Precedent Magazine Winter 2011: feature

Precedent Winter 2011 coverIn November, Precedent Magazine asked me to put together a guide to explain the Law Society of Upper Canada’s mandatory continuing professional development program to young lawyers. Though the CPD rules had come into effect at the beginning of 2011, many lawyers were still a bit hazy on how to get their hours, and what requirements they had to meet.

The story came to fruition in 3 parts: Choose your own adventure explained which types of credits lawyers required to complete their CPD requirements, depending on their year of call to the bar; The best of 2012 collected the top CPD opportunities for 2012, from foodie fun courses to the intensive “all your credits in one go” courses; and the web exclusive Get your 2011 hours now! showed how procrastinators who left getting their CPD until the last weeks of the year could complete their requirements to avoid suspension.

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PROFIT Magazine November 2011 feature

When Brian Lindy learned that U.S. retail conglomerate The TJX Companies was launching a Canadian version of its HomeGoods chain a decade ago, he didn’t wait for the big, bad Americans to take a bite out of his business before biting back.

Lindy, president of Stokes Inc., a Mount Royal, Que.-based kitchen and tablewares chain, sent a team south to study HomeGoods’ product selection, prices, quality and, even, its suppliers. He used the information gleaned to move away from suppliers that worked with HomeGoods so Stokes could sell a unique product and avoid competing on price with the discount giant, whose Canadian outlets operate under the HomeSense banner.

Ten years on, Lindy has added 30 Stokes locations to the 100 in operation before HomeSense arrived, and he sees the challenge as an asset: “It actually made us stronger, because it encouraged us to start developing our own in-house brand, which today represents 70% of our sales.”

Another wave of U.S. retailers is marching north, among them J.Crew, Crate & Barrel and Target, the last of which plans to open its first Canadian outlets in 2013. If increasing competition from such well-known and respected U.S. brands aren’t enough for Canada’s retailers to worry about, there are also the issues of falling consumer confidence, high consumer debt and a dwindling supply of retail real estate that’s pushing up the rent. (We won’t dare mention the other R-word.)

Read the rest on PROFIT’s website.

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Sights Unseen on VoicePrint today @ noon

An audio version of my 10 minute documentary Sights Unseen will air on VoicePrint today, accompanied by an interview with me by fellow j-school survivor Nick Logan. You can find your local channel or listen online at voiceprint.ca.

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This Magazine November-December 2010 contribution

A review of Jeff Miller’s book Ghost Pine, a collection of stories from the ‘zine by the same name. Click for a full sized version.

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Triangle Healthy Vending and iContact Team Up

Triange Healthy Vending logoRALEIGH, NC – Nov. 10, 2010 — Triangle Healthy Vending, a locally owned independent healthy vending business servicing the North Carolina Triangle, is pleased to announce a new partnership with iContact, an industry-leading email marketing software company and certified B Corporation based in Morrisville, NC.

“Our goals really match up,” says founder Marc Dewalle. “I started Triangle Healthy Vending to offer an alternative to snacks and drinks loaded with high fructose corn syrup and artificial additives. iContact is committed to offering an extraordinary work environment and helping their employees stay healthy. It’s a win for everyone.”

“At the beginning, my plan was only to offer snacks I’d be happy to give to my own kids, and I was worried it would be hard to find great tasting products that are healthy too. When we started the search we were amazed at how many tasty, healthy and affordable natural snacks were on the market,” says Dewalle.

Triangle Healthy Vending carries only products free of preservatives, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup and artificial favors and colors. Brands include CLIF, Stacy’s, Late July, Nature Valley, Silk, Hansen’s and many more great tasting snacks and drinks.

Dewalle’s machines are perfect for spots where you might need a snack, but shouldn’t see a sugar fueled vending machine, like schools, doctor’s offices, hospitals and health clubs.

“We want to offer an alternative to ‘traditional’ vending machines because we know the tide is turning. People are more concerned about the additives in their food, their family’s health and obesity than ever before. I see this as just one way we can make a difference in our community,” Dewalle says.

Aside from it’s commitment to championing health and fighting obesity, Triangle Healthy Vending offers customer service that is unparalleled. Everything Dewalle and his team do is oriented to make the customer’s life easier. You provide the space, and Triangle Health Vending will take care of the rest. Whether it’s catered snacks at meetings or school functions, or modern, energy efficient vending machines for your office, lunch room or school. Triangle Healthy Vending will even provide delicious samples to help you decide what to stock in your machine.

About Triangle Healthy Vending

The largest provider of healthy vending services in central North Carolina, Triangle Healthy Vending offers nutrition based vending services to offices, hospitals, schools and other locations.  Learn more about the delicious and healthy snacks and drinks Triangle Healthy Vending offers at healthy vending products.

For media inquiries, contact Marc Dewalle, marc@trianglehealthyvending.com 919- 638-1267.

Visit us on Twitter @TriangleHealthy, and our Facebook Fan Page.

About iContact

With more than 65,000 customers, iContact provides email marketing for small to mid-sized businesses and non-profits. iContact allows for easy creation of email newsletters, surveys and autoresponders. Market leaders like Vonage, International Paper, LG Electronics, and ReMax use iContact to build stronger relationships with their customers and prospects at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing methods.

iContact, designed for the small business market, is available at www.iContact.com; iContactPlus, a suite of custom and managed services designed for mid-sized organizations, is available at www.iContactPlus.com.  Learn more about iContact’s commitment to corporate responsibility at www.bcorporation.net/icontact.

For media inquiries, contact Monica Sims, media@icontact.com or 919.957.6125.

Visit us on Twitter @iContactCorp, iContact Linkedin Group, and our Facebook Fan Page.

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Look Home – Design Annual 2010

Click for full size version.

Reviews of eco-friendly products you can use to green your home. Click on the image for full size version.

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Customize Your Own Inspirational Jewelry at Tees for Change

inspirational jewelryA press release for inspirational apparel company Tees For Change about their new line of jewelry.

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This Magazine August-September 2010 contributions

Psychological Warfare A review of Bitter Medicine - Kim Hart Macneill

A review of the graphic novel Bitter Medicine by Clem and Olivier Martini. Click on the image for a full sized version.

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Living in Montreal – Travel Article

Montreal vista

Earlier this year the editor of Living In Canada, a website for those interested in emigrating, asked me to write their Montreal section.

It was a very fast way to learn everything there is to know about Montreal that fits in under 3,000 words, and I hope a nice intro to the city. It’s also my first piece of travel writing. Read my contribution to Living In Canada here.

[Photo by: Diliff. Use under Creative Commons Licence 3.0]

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Save Money and the Environment with a WSE Technologies Solar Pool Heater

solar pool

(Saskatoon, SK, June 3, 2010) Many Canadians use their pool only two months of the year because they fear high energy bills. A solar-powered swimming pool heater from WSE Technologies can extend your swimsuit season to 6 months, while saving money and the environment.

“WSE47 Solar Pool Heating gives you bragging rights that you are doing your part to save the environment and putting money in your pocket,” says WSE Technologies owner Bill Elliot.

The WSE47 is different from other solar panels. Its round tubes are optimized to catch more sun than regular flat collectors, making the panels smaller and easier to place on or near your home. Each tube contains two layers of vacuum sealed glass, allowing your panels to gather energy on cloudy days, and retain energy even at night.

A solar-powered heater from WSE Technologies costs only pennies a day to heat your pool. Compare that to $1.50 per day using conventional electricity. Each panel will save approximately $6,000 in energy costs over its 25 year life. That!s not bad for a $400 investment. Conventional electricity isn’t just expensive, it also has a negative impact on our environment.

Using solar power to heat your pool can reduce your carbon emissions up to 27,000 tons over the life of your panels. That’s like recycling 9,000 pounds of garbage!

Your pool isn!t the only part of your home that needs heat. Don’t just cover your panels for the winter and wait for spring. You can use them to heat your home or garage during the cold Canadian winter. WSE Technologies will even help you set it up.

About WSE Technologies:

Started in 2008, Saskatoon based WSE Technologies supplies environmentally friendly power solutions to customers across Canada. WSE stands for Winning with Solar Energy, and so does owner Bill Elliot. He started working with green power solutions more than 30 years ago, and has his own solar-powered cabin in Northern Saskatchewan. Whether your needs are home or business based, the knowledgeable staff of WSE Technologies can help you find the right solution at the best price.

For more information on the WSE47 or WSE Technologies please visit www.wsetech.com. For interview requests please contact Bill Elliot at 1-306-221-8549, or by email bill@wsetech.com. A range of photos are available.

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