IT CAN NEVER HAPPEN HERE- SO THEY SAID

IT CAN NEVER HAPPEN HERE- SO THEY SAID By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” It could not happen in Germany, England, Japan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lybia, Ukraine so the people thought. Look at what is taking place right here in Canada. In Canada you say? We the people can be... at any point and time. We can’t go thinking that it will never happen to us. It will never happen in our country. The recent truckers demonstration is a measure of how fed up the Canadian public is with the quality of life in Canada. With the way our government treat us like modern slaves. When there is an uprise much like the truckers. What did the Prime Minister do. Called them names like Nationalist, Fascist, Neo-Nazis and many more. Is this a government for the people by the people? With the way our economy is. We should all be shoulder to shoulder with the truckers demanding our way of life back. Gas prices going through the roof. Grocery store gouging customers. Then the Prime Minister calls in the boots. Unions the biggest social agitators condemn the action of the truckers. When the truckers showed the balls that the Unionist should be having when dealing with the way our government has lost control of our economy and job loss to foreign nation that practice slave labor practices.. No instead unions today are nothing short of another layer of management. It is not about representing the people. It is about the union bosses filling their pockets cushioning their retirement pension pillows. God forbid call a national strike on any cause... Yet, here we have Trudeau sending money and troops to the Ukraine. To a nation that is fighting an obvious lost cause. Then why are we sending our troops. Our tax dollars? Come on folks... we should use the momentum the truckers have brought and carry on the cause of making things right in Canada. Stop tolerating the intolerable. Stop Canada from becoming a third world country. Oh I can hear it now.... No not my Canada. Well it happened. We just got a taste of what is to come... We Canadians must awaken to the reality of the world. We are not leading any more... and those leading do not share our principles and our standards. Look at the future for out kids. It is totally different than that of which our forefather fought two wold wars. Today’s world is not about doing what is right. It is about protecting agenda and special interests. The Ukraine was is not about independance. It is about rich mineral deposits. It is about gas. It is about taking over a key strategic post on the doorway to Europe. Putin is getting away with it knowing that Biden may bark but has no bite. Biden failed to follow the very important golden rule when it comes to enemies. Keep friends close and your enemies even closer. The Biden administration is an easy picking for a leader like Putin. I bet if Trump had been in office. Putin would have not thought twice about invading. We and America need to wake up to the reality that we must develop our natural resources and stop relying on foreign oil and gas. We must come to the realization that the global village is slowly eating us up from within. Corporation that have an impact on global economies are entities/countries within our shores. We must work to bring back ownership and pride to our work force. Denounce nations that pay less than our standards. Heavily tax them and charge them duty on their imports to offset the labor difference. Yes, you may be thinking but our prices be a lot higher. Yes but so will theirs. As we would charge them taxes and tariffs that may be pass down to our consumers in the form of purchase rebate instead of a sales tax as we have now. The world is changing. Are we up to the challenge of change. We can’t continue the way we are as we are on a course to self destruct. The light at the end of the tunnel is not one of hope and prosperity... It’s a real train of reality.

Turmoil in the World

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As we near the end of February and with the Winter Olympics just concluded in Beijing, the world is changing dramatically. The only good news currently is the excellent performance of our Canadian athletes who finished in fourth place overall, winning a total of 26 medals. Unfortunately, we were not really able to celebrate their outstanding performance because of the political turmoil at home, and some very serious problems brewing internationally. Here in Canada we had the Emergency Act in full force, till repealed hastily as enacted. This Act is unprecedented and its application seriously curtails personal liberties, so it should be invoked only in very critical cases. Political hypocrisy continues to reign, but there are limits of common sense that have been missing in the governance of our country for some time. As we wait to see the overall outcome and effects of these measures, I must repeat my hope that cooler heads than have been demonstrated so far, will prevail in the end. Internationally, the events leading to the stand-off between Ukraine and Russia constitute far from good news, and it seems that the situation is worsening by the day. After weeks of what appears to have been 'catch-the-tail-diplomacy' on the part of Russian President Putin, Russia's war against Ukraine ended with the recognition of the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, the breakaway provinces of Ukraine. These new "states" immediately requested the help of the Russian Federation against the imminent "military invasion" form Ukraine. In other words, the Russian military had a request for help from independent nations and they obliged immediately. Technically speaking the Russian army entered Ukrainian territory. The question, is what will happen next. Western nations, including Canada and the US were obviously not impressed and greeted this move by Russia with sanctions and other measures in order to help Ukraine maintain its territorial integrity as guaranteed by international law. Until now, this conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been through cyberwarfare: strategic corruption, ludicrous performative propaganda and other 21st-century innovations in domination tactics. With the launch of the beginning of a hot war in Eastern Europe, the most conspicuous front in the clash of ideologies, it has now been transposed to a 20th century-style, analog conflict. The narrative of today, the daily geopolitical, political, diplomatic, military, economic and humanitarian developments, is concerning and leading to an unchartered future. Already the rhetoric is in place, surrounded by speculation, portraying this wholly manufactured crisis as a real competition between Russia's Putin and the United States of America's Joe Biden. That obscures the crucial question of who started it and why. Touting as a bilateral personal feud, what could be a humanitarian catastrophe for the people of Russia, Ukraine and beyond. As the tense situation on the Eastern European front evolves rapidly, with Russian military capabilities along the Ukraine border at "near 100% of all forces" the Pentagon anticipates that Russia will eventually move further into Ukrainian territory. Russia has a "full range of capabilities" already moved previously to the Ukraine border, including "significant offensive missile capability," "two dozen warships in the Black Sea" and "armor, artillery, certainly infantry," so we can expect the worse in an escalation of the conflict. The explosive situation in Ukraine is of particular interest to Canada because of the more than 1.3 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent, many of whom still have strong connections to their ancestral land and are opposed to Russian interference in the country. Because of its size, the community is seen as having significant influence in parts of Ottawa, and is demanding that Canada support Ukraine. Canada as a medium power country sitting next to the world's largest superpower, has a massive stake in ensuring international norms and laws are respected to protect itself and global stability. Those include preventing one country from being allowed to invade or otherwise seize parts of another country. The fear is that ignoring Russia's actions weakens this prohibition, leading to the increased possibility of war in other places. Canada and its allies will now likely wait to see the size and scope of Russia's military incursion into Ukraine and whether it will extend beyond Donetsk and Luhansk. If it does, even heavier sanctions are likely. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced, that in addition to providing a 500 million dollar loan to Ukraine and the delivery of lethal weapons, Canada would be deploying 460 additional Armed Forces members to reinforce NATO in Latvia and Eastern Europe. It is also imposing economic sanctions against Russian lawmakers and financial institutions, banning any financial dealings with Donetsk and Luhansk and barring the purchase of Russian sovereign debt. Canada's moves followed similar steps by allies in the U.S. and Europe, with Germany stopping the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia -- a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow, but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europe's reliance on Russian energy. The rest of the European Union also sanctioned Russian lawmakers and officials, financial institutions and defence companies. However, despite their repeated messages of support for Ukraine, Canada and its allies have repeatedly played down any suggestion they will send troops to reinforce the government in Kyiv. Western powers have long made it clear that the fate of Ukraine isn't worth a direct military confrontation with Russia and the possibility of a world war, so sanctions were the only option. This position is a weak one and reminds us of the end of WWII when many countries in Central Europe were abandoned by the Western allies to the grip of the Soviet Union and suffered for a half century under the communist yoke. Still we have hope that reason will prevail over the personal ambitions of the elites. Let us believe in a future without war!

One For Sherlock Holmes

One For Sherlock Holmes I was friends with Sally for nearly 10 years. She was my best friend, and I assure you it was a purely platonic relationship. When I married, Sally and my wife became best friends. Sometimes they did things together, sometimes all three of us did things together. A while ago I noticed Sally drifting away from me. She stopped returning my phone calls and emails. When I questioned her, she offered flimsy excuses like she was busy or couldn’t reach me. One day I emailed my wife at work that I thought Sally was lying to us. Imagine my surprise when I noticed I accidentally sent the email to Sally, not my wife! I immediately called Sally to explain what I meant, but it was too late. Sally said she would never trust me again because I was obviously talking about her behind her back. That was over a year ago, and we have not spoken since. I tried calling her, but she moved and her number was disconnected. I emailed her at work, but I think she deletes the mail without reading it. I don’t call her workplace because I would not want someone to do that to me. Is there anything I can do? Let me reiterate we were purely platonic friends, and there weren’t any jealousy issues about my wife. Gerard Gerard, Sherlock Holmes said, “When you eliminate all other possibilities, what remains, no matter how improbable, is the answer." People don’t move, change phone numbers, and end long-term friendships without reason. Sally loved you. If she said you were talking behind her back, it means she felt the two of you were closer than you and your wife. Sally is like the person who didn’t get an expected promotion. She thought she could accept the result, but she couldn’t. She had to break all ties. Accept her decision and let her go. Wayne & Tamara The Excuse I am a 22-year-old woman married for two and a half years. My husband and I have been together continuously since I was 15. We have a son, two, and a five-week-old daughter. When we first met, I asked my husband if he smoked weed, cigarettes, or anything else. He told me no. I said good, because I don’t want to be around a smoker. About a year ago, he started having a cigarette now and then. That bothered me, and we argued about it. As time went on it became more of a big deal, and my husband became more determined to smoke. He says he likes smoking, but I think he’s trying to prove he can do whatever he wants. I feel betrayed, and I told him so. He says my feelings have nothing to do with it. He doesn’t smoke in the house or in front of me. He just stinks when he gets home. I have been told I am allergic to smoke, and I hate his smoking so much I often think of leaving him. Most people tell me I am crazy for getting so upset, but if we didn't have children, I would probably leave. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m afraid I can’t love him like this. What should I do? Larissa Larissa, I knew a man who told me his wife laid down one condition before they married. She told him if he ever cheated, she would divorce him. Three years later he had an affair, and she ended the marriage. He knew what it took to end the relationship, and without discussion, debate, or argument, it was over. You both knew the ground rules before you married. Your husband is now doing the one thing you said wasn’t allowed. You’ve said you wouldn’t be married to him if you didn’t have two children. Already you know that is not enough to hold you together. Wayne Wayne & Tamara are also the authors of The Friendship Solution, Making Friends and Dropping Frenemies, available from Amazon, Apple and most booksellers. Wayne & Tamara write: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Leveraging LinkedIn to Get a Job - Part 3

By Nick Kossovan In my last two columns, I provided the following five tips to boost your LinkedIn profile views and increase being informed of job opportunities. 1. Have a current, no older than 6 months profile picture. 2. Get your headline right. 3. Be comprehensive about your skills. 4. Build your network to the 1st degree. 5. Follow companies you're interested in joining. Here's 3 more tips on leveraging LinkedIn for your job search. 6. Use the Advanced Search. Use LinkedIn's Advanced Search option and conduct a search on companies you're interested in joining. Make a list of your 1st degree connections associated with these companies (past or current employees). Then reach out to your connections who are current employees and inform them you're interested in joining their company. Ask if they'd be willing to assist you in your job search (e.g., refer you to job openings). One of the most helpful things your 1st degree connections can do for your job search is being able to introduce you to people who are in a position to hire you. Therefore, you need to ask them for an introduction, which brings me to my seventh tip. 7. Ask for an introduction. I'm happy to make introductions for connections whom I know, and trust, outside of LinkedIn. Speaking for my preference, the best way to request an introduction is to send a note: Hi Nick, [Personal note/comment]. Would you mind introducing me to [person's name along with their LinkedIn URL - www.linkedin.com/in/nameofperson]? I am interested in speaking with [person's first name] about the Digital Strategist position I came across on Merrick BioTech's website. [Link to the job posting.] Sincerely, Stephanie I like to give the person my connection is looking to connect with a "heads up." Therefore, I'll send them a note asking if they're open to being introduced. Hi Akando, Hope all is well with you. Stephanie Powers, a former colleague when I worked at Rekall, Inc., is interested in speaking with you about the Digital Strategist position at Merrick BioTech's. [Link to the job posting.] Can I make an introduction? Regards, Nick Once Akando says yes, I then make the introduction. Hello Akando & Stephanie, I'm following up to connect you both regarding the Digital Strategist position at Merrick BioTech. I'll let you two take it from here. Regards, Nick 8. Be more than a wallflower. The key to being visible on LinkedIn and building your network is to be active, by regularly sharing and creating content and engaging with other people's content. If you're starting out on LinkedIn, I recommend you begin by engaging with other people's content before sharing your own. Review your feed (content you see when you click on your LinkedIn home page) and thoughtfully comment on other people's posts and articles. There are three ways to engage with someone's content: - Like - Share - Comment I believe comments are the gold standard of engagement. The reason being your name, your photo and the beginning of your headline appears before your comment. Therefore, your comments act like mini advertisements. TIP: When you comment, tag the author of the post so they're notified that you've commented. To tag the author of the post or anyone on LinkedIn: - Type the @ symbol. - Begin typing the poster's name. - Choose the poster's name from the dropdown list you'll be given. - LinkedIn will then delete the @ symbol and bold the poster's name. Regarding creating content, while I write and post articles (125,000 characters maximum) on LinkedIn, I get more engagement from my posts (1,300 characters maximum). The reason for the increase engagement is LinkedIn posts are favoured by LinkedIn's algorithm and will show up on your connection's newsfeed. However, LinkedIn posts quickly get lost in the crowd and therefore have a short lifespan. On the other hand, LinkedIn articles will keep getting viewed from search results on Google and other search engines; thus, they have a longer lifespan. In summary, LinkedIn posts (TIP: For additional visibility include several relevant hashtags and add a graphic.) are great to keep the ball rolling on the engagement side of things. In contrast, LinkedIn articles are helpful for long-term brand image and authority (subject matter expert) building. The bottom-line: The more you interact and post as a professional, the more you'll be noticed and build recognition. In next week's column, the last of this four-part series, I'll be discussing the following: - Get involved in LinkedIn Professional Groups. - Research your future boss and executive team. - Network after business hours. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

Leveraging LinkedIn to Get a Job - Part 2

By Nick Kossovan In last week's column, I provided two tips to instantly boost LinkedIn profile views. 1. Have a current, no older than 6 months profile picture. 2. Get your headline right. In this column, I'll provide 3 more tips on how to make your LinkedIn profile appear in searches, thus increasing your profile views and hence improving your chances of being informed of job opportunities. 3. Be comprehensive about your skills. According to LinkedIn profiles with five or more skills listed receive up to 17 times more views. There are more than 45,000 skills to choose from on LinkedIn. Include your notable skills (e.g., Algorithm development, Statistical analysis, CRM software, Data and metrics interpreting, Conflict resolution), so you appear in searches. LinkedIn allows up to 50 skills on your profile. There are 2 ways to add skills to your profile: - Click on your profile, then scroll down to the "Skills & Endorsements" section. Then click "Add a new skill" in the right-hand corner of that section. - Click on your profile, then click on "Add Profile Section" in the top right corner of your profile. Click the "Skills" section and click on "Skills" to add a new skill. 4. Build your network to the 1st degree. There are three types of connections on LinkedIn: - 1st Degree: 1st degree connections are people who invite you to connect or people you invite to connect. In both cases, as soon as you or the person you invited accepts the invitation to connect, they become one of your 1st degree connections. - 2nd Degree: These are the people connected to your 1st degree connections. - 3rd Degree: These are people connected to your 2nd degree connections. The more connections you have, regardless of your connection level, the more your LinkedIn profile will appear in search results. In addition, when you create a post, you'll appear on your connection's homepage updates, which significantly increases your LinkedIn presence. Begin by connecting with your lowest-hanging fruits first. Send connection requests to family members, friends, former classmates, and colleagues (current and former). If you have an email contact list, import it. Now comes the fun part, researching relevant professionals, and employees of companies you'd like to work for, particularly those in a hiring capacity, to include in your LinkedIn network. Finally, connect with recruiters in your area and thought leaders in your field and/or industry. The majority of my 1st degree connections are call center and customer service management professionals, customer experience thought-leaders, English language newspaper editors, and recruiters in Toronto. IMPORTANT: Never send a connection request to someone you don't know without introducing yourself and explaining why you want to connect. I won't get into details on how to compose a LinkedIn connection request. A Google search ("How to write a LinkedIn connection request") will give you an infinite number of examples and templates you can customize. Better yet, read my column Write a LinkedIn Connection Request That'll Get Accepted. When crafting your message, remember the five P's. 1. Polite 2. Pertinent 3. Personalized 4. Professional 5. Praiseful 5. Follow companies you're interested in joining. Make a list of companies you want to work for and follow them on LinkedIn. As well, connect with members of the leadership team and human resources. Following companies you'd like to work for is a great way to stay informed about company news, new hires, and, most important, job openings. When you follow a company, you'll be closer to the action. Follow a company by selecting the "Follow" button on its company page. Companies can't see that you're following them; therefore, like, comment and share their posts and articles. Engaging with a company's content, especially commenting, is the best way to increase your visibility with employers on LinkedIn. TIP: I believe in creating positive karma. Help those in your network who are also job hunting by sharing job postings that aren't right for you, or you're not interested in pursuing. I know you're asking, "What are the top 10 most followed companies on LinkedIn?" In 2021 they were: 1. Google ... 17.724 million 2. TED Conferences ... 17.693 million 3. Amazon ... 5.048 million 4. LinkedIn ... 12.155 million 5. Microsoft ... 11.681 million 6. Apple ... 11.441 million 7. Unilever ... 10.351 million 8. Nestlé ... 9.855 million 9. IBM ... 8.696 million 10. Tesla ... 6.361 million In next week's column, I'll be discussing the following: - Use the advanced search. - Ask for an introduction. - Be more than a wallflower. -------------------- Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

TITO AND MCKONKEY WHAT PLANET DO THEY COME FROM

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” We can’t blame the candidates when we keep electing them time and time again. This week this came out of City Hall. My comments are in dark letters: The City of Oshawa is inviting nominations for the 2022 Urban Design Awards Program. The deadline for nomination submissions is Friday, April 29, 2022. The Urban Design Awards program celebrates projects that reflect excellence in architecture and urban design and enhance the image of the city. More specifically, the program acknowledges the significant contributions that architects, landscape architects, urban designers, planners, developers, builders, renovators and other individuals make to the appearance, livability and quality of life in Oshawa. DOES TITO AND MCKNOKEY EVEN KNOW WHERE OSHAWA IS. DESIGN AWARDS!!!!!! WELL MAYBE IF YOU ARE GOING TO GIVE IT TO UOIT BUILDING Nominations are free and can be made by anyone. Examples of potential nominations include buildings, neighbourhoods, public spaces, streets, parks, etc. Nominated projects must have been completed after March 14, 2018. Winning projects will receive a City of Oshawa Award of Excellence. The award winners will be announced in June 2022. The City of Oshawa 2022 Urban Design Awards are made possible with support from its in-kind sponsors: the Ontario Professional Planners Institute, the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects and the Ontario Association of Architects. Quotes: “The Urban Design Awards honour the superior developments that make our city shine. In the past, the Program has been a tremendous success and I look forward to reviewing the 2022 nominations,” said Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, Chair, Development Services Committee. “These exciting new job creating projects are a beacon of success which continues to identify us as Toronto’s most dynamic and sought after neighbours. This truly means that we are increasingly and broadly being recognized as one of the leading and primary core markets in the GTA. Oshawa’s future is bright.” HEY TITO. 1ST WHAT ACTUAL LIFE EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE TO SIT AS CHAIR OF ANY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE. 2ND WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ‘MOST DYNAMIC AND SOUGHT AFTER NEIGHBOURS’. HAVE YOU WALKED DOWNTOWN OSHAWA LATELY? LET ME FILL YOU IN. DOWNTOWN OSHAWA FROM YOUR HOME IS DOWN ROSSLAND TOWARDS SIMCOE. TURN RIGHT AND FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD. DON’T BLINK.. OR YOU MISS IT SON. THIS GUY HAS TO GO. “The City is asking you which projects built in the past four years around Oshawa deserve an award for being aesthetically pleasing, sustainable and accessible. This is a way to ensure Oshawa continues to advance and embrace urban design excellence. ROSEMARY CAN YOU PUT THAT IN ENGLISH... HERE IS COUNCILLOR THAT HAS SAT ON HER HANDS FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS AND NOW ATTEMPTS TO STAND ON TITO COAT TAILS AS IF SHE HAD ANY REAL IDEA ON LAND USE AND PLANNING. HOW WAS THIS COUNCILLOR APPOINTED AS VICE CHAIR THAT TITO IS CHAIR. IT IS LIKE THAT OLD SAYING. NOTHING PLUS NOTHING EQUALS TWO. IN HIS TWISTED MIND IS THA TRUE? Land use planning and urban design choices made today can resonate far into Oshawa’s future. Considering the impacts become locked-in, the importance of designing and completing them well, in the right location in the community, with widespread appeal from the start cannot be overstated!” says Councillor Rosemary McConkey, Vice-Chair, Development Service Committee. YES COUNCILLOR.. THIS IS WHY YOU AND YOUR COUNCIL ARE MAKING SUCH A MESS OF THE CORE BY EXTENDING SIDEWALKS. THE SAME COUNCIL THAT HAS FAILED THE PEOPLE OSHAWA BY HAVING NO VISION FOR THE CORE. WHY? THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHAT THEY ARE DOING SIMPLE.

Canada's energy problem

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As the political situation in Canada heads for unchartered waters with the Declaration of the Emergency Act and the first time that Canada Flag day is celebrated under siege, it is time to look further ahead. As people and the media are preoccupied with the daily facts of pros and cons of something and anything, it is time to take a serious look at the energy related issues on which the future Canada's wellbeing depends. It makes one dizzy to see all the running around that goes on, skirting the issue of "climate change". This is the new darling of the political establishment in the developed world, embraced with particular fervor by the Canadian government. With zealous words and overreaching promises to curtail carbon emissions, unlikely to ever be achieved, world politics is grappling with ideas on how to reach these imaginary targets. It is interesting to note a recent curious and quite courageous stand taken by the European Union with regard to natural gas and nuclear energy. Perhaps the political gurus in Canada should take note. The European Union, finally and with courage, has admitted the obvious: if decarbonization is the goal, natural gas and nuclear must be a big part of the continent's energy mix. In early January, the European Commission released a statement which said "there is a role for natural gas and nuclear as a means to facilitate the transition towards a predominantly renewable-based future." The move means that gas and nuclear could be classified as "sustainable investments" under certain conditions. This is good news and a tacit acknowledgment by European policymakers of the energy disaster that is now shaking the region. In Canada however the situation is a sad one. I have been making that point for more than a decade. I was a promoter of nuclear energy both in parliament and outside of it. I am in particular favor of the new ideas for recycling the spent nuclear fuel, of which Canada has many tonnes, but all in vain. If decarbonization is the goal, then natural gas and nuclear are the obvious ways forward. Canada has both resources and knowledge in these areas. To be sure, the EU's move didn't please the environmental catastrophists. Robert Habeck, a co-leader of Germany's Green party called the move "greenwashing." Leonore Gewessler, the climate action minister in Austria, said gas and nuclear couldn't be included because they are "harmful to the climate and the environment and destroy the future of our children." I am quite sure that there will also be many climate catastrophists in Canada who oppose the idea, especially in the present ruling liberal party lead government. It's also worth seeing how big media outlets, mostly left wing, are covering the story. The New York Times summarized the move by saying gas and nuclear would be considered "transitional" sources to be "used to bridge countries' moves away from coal and carbon-emitting power toward clean energy technologies like wind and solar." It continued, saying nuclear would be considered sustainable if the countries can agree on how to handle nuclear waste and that gas-fired power plants would be deemed okay if they "meet certain emissions criteria and replace more polluting fossil fuel plants." As a person of European descent and knowledgeable of European issues, let me state the obvious: Europe cannot and will not move to "a predominantly renewable-based future." The never-ending claims that Europe, or any other region with a large economy, can run solely on "clean energy technologies like wind and solar," are not based on history, math, science or physics. Indeed, Europe, especially Western Europe, is already in the throes of an energy crisis due to its headlong rush to adopt renewables at the expense of traditional thermal power plants. Numerous news outlets have documented the causes of Europe's predicament. Bloomberg ran a story with the headline: "Europe Sleepwalked Into an Energy Crisis that Could Last Years," which said that Europe is "in the midst of an energy transition, shutting down coal-fired electricity plants and increasing its reliance on renewables. Wind and solar are cleaner but sometimes fickle." The right word is unreliable. Reuters reported recently that "In Germany, Europe's largest economy with the continent's highest wind power capacity, combined output from both on and offshore wind farms fell around 16% this year-to-date." Reuters also reported that "Europe's largest wind producers 'Britain, Germany and Denmark harnessed just 14% of installed capacity, in the third quarter of last year, when gas prices hit record highs, compared with an average of 20-26% seen in previous years." The gas resources in the EU come mainly from Russia, which are also a problem in today's political world. I will be curious to find out what the situation is in Canada. This might be a wake up call not to grossly underestimate our own natural gas resources and nuclear energy. The issue is also related to transmission lines connecting wind mills and solar to an integrated grid which are extremely costly and community unfriendly. These expenses and infrastructure can be avoided by Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMNR). We have the recent example of the Hydro Quebec transmission line project to New York State cancelled due to public opposition. Turning our attention back to natural gas and nuclear. I am not bragging here, but I must note that I have been a champion of nuclear energy as the best "no regrets" policy for more than a decade. By the way natural gas and nuclear are not "bridge fuels" or "transition" fuels, they are the fuels of the future. Why? They are low or no carbon, have small footprints, are affordable here in Canada, and scalable. Nuclear and natural gas in Canada are the only sectors that have enough momentum and enough capital behind them to make a significant dent in the overall use of classical fossil fuels. I continue to believe that environmental groups should applaud and not oppose the increased use the energy mix of natural gas and nuclear as it is part of the ongoing 'decarbonization' of Canada and the world. Regardless of what you think about carbon dioxide or the climate-change debate, it's apparent that the best way forward is to embrace natural gas and nuclear. To be clear, I am not gloating or bragging here. I am truly pleased that policymakers in Europe are, finally, embracing energy realism. It is about time to have this kind of approach here in Canada instead of destroying our economy and standard of living. Hope you are listening?

NATION WIDE SOLIDARITY TRUCKER TAUGHT US A LESSON

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” It is about time that we the silent TRUE NORTH awaken once in for all. Our culture is being raped. Our customs brought upon scrutiny. Our people oppressed and Our Canadian way of life changed in order to accommodate and tolerate foreign political agenda. Our laws are being manipulate to accommodate interests other than that of Canadians first. We, those that work hard to preserve the quality of life that brought us to this great nation are isolated, ridiculed and now as in the case of the truck drivers persecuted and prosecuted. Our red blood that we sacrificed time and time again is boiling hot for change. Our PM has proven he is in it for himself. Our economy is an out of control train. Look at the prices at the gas pump. Look at the food prices going through the roof. But wait our beloved incompetent politicians will blame either Covid or now the truckers. Enough is enough. We have a Prime minister that has clearly shown his lack of respect for his fellow Canadians. How dare he attempt to make it out that those that question him and demand accountability are racist, homophobic, nationalist and or terrorists of the state. Our Prime Minister has failed the Canadian people. Anyone with half a wit would have met with the drivers. Take their concerns to heart and done something about it. The original issue was over Justin legislation that demands all truckers to show proof of vaccination in order to cross the border. A huge mistake. Today the trucker issue has snowballed into a much bigger problem. Since the PM failed to put out a small fire. Today, Justin if fighting for his political future. The PM pushed on vaccination and in the push he fully vaccinated fall ill of the virus. Originally the virus meant prevention of infection. Today after in some place three four boosters. People are still are getting it. Only for the science tune to change from preventative to damage control if infected. RIDICULOUS. How dare, the PM be so disrespectful as to turn the police and military against our own people. WE THE PEOPLE OF THE TRUE NORTH SHOULD all be out there. When the price of gas shoots up. Don’t let the politicians get away with claiming that is the world price. Bull. We should shut down the country every time they mess up. National unity comes with making those elected accountable. Shut down the country for a week or a month. Wait, what am I saying. This is Canada. We think of ourself first. Pay our mortgages and bills. Due to our life style we have become docile in our efforts to demonstrate the many wrongs done by our government against our own Canadians. I SUPPORT THE TRUCKERS EFFORTS AND THEIR ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT DAILY ROUTINES. I APPLAUD WHOEVER THE ORGANIZER FOR HAVING THE BALLS TO SAY ENOUGH. Have you seen the recent footage of police actions towards demonstrators? Disgusting. How can anyone wearing a badge act like that towards another citizen. Police fully knowing that their action are breaking that same law they are trying to enforce. Police service boards should not allow this type of behavior to take place. The police image and standards must be upheld. Police should not be sent in to do the job of goons. The military should not be sent in to oppress people’s rights. The problem here is not the people protesting but that of PM that has proven he has failed Canadians. Now half wit Ford wants to declare a state of emergency in Ontario. Way to go Ford. Pour gasoline on a fire you fail to political tame. Talk about an oppressive government. Our PM is more concerned on pushing GLOBAL WARMING as it allow his government to dig in our pockets for phantom taxes. WE THE NORTH need to awaken. We need to show solidarity that the government GLOBALIST agenda will not be tolerated in Canada. We are Canadians for Canada and as such it is our duty come together and assure we are treated with respect and dignity in the preservation of standards, customs and traditions of this great Nation.

Turmoil in Canada

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As February marches on, the huge trucker demonstration continues in Ottawa and is spreading to cities across Canada. We also see more and more people wanting to return to a normal life, demanding an end to lockdowns and other measures limiting individual freedom. Political hypocrisy continues to reign, and the subservient media follow the liberal government like troubadours of singing journalists. Perhaps this is just a feature of today's human nature, and maybe I should learn to be more compassionate about hypocrisy. No one can be consistent all the time, and we all go a little cross-eyed when we're angry, but there are limits of common sense that have been missing in the governance of our country for some time. In the last few years, I've watched lefties who once passionately defended the legitimacy of protests that included isolated cases of looting and rioting, now condemn the truck convoy occupying Ottawa. They've gone fully bull-eyed authoritarian, demanding that the police they once wanted defunded, roll in and crack heads G20-style. Of course we have their champions like Jagmeet Singh calling for the immediate crack down on the demonstration. Once asking to defund the police, and now asking for more police to deal with the truckers, he is the embodiment of the hypocrisy politicians practice in the Parliament of Canada today. The Government, the city of Ottawa, their police and the media have gone to extreme lengths to denounce, demean and shut down this trucker protest. They even tried to stop the funding and donations to the convoy, where the money was taken and held by a private company. The Prime Minister's divisive language, his treatment of the protesters and the reaction by those in charge in Ottawa is unprecedented and unacceptable in a democracy. Perhaps the truckers' cause is not something they can agree with, perhaps it is an inconvenience to the city and those living in it. However, the vitriolic response by the mainstream media and the demonization of the protest have reverberated around the world, as have the Prime Minister's words, that make Canada look like a third word country. The hypocrisy of it all is staggering. First, all non-profits in Canada, especially the Environmental non-profits are heavily foreign funded. They have one job, and that is to protest and stop by any means necessary, Canada's oil and gas sector. They are cheered and aided by our Federal Government. I do not remember any of those movements having their funding stripped from them for any reason. Even when they break our laws, create a disturbance to the supply chain and cause the loss of one hundred thousand jobs. I never heard a word from Ottawa about the inconvenience to those who were harmed, be it due to protests or the destruction of lives. Second, the Ottawa police is exempt from being fully vaccinated. and as such, their jobs are protected. Yet this trucker protest seems to be somehow different because for once it is Ottawa that is inconvenienced and many civil servants are not sleeping well. No one has lost their job due to foreign funding, protests, or government interference or intervention. No one has ever denounced and treated any protest like they are treating this one. You don't have to agree with the cause, and yes, it's hard being inconvenienced due to the protest, but you are still employed on taxpayers' money and no one in Ottawa has lost everything. Their world has not been torn down so they have to start from scratch again. The hypocrisy of the mainstream media, the Government, the city, and those people is absolutely astounding. As time passes we start to see clearly that the measures taken in the pandemic were lead by political science and pseudo science advisers rather than real science. And the longer the truckers have to continue this protest, the more likely the whole affair will end in bloodshed, further ratcheting up the cycle of alienation and polarization that got us here in the first place. As the standoff continues somebody will make a mistake with unforeseen consequences. As the warrior style rhetoric from the government escalates by the day, lead by the fierce Minister of Public Safety Mendicino, who is known for his harsh language of condemning allied countries for genocide, I continue to believe that the standard by which the state ought to consider violent action against its own people is very high. It needs to be deeply reviewed, considered, and subject to serious accountability and oversight. We shall see whether this is the case, and hope that clear heads will prevail. The mainstream media continue to focus overwhelmingly on the most sensational elements of the story. Are they hoping, on some level, that it might morph into a US Jan. 6 style insurrection? They are presenting a version of events that is wildly at odds with the reality on the field of the protest. Neither is it in line with people who have attended protests in cities outside of Ottawa, which were mostly positive, non-violent and welcoming. This certainly further erodes trust in the media, pushing the public further into seeking other sources of information and away from politicised and polarized mainstream reporting. I note sadly that Prime Minister Trudeau doesn't seem eager to de-escalate the situation. No "understanding" from the Liberals for this crowd: they're a bunch of fringe deplorables with "unacceptable views." Did anyone expect a gentler tone after the last election? The Liberals only need the support of about 30 per cent of the population to govern, and that 30 per cent neatly aligns with the population who would love to see these truckers, the very personification of the anti vaccine mandate movement, get their heads cracked in, or at least be hauled off in irons. As the situation worsens around the country with the trucker demonstrations hitting the borders, I continue to think that a hard-line response to this protest instead of talking and negotiating risks a very, very bad outcome. If you think our current state of polarization and civil unrest is bad, how do you think it's going to look if the police storm in and leave a handful of dead truckers in the street to become martyrs of a country these people have already deemed tyrannical? The tiny spark that lit this protest was created by a vaccine mandate that would affect only a small percentage of unvaccinated cross border truckers. However, it quickly evolved into a protest to lift all lockdowns, vaccine passports and other vaccine mandates infringing on personal freedoms. The strong swell of support clearly reveals public sentiment now that the pandemic seems to be in the last stages and country after country discards pandemic restrictions. As Saskatchewan lifts pandemic restrictions and Alberta follows suit, what is the federal government doing? It's ignoring the truckers and, according to its very knowledgeable Federal Transport Minister Alghabra, dreams of imposing more pandemic restrictions on movement between provinces. The virus has evolved into a shadow of its former lethal self, because it cannot afford to kill its host if it is to survive. When will the governing leftists be as smart?

Stuggots ~ Escargots Tomatoe ~ Tomato What's The Difference

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. What is wrong with Canada. No matter who is driving we keep going down hill. I am a shame to be known to have supported the Liberals. Trudeau, instead of putting out the fire. He makes things worst. The whole trucker demonstration was about crossing the border. Justin thought to get into a pissing contest with the Americans and the Americans trumped all over Justin. It was not bad enough that Justin messed up at the border. He then has the character to call the truckers name and ignore them Really, Justin Mussolini. I guess he never been to a bull fight. You don’t win by getting in its way and expect the bull not to gouge you. Today, the truckers have turned this into a national thing that is far from the border. Through his arrogance he is now facing a much bigger snowball of issues. From freedom to vaccination and everything in between. How can this “Oobatz” of a Prime minister justify gas prices. Is he making so much money that he does not care. People are having problem paying mortgages, putting food on the table and this arrogant “Questo cazzo” does not care? Canada is finished. As the political sharks can smell Justin blood in the voters seas. They are all getting their tomatoes ready to make political sauce. They will feed the general public with the usual fare of scargots to sway votes and when they get in power do the same that Justin is doing, fill their pockets and give us Justin's father famous salute. Look at the eat-Stuggots-eat-Stuggots that is happening with the conservatives. In one corner we have the People’s Party, that it’s leader can’t even win his own ward. To guys like Erin O’toole and arrogant bastard that was in it for himself from the start. A guy that never personally returns a call. Then from the wood pile we have this Pierre Pollievere another conservative playing the right tune to sucker in people to once again bring the conservatives in power. Pierre a carreered politician says and does all the right things. The sad fact is that he may be pristine in his performance. The bad thing is that his under ranks are the same old same old MP’s. So what does this mean for the rest of us.... Another Justin. So then what is left? The Stunad NDP or best known in some circles as the NO DICK PARTY. God, help us all if they ever took over power. I am becoming real concerned over our future. Democracy is another world like love. What does it really mean. All I know is that my money is going towards this new party that is forming. Canada for Canadians party of Canada. A party that is taking the best from the right, center and left. The things that benefit Canadians. Forget this being right or left. It is time to be Canadian and create a new ‘ism’. One that will be a political beacon to the world. No more the same old same old. No more of the infighting. A party that will you the taxpayers interest at heart. Instead of sending billions in foreign aid. We will invest in education, health, job creation and most importantly prosperity for all to enjoy. Keep posted here to see some official posting by some of the leadership in the months to come. I personally endorse and support the Canada for Canadian Party of Canada. We must act now while we can.

Leveraging LinkedIn to Get a Job - Part 1

By Nick Kossovan A reader emailed me the following question: I was an exec at a small oil exploration services company. We closed our doors due to the economy in 2020, and I've been trying to pivot since then. I've never been on LinkedIn as I was employed for over 30 years at the same company and didn't feel I needed the exposure. Do you think it's a detriment/impediment to not be on LinkedIn? My answer: Not being on LinkedIn isn't detrimental to a job search; but it'll lengthen your job search. Job seekers gain two advantages by having a complete LinkedIn profile they keep current: 1. Employers and recruiters find them and approach them with job opportunities (Optimized LinkedIn profile = more views = more opportunities.), and 2. When short-listed for a job they've applied to, their LinkedIn profile, when visited by the employer, which is inevitable, will validate they're interview-worthy. According to a September 2020 Forbes article, 95 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn to search for candidates. What's more efficient for a recruiter; searching LinkedIn and reaching out to qualified candidates or posting a job and being inundated with resumes, many from candidates who don't meet the job requirements? To gain every advantage possible during your job search, you must have a LinkedIn profile that's attractive to employers. Maximizing your LinkedIn profile requires at minimum doing the following: - Keeping your profile current. (Regular updates.) - Being comprehensive about your skills. - Highlighting your experience, and most importantly, your value to your employers. (Remember, numbers are the language of business, therefore use numbers throughout your profile to support your claims.) I've found the best approach to making the best use of LinkedIn is to be authentic. Be yourself, represent who you are. LinkedIn isn't your resume. On LinkedIn, you have the opportunity to dynamically represent your experiences (and show your work), skills, career objectives, what you know, and what you're interested in. However, LinkedIn's power isn't dependent on how all-inclusive your profile is; it's dependent on how current your information is. In this column, and the next three (a four-part series), I'll be offering tactical tips on how you can make LinkedIn your job search partner. My first two tips will immediately boost your LinkedIn profile views. 1. Have a current, no older than 6 months profile picture. A profile picture is a crucial element of your LinkedIn presence, generating 14 times more page views. In addition, a hiring manager who sees your photo on LinkedIn will develop a specific impression of you. Therefore, it's critical to consider "strategically" what a person might conclude about your personality and competency from your profile picture. Job seekers have told me they don't have a photo because they feel uncomfortable "putting themselves out there" so visibly. Several have said they believe showing a picture of themselves could lead to discrimination because of their age, weight, or race. I tend to look at this last reason from the viewpoint that who you are will become apparent during your first meeting. I'd rather be upfront and be discriminated against, which I won't really know, than spend my time interviewing only to end up not getting the job due to the interviewer's bias. Bottom-line, the lack of a photo keeps your profile from being complete. Complete profiles appear higher in search results than "incomplete" profiles. 2. Get your headline right. When people search for you, they only see your photo, name, and headline, which appears beneath your photo. Worth noting, in August 2020, LinkedIn increased the number of headline characters you have from 120 to 220. When composing your headline, focus on these elements: - The role you want. (Use the job title that matches your goal.) - Your qualifications. - Challenges you enjoy solving. - Your track record. EXAMPLES: - B2B Inside Sales Representative | $2.7MM generated in 2021 | Digital Ads Manager | 5 years experience managing 7-figure ad budgets | Bilingual (French) - Digital Marketing Manager for gaming apps | Increased Subscription Growth From 12k - 55k Users in 8 Months (Without Spending a Dime on Ads) | Google Analytics IQ Certificated Note: While there is no shame in being unemployed, it's not a selling point. Employers and recruiters are interested in your skills, not your current employment status. Don't make the common mistake of adding "Actively Seeking Opportunities" or "Unemployed." to your headline. In next week's column, I'll be discussing the following: - Being comprehensive about your skills. - Build your network to the 1st degree. - Follow companies you're interested in joining. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job. You can send him your questions at artoffindingwork@gmail.com

Cupid Doesn’t Deliver

I would like to ask you about alienation of affection. Is there such a law? How hard is it to prove, and what are the penalties? I have been married four years and recently caught my wife cheating on me. I forgave her and tried to work things out, but unfortunately she moved in with her lover. They have been together two months. My wife is from Russia, and I believe she used me just to get her green card. Mutual friends have told me so. I have considerable property. Can I get an annulment? If I was successful, would she be entitled to anything? Also, I supported her two children for four years. Can I sue her for the expense? Ira Ira, we are not lawyers, but you need to think about things before you talk to one. If you succeed in hurting your wife, there will be lasting negative effects on you. People who plot the demise of others always end up hurting themselves. Each of you had a role in this. Your wife was in dire straits with two children to care for. She was like a mother bear doing what she needed to do to protect her cubs. Perhaps she thought she could force herself, or trick herself, into making this arrangement work. People under stress don’t think very clearly. You must have seemed like salvation to her. You offered her paradise, but you did yourself harm by going into a situation where you would look like a savior. Whatever made her believe this was love, or at least acceptable, disappeared when she came over here. She is not the same woman anymore. Work out a reasonable solution with your wife. Realize you can’t order love the way you order a pizza. Cupid doesn’t deliver. Tamara A Story Without End I have been dating a man named Cal for the past six months. We are very close and treat each other extremely well. We talk frequently about a long-term future. I couldn’t ask for things to be better. But there is one major problem. Cal’s ex-girlfriend repeatedly interferes in our relationship. She is what you would call a psycho. Almost every weekend we go out to clubs and then to an after bar party. When we are out, we run into her and she picks fights with us. We have had drinks thrown in our faces. Once when we were out, I turned around to say something to her, and she kicked me in the head. I fell down a flight of stairs. She was two stairs above me when I turned, so it might have been an accident. She has also broken into our house and smashed a window. Cal tells her to leave us alone, but she won’t do it. She phones here every week. Cal will say things like, “I still love you, but I’m not in love with you.” However, she is not the kind of person who understands that concept. She has made me a very angry person. If this continues, I may walk away from this relationship. That would be giving into her, but I don’t know what else to do. Talena Talena, when you are involved with a stalker, the only solution is to cut them off. There is no middle ground. When property damage and physical assault are involved, things are more than annoying. They are dangerous. Cutting off the stalker means hanging up the phone, changing phone numbers, not going where they go. Each time Cal talks to this woman, she has succeeded in extending their relationship. He can’t say, “I love you, but I don’t want to see you.” Mixed messages never work. At this point, the ball is in Cal’s court. If he doesn’t end this relationship, you have to wonder if some part of him wants it to continue. Wayne Wayne & Tamara are also the authors of Cheating in a Nutshell, What Infidelity Does to the Victim, available from Amazon, Apple and most booksellers. Wayne & Tamara write: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

A Wave of Heart Disease Among Healthcare Workers? There has always been a lot of heart in the practice of medicine – literally and figuratively. Typically, the focus is on the beating heart of the patient. But has the pandemic, unlike any challenge to the medical profession before, impacted the hearts of front-line healthcare workers themselves? Medicine is “a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.” These words of Sir William Osler, a founding figure of modern medicine, were a warning as much as a motivation. A contemporary of Osler, Dr. Maude Abbott, a cardiac pathologist, was one of Canada’s earliest women in medicine. Her calling was challenged by refusal of entry to medical school. (She was barred from entrance to McGill’s medical program due to her gender. Bishop’s College graduate her in 1894.) But she was driven to be a doctor. Are would-be doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals so keenly motivated today? That medicine requires emotional and physical fortitude is understood. But is there now a price to be paid in heart health? Miners know that even with the best safety equipment, they are often working in dangerous environments. Bus drivers know the sedentary nature of their jobs can place them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Test pilots are probably most acutely aware that their jobs could kill them. But do healthcare workers know the calculus? How are emerging trainees perceiving their future? In 1945, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that “physicians die of coronary-artery disease at the same age as the average person with the disease.” Since then, it would seem doctors got healthier. In pre-pandemic 2019, JAMA Network published a study showing the “incidence of cardiovascular death was 52% lower among physicians than the general population.” Medical careers have always involved long hours and stressful situations. But the pandemic has resulted in extreme exhaustion for many healthcare workers. According to Dr. Susan R. Bailey, the president of the American Medical Association. “A lot of physicians were hanging on by a thread from burnout before the pandemic even started.” Now, new research is showing a relationship between chronic stress and heart disease. A study published last year in JAMA Psychiatry reported that people who suffered from four or more depressive symptoms were 20 per cent more likely to experience cardiovascular disease or death. What are some of these symptoms? Uncomfortable emotional stress that persists. Situations that generate a sense of dread or anxiety. Traumatic life experiences. These may be the symptoms of patients with PTSD, anxiety disorders or depression. But they also read like the everyday work environment of our frontline healthcare workers. Time will tell the outcome, but this research suggests that pandemic-era workers in the health sector are at increased risk of heart disease. Doctors should know the benefits of prevention. But they are trained in treatment. So a word of advice. For many, chronic stress isn’t going to evaporate anytime soon. In the interim, the best way to take care of the heart is to arm that most precious of muscles with the ingredients needed for long-term performance. That is, regular exercise and rest, balanced nutrition, and a daily maintenance routine. Keep arteries clear of plaque build up. Vitamin C in high doses combined with lysine lowers cholesterol levels for a safe, natural defence force against heart disease and an alternative to drugs. Next week, a refresher to readers about the Omega 3 Index, a way to measure your personal risk factors for heart disease. And later this month, a personal celebration of a quarter century since a life-threatening heart attack. Sign-up at www.docgiff.com to receive our weekly e-newsletter. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones

A King for the People --my criticisms

A King for the People by Alex King I submit, for the people,

of recently passed West Virginia House Bill 335. For those who don't know, HB 335 was crafted with the intent of allowing medical and religious exemptions in this state when it comes to Biden's vax mandate. Although the federal supreme court's decision eventually nixed the need for that piece of state legislation (except for healthcare employees the U.S. government still believes it owns), I had several issues with the so-called "exemption bill" from the moment it was proposed. Critique #1: rather than outright defying the federal mandate, our legislators quickly passed a law that met Biden's mandate partway. They had every opportunity to send a strong message that they will defend the medical autonomy of ALL West Virginia residents, but they instead legitimized the authoritarian decree by choosing to recognize SOME exemptions and not others. Also, while I have no way of knowing if stronger defiance would have influenced the supreme court to protect the bodily autonomy of healthcare staff, I honestly believe it would have helped. Critique #2: as I recall, Biden had already included a few exemptions in his mandate. Employees who didn't want to receive the vax would be required to wear face coverings and submit themselves to regular virus testing. A quick read-through of HB 335 does nothing to cast those imposing requirements aside following the filing of a person's religious or medical status, so I don't understand how it is even considered an exemption. Critique #3: without any expressed limitations of Biden's federal rule, HB 335 does relatively nothing to protect the freedoms of its residents. In fact, by enforcing a layer of bureaucracy that makes people reveal private information to private corporations and government, many residents will be handing over financially lucrative data about themselves. The bill makes no limitations on the sharing of that information at large, for profit, and potentially to insurance companies. Critique #4: the bill states the following: a covered employer shall not be permitted to penalize or discriminate against current or prospective employees for exercising exemption rights provided in this section by practices including, but not limited to, benefits decisions, hiring, firing, or withholding bonuses, pay raises, or promotions. However, this is still an at-will work state, meaning that an employer can fire anyone for no expressed reason. The protection HB 335 pretends to offer is therefore toothless. It's not as if we can place faith in the state government to investigate, adequately and thoroughly, each claim of vax-hesitant discrimination. Much of it will go unproven. Critique #5: religion should not be a narrative for who has a right to medical autonomy and who doesn't. I think, in that regard, HB 335 is as unconstitutional as Biden's initial order. Those who do not want to identify with any religion should be equally protected under the First Amendment and not subjected to the discrimination which our state government has now imposed. Likewise, those who practice a particular religion should not be compelled to label themselves for companies and government. I want to make it clear that I'm not suggesting that those currently in charge have malice toward any specific group of people. Nor do I wish anger toward those in leadership positions. I only want those who seek responsibility over us to be more aware of the abuses that some laws may create at the detriment of overall public wellbeing, the individuals who make up that public, and the constitutional guarantees that are increasingly threatened by fascistic trends. I think HB 335 was nothing more than a hollow virtue signal to placate the masses of our primarily Christian state. As someone who has grown closer to God these last few years, I think more people of faith should be outraged by the bill, which will inspire some people to pose as false Christians merely for the sake of avoiding a "treatment." The bill is therefore not only a reckless disregard of those who don't practice any religion, but it is just as much an afront to any religion abused as a shield in that way. The West Virginia Legislature should have fought harder against Biden's vax mandate and refuted it entirely. Instead-at our doddering governor's request-they created a law that does more harm than good, a law that surrenders your private information and medical decisions to corporations and government while creating a second class of citizens simply because they are in good health and don't practice a religion. And if you still think I'm wrong about how utterly useless the bill is when it comes to protecting the individual, maybe you should consider the fact that the National Guard recently had to assist West Virginia hospitals who were short staffed. While the official narrative seems to be that too many workers were out sick with the virus, Governor Justice joined with other governors to request-from the Biden administration-an appeal of the healthcare vax requirement. If HB 335 was an effective piece of legislation on its own, why is the figurehead of our state seeking permission from the federal government? Even with the supreme court's decision, will people of this state still have to comply with surrendering their religious or medical information should a private employer want to mandate the vax? There are too many questions left unanswered by HB 335, and I'd rather not beat a dead horse. So, I'll conclude by encouraging anyone who agrees with my points to reach out to West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Call his office (304-558-2021) and encourage him to release an official statement explaining the constitutionality of House Bill 335…assuming he can.

White/Black Does Justice Have Color?

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” You got to wonder the real agenda behind the President of the United States push to have a black woman as a Supreme court Judge. How can we be a united nation with such divisions. The fact that the President is looking specifically for a black woman in itself is discriminatory and should have those of other shades of skin furious. Should a post or position not be based on credentials, academics and or experience. Then why is Biden in his inclusive world making such a prejudice choice? Appointments should not be based on historical retribution for wrong committed in a time and place that no other options as at the time it was the standard social norm. Why should modern society be punished for something that we the American people had no real involvement. Should the native Americans not be entitled to the same support by the government? Native Americans were treated worst than blacks. Should we not be learning from history, so that we do not repeat all that was foul about it. Instead in modern society we attempt to unite by creating divisions. What if the President had made it public that he wanted to appoint a Mexican only. An Italian, Jew, native American or a white only judge. How would society reacted? The answer is obvious. Then if it is, then why is it that society accepts this type of discrimination? America as all nations of the world have made historical mistakes when it comes to race. Hell, some nations still make them and they go unnoticed. Then why in America such divisions in the quest for acceptance. Retribution is only punishing those that are innocent just because they are of a particular skin color. This is not modern America. An America that during time of conflict fights shoulder to shoulder for a common goal without color indiferrences. protecting our rights and freedoms. We as Americans are a proud people that come together in times of need. Color is not a factor when we sacrifice, when we share that pride during our national anthem. Color in modern times appears to be used as a tool to push agenda in a false sense of self fullfillment. Black Americans are becoming aware of this. They themselves recognized that their skin color is being used to attain and or push political and social agendas. This type of behavior is not American. This type of behavior is manipulative and oppressive. Take the color out of our judicial system and let freedom reign.

CASTRATING AN eunuch ONLY IN OSHAWA CARTER HAS TO GO

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” An Eunuch by definition: a man who has been castrated, especially (in the past) one employed to guard the women. Or in other word. Someone you would employ in trust to guard or attend important and or valuable interests. One that we can be assure not to be fornicated by every chance they get. Well, it seems that in Oshawa at least. Our Eunuch need a trimming. Cause the village people have had just about enough of being copulated time and time and time again by these incompetent Eunuchs. Only in Oshawa do we elect and entrust a leader that follows the advice of staff first. Instead of leading staff with a vision for a better city for all to live. LIKE MY GOOD OLD FRIEND PRESIDENT BRANDON TO THE SOUTH WOULD SAY. ‘COME ON MAN’. just this week. Our beloved Carter went public blaming the system for his failure to secure a new Oshawa hospital through Lakeridge. Really you are blaming, “arbitrary criteria” for your lack of leadership. Carter when you first heard of the possibility you should have been all over it. How is it that Whitby pulled the rug from under you. Well you have to give credit to the Mayor of Whitby as he has more political experience on one toe nail than Carter has mustered in his 8 years living off our tax dollar as a councillor for 4 and Mayor for 4. HE HAS FAILED US Did you know that under Carter’s watch. He has cost you almost 10% in property taxes over his term as Mayor? Is this leadership. He has allowed staff to run away with budgets and we the people pay for it. Is that leadership. He has failed us. Did you know that we the taxpayers own the GM CENTER.. or as it is best known today The Tribute Communities Centre? Did you know that this facility was costing us as much as one million dollar to operate? Did you know that today we the people still pay $600,000 a year to keep it open. You may be asking... why is it called The Tribute Communities Centre? Good question. Our beloved Eunuch negotiated a horrible deal with Tribute Homes for payment to use their name to the tune of $1.25 million dollars over 5 year term. This meaning that the city will only receive $250,00 a year. He failed us. But wait. This is the same Tribute Homes that is rumored to have backed Carter during the election... not to mention have a member of it’s company sit on the City sponsored Mayor economic recovery task force. A task force that has done little of nothing for taxpayers and or the business community. A truly Eunuch task force made up of Carter's political supporters. He has failed us. Just recently Mayor Carter had the nerve to release this statement: Businesses like yours are an essential component of Oshawa’s dynamic and diverse neighbourhoods and their sustainability is a critical pillar of our community. (A lot of words no meaning.) As such, I am working with the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force Chair, Regional and City Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri and both the membership of the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce (GOCC) and the Downtown Oshawa Business Alliance (DOBA) to advocate and assist in any way possible to help mitigate the financial losses that businesses are continuing to endure during this difficult period. (is this guy for real... a lot of words to say he is doing nothing.... wow. Does he truly think you are that stupid? All he is doing is attempting to promote his name and that of his side kick Tito. Both Tito and Carter have limited or no business experience. Both have yet to actually approach local businesses and ask what are their needs. Two hypocrites in a pot of the GOCC, DOBA. Two groups that have done nothing for the core or business in general... but wait till the 2022 election is called and you will see them campaigning indirectly for Carter. hosting debates that favor carter as they have in past elections. SHAME ON TITTO. SHAME ON CARTER. SHAME ON ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE GOCC, DOBA AND COUNCIL. ) YOU BOTH SHOULD RESIGN AS YOU ACTUALLY BE DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF OSHAWA BY SAVING US WHAT WE THE PEOPLE PAY YOU). As supported at City Council on Monday, January 24, I am issuing letters to the Prime Minister and Premier requesting that both the Federal and Provincial governments continue to offer and expand on programs to assist in economic recovery. (In other words he is going to do nothing as he has no authority or power over the Province and or Feds. What a load of shit coming from this horses arse. You want to show leadership. We the people of Oshawa own the public utilities. Cut what you are paying management at the OPUC by half. Create a fund to directly help local businesses by reducing their hydro by 90%. Wait, that would take real leadership.) Another example of his failure as our leader. an insult to the business community and his so deemed dynamic and diverse neighbourhoods. Look at this major FAILURE. The Canadian Automobile Museum. An institution in Oshawa that anyone with a half point IQ would not challenge to recognize it as a prime business, attraction. Approached the City for assistance. city residents have taken up the cudgels on behalf of the Canadian Automotive Museum (CAM) to right what they see as a wrong. They say the CAM receives a grant of $5,000 and pays a municipal tax of $20,000 annually. On top of that, the grant is not a “given”. It has to be applied for every year. The City of Oshawa is being asked to waive the tax or give a grant equal to the amount of the municipal tax. OUR BELOVED EUNUCH AND HIS MERRY COUNCIL ONCE AGAIN FAILED. the museum was denied... I am sure Carter was busy writing his letter to the Province... So that Ford would have something to wipe his ass with. Enough FAILURE. In 2022 municipal election let’s do the right thing and vote them out.

Turmoil in Ottawa

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As January comes to a close, a lot of things are happening in Ottawa, our National Capital. On the one hand, there is a huge trucker demonstration, initiated by the liberal federal government imposing compulsory vaccinations on them. One the other, we see more and more people who would like to return to a normal life, ending lockdowns and other measures limiting individual freedom. It seems to be the start of a symbiosis of these issues, which can no longer be ignored by the federal and provincial governments. In any case, Canadians are so fed up, that the pandemic seems to have undergone a phase change from political windfall to Canadians looking to politically spank incumbents who are not proactive. The truckers decided to organize and take their grievances to Ottawa. So they started by organizing a truck convoy from British Columbia to Ottawa. Once the news spread other truckers form Eastern Canada and southern Ontario joined, until truckers from all the provinces were heading for the capital. As they rolled towards Ottawa, they got an extremely positive reception from the general public. Their efforts to re-establish our freedom and end all the restrictions of the last two years that have crippled the economy and made ordinary Canadians suffer, really struck a chord with fellow citizens. The movement also got international attention and brought support from many truckers from many nations. So on January 29th they started to arrive in Ottawa by the thousands. Other organizations joined the truckers along the way, and the number of supporters swelled to many thousands. By January 30th thousands of people were on the grounds of parliament, probably constituting the largest demonstration which was ever held in Ottawa. The demonstration reached its peak on January 30th. There were speeches and a lot of excitement from the truckers and ordinary Canadians. To the surprise of many people the official news media minimized their presence and dismissed them as a fringe group of people who do not have a real motive to demonstrate, singing a chorus to the song of Prime Minister Trudeau, who declined to meet with them. In response to a reporter's question regarding whether or not he will meet with protestors, Trudeau said he's attended protests and rallies in the past when he "agreed with the goals, when I supported the people expressing their concerns and their issues-Black Lives Matter is an excellent example of that-but I've also chosen not to go anywhere near protests that have expressed hateful rhetoric, violence towards fellow citizens, and a disrespect, not just of science, but of the frontline health workers and quite frankly, the 90 per cent of truckers who have been doing the right thing to keep Canadians safe to put food on our tables." "Canadians know where I stand. This is a moment for responsible leaders to think carefully about where they stand and who they stand with," said Trudeau. Well, there were many, many protesters, and the government had a hard time ignoring them, so they resorted to underhand tactics to try to discredit them. The liberals in power used their docile shills, the main stream media, to paint them as white supremacist, racist, Nazis and the CBC even proposed that Russia has a hand on this demonstration. They continued to smear the demonstration, purposely reporting that the truckers are a group of rowdy people who came to the Ottawa bubble to make trouble for the brave citizens of Ottawa. The media focused on and emphasized exclusively negative incidents, blowing them out of proportion, in their desperate attempts to compromise the movement. I have seen these methods before. These actions are reminiscent of the methods used by former communist countries for controlling the information disseminated to the public, through a subservient apparatchik press. The difference is, that in those former regimes, the press was forced to co-operate under threat of imprisonment if they did not ply the government's rhetoric. The press in Canada today, have literally been bought by government funding. As the demonstrations continue in Ottawa, we do not know what will happen in the near future. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and democracy will win in the end. The work of parliament has resumed in Ottawa, and beside the issues related to the economy and the situation in the Ukraine, there was some excitement in the Conservative party. Surprising party leader Erin O'Toole, 35 signatory caucus MPs asked for a vote of confidence in the caucus over his leadership of the party. The thing precipitated and a vote by caucus members resulted in 73 votes for and 45 against ousting the leader. After being defeated, O'Toole resigned as leader, sparking a new leadership race in the Conservative Party. The next step will be the election of an interim leader from among Conservative MP's. We should pay careful attention to the unfolding of events, as a new chapter may be opening in the Conservative Party. More promising news reports that the premier of Saskatchewan, Scott Moe, will lift all restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic at the end of the month including the Covid passport. The fiery premier of Quebec, Francois Legault, has suddenly abandoned the proposed tax on unvaccinated Quebecers. These easing of restrictions coming from different provinces, including Ontario, give hope that things will get back to normal sooner or later. Recent polls indicated that 54% of Canadians are in favor of lifting restrictive pandemic measures. Let us see how this trend develops. People are tired, especially of the confusion generated by medical experts during the past two years. It might be interesting to analyze the facts in how these things were managed. Besides its developing snow storms, February promises to bring some new and interesting political events. The question remains whether we will finally see our political leaders making and taking responsibility for their own decisions or continue to leave us at the mercy of the contradictory 'experts' who have repeatedly shown themselves to be so inexpert. Let's see what is next

GRAPPA THE ULTIMATE VACCINE WHERE ARE WE GOING HERE!!!

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. I worked all my life hard. I with my own two hands erected a 20 unit apartment building. Build various houses including the one I live in today and very seldom had time to get sick. I had a cough I walked it off. I had a sneeze, wiped it on my sleeve. My main life revolved around working and making sure that food was on the table. Today after a life of hard work. I am punished by the same government that I paid hefty taxes towards. I ask for help. They tell me to call some hotline. Really. I have tenants that have not paid for months their rent. I can’t kick them out. Government says it is illegal. I try to live comfortably and get penalized on my pension for making over the amount allowed. I have commercial tenants that don’t pay. There is nothing I can do about getting them out. So tell me. Have I lived my life wrong? Should I have just sat back and waited for the government to give me a future. To take care of me while suckers like me broke their back working? Now we have this COVID... really. I say, take some grappa, garlic nice piece of bread. Soak the bread in some olive oil, a little vinegar and have it all with a bunch of olives a few slices of cheese and salami. If that does not cure you from any Covid nothing will. Hell, enough grappa and you may even recover from a Justin episode. (Grappa is an alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume.) We live in sad times. Some have called it the beginning of western civilization as we are slowly eroding in to a third world type society. We have given up to many of standards in order to accommodate for others. Canadian culture is not what it use to be. Believe me. I experienced prejudice. I quickly learned that two things trump prejudice. One is pure academics. If you are smarter than those picking on you. They will soon are forced to respect you. The other way is by working hard and making a good life for yourself. No one can take that from you. My back may hurt at night. My knees may buckle at times. My feet never want to work and my head is always pounding. I may not have the best hair, eyes and teeth. But I do not mind as I have a good heart and consciousness. I know that everything I have I earned. I know that I helped when needed. I know the difference between wrong and right. I would never steal from another. Is this not what Canada is all about? Honesty, working hard for your goals? As I look around me I think my old fashion ways today are not appreciated. I tried to uphold the customs, culture and standards of this great nation. A nation that has given me opportunities like no other. I did not mind the sacrifices as what I went through is what I expected for my children to go through and achieve if not more. I look around me and tears form in my eyes. As our own leaders do not share my passion, my love for this great nation. It appears that hard work is no longer rewarded. Look at those elected to lead us. Dan Carter a man that I would not hire to clean my toilets... yet there he is elected Mayor. Erin OToole another example of me, me, me... Not to mention Justin our prime minister. No matter the party. We the people are doomed. I feel for my kids, your kids and the future.