Looking Forward

This is the time of year a lot of people look back at what has passed as we complete another lap around the sun. I think I do enough of looking back and recounting great moments. I think it's time to look forward to what 2013 could be.

Now looking forward you need to seize the moment and make the difference. It doesn't get better if you don't make it better for yourself. I find the easiest way to make life better for myself is to try and make someone's day better everyday. So that's my big plan. I'm going to try to make somebody's day better each and every day. It won't be the same person all the time and it won't always be world changing but I want to brighten a day.

It's my intention to exercise more in 2013. I already exercise regularly but I want to be more consistent. I won't let the desk get in the way as much. I'll find a way to get the exercise in. Being in good shape and having a pleasant disposition will give me the ability to overcome any challenge the year will throw at me. When you can take on all challenges, life becomes an amazing journey. I feel like if I maintain the lifestyle I want to, I can do anything.

I don't know what is going to come my way in 2013. It could be a cake walk or a meat grinder but I know I will be able to face all the challenges and be successful. If you want to be successful be the person you want to be and be ready to go. Then you will be able to take anything on and win.

Where The Skies Are So Blue

I have to admit that the majority of my days in Manitoba this time it was cloudy and snowing but starting on Christmas Eve it was clear and cold, just like I remember many Christmases on the prairies. Although I may never live in Manitoba again there are a few things that made this trip great.

Rye Bread. The first time I ordered a sandwich in Ottawa on rye bread it came with some sort of bread that was made in a bread pan and no caraway seeds. In my mind that is not rye bread. It should be a free form loaf and be loaded with caraway seeds. I know they get stuck in your teeth but that's some of the fun. I ate a lot of rye bread while I was back in Manitoba.

Perogies Made By Babbas. I can get perogies in Ottawa but I can't seem to find good ones. I managed to eat some perogies made in Dauphin, Manitoba. There are none better. You wouldn't think mashed potato wrapped in dough could taste so good but it does.

Snow Crunch. There is an old Christmas song that tells us to hear the snow crunch, see the kids bunch, this is Santa's big scene. It rarely gets cold enough in Ottawa for snow to crunch but in Manitoba it is a daily occurrence. I don't want it every day of the winter, but I sure liked it when it did.

Wide Open Space. I don't feel claustrophobic in Ottawa but you can't see for miles on a clear cold winter day. As I rode from Winnipeg to Brandon and back to Winnipeg, I was reminded of how big the west really is.

The Oak. There are several bars in Winnipeg that have changed the names on their signs several times since I started university. That being said, the name everyone uses never changes. One of those places is The Oak. It's in the Transcona Inn. I think the owners may have changed the name back because I heard it called The Oak on the radio, on different stations. Some things never change.

My Friends. I never seem to be able to fit everyone in to a visit but I got to see most of them. I laughed and laughed. I had a couple of serious conversations. I drank beer with them. I told jokes. I hung out with their kids. I started stories with 'remember when...' I have great friends who welcomed me into their homes, picked me up from the airport, drove me to my parents, loaned my their car, fed me, did my laundry, made a birthday cake for me, and generally made me feel important. I am so lucky to have such great people choose to be part of my life.

My Family. I spent a lot of time with my family this time around. I think we can agree that I am a bit different than the rest of my family. Not in a good way or a bad way, just different. They are so small town. They live in a small city and approach life in a small town way. I live in the middle of a city and live that way. That being said, when I'm there I feel like I never left. It feels like it did when I was growing up. I don't have to prove myself. I don't have to justify my position, I don't have to play a part. I just have to be me. It's a great feeling.

It was a great trip back to Manitoba. The worst parts were not bad and the best parts were amazing. It's not where I want to live but I will always have important people there so I will always go back to sweet home Manitoba, where the skies are so blue.

The Cat

Back in the last century both my sister and I finished high school. Once she left home my mom thought it would be a good idea to get a cat. She figured the house would seem rather empty with no children around. So, one day this kitten named Opus moved into the house.

Opus was a rather lively kitten. He would fight with my dad and run about the house. He was always up on the counter looking for food. He would try to get out of the house but mom decided he would be an indoor cat.

Opus is still with us and now he is an old cat. He slowly walks about the house. He makes strange sounds at random times. He may or may not be able to hop up onto the furniture. In the winter he takes two steps outside and realizes that Manitoba is really cold in the winter and slowly turns around and walks in. He is definitely old. I have not even seen him jog yet.

I guess this is what happens to all living creatures when they get old. At some point I think they believe they have paid their dues and are just take it easy. That's ok. Opus has lived a full life of climbing onto the counter and trying to run away when the door is open. I don't know if he ever caught a mouse or a bird. Nobody kept career stats on his exploits. Ultimately he is a good cat and still keeps my parents amused which is his whole reason for existence.

For a long time I found Opus rather annoying. He would walk across you and always be under foot. In his old age he is pretty chill, I can handle the old version of Opus, I just hope I have a few more years in me before I feel the need to slow down.

Sometimes You Win, Sometimes - Not So Much

My vacation continues in snowy Brandon, Manitoba. It's a nice little place where winter sets in for a long time. It's also where all my direct family lives. It's great to see everyone. Hanging out with the family is always nice. I don't see them very often since leaving Manitoba but when I do it's like I never left.

All this reminds me why family is important. I tend to be busy and often don't feel like I have the time to call or write but that doesn't mean they are not important. They are busy too. Often when I try to call they are out. I don't expect them to sit at home by the phone so I am never disappointed if I miss them. However, sometimes it may be a couple of months between times we talk.

That's the winning.

I was supposed to fly from Winnipeg to Brandon in a small airplane yesterday. It would have been a great way to get out to see the family. As it turned out the weather was not conducive to flying a small airplane along that route in the window we had. So I had to go by surface transport. It's not a horrible thing to travel by surface transport between Winnipeg and Brandon but it was going to be a chance to fly along the route that was the first solo cross-country flight I had ever flown so it would have been neat. The forecast before went to bed looked like we could get out of Winnipeg but not into Brandon so the backup was to fly some circuits for fun. When we woke up the weather was so we could get into Brandon but not out of Winnipeg so even the circuits were not a possibility. 

Even though I didn't get to fly, the trip did give me a chance to catch up with another friend during the drive, so there was a silver lining.

I'm having a great vacation and nearly everything has worked out better than I hoped, even if I didn't get to fly yesterday.

Holiday Stress

A lot of people find the holiday season stressful. Generally I do not. If you back up two steps its all about spending time together. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you are with people who matter to you. That being said, I have injected some new stress into my holidays this year.

Nothing has caused more stress for me over the course of my life than the weather. I have being flying aircraft in the VFR environment with some very restrictive crosswind limits since I was sixteen years old. Eventually it came to be how I make my living. There are a lot of flyable days in the year. There are also quite a few unacceptable days. Often it seems that when you have the people and resources lined up to go, the weather is not as nice as it should be. That's a fact of flying light aircraft in VFR conditions.

(For those of you who do not fly, VFR is Visual Flight Rules, which is flying with reference to the ground. If the clouds are too low or the visibility is too restricted, you can't fly.)

So, this year I have arranged to have a friend fly me in a Cessna 172 from Winnipeg to Brandon, so I can see my parents. This sounds like a good idea as long as the weather cooperates. The forecast has been good for the day since I could see a forecast for that day. However, the low cloud and snow was supposed to stop yesterday. It has not at the time of writing this. The good part is the bad flying weather has cleared out of Brandon. That is typical as most weather moves from west to east in this part of the world. The forecast is still good for the window we want. I'm confident that it will work out.

The difficult thing about weather is you have no control about it. Nothing you can do will exert any influence minute by minute or hour by hour. You just have to understand it, live with it, and adapt to it. When you are flying light aircraft, adapting is often not flying. This will but a wrench in my plans but it isn't then end of the world.

All this does create stress. I don't like stress on my holidays and I'm pretty good at avoiding it. Normally I just roll with the punches but this one is a bit tougher.

You have to admit. Renting a plane and flying to your parents for Christmas does have a high cool factor to it. It's like I'm a high roller except my destination is Brandon not Vegas or Dubai. If I don't fly, I will be disappointed but I'll survive. Just like we all survived the end of the Mayan Calendar. 

Cutest Baby Ever

I've been staying with friends in Winnipeg before I head out to see my parents in the booming metropolis of Brandon, Manitoba. My friends had a baby last summer. He will be five months old just after Christmas.

This kid is the cutest baby ever.

I have seen the kid and I can say I think he's pretty awesome. I know a lot of the same people that the parents do. This is normal. Now not all of the people that I know, that the parents know, are acquainted with each other. However, they all say this kid is really cute. That is the true test and he passes with flying colours.

The kid is attentive and strong. He tried to choke me out. Although he didn't completely block my airway he did restrict my breathing. He also got a handful of my chest hair and pulled some out. Pretty good for a kid who isn't even five months old.

I think he even likes me. He will sit on my lap. He likes to be bounced on my knee. Yesterday he puked on me three times. I have been told its one of the hazards of spending time with babies. It's not the end of the world. He is a stealth puker. No warning and boom, there it is. All over you.

So I was thinking maybe it's just that all babies are cute and it was just more exposure that made this one so cute. Then I looked at some pictures of babies that other people have and wow, not all babies are cute on the absolute scale. Forget about the relative scale. The just can't compete.

As much fun as it is to hang out with the little guy, the best part of being a friend is I get all of the fun and then I go home.

Guns vs. Mental Illness

I know I haven't been the first and I won't be the last but I feel I need to chime in about the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton Connecticut.

There are two arguments be waged in the wake of this tragedy. America needs tougher gun control laws. America has to do better at identifying and treating mental illness.

My position is they need both.

Things like this do not happen in isolation. Gun advocates say that guns don't kill people, people kill people. They are right. However, in many states, you can walk in and buy a gun and ammunition without a licence. You can use the weapon without a licence. Let's take a step back and think about a couple of things. Gun advocates always preach safe and responsible firearm usage. Although you can shoot at targets, ultimately these devices have a purpose; to wound ok kill. 

Guns can be used to wound or kill animals to harvest food or control pest populations. This is a safe and responsible use of firearms. Guns can be used to wound or kill individuals who are committing evil acts. I also believe this is a safe and responsible use of a firearm. So in my mind yes there are reasons to have access to guns.

When America amended its constitution for the second time and guaranteed the right to bear arms, I'm not saying they did a bad thing but they may have missed an important part. In my humble opinion they also should have demanded the responsibility of their citizens to learn how to properly and safely use the arms they have the right to bear. That may have changed things significantly from the past.

I do find it interesting that Americans do not have a right to own and use an automobile or an airplane. Both of these machines, like a gun, require a level of skill to operate safely and if that skill is not there, they can cause significant unintended consequences, up to and including premature death. So to drive a car and fly an airplane you must past at least two tests for each. You must pass a knowledge test and a skill test. In the case of an airplane you must also show you are retaining your knowledge and skill. This is a responsible approach to a potentially dangerous activity. Yet, Americans can just buy and use a gun. 

Now, here is where the mental illness issue comes into play. As it stands right now, someone who is not fit to drive a car or fly an airplane can still buy and use a gun. Yes, that's right someone who is not fit to use a machine designed to peacefully transport people and goods can still use a machine designed to wound and kill. To me something seems off kilter.

I'm not saying people should not have access to guns. On the contrary, if you are required to demonstrate a defined level of skill and knowledge then you should be free to have your weapon of choice. If you cannot demonstrate that you can use it safe and responsibly then you should not be permitted to use it.

Now, if you have severe enough mental illness that you would even consider walking into an elementary school and killing even one random child, there were previous signs. Friends and family should have been supportive and helped you get the assistance you clearly needed before it would ever escalate to this level. You can say that video games and movies filled with violence desensitize youth but I don't buy that. Not having the support to deal with the small problems before it rewires the brain is the problem. Allowing someone to become so self absorbed that they can walk into an institution intended for education and development and kill random people that they have never met is the problem. One of the best parts of being human is we are social. We enjoy interaction with other people. It's central to the human experience. Most people like to bring joy to others. If we are allowing some people to become the opposite of that, we are failing. 

I'm not suggesting that there should not be consequences for your actions. There should be and it is an important part of learning but not all consequences are bad and if you behave in a good manner you should be recognized appropriately. Everyone knows this will reinforce good behaviour. 

As we go forward you should only use machinery that you have the knowledge and skill to do so and try to make someone's life a little bit better and we will all benefit in the end. Frankly, the other option just isn't acceptable. 

It Hasn't Been That Long (Has It?)

I've lived in Ottawa for a couple of years now but I'm still a Winnipegger at heart. I think. I still think I know the city even though it is not as clear in my mind as it was. The one that caught me off guard was driving today.

It's winter in Winnipeg. It isn't something in between or a transition. It's full on winter. There are the slippery snow covered rutted streets. I was doing some running around today. I had Christmas gifts to buy. So I borrowed a friends' car. Their brand new two wheel drive car. Now I have done plenty of winter driving in my life. I have done a lot of it with a two wheel drive car. That being said, for the last five years I have been driving a four wheel drive SUV. To add to it, i have not encountered any full on winter driving conditions in Ottawa yet this year.

So, I was smart about it and took it easy. As I slipped and slid all over the Winnipeg streets I realized that it may not seem like a long time since I moved away, the world doesn't stop changing because I did.

I must admit I felt my winter driving skills were not where they should be. I wan't dangerous but I didn't feel I could drive with verve and spirit like I used to. The slight lack of confidence lead to hesitation. It probably was not enough for other drivers to notice but I did, and that's what matters.

So, as we go forward in life, the places from our past will change as will we but one thing will remain, you will always need winter driving skills in Winnipeg.

The Sands of Time

Today I'm sitting at a friend's place in Winnipeg where it is definitely looking a lot like winter. I don't live here anymore but I do make it back quite often. It turns out that despite the fact I have lived in Ontario for my last three birthdays I still have spent every one in Manitoba. I think part of it is because my birthday is so close to Christmas it's easy to be here.

December is a time a lot of people reflect on the year gone by. We also do this on the day our age changes.

I think the big take away for me this year is the more you try to be a positive influence on the people around you the better your own life will be. If you are looking for ways to make another's life a bit better every chance you get then they will enjoy your company and when they can, do the same for you.

I know this is not rocket surgery or anything fancy but we can forget this in the daily grind. There is no reason not to smile at the sales associate when you are buying a new pair of gym shorts or to hold the door one second so it doesn't close on the random person walking into the mall behind you. Yet, somehow its easy to forget. It's easy to be self absorbed and caught up in the current issue. The little things take almost no time or effort but they can make someone else's day a lot better.

So, if you are to do anything for me on my birthday, I ask you to give a little kindness to someone today. It will make their world a bit better place and who knows, it may even be me you are nice to.

A Universal Challenge

There has been a lot in the news over the last few days about how stressed university students are and what administrations are doing to alleviate the stress. There has also been editorials on why there is so much stress. Like any debate there are various points of view ranging from society not preparing adolescents for the transition to adulthood to the dire straits the world faces piling onto the shoulders of our future leaders. Before I go any further on my viewpoints there are a few things about higher education I generally believe that should be shared.

A university degree does not entitle you to a job. I'm not saying it is worthless, in fact it is quite the contrary. A degree indicates a lot about a person. It shows a person is capable of learning. It shows a person is capable of following instructions. It shows a person is capable of seeing a set of requirements through to the end. It shows potential employers a lot about an individual. As such it does carry weight. What a degree does is open doors. It will give you a leg up on those who do not have a degree and allow you a chance to show who you are and how you will fit within an organization. A degree does not give you a job but it gives you an opportunity to compete for one.

The ultimate consequence of failure for a student at university is low. If you do a poor job of completing an assignment the worst you are going to see is a bad grade. Several bad grades may result in the institution deciding its time to part ways but that is about the worst of it. In the real world the consequence of failure can be very high. Your decisions and work product can bankrupt a company. It may not seem too bad except there is a good chance that somebody's retirement savings is probably locked up in the equity of that company. You may throw a nation off a fiscal cliff and cause undue hardship for an entire generation. Your decisions may end someone's livelihood. Your decision may directly lead to someone not having a paycheque. Your decisions may have direct safety or health impacts on others. Often they may not even have the expertise to make the decision themselves or even more drastically not have the mental capacity to protect themselves. In the real world your actions and decisions can have real consequence of failure.

Now if you are thinking that university is still much too stressful then maybe its not for you. If you want real stress take a job that has high and real consequences to failure. Make sure you are responsible for other peoples lives, the financial well being of some peoples retirement savings, and some paycheques. Then you will see what stress can be. Going to university is intended to teach you about yourself so you can manage the stresses of the real world. It is supposed to challenge you in a safe environment so you learn how you react and get better at it. It is supposed to show you how to take chances and spot potential failure so when you leave you can mitigate the chances of ruining it all.

University is the training camp for life. Sports teams run training camp before they complete to prepare the team. The idea is to have everything worked out so when you face the real challenge you have a real chance to be successful. The harder you work in training camp the better you will perform when it is on the line. You have to push yourself at training camp to find out what you can't do and then devise a way to fix it or avoid it. The great teams leave nothing to chance. They know their weaknesses better than their strengths and work to not let their weaknesses beat them. University should be treated the same way and the best ones do.

University is supposed to hard. If it was easy, everyone would do it and the credential at the end would not mean anything. If you want your degree to help you get that key interview then you have to work for it. That's all there is to it. The process should challenge the beliefs you hold. It should make you open to new ideas. I took a course titled 'Death and Concepts of the Afterlife.' It was a course in religion. It was taught by Rabbi Rose. He was excellent at delivering the course and one day he indicated that if you finish your degree and it never made you challenge what you believe then you should ask for your money back. To be challenged you have to think and read and work and debate. Without it your life will not be examined and the world will pass you by. Without it you will be just another existence. Once you learn how, the stress can be channelled into a rush. You can feed off it and push yourself. You can learn how to tackle the things that are hard.

I haven't been a university student since 1999. Maybe the world has changed and it really is too stressful but I doubt it. The best will always rise up and meet the challenges. They will not always do it right but since they are the best they will learn from it and do it better next time. That's what university is all about.

Addicted

I have a confession to make. I have developed an addiction. There were a few years I had managed to curb my urge but it has been back for a while. I don't think I will ever be able to move on from this. It has changed my sleep patterns. It impacts my mood.

I am hooked on late night television.

My shows of choice are The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Both shows contain an off-kilter sense of humour that strikes a chord with me. Their ability to laugh at themselves and use their public flaws connects with me. It's just really funny.

It is the only medium that can regularly go from hilarious to poignant in seconds and you never know when it could happen. Because guests are part of the format there is always an element of unpredictability. They can have a conversation about nothing important that is very entertaining but they can also raise a key point on a critical issue that makes you want to know more.

These hosts were not my first go around with late night television. The first hit was The Arsinio Hall Show but that flavour is no longer available. I figured I would grow out of this one day but I'm pretty sure I will be soaking in the pure entertainment of late night will into my seventies.

I admit it I have an addiction to late night television. As addictions go, I think this one is pretty good.

Some Gratitude

In the big picture there is a lot in life to be grateful about. If you are in a position to read or write blogs, life is probably treating you well. One of the things that I am happy about is from time to time I get to meet new people. Moving a couple of years ago accelerated this process as I needed to to start working on a network of local friends. Amy, one of my friends in Ottawa has started writing a blog. She hasn't produced a lot of content yet so this is an opportunity to start reading it from the beginning. 

So far her blog is nothing like mine. It appears that she puts some thought into what she is trying to say where I think mine often reads like a one-sided conversation while having a beer.

gratitudeoflife.wordpress.com

So far, she is expressing how happy she is for the good things in life. I'm sure it will grow and evolve as more content is written but I don't know how.

What I do know is it will be well written. She has an excellent command of the English language. She is educated. She makes my life look really ordinary. (There are not a lot of people who can do that.) She has perspective and truly believes she is living a great life. It's obvious when you talk to her or read her blog.

So, give it a read. It will brighten you day and make you think and in my books, that's some thing to be grateful for.

No More Mo

December has arrived. I don't think I have ever been so overjoyed for a month to change. I did raise some money. Overall the Directorate of Moustache Development (DMD) raised over $1,100 and some awareness. It was fun. I got to laugh at myself. 

I has come to my attention that I should not grow a moustache. I have been compared to creepy neighbours and criminals. I fully admit the moustache is not a good look for me. Every update I put on Facebook was met with good humoured ridicule.

Since this picture shows how bad it was, I woke up early on December 1st and shaved it off. This was the last ever photo taken of my mo. I didn't worry about how my hair looked it was just important to get that fur off my upper lip.

If people ever doubted that I had red hair as a child, this moustache shows I did. I am not an expert on why hair changes colour but the hair on my head got dark enough that when I moved to Ontario the clerk who processed my Provincial Driver's Licence decided I had brown hair. I definitely sport a red moustache. 

Ultimately you must be able to laugh at yourself. Life gets a lot easier when you are comfortable enough to put yourself in a position to be teased. This activity did that. I had a lot of good natured ribbing from friends and acquaintances I even joked with other guys who I had never met about how terrible this duster turned out. They were in on it since they were growing a bad mo as well.

Even though we are now in December and I no longer have a cheesy 'stache you can still donate if you feel so inclined. mobro.co/brentcook 

It was fun but I think my upper lip will remain hairless from here on out.

A Little Variety

I have been in British Columbia for the last two work weeks. It has been a very busy and productive conference. My routine has been the same. I eat in the same place, sleep in the same place, socialize with the same people I am working with, and haven't really spent much time off the establishment. 

This all made me realize how hardwired humans are for variety.

We all have a favourite meal. The go to meal that just makes your day. However, if you try to eat it three times a day, your body will start to not like it and it will lose its appeal. After a break you will probably like it as much as you did before.

We crave variety. This is a good thing. It drives us to seek out new experiences. It motivates us to improve. I'm sure it has a hand in innovation. When your innovation is cut off, it can grind you down. You need to change is up and do something different. 

I admit that I am very lucky. My job has a lot of variety. I don't work on an assembly line doing the same task everyday. Most days I don't feel stifled. However, eight days of meetings on the same subject pushes me close to my limit. It's not that I don't care, in fact, I care a lot and that may be part of what makes me a bit crazy at times.

In the end, I know I'm hardwired to have some variety. It's obvious to me and without it life loses its zest.

Emergency Vehicles

Lately I have been watching people's behaviour around emergency vehicles. We all see it and from time to time are involved in it. The fire truck is bearing down, light flashing, siren whaling, and everyone gets out of the way as fast as they can and let them through. As you read this you are probably thinking this is no big deal. It's the law.

That's true, it is the law, which is a good thing.

Somewhere along the way, somebody was smart and convincing enough to get a law written that said emergency vehicles get the right-of-way over everything. They get to go through traffic lights. They can speed. They can go the wrong way down a one way street. This is such a good idea it has been adopted throughout the world. As a society we made a good decision.

There is something more than it being the law that makes people react so quickly. In north America, like most of the world, we do not rigidly adhere to traffic laws. Most people speed a bit. Many don't always wear their seat belts all the time. It's not unusual to see a red light run or to see people jaywalk. Turn signals are often neglected. However, when an emergency vehicle has to get through, almost everyone gets out of the way as fast as possible.

You could argue that it is a self-serving action. They may be on the way to save your house or your wife. There may be an element of that in some people's thoughts but I doubt it. If that was the case then people who were driving in a city where they do not know a soul would not rush to get out of the way. However, someone with an out-of-province license plate react just as quickly as anyone else.

I have no scientific evidence but I think it's because deep down we are still neighbourly. As busy and as self absorbed we can become we still care about the plight of others. We do not want to be the one that compounds the harm that another is enduring.

This basic idea gives me hope for humanity. For all the nut jobs, stupid people, moochers, and greedy jerks everyone claims to encounter we all get out of the way so someone we don't know can get the help that they may urgently need. You will never get recognition for moving to the shoulder but we do it anyway and that s enough proof that when the chips are down, humanity still cares.

Movember

It has been pretty much decided by everyone that I shouldn't grow a moustache. That being said, this year I was convinced to join a Movember team. If you don't know what this is all about, it is basically a movement to raise awareness about men's health issues and mental health issues. For the month of November you grow a moustache. It's easy to do. It's CF uniform friendly and it's a good cause.

Sounds pretty simple and it is.

All that being said, there is a catch. As much as there is the raising awareness, there is also raising funds for research and and support. For a catch, that's not a big deal.

We are almost half way through Movember and I have learned a couple of things about my mo. It isn't very dark. Despite the fact that you can debate if the hair on my head is red or brown these days, there is no debate that the hair on my lip is red. From a distance it isn't very noticeable but still doesn't look very good.

I have also come to realize that I don't like to have a mo. It isn't comfortable. When I work out the sweat collects and drips out. It gets into my food and drink. It's not my thing.

Despite my burning desire to shave it off right now, I will see it through to the end. I said that I will do it so I will. Besides, it's a good opportunity to laugh at myself and if you can't laugh at yourself, life has become a bit too serious.

Here's the ask. If you want to throw a few bucks to my campaign go to mobro.co/brentcook

I will provide an update in early December, which will include a picture of the final product.

We Should Remember Them

Not everyone is as lucky as Canadians. We live in a free and just nations that values the rule of law. That's a really big deal. However, it is this way because when our nation needed people, there were great Canadians who took up the call and fought for what is right and proper.

War is terrible. There is nothing romantic about it. It kills good people and leaves a lot more ruined. Despite this, it is important to have a strong fighting force to defend our national interests.

It was a cold and damp morning in Ottawa yet there were many people out to show their support at the National Remembrance Day Ceremony. It was eerie during the minute of silence. To be in the middle of the downtown core of a major Canadian city, within a mass of people and there it be nearly silent was stirring.

We have changed how we fight wars since The Great War. It's good we are much more effective because that was a miserable war but it would be nice if we never have to do it again. Unfortunately I'm sure Canadians will be called to fight again. There are too many people with access to assets that want to do evil things. So we need to be ready. It's a dirty job but we have great people doing it.

Take some time to thank a veteran. It doesn't have to be on November 11th. You will make their day. We have it good here but some people payed a horrible price to have it that way.

They will not grow old as we grow old.
We will remember them.

'Merica

About 24 hours ago, Barrack Obama was declared the winner in the US Presidential Election. I have been thinking a lot about the spectacle and the future. Both have me a bit worried.

Americans like a show and they turn their election into the biggest show on earth. They spend a lot of money to spew rhetoric and attack each other. They seem to be getting a bit short on substance in a lot of what they say. For the most part, I have no idea going to move forward.

The bigger thing is the future.

I don't think America had much of a choice. They could choose the incumbent who, four years ago, was big on talk of hope and change but really I see a lot of Americans who have very little hope and not a lot has changed in four years. The could also choose the challenger who kept saying the wrong thing and doesn't come across as understanding what the average American is living through. I'm still not sure how I would have voted if I were allowed to do so.

I tend to vote based on economic issues. A strong economy fixes a lot of problems. If people have all the employment they want, they don't need a lot of social programs and there is plenty of revenue to pay for the programs that everyone wants. If you are pretty sure that your next several paycheques are coming, everything else seems possible.

As a non-American the best thing for me is for America to fix its economy. I understand why people think it's important that the US updates its social programs but if you don't live there it won't change your life.

So America has chosen four more years of the teleprompter president. I just hope for their sake he is a bit more than adequate in his next term.

If This Is The Worst of It

So, I don't seem to have too much to complain about today. My list is:

a. - my apartment is too warm;
b. - the Bombers are out of the playoffs;
c. - I had to get up Saturday morning and go to Smiths Falls with no chance of flying;
d. - it's going to rain a lot this week;
e. - there is no NHL hockey;
f. - we have a small snag with the truck for tailgating next week-end;

These are all first world problems. They don't really matter. They are minor inconveniences. In the big scheme, they don't matter. If you have a list like this to complain about, your life is going well.

Every day as I walk home from work I see a lot of people that have real problems. There are a lot of homeless people who panhandle on my walk home from work. Whether it's a result of their decisions or actions or the decisions and actions of others, the result is the same. They have real problems. It is compounded with the fact that winter is coming. Even though it's not a Winnipeg winter, I don't think anyone would choose to sleep outside in Ottawa in the winter.

There are unstable governments that are leading to atrocious treatment in many parts of the world. Hard working people can't make enough to feed their family properly. Those people have real problems. I don't have real problems.

It's not to say I don't want my problems to go away. We always want a comfortable life. I just can't see anything that is a threat to my lifestyle, safety, or existence so life in my world is good.

Not everyone is in that position so if you can make someone's day better, do it. It will make you feel better.

The Secret to My Success

Sometimes you have to take stock on how you ended up where you are. What guided you there. What made you successful. I have been doing a lot of that lately and measuring how well I'm following my own advise. Like everyone, there is room for improvement but I have come up with three ideas that, when I really apply them, help make me successful.

If you are going to do something, do it well.

I learned this from my Dad a long time ago. What is so powerful to me is this idea encompasses choice. If you are going to do something is liberating. It implies that you don't have to do everything, which you don't. However, if you choose to do it, you must do it well. There are things you must do because of other choices you make. If you are going to cut meat for others to sell, then you must also ensure the work area is clean. You didn't decide to set up a sanitation business but a part of cutting meat is ensuring whoever is going to consume it will not get sick from it. So, as part of the total job, you must clean well. If you are unable or unwilling to do something well then you have no business doing it.

Just because it's different from how you would do it, that unto itself, does not mean it's wrong.

I often reduce this to, 'Just because it's different, it doesn't mean it's wrong.' This is especially important if you are responsible for other people's work or output. You must allow people to work in a manner that makes them effective. When people feel like they are being effective then they can do great things. However, this does not mean you can let them do whatever they want. There are times that deviations are not acceptable and you must ensure everyone understands when those times are and what is expected at those times. This is where the first idea of doing it well meshes with this idea. Doing something well may be holding everyone to the key standard or setting them loose to exceed your expectations. Most of the time different isn't wrong. If you want to maximize results then you must value individuality. To force conformity only serves to limit your success.

If you want to change the world, you must be willing to get a bloody nose.

Not everyone wants to change the world, that's ok. However, if you want to implement change or have your idea accepted you must be willing to take a shot in the face. The good thing about a bloody nose is even though it doesn't look to good at first, it doesn't usually hurt for too long. It can be overcome. It will show you a weakness that you can work on. You may very well get a bloody nose with the second idea of different isn't always wrong. Accepting something that is different from expectations can be difficult and it is always easier to stay with what you know. It takes courage to stand up and do what's right instead of what's popular. It may not go well. However, if you do it, you will not regret it and once you are done cleaning your shirt you will be able to re-attack the issue, hopefully with more success.

I'm not a guru on this sort of stuff. I don't go on speaking tours or have book signings. To me, it's just three simple ideas that when I stick to them, I'm successful and I like who I am.

A Social Media

Late last week, Apple pulled the plug on its Ping service. It never really became a community  as they intended. One of the reasons thrown about was it was not integrated with one of the existing social media networks. That's probably part of it. Ping was very specialized and was something new to check so unless your life revolved around music, you probably didn't perceive any great benefit. In the end it was a tool to market music but in our current online existence, you can't go it alone.

However, not going it alone doesn't mean your entire marketing campaign is set up a Facebook page and a Twitter feed and wait for it to go viral.

Social media marketing is a tool to get the word out. However, that's all it is, a tool. If you don't have substance to deliver to your customers and if they can't easily get to your product or service when they need or want it then you can have all the likes and re-tweets you want, it won't turn into dollars. There are a lot of platforms for content. Those seem to be easy to make. I write this on Blogger. I am on Twitter (@BACook76) if you want to follow me. I use Facebook. There are a lot of upsides to the tools online but in reality, a lot of the content isn't very good. I know a lot of what I write will ever be considered brilliant, insightful, or great. That being said, if I keep writing, occasionally I put a good one together, and that's all I want. I don't make my living writing this blog. (To be honest, I still have not earned enough add revenue for Google to actually send me a cheque.) I just feel some things need to be said, so I say them.

So, how does this vast digital world of poorly targeted or under-supported marketing and mediocre content get turned into revenue streams?

About the same time I started this blog, I realized social media was not going away. It really moved some conversations from the coffee shop or the pub to the internet and has kept a very accurate record of what has ben said. People are not saying anything new, they are simply saying it in a different medium. This can be very powerful and useful. It can give the company an opportunity to be part of the conversation. This is the same conversation that has always been happening. Organizations that shy away from the conversation are going to lose out. Organizations that participate in the conversation with formal policy documents and stiff sanitized answers are going to lose out. Remember, this is the conversation that has been happening in the barber chair or the taxi cab.

So where does all this rambling leave us.

Social media marketing is a conversation and should be treated as such. You should try to guide the conversation to where you came from or where you want to go. You should be answering the why question. Who, what, when, and where can come from your webpage, your brick and mortar store, your glossy brochure, or your broadcast commercials. Why are you doing this can come from your social media. Why did you remove that feature from the new model? Why is there a 3 week waiting list? Why does it work? It all has to sound like you are sharing a jug of beer in your favourite sports bar while the game is on. 

People don't consume social media to find out what you have, they want to know why you think its an upgrade. Your traditional promotional tools should keep doing what they are doing and you should say why you made that decision in the web of social media.

Trudeau-maybe-a

As it has been reported by every news agency in the country, Justin Trudeau has indicated that he will be seeking the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. I for one think this is a good thing. That being said, he hasn't won it yet and has no record as the leader of any political party.

I still think its a good thing.

He's got a few things going for him. He has brand recognition. His father ran the country. Despite some blunders like fuddy-duddy, he did fairly well. He is young, fit, energetic, charismatic, and has good hair. Lets be honest, at the end of the day elections are just popularity contests. You are not vetted based on your knowledge, skills, abilities, or effort. You simply have to be either the most liked or the least hated person on the ticket and you are in. When Justin Trudeau walks into a room people notice. It gives him a chance to share his ideas.

The most important point in my eyes is, at least today, he comes across as someone you would be comfortable to have as the nation's leader in the international area. I think a lot of good hard-working people who ran for the Liberals in the last two election did not win based on their credential but because a lot of people did not see the leader of the party as a good person to be the leader of the country in the international area. Remember, an election is a popularity contest and those leaders were not very popular.

I'm not saying I'll vote for the Liberals in the next election if Justin Trudeau is leading the charge but I'm not saying I'll vote against them either. In the era of the internet it's easy to get info on all the candidates and as always I will do my research and see who has the answers I want on the issues that matter to me. However, if Justin Trudeau brings his A-game, I'm sure the Liberals will have a fighting chance and the discussion will be a lot more interesting.

Polarizing

I don't think there is a subject that polarizes people more than Apple Inc. I thought maybe evolution vs creationism but lets be honest, it isn't. Then I thought maybe Nickleback was more polarizing but lets be honest it isn't.

The release of the iPhone 5 last Friday renewed the fever on both sides of the debate. Now in the spirit of full disclosure, I now have an iPhone 5 and I got it on the day it went on sale. However, I reserved it with my wireless carrier and went after work to pick it up. It was about an hour from when I arrived at the store until I was leaving with my shiny new iPhone. This is not a review of the new iPhone 5. You can read that on any tech blog and mainstream news site. I will say I like it and it is very fast however, that's not why Apple is so successful.

It's well known that Steve Jobs wanted to make a computer that didn't just work well, it also looked good. He put a lot of emphasis on style. It helps but that's not necessarily why they have gone from a few weeks from bankruptcy to the most valuable company in the world.

A lot of people seem to say its because the devices and computers just work. That's a part of it. Microsoft put out a lot of substandard versions of their operating system. They put out versions that they admit should have never been released. You can strip it down and only use parts of Windows. If you don't want to use it you can turn it off for some or all on your network. However, having various manufacturers make the hardware, there has to be a level of flexibility that may reduce a level of effectiveness. Because Apple makes both the hardware and the software, they can drill down to the 1s and 0s and make it work.

One of the better arguments I have recently read is Apple sells you the ecosystem. They control the hardware and the software and the content. Then they make it work together seamlessly. That has to be part of it. I use my devices and computer to do things. I don't sit and try to get them to work together, I sit and use them to do things. This helps sell products but it isn't the whole thing.

All of the above are parts of why Apple is so successful but there is something else. It feels right when you touch there devices. It sounds a bit weird but its true and Apple knows it. The iPhone and iPod feels right in your hand. Maybe even more important is the MacBook Pro, is ergonomically friendly in 2 key ways. First, and probably foremost is the keyboard. I have typed on a lot of different laptops over the years. Most of the keyboards are terrible. you can't feel where your fingers are on the keys or on the keyboard making touch typing nearly impossible. However, at least for me, typing on a macBook Pro keyboard is just as easy as a keyboard for a desktop. Secondly, Apple has made the touchpad useful and effective. A lot of people hate using touch pads. I am one of them except for the touchpad on my MacBook Pro. Because you can use multiple fingers to do different things and you can set it to have to click it like a mouse button, it is useful and not annoying. If your hands accidentally brush the touchpad while typing it won't make the cursor jump to a new spot and mess up your document.

Now I said Apple knows that touching their products helps sell them. It's obvious when you think about how the Apple Store is set up. When you are there you can touch and use any product. They are connected to the internet and fully functional. You can use it and see how you interact with the product. It's not like there is one or two of each product to try, there are counters and tables full of devices and you are welcome to pick up, touch, hold and play with as much as you want. There isn't a Samsung Store in every city and the Sony Store is not nearly as interactive. Apple knows how to make you discover their products.

Some people don't like Apple products. They feel they are overpriced or the consumers are simply following the crowd. There may be some of that but I like how they work and I find them easy to use and get the job done. Let's be honest, it never hurts to look good either.

Powder Keg

Today I was reading a column in the Globe and Mail by Margaret Wente. Most of the time I read an opinion piece it leaves me with a ho-hum feeling but this caught my attention. Maybe it just struck a nerve but it scares me that a video has set off the latest round of violence and diplomatic tension. Of course, if you think about it, this really isn't about the video. 

I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of studying history. It is not my forte. That being said, the one takeaway I seem to have garnered from all the lessons I have sat through or read is every time a major conflict erupts, the circumstances that drove us to the inevitable bloodbath progressed too far to change the course. We, the global we, realized this is deteriorating to an unrecoverable situation much too late. It's easy to look back and see the breakdowns but nobody caught them when they were happening.

I think the world may be at a critical moment.

I hope it's not too late but we need to wake up and realize the world is sitting on a big keg of powder. I have enough faith in humanity to think that most Muslims are decent and tolerant people, who just want to live a comfortable life with their friends and family. Unfortunately, some factions have enough access, resources, and will to attack an embassy of the United States of America and kill the ambassador. At first glance, this may seem like a lucky strike but it's not. I live in Ottawa and often I am in the neighbourhood that the US embassy is located. Now keep in mind, Canada and the US have the longest undefended border in the world. There is no fence. It's routine for people to make day trips across in both directions. It is easier to walk into the Centre Block of the Parliament of Canada than it is to walk into the US Embassy to Canada. You may not get very far once inside Parliament but you can get inside the building before you are screened. This is not the case for the US Embassy. This is an Embassy in a city that has less than 20 murders a year that is the capital of a country that is a close ally to the US. How secure would an American Embassy be in the Middle East?

The factions behind the latest protests may not represent the majority but they have the wherewithal to make a mess and it won't just be spilled milk. They don't need the backing of the sitting government and they don't need majority support. They need access to capital, mobility, and the will to follow through. It seems some of them have that.

I don't know what it's like to be a Muslim or to live in the Arab world. I'm not an expert on the Prophet Mohammed or his teachings. I do know that his teachings are appealing to many people and Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. So, whatever is lighting a fire in these people is not going to simply go away.

There is something else I know. 

I know that diversity is a strength. Only spending time with people who share the same views and beliefs as you is boring and limiting. Limiting who you work with because of their gender, race, what god they worship, how they worship their god, the music they listen to, the clothes they wear, how they cut their hair, or who they go home to at the end of the day will only limit your chance for a good idea, a breakthrough, or an opportunity to better the world.

So, everyone needs to chill out. It's not going to be easy. There is still a lot of xenophobia in the world but there is hope. It can be overcome. It only takes patience, questions, and listening. It takes a willingness to learn and understand what others believe and why it's important to them. It doesn't mean you have to accept their ideas or beliefs. You can keep your own paradigm. It only means you have to understand what the other side is saying and why they believe it.

Everyone needs to chip in. Everyone needs to try to learn and I think a lot of people would be surprised by what they find out.

The Other Guy's Election

Watching the buildup to an election you can't vote for is a bit like watching a sporting event. You can have an opinion but can't really do anything to change who will win. This is how the US Presidential election feels. In reality, I'm happy I don't have to pick someone to vote for in this election. I'm not sure if there is a good choice.

Barack Obama is seeking re-election. He seems like a good guy. He said he would change Washington. It doesn't seem to me that he has. Now he is saying he has the experience his opponent doesn't have. That may be true but he first campaigned on not being part of the establishment and now he is saying he is the establishment. 

At the Democratic National Convention the President reminded everyone that he was president when they got Osama Bin Laden. He put this forward as a great example of his foreign policy experience. If you think about it, they were looking for Bin Laden before he was the President. He probably had to tell the Chief of the Joint Staffs to keep looking. That's an easy decision, every American hates Bin Laden. Once they found him, it wouldn't be too hard to order the death of a man hated by every American. I'm not sure if that is a concrete example of great foreign policy action. However, it will tug at the heartstrings of every American.

On the other side there is Mitt Romney. He can run a company but I'm not sure he can run a country. He did run a state, so he may have an idea what he's getting into but often business people have trouble adapting to the inflexible structure of government. What's right for one group may be wrong for another. It's a tough racket to get into if you are used to the flexibility of the business world. I just don't know if he knows what he may end up doing. However, he seems to be the better choice to fix the ailing US economy, and if that gets fixed, the world will become a better place.

I don't know who will do a better job and I don't get a say in this one. I haven't seen a clear answer yet. They both have something to offer. It may come down to the devil you know or the devil you don't. Don't get me wrong, I have no reason to not think they are both decent men who are try to do what they think is right, the problem may be we don't know what is right.

Oh, Quebec

I like Quebec. I willingly spend time there. There is a lot available there that you don't see other places. Once you spend some time in Quebec, it's not hard to admit they are distinct and it isn't just the language. For all that's good and all that's bad there is something I like about Quebec.

I also choose to not live in Quebec. As such, I really don't get a say in how they govern themselves. After the election results yesterday, I'm not sure if the residents of Quebec know what they want either.

I understand the desire for change. Four mandates to the same government is a stretch. I think the Parti Québécois squeaked out a minority victory because enough people want to remind the rest of the country that Quebec can still make waves.

The problem for Quebec is, as the makeup of Canada changes and the west continues to increase in influence, fewer Canadians care about Quebec. In Alberta, a lot of people feel Quebec is slowing them down. It's just another out of date institution in the East. They see it as a place that sucks up their transfer payments and they don't see it as a place to visit. Albertans are not jamming planes and flying to Montreal. I can understand. Until I moved to Ottawa, Montreal was not high on my list of places I wanted to visit.

I don't know what the future hold but I hope Quebec keeps it character and remains in Canada. I also hope all Canadians have a chance to enjoy the uniqueness of Quebec.

It's Labour Day Again

For most of my adult life the idea of fall meant a return to routine, living in my apartment, and eating what I want - when I want. I spent so many summers working away from home, the idea of an endless summer was not attractive.

This summer I did things I have never done. 

I worked normal 5 day work weeks. I didn't work on Canada Day. I had two 3-day weekends in July. I exercised regularly. I wore shorts on a regular basis. I enjoyed my summer.

There are a few things I missed.

I didn't fly anything all summer. I like to fly and it used to be a big part of my summer. I miss helping people develop. I used to spend a lot of time, making others perform at a level higher than they thought they could.

I was at a point where a change was needed. It was time to live a bit more of a normal life. Of course, more normal usually means less exciting. There were not daily adrenaline shots. There wasn't the joy of a perfect tow shift where you were hitting your spots all day and putting on a clinic with your landings. However, I also didn't have to check my watch to have a beer. I normally knew when my workday would end. I could commit to things and not have to cancel at the last minute.

Looking aback on the summer that was i have come to realize that I think a summer of flying and a summer of normal work days both bring upsides and drawbacks. Either summer would be acceptable in the future.

Staycation

I used to use a lot of my time to just stay home and chill out. It was a product of a lot of work travel. Since I moved and have reduced my work travel, I have have been using a lot of my time to go places, both near and far. Well, this last week I took the week off and just hung out. 

I had very little on the schedule. The only thing I had to do was convince a doctor I had never met before that I was still healthy enough to fly airplanes. As it turns out, I am. I did a few things that you would expect, such as laundry and grocery shopping. I went to the gym three times, as I do most weeks. I saw a couple of movies and liked them both.

What I did with most of my off time is sleep. 

I knew I was getting a bit tired but I had no idea how bad it had become. Getting tired is a slow and insidious thing. It doesn't happen overnight and each day you really aren't any worse than the day before. Over the long haul, you can get pretty tired and that's what happened to me.

On Friday I woke up refreshed. I looked at myself in the mirror as I brushed my teeth and noticed I looked much more refreshed. I have also noticed my mind is much sharper. I am thinking like I can.

I've always been a guy who will grind himself down. I feel I have to get things done or take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. It's a good way to live. It makes life worth living. The drawback is you can get really tired if you are not paying attention. 

It was great to get caught up on some sleep. I feel I can take anything on. The alarm is set and I will take on anything that pops up, all because I took a staycation.

Room Service

I stay in a lot of hotel rooms, it comes with travelling regularly. Most rooms are better or worse. They have a great bed or a lumpy mattress. The TV can be too small. Most of this really doesn't matter and most are comparable. There is one thing that is lacking in almost every hotel.

There is nowhere to plug in your devices.

There may be one plug in on the lamp. There is almost never a plug in near the bed that is not being used. 

If you are providing free wi-fi, what do you expect us to use it on.

Nearly everyone travels with a cell phone and some other devices. Business travellers often have a lot of equipment and use it in their hotel room.  If you don't have anywhere to plug in, you are not serving the needs of today's traveller.

Thankfully, this can be easily rectified.

All it takes is a power bar on the desk in the room.  It should have enough plugs to power up your phone while you use your laptop and maybe charge your iPod. If you buy them in bulk, you probably will get a decent model for under $10. If it's there to be used it will be and quickly pay for itself. This luxury is so uncommon, word of mouth would quickly drive business up.  Companies would see you as a location of choice. It would be an improvement, that would be noticed, for very little cost.

We have all been there. We have all been crawling behind the bed or the chair, looking for a place to plug in. The problem is only multiplied by the number of people in the room.

So, if you run a hotel, take note and give the modern traveller a place to plug in.

Olympic

After two weeks, the Olympic games in London have come to an end. I didn't comment on them as they happened but as a package there is a lot that can be said.

As always there were winners and losers. There were people who tried to cheat and were caught. There were people who didn't mean to cheat but were disqualified. The officials made some calls that had people shaking their heads.

There were some amazing moments.

Usain Bolt revved up the big engine and won three gold medals.

Michael Phelps won enough medals to become the most decorated Olympian ever.

Ian Miller competed in his 10th Olympic games. His Olympic campaign has lasted longer than my career will probably last. That is incredible focus and dedication.

The Canadian women's soccer team won a bronze and it was celebrated.

Records were broken and so were hearts.

Some people did their best and it wasn't good enough, at least they know they couldn't have been better on that day.

There was controversy in Badminton. Some players were trying to lose so they could face easier opponents. That may speak to a problem with the tournament structure. However, this is the Olympics. It only comes once every four years and you don't know if you are ever going to make it back. I can't imagine being the person who looks back and says, I didn't do the best I could. That would haunt me.

I like the idea of the Olympics. It brings the world together and makes the world watch. It makes you proud of your country. You get the highest and the lowest. It is a human drama that may or may not go as expected.

I didn't go to London. I may go to Rio. You never know what the future may bring but i'm sure the Olympics will be full of excitement.

Music at Work

Normally I can't listen to music at work. It's not important why but for a couple of months I am once again able to enjoy soothing and motivating melodies as I go about my duties. There was a time I always had music going. It helps to motivate me and keep the day rolling.


I find when you get deep into your work and really start to get productive the music keeps you going. The music gets deep into your soul and stimulates creativity. More is completed with better ideas when the music is playing. I miss it when I can't listen and that is the norm since I moved to Ottawa. I don't expect it to be silent for the rest of my working days but there will be a time it will be quiet again.


When it gets too quiet, I can hear the lights hum and the click of keyboards. It gets painful. It's stifling to creativity and slows my production. It makes me less motivated to go to the office. However, when the tunes are going, I can seem to find a better solution. I can seem to get it done sooner and I can seem to be more pleasant in the workplace. To me, that's all upside.


The Tragically Hip wrote a song about music at work and when I hear it while I sit at my desk, everything just seems right.

Penn State

The NCAA handed down the punishment today. For me, it doesn't really matter what the NCAA says. For me Pennsylvania State University committed the worst foul you can commit. They looked the other way when a youth was being harmed. It doesn't matter when or how or why. It only matters that they did.


From what we seem to know is the senior leadership believed they had to cover it up to protect the image of the school.


I don't know what was said in the discussions that lead to the decision to not act on the information they had. University presidents, athletic directors, and head football coaches can be persuasive people who tend to impose their will on others to get things done. Unfortunately in this case, whoever was the most influential, had the wrong idea. They may have feared for losing their jobs because this happened on their watch. They were right because they chose not to act and lost their jobs because of it.


When the first incident happened it was an act of an individual. By not acting on the information the school made it a Penn State issue. Once they knew all they had to do was call the police. When the story broke all they had to do is to hold a press conference and say they called the police because of information that became available. That would have shown the school did not condone the activities of an individual and will act if something like this happens. That would have been the right answer.


Any organization that deals with youth has a fiduciary responsibility to protect the young people. The difficult part is until someone does something wrong there is no reason to believe they are not a stand-up person. However, once they cause harm, they must be held to task. That's where this student fell down.


A lot of bad decisions can be forgiven, I'm not sure this one can.

Vegans and Vegetarians are Awesome

I eat meat. I eat quite a bit of meat and I like expensive cuts of meat. This is why I like people who choose to not eat meat so much.

I have a Commerce degree, in Marketing. I went to school to try and end up on the right side of the supply and demand equation. Everyone who doesn't eat meat pushes the overall demand down so it should move the price down.

Fresh food moves quickly thought the supply chain. It has to to remain fresh. Since it moves quickly, the front end can react quickly to demand or lack there of. Unfortunately for them and fortunately for consumers, the margin on food is very low so you need to move a large volume to cover your overhead. That's where we win. Day after day and week after week slaughterhouses and processing facilities run at capacity irregardless of demand. So the more people who choose to not eat meat the more is available and the price will drop.

That's why I don't try to encourage people who don't eat meat to try it.

I realize it may be a bit cold and calculating but if it means my ribeye is a buck cheaper, I'll take it.

If you love meat, eat it. If you don't, that's fine, you are helping me too.

Hipsters

Hipsters are annoying. There I said it. They don't care what others think of them and they don't notice how they affect others.


To make my point we are going to need some context. I walk down Rideau Street in Ottawa to get to work and back. They just started construction along part of Rideau Street. This includes a fence that runs along the sidewalk to keep the construction in and the non-construction out. It's a good idea but it has made the already narrow sidewalk really narrow. It's only about two people wide. 


As I was walking home from the gym I caught up to three hipsters who were walking very slowly and talking about comic books. I don't care about the comic books but they were walking two-abreast. The odd man out was pushing his bike and routinely turning around and walking backwards to see his hipster friends. He was so self-absorbed that he did not notice the group of people they were holding up by walking so slowly. It should not take five minutes to get from the Second Cup to The Beer Store, but it did.


I don't care if you want to walk slowly and talk loudly but let others by if you are. To put it in language a hipster may understand, "Dude, you're harshing my mellow." It upset my post workout bliss.


There is a lot about hipsters that I could rant about by most of it doesn't change my life at all so it really doesn't matter. What does matter is when people are so inconsiderate that they impact others. Try to not be that guy. Be aware of the world around you. Not only will you make others lives better, you will enjoy yours more. I'm not perfect but I try to be polite and considerate of how others want to live.