On Monday of this week we awoke to news that vandals had done significant damage to the cenotaph, the monument in my town that honours our veterans and serves as the central focus for Remembrance Day ceremonies.  This just two days before Remembrance Day itself.  In a smallish, close-knit town next to a large military base, this was a significant event.

I don’t have a significant record of military service to honour within my own family, but my wife’s father (deceased) and her mom were both involved in the war effort – her dad as a Canadian servicemen in WWII and her mom working on the home front as a young lady in her native England. She later met her husband to be and immigrated to Canada as a War Bride.

Today, because I am travelling, I missed the service.  In retrospect, if I had of been thinking, I would have attempted to be in Ottawa earlier for the national service – something I have always wanted to do.  With the damage to the cenotaph, it seemed particularly important to show my respect and express my thanks.  Now comes news of the tremendous outpouring of support for the veterans as the community rallies to repair the cenotaph.  I am always proud to be from Fredericton, but even moreso today.

To all of you out there, past and present, from Canada and other democractic nations from around the world, who fought for our freedom, thank you.  We will remember.

Photo Credit: Fredericton Cenotaph, Uploaded to Flickr on August 15, 2009 by Ed Corey

I wouldn’t call myself a road-warrior, but several times a year I get on a metal bird for one reason or another – usually a conference, softball event or, more rarely, pleasure. This time it’s softball as I am off to Ottawa for Softball Canada’s AGM. For those of you who haven’t flipped over to the “About Jeff” page, I am an international softball umpire and currently the National Deputy Umpire-in-Chief for Softball Canada.

Today’s routing takes me through Halifax, an airport I frequent rarely. It’s been several years since I’ve been here and it’s easy to see why it always seems to be ranked high on lists of business-friendly airports. Today, another pleasant surprise – Free wifi!

Halifax International Airport - home of FREE wifi!

Now, coming from Fredericton and our city-wide free wifi, I should come to expect this service as part of daily life. But the fact is, unfortunately, most airports and municipal wifi services are rich for the infrequent traveler. Try and find free wifi at O’Hare, Toronto or Montreal. Today, here at YHZ, it was as simple as clicking, entering an email (I assume I’ll be getting some promo emails so I gave them the G-mail account I use for such purposes) and away we go.

Now, for those of you who are jealous of my find, comes word that Google is giving travelers a digital Christmas present – free wifi in 47 airports across the United States.  You’ll have to likely suffer through some marketing, but now, thanks to the folks at BigG, you too can make your airport time connected without pulling out a credit card.

As I sit here in a very quiet departure lounge (it is Remembrance Day) there are about twenty people waiting at the gate for the flight to Ottawa.  More than half are on laptops or handhelds, connected to home, work and the world.

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