'I LIVE A DREAM IN A NIGHTMARE WORLD' SERIES: June 2023

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Your Skills and Experience Are Not Your Only Strengths

By Nick Kossovan An example of humour telling the truth: A man walking past a construction site sees a sign: "Handy Man Wanted: Apply Within." The man goes to the office trailer to speak to the foreman. Forman: "Can you drive a forklift?" Man: "No." Forman: "Can you plaster?" Man: "No." Foreman: "Can you lay bricks?" Man: "No." Forman: "If you don't mind my asking, what's handy about you?" Man: "I only live five minutes down the road." When speaking with employers, job seekers tend to emphasize their skills and experience as reasons for hiring them and overlook reasons other than matching the job description, such as living close by, that would make them an appealing hire. When an employer makes a hire, it is not just the candidate's skills and experiences that are being hired. The employer is taking on the candidate's personality and aptitudes, mental and physical health, vices, good and bad habits, political and religious beliefs, morality, family dynamics, mannerism… all the stuff that makes each of us "one-of-a-kind" which employers, and your colleagues, must deal with and accommodate. Have you ever considered how your health could be an asset to an employer? I am not talking about being athletic fit, where your BMI is 20.8, and you participate in triathlons every second weekend. I am talking about, for example, if you do not smoke. Between two equally qualified candidates, who would appeal more to a hiring manager? A smoker or a non-smoker? Presuming the hiring manager is a non-smoker, which is likely, then, of course, a non-smoker would be more appealing. Likewise, a candidate who appears to be in good shape would be preferred over a candidate who seems out of shape. For several reasons, hiring managers are "judgemental" about a candidate's health. Since hiring ultimately boils down to assessing the risk of hiring a candidate, hiring managers tend to be risk-averse. Therefore, hiring managers will pass on a candidate they feel will need time off to deal with medical issues. Nowadays, companies are running lean. You are being interviewed for a reason: The employer has essential work which must be done and, therefore, cannot afford to have employees take excessive time off. In other words, why hire someone who may be away a lot? I recall asking a candidate, whom I would say was in his mid-forties, "What can you offer that the other candidates cannot?" I braced myself for the cliché answer of being told they have years of experience or a unique set of skills-rarely does anyone have a unique set of skills-instead, he said, without hesitation, "Yesterday I had my annual physical. My doctor said I was in top health. I have the body of a 25-year-old. You have a chance to hire a healthy 25-year-old with over 20 years of workforce management experience." This is how you answer an interview question! Spin your answers so you look favourable and are hard to reject. Outside of your relevant to the job skills and experience, an employer may find valuable: - You live nearby. - You have grown children who are on their own, or you have no children. - You do not smoke.- You speak a second language. - You are a member of an industry association, or you sit on an advisory board. - You are working on a degree or a certification. - Your social media presence/digital footprint. (e.g., you have a high number of followers, you write a popular blog) Mentioning any of the above and much more is how you set yourself apart from the other applicants. For example, if you are interviewing for a senior accountant position, you can be certain that all the other applicants have similar skills to yours. However, do they speak French, have over 150,000 Twitter followers, live 4 kilometres away or sit on the advisory board that champions the employer's industry? Do not just consider how you will fit into the job you are interviewing for; consider how you can fit holistically into the company. Being able to speak French may not have been mentioned in the job description; however, being bilingual would be a plus if the company has a presence in Quebec. Being skilled at social media would be a massive plus if you were interviewing for an accountant position for an e-commerce site. Introducing to your interviewer your strengths outside of your skills and experience relevant to the job is relatively easy. In most cases, your interviewer will ask you a question such as, "Is there anything else I should know about you?" This is when you would answer, "I am fluent in French, therefore, I will be able to communicate with my colleagues at your Montreal office easily," or "I live just 10 minutes away; hence I have no excuse for ever being late." If your interviewer does not ask you to elaborate on your candidacy, then be proactive and say, "Before we wrap up our discussion, I would like to add ________." In preparation for your next interview, ask yourself, "In addition to my skills and experience, what else can I offer to increase my chances of being hired?" _________________________________________________________________________ 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

MAYBE Michael L. Maynard, the DDSB’s integrity commissioner 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” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - The news report read: DDSB trustee censured for a second time over social media posts -- Trustees at the Durham District School Board (DDSB) have once again voted to censure one of their own. Sanctions were issued against Trustee Linda Stone, following a report on her social media activity. Stone has previously come under fire for tweets that have been described as offensive to transgender staff and students. Monday’s board meeting brought up a report by Michael L. Maynard, the DDSB’s integrity commissioner. The May 26 report appears to be similar in nature to one from four months earlier. However, it deals with more-recent complaints that have been filed against Stone. According to the report, many of the complaints focused on Stone’s social media activity, including tweets and retweets from her Twitter account. She notably came under fire in December 2022 for online behavior. “Woman is not a feeling or a costume,” read one such post, which Stone retweeted on December 20. “Stop erasing women. Stop appropriating our identity. Hands off our hard won sports, spaces, and shortlists.” “This tweet clearly aims to promote a message of trans exclusion,” wrote Maynard. “It belittles and dismisses authentic trans identity and gender expressive activities such as drag. It is disrespectful and discriminatory.” Another retweet from December 7 claimed that the concept of gender identity had been “made up by a pedophile psychopath.” Maynard argued that Stone’s varied internet activity had breached multiple sections of the board’s Code of Conduct. “Throughout my extensive review of the many dozens of pages of submissions by complainants, I became convinced that Trustee Stone was not engaging in good faith discourse,” reads the report. “She was not expressing benign opinions or asking innocent questions for the purposes of public consultation. Her activity was more akin to campaigning for one side of an issue to the exclusion of others.” “For trustees, the reasonable bounds of their office are confined by their fiduciary duty to the board, and the basic functions of the office as defined by the Education Act and board policies,” it continued. “In particular, the expression of political views, while permissible in some cases, becomes problematic for a trustee when the subject matter of their commentary veers into disrespectful conduct and discrimination – which I believe occurred on several occasions. Such conduct is clearly contrary to board policy and is a violation of the Code.” You don’t have to be an expert in human psychology to quickly figure out that this so called integrity commission is bias and option based. Not fact or legal. His commentaries are bias, prejudice and contrary to The Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Primarily the Charter states: What are the 7 sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? lists what the Charter calls "fundamental freedoms" namely freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of belief, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and of other media of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association. In other words this so called integrity commissioner is in violation of the charter.... He has no right to pass judgement based on antiquated School board policy. The integrity commissioner is in violation of Stone’s right. As a matter of fact: Canadian Constitution say about free speech? Provision. 2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication. I believe that the school board needs a new integrity commissioner as he has shown clear bias and political agenda. In the same press release. PFLAG, released this: “To all [DDSB] trustees who voted to censor Trustee Stone and her transphobic tweets – we see you and appreciate you,” wrote PFLAG’s Durham Region chapter on Tuesday. “Those who did not – we also saw you and will remember.” As PFLAG is to be treated equal under law. So should be anyone questioning different lifestyles. PFLAG in this statement is attempting to send a clear message to anyone that does not support their agenda that they will be remembered. Including the so called integrity commissioner. Pickering councillor - Lisa Robinson is under similar attack by special interest groups for putting a motion before council that all parades become age appropriate. Her argument is that someone’s pride should not have to be sexualized and flaunted to children. Sexuality is part of human development and there are many stages in the process of human growth these parades may confuse young minds and impede human development. On Monday June 26th a motion will be put forward to remove Lisa from the safety & wellbeing committee. This is being as a result of Lisa voicing constituents concerns that drag performances should be 18+ events. This once again is a clear act of persecution and attempt at oppression through censorship. Much like during the riots, on May 1, 1992, Rodney King made a television appearance pleading for an end to the riots: I just want to say – you know – can we, can we all get along? We need to respect each other. There is no place for censorship and or oppression of anyone or any group by anyone or any group. So let’s take the lesson from the past and CAN WE ALL GET ALONG... REMEMBER ALWAYS Hope for the Best. PREPARE FOR the worst.

Canadians and the access to life saving new medicine

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East You may have noticed lately, that the federal Liberal Government is shoveling hard-earned taxpayers' dollars overseas by the billions, while at home, health situation of Canadians is grossly neglected. Canadians have access to fewer new drugs than Americans and Europeans, and consequently may endure undue suffering from ailments and disease. We also have to wait much longer for drugs that are approved and available here. This unfortunate situation is due to a complexity of factors, namely bureaucratic incompetence, and an open hostility towards new and advanced medicines, repeatedly demonstrated by various levels of governments and public agencies. Indeed, to obtain approval from Health Canada to market a new medicine, drug companies enter a similar process as in the United States (US) and the European Union (EU). However, for 215 drugs approved in both the United States and Canada between 2012/13 and 2018/19, it took 464 days (on average) longer to obtain approval in Canada than it did in the US. The delay for receiving approval in Canada compared to the European Union was 395 days (on average, for 191 drugs). It is a fact that Canada's market is relatively isolated and covers a huge area with low population density having widely-dispersed health professionals and care facilities, that pose unique marketing, delivery and distribution challenges in expense and time. However, this is not a valid excuse for federal, provincial and territorial governments to exacerbate this natural disadvantage by erecting impediments that make Canada's pharmaceutical environment less attractive. These impediments include the lack of a dedicated drug policy to incentivise manufacturers to develop drugs for rare disorders, few incentives to accelerate innovative medicines through the regulatory process, weaker intellectual property protection, and significant price evaluation hurdles. We have experienced these issues in the recent past. During the Covid-19 pandemic when we were unprepared to cope with the pressures put on the system due to a lack of professionalism on the part of the people in charge with public health and safety. It is well known that drug companies prioritize drug submissions to countries with favourable environments. These include incentives that shorten regulatory review times, strong intellectual property rights, policies and criteria put in place by public insurance providers for coverage that doesn't inhibit patient access to new medicines, and less burdensome cost-effectiveness assessment, price negotiation and price regulation processes. Canada does poorly in all these areas. Added to existing disincentives for submitting drugs for approval, the Liberal federal government made matters worse in 2017 with proposed revisions to the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, the government's quasi-judicial tribunal tasked with preventing time-limited drug patents from being abused. The proposals caused an extraordinary degree of uncertainty among manufacturers, which resulted in even fewer new medicines submitted for approval in Canada. Between 2006 and 2014, 80 per cent of new drugs submitted for regulatory approval in the US and EU were submitted for approval in Canada. By 2020, that number dropped to 44 per cent. If the intention of the Liberal federal government is really and truly to reduce drug prices in Canada, then the government should spend more money on our own citizens instead of generously spending overseas on uncertain projects. Consequently, they should establish a healthy environment for manufacturers of medicines. Furthermore, if they are still intent on spending money on corporate welfare, maybe that should be a first priority, rather than fashionable politically correct EV batteries, for example. Again, the negative results of these actions will continue-perhaps even escalate-delays in medicines being submitted for marketing approval in Canada. When policymakers only see new medicines in terms of high prices and not the benefits they can bring to patients, our access to innovative medicines is definitively at risk. In conclusion, everyone would like the new drugs to be cheaper, but not at the expense of having pharmaceutical companies and their innovative medicines bypass Canada entirely. Several adversarial barriers to launching novel medicines already exist in this country. Canadians don't need further deterrents from their governments. Without a collaborative relationship between manufacturers and government, Canadians with unmet health-care needs will continue to suffer. Let's convince our elected officials that it is time to put the health of Canadian citizen first on the priority list. What do you think?

Saturday, June 17, 2023

BYE BYE HUMAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS

Canada and the money factory

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East We are experiencing interesting times when taxpayers' money is spent recklessly by the Liberal government as never before seen in our country's history, and this spending is done without any accountability. The variety of taxes levied upon ordinary Canadians is increasing at an exponential rate at all levels of government. In case you haven't noticed, we are paying more taxes municipally, provincially and federally. And for what? The health care services are in shambles, the standard of education is at an all time low, and the infrastructure is a disaster. However, the federal, provincial and municipal governments are eager to spend on corporate welfare without thinking. It isn't their money so let's spend, spend, spend…. Just consider that by 2030, the current federal carbon taxes will cost the average Ontario family $1,820 more than they get in rebates, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO). Starting this July, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is bringing in a second carbon tax through fuel regulations. When companies can't meet Trudeau's fuel requirements, they'll have to pay this second carbon tax. Naturally, those costs will be passed down to you, the consumer. The second carbon tax will cost the average Ontario family $495 by 2030, according to the PBO. Can your family afford to pay $2,315 for Trudeau's two carbon taxes? Never mind that right now, your federal taxes are spent by the Trudeau government in a hurry, without any consideration for you, the Canadian taxpayer. How can this be justified when we have severe problems in our country with poor people who need real assistance. Instead of considering them, the Trudeau government spends more than 12 billion dollars in foreign aid, basically to promote himself and obscure globalist driven objectives. And remember, this is only the federal government. When you take a look at how the provincial governments and municipal governments are spending their money, you'll have a very dark and depressing picture about how your hard earned taxes are spent. If only this were all. Recently the Trudeau government showered its under performing public service employees with 1.3 billion dollars. It is not new news, and certainly not fake news, that the Trudeau administration has been accused of abusing taxpayer funds ever since it took office, infuriating the average Canadian. However, the most recent information raises the stakes significantly by showing that $1.3 billion is being lavished on ineffective workers. Let's examine this costly purchase. Information received through an access-to-information request reveals how Canadian public monies have been misappropriated. Surprisingly, between 2015 and 2022, federal executives got astounding incentives totaling $1.3 billion. Taxpayers are perplexed and incensed by this enormous payment, especially in light of criticism over failures to meet performance goals. Executive-level staff received $147 million worth of incentives, with lower-level employees receiving the remaining funds. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation has received fresh records that indicate average yearly incentives for CEOs from 2015 to 2022 that range from $15,550 to $18,252. Yet, these people recently went on strike and got an unreasonably high settlement. What a wonderfully equitable world we live in! "Bonuses are for when you do a good job, they shouldn't be handed out like participation ribbons," said the federation's federal director Franco Terrazzano. "Taxpayers can't afford to bankroll big bonus cheques each and every year for highly paid government executives." The Canadian Taxpayers Federation claims that since 2015, the annual cost to taxpayers to pay for these bonuses has climbed by 46%. Examinations of departmental outcomes from across the public sector over the past four years show that, over that time, roughly a quarter of yearly performance targets weren't fulfilled, according to a study released in March and submitted by Canada's Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux. Less than half of internal performance targets are not fulfilled as a result. How can one reward incompetence with taxpayers' hard-earned capital? With a flick of his pen and a smile on his face, he decided to bestow bonuses upon the federal workforce, a move that left many in a disgruntled chase. So let us pause and question this lavish display, for it is the taxpayers' sweat that sustains the dismay. Well done Canada! However, this is something that precisely suits the persona of the Canadian Prime Minister. It is unfortunately impossible to talk about Trudeau's wasteful spending without bringing up his sky high travel expenses. It is clear that these luxuries come at a significant cost. Taxpayers can't forget Prime Minister Trudeau's Christmas holiday in Jamaica, which cost them almost $160,000. And that's not the only one. The list goes on and on. Trudeau's holiday spending adds to growing worries about how public money is being used. While most Canadians struggle to make ends meet, concerns about the prudent use of public monies are raised by the Prime Minister's exorbitant costing trips. The luxurious vacations and bonuses are a depressing reflection of taxpayers' reality. While industrious people fight to make every dollar count, the government appears to spend with a different mindset. As people see their money being wasted on dubious bills and bonuses for failed staff, Canadians' resentment is growing. The admission that $1.3 billion in bonuses was given to unproductive employees adds fuel to the fire as the Trudeau administration continues to draw criticism for squandering taxpayer funds. This, along with the Prime Minister's excessive travel expenses, presents a picture of financial irresponsibility and impending disaster for the country. The question now, is this: how long can we sustain this irresponsible attitude? It is up to you to find a solution before it is too late.

As a Job Seeker, Handle What You Control First

By Nick Kossovan Job searching is frustrating. You are waiting to hear back from employers. You are waiting for approval on stuff. You are waiting for answers. You are dealing with corporate bureaucracies. You are depending on recruiters, HR managers and hiring managers to green light you. You are dealing with the consequences of decisions made due to "something" you could not control. It amazes me how often job seekers complain about things they cannot control. Yet, when the ball is in their court, they are either slow, indecisive, or do not do their best. Stoicism, a Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC, asserts that there are things within our control and things outside our control. This delineation goes beyond merely classifying things or learning how to practice the Art of Acquiescence, whereby we accept and move on from what we have no control over. The Art of Acquiescence establishes priorities, which most job seekers lack. A successful job search begins with identifying what you can control and controlling them. You will never be able to speed up an employer's hiring process or if and when a hiring manager gets back to you. However, you can use your wait time to decide what you will do when they respond, along with continuing your job search. No amount of yelling or posting on LinkedIn "how the hiring process is broken" will force employers to hire you. You cannot eliminate the online forms many employers expect you to fill out before they consider your candidacy. (Yes, I know, the information is on your resume.) However, reducing your job search inefficiencies, such as creating email templates to send to potential employers, your network and others who can support your search will save you time. Rather than beating your head against walls that will never yield, focus on what you can control. Handle this first. Prioritize getting your house in order, improving your processes, and dealing with what is up to you. Some things are up to you, and some things are not up to you. It is that simple. I have said it in previous columns, and I will say it in this column, as a job seeker, you do not own the employer's hiring process; the employer does. The most important thing you can do during your job search and throughout your career is to discern what is up to you and what is not, then focus on what is up to you. Ignoring what is out of your control does not mean you do not care about an employer practicing, from your perspective, ageism or being biased against a particular race or gender. Getting a job is your top priority as a job seeker-keep your eye on the ball! It is in your interest to focus on what you can control while looking for a job rather than complaining about how employers hire, a practice that has become all too common among job seekers. In the course of your job search, there are an infinite number of things you cannot control, the top six being: 1. Job market trends 2. Industry growth and demand for employees 3. Unprofessional employers 4. Increasing competition 5. Judgments and subconscious bias 6. The final decision However, if you focus on the following controllables rather than all the uncontrollables, your job search will be considerably expedited. 1. Your LinkedIn profile, resume and cover letter. The quality of your application materials is wholly within your control. Ensure your LinkedIn profile, resume, and cover letter are flawless, error-free, and populated with results-oriented statements. (e.g., "I increased my sales in 2022" versus "In 2022, I increased my daily number of outbound calls from 40 to 60, resulting in an 18% increase in sales.") 2. How well you prepare for an interview. Preparation is key to a successful interview. Visit the company's website to learn about its history and top executives. Review the company's social media pages to learn about new products or current projects. Be ready to answer common interview questions and to ask the employer a few questions at the end. 3. Your job search efforts. According to Dr. Kazuo Inamori (1932 - 2022), who was known as the Buddhist Billionaire, success has a formula: Success = Ability x Effort x Attitude Kazuo's success formula suggests that the outcome of our life, work, studies, hobbies etc., is the product of three factors: ability, effort, and attitude. Entirely in your control is the effort you put into your job search. The chances of landing a job are slim if you spend just a few hours a week searching through job postings and sending out resumes. If you want great results, take your job search seriously. Make searching for a job your full-time job. Since there are numerous aspects of your job search that you cannot control, it is essential to take the things you can control seriously. When dealing with the things you can control, especially with respect to how you present yourself to employers, go above and beyond to stand out and impress employers. ___________________________________________________________________________ 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

Rightful Owner

I was recently looking through some old photos when I found some of an ex-boyfriend when he was a child. I remember him telling me at the time these were the only photos that exist of him as a child, and that these are the only copies. I want to send the photos to him so his family can have them. I have an old address for his parents. However, I don't want to send them by post with my address on the back of the envelope because I do not want any contact from him or his parents, nor for them to know where I live or work. I'm happily married and desire no further contact from him. If I send the pictures without a return address and they no longer live there, the pictures will be lost forever. It's important for me that his family has these photos. Please help. Pamela Pamela, people love a mystery. If you send the photos anonymously, it may well induce someone to play private investigator. It could also set off a series of unintended effects. Imagine your ex-boyfriend is recently divorced. The arrival of the photos will seem cosmic and spiritual. He'll think divine forces are drawing you back to him. Or if he has not been in touch with his parents, they may think the prodigal son is returning. Or they may even fear he's been kidnapped for ransom. You cannot control other people's reactions, but you can minimize their effect on you, especially if you follow a straightforward course. Most residential addresses can be verified using public records. If you are not sure how to do this, ask your librarian. Then send a note with the photos to the parents. Explain to them what you explained to us. Mention that now you are married, you realize the importance of keeping family photos in the family. Use the address of a third party, such as that of a friend in a different city or country, and mention the return address is that of another. Tamara An Open Space I am 48, attractive, active, the mother of a teenage boy and a small business owner. I feel I am responsible, have integrity and am fun to be with. The problem is, I have never met, though I have been married twice, the man who was meant to be my partner. I have settled each time out of loneliness. I tried to make it work each time as best I could, and really, if I had seen the effort being given in return, would have made a go of it.But each time it was evident they were not what I hoped for, and yes, the responsibility to become involved was mine. Now I see clearly what I lacked and will never settle again. It just doesn't work! But now I believe I will never find it. I am at an age where men want younger women, and I have truly never met someone I could totally respect. It is a void, no matter how busy or productive I am, I never stop feeling. How can someone rid themselves of this empty feeling? And please do not say be busy and make yourself happy. I do that and it is not working. Evette Evette, we cannot make the empty space in your life go away. The space is there for a reason, and you have twice learned it cannot be filled by just anyone. That space is there for the person who belongs there. That is where that person fits. If you take your son fishing, you cannot guarantee he will catch a fish. But it could happen. He has put himself in the way of catching fish. It is possible. If you are busy in the sense of busywork, you cannot expect anything to happen. But if you are busy in the sense of living, growing and enlarging yourself, you have put yourself in the way of this happening for you. Wayne SEND LETTERS TO: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com Wayne & Tamara are also the authors of Cheating in a Nutshell, What Infidelity Does to the Victim, available from Amazon, Apple and most booksellers.

New Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes

By Common Sense Health – W. Gifford-Jones MD and Diana Gifford Albert Einstein wrote, “Everything is a miracle.” Is it possible that a new class of drugs is finally providing a miracle in the fight against diabetes? Ozempic and Trulicity, produced by Novo Nordisk and Ely Lilly, are examples of the brand-name prescription drugs gaining attention for fighting type 2 diabetes and showing success. Type 2 diabetes is among the leading killers globally. But information about these drugs is running wild. The hoped-for miracle needs a measure of grounding. Consider Ozempic, a prescription drug, injected weekly by pen. It’s approved in Canada and the U.S. to treat type 2 diabetes, a lifestyle disease linked with obesity and a major risk factor for heart attack, blindness, kidney failure, and gangrene of the legs with possible amputation. But the active ingredients in this class of drugs, marketed under a variety of names, are also getting attention for effectiveness in reducing obesity. The respected journal, Lancet, predicts a revolution in the treatment of obesity. How do these drugs work? Ozempic reduces blood sugar level while providing a feeling of fullness and satisfaction after eating, delaying emptying of the stomach, and curbing the appetite for further food. Managing food intake is essential in the fight against type 2 diabetes. But weight loss is proving a beneficial side effect of Ozempic. People can expect to lose about 20 percent of their weight over a 72-week period. When Ozempic is stopped, however, weight tends to return. So, to the current trend is for people to maintain a regular routine of use. What about complications? Ozempic users complain of the usual ones such as, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and stomach pain. In rats, tests show an increase in thyroid and pancreatic cancers. In humans, research to date suggests extremely low risk. People may ask, why take the chance of developing thyroid or pancreatic cancer? But wait a minute. These are relatively rare forms of cancer driven by other risk factors. Type 2 diabetes and obesity are far more significant hazards, triggering fatalities for millions. Weight reduction and management of type 2 diabetes are the smart investments. The better question is, could these drugs help millions who die annually from cardiovascular disease and heart failure? We could add renal disease, liver disease, and pneumonia, as well as additional but harder to count problems such as the surgical complications associated with diabetes and obesity. Type 2 diabetes should be labelled “the great pandemic”. Why? Because the COVID-19 pandemic lasted just three devastating years. Many people died due to it. But nothing has been able to slow the progress of the globally mounting lifestyle disease of type 2 diabetes. We live at a time when there has never been greater medical communication. Yet there has been failure in convincing people that the key to good health and longevity is a sound lifestyle, started early in life and maintained. There is an extraordinary opportunity at hand with drugs like Ozempic to address the awful consequences of this failure. But as was evident with COVID, social media has the upper hand over medical experts in the public discourse, especially among the young, and the information is not always to be trusted. But where do we expect people to turn when they are having such difficulties accessing a family doctor? Beyond misinformation, the social media buzz has caused two other concerns: over-prescribing and drug shortages. There is enormous power and wealth in the hands of the pharmaceutical companies producing these products. The ultimate question is, can they produce the miracle of motivating people to lead healthier lives? 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

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Shame on all churches

Canada's slide into irrelevance on the international stage

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East The Cold War is not so far in the distant past that we should have forgotten it. It was a time when two superpowers, the United States of America and the Soviet Union vied for influence in the world. A time when poorer or less connected nations were frequently forced into joining the West or the East in a global struggle for dominance. It was, however, a relatively balanced world. On the surface, it appeared to be a struggle of democracy against Communism, but underneath it all, the fight was for access to natural resources, strategic geographic advantage, or physical security. Less-powerful nations swore their allegiance to one side or the other in order to gain benefit; either economically, or as a means of propping up puppet dictators. At that time Canada was an active and respected nation on the international scene with a balanced view of the world that made significant contributions to establishing institutions for promoting true democratic values. Once the Cold war ended and the remaining superpower, the United States of America, had the upper hand, Canada slowly started to fade into oblivion. With the emergency of China as an economic and new military power, and Russia working to re-establish itself as the new superpower successor of the former Soviet Union, flexing its military muscle, the world order is changing rapidly. That old world order is no longer viable and the new emerging one is fragmenting more every day. A significant number of countries are gingerly charting their own paths while being careful not to offend the Big Three - America, Russia, and China - that continue to hold massive amounts of influence and power. It is, however, a dangerous world and Canada seems to be lost in space; totally lacking in ideas, and being taken less seriously on the international scene. More and more, countries are extracting themselves from under the influence of the all-mighty dollar. There is a tendency to find alternative trade currency such as the establishment of the BRICS nations movement which is getting more traction by the day. The United States seems to underestimate these trends and continues to act as if it were still the only superpower in the world. It is time for the United States to wake up to these new realities, abandon complacencies, and act with the professionalism for which it was once known. Many nations today are aware of the increasingly polarized world and try to look to their own interests in a new way. They become smarter and most of them try to avoid choosing sides in an economic climate that appears to lurch one way, then the other. They prefer to remain on the sidelines and hope to play the bigger powers against one another to benefit their economies. Why not work with United States of America, China and Russia, if they can gain an advantage from them, they reason and are not wrong. However, it seems that Canada is out of touch with respect to this kind of reasoning. Its global affairs actions and philosophies are missing in action in this new and dynamically changing world. Therefore, we are seeing an increasing tendency for non-allied countries to gain more relevance. In the future, we will see a revival of, and more actions from the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) established after the Korean War. It is a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide. We can already see a move in this direction as the Middle Eastern region, large swaths of Africa, and the vast interests of Asia are increasingly leaning toward this approach. The dominant geopolitical structure of the post-World War II era continues to carry great weight among historical allies. However, even that is now under threat. Russia has lost many of its satellite nations, while China has acquired more partnerships. For the United States, it's a lot more complicated as nations that were once solid members of the old Western alliance will prefer to place themselves in the "non-aligned" column in the future. China obviously watches all this with keen interest and is seeking to alter the historical equation of democratic alliances. "China is putting its pieces all over the board," one Western diplomatic official noted recently to the Economist. The country has proved somewhat effective at building economic alliances instead of ideological ones, and this approach suits the interests of dozens of nations. I am concerned that this evolution in the non-alignment movement is not well understood and only followed with superficial interest at Global Affairs Canada. Not to mention the complete neglect this trend suffers in parliamentary diplomacy. Once one of the world's better-known "soft powers," Canada is slowly sliding into oblivion, unless it finds a way to transform, and do so quickly. It is naturally assumed that Canada will continue in its loyalty to the great Western alliance, but it need not do so to the exclusion of other nations now making their presence known on the world stage. The future of alliances among nations is a fluid movement that increasingly defies descriptions and, at times, understanding. However, it is a world where Canada will require all its diplomatic skills to forge its unique path; opening doors to new relationships while maintaining historical ones will prove crucial. The question remains, however, whether Canada is ready for the new world alignment under construction? Let's hope for the best.

Does Your Job Search Have the Support of Your Family and Friends?

By Nick Kossovan "The most expensive thing you will ever do is spend time with the wrong people." Germany Kent, American broadcaster. All job searches have two constantly moving components: 1. You 2. The people you associate with While "you" is undeniably the most critical component, and the one job seekers tend to focus on-themselves-the people you associate with significantly impact your job search. Your most valuable tool for experiencing a better job search is other people. According to research by social psychologist Dr. David McClelland of Harvard, the people you habitually associate with determine as much as 95 percent of your success or failure. The people you surround yourself with have considerable influence on your behaviour, attitudes, and results. You are shaped by the people you choose to associate with; what they have got you thinking, saying, doing, and becoming determines your future. This is especially true when it comes to job searching. Whom you hang out with affects you in at least five ways. 1. Their views can change yours. 2. They either encourage or discourage you. 3. They shape your habits and behaviours. 4. In their presence, you may feel positive or negative emotions. 5. They affect your self-esteem and happiness levels. Right now, you are the sum of the people you surround yourself with. What role do they play if they do not support and believe in you? It is a fact of life that some people hold us back while others propel us forward. For example, hanging out with negative people will not help you achieve a positive life. Ask yourself this: How many limitations do you feel the people in your life put on you and your potential? If the answer is anything but "zero," then you need to seriously consider some of your relationships. When someone says you cannot do something, they really mean they cannot do it. It is common for people to set limits on themselves to protect themselves from disappointment when they fail. They then believed that by sharing their limitations with you, they are helping you. Consequently, they will feel threatened if you challenge their limitations or prove them wrong. Is your circle of family and friends bringing out the best in you, personally and professionally? How supportive are they as you search for a job? Support is most important when you are looking for a job. The last thing you need are questions such as: - "Do you have any interviews coming up?" - "Did you ever hear back from that interview you had last month?" - "Why don't you apply at a coffee shop, a fast food joint or a retail store?" - "Why do you think it's taking so long?" ...or comments like: - "You need to get out there and pound the pavement." - "I hear tech and nursing are hot fields right now!" - “You need to treat your job search like a full-time job." - “At least you have a lot of free time now.” If you have kids, you have undoubtedly worried about them joining the wrong crowd, as I am sure your parents had the same worry for you. That is because, as a parent, you know whom your kids spend time with greatly influences their moods and how they view the world and themselves. Parents instinctively know that the power of proximity can positively or negatively impact their children. In adulthood, proximity still affects your moods, views, and self-expectations. When the people in your life, whether family or friends, are not supporting your job search and bringing out the best in you, you need to make some relationship adjustments, which will significantly help you succeed in your job search. -Assess your current relationships (family, friends, and acquaintances) What does your current circle look like? Do the people you spend time with now support you and actively help you reach your goals? - Eliminate negativity It is impossible to be positive 100% of the time. It is okay to have a bad day every now and then. However, if you regularly engage with people who thrive on negativity, it will eventually drain you of your own energy and happiness, both of which you need when searching for a new job. - Switch directions Nothing will accelerate your job search success more than reaching out to companies you want to work for and those who hold the position you aspire to. Take a deep breath and invite them to coffee or lunch. Tell them why you have contacted them and want to talk with them. Ask for their insight, advice, or guidance. If you are not already surrounding yourself with positive, successful people who inspire, challenge, support and push you to step outside your comfort zone, which is how you land the dream jobs, then it is time to make a change now. Not tomorrow. Today. Ask yourself honestly whether the people you surround yourself with are helping you or hindering you from achieving your job search goals in the months ahead. A universal truth: When you surround yourself with the right people, everything in your life will improve, not just your job search. ___________________________________________________________________________ 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

Little Relief and High Costs for Back Pain

By Common Sense Health – W. Gifford-Jones MD and Diana Gifford A humorous greeting card reads, “Technically I’m still young, but due to my back pain, I’m actually 90.” Whatever the age, including 99, back pain can be agonizing. It’s a surprisingly common problem. A new study published by the Lancet Rheumatology Journal reports that 619 million people suffer from low back pain globally. That’s nearly 10 percent of the world’s population! Why so many people? With higher numbers of people living longer, in part it’s the mathematics. The older one gets, the greater the risk. By 99 years of age, the probability of living with back pain is high. In addition to aging, what else causes the trouble? It is no surprise that researchers found obesity high on the list. Their finding that smoking is another cause of back pain is more curious. It’s thought that damaged arteries in the spinal column and joints cause the pain. Smoking also contributes to osteoporosis, the bone-thinning disease that can lead to a rounded spine and back pain. According to the study, back pain occurs more in women than men. The reasons range from the effects of pregnancy and hormone changes to higher rates of osteoporosis. By the demographic numbers, with substantially more older women than men in the world, there are more female sufferers. What’s the economic effect? Back pain among the working age population means higher absenteeism from work, lower productivity among those at work, and early exits from employment, often with costly disability payments. In the U.S., a 2016 study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine assessed the costs associated with 154 conditions. The Institute reported “low back and neck pain generated the highest expenditures at $134.5 billion. When combined with all other musculoskeletal disorders, such as joint and limb pain, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, the total exceeds $380 billion.” Think about that. What about the other chronic conditions that get prominent headlines? According to the study, “other health conditions with substantial spending in 2016 were diabetes ($111.2 billion), ischemic heart disease ($89.3 billion), and falls ($87.4 billion).” What’s the key message? Back pain is a gargantuan financial problem for healthcare systems, public or private. And watch out. With aging populations in most countries, fewer numbers of young people are being more heavily saddled to pay these costs. It’s discouraging that after so much study, there are few signs of new treatments that relieve the pain or cure the problem. The long standard prescription for acute pain is bedrest, heat treatments, and painkillers. With time, the pain goes away. But for chronic pain, it’s not so easy. X-Rays or MRI can help pinpoint the source of pain. Some people try acupuncture and get relief. Others have success with chiropractors. Another option is a fluoroscopy procedure on the facet joints of the spine. It does not require a general anesthetic. A needle injection numbs the joint and during a fast 30-minute procedure a small instrument destroys targeted spinal nerves. It works for some, not for others. When there’s no help to relieve the pain, what do you do? You search for your own ways to make life more comfortable. People who know the challenges of living with chronic back pain don’t need an autopsy to find out why gravity is so brutal. What’s needed is a solution to the knowledge that this pain will be with them to their dying day. A word to the young, from Socrates, the greatest thinker of ancient Greece, who said, “If you would seek health, look first to the spine.” 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

Friday, June 2, 2023

D-Day anniversary 2023

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East In Canada today, we are at war with high inflation, uncertain economic times and international tension due to the continuing war in Ukraine. We therefore need to remember as never before, and reflect on the sacrifices that our forefathers have made for us. They should not have fought in vain to secure our freedom, to keep democracy alive in our country, to maintain the rule of law and the comfortable standard of living that we have enjoyed for generations. It is time to cherish their memory and learn from their patriotism. To ensure that their efforts to win over the evils of fascism were not in vain and that, particularly during this new dark period that threatens our very existence, we keep up our courage and stand up against our adversaries as our forefathers have done. We need to stay strong in the face of today's unprecedented challenges. We are currently facing a crucial time in our history in fighting the evil of an unknown upcoming new world order and related societal malaises. In combination, the consequences of the past pandemic and social dysfunction are similar to fighting a new kind of world war with worldwide consequences and yet unforeseen effects on Canadians. On the 6th of June we marked the seventy-ninth anniversary of D-Day, the beginning of the Battle of Normandy, along a 100 km stretch of French coastline across the English Channel from Great Britain. This was the largest seaborne invasion in history and a crucial day in winning the war against evil; Nazi Germany. The assault on the beaches of Normandy by British, American, and Canadian troops on the 6th of June 1944, who would then fight their way across Europe, has gone down in history as a memorable event. The codenames of where the troops landed - Omaha and Utah for the Americans, Gold and Sword for the British, and Juno for the Canadians - remain familiar today. The Normandy landings, Operation Overlord, marked the beginning of the end of six long years of conflict between Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany and Allied forces. The development of the role for Canada in the D-Day invasion has a history going back a few years. Following the Dunkirk evacuation Canadians began to come over to Great Britain. They were well-prepared and took on the role of defending the British Isles. They built up around the south coast of England and operated in a defensive and anti-invasion role from May 1940 to July 1943. At that time the 1st Canadian Division was detached and sent to Italy, but the bulk of Canadian forces remained in Britain for all those years. Canadian sailors, soldiers and airmen played a critical role in the Allied invasion of Normandy, beginning the bloody campaign to liberate Western Europe from Nazi occupation. Nearly 150,000 Allied troops landed or parachuted into the invasion area on D-Day, including 14,000 Canadians at Juno Beach. The Royal Canadian Navy contributed 110 ships and 10,000 sailors and the RCAF contributed 15 fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons to the assault. Total Allied casualties on D-Day reached more than 10,000. By the end of the Battle of Normandy, the Allies had suffered 209,000 casualties, including more than 18,700 Canadians. Over 5,000 Canadian soldiers died. From the D-Day landings on the 6th of June 1944 through to the encirclement of the German army at Falaise on the 21st of August this was one of the pivotal events of the Second World War and the scene of some of Canada's greatest feats of arms. Juno Beach was the Allied code name for a 10 km stretch of French coast. It fell to more than 14,000 volunteer soldiers from across Canada, under Major-General Rod Keller, commander of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, to storm the Juno Beach coast line. They seized the beach and its seaside villages while under intense fire from German defenders - an extraordinary example of military skill, reinforced by countless acts of personal courage. The 3rd Infantry Division took heavy casualties in its first wave of attack but took control of the beach by the end of the day. There were 1,074 Canadian casualties, including 359 killed. All things considered, the Canadian troops did very well on D-Day. The Canadians and the British in the Gold and Juno sector made it farther inland than any of the other invasion forces. They had managed to link up their forward units some distance inland, which was a measure of success. At the end of the day, the Queen's Own Rifles had actually captured its objective, which was short of the overall divisional objective but goes to show that some of the Canadian units were quite successful in the first hours. Their sacrifices will be not forgotten even though their generation is starting to fade into the fog of history. For the time being D-Day still seems to be in the Canadian public's consciousness. Their memory must be preserved for the millennials and generations to come in order to eliminate the causes of further conflagrations. D-Day embodied the courage and determination to prevail in that war. It was fought over issues that are still alive today - such as ideology, globalism and injustice. It was an exceptionally difficult and hazardous military operation. It was an operation in which Canadians took a major central role in the war to preserve freedom and democracy. For these reasons and more, it's important to keep the memory of D-Day alive. The dead, along with scores of other Canadians killed in the fighting during the weeks that followed, are buried in the serene and beautiful Canadian War Cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer, just behind Juno Beach. This, and numerous other memorials throughout Courseulles, Bernières and St. Aubin-sur-Mer, commemorate Canada's sacrifice on D-Day. A private museum, the Juno Beach Centre, overlooking the beach at Courseulles, also tells the story of Canada's role in the invasion of Normandy. Every year on the 6th of June, the people of the villages along Juno Beach pay tribute to the men and women who fought and died there. They parade through streets festooned with maple leaf flags and hold services and vigils along parts of the seawall, in memory of their Canadian liberators. Long live their memory! Long live the courage those men and women demonstrated. May our current generations and governments show just as much courage in our current hour of need. We can't afford to wait for someone else to fight for our rights and freedom. We must all take a stand against the tyranny of incompetent leadership, political correctness at the expense of merit, and the stripping away of our individual freedoms in the name of political expediency. Wake up Canada! Have we forgotten; what we are waiting for?

Caring Less Would Greatly Benefit Your Job Search

Caring Less Would Greatly Benefit Your Job Search By Nick Kossovan The Greek Stoic philosopher Hecato once said: "Cease to hope, and you will cease to fear." You would be hard-pressed to think of an activity that combines hope and fears more messily than job hunting. Anyone who has ever searched for a job knows what it feels like to hope for a particular job while fearing not getting it. It is this tussle between hope and fear that causes job search stress. Paradoxically, when you are hoping something good will happen (Securing the job you want.), you are also afraid that something good will not happen. (You will not get the job.) Although rejection is inevitable when job searching, it is hard not to feel deflated when it occurs and not take it personally. It is fear of rejection that prevents people from pursuing their dream job at their dream company, earning their dream income. This fear can be overcome by letting go of your attachment to the outcome; by caring less! The advice I am about to give you comes from the years of personal experience it took me to finally realize that while job searching, a mental state of detachment is the best state to be in. In other words, the less you give a damn, the happier you are. Your brain and the quality of your thoughts are the only things you can control. Therefore, stop caring about things that are outside your control. Let employers do their "hiring process," which, as I have pointed out in previous columns, they own, not you. Que sera, sera. Do your best and stop fretting over what you cannot control. (e.g., biases, hiring process length, being ghosted, the employer will not meet your compensation ask) If you let fear override your confidence, you risk coming across as desperate, which repels hiring managers. Job seekers commonly fall victim to the scarcity mindset, which is based on the belief that there are limited jobs and that opportunities are few. Another common trap is creating a self-fulfilling prophecy by equating rejection with self-worth. The less confident you feel, the more self-doubt creeps in, tempting you to lower your standards. Every day throughout the corporate world, the best and most qualified candidates are rejected for infinite reasons beyond their control. When you do not care, you shrug your shoulders and move on. An effective way to develop a positive mindset is to list your accomplishments and why you would make a fantastic hire; call it your "brag list." There are many things you can include on your list: projects you worked on, measurable results you have achieved, your character traits (e.g., resourcefulness, creativity, curiosity) and being in optimal health. Building confidence is not the only reason to write a brag list-it will assist you in recollecting past accomplishments, which you can create STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories around for your interviews. A critical step in building and maintaining a confident, detached mindset for your job search is practicing more positive self-talk. Instead of asking yourself, "What is the worst that can happen?" ask yourself, "What is the best that can happen?" Train your brain to come from a place of empowerment versus anxiousness. Your job hunt should not be an all-consuming activity that occupies you mentally and physically 24/7. I have met more than my fair share of job seekers obsessing over their job search, which is counterproductive. Effective job seekers set healthy job search boundaries, such as only conducting job search activities between 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday, having a relaxing lunch every day, reconnecting with family and friends and engaging in hobbies and leisure activities now that they have the time to do so. I perform best when I am energized and enjoying my life; that is when everything seems to come together. It is your choice whether to refresh your inbox every five minutes, anxiously anticipating a reply to an email you sent, or go for a walk with a friend or your partner and be pleasantly surprised when you return to find a response. Not only will caring less about the outcome of your job search help you become a more confident, attractive candidate-it will also relieve some of the pressure to be the perfect candidate, which, believe it or not, can open the door to opportunities. Job seekers often tell me how much time and energy they spend writing the perfect application, only to hear nothing back. A detached mindset allows you to trust that you have given your best effort, even if it is not perfect, and use the energy you saved by not trying to be perfect to focus on more worthwhile tasks, such as reaching out to people you wish to network with, looking at different job boards, or just relaxing with a book and coffee. By caring less, you let go of some self-destructive beliefs-limiting beliefs that can sabotage your job search and free up time to consider paths you might not have before; this is when the best opportunities present themselves.