local herald, volume 3, issue 2

HeraldW e s t � E n d ’ s � C o m m u n i t y � P a p e r

cont. p4

Vo l u m e 3 , I s s u e 2 , J a n 2 7 , 2 0 1 2

Donna Deskin with Nestle - Greyhound love

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Local woman finds homes for

retired racing Greyhounds

Sleek and fast as a cougar, it came at me

before I knew it… and then sniffed my

crotch. My, my, I thought, was it a

hygiene problem that caused Pepper to

act that way? “Not at all,” replied Donna

Deskin, president of The League of

Extraordinary Greyhounds, a West End-

based organization that wants to

educate people on Greyhound dogs and

in turn find loving homes for them in

their retirement years. “Dogs have an

olfactory sense ranging from one

hundred thousand to one million times

more sensitive than a human's. Sniffing is

how they ‘meet’ and get to know who

they are meeting. Nothing to do with

hygiene.” Phew, I thought.

What lay ahead was one of my more

fascinating experiences with dogs, which

I love dearly. I do not have one now, but

I was blessed with two in earlier years,

first as a child and then in my late teens.

And although I have certainly seen them

around, I knew virtually nothing about

Greyhounds, other than their vaunted

rep for blurring speed. All that was

about to change as we headed toward

Vermont, early last Saturday, while the

sun still struggled to reach the horizon.

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Story and photos: Bram D. Eisenthal

Inside:*B owie at 65 , remember ing his M ontreal T V shoot

*Shlomo pra ises The Ar t is t*To se l l or not se l l your home a lone? *Father John on renewable re l igion

*And more, in the West End's most unique communit y paper !

THE LOcAL HERALD, JAN 27 (pg. 2) FREE cLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 localheraldmontreal.com

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The Local Herald, West End Montreal Edition

Volume 3, Number 2, January 27, 2012

Founded by Julia Lucio and Mai-Liis Renaud 2010

Published by Local Seeker Media Group, Cornwall, Ontario

The Local Herald does not accept responsibility for errors, misprints or inaccuracies

published within. The opinions and statements of our columnists are not to be presumed as

the statements and opinions of The Local Herald.

Dogs, and cats for that matter, tend to be underestimated. Weadopt or buy pets – and that includes everything from fish tolizards, turtles to tarantulas – to help give us love, companionshipand whatever else we are missing at a particular moment. Someof us, however, are imposing our wills on animals that are muchsmaller than us and are subject to our whims. And when we getbored with them, as with any plaything, some of us simply getrid of them.

I don’t know about you, but when I look into the eyes of a dogor cat and they stare back at me, I feel a connection and, undeniably, I know that

animal has a soul as much as I do. Last weekend, at a Vermont kennel surrounded by40 Greyhound dogs, I was humbled by the presence of the kindest animals I have evermet. Forty pairs of eyes followed my every move and when I went over to the cage ofeach dog, one at a time, and spoke to them, the pure joy emanating from these animalswas palpable. The tails whipping back and forth were a dead giveaway.

How anyone can cause physical suffering to an animal is not within my realm ofunderstanding. You hurt a human baby, people are screaming for the death penalty.But a dog or a cat? It’s as if we have a right to cause them pain,according to the people who do so, because they are unworthy ofkindness simply because they are different from us. The same waythat white people all robed up in their silly KKK costumes were ableto torture and murder members of the black community in the USA,the same way any racist justifies genocide against people differentfrom them… some people justify animal abuse because of theirdifferences to us.

I do not for one moment believe an animal is soul-less. If I have a soul,if you have a soul, then so do they. So if abusing an animal istherefore a crime, is goes without saying that people who volunteertirelessly to help animals are angels of mercy, right? Our coverpersonality, West Ender Donna Deskin, is one such angel, as are hervolunteers and the people in Vermont who have kept their kennelgoing for a decade to keep countless Greyhounds alive and well aslong as possible. And, of course, you people who adopt these olderdogs rather than paying exorbitant amounts of money to buy cute,young animals from puppy mills, are also angels.

I salute you all. You’re good people and you should be proud.

Rebel, rebel – Stay true to yourself

I pay homage to former glam rocker David Bowie in this issueprimarily because he spent at least a week here, in TMR, working onthe Telescene Films series, The Hunger II, in the late 1990s. Having justturned 65 at the beginning of the month, Bowie has been out of sightfor almost a decade (he last performed here on his Reality Tour in2003), since a serious health scare caused him to re-evaluate hiscareer. This homage comes right after the death of another belovedentertainer, singer Etta James. And while I sorely miss Bowie’s music– truly, he is as unique as they come – he is rebelling as he always hasand doing things HIS way, which is what we have always liked abouthim to begin with. Those trying to coerce Bowie into doing a worldtour, despite his reluctance to do so, are completely misguided intheir actions. He wants to live many more years in order to spendtime with his wife and children and these people could care lessabout him, wishing he would stress his heart by undergoing agrueling tour instead? He’s given the majority of his life to his fansand that should be good enough for anyone.

Managing Editor: Bram Eisenthal Creative Design: Julia Lucio

OUR CONTACT INFORMATIONFree Classifieds and Advertising: 514-975-7745

EMAIL: [email protected]

localheraldmontreal.com

Mailing Address: 327 2nd Street E. Cornwall, On. K6H 1Y8

The Property Seeker

A regular feature of The Local Herald West End Montreal Edition

Professional Consultant - Anita Benabou Rozenblat

Animals thrive due to angels of mercy Solution...

THE LOcAL HERALD, JAN 27 (pg.3) FREE cLASSIFIED ADS: 514-975-7745 localheraldmontreal.com

The Artist rescues a pretty bad year atthe movies

I must confess I initially resisted seeingMichel Hazanaviciu’s The Artist, assumingthat the idea of making an honest-to-goodness silent movie in 2011 was merelya gimmick, like Mel Brooks’ tepid SilentMovie (1976). Well, I was fortunately

wrong about that. Not only is The Artist one of theyear’s best movies, it’s also a timely reminder of why I fellin love with cinema in the first place oh-so-many yearsago. And though of late I have mostly fallen out of lovewith the movies because so many of them have been sobad (in particular this past year), The Artist also reminds methat, when done exceptionally well, films like this canrejuvenate an art form that is well-worth seeking out andappreciating.

The one thing The Artist has in common with 2011’s bestmovies is that it’s not afraid of evoking emotions in theviewer. And while that would seem to be a desirable thingfor a movie to do, it’s not all that common. Fromimpersonal Hollywood sequels – pick any one - whoseonly emotion is the greedy anticipation of raking in bigbucks for all those filmgoers who signed on to thefranchise in the first place and generally come back to seenew adventures with the same characters, to emotionally-pinched movies, like the quasi-Western Meek’s Cutoff andthe dumb science fiction film Another Earth, which seemto treat emotions as something false and unnecessary,films that actually connect with viewers on an emotionallevel are few-and-far-between.

That’s truly odd, because classic films, everything fromCasablanca to The Stunt Man, The Godfather to The SocialNetwork, have always generated strong emotions in theaudience, be it in their rooting for star crossed lovers tostay together, fearing for the fates of a film’s protagonistsor having viewers leaning forward on the edges of theirseats to see how the story will turn out. That’s theinteractive aspect of cinema and the reason films havebeen around for more than a century, without anyevidence - despite increasingly-poorer North Americanbox office - that the art form will vanish anytime soon.

For the record: my favourite films of 2011, were, inpreferential order: Of Gods and Men (Des hommes et desdieux); The Illusionist (L’illusionniste); War Horse; Cave ofForgotten Dreams; The Artist; Rango; Project Nim; HarryPotter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2; Win Win; and TheTrip.

A graduate of Ryerson University’s School of Journalism,former West End Montrealer Shlomo Schwartzberg is aveteran film critic, has regularly reviewed films for variouspublications and lectures on film and TV studies. He was thedirector of programming for the Toronto Jewish Film Festivalfor eight years.

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Switch Up Your Menu with Game-

Changing Chili

(Family Features) This season, delight fellow fans with a game

time menu that's sure to please everyone - whether you're

tailgaiting or hosting a game day get-together.

Devilish Eggs - Add some heat with Tabasco sauce.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip - Served hot or cold, this dip goes great

with tortilla chips.

Add even more heat by serving Buffalo Chicken Chili for a

legendary addition to your recipe playbook.

For more crowd-pleasing recipes, visit www.tabasco.com.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Makes: 6 servings

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 celery stalks, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground chicken or turkey

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup Tabasco brand Buffalo Style Hot Sauce

1 15.5-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

Heat oil in 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add celery, onion,

green pepper, and garlic; cook about 5 minutes or until vegetables

are tender-crisp. Remove vegetables to bowl with slotted spoon.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to same saucepan. Cook ground

chicken over medium-high heat until well browned on all sides,

stirring constantly. Stir in chili powder, cumin and salt; cook 1

minute.

Add tomatoes with their

liquid, water and Buffalo

style hot sauce. Heat to

boiling over high heat.

Reduce heat to low; cover

and simmer 15 minutes,

stirring occasionally. Add

beans; cook 5 minutes

longer.

To serve, top each serving

with crumbled blue

cheese.

#10968_FF

Source: Tabasco


Local womanfinds homes forretired racingGreyhounds (continued from cover)

Deskin, whom I haveknown since I was ateenager, was always a

resourceful woman withmany interests, yet I was dying to learnhow she developed such an affinity forcanines when, in fact, her only animalduring her youth was a gerbil. “It was mydog Rajah that started it all. He passedaway in 2004 and I immediately gotanother dog, a Greyhound namedRicochet, July of that year… he died thefollowing November 2004 of bone cancer.By that time, however, I was hooked onGreyhounds.”

Researching this breed yields impressiveresults. Initially bred strictly ascompanion dogs some 4,000 years agoby the ancient Egyptians, they wereso loyal, friendly - and gentle aslambs - that they quicklybecame associated with thenobility. In MedievalEngland, commonersfound in possession ofthem were actuallyexecuted. QueenElizabeth I had one.Then some sportsmansparked the conceptof racing them,much as horses areraced. Reachingastounding speedsof 45 miles-per-hour,Greyhounds aresight hounds,relying on anacute visualsense thatallows them to see objects like small gamehalf a mile away… the reason why thedogs are “led” by a mechanical rabbitduring races.

“One of the major misconceptions aboutGreyhounds is that they need a lot ofexercise,” Deskin told me. “But that’s nottrue. You need to walk them several timesper day, just like any other dog, but hardlyto the point where either the dog or youare exhausted. Remember that they aresprinters by nature, not long distancerunners. They generally sleep 20 out of 24hours per day. We affectionately refer tothem as 45 M.P.H. couch Potatoes.”

Greyhounds are companion animals. Theyare not for the family looking for a rough-and-tumble dog the kids can play with. Allthe Greyhound wants to do is be by yourside and curl up beside you.

“They are probably one of the easiest dogsin the world to care for – they have hair,not fur, don’t shed very much and require

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very little grooming. In the fall and winterthey need heavy coats and in thespringtime they need raincoats. The ONLYGreyhound ‘rule’ that weinsist upon is that if theyare running off-leash theymust always be in afenced-in enclosure. Thecan reach their top speedof 45 miles per hour inthree strides. You cannotcatch them and, certainlyat first, they have norecall memory. It is adisaster waiting tohappen.”

I was still not ready,however, for whatawaited me at NorthernGreyhound Adoptions, a10-year old kennel that cares for 40 dogsat a time. As we pulled up, there was a

definite silence… but the momentwe walked in, they were so

happy for the companythey started barking,

almost in unison. I thengot to meet them, all

totally adorable andextremely

intelligent. Visitorsare greeted bywagging tails andunbridledaffection.

In addition todoingnumerous“Meet & Greet”greyhoundinformationsessions inMontreal andsurroundingareas,

Deskin and her group facilitate adoptionsfrom the kennel for canadians. Followinga process that includes anadoption questionnaire,and a home visit from agroup volunteer and oneof their own dogs, Deskinarranges a day to meet thepotential adopters at thekennel to assist with theselection process.

“We like to say the dogwill pick you, not viceversa,” said Deskin. “Askany of our adopters andthey will agree. We select afew hounds based on theadopters’ requirements(other pets at home, smallchildren, fenced in yard orapartment dweller) andeach hound gets its’ turnin the let-out yard withtheir potential family.Some dogs will not paythe family any attention,

while others will stick to them like glue,but there is always THE one who will not

take his or her eyes off the family evenwhile they are evaluating another hound.That’s what we look for. It’s magical!”

There is a non-refundable adoptiondonation to the kennel of $250 U.S.,which helps pay for the animals’spay/neuter, up-to-date vaccinations, etc.The adopter also receives a martingalecollar, leash and the hounds’ completefamily history.

“We support the adopter and the houndthrough the entire life of the animal. Wehave made many new close friendsthrough Greyhound adoption and ouradopters are just… greyt.”

The League of Extraordinary Greyhoundscan be contacted at 514-239-2513 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Their website is atwww.t-legs.com. They invite interestedparties to meet these fantastic dogs. A list offuture events can be found on their Meetupsite: www.meetup.com/t-legs/

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Curling up in comfort

deep

There is a season, and reason, foreverything -- so the saying goes. A bolt ofenergy rises, then passes away. Anotheraspect of the vital life force expresses

itself, then dissolves. And so the wheel turns.

During winter, nature's energies of death and release arestrong. The call to hibernate can feel like a deep, achingneed. Like a tiny seed buried beneath the snow, we long tofind a warm and safe place to nestle, close our eyes, and becompletely held and cared for.

Child's Pose can offer us that place. We curl up, close oureyes and breathe deeply. In a pose similar to that of beingheld in the womb, we are supported, nourished and cradledsafely by Mother Earth.

Child's Pose

1. From a standing position, bring yourself carefully down tothe floor on hands and knees. Place the tops of your feetdown.

2. Take a deep breath in. As you exhale, shift your hips back,sinking them toward your heels. If your hips do not meetyour heels, lay a rolled towel in the space between and sinkthe hips back onto it.

3. Inhale deeply. Exhale, and slide your knees wide. Positionthe tips of your big toes to touch underneath and behindyou. Settle your hips back down again.

4. Inhale, lengthening the spine. As you exhale, release thecentre of your chest toward the floor. Drop one elbow,then the other, down, shifting your weight accordingly. Inhaleagain. As you exhale, lower your chest and head, and widenyour elbows further out along the floor.

5. With your palms facing down, form a diamond shape withyour hands by bringing the tips of your index fingers totouch, then the tips of your thumbs to touch. Inhale deeply.Exhale and lower your head so that your forehead restsinside this diamond shape. If your head does not lower tothe floor of its own volition, place a folded blanket orbolster beneath your chest and head. Rest with yourforehead down upon it.

6. Take some deep breaths and close your eyes. Release anyphysical holding -- in the hips, back, shoulders, or head --onto the floor or props. Allow the Earth to fully supportand nurture you as you settle down deeper and relaxfurther.

7. When you are ready, gently open your eyes. Inhale andbegin to lift your head up off the floor, followed by yourchest and torso, with a straight spine. Place your hands oneat a time on the floor in front of you. Slide your kneestogether. Curl your back toes under and push off yourhands to shift your weight back. Walk your hands towardyour feet as you roll your heels onto the floor. Keep kneesbent and gently unfurl to a standing position.

Chantalle Kudsi is a Yoga and Meditation Teacher living in theWest-End. She can be reached at [email protected]

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STAR SALES REP WANTED

If this limited staff situation continues much longer, we’re gonna

change our name to The Lonely Herald. We are looking for a sales

rep, experience not required… just desire and a chance to make

some cold, hard cash. No benefits, straight commission… but

also no one looking over your shoulder, clocking your hours or

stressing you out. This is a real opportunity to grow along with a

growing paper, where your earning potential is limited only by

your ability and desire. Male or female, all ages, any race or

religion, bilingualism preferred but NOT required, although the

ability to converse in English IS a must. If you are interested in

giving us a hand, call us at 514-975-7745 and

leave us a message if we do not answer.

We are seeking a sales star-in-the-making. Is that you?

Across

1. "Smallest particle"

5. Propelled oneself through

water

9. Denude

10. Skillful

11. Violent disturbance

12. Agitated state

13. Resort

14. It displays a tail in the sky

16. Muhammad ___

18. Swill

21. Plunder

23. Give rise to

24. Not scarcity

25. Repose

26. 365 days

Down

1. Tallies

2. Adolescent

3. Meddlesome

4. Slogan

5. What a knight is called

6. Between the ribs and hips

7. At the peak of

8. Prefix meaning "After" or

"Beyond"

15. An analytic literary

composition

16. Winged

17. A rounded projection

19. Killer whale

20. Jury member

22. Explosive letters

Fun with words


by Bram D. Eisenthal

I was never really a fan during his Ziggy Stardustdays, arguably his most revered period. Then,around the time I was off to Wildwood, NewJersey, on several consecutive mid-1970ssummers with my buddies, the album (yes, thatwould be in its glorious LP version) DiamondDogs, with the title song, Rebel Rebel and SpaceOddity ruling the airwaves on cHOM andcFOX… I was indelibly hooked. Brit glam rockerDavid Bowie – the so-called Thin White Duke -had become one of my favourites, joining apack that included his illustrious land-matesThe Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

Over the years, even including his abdication tobecome a short-lived member of the fledglingband, Tin Machine, I voraciously listened toeverything Bowie put out, his persona ascharismatic to me as his addictive sound.Something about the way he carried himself,moved and crooned, sounding like hebelonged among the upper echelon oflegendary stars even when teamed withveteran Bing crosby as the two melded sobeautifully, so naturally on songs such as TheLittle Drummer Boy and Peace on Earth that theytouched the heart of a Jewish teen forever.

I have been to many, many concerts over the years, too many tocount, really, but the three Bowie shows I saw included two I willalways remember, including The Glass Spider Tour at OlympicStadium in the 1980s (the huge stage being needed to house themassive glass spider prop whose belly he descended from at theconcert’s start) and his last tour to date, his December 2003 RealityTour at centre Bell. The latter was particularly noteworthy becauseBowie, then in his late fifties, had been ill, had cancelled a slew ofshows elsewhere and chose Montreal as his return venue. It was saidthat his voice had suffered, yet the white-suit-adorned Bowie neversounded better as he tore through most of his hits.

In 1999, I had spent one glorious week working with Bowie as thepublicist on the erotic horror TV series The Hunger, Season II, and Iremember thinking I had a chance to catch up with him backstageafter the concert. So I dragged my buddy with me to a securityguard, who in turn hooked me up with the show’s Bell centrepublicist. She had me wait 90 minutes, but eventually we were toldthat he was feeling out of sorts and was relaxing backstage, ratherthan doing the usual lengthy meet and greet.

That was okay, though – I had actually WORKED with Bowie andwhat a week it was. For most of that series, media were welcomedon set. This was different, however: The week where Bowie workedwith actor Giovanni Ribisi on the season’s debut episode, entitledSanctuary, helmed by none other than action veteran Tony Scott. Ihad been warned that the set was closed, and that my work withBowie would be quite limited, but who cared? I got to meet my idoland interact with him on several occasions. The first time we met, Ihad to go through his personal body-guard – Bowie had apparentlyalways traveled with one since the 1980 murder of his very goodfriend John Lennon in New York city. I had lugged along five itemsof mine that I wanted to ask him to sign – I really could not resistafter a lifetime of unabashed fandom - and I handed them to thebody-guard. Bowie later came over to say hello and we shook hands.The next day, my five items were returned, each one personalizedand signed. I still have them all.

A few days later, I had the chance to speak with Bowie, standingclose enough that I was clearly able to discern his one blue and hisother brown/amber eye, and discussing the work of Brit fantasyauthor Neil Gaiman. Bowie was a fan and when I told him I would beseeing Gaiman at a horror convention in Atlanta the followingweekend, he said “Say hello to Neil for me, will you?” When I metGaiman at the show, I transmitted Bowie’s fond wishes to Gaiman(author of stories like Coraline, American Gods and the Death: TheHigh Cost of Living series for Dc comics) and that opened the door to

an ensuing acquaintance with Gaiman.

When I returned to Montreal and saw Bowie for the final time, I decidedto give him a small gift. I had just finished Gaiman’s phenomenal novelNeverwhere (if you enjoy dark fantasy, this is truly one of the best ever)and Bowie admitted he had never read it. “David, as thanks for all theyears of pleasure your music has given me, I thought I’d give yousomething you will find enjoyable in kind,” I said. He really appreciatedthe gesture.

I have to say that David Bowie was one of THE kindest, most generousand least pretentious personalities I met during my decade working asa film unit publicist. His humour was self-deprecating, if anything, andhe was SO humble... “I’m not much of an actor,” insisted the star of suchacclaimed films as Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, The Man Who Fell toEarth and Labyrinth.

On the occasion of your 65th birthday earlier this month, David, we herein Montreal wish you a happy and healthy future. Know that yourpresence from the international stage is very much missed.

David Bowie at 65 – Thanks for the memoriesR

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Professional

Magician availablefor yourspecialevent

ToddMagician

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514 951-8633

Photo Credit - Vero Boncompagnie


I s s u e 1

BUY or SELL your HOME in the

Property Seeker

As most ofyou know,interest ratesare at an all-time low

and don’t seem to be movingupward any time soon. Witheconomic instability rampantacross North America andEurope, people are takingadvantage of these interestrates to not only use theirhomes as cash registers, but tobuy rental properties tosupplement their income. Youcan guarantee 10-year ratesnow as low as 3.89% - theabsolute best five-year

The West End real estate section

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Lines of credit: How theywork and when they areavailable

rates not so long ago!! A serious advantage that you may notbe aware of is that lines of credit areavailable on rental properties. You cango up to 80% loan to value, meaning,you can have a line of credit up to 80%of the value of the property. Thisallows people who didn’t have theopportunity to buy multipleproperties before can now therebycreate multiple-revenue streams.

Secured lines of credit are mortgagesthat are backed by a property, albeitwith one subtle, yet important,difference. With a regular mortgage, ifyou take cash out when you close at

the notary, you start paying off theinterest right away. A secured line ofcredit lets you have a blanketmortgage on the property, allowingyou to borrow money against yourhome at a future time of needwithout paying interest until you startusing it. What people also don’trealize is that they can transfer theircredit card balances of $10,000, forexample, onto their secured lines ofcredit and pay around prime +0.50%,which is 3.50%.

This saves you a ton of moneycompared to the 22% or moreinterest you’re paying on your creditcard. There is even a lender right nowthat, for the first 12 months, isoffering a line of credit interest rate of

prime, which is 3.00%. Don’t fall into thetraps that your credit card companieslay out for you. Many of you probablyreceive cheques where you can writeout amounts of money up to your creditlimit at a rate of 2.99% or 3.99%. Theseoften go back up to 22% within sixmonths and are there to tempt you tospend more than you normally would.These are temporary savings and if youfeel the need to use them, make surethe amounts are reasonable and thatyou have a plan in place to pay it backwithin a short period of time.

Jason Zuckermanwww.mortgageratesmontreal.comHypotheca Mortgage Brokers(514) 771-1352 /1-800- [email protected]

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Fourteen facts to considerbefore you try to sell yourown home Occasionally, one can see “For Sale By Owner”signs (which we call FSBO), with some ownersbelieving that selling their own home will notonly save them money, but will give them an

advantage over sellers using a reputablebroker.

Before you decide to take on this very important and legally-complex decision, remember that most real estate lawyers do notrecommend selling your own home in today's market. Here are afew of the reasons why (this took a lot of research, so hopefullythis will be a useful guide):

1. You are limiting your exposure to potential buyers (less than10% of what a good real estate broker will generate), whichtheoretically means your home will take 10-15 times longer to sellon the market.

2. The longer a home is on the market, the lower the selling pricewill be. Why? Because most buyers believe that a home left unsoldsold after this long must have something wrong with it.

3. The selling/buying process begins AFTER the buyer leaves yourhome. Most sellers think that all it takes is for someone to see theirhome, fall in love with the great decor and that the offer willmagically follow. Remember that the buying process begins afterthe prospect leaves your home. If a real estate agent does notrepresent the buyer, and they are looking on their own, theyusually leave the home and start to talk themselves out of thebuying process. If the buyer is represented by a real estateprofessional, the latter is trained on how to overcome a buyer’sremorse–a very common occurrence. It’s human nature, really.

4. Because of the limited exposure you will very likely end up witha lower selling price. Remember, in order to generate the highestprice possible for your home, maximum exposure is needed.

5. Most buyers find it extremely awkward to negotiate or even to

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talk directly with sellers and therefore avoid FSBO properties.

6. Lack of negotiating experience and pertinent information will often resultin a lower selling price, or worse yet, a bungled contract and possiblelawsuits.

7. The majority of qualified buyers are working with experienced real estateprofessionals.

8. Many serious buyers will bypass a FSBO home merely because theyrecognize that it is not in the real estate mainstream: This can occasionallymake them wary.

9. As most local buyers now retain experienced real estate professionals torepresent them as their buyer-agency, you will probably be negotiatingagainst that same experienced professional.

10. Expected savings in broker’s fees will also be greatly reduced if you offera selling commission to entice real estate agents to bring in potentialbuyers.

11. If you are planning to use a lawyer to help you negotiate the offer, yourlawyer’s fees will be considerably higher.

12. Only real estate agents have access to the up-to-date market information.News reports cannot approach the timeliness or specificity available toagents. Further, real estate agents are involved in home sales much morefrequently than the average homeowner is. This familiarity leads to a degreeof expertise that provides an edge on negotiating and successful selling.

13. You only pay the commission to the real estate broker if they successfullysell your home at the price you are happy with.

14. Accepting an offer is one thing, ensuring a safe and successful closing isquite another. Real estate transactions almost always have problems onclosing. At times, expecting the buyer’s and seller’s lawyers to fight it out orresolve the problems can be disastrous to the deal: Sometimes the deal islost. This is the time that your experienced real estate professional can be themost useful, acting as a mediator. Lawyers MUST act only on their clients’instructions and are not paid to negotiate.

Do you have questions for Anita Rozenblat? E-mail your comments or questionsto [email protected]

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Can religion renew itself?

Religion is not the powerhouse of presence it once was. In Quebec, the Roman catholic church was once everywhere. Noevent took place where a priest was not present to bless the event and that included the opening of the new barber shop,the new Post Office, the new Government Offices. The rule of thumb was: The more important the event the higher theprelate in the hierarchy of the church. The presence of the cardinal meant that the event was greatly blessed. Religion hadits heyday until the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s. Not so quiet a revolution! The Quiet Revolution changed the churchand society.

The church then enters a long period of damage control, spending the next four decades looking in at itself, a period ofintrospection encouraged by the life-changing event brought about by the Second Vatican council held from 1962 to

1965. Two revolutions then coincided: The societal revolution encouraging French-speaking catholics to abandon pastdomination by the church to freely embrace the world of the twenty-first century; the Roman catholic revolution that invited catholics toleave behind an agricultural culture and to embrace an industrialize culture, the very culture the majority of French canadians wereabandoning.

The church today remains a civilization in support of those who have embraced it today, to envisage a new tomorrow. The renewal of thechurch in the Vatican council was two-fold, “looking in” at what needed urgent change and “looking out,” which means the church wouldbecome a church in the Modern world. The renewal of the Roman catholic church, which has spent many decades “looking in,” now mustbegin “looking out” even more thoroughly.

In the month of October, the church will hold a Synod (a consultation of representatives of the bishops of the world), the theme of which is tocall for a New Evangelization for the transmission of the christian faith. The document offers hope that the church can renew herself. Thebishops are invited to listen to the world, to work with other christians, to dialogue with people of all faith traditions and to be open todialogue with atheists. This a far cry from a custom that was beginning root itself in the church, a restoration to a time prior to Vatican II whichsimply overpowered any initiatives of “looking out” for a true renewal of the church.

B o x e d a d v e r t i s i n g w o r k s ! I t r e a l l y d o e s !G e t y o u r a d i n h e r e t o d a y . C a l l 5 1 4 - 9 7 5 - 7 7 4 5


Long, hard journey isthe norm in the musicindustry

Without trying to be negative, themusic business isn't always aboutthe glitz and glamour presented inthe media. Although I do still dream

of selling out a stadium full of cheering fans,acquiring a mansion in Beverly Hills and going onshopping sprees around the world, I have come torealize the harsh reality of show business. I want toshare a little piece of my journey with you.

I've been pursuing a singing career for many years now,going through many ups and downs but never givingup on my dreams. I can't complain. I've met a lot ofpeople, both wonderful and not so wonderful, but mypassion for music is what keeps me going. I thank Godeveryday for every little opportunity that brings mecloser to my dreams. Whether it’s a fundraiser, talentshow or family wedding, I just enjoy performing. Lastyear, I was introduced to a manager and began workingon my first album. Everything was coming together, lifewas magical and I was on cloud nine with my newboyfriend. Overall, I felt like a princess. Little did I knowthat my naive, good heart would make me an easytarget for candy-coated promises. I quickly realizedthat money rules and that since I don't have a lot of it, Iwas very limited in how far I could reach.

I also never realized how long, expensive andfrustrating this process could be and my fairytaleillusion ultimately came to an end. I became aware thatI could not be so trusting and I had to rely on myself,with plenty of hard work and no pay, not to mentionhandling all the envious and negative people trying tobreak me down. I was a wreck for months, not wantingto as much as get out of bed. I felt discouraged, butthat wouldn't stop me. I managed to finish my album''9-1-1,'' filmed my first music video and I am nowhappy to be releasing a collaboration with (renownedDJ) Mc Mario, featuring my newest song "El Gitano" inthe spring. It's a hot summer dance song with a sensualLatin feel.

Looking back, my ups and downs were all part of athrilling experience that was worth every bit ofdeception, definitely making me a stronger person. Ona very personal level, I learned to accept criticism…although it is still sometimes hard. Despite all thesetbacks that came my way, I start this New Year withthe satisfaction of knowing that this is just thebeginning of my successful career. My best advice toanyone seeking success in my industry would be:Surround yourself with family and friends who careand, most of all, never doubt yourself. In other words,always BELIEVE!

Nadia Dolce (which means "sweet" in Italian) is the grand-daughter of immigrants from Italy. A resident of Montreal, the26-year old is a promising international musical artist. Tolearn more, visit her website at www.nadiadolce.com

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Valentine parasites taking over

your body?

Valentine’s Day ishappy for some,

terrifying for others.If you want to

please that specialsomeone in your life

and make their heartglad, send your Valentine love a FREE classified ad in TheLocal Herald, your official West End messenger supervised bycupid himself. With arrows like this in our arsenal, how canyou fail to win the heart of your beloved?

FREE VALENTINE cLASSIFIEDS in The Local Herald’s February10, 2012 issue.

Send yours in today! No romantic sonnets, please - Keep yourmessage to 22 words or less! Deadline is Friday, Feb. 3, 2010,5:00 p.m.

514-975-7745 OR via e-mail:

[email protected].


Best,

Bram

We hope you have enjoyedthis issue of

THE LOCAL HERALD

We are working on nextissue and it will be out

February 10, 2012

DeadlineFriday, February 3rd.

Coming up in our next issue:

Our celebration of love, loving andlovely things, in our heartfelt

homage to Valentine's Day. It maybe a christian festival historically,but love should be celebrated by

us all, don't you think?

ONLY in West EndMontreal’s most

unique communitypaper.

Plus we sell watches, bands and

leather straps (from France)

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Jewellery, including the wildly

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We’ve been on watch for 50 great years! We provide expert

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... AND WHO SAYS NOTHING HAPPENS IN CORNWALL !!!

check out our Weekly Community Event Seeker Section

Kathy Smart - Local girl gone BIG!

Not only does she have her own cooking show,

her cookbook has gone international!

Kathy Smart (born Burgess), born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario and now living

in Orleans, is a registered nutritional consultant with the Canadian Examining

Board of Health Care Practitioners, a Registered Sports Nutrition Advisor, a Holistic

Teaching Chef with the Holistic Cooking Academy of Canada and a Registered

Personal Fitness Trainer with the Canadian Association of Fitness

Professionals. With over 14 years experience in the health and fitness

industries, she currently works as a nutritional consultant and

fitness instructor for the City of Ottawa, a nutritional consultant for

Designed Food Systems Inc. assisting with menu development,

nutritional analysis and recipe testing for retail sales and as a

Holistic Teaching Chef for the Ottawa Carleton School Board.

She is also the host and chef of ‘Live The Smart Way’

- the world’s first gluten free and vegetarian cooking show with

Rogers TV. Live The Smart Way

Kathy can be seen on Rogers Ottawa Daytime TV and A

channel where she teaches, motivates and inspires others

with healthy recipes and healthy living tips. Kathy excels at menu

specialization, recipe development and recipe modifications including

gluten-free, wheat- free, dairy-free and vegetarian/ vegan options. Her

planning considers special needs including age, disease, gender, and

heredity. She has designed hundreds of personalized programs for

clients with diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease and food

allergies. Kathy has written and published four cookbooks with a

special emphasis on gluten free and dairy free choices.

Kathy can be reached at 613.235.SAGE (7243)

or email: [email protected] or visit

www.livethesmartway.com

or come and see her at the CELIAC SUPPORT MEETING

(also for anyone interested in a Gluten Free diet) on January 28 at 1:00 pm., 847 York St.

(Harvest Christian Fellowship church basement hall).

Guest speaker, Kathy Smart, who is the chef, nutritionist and host of North America's first gluten-free cooking

show, "Live the Smart Way". She will also give a brief cooking demo, and will bring her cookbook to sell

(and sign) for only $25.

For more info: Mary Brink, 938-2908.

All are welcome!

Your Weekly CORNWALL EVENTS & COMMUNITY NewspaperTAKE ONE - IT

’S FREE!

Vol. 3, Issue 2 January 20, 2012

about CORNWALL PEOPLE for CORNWALL PEOPLE by CORNWALL PEOPLE

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You can read our

Cornwall Edition

online at

http://thelocalseeker.com

local herald, volume 3, issue 2

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