AI: The Equalizer of Art, Music, and Science

AI: The Equalizer of Art, Music, and Science Why the Elite Fear It By Dale Jodoin AI: The Equalizer of Art, Music, and Science—Why the Elite Fear It Artificial Intelligence has already become an inseparable part of modern life, and yet, people are terrified of it. Much of this fear doesn’t come from the everyday person, but from those in power—the elite in the music industry, the art world, and even the government. Why? Because AI is changing the game, putting creativity and knowledge back in the hands of the people. The Music Industry: AI as the Great Equalizer For years, the music industry has been accused of exploiting artists and churning out mass-produced songs designed for profit, not passion. With AI stepping in, the industry is panicking, claiming that AI is "stealing music." But the real question is: what music is left to steal? The industry has long abandoned authenticity. Today, a rapper can win a Country Album of the Year award, even if there’s nothing country about it. Rappers have also been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, despite not being rock artists. While rap has its own legends who deserve recognition, the industry has blurred genres to the point where awards no longer mean anything. Then there's Auto-Tune. In the past, great musicians had to actually sing, play instruments, and hone their craft. Now, artists who can’t hold a note get their voices "enhanced" by AI-driven software, run through a computer a hundred times to sound perfect. Albums are no longer made for the love of music but are factory-produced to sell as fast as possible. Real musicians—the ones grinding city after city, playing small venues—are left struggling to make ends meet. Yet AI is giving power back to these independent artists. AI-generated music tools allow musicians to create complex compositions without million-dollar studios. Old-school country and rock fans are now using AI to create music they love, not what the industry tells them to listen to. AI is removing the corporate middleman and allowing people to take back control of music. Shouldn’t an artist who uses AI to create something original have the right to copyright it? If the industry can use AI to enhance bad singers, why shouldn’t regular people use AI to make music better? And let's not forget the hypocrisy of aging rock stars and pop legends who made fortunes decades ago. Now that AI is giving new musicians a shot, they complain about their music being "stolen." But are these artists, who charge anywhere from $200 to $1,000 per ticket, really suffering? Or are they just afraid of losing their monopoly? AI and Art: Who Gets to Decide What’s "Real"? The art world has a similar problem. Critics scoff at AI-generated art, calling it fake or soulless. But what is art if not the expression of an idea? If an artist describes a vision and an AI tool helps bring it to life, does that make it any less meaningful? AI-generated artwork has already proven to be breathtaking. Yet, the elite gatekeepers of the art world, who dictate what is "valuable," are afraid. Why? Because AI allows anyone to create something beautiful. You no longer need an art degree or expensive supplies. The tools are in the hands of the everyday person, not just the wealthy collectors or high-end galleries. Ironically, the same people criticizing AI art have no problem enhancing their own work with digital tools. Almost every photograph is retouched by software, every painting scanned and shared online, yet AI is somehow the villain? The truth is, the art industry doesn’t want the average person to have power. AI takes away their control, and that terrifies them. AI in Science and Medicine: A Force for Good Beyond art and music, AI is transforming medicine. Every day, AI helps design new drugs, diagnose diseases, and develop treatments faster than human doctors alone. AI doesn’t have human bias, doesn’t need sleep, and can process information at speeds no scientist ever could. Consider this: AI has already helped create groundbreaking drugs that are changing lives. Just search for the top five AI-developed drugs today. The results speak for themselves. In a world where medical advancements can take decades, AI is accelerating the process, offering hope to people who would otherwise wait years for a cure. And AI isn’t just helping with physical health—it’s revolutionizing mental health as well. AI-driven programs are assisting people with disabilities, providing therapy, and even giving non-verbal individuals a way to communicate. These aren’t dystopian nightmares; these are real, tangible improvements in human lives. The War Against AI: Who Really Wants to Stop It? So if AI is helping musicians, artists, and scientists, why do some people want to stop it? The answer is simple: power. It’s not the everyday worker or the struggling artist who fears AI—it’s the ones who have controlled everything for decades. Governments and corporations are deliberately limiting AI’s potential, dumbing it down to keep people from accessing its full power. They want AI to be a tool they control, not one that gives power to the people. They spread fear about AI, telling us it will destroy jobs or make humanity obsolete, but they’re only afraid because they know AI will expose their lies and inefficiencies. This fear isn’t new. When the first computers were invented, people said they would ruin society. Now, computers are a part of our everyday lives. When digital art became popular, traditional artists said it would destroy "real" art—yet today, digital and traditional art thrive side by side. AI is just the next step in human evolution. The Future: AI as an Extension of Human Creativity AI is not replacing human creativity—it’s enhancing it. Every song you hear on the radio has already been touched by AI, whether through Auto-Tune or digital production. Every photo you see online has been enhanced by computer algorithms. AI is already here. The only difference is that now, it’s giving power to regular people, not just the industry elite. The real question isn’t whether AI should be part of our lives—it already is. The question is: will we let the rich and powerful control AI, or will we embrace it as the equalizer it was meant to be? Like every other technological revolution, AI is only as dangerous as the hands that control it. In the right hands—the hands of the people—it has the power to bring back real music, real art, and real scientific progress. We shouldn’t fear AI. We should fear those trying to limit it.

COVID ALL OVER AGAIN

COVID ALL OVER AGAIN By Joe Ingino B.A. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Articles Published Columns in Canada and The United States Not even a day had passed, since the announcement of tariffs on imported goods from the United States...and the vultures hit center stage. Can we as a people be that stupid? Is the system so corrupt that they can treat us like such fools?. I guess Trump sees more than he tells when he addresses the 51st state governor Justin Trudeau. This 25% tariff in my opinion is nothing but a brilliant business move by Trump. He is doing it to Mexico, Canada, Ukraine, Panama, Greenland and most of the European Countries. It makes business sense. A way to even out the playing field and force Nations to become part of the world’s most advanced civilization. Here in Canada we are blinded by our own ignorance of the facts all around us. We are becoming a country that has allowed to become invaded from within. From the eat dog eat dog mentality shown in all political parties to the play on national pride. Something long lost and nothing more than a mere historical illusion being played in a society that has lost it’s direction and values. Now, we are at the mercy of a proposition that may make sense. That roots out our most intimate of nationalistic romance. That challenges us to think outside the box and consider becoming and evolving into something much bigger. As Canadians we do not have a clear National conscious. We are confused people that are desperately looking for direction and out of this fogged social mirage. Made up of misconception, forced compliance and never ending fear mongering. Look at the current fiasco. Politicians not knowing how to response to Trump creative business move. Canadian politicians are calling for Canadians to buy Canadian. That the new 25% tariff will create hardships. The question that lingers is? Why have Canadians not been buying Canadian all along. Answer is simple. Many Canadian companies charge much higher prices for the same American counter part. Now that we are being forced to buy Canadian. Do you think prices will go down? With the excuse of the tariff. Prices will continue to escalate. Why is it that the government not putting in place from the 5 Billion seized from Russian business a program to freeze Canadian made goods to the same as those that were brought in from the U.S. No but wait. Our 51 governor rather send that money to fund a loosing war in the Ukraine and force us to pay our way to our economic graves.

Canada at Trade War

Canada at Trade War by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East Canada is facing a serious economic and existential threat from our powerful neighbour, the United States of America. Once seen as a successful trading relationship, reality is now kicking in. On March 4th the United States imposed a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods exported to them except energy of 10%. Since the United States first threatened this trade war in late November, there has been a lot of confusion, misdirection, and wasted time in Canada. As the tariffs finally come into effect, there is a sense that Canada’s response is only being conceived in haste and superficially. A major source of the lag has been a mistaken interpretation of the Trump administration’s motivations. The whole Team Canada campaign involving Prime Minister Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, and various other business, civic, and political leaders took for granted that Trump’s tariff threat was best understood as a negotiating tactic. His ultimate intention was not to impose tariffs, but to induce concessions out of Canada on defence, security, and trade. They proved to be wrong. Therefore, Canada spent several months dithering over possible proposals to put on the table that might effectively buy President Trump off. All our politicians seemingly had ideas, but not good ones. Many of them, such as boosting defence spending to 2 percent of GDP, reforming Canada’s asylum policy or liberalizing Canada’s supply-managed sectors were considered good ideas. The problem was that Trump did not really care about any of this stuff. His real motivation, was two-fold: first, to generate tariff revenues to offset tax cuts in the short term and, second, to bring an end to borderless trade on the continent over the longer term. Trump’s goal in short is to effectively abrogate the CUSMA free trade agreement in the name of solving his own budget gap and boosting production in the United States. The Trump-Vance policy bet is that a 25-percent tariff access to the U.S. market will represent such a high economic cost to access the U.S. market that companies will be prepared to absorb the short-term disruption of moving product mandates, production lines, and even entire facilities from Canada and Mexico to the United States. It seems clear that neither the Trudeau government nor the Conservative opposition had the capacity and knowledge to understand this and get prepared. Notwithstanding the various justifications put forward by Trump and his administration, the principal goal of the tariffs is now abundantly clear: pull production out of Canada and Mexico into the U.S. Viewing that our economies are intertwined and 75% of Canadian trade is with the United States, this action might have severe effects on the Canadian economy. Personally, I think a tariff war would be severely detrimental for Canada if Canada tries to reciprocate dollar for dollar. Cooler heads should prevail and further negotiations should be conducted once Canada has a new Prime Minister. However, if the tariffs persist for a longer time, as they are now imposed, they can be expected to have devastating consequences for the Canadian economy. This tariff war will come down hard on Canada’s economy and if tariffs remain in place for one year, the economy will certainly face the risk of a recession. The tariffs are also expected to raise prices, which will add to increased inflation. The two-way trade between Canada and the U.S. is worth $1.3 trillion on an annual basis. Statistics Canada says nearly 1.8 million Canadian jobs, 8.8 per cent of the country’s total employment worked in industries where 35 per cent or more of jobs depended on U.S. demand for Canadian exports. Nearly 1.4 million American jobs are tied to Canadian exports and 2.3 million Canadian jobs are tied to U.S. exports, according to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. As a consequence, we will probably see a rise in overall unemployment, seeing that manufacturing in central Canada will be hit hard, the auto sector in particular. The industry will be impacted on both sides of the border, but more so on the Canadian side. Economists expect Canadian unemployment to rise to eight per cent as the result of the tariffs. The Bank of Canada estimates that a trade war with the United States would cut business investment by 12 per cent and decrease Canadian exports by 8.5 per cent after the first year. The Bank of Canada also estimates Canadian growth would decline by three per cent over the next two years. Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said in a speech last month that there would be no “bounce back” for the Canadian economy, like the one seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Well these Trump tariffs were just the first round of trade actions promised by the Trump administration, with an additional 25 per cent levy set to be imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum exports on March 12. Trump has also promised to impose “reciprocal” tariffs, which could potentially match Canada’s digital sales tax on April 2. As a consequence, the proper Canadian policy response should not begin and end with retaliatory tariffs. It must instead prepare for a post-CUSMA world. This has various implications for Canadian competitiveness, continental supply chains, and the future of Canada-U.S. relations. The key point is that Canadian policymakers must reorient their understanding of the problem facing the country. We are experiencing a paradigmatic moment for North American integration. Market forces will no longer dictate the distribution of production across the continent. Politics and policy will regrettably play a greater role. Canadian policymakers must catch up and conceive of a vision and agenda to strengthen our cost competitiveness and the case for Canada. We are living in a new, fast-evolving environment and we do not have much time to figure it out. For example, Canada’s energy industry has long been a pillar of our economy, providing jobs, economic growth, and reliable energy. It’s also a key bridge between us and our closest ally to the South. However, the global landscape is shifting rapidly. In recent weeks, it has become clear that our relationship with America has fundamentally changed—and we must act with urgency to focus on Canada’s national interest. Let’s be clear: Canada and the U.S. will always have a close, mutually important trade relationship—immutable laws of geography and economics dictate it. It is impossible for Canada’s energy industry to completely disengage from the world’s largest energy market next door, while also being quite literally tied to it through shared pipelines and infrastructure. However, growing geopolitical uncertainty, rising global energy demand, and intensifying competition mean we can’t afford to be complacent. Since 2015, about $280 billion in energy projects have been cancelled in Canada while competitors have surged ahead. The U.S. has become the world’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, while Canada’s first major LNG project won’t be operational until mid-2025. These delays cost us not just revenue and jobs, but opportunities.With decisive leadership, smart reforms, and a renewed commitment to investment, we can unlock our full energy potential, support our partners and make new ones, create jobs, and achieve a more secure and prosperous future for all Canadians. The time to act is now.

Canada’s Greatest Betrayal: A Government That Fails Its Own People

Canada’s Greatest Betrayal: A Government That Fails Its Own People By Lisa Robinson Canadians have every reason to be outraged, yet far too many remain silent. The government that claims to work for us has done more harm than any foreign power ever could. We talk about economic warfare—about the 25% tariffs imposed by President Trump—but let’s be honest: the worst economic attack on Canadians has come from within. For years, our government has systematically drained the wealth of its own citizens. Inflation has skyrocketed, making it harder to put food on the table. Poverty is rising, and yet instead of relief, we get more taxes. At every level—federal, provincial, and municipal—our so-called leaders have found new ways to squeeze more money out of us. They claim it’s necessary, that we must pay our “fair share.” But fair to whom? Certainly not to the struggling families being forced out of their homes due to skyrocketing property taxes. Meanwhile, our borders remain wide open. The government spares no expense welcoming illegal immigrants with open arms, providing them with resources while Canadians struggle to afford basic necessities. How is it that we can house and feed those who break our immigration laws, yet we cannot afford to help our own veterans, our seniors, or our working-class families who are barely getting by? And instead of fixing the problem, instead of securing our borders, stopping the flood of drugs, and protecting Canadian lives, our government would rather posture like spoiled children—refusing to act like adults, making everything worse just to avoid admitting Trump is right. If protecting our own country means implementing stricter policies, then do it. Other nations put their people first. Why won’t we? And now, they don’t just want to control our economy and borders—they want to control us. They tell us where to shop, what to buy, where we can travel, all while pretending it’s for our own good. This is government overreach at its worst. Instead of protecting Canadians, they are limiting our choices, our freedoms, and our ability to prosper. It’s no different at the municipal level. Local governments claim they are underfunded, yet wasteful spending is rampant. Public money is thrown at vanity projects, consultants, and bureaucratic bloat, while property taxes continue to rise. And when people start asking too many questions? They silence them. They put rules in place to stop you from recording meetings, from discussing real issues, from seeing what’s actually going on. They don’t want transparency; they want obedience. We saw the same thing during COVID. Instead of offering real help to small businesses, our government let them die. They crushed family-run stores, mom-and-pop shops, and independent businesses, all while letting the corporate giants thrive. If you were a small business owner, you got lockdowns, red tape, and forced closures. If you were Walmart, Amazon, or Costco? Business was booming. The government didn’t just fail small businesses—they chose to let them fail. Where was Team Canada then? And while Canadians struggle to afford gas, groceries, and heating, where is the government? Jacking up the carbon tax—again. On April Fool’s Day, no less. You can’t make this up. While families are drowning in debt and small businesses are closing, this government thinks now is the perfect time to punish people even further. Are Canadians really okay with this? Where is the outrage? This is the frog-boiling method. Slowly, inch by inch, they strip away freedoms while people remain distracted, hoping things will go back to normal. But this is the new normal—unless we wake up and put a stop to it. This isn’t governance. This is exploitation. It’s time Canadians recognize that the greatest threat to our economic survival isn’t coming from abroad—it’s coming from our own elected officials. Councillor Lisa Robinson, “The People’s Councillor”

Quick Fixes That Will Significantly Improve Your Job Search

Quick Fixes That Will Significantly Improve Your Job Search By Nick Kossovan "The devil is in the details" is an idiom highlighting how small details can significantly affect the outcome of something and that attention to detail is the difference between something good and something great. This phrase captures the essence of job search success. A misplaced decimal point on a financial spreadsheet will result in inaccurate reporting. It only takes a minor design flaw to cause a costly recall or safety issues. In personal interactions, eye contact and smiling shape perception. Colour scheme drastically influences the mood of a room or whether you make a fashion statement. Job seekers who meticulously craft their resume, LinkedIn profile, applications, and interview presence will have an edge over those they're competing against. If your resume and LinkedIn profile are full of typos or your voicemail isn't set up, you aren't doing yourself any favours. Misaddressing your interviewer or failing to turn on your camera during a Zoom interview can cost you the job opportunity. When competing against other job seekers just as qualified as you are, some more so, as you are in the current job market, not paying attention to details or your actions will hurt your job search. The most common details overlooked by job seekers: Title your resume file "First Name_Last Name_Resume_Year" [Nick_Kossovan_Resume_2025] This format ensures that your resume is easily recognizable by recruiters and easily searchable in the recruiter's or employer's database, which, I'd ballpark, contains something like 1,689,355 resumes. Save your resume as a PDF file. Saving your resume as a PDF preserves its formatting across all devices, ensuring it appears as you intended, with no changes to margins or layout. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile. Along with your resume prominently displaying your phone number and email address, include a link to your LinkedIn profile.(https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickkossovan/) Make it easy for hiring managers to contact you and to view your LinkedIn profile. The easier you make it for a hiring manager, the more likely they'll consider your candidacy. Proofread relentlessly! Ensure your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile are free of typos and grammatical errors. These documents and your online footprint create your first impression; errors can diminish your credibility and chances of being selected for an interview. Adjust the privacy settings on your social media. Employers will Google you to determine if you're interview-worthy. If you're hired, your new colleagues will also Google you and look you up on Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, etc. To avoid having your social media activity being misconstrued, except for LinkedIn, your privacy settings so only your followers can see your activity. Always dress to impress. You never know who you might encounter when you're out and about, and you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Whether you like it or not, we live in a world where we judge a book by its cover—we assess visual cues—we always have and always will. I've missed out on many possible opportunities because I left my house not looking my best. One time, I was waiting in line at a coffee shop dressed "comfortably" when a friend sitting in a booth called out to introduce me to the COO of a national transportation company he was meeting with. Although the COO was friendly, the introduction didn't lead anywhere; I believe it was due to my lack of credible appearance. Dressing well not only boosts your confidence but also earns you respect. Always carry a pen, a small notebook, and copies of your resume. As I mentioned, you never know who you might meet or whether you'll want to share your contact information or take notes. Having a pen and paper on hand demonstrates that you're prepared (read: on top of your game) and professional. A further step to "being prepared" is always having a few copies of your resume. A few years ago, during an intermission at a community theatre production, I struck up a conversation with a man who, it turned out, was looking for a workforce manager position. Although I didn't have an opening, I knew someone who did. He went to his car, retrieved a copy of his resume, and handed it to me, which I passed along to the person I knew who was searching for a workforce manager. Yes, he got the job. Carefully consider the questions you ask. Voltaire said, "Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers." Your questions during an interview reveal a great deal about you. Steer clear of asking irrelevant or self-serving questions, such as, "How many sick days do you offer?" or, "When will my benefits start?" Instead, inquire about the specific responsibilities, challenges, and goals of the role. Ask questions that demonstrate genuine interest in how you can contribute to the team's success. Lastly, never ask for an expectation! Questions such as "I understand this position requires me to work in the office every day. Is it possible to work from home on Thursdays and Fridays?" will eliminate you from consideration. Succeeding in today's highly competitive job market requires paying close attention to details and your actions. ___________________________________________________________________ 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

When Prosecuting Imaginary Crime Promotes Real Crime

When Prosecuting Imaginary Crime Promotes Real Crime by Thomas L. Knapp On February 26, ABC News reports, Europol announced the arrest of 25 individuals it accuses of being "part of a criminal group engaging in the distribution of images of minors fully generated by artificial intelligence." Again, for emphasis: "Fully generated by artificial intelligence." Yes, sexual abuse of children is a horrific crime. Yes, those who engage in it are criminals. But can imaginary characters be "minors?" And are fictional depictions of those characters being victimized really "crimes?" Over the years, politicians and law enforcement agencies have increasingly exploited such claims to groom the public into moral panic at the expense of REAL children suffering REAL sexual abuse in REAL life. It's a pretty simple con. Most people rightly find the sexual molestation of children horrifying. They want it stopped. They want the perpetrators brought to justice. But investigating and proving real crimes is hard work. Police departments would rather run sting operations with fake victims -- cops posing online as minors available for sex -- for easy arrests and good publicity, than put their officers to the more difficult (and expensive) task of conducting real investigations and tracking down real criminals. Prosecutors would rather try those cases, which require no evidence of an actual victim or an actual crime, than have to present a real victim, a real perpetrator, and real proof to a jury. Politicians live in perpetual need of gut-wrenching topics to virtue signal to voters about, and since real child molestation and real child porn are already illegal, they make do with promoting new laws against fake child molestation, fake child porn, "child-like" sex dolls, etc. ... and, as noted above, entirely fictional material "fully generated by artificial intelligence." None of this makes our children any safer -- the real problems aren't going away and for all we know might even be getting worse -- but it's great for law enforcement budgets and helps politicians herd panicked voters to the polls. Your tax dollars at work, folks. And here's the thing: While the legal availability of AI-generated child pornography, "child-like" sex dolls, etc., wouldn't eliminate real child sexual abuse, it would probably reduce the incidence. Put another way, at least SOME pedophiles are probably prone to settle for fantasy, especially if the difference between fantasy and reality is the difference between freedom and imprisonment. If they face prison either way, more of them will opt to really molest real children instead of fantasize that they're molesting fake children. And to put it a third way: Those who support laws against "fully generated by artificial intelligence" child porn objectively support more real child porn, and more of the crimes that go into its creation. That's reality, not a story "fully generated by artificial intelligence.

My Old House - Part Four

My Old House - Part Four By Theresa Grant Real Estate Columnist I am sure I cannot be the only one that this has happened to. When I bought my current house, it was wall to wall light greyish blue. I was not a fan. Especially given that house I was coming from was exactly that colour from top to bottom when I purchased it. I spent the better part of a year redoing the colours in that house only to find them hugging the walls of my new house. So, I went to a store in Oshawa and purchased a beautiful creamy white for the kitchen. It went on more like a soft yellow. Absolutely beautiful. Then, I moved on to the earthy cocoa colours for the living room. I did the front hall in a seafoam green, and it is beautiful but too much to carry through to the living room. I then decided that because the living room is open onto the kitchen I would simply get more of that beautiful creamy white for the living room. Well, I went back to the store, showed the girl the picture of the top of the can which I had specifically saved for just such an occasion. I was told that they had reconfigured their computer for paint matching, and Behr had also made changes over the last couple of years to their line, so she would have to start the matching process from scratch. At first, I thought oh no, this is not going to work but then I saw the shade and it looked pretty good so I went with it. Well, I’m not exactly sure what the issue was but the guys painted the creamy colour over the cocoa and of course it’s always a two-coat job even when companies claim total coverage in one coat. I have yet to see that. After two coats, the fellow came to me and said that it really didn’t look good and needed a third coat. I looked at it and whole heartedly agreed. It looked terrible. Streaky and patchy. He went ahead and put on a third coat and to my dismay it was still terrible. Would you believe that this room actually needed six coats of paint to give it a finished well covered look! I was shocked. Given that I have another floor and a few odd rooms here and there still to paint. I will now be looking for the best quality paint out there. I will also be very cognizant of lighter colours going on top of darker colours, and how much paint that actually takes. Happily, they finished the final coat of creamy white in the living room today. So, it’s on to the laundry room!

Finding A Need To Make Independent Living Easier For Autistic Individuals

Finding A Need To Make Independent Living Easier For Autistic Individuals by Kadin McElwain: Finding A Need To Make Independent Living Easier For Autistic Individuals Independent living can be hard for individuals that are on the autism spectrum. Home cleaning can be a struggle to manage, paying bills can feel like the equivalent of pulling teeth, and hygiene can feel like a chore. While one could argue that all individuals experience this at first when they are younger, it can be different for autistic individuals. That’s why with these need-finding interviews, I decided to see what the autism community would need in order to help them better manage independent living. This will ensure that all individuals, no matter what they’re going through, get an equal chance at success in the adult world. My goal was to interview people about this topic, all within the autism or independent living industries. I came up with a plan to ask these three questions mainly: 1. What can autistic individuals find difficult about independent living? 2. What can autistic individuals do now to help them remember their independent living tasks? 3. What technologies, if improved, can make an impact on autistic individuals living independently? All of these interviews were conducted on Facebook Messenger between Monday, February 24th, and Wednesday, February 26th. My first interview was with the CEO of Autism Rocks And Rolls, Sam Mitchell. Mitchell is on the autism spectrum himself and is a college student living independently in a dorm at the University of Indiana, all while running a successful non-profit and podcast. For the first question regarding what autistic individuals may find difficult about independent living, Mitchell stated that “they can find many of the behind the scenes of running a house way too overwhelming such as maintaining bills and staying on top of dishes and laundry” and may also find being alone difficult as “there’s no one else in the house such as parents or a spouse”. For the second question regarding which technologies individuals on the spectrum can use now to help them with their routines, Mitchell suggested that autistic individuals use “visual implementations such as calendars and charts” and “setting alarms to remind themselves of the task ahead (despite it being annoying)”. For the third and final question regarding which technologies should be improved to help autistic individuals succeed in independent living, Mitchell suggested improving “schedules on tablets”, Amazon Alexa, noise cancellation headphones, and AI applications. Looking at Mitchell’s responses, we see that the most common concerns for autistic individuals when it comes to living independently are loneliness, sensory issues, and remembering which tasks need to get done at which time. But if we improve scheduling applications, voice interface technologies, and continue implementing the use of AI into these routines, we can make sure that autistic adults feel comfortable in the sense of independent living. From what I was able to observe in responses, the most common concerns for autistic individuals who are living independently are being able to pay the bills, sensory issues, and loneliness. Autistic individuals can use calendar applications, AI, and voice interface devices to help them get their tasks done, but wearable devices, smart-home devices, calendar apps, or even the tax process can all be greatly improved or simplified to be more sensory-friendly and easy to understand. That’s why my vision for this project is to make an application that incorporates a way to pay the bills and file taxes in one-click, a calendar feature that makes it easy for you to remember your chores for the day, and an automated security system that can keep you safe, among other features. With my application, all autistic individuals will be able to properly live up to their potential. It will also help reduce the stress of living independently.

Facts and Myths about Kidney Stones

By W. Gifford-Jones MD and Diana Gifford Margaret Thatcher, the resolute British Prime Minister known as the "Iron Lady" famously said, “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." But for the millions who endure the excruciating torture of passing a kidney stone, just once is enough. About 50 per cent of those who form one stone will feel the pain again within five years. Those who develop two or more stones will form others on an average of every 2.5 years. Kidney stones are crystals that develop on the inside lining of the kidney. The chronic irritation of these crystals may cause blood to appear in the urine. But major trouble begins when the accumulated deposit, the "stone", breaks loose. If big enough, it becomes trapped in the ureter, the small tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder. Renal colic is the term used to describe the sudden, acute pain that occurs when the stone blocks the urinary tract and the muscles of the ureter contract in an attempt to move it along. Heredity plays a major role in the formation of kidney stones. The vast majority are composed of calcium salts. These are necessary for normal body metabolism and must be flushed out in the urine every day. Due to heredity, some people absorb more calcium from food, causing a high concentration of urinary calcium and the potential for stone formation. But calcium consumption is not generally the problem. Rather, high salt intake is more frequently associated with increased stone formation. Obesity, diabetes, and recurrent urinary tract infections are also risk factors. Treatment of kidney stones depends on the type. The less common stones of uric acid are, as stones go, rather friendly. The crystals are so soluble that even a big stone can be dissolved with oral bicarbonate (main ingredient of baking soda) and drinking plenty of water. No other stone is so cooperative, and an attack of great pain is the unwelcome onset of a crisis. People suffering from renal colic usually require hospital treatment. With medical assistance most stones are eventually passed in the urine. Trapped stones are located by an optical instrument called the cystoscope which is inserted into the bladder. A basket-like device is then threaded up the ureter to grab the stone. If this fails surgery is required. What else is to be avoided? It’s the use of antibiotics for longer than three weeks. This may cause an overgrowth of bacteria that possess a special enzyme, urease. This enzyme makes the urine very alkaline and may trigger the formation of struvite stones. This type of stone can fill the entire kidney causing severe renal damage. There’s been an ongoing myth for years that large doses of vitamin C cause kidney stones. It’s hard to know how these falsehoods get started. But the very opposite is true. The fact is that vitamin C increases urine flow, results in a slightly acidic urine, and prevents calcium from binding to oxalate causing calcium oxalate stones, the most common type of kidney stone. Experts in nutrition may know this interesting finding. In 1946, Dr. William McCormick wrote, “I have observed that a cloudy urine is generally associated with a low vitamin C status. But as soon as vitamin C is given (500 to 2,000 milligrams) the urine sediment clears in a matter of hours.” Because of this myth some people are missing out on the other benefits of vitamin C. Benjamin Disraeli, another former charismatic Prime Minister, once remarked, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” There should be a fourth: “myths”. 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

Snowflakes

Snowflakes

By Wayne & Tamara This one is on behalf of my best friend. My friend feels her mother-in-law is a terrible grandmother who falls far short of her expectations. She adores dogs and shows them more love and affection than her own grandchildren. My friend often compares this woman to her own mother who dotes on the children. Sometimes my friend tells her mother-in-law directly what she thinks of her, and she cries. Her husband does not feel his mother is a loving grandmother, but he loves his mum and wants a peaceful life. Coincidentally I have a similar setup with my in-laws. They have more time for animals--dogs, cats, and goats--and show them more love and affection than their grandchildren. They are more inclined to help the needy, like handicapped and poor people. However, my husband and I accept it is their choice to live as they wish, and we are always polite and respectful to them. I've encouraged my children to accept them as they are, which they do. We made a lot of effort to fit in with my husband's family over the past decade, but now are less interested as it is only one way. We visit a few times a year, but that is not an issue as we live 100 miles away. We're expected to call from time to time, but conversations are restrained as we honestly don't have interest in each other's lives. I ask questions like, Have you been to a goat show lately? But they ask none in return, not even How are the children? That's just how they are. I feel my friend is competing with her mother-in-law, trying to prove she's bad and her mum's better. What do you suggest? Once again my friend is due to tell her mother-in-law how disappointed she is in her. Sybil Sybil, there is a translation of Lao Tzu by Witter Bynner which contains these words. "As the soft yield of water cleaves obstinate stone, so to yield with life solves the insoluble…. But this unworded lesson, this easy example, is lost upon men." You've learned to expect no more from your in-laws than they are prepared to offer, and that is the mark of a wise person. In addition, your children accept them on their own terms. This is a boat not to rock. Your friend is attempting the impossible. She has an idea of the ideal grandmother, and she is determined to make her mother-in-law conform to that ideal. It's like trying to hold back the tide or make the wind obey. She should be grateful her children have one grandmother who meets her expectations. Those children are going to spend their lives dealing with a variety of people in a real world. They need to accept reality and understand people for who they are. That is a far more valuable practice than expending energy trying to make people conform to our mental image. This is one area where supporting your friend does everyone a disservice. Wayne & Tamara A Zealot My husband's brother wrote a letter to my husband a few years ago. The letter stated that my husband was soon to die--he has heart problems--and should make his peace with the Lord. This brother-in-law is a religious fanatic, but I think he was out of place writing the letter. My husband laughed it off, but I cannot get over it. We will be seeing this brother-in-law at a wedding next month. How should I handle this? Wilma Wilma, Winston Churchill said, "A fanatic is one who won't change his mind and won't change the subject." Your husband understands this, and that is why he laughed it off. If you confront your brother-in-law at the wedding, you will look ridiculous. People will excuse him because he doesn't know better, but they will wonder, what's your excuse? Wayne & Tamara Tamara SEND LETTERS TO: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com Wayne & Tamara are the authors of Cheating in a Nutshell and The Young Woman’s Guide to Older Men—available from Amazon, Apple, and booksellers everywhere.

Special Education Reform: Its Main Issues And The Efforts To Improve It

Special Education Reform: Its Main Issues And The Efforts To Improve It by Kadin McElwain: Special Education Reform: Its Main Issues And The Efforts To Improve It Dr. Temple Grandin, an autistic scientist and advocate for autism, once said “In special education, there’s too much emphasis placed on the deficit and not enough on the strength”. This is the case with the current special education system. In the United States today, 1-in-32 children are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder every year and have most likely needed special education services (Talantseva et al, 2020). As an autistic individual, I had special education services from 7 to 17 years old and I have seen firsthand the flaws of the special education system. But a new and powerful movement, the Special Education Reform Movement, is working to help improve the special education system, so that all students can have a fair chance at a proper education. In this speech, you’ll learn how schools don’t fund special education enough, how this connects to the rate of those diagnosed with autism every year, and what’s being done by organizations to ensure that the special education system is improved for its students. Firstly, many of us, whether we are the parent of a special needs child or we know an individual that has autism or another disability, have had to deal with the frustration of schools not funding special education enough or even cutting a student’s IEP completely in the name of saving money. Yet, in the state of Ohio alone in 2009, schools received $323 million in taxes to fund their programs and make conditions suitable for students. (Sullivan and Sobul, 2010). Exactly a decade later, in 2019, Ohio’s academic spending went to $8.79 billion, with the school system investing only $675 million towards special education, failing to realize the cost of speech therapy, communication devices, curriculum, school supplies, and fidget toys for every child (Ohio Coalition for The Education Of Children with Disabilities, 2020). This leads to an even bigger problem: Corrupt schools that cut the IEPs of special needs individuals in the name of saving money. I remember a time in middle school when my IEP was cut without my parents’ consent, and this caused them to fight long and hard to get it implemented again. But when considering the funding rate for special education, the rate of autism in children is another important factor to consider. The rate of autism in the United States is one-in-thirty-two, up from two-to-four-in-ten thousand back in the 60’s and 70’s, meaning that out of at least 32 audience members listening today, at least one may be on the spectrum (Boat and Wu, 2015). With today’s technology, we are able to easily diagnose autism and get individuals the help they need to thrive in academic settings, with one notable example being an AI-based screening software that can easily detect the signs of autism in children (Abdelrahim et al, 2025). But schools still don’t know or choose not to get students the help they need and this sometimes results in these students being excluded from classes. In Australia specifically, according to a 2023 study, 9.4 percent of autistic students have missed a day of school due to school exclusion, or being forced to stay home from school because schools don’t have enough funding for accommodations (Gray et al, 2023). In the United States, that number is 50 percent, meaning that half of the country’s special needs students are missing out on the education that they are entitled to because schools don’t know how to manage helping these students given skyrocketing diagnosis rates (Sasso and Sansour, 2024). But fortunately for those one-in-thirty two, actions are being taken to better special education. You might’ve heard of organizations such as Autism Speaks and the Autism Society of America, but multiple groups and individuals in both the state of Ohio and throughout the United States have taken the initiative to ensure that all students get a fair chance at a proper and ethical education, with many sometimes not making the Nightly News. One example of such a group is Disability Rights Ohio, which advocates for the end of abusive seclusion practices, or isolating the autistic child in a room by themselves when they act out. Thanks to their efforts, which included lobbying and rallying, the Ohio Department of Education established a law limiting the use of these practices in 2013, meaning that students can go to school without the fear of being isolated from their peers (Disability Rights Ohio, 2015). Another example of special education advocacy is becoming a lawyer that specializes in special education cases specifically. A lot of these individuals have worked with individuals with disabilities before, including as social workers, and even are autistic themselves, showing that they truly believe in the cause (Weber, 2023). This shows that even though this cause isn’t in the Nightly News every night, Special Education Reform is just as much of a worthy cause as any other social issue today. To conclude, Special Education Reform is a cause that, while not as headline-grabbing as other issues in our society, is still making an impact on the community. The schools in the United States misunderstand the importance of investing more funding into special education programs, especially given the rate of autism in children every year. But work is being done by various groups to ensure that these students get the education that they deserve. It’s easy not to care about a cause, just because it’s not on the Nightly News. But if we remember Dr. Grandin’s words and focus on both the strength and the deficit equally, we can ensure that all of our students, no matter what they’re going through or their background, get the quality education that they are entitled to.

All Over The World

All Over The World By Patricia Conlin All over the world, a message of urgently needed health reform is being echoed. Robert Kennedy Jr., recently appointed as the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, is making it a top priority to tackle the growing chronic disease epidemic and serious corruption within Public Health agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and National Institutes of Health (NIH). In Canada, we hear of suicide, chronic illness, skyrocketing cancer rates and increases in all-cause mortality. Mental illness and drug addiction are rampant. Families are struggling to put healthy food on the table and are having fewer children due to the cost of living. Many feel overwhelmed and hopeless. We shake our heads and wonder what has happened to our beloved country. As a concerned citizen, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, and twice published author on improving health, I have a good understanding of some of the many health policies negatively impacting our communities and country. Let's start by examining fluoridation policies. Canada is the fourth most fluoridated country in the world. Regions decided to fluoridate drinking water decades ago for the purpose of preventing dental decay, based on public health authorities who claimed this treatment was “safe, effective and legal.” However, all three claims have been proven to be 100% false. The truth is clear that this incredibly harmful public health practice has been proven to reduce the IQ of children.1 Last fall, a US Federal Court ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where top experts there testified that fluoridation “poses an unreasonable risk of reducing IQ in children.” In fact, the effect of fluoride could be similar to that of lead poisoning, which can cause neurological damage. We need a moratorium on fluoridation to protect our children. Another serious issue that farmers in my community have spoken to me about concerns “biosolids,” a toxic sewage sludge (think green bin contents and wastewater solids) being sold to unsuspecting farmers as an eco-friendly fertilizer. Public health officials claim that this sewage sludge is “safely and effectively” processed to remove contaminants using a method called anaerobic digestion. However, this is also completely false.2 One of many significant studies was published by the University of Guelph3 and has proven that anaerobic processes do not destroy harmful bacteria and other toxins, as claimed by our regions. Sadly, this sewage sludge created in anaerobic digestion processing facilities4 is being spread onto our farmlands. This is being done without proper testing, and many farmers don't realize their land can never be zoned organic after putting this on their fields. A third public health concern in our communities is the unregulated use of toxic chemicals. Recently, I did a presentation on creating healthier communities in my region and highlighted toxic chemicals that are destroying our health and environment. One of the worst is Round-Up (with the active ingredient glyphosate), which is still sold at local stores for residential use despite conclusive evidence of it killing bees and other pollinators as well as causing cancer. Why don’t public health officials educate residents on the harm of spraying their grass with toxic herbicides and suggest natural methods instead? This focus on the environment as the enemy is a distraction from the real poisoning of our air, soil, water, food and medicine. By far, the most destructive of all health policies that have been proposed during the past few years are the policies around Covid and Climate. Most municipalities seek to achieve “Net Zero” by 2050. This policy of “Zero Carbon,” just like “Zero Covid,” is unachievable and will only result in further financial and mental stress and decline within our communities. Carbon dioxide is a life-affirming molecule and makes up a minuscule portion of atmospheric gases. The same bureaucrats that locked down your small business while keeping Walmart and Costco open want you to willingly give up travel and meat and pay more for everything while you slowly go bankrupt and starve to protect you from the air you breathe. Farmers have had enough of this public health nonsense and are protesting in large numbers across Europe. Without farmers, we have no food, and given the increase in food bank usage and chronic health conditions, this public health policy is achieving the opposite in a very profound and disturbing way. With regards to Covid, it is overwhelmingly clear that health policies implemented at a regional level were dictated by unelected officials from foreign agencies like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN). We now know with certainty that lockdowns and mandates did far more harm than good. Our public health officials made us lock down our seniors and let them die of loneliness. They forced our young kids to stay home from school and wear unsafe masks. They divided our towns and families over vaccine status and made people carry a so-called passport to get into a restaurant. None of this was necessary, and all of it was extremely harmful. Many States in the US, other countries, and recently, the Province of Alberta,7 have called for the experimental vaccines to be withdrawn due to the shocking number of injuries and lack of effectiveness. There is also clear evidence of DNA contamination, as identified by Canadian Scientist Dr. David Speicher. These “vaccines” that never stopped transmission or provided immunity were definitely not the “safe and effective” solution that our public health officials pushed on us using fear, guilt, and other forms of manipulation all while demonizing natural immunity and treatments. Will there be accountability for the massive damage done, or will the same public health officials just sweep the carnage under the rug? It is time for we, the people, to step up and stop following elected and unelected health officials who have no grounding in real health or real science. We need to seek alternative views on all health policies going forward and be loud at Council meetings and with our neighbours so we can restore healthy and prosperous communities.

My Old House - Part Three

My Old House - Part Three By Theresa Grant Real Estate Columnist As I sit here today, the living room is being prepped for painting next week. It will go from the cocoa beige that I have loved so much over the years to a creamy yellow, the same colour as the kitchen that is wide open onto the living room. Initially I had wanted the living room to be the same colour as the hallway that leads to the front door. The seafoam green, although beautiful, is too overpowering in its brightness to carry into the living room which is a sizable area. I am also having the ceilings painted on this house, which is a first for me. After the hallway was completed, it was obvious to me that the living room could not become the same bright green. It would just be too much. Prior to deciding on the living room becoming the same as the kitchen, zi kicked around the idea of different coastal colours that would go nicely. One of the colours that I love and seriously considered was coral. I love the right shade of coral and thought it would be beautiful in the mix. I soon thought that it may be overpowering to have three separate colours in three attached spaces that are open to each other. In the end I have decided on the creamy yellow for the living room. There is a laundry room off of the living room as well. I am going to have that painted as well and I did consider the coral in there but have since changed my mind, for today that is. Maybe I will just use the coral as pops of colour in things like throw pillows and art and décor. The company I am using is local. I suggest if you are going to have people come onto your home to do work for you, try to source three local companies to provide quotes for you. Make sure there are insured and if they can provide references of past work that’s even better. If you have any questions please feel free to drop me a line here at the paper. Until next week.

Fabricating fear and rewriting records

fabricating fear and rewriting records By Lisa Robinson The Corporation of The City of Pickering is once again fabricating fear and rewriting records while banning staff – just to protect their corrupt power. The truth is coming out, and it’s time you see what they're really trying to hide! Recently, the Mayor and CAO issued a statement declaring that, due to my so-called disruptive conduct, the two of them decided that staff will not attend upcoming public meetings for the month of March. They claim this decision is made to protect employees from harassment and to ensure a respectful, harassment-free workplace. However, what’s really happening is far more troubling. Instead of addressing genuine issues that I have brought forward recently about staff blatantly lying to the people and council during public meetings, they’ve fabricated another narrative of fear—protecting employees—instead of holding those employees accountable for misleading the public and council. If their defense is that exposing dishonesty somehow threatens staff, then what does that say about the integrity of their administration? Just a month ago, they painted concerned residents as “alt-right extremists” and used fear for their safety to justify shifting our meetings to a virtual format that excludes in-person attendance. If they truly feared for their safety, why were they bringing their families—their wives, children, and even 8-year-old grandchildren—to our meetings? Why do they keep showing up even now at store openings and events that have no police presence if they are so afraid? So why are they really taking it a step further by banning staff from attending meetings altogether? This isn’t about protecting anyone; it’s a calculated move to eliminate accountability and sever the public’s right to get answers. They say they want to send a strong message to Councillor Robinson that all employees deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I 100% agree that while employees deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, shouldn’t the city be focused on sending a strong message to its directors and staff that the residents of Pickering deserve to be treated with dignity and respect—and above all, to be told the truth rather than lies and deception? This isn’t governance. This is corruption. Let’s talk about the facts—because they sure won’t. This is the real reason why they are putting such absurd measures in place. In the last three meetings alone, they have been caught lying multiple times. Just last month, the Director of Economic Development and Strategic Projects was caught lying to both the public and council twice about the Municipal Accommodation Tax (MAT). And when they got exposed, did they own up to it? No. They tried to cover it up—with the Mayor claiming the record was “corrected.” Just because the Mayor claims the record has been corrected doesn’t erase the fact that they colluded and lied. It was dishonest; it was outright corruption, and it never would have come to light if I hadn’t exposed it. The only reason they corrected anything was because they got caught. So, Monday night I introduced a notice of motion to impose strict penalties on any city employee, committee member, or contractor doing work for the City of Pickering who deliberately provides false or misleading information to council or the public. And what happened? The Mayor panicked. First, he threatened to rule it out of order, which is a blatant abuse of power, as the Mayor's job is to act as a neutral presiding officer—not a dictator. This isn’t an isolated incident—it’s a pattern. Then, realizing how bad that looked, he dismissed it with basically a smug, “there is no basis of fact but you can try and get a seconder—how’s that.” That’s a clear signal to council members that they’re expected to fall in line and not support the motion. This kind of behavior is a form of political intimidation—a way for the mayor to exert control without having to explicitly tell members what to do. This has also become a pattern. But here’s the bigger question—why would an honest mayor be terrified of holding liars accountable? Because he knows that accountability starts with him. If the truth mattered in his administration, he would have no problem supporting penalties for dishonesty. Instead, he’s doing everything he can to shut it down. That tells you everything you need to know. The Mayor and CAO’s latest pathetic statement is nothing more than a desperate smear campaign to distract from the truth. They accuse me of “misrepresenting facts” and making “baseless allegations.” Yet, they can’t give a single example—because there aren’t any. They aren’t protecting staff; they’re protecting themselves. Let’s be clear: At least 16 of the complaints against me have come directly from the Mayor and the CAO—not from residents. This isn’t about ethics. This is targeted political persecution. They have weaponized the Integrity Commissioner—who, by the way, is paid by the city—to try and silence me for doing my job. And why? Because I tell the truth. Because I expose their lies. Because I refuse to bow to their corruption. The real reason they fear me—I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, “If I were to become Mayor, I would use strong mayor powers for good. I would fire the CAO, the City Solicitor, and a bunch of the directors—because corruption starts at the top. I would tear down City Hall, rebuild it from the ground up, and give it back to the people.” And they know it. They have a lot to lose if the truth comes out—jobs, power, control—that’s why they’re so desperate to silence me. Did you know the CAO alone makes over $250,000 a year? That’s over $4,000 a week. Now ask yourself, don’t you think that’s a strong motive to keep coming after me with their smear campaigns? They have a lot to lose if I become Mayor because I won’t protect their corruption—I’ll expose it. Again, approximately 99.9% of the complaints sent to the city-paid Integrity Commissioner over this past year come from just two people—the Mayor and the CAO—using your tax dollars. And now, suddenly, CUPE 129 has issued a “statement of support” to the Mayor and CAO. But guess who’s a major player in CUPE 129? The CAO’s husband. Do you see how this is all connected? The bottom line is this: This is what happens when you’re directly over the target. They are using me as a distraction to keep you from seeing what’s really going on—how your tax dollars are being misused, how lies are being covered up, and how backroom deals are being protected. This entire house of cards will collapse. That’s why they're attacking me—not because I’m wrong, but because I’m right. Go to my YouTube Lisa Robinson to watch the videos and sign up to keep up-to-date… All the evidence is there! I am Councillor Lisa Robinson, The Peoples Councillor.

According to Job Seekers, There Is a Surge in “Isms.” Is It True?

Job Search: According to Job Seekers, There Is a Surge in “Isms.” Is It True? Five hundred applicants (conservative estimate), one hire: · 500:1 ratio · 0.2% chance of getting hired Regardless of your education, skills, experience, and whom you know, job searching today is akin to betting against the house. The 499 who didn't get hired will likely say: · "I'm over 45, so it must be ageism." · "I'm green, so it must be racism." · "I identify as [whatever], so it must be [whatever]." · "I don't fall into a DEI category, so it must be reverse racism." Rare is the job seeker who'll say, "I could have done a better job applying/interviewing." In most cases, job seekers reach for the "I'm a victim!" card (read: excuse) as the reason they weren't selected for an interview or hired. With all the rejection going around these days, self-professed career coaches who never provide empirical data and offer only selective anecdotes (details are never given) exploit the vulnerability of job seekers by telling them what they want to hear—it's not their fault, employers are bad people looking for unicorns and rockstars—as a ploy to sell their "service."Actions and inactions have consequences, especially when job hunting. Based on my observations and conversations, people rarely consider the consequences of their actions or inactions and rather blame circumstances—everyone but themselves—for why they're not achieving success. What you eat today will affect you tomorrow. Not returning a phone call immediately could mean a lost opportunity. Nowadays, the sense of entitlement among job seekers is so prevalent that it's fueling an often expressed and seen anger: "I'm not getting what I deserve!" "I'm not getting what I want!" Anger frequently results in false pride and an overinflated belief in your worth—the job market determines your worth, not your opinion of yourself—which is extremely difficult to overcome. We are all born into this world to make our own way; nothing is promised, including health, safety, food, shelter, happiness, love, or a job. Then there's social media, which does one thing exceptionally well—actually, "too well;" it amplifies voices, opinions, and narratives. The result? A toxic echo chamber that can make it seem like everyone is a victim of something—ageism, sexism, racism, etc. While many 'isms' are undeniably true, you've no influence in changing them. Dwelling on isms distracts you from finding a job. As a job seeker, you're in the finding a job business, not the changing how employers hire advocacy business. Since your mindset directly influences your attitude and behaviour, having an "I'm a victim!" mindset is unproductive and damaging to your job search efforts. Blaming external factors, which you most likely can't quantify, for your job search frustrations will not bring you closer to finding a job. Job seekers who play the victim card become passive observers of the job market instead of taking action to change their job search strategy. A victim mentality or a sense of entitlement turns employers off and will be evident when interviewing. An experienced recruiter or hiring manager can spot entitlement or a f*ck you attitude right away. Employers prefer proactive, resourceful candidates who take responsibility for their actions. Rather than focusing on the alleged amount of isms out there, here are three pieces of advice: 1. Let go of any sense of entitlement you may have. If you do nothing more than lose any sense of entitlement you may have, you'll be further ahead than most job seekers. Employers—the world—don't owe you anything! Network relentlessly—reach out to contacts, attend events, and engage on LinkedIn. Embrace rejection as a learning tool; analyze what went wrong and adjust your job search strategy. Cultivate resilience; setbacks are part of achieving a goal journey. Finally, focus on what you can contribute to employers rather than what you want an employer to give you. 2. Take full responsibility for your actions and inactions. Acknowledging that your actions and inaction are the ultimate contributing factor to your job search success is crucial. Instead of blaming external factors, control what you can influence. · Are you applying to the right jobs and companies? (My advice to all job seekers: Don't look for a job; look for your tribe! Seek employers who'll welcome you.) · Does your resume and LinkedIn profile showcase the tangible results you've achieved for your employers, backed by numbers or simply your opinions? · Are you actively seeking out opportunities and networking? "Actions have consequences... first rule of life. And the second rule is this - you are the only one responsible for your own actions." - Holly Lisle, American writer. 3. See yourself as a solutions provider. Focus on articulating how you can solve problems for an employer. By envisioning yourself as a solutions provider—"How can I help this employer?"—you cultivate a proactive approach to your job search. When job hunting, your greatest asset is your mindset. Yes, ongoing systemic isms issues exist and affect your job search. However, allowing isms, which I repeat, you can't do anything about to influence your job search is pointless. Don't let those with an entitlement mentality convince you there are a host of "isms" preventing you from getting a job and divert your energy and focus from getting a job ___________________________________________________________________ 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

Congratulations

congratulations By Joe Ingino B.A. Psychology Editor/Publisher Central Newspapers ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Articles Published Columns in Canada and The United States From all of us at the Central Newspaper. Congratulations to all the winners of the recent Provincial Election. A bigger congratulations to all that put their name forward as representatives of other parties. You always hear people complain. You don’t have to go far to hear political opinion and or thoughts. Anyone can spew what they think or how they perceive their environments. It takes real character to know you do not have a chance at winning but still put your name forward in an election. Conviction, determination and sacrifice is what it takes to be a candidate in any election. It is sad that in Canadian politics we have so many people running under different parties, but unfortunately on three choices. Three choice shrouded by different ideologies employing the same basic core principles. Do things really change when we change from red to blue and or vise versa? Interesting question. I personally hope that he or she that is representing me hold the same ethics and code of civil responsibility in always doing what is best for our people. In Oshawa. Jennifer French won another term. As a contributing and responsible member of society. I do not approve or favor the outcome of the election. But must honor it as that is the will of my fellow Oshawanians. With this said. I do hope that Ms. French attempts to mend and improve on her community relations. Many readers have come to me asking why French does not return phone calls. Interesting question. I know personally that she has yet to return one phone call to the Newspaper. The question remains - WHY? Personal bias? Not supportive of one of her most important local businesses? No time? I am sure that we will never find out. As for the average person not getting call backs. I as a community leader like to apologize that if she does not return phone calls from her City newspaper. What is the average person expect. I hope she proves me wrong and has enough character to do what is right and return phone calls. It is the only decent, honorable thing. Or we the tax payers at large only get to hear from her when an election is called. I hold no grudge and will work with everyone in the community. Haters I welcome to meet with me and discuss indifference. I do return calls it is the only right and civil thing to do no matter who you are.

Canada at the Crossroads

Canada at the Crossroads in 2025 by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East With the geopolitical situation getting more complicated by the day, Canada is at a crossroads. Our neighbour to the South is less friendly with Canada and threatening to initiate an economic war, which can debilitate our statehood and significantly lower our standard of living. In addition, Canada is missing the leadership needed to deal with this situation. Ontario, one of the most important economic engines of Canada, is in an unnecessary election at this crucial time, one that is being carried out only to fulfill the personal ambition of the Premier of Ontario. Federally, the Liberal government is embroiled in a leadership contest after the resignation of Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader. With a weak caretaking government and with an imminent tariff war with the United States on the near horizon, Canada is not in an enviable position. The issues confronting Canada in 2025 go beyond mere setbacks and can more accurately be called crises. Unless they are resolved quickly, Canada will face a deep and potentially permanent loss of its national standard of living and quality of life. Incompetent governance, runaway and rampant ideology, social malaise, and a national identity crisis beset Canada. Let us be realistic: Canada’s very future is at stake – and the time for small, hesitant steps has passed. Canada needs a leader as never before. Not tomorrow, but right now. It is in this spirit that I invite readers to join me as we confront the problems facing our country and set out serious, new ideas to make 2025 the year Canada began to step back from the brink. One of the most obvious problems is the severe housing affordability crisis that is a sign for more deep troubles to come in a chain reaction. Housing costs are far outpacing income growth and are creating a significant barrier to homeownership for many Canadians. The crisis can be boiled down to a mismatch between housing supply and demand, exacerbated by factors such as declining real disposable income, a discrepancy between the types of dwellings built and the needs of the Canadian population, increasingly restrictive building codes, excessive development charges, and surging immigration levels. Declining job opportunities generated by a manufacturing industry outsourcing loss, bad economic investments and an outdated immigration policy are just a few of the complicated factors that generated this situation. If we look more closely at the demand side, Canada’s rate of new housing unit construction approximately matched population growth from 2000 to 2021. Thereafter, however, the immigrant population surged while job opportunities declined, and housing completions could not keep pace. To align population growth with housing capacity, Canada needs to reduce its excessive immigration, particularly among temporary workers and visa students. Furthermore, the federal government needs to better plan and coordinate with the provinces and economic realities. On the supply side, it is essential that federal building codes be reformed to remove costly “green ideology” provisions, and that provinces give municipalities greater flexibility to match housing types to demand. The federal government should also take steps to expose where municipal development charges have become excessive and work with provinces and cities to bring them down. Canada’s governments must undertake decisive measures to reverse decades of policy missteps. Canada can restore housing affordability, promote economic growth, and enhance the quality of life for its citizens, but only if it takes multiple actions – not in a piecemeal fashion, but in tandem with solid economic planning. For example, since 2000 incomes have not risen at the same rate as housing costs, so single family home prices have doubled relative to real income, with a particularly strong spike after 2020. Today, a household earning the median Canadian income would now need to allocate two-thirds of its income to housing costs in order to afford a home. The combination of weak income growth and rapid housing cost increases has created the present affordability crisis. The COVID pandemic in 2020 also caused a sudden demand for larger detached homes as many people switched to remote online work arrangements. This helps explain the 2020 spike in the prices of single family homes. With the rise of work-from-home arrangements, detached homes, and semi-detached townhomes remain in high demand and municipal planning has failed to keep pace with this new reality. On the other hand, excessive immigration has also been a driving force behind rising house prices. Canada has been relying on immigration to maintain the growth of its working-age population. Since the early 1990s immigration levels have consistently been around 1.0 per cent of the adult population. However, after 2021, immigration levels surged and domestic housing costs spiked. This put obvious pressure on the demand side of the market and will need to be addressed as part of any overall solution to housing costs. In summary, significant factors affecting housing affordability since the early 2000s include the failure of real incomes to keep pace with the increase in housing costs, a mismatch between the types of dwellings built and the needs of the Canadian population, and, from 2021 onward, a surge in immigration numbers. In conclusion, Canada stands at a critical juncture in addressing its housing affordability crisis. The next federal government will need to address this urgent policy conundrum immediately. The availability of affordable housing is consequential, as it affects a great many other aspects of our quality of life. Without swift and decisive action, rising housing costs will continue to deter Canadians from starting families and raising children, and continue to undermine the financial stability of Canadian households and hinder economic development. Resolving the housing crisis will not only provide relief to millions of Canadians but also secure the nation’s long-term economic and social stability. Are politicians listening, or is the Ivory Tower syndrome making them blind to the needs of Canadians?

Why Canada Needs a Military History Month

Why Canada Needs a Military History Month By Dale Jodoin As Canada grows older, our military history is fading from public memory. Our country has a rich and proud tradition of service, one that is deeply intertwined with our national identity. From our first major victory at Vimy Ridge in World War I to our soldiers landing on Juno Beach to help liberate Europe in World War II, Canada has always stepped up when the world needed us. But with each passing year, fewer people remember these sacrifices. Many of the veterans who fought in Korea are now in their 90s. Those who served in later conflicts, such as the Gulf War and Afghanistan, are also aging. Their stories—our history—are disappearing. And yet, instead of honoring our past, we see politicians neglecting our military and school boards downplaying its importance. Our Military and Our Identity For over a century, Canadians have worn the maple leaf with pride. Our soldiers fought under the Union Jack before we had our own flag, but it was the maple leaf that became a symbol of our bravery and sacrifice. Even when governments changed the name of our forces—from the Canadian Armed Forces to the Royal Canadian Armed Forces and back again—the spirit of those who served remained the same. Today, however, our military is struggling. Years of underfunding have left our armed forces weak. Some would rather erase our history than celebrate it. Schools that once taught students about our nation’s victories are now glossing over them or removing them entirely from lesson plans. This is unacceptable. Why We Need a Military History Month We already have Remembrance Day, but one day a year is not enough. A dedicated Canadian Military History Month would ensure that our past is properly recognized, taught, and celebrated. It would allow time for schools to educate students, for communities to honor veterans, and for the entire country to reflect on the sacrifices that built Canada into the nation it is today. During this month, we could: Hold parades to celebrate our veterans and active-duty soldiers. Organize school programs that teach children about Canada’s role in global conflicts. Encourage museums to host special exhibits on our military history. Recognize the contributions of Indigenous, Black, and immigrant soldiers who served Canada with honor. Support veterans’ organizations and establishments that help those who once served. A Military History Month would also ensure that newcomers to Canada understand the sacrifices that built this nation. Many immigrants come from countries where military service is mandatory or deeply respected. They should know that Canada has a proud military tradition as well. The Poppy: A Symbol, Not a Fashion Statement The poppy is not a trendy accessory. It is a symbol of remembrance, a way for Canadians to honor those who fought and those who never came home. Yet, in recent years, fewer people wear the poppy, and some even challenge its meaning. This disrespect must end. The poppy represents sacrifice, and Military History Month would help reinforce why it is important. We Must Demand Action It is time for Canadians to stand up and demand that our government recognize Military History Month. Our veterans deserve more than fading memories. Our soldiers, past and present, deserve respect. Our children deserve to know the truth about our nation’s history. This is not a request—it is a demand. We must preserve our history, honor our heroes, and teach future generations why Canada has always been a country worth fighting for.