Long-term survival after heart attack

 

Long-term survival after heart attack

W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones

Diana Gifford-Jones: You were 74 when a coronary attack nearly killed you. A short time later you had a coronary bypass. Readers often ask what you have done to prevent another coronary for so long?

W. Gifford-Jones, MD: I have no single answer. I’m convinced it’s been a combination of factors.

Diana: What’s your personal routine for heart health?

G-J: I was lucky to interview Dr. Linus Pauling years ago. He believed that heart disease is partially due to a deficiency of vitamin C. This causes microscopic cracks in the inner lining of arteries. A blood clot results with possibility of death. I didn’t want to pop handfuls of vitamin C tablets, so I formulated Medi-C Plus, a powder form of C in combination with lysine, and I’ve been taking 10,000 milligrams (mg) for 24 years without using cholesterol lowering drugs. Many doctors disagree with my approach. But even if doctors insist on CLDs, adding vitamin C in combination with lysine is a good idea. Since vitamin C is water soluble and therefore lost in urination, it should ideally be taken three times a day.

Diana: Should everyone be taking such a high dose?

G-J: Only those who have suffered heart attack or are at high risk. For others, 2,000 mg twice a day is a good prevention strategy. Why? Because long-term high doses of C keep the inner lining of arteries “rubbery” and help prevent the build up of blockages. If high doses of C result in diarrhea, cut back on the dosage, as bowel tolerance varies from person to person. Be patient to find the right balance. Remember, it’s better to sit on the toilet than to lie under a tombstone.

Diana: Dr. Sydney Bush, a U.K. ophthalmologist, showed that over many years of use, high doses of vitamin C reversed hardening of arteries. Sample retinal images of his patients are posted on our website. What else do you take to protect your health?

G-J: I take 500 mg daily of magnesium – nature’s natural vasodilator that helps to expand arteries. Narrowed arteries cause a lack of oxygenated blood to various organs creating a pile of trouble such as Type 2 diabetes, all its complications, and eventually coronary attack.

Diana: You’ve also been taking one tablet of NEO40 daily for years. Why?

G-J: Nitric oxide is produced by the inner lining of arteries, but production gradually decreases with age. I take NEO40 to keep arteries healthy and decrease my risk of another coronary attack.

Diana: Any others?

G-J: Actually, several more. I take natural vitamin E. I recall a 70-year-old patient who stopped playing tennis due to leg pain from poor circulation. After supplementing with 1,200 mg a day he was back playing tennis in two months. Vitamin E increases the oxygenation of blood cells.

Diana: You and I recently took an Omega 3 blood test revealing ratios of good and bad fatty acids in the body.

G-J: Omega 3 EPA and DHA fight inflammation while omega 6 fatty acids cause inflammation linked to heart attack. Studies show 97 percent of Canadians have poor ratios. A U.S study showed similar results. Researchers also found a stunning 90 percent of those taking fish oil supplements did not score well as they are hard to absorb. But Canadian researchers have developed a fish oil called MaxSimil contained in Certified Naturals Clinical Omega3X. It’s three times more soluble than standard fish oil supplements, and that’s why I’ve recommended it and take it myself.

Diana: You are in your 98th year, and it’s been 24 years since your coronary attack. Some luck, yes. But you couldn’t have done it without a healthy heart. Keep on ticking!

For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com.

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Dollars and Sense

 

Dollars and Sense

Q What advice would you have for a retired couple who twice came to the financial aid of their adult son? The first time he was laid off and unable to make payments. The second time he racked up another bill, could not make payments, and came to us after a court date was announced. He is married with three children. I would never have thought he would take money and just stop making payments, after making just two. This situation has totally wrecked our relationship. Now we don’t speak or communicate at all. Because we trusted him 100%, the loan was done with no more than a handshake and a promise of regular payments each month. The money amounts to a little over $12,000, and we can make it either way. It’s more that he has broken his word to us. That hurts more than the money. I have a feeling he has more bills and the biggest problem is his wife. For some reason, she never warmed up to us. I will put it this way. Several times since they married there have been run-ins, most often because of something taken wrong in a conversation. But we have never intentionally said or done anything to cause distress or harm. If something could be taken wrong, that’s how she takes it.

The last time I spoke to my son, he thought his wife was making monthly $250.00 payments to us, and I had to inform him it was simply not true. I made him promise to speak with his wife and call me back. I have not heard from him since. We are far from perfect, but we always try to do what is right. If I ever get to the point when I feel there is nothing to lose, I might take him to small claims court. I don’t believe he is happy about this situation. He twice needed money, and both times we were there for him. He also knows that both times he gave his word to make good on the debt. I guess he will have to live with that every time he looks in the mirror. Most of all, I hate not seeing our grandson, and I fear that isn’t going to change. I’m sorry for dumping my troubles on your lap. Royce

A Royce, an old nursery rhyme says, “Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater had a wife but couldn’t keep her.” Your son may have a wife he can’t keep because he doesn’t have enough money to satisfy her. But he wants to keep her, even to the point of damaging his relationship with you.

He thought she was making payments to you, but she wasn’t. Our surmise is that your son is in worse financial shape than you know.

Perhaps his wife’s dream of white picket fences must be fulfilled without regard to their income. Perhaps she handles the money in order to conceal things from her husband. Perhaps she causes problems because she is the problem. Our suggestion is this. Do not go to court. You don’t want to alienate your son. Also, don’t lend him any more money. We suspect your son didn’t call you back because there was nothing he could say. “We don’t have the money. My wife lied to me. I don’t know what to do.” But he can’t make himself say that. He may be too embarrassed to talk to you because he finds the problem insoluble.

For now, leave the ball in his court. Behave normally. Send the normal birthday cards and gifts. Make customary plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Remain open so that he can come to you in every way but financially, and cut your losses at $12,000. If they go into bankruptcy, they go into bankruptcy. Some parents lose a son to illness, some to an accident, some to a wife. Growing up it appears you had a good relationship with your son. Now he must grow up a little more and learn to deal with money, and his wife, in a realistic way. The wisest course is to be open to him, if and when he comes to understand that.

Wayne & Tamara write: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Your Cover Letter's Third Paragraph Getting the Reader to Act

 Your Cover Letter's
Third Paragraph  
Getting the Reader to Act
By Nick Kossovan
 If you don't ask, you don't get.
  In the 1992 movie Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin's character, Blake, gives a shape-up or ship-out speech to a group of real estate salesmen. He turns over a blackboard on which two sets of letters are written. One set of letters is "ABC." Blake then shouts, "A-B-C. A, always; B, be; C, closing. Always be closing! Always be closing!"
To shorten your job search, envision you're looking for your next client. Finding your next client is a sales process; therefore, you need to A-B-C. When you're in A-B-C mode, you move through an employer's hiring process much faster than passive job seekers.
A-B-C isn't only for when you're at the interview stage, intending to close the deal (obtaining a job offer). To get your network to inform you of job opportunities, get past gatekeepers, and especially to get that covenant interview, you need to A-B-C, which is why your cover letter's last paragraph needs to be a call to action.
Here are 3 examples:
With my 15+ years of sales management experience, I know I can quickly get up to speed as ACME Inc.'s next Sales Director. I'd welcome the opportunity to speak with you regarding my qualifications. Next Wednesday, I'll reach out to schedule a call to discuss my thoughts on who to raise ACME Inc.'s ROI by 25% before year-end. I look forward to speaking with you.
I'm inspired by Callister Inc's success in supporting homegrown businesses. I have several ideas for marketing strategies to increase profitability among your customer base and how I can grow your reach. I look forward to the opportunity to share my thoughts with you.
I'm looking forward to discussing my skills and my 10+ years of international hotel management experience. I've several suggestions I'd like to pass by you on how Grand Budapest Hotel can increase its occupancy rate, a challenge all hotels face during the current pandemic. Please contact me at (555) 916-225-5887 or mary.smitters@hotel.com any time. I'll be in touch next Friday to follow up.
Your closing paragraph needs to:
-Be decisive. Decisiveness projects confidence, which is not to be confused with arrogance. Confidence is a massive turn-on with employers. Before the hiring manager can feel (hiring comes down to gut feel) you can do the job, they need to feel that you feel you can do the job.
-Write to what you can do for the employer, not what they can do for you.
-Offer a teaser. To use another movie analogy, think of Marlon Brando's words in The Godfather, "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." This sets the foundation for what'll be discussed and therefore puts you in the driver's seat.
-Mention you'll follow up. (Then DO IT!)
The last point is a job search game-changer. Many career experts claim following up is overly aggressive. The way I see it, not following up makes you passive, which is a form of being lazy. I'm repeating myself; employers don't hire lazy.
There's been a few instances where I've been overwhelmed with resumes. Those who called me almost always got an interview. I can recall three times where I hired the person based on a "follow-up" phone conversation.
A few weeks back, a Regional Sales Director for a large pharmaceutical company told me when hiring a sales representative, he only grants interviews to those who follow up. This makes sense since sales success requires being comfortable making calls.
Bottom-line: Following up by phone will set you apart from your competition.
Of course, if the job posting says "No phone calls please.", which is uncommon, you need to respect such instruction.
Regarding signing off, use any of the following:
-Sincerely
-Best regards
-Sincere regards
-Yours truly
-Respectfully
As I've mentioned in an earlier column, there's no universal hiring methodology. Don't stress over small details, such as how to sign off. Throughout your search, focus on communicating how you're able to bring results (value). Such focus will have you A-B-C.
If you're wondering what the other set of letters Blake had written on the blackboard, they were AIDA - Attention, Interest, Decision, Action. This is what your cover letter needs to do.
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.

How Accurate Is Your Blood Pressure Reading?

 How Accurate Is Your Blood Pressure Reading?

 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
  Having your blood pressure taken during an annual checkup is always part of the routine. In fact, compared to CT scans and MRI procedures used to detect complex problems, most people don’t give blood pressure readings much thought. As long as the doctor reports normal readings, there’s no reason for concern. But have you ever wondered if your blood pressure reading is accurate?
Multiple studies have shown that 15 to 30 percent of those who have elevated blood pressure in a doctor’s office or other health care setting have normal blood pressure when checked at home. It is not shocking news. You must be a pretty cool patient not to be somewhat uptight in medical offices. There is always the concern the doctor will have bad news.
What may be a surprise is that there are 19 requirements to obtain a true blood pressure reading! How many of these measures are followed in a busy doctor’s office?

For instance, patients are required to sit for five minutes before a blood pressure reading is taken with back supported and feet flat on the ground. This means that perching on an examining table with feet dangling is a no, no. So is crossing your legs. Never place the cuff over clothing. And at least two measurements should be taken during the visit, with the average being recorded.

Patients should also relax and breath normally. Smoking before the test, consuming caffeine, or exercising all forbidden before a blood pressure reading. And it you are on hypertensive medication, don’t take it just before the visit to the doctor’s office.
Another important no-no which you may not have considered is that blood pressure must not be taken when you have a full bladder. So, have the courage to say, “Doctor, before you take my blood pressure, could you wait for a few minutes so I can use the bathroom?”

What about the blood pressure cuff? A cuff that is too small or large can cause an unreliable reading. So can a cuff that is too tight or not tight enough. Your arm should be resting on a table roughly the height of your heart while blood pressure is being taken. A series of readings over time are more accurate if taken at the same time of the day in a similar context.

Do you still have blind confidence in your blood pressure readings? If you have been prescribed blood pressure medication, do you need it? Or was the diagnosis the result of “white-coat hypertension”?
If these basic blood pressure requirements are not filled during a medical examination, patients left with a quandary. It requires a strong personality to say to the nurse or doctor, “I’m worried this may be not an accurate blood pressure reading because you failed to follow the standard procedures.” It’s not the best way to engender good relations between doctor and patient. So, what else can be done?

For anyone taking blood pressure drugs, it’s prudent to purchase an automatic digital blood pressure monitor. These are more accurate than the traditional manual devices used in offices that require a squeeze of the rubber bulb to inflate the cuff. All you have to do with a digital device is to wrap the cuff around the arm, push the button to inflate the cuff, and in a few moments, you have the result.

Now it’s easy to say, “Doctor my digital cuff says my blood pressure is consistently 130/80 when I am at home. Maybe I just have white coat hypertension.”

For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com.
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Job hunting is a selling process. Those who embrace this job search truism shorten their job search

 Job hunting is a
selling process. Those
who embrace this job search truism shorten their job search
By Nick Kossovan
Job hunting is a selling process. Those who embrace this job search truism shorten their job search.
There are two basic selling processes:
-Transactional
-Solution-based
 
In transactional selling, the salesperson has limited options. Basically, they're offering an inventory of products from a catalogue and negotiating a price (usually based on volume), payment, and delivery. Solution-based selling is more complicated. In a solution-based selling scenario the seller focuses on a specific issue or problem the customer faces and suggests corresponding services or products to solve that issue and customizes their offering accordingly.

Applying to a job posting, or a job opportunity you uncovered through networking, is comparable to solution-based selling. Keep this in mind as you write the second paragraph of your cover letter.
 
After telling the reader, in the opening paragraph of your cover letter, you're the ideal candidate for the job, you must prove it; otherwise, your first paragraph was just your opinion. As I've mentioned in an earlier column, employers don't hire opinions; they hire results.
 
The second paragraph is your sales pitch. Here's where you show the hiring manager you're a good fit for the position. This is done by choosing 3 - 6 experiences/skills/traits that connect your accomplishments with the job posting's job requirements. Remember, numbers and metrics are essential to making your "sales pitch" persuasive.
 
Here's an example:
 
For the past 8 years, I've managed Bravo Pizza's Western Canada sales territory. I increased sales by 260% during that time, averaging $48,000 in sales every day, translating into approximately 12,000 pizzas/daily. This achievement required my making daily cold calls to sign on over 345 new grocery stores to carry Bravo Pizza's line of frozen pizzas. I also implemented retargeting sales campaigns using Facebook Pixel and other data tracking technologies. As well, I created 10+ cold email templates that were adopted as a company standard. The bottom line is this: I'm able to hit the ground running and becoming a part of increasing Pumpkin Desserts' revenue.
While this paragraph will do the job personally, I prefer bullet points. Using bullet points would redesign the above example to read as follows:
 
In reference to your requirements outlined in the Marketing Analyst job ad description, I can offer Pumpkin Desserts:
-Over 8 years of sales territory management for Bravo Pizza, a nationwide frozen food company.
-Increased sales from $6.8 million annually to $17.8, a 260% increase. ($48,000 in daily sales, which is approx. 12,000 pizzas)
-Implemented retargeting sales campaigns using Facebook Pixel and other data tracking technologies.
-Created 10+ cold email templates that are now used company wide.
 
The bottom line is this: I'm able to hit the ground running and become a part of increasing Pumpkin Desserts' revenue.
Which example is more readable (skimmable)? Bullets direct the reader to important information, information that can persuade them to read your resume, and that you might be worth their time to interview.
Don't restate everything that's on your resume. Cherry-pick experiences that make you a good fit for the position - make connections between what the employer is looking for and what you have to offer.

Last week, I suggested you create a list of 5 - 6 quantified reasons (the more, the better) why an employer should hire you. Such a list will make it easy to fill in the bullet points to customize your cover letter. Hence, your achievements will be relevant to the position.
What makes me especially fond of using bullet points is its flexibility to add additional experiences/skills/traits without creating an overly enormous awkward paragraph. Appropriate additions will further increase your odds of your resume being read and receiving a call for an interview.
For example, could add one of the following:
- McMaster University (DeGroote School of Business) - Bachelor of Commerce (2008).
- Sit on the Canada Food Council Advisory board since 2016.
- Fluently bilingual. (English, French)
- Local Toastmasters (The North Toastmasters, Toronto, ON) club officer since 2013.
- University of Waterloo - Sales and Marketing Fundamentals Certificate (2015).
 
To keep your cover letter concise, don't exceed 6 bullet points.
 
Next week's column will discuss writing the third paragraph of your cover letter, a call to action. A call to action is an intricate part of the selling process.

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.
Remember, the reader will not be rea, qualified, why an employer should hire you.
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

CYBER ATTACKS CYBER SECURITY - CYBER JOKE

 

CYBER ATTACKS
CYBER SECURITY - CYBER JOKE
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    I remember when the internet was introduced to the world.  Most people did not have a computer, forget a cell phone.  I remember coming across this technology and thought.   It has potential.   At that time here at the Central we had interest in going AM/FM but the cost would have been overwhelming and the wait time for an open frequency would have been years.  We then looked at Satellite transmission.  The costs at that time were out of this world.  Satellite transmission prior Sirius Radio was unheard.
   I remember seriously looking at the internet as an alternative.  Unfortunately at that time the signal was weak and forget bandwidth.
I remember having to wait for the modem to warm up and find a signal over the phone line.   We worked with Microsoft on many of their beta trial for industry R/D in order to learn the technology.   Microsoft at that time was a beep on the corporate line.   It seemed as a race to develop technology had been born.
  Everyone realized the potential but the work to cash heaven was far from near.   I remember the first so called browsers.   Primitive and m any took you off working on a blue screen with yellow letters.
  Browsers like Netscape allowed computer users the first glimpses at what was to come.
During those days, the rule of thumb was that the internet was FREE WARE.  What this meant was that everyone self governed as most of the information that you put on that had to be valid and come from some reputable source.   Mostly Universities and governments utilized the net.
The net was a unique place to be and reserved originally for intellectuals and computer interests only.
The introduction of chats was the spark to what the internet is today.  Chat allowed people to exchange in real time live information as before the only means of communication was via email.
  At the same time, chats created the first cloud of doubt that humanity could be trusted.  As many on chats found ways to harass and at time commit crimes that had no jurisdiction for conviction.   
From the sex talk to the many attempting to offer something they would never delivered.     The human aspect, the human decency of the net was compromised.  People would attempt to hack systems as at that time as it is today is very easily done.
Government from day one have been trying to find ways to govern and regulate the net.   An impossible feat.   The net can only be temporarily interrupted and not shut down.   The net is such a sophisticated information system that it will grow out of human touch. With the never ending capabilities of artificial intelligence in the system.   The internet technically and hypothetically can take a life form of it’s own... governed and prosecuted by no one.
Here is the danger.   You hear government complaining about cyber attacks.   The reality of it is you can encrypt all you want.   The bottom line with time anything and or anyone can be hacked.   The more sophisticated the system the easily it becomes to hack utilizing the correct technologies.  Today with the factor of algorithms... No system is safe.   
The utilization of artificial intelligence can only compound the threat of a run away network that can have serious impact on our existence.  At the moment our biggest threat through the net is human origin on human.  What will we do when the threat comes from a learned ideology on governance by a machine that has the ability to perform unlimited algorithms per second. Protecting itself from itself and any threat.   This is the real global threat when it comes to tech.

Our 2021 Civic Holiday

 

Our 2021 Civic Holiday
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
   As we are approaching our Civic Holiday on August the 2nd let us think for a moment of relief from the pandemic blues. Let us celebrate with our family and friends in this beautiful but short Canadian summer. Let us be optimistic about our future.
The Civic Holiday is not a statutory holiday although it's a day off for many employees across the country. The Civic Holiday is commonly referred to as the August long weekend. It is probably the busiest day on highways as tens of thousands of families go camping and to cottages on that weekend.
So let us see a little bit of history of the Civic Holiday in Ontario. The origins of a holiday on the first Monday in August appear to date back to 1869 when Toronto City Council organized the first "day of recreation."
In Ontario, the first Monday of August is technically a municipal holiday, as it is not designated as an official statutory holiday by provincial legislation even thought various private member's bills have been introduced in the Ontario Legislature attempting to make it official, but none has passed to date.
As such, the holiday takes on different names and celebrates different subjects according to municipality. Many Ontario municipalities have chosen to honour a significant local person or organization in order to localize the celebration; when not given a local name (such as in Mississauga), the day is often generically referred to as "Civic Holiday" or "August Civic Holiday".
In 2008, the Ontario Legislature passed a law identifying the first of August as "Emancipation Day", as the British Parliament abolished slavery in the British Empire as of August 1, 1834. It still does not make it an official holiday, however.
The Civic Holiday is now known by one of a number of local appellations, including, among others:
-"Founders' Day" in Brantford (named in 1982): each year, the Brantford Heritage Committee submits a report to City Council with the name or organization that is to be recognized on that day.
-"Joseph Brant Day" in Burlington (): celebrating Joseph Brant, the Mohawk Chief who became known for his treaty negotiations and loyalty to the British.
-"James Cockburn Day" in Cobourg (1999): celebrating James Cockburn, one of the "fathers of Confederation".
-"John Galt Day" in Guelph (2006): celebrating John Galt, the Scottish novelist and businessman who founded the city.
-"George Hamilton Day" in Hamilton: celebrating George Hamilton, the eponymous founder of the city.
-"McLaughlin Day" in Oshawa (1983): celebrating Robert Samuel McLaughlin, who brought General Motors to Oshawa.
-"Colonel By Day" in Ottawa (1996): celebrating Colonel John By, who led the construction of the Rideau Canal and founded Bytown, which became the city of Ottawa.
-"Peter Robinson Day" in Peterborough: celebrating Peter Robinson
-"Alexander Mackenzie Day" in Sarnia (1998): celebrating Alexander Mackenzie, the 2nd Prime Minister of Canada.
-"Simcoe Day" in Toronto: celebrating John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and the leading proponent of the Act Against Slavery.
-"Benjamin Vaughan Day" in Vaughan: celebrating the eponymous Benjamin Vaughan
Here in Durham Region in Oshawa let's have a look at who  Robert Samuel McLaughlin was.
Colonel Robert Samuel McLaughlin, CC ED CD (September 8, 1871 - January 6, 1972) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He started the McLaughlin Motor Car Company in 1907, one of the first major automobile manufacturers in Canada, which evolved into General Motors of Canada.
McLaughlin was born in Enniskillen, near Bowmanville Ontario, to Robert McLaughlin and Mary Smith. As a young man, he worked briefly in a local hardware store, then in 1887 became an apprentice in his father's company, McLaughlin Carriage Works, which had opened in 1867. At one time it was the largest manufacturer of horse-drawn buggies and sleighs in the British Empire.
In 1892, McLaughlin and his brother George become junior partners in their father's company.  In 1898, he married Adelaide Mowbray.
He started producing the McLaughlin-Buick Model F with engines bought from William C. Durant of Buick, incorporating the McLaughlin Motor Car Company on November 20, 1907. In its first full year of operation, 1908, it produced 154 cars. By 1910 he was a director of General Motors. He sold his Chevrolet company stock in 1918, becoming president of General Motors of Canada, which continued to sell cars under the McLaughlin-Buick brand until 1942.
Though he retired in 1945, he remained chairman of the board until his death and remained on the board of General Motors until the early 1960s. He was replaced by Royal Bank of Canada president Earle McLaughlin, his first cousin once removed.
His older brother, chemist John J. McLaughlin (1865-1914), founded the Canada Dry company. After his brother's death in 1914, McLaughlin became president of this company until it was sold around 1923. The longest continuously-serving colonel in the history of the Canadian Forces, McLaughlin was appointed as honorary lieutenant-colonel of the 34th Ontario Regiment (1921 - 1931), when he was appointed as honorary colonel of the same unit, later designated as The Ontario Regiment (RCAC), a reserve armored regiment based in Oshawa. Affectionately known as "Colonel Sam", McLaughlin served as honorary colonel until 1967.
In 1967, McLaughlin was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada.
A great Canadian, McLaughlin made a lot of charitable contributions.
In 1951, he established the McLaughlin Foundation which, donated nearly $200 million between 1953 and 2003 to the University of Toronto and other educational causes, including the McLaughlin Planetarium at the Royal Ontario Museum.
At Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, the university's Mechanical Engineering Department is housed in McLaughlin Hall, his donation in 1948. McLaughlin Hall in Queen's University's John Deutsch University Centre is also named for him. Queen's honored his wife, Adelaide McLaughlin, in 1957, by naming the women's residence Adelaide Hall.
In 1947 McLaughlin and his wife donated land for "Camp Samac", a Boy Scout camp on the outskirts of Oshawa.
McLaughlin donated $1 million to the 1968 library building at the University of Guelph, which bears his name.
He provided partial funding to build McLaughlin College at York University in Toronto, opened in 1968. In recognition for his contributions to St. Andrew's College in Aurora, Ontario, McLaughlin Hall is named after him, which he unveiled in 1971 at the age of 99.
He endowed the Regimental Foundation of the Ontario Regiment (RCAC) and quietly paid the salaries of some of the regiment's soldiers during times of severely curtailed government funding. McLaughlin House at the Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific also bears his name.
He gave generously to the art community, donating paintings from his personal collection. Among other gifts, he gave Lawren Harris`s Pic Island, Arthur Lismer`s Bright Land, and Emily Carr`s Old Tree at Dusk to the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg.
So get ready to celebrate but remember that here in Durham region in Oshawa, we have history to tell. Have a safe celebration.

It Starts with Your Cover Letter's First Paragraph

 It Starts with Your Cover Letter's First Paragraph
By Nick Kossovan
  You may recall in an earlier column I stated whether requested or not, not including a cover letter is lazy. Most hiring managers don't hire lazy, thus the importance of including a cover letter.

A cover letter is a one-page letter (no more than 250 words) whose job is to get the reader to read your resume, as well as persuade why you should be interviewed. At this stage of your job search, focus on getting interviews, not on getting a job offer. Job hunting is a step-by-step process.

Warren Buffett gives the following advice in Gillian Zoe Segal's book "Getting There: A Book of Mentors" - "Focus on your communication skills." His reason, "What's essential is being able to get others to follow your ideas." Persuasive writing displays strong writing skills; a skill employers value. Above all hard skills, I value communication skills the highest. I gravitate to candidates who show such skills.

Remember, the reader will not be reading; they'll be skimming. It's paramount you start with how you can add value to the employer.
TIP: Paste your cover letter into Hemingway App (www.hemingwayapp.com). This free app will assist you in making your writing concise and clear. As well, it'll highlight lengthy, complex sentences and common errors.

After you greet the hiring manager (by name), you'll begin your cover letter's first paragraph. This is where the rubber first meets the road - you'll be introducing yourself. Either you'll grab the reader's attention, and they'll keep reading and open your attached resume, or they'll click on the trash icon.
I've read more than my share of boring cookie cutter cover letters. Most didn't inspire me to keep reading after the first sentence.
Your opening paragraph doesn't need to be extravagant. Keep it simple and straightforward. State why you're writing, the position you're applying for and how you found out about the job opening.

Almost all job seekers start their cover letter with, "I'm applying for X job I saw posted on Y place." This is a waste of a cover letter's most valuable real estate. Lead with a strong opening sentence!

EXAMPLE 1 (simple, to the point):
"I'm an IT professional with more than 15 years of experience looking for an opportunity to apply my skills in new ways. I'd love to bring my expertise and high energy to your growing development team at Sirius Cybernetics Corp."

EXAMPLE 2 (show enthusiasm):
"I'm excited to see Clampett Oil is hiring an event manager who's skilled at increasing brand awareness and driving growth with high-traffic events. I've attended several of your company's speaking events. Their high calibre impressed me. With five years of experience coordinating events in the corporate world, I'm confident I'd be a great fit for the role."

EXAMPLE 3 (show your results):
"Last quarter, I increased Gringotts Instagram followers from 6,377 to 11,633. I also executed two successful ad campaigns that generated over $28,000 in revenue. I'd love to bring my social media expertise to Oscorp as your next social media manager and expand your social reach and deliver above-average ROI."

EXAMPLE 4 (mutual connection):
"When Alex Johnson, a former colleague, told me you were hiring for a Director of PMO, I knew I had to apply. Alex and I have worked together for many years, most recently on a complex data analysis project at Oceanic Airlines. He believes I'd be a good match for this position on your team."

TIP: It's worth the effort to find or create a connection within the company you're applying to and bring it to the hiring manager's attention. Mentioning a connection will set you apart from the other applicants. This is the reason why those who understand the value of networking land the plumb jobs.

An eye-catching first paragraph will be descriptive and robust. Action words such as "generate," "deliver," and "execute" will make your opening stronger.
Next week I'll discuss your cover letter's second paragraph, which is your sales pitch. I like to start with, "Let me draw your attention to two reasons why I'd be a great addition to (your team, your department, ABC Inc.)." For now, list 5 - 6 reasons, qualified, why an employer should hire you.
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

CAN WE AFFORD TO GIVE AWAY 17.7 MILLION?

 

CAN WE AFFORD TO GIVE AWAY
17.7 MILLION?
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    I don’t know about you.   But I keep seeing and hearing of all the people undergoing economic hardships across the region.  Stores keep closing, people keep loosing jobs, mortgages and hope.  
  It seems as the gloom and doom cloud can’t be shaken.   On top of that we could be yet be facing another wave of the Delta variance.
How much more can the people of Canada take.   I must admit that the Federal government has been quick to respond by extending numerous plans to assure everyone in need gets some sort of assistance.
Sadly many people I talk to do not know that they are entitled to apply or for that matter even know how to.
Others get entangled in red tape only to become discouraged and given up.
This week a news item came across my desk.  It read:  Canada donating 17.7M AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines amid global disparities.
Canada continues to rapidly ramp up vaccinations against COVID-19 but there remain stark inequities in vaccine access globally, the WHO has warned.
  Now don’t get me wrong.  Nothing wrong with being generous and giving.... but should we not be thinking about our people first?
We have a record number of homeless people walking our streets.  We have a record number of people loosing their homes, jobs.   Should we not invest that money in our people?
I know the cry.  The government is doing all they can to assure people do not go without.
I can respect that.  My question is then why the need to give away 17.7 million that could go as a top up to those in need?
This covid thing is not over.  The number are being managed but the threat is still very real.   
I must acknowledge that in th covid model it appears that we found a magic bullet with possible two outcomes.  On the one.  It appears to have an impact on the spread of the virus.  On the other we are yet to uncover the true and real side ramifications of all jumping in front of the silver bullet.
 Will it hit its mark or will it end up killing us.   Did we just prolonged life only to come to realize that the cure is worst than the infection.
The theorist amongst us are already ramping up all kinds of things from the coincidence of the G5 network implemented across north America at the same time as everyone is being forced through fear of illness to vaccinate with nano-tech activator as inhibitors.   The reality of it is.  That we need to assure we Canadians lives quality of life is preserved and that before we give away any money in the name of charity or humanity to other nations, that we Canadians are taken care.

Canada's long hot summer

 Canada's long hot summer

    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
   As election rumors are becoming more and more persistent from the appointment of a new governor general to a flurry of spending announcements, an early Canadian federal election is now quite a foregone conclusion.

The polls are looking good for the governing liberals and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh can ask the prime minister to hold off for another two years, but no one is ready to listen.  Across the country, parties and candidates are gearing up for the fight that's palpable in the summer heat. Apparently out of the Covid-19 pandemic scare, it seems that temptations are running high for a federal election.

The only question is when the election will be called. As parliament is not sitting non confidence votes are not on the horizon and only the Prime Minister can call the election.

Still there are many factors at play besides looking good in the polls.  There is the vaccine rollout, and regional issues including the Alberta referendum on equalization, scheduled for Oct. 7 and an imminent election in Nova Scotia.

The rules in Nova Scotia for an election campaign are, first, the vote will be held on a Tuesday and, second, the campaign must be at least 30 days long. So, if the Premier of Nova Scotia, Iain Rankin, drops the writ any time up until and including this week or the next, that implies an election day of August 17 in Nova Scotia at the earliest. His decision is almost certain to have an impact on any decision Prime Minister Justin Trudeau might make about the timing of the country's 44th general election. Trudeau and Rankin, both leaders of Liberal parties, are very close to each other and in close contact.

Let's assume then that Trudeau will call the general election at his first available opportunity after Aug. 17.
The rules for the federal campaign are, first, the vote will be held on a Monday and, second, the campaign must be a minimum of 36 days long.
So that implies that the earliest date for a federal election would be Sept. 27, with the federal writ drop sometime between Aug. 18 and Aug. 22.
Regardless of what he ultimately decides to do, the Prime Minister isn't going to announce his intentions until he's en route to Rideau Hall.

Another issue working in favor of an early federal election is the fact that Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford, both deeply unpopular at present, may dampen federal Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole's support. Having Kenney preaching the evils of equalization while O'Toole is trying to drum up votes in Quebec is a real Liberal dream, as is reminding Ontario voters of their government's chaotic and ill-received pandemic response.

To add to the cause is the implosion of the Green Party, which is still busy playing knife-the-leader. Even if the party gets it together, much damage has been done, with voters potentially turned off and turning away. The question is who will benefit most if their 6.5 per cent of the 2019 vote slips away: the NDP or the Liberals?

So as the politicians speculate and the Prime Minister weighs all these considerations, seeking to score a coveted majority, Canadians are busily getting back to their almost-normal lives. In politics, as in post-pandemic life, it seems, everything old is new again.

While the liberals are basking in all these good news for them, the official opposition, the conservatives, are not doing so well.
The official line in Conservative circles is: Don't panic. Campaigns matter, a week is a long time in politics, remember what happened to David Peterson, etc…
However, it is becoming clearer by the day that the Conservatives are lacking leadership. Certainly Erin O'Toole's approval numbers must be dismaying to Conservative supporters. Just 14 per cent of respondents in the latest Nanos poll picked him as their preferred prime minister, versus 37 per cent for Justin Trudeau - and 18 per cent for Jagmeet Singh. With a rudderless party and a weather vane leader what can you expect?

In terms of policy on many of the most important issues of the day, Conservatives have either had nothing to say or have really actively just antagonized voters they might otherwise have reached. You cannot lead by issuing only motherhood statements. You need to have new and innovative ideas and take a strong position on what you believe to be traditional conservative policies - free markets, lower taxes, balanced budgets - and promoting and defending it with vigour. More broadly, under Erin O'Toole's guidance the Conservative party seems to have lost its nerve becoming an amorphous entity in danger of losing badly in the next election; reminiscent of the Liberal loss in the 2011 election under the leadership of Michael Ignatieff.

Moreover, while the Liberals, have always been able to recruit individuals with a record of accomplishment in other fields, the Conservatives unfortunately tend to get stuck with the lifers, people who have never done anything but partisan politics and are motivated by nothing other than hatred of the Liberals and detached from the real life and concerns of citizens. That attitude has given a bigger opportunity to the new nascent People's Party of Canada to stand up to the real conservative values.

So the imminently upcoming federal election will be an interesting one and do not forget to vote for the best people to represent you.

Have a wonderful and covidless summer

Turning Point

 Direct Answers
from Wayne & Tamara

Turning Point
Q I am a 36-year-old woman. I purchased a home with my husband five years ago. Shortly after, things went downhill, just like my first marriage. He didn't pay attention to me, I was lonely, and I felt so unloved and unwanted.

     My husband’s son from a previous relationship was living with us at the time ,and he had friends who would frequent our house. One in particular I became close to. Eventually we started spending a lot of time together.

     I thought I was crazy because I felt more than I should have, seeing as he was only 16 at the time and I was 32. The age of consent here is 16.

     We began to flirt, then the big thing happened. We started to be intimate. I fell for him and he fell for me, and we have been together since. Until recently that is. He started saying cruel things about our age difference.

     He doesn’t want to let go, and I definitely don’t want to either. I hurt so bad inside because I really do love him. I have been separated from my husband on and off through the last four years. I don’t believe I can save my marriage due to the strong feelings I have for this young man.

     I need advice because all the people I know wouldn’t know what advice to give. I am confused and feel so all alone.
Debbie
A Debbie, forty years ago V. C. Andrews published Flowers in the Attic, her first novel. Critics were not kind. One called the book “deranged swill.”

     Andrews specialized in tales of forbidden love, forbidden acts, and family secrets. Some of her characters were without conscience, without morals, and without character. Some of her stories leave you with a feeling of yuck. But the books were page-turners.
     Your story has the potential to be a page-turner, too. It also has the potential to leave you with a feeling of yuck.
     The plot of your life is simple. A lonely young woman seeks love. She marries twice, but neither marriage gives her what she wants. She wants to be the center of a man’s world. Perhaps she was so hungry for love she thought each day would be like the day she got engaged.
     But new car smell doesn’t last forever, especially with the wrong man.
     Still craving to be loved, she starts looking at the boys who come into her home. Deep down, she knows that is just convenience.

     But she goes forward with one of them. He goes forward too, not because he loves her but because he loves having sex with her. He is too immature to think beyond that.
     Now, like a vintage V. C. Andrews novel, your plot is stretching toward the forbidden.
     Debbie, perhaps the level of attention you need cannot be sustained by a man. But the bigger question is what are you doing to make yourself feel important, valuable, and useful?
     The plot of your life has the potential to make you a villain. And while it is true that every good story needs a villain, there will be little comfort for you in becoming one.

     Then again, maybe you are the victim in the story, because you were never schooled in the right routines of life. But being a victim will not give you comfort either.

     We want you to be the heroine of your own story. However, every good story must have a turning point, where the heroine takes a stand and alters the course of her life. The turning point in your story entails divorce, separating from a young lover, and getting professional help.
     There is a memorable story told about Mohandas Gandhi. Gandhi was on a train at a station. As the train began to pull out, a reporter came to the window and asked Gandhi for a message he could give to his readers.

     As the train moved slowly away, Gandhi wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to the reporter. On the paper, Gandhi had written, “My life is my message.”
     What message do you want to send with your life?
Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER HAS TO GO

 INTEGRITY COMMISSIONER
HAS TO GO
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    I been following city hall now for 25 years.    To me it appears that the more times passes, the less representation we seem to have.   Politicians sit in office term after term and nothing seems to really improve in our daily lives.
   Since the acquisition of an integrity commissioner.  It appears that even less gets accomplished by elected council... as the commissioner appears to be the inhibitor of progress due to the lack of understanding of what it truly means to be a councillor is for new inexperienced elected councillors.
   Councillor turn the integrity commissioner for advice and for direction.   That should not be the role of the commissioner.   Rookie councillors that have no real municipal experience and no real understanding of what their responsibility in that  job is are in my opinion mislead and directed to do nothing in the fear of reprisal by the commissioner.
   As it stand the City of Oshawa is run by staff.  Staff that does not have any interest in the development of the City other then keeping the status quo and their good paying jobs.    They hide behind the integrity commissioner when challenged or asked to do something outside of their job description.  This is wrong.  Staff are staff that should be there to assist and make the process go faster for citizens.  Councillors are mid managers that represent the interest of the Citizens.  The Mayor is the Chief Executive Officer and has the responsibility and power to over turn staff without consultation.   Council is like a public toilet.  They bring the issues there because our city elect have in many cases no clue what to do.  So they kick issues around ask for staff input and in a half wit way they vote... not on projected plans or ideologies but on what everyone else thinks is good.  This is wrong.
The Commissioners role as specified:  While the Integrity Commissioner’s independent investigative role is extremely important, it has been observed that the investigation of potential contraventions is a last resort.  Ideally, members should act ethically and in compliance with codes so that a contravention never occurs.  To this  end, the Integrity Commission plays a vital  “proactive” role, providing advice and guidance to promote ethical compliance across  the Region and the local municipalities.   As it stands and in my opinion.  Councillor are the under the impression that they have no power other then the vote on council.  citizens have turned to councillor for help.  Only to not have their phone calls returned... and or referred back to staff.  That is  not the proper protocol.   The practice protocol is implemented due to the fact these particular council members have no clue on the importance and power in their positions.  So they refer folks back to staff that truly do not go out of the way of ratepayers as they will not jeopordize doing anything other than their jobs.  This has got worst year by year.  The Commissioner needs to go and council members need to pull up their boots and represent citizens in a positive way.

Challenging times for Canada's democracy

 Challenging times for Canada's democracy
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
  The latest accelerating events connected to the residential school generated crisis, amplified by toppling and destroying statues of historical figures and the churches burned down represent a new trend on the political landscape of Canada. All these atrocities are happening with the political establishment closing their eyes to recent events and the total absence of law enforcement.  How is democracy served or protected by the selective application of democratic rights already curtailed by the erratically established Covid -19 pandemic legislation?
Our nationhood is under threat by recent events. Instead of uniting the nation the political establishment is dividing it in pursuit of selfish and power hungry personal interests. They are interested only in keeping power at all costs.
The globalist declaration of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that: "Canada has no core identity" is already infamous.   
As a reaction of this declaration many of the political establishment found it imaginative, evocative, even dangerous.  It was, in effect, telling the world that the Canada everyone thought they knew was going through a transformation. What kind of transformation is the big question.
It's clear we are in a dangerous moment, one where a new direction is entirely possible under a reincarnation of newly found Marxist values and where going back to learning from the past seems unacceptable.  
Trudeau informed the New York Times that this "new" country is no longer defined by our history or European national origins but by a "pan-cultural heritage," he ran the risk of overlooking much of what made this country one of the most respected in the world and the results were seen recently in events that rapidly evolved in a divided nation.
We might be heading in a new direction, but where we have come from, despite our many failures, has helped prepare us to preserve a society for inclusion and respect for our fellow Canadians.
We have been more open than closed and more accommodating than militant and the world noticed and respected it.
Recently the term "identity" has morphed into numerous meanings, including "identity politics," and the outcome is more dangerous and dividing than tried to be defined.  
The ideals that once held this country together are now under increased threat.  It's not wrong or unpatriotic to ask how Canada will fare with so many groups seeking recognition and redress, all seeking action at the same time. Is this new identity politics going to push us past the national breaking point?
The main political parties in Canada, with the exception of the emerging Peoples Party of Canada, seem to embrace this dangerous threat to democracy. There is a general acknowledgement that the issues surrounding the residential schools, gender inequities, the casual acceptance of racism, even the trivial manner in which we treat the nation's poor can no longer be accepted and have tainted the very history we have come to accept.  But this does not mean that we should extirpate our history instead of learning from it.
All of these artificially amplified injustices actually give support to Trudeau's claim that Canada is now a "post-national" state, a globalist one, one seeking to transcend its history and supersede the nation-states.  But that sounds more like we are trying to run away from our history rather than accommodating these new directions with our abiding long applied resiliencies.
Until recently, our political world was viewed as a giant struggle between the left and the right.  The left concentrated on wealth disbursal, meaningful work, equity and equality, and democratic reform.  The right rallied around smaller government, fewer restrictions in the marketplace and moral rigour in decision-making.
Suddenly, a new concept has entered the picture, seeking to eliminate past experiences and rejecting the very foundation of this nation called Canada.
Identity is now the great pursuit of the moment and dominates the thoughts of people seeking something different, something more equal.  It makes some sense, given that all these identity-driven forces were most often ignored in our past pursuits of prosperity and respect.  
The confluence of greater indigenous experience and wisdom integrated in our future evolution can only be a good thing since they are a constituent part of our nation. Greater recognition of women's rights and proper place in the workforce is long overdue, as is the acknowledgement that the discrimination of various types that had been present in our past need not be embedded in our future.
But the fact remains that we should remain a nation a special one where we continue to live in peace and prosperity.  We have a story to tell and a world in which to tell it. Should we become a land of opposing factions seeking recognition, we can risk being motivated more by anger and pride than reason and compromise.
The Canadian experience, while never complete, can be torn apart in a time of ill motivated political ambitions. So it is time to have an intelligent political management in paying due respect from all Canadians towards each other if we are to navigate the unchartered waters ahead.
The recent identity politics is becoming more and more a disturbing and manipulative element in a democracy with its competing ideas.  It remains every group's right to seek equal recognition for the groups that have been neglected in our history. However great care must be taken that such a desire not morph into a sense of superiority and ruin the democratic pursuit of our nation.
Democracy has been improved and enhanced the more egalitarian it became which required those in privilege and power to open the access to such things to the marginalized.  But it can become toxic when those seeking inclusion then seek power to delegitimize the state.
So for of the potential challenges we live at this moment in time and, if we are not paying attention as citizens, it can quickly become one of the most dangerous moments in our country's journey, where our hegemony declines and our divisions rule our actions.
What do you think?

Fixing the Leak of Untold Incontinence

   Fixing the Leak of Untold Incontinence

 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
 Fixing the Leak of Untold Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is one of the most common problems of aging. It instills, needlessly, the prospect of embarrassment and a fear of leaving the house. Comedians quip, "If you don't know when you need to go, by the time you find out, you've already gone!" But in fact, it's no laughing matter when a sneeze, cough, or even just standing up causes urine suddenly to leak through your clothes.
Stress incontinence occurs when pressure in the urinary bladder is greater than the ability of the muscles to hold back the flow of urine. In men, it may be associated with aging, or the result of a radical prostatectomy for cancer of the prostate gland. For women, it's often due to repeated pregnancies and the strain on pelvic muscles during labour.
Urge incontinence is the issue when you feel a sense of panic. "I've got to go quickly to urinate or I'm in trouble." The sudden, intense urge to urinate is followed by an involuntary loss of urine.
The risk factors include obesity, which increases pressure on the bladder and surrounding muscles, and smoking, where continually coughing exerts stress on pelvic muscles.
Constipation is another factor. Grunting and pushing with bowel movements of hard, compacted stools further injures pelvic muscles and causes nerves to become overactive, which increases the urge to urinate frequently. Taking 2,000 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C at bedtime triggers results. If it does not, increase to 4,000 the next night. Then eat a high fiber cereal and a hot drink in the morning. A bowel movement will follow. As a cardinal rule, don't ruin your colon with laxatives.
Making changes in lifestyle can help to ease this problem. Decrease caffeine, alcohol and other diuretics. Stop smoking. Avoid acidic foods.
Remember dams that leak must be strengthened. So do exercises. Imagine trying to pick up a marble and hold it using the muscles in your pelvic floor. Do this eight times several times a day and continue daily for three months. Remember Rome wasn't built in a day. This simple procedure usually improves incontinence as it bulks up pelvic muscles surrounding the urethra (the tube that carries urine to the outside) and helps to stop dribbling of urine. If the muscles have become so weak that they fail to respond to this exercise your doctor may suggest electrical stimulation to trigger muscle response.
Artificial bulking agents made of biocompatible material are available to help improve urethral function. A cystoscope is inserted into the penis or vagina and the bulking agent is injected around the urethra. This may take two or three sessions to get the required result. But results are not as good in males who have had a radical prostatectomy.
If all this fails, surgery will be suggested. For women this usually means a vaginal operation, but some surgeons prefer an abdominal one. A sling operation is currently the most effective. The rationale behind this surgery is quite simple. By placing a sling under the urinary bladder, it will not only be lifted, but the procedure will also change the angle, decreasing the loss of urine.
For males with significance urinary incontinence who have had a radical prostatectomy, an artificial urinary valve can be inserted which closes the valve on a continual basis. But it can be opened by a small pump implanted under the scrotum skin.
Urinary incontinence is called a "closet problem". After all, who wants to admit they wet their pants. But too many North Americans suffer from this disorder in silence, when they should be getting help.
Visit www.docgiff.com for health tips and more. For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com. Follow us on Instagram @docgiff and @diana_gifford_jones
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

Heading Nowhere

 Direct Answers
from Wayne & Tamara

Heading Nowhere
  Q About 16 years ago, I fell in love with an elegant, well-educated, good-looking woman. We were madly in love and became a couple. I had just stepped out of a bad separation, but her divorce was even worse.
     Our relationship soon got disturbed by strange events on her side, mostly when alcohol was involved—extreme jealousy, silence, and a domineering attitude.  Sometimes she sent me away; other times I left the scene because I could not cope.  On one Christmas Eve holiday she left me at the dinner table, took a plane, and went home.
     My attempts to get her back were amazing; I even painted messages on the walls on the way to her house.  A couple of times I tried to forget her with another relationship, but after some months I missed her so much I went back.  She always received me with open arms, and we started all over again.
     Strangely, during our separations she never tried to contact me or explain her attitude.  Last year I gave it one last try, and she coldly asked me to leave.  I left heartbroken and burned my bridges, even sending her a nasty e-mail for the first time.  Since then she haunts my mind; she was the love of my life.  How can I get over this without hurting myself any longer?
Alex

A Alex, you were in an on-again, off-again relationship for 16 years. You want to focus on the on-again part, but that is not where your attention should be. You should focus on what was wrong. You should focus on the part that wasn’t there.
     In 16 years a child could go from the first day in school to a university degree.  In that same period you could have had a 16 year marriage to the right person.  But you kept going back to something which was not working, and now, because you have not found another to be with, you focus on the good times with her.
     She was with you because of her personality quirks and perhaps her alcoholism.  Without those quirks and that habit, would she have been with you at all?  If she were sober now, would she want you in her life as a reminder of her befuddled past?
     Some people can only quit a bad habit when it goes to an extreme.  They won’t watch their weight until they need to inject insulin.  They won’t quit chewing tobacco until they’ve lost part of their cheek or gum.  They are always behind, always in arrears.  Their books are always overdue.
     If you are going to have someone for the rest of your life, be open to it now.  Life never goes backwards.  It goes forward.

Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Your Education and Certificates Need to Align the Job Requirements

 

Your Education and Certificates Need to Align the Job Requirements
By Nick Kossovan
  After your professional experience, your education/certifications (verified skills) will be the next section on your resume the reader will use to judge whether you go into the "to be interviewed" pile.
Many job seekers apply to job postings knowing they don't have the education/certification requirements. They believe their "experience" will compensate. With so many highly qualified job seekers now on the job market this is rarely the case. If your education/certifications align with the job requirements, the education section of your resume will play a critical part in setting you apart from all the "spray and pray" job seekers.
Suppose a job posting for a Director of Finance lists as a qualification "Canadian Accounting Designation (CPA)." You have a university degree and 15 years of experience managing a mid-size company's finances, but no CPA-don't bother applying. Job postings generate an influx of applicants. Undoubtedly there'll be many applicants who possess a CPA applying. There's also the employer's ATS to consider, which likely has been programmed to scan for "CPA."  
Education background information you should provide:
- Degree/certification obtained
- School's name
- Location of school
- Period of attendance
- Relevant coursework
- Honors, academic recognition, extracurricular activities, or organizations participation worth mentioning
When it comes to presenting your educational background keep your ego in check. You may have impressive education background; however, it may not be impressive for the job you're vying for. Prioritize relevancy over perceived prestige.
Here's my suggestion how to present your education/certificates (there's no hard formatting rule):
BS Biomedical Science
University of Calgary, Calgary, AB - 09/1992 - 06/1996
Courses:
- Principles of Human Genetics
- Organismal Biology
- Principles and Mechanisms of Pharmacology
- Advanced Bioinformatics
PMP® Certification
Ryerson University Continuing Education, Toronto, ON - 10/2001 - 04/2003
Courses:
- Planning and Scheduling
- Leadership in Project Management
- Project Cost and Procurement Management
- Project Risk and Quality Management
As I've pointed out in previous columns- there's no universal hiring methodology. No two hiring managers assess candidates the same way. Depending on the job requirements respective employers search for different things when it comes to a candidate's education. Read the qualifications in the job posting carefully. Then present your education/credentials accordingly. Don't hesitate to add/remove courses to better tie in your education towards the job. It's for this reason I suggest you list courses, not just your degree/certification. Listing of courses is rarely done, doing so will give your resume a competitive advantage.    You'll have noticed my examples indicated start and end dates. Many "career experts" advise against this. The thinking being dates, even just the graduation year, will give employer's a sense of your age, which if your over 45 can hinder and prolong your job search. This advice is supposed to be a workaround to ageism. However, these same "career experts" unanimously agree employment dates (month/year) need to be indicated. To me, this is a mixed message.    
I believe in complete transparency from both sides of the hiring process. Full transparency ensures the likelihood of there being a solid fit for both parties. At some point, whether when the employer checks your digital footprint or interviews you, your interviewer will have a good indication of your age. Besides, not mentioning dates, which I call "obvious" information, is a red flag.
If your age is a deal-breaker with an employer, they aren't the employer for you. The job search advice I give most often: Seek employers who'll most likely accept you, where you'll feel you belong-look for your tribe. Some professions, such as finance or healthcare, require specific certifications or degrees. In such cases, show you have the necessary "must-have" (a deal-breaker if you don't) credentials by placing your education at the top of the page just below your contact information before your professional experience. One last note: Often overlooked is education in progress. If relevant, this should be included in your resume. In this case, list pertinent courses and the month/year you intend to graduate. Using suggestions in this and previous columns you are now able to create a resume that "WOWs." Next week, I'm going to begin discussing cover letters. Yes, many hiring managers, like myself, do read cover letters, which have one purpose-to give the reader a reason to read your resume. 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.

Presenting Your Professional Experience: Numbers Are Your Friends

 Presenting Your
Professional Experience:
Numbers Are Your Friends
By Nick Kossovan
Numbers rule the business world-revenue, headcount, process time, value increase, number of clients, inventory count, profit margin, credit rating, customer satisfaction score. Numbers indicate and measure success or failure, whether a business activity is positive or negative to the bottom line. You'd be hard-pressed to find a business decision made without some factoring in of "the numbers," be it stats, cost, the potential return on investment.
Hiring is a business decision.
To make a strong case for yourself (Envision your selling features.) throughout your resume use numbers, the language of business, to quantify your results and establish yourself as someone who can bring value to an employer. Using numbers shows you understand how companies operate and that they exist to make a profit. Most importantly, using results-achieved numbers displays your value.
Which job seeker displays better value?
Candidate 1: Duties included taking field measurements and maintaining records, setting up and tracking project using Microsoft Project.
Candidate 2: Spearheaded the Hazzard County water decontamination project, finishing $125,000 under budget due to a 25% decrease in staff allocation time.
Which job seeker gives a clearer picture of their responsibilities?
Candidate 1: Supervised team leaders. Candidate 2: Supervised 3 team leaders, collectively responsible for 40 CSRs answering 1,750 - 2,500 calls daily.
Which job seeker shows their work ethic?
Candidate 1: Completed first editing pass on articles.
Candidate 2: Reviewed and evaluated 50 - 75 articles per week, deciding whether to reject the article, forward it to the editorial team, or send it back to the author with revision suggestions.
Information quantified means something. Information not quantified is just an opinion. Most resumes are just a list of opinions, thus quantifying your professional experience will set you apart from your competition.
TIP: Always use bullets, not paragraphs, to describe your professional experiences.
For each position you list on your resume, ask yourself:
-Did I increase my employer's revenue? How? -Did I save my employer money? -Did I save time?
-Was my boss(es), colleagues, staff, customers, vendors, and leadership team members happier because of me?  -How did I contribute to improving my employer's business?
When answering these questions, quantify (percentage, range, monetary, frequency, before/after comparison, ratio). Creating a resume that WOWs requires filling it with quantified results-rich statements. -Reduced customer complaints by 47% by implementing a formal feedback system.
-Improved product delivery time 22% after assigning clarified monthly job tasks to team members.
-In 2020, grew revenue 33%, and improved gross margin by 22%, by standardizing business operating procedures.   -Produced $1.75M in cost-savings after renegotiating the company's supply and service contracts (14 vendors).  -Built sales organization from the ground up, hiring and training 15 sales representatives within 6 months.  -In 2019, generated over $7.25M in additional revenue by identifying, pursuing, and securing 4 new international contracts.
As I mentioned a few columns back, your resume must clearly and succinctly answer one question: How did you add or bring value to your employers? When it comes to answering this question, numbers are your friends.
Something to keep in mind: The king of numbers, the only metric in business that matters, the one that keeps a business alive and profitable, is revenue. As much as possible, throughout your resume and cover letter, demonstrate the results you've achieved that were added value to your employer's financial success. Don't write on your resume what's become a cliche, "result-oriented." Don't write it on your LinkedIn profile. Don't say it during an interview. Show your results! "In 2017, I increased sales by 29% by creating upsell opportunities for my 8-member sales team to offer."
Additional tips when bulleting your professional experience:
-Employment dates need to be month/year. Only indicating years is a red flag you're trying to cover up employment gaps. -Under 2 Lines. Your bullets shouldn't be more than 2 lines.
-The first 5 - 8 words are critical. When skimming a resume, the reader will likely read the first few words of a bullet then, unless their interest is piqued, move on to the next bullet. The first few words need to be captivating.
Next week I'll cover presenting your education, skills, and certifications. These need to demonstrate your career path, not that you simply attended classes.
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.

Time to get serious about Canada's economy

 Time to get serious about Canada's economy
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
Enough is enough! The time has come for the leadership of this country to pull together and seriously look at restarting the Canadian economy.
The blunder of vaccinations, mismanagement of lockdowns, hypocrisy of mask/no mask, travel bans/no bans and fake science have collectively induced a new disease in the political establishment; that of the allergic verbiage syndrome.
Allergic Verbiage Syndrome is characterized by a lot of talk that seems to erupt (like hives) uncontrollably, attempting to justify bad decisions, spinning issues to death, and in the end, believing in one's own lies. This seems to have become the order of the day in Canada, particularly in Ottawa, provinces not excluded.
The time has come to seriously knuckle down and face facts. Otherwise the dark clouds of an economic meltdown gathering on the horizon will sweep the Canadian economy into oblivion.  Printing more money will not be able to stop the tsunami of social unrest that will accompany an economic disaster.

So get to work, as some wise people are thinking that politicians should do, to avoid this state of potential doom. Canada needs a quick start, as other nations in the developed world are already pursuing. Open the stores, open the small businesses, open the parks, open the borders and think smart if you still can, if you have any little grey cells left.
Canada's tourist industry, a major contributor to our GDP, is in shambles.  Fifteen months of restrictions, quarantines and travel bans have seen air travel plummet to only 10 percent of 2019 levels. The land border with the US is still closed for so called non essential travel, though essential travel is loosely defined and encompasses many exceptions.
We need to take immediate steps to open the border to discretionary travel and eliminate the hotel quarantine for foreign visitors, or our tourism sector may have an even more brutal summer this year than last. Even though Canadians will be able to travel internationally more easily this summer, none of the foreign visitors our tourism sector relies on will be able to visit Canada's thousands of exciting destinations, attractions and events.
This is a matter of urgency: many of Canada's trading partners, including the U.S., U.K. and Europe are also our tourism competitors and way ahead of Canada in their reopening plans.  If we do not open our borders in a safe but timely manner, vaccinated international tourists won't wait; they will happily travel to countries that are ready to welcome them.
It was rather ludicrous to see our Finance Minister be the only person wearing a mask at the recent G7 finance ministers meeting. Is this the signature of the state of the Covid -19 pandemic management in Canada we want to communicate to the world?
It's high time our MPs showed some professionalism and stopped behaving like illiterate dilettantes insisting on tyrannical solutions. Parliament is not a place to learn on the job, it is a place to lead in the interest of the nation.

A proper restart plan, which would include measurable milestones and timelines for how and when Canada would lift travel restrictions is needed urgently. Many parts of the world, including the U.S., are opening up more quickly than Canada, and we cannot afford to be left behind.
To comprehend the urgency of the need to act on the economy, the political leadership of Canada need only consider that Canada's inflation rate increased to 3.6 per cent in May, the fastest pace in a decade, according to Statistics Canada.
The agency said in a news release last week that the cost of just about everything is going up at a much faster pace than usual, from shelter and vehicles, to food, energy and consumer goods.
The cost of shelter increased by 4.2 per cent in the year up to May, the fastest rise in the cost of putting a roof over one's head since 2008. And the cost of filling a home with furniture and appliances also went up, by 4.4. per cent. That's the fastest pace of increase for so-called durable goods since 1989.
Furniture prices in particular rose by 9.8 per cent in the past year, their biggest jump since 1982. Last month the government slapped tariffs of up to 300 per cent on some types of upholstered furniture from China and Vietnam.
Gasoline prices have risen by 43 per cent in the past year, a figure that looks especially high because it's being compared to May of last year, when demand and prices for gasoline cratered. But even on a monthly basis, the cost of gasoline went up by 3.2 per cent in May, compared to the cost in April.
Gas isn't the only cost of driving that's getting more expensive either, as the price of new cars increased by five per cent in the past year. That's the biggest jump in vehicle prices since 2016, and the major reason for it is an ongoing shortage of semiconductors, a global trend that has jacked up the price of anything that uses microchips.
If this trend continues, the mortgage rate on homes will soon increase, creating a major problem for many Canadians who have been caught up in the flurry of home purchases in recent months.
Business leaders have called on Ottawa for a clear path to reopen the economy and international borders.
Perrin Beatty, head of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said:
"Canada is a G7 outlier for not having a fleshed-out reopening plan"
What we are waiting for?

IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP: CHALLENGES, BARRIERS, and EMERGING ISSUES

 

IMPACTFUL LEADERSHIP:
CHALLENGES, BARRIERS, and EMERGING ISSUES
By Nadene Joy
CEO of Nadene Joy Consulting Inc.
Chair/Founder of The Global Lead 2 Impact Summit
Featured in USA TODAY
  The statement “leadership is lonely at the top” poses its own distinct challenges as leadership, done well, should never be lonely.  In fact it is quite the contrary, where research tells us that the most effective leaders are in fact those who are highly engaged with others. Leaders are constantly presented with scenarios that  challenge them and their abilities regardless of age, country of origin or culture. These challenges that are faced are an incitation to rise to another higher level to become the best most authentic version of yourself possible and also, as a leader, help others do the same.  These challenges are most times necessary to test and refine yourself in the process and to show that you can accomplish something that may have seemed incredibly difficult or perhaps even impossible or “the unthinkable” to many. This article aims to describe the many ever increasing fluid challenges, barriers and pressing emerging issues a leader faces, and suggests some ways in which leaders can improve upon their current practices and benefit from them in the near and distant future fo the betterment of themselves and their teams .
  From my personal experience as a top global leader, I can confidently say that it’s essential to first accept the unwritten truth that “perfection” is simply an illusion which is unattainable and is the wrong thing to try to pursue as your centralized focus as a leader.  Do not take any form of criticism personally and learn to completely let go, without judgement, of the need and worry about being right all the time. Instead of perfectionism, aim for “doing your very best” in whatever you pursue as  the old saying goes “how you do one thing, is how you do everything.”  Be honest, consistent, compassionate and utilize the theory of adaptive  communication which is “the ability to recognize individual differences in personality and communication and adapt your approach accordingly,” and stay intently focused at all times on the “real authentic person behind the “title.”
Leadership Challenges and Successful Strategies to Thrive as a Leader
As leaders it is inevitable that role comes with many feats and challenges that are faced globally across the board with leaders regardless of title—whether you are a CEO, VP, mayor of a community, teacher of a classroom or president of a nation these are some of the top challenges faced universally today with almost everyone as we all are leaders who has the ability to positively impact lives.
 Below you will find a few of the top challenges faced by leaders.  By knowing and creating awareness around these challenges it moves and motivates us to take action to adapt our behaviours for the good of all starting within ourselves first.
In a Q4 2020 Vistage CEO Confidence Index, CEOs were asked what is the most significant leadership challenge they are facing as they looked to adjust to life during the pandemic and beyond. Overwhelmingly, the response was morale and burnout. Business leaders and employees alike are experiencing extreme fatigue from excessive video conferencing meetings, in isolation, and the professional, personal, and family stress of the pandemic lifestyle. Suggestions to combat this would be to focus on short-term vs long-term goals, reinforce company values to improve culture on a regular basis, add adventure and creative ways to change up your routine each week, and focus on the vision and purpose of the task at hand and entire organization or within the targeted community.
Other challenges leaders face are leading change in a rapid technological advancing world, developing others and handling differences in perspectives based on wide age gaps and old outdated styles and patterns of relating with others, providing consistent inspiration, feedback and appreciation, lack of alignment with what is said vs actions that are taken to get the job done, lack of clear vision, poor execution strategies, fear of firing or letting go that which no longer best serves the good of all, lack of clear vision and purpose, difficulty managing a team, creating a positive supportive culture, dealing with “imposture syndrome,” and lack of accountability.
One of the biggest challenges faced by leaders irregardless of time, dimension, or geographical space in my personal opinion is the lack of communication, lack of authenticity and miscommunication.  This is all a part of creating a healthy culture dynamic within your organization which is a challenge to focus on diligently and master in its own right. The complexities of today’s business world and economies require leaders to be able to communicate effectively and just as important, authentically and compassionately, on multiple levels.    Communication and having the courage to be real and vulnerable with others about your own challenges helps build trust which is the foundation of all relationships and has been proven to lead to astronomical transformation within individuals and the unprecedented growth within corporations, communities and nations as a whole. It all starts with the changes you, as a leader, choose to make and take action upon as Boon Pickens so relevantly stated “ A plan without action is not a plan. It’s a speech.
Pertinent Barriers to Great Leadership
In order to more effectively empower others it is imperative to discuss the main barriers leaders face in successfully going from where they are to where they aspire to be. A few of the most pertinent leadership barriers are insecurity and lack of confidence, lack of trust, personal involvement, refusing help, not letting others on your team do their job, not asking for the right things, lack of functional credibility, ignoring the usefulness of mistakes and lessons learned, believing it can’t happen to you, not enough courage to let go of yesterday's tools, and lack of focus on personal development and growth from within first as a top priority.
  The title of a recent article in Fox Business reads: “Every Leader’s Achilles Heel.” The subject? Allowing oneself to get too involved in projects and/or with your employees.  This is otherwise known as micromanaging others and will backfire in the long term is implemented regularly. The more freedom you allow others to utilize their gifts and be creative in solutions the better off everyone is.
Fears is another major barrier leaders constantly face.  Fear is a natural emotion, however, it becomes an issue when you allow yourself to be carried to a place where you become so fearful of a potential risk that you do everything to avoid it or become paralyzed in your tracks. This is known as “risk aversion,” and can be very detrimental to a leader at any level or position.
This next barrier is a new word I only just recently came to discover.  Hubris, otherwise known as extreme pride, “is a personality element that many people assume executives “just have.”  It’s important to reiterate that past performance is no indication of future results..
Lastly, Inc. magazine interviewed a top executive leader who stated: “Only you can control self-indulgence. The more successful you become, people won’t necessarily call you out. So, I hired a professional coach because then you’re hiring someone to tell you [the cold sometimes hard to hear truth.]” Look at mentorship from a new perspective snd not that it makes you weak, but rather it helps to build your character, intellect and makes you a stronger more proficient leader.  Did you know the famous NBA player Michael Jordan has five coaches, one expert for each area of his life.  This is how he became one of the greatest basketball legends alone today and how we too are able become the best we can be as a leader.  You are not expected to do this on your own.
The purpose of mentioning these barriers and shortcoming here today is to create awareness first of all that they exist so that you can begin to take steps forward to consistently work on them. Nobody is perfect nor are you expected to be but that doesn’t mean you should give up on personal development and improvement, it means quite the opposite and contrary to work on yourself first all the more.  As this is where real lasting impactful change begins. Hopefully these tools will help you become the best leader and executive you can be so that you can in return give your team, your business, your community, your family and the world the best of you.
Lofty Emerging Issues in Leadership
There have always been certain issues that have been focused upon with leaders over the course of history, however here we will only scratch the surface of a few emerging issue to note leaders are facing on a much greater level and depth today then ever before.
Some of the top issues that have emerged from leadership research that warrants further discussion here includes emotional intelligence, social marketing, demographic dissonance and generational differences within organizations ie/ Gen Z), trust, virtual teams/hiring and employee engagement, women leaders, diversity, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, purpose/vision and mission,  and  transformational and servant leadership.
For the scope of this article we will not have the capacity to revisit each of the above emerging issues in depth. However, it is highly encouraged to be proactive in learning more about each one of them listed above.  It is only when we take action that real change takes place which begins with the first person you see every morning in the mirror.  It is imperative as leaders we stand together and strong as we can do more together then we can apart. As the iconic legendary Les Brown states: “Live life to your fullest and die empty. Make every day and your life count and don’t take this time you have for granted.” As a leader, you all have a God-given purpose and when you fear stepping into this place you are depriving not only yourself but everyone around you of greatness. Never forget that the “speed of the leader is the speed of the group—when a fish dies.... it stinks at the head first.” “Most people live out of there MEMORY as opposed to their IMAGINATION— Einstein once said that imagination is the preview of what’s to come in your life!!” As a leader, once you give yourself permission to show up completely and the opportunity to stretch yourself with no limits, you’ll find out that you can do so much more than you could have ever imagined!  I believe everything matters and what we choose to do today is simply “the seed or internal fuel and motivation” that we consciously plant within ourselves and in others through the power of our positive thoughts and creative imagination, encouraging words we speak and/or actions performed to serve.  Over time, the seed begins to grow when we consistently sow, water and tend to the deeper needs of ourselves internally first and then outwardly externally towards others.  This process, over time, builds positive satisfying relationships and authentic human connections which is at the foundation and heart of all interactions as a leader, in business and in life.
Nadene Joy is a top advisor, executive leadership strategist and global mindset coach who helps leaders who are feeling anxious and frustrated achieve their goals and wildest dreams in business and in life. She is the CEO of Nadene Joy Consulting Inc., a Certified CMHA Psychological Health and Safety Advisor, NLP Practitioner, top executive leader, speaker, and international bestselling author. Nadene is also a director and advisor on various local and international boards including Global Ambassador with The Commonwealth Entrepreneur Club (CEC) and is on the advisory board council with Coaching Suicide Awareness (CSA).  
Nadene Joy also has been awarded several achievements of excellence throughout her career and is the recipient of the prestigious 2021 International Women of Substance Award from The St. Mother Theresa University in India.
Nadene Joy is a member of The International Society for Female Professionals, Chair/Founder of The Global Lead 2 Impact Summit and has been featured in media outlets including USA TODAY, CBC, iheartradio in NYC, and NBC. She is also the author of “Uncover Your Purpose: Heal and Share Your Gifts With the World” and “Love is...A Guide to the Power of Love,” and is the co-author of “Cracking The Rich Code Vol. 4” with Kevin Harrington hit star of the TV Show, SharkTank and business icon, Jim Britt.
Nadene Joy is passionate about being an impactful leader, mother to 4 beautiful children and friend who makes a positive difference in our world through taking bold action in sharing her authentic wisdom, experiences, God-given gifts, and serving others with kindness by bringing hope, love, joy, purpose, inspiration, transformation and love to all she encounters.   http://linkedin.com/in/nadenejoy      Nadene@NadeneJoy.com
free gift offer included to receive the first chapter of the book by Nadene Joy  “Love is...A Guide to The Power of Love”