A Wave of Heart Disease Among Healthcare Workers? There has always been a lot of heart in the practice of medicine – literally and figuratively. Typically, the focus is on the beating heart of the patient. But has the pandemic, unlike any challenge to the medical profession before, impacted the hearts of front-line healthcare workers themselves? Medicine is “a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.” These words of Sir William Osler, a founding figure of modern medicine, were a warning as much as a motivation. A contemporary of Osler, Dr. Maude Abbott, a cardiac pathologist, was one of Canada’s earliest women in medicine. Her calling was challenged by refusal of entry to medical school. (She was barred from entrance to McGill’s medical program due to her gender. Bishop’s College graduate her in 1894.) But she was driven to be a doctor. Are would-be doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals so keenly motivated today? That medicine requires emotional and physical fortitude is understood. But is there now a price to be paid in heart health? Miners know that even with the best safety equipment, they are often working in dangerous environments. Bus drivers know the sedentary nature of their jobs can place them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Test pilots are probably most acutely aware that their jobs could kill them. But do healthcare workers know the calculus? How are emerging trainees perceiving their future? In 1945, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that “physicians die of coronary-artery disease at the same age as the average person with the disease.” Since then, it would seem doctors got healthier. In pre-pandemic 2019, JAMA Network published a study showing the “incidence of cardiovascular death was 52% lower among physicians than the general population.” Medical careers have always involved long hours and stressful situations. But the pandemic has resulted in extreme exhaustion for many healthcare workers. According to Dr. Susan R. Bailey, the president of the American Medical Association. “A lot of physicians were hanging on by a thread from burnout before the pandemic even started.” Now, new research is showing a relationship between chronic stress and heart disease. A study published last year in JAMA Psychiatry reported that people who suffered from four or more depressive symptoms were 20 per cent more likely to experience cardiovascular disease or death. What are some of these symptoms? Uncomfortable emotional stress that persists. Situations that generate a sense of dread or anxiety. Traumatic life experiences. These may be the symptoms of patients with PTSD, anxiety disorders or depression. But they also read like the everyday work environment of our frontline healthcare workers. Time will tell the outcome, but this research suggests that pandemic-era workers in the health sector are at increased risk of heart disease. Doctors should know the benefits of prevention. But they are trained in treatment. So a word of advice. For many, chronic stress isn’t going to evaporate anytime soon. In the interim, the best way to take care of the heart is to arm that most precious of muscles with the ingredients needed for long-term performance. That is, regular exercise and rest, balanced nutrition, and a daily maintenance routine. Keep arteries clear of plaque build up. Vitamin C in high doses combined with lysine lowers cholesterol levels for a safe, natural defence force against heart disease and an alternative to drugs. Next week, a refresher to readers about the Omega 3 Index, a way to measure your personal risk factors for heart disease. And later this month, a personal celebration of a quarter century since a life-threatening heart attack. 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

A King for the People --my criticisms

A King for the People by Alex King I submit, for the people,

of recently passed West Virginia House Bill 335. For those who don't know, HB 335 was crafted with the intent of allowing medical and religious exemptions in this state when it comes to Biden's vax mandate. Although the federal supreme court's decision eventually nixed the need for that piece of state legislation (except for healthcare employees the U.S. government still believes it owns), I had several issues with the so-called "exemption bill" from the moment it was proposed. Critique #1: rather than outright defying the federal mandate, our legislators quickly passed a law that met Biden's mandate partway. They had every opportunity to send a strong message that they will defend the medical autonomy of ALL West Virginia residents, but they instead legitimized the authoritarian decree by choosing to recognize SOME exemptions and not others. Also, while I have no way of knowing if stronger defiance would have influenced the supreme court to protect the bodily autonomy of healthcare staff, I honestly believe it would have helped. Critique #2: as I recall, Biden had already included a few exemptions in his mandate. Employees who didn't want to receive the vax would be required to wear face coverings and submit themselves to regular virus testing. A quick read-through of HB 335 does nothing to cast those imposing requirements aside following the filing of a person's religious or medical status, so I don't understand how it is even considered an exemption. Critique #3: without any expressed limitations of Biden's federal rule, HB 335 does relatively nothing to protect the freedoms of its residents. In fact, by enforcing a layer of bureaucracy that makes people reveal private information to private corporations and government, many residents will be handing over financially lucrative data about themselves. The bill makes no limitations on the sharing of that information at large, for profit, and potentially to insurance companies. Critique #4: the bill states the following: a covered employer shall not be permitted to penalize or discriminate against current or prospective employees for exercising exemption rights provided in this section by practices including, but not limited to, benefits decisions, hiring, firing, or withholding bonuses, pay raises, or promotions. However, this is still an at-will work state, meaning that an employer can fire anyone for no expressed reason. The protection HB 335 pretends to offer is therefore toothless. It's not as if we can place faith in the state government to investigate, adequately and thoroughly, each claim of vax-hesitant discrimination. Much of it will go unproven. Critique #5: religion should not be a narrative for who has a right to medical autonomy and who doesn't. I think, in that regard, HB 335 is as unconstitutional as Biden's initial order. Those who do not want to identify with any religion should be equally protected under the First Amendment and not subjected to the discrimination which our state government has now imposed. Likewise, those who practice a particular religion should not be compelled to label themselves for companies and government. I want to make it clear that I'm not suggesting that those currently in charge have malice toward any specific group of people. Nor do I wish anger toward those in leadership positions. I only want those who seek responsibility over us to be more aware of the abuses that some laws may create at the detriment of overall public wellbeing, the individuals who make up that public, and the constitutional guarantees that are increasingly threatened by fascistic trends. I think HB 335 was nothing more than a hollow virtue signal to placate the masses of our primarily Christian state. As someone who has grown closer to God these last few years, I think more people of faith should be outraged by the bill, which will inspire some people to pose as false Christians merely for the sake of avoiding a "treatment." The bill is therefore not only a reckless disregard of those who don't practice any religion, but it is just as much an afront to any religion abused as a shield in that way. The West Virginia Legislature should have fought harder against Biden's vax mandate and refuted it entirely. Instead-at our doddering governor's request-they created a law that does more harm than good, a law that surrenders your private information and medical decisions to corporations and government while creating a second class of citizens simply because they are in good health and don't practice a religion. And if you still think I'm wrong about how utterly useless the bill is when it comes to protecting the individual, maybe you should consider the fact that the National Guard recently had to assist West Virginia hospitals who were short staffed. While the official narrative seems to be that too many workers were out sick with the virus, Governor Justice joined with other governors to request-from the Biden administration-an appeal of the healthcare vax requirement. If HB 335 was an effective piece of legislation on its own, why is the figurehead of our state seeking permission from the federal government? Even with the supreme court's decision, will people of this state still have to comply with surrendering their religious or medical information should a private employer want to mandate the vax? There are too many questions left unanswered by HB 335, and I'd rather not beat a dead horse. So, I'll conclude by encouraging anyone who agrees with my points to reach out to West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey. Call his office (304-558-2021) and encourage him to release an official statement explaining the constitutionality of House Bill 335…assuming he can.

White/Black Does Justice Have Color?

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” You got to wonder the real agenda behind the President of the United States push to have a black woman as a Supreme court Judge. How can we be a united nation with such divisions. The fact that the President is looking specifically for a black woman in itself is discriminatory and should have those of other shades of skin furious. Should a post or position not be based on credentials, academics and or experience. Then why is Biden in his inclusive world making such a prejudice choice? Appointments should not be based on historical retribution for wrong committed in a time and place that no other options as at the time it was the standard social norm. Why should modern society be punished for something that we the American people had no real involvement. Should the native Americans not be entitled to the same support by the government? Native Americans were treated worst than blacks. Should we not be learning from history, so that we do not repeat all that was foul about it. Instead in modern society we attempt to unite by creating divisions. What if the President had made it public that he wanted to appoint a Mexican only. An Italian, Jew, native American or a white only judge. How would society reacted? The answer is obvious. Then if it is, then why is it that society accepts this type of discrimination? America as all nations of the world have made historical mistakes when it comes to race. Hell, some nations still make them and they go unnoticed. Then why in America such divisions in the quest for acceptance. Retribution is only punishing those that are innocent just because they are of a particular skin color. This is not modern America. An America that during time of conflict fights shoulder to shoulder for a common goal without color indiferrences. protecting our rights and freedoms. We as Americans are a proud people that come together in times of need. Color is not a factor when we sacrifice, when we share that pride during our national anthem. Color in modern times appears to be used as a tool to push agenda in a false sense of self fullfillment. Black Americans are becoming aware of this. They themselves recognized that their skin color is being used to attain and or push political and social agendas. This type of behavior is not American. This type of behavior is manipulative and oppressive. Take the color out of our judicial system and let freedom reign.

CASTRATING AN eunuch ONLY IN OSHAWA CARTER 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” An Eunuch by definition: a man who has been castrated, especially (in the past) one employed to guard the women. Or in other word. Someone you would employ in trust to guard or attend important and or valuable interests. One that we can be assure not to be fornicated by every chance they get. Well, it seems that in Oshawa at least. Our Eunuch need a trimming. Cause the village people have had just about enough of being copulated time and time and time again by these incompetent Eunuchs. Only in Oshawa do we elect and entrust a leader that follows the advice of staff first. Instead of leading staff with a vision for a better city for all to live. LIKE MY GOOD OLD FRIEND PRESIDENT BRANDON TO THE SOUTH WOULD SAY. ‘COME ON MAN’. just this week. Our beloved Carter went public blaming the system for his failure to secure a new Oshawa hospital through Lakeridge. Really you are blaming, “arbitrary criteria” for your lack of leadership. Carter when you first heard of the possibility you should have been all over it. How is it that Whitby pulled the rug from under you. Well you have to give credit to the Mayor of Whitby as he has more political experience on one toe nail than Carter has mustered in his 8 years living off our tax dollar as a councillor for 4 and Mayor for 4. HE HAS FAILED US Did you know that under Carter’s watch. He has cost you almost 10% in property taxes over his term as Mayor? Is this leadership. He has allowed staff to run away with budgets and we the people pay for it. Is that leadership. He has failed us. Did you know that we the taxpayers own the GM CENTER.. or as it is best known today The Tribute Communities Centre? Did you know that this facility was costing us as much as one million dollar to operate? Did you know that today we the people still pay $600,000 a year to keep it open. You may be asking... why is it called The Tribute Communities Centre? Good question. Our beloved Eunuch negotiated a horrible deal with Tribute Homes for payment to use their name to the tune of $1.25 million dollars over 5 year term. This meaning that the city will only receive $250,00 a year. He failed us. But wait. This is the same Tribute Homes that is rumored to have backed Carter during the election... not to mention have a member of it’s company sit on the City sponsored Mayor economic recovery task force. A task force that has done little of nothing for taxpayers and or the business community. A truly Eunuch task force made up of Carter's political supporters. He has failed us. Just recently Mayor Carter had the nerve to release this statement: Businesses like yours are an essential component of Oshawa’s dynamic and diverse neighbourhoods and their sustainability is a critical pillar of our community. (A lot of words no meaning.) As such, I am working with the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force Chair, Regional and City Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri and both the membership of the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce (GOCC) and the Downtown Oshawa Business Alliance (DOBA) to advocate and assist in any way possible to help mitigate the financial losses that businesses are continuing to endure during this difficult period. (is this guy for real... a lot of words to say he is doing nothing.... wow. Does he truly think you are that stupid? All he is doing is attempting to promote his name and that of his side kick Tito. Both Tito and Carter have limited or no business experience. Both have yet to actually approach local businesses and ask what are their needs. Two hypocrites in a pot of the GOCC, DOBA. Two groups that have done nothing for the core or business in general... but wait till the 2022 election is called and you will see them campaigning indirectly for Carter. hosting debates that favor carter as they have in past elections. SHAME ON TITTO. SHAME ON CARTER. SHAME ON ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE GOCC, DOBA AND COUNCIL. ) YOU BOTH SHOULD RESIGN AS YOU ACTUALLY BE DOING SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR THE TAXPAYERS OF OSHAWA BY SAVING US WHAT WE THE PEOPLE PAY YOU). As supported at City Council on Monday, January 24, I am issuing letters to the Prime Minister and Premier requesting that both the Federal and Provincial governments continue to offer and expand on programs to assist in economic recovery. (In other words he is going to do nothing as he has no authority or power over the Province and or Feds. What a load of shit coming from this horses arse. You want to show leadership. We the people of Oshawa own the public utilities. Cut what you are paying management at the OPUC by half. Create a fund to directly help local businesses by reducing their hydro by 90%. Wait, that would take real leadership.) Another example of his failure as our leader. an insult to the business community and his so deemed dynamic and diverse neighbourhoods. Look at this major FAILURE. The Canadian Automobile Museum. An institution in Oshawa that anyone with a half point IQ would not challenge to recognize it as a prime business, attraction. Approached the City for assistance. city residents have taken up the cudgels on behalf of the Canadian Automotive Museum (CAM) to right what they see as a wrong. They say the CAM receives a grant of $5,000 and pays a municipal tax of $20,000 annually. On top of that, the grant is not a “given”. It has to be applied for every year. The City of Oshawa is being asked to waive the tax or give a grant equal to the amount of the municipal tax. OUR BELOVED EUNUCH AND HIS MERRY COUNCIL ONCE AGAIN FAILED. the museum was denied... I am sure Carter was busy writing his letter to the Province... So that Ford would have something to wipe his ass with. Enough FAILURE. In 2022 municipal election let’s do the right thing and vote them out.

Turmoil in Ottawa

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As January comes to a close, a lot of things are happening in Ottawa, our National Capital. On the one hand, there is a huge trucker demonstration, initiated by the liberal federal government imposing compulsory vaccinations on them. One the other, we see more and more people who would like to return to a normal life, ending lockdowns and other measures limiting individual freedom. It seems to be the start of a symbiosis of these issues, which can no longer be ignored by the federal and provincial governments. In any case, Canadians are so fed up, that the pandemic seems to have undergone a phase change from political windfall to Canadians looking to politically spank incumbents who are not proactive. The truckers decided to organize and take their grievances to Ottawa. So they started by organizing a truck convoy from British Columbia to Ottawa. Once the news spread other truckers form Eastern Canada and southern Ontario joined, until truckers from all the provinces were heading for the capital. As they rolled towards Ottawa, they got an extremely positive reception from the general public. Their efforts to re-establish our freedom and end all the restrictions of the last two years that have crippled the economy and made ordinary Canadians suffer, really struck a chord with fellow citizens. The movement also got international attention and brought support from many truckers from many nations. So on January 29th they started to arrive in Ottawa by the thousands. Other organizations joined the truckers along the way, and the number of supporters swelled to many thousands. By January 30th thousands of people were on the grounds of parliament, probably constituting the largest demonstration which was ever held in Ottawa. The demonstration reached its peak on January 30th. There were speeches and a lot of excitement from the truckers and ordinary Canadians. To the surprise of many people the official news media minimized their presence and dismissed them as a fringe group of people who do not have a real motive to demonstrate, singing a chorus to the song of Prime Minister Trudeau, who declined to meet with them. In response to a reporter's question regarding whether or not he will meet with protestors, Trudeau said he's attended protests and rallies in the past when he "agreed with the goals, when I supported the people expressing their concerns and their issues-Black Lives Matter is an excellent example of that-but I've also chosen not to go anywhere near protests that have expressed hateful rhetoric, violence towards fellow citizens, and a disrespect, not just of science, but of the frontline health workers and quite frankly, the 90 per cent of truckers who have been doing the right thing to keep Canadians safe to put food on our tables." "Canadians know where I stand. This is a moment for responsible leaders to think carefully about where they stand and who they stand with," said Trudeau. Well, there were many, many protesters, and the government had a hard time ignoring them, so they resorted to underhand tactics to try to discredit them. The liberals in power used their docile shills, the main stream media, to paint them as white supremacist, racist, Nazis and the CBC even proposed that Russia has a hand on this demonstration. They continued to smear the demonstration, purposely reporting that the truckers are a group of rowdy people who came to the Ottawa bubble to make trouble for the brave citizens of Ottawa. The media focused on and emphasized exclusively negative incidents, blowing them out of proportion, in their desperate attempts to compromise the movement. I have seen these methods before. These actions are reminiscent of the methods used by former communist countries for controlling the information disseminated to the public, through a subservient apparatchik press. The difference is, that in those former regimes, the press was forced to co-operate under threat of imprisonment if they did not ply the government's rhetoric. The press in Canada today, have literally been bought by government funding. As the demonstrations continue in Ottawa, we do not know what will happen in the near future. Hopefully cooler heads will prevail and democracy will win in the end. The work of parliament has resumed in Ottawa, and beside the issues related to the economy and the situation in the Ukraine, there was some excitement in the Conservative party. Surprising party leader Erin O'Toole, 35 signatory caucus MPs asked for a vote of confidence in the caucus over his leadership of the party. The thing precipitated and a vote by caucus members resulted in 73 votes for and 45 against ousting the leader. After being defeated, O'Toole resigned as leader, sparking a new leadership race in the Conservative Party. The next step will be the election of an interim leader from among Conservative MP's. We should pay careful attention to the unfolding of events, as a new chapter may be opening in the Conservative Party. More promising news reports that the premier of Saskatchewan, Scott Moe, will lift all restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic at the end of the month including the Covid passport. The fiery premier of Quebec, Francois Legault, has suddenly abandoned the proposed tax on unvaccinated Quebecers. These easing of restrictions coming from different provinces, including Ontario, give hope that things will get back to normal sooner or later. Recent polls indicated that 54% of Canadians are in favor of lifting restrictive pandemic measures. Let us see how this trend develops. People are tired, especially of the confusion generated by medical experts during the past two years. It might be interesting to analyze the facts in how these things were managed. Besides its developing snow storms, February promises to bring some new and interesting political events. The question remains whether we will finally see our political leaders making and taking responsibility for their own decisions or continue to leave us at the mercy of the contradictory 'experts' who have repeatedly shown themselves to be so inexpert. Let's see what is next

GRAPPA THE ULTIMATE VACCINE WHERE ARE WE GOING HERE!!!

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the Oshawa/Central newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. In my opinion. The Editor/Publisher is a real upstanding type of guy. He shoots from the hip and hold traditional core values. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. I worked all my life hard. I with my own two hands erected a 20 unit apartment building. Build various houses including the one I live in today and very seldom had time to get sick. I had a cough I walked it off. I had a sneeze, wiped it on my sleeve. My main life revolved around working and making sure that food was on the table. Today after a life of hard work. I am punished by the same government that I paid hefty taxes towards. I ask for help. They tell me to call some hotline. Really. I have tenants that have not paid for months their rent. I can’t kick them out. Government says it is illegal. I try to live comfortably and get penalized on my pension for making over the amount allowed. I have commercial tenants that don’t pay. There is nothing I can do about getting them out. So tell me. Have I lived my life wrong? Should I have just sat back and waited for the government to give me a future. To take care of me while suckers like me broke their back working? Now we have this COVID... really. I say, take some grappa, garlic nice piece of bread. Soak the bread in some olive oil, a little vinegar and have it all with a bunch of olives a few slices of cheese and salami. If that does not cure you from any Covid nothing will. Hell, enough grappa and you may even recover from a Justin episode. (Grappa is an alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume.) We live in sad times. Some have called it the beginning of western civilization as we are slowly eroding in to a third world type society. We have given up to many of standards in order to accommodate for others. Canadian culture is not what it use to be. Believe me. I experienced prejudice. I quickly learned that two things trump prejudice. One is pure academics. If you are smarter than those picking on you. They will soon are forced to respect you. The other way is by working hard and making a good life for yourself. No one can take that from you. My back may hurt at night. My knees may buckle at times. My feet never want to work and my head is always pounding. I may not have the best hair, eyes and teeth. But I do not mind as I have a good heart and consciousness. I know that everything I have I earned. I know that I helped when needed. I know the difference between wrong and right. I would never steal from another. Is this not what Canada is all about? Honesty, working hard for your goals? As I look around me I think my old fashion ways today are not appreciated. I tried to uphold the customs, culture and standards of this great nation. A nation that has given me opportunities like no other. I did not mind the sacrifices as what I went through is what I expected for my children to go through and achieve if not more. I look around me and tears form in my eyes. As our own leaders do not share my passion, my love for this great nation. It appears that hard work is no longer rewarded. Look at those elected to lead us. Dan Carter a man that I would not hire to clean my toilets... yet there he is elected Mayor. Erin OToole another example of me, me, me... Not to mention Justin our prime minister. No matter the party. We the people are doomed. I feel for my kids, your kids and the future.

Qualified Candidates Are Not Hired for a Variety of Reasons

By Nick Kossovan "Why didn't I get the job?" is the most universal question job seekers ask. You will seldom know the real reason. Wishful thinkers sell themselves the false narrative that the most qualified candidate gets hired. This is simply not true. Of all business activities, hiring is the most bias. A candidate's charisma (Being likeable supersedes your skills and experience.) plays a significant part in getting hired, as does being a referral. (The power of networking.) However, often candidates-qualified as they may be-destroy their chances of getting hired. Regardless of how many letters you have after your name, your years of experience, or your reputation within your industry/field, there are many reasons an employer aren't saying "Yes!" to you, the most common being: Your social media is a turnoff. Without a doubt, employers will Google you, dissect your social media activities, and review your LinkedIn profile to decide if you're interview-worthy. If you're applying to jobs, you're well qualified for and not getting responses, consider your digital footprint. Meticulously go through your social media accounts. Delete anything unflattering that reflects poorly on you being a mature individual who makes good decisions. TIP: Before you post anything on social media, ask yourself: - Am I boasting? (Trying to impress.) - Will this enhance or diminish my reputation? (Personal brand) - Is it kind? - Is it true? You've got a negative attitude. I've lost count of how many candidates I've met who complained about their former or current boss and sometimes their coworkers during an interview. They probably think this will show why they're looking to make a change. Actually, it shows they're a complainer and probably not a team player, which is someone I don't hire. Sage advice when to come to interviews: If you have nothing nice to say, then say nothing at all. You didn't do any research. Even in the age of Google, I still get asked, "What does this company do?" If you don't know what the company does, how it's doing, what market it serves, or who its clients are, then you can't tell me, let alone convince me, how you can add value to the company. You smell bad. Are you a smoker? Most people today don't smoke. Since your interviewer is likely to be a non-smoker, they will smell your cigarette smoke, which will turn them off. Moreover, your interviewer will be asking themselves how many smoke breaks you will be taking throughout the workday. The same goes for heavy cologne or perfume use. You never know who has allergies or has fragrance sensitivity. So play it safe, go to your interview clean and fresh. You're desperate. Have you ever done an interview while employed? If yes, I bet you were less nervous. You already had a job, so the pressure to find a job to pay your bills wasn't there-you weren't desperate! Coming across as being desperate is a turnoff. So, play it cool, but not too cool; you don't want to seem indifferent to whether or not you get hired. You don't look the part. (Image is everything!) How you look when you are walking into an interview or greeting an interviewer in the reception area cannot be overstated. How you dress is how you'll be judged if: - You're serious about being hired. - You're "one of them." (You'll be a fit.) - You have respect for yourself and those around you. Your salary expectations are unrealistic. The value to an employer many job seekers have of themselves is often questionable. It's not uncommon for me to immediately end the interview if the candidate is looking for more money, benefits and perks than the position is worth paying. Research the salary range the job you're applying for pays in your area and be ready to negotiate a compensation package you'll be satisfied with. Although start-ups and small family businesses probably cannot offer you the compensation and benefits that large companies can, they may provide advantages worthwhile considering (e.g., fewer office politics, greater flexibility, more hands-on experience). The good news is that all of the above issues can be fixed. (Yes, even a digital footprint that turns off employers can be corrected.) It's just a matter of being honest with yourself, not playing the "I'm a victim!" game that some "ism" is why you aren't getting hired, and question how you present yourself in interviews. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

JUSTIN MAKE THINGS RIGHT WHERE ARE WE GOING HERE!!!

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. Look at this disgrace we call a Prime Minister. A classic example that democracy has failed. We can’t keep electing one potato, two potato, four. Don’t get me wrong. This is happening all over the world. Most world leaders do not have the aptitude to lead. To much to deal with by one person. It is as if they are information overloaded and make decisions on speculations rooted in what they deem experts in the field. The other day I went to the store. A head of lettuce that was a buck fifty. Today costs four dollars. Really? Who to blame? The farmer? The producer? The trucker? The store? Then you turn on your tv and here we have our beloved Justin hiding under the guise of COVID infection in order not to face the truckers coming his way. Hard working people that are tired of having their life manipulated by a government that has no control over that of they claim expertise. How dare the Canadian government put sanctions on truckers crossing our borders. They are our life line. COME ON JUSTIN. Meet with the truckers. Cut this political bullshit of sanctioning truckers. Use your head man. You are cutting off your own balls and causing the rest of us great pain and suffering. People are having problems paying mortgages. Putting food on the table. Mr. Prime Minister it is time to get in touch with your people. I can tell you personally. I am pissed. I am pissed for when I have to over pay at the market. When I have to pay taxes through my ass and my benefits get cut. I received a letter from the Feds. Telling me that my pension will be cut due to the fact that I make more than the amount allowed. So in other words. I get punished for making money at my age. Is this not backwards. Should I not be rewarded? Mr. Prime Minister have you lost your mind? You reward failure and punish success. I worked hard all my life. I paid in my pension plan. I been fortunate to own lands. Now that it is my time to sit back and enjoy life. The government is going to punish me and still expect me to pay property tax, income tax, capital gain tax, sales tax. Come on. Enough is enough. To boot now the same government that is raping me expects me to wear a mask in public and refuses me entrance to building that my tax dollar help pay for. Come on. I thin the only one that should be forced to wear a mark, Mr. Prime Minister is you. As you are an obvious crook. How dare show so little care. It must be nice to make $400,000 a year off tax payers. Meet with the fucking truckers. Cut a deal. Let them cross and at the least soften the blow to the average guys pocket when he has to buy food for his family every week. Show us true leadership. Stop dividing us and treating us like modern day slaves. Enough is Enough. Where we going with this people.

WHAT IS THE PRIME MINISTER THINKING?

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” As it if is not bad enough. We are having to deal with wave after wave of Covid. People loosing their jobs. People having problems paying for their mortgages. What is the Prime Minister Thinking when he starts this war on truckers. Let’s think about this for a moment. Justin has sold us the pill that those unvaccinated are carriers of COVID. Not true. Those vaccinated are just as likely to carry Covid as those non-vaccinated. The difference between the two is severity of outcome and hospitalization. This confusion created by the government is splitting society. Just recently Justin introduced legislation that forces trucker to be vaccinated. He rationalizes with the fact that he has forced all government employees to get vaccinated or loose their job. Is this a democracy? 1st, by forcing truckers to vaccinate it is causing major supply chain hold backs. 2nd, it is opening the door for suppliers gouging prices. Wake up Justin. Use your head. Now is not the time to get into a pissing contest with the Americans over vaccination. Canada can’t afford to loose and suffer any more. I heard that Justin is going to go back on his word on issuing a further $10,000 grant to businesses that need it. Yet, he announces support for the Ukraine. Our tax dollars are going to fight a war in europe. Is this logical? Our people are starving on our streets. Many are forced to go homeless. Our food supply is being compromised and our tax dollars end up in the Ukraine. Canada has been experiencing vaccine shortages. People are having problems paying mortgages and loans. Yet, we the people of Canada fund a war in the Ukraine? What is wrong with this picture? I suggest that Justin meet with the truckers. Then meet with the U.S. officials and open the borders without restrictions to truckers and essential services personnel. We need those truckers on our roads. We need to help families in need. I suggest Justin keep everything closed for at the least 2 more months. Get a grip on COVID. We close we open... the results appear to always be the same... Why OPEN. WHY... because Justin gets pressure from big business to open. Small business owners are the ones that pay for Justin's friends. Justin use the money you are going to waste on the Ukraine and give it back to the people of your nation to offset financial deficits caused by this very real enemy that is silently attacking Canadians. Want to start or support wars. Show leadership and go after China. China is the one that has to be made to pay. China is the point of origin. Why are we wasting time supporting the Ukraine? Why are we becoming entangled in others wars. Canada’s priorities are off. We must assure that all of our citizens are taken care. That we are united Canada and that our government assures that at all aspects of society everyone is offered the opportunity to succeed. From free higher education to assuring that everyone has a place to call home. Invest in Canada first. NOT THE UKRAINE. NOT AFRICA. CANADA FOR CANADIANS FIRST.

New year and new growing pains

New year and new growing pains by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East The world celebrated the arrival of the new year 2022 with hope and desire for a better life with the problems of the past two years to be forgotten. It seems however, that new problems are on the horizon, more concerning than ever. At home in Canada we continue to face the last hurrah of the Covid-19 called Omicron, with the usual politicians and civil servants still not having learned from their mistakes and starting to become a real burden on society. We need some radical changes and very quickly, otherwise we will sink into a world from which there is no return. On top of worries about the pandemic and an unusually harsh winter, we are now facing a disruption of supplies which are just beginning to surface in the shelves of the nation's stores. Combined with a national inflation rate of more than 4.8%, the worst in the last 30 years, we are not enjoying the beginning of the year very much. In view of these facts the political debates are starting, as parliament reconvenes at the end of January. We are likely to see the same spewing of hot air; endless debates without ever considering the real problems the nation faces. A new issue has appeared on the national scene: the new rule stating that anyone driving a transport truck across the Canada - United States border must be vaccinated. That rule is now being enforced by both the Canadian and United States governments. This rule seems to be exaggerated, ill conceived and clearly intended to hide the supply chain problems that will become more and more felt by the general public. It is easy to blame somebody else for your mistakes and the federal and provincial governments have developed real talents for spin-doctoring issues. Why is it that truckers were exempt from the vaccination rules for the last two years and suddenly they are not, when most of the population is vaccinated. However, Omicron does not care if you are vaccinated or not. Countries such as the UK, Ireland, Denmark and more, are now considering lifting all pandemic restrictions. Our politicians are seemingly deaf and blind to these issues, lead by equally unprofessional health apparatchiks who are even suggesting that a valid vaccine passport should require three vaccinations. They are also proposing more lockdowns and are the prophets of the apocalypse to come. It seems that a reaction is finally in the making. Truckers from every corner of the country are ready to demonstrate in Ottawa for freedom, to the dismay of the official media and other government subsidized organizations which are doing their best to ignore them and misinform the public about their purpose. It will be interesting to see how events unfold. Let us see if we have any democracy left in Canada. Do we still have freedom to demonstrate? freedom of speech? We are living in interesting and unpredictable times. Let's hope that our supplies will not be further disrupted. There are real problems looming on the international scene as well. The tensions between Ukraine and Russia are particularly worrisome, because Canada has the third largest Ukrainian population after the Ukraine and Russia, with a sizable minority population of Ukrainian descent, numbering 1.3 million. The winds of war are blowing strongly with Russia flexing its muscles in claiming that its national security is undermined by the NATO, the United States and the European Union. Unfortunately, the diplomatic discussions to avoid an armed conflict which might have grave repercussions on the world scene don't seem to be making any progress. Several rounds of high-stakes diplomacy have failed to yield any breakthroughs, and tensions escalated further this week. NATO said it was bolstering its defence in the Baltic Sea region, and the U.S. ordered 8,500 troops on higher alert to potentially deploy to Europe as part of an alliance "response force" if necessary. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said he is prepared to send troops to protect NATO allies in Europe. In a show of European unity in Berlin, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron called for an easing of the crisis. "We ... expect clear steps from Russia that will contribute to a de-escalation of the situation," Scholz said. Macron, who said he would talk with President Vladimir Putin by phone, added: "If there is aggression, there will be retaliation and the cost will be very high." The U.S. and its allies have vowed to hit Russia with sanctions like never before if Moscow sends its military into Ukraine but they have provided few details, saying it's best to keep Putin guessing. To complicate issues, Russia continues to mobilize more forces at the border of Ukraine and NATO allies and the US are doing the same. These actions do not bode well for a peaceful outcome. The Canadian government announced Tuesday it's withdrawing the family members of diplomatic staff stationed in Ukraine amid heightened fears of an invasion. "The safety and security of Canadians, our personnel and their families at our missions abroad is our top priority," said Global Affairs Canada in a statement. The U.S. State Department has also ordered the families of all American personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to leave the country, and it said that nonessential embassy staff could also leave. Britain said it, too, was withdrawing some diplomats and dependents from its embassy. As we watch the rapidly evolving situations both in Canada and internationally it is not the beginning of the new year for which we hoped. All that remains to us is to hope and pray that cooler heads will prevail.

HEY BIG MOUTH - 2022 IS HERE - WHAT’S YOUR TAKE?

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” The other day, way from the back of the hay stack, I heard someone call me out. ‘HEY BIG MOUTH, 2022 IS HERE - WHAT’S YOUR TAKE’. Normally call outs like these would follow by a 911 call for ambulance assistance for whom ever called me out. But in this case, I look behind me and had to fight my red blooded male instinct and reply, “Ah Ma, you are such a piff”. She looked at me as I dialed myself 911for myself as she had that I have my slipper in my hand and you better be behaving look on her face. I smiled and said, “What Ma, what are you busting my onions over this time.” She reminded me not to be smart and asked again in a motherly tone. “So, it’s 2022. If you had been Mayor. How would things been.” I looked at her and said. Look, Ma. My heart breaks for Oshawa. For the youth of this great city. For the many people that are today struggling to pay bills. To those struggling to put food on the table and keep a dignified look on their face. Ma, you made me ugly, honest and hard working. In 2018, I lost to a former addict, snake oil salesman with obvious incompetency with a prettier smile. A man that if he lost the election would never been hired by any other firm to make the decisions he is making today on our dime. A man that has lived off the system for so long that deems him unemployable. I ask mom, why did you sent me to school? Why did you make me honest, hard working? It is obvious that it does not pay. Today it appears that society rewards people not on merit or competency but on pity and social etiquette. we the hard working tax payers are left to pay for their mistakes. Those that are voted in. Do not care. As deep inside they know they are incompetent. You can’t blame the hunter that keeps shooting himself as we the people put the gun in their hands and asked them to go hunt to keep the rest of us fed. Municipal governments are failing. As I walk downtown. I can see and feel the desperation. The level of our municipal incompetency is overwhelming. I can tell you one thing. In my Oshawa. There would have been no suffering. No, homeless walking our streets and no one having to worry where their next meal would come from. Let me explain. Success does not come to you. You have to go to it. I worked hard for what I have and earned. I do not expect pity nor sympathy as we live a dream in a nightmare world. We can’t sit and expect. We have to go out and make it happen. If I had been in office back in 2014. Our Oshawa would not have lost General Motors. I would have negotiated with them that if they left. A hefty price they would have pay. As it stands. General Motors is gone. We the people of Oshawa are stuck with the many environmental disasters they left us to deal with. Including the dump at the mouth of Simcoe St., South. The Grandview area disgraceful development on a dump site and many more. Force GM to take social responsibility for the years they enjoyed record sales. Use their buildings to house the homeless. Our Oshawa today would not be paying $600,000 tax payers dollars a year to fund the Tribute Community Centre. The Tribute Communities Centre, formerly known as the General Motors Centre or GM Centre. THIS PROPERTY IS OWNED BY THE PEOPLE OF OSHAWA. WE PAY SO THAT COMPANIES LIKE ‘The Tribute Communities Centre can enjoy the facade that they some how own the property when in reality they pay the City a token amount to have their name on our building. This I would change dramatically. No more City money to fund this money pit. John Gray as mayor left the people of Oshawa with this white elephant. It is time to make it perform or find another way to make it profitable. NO MORE HAND OUTS. Our Oshawa today would have had a re-designed downtown. I would have brought in major developers much like the ones working Mississauga, North York, Hamilton. Level our core and rebuild it to modern standards. This would have created jobs, prosperity and brought Oshawa to world ranking. No homeless, no drugs, no prostitution. NO CRIME. In my administration The Oshawa airport would have today been a beacon of success for Ontario. I would have brought training facilities as well as introduce aeronautic related business that would have put Oshawa on the industries top as a training facility... without the increase of air traffic. Today what has changed from 2014 or 2018. The only things in flight are the same old empty promises and pipe dreams by Mayor Carter and area rep Titto-Dante and Jane Hurts. Two councillors that must go. Under my administration. Today, Oshawa would have a world class port and facility. 50 story luxury condo/apartment complexes. Attracting world class investments. Opening our harbor to a multi use facility including a state of the art marina with adequate naval repair facilities. Offering ferry services all across the Great Lakes. Creating jobs, opportunity and prosperity for all to enjoy. I would have found investors to develop all the lands around the park with state of the art entertainment and cultural facilities. Instead what do we have today. The same we had back in 2014, 2018 and if things don’t change in 2022 expect the same old same old for eternity. Oshawa does not need an administrator as a Mayor. We need a visionary with clear direction. As it stand city staff run the City based on recommendations. City council are nothing but flags in the wind. Staff job is to blow enough wind in any particular direction to get council to approve anything. We have nothing on the official development books other than natural growth to the north. The City is allowing the raping of prime farm lands by these, two by four/plywood over priced houses developers that only interest is to make their money and move on to another municipality. This is not growth. This is not planning. This is not vision. Here is what I would propose if I was to consider running in any future election. I would prioritize at finding a way to leveling out our downtown core and erect six 50 - 80 story building right on our four corners. Bring world class attention to our core. I would close off Celina St and Albert St. Turn them into a major people/culture centers. Create an all year around canopy so people could enjoy the different events in a safe and climate controlled area. Similar to what other cities have accomplished. All this done without the use of one tax dollar. I would do this by entering partnerships with developers and investors. The key to success in any business depends on your ability to negotiate. Something that we do not have at City hall. In 2022 think of what is important. Don’t make the same mistakes and expect different out comes. I think Einstein called it insanity. Hey Ma love you.

A warning from History a human tragedy to never happen again

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As we deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and its millions of victims we need to reflect for a moment on the human tragedy of cataclysmic proportion which happened during WW2. On May 8, 1945, Winston Churchill announced that the Allies had secured Victory in Europe. Later that year, Japan would finally surrender, and World War II would end. It's hard to believe but in 2022, we will mark the 77th Anniversary of the end of World War II; a tragedy that claimed many victims and was the most devastating event of the last century. This war was the deadliest military conflict in human history in which an estimated total of 70 to 85 million people perished, which represented about 3% of the world population in 1940. The World War II conflagration has seen very high civilian casualties. Civilian deaths totaled 50 to 55 million. From this, the victims of genocide and ethnic cleansing numbered close to 25 million. Around 17 million perished as victims of the Nazi Germany regime and its collaborators and 7.6 million were victims of the communist rule in the Soviet Union. The ferocity of Nazi killings motivated by ethnic cleansing, that of racially motivated crimes such as the persecution of Roma and the handicapped, the murder of Soviet prisoners of war, Polish and Soviet civilians, as well as political prisoners, religious dissenters, and homosexuals added to the number of innocent victims of war. In January 1942, in the outer lakeside Berlin suburb of Wannsee, there was a meeting convened by top Nazi leaders. There, they outlined the "Final Solution of the Jewish Question in Europe", without regard for geographic boundaries. In total, 11 million Jews would be targeted for extermination. Without a whimper, the thirteen officials signed off on the 'Final Solution'. The minutes would record their decision to 'cleanse the German living space of Jews in a legal manner'. This marked the darkest seminal moment in a series of events that would see the murder of 6 million Jews, abhorrence beyond the comprehension of our modern, comfortable lives. The Holocaust is the term generally used to describe the genocide of approximately six million European Jews during World War II. Entire families, old men and women and young children were killed in the Nazi extermination camps by ferocious and inhumane methods. According to Polish Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) researchers, 2,830,000 Jews were murdered in the Nazi death camps (500,000 in Belzec; 150,000 in Sobibor; 850,000 in Treblinka; 150,000 in Che’mno; 1,100,000 in Auschwitz and 80,000 in Majdanek. In the Nazi occupied territory of the USSR the Nazi Einsatzgruppen killed another 1.4 million Jewish people by mobile gas chambers and mass executions. Seventy-seven years ago, on 27 January 1945, Soviet soldiers from the 60th Army of the First Ukrainian Front advanced into Poland and liberated Auschwitz. There, amid mountains of corpses, they discovered about 7,650 men, women and children, starving, stricken by disease, barely living and hundreds of thousands of personal effects, items of clothing - including shoes, and 700 tonnes of human hair. These broken human beings were among the handful of survivors of the 1.3 million people who had passed through the gates of Auschwitz. In memory of these atrocities in November 2005, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 27 January 1945, the day on which Auschwitz was liberated, as International Remembrance Day to mark the tragedy of the Holocaust. It commemorates the genocide that resulted in the deaths of 6 million Jews and 11 million others, by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. It urges every member nation of the U.N. to honour the memory of Holocaust victims, and encourages the development of educational programs about Holocaust history to help prevent future acts of genocide. It condemns all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief. The International Day in memory of the victims of the Holocaust is thus a day on which we must reassert our commitment to human rights. We must also go beyond remembrance, and make sure that new generations know this history. We must apply the lessons of the Holocaust to today's world. After the horrors of the 20th century, there should be no room for intolerance in the 21st. The only way to honour the memory of the Holocaust is to turn remembrance into the promise of a better future. Preserving and transmitting the memory is a duty towards those who lost their lives, and towards our children. In commemorating the dead, we are inspired by the triumph of the human spirit given us by those who survived. "Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it." Winston Churchill A nation that does not know nor understand its history, is dangerous. Life's paradox is that often it is those things, most important to us, that we have a tendency to take for granted. We are fortunate as Canadians, whether by birth or by choice, to enjoy and appreciate political, economic and religious freedoms. To live in a nation in which faith coexists with reason, free academic inquiry, a free press and independent judiciary is a blessing and we need to preserve it. And yet support for democracy is diminishing. We are defined most by our values and our beliefs, the way we relate to one another and see our place in the world. We are shaped by our heroes and villains, our triumphs and failures. The way as a people we have faced adversity and how we will face the inevitable adversities that are coming and how we will respond to them, will shape our future. Nations like people, face 'moments of truth'. There are moments in history which challenge our very survival and values. Well led, we emerge stronger, more resilient. But if not, we may suffer lasting damage. Six million Jews were murdered in an act of unspeakable genocidal barbarism. So too were homosexuals, Roma, the disabled and political dissidents. In a world grappling with the mass movement of people, the persecution of political, ethnic and religious minorities, the push for euthanasia and a generational struggle against resurgent religious extremism, we must remind ourselves not only of why we fought wars but also what human kind is capable of, and the circumstances that lead to it. Today we live in vast ignorance of the decisions we make and that are made for us, facing extraordinary global uncertainty and immense technological change. No human being, no Canadian who believes in the dignity of man, of freedom and democratic principles, should ever allow through neglectful indifference that the Holocaust be forgotten; that the events, the people, their lives and stories, become a distant stranger. These heinous events and those who survived them teach us many things. Most importantly they inspire us to have the moral courage, irrespective of personal consequences, to act on what, in our hearts, we know to be right. "It is not often that nations learn from the past, even rarer that they draw the correct conclusions from it." ? Henry Kissinger Are we ready?

COVID AND RECORD PROFITS WHERE ARE WE GOING HERE!!!

By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. What is happening in the business world. I remember the days when a handshake was you bond. I remember closing many deals on a handshake. From what I am being told by my friends. A handshake today is worthless. You shake someone’s hand today and you have to look down to see if they did not steal your watch. This is so wrong. We are becoming a third world country. They say we are all equal. I say we are in part. But when reality hits. Foreign traditions, customs, religions truly come out on some people. I think the biggest reason the Americans have failed in the spread of democracy across the planet. Including Afghanistan. People there have no notion of choice. Their way of life has been the same for thousands of years. How are the Americans or anyone to come in and preach something different. My worry is all these refugees that come in our country. Many with entrenched ways of living like they did back home. I am Italian immigrant and I can tell you first hand that the best way to integrate for the better of this country is to loose your customs and traditions. Those are for in private and at home. In todays world. Even thought we are all forced to comply to social diversity norms. The prejudice is very real. This bring me back to my handshake model. Today’s handshake has no value as the Canadian way of honoring your brother has been compromised as some of these foreign cultures take our good nature to rip us off. The goodness and pureness of the intent is violated for personal gain. This in turn hurting all of us... and society at large. My handshake is as good as my world. Can you say the same. God hope so. For the betterment of our children.

When Interviewing via Videoconference, Think Hollywood

By Nick Kossovan Even after the pandemic is declared over, interviewing candidates via Zoom, Skype, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts et al. will, because of its convenience, remain popular. You should expect your first interview to take place via video teleconferencing. Therefore, mastering, or at least becoming comfortable with, "Zoom meetings" and appearing interesting and professional on camera is a skill set you'd greatly benefit from. After all, image, whether face-to-face or via videotelephony, is everything. If you want to improve your videotelephony skills, avoid making the following mistakes, which I'm sure you've seen being made on video conference calls you've sat in on. Mistake #1: Not making eye contact with your interviewer(s). Look directly at the lens of your camera, not your screen. Eye contact influences your interviewer's perception of your credibility and trustworthiness. Additionally, your interviewer will be more likely to pay attention to you if you appear expressive and are looking at them. Mistake #2: Winging it or reading from notes. Before appearing in front of the camera, actors practice their lines several times-so should you. Prepare, and rehearse, answers to common interview questions (e.g., "Tell me about yourself.", "What is your greatest strength?", "Why do you want this job?") in advance. Mistake #3: Inviting your interviewer to read the titles on your bookshelf. For some reason most candidates I interview via video teleconference choose to sit in front of their bookshelves. Maybe they think it makes them look scholarly, or projects they're into self-improvement. Since I'm a voracious reader, I find myself tilting my head sideways attempting to read the titles of the books behind the candidate. During one interview, I noticed a book by Truman Capote, Other Voices, Other Rooms, which is a favourite of mine. I ended up asking the candidate about their reading habits. For 15 minutes, we talked about our mutual love for American Southern gothic literature, thus eating up interview time. (Yes, I hired the candidate, but not because of their reading diet.) Your goal is to keep your interviewer(s) engaged and focused. Therefore, avoid having a distracting background. Instead, select a location that doesn't have many details and is still. (e.g., avoid a window overlooking a busy city street). Better yet, use the video conferencing platform's virtual background feature that allows you to substitute a photo as your background. Mistake #4: Too much lighting, not enough lighting. "I think too many film students in America are losing the artistry and not learning lighting in the right way." - Vimos Zsigmond (1930 - 2016, Hungarian-American cinematographer) A significant factor in creating a professional look during a video chat is lighting. Lighting compliments video imagery by helping to deliver a crystal-clear image, making your interviewer feel like they're in the same room with you. Cameras need the right lighting to deliver a good image. Your video camera will render a poor-quality image of there's not enough light, too much light, or light that's pointed in the wrong direction. Straight-on lighting is best. The key is for your primary light source to be directly behind your camera, throwing light on your face. This ensures your face is well illuminated and clearly visible. For the best result use natural light coming in through a window, which will create accurate skin tones and colours. Before your next videotelephony interview, schedule a video conference with a friend and use the self-view feature to experiment with lighting and virtual backgrounds. Place yourself in front of a window, lamp, or both and have your friend give you feedback on how you appear. A few last-minute tips: - Make certain you're not going to be disturbed during your videotelephony interview and that your environment will be quiet. ("Quiet on the set!") The last thing you want is your spouse calling out, "What do you want for dinner!" - Call into the conference at least 10 minutes early. You want to be sure your technology is working (audio, visual), and you don't want to keep your interviewer waiting. (The equivalent of being late.) -Turn off your smartphone and close all tabs on your computer. (You don't want the pinging of emails coming in or chat messages.) - Just like a face-to-face interview, dress for the job you're interviewing for. Guys, between you and me, it's okay to use some makeup-Christian Bale, Samuel L. Jackson, Brad Pitt, Tim Hiddleston sit in a makeup chair before walking onto a film set. - When you're not talking, mute yourself. - Record the interview! (review afterwards) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

YOU ARE RIGHT BOB CHAPMAN WE ARE NOTHING ALIKE

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” I normally don’t like to air dirty laundry but this one just missed the wire on hands off. This past week I had the misfortune of having to make contact with Ward 3 Regional & City Councillor Bob Chapman. A councillor that in my opinion is the biggest waste of taxpayers money in the history of the City of Oshawa. A councillor that is only in office in my opinion to cushion his already hefty pension(s). What has he done for the people of Oshawa in all his years in politics. My contact was over Chapman vote to deny a local downtown business access to doing business with the city, during a council meeting. A business that has a long standing record of service to the city taxpayers for over 25 years, a major icon in their field. One would have thought that since the City has undertaken the ‘SHOP LOCAL’ campaign and the Mayor himself has put forth: On April 14th 2020, Mayor Dan Carter announced the formation of the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force to identify actions to support the needs of Oshawa businesses impacted by COVID-19. The task force will focus on economic support and recovery for local businesses, including relief measures, resources and supports that are available and guiding discussions with all levels of government to advocate on behalf of the local business community. That the city would have great support for any local business that approach them. But not in Oshawa. If the above ‘TASK FORCE’ is to be taken serious and not just another political stunt from hypocritical minds at City Hall. The City should have have jumped all over the opportunity to help/include and stand true to the task force mandate by welcoming this very reputable local business as one of the City suppliers. A company that meets and exceeds all municipal requirements according to the Ontario Municipal Act, to be included in the purchasing protocol. Not to mention that this same company is heading one of the most successful SHOP DOWNTOWN initiatives since 2018. According to Chapman, he stated that his reason for not supporting this particular business was due to his personal prejudice/bias/opinion and dislike of the company and proprietor. As a good reputable council member. He did not base his decision on the benefit to the constituents, the City. No, his decision was based solely on his personal bias and prejudice towards the owner of this said business. One has to wonder how many other councillor base their decisions on the same. Imagine all the opportunity that is being missed by councillors that go with the flow and do not engage in finding out information on particulars coming forth before council. Is there any wonder the city is in the condition it is. Parks full of used needles, our parks made into tent cities for the homeless. Our downtown a heaven for drugs and prostitution. No wonder the police services have back down from enforcing and patrolling as they once did and the city is now hires security companies to act as the City muscle to harass and abuse citizens down on their luck.... It is a nightmare.. and concillors like Chapman in my opinion are to blame... Councillors that are to full of themselves. Arrogant, ignorant and pompous. Retiree's that are only in politics to fluff up their pensions. This is not representation. This clown of Chapman refused to support a business that has had more accreditation for being the champion of human rights. The only media business that proudly supports women’s shelters, homeless shelters, gay rights by publishing their events and services. CHAPMAN are you insane or senile... cause no one can be that skewed in their prejudice to solely deny access to the City based on personal prejudice bias and misconception. I thought the City pride itself on inclusion. I reminded him that it takes more than dressing up as the local reserves COMMANDER in his hypocritical attempt to care about veterans during memorial day to be a good leader. It takes character. The owner of the said company has contributed millions back to the community over the years. He has membership to every social/service group in Oshawa. Including many that Chapman belongs. Mr. Chapman's actions and arrogance and ignorance should be remembered in 2022 election as I am sure he be front line center making all kind of false promises and attempting to take as much credit on things he had no real impact on. PLEASE PEOPLE IN 2022 LET’S GET RID OF THE DEAD WOOD, THE IGNORANT AND THE ARROGANT. LET’S ELECT REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE. REMEMBER THIS. IF WE FIRED ALL OF CURRENT COUNCIL NOT ONE COULD BE HIRED BY ANY PRIVATE COMPANY TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THEY REQUIRE TODAY - WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MAYBE 3 ON COUNCIL. In my opinion and if this is the reflection of council as a whole as the vote tabled was 9 deny to 2 consider any indication of how council treats local businesses and or future contractors. No wonder no real developers come to Oshawa. With the exception of the tent builder in our parks at Memorial Park. Not to mention the rip off artist so called developers building future two by four, Ghettos north of the University and charging suckers $600k for a house with no backyard and no front yard. I Bob Chapman reached out to you for leadership. I reached out to you as a fellow brother. I reached out as a fellow community leader with all do honor and respect. You acted abusively, inappropriate. Showed clear bias and prejudice without due proof. In your final statement you said, “We are nothing alike Joe.” You are right. I work hard for my money. I work hard to keep the people of Oshawa/Durham informed. I do not judge nor reject anyone. Can you say the same? We live in a country that we have the freedom to express our opinion without the fear of persecution. Want to serve the people of Oshawa. Resign you over inflated prick. I will not have the likes of you talk down to me or anyone in Oshawa. You work for us. Never forget that. You careered ‘YES MAN’. Oh by the way. Happy belated Christmas or is in your politically correct cowardness you don’t dare say that anymore?

Omicron Hysteria

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East The Covid-19 pandemic seems to have had an evident impact on mental health. This is obvious in the latest actions of the Canadian and provincial governments which illustrate complete disarray and obvious confusion in dealing with the latest phases of the pandemic called Omicron. Because it is necessary to find excuses for bad management of the pandemic, governments are in desperate search of scapegoats for their evident ignorance and bad decisions made. So lately they have been concentrating on a witch hunt of the unvaccinated who represent around 12% of the population in Canada. They cannot have work, travel or go places as the pandemic continues to rage. Hey what is wrong with this picture? Who is spreading the virus then ????? They are now to be blamed for everything which is going wrong. Of course lockdowns made for the vaccinated make no sense at all, but what the heck. The unvaccinated are to be blamed for it. The degree of desperation of some provincial governments is reaching extremes. Let us see the latest from the belle province of Quebec. After imposing war type curfews in the province, Premier Francois Legault is coming down on the unvaccinated with even more restrictive measures. Quebec's plan to impose a tax on adults who choose to remain unvaccinated against Covid is already being called "constitutionally vulnerable" by critics, but woke experts say the province is well within its rights, and challenges are likely to fail. The so-called experts are certainly learning the ways and means of past century dictatorial nazicom regimes, which made up the rules as they went along; where justice was based solely on the will of the government. So expect worse! Now tax the bandits, get them, take their livelihood, force them to give up even their body because we want it. Is this the new innovative kind of Canadian democracy? Should Canada propose Premier Legault for the Nobel prize? Legal experts say provinces have a constitutional authority to levy direct taxes in order to pay for services like health care, and that it makes sense from a fairness perspective to force those who pose the most burden on the health care system to pay more for it. So the question is: Are the unvaccinated the only ones to be blamed? What about the drug addicts for example??? Oh, I forgot. We do not discriminate in practicing universal health care….. Academic luminaries inspired by the new ways of a neo Marxist ideology are explaining: "They're not taking away people's freedom, they're just requiring people to pay a price if they pose a risk," said David Duff, a professor in the University of British Columbia's Peter A. Allard School of Law. "If the health care system were financed through private insurance, which is priced on the basis of risk, one would expect to see higher premiums for the unvaccinated. This is a demonstrable risk." Except that in Canada you do not have that option. But never mind, our democracy is the best in the world and we can lecture other nations about it. With the intent of taxing the unvaccinated, the so-called experts try to justify this measure by saying that similar measures are in place in great democracies around the world such as Austria, Greece and Italy, who all intend to apply similar taxes on the unvaccinated. It seems that in his wisdom Premier Legault also has the intention to have vaccine passports recognized only for three doses of vaccination. What about the rest of Canadians who might like to visit Quebec? Will they be allowed to travel to Quebec or de facto face Quebec border control inside Canada? Our 'new confederation' is quite a sight!! Not exactly what Sir John A Macdonald envisaged. By the way this week was the 207th anniversary of his birthday and the woke press never mentioned it. It seems a shame that the man who made Canada possible has been put on the black list to the point that it is not even fashionable to mention his name. There remain some reasonable voices which oppose this approach of the Quebec government. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association issued a statement this week that predicted the "divisive measure will end up punishing and alienating those who may be most in need of public health supports and services." "We do not fine individuals who make poor diet and exercise choices, those who choose higher risk occupations or recreational activities," said acting general counsel Cara Zwibel. "Some essential services - like basic health care for those who are ill - transcend such individual choices." In an interview, Zwibel said the tax may also violate protections of individuals' bodily autonomy included in the Canadian and Quebec charters of rights and freedoms. "You have to ask, is it justified?" she said. "The burden is on the government to prove they have a pressing and substantial objective that (they) are trying to achieve and that this is a proportional response to that. And the government hasn't said what the objective is here." Never mind, the law professors of the woke Academia will always have explanations ready to justify the action of a woke government. At least for now Alberta and British Columbia will not follow Quebec's intent but I am not so convinced that Ford, the Premier of Ontario, will not follow suit. He still needs to do some polling. The federal government is silent in all this, except when federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos threw some hardballs at the issue suggesting that he personally supports mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and suggested this unprecedented action could soon become an imminent discussion with the provinces. One should also ask where Erin O'Toole stands on this issue. Maybe he will have something to say before flip flopping on the issue. With this unchartered and awkward enforcement and the medical challenges we face, we are wading into dangerous waters in how our democracy is being shaped. It's one thing to mandate vaccinations in teaching or transportation occupations which interact with the public, but quite different and more difficult to confront an unvaccinated home-office worker or force a mentally ill person to face a hearing on why they shouldn't be fined.Above all else, the current number of Omicron variant cases clearly points to this month as a viral supernova event, one that is now flaring into a medical monstrosity before it will likely collapse into a sniffling flu by summer. In conclusion we're all frustrated, impatient and infuriated with the endless waves of Covid we were supposedly protected against. But the route to calmer water is not using our private health information to inject needles into defiantly reluctant arms under threat of government-imposed taxes or fines. That is a costly policy doomed to fail. It is also medically questionable, logistically impossible and impractical, needlessly invoking the judiciary for prosecutions, likely unconstitutional, tyrannical, and let's face it, un-Canadian. That's the final word.

THE HAND SHAKE

WHERE ARE WE GOING HERE!!! By Rosaldo Russo Allow me to begin this column by thanking the newspaper for allowing me the opportunity and access to the press. Not to many if any allow an average person like me to tell the world what I see and think. My name is Rosaldo Russo. I came to this great country to make a better life for myself and my family. I thank Canada for everything it has allowed me to do and earn. I worked construction all my life. I know the value of hard work and honesty. I remember as a boy my father always telling me to work hard and buy land. So I did. I remember days when I did not have enough to eat. I go to work... but I did not wait for hand outs. I rounded up my pride my skill and my determination to succeed and went to work. In those days the only benefits we received was the fact we were employed. Before retiring I was the owner and operator of local material supply company that allowed me to retired without worry. Now that I have time to enjoy life. I look around me and have some concern for future generations. I see that the world is finished. What is happening in the business world. I remember the days when a handshake was you bond. I remember closing many deals on a handshake. From what I am being told by my friends. A handshake today is worthless. You shake someone’s hand today and you have to look down to see if they did not steal your watch. This is so wrong. We are becoming a third world country. They say we are all equal. I say we are in part. But when reality hits. Foreign traditions, customs, religions truly come out on some people. I think the biggest reason the Americans have failed in the spread of democracy across the planet. Including Afghanistan. People there have no notion of choice. Their way of life has been the same for thousands of years. How are the Americans or anyone to come in and preach something different. My worry is all these refugees that come in our country. Many with entrenched ways of living like they did back home. I am Italian immigrant and I can tell you first hand that the best way to integrate for the better of this country is to loose your customs and traditions. Those are for in private and at home. In todays world. Even thought we are all forced to comply to social diversity norms. The prejudice is very real. This bring me back to my handshake model. Today’s handshake has no value as the Canadian way of honoring your brother has been compromised as some of these foreign cultures take our good nature to rip us off. The goodness and pureness of the intent is violated for personal gain. This in turn hurting all of us... and society at large. My handshake is as good as my world. Can you say the same. God hope so. For the betterment of our children.

Your Resume Needs to Start Strong or Risk Being Passed Over

By Nick Kossovan During a job search, your resume and LinkedIn profile are your marketing material. For marketing material to be effective, it must make a proposition to the reader, not just cliché words, product bragging, or "artistic advertising." An effective brochure will say to the reader: "Buy this product for these specific benefits." The hiring manager's primary goal is to gauge whether you meet the qualifications for an open position and whether you'll be able to hit the ground running or require a ramp-up period. (Being a good fit for the company's culture is determined during the phone and face-to-face interview(s).) The immediate information on your resume determines whether the reader will read your entire resume and, fingers crossed, have you participate in the interview process. A resume should be easy to read (bullet points) and loaded with quantified achievements (e.g., Since 2011, I've led 9 inside sales representatives to consistently exceed a department annual sales target of $15 million). Bullet-pointed resumes are more likely to pass the ATS (Application Tracking System-software that scans resume content and searches for keywords.) and a recruiter's screening process. Compare how Robert Axelrod starts his resume versus Don Draper. Robert Axelrod 555-555-555 | raxelrod@email.com A passionate results-oriented financial business leader with a unique blend of business savvy and hedge fund expertise. An intelligent investor with keen analytical skills and business foresight, constantly researching and keeping abreast of market trends. Analyzing different investment options and selecting the best ones for my clients. Oversee large investment portfolios making investment decisions such as buying and selling assets to maximize financial gains. How long did it take you to read Robert's paragraph? What did you learn about Robert? Can you tell what he does? Do you know what to expect from Robert should you hire him? Now let's look at how Don Draper begins his resume. Don Draper 555-555-5555 | don.draper@email.com 4556 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 1807, Toronto, ON M1Y 3H8 Creative Director - 24 years advertising industry experience. Started as a copywriter, moved up to account manager, overseeing over $8.5 million in annual billings with Drentell, Arthur, Ashby (aka. DAA), then creative director at McMann & Tate. - Co-founded Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Advertising Agency in 2004. (2020 billings: +$64 million). Currently leading a team of 12 copywriters. - Landed several high-profile accounts, such as Chevron Oil, Gillette, Hilton, Dow Chemicals, Mountain Dew and Ocean Spray. - Since 2015, advisory board member for Interactive Advertising Bureau of Canada. (IAB Canada) Do you see the difference? You know what Don does. You can envision Don's potential value to an employer. Don doesn't attempt to present his value using flowery words, unlike most job seekers. Instead, he lists his career accomplishments and uses numbers, the language of business, to quantify his results and establish himself as someone who can bring value to a company. I'm sure Robert is good at something, but I'm not sure what it is. Unfortunately for Robert, his resume opening doesn't compel me to read his resume to figure out what he does well and whether he qualifies for the position he applied for. Don't kid yourself; it's raining resumes. Employers, especially those that are sought after, are inundated with resumes. To have any chance of being selected for an interview, you need a resume that's ATS friendly and a showstopper when read by a human. Who wouldn't want to read Don's resume? Since I brought up ATS, which over 90% of employers use, here are five things to remember when writing an ATS-friendly resume: 1. Standard formatting. (Arial, Time Roman or Veranda font, size 11-12, 2.5 cm margins) 2. Keyword optimization. (Read the job posting carefully and identify role-specific keywords; use these along with industry keywords throughout your resume.) 3. Send as a Word document. (A .doc or .docx file is easily processed by all ATS systems, however, even in 2021, some ATS have trouble processing a PDF document.) 4. Spell out abbreviations. (An ATS may not understand all abbreviations. Use long-form and acronym versions of keywords.) 5. Include pertinent information. (The ATS scans resumes for information relevant to the position you're applying for.) Once your resume passes the employer's ATS, you're still not entirely out of the woods yet-your resume will now be read by a human. Therefore, you want to make your value evident to the reader. Start your resume strong, so the reader will want to read your entire resume and hopefully say to themselves, "I've got to meet this person!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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