Canada and United States Cellphone Plans Highest in the World

By Ihor Cap

Canada is the world’s most expensive place to own a cell phone, says the latest non-profit New America Foundation Open Technology Initiative (OTI) Report that compared minimum cost cell phone price plans on a per month basis in 11 countries. Canadians paid $67.50 on their pre-set minimum monthly plans. The remaining countries ranked as follows: the United States ($59.99), Finland ($40.10), Denmark ($39.00), South Korea ($36.20), Sweden ($34.05), United Kingdom ($32.40), and Taiwan ($23.74). Price plans are significantly lower in Japan (18.60), Hong Kong ($13.50), and India (12.90).

While most countries charge for outgoing calls only, cell phone users in Canada and the United States pay for both incoming and outgoing calls. “Cost structures and business models undoubtedly vary as a result of the level of competition and innovation in each country,” said the Open Technology Initiative report.

The OTI Report only confirms what well-travelled North Americans already know about cell phone use in other countries. There is a call for greater competition in the telecommunications industry. More companies outside the existing regional providers are fighting to get into the marketplace in order to drive prices down. However, that may not happen soon unless there is government intervention to nudge the process forward. Canadian and American regulating authorities are continuing to investigate the matter. A more recent CRTC cellphone survey of wireless prices in the G7 and Australia shows that little has changed in 2016.   

Author Information:
Ihor Cap is a web author and a dad. 

Complete Details of OTI Report here: https://www.newamerica.org/oti/policy-papers/an-international-comparison-of-cell-phone-plans-and-prices/
Complete details of the CRTC report can be found here: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/publications/reports/wall2015/rp150618.htm
About New America Foundation
The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States.
Image Attribution:
Attribution By Tim Parkinson [CC BY 2.0  (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Most Canadian Baby Boomers Plan to Trade in their “Castles” for Upscale “Pumpkins”

By Ihor Cap

Canadian baby boomers aged 44 to 64 who worked hard all their life in the hopes of acquiring that much believed American dream of owning a big home with a car in the garage upon retirement are now discovering that it may be just that, a dream. The reality is that four-in-five boomers plan to downsize their home, in order to save money (46%) or to enjoy certain luxuries (34%) upon retirement, says the TD Canada Trust Boomers Buyers Report. Most (75%) would like to pay off their mortgage before they retire but less than half of the boomers (44%) have managed to do so.
Fifty six percent of the baby boomers are still tied up with a mortgage. One-third (33%) of these boomers have paid off more than 60% of their existing mortgage whereas a quarter of the them have paid off less than 25% of their mortgage.
Preferred Housing after Retirement
Most boomers (61%) prefer to downsize to a detached home after retiring, citing gardening, a back yard and no condo fees as the major reasons for their preference. Another 24% prefer a condominium for better security, lower maintenance and access to such amenities as a pool and exercise room. At least half of the boomers say they will not move (49%) because of the hassle of moving (61%) or because they are already comfortable with the size of the home they are in (43%).
Some baby boomers already own vacation property (9%) and another 12% plan to purchase vacation property after retiring. At least 33% of the boomers are interested in purchasing property in the USA. The latter group is encouraged to consult with an expert about lending rules and taxes when considering such opportunities.
Author Information:
Ihor Cap is a Web Author and a Dad.
Image Attribution:
Attribution By Evan Swigart from Chicago, USA (Pumpkin 2) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Stevia, The Sweetest Botanical Phenomenon

By Ihor Cap
Historical background

The Guarani Indians knew it as “kaa-he-he” (meaning sweet herb). In the 1800s, Spanish historical documents chronicle its widespread use among Paraguay’s indigenous population of the Amambay Mountain region in South America. In 1905, the Italian botanist Moises Santiago Bertoni is credited for making it known to mainstream society. His “discovery” was technically named Stevia Rebaudiana Bertoni. The plant was harvested soon after and that is how the Stevia food industry got its start. German sugar producers were less than happy about this find, says a 1913 Hamburg laboratory report which examined the specimens of the now well-known Stevia plant. American Trade Commissioner George Brady learned of the possibilities of this plant in 1921, but it was the French chemists who in 1931 successfully extracted the white, crystalline compounds from this perennial herb and called these compounds steviosides. The Japanese had done intense research with steviosides in the 1960s. By 1990, Japan captured at least 40% of the worldwide market on steviosides use. The Japanese use steviosides to sweeten many food products such as bread, candies, ice cream, and soft drinks. Steviosides use was initially banned by the FDA in the USA in 1991 but that ban was unjustified and it was lifted 3 years later. In 2008, stevia was granted Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status by the US Food and Drug Administration. On September 18, 2009, Canada revised its guidelines for the use of Stevia in Natural Health Products identifying specific dosage limits in medicinal ingredients and approving it for non-medicinal ingredients as a sweetener or flavour enhancer.
The Botanical phenomenon
So what is the phenomenon you might ask? Well, centuries of stevia use and modern research have not shown any adverse or negative effects such as the health risks posed by the artificial sweeteners saccharin and aspartame. In its natural raw form, stevia is known to contain over 100 phytonutrients. It is non-toxic, has next to zero-calories and carbohydrates with a zero- glycaemic index rating. Unlike sugar, it does not promote tooth decay. Centuries ago it was used in tea-like beverages and medicinal potions or was chewed for its refreshing qualities. Today, this highly concentrated extract is certified safe to USDA standards in liquid and powder form for use as a dietary supplement that anyone can enjoy. One drop is said to be 150 to 400 times sweeter than sugar depending on how the plant was prepared. It has many other touted general health benefits that are applicable to one’s general health and diet such as improving cold and flu recovery time or curbing tobacco and alcohol addiction. In cosmetology, it has post-operative healing purposes and facial mask applications. For most of us who are inclined to just lose weight or lower our sugar levels fast, look into Stevia. Ask for it at your local food store today.
About the Author:
Ihor Cap is a Web Author and Dad. 
Learn More About Stevia on The Following Web Sites
Stevia, in Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia
Stevia Canada , http://www.steviacanada.com/about.html
Natural Products Market Place, http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/articles/2010/07/sweet-on-stevia.aspx  
HEALTH BENEFITS OF STEVIA http://reid_j.tripod.comstevia.htm

Image Attribution:
By Ethel Aardvark (Own work) [CC BY 3.0  (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons