Are Book Readers Becoming Extinct?

Reading for enjoyment

Many of us, in everyday life, spend a hefty proportion of our time reading. The reasons for this reading will vary from person to person. Mostly, though, it will either be for the purposes of keeping up with the news, or for work purposes. This is a perfectly good reason for reading, of course. There is, however, some sense of injustice in the fact that merely living is taking the element of fun out of something that we used to do almost entirely for pleasure. Reading a book just because we want to do so, as a simple pleasure, is something that disappointingly few of us are doing. There are numerous reasons for this, and they say a lot about how the meaner side of human nature has taken hold among many of us.

There is a sense among a sadly growing number of people that reading is simply something for the college kids and the wannabe intellectuals. Who reads for pleasure these days, people will seriously ask, when we have DVDs, cinemas and the TV for our entertainment? There is even an element of distrust shown towards those of us who like to read. It is a massive shame, but it seems that there is a tendency to dumb things down and to actually wear ignorance as a badge of honour. Just to clarify things, there is nothing shameful about cracking a book every once in a while and reading for fun. Don’t be concerned about people looking at you in a slightly dimmer way just because you enjoy the written word. It is something that gives life a bit of flavour. A good book can take you outside the confines of the everyday and turn free time into dream time.

Now, this is not an order to go out and read the classics. If you don’t like Shakespeare you don’t have to read him. If Dickens doesn’t do anything for you, don’t buy his books. It really isn’t about who you read, or even what you read. It’s about why. And the fact is that sometimes reading for pleasure can make a real difference. It relaxes you physically while at the same time exercising your mind. Even a fairly simple and pedestrian novel that won’t win any awards will keep your brain functioning at a higher level, exercise that it needs in order to keep operating at the level you are used to.

So, if you have a favourite childhood book that always used to make you laugh or smile, why not pick that up once more? If a friend is reading something that they deem excellent, ask if you can borrow it when they’ve finished with it. Reading just for the sake of pleasure is something that makes us richer as a people, and something that should survive the prospect of being sneered at. It really is good fun, and we should see it as such. Find a new favourite author and read as many books as you can find, and before too long you’ll be reading a couple of books a week!

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Simplepersonaldevelopment.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com site. This article originally published on the above website on June 14, 2009.

Investopedia, StumbleUpon, FeedBurner and Last.fm

Recent Internet Acquisitions

Recently numerous acquisitions took place online and some of these websites are very well-known. Let’s take a quick look at some of these deals – which are making big news.

Investopedia and StumbleUpon

Two famous websites are no longer Canadian. Although everyone knew these acquisitions were coming, it was not expected to occur so fast and in a row.

Edmonton based Investopedia founded in 1999 and draws roughly 2,500,000 monthly viewers. Investopedia provides financial education to investors. On April 11, 2007, media giant Forbes bought Investopedia. Terms and conditions of the sale were not disclosed. You can visit Investopedia by clicking here – Investopedia.

Calgary based StumbleUpon founded in 2001. StumbleUpon is something like but not exactly a search engine. It searches for sites based on user’s personal preferences and other user recommendations. This has been known as discovery search, which can be seen as next generation search. Currently StumbleUpon has more than 2.3 million registered users. On May 30, 2007, EBay bought StumbleUpon for $75 million cash. You can visit StumbleUpon by clicking here – StumbleUpon.

FeedBurner

The rumour that Google is buying FeedBurner has come to an end in May. How much Google paid for this deal is unknown but if you perform an Internet search by putting Google and FeedBurner, $100 million in search results will catch your eye.

It is not surprising that Google wants to enter the rapidly growing RSS Feed ad market. FeedBurner has gained so much popularity that it will be an easy access for Google into the RSS world. This is a very smart move and my guess would in the future, Google would want to buy sites like Technorati, Netvibes etc. We have to wait to see how many more sites Google acquire. You can visit FeedBurner by clicking here – FeedBurner.

Last.fm

If you like music, you would love last fm. Last.fm is an Internet radio, but wait, it is no ordinary Internet radio like you have tried before.

Last.fm keeps track of what you listen and based on your taste, it suggests you tracks and presents other users who are similar to your taste. This feature is very unique. I listen to New Age type of music and I know how hard it can be to keep track of all new albums and artists. If I was keeping track of my music all by myself, I would have never found some of the artists from different parts of the World. And now, I have a network of thousands of users like me to suggest albums and artists and i am sure music will never sound the same with Last.fm. There are lots of other features such as you can ask Last.fm not to play a track if you don’t like it or you can express your love for a track and each time Last.fm will make a note of your likings or dislikings and it filters out the worst to give you the best the next time. US media giant CBS Corporation bought Last.fm on May 30, 2007. You can visit last.fm by clicking here – Last.fm.

These sites attract massive traffic on a daily basis because users find these sites useful and beyond ordinary. When companies like EBay, Forbes and CBS buy any sites, definitely they have business on mind. While doing business, I hope these sites will still be useful and able to meet users’ expectations, like the way they have been.

Originally published on Friday, July 6, 2007 on www.adawn.net. I will be transferring all my articles from Canada’s Personal Finance Website. You will see articles from www.adawn.net being posted here once in a while. Thanks

Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Moorea; Heaven on Earth

Tahiti, Bora Bora, and Moorea

The world is full of beauty, and beautiful places are always attractive to tourists. There is probably no greater advertisement for a country’s tourist industry than a non-captioned picture showing beautiful scenery, unspoilt land and smiling faces. And perhaps more than any other region, the South Pacific has all of this in great quantities. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in Tahiti, the largest island in French Polynesia, and an attractive proposition for any sun-seeking tourist with an interest in living the relaxed life. If you had to put a visual picture to the word “holiday”, then perhaps the most immediate one would be one which corresponds very directly to what you will see in Tahiti – palm trees, sandy beaches, the whole nine yards.

In fact, Tahiti is a series of islands, and also the name of the larger island which makes up most of the landmass of the small French protectorate. The island of Tahiti, in fact, does not quite have the same beach lifestyle as the rest of the country, but what it does have is a lot of holiday resorts which feature the aesthetic beauty of the South Pacific in all its glory, along with the capital city, Papeete. Papeete makes for an excellent base from which to see the rest of Tahiti. Also on the main island are some volcanoes which form part of the breathtaking natural scenery of the area. Off the main island you will find, though, some of the most heartbreakingly beautiful scenery that you have ever seen.

Bora Bora is recognized as being among the most desirable locations for a honeymoon that the world has to offer. In the holiday resorts of Bora Bora you will find the immediately recognisable overwater bungalows, wooden huts raised on stilts over the lagoon which surrounds the island. These range from some very affordable accommodations which will suit the pocket of any visitor and serve perfectly well as a marvellous setting from which to see the area, to more luxurious bungalows which make for the ideal setting for a honeymoon. Anyone who could look at Bora Bora, its tropical lagoon, coral reef and the overwater bungalows and not want to visit, must surely have seen everything in their life.

Moorea is seen as the more exclusive sister island to Bora Bora, but is in truth not that much different to it. This is not to denigrate its charms, which are extensive and very clear to anyone who pays a visit. In fact, on Moorea the main selling point is that it is simply something different to Bora Bora – equally beautiful in a different way, with stunning views over any of its two gorgeous bays. The overwater bungalows are also present here, as are garden bungalows and apartments which are set among a relaxed atmosphere which would make not just honeymooning couples but also any casual traveler feel absolutely blissful. Beyond these two islands there are still others, making a package deal a worthwhile choice for anyone looking for a break in the sun.

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Travelnowsimply.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com site. This article originally published on the above website on Oct 11, 2009.

TFSA - No Need To Rush

TFSA or RRSP

First Published: December 10, 2008 ADawnJournal.com

Recently, an ADJ reader sent the following email:

Hi Dawn,
Been reading your blog for some time now and getting more and more interested in learning to handle my own finance.
I would like to know more details about the new Tax Free savings account and your take on this new thing and how we can use it best.
Thanks for your time!

Ms. ADJ Reader (Withholding name for privacy)

Today’s article is specially written for Ms. ADJ Reader and many other ADJ readers who are waiting eagerly to read ADJ article on TFSA.

What Is a Tax Free Savings Account?

TFSA is an account type where you can make contributions, grow your money (means you can earn interest or income), and take out money without paying any taxes.

Doesn’t It Sound Like an RRSP (Registered Retired Savings Plan)?

Kind of. However there are some major differences. Let’s look them one by one.

RRSP

TFSA

When you put money in an RRSP, you get tax slips to reduce your taxable income

contributions in a TFSA do not reduce your taxable income

When you take out money from an RRSP, you pay taxes on withdrawals and your withdrawal will be added to your income (it simply means you taxable income will be higher)

TFSA withdrawals are tax free

RRSP account has age limit (must be terminated by 71);

TFSA has no age limit

Once you put in money, your contribution room is used up. You will not be able to regain your contribution room back by taking out money

Amount withdrawn will create equal contribution room

Some TFSA Features

·   Canadians aged 18 and older can save up to $5000 a year.

·   Annual contribution limit will be indexed and will increase gradually.

·   Contributions will not be tax deductible but income and gains will not be taxed.

·   No taxes to pay when you withdraw money out of TFSA.

·   Income earned or withdrawals will not affect eligibility for Federal benefits such as Old Age Security, Canada Child Tax Credit, Guaranteed Income Supplement.

·   No taxes to pay when you withdraw money out of TFSA.

·   Unused room can be carried forward indefinitely.

·   TFSA account can hold same products like RRSP, such as GICs, stocks, mutual funds, and many more.

·   Upon death, your TFSA can be transferred to your spouse without tax implications.

·   Excess contributions will incur a monthly penalty tax of 1% – just like an RRSP.

TFSA Ideas

You have to be creative here. There are so many ways you can use a TFSA account. Here are some I can think of off the top of my head:

·   If you don’t have room in your RRSP account, use TFSA.

·   If you don’t have room in your RESP account, use TFSA.

·   Use TFSA for short-term savings.

·   Use TFSA for long-term savings.

·   Use TFSA to keep your emergency funds.

My Take

You should use TFSA to its full limits; however, I don’t see there is any need to rush. You will see bank ads and some personal finance blogs making it sound like you should jump into it right now – otherwise, you will miss the boat. This is simply not not the case. TFSA is not going anywhere and there is no need to rush. Take your time to draft your investment planning and strategies and then make full use of TFSA.

Toronto to Taipei - Eva Air Business Class | Travel Blog

Toronto to Taipei - Eva Air Business Class

 Toronto to Singapore via Taipei Nov 23, 2018

 Getting a boarding pass at the business counter at Toronto Pearson Airport Terminal 1 was a breeze. Eva Air business calls their business class Royal Business Class. There is no 1st class on this Boeing 777-300ER.

Plaza Premium Lounge

 The lounge Eva Air uses at Toronto Airport is the Plaza Premium lounge. The lounge is rather small and made up of only 2 sections. One is for dining and the other is for resting. Food selection was lacking.

 However, there is a shower facility, but you need to book first before using the shower. The overall lounge experience was not bad. Food tasted good and the lounge’s cleanliness was good as well, including the washroom.

 At the Gate

 I have noticed a lot of customers, mainly senior citizens, at the boarding area in both business- and economy-class lines. What struck me is that I have never seen this many senior citizens boarding on one plane before.

 My guess is that probably most of these senior citizens are leaving Canada to spend the winter in warm places in Asia and they will be back once winter is over. Toronto was very cold, reaching -20 on this date.

 Inside the Business Class Cabin

 Eva Air business class configuration is 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone layout. All lie-flat seats offer aisle access, so regardless of where you sit, you will have full aisle access. I chose a window on the left, so there was no one sitting next to me.

 The Amenity Kit

 The amenity kit provided 3Lab toiletries and there are 2 pouches. One is a smaller one made of leather-like material and the other one is made of fabric. Both of them look like high-quality products.

 Also, the sleeping set came with pajamas and a sleeping shirt.

 Food & Drinks

Food and drink selections were great. My main course was Lotus root and Shimeji Mushroom with Dan Zai Noodle. My dessert was fruit mango Charlotte Cake.

 After waking up from an hour sleep on the flat bed, my pre-breakfast was a beef burger with fries and coffee. My full breakfast was an Asparagus and Brie Omelette with Turkey sausage and Roesti potatoes.

 I don’t drink alcohol while flying, but for those who are interested, I picked some of the drinks available below.

 Champagne/Wine

 Veuve Clicquot La Geande Dame 2006 - Champagne

Comte de la Perriere-Silex 2017 AOC Sancerre - French White Wine

Chuteau Larmende 2011, Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux - French Red Wine

 Cocktails

 Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, Gin Martini, Aurora, Passion Island

 Spirits

 Kavakan Single Malt Whisky

Glenfiddich Reserve Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Royal Salute 21 Years Scotch Whiskey

 Liqueurs

 Campari

Khula

Baileys Urish Cream

 This is not the full list. I just picked the top 3-5 from the list.

 The Washroom

 The washrooms were extremely clean and well-maintained. I had a feeling that after each use, the attendants cleaned and made sure everything is in order. Each time I visited, I found it spotless and things in place.

 The washrooms had one time toothbrush & toothpaste, mouthwash, and other female necessities. There was lotion, hand wash, cologne, and face spray in containers as well and I found them always full and no after-use dripping signs.

 Entertainment System

 There were fairly recent movies and TV shows, I watched Mission Impossible Fallout. Eva Air does not provide free WiFi in business class like Turkish Airlines.

 Final Thoughts

 My flight had a night mode feature on the ceiling, creating stars in the night sky. It looked really good when all lights were out and I liked it a lot.

 My overall business class flight experience with Eva Air was pleasant and satisfactory. This is my first time flying EVA AIR and I am looking forward to my next flight from Taipei to Singapore.