DEADBEAT DAD IN THE DOGHOUSE

 Dusty's Digital Digest | Law

This is one of those stories you hear about all the time, a couple splits and it's the little ones that suffer. When the Father in this case stopped paying support and following their joint custody agreement the Mother had no other choice but to call her lawyer.

Here is a transcript of the interview I had with the Mother last Monday at her Oshawa apartment. *As there is currently an open court battle we have been asked to refrain from using names. Therefore, we have inserted Mother, Father, and Little Guy to comply with the court's privacy act.*

It was a pretty amicable break up. There was no fighting, no bitterness. Even when it came to making up an agreement on what we were going to do with the little guy, which we had adopted a couple of years earlier, there were no problems. We had agreed I would remain the full time caregiver and Father would take him every second weekend. We agreed that Father would pay for half the bills as well. And, this arrangement worked great. Father would show up Friday night and keep Little Guy busy for the next two days. They would go to the park, meet up with other Little Guys, and just enjoy time together. Sunday night Little Guy would come home, usually hyped up because of some treat Father had given him, but, it was ok because Little Guy was happy.
This arrangement also gave me a chance to have some much needed downtime to recharge. You cannot imagine how draining it is to be the only caregiver in a house. It was so nice for me to have a chance to clean up the yard and keep it clear for at least one day.
After about six months Father started missing weekends, claiming he had to work or was going to be out of town. The weekends he did take Little Guy were different. Little Guy would come home earlier on Sunday looking unenthused and bored. It turned out Father was not taking him to the park and instead spending hours lying around watching TV.
Then one Sunday it all blew up! Little Guy came home smelling like smoke. I picked him up, sniffed his fur, and demanded to know why our little doggie smelled like a cigarette! Father finally admitted that he was in a new relationship with a woman who smoked.
I won't repeat the expletives I said after that, but, I will say it was nasty. We had turned into that arguing divorced couple that we never thought we would.
But after I tell you what I learned you'll understand why I took the bastard to court.
Turns out Little Guy's lackluster behaviour was a direct result of this new girlfriend. Turns out She [new girlfriend] doesn't like the off leash parks, although that is apparently where Father and her met. So, what used to be Father and Little Guy's routine of spending Saturday mornings at the off leash park was now a thing of the past. Instead, Saturday is the day She likes to go shopping...without the dogs, of course. Oh, that is another thing. She adopted a new dog of her own recently, which she believes is far superior to our 'mutt' as she apparently calls him. Anyway, now She is putting pressure on Father to accept Her fur-babies as his, which means Father doesn't have the time or money for Little Guy anymore!
Our agreement was every second weekend and money to support basic things like food, water, clothes, lessons, and a hair and nail clip every three months. I didn't even force him to pay the vet fees! He should be happy about that.
Without this support I've had to move down to a lower grade food for Little Guy. It's just not right. Which is why I went to see my lawyer.

The case is working its way through the family courts, but, as with other similar cases it is taking longer than it should. The system is badly underfunded for the number of cases it deals with on a daily basis. It seems to me like this deadbeat doggy Daddy is getting off pretty easy. In the meantime, Little Guy is living on low grade food and wearing last years winter coat.

DUSTY | Oshawa | 9:15am

TRAVELS TO THE PREMIUM OUTLET

CONTRASTING WORLDS

Clark's Travels | Dusty's Digest Travel Page | September 2013

The idea of buying hundreds of acres of cheap land in the middle of nowhere and building a giant vacation destination is not a new one, Disney did it back in the day when they built that place of theirs in Florida. I guess with the idea: 'if you build it, they will come'?
Well, they do come. By the thousands. Everyday. And, I ain't talking about Disney. No, I mean these 'Premium Outlet' malls that are popping up all over the country. I can't go a week, it seems, without someone I know asking me if I've been to one of these places. Being a well traveled man, I've been to Budapest I'll remind you, I felt I needed to visit one of these places just to say I'd been there. Need to keep my street cred. Imagine, a Travel Journalist like myself, never having been to Paris, or Rome, or Cleveland. Nope, not acceptable. With that I made my way to Boone's Corners, the nearest Premium Outlet, about fifteen miles north of a the tiny farming town of Norwich, Ohio.
I veered off the interstate, followed the enormous 'This Way for Shopping' sign, and found myself on a very rural, and ill maintained, country road. Other than the long line of cars in front of me there was very little sign of humanity. The odd farmhouse, trailer, or garage advertising 'ammo 4 sale', were few and far between leaving me staring out at huge tracts of land growing corn and radishes. After about twenty minutes of mind lulling country road driving I saw something. Something big and green broke over the oncoming hill. It was like Emerald City! A glowing, shining, high walled...and most unnatural looking thing...rose up out of the radish fields in stark contrast to the landscape around it.
I soon found myself at the entrance where a big red traffic light blocked my path. On my left was a field sparsely populated with those black and white cows and on my right was a manicured garden and a freshly paved parking lot. As I turned in, I was gobsmacked by the sheer number of people. Having driven miles and miles without seeing a single face, to now seeing masses of crowding shoppers was a bit of a shock to my psyche. My mind found it hard to accept and I was feeling a bit confused. In addition, when I did parked the car and opened the door, that first blast of 'fresh' air did not match what I was seeing around me. My view was 360 degrees of store front, freshly paved and painted parking lot, and the countless people. But, my smeller was painting a picture of cow manure in my mind. It took a second for it all to catch up and the math to work out. Place self in middle of nowhere surrounded by farm fields = smell of manure.
A few hours later I was back to feeling like my normal traveling self. The travel journalist in me had taken over and I was madly writing observations on the architecture, the people, the atmosphere. Even though the location was classic mid-farm USA, my notes told a different story. One of a busy marketplace with wares from all over the globe. Purses from Italy. Clothing from South Asia. Kitchenware from Central Europe. The lack of American made products had me feeling like I was in another part of the world. Even the dining took me away to another place. I tried a restaurant called Olive Garden. Once inside it was like I was transported to a tiny village in Tuscany. They even poured me a glass of wine, on the house. They must have recognized me as a semi-famous travel journalist and were hoping for a good review. Well, they will get it. The ravioli with spinach tasted just as authentic as the food I indulged in when I traveled through Italy.
After my meal I took in the cooling air, sat on a cement flower pot, and just watched the people. The hustle and bustle of the crowd made me feel invigorated, made me want to jump into the current and ride the wave to the next attraction. There was a carnival feel, an amusement park atmosphere, an energetic pulse. If it were not for the name brand shopping bags everyone was weighed down with you would swear to your God that this place was a busy marketplace in some European country. It felt like a world class vacation destination. I found myself expecting to see time share condos and high rise hotels just outside the Outlet's property, instead of the corn and cows.
These Premium Outlets are really something to experience. The contrasting worlds, side by side, are something to behold at least once in your life. The impression it left with me was memorable enough to recommend that everyone put one of these trips on their top ten vacation destination lists. The good part is you do not have to travel half the world over to experience this - it is right in your backyard.

Ciao, Clark!

UPSCALE CHEQUE CASHING CASH ADVANCE BOUTIQUE

PAYDAY LOAN - SWISS STYLE

Dusty's Digital Digest | Business Pages

The payday loan industry has come under a lot of criticism lately for taking advantage of a vulnerable section of society by charging extremely high, some argue illegally high, rate of interest. But, one new business owner Sigrid Schultz wants to change this. A new immigrant to Canada, Brampton to be exact, from Switzerland, Siggy (as he refers to himself) brings years of experience in the Swiss style of banking which he has transposed onto his new financial 'payday loan' business. He wants to transform the image of a sleazy run down neon lit shop serving poverty stricken individuals to more of a traditional discreet, elegant, rich looking establishment similar to the banks in his homeland of Switzerland. He makes a good point that the fees and interest rates charged justify such a look.
So, I took a trip down to the stately looking store front on Dundas Street to chat with Siggy about his new venture.

Why here and why now?
Canada is far behind in the financial world, especially in the payday loan market. There appears to be only one choice for those looking for a payday loan, the discount store. The market for high end payday loans is untouched, is unserved. Every other industry has multiple levels of quality, why not the payday loan market? It was time for someone, it just happened to be me, to come in and provide a high quality service and product.

What makes you think this will work?
I don't mean any disrespect by my Swiss bluntness here, but, have you looked into the profit margins in this industry? Some products are reaching 300% interest rates! That is unheard of in any developed country, especially in a legal business. You hear of the underground market full of loan sharks, I believe you call them here, and big men sent to break an arm charging this high of interest rates. So I think, why not take the legal route and do the payday loan business?

What will set you apart from these 'discount' payday loan firms?
That is an easy one Dusty - Service, style, and complimentary beverages. Service will be upmost. I want to replicate the style found in Switzerland. One where you know your banker, and trust your banker, more than their wife. That was a joke. One of upmost discretion as well. Our look will also be important. I know I would not sleep at night if the banker dealing with my money was not wearing at least a three piece Armani suit back when I lived in Europe. Even our overdue bill collectors will be required to wear a jacket, no synthetics either. Lastly we will bring the Swiss tradition of having a drink when dealing with money; espresso, cappuccino, champagne will all be offered.

I wished Siggy 'goodluck', finished my espresso, and made my way out the door. On my way out I did hear positive comments from the many patrons coming and going. One gentleman was coming in for his third meeting, and glass of champagne, of the day. It was only ten in the morning. If Siggy's shop attracts customers at this rate there is a 300% guarantee it will be successful for many years to come.

Dusty | GTA | 12:35 pm

THE HOSTA - ONTARIO'S NEW PROVINCIAL FLOWER?

DO YOU GROW HOSTAS?

Dusty's Digital Digest Gardening Page | September 2013

Hosta

You may have something funky growing in your garden right now! 'Funkia', or more commonly known as Hosta is a plant that even non-gardeners will know. A recent survey of Ontario households showed that a whopping 92.7% of respondents have, or had at one time, Hostas growing in their garden - which is no surprise to one North York resident, Louise Blyn-McMaster.
Louise is gathering signatures by the hundreds to petition the Ontario government to change the official provincial flower from the Trillium to the Hosta. This may sound ludicrous, as the Hosta is not even native to Ontario, but, she does bring up some good arguments in favour of the change. Being both trained in botany and working for the province's land survey ministry she has a very unique perspective on the current plant situation. Her research has shown that as more and more of the countryside is being developed, urbanize, sub-urbanized, which is causing the local flora to be replaced with its domesticated cousins. Trilliums are being replaced by Hostas at an alarming rate.

Trilliums in their ideal habitat

Louise, although a lover of the Trillium, is of the view that we need to move with the times and embrace the new 'plantscape', as she calls it. She argues that Ontario is not the wild mature forests (the ideal growing grounds of Trilliums) that it used to be, but, it is now an urban sprawl of close cut lawns and Hosta filled gardens. As well, the make up of Ontario's human population is changing. Where once almost everyone was a White Anglo Saxon, that is not the case anymore. What would be more fitting, Blyn-Master argues, than having the official flower be an imported plant? And she is not the only one who believes this. Thousands of virtual signatures adorn her online petition and are increasing daily.
Blyn-Master's campaign has almost reached enough signature to take some action and when it does she plans on having her Member of Provincal Parliament make an official motion in the legislature.

Add your opinion to this growing debate - comment below.

COUNTRY'S QUIETEST TOWN

THIS TOWN IS AS QUIET AS A MOUSE

Dusty's Digest | September 2013

Silver Creek is a probably a place you've never heard, or heard of, seeing as it is remote, tiny, and the self proclaimed 'Quietest town in Canada'. Their claim to fame, the lack of noise, was put into place about a decade ago when the Town Council passed a noise bylaw, essentially adding a curfew on loud noises. Since that time six additional amendments have been added making this the strictest noise bylaw in the land.
This is not such a bad thing most residents say. They enjoy their quiet. Many claim the lack of 'noise pollution' has made them healthier and less prone to everything from colds to cancer. There has not been a study conducted to confirm this claim, but, ask anyone living in Silver Creek and they will confirm it.
With this broad support, the newly elected Council Chair Eve Adams, has put forth a proposal to further restrict noise. Her proposal is massive in scale and cost in relation to the village's small size and some have argued it may even be unlawful. Even with these doubts her P&Q (Peace and Quiet) plan has passed the first round of voting with an 8 to 1 majority. First order of business is to put up signs on the edge of town.
As you drive into this picturesque village you will see the "Silver Creek Welcomes You!" sign, and right below that a sign listing certain vehicles that are not allowed to enter the town due to the sound restrictions. It is an extensive listing containing such things as Motor Cycles, ATVs, Snow Mobiles, Vehicles containing 'sub woofers', Riding Lawn Mowers, Tractor Trailers, Hover Craft, even Vehicles with Sirens. Council Chair Adams has sketched out a plan to build a roundabout road that will circumvent the town to allow these offending vehicles to continue down the highway and avoid the streets of Silver Creek.
All bells, from the church tower right down to the bells on the children's bicycles will be disabled. Whistles of all varieties, including the local hockey referee's, will no longer be blown. The upcoming Great Big Sea concert has been relocated to a neighboring town. There is even a request for a study into the feasibility of year round slipper wearing. In addition all resident's must install mufflers on their lawn mowers and refrain from using loud equipment such as chainsaws and jackhammers.
The only section of her proposal that is not receiving massive support is the plan to run a laser light show on Canada Day in place of the traditional fireworks display.
One outspoken critic, the owner of a local ice cream truck, has filed a complaint on the grounds that this bill will devastate the local economy, citing his business as the prime example. His house is currently for sale and he plans on leaving the community in search of a noise friendly city that will allow him the right to tingle his bells to sell his ice cream.
But, by and large, the people of Silver Creek like their peace and quiet and will most likely allow this plan to go through without a peep.

LIGHTBULB IDEA

THERE IS A LIGHTBULB ABOVE THIS GUY'S HEAD

DUSTY DIGEST | SEPTEMBER 2013

This new business could revolutionize the way we see the light.

Bob Sullivan had the bright idea to start providing his community with a service that had gone unfilled since the dark ages - changing lightbulbs. With an average of thirty two lightbulbs per household lasting between two to five years a piece, there are a lot of lights that need to be changed. As with most things in modern society we are outsourcing, finding a pro to do our dirty work. And, that is where Bob comes in. He's found a niche where he can fulfill his passion and make people's lives just a little bit brighter at the same time.
I sat down with Bob to chat, let him shine a little light on this complicated subject.


What made you think changing a few lightbulbs could turn into a business?
Well, Dusty, I had one of those life changing experiences a couple years back. Walked into my elderly Grandmother's home to find her sitting, alone, in the dark. Turns out her lightbulbs had blown and she couldn't reach up to replace them. That got me thinking, how many other elderly folk are out there sitting in the dark? For that matter, how many other people are out there who lack the knowledge and expertise to change a lightbulb? How about those that just don't have the time to go out and get a new bulb, take the old one out, and screw the new one in. I'm thinking busy business  people or single mothers with a gaggle of kids to look after. There are lots of people out there that need my help.
You know those jokes that start out, how many whatever does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Well, in some cases nobody can screw in the lightbulb. And, I personally find that sad. Made me want to help.

What kind of services do you provide?
I offer a variety of plans, as I call them. Your basic plan, the bread and butter of my business, I'll come through your house on a monthly basis, check every lightbulb and replace the ones that need replacing. The Deluxe plan is where I come more often, every day or two, and again, go through the house checking for burnt out bulbs. Oh, and the Deluxe plan includes those specialty bulbs. What I mean by that is the bulbs in your oven, in the dryer, any outside lighting. I also do a Christmas special, where I'll come in and check your tree and your outdoor string of lights, that type of thing.
With every plan I do an initial consult with the client, going over the different options of bulbs. I have to point out here, the feedback I've gotten on this is amazing. If you've ever gone and looked down the lightbulb aisle at the Home Depot you'll know the massive variety of bulbs out there is, for some, overwhelming. You have the choice of incandescent, CFLs, flourescent, big, medium, small, dim, blue light, sun ray, soft. You can see by my examples that modern lightbulbs are not as simple as they used to be. In many cases you do need a pro, like me, to help guide you through all of the choices.

I read you offer a 24 hour emergency service. What exactly does that entail?
You can call me anytime, I mean anytime, and I'll rush over and change a bulb. This happens a lot at night. You'll be sitting there reading and all the sudden the light goes out. Well, what do you do? Call me. I'll bring over my van, full of every type of bulb you'd ever need, and I bring the lights back on.

Do you get many emergency calls?
You'd be surprised Dusty. Seems that if a light is going to go, it'll go when you need it - at night! I've had a few sleepless nights, I can tell ya. But, it's worth it. When you save someone's night like that, see the look on their face, it's worthwhile.

Future Plans?
I'm planning on hiring an employee in the near future. It's tough though, it takes a certain person to be able to really shine. You need to have a bright personality, extensive knowledge of lightbulbs, and it doesn't hurt if you are tall.
I'm also putting together a back to school package aimed at the parents of College and University kids. I know if my child were away, living on their own for the first time, it would be nice to have the piece of mind that someone is looking out for their lighting needs. Especially, if you have one of those kids that sleep the daylight hours away.

As the lightbulb industry becomes ever more complicated we will be in need of people like Bob.

For more info see Bob's website