NO DECISION MADE TO RAISE ALLOWANCE FOR PM, CABINET

Prime Minister Brian Mulroney

His 39 Cabinet ministers have not yet decided whether to increase the special salary allowances they get for their extra duties or continue the freeze they imposed in 1985.

But even if they opt for the freeze, their monthly pay cheques will still rise in 1987 because the basic pay package all members of Parliament and senators receive continues to increase in home equipment.

Mr. Mulroney will earn $132,755 next year compared with $131,055 this year and Cabinet ministers will collect $112,930, up from $111,330 this year, if their special allowances remain the same.

The average backbench MP will receive $75,400 in 1987 compared with $73,800 this year - after the $1,000 pay cut announced by Finance Minister Michael Wilson in his last budget.

Mr. Wilson

Said the 282 MPs and 104 senators would have $1,000 carved from each of their 1986 salaries as part of the Government's plan to reduce the federal deficit.

But since the legislation was not passed until Dec. 19 - the day MPs and senators went home for Christmas - the cut will come out of their 1987 pay.

MPs will likely see the first three of their monthly pay cheques reduced by $333.33 each to pay off the $1,000. The cut officially counts on their 1986 salaries but effectively reduces salary increases from now on.

All MPs, including Mr. Mulroney and Cabinet ministers, earn basic salaries of $56,300 plus tax-free expense allowances based on their riding locations.

MPs from the Northwest Territories 

Will have expense allowances of $25,200 next year. The figure for those in 23 remote ridings, including Mr. Mulroney's sprawling Quebec riding of Manicouagan, will be $23,500.

MPs in all the other ridings will receive $19,100 for their expense allowances, although the costs of running their offices, travel to and from their ridings and other perks of the job are paid out of general House of Commons expenses.

This means ordinary MPs from regular ridings who do not hold party positions will earn basic pay packages of $75,400 next year, up from $73,800 this year.

MPs holding party positions earn special salary allowances on top of the basic pay package.

Mr. Mulroney will earn $52,955 next year for his extra duties as Prime Minister, and Cabinet ministers an extra $37,530 if they decide to extend the 2-year-old freeze for another year.

In 1985, Mr. Mulroney decided to reduce his allowance by 15 per cent and Cabinet ministers' allowances by 10 per cent. Cabinet voted to keep the freeze this year but has not yet made the decision on 1987 salaries.

If they decide to pay themselves what they are legally entitled to, Mr. Mulroney could collect $145,200 next year and Cabinet ministers could receive $119,100.

By freezing their salaries for two years, the Government has saved taxpayers $20,390 on Mr. Mulroney's pay and $377,600 on Cabinet ministers.

The annual Jan. 1 increase 

Which is roughly calculated as one percentage point below inflation - is outlined in complicated legislation and has not yet been formally set by the Government since it is awaiting final inflation figures for this year.

However, a Commons employee involved in calculating the pay raises said the increase will almost certainly be 2.25 per cent. Figures given are based on this rate.

Senators will earn $65,500 next year, up from $64,100 (including the $1,000 pay cut) this year. They earn the same basic salary as MPs but their expense allowance is smaller - $9,200 for every senator.

Liberal Leader John Turner and Commons Speaker John Fraser will each earn $119,100 next year, up from $116,600 this year, plus other perks including $2,000 a year for car allowance.

The Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers also get car allowances. The Speaker and the deputy Speaker, Marcel Danis, are given yearly rent allowances. Click homeequipment9.wordpress.com for more information.

New Democratic Party Leader Edward Broadbent was supposed to pass the six-figure mark this year but he slipped to $99,600 with the $1,000 pay cut. But he will definitely make it into the upper range in 1987 with his $101,700 salary.

AMANDA HOPKINS HAD TAKEN THE TRAY HOME

"Why don't you store it?" Amanda Hopkins had asked, eyeing the tray covetously. It would look wonderful in her little apartment--and so domestic.

"We took as little storage space as possible; it costs the earth," Grace had said. "Besides, you've always liked it. I'm sure Eleanor won't mind."

AMANDA HOPKINS HAD TAKEN THE tray home and set it in front of her fireplace. It looked very good. Three months later, having served tea and homemade biscuits from it to a young man tired of boardinghouses, Miss Hopkins became Mrs. Eager and went off to California with her new husband. He was in the publicity department of a motion-picture company and had been transferred from the Chicago office. They shipped the tea tray.

But it seemed to Amanda, once they were settled, that no one in her new circle of friends drank tea--not even iced tea. Other beverages were served on the patio on glass-topped tables. The tea tray remained in the living room, a decorative Victorian touch in a California ranch-type home.

After approximately two years of marriage, Mr. Eager tired of a number of things, his wife among them. He began to spend his weekends in the desert, without his wife. Amanda, less stricken than you'd think, shipped her personal belongings to her home in Chicago and went to Las Vegas.

Before she left, they got together to decide about the disposition of the ranch-house furnishings.

"Do you want the tea tray?" inquired Amanda before their parting.

"What would I do with a tea tray?" he replied reasonably.

So Amanda gave it to Mrs. Bailey, an elderly woman of English birth, who came in twice a week to clean.

"I'm strapped," said Amanda. "You've been a treasure, Mrs. Bailey. I'd like to give you a thousand dollars, but I don't have a surplus hundred. How would you like my tea tray?"

Mrs. Bailey would like it very much. She thanked Mrs. Eager, wished her good fortune, and took the tray home, where her husband, a chronic invalid--why should he work when his Bessie was as strong as a horse?--remarked that it looked like another dust catcher.

Said Mrs. Bailey, "This is a real old one, Alf." She wiped it off carefully and placed it against the wall. "There," she said. "If anyone comes to tea--"

"Who comes to tea?" inquired Alf.

Tossing her gray head, she said, "I do."

But it was a chore to set the tea tray when she came home after work, so she drank her tea in the kitchen as usual, and Mrs. Tamerlane's tray stood, looking stately, in the parlor.

Six months later, a sensational car stopped before the modest Bailey residence, and a sensational young woman disembarked. Born Gloriana Gwendolyn Wolffenschmidt, she was now Mary Morse, a name bestowed on her by her motion picture studio. Everyone loved her, including Mrs. Bailey, who laundered Miss Morse's table linen.

It was early evening. The actress knocked and was admitted. Alf, sitting in the parlor, gaped.

Mary smiled; it was dazzling. "Darling Mrs. Bailey," she said, "my wretched maid has left me, and I haven't a thing to wear--"

Mrs. Bailey said, "Will tomorrow do? About two o'clock? I'd be glad to oblige."

At that moment, Miss Morse's large, expressive eyes chanced upon the tea tray. She moved quickly and stood before it admiringly. She cried, "Mrs. Bailey, darling, where did you get this divine tray?"

"It's an heirloom," said Alf loftily, but his wife silenced him.

"It was given to me by a lady I used to work for," Mrs. Bailey said. "From Chicago, she was. She went off to get a divorce."

Wayne Sump Pumps - An Investment For Your Home

With all of the dramatic changes that are happening with the weather and the shifting of temperatures throughout the seasons, many people are looking into investing in a sump pump to protect their homes. Customers that are not in normal areas that would require these items for their home are looking to be informed on what is the best for their home, without having to spend too much money. Wayne sump pumps are an investment for your home that you will constantly see a return on.

A popular name brand in the Midwest as one of the most efficient and long lasting pump brands, Wayne sump pumps are known to withstand the elements. Whether you are dealing with extreme cold in the winter, this brand will continue to run or the melts that bring extensive flooding. They are durable and made from good quality materials that will allow you the ease of owning a home and not having to worry about your basement or crawlspace filling with water.

A good sump pump to think about purchasing is one that has a secondary pump built in. If you are in an area that gets a lot of water, then this is something that is essential. It will give you a buffer of safety for if the primary quits due to excessive water, electrical problems or a lot of use.

When you are purchasing a sump pump one of the things that you want to make sure you think about is the size that you will need. Depending on the style of a home, a home will have a sump pit that the pump is installed into. Sump Pumps come in considerably different sizes and it would be a frustrating thing for any home owner to purchase a pump that will not fit into the pit and have to go back to a store to exchange it, or even worse have it shipped back to a company for a different one. It is always good to check on the size of the pit and to also make sure that the pump has a motor in it that is proportionate to the needs of the area around your home.

Having a good reliable pump in your home, helps with the safety of your home and is beneficial when you are dealing with insurance as well. It can be overwhelming as a first time buyer, to know which type to use and all the different procedures that follow but, with wayne sump pumps, the quality will be one less thing that you will have to think about and you can spend your energy enjoying your home...and not the maintenance of it.

Using a Power Monitor to Save Money on Electricity Bills

In recent years, the price of electricity has been skyrocketing upwards, reaching new heights every year. As bills continue to rise, many people are looking for ways to save money and cut costs on their utilities. Although the monthly electricity bill will show the total kilowatt hours of electricity consumed by a household, it does not show how the amount was distributed or what the biggest power drains in the home were. One way to do so is to install an inexpensive power monitor.

A power monitor is a small device that homeowners can attach to their electrical meters on the outside of their homes. The device is able to read most electrical meters and then transmits the data into the home via a remote display. There, homeowners can see how much electricity they are using at any given time and cumulatively over a certain period. Generally, these monitors come in two varieties, which differ based on their placement. The first kind attaches directly to the electrical meter that is on the outside of the house. These devices work with most electrical meters that are found in modern homes and are easy to install. The second type of monitoring equipment is placed inside the home at the electrical box. These types are more difficult to install and may require the services of a qualified electrician in order to be connected to the home's electrical grid. More expensive models of either variety will have remote displays that can transmit data to a display device that can be located anywhere in the house, while less expensive versions will have the display attached directly to the monitor.

One of the best features about installing electrical consumption monitors is that they allow homeowners to keep track of their consumption of electricity in real time. Using this data, they can systematically go throughout their home, turning off and unplugging all of their electricity dependent items in order to see how much electricity each device draws and how much money could be saved by unplugging them. Many people are unaware that even though a piece of electronic equipment is turned off, it still draws a small amount of electricity from being plugged into the wall. Having monitoring equipment can allow homeowners to see the exact amount that is being used or saved when the item is unplugged from the wall. Another benefit of having electricity monitoring equipment is that homeowners can make sure that their utility bills are correct. Most of the time, electrical companies read the electricity meters on the side of the house correctly, but sometimes they make mistakes. Having a monitoring device can provide homeowners with evidence of their true electrical consumption should a billing dispute occur. Finally, these devices are particularly helpful for individuals that are environmentally conscious and want a way to keep track of how much energy they are using.

Everyone would like to save money on their electricity bills, but not everyone knows where to start. By installing devices to measure their electrical consumption, savvy homeowners can easily keep track of where their money is being spent.

The Top 5 Benefits of Installing a Security Camera System in Your Business Or Home

There are many benefits of installing a security camera system in your business or home. Many homeowners install security systems without thinking of installing a camera. What happens however if a thief manages to get past some part of your security system? How are you going to find out what happened? Or, what if you want to figure out who tried to break into your system, regardless of whether they succeeded or not?

There are many advantages in having a security camera. Let's look at the top 5 now and see how you can benefit from them.

1. If you have a security camera then you have an automatic crime deterrent because no burglar wants to have their face caught on camera. In a nation where burglary is one of the most common crimes committed, anything you can do to deter crime is a good thing. People are much less likely to commit robbery if they think they will be caught, and a camera makes it much more likely they will get caught, whether or not they take something.

2. A security camera provides you, the home or business owner, with actual hard evidence something was done, or that a crime was committed or attempted. This might not be available otherwise. With 24/7 video camera monitoring, you will have immediate access to your entire home or business and knowledge of any suspicious activities.

3. You have an automatic sense of deep safety and security because the camera ensures you of your safety and protection. You know someone is there watching your home and business all the time, so you feel much safer. You just need to be sure the camera is properly used and not abused.

4. Installation is easy if you have the security expert come out and install your cameras for you in the best places possible. You don't have to mess with the installation and set up if you don't want to, so this makes security just one step easier.

5. You can invest in a wireless system and install hidden cameras so you can catch people in the act without their knowledge. Some people may prefer to use cameras as a deterrent to scare burglars off. However, surveillance cameras that are hidden from view may capture video of actions that can be used later in a case against a burglar that did not realize his or her ever move was caught up on tape.

These images can be sent immediately to a patrol monitor or the owner's cell phone and even email. All someone needs to watch the video is a good monitor and some of the video camera software to install the equipment correctly.

You can even use video cameras to keep an eye on your children or relatives that need assistance or care, so they are really multi-purpose items if you think about it. Investing in video cameras is really a win-win situation for all parties involved.

When it comes to protecting your families well being and assets from brazen theives, it pays to get the right advice for first time.

When Outside Isn't an Option - Indoor Grilling

When the weather is gorgeous outside, having family & friends over for a delicious barbecue party sounds great, right? Most people prefer grilling outside during the nice weather. But, what if outside isn't an option due to bad weather or whatever the reason is?

This is where indoor grilling comes into play. Indoor Grilling is becoming more popular every year in the United States. Because indoor grilling is easy, affordable, and you can grill all year around without worrying about the weather.

Most prefer electric grills because they are easy to setup and clean. Most electric grills are dishwasher safe. You can simply remove the plates, and wash them in a dishwasher after a delicious home cooked grill. In general indoor grills can be categorized as contact grills & open grills.

Contact or Open Grill

Contact grills are two-sided, therefore cooking faster than open grills, and you don't need to flip the food. Contact grills can also cook paninis, appetizers, and whatever else you can think of.

Open grills don't have the top plate, some of them come with a lid, and some of them don't. Similar to outdoor barbecue grills, they require you to flip the food to evenly cook both sides. If you get an open one, we'd recommend getting one with a lid on. This way, the lid will keep the steam within the grill and make the food cook evenly. You can even cook a whole chicken with an open grill which has a lid.

How to Start Grilling Indoors

• Purchase an indoor grill of your like. We'd highly recommend an electric contact grill.
• Use your favorite barbecue recipe.
• And simply put the prepared food on the indoor grill, adjust the heat level and start grilling.

It is as simple as this. No need to worry about lighting the charcoal, or changing the gas tank like you do outside. If you haven't tried indoor grilling, it's your chance now. Enjoy delicious meals with your indoor grill.

Choosing the Best Refrigerator For Your Kitchen

There are some major points to consider before making your final decision as to which refrigerator you are going to buy for your kitchen. As it is a costly major appliance you need to make sure that once you have made your final decision that you will not regret the decision in a few months time.

Before you leave to go shopping for a fridge you need to measure the space where you intend fitting the refrigerator. Once you start shopping for one make sure that the size is okay to fit into your kitchen or the space where you intend keeping the fridge. Next check out the shelving.Is it the wire racks or solid shelves? I prefer solid shelves as they are easier to clean and a plus point is that when you mess on one of the solid ones it stays on that shelf and does not drip all the way down to the bottom of the fridge, never mind if it drips on other foodstuffs on below shelves you will be cleaning from now till Sunday. Also consider plastic shelves or glass shelves.I prefer the glass ones as you can see immediately if they are dirty and they are much easier to clean and they look better and allows you to see everything in your fridge at one glance as opposed to shelves which you cannot see through and where you physically have to move up and down to find stuff.

Another point to consider is the height of the handle. Too low means your toddler is going to be inside the fridge at the first opportunity.Also check whether the handles are easier to install child safety gadgets on to prevent small kids from accessing.Also if you have small children try and get a refrigerator fitted with an alarm that sounds when the door has been open too long. Apart from this helping in energy consumption where your fridge needs more energy to maintain its temperature it will also alert you to the fact that little hands are in the fridge and most probably getting up to mischief.

Depending on how much time you have on your hands for defrosting try and get a self-defrost fridge. This however does not guarantee that you will not have to manually defrost but you will need to defrost less often than a fridge which does not self-defrost.

It is also very important to ensure that the outside of the fridge itself does not have many grooves which are difficult to clean and which will collect dirt over time and then just look plain ugly. I know you can probably use a toothbrush to clean out the grooves but the problem is the scratches you can make while doing this.So the best is to really try and avoid buying a fridge which will require a lot of groove cleaning. No matter how great and arty it looks when you buy it, it is likely not to remain that way for very long and just end up being a headache.

Other things to consider are where the egg holder is situated. Make sure it is in an enclosed space where it cannot be bumped easily.You have to break a few eggs on the floor to realise the smell that stays there for ever and a day, never mind the wastage. Also make sure that the instructions on temperature control are easy to use and manipulate. If you live in an area or country with a big temperature range between the seasons then you would need to regulate your fridge temperature accordingly. Also make sure this temperature regulator is fairly out of the way, easy for you to access but more difficult for children to fiddle with.

Enquire about the ease with which you can access spare parts for your fridge. I had a beautiful fridge that spent years in complete darkness because we could never find a globe to put in it for the light. If possible I would suggest asking for some spare globes just in case they decide to discontinue production.Also enquire about technical support and the guarantee period.

Concerning the guarantee period please make sure that technicians would come to your home to fix up whatever is wrong.You do not want to be without a fridge while they take yours away and then take forever to fix it up.The best thing is to find out if your fridge would be replaced should something go wrong with your one.And also how long it would take to replace.I have a car radio which is under guarantee which broke and I was told it would have to be shipped overseas and I could only expect it back after two months.To avoid this get everything in writing so you are completely covered if anything goes wrong.

And last but not least make sure that the legs are adjustable and preferably wheels.This makes it easy to move around should you wish to clean behind the fridge which you do have to as the temperature and darkness behind a fridge attracts many insects and others.Having adjustable legs ensure that should you move you would be able to adjust according to the new floor surface.Again the adjustable legs are things which you should try and get a few spares to keep just in case.

Access the web and check out all the different choices available to you. If you are considering online and cannot physically check out the item for all the points which you might consider important then you should check out home tips and reviews by other users on the web.