Rumours and things

There is no question that the price of groceries has risen and in the future it is going to cost more to eat because of the bad weather and the terrible crops.

The smart shopper is using the flyers that come out every weekend so that they can compare before they hit the grocery-buying route. The head to head fight over customers by Real Canadian Superstore and Walmart is a godsend for those on strict budgets, but there are specials everywhere that should be taken advantage of.

There is only so much the grocer can absorb as rising costs hit them as well. Whether its five, ten or twenty cents added to an item because of the cost of raw product, it all adds up.

What was the price last time you purchased a certain item because you now save $1 on that particular item because you have a loyalty card? So the clerk can inform you that today you saved $4.34 on your grocery bill. But how true is that really? Don’t forget who controls the price.

Shop well, use a list and don’t stray from the list unless you have to.

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No full name, date of birth or gender on your airline reservation? Then no boarding pass, according to a security rule that will soon go into effect in the United States.

The final phase of the Transportation Security Administration's Secure Flight program requires airlines to collect complete information from passengers at the time they book their flights. Passengers who do not enter all information at least 72 hours prior to departure will not be able to print out boarding passes. Instead, they will need to provide the information at the airline counter before a pass is issued.

The rule applies to all travel commencing Nov. 1 on all flights on domestic airlines international carriers are expected to be on board by the end of the year.

The regulation is designed to aid TSA in vetting travellers against government watch lists.

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The Comfort Suites located on Highway 97 North, has received a 2010 APEX Award as the ‘Best New Entry’ by Choice Hotels Canada.

“The Best New Entry award sets the tone for new hotels entering the system,” says Tim Oldfield, managing director, Choice Hotels Canada. “The property that receives this honor not only exceeds our expectations, but has gone above and beyond in the area of guest satisfaction. We’re proud of the hard work and dedication of general manager, Carla Carlson and her entire team.”

Locally owned, The Braemar group is thrilled with the news of Kelowna’s newest hotel! The Rod Hazard family also owns the new Best Western Wine Country Hotel & Suites in West Kelowna.

Developed and used by Choice Hotels International, 2010 marks the second year the APEX awards have been handed out in Canada. APEX Awards (Award for Property Excellence) recognize top-performing hotels based on service and performance rankings. The ‘Best New Entry’ award is designed to recognize a new property in its first year of operation for achieving high scores on post-stay guest surveys, third-party quality assurance audits, and their commitment to Choice Hotels Canada’s standards and programs.

The Comfort Suites features 83 guestrooms and offers guests’ free breakfast, free high-speed wireless Internet, 24-hour access to the on-site fitness and business centers and a relaxing pool area complete with a 40-foot water slide and hot tub.

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A good portion of Canadian workers are unhappy with their jobs and likely to test the market for other options, according to a study released Tuesday.

A survey by Ipsos Reid showed 27 per cent of respondents plan to seek a new position within the next six months. For companies that have implemented a wage freeze, the proportion rises to 34 per cent.

The report said that following the recession that brought staff cutbacks and little or no pay raises, many employees feel they're being asked to work too hard for not enough money.

Greg Leach, the study's author, said workers are disappointed that their employers haven't provided much in the way of higher pay or lighter workloads, even though the recession is technically over.

The Ipsos Reid survey was taken last month of 668 workers across the country. It is considered accurate within 3.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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One of the truly great writers of our time is Jack Whyte who lives and golfs and gets in a little writing while living in Kelowna. He is known all over the world for his creative stories and he has just begun his first book in The Guardians Trilogy with The Forest Laird, a tale of William Wallace.

Let me quote the piece from the new series:

“In the pre-dawn hours of August 24, 1305 a.d., in London's Smithfield Prison, the outlaw William Wallace, who is to be executed at dawn, is visited by a Scottish priest who has come to hear his last Confession. So begins The Forest Laird, the first book in Jack Whyte's masterful new trilogy. Wallace's story leads us through his many lives-as an outlaw and a fugitive, a hero and a patriot, a rebel and a kingmaker. He is the first heroic figure from the Scottish Wars of Independence brought blazingly to life in Jack Whyte's new trilogy, the Guardians, and will be followed by his two compatriots Robert the Bruce, King of Scots and Sir James Douglas, known as The Black Douglas. Their exploits and escapades, desperate struggles and medieval savagery, high ideals and fierce patriotism are the stuff of legends, and the soul and substance of these epic novels.”

Jack‘s novels have sold over one million copies in Canada alone as well as all over the world. He has fans waiting for his next work. He is a great guy and a prolific author.