Interviews Are Modern Greek Tragedies

By Nick Kossovan Odds are the person interviewing you has a similar story as mine-they developed their interviewing skills "on the job." Executives and managers are thrust into the recruiting part of their job without first developing skills to evaluate talent. Outside of human resources, those whose job requires them to assess and interview candidates get little to no training. I never received any formal training regarding how to interview and evaluate a candidate. Yet, I've interviewed 1,000's throughout my career. I admit I stumbled through my first 150 - 200 interviews. I developed my interviewing skills, a skill I knew would serve me well, on job candidates, which I now admit was unfair to them. Hiring the right people who'll fit with the position, team and company can't be overstated. I keep British-American author Simon Sinek's words top of mind, "If you hire people just because they can do a job, they'll work for the money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they'll work for you with blood and sweat and tears." Since finding work is seeking approval, I often think of interviews as conduits to modern Greek tragedies. We spend much of our youth and adulthood seeking approval, trying to "fit in" with the right clothes, car, house, job, etc. We're constantly aware we're being judged-a cause of much of why we second-guess ourselves and the stress this causes. -Am I good enough? -Do I fit in? You desperately want to hear, "We want you." WARNING: Three interview truths coming. -When interviewing, everything goes into "the mix"-past hiring mistakes, bias, prejudices, commonalities. -At the core of every hiring decision is gut feel. -Likability is the most valuable currency a job seeker has, trumping education, skills, and experience. When a candidate is sitting in front of me, I'm asking myself: - Will this person fit in with the current team members and the company's culture? - Will this person be seen as a good hire by my boss and peers, and the team? (A bad hire = bad judgment, which is an X against my reputation.) Acing an interview is extremely hard. Much of your success depends on whom you're speaking to, and humans are the ultimate moving target. The best you can hope for is to stack the odds in your favour and hope your interviewer is in a good mood. Keep top of mind: An interview is a sales meeting, and hiring is a business arrangement. When interviewing, your job is to establish rapport (READ: connection), build trust and achieve the following goals of making the interviewer: - Believe in you. - See you as a fit. You achieve these goals by: -Clearly demonstrating what value you can bring to the employer. Connect how your track record, which needs to be quantified; otherwise, it's just your opinion, would be an asset to the employer. - Presenting yourself as a problem solver. If you look at work holistically, you'll realize every position within an organization exists to solve a problem(s). How can your experience and skills solve the problem(s) the position you applied to exists to solve? - Asking good questions. By asking good questions, your interviewer will talk about their pain points. You can then explain (sell yourself) how you'd go about solving their pain point. Three things worth noting and using as guidance when interviewing: -An employer will hire you if they're convinced you'll bring more value than you cost, therefore offer as much value as possible. -Problem solvers, those with a proven track record of solving their employer's pain points, will always be in demand. -People don't have short attention spans. They have short interest spans. Make your interviewer interested in you. There's no blueprint to guarantee interview success. All you can do is stack the odds in your favour as much as possible. However, there's one universal interview rule that'll tip the odds in your favour: Always tell the person sitting across from you what they want to hear. When you develop the ability to read your interviewer and comfortably offer solutions to their pain points, you'll have developed solid interviewing skills. Such skills will mitigate the number of Greek tragedies you'll experience while job searching. 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

As a Job Seeker There Are 3 Job Search Truisms You Need to Accept

 

As a Job Seeker There Are 3 Job Search Truisms You Need to Accept
By Nick Kossovan
A job search has many moving parts; your mindset is the most critical part. Tackling challenges, such as a job search, is easier if you have the right mindset.

Job search success isn't achieved through wishful thinking - how you wish things to be. Success is achieved by adapting to, better yet embracing, realities, not beating your head against walls that won't crumble down.
The following are three "job search truisms" every job seeker needs to accept if they want to minimize their job search frustrations and mitigate the time it takes to find their next job.

1. You're not owed a job, career or even to make a living.
With a sense of entitlement being so prevalent these days, I often see bitterness amongst job seekers ["I'm not getting what I deserve.", "I'm not getting what I want."]. Anger hinders a job seeker, along with increasing false pride, which becomes an insurmountable obstacle.
The easiest way to be disappointed, unhappy, frustrated, angry, or become depressed is to have an expectation you're owed. You, and only you, are responsible for your job search.
The upside of assuming no one owes you: You energetically help yourself. For many people, this is a massive mind shift! Approaching your job search with an "I'm helping myself" mindset gives you a considerable mental boost, which is to your advantage. As well, such a perspective will carry you through the roller coaster of emotions you'll be dealing with throughout your job hunt.
2. Employers own their hiring process.
You may recall my column back in January, There's No Universal Hiring Methodology. I brought up the fact, never mentioned by career experts, that no two hiring managers access candidates the same way. This also applies to companies - no two companies hire the same way.
As a job seeker, you need to accept that employers own their hiring process, which is their prerogative. A sense of entitlement has made it common today for job seekers to complain about how employers hire. What a waste of energy! Complaining won't change how employers decide to hire.
Many candidates try to circumvent the employer's hiring process or skip steps. By following the employer's application instructions, as frustrating as they sometimes are, you're setting yourself apart from your competition. Being able to follow instructions is a prerequisite for any job. Thus, employers look for this "willingness to follow instructions" in candidates.
3. Today, networking is non-negotiable.
The most decisive route to job search success is to do what others are afraid to do, which is to network.
Networking is creating a fabric of personal contacts that can provide support, feedback, insight, resources, and information. In 2021, and for the foreseeable future, it'll be raining resumes. Ask yourself: Who's more likely to be hired, a stranger the hiring manager doesn't know, or someone they're somewhat acquainted with, or a referral? Your answer should convince you of the power of networking.
It's common knowledge most jobs are unadvertised. Undeniable, those who build and nurture a professional network land the plumb jobs. However, many job seekers create excuses [e.g., they're an introvert, networking feels sleazy, everyone's too busy to listen to them] to avoid networking, even though networking has proven to be the most efficient way to finding a job.
Whatever your hang-ups [READ: limiting beliefs] are about networking, get over it! As a job seeker, your primary goal is to connect with people who can assist in your job search. Nothing will get you into an organization faster than having an inside person vouching for you.
Here are a few tips to get you started networking:
1.    Reconnect with old colleagues and alumni you've lost touch with.
2.    Leverage social media - connect with people online [LinkedIn, Facebook].
3.    Become comfortable talking to strangers.
4.    Read: Coffee Lunch Coffee: A Practical Field Guide for Master Networking, by Alana Muller
5.    Read: Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, by Keith Ferrazzi
A job search is a huge undertaking. Having a mindset aligned with today's job market's realities is key to achieving job search success in the least amount of time. Mindset is everything!

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

Keep Blood Pressure Under Control

  Keep Blood Pressure Under Control
 W. Gifford-Jones, M.D. and Diana Gifford-Jones
          Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” Avoiding disease may be the gift of lucky genetics, but it helps to put some work into managing your chances for health and longevity.
Maintaining rubbery arteries is key to the delivery of oxygenated blood to the heart’s muscle that guards against hypertension, stroke, and heart attack. A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that what’s good for the heart may also be good for the brain.
The study involved 9,300 people ages, 50 and older with an average age of 68, with hypertension. They also had one other cardiovascular risk factor, history of stroke, or dementia. It was a huge study involving patients in over 100 carefully supervised medical centers across the U.S.

Half of the patients were provided “Gold Standard” care. This meant they were given medication that lowered their systolic blood pressure (the top number), to less than 120. The other half simply aimed for the standard systolic target of 140 or lower.
What happened? When a study shows after a period that one group is getting the raw end of the deal, it must be stopped for ethical reasons. So, when the gold standard group was winning after a period of three years, the study abruptly ended.
The gold standard of treatment had reduced cardiovascular problems and death by 25 percent. But the study ignited the still on-going debate as to whether normal blood pressure level should be changed from 140/80 to 130/80.
There was another effect. Researchers wondered if a lowering of blood pressure in the gold standard group would have any effect on the risk for dementia. So they followed these two groups further to see if changes in blood pressure had any effect on brain function.
The result? After another two years, researchers found no statistical difference in the amount of “probable dementia” between the two groups. But they did notice a 19 percent lower rate of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the gold standard group.
MCI is a gray, undefinable area between normal brain function and early dementia. Looking at it another way, 287 of the 4,280 patients in the gold group and 353 of the same number in the standard group, developed MCI over a five-year period. Not a huge difference, but big enough to warrant notice.

Researchers stressed that, although some cases of MCI go on to develop dementia, many others go for years without any problems. Some patients even revert to normal.
So what’s the bottom line? Good sense dictates that controlling hypertension is a sound measure for the brain, but lowering it too much can cause hypotension (low blood pressure), fainting and possible kidney injury. In effect, in the real world, trying to obtain the perfect blood pressure can be questionable.

Researchers say the best option for brain health is to stay physically active and maintain a sense of purpose in life. This is always good for the brain. Weight control, particularly in the abdomen, is essential, as it’s linked to dementia. But since obesity is so often associated with Type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dementia, it’s difficult to know which is the main culprit.
Since Type 2 diabetes narrows cerebral arteries and decreases oxygenated blood to the brain, this along with hypertension, is a bad combination.

Take Eleanor Roosevelt’s sage advice to heart. You need more than luck to avoid these two killers. Rather, your diet and lifestyle may need to undergo dramatic changes.

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Raised Under the Influence

 from Wayne & Tamara

Raised Under the Influence
Q I am a divorced father of a 16-year-old son and a 21-year-old son. I have been divorced 18 months and separated for a year prior to the divorce becoming final. My ex-wife is a recovering alcoholic and has been sober for two years. During the peak of her alcoholism, she had three different affairs. She lied to me so often that I demanded she leave the home. At the time of the divorce, I structured an agreement that would allow her to leave debt-free on the condition of no child support. I took on a house that was upside down about $50,000, and I took on over $40,000 in debt, due largely to her drinking and spending sprees. I also agreed to pay all of my sons’ expenses and, in doing so, have come very close to bankruptcy.

Thankfully, I was recently promoted and received a healthy raise, which gave me some financial breathing room. The problem is, I have to move.
I enjoyed equally shared custody of our younger son up to now. Due to my relocation, my son has chosen to live with his mother because he doesn’t want to move. Were it not for her sobriety and the fact he is a sophomore in high school, I would have attempted to gain full custody and have him move with me. He pleaded to stay in his hometown. Reluctantly, I agreed.
Here is the issue. My ex-wife has successfully sued me for child support. This is besides what I already do financially for both my sons, and frankly, I can’t afford it. Honestly, I’m done getting kicked around. I will fight the ruling, and it isn’t going to be cheap. I feel I must in order to continue to support my older son in college. I’m convinced my younger son will never see the money I am legally obligated to pay to his mother.

She continues to lie as she attempts to paint me as a cheapskate who doesn’t want to pay for his son’s way. Nothing could be further from the truth. But how do I explain all this to my younger son? He won’t move with me. He sees me as the villain, and when I suggest alternatives, like spending the summer with me, he digs in his heels. He doesn’t want to give up summers with his friends, and I hate asking him to make that choice. His older brother knows everything because, early on, he confronted me with whether she cheated and I told him the truth. My youngest thinks his mother and I divorced due to her drinking. Now, I’m not sure I want to go on living that lie. I want him to understand why I’m so upset. I want him to know I’m there for him, regardless of what his mother tells him. I think my wish to spend as much time as possible with him should outweigh a summer with his friends. I want him to understand family is first.  The problem is my ex-wife won’t support that view, and because of that, I feel I should tell him the whole truth. But that feels slimy.  A part of me says it’s time for the whole truth. Another part of me says to continue to take the high road and don’t put him in the middle. What do you think?
 Robert

A Robert, you have every reason to be mad and every reason to let your son see how much you pay for his support. But the wiser course now is to withhold telling your son about his mother’s infidelity. The divorce should have come 10 years ago. If that had happened, today would be different. What you are dealing with now is the multiplier effect from past decisions. But woulda-coulda-shoulda is water under the bridge. As you say, it’s her fault you and your boys are in this position.  None of that can be fixed now. The main concern of your younger son is his friends and high school classmates.

 His life is in turmoil. If there is no abuse or no imminent harm that you can prove, how much harder and more stressful will it be on your son, if his choice is overruled? Years from now he may regret his decision, but not now.
He’s not choosing his mom over you. He’s choosing his friends.
The damage that has been done by staying with a woman who went through life drunk has been done. The relationship you have with your son has been built. The interplay between the two of you is established. Don’t destroy it.

Make him know how much you will miss him and how much you think of him. That’s your best short-, medium-, and long-term play.

Doing anything other than letting him have his way now will put a wedge between you. In time, he will learn about his mother’s infidelity (and he should), if not from you, then from his brother.
But if you force your son to move, you will become the villain his mother paints you as.
Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

WHEN THERE IS ONLY ONE CHOICE IS IT STILL DEMOCRACY?

 WHEN THERE IS ONLY ONE CHOICE IS IT STILL DEMOCRACY?
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

   The news briefing read:    Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to call election for Sept. 20: sources - Trudeau aides have said for months that the ruling Liberals would push for a vote before the end of 2021, two years ahead of schedule.
  For the last 100 years we have been hiding behind false ideologies.  In North America we have been brought up to defend democracy and freedom at all costs.   Sadly many have fallen during wars in the name of the preservation of a political phantom.
Allow me to explain:  We the people all want the same.  To live free of persecution and to be able to support our families.  For our children to grow up in a society that offers opportunity based on achievements, not sexual preference, race and or ethnicity.
Democracy by definition means:  a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.   
Now the question on the table is.... If in a so called democracy there  is only one choice is that still democracy?
After all Communism by definition means: a political theory derived from Karl Marx, advocating class war and leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned and each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs.
Now if we read this correctly on the first we have a choice as determined by our education/opportunity and stature in society.  On the latter you have no choice and are pigeon holed into a place in society.
  I do not know about you.  One thing both ‘isms’ share is that it is a government system to control/oppress the masses.  
In both cases you have no choice, as in democracy your choices are mandated by situation/environment/economic stature.  In Communism you are pigeon holed without any real perceived choice.  In part one could say that both “isms” are one of the same.  The only difference is the path taken to the same control.   Could this be why in many countries the traditional “isms” are failing.   Could it that this is the Chinese secret to economic success?   Unified greed.  Unified goal.  One choice in the name of national prosperity.
Now back to Canada.  In Canada we have three major political parties.  And about 30 other official unrecognized parties.   In a country with so much choice and so much freedom it appears that we may have choice but no real purpose in the selection we make.   No matter who wins.  Someone is always unhappy.   The left the right. Once in office it is business as usual.  Government in Canada has become nothing short of a marketing ploy.  People do not vote on values and principles.   On what is best for them.  Instead we as Canadians vote on nostalgia, popular thought and name recognition.   Our political system much like that in the United States is broken.   It is about greed and living through your term to possibly win again.   Now I must say that under the Liberal government during the pandemic.  Not one citizen can say they did nothing.  Sure they could have done more but that is the usual battle  cry.  With this said on has to wonder if the Conservatives had been in office if they had not done the same.   Unfortunately the conservative party in Canada has lost it’s way and in part it’s purpose. To much infighting.  The Liberals with the Trudeau flag will run with it for as long as they can.  Then we have the NDP.  A cloud in between two major storms.  Very unlikely.  Then there is the PPC proving that political ideology need change in Canada.  In Canada it appears we have no choice as no matter who we elect the same old same old will continue.  Is this democracy when we only have one choice in our wide selection?

The Election and Vaccines

 

The Election and Vaccines
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
   It looks like we are going for an early election; in late summer or early fall. The vaccination against Covid-19 seems to get special, if not dedicated attention from all political parties. As the pandemic may have another shot at increasing the number of people testing positive for the coronavirus, the issue of the vaccinated versus the not vaccinated is moving into position to take center stage.
Certainly, the issue is a little complicated:  The first question is, which vaccines? Political leaders such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the leader of the opposition Conservative Party's Erin O' Toole are all for vaccination even though the combinations concocted in Canada, like Astra Zeneca combined with Moderna (and other combinations) are not recognized by many countries.  Hypocritically, the prime time media in this country is suspiciously silent on this issue. Might this be the reason that the US is not opening the land borders to Canadians. It might well be that the US does not like the cocktail vaccinations administered in Canada.
Never mind that the luminaries in Canadian politics, strongly supported by the dedicated civil service employed medical professionals are constantly preaching that all people should be vaccinated.  They are calling first of all for the federally employed public service to be treated, for which the PM asked to be considered. With the approximately 300,000 members of the federal public service vaccinated, and another two million in federally regulated industries and institutions treated, the copy cats will soon follow at the provincial and municipal levels.
The question now arises, whether this hysteria will ever come to an end or will people be subjected to a life-long stream of vaccinations in light of the delta, lambda and the rest of the Greek alphabet exhausted variants. Let us hope some level-headed reasoning will prevail.
But let us turn our attention to the federal election expected to come up soon. All the parties are frantically preparing their supporters and volunteers.  Excuses and spins touting that an elections can be conducted safely will abound despite the heralded pandemic.
Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole bending as the wind blows, like a true weathervane, has now said that in his opinion "all Canadians should get vaccinated so that the country can turn the page on COVID-19".
Interestingly enough however Conservative MP David Yurdiga, who represents Fort McMurray, Alta. in the Commons, said a government plan to study the value of making vaccination mandatory for federal bureaucrats was "another example of the Liberals using severe government overreach for political gain."
"Canadians deserve the right to liberty, whether they choose to be vaccinated or not. Mandating the vaccine as a requirement to work would be the beginning of a slippery slope," Yurdiga said.
The Conservative MP said that such a policy would be discriminatory, punishing Canadians for "what they choose to do with their bodies."
When asked to comment on Yurdiga's argument that mandatory shots would be "tyrannical," O'Toole was vague.
"I've been very clear - vaccines are the most critical tool in us fighting COVID-19. We encourage all Canadians to get vaccinated. It's actually why my wife and I took the unusual step of videotaping our own vaccinations," O'Toole said. But he forgot to say that was Astra Zeneca…….then the rest of the cocktail….
However, the fervent proponents of mandatory shots maintain it's the best way to develop herd immunity, protect the collective health of Canadians and rid the country of a very serious disease.
They say that almost universal vaccine coverage has eradicated other diseases, such as polio and tetanus, except that they forget to mention that Moderna and Pfizer for example are based on principles completely different from what we classically consider vaccines.
"It's time for people to get vaccinated, and for those who are hesitant to go and get their first and second doses," PM Trudeau said last week.
As the much more virulent delta strain of the virus takes hold in the U.S. and elsewhere, pushing case counts to levels not seen in months, a number of private companies and government departments already have said they will demand their employees either get a shot or find a new job. Nice way to promote equity and diversity…..
We will soon see if the choice to get vaccinated will be cancelled from Canadian democracy. It seems more and more that we are heading in that direction, the way towards a new type of elitist, globalist, delusional marxisistic society in the making.
As the leader of the PPC Maxime Bernier said:
"The vaccinated and the unvaccinated should oppose vaccine passports. Everybody's basic freedoms will be destroyed if we become a surveillance and police state."
As we near federal elections be aware for whom you vote. Vote for the people and the party whose main interest is to maintain freedom, fairness, respect and responsibility rather than buying votes.
Be aware and vote!

A King for the People

 A King for the People
by Alex King

    I submit, for the peoples' consideration, several issues I have with a recently passed state law. Following the adoption of West Virginia House Bill 2891, additional financial strain will soon be placed on smaller police departments in our state; and, while it seems a bit hyperbolic to use the word "defund," I can think of no better term for what may inevitably happen to our local police if the law is allowed to remain in its current form.

The delegate who sponsored the bill has always acted as a champion for law enforcement, so I have no reason to doubt his intentions. That said, I still find the need to call out HB 2891 as the detrimental heap it is. Aspects of the law are so awful I am left wondering if my representative bothered speaking with our local police departments before going to work on a legislation directly affecting them and their duties.
A line of this new legislation reads verbatim: requiring direct supervision of a pre-certified law enforcement officer by a certified law enforcement officer while engaged in law enforcement duties.

Such a requirement sounds practical on its surface. Until recently, many officers were trained locally and then permitted to patrol on their own, as long as they received their academy certification within a certain amount of time. There's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting stronger assurance that those who serve and protect us are adequately trained before patrolling on their own. However, the bill utterly disregards small departments employing only a handful of officers.

I find myself asking the following: What about the massive surge of payouts that will deplete department funding because officers who normally earn overtime will be forced to log even more hours babysitting? Will fatigue and burnout become issues for those officers putting in the extra hours? How are small departments to plan and budget for this when the timeline for getting an officer into the academy can be unreliable and dependent on a variety of factors? Will officers begin cracking down on petty offenses to make up for the dip in funding?
Those questions are just the beginning. House Bill 2891 gets even worse. Not only does it effectively raise the costs of local policing and drain more of the peoples' taxes (which will likely result in tax increases if we want to keep our smaller departments), it also robs our local communities of the ultimate decision regarding who polices us. Instead, that control now belongs to an unelected board at the state level.

Per HB 2891, potential officers will now undergo a polygraph test and psychological evaluation (paid for by individual departments and not the state). Those results will then be submitted to the state, coinciding with a thorough background check. Finally, a state-appointed committee will decide if that person is allowed to be an officer. And, despite how much funding and energy was invested in this applicant, the state may ultimately say no.  
Once again, those measures sound practical on the surface, and I would be willing to have a deeper conversation about the need for police reform. But despite how well-meant the regulation, this new piece of legislation creates a frightening opportunity for political discrimination when determining who polices our communities.

I wonder if the following questions will one day be asked by one or more members of the state committee: "Is the applicant a free thinker? Will the applicant enforce unlegislated state edicts, such as mask mandates and stay at home orders? Is the applicant politically active one way or another? Will the applicant adhere to the constitution or do exactly as the state says?"
I'm not posing a conspiracy theory, as if the state government is trying to enact authoritarian control over local law enforcement. I'm simply making an argument for how such a law will eventually be abused. Where there are loopholes, those who feel they can gain something by exploiting them will most certainly find a way to do so-even if those gains are a form of ideological control.

The law may have been passed under the premise of forming safer police standards, but the criteria described creates a scenario for political and ideological discrimination. In these increasingly reactionary times (with departments across the country being defunded and Washington D.C. beginning to occupy actual states with its police force), we must be more discerning of the laws we tolerate, even at the local level… especially at the local level.
I therefore call upon county commissioners, city council members, and passionate citizens to band together and fight for the right of our local communities to determine who polices us. We must overturn this bureaucratic nightmare of a law and return the powers stolen by HB 2891 to our local branches of government where they belong.

WORTHLESS WORDS

WORTHLESS WORDS

By Joe Ingino

Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”

What is happening across the world? What an exciting and yet concerning times we are living through. Believe me I have heard this cry before.... Change is good. The future holds only one end and so on and so on. Depending on who you are talking with the outcome becomes more doom and gloom.

In reality our educational systems are making us more aware of our environments. Educating us on things that in the past we were ignorant of even having a thought about. It appears we are all experts in our own fields. To me our educational systems compounded with high tech. We are producing specialist instead of free thinkers. We are creating a social culture based on perceptual norms and not facts.

The rule of thumb appears to be, that the more people you can sway to believe a particular thought... That thought becomes reality. Even though irrational.

Take for example language.... All languages suffer from the same. We today are communicating at a much higher awareness level then ever before.

Take for example simple words like ‘LOVE’. If this basic common word can have so many uses and make so much impact on the human profile. Imagine words like Democracy, Equality.

Language in modern society is being used as a weapon to control the masses. Historically, governments and the church had that domain monopolized as one the other could not exists.

Our laws and our social/civic principles are all rooted in the 10 commandments. God is used as tool to force conformity amongst the masses. After all who wants to end up in Hell.

Unfortunately that card has been played once to many times and the game has been exposed to be nothing short of a words switch and bait type of card game.

People are today bringing to light the validity of the word of God. They question and defy law in the name of a right that in reality they do not have but have been fed the line that they do.

Our rights and freedoms are not mandated by anyone. No place does it say that this is a human right other than man saying so.

In reality we are nothing but animals. The human race. Governed by basic instincts and drives.

What is the difference between a drive and an instinct? As nouns the difference between drive and instinct is that drive is (senseid)self-motivation; ability coupled with ambition while instinct is a natural or inherent impulse or behaviour. Are these not what religion and government so tailored their laws and norms around. They like to give us the impression that we have the right while at the same time oppressing our natural impulse and keep us civil?

What is Freud's instinct theory?

Definition: Instinct. INSTINCT. A pre-lingual bodily impulse that drives our actions. Freud makes a distinction between instinct and the antithesis, conscious/unconscious; an instinct is pre-lingual and, so, can only be accessed by language, by an idea that represents the instinct.

Sigmund Freud, 1891. Freud, early in his studies, took the biological view that there are two basic instinctive forces governing life: self-preservation and reproduction.What is the flaw of instinct theory?

What is the flaw in instinct theory? Instincts don't explain behavior; they simply label it. Drive Reduction theory. A theory that states that some physiological need occurs that creates a state of tension which in turn motivates you to reduce the tension or satisfy the need.

If this stands true. Modern day norms can be said to be manipulated by the media and high tech. Could it be that world governments turn to the media in order to cast sublime messages of compliance in the future. But wait. Places like CNN and FOX are they not already doing this. God is being removed from most of society as any trace of history. Governments are still pushing the national pride line only to be denounced.

How is democracy to survive when love between man kind can’t be accomplished. Does this mean that we are looking at a world of misinformation or tailored information enforced by force disguised as law?

Wait in part it is today. Will the message remain the same. Just the delivery method change?

I remember growing up hearing of the many evil that the future would bring. From the end of time as the clock clicked midnight in 1999 to 2000 to the many religious devoted calling on followers to prepare in 2012.

The reality of existence is not based on events. I believe that our destiny has been predestined by our existence.

We are nothing but part of something much bigger.

We the human race create all these system to survive. To thrive in an environment that has limitation and an expiry date.

Much like our own lives. Many make it to 80. Not realizing that we sleep 40 of those years in the name of rest/health.

We communicate in part to oppress our rooted drives and instincts.

We go around professing based on confused opinion.

Even those that swear by science only to be proven to fault in their method.

I think the best thing we can take from life, society is fact that we are on this planet for a short time and during that time we must enjoy and live every moment as if it was our last.

Achieve and believe that you are not the one that is important. Your contributions to humanity are. Your compassion and understanding in the enlightenment of understanding who you really are. Worthless words or are they?

BEND OVER TAKE IN THE ASS AND LIKE IT

 

BEND OVER TAKE IN THE ASS AND LIKE IT
By Joe Ingino
Editor/Publisher

“I live a dream in a nightmare world”   

    As a child I remember how much I hated going to the doctor.   As a kid you only went there for a vaccination or a minor check up.   On the first, I remember him lowering my pants and before I knew it.  Boom he had pricked me with a needle on my ass cheek.
  I had no choice.  I was more worried about the fact that my genitalia was exposed then anything else.... Meanwhile I was getting pricked in the name of public health.   My mom would always kiss me in the forehead to comfort me as she slipped me a candy as a treat for being a good boy.
  In modern society it appears the same principles are being employed by the government.   They take us to a place out of fear.  In the name of public health.  Then without really having much choice prick us with a vaccine that in my opinion has not fully been studied or understood.  All they tell us is that it has shown in some fictitious study to have an affect on a virus that even today we(governments) of the world have no clue what it truly is.   
We have an idea.  But no one can without a doubt clearly say they know what this virus is doing across the planet.
   Could this be what they mean by ‘the writing on the wall’.   Could it be that out of our own ignorance we are entrusting governments.  Governments that go on a hit and miss agenda and not on what is best for the people they represent.
   They say that Russians are the most upfront people.  The people with the most real choices.  A people with true freedom.  I say this because as free and democratic the Russian may be.  They are only given one choice.   Therefore the choice is always right and easy.  This mentality appears to be what our so called ‘FREE AND DEMOCRATIC’ nations of the world are employing.
   I say this because it appears that governments across the globe without fully understanding the choice.  Taken choice from their citizens by creating a sublime hysteria over what they perceive to be the magic shield against COVID.   Only to be exposed for their ignorance of the truth by variants of COVID.
   You can’t blame the politicians.  They are flags in the wind of an agenda that is way beyond their intellect and understanding.  
Much like me taking it in the ass.  We are all taking it in the ass and forced to like it.
Just this week.  Some brilliant mind in government decided to put the idiotic idea in the arena of public ignorance, that somehow governments have given themselves the power to pass vaccination passports.   Not only that.   The same brilliant minds put the seed of ignorance amongst public opinionatos that it is OK to refuse services, entry and or opportunity based on vaccination choice.
This is in part sparking the debate over forced vaccination in general.   As it stands if you are not vaccinated for some disease you can be banned from schools and the like.  So why is it that the COVID vaccination has such an opposition?   Simple.  The COVID vaccine is to new and a fallacy.  We must not trust science but depend on it’s byproducts.  We must not enforce compliance but instead promote civil duty, free will and choice.  As a society we have given up common sense.  Basic human decency and for that we are being oppressed by laws and social pressure to comply.   Vaccines that have a solid proven record are obviously good.  Vaccines that are put forth in urgency to attempt to calm and unknown is wrong as it is not logical.  People  lets use common sense.  Let’s stop taking it in the ass in the name that science knows best.
Let’s first completely understand the source then let science find a logical solution that is reasonable and true.  Humanity will never move forward blinded by ignorance.  Open your eyes.

Tales from the war in Afghanistan

 

Tales from the war in Afghanistan
    by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC,
FEC, CET, P. Eng.
Former Member of Parliament
Pickering-Scarborough East
   The military Canadian mission in Afghanistan officially ended in May 2014. There are many memories of it and we always will remember the sacrifices made by the 158 comrades fallen. As I was deployed in 2007 at the beginning of the most violent phase of the war I remember with pleasure working with the Afghani people on the Kandahar base.
The evolution of the situation in Afghanistan and the new political events there with the Taliban rising again it is important that we think about these people who helped our mission with dedication and do something for them and their families.
As Afghanistan is on the brink of descending into a civil war we should set out to rescue those Afghans who worked with Canada's diplomats and soldiers before Taliban assassins find them and kill them. We should have envisaged a prospective of this, when Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan's first president after 9/11, who was forever pleading with the Taliban, his "brothers," his fellow Pashtuns, his "sons of the soil," to talk peace. However, you cannot make peace with mass murderers, as history has repeatedly shown.
The surviving leaders of the resistance during the dark Taliban years warned loudly and often that any effort to reconcile with Mullah Omar's mass murderers would end in disaster and here we are.  Unfortunately their warning fell on deaf ears of politicians who might have done something about it. Down through the years as I followed the events after my deployment there among Afghans, the woolly idea of peace talks was dismissed time and again as a dangerous folly.
The Afghani diaspora have said so, as many Afghani associations and especially Afghani women's associations have expressed their deep concern about dealing with the Taliban for peace. Burhanuddin Rabbani, who headed up Afghanistan's High Council for Peace before the Taliban assassinated him, also said so.
But the unfortunate wisdom in the NATO capitals purported to know better as well as former U.S. president Barack Obama who thought he knew better. Even former President Donald Trump, thought that a peaceful reconciliation between Ashraf Ghani's tenuously democratic government in Kabul and the Taliban's Islamic Emirate, comfortably domiciled in Quetta, Pakistan would be possible.  So the US has bet on the wrong horse again, because the Taliban, supported covertly and sometimes quite openly by Pakistan, has taken a step by step operation to recover the lost territories and influence. Pakistan is a principal participating factor in this equation, but nobody seems to take this into consideration.
President Joe Biden proceeded into this fantasy world with a determination that anticipated a full American withdrawal by September 11 of this year, which quickly accelerated to the objective of having American troops out before the end of the summer, and all NATO forces out with them.
It is clear now that when the foreign forces leave the country without bringing about a positive change in the security, the situation will unfold as predicted. First there will be a civil war and regional instability, and then the Taliban will rule again.
It was known that training more than 300,000 Afghan soldiers and police was never going to be enough as the rule of the Taliban has already been extended over much of the country. The Taliban have taken control of most of Afghanistan's border posts and a bloody civil war is already in the offing.  So that is the reason that Ottawa should continue to set out to rescue those Afghans who worked with Canadians and a network of military veterans who were left behind after 2011 now that the Taliban are closing in.
In 2011, when the last Canadian troops finished their combat operations, a special federal program had allowed about 800 interpreters to emigrate and settle in Canada. But many were left behind.  As the situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating at a rapid rate, the first planeload of Afghan refugees who supported the Canadian military mission in Afghanistan has arrived in Canada. It is the first of a number of flights that the government is promising to spirit refugees out of Afghanistan as the resurgent Taliban retakes control of some districts in the country following the withdrawal of American troops.
The government last month announced a special program to urgently resettle Afghans deemed to have been "integral" to the Canadian Armed Forces' mission, including interpreters, cooks, drivers, cleaners, construction workers, security guards and embassy staff, as well as members of their families. Applicants must still meet all the usual admissibility requirements, including security, criminal and health screenings.
In a statement last week, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, Foreign Affairs Minister Marc Garneau and Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan said the government is working "around the clock" to identify eligible individuals. "The government has been seized with the urgency on the ground and is working as quickly as possible to resettle Afghan nationals who put themselves at great risk to support Canada's work in Afghanistan," the ministers said.
They said a team is on the ground in Afghanistan to help Afghans submit applications and provide the necessary documentation. "We are doing everything we can to get every Afghan refugee out as swiftly as possible but we recognize that the security situation can change rapidly."
Hoping for the best for the people who helped Canadians in Afghanistan, we should however never forget our fallen Canadians who fought there for democracy.

Long-term survival after heart attack

 

Long-term survival after heart attack

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

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

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

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

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

Diana: Should everyone be taking such a high dose?

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

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

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

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

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

Diana: Any others?

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

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

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

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

For comments, contact-us@docgiff.com.

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Dollars and Sense

 

Dollars and Sense

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wayne & Tamara write: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

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

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

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.

Final Curtain

 Final Curtain
  Q My girlfriend Jessie and I were together four years. Recently, she went on a two-week family holiday. During those two weeks, I went for a night out with my work colleagues. I got extremely drunk and kissed a girl from work.

     I felt guilty the next day, but a few days later I told my friends, who are also her friends, that I wanted to break up with her. I didn’t, but I was confused at the time.
     The following Saturday, she came home. We went out that night, and I was so confused I told her we should break up. She thought I was playing games.

     She left the pub, and I followed. I told her, “I met somebody else.” I shouldn’t have said it that way, as I did not meet another girl. I just kissed her. It was the biggest mistake of my life.
     Over the next few weeks I tried contacting Jessie, but she would not answer her phone or reply to my texts. In the end, sometimes after work I drank too much and sent her text messages, some of which I’m not proud of.

     Because I was hassling her, she changed her phone number. I met up with her a few weeks later, and she talked to me for 20 minutes. She said we may be friends again, but that will be it.
     I was with Jessie four years, and we had a great relationship. I know we had our arguments, but every couple has arguments. The problem is, sometimes when we went out drinking, I would humiliate her about her weight, her makeup, or something else.
     I know I screwed up. I used to mess with her clothes when we were out in the pub, for example, lifting up her skirt, but that’s just me messing around.
     I have seen her a few times since we broke up. I send her a letter every week begging or groveling to give me a second chance. I know the mistakes I made and would not make them again.

     When I called Jessie’s house last Saturday, she wasn’t in. She rang me 30 minutes later and asked why I was still writing to her. I asked, could we meet up for a coffee?, but she said she didn’t want to as I would cry into my coffee, which is what happened last time.

     She says she is happy, and if she went back with me, she would go backwards. She said the next time she sees me in the street, she might say hello or she might not.
My heart inside was crushed. Is there anything I can do to get Jessie back?
Robert

A Robert, how is this a mistake?
     You kissed a girl in a bar. Perhaps you had too much to drink, but you weren’t drunk when you told mutual friends you wanted to break up. And when you broke up with Jessie in a pub, you said you had someone else.

That’s three “mistakes” in a row. That shows intent.
What you didn’t tell us is what you were trying to gain. Did you want to make her jump through hoops to get you back? Were you paying her back for an imagined sleight? We don’t know.
But she did not come crawling back, you did not get makeup sex, and your plan went awry.

     Often with letters like yours, the letter writer thinks they could do better. But the way you went about it, made it impossible for her to take you back. It would make her the beggar in the relationship.

She did what we would have told her to do, had she written us. Don’t take calls from him; don’t let him whisper in your ear; don’t let him wheedle his way back in.
You say you were confused, but you staged such a convincing show it was believed by all. Now you claim it was only an act, but what a great act it was. The audience applauded wildly, and you took a curtain call.

     Your letter is about how you didn’t get what you wanted, not about how you injured her. All your sorry is for yourself. Why are you concealing why you did it? Because it is not something you can say out loud.
     This was the classic breakup intended to hurt, and she was the last to know. You sealed the deal with a kiss. If you can’t be honest with us, at least be honest with yourself.
Wayne & Tamara                                             write:  Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

How Accurate Is Your Blood Pressure Reading?

 How Accurate Is Your Blood Pressure Reading?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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