TT Pensioners owed millions

Is our state-sector reducing its retirees to begging?

If you  work for Petrotrin, or anywhere in the public sector, here’s something for you to worry about: over 200 retirees of the state-owned oil company have been reduced to begging the company for outstanding pension monies. Should you be disturbed? Well, Petrotrin seems to have developed a culture of treating its retirees with contempt. What is worse, the state enterprise is not alone! There is evidence to suggest that thousands of former state-sector employees are receiving incorrect pensions.
Over the years, large numbers of the energy giant’s retirees have been trying, in vain, to have the company look into the issue of incorrect and miscalculated pension payments. Some of them have died trying to obtain monies owing to them. Among those that remain, some of them have been made to endure serious hardships as the cost of living continues to rise steadily, making survival harder than ever for these men and women who served their country in what is considered a “strategic industry.”

Under one of the company’s pension plans, the retirees were promised a four percent increase in their pensions every three years after assessments conducted by an actuary and negotiations between the respective parties. But Petrotrin officials have not been living up to their end of that agreement, resulting in untold hardship for many seniors.

According to one retiree, Frankie Mc Guire, representatives of the Oilfield workers Trade Union (OWTU) have made numerous attempts to meet with Petrotrin officials to discuss the proposed increases, but all scheduled meetings have been postponed by Petrotrin with no explanation from the company.

The retirees are now accusing the company of resorting to open victimization as they press on in getting what belongs to them: Last year’s dismissal of OWTU Trinmar Branch President Ernesto Kesar has been cited as one example of the company’s new policy of victimization aimed at anyone who seeks pensioners’ interest.

The postponement of meetings , and the dismissal of Kesar are just two examples of the state-owned oil company treats its former employees who played a significant role in building this country’s energy industry.

Also, Petrotrin retirees are not alone! The problem of incorrect pension payments seems to be a national one. There are countless other retirees from the state-sector facing issues related to the incorrect calculation of their pensions.

Like the Petrotrin retirees, they also face a brick wall when they try to get the relevant departments, or the Ministry of Finance to look into the issue. Many have died, and most surviving pensioners have simply given up, tired of fighting.

There is one ray of hope for these elders, however: Some of them are hoping that, with the approach of yet another crucial general election, other citizens approaching retirement age would take pre-emptive action and put pressure on the public sector (especially Petrotrin) to do the right thing.

The Petrotrin retirees are now calling on all citizens, particularly those affected by incorrect calculations, and public sector workers nearing retirement, to help them lobby current and aspiring political representatives. After devoting their lives to building this country, TT's seniors deserve better.

Small Bathroom - Big Storage Challenge

The smallest room in the house can be big on storage space

IF you ask 100 people which is the most important room in the house, you can bet that less than 20 will say it’s the bathroom. But when you think of it, theirs is the correct answer. So why is it always the smallest room in a house?

It is certainly the room that will be used the most, even more than the kitchen! The Small Bathroom - Big Storage Challenge will convert your tiny bathroom space from a hot, cramped untidy and unpleasant little cubicle to an orderly space where one can transform and re-energize, as it should be.

If you have been fighting to make the use of your 5 by 6 foot bathroom a more pleasant experience, you can make use of some of these ideas. First, it should be a cool, ventilated place: Consider an extractor fan if the window is too small to keep the room cool and airy, or to eliminate odours quickly. Also, don't hesitate to install a wall, or even a ceiling fan!

These other ideas allow the DIY home-owner to incorporate some savvy storage solutions that makes the tiny “throne room” more comfortable while at the same time putting  an end to the ongoing challenge of having to find places to store bathroom stuff.

De-clutter existing storage space: Bins, baskets, and trays can transform a bathroom’s storage shelves or closet into an orderly storage space. You’ll also find that a lot more stuff will fit. Remember to store cleaning supplies, or anything with harmful ingredients on the top shelf where they are easily accessible but out of reach for children and pets. Also, store cleaning supplies and chemicals in sealable plastic containers to protect other items on lower shelves from potential spills.

 

A combination of creative storage solutions can transform your face-basin into a hardworking vanity area. A mirrored medicine cabinet, built-in niches, strategically-placed towel racks combine to give the vanity multiple uses, with everything needed within reach.

Drawers in a bathroom provide great storage space, but they can easily become cluttered. You can add trays to separate items and keep drawers organized.

A bathroom can never have too many towel racks. A towel rack attached to the door (and the wall behind the door) offers added hanging space. There are many designs available, but you can also hire a welder and get creative! Another good idea is to select racks (either hanging or free-standing) that can hold two, three, or more towels at a time; or a combination of towels and other items.

Buying a used vehicle? Don't be afraid!

Be a total backside!

Intro by SHELDON OSBORNE

Summary adapted from an article published in http://traffline.blogspot.com/ 

This is a summary of how to buy a used car from an individual or private seller (as opposed to a car dealer). Many of these hints are helpful with a used car dealer as well.

No matter how little the car costs, or how well-off you may be financially, the price of a used car is still likely to be a substantial sum. 

It matters not whether the price represents your life savings, or pocket change. Even with a low-budget model, the buyer has a duty to himself and his dependents to ensure that the vehicle is worth the price being paid.

Because you are spending a substantial sum, its okay to be extra-vigilant, no matter how the seller feels about it. In fact, you are allowed to be a total backside! Don't just kick the tyres, ask as many questions as you like, test drive it, and yes, bring along your trusted mechanic-friend if you have one – her advice may mean the difference between a good deal, and tens of thousands of dollars in repairs.

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Utilize the internet and consumer blogs to check the right way to go about buying a used vehicle (Hey! This bog is a good start!) There are numerous online venues to acquire knowledge, and find good deals.

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Have a list of basic questions about the car’s history: accidents, repair jobs etc. Try to ask these questions before even meeting with the owner.

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When you are satisfied with the car owner’s responses to your initial questions, stop by and examine the vehicle carefully. Take a friend with you so that you are not intimidated, maybe a mechanic, or someone who knows automobile mechanics.

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Check the car’s paperwork thoroughly: receipt, original invoice, insurance papers, etc. Question anything that seems odd or unusual. The used car industry is a haven for con-artists.

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Check a car's true value based on the model -year, mileage brand and year.

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Lots of people forget to take the car to a mechanic for a check prior to buying. Consider this option. If the owner is OK with that, it is usually a good sign.

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Don't be reluctant to take the car for a test drive. Test the car at high acceleration and speed on highways along with the braking system and steering in a safe area.

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Make sure to study the exterior of the car to check if there are any deterioration or indicators associated with an accident. Look the motor carefully for anything that seems strange and search for any liquid seeping under the Vehicle. Carefully check the rubber and plastic pieces to determine if they are too worn or old. Listen to the sound of the engine while driving to ensure that it has no difficulty.

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Don't allow yourself to feel forced or pressured into buying the car. There are always better options and deals.

The City of Chag

New opportunities for wanna-be Home-Owners

The bustling Chaguanas "city centre."

As early as 1999, Chaguanas was given the distinction of being Trinidad’s fastest growing town. Today, 15 years later, all of Central Trinidad, and even parts of South and East Trinidad - from Talparo to Rio Claro - look towards Chaguanas as their “city” even though local government authorities have not officially granted it long-overdue city status.

Two Christmases ago, a news article reported that there were more shoppers and vendors in Chaguanas than in Arima, and even though traders complained of slow sales, people in South Trinidad were leaving the South to shop in Central. Chaguanas business-owners now boast that theirs is the main shopping district in Trinidad, and they are not wrong.

Initially, Chaguanas grew mainly as a “dormitory” suburb as housing costs escalated, and working people in Port of Spain and the East-West Corridor sought cheaper land and houses.

But today, Chaguanas has become a pillar of growth in itself, as hundreds of business sprang up and expanded over the last 15 years to serve this rapidly growing community. The result: more businesses, more jobs, and non-stop growth.

The amount of available land is also a plus for the burgeoning city. The closure of Caroni (1975) Limited –a move criticized by many – is turning out to be a blessing, as thousands of acres have been freed up, providing land for housing, and food-crop farming in the outlying areas.

These large tracts of flat and gently rolling lands surrounding Chaguanas make for easy and rapid expansion of the city, unlike Port of Spain, hemmed in by mountains on the North and the sea on the south. Chaguanas is expected to continue growing, and could easily become the country’s largest city (both in area and population) within the next 10 years.

While land prices have escalated in the last seven or eight years, driven by ever-increasing demand for housing, rents and price tags on new and older properties are still within the reach of the average working person.

However, there are fears that real estate prices will continue to rise in Chaguanas and environs, as the Central city is within commuting distance to new business growth areas in North, Central, and South Trinidad.

This has prompted many a real estate agent to urge client to buy as soon as possible, a call that many have heeded, as many new houses and apartment buildings are going up despite the cooling of the construction boom that started a few years ago.

Some prospective home-owners are also seeing hope, as government has re-started several stalled housing development projects.

 New housing construction in the Borough of Chaguanas

Do it now! Get active –

get fit!

This is the first in a series of articles on Personal Appearance, Fitness, Health, Beauty, and Hair Care. The articles consist of advice taken from what was once known as the consumers’ Bible: The Encyclopedia of Household Hints and Dollar-Stretchers (EHHDS) written by Michael Gore and published in 1977 Doubleday. Most of the decades-old advice in the EHHDS is still relevant today.

 This first article will focus on the importance of regular exercise, good posture, and relaxation to the health, appearance, and general well being of any individual.

According to the EHHDS, exercising outdoors on a regular basis is vital for getting blasts of much needed fresh air necessary for good health and appearance: It improves circulation and muscle tone, keeps figures trim, and increases overall vitality.” In other words, you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

Whether you like team activities in the company of other family members or friends, or you are more of an individualist, there is a wide range of activities that you can include in your after-work or weekend schedules to get much needed exercise. Tennis, golf, cycling, hiking, running, badminton, volleyball, and the list of activities goes on and on. There is no shortage of activities to choose from, so there must be one or two that any person would find interesting.

While some people take to physical activity the way a duck takes to water, it is safe to say that most people have some difficulty incorporating this important aspect into their otherwise busy lifestyles.

However, excuses and procrastination must be overcome, and the sooner the better. The EHHDS suggest that you find out if there is a YWCA or YMCA in your community centre. Even if there is no YM-YWCA, chances are that there would be some sort of organized physical activity at the Community Centre.

If you have the will-power, simply start jogging, running, or hiking two or three times a week, land you can even ask others in the neighborhood to join you. Before you know it, you would have founded an informal club with fellow-members to motivate each other. Start today. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose – except the unwanted pounds.

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Vaio laptop recall

Battery fire risk sparks Vaio laptop recall

By SHELDON OSBORNE

If you are reading this article on a Sony Vaio Fit 11A laptop, you should worry, after all, its one thing to have a hot laptop sitting uncomfortably on your lap, but for that laptop to ignite and burn its user is another matter.

Last Friday, Sony urged customers who purchased the new model of its Vaio computers to stop using them as soon as possible over fears they could catch fire while in use.

In the latest product problem for the troubled electronics group, the company is notifying owners of the Vaio Fit 11A, which launched in February, that their computers may have a faulty battery pack that is at risk of overheating and igniting. A formal recall is being implemented.

According to an article published on April 11 in the UK Guardian, the computer manufacturer said it had shipped 25,905 of the Vaio Fit 11A in 52 countries since its launch, including 7,158 in Europe, 2,088 in China, 3,619 in Japan and 497 in the US.

Sony said three PCs had caught on fire around the battery pack, which was manufactured by Panasonic Corp.

The three incidents occurred in Japan, Hong Kong, and in China. All units were immediately pulled from store shelves. The batteries in question were made by Panasonic. A spokesperson from Panasonic told the Wall Street Journal that the company could not provide details about other computer manufacturers that may have received the same Panasonic batteries, but assured the paper that the batteries are customized for the needs of each client.

On its website, Sony issued this Press Release warning customers to immediately stop using the laptops:

“It has come to our attention that some of the internal, non-removable battery packs provided to us by a third party supplier and included in VAIO Fit 11A released in February 2014 have the potential to overheat resulting in partial burns to the housing of the PC. If you have one or more of the VAIO Fit11A/Flip PC model listed below, please immediately discontinue use, shut down and unplug the PC. We are currently identifying affected PCs by serial numbers and developing a program to repair or replace the affected PCs at no charge, or to refund the purchase price for the affected PCs, in accordance with the program. We expect to post a program announcement with details within two weeks. In the meantime, as safety is our primary concern, we ask again that you please refrain from using the below-listed model until you further hear from us in the program announcement. [Target models] VAIO Fit 11A 
Personal Computer”


The only model number listed is “SVF11N13CXS”.

One on-line publication noted that it isn’t the company’s first battery-related recall. In 2006, Sony had to recall battery packs that it had produced for several other PC manufacturers. Then, in 2010 the company was forced to recall nearly 535,000 Vaio laptops when a temperature-control issue caused overheating and structural distortion to the laptop itself.

The company mentioned an impending program announcement for more information about the recall program. If you own a new Vaio laptop, keep an eye on the company’s Support Page for an announcement.

Canned fish: Safe and tasty too!

Super-convenient canned seafood: better than fresh?

Canned fish are fish which have been processed, sealed in an airtight container such as a sealed tin can, and subjected to heat. Canning is a method of preserving food, and provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years.

Fish have a low acidity at levels where microbes can flourish. From a public safety point of view, foods with low acidity (a pH more than 4.6) need sterilization under high temperature (116-130 °C). To achieve temperatures above the boiling point requires a method ofpressurized cooking which is provided by the containment within the can.^[1] After sterilization, the containing can prevents microorganisms from entering and proliferating inside. Other than sterilization, no method is perfectly dependable as a preservative. For example, the microorganism Clostridium botulinum (which causes botulism), can only be eliminated at temperatures above the boiling point.

Such preservation techniques are needed to prevent fish spoilage and lengthen shelf life. They are designed to inhibit the activity of spoilage bacteria and the metabolic changes that result in the loss of fish quality. Spoilage bacteria are the specific bacteria that produce the unpleasant odours and flavours associated with spoiled fish.

(Wikipedia)

Mercury alert: Is canned tuna safe to eat?

The tuna sandwich is a lunchbox staple. But several species of tuna, like other large ocean fish, contain higher-than-average amounts of mercury.This is of particular concern for young children, whose nervous system, brain, heart, kidneys and lungs are all susceptible to the harmful effects of mercury.

But parents and kids need not give up tuna altogether. There are two main kinds of canned tuna: chunk light and solid or chunk white (albacore). Most canned white tuna is albacore. Its mercury levels are almost three times higher than the smaller skipjack, used in most canned light tuna.

These recommendations are based on EPA guidance and estimates of mercury in the most popular canned tunas:

·         Canned white, or albacore (0.32 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to one 3-ounce portion a month; children from 6–12, two 4.5-ounce portions a month. Adults, including pregnant women, can safely eat it up to three times a month (women, 6-ounce portions; men, 8-ounce portions).

·         Canned light — the safer choice (0.12 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to three 3-ounce portions per month. Older children and adults can safely eat it once a week. But look out for “gourmet” or “tonno” labels. They are made with bigger yellowfin tuna and can contain mercury levels comparable to canned white.

·         A better alternative is canned salmon (mostly sockeye or pink from Alaska), which is low in contaminants and high in heart-healthy omega-3s. It's also sustainably caught in Alaska and similarly priced, making it a great choice all around.

Keep an eye on school lunches. If your child eats tuna in school lunches, it's best to find out what types are being offered and how often.
A study by the Mercury Policy Project in the US found a wide range of mercury levels in both light and white tuna from government sponsored school lunch programs. Some of the canned albacore/white tuna tested had mercury levels almost four times the average level reported by US-FDA.