Homebodies - Teetering on the top rung?
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- Published on Saturday, March 3, 2018
Rita Friesen
Neepawa Banner & Press
For many years I felt like the filling of a sandwich- caring for those beneath me, children and such, and caring for those above me, parents. You know how you make a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich by heavily spreading the peanut butter on the bottom slice and the jelly on the top and then forcibly compressing the two? (yes, there is a correct way to make a pb and j sandwich!) I felt a lot like that compressed goo. First my mother passed away and then, ten years later- eleven plus years ago- my father died. Not only was I an orphan, I transferred from the filling to the upper crust in this sandwich of life.
My perspective - Of combines and code
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- Published on Thursday, March 1, 2018
Kate Jackman - Atkinson
Neepawa Banner & Press
What do a tractor and Microsoft Word have in common? A lot, if equipment manufacturers get their way. For close to a decade, automobile manufacturers have been governed by Right to Repair legislation. In Canada, this voluntary agreement came into effect in 2009 and requires manufacturers to make key software and training available to independent garages, which allows someone other than the dealership to access a vehicle’s software in order to diagnose and repair problems. Given the increasing level of computer control on modern vehicles, such access is required for almost all repairs. Automobile owners can also take it one step further, all vehicles must use the same data port, meaning owners can purchase inexpensive scanners to do their own diagnostics.
Right in the centre - Canada Post lowers service one more time
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- Published on Thursday, March 1, 2018
Ken Waddell
Neepawa Banner & Press
Canada’s newspaper industry and rural Canada has had a strained relationship with Canada Post for several decades. Canada Post has been involved in a self-inflicted downward spiral for a long time. They slipped a notch lower this month. Canada Post is reducing its services yet again to rural Canada. They have reduced the number of truck deliveries in and out of rural post offices and have drastically changed their schedules. Many post offices will get fewer deliveries and pick ups and while the reduced schedule is one factor, the change in schedule is disruptive to say the least. This paper delivers a large number of copies through the post office.
Read more: Right in the centre - Canada Post lowers service one more time
My perspective - Divided we fall
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- Published on Thursday, February 22, 2018
Kate Jackman - Atkinson
Neepawa Banner & Press
Left versus right, urban versus rural, new immigrants versus established Canadians, we are becoming an increasingly divided society. Along religious lines, political lines, age and gender, we are becoming increasingly polarized. While a relatively small group of publishers and news media used to keep the majority of Canadians on the same track, on the world-wide-web, fringe beliefs are now as easily accessible as ones commonly held. While the internet has put the world at our fingertips, by offering a myriad of viewpoints, it has also helped to divide us.
Right in the centre - About truth and really exchanging opinions
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- Published on Thursday, February 22, 2018
Ken Waddell
Neepawa Banner & Press
It is becoming more and more important to examine whatever we are told to determine if it is true or not. In all of history, it has been important to dissect information to determine if it is truth or fiction. However today, we are flooded with more information than has ever been available in the history of the world.
Take for example that the government is supposed to protect lives. That is a reasonable assumption and expectation. If that assumption is correct, then why can we not have a proper discussion about abortion. In 2010 there were 64,000 abortions in Canada but that doesn’t get included in the death rate for that year (240,000). Abortion doesn’t statistically qualify as a death. To listen to the pro-choice movement, we are not allowed to even question or discuss this huge loss of life. We must just close our eyes, close our minds and pretend it doesn’t happen and all will be good. Well, all is not good.
Read more: Right in the centre - About truth and really exchanging opinions
