Archive for August, 2007

Google Apps – A Review

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I have been using Google Apps Standard Edition for my small business e-mail and it has been a pretty good experience. For domain registration and DNS, I am using a company called Easy DNS, which I would recommend to any non-technical person who is considering setting up their own domain. The layout of the options is pretty straightforward, and their customer service is very helpful and knowledgeable.

I am no IT person, and I dislike instructions, but usually after several rounds of trial and error I can figure stuff out. Now
I can create up to 100 e-mail addresses on my own domain, with very little cost associated with it (just the registration fee and the DNS fee – I pay Google nothing).  It is amazing how much the average person can now do without running to an IT person for help (and I am sure the IT people are all happy about that ;) ).

2007
08/08
POSTED BY
Stefanie
CATEGORY
Reviews
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Toronto Real Estate and Bidding Wars

So – I have been looking for a condo or house for a few months now, but it is really crazy in the Toronto real estate market right now. I put in an offer on a townhouse in Parkdale which was selling at a reasonable price. There were six other offers and I ended up losing the bidding war to someone who paid significantly higher than the asking price.

I then saw this article about a house that went 605k above the asking price! There were 10 bidders on this property – one agent apparently brought in family pics in an attempt to sway the seller. It seems like people are really losing it!

But really, this hot market will not last forever, so losing this battle is not really losing the war. I read about a similar situation in California where people were paying 100k over the asking price, then selling for significantly less over five years later.

Plus the day after I lost the bidding battle (not war) an arsonist set a bunch of garbage cans on fire right in front of the house. Hah.

2007
08/02
POSTED BY
Stefanie
CATEGORY
Toronto
4 comments

I’m On the Run from the Killer B’s

B for Belief. B for Belonging. The B's that lead to most of the killing in the world. If you don't Belong among us, then you're our inferior, our enemy, or both. And you can't Belong among us if you don't Believe what we Believe. Maybe not even then, but it certainly helps. Our religion, our party, our tribe, our town, our school, our race. Believe. Belong. Behave. Or Be Damned.

Tom Robbins

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