♦

Knox’s newsletter: ACross the Pews |  Download it here (in PDF format) or view online in the ‘magazine’ format below:

This is the second post in a six-part series exploring the different types of historic materials that you can find on our new website, History in the Making. To read the other posts in this series, please click here. In this post, we will be looking in more detail at our collection of historic photographs and postcards.

Here, in the Grace Schmidt Room of Local History, we have a vast collection of photographs and postcards that capture the rich history of Kitchener and the surrounding areas. From photographs and postcards of buildings or other well-known locations to family portraits and school photographs, our collection encompasses not only the milestone moments that shaped our city but also daily life in Waterloo Region.

• ♦
• ♦

These photographs and postcards date from the late 19th century to the present day and can provide us with an invaluable, visual insight into the past. They capture significant events like the departure of local soldiers during the world wars, and the arrival of hydroelectric power in Berlin, as well as, opening ceremonies for area buildings, heritage plaque unveilings, and reunions for regional schools and societies.

In addition, the photographs in our collection capture more everyday moments such as people working on farms or in factories and streetscapes showing how much Kitchener has changed over the last hundred years. We also have a large number of studio photographs of local men, women and children that can help us to humanise our ancestors by showing us what they looked like, how they dressed or styled their hair and even what props they chose to be photographed with.

Our postcard collection, on the other hand, features notable locations in the area like Victoria Park, King Street or City Hall. There are even a number which show Kitchener Public Library over the years! While many of our late 19th and early 20th century photographs are in black-and-white, the postcards dating from this same era have often been coloured and can help us more clearly visualise the city as it would have looked back then.

We have already digitized and uploaded approximately 1,000 of these photographs and postcards to HITM but we have thousands more in the GSR that we will be uploading in the future! If you are looking for an image of a person, place or event in Kitchener or Waterloo Region but can’t find it online, why not visit us in person to check out our photo index?

Quick Tips

• Looking for images of a relative or other person? Make sure to search for them by their last name. You could also try searching for group photographs taken by schools, churches, employers or even societies and clubs that they were associated with.
• Looking for images of a building or other location? Try searching our database for the names of previous owners, businesses associated with the address or the street name. You could even try looking for other nearby businesses or landmarks.
• Do you want a copy of a photo in our collection? We offer high-quality digital or physical reproductions for personal use or research purposes for $10.00 + HST per image!

Questions?

If you have any questions or just want to learn more about our photograph collection, please feel free to send us an email at gsr@kpl.org, give us a call at 519-743-0271 ext. 212 or visit us in person the next time you are in the library! Check back next week to learn more about our archival collections!

Chiara Fallone, Senior Library Assistant, Grace Schmidt Room

Introducing the preliminary roster for the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team! 🇺🇸 #WorldJuniors #USAWJC

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) November 30, 2021

Light up your holiday season, and come out to Bingemans Gift of Lights on Monday, December 13th for their walk only night in support of Grand River Hospital. From 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., you can walk through this festive, family-friendly holiday light display with the ones your love as we celebrate and spread the joy of the holidays this year! Not only does it feature two tunnels and more than 300 incredible animated and static light displays, but you will also be supporting local health care with 50% of proceeds going to Grand River Hospital.

Get your tickets now! 

Because even during the holidays, care never stops at Grand River Hospital.

Event details
Date: Monday, December 13th
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: Bingemans at 425 Bingemans Centre Dr. Kitchener, ON. Enter through the camping entrance.
*Please note that masks are required as per local regulations.

♦

November Reflections

The last day of the month. Snow on the ground. A blank wintry sky.

What felt good this month? Okay, real talk: this month was hard. What felt good was connecting with other people, in a variety of contexts and locations. I zoomed into literary events, and visited a local book club in person. Most recently, I travelled with my dad and sister across the border for the first time in over two years to visit my grandma, aunt, uncle, and cousins in Indiana. I’ve been interviewing Grandma about her life (99 years and counting), and it was an emotional moment to see her again in person, and feel her arms around me, holding me tight. At the beginning of the month, we also made a family trip to see Kevin’s family, which yielded many giddy, silly moments, needed conversation, and much laughter on the road. Often, this past month, I’ve felt purposeful and cherished, and it’s been meaningful to be able to offer my attention and care.

♦

What did you struggle with? Very little writing time. I did my best with the time I had, but it was a struggle to string together more than a few hours at a time; nevertheless, I finished the first draft of half of a new fiction project. I also did my best to meet, with equanimity and acceptance, the challenges that were calling me. I overcame anxieties and fears about travel, public events, and covid risks, so despite struggling with all of the above, my fears did not dictate my choices. I’m proud of that.

♦

Where are you now compared to the beginning of the month? This month has been so long! To be honest, I’m feeling pretty wiped out and drained. I’m glad to find myself still running, still able to run. I knew in advance this month would be hard, and I did my level best to prepare for what came by taking each day as it arrived — and my preparation and flexible mindset stood me in good stead. I just need a) a day to clean and organize the whole house; b) a day to lie on the couch and read, and c) a week of uninterrupted writing time to finish out the year … or even just a week of half-days for uninterrupted writing time.

♦

How did you take care of yourself? Yoga, stretching, reaching out to friends, going on walks, running: any activity that invites me more fully into my body. Mostly, I practiced bringing myself back to the present moment, not resisting being exactly where I was. Sometimes this was uncomfortable. In moments of great stress, I listened to a Tara Brach podcast (meditation) or got outside, or took a power nap. I’ve got tools in my toolbox! I set boundaries in ways that felt natural, and genuinely helpful. I let myself be myself. Even if that meant letting the tears flow. I acknowledged and tried to forgive my own missteps and errors, with as much humour as I could muster. (Not always possible to laugh at oneself, but always a relief when it is possible.)

♦

What would you most like to remember? That I don’t have to be defined by my past responses to similar situations, but have the capacity to learn and grow. That I can surprise myself (in good ways or for in more challenging ways!). That it’s possible to feel lonely, even when you’re deeply loved; and that the feeling won’t last. That it’s possible to improve one’s mood by going for a walk with a friend. That I don’t mind conflict, because it’s an opportunity to forge a deeper connection with someone else.

♦

What do you need to let go of? Control, control, control. It’s a manifestation of fear: trying to control how I’m seen or perceived, trying to control how people feel about me, trying to control choices others make in their own lives, trying to plan what will happen. Guess what, Carrie, you’re not the boss of anyone else, and a lot will happen that you’d never guess in advance! Besides, attempts at control are not only futile, they make it much harder to enjoy one’s every day experiences. I want to stay open to the moment that’s here and calling me, rather than arguing with what’s happening. Without a desire for control, perhaps I could inhabit myself in the world more wholly, sensitive to those around me, attuned to the human selfness of everyone I encounter, and fully alive to the ways in which connection is possible; while also recognizing where connection would be forced, unwanted; secure in my boundaries; with no desire to take over someone else’s life, to step in, assume, or project (okay, those last two are next to impossible goals, but still worth trying!). Let go of control; welcome, instead, awareness.

xo, Carrie

On November 17th Aquanty’s Dr. Steve Frey (senior scientist and Director of Research Services) delivered a webinar as part of Microsoft’s Research for Industries (RFI) initiative. This initiative seeks to identify and accelerate scientific advances in technologies such as data platforms, connectivity, robotics, and AI and bring them to bear on opportunities in a variety of industries, including retail, financial services, energy, and agri-food, and others.

Dr. Frey’s lecture - titled Physics-based groundwater – surface water modeling at continental scale - provides some early information on Aquanty’s ambitious Canada 1 Water (C1W) project. At the heart of the C1W project lies our flagship software platform, HydroGeoSphere (HGS), a state-of-the-art fully-integrated GW-SW simulator that can couple with both weather forecasts and future climate scenarios in order to derive predictive insight on water resources. As part of the continental scale Canada 1 Water (C1W) project, HGS models are being built for all of Canada. C1W is a collaborative and multi-disciplinary project involving scientists who are working to assemble the requisite datasets and construct the models. As part of C1W phase 1, the HGS models will be coupled to regional climate modeling and used to produce national scale climate change risk indices pertaining to surface water, groundwater, and soil moisture resources. In this presentation we will: (i) review the concept and science behind fully-integrated GW-SW simulation, (ii) discuss the parallel scientific advancements that have paved the way for large-scale hyper resolution modeling, (iii) introduce the C1W project methodology and objectives, and (iv) discuss the integration of sensor data with hydrologic models to improve predictive capabilities.

Watch the presentation below, or visit the Research for Industries website to watch and learn more about RFI.

This Giving Tuesday, we wanted to say thank you on behalf of all the patients and hospital staff your donations have supported this year.

Over the past 12 months, so much great work has been accomplished at Grand River Hospital, none of which would have been possible without the support of community members like you. Your support makes a world of difference for patients and families receiving care and has funded items at the Hospital like

• The Bioness Integrated Therapy System at the Freeport Campus. It allows people affected by a vision, motor or balance difficulty because of injury or illness to improve, or even regain, their mobility and coordination skills.
  
  
• Unfunded Drugs at Grand River Regional Cancer Centre. Provincial regulatory bodies determine which drugs can be used to treat which types of cancer and in which situations. Some are funded by the government, and some are not. Unfunded drugs are often brand new or still awaiting final approval. For those with limited income and no health benefits, trying a different line of potentially lifesaving medication is simply not an option without financial support.
  
  
• Hemodialysis Machines. Hemodialysis helps kidney care patients by drawing blood from the body and cleaning it by passing it through an artificial kidney machine. Our equipment operates from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday year round. Because of the constant use, even with the highest quality controls, these machines slowly take a beating and need to be replaced.
  
  
• The Childbirth Kirlin 2 Light System: a critical project to replace the lighting in every childbirth room, ensuring each baby is welcomed to a clear and perfectly lit environment.
  
  
• Updated Negative Pressure Rooms in our Emergency Department. These rooms keep our patients and staff safe by ensuring potentially contaminated air or other dangerous particles from inside the room will not flow out into non-contaminated areas.

♦

Thank you so much for supporting Grand River and making our hospital a place where care never stops. We couldn't do it without you!

This post is about an issue that I found when testing the ROE (Record of Employment) functionality for a client in Dynamics GP. (Since “ROE” is a generic term, this post is specifically about a bug in the Dynamics GP Canadian Payroll module). I opened a case for it and it was quickly confirmed and written up as a quality issue (#91928 in case you need to add yourself or your customer to the list of affected clients).

The TL;DR version: Box 15B does not generate the correct value when using the ROE Creation window for weekly payroll. As far as I know this is specific to weekly payroll though I have not tested with other pay frequencies!

** Important to note ** this is only an issue if you print the report to give to an employee because that’s where 15B is printed. If you record ROEs strictly to generate the XML file for uploading to the CRA site, there is no issue, as 15B is not a field in the XML file.

The longer version is this:

• Box 15B is “Total Insurable Earnings”. For weekly payroll this should be the sum of the last 27 weeks of insurable earnings.
• Box 15C is the “by week” last 53 weeks of insurable earnings. For weekly payroll this should show up to the last 53 weeks.

The disconnect is the issue is only present with one method of generating the ROE in Dynamics GP. Specifically, when you use ROE Creation to create the ROE, box 15B is incorrect, but using Mass ROE creates it properly. Go figure.

The ROE Creation window is the one-at-a-time ROE method. I would have assumed most clients use this for one-off ROEs, and I was testing the functionality with it and recognized that the value was wrong. That was really strange to me, Canadian Payroll has been around for years, how can there possibly be a bug no one has yet found?

(Don’t @ me on this… I know there are issues that people have found over the years in various modules that will never be fixed. My point is it’s unusual to find “new” issues at this point in this product’s lifecycle!).

Here’s the result of doing an ROE for a weekly payroll employee. For simplicity with the math, their weekly insurable earnings were $1,000. The amount in box 15B should be $27,000 (27 periods x $1,000).

PS: This is fake data from Fabrikam, nothing in here is from a real employee or client!

The Mass ROE window is for, you guessed it, mass-creation of ROEs. In my client’s case, it didn’t even occur to me to test this since “mass layoffs” aren’t a thing there. However, you can easily use the Mass ROE window and only process 1 person’s ROE, it just seems like the long way to do it, hence I never tried it.

I posted the case to Microsoft Support and Cheryl W. very quickly tested and confirmed my findings, but since it hadn’t been reported yet, she tested Mass ROE as she, too, wondered how it was possible that no one had reported this yet. That’s when she realized Mass ROE works. She knows there are users using the ROE functionality so her only guess is they don’t use ROE Creation to do it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Here is the result from Mass ROE, with the same employee:

Another workaround for this is if you need to edit the ROE at all in the ROE Creation window, you could modify the ROE Prep Report to not show the amount in the 15B box. It’s not the *best* option in the world, but it’s an option. Anything requiring that amount would be cross-checked and calculated anyway.

Another thought is this: in working with a client on this issue, they walked me through the process of uploading the XML file to CRA so I could see that side of the process. Not having employees myself, I haven’t had to actually do that part before. As part of the process, they do have the option to pull a PDF of the ROEs generated in the file so if someone needs a report in paper form, the option would be to upload the XML then print the ROEs as needed from the PDF from the CRA site.

At this time, this issue will not be fixed as it clearly does not affect enough people to warrant the development of a fix. Something similar was reported for monthly payroll a few years ago, but they deemed that also too infrequent a scenario to fix. It’s unclear if that and this are the same issue. Overall they have had something like 5 customers log cases about the monthly issue, too few to put development hours into it.

The Mass ROE method is considered a valid workaround to the issue and thus the quality report will stay unresolved!

Reminder: this does not affect the XML file for the ROE at all since 15B is a calculation by CRA and that field isn’t even in the XML file itself. It’s purely the table value problem which means the underlying report is incorrect.

♦ What can we do about climate change as a community, as leaders, and as individuals? Given the United Nations’ “Code Red for Humanity,” it’s difficult to not feel hopeless. But together we can build resilience and gain momentum to achieve our climate goals. Join us online with people from our region to discuss how climate, food, and community are interrelated.

Mark your calendar for either:
Tuesday, 30 November 2021, 7:00pm – 9:30pm; or
Saturday, 4 December 2021, 7:00pm – 9:30pm

We’ll begin by watching Eating Our Way to Extinction, a film featuring leading scientists, physicians, and academics that explores how our global food system contributes to some of the major issues of our day: climate breakdown, environmental racism, and food access inequality.

The voices from Brazil are particularly compelling in the film. One man making a living from clearing the rainforest says, “You can’t tell us what to do!” and an indigenous woman says, “We don’t consider ourselves as owning the forest, rather we are a part of nature, a part of it.”

We are pleased to have Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop, one of the documentary’s scientists, available for Q&A. Wedderburn-Bisshop is a former Principal Scientist with Queensland Government Natural Resources in Australia, and a member of Climate CoLab at MIT’s Center for Collective Intelligence. We have invited local political leaders from Waterloo Region and Wellington County to join us in the discussion.

These events are presented by Kitchener-Waterloo Climate Save, Guelph Climate Save, and Waterloo Region Citizens’ Climate Lobby

To sign up for this free evening, please complete this Google form:

Sign Up

If you have any difficulties with the form, just write us at markham_marion@yahoo.ca.

Looking forward to seeing you online!
Mo Markham for Kitchener-Waterloo Climate Save

Smart Devices

Smart devices are becoming the norm in today’s connected world. From smartphones and self-driving cars to a light switch you can control over the internet; or even better, an outlet that can turn itself off when your electricity bill for the day is astronomically climbing in cost.

When you are at home you can control your smart devices with convenient voice commands.  Ask Amazon Alexa or Google Home for your MyEyedro energy usage data.

What about your devices that aren’t “smart”? – you can use smart plugs to turn them into connected devices!

Smart devices that can be accessed remotely as needed create an added layer of security for you and your home.

• Security cameras
• Exterior lights – for your safety and a safe, well-lit neighbourhood
• Interior lights timed to come on while you are away help to deter prowlers
• Door locks
• Smoke detectors
• Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors
• Water leak detectors

Smart Home Tech Gadgets to Fulfill Every Need is a great resource that highlights a range of smart devices currently available and tips on how you can use them.

Smart home automation allows you to control your smart connected devices remotely when you are away from home.  Automations can be set to control and time your devices.  You can create automations that can turn on your lights at a certain time of day, which can protect your home when you are on vacation.  Setting your exterior lights to turn on at dusk enhances safety for you and your neighbourhood.  You could also create automations that would turn off devices such as heaters or pool pumps during the times of the day when energy costs peak.

Take advantage of your smart home devices and smart home automation to time and run your appliances for maximum energy savings.

Eyedro has stepped up as a partner to make the transition between home energy monitoring and user access seamless. Purchasing and installing an Eyedro Electricity Monitor is already a great idea to get an understanding of your home energy usage in real time from anywhere. However, what if you’re a busy person, your hands are always full or you just don’t have time to log into the MyEyedro Cloud service when you need to? Being newly updated and freshly integrated with Amazon, Google and Samsung SmartThings, you can link your MyEyedro service to your Assistant devices and just by saying “Talk to MyEyedro” you’ll be able to ask for some common insights without lifting a finger. Some sample functions of the integrations are “Get Highlights”, “Get Demand”, “Get Demand Changes” and “Get Bill Estimate”.

         Amazon Alexa Integration 

Access your electricity information through your Amazon Echo simply by saying, “Alexa, ask MyEyedro …”

       Google Assistant Integration 

Access your electricity information through your Google Home simply by saying, “Ok Google, talk to MyEyedro.”

   Samsung SmartThings Integration 

Access your electricity information through your SmartThings mobile app.  

The post Smart Home appeared first on Eyedro.

• A select group of tickets are available through a ticket lottery that will be drawn on Thursday, January 6
• FLW can enter the ticket lottery by filling the application out below by the deadline of Monday, January 3.
• Lottery ticket winners will be notified by 4 pm on Friday, January 7 if successful in claiming a complimentary ticket package (notification by email)
• Entrants must be fully vaccinated as per OHL policy in order to attend Kitchener Rangers games

• Monday, January 3

• Tickets and FLW package including calendars, collector t-shirts and Authentics Voucher will be available for pick up at the Kitchener Rangers front administration desk, located at 1963, Eugene George Way (The Aud, off parking Lot A) by Wednesday, January 12.

As the days get shorter and colder, we all start to anticipate time off at the end of the year to unwind, relax, and spend time with family and friends. For us it also marks the last Concept $5k Finals before the new year, and we couldn’t be more impressed with the teams who pitched this term. 

Although we are still fighting the effects of the pandemic, our students continued to dedicate themselves to their ideas. For that we want to congratulate each student who pitched at the Concept $5k Semi-Finals and Finals. 

We would also like to give a huge thanks to our panel of judges for taking the time to support the students at the Concept $5k Finals. Ryan Chiu (Analysis, Round13 Growth), Shambhavi Sole (Sr. Analysis, Student Venture Fund), and Farnoud Kazemzadeh (Co-Founder & VP Eng, VitalBio). Not only did they provide their expert advice and feedback to all teams, but also made the difficult decision of picking the winners of the Fall 2021 $5k Pitch Competition.  

A new way to save, curate, and share knowledge online. Like playlists but for resources. 

Creating logistics software for unit charge nurses in hospital emergency departments

An electrical utility company that offers energy security to off grid residences by installing home power stations with solar generation and hydrogen mediated storage. 

Using a biological method to manufacture masonry units with a carbon and waste negative procedure and a unit that is stronger, more durable, and customizable. 

Although the $5K grants have been named, the competition isn’t over yet because we want your say! Head over to the finalist pitches on YouTube and give a like on the video pitch of your favourite time. The team with the most video likes will be announced the People’s Champ and will receive $500! Voting is open until December 2nd, 2021 and will be announced the next day on December 3rd, 2021 on our socials. 

We hope that all of you take the time to rest this holiday season, stay warm, and spend time with your loved ones. We can’t wait to see you back again in January where we can ring in the new year together and jump into some awesome programs and opportunities! If you’re a current UW student, we would love to have you as one of our Campus Ambassadors!

Apply here

To stay knowledgeable about other exciting opportunities and to see how these teams progress, be sure to follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter for your weekly dose of Concept news. From everyone at the Concept team, Happy Holidays! 

The post Fall 2021: Concept $5k Pitch Winners appeared first on Concept UWaterloo.

When Brian Harding, Judy’s husband, was asked about her drive to make a change, he shared her perspective this way, “You have to do something about it. How can you sleep at night if you don’t do something about it? You have to be a responsible Canadian citizen and do something. So Judy did. She had the makings to make a difference, and she did.”

Brian recounts the night their lives became focused on protecting children. It seemed like any other rainy October night that Brian and Judy sat down after dinner to watch the news. This broadcast featured two stories about child sexual assault. One was about a man who sexually assaulted his two-year-old granddaughter. The other, Brian describes, was “A headline about a case in London, Ontario, where a stepfather had sexually abused his five stepdaughters. The perpetrator, the stepfather, got a very minimal sentence. Judy was totally enraged that something like this could happen and only a minimal sentence be handed out. She said, ‘We gotta do something about this, Brian.’”

Judy felt an urgency and she took action. She created a petition protesting the lenient sentences given to the perpetrators and went door to door on that dark and rainy October night collecting signatures, while Brian stayed home with their children. Still reflecting on that night, Brian said, “Judy came home within an hour and needed to write up more copies of the petition.”

Residents were stepping up and rallying together; many of them took copies of the petition to their workplaces to collect more signatures. Judy was overwhelmed with how supportive people were. This topic was close to home for parents, grandparents, educators, and anyone with a heart for children. It was an issue that had been ongoing, and once Judy action, the community was wholeheartedly ready to support her.

“And next thing you know, you look back, there are not two people there, there’s a crowd”, Brian recounts. Within the next few weeks, 40,000 signatures were gathered between Waterloo Region and London, Ontario. From there, they got an appointment with Minister of Justice at the time, Jean Chrétien, at his office on Parliament Hill.

Brian was part of the group that drove to Ottawa. He recalls they had to get creative when binding the petitions: “We were leaving, and somebody said, ‘How are we going to bind all these?’ We had a stack of all these sheets with the names on them. I said, ‘You know what, we will punch holes in them, and you gals can tie them together with Jason’s hockey laces.’ So that’s what they did. Here we are driving down the 401, and they’re sitting in the back feeding hockey laces through all the sheets.”

Following the presentation in Ottawa, Jean Chrétien agreed there were inconsistencies in the legal system regarding the severity of these crimes and the penalties given. It seemed that the court system was tilted in the perpetrators’ favour. Chrétien offered his staff to work with Judy and the group on the matter and urged this issue to be pushed into the public eye to raise awareness.

Judy and Brian knew they couldn’t do this on their own. They wanted to engage community members, so they started to compile a team of volunteers in Waterloo Region to help build the organization. The team was specific about the type of volunteers they were looking for. “We wanted to choose volunteers who were thinking with their brain more than their gut feeling… If we are really going to move the yardsticks, you have to be professional, you have to be focused, and you need to execute on a plan to create change.”

With passionate volunteers and the drive to make a change, the Child Witness Centre (then known as Citizens Concerned with Crime against Children or ‘4Cs’) began its journey to raise funds. During this crucial time, the community continued to step up. The first fundraiser, a dance, was made possible because of local citizens. Of course, there were monetary donations for the event, but what shocked the team the most was the number of nonmonetary items donated. A local church offered the event space, residents donated food, a funeral home donated flowers, local stores donated prizes, and so on.

The organization ran solely on the goodwill of volunteers and community members for over 10 years before they had paid employees. The more traction the team got within the community, the harder they pushed. Brian said, “If you do well, that gives you the motivation to push on to do even more and do better, and that’s basically how it all happened.”

Judy and Brian went on to serve fervently with Child Witness Centre for decades. This included Judy being the executive director, and Brian being a board member for many years, before eventually passing their torches to new members. They were both pleased with how the organization was growing and flourishing. “We have talked about it. We are very proud of how this organization has grown. Starting at our dining room table to what it is today.”

Sadly, Judy passed away this past January and is greatly missed by many. But her determination to advocate for the voices of children and youth will continue to have a positive ripple effect for many decades to come. Taking a moment to collect himself, Brian spoke from his heart, “Rest in peace, dear Judy. Your legacy will live on and benefit thousands of children.”

♦

When it comes to ordering fish during a dinner out, many people likely think of one of two dishes: salmon or fish and chips.

But as Canadians’ access to fish products has increased in the past few years, consumption has also increased.

People see it as a sustainable food option that is high in protein, low in fat and an alternative to red meats, says Sylvain Charlebois, a professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax and director of the school’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab.

And, he says, people have embraced making the protein at home in their own kitchens.

“Ontarians have somewhat fallen in love again with fish and seafood cooked at home. It is yet another sign consumers are getting more adventurous,” Charlebois said.

When fish is on local restaurants menus, consumers are buying it.

Bhima’s Warung in Waterloo has a relatively large selection of fish and seafood on the menu, according to chef and owner Paul Boehmer.

“We have always sold a lot of fish and seafood,” he said. “Our menus have always been heavy on that side.”

The Walper Hotel’s TWH Social prepares crispy trout with gnocchi, sorrel, yeast butter and grilled lemon that is something of an anomaly as a sales leader.

“It’s Cole Munro trout, and it’s currently our best selling entrée. That is interesting given that it is usually a beef dish that’s the bestseller,” said Nicole Hunt, executive chef at the Walper. Cole Munro is a rainbow trout producer near St. Thomas, Ont.

For more on this story, visit CBC-KW.

Check out my latest post Could there be more fish dishes? from Andrew Coppolino - World of Flavour.

♦

Pétillant naturel, or, cutely, “pét-nat,” is naturally sparkling wine, if translated. It’s a sort of au courant wine — and it’s actually quite good. I’d sort of put it in the idiosyncratic wine category, like so-called orange wine.

Like a sparkling wine such as Champagne or Prosecco, pétillant naturel is fizzy and bubbly, but milder than the former.

While the majestic Champagne, centuries old, undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle (sparkling wines, mass-produced, ferment in large tanks or have added CO2 before being bottled), pét-nat ferments naturally during its first fermentation in the bottle — however it happens, fermentation is yeast eating the sugars and basically farting out bubbles (sorry).

The French call this simpler wine-making process, in the typical French-wine way, methode ancestral, although the style itself is old as well.

A clue that you have found a bottle of pét-nat is the soda-pop style cap (technically called a “crown cork”), rather than a cork.

A good Ontario example that I have enjoyed is the VQA Niagara Peninsula pét-nat by Leaning Post Wines, a lovely winery based in Stoney Creek.

They call the wine, made from Muscat grapes, light and with “fresh effervescence” that evokes “slowly receding glaciers carving out the natural features of Niagara” — the terroir, in other words, and quite poetically put.

Leaning Post made 389 cases of the wine. I think it’s worth trying a bottle from one of those cases for a unique, yet quite old, wine experience.

Check out my latest post Pét-Nat is sparkling wine from Andrew Coppolino - World of Flavour.

♦

At the corner of Charles St. E & Stirling Ave!

1. Bring a sign that speaks your heart! “Stop criminalizing homelessness”
   “Reallocate the police budget into life-giving services”
   “Shelters are full: over 400 sleep rough”
   “We want a compassionate community”
   “Does this solve homelessness?”

♦

2. Bring a donation (only tents, sleeping bags, or cash).

Donations will be given to a nonprofit, working with unhoused people.

On Friday November 26, Waterloo Regional Bylaw, together with police, bulldozed the shelters of unhoused people living at Charles & Stirling.

Please wear a mask and respect social distancing.

We’ve all seen the “Little Bobby Tables” comic, explaining the perils of unsanitised input, SQL injection. Now, what if we were to turn the tables on attackers with this exact method? Maybe make your password be something with a comma, so all the CSV dumps that are bought and sold break?

Is that all it would take to mess with one or two attackers? Adding a ‘,’ to your password, your username? Maybe find a super weak site you know will be exploited and create a fake account like this?

Who wants to (or has) given this a try?

🌌 Open Source AI for large scale open ended feedback

JavaScript 329 Updated Nov 30

FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Prelude: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (Full House Brass)

Call to Worship

One: Come, oh come, Emmanuel.
All: We are homesick for a just world.
One: Come, oh come, Emmanuel.
All: We are homesick for peace that flows like a river.
One: Come, oh come, Emmanuel.
All: We are homesick for joy that is contagious.
One: We are homesick, but we are on our way.
All: God is here. God is still creating.

Hymn #119: Hope is a star
Contributors: Brian Wren, Text: © 1989, Hope Publishing Company. One License #11259

Welcome & Gathering Prayer

Assurance of God’s Grace

Peace Invocation: Still, still, still
Trad. Austrian Carol, Words: Adapted by Mary-Catherine Pazzano Public Domain. OneLicense #94339

Still, still, still,
We await our Saviour’s birth.
The day is peaceful all around you, Close your eyes,
Let peace surround you,
Peace, peace, peace,
We await our Saviour’s birth.

Lighting of the Candle of Hope (Maria & Ash Milne)

Sung Response – As we light the candle
Music: French Traditional Carol, Words: Rev. John Kupar
Public Domain. OneLicense #93286

As we light the candle of hope,
we await the Christ yet to come.
Hoping for a world of shalom,
one where we are closely known.
Christ, come to us, upon our earth do dwell,
may we carry peace close to home.

Wondering…about being homesick

Scripture

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13
Luke 21:25-36

A Story about Home

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey
written by Margriet Ruurs, Artwork by Nizar Ali Badr

Song: Over my Head

Sacrament of Communion

Invitation
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Sung Lord’s Prayer (Knox Chancel Choir)
Enjoying the Gifts of the Earth
Prayer of Discipleship (unison)

Invitation to the Offering

Offertory: The Ash Grove, performed by Sophie Kim, piano and Elysha Vorstenbosch, harp
Trad. Welsh Tune, arr. Daniel Burton
Jubal Press, Distributed by Vanderbilt Music Company

Doxology: Sing a new world into being
Words & Music: Mary Louise Bringle
© 2005, GIA Publications, Inc. OneLicense #27312

Sing a new world into being
where the homeless find a home,
where no children ever hunger
but are filled with God’s shalom;
where all people work for justice,
where all hate and vengeance cease.
Sing a new world into being:
raise the harmonies of peace.

Life and Ministry of Knox Waterloo

Hymn #109: All earth is waiting to see the promised One
Words: Alberto Taulé (1932-) ; translation, Gertrude C. Suppe (1911-) Music: TAULE, Alberto Taulé (1932-); harmony, Skinner Chávez-Melo (1944-1992) Words: translation, © The United Methodist Publishing House, 1989. OneLicense #80401

Blessing

Advent Sending Song #112: Prepare the way of the Lord
Words: Isaiah 40:3, 52:10; Music: Jacques Berthier, Taize Community, © 1984, Les Presses de Taizé, GIA Publications, Inc., agent; Words Public Domain, Music Taize Community, Used by Permission of GIA Publications. OneLicense #00142

Prepare the way of the Lord.
Prepare the way of the Lord,
and all people will see
the salvation of our God.

Postlude

Worship Leaders:
The Rev. Courtney Crawford, The Rev. Hugh Donnelly, Mary-Catherine Pazzano, Sophie Kim, Elysha Vorstenbosch

Tech Team:
Ben Breen, Kathleen Forde, Deb Lacoste

Copyright:
CCLI License #2580326. Onelicense A-713805 Images and videos used with permission.

♦
We acknowledge that Knox Waterloo is located on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Neutral Peoples. Read the full
Territorial Acknowledgement.

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT

♦

♦Monthly Expenses in October exceeded Monthly Income, creating a $13.6K shortfall for the month and a $66K total shortfall in 2021 through October. $8,500 was received for Anniversary offering in Oct, with a further $4,600 received so far in November (against our $8,000 budget). Thank you for your generous Anniversary donations!

Year-to-date Donations through October are about $64K below expectations while expenses are running $48K less than budget (due to receiving $66K of government subsidies which finished in October).

Knox typically receives 25% of its annual revenue in November and December, and is expecting to incur significant capital expenditures in November and December. Please consider making an incremental offering this Christmas season as your are able in order to help close the current shortfall.

COVID Health & Safety Update

Effective November 21, 2021, Knox Waterloo is requiring proof of full vaccination for those wishing to attend worship and programs at Knox.
Congregants must be able to provide proof of identification, plus proof of vaccination.
Acceptable proof of vaccination includes a paper copy of a COVID-19 vaccination receipt (final dose), or a QR code on a mobile device.
Individuals who cannot be fully vaccinated or are not able to provide proof of full vaccination may be admitted access provided a negative result of an on-site rapid test which will be administered by a volunteer. Tests require 15 minutes to complete.
Other important information:

• • Masks will be required to be worn at all times by congregants.
  • Social distancing in the building will be maintained.
  • Seating reservation procedures will continue.

These measures will permit congregational singing during services.
The Session of Knox Waterloo believes these measures reflect our call to be both a safe and an inclusive community.

Close to Home is the theme for this Advent and Christmas season. Read Rev Hugh & Courtney’s Christmas Letter to find out what activities and events are planned for the Knox Waterloo Community.

Advent Conversations through zoom; 2 options weekly throughout Advent (beginning November 30th): Tuesdays at 10 am OR Wednesdays at 7:30 pm 

Join us throughout Advent for our conversations using the art and poetry of Sanctified Art paired with the scriptures of each week of the Advent season. Hugh and Courtney will offer an opportunity to engage in study, reflection, and conversation about the weekly themes of Advent. You can join in each week or a week at a time. The accompanying Advent devotional, with the artwork and poetry, will be emailed out next week; contact the office if you need a printed copy. Choose one of the two time options that works best with your availability.

In-Person Gr. 7-12 Youth Sunday School has begun!

RSVP to Carole each week so we can plan and setup for social distancing. You do not need to book a seat in the sanctuary unless you are attending the Worship service for the entire time. When you arrive, please give your name to the usher and head straight upstairs to the Knox Room where your teacher(s) will be waiting for you!
Pre-school to grade 6 will remain online until further notice.

Food For Thought meets online Sunday at 6:30 pm. If you’re university-age (a student, working, or in-between), join others for study, discussion, and prayer. This fall’s theme, Feasting & Faith: A Look at Meals in Scripture. Contact Nancy Matthews for the Zoom link or questions.

Sweatshirt Drive – Between now and December 10th, Knox Youth are collecting gently used adult-sized sweatshirts, sweatpants and leggings for oneRoof youth services. They are also collecting chapstick, earbuds and gift cards to grocery stores/Walmart/Giant Tiger and hardware stores. Bring your items to drop off at Knox or email Carole if you need someone to pick up items for you. oneRoof is a youth shelter in downtown Kitchener providing programs and services for youth aged 12-25. Thank you for your support.

Did you place an order for Cookies-in-a-Jar? Good news! They are ready for you to pick up at Knox next week! For those of you who forgot to place an order, we have you covered with a few extras still available for sale at $10/jar. Contact  Vaughn, the Knox office, or call (519) 886-4150 to place an order. Vaughn, Kathy, Jeff and the LOGO’s Junior High youth thank you for supporting this initiative!

Advent Gifts – This year we are supporting The Healing of the Seven Generations. To provide financial donations, call 519-570-9118 or send an e-transfer to: donnadubie@healingofthesevengenerations.ca (be sure to specify in your e-transfer that it is a donation). Alternatively, donations can be dropped off at Knox in the Advent Gifts Box until December 19th. Donations accepted are limited to the following:

• Toiletry products
• Non-perishable food items
• Household toiletries and cleaning supplies
• Personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, shields, sanitizer)
• Snacks, treats, and small activity packs for kids
• Sanitary products for menstruation

PCC Advent Book Study

In Advent in 2021, Presbyterians across the country are invited to join a book study on Adam Hamilton’s Incarnation: Rediscovering the Significance of Christmas (2020).
“The doctrine of the Incarnation represents one of the foundational, and some might say scandalous, claims of the Christian faith: namely, that the God who created all that is, who sustains the universe by his power, came to us in Jesus. He did not simply inspire Jesus or speak through Jesus as he might inspire or speak through people today. No, Incarnation claims that God actually became flesh in Jesus.”  -– Adam Hamilton, Incarnation, p. 9.

A copy of this book is in our library. As well, we have a number of Advent books for both children and adults that are available for borrowing anytime. Click here to see a list.

Alternative Gifts – This year, give gifts with meaning. By making a donation in honour of a friend, teacher, or loved one, you can help to make a difference in the world through the PWS&D Gifts of Change catalogue. Giving a gift through these options is a unique way to carry out life-changing programs that are responding to needs both here at home and worlds away. Complete your online donation and fill out the ‘In Tribute’ section and a card will be sent on your behalf. Gifts of Change

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Raking Fundraiser! Thank you to all of the youth who raked, the parents and grandparents who were involved heading the teams, our home sponsors and private donors. Together we raised $1,300 for The Food Bank of the Waterloo Region which means we raised enough funds for 3,900 meals! For more information please visit The Food Bank and/or watch this informative video. Know that at least a third of the users of the Food Bank are children aged 17 and under. Thank you for your support in this very important initiative.

Join the Converstation – Thanks to all who participated in the conversation groups, sharing  thoughts and ideas that will help shape our future at Knox. The virtual Conversation Comment Board will remain up for a few weeks. If you think of something you’d like to add to our discussion, access the Comment Board and press the “+” in the bottom corner to open up a comment box. You are also welcome to visit the Comment Board to see what others have written. Comment Board

Knox In-Person Worship – Knox is open for in-person worship! You will need to reserve your seat online and follow health and safety protocols. Once again, if you have difficulties with the online registration system, give the office a call.

FINAL THOUGHT…

“ Give us the grace and the impatience to wait for your coming to the bottom of our toes, and to the edges of our finger tips.”
— Walter Brueggmann

Make a Gift to Knox
♦
♦ Facebook  ♦ YouTube  ♦ Instagram

The official source code repository for the calibre ebook manager

Python 11.1k Updated Nov 30

♦

Here are a few dishes you may want to check out this weekend, including a bowl in New Hamburg and a breakfast.

Have a great weekend!

Moroccan Health Bowl, MeMe’s Cafe
Meme’s veg dishes all have a protein component – in the Moroccan case, it’s the chickpea, part of a mini-smorgasbord of veg such as lightly roasted cauliflower, carrots and the very good “pseudo-cereal” quinoa with its nuttiness and texture mingled with organic Thompson raisins, some of which were nearly as large and sweet as a date.

Eggs Benny, Darlise Cafe
Among other breakfast and lunch dishes, Darlise serves several eggs Benny. Chef and co-owner Darryl Howie handles the distinguishing feature of Eggs Benedict with aplomb: Hollandaise, a French “Mother Sauce,” holds together not because of a binder such as flour, but because it is an egg-emulsified butter sauce. Eggs Benedict, therefore, is an egg dish with an egg sauce. (See banner photo.)

Fried chicken, Grand Trunk Saloon
The Saloon specializes in luscious cocktail libations and some of the foods of the U.S. low country, but a dish cooked in dozens of countries is fried chicken — the buttermilk-fried chicken in downtown Kitchener is some of the best around. The 10-piece bucket special on Tuesday is $25 (seitan/vegan = $20). Make sure you hit the chicken with some of the Saloon’s fabulous hot sauce.

Check out my latest post Friday restaurant picks from Andrew Coppolino - World of Flavour.

♦

It’s clearly counter-intuitive, but eating hot soup – and spicy hot soup at that – on a hot day has the unintended salutary effect of cooling you down. Even if it doesn’t, a soup like Bún Bò Huế is too good to skip.

The spicy noodle soup (“bun” is rice vermicelli; “bo” is beef) made in the style of the central Vietnamese city of Hue, until the end of World War II the nation’s capital, dates to what is known as the Nguyen Dynasty. The food of the city is, for the most part, the food of Emperors.

Kitchener is blessed with and continues to support a growing number of restaurants that serve pho (noodle soup) and other Vietnamese and Thai dishes such as bun bo Hue. Pho Tran has a full menu of curry dishes, vermicelli bowls, fried rice dishes, vegetarian dishes and bubble teas in a sleek, casual dining room.

The bún bò Huế, which is under $10, is delicious in that it combines both beef and pork in a rich beef-based broth to which is added lemongrass, the tough, fibrous Asian grass that is lemon scented, and a spicy shrimp paste.

Aside from the broth, bologna-like pork sausage combines with slices of flank steak, tender with small bits of fat, to provide the dish’s meat component. In the traditional preparation, the shrimp paste – known as mam ruoc – is fermented for added flavour, but Pho Tran says theirs in not fermented.

The unique part of the dish – and the ingredient that adds another layer of flavour – is a cube or two of pork blood “pudding” with its soft, silken texture that is much like the texture of tofu. It therefore adds a texture contrast as well as a slight iron flavour.

The noodle in Pho Tran’s bun bo Hue is a thicker rice noodle. Don’t be shy about gathering up your chopsticks and spoon and slurping away loudly. That process of aeration as you suck the noodles up makes sure they are coated with the broth, and the inspiration process of drawing in air helps create a full, rich flavour.

The soup is then garnished with sprigs of fresh, aromatic basil, crisp, clean-tasting mung bean sprouts, culantro (what’s also called sawtooth coriander) and finely shredded red cabbage for a lot of crunch. All of that is set off by giving it a good healthy squeeze of fresh lime.

The foods of the east are especially notable for their use and balance of sweet, salty, sour, bitter and that rich. meathy mouthfeel of umami. That’s what makes these types of dishes so fabulous; they both feed your hunger and your soul.

[This article appeared previously in The Kitchener Post]

Check out my latest post Bún Bò Huế at Pho Tran from Andrew Coppolino - World of Flavour.

You’ve heard of enemies to lovers, and while that is a delightful trope that I literally will never get sick of, have you considered strangers to hasty political arranged marriage in space? If so, check out Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell!

This wintery, atmospheric, very queer space opera is…a lot! It’s both funny and deeply serious, and equally plot and character-driven as it is concerned with galactic political intrigue and corruption. This debut novel really has it all: comedy, romance, murder allegations, political corruption, and getting trapped on a snowy mountain and needing to cuddle to stay alive! All important components of a good sci-fi novel in my books, anyways.

Notorious playboy and royal, Prince Kiem of the Iskat Empire, who is often known for bringing shame to the royal family for his hedonistic habits, is informed by the Queen that he is set to be married to Jainan, a recently widowed diplomat from another planet. Jainan was married to Prince Kiem’s cousin, Prince Taam, who died under mysterious circumstances, and Prince Kiem is subbed in as a replacement to ensure good diplomatic relations with Jainan’s planet, Thea.

While this arranged marriage may seem cold, there is a really sweet and complex slow burn romance between Kiem and Jainan that works really well. I loved the political intrigue, much like I loved the court politics of The Bone Shard Daughter and The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms trilogy, two substantial fantasy series that are also delightful to get lost in on a cold winter’s night.

As an extra, this book pairs nicely with Sun-Ra‘s album We Travel the Spaceways (my favourite song is Tapestry from An Asteroid) and a large quantity of your hot drink of choice!