BlackBerry

Today, with much fanfare, the company formerly known as Research in Motion introduced the world to BlackBerry 10. This product launch will most likely save the company but I don't think BlackBerry will ever be on top again.

I have not seen or touched a new BlackBerry yet. From what I hear, it is a great handset. In fact I really like the idea of BlackBerry Balance. With this feature you can basically have two units in one. The user can have his work and his personal interface on the same phone and the data will never touch each other. Since I have a personal iPhone 5 and a work BlackBerry Curve that I often have to carry with me after hours and on week-ends, I truly appreciate this feature.

From what I have read, I think there are enough new and useful features to sell a lot of handsets. I think it will be enough handsets to keep the company going for the foreseeable future. However, BlackBerry will never regain top spot in the smartphone world because, not only are they late to the integrated ecosystem party, they haven't even showed up yet. Meanwhile their competition is locking in long term customers because their lives are becoming fully integrated.

The grand-daddy of them all when it comes to integration is Apple. To ensure full disclosure I will mention that I use Apple. If I take a picture with my iPhone it automatically syncs though iCloud to my iPad and my Mac. Also it becomes part of my screen saver when Apple TV is on but I am not viewing anything like right now. I'm listening to music streaming from my iPhone on my home stereo. If I buy a song off of iTunes it automatically downloads to my other devices except my iPod Nano that doesn't have a wifi antenna and still has to be plugged in. All my content is backed up to the iCloud and on my Time Capsule. 

However, Apple isn't the only ones doing things like this. If you have an a phone running Android from Google, not only is it highly integrated with Google's online world, many of the streaming functions can be accomplished if you have a TV and computer from the same manufacturer, or in Sony's case, a PlayStation 3 will do just fine. Microsoft is doing much the same with their Windows phone from Nokia and the new Surface tablet.

However, BlackBerry is way behind and with each ticking day more people are joining another ecosystem. You can share easily between the Playbook and the phone but how do you get your music onto the best speakers in your house and the video onto the biggest screen?

BlackBerry built a good business tool in 1999. Email on your phone was revolutionary. It changed communication forever but they didn't see the big picture while others like Apple, Sony, and Samsung did. They saw the phone as a piece of the puzzle not as the end state. If they could get consumers to buy the phone, eventually they will buy a lot more, with a better margin, from them too. It worked and that's why BlackBerry won't die but it also won't ever lead the race again.

Performance Based

In the neighbourly nation to the south, policy makers  have decided that women may now serve in combat roles within the their nation's armed services. I for one applaud this decision. I don't see it as an equality issue. I see it as a decision to maximizing potential. It doesn't make any sense to me to eliminate half the potential candidates for a position because they have perfectly heathy but different anatomy. There are a number of reasons to say someone can't do that job but being a woman is not one of them.

I doubt we will ever see half the people in combat roles as women. There are a number of reasons.

Self-selection will always limit the number of women in combat roles. Let's be honest, there are not a lot of women that want the job. In an all-volunteer service you only take those who cut the mustard of those that want the job and there are not a lot of people to begin with and especially women who want to fill a combat role. It doesn't mean some wouldn't be good at it.

In general, women are built different than men. This doesn't mean that there are not women that are strong and fast enough to do the job it just means there may not be as many women. Remember, not every man is physically capable of filling a combat role but we still allow all to apply.

Some women will not have the right mix of traits to be able to do the job. As a corollary to that, some men will not have the right mix of traits to be able to do the job. They may be big enough and strong enough but can't shoot to hit the broad side of a barn.

When you consider all of this, there will probably never be a lot of women in combat roles in all-volunteer armies. That's okay. What isn't okay is saying you can't even try. Yesterday in her column in The Globe and Mail, Margaret Wente argued that America made a mistake with the change in policy and Canada has been doing it wrong for a long time.  Everyone has the right to their opinion and she makes a living writing hers for a national audience. So, even though I didn't agree with her, I just left it to something I read. So today when I read her column, I was a bit surprised to see her argue that women were taking over the country.

There are and have been several women as provincial premiers. I also commend this. The impression I got from her column is these women deserved to be there based on their performance. So, if a women can lead a province based on their performance, why can't they work on the front line of the battle-space based on their performance?

I am not advocating a quota. I'm not even suggesting that women should be actively recruited for these roles. I'm just saying it should stay the way it is. If they walk though the front door of the recruiting centre and say they want to serve in the infantry, they be given the same opportunity to be trained and if they can develop the proper knowledge, skills, and abilities, they be permitted to serve. The issue isn't how many women are serving. The issue is that they can serve if they choose to and meet all the required minimum standards, just like  a man, and just like for any other job in any other organization.

As long as we have people that think that somebody can't do something based on what they are instead of what they prove, as an individual, they can and cannot do, we are only going to continue to cheat ourselves of potential talent and make any organization weaker.

Frosty

There isn't much to talk about these days besides the weather. I know it's very Canadian and probably a bit annoying but it seems to have taken over my life.

It's Winnipeg cold in Ottawa.

There, I said it. When it's really cold in Winnipeg everyone tries to minimize their time outside. That has been a bit tough for me to do since I walk for thirty minutes to get to work in the morning. Most of the time I love walking to work. There are the exceptions consisting of cold days and rainy days. At the moment we are stuck in a string of cold days.

Yesterday it was widely reported that it was going to be the coldest day in Ottawa in over eight years. That's significant. It was cold. It was cold enough that it impacted my mood. I don't want to do anything. I don't want to wake up or even cook a meal. It's the way I get when it's always dark and cold. The colder it gets the less exciting I get.

The weather can't stay like this forever. It should start to get a bit warmer by the week-end and at this point a bit warmer will feel pretty good. The bad weather days make the good weather days seem all the better.

I don't like January but as a friend of mine reminded me today, it's over next week.

Sickies

I think everyone in Ottawa is a little bit sick. Everyone I talk to seems to have the sniffles or their stomach isn't quite right. I haven't seen it this widespread in a long time. I have a few ideas why.

It's January. There probably isn't a worse month in the year. It's cold, it's dark, and the gym is full of people who will not stick with their New Year's resolution. I have yet to find something good to say about January. It seems that this lousy month breaks your spirit.

The weather has been all over the place. It's been record setting warm and fairly cold. There has been a lot of rain and snow. It's been windy a lot. Everyone's body is confused.

There seems to be a lot of stress in the Nation's Capital these days. Since the Government of Canada is a major employer and the Parliament is trying to reign in spending people aren't sure if they are going to have a job or any resources to get the job done if they are still employed. It wears people down.

Now not all hope is lost. It will get better. The days are getting longer and eventually the weather will get warmer. NHL hockey is back and it is a good distraction from the grind. Everyone can't stay sick forever.

So, everyone needs to live some life. They need to get out and be active. They need to socialize. They need to get in a groove.

I haven't felt quite right for a week and a half now but that's not going to stop me from living and getting better.

Sometimes It's Different

A few days ago I came across a re-tweet. It got me thinking. I'm not a technical guru so today I grabbed a screen shot from my phone.

The author of the tweet has a good point. Why did it seem fine to most people that fans of a professional sports team that was moving to Winnipeg were disrupting traffic in downtown Winnipeg but it wasn't for a group of protestors?

I have been stewing on this for days and I think I might have an explanation. Please keep in mind this is my opinion on why things are the way they are not what is right or wrong.

I think Winnipeggers were ok with the Jets fans because they were celebrating a source of civic pride. It doesn't matter if you agree if professional sports teams are important it does bring an element of pride to a city. So, on the day it was announced that the Atlanta Thrashers had been sold to True North Sports and Entertainment and people took to celebrating in the most famous intersection in Canada, most people saw it as a great day for Winnipeg. There was no asking, only joy and happiness.

On the flip side, often when a group of people protests, many people see it as complaining. I'm not suggesting that a group of protestors don't have legitimate claims but often this is not how it is seen by the general population. So, when you are inconvenienced they often don't empathize with the protesters. 

So, in my mind, it comes down to people being much more tolerant of celebrating than protesting. I'm not suggesting it makes it right but I think that's the way it is.

The Return of NHL Hockey And Why It Is Important

I'm sure the National Hockey League has lost some fans. There was a period before the last lockout where I wasn't much of a fan anymore. The game that is played on ice had become slow and plodding. Then it again became entertaining and fans flocked to it.

A lot of people are saying that the fans should just walk away. If you want to go ahead. Professional sports produce a product. If you don't like it then don't consume it. However, as an entity professional sports teams create a sense of identity. They bring people together. They are a uniting force.

When you see someone wearing gear from your favourite team, especially if you are not in that team's city, you feel a bond. You come together to cheer. You form alliances and have debates all about why you do or don't like a team or player. It is unscripted human drama.

Most of all, being the fan of professional sports is fun. It's an escape from the drudgery of daily life. It's a fantasy that we can believe in and be a part of. It is a coming together of humanity for the collective experience. It's an ice-breaker. 

There are few things more fun than being in a city during a long play-off run. It brings a sense of optimism and hope. It gets people excited.

If you don't ever watch another NHL game in your life that's your choice but I will. Go Jets Go!

Those Resolution People

If you use a gym regularly then January is not your favourite month. As you try to beat the winter blahs and lose a couple of holiday pounds that may have snuck on from the extra Christmas cookie you are are forced to deal with 'resolution people.' We all know them. They are all the people who show up in January because this is the year they are going to get back into shape. Low and behold you don't see many by the first day in February.

There are a few reasons that most people don't stick to their resolution and are back on the couch in no time:

1. January is a horrible month at the best of times. You come down from the holidays rush and don't really have anything to help you focus. It seems to be time spent marking time, just trying to get through the days until there is a sign of spring. January is cold and dark. The sun is never up and you really would prefer to stay in bed an extra hour than head off to the gym.

2. When people start exercising, they try to do too much too soon. If you have made a resolution to get into better shape you have also admitted to yourself that you are currently not in very good shape. Yes you have to push yourself a bit or there will be no change but it shouldn't be in the first week. Continue to treat your body like you are out of shape. Take the first three or four weeks to just get into the routine of going and exercising. Don't push yourself until the habit of going is setting in. It will also help make it a lot easier to get out of bed two days later.

3. Something always seems to get in the way. It's easy to let distractions get in the way. We all have a life before we attempt to exercise. You have to add this to an existing schedule. You have to make changes and you have to find a way to get your gym time in. It most likely means that you will have to leave home earlier or return home later. It will disrupt your life for a while but if it matters, you will find a way.

4. People are self conscious at the gym. Yes people will look at you and some may even judge you (especially in January) but it is a fleeting thought and will be forgotten before they even leave the gym. You won't lift a lot of weight or run very fast but that's ok. It takes more than a couple of trips to make a difference, especially since your should be wading in not diving in. The secret that nobody tells you is when you are in your worst shape you will see the biggest change in the shortest period of time. Chances are you are doubling or tripling your weekly activity, even if you are not doing as much as those people in the corner with near perfect bodies. That's a big change for your body and you will see yourself change quickly. 

5. The number on the scale doesn't change. This isn't all that uncommon. Depending on what your body was made up of before you started exercising you may be building muscle as fast as you are losing fat. Unless you need to be a certain weight for your job then don't worry too much by the number. Remember, you and your doctor are probably the only two people who know what you actually weigh. How people perceive you is not based on what you weigh in at but how you look in your clothes. Eventually you will have to get smaller clothes so they look good. You should be motivated by using a different belt loop.

6. People keep the same diet. I do not eat a perfect diet but years ago I did notice that when I started to exercise regularly I had to improve my diet. You need to eat in a reasonably balanced manner and try to avoid too much processed food. You are turning your body into a machine and it needs the right fuel to perform. I'm not saying you can't have ice cream but you should have a moderate amount after a meal that includes healthy food. We all know the difference between healthy and unhealthy food. One general rule is if the ingredients came from the fridge, it's probably better than if they all came from the freezer or the cupboard. There are exceptions but if all you are doing is opening the package and putting it in the microwave, it probably isn't the best fuel.

If you already exercise it is in your best interest to encourage others to keep up the good work. I know they fill the gym and don't look like they are doing much but they are taking the first steps. It can be purely selfish reasons to encourage people to exercise regularly. Fit people don't go the doctor as much. You may think that its their problem but in places with universally accessible health care, this can make a significant difference on the tax dollars required to keep the system going. If that isn't selfish enough then there is always the reality that fit people look better. Being around more good looking people will make your day better. Nobody hates eye candy.

I'm sure Monday is going to be super busy at the gym. I will probably mumble to myself a bit but ultimately I hope everyone who is trying to make a change sticks with it. 

Streets and Avenues

I'll be perfectly honest and admit there isn't too much I don't like about living in Ottawa. I like the city. I like the people. The weather is usually pretty good. I have access to a lot of other places with very little travel required.

However there is one pet peeve I have. They do not name roadways properly in this town.

In Winnipeg and most of western Canada there is a basic convention to naming the routes you travel. Streets run north and south while avenues run east and west.

This naming convention is very useful. When you are looking for a place you know generally which way the pavement is laid out just by the name. This is not the case in Ottawa.

Today I took this picture looking west down Somerset Street East. Even though it is a nice winter street scene, in my mind, it should be a picture of Somerset Avenue. It provides order and convenience.

I don't think I will be able to change any of this and frankly it doesn't have that much of an impact on my life. I'm not suggesting Ottawa becomes as orderly and boring as Edmonton or Calgary where they simply number their streets but calling north-south thoroughfares streets and east-west routes avenues is not all that difficult.

All that being said, if this is my biggest complaint, I think life is going really well.