It’s hard not to sympathize with this idea!

Venezuela Promotes Microsoft Alternative
– By JORGE RUEDA, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, March 29, 2006

(03-29) 16:11 PST CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) —

President Hugo Chavez, long critical of big transnational companies, is promoting free open-source software as an alternative to market-dominating Microsoft Corp.

Venezuela’s science and technology ministry recently held the Latin American Free Software Installation Fair, an event promoting the use of the open-source Linux operating system and other nonproprietary programs over Microsoft’s Windows.

Groups of Linux users have been organizing similar events in other Latin American countries, including Argentina and Colombia, and the Venezuelan government has signed on as a promoter.

The technology ministry said the fair is part Venezuela’s move toward “technological sovereignty, and taking advantage of knowledge for building national scientific independence.”

Chavez, a vehement critic of the capitalist system, issued a decree in 2004 ordering all the country’s public institutions to actively move toward open-source alternatives, hoping to save millions of dollars.

Government agencies have gradually been making the change.

Chavez says previous governments spent more on licensing fees for proprietary software than social programs to fight poverty.

The Venezuelan government hasn’t focused direct criticism on Microsoft, but Chavez has regularly condemned “the hegemony of the multinationals” — saying many big companies are to blame for putting profits above the needs of poor people across Latin America.

URL: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/03/29/financial/f161136S97.DTL

Steven Hayes

Each of us compares our insides to others’ outsides . . . But what if everyone has a secret? And what if the joke is that we all have the same one? The plain fact is that almost all people are in pain somewhere in their lives much of the time. It is hard to be fully human. Almost all of us struggle and suffer, and we all find that so-called easy methods of feeling good bear little relationship to living a meaningful, valued, vital life.
Steven Hayes

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Fishing in Toronto

—–Original Message—–
From: Verge, Shawn (MNR)
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 3:43 PM
To: ron@ronforeman.com
Subject: Picture on your website

Hi Ron,
I found your picture of a youth fishing the Toronto Islands and was hoping I could use it…long story short I sit on a committee whose objective is to promote fishing in urban areas (its also my job) and this committee will have a booth at the sportsmen’s show next week. With your permission I’d like to add that photo to a slide presentation showing people fishing around the City. If you have any questions please contact me at the numbers below.
Thanks
Shawn Verge
Urban Fisheries Extension Biologist
Ministry of Natural Resources
50 Bloomington Road
Aurora ON, L4G 3G8
ph: 905 713 7412
cell: 416-845-2173
fax: 905 713 7361

—–Reply—–
From: Ron Foreman
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 4:00 PM
To: ‘Verge, Shawn (MNR)’
Subject: RE: Picture on your website

Hi Shawn,
Please go ahead; thanks for asking; if you need a higher resolution just ask and I’ll send it.
Best wishes!!
Ron

Ron Foreman
EmpowerYou
Helping entrepreneurs and not-for-profits make the most of the Internet!
ron@empoweryou.ca
www.empoweryou.ca
(647) 999-8543
21 Lascelles, Suite 809, Toronto, ON, M4V 2B8

Fishing in Toronto

“Fishing in Toronto” taken by Ron Foreman, July 10, 2004