Like a Phoenix, Rising From the Ashes

 The title may be a bit of an overkill. I am going to put some effort into reviving this project. It's been years since I wrote in this space. I wrote one post at the height of COVID but anytime I though about writing for an external audience, I didn't have very good things to say and I did not want fill the world with more negative thoughts. Let's be honest, we were all having a few too many.

I now feel like I have things to say to make the world a better place. I'm not too concerned if people read what I have to say. Currently in my mind, it is about the information being available. Maybe over time I will feel a need to promote certain posts but, just having my thoughts out there in the world for anyone to read is a good feeling.

My life has changed a lot in the last few years. We re expanding our family. In fact, when I wrote this blog regularly in the past, I wasn't even married. My family is amazing. They give me strength. They give me purpose. They are what matters the most. Parenting has made me into a better version of the person I want to be. As I write this, my son is sitting on my lap and I wouldn't have it any other way.

The world is getting more fragmented and adversarial. It's a bad way to be going. Yes, we all have and idea of how things should be. At least you should have some opinion. That doesn't mean others don't also have good ideas.

I plan to explore how we can make things better, how we can be better, how we can laugh more, and how we can learn from what we see.

The lessons are everywhere. Often we are not very good at seeing what we need to see. Often we are so caught up in the day to day routine we don't reflect and learn. That doesn't mean we can't make an effort to do better.

There are a lot of good ideas out there, I want to capture and focus some. I want to show the world, even if today they are not interested in listening, that these ideas are worth exploring and reflecting on.

So, I'm not sure how frequent the posts will come but there will be posts. I'm not sure how long the posts will be. I am sure that they will be authentically from me and I hope that everyone reading will gain something from me.

I really think putting good ideas out into the world only helps all of us.

What COVID-19 Hasn't Taken From Me

Over the course of a week everyone in North America's life has been turned upside down. Personally, an annual boys trip to Montreal for St Patrick's Day Weekend, every sporting event in the world, a concert in May in Winnipeg to see Rage Against the Machine, the gym is closed, every bar and restaurant in Ontario is takeout and delivery only, I'm not allowed to leave the country, I have to work from home, I can't fly for work, and I'm not even sure what to plan because I don't know how long it's going to be until the organization I work for starts resume normal programming. Since a big part of what we do is bring large groups together, I am faced with a lot of uncertainty.

All that being said, I feel like there is a lot to be happy about.

My wife loves me. She really loves me. We are both working from home, so we see a lot of each other, and when she looks at me, I can see how much she loves me. There is nobody I would rather be going through this with than her. She thinks I'm worrying too much about others, and not enough about myself, but sometimes that's what I do.

I live in a country with robust supply chains. Yes, at the moment it's hard to find toilet paper, but I bought some really nice fresh veggies today.

I can still exercise. I have started running outside again. Because of this, I have learned that my cardiovascular endurance could be characterized as terrible, but it is going to get better. The gym won't be closed forever. I may not be able to maintain my previous trajectory but, I will prevent a decline.

I eat amazing meals everyday. Because my wife loves me and we can still get great food, we make some amazing meals. The virus hasn't changed this.

This whole situation is weird, I can't compare it to anything I've ever encountered. I hope this flattening the curve strategy will work, but let's be honest, we don't know if it will work or if it will be effective enough.

So, be creative, find a reason to laugh, and cook a good meal. We will get through this.

It's Time to Toughen Up

We are getting soft. I'm not sure if life has become so comfortable that too many people have no real threats to concern themselves with or if extremism is taking over but we are getting pretty soft.

In the early 80's when one kid said something mean to another kid, the receiving child would  turn and recite the old adage, 'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.'

These days if a kid says something mean, it's now an issue on a similar scale to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Ok, not really that bad but it is not handled at the lowest level. As such, teachers are stressed to their last nerve and we are making kids who become entitled adults.

My parents made me tough, maybe too tough. Sometimes I say things that other people don't like. I get in trouble for it. However, because they made me tough, when I get called out, I genuinely thank them for helping me be better. I have the strength to not be offended when somebody says something I don't like to hear. I use this strength to learn.

I'm worried about what I'm hearing about on University Campuses. Protesters are almost routinely causing controversial speakers to have their appearances cancelled. This is scary. It looks a lot like 1930's Germany when there would be book burnings in the town square. The reason to go to University is disappearing. It used to be a place to have your ideas challenged, not to have your ideas confirmed. I took one religion class when I went to the University of Manitoba. It was Death and Concepts of the Afterlife. It was taught by a wonderful professor, Rabbi Rose. During one of his many interesting lectures, he mentioned that if you go to university and don't feel like your beliefs have been challenged you should ask for your money back. 

If the values and beliefs you hold so close are in fact the best way to run your life, you should be welcoming challenges and questions because it can stand up to scrutiny. Shouting down someone who has a different point of view only shows you do not believe in your point of view, because you will not let your ideas be challenged.

There are some real nut jobs out there. They become obvious when you consume a lot of opinion from a variety of sources. Listening to people you don't particularly agree with builds your savvy. We need more of that. We need people to see and understand why someone would agree to a different point of view.

If you want to be successful, you have to be tough. There is a difference between tough and inconsiderate. You can be tough and polite. Do not get tough and rude confused. If you are really savvy, you can be tough and people will still want to work with you.

It's time to make ourselves resistant to things that don't really matter. The opinion of an uninformed person is not something you should get worked up about. If all they can do is recite a tag line, don't get so butt-hurt. Oh, and by the way, pushing back legitimizes their argument and artificially inflates their importance.

You, The Internet, and Data

Back in the late 1990's, when the World Wide Web was in it's infancy, I was in university. Everyone was so excited about how the internet was going to bring a voice to those who have not been heard in the past. It was the democratization of information. We were going to be free and out from under the thumb of the man.

Although I could see this possibility, I also was concerned that without the editorial gatekeepers, holding writers to standards, and ensuring, to the best of their knowledge, the facts they printed were true, we would be in a world of mis-information.

Irrespective if you believe that I had that thought back in the 90's, I think we can agree that the internet has vast swaths of mis-information today.

The latest uproar is the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica use of personal data to change hearts and minds in elections. This is concerning to me but not because they used data from Facebook. I'm concerned that people are so weak-minded that they are swayed by these campaigns. 

There are a lot of factors at play. People don't seek out dissenting opinions anymore. They fall victim to confirmation bias. When they hear what they want to hear they go with it. The problem is people are lazy and are taking the comfortable way out. American voter turnout is so low the path to victory is no longer providing the most appealing platform, the path to victory is motivating the base to actually show up and vote. Politicians don't need to change minds, they need to get like minded people to actually vote.

Let me say this again.

Politicians don't need to change minds, they need to motivate like minded people to actually vote.

This reduces the requirement to develop a platform that is good for all citizens. This encourages stove-piping and not talking to the other side. The lower the voter turnout is, the bigger problem this becomes. This is something that we need to fix.

The good news is we can fix it. The number one thing every citizen can do is vote. The closer a nation gets to full voter turnout, the less a "get out the vote" campaign matters. If you go from motivating your base to talking to the entire population your story will significantly change.

The second thing every citizen can do is seek out people who are different than you and spend meaningful time with them. Don't simply find out what they believe but why they feel it is the best way to do things. It may be frustrating at times but you will grow as a person.

The third thing you can do is questions the hypothesis and source of everything you read. The editorial oversight of the days of old are gone. Nobody is fact-checking for you. Is the source reliable? What is their motivation for creating this content? What are their political leanings? What have they said about other issues? Information on the internet is like advice, it's generally free and you don't have to use it.

The problem we are faced with is not a data analytics company using data about you to figure out how to talk to you. The problem is too many people are being mindless and not questioning what they are consuming.

America Would Be in Better Shape if John McCain Won the 2008 Election

First, I have to apologize for the blatant click-bait title.

Second, I have to admit that I don't know if what I am proposing would have played out, but I see it as a very plausible outcome.

On the first anniversary of the inauguration of Donald J Trump as President of the United States of America, I am taking some time to think about an alternate possibility.

If John McCain would have beat Barack Obama in 2008, I think he would have been a pretty good President of the United States of America. He is well liked, and you can see that he genuinely cares about advancing the national interest. He has a vision of how he believes his nation should operate. In that vein, it is reasonable that he would have run again in 2012. 

In 2012, if Obama had lost to McCain in 2008, I think Hillary Clinton would have secured the nomination. I also think that McCain would have done a good enough job that would have been re-elected.

Moving forward to 2016. John McCain would have served his two terms and would not be eligible for re-election. Secondly, a Republican will have been President for sixteen years, it would have been time for change, no matter how good a job McCain had done. So, after taking a cycle off, and after a loss by Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama would have won the nomination for a second attempt and would be President of the United States today, likely to be re-elected in 2020 and serve until January 2025.

I also have a second course of action which I believe is possible and is much better than the current situation in The White House.

After four years, being an older gentleman, John McCain doesn't run for a second term, and the Democratic Party gives Barack Obama a second chance against, what most likely would be, Mitt Romney. Barack Obama wins in 2012 and wins re-election in 2016, and would be President today.

I'm not saying America made a mistake in 2008. Nine years ago, nobody could have predicted the pickle America has put itself in. This is simply an alternate scenario that I think would have been a much better reality that what we are enduring today.

Gord

This morning I received a notification from the CBC News app on my phone that Gord Downie, lead singer of The Tragically Hip had passed away. Yes, I was notified by the CBC that a man who wrote lyrics about news breaking on the CBC had died.

I'm not usually significantly impacted by celebrity deaths. Even if I enjoy their work usually I'll take a very brief moment to reflect then I carry on with my day. The passing of Gord Downie has made me feel a lot of things. 

I listen to Rebel 101.7 a lot. Weekdays between 10 and 12 they always have two hours of commercial free music. Today they played Tragically Hip music. In fact they played the setlist from their last concert. They didn't play the actual concert but they played the studio recordings of the songs in the order that they were played at that show. A few songs they played the version off Live Between Us. As I listened, I thought about how these songs were  not just a soundtrack to much of my life but also seemed to help explain it.

I grew up near the Hundredth Meridian. The Great Plains start a bit further east but not much. The imagery in the song fit my childhood. I remember buffalo. Their songs were about a lot of different parts of Canada. Their experiences were vast and many can relate to what they said.

The bold imagery of Wheat Kings also sticks out in my head, I can see a room "Hung with pictures of our parents' Prime Ministers," and if you are of a certain age we have all received  a "Late breaking story on the CBC." It's amazing to think these lyrics came from a man who grew up in Eastern Ontario, very different in topography and feel than the Prairies but for me, he captures it.

I've seen The Tragically Hip at a variety of venues from a variety of vantage points. I have been in the last row in the house of an NHL size arena and in front of the front row because I donated a can to the food bank that night. The last time I saw them it was on a rainy night at Ottawa Blues Fest. I've had the chance to watch the band up close and watch the crowd.

The lyrics of The Tragically Hip were varied. He sang about a lot. Some of it was darker and deep and some of it was cheeky and fun.  I remember the sly grin that came across his face as he sang Poets. He had fun when he performed. 

I love to listen to music while I work. It helps the day go by and helps me focus. There was a period that I shared work space with someone who insisted we don't have music in the office. Eventually he moved onto a different position, at a different unit, in a different city. After his last day I started listening to music at work, the first song I played on my portable iPod speakers was Music @ Work. I feel like a jerk, my music at work.

I did a lot of road trips across the prairies. Before the days of iPods, I always grabbed at least one Hip CD for the trip. The music would permeate you as you drove into the sunset.

He sang about love. Bobcaygeon is a love song that speaks to me. It's about a mature love, one where you think about changing it all for someone. I always hoped to find that kind of love in my life and now I have. His lyrics explain the romance with my fiancée even though it was written long before we ever met.

I remember back in my university days when Trouble in the Henhouse was about to come out and the first single was released to radio. I got up early (at least for those days) to hear it. It was worth it. It's the only band I've ever forced myself to get get up early to hear.

He sang about hockey. It showed up in several songs. He sang about a girl "loosening my grip on Bobby Orr." It doesn't get much more Canadian than that.

Some Hip songs rocked. Some were soft. Some were fun and some talked about serious ideas. Grace Too was just really intense. However, they were all distinctly from The Tragically Hip. They were more about poetry over music. Gord Downie wasn't a great singer. When you heard him your jaw didn't drop like it would if you hear Bruce Dickinson. However, his passion rang though. You could hear him project his feelings to audience.

Then there were the rants. He's the only singer I know of that would shoot off into an unscripted stream of consciousness spoken word rant in the middle of a song. He often did it during New Orleans in Sinking but it could strike anytime. I think my favourite rant is the Killer Whale Tank, they had lots of money from the government so, it was huge.

I feel sadness that he's gone. There will never be another performance or rant. He won't be dancing with the mike stand. As I went about my day and listened to a lot of The Tragically Hip's music I found myself smiling a lot and at other times I was very sad. However, we can't cry because it's over, we have to smile because it happened. 

Gord Downie was armed with will and determination, and grace, too.

America and Guns

Last weekend America suffered through the worst mass shooting in their violent history. The second amendment to their constitution provides the right to bear arms and as such a lot of Americans own guns.

Guns are not the problem.

I am not going to whip into the guns don't kill people, people kill people argument. Although this is true it really isn't the problem.

America has a perverse understanding of firearms.

There are a lot of reasons to own a gun. You can use a gun to hunt and help feed your family. You can shoot guns for sport, in fact it is an Olympic sport. However, owning a gun for protection is not what a gun is designed for.

Firearms were designed to project the users force beyond his or her arm's length and inflict harm on the someone else. Guns do not stop bullets or knives. Guns do not prevent bombs from exploding. Guns are an offensive not a defensive tool.

Very often gun advocates say that they own a gun for protection. They talk about how they have to keep a loaded weapon under their pillow to protect their home. Keeping a loaded weapon under your pillow is not going to protect you, it may get your kid shot when they are unsupervised in you your room or a bullet to the head while you sleep.

Now, I'm not anti-gun. I've shot guns. I may shoot a gun again in the future. However, I do not live in a delusional world where guns protect people and the shooting in Las Vegas is an example of this.

It is often stated that if I have a gun, I will brandish my weapon if threatened and shoot first if necessary to protect myself. That's all well and good, as long as you know someone is about to shoot you. A gun in your ankle holster won't help you if you don't know you are in the crosshairs of an assault rifle 100 yards away.

America needs to change it's attitude about guns. It needs to understand what they do and what they can't do.

Guns don't kill people but guns don't protect people either.