CHIRP - CHIRP

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. There are conflicts all over the world. It appears that when our media tries to push an agenda for support. We are exposed to all the autrocities of war. The suffering the real heart jerking media that will entice an emotion in support of one side or another. Unfortunately for the realities of life. People suffer and are suffering all over the world. Death, is all around us. It does not take much for them to become us. Look at the recent truckers situation. Our cowardly Prime Minister instead of taking the diplomatic route. He called in the boots of war to oppress the peaceful truckers. Truckers that are no different than you or I. It took truckers to put an end to COVID and it’s ridiculous mandates. Maybe it will take truckers to bring world peace. You never know. Today we are force fed through the media the autrocities in the Ukraine. Showing us on a daily basis how bad the Russians are. How is it that when we blanket bomb Middle Easter countries we are not prevy to the images of war. To the many women and children killed. But wait. Women and children are being killed all over the world and we never hear about it. Africa, South America, Middle East, Ukraine. Funny how society works. When the powers of the day want something they will use images to move us in to action. I personally want war to end for the innocent people. For the preservation of history and humanity. Have we not learned that war is not the answer to any conflict. Only people like you and me get hurt. Then again, we been fighting one war after another. Not only military. Then why is human suffering so prevelant in the human mind? Why must we always live under this tension ban that fluctuates from one conflict right on to the other. Hell, have we forgotten that China is responsible for the release of that bio-hazardous agent called COVID to the world. We live in North America in a fragile society. We are no better than a canary in a cage. The handlers have all the control. All we can do is chirp when we need something or want something. Other than that our limitations are the same. Life is for the living. Let’s all live it.

2 Interview Questions You Will Be Asked

Second Question By Nick Kossovan In my last column, I discussed the question every interviewer begins with, "Walk me through your resume." Essentially, you're being asked, "What's your career story?" If you're employed at the time you're being interviewed, the second question you'll be asked is fraught with the potential of sending the wrong message to your interviewer. Second Question: "Why are you looking to leave your current employer?" There are infinite reasons someone looks to leave their current job. I'd hazard a guess that wanting more money is the number one reason. Not getting along with your boss or the leadership team would be a close second. I'm going to tell you a secret I learned a long time ago. To have a successful interview, you need to tell your interviewer want they want to hear and see-remember, image is everything! Therefore, you must understand why your interviewer is asking you a particular question. I can't speak for all hiring managers, but when I interview a candidate, I'm trying to gauge the following: 1. Ability to articulate. (With me having above-average communication skills is paramount.) 2. Problem-solving skills. 3. Confidence and having a clear sense of purpose. 4. Likeability. 5. Are they a flight risk? The reason I, along with every hiring manager, ask, "Why are you looking to leave your current employer?" is to gauge whether the candidate is a flight risk. Although I don't expect an employee to stick around until they cut their retirement cake in the lunchroom, I'd like to feel there's a good chance they'll stick around for a while. I mentioned in my previous column that you want to be prepared with your career story to be able to tell it succinctly and without rambling. The same "be prepared in advance" advice applies to answering why you're looking to leave your current employer. You want to answer without hesitation. The key is to make your interviewer feel comfortable that you won't jump ship after 1 or 2 years just because the mood strikes you. Before crafting your "why you're looking to leave" answer, consider these two factors: 1. Length of time at your current job. A short stint (less than 2 years) is a red flag to most employers. My suggestion: Use the "tame answer" you'll read later in this column. 2. Your employer's size, brand, and reputation. An interviewer may raise an eyebrow if you wish to leave a well-known financial institution or international pharmaceutical company. Therefore, your reason for wanting to leave needs to be convincing. Possible answer: "Acme Corporation has given me invaluable experience; however, it made me realize that I would prefer to work at a smaller company, such as Stark Industries, where I can have a greater impact." You don't want to seem like you're only looking out for yourself. Employers and employees both have self-interests-it's a given that you'll look out for yours. During your first interview, focus on the employer's self-interests. Avoid mentioning you're looking for more money, better benefits, work-life balance, more challenge or furthering your career. Employers aren't in the business of growing careers. Their success depends on having the right people doing the right things. You want to come across as the right person for the job and company, who'll do the right things. The standard advice is to never bad-mouth your employer. Again, I can't speak for all hiring managers. I encourage those I interview to be completely candid with me. I've hired several candidates who said something along the lines of, "My manager and I no longer see eye-to-eye." My follow-up question, to determine whether the candidate will be a fit with my management style: "What are you looking for from your next manager?" Yes, I've hired candidates who've admitted they were fired. (I'm drawn to candidates who are honest and transparent.) My follow-up question: "What did you learn from being fired?" Good reasons to want to leave your job: - Hours - Commute - Recently received a degree or certification The tamest answer you can give: "I wasn't considering a move, but I saw your job posting and was intrigued. It seems like an exciting opportunity, and I believe it would be a match for my qualifications." (Works well if you have been at your job for less than five years.) However, being more specific, "I got my project management certification last month. Now I'm seeking my first project management position," will show you're career-focused, which is a positive. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

THIRD AND FINAL NOTICE

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” This past week one of our readers came to me with a very interesting problem. For those that follow The Central may have heard through the grape vine that in the past we have helped many in time of need. When we had our offices at 82 Simcoe St. south, next to the OPUC. People that had been cut off or about to get cut off would come in to the office wanting to vent their frustration over the attitude of the local OPUC. Many times we sit them down offer them a coffee and calm them down. No one should be treated rudely and or disrespect them by turning off their Hydro over non-payment. I remember good old Gord Burnette the longest sitting OPUC public appointed Chair, before Nancy Diamond decided to incorporate the OPUC and take it out of the public’s control. Gord was a rough and tough Englishman. He would not put up with much. If you thought you could put one over good old Gord. He quickly put you in your place. Staff at the OPUC feared him but respected him as he was good to clients and upheld standards like no other. I remember him always telling me. When someone comes to you for help. Look at them in the eyes. Some day those eyes could be yours. I remember him always giving extension to those that could not pay their bills. He would not dare charge surcharges, additional charges and or administrative charges. Ever since those days I used Gord’s view of the world when it came to helping others. I remember people walking in and complaining. I would call in my accountant and ask for a cheque to be made. While we talked the accountant would walk over to the OPUC and pay the bill and come back to my office with a receipt marked paid. I did this many times. The word got around and I helped many through the years. I think this in part is the reason for our success as a newspaper. People truly appreciated the gesture. People always promised to pay as soon as they had the money. I would always tell them the same. No worries, when you have it. Just this week. Someone brought me a letter from the Region. The bill was a third and final notice of non-payment. The person had medical conditions that prevented him from working. He had caught COVID and could not continue in his minimum wage paying job. He has a family of four. COVID has left him an emotional mess. He is facing a financial situation like never before. One would have thought that Durham Region would have been more compassionate. Being the third and final notice would set off red flags that this person is experiencing financial hardships. The letter threatens that if the bill is not paid by a particular date that the bill will be sent to the Municipal Tax Office and charge of $50 administrative fee. The letter also warned of possible added charges by The Municipal Tax Office for processing. My eyes teared. Gords words echo in my ears. ‘THOSE COULD BE YOUR EYES’. How dare the Region threaten added charges. THE MAN CAN’T PAY....AFTER THREE TRIES...AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONDING..DAH. No, instead the Region instead of helping rather further push the man financially by charging and additional $50 dollars. Really!!! Then they threaten to ad his bill to his tax roll. Does that sound compassionate to your? Does it sound humane? The same region that many have wondered it we in Durham are not being over taxed. We pay, property tax, we pay school tax, we pay OPUC. We pay the Region bill in the guise of a water and sewer bill. Has anyone gone through the bill? We pay a substantial amount for water and sewage. Almost the same amount we pay for property tax. Have you ever gone over your OPUC bill? Same thing. Charge over charges and surcharges that when you truly analyze them they are nothing short of a legalized rip off. Delivery charges for hydro. Maintenance charges and so on. The employees at these facilities make in excess of 60k a year up to $275,000. Plus benefits. Gord I am sure looking down and shedding a tear. Then again Gord was not one to shed tears. He would be more of the type to be haunting me through my subconscious to do the right thing. Look into people’s eyes and show some compassion some humanity as those eyes that I be looking into some day may be my own looking back for help. We strive for world peace in a sea of injustice and unfairness.

Situation Report Canada

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As the world continues to fester in turmoil with the ongoing war in Ukraine and dealing with the spectre of economic uncertainties, let's look at the situation in our own nation. First of all, the liberal government is fully concentrated on the situation in Ukraine with the Prime Minister making trips to Europe, meeting with allies to see what they can do for humanity there. A lot of talk, photo ops and the usual declaration of help and committing financial resources for the Ukrainian people in need. Back home, however, the economic situation is becoming worrisome, with the Covid 19 pandemic disappearing off the radar and province after province quickly lifting associated restrictions while the federal government follows at a slower pace. Forgotten are the usual medical "professionals'" briefing, with everybody wanting to put the pandemic behind, and looking forward to living their lives. Two years of doom seems to have been enough, with the pandemic magically gone, at least for the politicians. Now there are other issues on the horizon and the economic outlook is not good. Statistics Canada says the annual inflation rate climbed to 5.7 per cent in February, its highest level since August 1991 and the second straight month over 5 per cent. Helping to drive the increase in February were higher gasoline prices that were up 32.3 per cent compared with February 2021 and 6.9 per cent from a month earlier. Statistics Canada says that excluding gasoline prices, the headline inflation rate would have been 4.7 per cent in February. So the question is, will the governments ease their taxes on gasoline or will they continue to be greedy and insist on going more green? Grocery store prices were up 7.4 per cent for the largest yearly increase since May 2009, pushed higher by rising fuel costs that are being passed on to consumers. Statistics Canada says shelter costs, which includes prices for homes and rental units, rose at their fastest pace since August 1983. The rise in the consumer price index compared with a year-over-year gain of 5.1 per cent in January, and marked 11 consecutive months that the index has been above the Bank of Canada's inflation target zone of between one and three per cent. The average of the three measures for core inflation, which are considered better gauges of underlying price pressures and closely tracked by the Bank of Canada, was 3.5 per cent for February, up from the 3.2 per cent reported in January. February's average was the highest rate recorded since June 1991. The figures point to more pervasive and broad-based pressure on prices that has left the central bank uneasy about inflation. Two weeks ago, the bank raised its key policy rate to 0.5 per cent, marking the first hike in two years, and warned of more hikes to come to rein in inflation. Economists are warning that the inflation rate could yet go higher on the back of surging prices at the gas pumps and grocery stores as Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed up global oil and wheat prices. With that said, I am curious to know how the liberal government will deal with this situation. Continuing with their policy of printing money and spending what they do not have will definitively not be a solution for the country and its citizens. While the government busies itself with the events unfolding internationally, responding at lightening speed, in the face of our own worrisome economic outlook at home, what is the loyal opposition doing? The Conservative Party of Canada is again busy looking for a leader who can defeat the Liberals. After Erin O'Toole was deposed, a leadership contest was called, with a new leader to be crowned on the 10th of September, just in time for the beginning of the Parliamentary fall session. The candidates are lining up with Pierre Poilievre, a feisty and outspoken conservative in the lead, and several others in pursuit. Jean Charest, a former Progressive Conservative federally and a Quebec Liberal Premier provincially, is strongly favored by party elite, and Patrick Brown, a former Ontario PC leader and Mayor of Brampton has also thrown his hat into the ring. It will be interesting to see the outcome of this leadership contest, as pandemic restrictions are lifting rapidly and the new old normal is back. The unfolding of the conservative leadership campaign should be revealing, with the country so desperately in need of new ideas and strategies for dealing with economically challenging times. In conclusion it is hard not to know what comes next. Many experts and seasoned minds make their best predictions, but nobody knows anything for certain. Significant uncertainty still exists about the future of Covid or other possible pandemics, the true health of the global economy and the growing dysfunction of politics across the board. The future seems more precarious than we even imagined in the midst of the pandemic, but there is still hope.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE TSUNAMI

by Alex King

Is a Blue Tsunami coming in November? Or perhaps a Red Wave? Either way, I have a question for those who feel that one outcome is preferable to the other. If the values represented by the party system are so important that we include them in presidential elections, then why are those symbolic party letters not printed beside the names of candidates in every election? Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, members of the Mountain Party, etc. Is that information not beneficial to know, even when it comes to voting for town councils and school boards, which are in most cases nonpartisan elections? We are concerned about which party-affiliated ideologies will guide the decisions made for us at higher levels of government. Yet somehow, when it comes to those who determine outcomes locally, it hasn't seemed important enough to know if they align themselves with a particular party. These elected officials have influence over the future of our communities and education systems, but we are content to ignore their political allegiances, which would reveal to us where they align themselves on key issues. Much of it is a guessing game, leaving us to vote for those who may base decisions on ideas that we personally oppose. I think this needs to change. I'm not taking one side or the other (although I am in favor of far more options than Republicans or Democrats). I'm only suggesting that there is a profound hypocrisy to claiming that party affiliation is important for centralized governance but not worth the trouble when determining local leadership. Why is it that such value systems-and that is exactly what the parties serve as-are not universally applied? I have heard as argument to my point that party systems are divisive. Some contend that party elections for councils and school boards would only cause a deeper divide in our smaller communities. Yet many who protest my point, who do not want a partisan system affecting them locally, also fail to push back when decisions are taken out of the hands of local leaders. We increasingly hand choices over our lives to distant forms of government that hinge on partisan politics, and then we scratch our heads and wonder how even the most mundane of topics has become so political. It may seem like a stretch to suggest that localizing the party system will help to resolve the current frictions of representative democracy. Still, I think it will be a well-played maneuver for anyone who wants to see more accountability in government. If issues are identified as partisan locally, as they are at the county, state, and national levels, then those issues will become of clearer interest to those at higher levels who are supposed to serve the ideas of that party. What we define more locally-and within closer proximity-should therefore have a greater ability to permeate other branches of government. Some who read this may oppose the idea because they despise partisan politics or already identify with a party that is marginalized in their area. However, there are other benefits to the measure I'm suggesting. Because the prominent ideologies linked to Democrat, Republican, and third-party affiliations will be tested at closer proximities, we will be able to see the results for ourselves. If the successes or failures of a community are linked to a party, we will be able to test and even challenge those party ideas locally, creating concrete examples for when and where certain methods succeed and fail. Consider just how many state officials, for instance, will have to become more invested in smaller communities because failures of a more localized party system may reflect poorly on themselves, thus hindering their own elections or reelections as a result. They will-assuming they want to succeed in their own politicized endeavors-be compelled to pay more attention to the individual communities within the districts they claim to represent. Other than writing this column, I am not yet sure how to begin the process of making that change happen. I've had several enlightening conversations with the folks at the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office, and I'm sure they will be helpful on this matter as well. I stand by the idea that an increased level of participation in our system is a way to resolve much of the tension we feel when it comes to higher forms of government. If we are to embody freedom and create a better society for those who come hereafter, then we can no longer allow the entropy and erosion of our system to continue. We must be clever, get involved, and work together on ideas to create a better system of checks and balances.

The Media Should Stay Out Of War

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 a member of the media I strongly believe that the role of the media is to report on the facts and not to influence outcomes by swaying public opinion to a political agenda. I remember a time in history when the media out of respect for the dead and those suffering would limit what they would report when it came to human suffering. Today’s media seems to go out of their way to wait for something horrific to happen to someone so that they may splash their photos all over. This is not right. War is not a place anyone wants to be in. As media it is our duty to keep people informed of what is happening... Not to mind control our audiences through pictures and words. Sure people are going to die in a war. Sure, there are going to be crimes committed. Sure there is going to be bombings, refugees and chaos. It is a given. I feel for the people of the Ukraine. As I feel for those left behind in Afghanistan. What has come of them. You never hear about living conditions there. It appears that our attention has gone from COVID - Afghanistan to the Ukraine and the threat of a world war. Why is it that we are always combating something or someone? How can global peace be achieved when in our eyes, minds and heart all we hear is chaos. I feel that the war in the Ukraine is not (the west) war. I further think that by the west sending billions to fight Russia only makes it worst. Suckering us into a conflict that could end up in a world war. Don’t think for a moment that the Chinese will not become involved and take the side of the Russians. I truly hope that I am wrong. As it stands the U.S. is seen as weak and without might. The perfect time to finally achieve world dominance by communist regime. Even within our own democratic borders we have swayed more to the left then ever before. The media is not doing any service by taking sides. Report the facts. Report the real news not opinioned parts of it in order to justify and entice further action towards extinction. Think about it.

Interview Questions You Will Be Asked - First Question

By Nick Kossovan Every job exists to solve a problem, to respond to an employer's need. For example, the purpose of accounting is to accumulate and report on a business's financial information regarding performance, financial position, and cash flow. Using this information, the company's leadership makes business management decisions, investors decide whether to invest in the company, and financial institutions decide whether to lend it money. You should keep in mind the reason(s) the position you're interviewing for exists, and ensure you're checking off the following to have a successful interview: 1. Know the company, and ideally, your interviewer's story. 2. Prepare for the two questions you'll be asked. 3. Present yourself as the solution to the company's problem(s). 4. Have questions. In this column and the next, I'll discuss being prepared for the two questions your interviewer will surely ask you: First Question: "Walk me through your resume." or "Tell me about yourself." You're being asked, "What is your career story?" This is the most critical question you'll be asked in an interview, so know your career story and be able to deliver it flawlessly! Your career story will either turn on your interviewer or turn them off. The reason interviewers ask for a candidate's career story is to determine the candidate is worth investing time in and gauge how well they can articulate who they are. Therefore, you want to tell your career story in a way that's compelling, relatable, and, most importantly, paints a picture of your competencies. There's a scientific explanation for our love of stories: When we hear, read, or see (e.g., movie, Netflix series) a story that resonates with us, our "feel-good" hormone oxytocin levels increase, boosting our feelings of trust, compassion, and empathy. Storytelling, a skill I recommend you become adept at, builds connections. When interviewing, as I mentioned in previous columns, your primary objective is to establish a connection with your interviewer. Don't try to improvise. Since you'll be asked for your career story in every interview, it's worth investing some time writing out your career story and practicing delivering it. Your career story shouldn't take longer than 3 minutes to deliver and should provide details, along with several results-numbers are critical. Mention the number of people you've led, the revenue you and or your team generated, the savings you created. People don't have short attention spans. They have short interest spans. Make your interviewer interested in you! Here's my career story: "Years ago, I found myself working in Cantel's call center offering additional services to their customers. I liked it, and I was hitting my targets. Since I had some previous managerial experience managing a furniture store, I approached a recruiter about possibly landing a leadership role in a call center. She presented me to a manufacturer of promotional items that was expanding its outbound call center, Myron Manufacturing. Jackie, my manager at Myron, mentored me on coaching agents, understanding call statistics, and achieving revenue targets. I spent over 5 years at Myron learning the ins and outs of managing a sales-generating outbound call center. I left Myron to challenge myself by going to India for 3 years, building an inbound call center for As Seen On TV products and then managing a third-party call center with 85 agents over 2 shifts. Upon returning to Toronto, I joined The Travel Corporation, the ultimate sales-driven and customer-centric industry, where I supervised 85 agents for eight years. I then joined Crocs for two years as their Customer Service Manager. My next job was with Moneris, where I managed their inbound sales department. My annual revenue target was $47 million, which I reached every year. After leaving Moneris, I worked for 3 years at Cognizant, managing 60 agents who moderated content for Facebook and Instagram. Today I'm the call center operation manager at GFL Environmental Inc., overseeing 200 agents handling inbound call inquiries. For the past 10 years, I've been on the advisory board of the Customer Service Professional Network. Some fun facts about me, I'm a weekend golfer, an aspiring writer, and I enjoy taking drives in my '82 Corvette." Your career story should reflect your career in the way you want it to be portrayed and give an insight into your capabilities, along with a few "outside of work" interests. (You're more than just your work.) In my next column, I'll discuss the second question you'll be asked: Why do you want to leave your current employer? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

MADONA

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 am not one to be very religious but respect the faith as a good Roman Catholic. What are we doing here.... Madona Mia, We have our Prime minister going to Europe on a seudo vacation in the name of mustering up peace between Russia and the Ukraine. For What? Justin has difficulty keeping the peace with the good people that have paid his way to go to europe to play diplomat. It appears in Canada a so called democratic and free society that if you speak against the government the government will come down on you hard. If you demonstrate and they do not like it. They can pass, “war measures act”. Really and this is the same guy that is going to attempt to talk to Russia on backing down? Or to stand up for the Ukraine as they get slaughter. Come on people. If there is a God above us and you pick the faith. They or ‘He’. Hell to be politically correct these days, “She/he/it/her/him/it/ a fuck it. You get the picture”. Whom ever your god is. They must be scratching their head and wondering how he has made so many stupid people. How can so many follow a blind piper. Do we not see what is going on here. Our freedoms have been revoked. We surrendered our ability to exercise our right in a so called democracy. Forget the Ukraine. There is a war right here at home. A war that is silent but deeming many casualties in the form of economic ruins. People are loosing their homes, jobs, families over the condition our country is in. Here we have Justin playing premadona thinking he will make an impact on a foreign situation that he has no business being in. Justin. Wake up before the next election. We the people of Canada need you to lower our taxes. Cut back on waste. Put food on people’s table. Give people in need direct help so they may keep their homes and avoid being on our streets. Work on lowering our gas prices by developing our own Canadian gas and oil resources. Stop playing dress up in order to pretend you are doing something for the country. We live ina fragile society. We allow the state to lead us, as they have always supplied and given us a cushioned way of life. Things for many. It is getting real. We need to wake up from our comforted slumber and realize that the world is coming to us... and that we have no place to run. War is war. Peace is Peace. Let’s keep the two apart so we do not end up fighting a war for peace and or keeping the peace by having to go to war.

CIVILIANS THE ULTIMATE WEAPON OF WAR

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 can’t put it in words on how disgusted I am at humanity. Those that read my column would think. Joe, lighten up a bit. Life is not that bad. life is great. What is truly alarming and at times overwhelming is how we the human animal prove that we are nothing but just that, ‘ANIMALS’. It appears that in modern society we are constantly in some sort of global conflict. War on drugs, war on equality, war on just about every aspect of life. We just recovered or we are so led to believe from the war on COVID. Not a week passed and we may be facing another world war. But wait, let’s put on the brakes for a moment. Government throughout history ruled through fear. From the ancient times of living in fear of all kinds of Gods. To today’s time fearing extinction from global warming. Look at how we the people are getting once again, oppressed and fooled to believe that our efforts are for a worthy cause. The Russian/Ukrainian conflict. Question one. What are we Canadians becoming entangled in foreign conflicts? How can as a responsible government rationalize sending one dollar to fight a foreign war. When our own people here in Canada are suffering. Some living on our streets and our government sends millions in weapons an other aid to the Ukraine. We Canadians are being suckered in to a war we have no business fighting. It is done through the media. We hear the constantly being bombarded with images that break people’s heart. Yet, we forget it is war. People die in wars. The media during war is used as a tool to either gather support or plea for help. I have a huge problem when governments mix patriotism with ignorant pride. I say ignorant pride due to the fact that civilians should never be used as weapons and made to be easy marking targets. Think about it. The Ukraine government has issued out large number of guns to it’s civilian population in order to have them fight in the war against Russia. Really!!! The Ukrainian government is arming civilians. Making them a target for the Russian army. Is this right. It is not about pride. It is not about nationalism. It is about out right ignorance of the facts. By arming civilians now you are giving the green flag for the Russian to blanket bomb and attack the population at large, deeming everyone an enemy. This feeding horrific images to the media for further Ukrainian support. Come on people. An old 80 year old lady with a an AK-47 is no threat to a trained Russian soldier. But she surely makes a great target and gives the Russian army reason to shoot to kill civilians. We in the west view these images and our hearts bleed. How can these bad Russians shoot innocent women and children? Old people... When your own government uses it’s population as soldiers. This is wrong. We in the west watch these images and go about our business not thinking about how we are being manipulated. We do not even consider how our own Canadian government plays on us every day. We are supposed to live in a free democratic nation. Yet our freedoms are mandated by our wealth and our ability to get away from our daily routines. Our democratic right is manipulated by public thought. The question then is, are we any different than those being attacked by the Russians? Well, we are not being shot at. But we are being manipulated by our government the same. Look at our gasoline prices? Yet, we are sending 211 million just this week to the Ukraine. We are fed the line that we must pay a carbon tax in order to save the environment... yet the tax collected goes to everything but the environment. Look at what happened when we the people attempted to complain via demonstration in Ottawa with our truckers. They were labeled terrorist, nationalist and the worst the government could come up with. Only to have the government call in the troops to put a stop to it. I say you want to champion democracy and freedoms. Drive your car to Ottawa and park it as the truckers did. Demand lowering of gas prices. Stop blaming it on imported gas from Russia. Demand accountability. Demand justice. We have a war in our own country and no one seems to see it. Look how much the truckers accomplished against COVID. It appears that ever since the truckers protested. Covid has become a secondary issue. COME ON PEOPLE WAKE UP WE ARE UNDER SIEGE. And no one is coming to liberate us from our own ignorance of the obvious oppression by our own government.

The war of our times

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East We are now faced with a great dilemma. As the war in Ukraine is becoming uglier by the day, making a lot of ordinary people suffer, and creating an enormous number of displaced people, the leaders of our world act helplessly and heedlessly. That is the problem with every sizeable military conflict; it can so easily get out of control. It begins with heightened interest, somewhat clear goals, and usually hopes for a quick and negotiated settlement. The world is engaged, through sincere humanitarian support or significant solidarity events, expressing empathy. The media is all over it, with many speculations mostly looking for the sensational, quoting experts of the moment. In the meantime, billions are watching, transfixed and deeply disoriented. In almost every case, as history has confirmed, the conflict gets bogged down. Talks between the two combatants are inevitably unsuccessful, and the war becomes protracted and one of attrition. Over time, those nations at a distance from the region eventually lose interest, becoming more focused on internal events. That is especially true of democracies because of their generally short attention spans. Invariably, media looking for the sensational, shifts out in pursuit of other global emergencies or domestic priorities, losing interest in issues which become a daily pattern. Such is the way of human nature. But we need to look at history because history usually repeats itself more or less. Historic agreements or alliances that commit other nations to take military actions to support one side or the other are of the norm. The world wars have drawn in other countries as the conflicts progressed. In the case of Ukraine, few such alliances were present. As the battle began, they were neither a member of the European Union nor NATO, so any support given to them by others, though significant, wouldn't draw the military might of NATO into the war yet, but one never knows. We will see how the events unfold; elements of unknown surprises might easily happen, and not in a positive way. The world of today is more complicated with undercurrents which might be toxic. Hope again for the best but be prepared for the worst. I have had some personal experiences of this in both Europe and Asia. The growing human catastrophe drew in other players to save whatever human lives they could in both situations. No-fly zones were established, coupled with humanitarian corridors to transport aid to the conflicted regions. They were always broken by one side or the other but were workable enough to keep some civilian people alive. The problem with the Ukraine situation is Russia's threat to use tactical nuclear warheads if it is cornered and faces a more hostile and provocative environment. This changes the equation completely. Do you protect airspace to safeguard humanitarian supply chains, knowing that any encounter in the air with Russia could set off something unimaginable? Or do you keep attempting other methods of funnelling supplies into Ukraine? A debate ensues in the rest of the world that becomes more complicated the longer the fight continues. This immediate and serious threat of Russia's going nuclear works to its advantage but confounds the world, as never before. As the war continues and civilian casualties increase nerves are taut, emotions high and choices become almost untenable over time. Indeed, emotions can easily result in unconsidered decisions with catastrophic consequences. How long can the world watch as this war continues? Women and children are increasingly falling victim to this conflict. In a war of attrition like this, a decision will have to be made: allow Russia to continue the civilian carnage or risk the nuclear option by protecting civilians caught in the mayhem. Or maybe a tenable solution can still be found to end this senseless war. Many children will lose their fathers, brothers, grandfathers, and sometimes even their mothers forever. Whenever this kind of conflict rears its ugly head, parents seek to get their children to someplace safe, just as the English did during World War Two. We aren't even two weeks into the conflict, and Ukrainian children are now traumatized, surrounded by mortality, and increasingly facing a future without a father, a mother, or both. Our world leaders need to come to their senses and do everything possible to end this senseless war as soon as possible in order to avoid further complications which would endanger our own existence as humanity. This is something that we need to resolve before it is too late because at present we are in the process of losing the global consensus we built, maintained, and defended following the insanity of the Second World War. We need to do a better job. All of us.

The spectre of war

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As I predicted earlier in the month, February brought us unpleasant surprises both internally as internationally. When we look at our internal affairs we see a country deeply divided; emerging from a long and arduous pandemic with a clearly disoriented political leadership. As the provinces proceed to lifting the Covid-19 restrictions as they see fit, the federal Government insists on holding steadfast to them. Really the question is what is going on? Are we talking to each other? Are we united to help each other or not? This is a time of serious difficulties and great challenges in which we need to pull together in order to preserve our democracy and our country. The government continues to do whatever they like, while the loyal opposition is looking for answers and leadership to cope with these problematic times. We need unity, not political games at this time to effectively face our challenges. Are our politicians awake or sleeping? because events are unfolding rapidly and if not understood, our nationhood could be in danger. On top of our internal issues, Canada is faced with a rapidly deteriorating international situation. Russia just invaded Ukraine and the international community is on the ropes. Canada is in the middle of all of this and is taking measures as the allies in NATO are doing. This war can easily morph in a much more dangerous situation of a wider conflagration with dangerous players. As the situation is evolving rapidly with heavy costs in terms of lives and infrastructure, we the general public are just observers and hoping for the best; that the leaders of the world will come to their senses and avoid a world war. Certainly Canada is in a precarious position. Our Army at this time is small. Even if our soldiers are well trained, we are seriously lacking equipment. This is due to the years of neglect by successive Canadian governments, a lack of leadership of the general core, and a lack of understanding by scores of parliamentarians both past and present. I vividly remember when being member of the National Defence Committee I brought forward the dangers for Canada in Russia arming itself in the Arctic. I was bluntly dismissed as a person who does not know what he is talking about, despite the fact that I probably was the only member of Parliament at that time who had special military experience. Not only was I a veteran from Afghanistan, but by my previous military experience, I was probably the only serving member of the Canadian forces who understood the state of mind of the Soviet army doctrine embraced by the new Russian Army. Here we are today, facing a serious danger in the Arctic for Canada from our belligerent Russian neighbour. At his point let's be fair and recognize that our Air Force is in bad shape with outdated, second hand planes due to gross incompetence on the part of both politicians and civil servants. Our Navy is also in bad shape, with outdated surface combat elements and second hand submarines under eternal repair. Our Army is also lacking modern heavy armor, with tanks borrowed from other nations. So at this point we are heavily reliant on the United States for defending Canada. We really need to consider how our own national interests can be defended. We need to start relying on ourselves rather than others. Of course it is not only Russia's invasion in Ukraine that we should be watching. As all eyes of the European Union, European nations and the United States are focused there, China is watching carefully how events unfold. I have a feeling that China has a hidden plan that should be not underestimated. The situation with Taiwan is a dangerous one and the build up of their military in recent years is not signalling a desire for peace but instead world dominance. It is also significant that China has not condemned Russia's actions and may be waiting for an opportunity to flex its military muscles in the Pacific area of the world. That really will put the United States, Japan, Australia and others into a problem zone. In general, I see a myriad of economic sanctions imposed on Russia by a relatively united front. The results might be effective but these must be seen in the longer term. For the moment the situation on the ground in Ukraine is deteriorating in by the hour, and the supply of promised weapons from a myriad of nations might be too late. Diplomacy is not working anymore either, so the only hope is that cooler heads will prevail in the end. Otherwise, the usual rule of history is, that we know when we start the war, but we do not know how it ends. In conclusion my thoughts are with the innocent people who suffer the effects of this senseless war and we should support them with all our means to alleviate their suffering.

THEY CAN’T KILL US WITH COVID LETS TRY WAR

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” Is it just me? That sees this as a set up? Let me take you back Pre-Covid. Trump had China on a short leash. China was experiencing some of the worst pro-democracy demonstrations ever. It had got so bad that they had to deploy troops in order to oppress the uprise. Then, Covid was released in to the world. It caught one nation after another by surprise. Killing people in its path. The pro-demonstrations stopped. China accomplished its National goal of stomping the pro-democracy movement. Governments of the world due to Covid turned one against the other. Banning travel and trade in fear of infection. Causing major havoc and turning neighbour against neighbor over mask/vaccination mandate. Governments of the world had to do something. They turned to the world Health Organization for a solution. The World Health Organization turned to the United Nations. Once the magic bean was formulated in the form of a vaccine. The world had forgotten of who the responsible culprits were. All the world wanted was the vaccine in order to get the monkey off their back. Meanwhile, the world economy was under siege. The Chinese game plan was working without questions of who originated this nor any real consequences. While we the world ran looking for answers China, Russia, North Korea, Iran were working on a master plan. De-stabilize the enemy. Hitting hard and plan your next attack. The world united in the quest of finding a cure/vaccine. We walked right into their plan. We were and in part still are self destructing by design. How is it that as soon as we find the magic bean to COVID. We have an invasion in the Ukraine? Does it not seem strange to you. WE CAN’T KILL THEM BY DISEASE. We now kill them with war. Not just any war. A nuclear war they threaten. We have ‘Goofy’ as the leader of America. He can’t hold a thought without messing up. Have you heard some of his speeches? My God one would think he is insane. This is good for the Russians as they see weakness in America and the Russians are taking advantage of it. Sucker in America into a war. The same America that could not defeat ISIS. The same America that has had it’s economy turned upside down and is highly dependant on those thy are wanting to go to war with. The same America that went from being energy self reliant. To one that is heavily dependent of import. Is there no shame in this world? We have been fed ‘SAVE THE PLANET’. Renewable energy be environmentally responsible. Meanwhile our gas prices have gone through the roof. Our economy is failing. We are in trouble every place we look. Now WAR!!! You got to be kidding me. I think this is the final nail in the ‘DEMOCRACY’ empire. I think that if the U.S. - NATO gets suckered in to fight a battle that is not their. We the West will pay the consequences of looking the war. I say this because as it stands. China owns us in trade. If a war was to brake out. You think Russia would be our own enemy? Think again. We be fighting a war all over the globe. From Iran, to Venezuela, Syria, China, North Korea and most of the pacific rim countries. Including Japan as they still have it in for us. The question I have for our Prime Minister. What the hell are you doing putting Canadians at risk fighting a fight for freedom and democracy when you on your own home land call in the troops on protesters. Really, Hey Justin why not use the millions of our money to feed those in need in Canada. How about spending the millions you are wasting on weapons to fan a war in Canada. Do as Trump had done. Increase all taxes and tariffs on Chinese imports. End hunger in Canada. Help the many million of Canadians struggling to pay their mortgages. Help all Canadians by injecting direct money into the pockets of Canadians. Hell, start by lowering and controlling the out of control gas prices. How can anyone justify that during Trump administration. The world enjoyed the lowest gas prices in the last 50 years. Biden takes office and every country in the world pounces and takes advantage of the weakness including our own.... We need leadership. Not basket cases chasing rainbows riding environmental unicorns.

War ~ Peace The People Are People The Boots Are The Same Different Feet

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. What is wrong with Canada. No matter who is driving we keep going down hill. We are nothing short of lambs to the slaughter. Our attention and our emotions are controlled so easily. COVID, COVID like a ranging fire had everyone bunkered down in fear. Now we are possibly at the eve of a world war. Fear keeps us bunkered once again. Falling for the propaganda as it is spewed by the media. I seen this before in Europe. I lived in fear for my safety and that of my fellow man. War is war and you can count on death. Death at all ages. Sad that those we call our leaders do not have the common sense to realize that lives are on the line. Yet soldiers are sent to war with little regard to the death they are causing. Then again. We can’t put blame on Putin for pulling up his military boots and charge into the Ukraine. Look what our own Prime Minister is doing with the truckers, “FREEDOM MOVEMENT”. The same mentality only in a smaller scale. This is Canada. Never say it can’t happen here. Our Prime Minister in his quest to be a global player is giving out millions of dollars to the Ukraine. Millions of our tax dollars to fight a war the Ukraine can’t win. Our city streets are full of homeless people. People in our Nation are fighting their own wars when it come to paying mortgages and putting food on the table. Where are our millions to help those in need? Same boots different feet. Is it not time we put on our own boots as the truckers have done? United Canada we stand strong.

Leveraging LinkedIn to Get a Job - Part 4

In my previous three columns, I provided the following eight tips to instantly boost LinkedIn profile views. 1. Have a current, no older than 6 months profile picture. 2. Get your headline right. 3. Be comprehensive about your skills. 4. Build your network to the 1st degree. 5. Follow companies you're interested in joining. 6. Use the Advanced Search. 7. Ask for an introduction. 8. Be more than a wallflower. In this column, the final of a 4 part series, I'll provide 3 more actions you can take to improve your chances of being informed of job opportunities. 9. Get involved in LinkedIn Professional Groups. There are currently over 2.2 million active LinkedIn groups. There is no doubt that there is a group, or several groups, relevant to your profession and the industry with which you've aligned your career. Engaging in-this is key-professional groups will give you ample opportunities to take part in online discussions and showcase your expertise and will help expand your network. When researching groups, make sure they're currently active. A group with no regular or daily interaction is of no value to your job search and networking efforts. There are three types of groups you should consider joining: 1. Industry - These are groups dedicated to a specific industry and/or field. Try searching for a few different keywords for your industry and profession. For example, if you're in supply chain management, expand your search to "procurement," "purchasing," and "sourcing." I suggest favouring groups with larger memberships and local groups (e.g., "Alberta Oil & Gas Recruiting," (45,463 members), "Professional Engineers Ontario Discussion Group (14,100 members)) to get the most value (READ: exposure) from joining a group. 2. Active - There are many holistic groups that you can join, such as job-seeking groups ("Toronto Job Networking - Canada Jobs & Technology"), skills-based groups ("Python Developers Community"), and general interest groups ("Corvette Owners & Enthusiasts"). The options are endless! 3. Alumni - Most universities have official alumni groups. Join alumni groups you're affiliated with - your college's or university's main group, any relevant department or major groups, specific alumni interest groups, etc. Joining such groups will give you access to a massive network of people with whom you have something in common. (Networking boils down to finding commonalities.) To search for groups to join: - Look for Groups directly in the search bar, just as you would find connections, companies, or anything else on LinkedIn. (e.g., warehouse management, accounting, digital marketing) - On the search results page, click on the "Groups" filter option. - Look through the groups and click on the ones you're interested in joining. TIP: Join groups where hiring managers and those in a management position in companies you'd like to join are active. For example, say you want to join Soylent Corporation. You notice that Sol Roth is part of "Commercial Finance Professionals." (When you visit a person's LinkedIn profile, scroll down to the bottom of their profile and the 'Interest' section click on 'Groups' to see which groups the person has joined.) Join the group and begin engaging with Sol's posts-commenting to show your expertise and how you think. 10. Research your interviewer. All successful interviews have one thing in common, the interviewer and the interviewee relate to each other on some level. Connecting with your interviewer and vice versa will enormously benefit you. Learn about your interviewer's work history (Maybe you both worked at the same company at one point, or they worked at the same company as your wife or best friend.), likes, interests, and more-look for common ground. It's a small world; you'd be surprised how often you'll find a connection with someone within one or two degrees. Use this information to create relatability. It's human nature to want to work with people you like, feel comfortable with, and relate to. (WARNING: Harsh truth.) Being likeable supersedes your skills and experience. 11. Post and network strategically. When it comes to getting the highest amount of exposure on social media, timing is everything! According to Sprout Social, the best days, and times to post on LinkedIn are Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 AM - Noon, and Wednesday, 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. The worst day to post is Sundays. For obvious reasons, the use of LinkedIn is most likely to take place during the workweek, in contrast to Facebook, Twitter, and Tik Tok, which see an upswing outside of work hours. Therefore, you're less likely to get eyes on your LinkedIn engagement efforts on weekends. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

Decarbonizing Healthcare

Last week we wrote about the environmental disaster of plastics choking the world’s oceans and the consequences for human health through the food chain. This week let’s look through a different lens at another environmental disaster of our own making – the carbon footprint of healthcare itself. Here’s something you may not know. If the global healthcare sector were a country, it would be the fifth-largest greenhouse gas emitter! A report from Health Care Without Harm calculated that the environmental impact of healthcare amounts to 4.4% of global net emissions – the equivalent of 514 coal-fired power plants. So far, North Americans are among the main culprits. By way of example, the report notes, “The United States health sector, the world’s number one emitter in both absolute and per capita terms, produces 57 times more emissions per person than does India.” What exactly is causing all these emissions? Primarily, it is the energy consumption of healthcare facilities, healthcare transportation, and health product manufacturing, use, and disposal. It’s not easy for individuals to have clout with the healthcare industry and its complex global supply chains. But there are things everyone can do to share a sense of responsibility. First and foremost, stay healthy. If you need yet another reason to do it, this is it. Staying healthy means not using healthcare products. This will reduce your own contribution to health sector emissions. As it happens, the things that keep people healthy are the same things that protect the environment – e.g., reducing red meat consumption and walking in place of driving. Second, make use of telehealth. There are times when seeing a doctor in person is an imperative. But telehealth is proving to be a valuable component of the system. It can offer convenience, speed, ease of access, low cost, quality care, safety, and a low-carbon footprint. This is one of the great lessons of the pandemic. Third, advocate for healthcare providers to decarbonize and be environmentally responsibility. The more people make this an issue, the more the pressure and incentives build for environmental accountability in healthcare. Here’s an example. People suffering from respiratory conditions may use metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) that work based on a pressurized propellant in an aerosol chamber. Unfortunately, these propellant gases are up to 3,350 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping the sun’s heat! A single inhaler can release as much emissions as a small car driven for 180 miles. A typical patient may use 12 inhalers a year. Dry powder inhalers are a good alternative that can be used by the vast majority of patients. But here are the big conundrums that need innovative solutions. It’s not just older people who inevitably need more healthcare – and therein add to the emissions of the sector. It’s those who fall ill too early in life from avoidable problems. Plus, there are many people around the world who desperately need better healthcare and for whom healthcare spending must increase. To offset the impact of these deserving consumers, there’s an urgent need for a global transition to clean, renewable energy. In addition, instead of learning from the errors of developed countries where people are eating too much meat and not getting enough exercise, developing countries that achieve higher income levels are making the same mistakes. The epidemic of diabetes in North America is now a worldwide pandemic. Finally, doctors must think differently. The Hippocratic Oath implores “First, do no harm.” It’s time to include the planet, not just the patient, in the thinking. 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

IT CAN NEVER HAPPEN HERE- SO THEY SAID

IT CAN NEVER HAPPEN HERE- SO THEY SAID 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” It could not happen in Germany, England, Japan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lybia, Ukraine so the people thought. Look at what is taking place right here in Canada. In Canada you say? We the people can be... at any point and time. We can’t go thinking that it will never happen to us. It will never happen in our country. The recent truckers demonstration is a measure of how fed up the Canadian public is with the quality of life in Canada. With the way our government treat us like modern slaves. When there is an uprise much like the truckers. What did the Prime Minister do. Called them names like Nationalist, Fascist, Neo-Nazis and many more. Is this a government for the people by the people? With the way our economy is. We should all be shoulder to shoulder with the truckers demanding our way of life back. Gas prices going through the roof. Grocery store gouging customers. Then the Prime Minister calls in the boots. Unions the biggest social agitators condemn the action of the truckers. When the truckers showed the balls that the Unionist should be having when dealing with the way our government has lost control of our economy and job loss to foreign nation that practice slave labor practices.. No instead unions today are nothing short of another layer of management. It is not about representing the people. It is about the union bosses filling their pockets cushioning their retirement pension pillows. God forbid call a national strike on any cause... Yet, here we have Trudeau sending money and troops to the Ukraine. To a nation that is fighting an obvious lost cause. Then why are we sending our troops. Our tax dollars? Come on folks... we should use the momentum the truckers have brought and carry on the cause of making things right in Canada. Stop tolerating the intolerable. Stop Canada from becoming a third world country. Oh I can hear it now.... No not my Canada. Well it happened. We just got a taste of what is to come... We Canadians must awaken to the reality of the world. We are not leading any more... and those leading do not share our principles and our standards. Look at the future for out kids. It is totally different than that of which our forefather fought two wold wars. Today’s world is not about doing what is right. It is about protecting agenda and special interests. The Ukraine was is not about independance. It is about rich mineral deposits. It is about gas. It is about taking over a key strategic post on the doorway to Europe. Putin is getting away with it knowing that Biden may bark but has no bite. Biden failed to follow the very important golden rule when it comes to enemies. Keep friends close and your enemies even closer. The Biden administration is an easy picking for a leader like Putin. I bet if Trump had been in office. Putin would have not thought twice about invading. We and America need to wake up to the reality that we must develop our natural resources and stop relying on foreign oil and gas. We must come to the realization that the global village is slowly eating us up from within. Corporation that have an impact on global economies are entities/countries within our shores. We must work to bring back ownership and pride to our work force. Denounce nations that pay less than our standards. Heavily tax them and charge them duty on their imports to offset the labor difference. Yes, you may be thinking but our prices be a lot higher. Yes but so will theirs. As we would charge them taxes and tariffs that may be pass down to our consumers in the form of purchase rebate instead of a sales tax as we have now. The world is changing. Are we up to the challenge of change. We can’t continue the way we are as we are on a course to self destruct. The light at the end of the tunnel is not one of hope and prosperity... It’s a real train of reality.

Turmoil in the World

by Maj (ret'd) CORNELIU E. CHISU, CD, PMSC, FEC, CET, P. Eng. Former Member of Parliament Pickering-Scarborough East As we near the end of February and with the Winter Olympics just concluded in Beijing, the world is changing dramatically. The only good news currently is the excellent performance of our Canadian athletes who finished in fourth place overall, winning a total of 26 medals. Unfortunately, we were not really able to celebrate their outstanding performance because of the political turmoil at home, and some very serious problems brewing internationally. Here in Canada we had the Emergency Act in full force, till repealed hastily as enacted. This Act is unprecedented and its application seriously curtails personal liberties, so it should be invoked only in very critical cases. Political hypocrisy continues to reign, but there are limits of common sense that have been missing in the governance of our country for some time. As we wait to see the overall outcome and effects of these measures, I must repeat my hope that cooler heads than have been demonstrated so far, will prevail in the end. Internationally, the events leading to the stand-off between Ukraine and Russia constitute far from good news, and it seems that the situation is worsening by the day. After weeks of what appears to have been 'catch-the-tail-diplomacy' on the part of Russian President Putin, Russia's war against Ukraine ended with the recognition of the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, the breakaway provinces of Ukraine. These new "states" immediately requested the help of the Russian Federation against the imminent "military invasion" form Ukraine. In other words, the Russian military had a request for help from independent nations and they obliged immediately. Technically speaking the Russian army entered Ukrainian territory. The question, is what will happen next. Western nations, including Canada and the US were obviously not impressed and greeted this move by Russia with sanctions and other measures in order to help Ukraine maintain its territorial integrity as guaranteed by international law. Until now, this conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been through cyberwarfare: strategic corruption, ludicrous performative propaganda and other 21st-century innovations in domination tactics. With the launch of the beginning of a hot war in Eastern Europe, the most conspicuous front in the clash of ideologies, it has now been transposed to a 20th century-style, analog conflict. The narrative of today, the daily geopolitical, political, diplomatic, military, economic and humanitarian developments, is concerning and leading to an unchartered future. Already the rhetoric is in place, surrounded by speculation, portraying this wholly manufactured crisis as a real competition between Russia's Putin and the United States of America's Joe Biden. That obscures the crucial question of who started it and why. Touting as a bilateral personal feud, what could be a humanitarian catastrophe for the people of Russia, Ukraine and beyond. As the tense situation on the Eastern European front evolves rapidly, with Russian military capabilities along the Ukraine border at "near 100% of all forces" the Pentagon anticipates that Russia will eventually move further into Ukrainian territory. Russia has a "full range of capabilities" already moved previously to the Ukraine border, including "significant offensive missile capability," "two dozen warships in the Black Sea" and "armor, artillery, certainly infantry," so we can expect the worse in an escalation of the conflict. The explosive situation in Ukraine is of particular interest to Canada because of the more than 1.3 million Canadians of Ukrainian descent, many of whom still have strong connections to their ancestral land and are opposed to Russian interference in the country. Because of its size, the community is seen as having significant influence in parts of Ottawa, and is demanding that Canada support Ukraine. Canada as a medium power country sitting next to the world's largest superpower, has a massive stake in ensuring international norms and laws are respected to protect itself and global stability. Those include preventing one country from being allowed to invade or otherwise seize parts of another country. The fear is that ignoring Russia's actions weakens this prohibition, leading to the increased possibility of war in other places. Canada and its allies will now likely wait to see the size and scope of Russia's military incursion into Ukraine and whether it will extend beyond Donetsk and Luhansk. If it does, even heavier sanctions are likely. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced, that in addition to providing a 500 million dollar loan to Ukraine and the delivery of lethal weapons, Canada would be deploying 460 additional Armed Forces members to reinforce NATO in Latvia and Eastern Europe. It is also imposing economic sanctions against Russian lawmakers and financial institutions, banning any financial dealings with Donetsk and Luhansk and barring the purchase of Russian sovereign debt. Canada's moves followed similar steps by allies in the U.S. and Europe, with Germany stopping the process of certifying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia -- a lucrative deal long sought by Moscow, but criticized by the U.S. for increasing Europe's reliance on Russian energy. The rest of the European Union also sanctioned Russian lawmakers and officials, financial institutions and defence companies. However, despite their repeated messages of support for Ukraine, Canada and its allies have repeatedly played down any suggestion they will send troops to reinforce the government in Kyiv. Western powers have long made it clear that the fate of Ukraine isn't worth a direct military confrontation with Russia and the possibility of a world war, so sanctions were the only option. This position is a weak one and reminds us of the end of WWII when many countries in Central Europe were abandoned by the Western allies to the grip of the Soviet Union and suffered for a half century under the communist yoke. Still we have hope that reason will prevail over the personal ambitions of the elites. Let us believe in a future without war!

One For Sherlock Holmes

One For Sherlock Holmes I was friends with Sally for nearly 10 years. She was my best friend, and I assure you it was a purely platonic relationship. When I married, Sally and my wife became best friends. Sometimes they did things together, sometimes all three of us did things together. A while ago I noticed Sally drifting away from me. She stopped returning my phone calls and emails. When I questioned her, she offered flimsy excuses like she was busy or couldn’t reach me. One day I emailed my wife at work that I thought Sally was lying to us. Imagine my surprise when I noticed I accidentally sent the email to Sally, not my wife! I immediately called Sally to explain what I meant, but it was too late. Sally said she would never trust me again because I was obviously talking about her behind her back. That was over a year ago, and we have not spoken since. I tried calling her, but she moved and her number was disconnected. I emailed her at work, but I think she deletes the mail without reading it. I don’t call her workplace because I would not want someone to do that to me. Is there anything I can do? Let me reiterate we were purely platonic friends, and there weren’t any jealousy issues about my wife. Gerard Gerard, Sherlock Holmes said, “When you eliminate all other possibilities, what remains, no matter how improbable, is the answer." People don’t move, change phone numbers, and end long-term friendships without reason. Sally loved you. If she said you were talking behind her back, it means she felt the two of you were closer than you and your wife. Sally is like the person who didn’t get an expected promotion. She thought she could accept the result, but she couldn’t. She had to break all ties. Accept her decision and let her go. Wayne & Tamara The Excuse I am a 22-year-old woman married for two and a half years. My husband and I have been together continuously since I was 15. We have a son, two, and a five-week-old daughter. When we first met, I asked my husband if he smoked weed, cigarettes, or anything else. He told me no. I said good, because I don’t want to be around a smoker. About a year ago, he started having a cigarette now and then. That bothered me, and we argued about it. As time went on it became more of a big deal, and my husband became more determined to smoke. He says he likes smoking, but I think he’s trying to prove he can do whatever he wants. I feel betrayed, and I told him so. He says my feelings have nothing to do with it. He doesn’t smoke in the house or in front of me. He just stinks when he gets home. I have been told I am allergic to smoke, and I hate his smoking so much I often think of leaving him. Most people tell me I am crazy for getting so upset, but if we didn't have children, I would probably leave. I’m at the end of my rope. I’m afraid I can’t love him like this. What should I do? Larissa Larissa, I knew a man who told me his wife laid down one condition before they married. She told him if he ever cheated, she would divorce him. Three years later he had an affair, and she ended the marriage. He knew what it took to end the relationship, and without discussion, debate, or argument, it was over. You both knew the ground rules before you married. Your husband is now doing the one thing you said wasn’t allowed. You’ve said you wouldn’t be married to him if you didn’t have two children. Already you know that is not enough to hold you together. Wayne Wayne & Tamara are also the authors of The Friendship Solution, Making Friends and Dropping Frenemies, available from Amazon, Apple and most booksellers. Wayne & Tamara write: Directanswers@WayneAndTamara.com

Leveraging LinkedIn to Get a Job - Part 3

By Nick Kossovan In my last two columns, I provided the following five tips to boost your LinkedIn profile views and increase being informed of job opportunities. 1. Have a current, no older than 6 months profile picture. 2. Get your headline right. 3. Be comprehensive about your skills. 4. Build your network to the 1st degree. 5. Follow companies you're interested in joining. Here's 3 more tips on leveraging LinkedIn for your job search. 6. Use the Advanced Search. Use LinkedIn's Advanced Search option and conduct a search on companies you're interested in joining. Make a list of your 1st degree connections associated with these companies (past or current employees). Then reach out to your connections who are current employees and inform them you're interested in joining their company. Ask if they'd be willing to assist you in your job search (e.g., refer you to job openings). One of the most helpful things your 1st degree connections can do for your job search is being able to introduce you to people who are in a position to hire you. Therefore, you need to ask them for an introduction, which brings me to my seventh tip. 7. Ask for an introduction. I'm happy to make introductions for connections whom I know, and trust, outside of LinkedIn. Speaking for my preference, the best way to request an introduction is to send a note: Hi Nick, [Personal note/comment]. Would you mind introducing me to [person's name along with their LinkedIn URL - www.linkedin.com/in/nameofperson]? I am interested in speaking with [person's first name] about the Digital Strategist position I came across on Merrick BioTech's website. [Link to the job posting.] Sincerely, Stephanie I like to give the person my connection is looking to connect with a "heads up." Therefore, I'll send them a note asking if they're open to being introduced. Hi Akando, Hope all is well with you. Stephanie Powers, a former colleague when I worked at Rekall, Inc., is interested in speaking with you about the Digital Strategist position at Merrick BioTech's. [Link to the job posting.] Can I make an introduction? Regards, Nick Once Akando says yes, I then make the introduction. Hello Akando & Stephanie, I'm following up to connect you both regarding the Digital Strategist position at Merrick BioTech. I'll let you two take it from here. Regards, Nick 8. Be more than a wallflower. The key to being visible on LinkedIn and building your network is to be active, by regularly sharing and creating content and engaging with other people's content. If you're starting out on LinkedIn, I recommend you begin by engaging with other people's content before sharing your own. Review your feed (content you see when you click on your LinkedIn home page) and thoughtfully comment on other people's posts and articles. There are three ways to engage with someone's content: - Like - Share - Comment I believe comments are the gold standard of engagement. The reason being your name, your photo and the beginning of your headline appears before your comment. Therefore, your comments act like mini advertisements. TIP: When you comment, tag the author of the post so they're notified that you've commented. To tag the author of the post or anyone on LinkedIn: - Type the @ symbol. - Begin typing the poster's name. - Choose the poster's name from the dropdown list you'll be given. - LinkedIn will then delete the @ symbol and bold the poster's name. Regarding creating content, while I write and post articles (125,000 characters maximum) on LinkedIn, I get more engagement from my posts (1,300 characters maximum). The reason for the increase engagement is LinkedIn posts are favoured by LinkedIn's algorithm and will show up on your connection's newsfeed. However, LinkedIn posts quickly get lost in the crowd and therefore have a short lifespan. On the other hand, LinkedIn articles will keep getting viewed from search results on Google and other search engines; thus, they have a longer lifespan. In summary, LinkedIn posts (TIP: For additional visibility include several relevant hashtags and add a graphic.) are great to keep the ball rolling on the engagement side of things. In contrast, LinkedIn articles are helpful for long-term brand image and authority (subject matter expert) building. The bottom-line: The more you interact and post as a professional, the more you'll be noticed and build recognition. In next week's column, the last of this four-part series, I'll be discussing the following: - Get involved in LinkedIn Professional Groups. - Research your future boss and executive team. - Network after business hours. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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

Leveraging LinkedIn to Get a Job - Part 2

By Nick Kossovan In last week's column, I provided two tips to instantly boost LinkedIn profile views. 1. Have a current, no older than 6 months profile picture. 2. Get your headline right. In this column, I'll provide 3 more tips on how to make your LinkedIn profile appear in searches, thus increasing your profile views and hence improving your chances of being informed of job opportunities. 3. Be comprehensive about your skills. According to LinkedIn profiles with five or more skills listed receive up to 17 times more views. There are more than 45,000 skills to choose from on LinkedIn. Include your notable skills (e.g., Algorithm development, Statistical analysis, CRM software, Data and metrics interpreting, Conflict resolution), so you appear in searches. LinkedIn allows up to 50 skills on your profile. There are 2 ways to add skills to your profile: - Click on your profile, then scroll down to the "Skills & Endorsements" section. Then click "Add a new skill" in the right-hand corner of that section. - Click on your profile, then click on "Add Profile Section" in the top right corner of your profile. Click the "Skills" section and click on "Skills" to add a new skill. 4. Build your network to the 1st degree. There are three types of connections on LinkedIn: - 1st Degree: 1st degree connections are people who invite you to connect or people you invite to connect. In both cases, as soon as you or the person you invited accepts the invitation to connect, they become one of your 1st degree connections. - 2nd Degree: These are the people connected to your 1st degree connections. - 3rd Degree: These are people connected to your 2nd degree connections. The more connections you have, regardless of your connection level, the more your LinkedIn profile will appear in search results. In addition, when you create a post, you'll appear on your connection's homepage updates, which significantly increases your LinkedIn presence. Begin by connecting with your lowest-hanging fruits first. Send connection requests to family members, friends, former classmates, and colleagues (current and former). If you have an email contact list, import it. Now comes the fun part, researching relevant professionals, and employees of companies you'd like to work for, particularly those in a hiring capacity, to include in your LinkedIn network. Finally, connect with recruiters in your area and thought leaders in your field and/or industry. The majority of my 1st degree connections are call center and customer service management professionals, customer experience thought-leaders, English language newspaper editors, and recruiters in Toronto. IMPORTANT: Never send a connection request to someone you don't know without introducing yourself and explaining why you want to connect. I won't get into details on how to compose a LinkedIn connection request. A Google search ("How to write a LinkedIn connection request") will give you an infinite number of examples and templates you can customize. Better yet, read my column Write a LinkedIn Connection Request That'll Get Accepted. When crafting your message, remember the five P's. 1. Polite 2. Pertinent 3. Personalized 4. Professional 5. Praiseful 5. Follow companies you're interested in joining. Make a list of companies you want to work for and follow them on LinkedIn. As well, connect with members of the leadership team and human resources. Following companies you'd like to work for is a great way to stay informed about company news, new hires, and, most important, job openings. When you follow a company, you'll be closer to the action. Follow a company by selecting the "Follow" button on its company page. Companies can't see that you're following them; therefore, like, comment and share their posts and articles. Engaging with a company's content, especially commenting, is the best way to increase your visibility with employers on LinkedIn. TIP: I believe in creating positive karma. Help those in your network who are also job hunting by sharing job postings that aren't right for you, or you're not interested in pursuing. I know you're asking, "What are the top 10 most followed companies on LinkedIn?" In 2021 they were: 1. Google ... 17.724 million 2. TED Conferences ... 17.693 million 3. Amazon ... 5.048 million 4. LinkedIn ... 12.155 million 5. Microsoft ... 11.681 million 6. Apple ... 11.441 million 7. Unilever ... 10.351 million 8. Nestlé ... 9.855 million 9. IBM ... 8.696 million 10. Tesla ... 6.361 million In next week's column, I'll be discussing the following: - Use the advanced search. - Ask for an introduction. - Be more than a wallflower. -------------------- 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