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.

MICRO SOLUTION TO A MACRO PROBLEM

 MICRO SOLUTION TO A
MACRO PROBLEM
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    Why is it that it appears that  our elected official will not do something without some sort of political gain.    This week The Region of Durham is partnering with Lakeridge Health, Ontario Tech University and Durham College on the Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project.
  A 10 modular home complex smack in an already economically depressed area of Oshawa.   Does that sound to you like good planning.  It is obvious that in Oshawa we have a huge homeless problem. Not to mention all the folks living on the edge of economic bankruptcy as they can’t afford the exuberant rents landlords are asking now a day.
  The attempt to find a solution is nothing short of an insult to those that need homes now.  To me this is nothing but yet another attempt by the University to use the people of Oshawa for their benefit.
Durham Regional Chair John Henry says the partnership between the region and Lakeridge Health, Ontario Tech University and Durham College will support the success of the Oshawa Micro-Housing Pilot Project by ensuring participants have access to the supports and services they may need.
“No one should get left behind or fall through the cracks, and, by working collaboratively with our community partners, we can end chronic homelessness in Durham Region,” says Henry.
  He has to be kidding.   ‘NO ONE SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND’.  Really.   So with 10 modules you will serve the need of the homeless?
When the need is 1000 time more to say the least... but wait let’s let the good self appointed academia treat our people like ginea pigs in order to extract research grants from the Feds.  
This insane micro solution does not even come close to alleviating the real Macro problem we are facing in Oshawa.   
The evaluation plan will be led by Dr. Tyler Frederick, associate professor at Ontario Tech University, who is partnering with the region in-kind to develop this plan and apply for research funding.
Here is the truth.  This is not about the poor of Oshawa. This is not about the homeless.  This is about the OTU looking for ways to bleed the government for grants.
  This is what I would do.  First we have to assure that whatever we do.  We do it with the notion of maintaining the integrity of the area and the property values around it.  I propose we take back our lands that GM claims to be theirs.   DID YOU KNOW THAT THE GM LANDS ARE THAT OF THE PEOPLE OF OSHAWA.   THE DEAL WAS THAT FOR AS LONG AS GM PRODUCED CARS.  THEY HAD A ONE DOLLAR A YEAR LEASE AS THE PROPERTIES WERE GIVEN TO THE CITY BY MCLAUGHLIN.   With this said. I as your City Mayor would take back the lands from GM.   Primarily the GM pain line.   Turn that whole area into 20-30 level complex and offer them scheduled rental amounts.  This eliminating the treatment of less fortunate as second class citizens.  Take the rent right out of their social service cheques.   Offer the opportunity to dig themselves out of poverty by helping them secure a proper way of living.  Standards would be set in order to assure the property would be kept up.  The current security force the City employ would be used to assure safety and security.  Those suffering from addiction or mental health issues would become by mandate awards of the hospital until such time as the hospital would take liability in the event of an episode at the stated facility.  As it stands... sure the hospital the university will partner up... they have nothing to loose and all to gain.  This Micro solution is an insult to those suffering the real Macro problem.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE ELECTIONS

 TO BE OR NOT TO BE ELECTIONS
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East

With political parties itching for an early election, the question is whether an election at this point will warrant the attention of the people. With the Covid pandemic in recess, Canadians are starting to focus on the recovery of the economic.
However, many factors beside political ambitions are in place, which will determine the call for elections sooner or later. Indicators are strong, now that Canada has a Governor General and the minority government is starting to believe strongly that that they might have a good chance of getting a majority. Supported by the Conservative opposition's lack of ideas and the NDP's further drift to the left, an early election call is very close to reality. Pollsters say there is a window this fall in which the Liberals could win a majority, as Canadians embrace the freedom of being vaccinated and the latest budget injects billions of dollars into the economy.
Of course the timing of the election is important, since the pandemic seems to be a highlight in the Liberal government's performance in the eyes of Canadians who are now naturally starting to shift their focus towards economic recovery. In fact, attention shifting to the economy will not favor the governing Liberals who have spent, and continue to spend recklessly. So the window for an election favorable for them seems to be now rather than later.
Earlier this month the Bank of Canada also painted an optimistic picture of growth heading into the second half of the year, before the economic storm which is bound to come, will hit.
Another potential source of trouble is that with cold weather approaching, instead of fading from peoples' minds, COVID-19 will come roaring back as more contagious virus variants spread.
This is happening in the United States and elsewhere.
Despite the variety of issues on the carpet, the ultimate decision to ask the Governor General for an early election will be with the Prime Minister. How this will play out remains to be seen. The long-standing tradition of the Governor General acceding to Canadian Prime Ministers' requests to dissolve Parliament will practically push Mary Simon to accept a plea from Justin Trudeau to call an election. However, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has asked Simon to refuse any requests from Trudeau that would send voters to the ballot box, noting that the fixed-election law states that every general election must be held on the third Monday of October four calendar years after the last one.
In a letter to the Governor General Singh has stated that the law allows for an early election if  the government has lost the confidence of the House, but the Trudeau government has won every confidence vote it has faced, including the one on the speech from the throne and the budget. As usual, the NDP leader is telling half truths, in that the prime minister has the right to ask the Governor General to call an early election under the Constitution and the fixed-election law brought in by the Harper government did not change that.
However, surprises during election campaigns are not uncommon, in fact they often happen.
Who is to say that there won't be distressing news on the pandemic or the economy just around the corner, or some other unknown issues of the day for that matter? Who's to say the polling, an increasingly hazardous enterprise, is accurate or that it won't change after the writ is dropped? There is one very big constant in Canadian political history that plays strongly to the Liberal advantage and should not be overlooked. They have been and they still are the natural governing party. Other things being relatively equal, they will win. The Liberals have been in power for 71 of the last 100 years, 31 of the last 50. They have emerged victorious in 25 elections, compared to the 18 Conservatives victories.
In their political orientation, Canadians are predominantly progressive. It is evident in almost every election, wherein the combined vote of centre-left parties easily surmounts that of the conservative vote. However, that might change in view of the rise in globalist trends that work against national interests. That might give a real chance to new political parties who are more nation oriented. With a weak Conservative weather vane leader and a party lacking in constructive ideas, there is a real possibility that the Liberals will win a majority right now. To stop the Liberals, they'll
need a series of fortuitous campaign surprises which are less likely to occur. Then, as expected,
the natural governing party, the Liberals, will win again. Modern history also shows roughly 10-year governing stretches for parties before fatigue sets in. The Trudeau Liberals have only been in power for six years, suggesting that voter fatigue likely won't put the Conservatives over the top this time. A loss or a poor showing in the upcoming election for the Conservatives will signal a crisis in the party similar to that of the Liberals' Dion, Ignatieff fiasco. With Scheer's shredding of conservative values, followed so closely by O'Toole erring left right and center, there is some danger of a similar scenario unfolding for the Conservative Party. Maybe it is a time for Canadians to look for new parties to support. Parties with more Canadian oriented than globalist views, such as the emerging Peoples Party of Canada. In conclusion, we seem to be gearing up for an early fall election. Do not forget to vote for what you believe in.
Till then, continue to have a good summer.

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?

The Foibles of Money

 Direct Answers
from Wayne & Tamara

The Foibles of Money
Q I am a career banker with a nice little sideline as an investor. My style is not high risk with bitcoins, penny stocks, and the like. I try to buy the best companies when they temporarily stumble.
 I try to advise others. When my aunt would call and ask, “What do you have for me, son?” I was able to help her make some money.  I have not had results that were as good with my best friend. I was helping him run some money, and at the one-year mark, he had a 95% return; $8,000 turned into $15,600. His portfolio was doing better than mine on a percentage basis, because he was far more aggressive and less risk averse than me. Even so, we could have done better if he had listened to me.  The thing is I advised him to sell one position, or at least one part of it, in which he had a big gain. He and his wife love the industry and she would not let him.

 This stock is down. One stock he bought without us talking, and another he bought against my advice. Now, the $15,600 is down to $13,800. At one time, he was holding cash from a stock sold for a gain. I said sit tight until we find a bargain, but that cash was burning a hole in his pocket. Why?  I advised my younger cousin to buy a pot stock that I have a huge gain in. He researched the industry, and told me he bought another one just like mine. But he lost his ass on the one that was “like mine”. Why? It reminds me of an old episode of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (showing my age here). Lou Grant was losing on football bets with his bookie. Then, he began winning using Ted Baxter’s system but it wasn’t any fun anymore.

Lou then bet his entire  bankroll on the Super Bowl, even though Ted’s system did not allow for any bet on the Super Bowl. Lou lost but was happy. It was fun again.
What part of human nature is this? Is it just a guy thing, because my aunt did not have it?
Cameron

A Cameron, let’s talk about your aunt first. Her attitude is, “Money is good, it makes my life more secure, and listening to Cameron is way easier than laying bricks for a living.” She doesn’t care if she is betting on the guy with the hot hand or betting on a guy smarter than the rest. She just wants the money. We would call her a realist.

Then there are your cousin and your best friend. We have a general comment about them. When you realize people usually act from their most base nature, it becomes easier to understand their behavior. Your cousin wants a sense of mastery. He wants to control something. Investing successfully will give him that feeling, the feeling of a do-it-yourself project done well.
He’s also troubled by FOMO, the fear of missing out.  “Cameron had fantastic success betting on a Canadian marijuana stock. How hard can it be? The sector is booming. I don’t need due diligence. I simply need to throw my hat in the ring so I don’t miss out.  “But I want my own pick, so when I get my big win, it isn’t due to Cameron.”

     In addition, if he felt you were bragging, he feels envy (he wants to possess what you possess), threatened (my mastery is in doubt), and competition (I’ll show that smarty pants Cameron). Then there’s your best friend; money burns a hole in his pocket. That sounds like the itch of the gambler. It’s the excitement! Your friend and his wife “have a good feeling” about an industry, the way some people have a good feeling about “sectors” in a casino. They prefer poker to blackjack or craps to slots. Much of their preference is simply good, old-fashioned greed. They want to take advantage of your advice, but they still want more. However, your best friend and his wife haven’t made any money yet. Their chips are still on the table. It won’t be money until they cash out.   
  And honestly, if you examine your own motives, you feel possessive about their winnings, as if they are losing your winnings. What would you like? You’d like your little ducklings to follow you and thank you for their success.
     People are funny about money. Some are more likely to tell you about their sexual life than about how much money they make. When it involves money…money often doesn’t have a bonding effect on relationships, it has a breaking the bond effect.

     What’s in it for others in giving you credit? For most people, the answer is nothing. Your guidance becomes their savvy decision to invest their money.

     That goes back to our first premise. When you realize people usually act from their most base nature, it becomes easier to understand human behavior.
Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

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
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REMEMBER WHEN

 

REMEMBER WHEN

By Joe Ingino

Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”

Remember when national pride stood for something? Today national pride may have you label with some sort of neurosis according to the over opinionated politico/socio correct entities in society.

Remember when you could drive in a gas station and up to two attendants would come over to service your car. One would put in the gas, the other check your oil and offer you coffee or tea. In many cases they be wearing overalls and a tie. They took pride in their work. To be a gas station attendant had some prestige. How about the days when you would go from gas station to gas station collecting the many free glasses and mugs they would offer with a fill up in the 60’s and 70’s.

What has happened that in today’s modern society. We have to pre-pay a person hiding behind a bullet proof plastic box.

Remember the days when water was free, or we thought as the cost would come out of your property tax. Until someone decided came up with the bright idea that in order to save money we should amalgamate with the region. The region turns around and cries wolf. This creating another sub tax for citizens to pay in the name of convenience and long term savings.... in reality. The Region was the seed that grew an out of control cash monster.

Look at what you pay for property taxes on your property. Then ad up all your regional bills. Water and sewage. You are paying two hefty taxes across Durham region.

The biggest mistake Oshawa has committed due to incompetent municipal elect is join Durham Region. Oshawa always the hated municipality due to it’s ignorance over the fact that they thought they could rule other municipalities out of sheer size. Smaller municipalities had no choice but to abide by whatever Oshawa wanted. Oshawa had the biggest industry. The bigger tax pool and the only City.

Well slowly inch by inch the neighboring municipalities brought Oshawa down to size by slowly imposing further and further charges.This was due to Oshawa constant surrendering of it’s essential services. Municipal elect time and time again kept getting and are still getting suckered into the thought that the region is good for Oshawa. To me the region is chocking Oshawa. Oshawa no longer has GM. The new folk moving into the area have no clue. Today the region has control over Oshawa. For Oshawa to pull away from the region it would be costly at first. A political nightmare for anyone attempting it. As it stand we have no real municipal representation. Those elected do not have the aptitude to make the changes needed. Let me ask you this. What has really changed since the last election. Our downtown is worst then it ever was. We still have no real good paying jobs. I wish I could remember when. As back in those days. We had national pride. We had true leadership. Can you remember when...

Canada Day 2021

 Canada Day 2021
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East

    This year is the 154rd anniversary of a country still called Canada. Mired by the dark shadows of history and still in the mist of the Covid-19 generated pandemic we need to remember that we are still Canadians and be proud of it. As we reflect on past events from the beginning of the year, we hope that this year Canada Day will finally bring the nation a glimmer of hope and a better half for the remainder of 2021.

Let's take a moment to consider the incredible contributions made by Canadians throughout our history. Their efforts have helped to make the country what it is today; a country of vibrant cities and strong rural communities. Canada is a place where cultural freedom still flourishes, and Canadians from all backgrounds are still free to express themselves and help our country prosper despite recent tendencies to deny that.

Successive waves of immigrants from France, Ireland, Germany, the United Kingdom and other countries together with Indigenous people have helped to forge our nation's unique character. Through their efforts, our communities have become a distinct part of the Canadian identity which we need to preserve rather than deny. We should honour this legacy while we also recognize that we can do better in the future. Let's be proud of our combined anglophone and francophone heritage and seek a strong and constructive cooperation with our Indigenous people for a better Canada.

Canada was not born of bloody conflict.  It emerged from a lengthy process of brainstorming about practical matters, of negotiations, proposals, and legislative ratifications.

On July 1, 1867, the Confederation of four Canadian provinces created our country and with the inclusion of Lower Canada - now Quebec - it ensured from the outset that Canada would be a blend of two nations, two cultures and two languages. The acceptance of both civil and common law systems is a factor that still makes Canada a helpful player on the international scene.  And from the outset, religious tolerance was Canada's only option.

The enactment of the British North America Act, 1867 (today called the Constitution Act, 1867), which confederated Canada, was celebrated on July 1, 1867, with the ringing of the bells at the Cathedral Church of St. James in Toronto and "bonfires, fireworks and illuminations, excursions, military displays and musical and other entertainments", as described in contemporary accounts.

On June 20 of the following year, Governor General the Viscount Monck issued a royal proclamation asking for Canadians to celebrate the anniversary of Confederation.  However, the holiday was not established  statutorily until May 15, 1879, when it was designated as Dominion Day, alluding to the reference in the British North America Act to the country as a dominion.

The holiday was initially not dominant in the national calendar; any celebrations were mounted by local communities and the Governor General hosted a party at Rideau Hall.  No larger celebrations were held until 1917 and then none again for a further decade-the gold and diamond anniversaries of Confederation, respectively.

Canada's centennial in 1967 is often seen as an important milestone in the history of Canadian nationalism and in Canada's maturing as a distinct, independent country, after which Dominion Day became more popular with average Canadians.

Some Canadians were, by the early 1980s, informally referring to the holiday as Canada Day, a practice that caused some controversy. However, with the granting of Royal Assent, the holiday's name was officially changed to Canada Day on October 27, 1982. Canada Day coincides with Memorial Day in Newfoundland and Labrador, with memorials typically held in the morning of July 1.

As the anniversary of Confederation, Dominion Day, and later Canada Day, was the date set to commemorate a number of important events.

It was the first national radio network hookup by the Canadian National Railway (1927).

It was the inauguration of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's cross-country television broadcast, with Governor General Vincent Massey's Dominion Day speech from Parliament Hill (1958) and the flooding of the Saint Lawrence Seaway (1958);

It was the first colour television transmission in Canada (1966); the inauguration of the Order of Canada (1967); and the establishment of "O Canada" as the country's national anthem (1980).

Other events fell on the same day coincidentally, such as the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, shortly after which Newfoundland
recognized July 1 as Memorial Day to commemorate the Newfoundland Regiment's heavy losses during the battle.
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Our nation is facing great challenges today, as never before. These include the coronavirus pandemic, the issues related to a dark spot on our history related to the infamous and ill-conceived residential schools, an economic downturn, high unemployment and social unrest. Let us again show that we support each other. This community spirit is one of the most admirable characteristics of being Canadian.

On July the 1st let's celebrate our country's achievements and use them, not our failings, as a foundation to build a better and a brighter future together.

Let's celebrate our unity and our treasured country.

Happy somber Canada Day!

Prison of Her Own Making

 Direct Answers
from Wayne & Tamara

Prison of Her Own Making
  Q I’ve never tried this before, but what the hell. A few years ago my husband of 10 years left me out of the blue. It was awful for my sons and me, though it was not a happy marriage. He was verbally and mentally abusive, and I went into an angry shell. I changed from the happy person I once was into this monster. When he left I realized it was the best thing he could have done for me. It was hard to meet people, so I tried online dating. I met two great guys. I let dating go on way too long because I couldn’t let go of either one. It was selfish of me and wrong, but I never wanted to hurt anyone.
Well, they found out. One left, never to be seen again. One stayed, but with a price. It has been over a year now and he won’t let it drop. He says he will never trust me enough to marry me. But it’s also like I am carrying his cross for the rest of the girls who screwed him over.
 I keep jumping through hoops, and nothing seems to work for him or please him. He is a hard man to deal with. He is a cop and has an awful mouth. Most of the time, it is all his way or nothing at all.
 My friends say dump him, I’m too good for him, I don’t need this, and I don’t deserve it.
 I feel I made a terrible mistake, and I am so sorry. But enough is enough. What do you think? Am I wasting my time?
Zena

A Zena, you couldn’t make up your mind between two men. The better one left, as well he should have, because he knew you didn’t see him as the right one for you.
The second man saw you as his opportunity. He judged you as not good enough. He’s a cop and he’s been around the block. You proved yourself untrustworthy, and he deals with untrustworthy people every day. He knew how to treat you, so he put you in his cuffs.
You seem to attract abusers, and this cop is your first husband all over again. Your husband did you an enormous favor by leaving you, yet now you are desperate to marry the same sort of man.
 Nothing predicts that the two of you will ever have the healthy relationship of two people in love with each other. He thinks you are not good enough for him, and you know he will never marry you. How is that not your answer? But your letter isn’t about love. It’s about trying to rescue yourself from what you did. You basked in the attention of two men, stringing them along. Now you hope to deny the reality of what you did by triumphantly landing one of them.
No one wants to be in a competition like that. That’s why people are careful their employer doesn’t find out when they are looking for another job. They know employers might fail to promote, or even fire, someone who is disloyal.
You are loath to admit that neither man was right for you. You hoped one of them would be, because that was better than the alternative—going back to the dating site and starting over again. But love is not a competition. Love is not an auction. Rewarding the highest bidder is the opposite of love.
The first man thought, how could she love me if she was trifling with him? His honest heart got a shock. The second man is a foul-mouthed bully. He wasn’t even your choice. Treat this as a lesson learned. Trust is difficult to earn. It can be lost in an instant and lost forever.
Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

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