politics with a Side Dish of Social Media

    March 22, 2011 - By 

    A virtual townhall tour came to London Monday night and a whopping 20,000 local voters took part. The townhall run jointly with Health Minister Deb Matthews, Attorney General Chris Bentley, London MPP Khalil Ramal and the big cheese Ontario’s Liberal Finance Minister Dwight Duncan was a bit shaky at the start. This night was one of a series of stops throughout Ontario as the Liberal government tries something new – virtual politics with a side dish of social media. I was called on the weekend by Minister Matthews. I am a consituent and I often end up writing her or talking…

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    The Good, the Bad and the Not So Wonderful: Affiliates and Ads

    March 21, 2011 - By 

    I have been blogging now for close 18-20 months and I have learned a few tricks along the way. Some are easy to pass on and the results are quick. Like always be true to yourself and your voice. Readers love authenticity. Other lessons are a bit trial and error. Like how do you earn money on a blog? Well there are a few ideas out there and a few revenue streams. Some bloggers run ads and sell privately. For about one year I tried Project Wonderful, but that wasn’t really that lucrative for me so I cut my ties…