Every Interview Starts with This Question

By Nick Kossovan Every interview begins with the interviewer asking the open-ended question, "Tell me about yourself." The question "Tell me about yourself" is not a throwaway opener. Consider your answer carefully. By asking this question, hiring managers are looking to answer the following: 1. Who are you? (professionally) 2. Why are we talking? Additionally, interviewers ask this question to assess how confident the candidate is, enabling them to see how they will present themselves to clients, customers, and colleagues. In theory, this should be the easiest question to answer. Who does not enjoy talking about themselves? How you answer, "Tell me about yourself,” will determine the direction of the interview. Based on what you say, your interviewer will formulate their next question, causing a chain reaction of follow-up questions, leading (fingers-crossed) to a pleasant conversation. When this happens, your interviewer is achieving the goal of every interview: Learning more about you while assessing your communication skills and how well you will "fit in." As a hiring manager who has asked this question thousands of times, I have heard it all. Frequently, probably due to nervousness, candidates divulge TMI (Too Much Information), which often adversely affected my hiring decision. A simple, easy-to-follow format will help you make a good first impression and start the interview in the right direction. I recommend the tried-and-tested "Past-Present-Future" formula, which structures your answer as follows: • The past: What is your background and relevant work experience? How did you get to where you are now? • The present: What is your current role? What do you do, and what are your top accomplishments? • The future: What are you looking to do next? Why are you interested in the position? Using this structure, a good answer to "Tell me about yourself" would look like this: As part of obtaining my bachelor’s degree in computer science at Pennbrook University, I took several data analysis classes, which I found enjoyable because of my love for numbers. However, it was my internship at Happy-Go-Lucky Toys, Inc. that really got me interested in data analysis. Following graduation, I worked as a database administrator at Omni Consumer Products for over three years. For the past 5 years, I have been working as a business analyst at Kumatsu Motors. The ability to work with data and numbers has always been one of my strongest skills. For example, soon after joining Kumatsu Motors, I led a project for migrating all operations data to a new data warehousing system to reduce costs. The new solution was a much better fit for Kumatsu Motors, ultimately leading to savings of up to $700,000 annually. My interest in wanting to join Big Apple Bank stems from my desire to expand my experience across different industries, particularly fintech. Note that the answer does not stray off-topic, nor does it provide unnecessary information. (e.g., "I golf on Sunday mornings," "I am married with two kids and a dog.") This answer summarizes the candidate's experience as a business analyst, a notable achievement relevant to the position you are interviewing for, and why they are interested in the company/position. Here is another example: Over the past eight years, I have worked as a tech-focused project manager. I graduated from Hudson University, where I made the Dean's List, majoring in Business Administration and a minor in Computer Science. Upon graduation, I entered the tech industry as an administrative assistant at Metacortex. There, I provided clerical support with interdepartmental communication, helped manage schedules, and maintained their digital filing system. At the same time, my direct boss mentored me to take on more responsibilities and develop my leadership skills. After that, I worked for eight years as a project manager for Rekall, which provides cloud computing solutions. I managed four software project teams, ensuring deadlines, budgets, and business goals were met. I enjoy reading about technology, robotics, and AI during my free time. Since ComTron does all three, I applied. This answer also follows the "Past-Present-Future" formula, telling the interviewer how they are qualified for the position they are interviewing for and what led them to apply for the position. You will inevitably be asked, "Tell me about yourself." Therefore, do the necessary work to deliver the best possible answer. Invest time writing and rehearsing your answer, like how actors rehearse their lines before filming. (It's not what you say, it's how you say it.) Practicing your answer will help you say it effortlessly and concisely. It is unnecessary to tell your interviewer everything that makes you a great candidate; the rest of the interview is your opportunity to do that. Just provide a few details that will interest your interviewer in learning more about you, which will get the interview off to a good start. Key Takeaways: • Structure your answer in a way that makes sense. If you follow the "Past-Present-Future" formula, you will differentiate yourself from your competitors. • Make sure your answer is relevant to the position and brief. (2 minutes max) Your interviewer does not want to hear your entire life story. • Mention relevant employmentexperience and at least one achievement. • PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE _________________________________________________________________________ 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

The Secret to Getting Hired: Tell Your Interviewer What They Want to Hear

By Nick Kossovan m frequently asked, "What do hiring managers want to hear?" Essentially hiring managers access candidates based on three things: 1.Are you capable of performing the duties of the position? 2.Are you interested in the type of work required by the job? 3.Do you fit their management style, team, and organization? Therefore, employers want to hear: 1.Your results 2.How you achieved your results (stories), and 3.How you work These are the basics you need to communicate at every interview, hence why having well-prepared STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories is crucial. Of all the job search strategies at your disposal, telling your interviewer what they want to hear is the most effective. I am not just talking about telling riveting STAR stories. I am talking about communication nuances that affect the level of engagement between you and your interviewer. Using their name. "A person's name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language." - Dale Carnegie Besides sounding "sweet," a person's most significant connection to their identity is their name. Using your interviewer's name, casually and naturally, creates a bond between you and your interviewer; hence I cannot overstate the importance of using your interviewer's name. Furthermore, by saying your interviewer's name, you create familiarity and subtly communicate that you are already part of the team. Enthusiasm Hiring managers do not hire candidates who do not appear to want the job. Enthusiasm—genuine enthusiasm—is a critical component of job search success, which you can display through the tone of your voice and your words. (It is not just what you say, it is how you say it.) Expressing your enthusiasm reassures your interviewer that you are genuinely interested in the job and not just looking for a paycheck. However, be careful not to be overly enthusiastic. Excessive enthusiasm will be taken as evidence that you cannot control your emotions and are unable to "manage stress in the moment." Hence, pay attention to another aspect of your communication, your nonverbal communication. If nonverbal communication (eye contact, posture, gestures, intensity, mannerisms) were not important, employers would not take the time to interview candidates in person. They would only select candidates by their resume and LinkedIn profile. The purpose of asking you "to come in" after your phone or Zoom interview is to assess your nonverbal communication skills; therefore, be cognizant of how you communicate non-verbally. Ask great questions. Hiring managers love great questions. You can ask cliché questions such as, "What would you want to see me accomplish in the first six months?", "What do you like about working here?", "Are there any growth opportunities?" or you can differentiate yourself by asking creative questions. Because they have been few and far between, I still remember many of the creative questions I have been asked and the candidate who asked the question. • "If you could travel back in time and give one piece of advice to the company's founders, what would it be?" This question demonstrated the candidate's curiosity about the company's history and invited me to reflect on the company's journey and what I thought of its values, and where there could be areas for improvement. • "If you could compare the current team to any group of fictional characters, who would they be and why?" I enjoyed answering this question—I thanked the candidate for asking it—because it made me pause to reflect on my team's current 'team dynamics.' My answer was M*A*S*H. Despite their dysfunctional relationships outside the operating room, the moment wounded soldiers arrived, the characters (Hawkeye, Margaret, Radar, BJ, et al.) immediately worked in unison to save the wounded. Working in unison to get the job done, despite differences in personalities, described my team perfectly. • "In my previous line of work, trust and confidentiality were paramount. How does [company name] prioritize customer confidentiality and data security, and what measures are in place to ensure the protection of customer information?" This question emphasized the candidate's understanding of the importance of trust and confidentiality. Also, it showed interest in the company's—a payment processor—approach to safeguarding customer data. • "If employees had a superpower related to their job here, what superpower would be most useful for my role?" I liked how the candidate used a creative question to gauge my expectations and what qualities and skills I value most. What impressed me more than their question was that, unlike most candidates, they used my answer, not simply acknowledged it, to discuss how their background aligned with my expectations. Ask for the job. One of the easiest ways to demonstrate you are serious about the job is to ask for it, or at the very least, tell your interviewer you are excited about the company and position. Is there a hiring manager who would not like to hear an interviewee say they want the job? Asking for a job shows interest in the position and your commitment to succeeding. Finally, and I believe I speak for all hiring managers, I want to hear the truth.

Durham’s best kept secret ‘oshawa’

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - In Oshawa. You got to wonder who is driving the bus? It appears that we are all over the road. From a 30 million dollar waste of taxpayers money on a park to the south. To the newly purchased fleet of electric cars mind you from what I have heard from the same dealership the Mayor had purchased his electric Volt pre-election. OK. Let’s drop the conspiracy theories and let’s stay focused on the obvious. The obvious is that those that did not vote in the 2022 have no voice. You along with those that voted for no change in our municipal government have to deal with the skyrocketed property tax increases with no remedy in sight. Look at our downtown. Crime, drugs and the homeless. The incompetent city councillor is doing nothing and has done nothing. Other than his boss wasting 2 million dollars on a private security firm to push people from one location to another. The bottom line. The core is emptying out. The crime is ever high and the number of homeless keep showing up at night to find refuge on our streets, alley ways and parks. Drug use is so rampant that anyone visiting Oshawa’s main park. Memorial Park can witness drug transaction and open use. Great Work Derek Giberson... Forget the regional council Rick Kerr. I heard he still having problems finding the downtown. But enough of the obvious. Let’s focus on what matter to you and your family. The City is failing to notify taxpayers on all kind of events and services. The City expects people to visit the City web site for information. Now let’s get serious. I am in the media business and very rarely visit that site. I am a professional internet media person and can tell you that the City web page is laid out in a very confusing manner. To many links. To many options. The average person. Will have serious navigational problems. The City expect you to go to their web page on a daily basis to note on closures, changes and or programs. Crazy. What happened to the old ways of Oshawa. The days when the City would publish a book with all the programs and events. Some I can hear crying. Oh, Joe that is old school. How about the trees. First. The city is making the assumption that everyone can afford or has internet. WRONG. Secondly. It is the responsibility of the City to keep the taxpayers informed. Forcing the taxpayer to go online is not right. The City does advertise with a selected newspaper. At one time. The City would make sure to publish in two or three newspaper. Newspaper that supported the City political agenda. Today. The City only advertises on one. Yes, the one that supports the City political agenda. Oshawa is Durham’s best kept secret. We have great talent, great businesses. We have had many accomplished people come from Oshawa. The problem with Oshawa has always been the same. The elected in Oshawa in most cases come from humble backgrounds. In the case of Derek Giberson the Downtown City councillor. Before he was elected to council. He was a third rate musician... menial jobs at best. When they get in office. It appears that most suffer from a type of The Napoleon complex, known informally as small man syndrome, is a syndrome normally attributed to people of short stature. Not so much of stature but of mental capacity and intellectual aptitude. Oshawa was a great place to live. Oshawa was governed by people with integrity. Staff was friendly and helpful. Today, Oshawa is run by staff. Council, a bunch of rubber stampers that main goal is to keep the status quo. Keep the population in the dark. We need our Oshawa back. What do you think

The status of Canadian Journalism and the Journalism industry

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East With the latest developments in the news media world and a continuingdecline in the level of trust Canadians have in the established news channels, such that they are increasingly reluctant to pay for it, the industry is facing a real problem. Lobbied for years by a news media industry that had seen billions of dollars in advertising shift from their suddenly less interesting products to the flashing lights and sensory balms of social media and search engines, the Liberal government of Canada has decided to come to the rescue. In doing so, it might very well have killed the industry. As we have become accustomed to some of the ill-conceived Liberal government legislation, Bill C-18, The Online News Act, should not come as a surprise. The federal Liberal government’s attempts to become world leaders in rescuing journalism have not only collapsed,but pushed the nation’s private sector news industry to the edge of an economic abyss. It is difficult to recall a more complete public sector failure than this. The law requires tech companies such as Meta and Google to negotiate deals compensating media outlets for news content they share or otherwise repurpose on their platforms. While the intent of the law is to help preserve Canadian journalism at a time when newsrooms are struggling to compete for online advertising dollars, the fallout has been swift. As common sense implies there were immediate reactions to the bill. The arrogance of the Liberal government has sparked a strong reaction that seriously damages the ability of ordinary Canadians to get information. The bill covers Big Tech companies — itis designed to specifically target Google and Meta — that “make news content available to persons in Canada.” However, if Meta and Google block news links from their platforms, they will no longer be subject to the legislation. Bill C-18 received royal assent earlier this month. Designed such that it would force Meta and Google to reach commercial deals with news publishers to share revenues for news stories that appear on their platforms. In reaction tothis and in response to Bill C-18, Meta and Google have said they will pull news from their platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and Google Search It is now clear that the bill was based on the flawed premise that Google and Meta benefit from news links posted to their platforms, when it isactually the news outlet that benefits. Meta has said there is no compromise solution under the current bill, and that it is not negotiating with the government. While Google initially entered into last-minute talks with Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, the company said last week that those talks weren’t successful in addressing its concerns. Once again the Liberal government has shown that they operatefrom an ivory tower. The results produced by this ill-conceived legislation are that Google will pull Canadian news from Google Search and its other products in Canada, over legislation that would force it to share revenues with news publishers. “We have now informed the Government that when the law takes effect, we unfortunately will have to remove links to Canadian news from our Search, News and Discover products in Canada,” Google stated in a blog post. It will also kill existing deals with publishers. “C-18 will also make it untenable for us to continue offering our Google News Showcase product in Canada,” it said. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has estimated that under the bill, which is clearly aimed at the two companies, Google and Meta could end up funding more than 30 per cent of newsroom costs, just under $330 million a year. However, if Google and Meta remove news from their platforms, they will no longer be covered under the Online News Act. That means publishers won’t be getting additional funding, and will also lose an undisclosed sum in existing deals. In Canada, Google has signed deals with news publishers that cover 150 outlets through its Google News Showcase program. Google pays news outlets to licence content for the program, though the financial terms of the deals with outlets haven’t been disclosed. In the same vein, Meta has said that the company is sticking with its plans to block news content on its Facebook and Instagram platforms. It has also begun cancelling existing deals with news publishers, including The Canadian Press.As the fallout from the federal government’s Online News Act continues, Facebook parent Meta is terminating a contract with The Canadian Press that saw the digital giant support the hiring of a limited number of emerging journalists at the national newswire service. The newswire agency was informed that Meta will end the contract, which has funded roughly 30 reporting fellowship positions for early-career journalists at Canadian Pres since the program’s inception in 2020. Canadian Press executive editor Gerry Arnold reported that Meta said so in its letter informing the media company of its decision. Meta clearly linked its termination of the program to Canada’s Online News Act, which became law last week. “We were told the Act has an adverse impact on Meta’s position in Canada to operate some products.It’s a business decision by Meta, in light of the changing regulatory environment”Arnold said. Meta declined to comment on the issue, but the tech giant has been outspoken about its opposition to the new federal law, formerly known as Bill C-18. In conclusion, we can see that the Liberal government, in its quest to control what Canadians can see or hear, bluntly called censorship, has gotten a surprising reaction from thesetwo big companies,Thus demonstratingonce again,a total lack of humility in the thinking and actions of this government . My question is this: When will this government start toserve Canadians, not only itself; pursuing inordinately costly, scientifically immature, Canadian environment inappropriate if not unsound, pie-in-the sky projects, like climate exchange/carbon-tax, electric vehicles (for our sub-zero temperatures and distances!!??)and attempting to syphon revenue off private businesses that are already shoring up government lackeys like the CBC? Wake up Canada!

Drink it but dont swim in it!!!

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - On the eve of one of the most busy long weekends at the peak of the summer. The City of Oshawa releases the following: Lakeview Park Beach: Unsafe for swimming from June 29 to July 6 From Thursday, June 29 to Thursday, July 6, Lakeview Park Beach is considered unsafe for swimming by the Durham Region Health Department as reported in the Durham Region Weekly Beach Report. Throughout the summer, the Durham Region Health Department tests the water at Lakeview Park Beach as part of its weekly beach monitoring program. These water tests check for high levels of harmful bacteria and let beach visitors know which beaches across Durham Region are safe for swimming based on the results. You got to be kidding me... Not only are people not allow to gather in large groups at the park. Not allowed to feed each other. Offer water to anyone in need. Play loud music. Stay no longer than 2hr or you may be fined for loitering... No smoking. No open fires. Now this... It makes me think... How is it that the water is OK to drink but not good enough to go for a swim.... I can just hear it. Oh, come on Joe. The water we drink is treated. The problem with the Lake is the algea, the bacteria and so on with the excuses. Ok. Let’s entertain that run away train thought. Let’s make the assumption that the water we drink is treated. If you look at your water bill what do you see? For example: You pay for water use $100/mth. For sewer $300. Plus the usual extra charges lilke delivery, consumption, administrative and so on... If we are to be made to believe that the water we drink is safe then how is it we pay 3 times more for sewage going out. Is it not a logical assumption that due to the cost of processing sewage that the water going out is as clean as that comes in? I am sure the Region would say that the cleaning process of raw sewage is optimal and that liquids put back in the lake are as safe as the water we drink. Humbug - Are we to assume that the notice is painting another picture. Harmful bacteria, the release read. Hum.... We live between two nuclear powers. Besides an industrial metropolitan center. We sit on one of the most polluted GM lands in all of Canada. Bacteria -- due to summer smog. Due to air quality. Due to natural decomposition of organic matter? Really. Are we that stupid. Here is food for thought. Back in the early 1900’s, mid 1800’s. Did we not have a bacteria issue in our water? Or is this a bi-product of modern day industrialism? Did the local native folk not drink that water and eat the fish from Lake Ontario? Then what happened? I remember the days when the delivery of water was free. I remember the days when sewage disposal was free. Then why are we today paying in some cases the equivalent of a second mortgage and the quality of water has deteriorated to such lows that we can’t even enjoy a swim in the Lake. I guess the saying, “GO JUMP IN THE LAKE” has developed a whole new meaning, in that some legal eagles could go as far as making the case that telling someone to ‘GO JUMP IN THE LAKE” may be interpreted as a death threat due to the poor quality of the water. Society is doomed. Democracy is dead. Canada has become a third world country. We don’t have a real government we have a ficticious democracy led by memeber of an elite dynasty. Elected officials that are not in it for it’s people but instead to play puppet to the days popular lobbyist. Don’t get me wrong. I am not bad mouthing Trudea. As no matter who we put in office the outcome will always be the same. We the people suffer. Politicians pretend to care while they waste our money. Hell, we can’t even have clean running water in some of our communities. We can’t even go for a swim in our own lakes. But wait. We can send 10 billion to fight foreign wars with no benefit to Canadians. Let’s send a messaeg to the elite. If anything. ‘GO JUMP IN THE LAKE”. REMEMBER ALWAYS Hope for the Best. PREPARE FOR the worst.

Canada Day 2023

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East This year is the 156th anniversary of a country still called Canada. Mired by the dark shadows of history and the aftershocks of Covid-19 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 2023. 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. . Our nation is facing great challenges today, as never before. These include the economic hardship and skyrocketing inflation, the issues related to a new conflagration in Europe, 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 enlightened Canada Day!

Your Skills and Experience Are Not Your Only Strengths

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

MAYBE Michael L. Maynard, the DDSB’s integrity commissioner HAS TO GO

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - The news report read: DDSB trustee censured for a second time over social media posts -- Trustees at the Durham District School Board (DDSB) have once again voted to censure one of their own. Sanctions were issued against Trustee Linda Stone, following a report on her social media activity. Stone has previously come under fire for tweets that have been described as offensive to transgender staff and students. Monday’s board meeting brought up a report by Michael L. Maynard, the DDSB’s integrity commissioner. The May 26 report appears to be similar in nature to one from four months earlier. However, it deals with more-recent complaints that have been filed against Stone. According to the report, many of the complaints focused on Stone’s social media activity, including tweets and retweets from her Twitter account. She notably came under fire in December 2022 for online behavior. “Woman is not a feeling or a costume,” read one such post, which Stone retweeted on December 20. “Stop erasing women. Stop appropriating our identity. Hands off our hard won sports, spaces, and shortlists.” “This tweet clearly aims to promote a message of trans exclusion,” wrote Maynard. “It belittles and dismisses authentic trans identity and gender expressive activities such as drag. It is disrespectful and discriminatory.” Another retweet from December 7 claimed that the concept of gender identity had been “made up by a pedophile psychopath.” Maynard argued that Stone’s varied internet activity had breached multiple sections of the board’s Code of Conduct. “Throughout my extensive review of the many dozens of pages of submissions by complainants, I became convinced that Trustee Stone was not engaging in good faith discourse,” reads the report. “She was not expressing benign opinions or asking innocent questions for the purposes of public consultation. Her activity was more akin to campaigning for one side of an issue to the exclusion of others.” “For trustees, the reasonable bounds of their office are confined by their fiduciary duty to the board, and the basic functions of the office as defined by the Education Act and board policies,” it continued. “In particular, the expression of political views, while permissible in some cases, becomes problematic for a trustee when the subject matter of their commentary veers into disrespectful conduct and discrimination – which I believe occurred on several occasions. Such conduct is clearly contrary to board policy and is a violation of the Code.” You don’t have to be an expert in human psychology to quickly figure out that this so called integrity commission is bias and option based. Not fact or legal. His commentaries are bias, prejudice and contrary to The Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Primarily the Charter states: What are the 7 sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? lists what the Charter calls "fundamental freedoms" namely freedom of conscience, freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of belief, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and of other media of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association. In other words this so called integrity commissioner is in violation of the charter.... He has no right to pass judgement based on antiquated School board policy. The integrity commissioner is in violation of Stone’s right. As a matter of fact: Canadian Constitution say about free speech? Provision. 2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms: freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication. I believe that the school board needs a new integrity commissioner as he has shown clear bias and political agenda. In the same press release. PFLAG, released this: “To all [DDSB] trustees who voted to censor Trustee Stone and her transphobic tweets – we see you and appreciate you,” wrote PFLAG’s Durham Region chapter on Tuesday. “Those who did not – we also saw you and will remember.” As PFLAG is to be treated equal under law. So should be anyone questioning different lifestyles. PFLAG in this statement is attempting to send a clear message to anyone that does not support their agenda that they will be remembered. Including the so called integrity commissioner. Pickering councillor - Lisa Robinson is under similar attack by special interest groups for putting a motion before council that all parades become age appropriate. Her argument is that someone’s pride should not have to be sexualized and flaunted to children. Sexuality is part of human development and there are many stages in the process of human growth these parades may confuse young minds and impede human development. On Monday June 26th a motion will be put forward to remove Lisa from the safety & wellbeing committee. This is being as a result of Lisa voicing constituents concerns that drag performances should be 18+ events. This once again is a clear act of persecution and attempt at oppression through censorship. Much like during the riots, on May 1, 1992, Rodney King made a television appearance pleading for an end to the riots: I just want to say – you know – can we, can we all get along? We need to respect each other. There is no place for censorship and or oppression of anyone or any group by anyone or any group. So let’s take the lesson from the past and CAN WE ALL GET ALONG... REMEMBER ALWAYS Hope for the Best. PREPARE FOR the worst.

Canadians and the access to life saving new medicine

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

BYE BYE HUMAN CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - With the introduction of Artificial Intelligence. Foreign call centers, customer service reps, human interaction will soon become a thing of the past. Just try calling any government office? What do you get? You are told to visit some web page. There you will be bombarded with all kinds of information that at the end of the day if you don’t understand the process.... Good luck getting anything done. Call a cable company, a utility company... Rogers, Bell... You get an automated system that is more frustrating than helpful. Only to after an hour of playing click here press this and that. You get some third world call center with an accent thicker than the IQ of he/she that answers. What is Artificial Intelligence: AI is a tool that will continue to grow to help with tasks, productivity and efficiency. We must invest early to up-skill AI learnings to reinvent new ways to bring unique value to the marketplace while becoming digitally mature. Expanding our AI navigation skillset in the early stages of development allows for humans to be a better equipped to be solution focused individuals. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a buzzword for a while now, but there are still many who believe that it's a technology reserved for the future. However, the truth is that AI is already here and is being used in various industries. In fact, businesses that have already adopted AI are reaping the benefits. If you're thinking about leveraging AI, there's no better time than now, and I'll tell you why. 1. AI can help you increase the efficiency of your business processes. 2. AI can help you make more informed decisions. 3. AI can also improve your customer service. AI is constantly evolving. The sooner you adopt it, the better equipped you'll be to handle future developments. By leveraging AI now, you can gain a competitive advantage, which will set you apart from your peers in the future. What does this mean? Simple. Corporations will no longer need to farm out customer service. Instead when you dial in to any company. You will be subjected to the usual automated circus. Then based on the series of choices you make. You will be dealt to the particular area you are in need of. If this can’t be resolved by basic selection. An automated AI bot will answer your call as a human would. Only now you are fully interacting with a machine. This machine will not compromise, find common ground and or work within the gray scale of human reasoning. The machine will be employing policy and cut dry decisions. The human element will be so far gone. No, ability to talk to a human. Great saving for corporations and government. Major job losses and major customers dissatisfaction. The writing has been on the walls for years. Customer service costs money. Corporations have utilized all kinds of tactics in order to curve this expenditure. Look at the actual human employed in relations to calls. When calling most companies the wait can be as much as one hour... with the choice of having someone call you back if you do not want to wait. I say the future will bring the wrong kind of change. What do you think? REMEMBER ALWAYS Hope for the Best. PREPARE FOR the worst.

Canada and the money factory

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

As a Job Seeker, Handle What You Control First

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

Rightful Owner

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

New Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes

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

Shame on all churches

By Joe Ingino Editor/Publisher ACCOMPLISHED WRITER/AUTHOR OF OVER 800,000 Published Columns in Canada and The United States “I live a dream in a nightmare world” Always Remember That The cosmic blueprint of your life was written in code across the sky at the moment you were born. Decode Your Life By Living It Without Regret or Sorrow. - ONE DAY AT A TIME - What are we becoming? Basic human decency is something that is slowly being erased from our conscious. I blame all faiths and all churches. Specially the Roman Catholic church. The dominant faith, that worked side by side with governments to sustain civility, law and order. To champion human basic decency. Sad, that we are becoming nothing short of animals in a modern day concrete jungle. The failure of the church... and don’t get me wrong...when i get on the Catholics... As, I use Catholics as the seed for all other faiths. I know you Protestants and others sect are screaming... How dare he include us.... Well, It is what it is. All variants of the Jesus Christ book of faith are to blame. Christianity as you want to believe... is what made the west the west. A civilized society that ruled the world. Sure they made mistakes on the way... but if you look at other religions of the world. The blatanly continue to make mistakes against humanity and never apologize in the name of their god. In modern society christianity has become nothing short of the last stop for those that have totally lost hope. Jesus, is the final stop. The Church is not about transforming the uncivilized to civilized. From shaping innocence into productive members of society. Today’s church is about keeping followers and compromising the integrity of the principles that championed decency. The family unit primarily. Tradition and culture. I am disgusted. Just recently a municipality had to introduce this despicable service. A slap in the face to all Christians. Where is the church that people can turn to? Clarington announced it is building Ontario’s first Hope’s Cradle, an anonymous infant surrender site. It will be located at Clarington Emergency and Fire Services station at 2430 Highway 2, and will be for parents to anonymously and safely surrender infants. How it will work: A parent or guardian can come to an unmonitored fire station entrance. Inside the door, they will find a bassinet to place the surrendered baby in, and an information package. The package contains a medical form for the baby’s history and an addressed prepaid envelope. The parent will also receive information about the local support available to them, how the process works, and their rights should they change their mind. Once they leave the child and close the door, it will not reopen. Firefighter will get an alert that a baby has been placed in the cradle and go to pick the infant up. Paramedics will be called to do a health evaluation of the child. Any guardian who surrenders an infant will be kept anonymous, provided the infant shows no signs of abuse. Then Durham Children’s Aid Society will be contacted to collect the infant and place it in care. On the surface...WOW. What a great idea. A place for people to drop off infants that they can’t care for. Then you give yourself a reality check. This service is a testament of the failure of the church. The failure for the church to promote and strictly enforce family values. The churches lowering of it’s standards and principles that make it OK for divorce, out of wed marriages, living together out of wed. Really, there should be no place in our modern society for ‘HOPE CRADLE’s’ That is what the church is there for. That is the purpose of community. Modern society has no standards. Everything and anything is accepted as normal. Sacrifice, commitment, honor, valor and responsibilities are nothing more than words such as love. They have meaning but no real purpose in our daily lives. REMEMBER ALWAYS Hope for the Best. PREPARE FOR the worst.

Canada's slide into irrelevance on the international stage

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

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

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

Little Relief and High Costs for Back Pain

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