WOMAN: Hello, Mr. Adler, you asked me to come over?

MAN: Yes, thanks, please come in.

WOMAN: What seems to be the problem?

MAN: Well, I know it’s sunny outside, but inside it’s so cold! I have both heaters turned on, but I’m still freezing. The house is small and I thought it would be easy to heat, but I see now that the ceilings are high. I turned the ceiling fan on, to push the hot air down, but it’s pulling the hot air up. I can’t figure out how to make it change direction.

WOMAN: You can’t. The fan is only for the summer. But this cold weather is very unusual. Normally, it’s warmer than this.

MAN: Do you know how long it will last?

WOMAN: They say only for a few days. Unfortunately, they’re calling for rain after that. But I can have some firewood delivered, if you like.

MAN: Um . . . Could you show me how to use the woodstove first?

WOMAN: Of course!

MAN: Okay . . . then, yes, I’d like some firewood delivered.

WOMAN: All right, but it probably won’t get here until tomorrow. In the meantime, I’ll bring over another heater for you.

WOMAN: Hello?

MAN: Oh, come in.

WOMAN: Here’s the extra heater. Where would you like it?

MAN: Right here in the living room is perfect. In the corner so I don’t trip over it.

WOMAN: Okay, this is the button to turn it on. And this—

MAN: —is the button to turn it off, yes, yes. And I see that I can set the temperature. And then it will shut off by itself, right?

WOMAN: Yes. Afterwards, when you don’t need it anymore, just put it away in the closet or something. It’ll be good to have an extra heater here.

MAN: Okay—and thanks for bringing it over so quickly.

WOMAN: The wood has been delivered, I see.

MAN: Yes, thank you. I asked them to stack it near the door.

WOMAN: Good. Okay, now before you light the fire, slide the damper—this handle—to the right to open the chimney. Otherwise, the house will fill with smoke.

MAN: Like this?

WOMAN: No, to the right.

MAN: Ah. And then I put some wood into the stove?

WOMAN: No, first, crumple up some newspaper . . . next you put in some small pieces of wood . . . and then you light it. Once there is a nice, small fire, you can put in bigger pieces of wood, one at a time, carefully. Make sure you always close the door though.

MAN: And when the fire is completely out, I turn the handle to close the chimney? To the left?

WOMAN: Yes, but just in case, I’ll come back later.

MAN: Hi, can I help you? WOMAN: Hi, this is Charlene at CableTron calling. We have an installation date for you. MAN: CableTron! Great, finally! I’ve survived three weeks in my apartment without the internet, and I’m starting to lose my mind. Let me just log into my calendar here . . . hmm . . . Sorry, the internet is a little slow in this coffee shop. WOMAN: It’ll be a lot faster in your home with CableTron. When you placed your service order, you said you were available in the mornings. Our installation technician will come to your house between 7:30 am and 12:00 noon on Thursday, April 10. MAN: Oh no . . . that’s the day I’m supposed to bring my car to the auto shop for a mechanical check. I’m new to this province, and my car needs a safety inspection before I can register it in Ontario. Both have to be done by the 15th.

WOMAN: If you can’t take our April 10th appointment, the next available one will be April 18th. I’m sorry, but we’re unbelievably busy this time of year. Can you change your car appointment, by any chance?

MAN: Good question. Well, what do you think . . . Which do I need more urgently right now: the internet or my car?

WOMAN: I’m afraid you’re asking the wrong person! I’m a computer geek who doesn’t drive and rides her bike everywhere, so I know which one I’d pick. But I’m biased.

MAN: I’m guessing the mechanics have a bit more flexibility in their schedule than CableTron, so I’ll go for the internet installation. I’ll call the garage when I get off the phone. I’m pretty sure they can accommodate.

WOMAN: I hope so. But if you need to reschedule your CableTron installation, please call us 48 hours in advance. And by the way, welcome to the province of Ontario. MAN: Thank you! I’ll see your technician on the 10th.

WOMAN: Hi! I’m looking to start a college club and I was told that the Student Society office was the right place to ask.

MAN: I can definitely help you out with that. What kind of club are you interested in starting?

WOMAN: Well, I found a brochure of clubs around campus and I noticed there wasn’t a music club! I play guitar and I sing, and I thought maybe it would be fun to start a club so students could get together and make some music!

MAN: That’s awesome! Okay, let’s get you started. You will need ten students who support your club and will sign a petition to launch your club. There’s a special day next week . . . club day . . . where you can set up a table with posters or signs to gain students’ interest in your club.

WOMAN: That sounds fun! I’m sure I can get at least ten people interested. Is there funding for the club?

MAN: Yes, if you get ten signatures and start your club, the Student Society budgets $40 to new clubs and that money can be used towards anything, such as event planning or food. If you’re looking for additional funding, you could apply for a grant of up to $300.

WOMAN: Wow! Maybe in the future we could even put on a concert at the college pub or something. And where do clubs usually meet? Do they book rooms?

MAN: Clubs get the privilege of accessing a lot of college space, like any of the rooms or lecture halls. You could even hold club meetings outdoors! The only thing you’d have to be careful about is the noise level, as you’re going to be a music club. I’d recommend the Couch Lounge next to the college pub. You can be loud, and there’s even a piano there

. WOMAN: Great! Is there a form I need to fill out?

MAN: Ah yes. Are you going to be the president of the club? There can be up to three executives. WOMAN: Just me for now! MAN: Perfect. Fill out the form and get your ten signatures, then we can process your application.

A resident of Lethbridge, Alberta, has lost the use of his backyard due to a family of unexpected guests. Henry Chang says a pair of raccoons gave birth to a litter of baby raccoons in his storage shed, a wooden structure where he keeps his tools. Chang said that he hadn’t renovated the shed yet because it’s old and has a hole in the side. He guessed the raccoons thought it was a good place to raise a family. Chang soon discovered he could not enter his backyard at all, as parent raccoons are fiercely protective and aggressive when raising their young. On the bright side, however, Chang joked that he doesn’t have to tell his children to stop watching T.V. because they’re too busy watching the raccoon family from the living room.

Even so, Chang plans to fix the shed after the raccoons leave so that the same problem doesn’t happen again next year. Local wildlife expert James Wade reminds residents that urban raccoons are very common, but certain steps can be taken to keep them out of our houses and backyards. Wade said the best approach was to block holes in places where raccoons may nest.

Welcome, everyone, to today’s community centre workshop on purchasing a vehicle. Buying a car can certainly seem like a daunting task, but it’s not actually as complicated as it seems. The fact of the matter is, what you need really depends on why you need it. This morning we will explore three options to help you make your decision: buying a used car, buying a new car, and leasing a new car.

Business owner Jane Repton prefers to buy a used car because it’s the cheapest option. Not only is the vehicle itself cheap, but insurance for the vehicle will also be low-cost since you’d probably just get the minimum—the insurance required by law. Presumably you wouldn’t get replacement insurance: if the car is damaged beyond repair in an accident, you just get rid of it and buy another one. That being said, buying a used car can be risky because there’s no warranty: you’ll have to pay for any repairs yourself. And even Repton admits that used cars can be unreliable. She admits that she takes the bus to work more often than she’d like.

Car salesperson Ron McNab says that if you depend heavily on your vehicle, you should go with a new car. If you lease, there’s a limit of 20,000 kilometers annually, more than that and it’ll cost you. So McNab prefers to buy. Another advantage of buying new is that you know the vehicle’s history from day one, and you’ll be the one managing its long-term condition. McNab always chooses a new car. Yes, they’re more expensive than used cars, but it’s possible to get a car loan with no interest—‘zero-percent financing,’ they call it. Plus, with a new car, you can get up-to-date safety features and the best fuel economy.

On the other hand, lawyer Tom Purdy prefers to lease cars. He pays the monthly fee, and when the lease is up, he turns the car in and leases a new one. The reason he prefers to lease is because the company leasing the car looks after everything, including maintenance and repairs. All the driver has to do is get gas and pay the monthly premium. According to Purdy, it’s hassle-free driving. However, Repton and McNab agree that they would never lease, claiming that it takes a lawyer to understand all the legal jargon in the contract.