570News Blog: Kate Stockmann

Facebook is a “social networking” website that has been gaining in popularity and coming under increased scrutiny.

 Privacy groups and conspiracy theorists see it as a way for private information to be accessed by anyone. For the police, it’s a blessing and a curse.

It opens young users up to potential sexual predators but at the same time, they have used it to catch criminals.

An article by Reuters suggests that Facebook friends, aren’t real friends.  If you asked me to list all 113 people on my friends list, I couldn’t do it. 

That being said, my decision to join Facebook has been mostly  positive. It’s allowed me to reconnect with friends I haven’t seen in years and keep in touch with people now that I have moved to Kitchener.

 I’m still cautious though. It’s a powerful tool and like any website, it’s public. Facebook pages can now be found using Google. I make it a point to never put anything on my page I wouldn’t want my boss to see or anything that could help someone steal my identity.

My new kitten, Charlie has finally adapted to life in his new home.

 It took two weeks to get him out from hiding long enough for him to explore his entire surroundings. He would stay in the closet of his “safe room” and run away if anyone walked up to him.

It was another week after that before he would let anyone walk up to him and pet him. He would wait until you sat on the floor, then tentatively walk over for a head scratch.

 I got to thinking that some pet owners, would have decided after two weeks that Charlie was anti-social and may have surrendered him to the Humane Society. Officials there will tell you too often animals that just need a little patience are given back. Most behavioural issues can be corrected if you know what to do.

I frequently consult the Toronto Humane Society’s website’s info sheets on feline health and behaviour.

Your vet or local Humane Society can also help. Surrendering an animal should be a last resort.

Well, Charlie and I persevered. I gave him his space. Let him adjust at his own pace. I didn’t force him to do anything he wasn’t ready for.

Now, it’s like I have a new shadow. He follows me everywhere. He even sleeps with me and sits on my lap while I watch TV or play on my computer.

When I adopted Charlie I knew he would be a challenge, but I’m still glad I did it. I think we’re going to get on just fine.

On October 10th you are going to be asked whether you think Ontario’s electoral system should be changed from a “first-past-the-post” system to a “mixed member proportional” system.

 A mixed member proportional system would expand the legislature from 107 seats to 129 seats. At the polls you would be asked to vote for a candidate to represent you and then vote for the party you support.

 Ninety of the seats in the house would got to candidates elected as they are now. The other 39 would be selected from party lists to represent the popular vote.

 Proponents of the system, including Wilfrid Laurier University political science professor, Brian Tanguay say the system would bring more fairness to the election process. He says it would more accurately represent Ontarians.

Conservative Leader John Tory went on record in a Toronto Star article saying he does not support the proposed reform.

He told the star, “I am concerned about creating a second class of MPPs who are answerable only to the party establishment and who are, in fact, appointed.”

NDP Leader Howard Hampton, in the same article, is quoted as saying his party would create it’s lists openly, at nomination conventions.

Premier Dalton McGuinty has not said which system he prefers and says that will be the case until after the referendum

The local committee of Fair Vote Canada is holding an information rally in Cambridge this Saturday at Central Park.

Elections Ontario has a website where you can get more information on the referendum. CLICK HERE

The run up to October 10th officially began this week.

 Elections are one of the busiest times for news rooms. We spend a lot of time following the campaigns and bringing you the details of who’s promising what.

 It all culminates on Election night when we all put in extra hours to cover the results. We spend hours watching the poll results come in and bringing those results to you.

 Again this year 570 News will be bringing you complete election coverage. Tune in October 10th starting at 9 p.m.

My roommate recently moved out, taking her cat with her. My cat, Aldo, became lonely so I decided to get him a friend.

This past weekend I visited the KW Humane Society and adopted Charlie.

Charlie is an adorable, orange tabby kitten. He is a little timid but slowly becoming used to his new surroundings. The day I got him, his sister had been adopted so he was a little down. He’s now quite playful and will soon be ready to leave his “safe room” to fully explore his new home.

It can be costly to adopt a cat from the Humane Society, and the “free” kittens advertised in the paper may seem cheaper, but you get what you pay for.

When I adopted Charlie, I was confident he was de-wormed, vaccinated and flea free. Not only that, included in the price was a voucher for $75 dollars off the price of neutering him when the time comes. I would have spent more than the $215 adoption fee at the vet, vaccinating him, de-worming two cats (because Aldo would undoubtedly catch them with my luck) and of course, getting the fleas out of my apartment. So really, in the end, Charlie was free.

Right now the Humane Society is “filled to the rafters” with cats, according to their website. So if you’re looking for a furry little companion, I suggest you pay them a visit.