The Windows 10 free upgrade offer will be ending soon. Up until now, most of our clients have been running Windows 7 Pro because it is a good operating system and there was no compelling reason to switch to Windows 8. Most people did not want to learn the completely different interface that Windows 8 came with. However, users of Windows 7 will find that Windows 10 is a much more familiar interface, and there may be reasons to look at switching. Performance With Windows 10, the operating system has been optimized to boot more quickly and run most applications a little faster. Some of these performance improvements were included with Windows 8 and now it's even better in Windows 10. Longevity Microsoft has stated that they will stop supporting Windows 7 in 2020. At that point it will no longer be safe to run Windows 7 in a business environment. This is similar to how Windows XP is no longer supported. In contrast, Microsoft has stated that Windows 10 will be their last Windows operating system. The plan is that they will continue to update Windows 10 for the foreseeable future. If that is the case, then at some point we will all move from Windows 7 or 8 to Windows 10. In addition to the performance increases and longer lifespan, Windows 10 also includes many security improvements and administrative features which make these systems easier to manage in a business environment. At this point, any Windows 7 or Windows 8 computer is eligible to receive a free upgrade to Windows 10. This offer is available until July 29, 2016. After that date, it will cost about $250 per computer for the upgrade license. We are recommending the following plan for businesses upgrading to Windows 10: 1) Identify about 10% of your computers to install the Windows 10 update on. This will be a trial to ensure Windows 10 works well in your environment and that your programs work as expected. If there are any issues, your IT support team should work with your software vendors to ensure things are working properly. 2) After 2-4 weeks of testing, install Windows 10 on the remainder of the computers.

Just when you thought all the cool band names were taken along comes Kong Kong. The band name so cool they used it twice! Kong Kong is the creation of Cody Iwasiuk and Katlin Mathison. The two have been friends and band mates since high school. They formerly created music together in Brandon band Effect and Cause. Once their scholastic endeavours took over their lives, their band took a necessary break but their drive and desire to create music never took a back seat. As they’ve maintained their musical pursuits, the two former Brandonites chose to stay as busy as possible with their chosen profession. In fact as Iwasiuk puts it, that’s one of the reasons why Kong Kong was formed, “We formed the band Last winter when Katlin and I were looking for some extra work to fill out our calendars. It also gave us a great excuse to play together again as it had been awhile since the two of us shared in music making. I ended up getting us a house gig which had us playing every Thursday at a club name Le Garage in St. Boniface in Winnipeg.” Winnipeg has been their home base for nearly three years. Soon after graduating from the B.U. School of Music Cody moved there to teach and play as much as is humanly possible. As for Katlin, after graduating from Grant MacEwan University (Diploma in Popular Music - Composition) in 2012, he travelled across the pond to attend the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts where he graduated with an Honours Degree in Music - Production & Songwriting in 2014. He would eventually move in with Cody shortly after returning to Canada. The two have now happily achieved at least one goal and it may be the most important goal for any working musician according to Mathison it’s become a full time occupation, “I'm very fortunate in that music pays my bills. When I'm not touring out of town, I usually perform 5-6 nights per week, as well as writing, recording, and producing with other artists.” Iwasiuk is happy to report that his schedule is quite similar to Mathison’s, “I am lucky enough make music my full-time job. I play with a number of bands in Winnipeg which keeps me busy. I also do some mixing, recording, and mastering for people in the city.” Aside from their workload with Kong Kong the two master music makers have had varying levels of success with other projects. Their resumes continue to grow at remarkable rates and both are quite thankful to be doing what they love. Iwasiuk’s involvement in music has been seemingly nonstop as he’s kept at it through a variety of projects, “I have played with many incredible musicians over the past 3 years since moving from Brandon. Notably I have played with and or am currently playing with: The Bros. Landreth, Jess Moskaluke, Paul Brandt, Sierra Noble, JRDN, Kardinal Offishall, The Dirty Catfish Brass Band. There are many, many other incredible artists that are not listed here as well!” Aside from writing and performing Iwasiuk has maintained his love of mixing, recording and tracking as well, “I am currently mixing an EP for The Dirty Catfish Brass Band, and I recently tracked drums on an album for up and coming country singer Elsie Morden. I also played drums on indie band FINN's upcoming EP a few months back.” While Iwasiuk’s current calendar could be considered the more arduous of tasks to fulfill Mathison is just as dedicated with the many musical involvements he’s immersed himself in, “Right now I have a solo project called Okay Mann and also bass with Micah Visser and lead guitar in FINN. I recently released two songs with Okay Mann, and both Micah Visser and FINN have EP in the works. Through these projects I've been able to write and perform with a wide range of veteran performers from: Paul McCartney to Royal Canoe. ” Prior to moving back to Canada Mathison’s strong songwriting abilities earned him a taste of commercial success, “I'm lucky to have worked with artists across UK, Europe, and Canada. This has led to being a part of writing teams and bands in multiple countries, extensive touring, and radio play across Europe, and earning a certified Gold record in Norway.” Mathison (left) and Iwasiuk (right) rocking out back in the day with their old group Effect and Cause at Ridgefest 8 in the summer of 2011. (Photo submitted) The beat goes on for these extraordinary music makers and it’s like they haven’t missed a beat as they’ve come from Effect and Cause to Kong Kong.  The new band is comprised of: Cody Iwasiuk (drums), Brennan Wall (guitar), and Karl Shewchuk (bass), Katlin Mathison (lead vocals as well as guitar and keyboards) and as Katlin puts it, the group was created as a response of sorts to the Winnipeg music scene, “There is a never ending list of cool bands in Winnipeg, but we found that the cover scene was a little saturated with the same old tunes. Kong Kong was created for an audience of our peers - those who are looking for a more contemporary repertoire.” So what’s with the name of their new side project? Cody chooses to differ to Katlin for that one, “We were kind of playing around with the words King Kong. Katlin somehow came to the realization that Kong also means king in a different language. Not sure which language exactly. So it was Katlin's idea to name the band Kong Kong.” Unconventional band names aside, Katlin says it’s mostly about their love for the music and having their performances creating a cool vibe, “It's just really fun. It's the type of band I would like to go see if I just wanted to dance and have a good time with my friends.” Without giving too much away in regards to their repertoire Cody sums up the band’s sound, “Kong Kong is a mix of songs that are near and dear to mine and Katlin's heart. We play a good blend of indie rock, pop, and great songs you didn't know you loved!” Experience the KONG KONG dance craze before it sweeps the nation! They’ll be packing em’ in at the Decker this Friday and Saturday night! Doors open at 6pm, show starts at 10pm both nights. Come early to get a good spot or just cut out your part on the dance floor and boogie the night away!

Residents of Brandon, and the Westman region, are invited to celebrate our national holiday for a full day of culture, arts, music and festivities at the Riverbank Discovery Centre. The day begins at 11:30 am with the 3rd Annual Canada Day Living Flag where participants create a Canadian Flag by wearing red and white t-shirts and creating a giant human maple leaf! The opening ceremonies follow at 1:00 pm and the day ends with a colorful display of fireworks to close out the night at around 11:00 pm. The event marks Canada’s 149th birthday and residents and visitors alike can anticipate popular features like the Brandon Riverbank Duck Race, the Sean Taylor Band, Evolution Entertainers, and a fire performance by Vince Champagne.   Entertainment on the Family Stage will be provided by the Freddy Fusion Science Magic Show and face painting for children will be available from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.  For those a little more adventurous Prairie Helicopters will once again be offering a scenic ride over the City of Brandon. Throughout the day there will be numerous food vendors onsite as well as a Montana's Fund-raising BBQ.  Spray parks around the City will remain open from 12:00 noon to 6:00 pm and both the Kinsmen Pool and Kiwanis YMCA Keystone Pool are scheduled to remain open until 7:00 pm.  Pools open weather permitting. Schedule for the Canada Day Celebrations.

There's nothing quite like the excitement your kids have when they're about to give you the special gifts they've created with their sticky little kid hands.  Their little chests puffed out with pride, bubbling over with excitement to show you what they made. And there's nothing more heartwarming than to read the words they've written. It's the best. The kind of love that puts a lump in your throat.  When my oldest handed me his thoughtfully made gift, his first disclaimer was that the picture he drew on the front of my Mother's Day card wasn't actually me.  It was his grade 2 teacher.  It was a great drawing. He went on to explain how it ended up looking a lot more like his grade 2 teacher, so not to be surprised when I saw Mrs. Pike on the front of my card.   The inside cover was things about me, his mom.  The line I enjoyed most from the first page was the part about "My mom looks pretty when........ His answer? "It's 5:00pm." How I become "pretty" at the magicalhour of 5pm is a bit of a puzzler to me, but as far as I can figure, it likely has a strong correlation with supper time.  He's hungry.  I feed him.  Food source = beautiful.  The drawing inside the card on the 2nd page is one of our favorite things to do. We jump on the trampoline together.  He says its way more fun when I'm on there with him. One day I asked him why.  "Because you're super heavy mom." This is what he said to me.  Not to be mean, it wasn't intended that way at all. It's how it is.  It's just that the amount of extra mass I add by jumping on the trampoline with him, makes it so much more fun. And the last line on the 2nd page of the card? "I love my mom because she bought me a dog." This was quite a surprise to me, possibly even more so than trying to figure out what makes me so pretty to him at 5pm......or who the woman on the front of my Mother's Day card was.   We don't have a dog.  I will cherish these little gifts, as any parent does, made with a little imagination and a lot of love.  Dog or no dog.  Yours truly, Caley

You’ve saved, invested wisely and built a sizeable nest egg. Retirement is within your grasp, so it is no time to take chances. Here are 10 questions to move you towards a secure, confident retirement. 1. When do you want to retire?  The timing of your retirement is crucial to building your retirement nest egg and assessing how long it needs to last. In retirement, you will experience a fundamental shift – from saving to spending. 2. How much of your current income do you expect to need in retirement? Your goals and challenges are unique to your life situation. The amount of your current income you’ll need in retirement depends on how much you’ve saved and how much you plan to spend during retirement. 3. How do you plan to spend your money? How you spend during your retirement will depend on your choices and could be influenced by factors beyond your control. 4. Have you considered your retirement lifestyle needs? What is your lifestyle vision for your retirement years? How will you spend your time? These choices may impact your spending pattern during retirement. 5. What guaranteed sources of income can you count on in retirement? Taking into account your existing sources of guaranteed income can help determine how much additional money you require to cover basic living costs and preserve the lifestyle you’ve worked hard to achieve. 6. Do you plan to work part-time or full-time in retirement? Perhaps you want to continue using your skills or explore new opportunities. You could also be influenced by debts or helping family members. 7. How do health and wellness factor into your retirement plan? Focusing on your wellness is central to your vitality and enjoyment of life. You may want to consider using retirement to focus on your mental and physical fitness. It’s important to make room in your budget for health and wellness priorities. 8. Are you ready for the unexpected events in life? When considering retirement planning, take into account unpredictable events – both financial and personal – for which you want to be prepared. Check to see if your retirement nest egg is strong enough to support you through a future economic downturn, a rise in the cost of living or a longer lifespan. 9. How will you keep your money working in retirement? In addition to fully protecting the money you need to cover your basic expenses, many retirees want a portion of their nest egg to grow. 10. Do you plan to leave a legacy? You might want to leave an inheritance to your family or favourite charity. Retirement brings many mixed emotions, but your financial professional can help you create a vision for the future so you can plan for retirement with confidence.