Canid Comment - Return To Office War - To Be Or Not To Be Like Elon Musk

Is forcing employees back to the office a great plan of action? The answer is mixed between yes and no. The better way to look at this is, will demanding a total return to office impact the culture and desire to work for the company so much that it affects productivity and, ultimately, the bottom line?  

9 in 10 companies will demand that staff return to the office in 2024. 28% will threaten their staff who fail to comply with corrective action up to termination. 72% of the 1,000 leaders surveyed said that the return to the office helped with the bottom line, and upwards of 80% feel that productivity will continue to improve along with revenue and staff retention.  

There is a real fight against the return-to-office mandates, with both sides digging in their heels. Companies are not backing down, and neither are employees. The result is a poisoned work environment. The so-called retention rate of above 80% and the better productivity are costing companies a thing they can not afford to lose: culture and the staff themselves. 76% of employees are prepared to walk away from their companies if RTO is enforced, especially if threatened with termination. In short, this is a war not worth fighting. Companies that have decided to do a full-on return to the office will not back down, and many employees will not. So where is the middle road?  

One key thing before diving in is this: some CEOs and bosses care very little about their staff.

Business Insider cited the following in a piece dated May 6 2023. Elon Musk has consistently criticized remote work. In an interview with CNBC, he strongly condemned it as "morally wrong" and called it "bullshit." Musk, who enforced a ban on remote work at Twitter following the company's acquisition, has never shied away from expressing his disdain for work-from-home policies. However, in this particular interview, Musk strongly asserted that remote work is not helpful for employees.

"I'm a big believer that people need to be more productive when they're in person." He went further, stating the following.  "Get off the goddamn moral high horse with the work-from-home bullshit because they're asking everyone else to not work from home while they do," he added.  

Musk also emailed staff, stating, "The office is not an Option."

Musk stated that in-office work promotes collaboration and productivity and improves the bottom line. Which is true it does. However, being the ass that he is, he does not see past his wallet to realize that the landscape has changed. Unfortunately, many others like him are dimwitted and can't or won't wake to the reality that how we work has changed. The pandemic was the catalyst for that change; like it or not, the so-called peons will not return to the good ole days of commuting for hours or juggling who gets the kids after school. They are done with it, and the sooner executives get this, the better things will be for everyone. 

On the other side of the coin is the reality that a return to office is a good idea and should be something most people can and should do. The pandemic is over, and trying to meet the employer in the middle here is essential. What needs to occur is an approach that sews seeds of respect between boss and employee. Doing so will amount to a healthier, more productive, collaborative group that improves the company and shows customers that the firm is worth doing business with. The model Elon Musk has in mind makes him and his company more and more irrelevant.  

1. Lesson one: You don't need to do the Musk. Doing so will bring the bottom line up, retain employees, and offer collaboration. But the cost, high attrition, a disdain for leadership team members, and a culture where the staff do the minimum to meet the basic standards. Is it worth it? You decide this one.
2. Create a plan and build towards the return to the office, and include your staff in the process.  
3. Do a risk assessment; there will be a cost to your business. Find out what that cost is and plan to mitigate or absorb it. Remember, the cost is not just in terms of money but in talent. You will lose staff, and some of them will be the best people you have in the firm.
4. Talk it up; make the return to office a positive event. Heck, throw a party or two as you go forward. On the day of the return, be there to thank the staff for coming back and do something tangible that staff can take away, like put a small gift basket on their desk.
5. Be flexible; a hybrid work-from-home plan is an excellent option to have in place. Some benefits do come with a work-from-home plan. Whether it is complete or hybrid, you should consider, and frankly speaking, offer the option to work from home.

I have seen how rigidly has played out in my company. The return to work enforcement went south fast, and the loss is still being felt. My company did the Elon Musk thing, and the productivity has increased, and staff retention is pretty good. However, respect for the upper leadership of the company has all but disappeared. Trust in them has diminished, and most of the staff just come in because it's a paycheck, not a job they love. The company rolled the dice and got what they more or less wanted but has lost the moral high ground. The slogans in our lunch room and locker room bay are meaningless dribble because of the forced return. The outcome would have been better had the firm implemented some of the above ideas. It is not a suck-up on my part to say this. The company I work for is one of the best in its line of business. I have been treated very well by the managerial staff from my boss on up. That does not take away from the fact that they screwed up on the RTO. After all, they are human and prone to error. The question will be how they repair the damage and restore the relationship to the staff. So far, they get a C on this. Time will tell.

Please don't make the mistake of thinking you can return to the Leave It To Beaver days of return to office. Work has changed, and it's time for employers and employees to get off their high horses and start working together rather than fighting over the idea of sitting in a cube vs home. It's ridiculous to continue this petty war. The economy is in trouble, and bosses and staff members need to find the middle on the return to office mandate that includes working from home now rather than later. As I noted above, neither side will give in, so creating a truce and working it out is the better plan. Because if you do not, you will be just as irrelevant as Elon Musk. 

Here are some other articles that may give you some insight on the subject.

How To Implement An Effective Return To Office Strategy  Published by SHRM.org

Forbes has two article that speak to the topic Nine Out Of 10 Companies Will Require Employees To Return To The Office and In-Office Mandates Attacking Progress And Company Growth, But ‘Big Guns’ Not Backing Down

Entrepreneur Magazine h as this article out.  We're Now Finding Out The Damaging Results of The Mandated Return to Office — And It's Worse Than We Thought.

Business Insider also looked at this topic in it's article.  Swipe your badge or get fired? Employers and workers face a reckoning over returning to the office.

Candid Comment - The HSR Drivers On Strike

    

Like our mayor in Hamilton, many agree with the union's bargaining processes, including going out on strike. Some of the issues on the table the ATU has been discussing are very legitimate. 

• Bathroom breaks.
• Security and safety on the buses due to increased risks of violence by aggressive passengers.  
• Better hours.
• Better pay.

As noted, Anyone can agree that these are legitimate points of interest and should be addressed at the bargaining table.

So what's the beef? It's when the president of ATU 107, Eric Tuck, babbles on about how the members have lost 7% of their buying power due to inflation, making it hard for the drivers to deal with inflation. Welcome to the club. Most Canadians are coping with inflation and a government that continues to allow monopolies to flourish in Canada in key sectors of the economy—food, communications, and banking.  

Reviewing the contract that the union has now is pretty sweet. The drivers get 57K to start and can make as much as 70K plus after a few years of service, which is alright. The city is offering 13% over four years, and the union wants 23%. The drivers also get free rides for life after ten years of service, premiums for working on Sundays, and they can not be laid off due to contracting out. They retain benefits for up to a year when they are laid off. These are a few of the notable things they have in the contract.  

What probably galls most transit riders, or at least many, is the implication by the union that the drivers took severe risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Really? Healthcare workers, funeral parlor staff, police, and fire, what about them? They surely took risks. As did food service staff and call center staff who could not work from home and went to their centers to handle calls primarily from unhappy and sometimes angry customers. Taxi drivers also faced risks taking people places, as did ambulance staff who transported the sick and dying to the hospital along with the staff inside the hospital who supported doctors and nurses who risked getting. COVID to keep the facilities running and the restaurant staff who went to work to ensure they did not go under and also help feed people. Clergy, social workers, and other key officials in and out of government also provided support during COVID-19. In short, everyone was affected, and many people were doing their jobs in the public space, risking exposure to the disease.

Post-pandemic has not been an easy ride. I want to share a brief synopsis of my own experience. I did work from home but was forced out of my home due to rent issues. My spouse got seriously ill and is still very sick to this day. So, I traveled in transit and lived in an AirBandB while working in my center. Mid-pandemic, I found a roommate and moved in with them. 

Near the end of the pandemic, companies began forcing staff back to the office with no recourse to opt into work from home; it was returned or fired. While true, handling the pandemic risk via work from home was supposed to be a temporary fix during the pandemic. The decisions made by many companies have been arbitrary. Instead of showing compassion and care for the staff, they should have entertained a dialogue about options like working from home but acted like two-year-olds demanding that staff do it their way with no recourse.

Many companies stood firm, come back, or be terminated. Because of this attitude, an increase in distrust has arisen in many workplaces, and bullying has become a serious problem. Instead of trying to fix the problem, some companies have opted to shift the trouble-making leaders into roles that only affect staff a little. Many senior managers and CEOs are not apologizing for their mistakes or making half-hearted attempts to apologize for their errors. They have failed to acknowledge that they allowed or caused pain and suffering to the most essential team members, the front-line staff of their companies. Why can't the companies say sorry to the staff? I can not answer this question, but what we see within companies is also seen in how both parties handling this strike.

In fact, that is what the union and the city are also saying to passengers: it's your problem, not ours. While they quibble about wages, people are left to ride Uber, e-scooters, bikes, walk, and maybe get friends and family to drive them places. No thought about the impact is a consideration. The only thing being done here is digging in heels by both sides, just like with the companies. What is needed here is a sincere apology to the riders and an effort by both sides to find a middle ground. At least, make an effort. Try to do something to fix this and get the buses back on the road again. It is time to stop acting like a bunch of toddlers with temper tantrums and behave like civil adults, and part of that is finding a compromise that works for both parties. Neither side is winning the popularity vote of the public; both the mayor and Mr. Tuck look more like two-year-olds rather than adults. For Hamilton, this is a bad image in an age where we need civility now more than ever. Let's hope civility takes hold so.

The ATU local 107 and city of Hamilton finalized an agreement as of November16 2023 ending the week long strike that saw bus service halted.  As of the 17th transit service resumed.

Candid Comment - Your Hobbies And Sports, Do They Define You?

Do your hobbies and sports define you? I am not a huge sports fan, though I have been following Notre Dame football and the Winnipeg Jets for the past few years. As for hobbies, I am an avid Amateur radio operator; I got my license in 1982 and still use my current call, VA3UCT. On Hamsphere, a virtual HF and VHF radio is where I do most of my operating. I like to read, and I enjoy audiobooks. And I have, along with this blog, begun podcasting and a YouTube channel, mainly a hobby with the hope of eventually making some money at it. All these things are important. But, they do not define me; they do, however, augment my character. Hobbies and sports are good things to be into. And it is not wrong to expand on one's interests.  

As I noted, I recently added YouTube, podcasting, and audiobooks to my list of things I do. The fact that this blog came first proves that people grow through hobbies and sports interests. Candid Conversations has been live since 2010 and shows that I expanded my interest in different parts of my hobbies. The other two interests are just in their first year: 39 YouTube posts and 20 podcast episodes. I started to follow the Fighting Irish with a family member who is really into them, and I mean big time. They got me hooked on college ball. This year, I decided also to follow Ohio State, the Buckeyes as they are known. I began following the Winnipeg Jets in 2018, and this season, I decided also to follow the Seattle Kraken. And where ham radio is concerned, I do not have a full station any longer, so I use Hamsphere to do radio, specifically radio sport, contesting. These things make up who I am but do not define me.  

Win or lose, I still follow the teams I am interested in. And I know that other teams are better than the ones I support, and when they beat my teams, I don't go off on a rant or mock their fans. I do not say things like your team is evil or your team won against us because we let you. I, quite frankly, do the opposite. Why? Because whether my team wins or loses, another ham wins the contest, another podcaster has more listeners, or a Youtuber has more audience than me does not define me. What defines me is the respect I have for their talent. I may be sounding like I am on some high horse. Believe me, I am not. I am disappointed when I lose a post is not liked or do not get a great listener count on the most recent episode of my podcast. I am disappointed when the Jets and Kraken lose, or Notre Dame or the Buckeyes lose. That is natural. But that does not define me. Why? Because I know in my heart of hearts that these are hobbies and sports, and in particular with sports, you do not have control over the winner or the loser. Also, no one team is superior to the other, other than in skill and, yes, also in how much time and money is spent developing the team. The same goes for one's hobbies.  

It is important to remember that sports and hobbies are to be enjoyed. They should never define who you are or be used to divide a community. Yet, oddly enough, they can and do. European football is plagued with violence by fans. However, rude behavior is not limited to football or, as we call it here, soccer. Fans of every sport have people among them who are rude. There is a fine line between passion and rudeness, and no matter the sport or, by the way, the hobby, there are those whose behavior is less than stellar. It gets to the point where no one wants to be near them during game days, and sometimes not at all. That is why I do not let my hobbies and interest in sports define me. Because at the end of the day, I would much rather have fun with the people around me than be uncomfortable because I support a different team or do something different. So, I keep a neutral position, which often means not posting about my favorite team's latest win or sparring with a fan of another team. It's about being an adult and, once again, as I said, knowing I can not control the outcome of the game. Nor can I, and do I allow my other interests to dominate my life. The important things to me matter more than a game or hobby. They are my family, friends and colleagues. So my question again is, do you let yourself be defined by your hobby or sport? If you do, you should look around and ask what is more important, the pursuit or the team or the people around you.  

Candid Comment - Spider Man and Kids TV Back In The Day.

My boss was going on about the new Spider-Man game that is soon to be released, and it got me thinking about the show, its iconic theme, and TV, specifically on a Saturday. During the week, specifically on Saturday, TV shows aimed at children were on all local TV channels. Morning, sometimes during lunch and afternoons after school, and on Saturday, you could and would find programming directed at children. On Saturday, the morning was filled with wall-to-wall TV for children. And on weekday afternoons after school, you might also discover programming aimed at children. 

The general idea, of course, was for toy companies to sell stuff along with toys also came ads for cereals and other items. Remember, TV and radio were invented not to provide programming but as vehicles for ads. That can be said even today. In the 80s, TV changed, and the rise of specialty channels happened. This change ended programming for children on mainstream networks and saw the rise of more adult shows that took their place. The same can be said by the way for game shows. What you get now from networks like CBS, ABC, and NBC are news programs, talk shows, soaps, and other shows that feature judges holding court and tabloid TV and reruns of popular shows. PBS TVO and CBC still have programming for children in the mornings. I do not know about Saturday, but I know there is no programming for children on the other networks. Let me know if I am wrong on this, LOL.

Do I miss Saturday morning cartoons? Nah. I watched TV shows geared to kids, even into my 20s. But, as time passed, my habits and TV watching changed. By the way, I was more of a radio guy. I really liked radio up until the 90s. Saturday morning TV watching today is geared toward getting the latest news updates and moving on to other tasks or managing this blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. I know where to find cartoons and other shows directed to children, but since I do not have kids and rarely see my nieces and nephews, I do not need to dive into the world of kids' TV. I know adults who like cartoons, and that is funny in a good way. But me, meh, no interest on my part, 

So, do you miss seeing a lineup of programs geared to kids? Would you like to see that return, and would you like to see that also on weekday afternoons? Or are you good with the idea of the specialty channels geared to kids? I would like to know. Drop a comment and share your thoughts and memories on the topic. Thanks for reading the blog. I will see you in the next post. 

PS. Remember, I also have a YouTube page featuring comments and interviews.  Candid Conversations Zoomed In and Video Comments is where you will find the latest content.

Swipe Right IF You Like This Post - A Candid Comment About Dating Apps

 

Whether you are married, single, or in a relationship, you may be tempted or have logged on to a dating app somewhere along the line. Never mind the smirk and denial. Most of you have done it. And, yes, so have I. There are a lot of apps out there that cater to just about anyone interested in finding a partner. Some are geared to the LGBTQ2+ community. Others are segmented into groups like farmers or Christians, BBWs, and seniors. Some apps are meant to inspire a long-term commitment, others for the so-called hookup or friends-with-benefits culture.   You name it, it's out there. There are some plus and minuses here that need to be looked at, which is what this article is about. So read on, and if you like this article, virtually swipe right by sharing it.

There are some good things and some bad things to consider regarding the online dating world. So here are some pros/cons and tips to consider.

• Pro:  Most profiles have a photo on them, so you get a sneak peek at what the person looks like.
• Con: Many profile photos are outdated or of animals and nature and sometimes include other people or objects.
• Tip: Use an updated photo or photos of yourself. Make sure they are of you, not your pet or trees or you with a bunch of people. A potential date wants to see what you look like; they are interested in something other than a pic of Pookie the dog, or a tree. Also, posting a photo of you in a group violates privacy laws. If you post a group photo, cover the faces of the other people to protect their identity. And if you want to include Pookie, take a picture of you with your pet.

• Pro: Most profiles have an introduction and an about me section. This allows the person to share a brief summary of what they are looking for in a partner and what interests they may have.
• Con: The introduction section and about me are poorly written or contain too much, too little, or off-putting comments and rants in many profiles.
• Tip: Check yourself before you wreck yourself. Putting up an introduction that says something like spoil me rotten, or No scammers will turn people off. Also, writing a book or almost nothing will cause a swipe to the left to avoid that. Ranting about scammers and your medical conditions and coming across a laundry list of what you want will also get you an auto swipe left. Write one paragraph. Include your interests and hobbies, and for the introduction, write something that will spark a conversation. A good example is something like this. Sunny days are meant to be spent with sunny people. While it is okay to mention a disability or medical condition, the goal is to attract someone, so don't overdo it with a detailed medical report. And finally, keep the rant to yourself. If you are that angry, it is best to avoid online dating until you have cooled down. Yes, there are fake profiles, but coming across like a cop who can sniff out a scam will not be welcomed by anyone.

• Pro: There is a dating app to suit what you're looking for. You name it, you can find it.
• Con: Many people create profiles on multiple apps without understanding the intended audience.
• Tip: Read the app name, look at the description, and know what you are getting into. If an app title reads like The Dom House or  My Friend with Benefits. If you get my drift, it is a safe bet you are dealing with people who like whips and chains or a person who wants to be friends but also wants to put their shoes under your bed. So, read the title and read the description before creating a profile.

• Pro: There are a lot of really lovely and interesting people you can connect with.
• Conn: There are some really creepy people on dating apps.
• Tip: Trust your intuition. If the profile looks too good to be true, it is probably a swipe left. On the other hand, you may be delightfully surprised and find a fascinating person. Trust your instincts and also strike up a conversation with a potential date. People are looking for hookups; this is a very risky thing to do. Only do it with planning. Make sure you protect yourself. If you plan to get busy, it is safer to hook up with someone you know. Always let someone know where you are and set up a time for a check-in with them, or let them know often where you are and your next move. Also, if you did not ask and you start to receive unwanted communication or photos of naughty bits, ditch the person and report the profile. And yes, if need be, call the police for help. It does not matter if you are a guy or a gal. Creepy is not cool.

Jennifer Viveros and Dr. David Schramm wrote an interesting article about the pros and cons of dating. In the piece Pros and Cons of Online Dating in Later Life, they focused on older adults.  It covers the subject in more detail than I could have.  There are some other resources on the net that you can also review for yourself. You should take care and be informed of the positives and negatives, risks and benefits of online dating, and the associated apps.  Also, consider the traditional when it comes to dating.  Friends, family, and visiting places of interest can sometimes yield connections.  Even your workplace offers an opportunity to find a partner. But you really want to be careful while doing that on the job.  In short, explore the options, know the lay of the land, and plan accordingly.  Most of all, have fun.  Thanks for reading this post.  Please like and share it with others and send feedback below.  I will see you in the next edition.  Cheers.

Candid Comment - The Big Oooooh - Montreal Olympic Stadium

 

As it is known, the big O is Montreal's Stade Olympique, the 1.6 Billion dollar structure that draws awe and derision. Why is that? After all, the stadium still gets used today, though no significant tenant hosts events there. The Montreal Alouettes play at a different location, and the Expos became the Nationals and headed to Washington to become the Nationals. Some soccer events are held there; you can see a concert there. So what is the fuss? Why is this place considered beautiful and ugly at the same time? The answer lies in the fact that the stadium needed to be better built. Specifically, the roof. It has torn thousands of times and can not be trusted to hold 1.2 inches or about 3 Centimetres of water from rain or a significant show fall. In short, it was poorly built. Yet it is considered the 3rd most popular place for tourists visiting Quebec.

My take on this, it's a joke and a bad one at that. Besides the roof problems, there is the concrete issue; there have been several incidents where slabs have fallen. The tower, also a feature of the stadium, is the tallest inclined structure in the world; it has had a fire, and the cost ballooned to a point where it took 30  years to pay for the work. And what did Montrealers end up with? This, 

take a close look. What do you see? Take a real close look. It was designed by Roger Taillibert, a French architect. What is supposed to be a circular design looks more like a toilet bowl.

I believe the French architect who designed the stadium was trying to send a message to Quebec. Your not like us; you're not even close to being like us. Since the 60s, Quebec has attempted to assert itself as distinct, specifically along its cultural makeup. The 70s saw the rise of separatism, and in 76, the PQ came to power, and ever since then, Quebec has been drastically altered. During this time, Jean Drapeau, the mayor of Montreal, was busy coming up with big projects like the Montreal Metro and Expo 67. He also decided to throw Montreal into the hat for the Olympics in 76. Well, Montreal got them.

The point was to showcase Montreal and Quebec as modern, developed, and worldly.  It was anything but superb.  Canada did not win a Gold medal; 29 countries boycotted the games, and Quebec's provincial flag was spotted during the closing ceremony.  It's illegal to fly a flag more prominent than the Olympic flag and one not from a country; Quebec is not a country.  I can not compare this with the Hitler Olympics, but the idea was to show a modern French Quebec, an independent pseudo-country.  That did not turn out to be the case at all.  The creator of the stadium may have had a gut feeling Quebec was going for it. They wanted to show themselves off as a country.  So, he created this monstrosity to reflect his thoughts on the matter.  And what you see is this giant toilet in the middle of Montreal.

The term monstrosity is strong.  I have been in the stadium once.  It was for an Alouettes game back in the '70s.  From the ground, it looks impressive and really cool looking. It's not so remarkable when you see it from above, like in the above photo.  For this reason, there is both love and hate for this building.  The kicker is that this blunder will still be standing decades into the future, a reminder that Quebec is not France 2.0 and is still and probably will be for a long time to come a pseudo country, nothing more, nothing less. 

Thankfully, there are some positives.  The stadium has been paid for, and it is, as noted, still used and, in the past, has been put to good use.  The Sun reports that there has been some good usage of the facility, though it is still one of the most notable for what went wrong and the lingering effects. So enjoy if you want; just don't go near there during snow storms or rain, and be aware of the possibility of falling concrete.  

The Most Watched YouTube De doo doo doo Baby Shark Dance

Everyone on YouTube is vying for views, including me. So the question is, what will get people to view your content? A catchy title, great graphics, and an awesome subject. Yes, the elements of a good video for YouTube are graphics, content, and a title that grabs the viewer's attention. It also helps to have a robust promotional element, like a social media presence and ads. In the end, though, the content matters the most.

One YouTube video created by a Korean company has managed to merge content with the elements of the items mentioned above. Drum roll, please. A kids' video, yes, a video made for kids. Baby Shark Dance has, since its upload in 2016, the video has been viewed 13 billion times. You read right, 13 BILLION. This 2-minute short has also allowed PinkFong, the company behind the video, to get revenue from the views as the video has gone so viral it hit all the marks for YouTube monetization. In short, it is a mega cash cow for the company. It is so simple in its concept, and it really works. The content is catchy, a song about a baby shark and its family combined with simple graphics. But really, what makes this video and song so attractive?

It's that catchy do-do-do-do baby shark lyric. All through the tune, you hear the do-do-do do. Known as an earworm, this kind of song is designed to get into the brain and stick around for a bit. It has been proven in studies that at least once a week, humans will get sucked into an earworm. Think about that, at least once per week. You know this is true. Come on, face up to it. We all get an earworm or two stuck in the brain.

La vida Loca - Ricky Martin
Barby Girl - Aqua
De doo doo De da da - The police

And others are all songs that dive into our heads and stick around. That is the magic that has made Baby Shark Dance successful. It's the earworm effect, along with the graphics, title, social networking, and articles like this one. So, should we all dive in and do a video like this one? Nope, and here is why. Your channel and the content should be unique, your style and your content. Trying to mimic this video will only work for some, and one is quite enough; thank you very much.

So do do do your own thing, and who knows, you might be able to top the 13 billion one day. Remember, be unique, use good graphics and a title that will attract an audience and promote your work. That is the best way to be successful in anything you do on YouTube.

Candid Comment - Monopolies

For the record, a monopoly is not necessarily the cause of inflation; other factors are involved, but they do not help lower it either. In Canada, monopolies are fast becoming a problem. In telecom, banking, and retail, they are making a mess of the economy because they refuse to allow competitors to compete against them. Then again, can you blame them. Who would not want to have the lion's share of the cellular services or food market? We even see monopolies in areas like housing. Money often, but not always, trumps morality and fairness. There is another problem that monopolies create. They tend to ignore and, in some cases, outright disrespect the people who come to them to do business.

Recently food chains have instituted the practice of receipt checks. The claim is to prevent revenue loss due to theft. To be fair, there is a problem with shoplifting in stores, which can affect consumer costs. Having said that, being blatantly disrespectful of the people coming to the store to buy needed food is not the answer, especially when earnings have hit record highs. But, these giants don't give a dam about the customer; that is the sentiment being expressed these days. They know they have a monopoly and can do as they wish; no one, especially in government, is doing anything about it. To be fair, there is a case for the check on the receipt. While not legally required, it does help to ensure you as a customer did not get overcharged and that you have all the items you bought, and it does prevent or lower theft which can cause prices to go up down the road. The issue is how this all started, how it appears to the customer, and how it looks in the face of record profits and the strong, and I do mean a strong belief that consumers are being gouged. This belief is also felt concerning bank fees, phone and internet costs, and even gas pricing. The root of all of this is little to no competition in Canada. The argument, and it is a load of crap, is that our population is too small to support other players. It comes down to a federal government and their provincial counterparts turning a blind eye to the problem or just throwing a band-aid on it. Frankly, they are scared; they know they would lose donor dollars if they dared to break up monopolies.

But, you see, we must do this in Canada. It's time for a significant change in how competition works in Canada. It is time to put the foot down and make it clear that government elected by the people runs the show, not the corporations. Now let's be fair. Some corporations are fair-minded, run well, and positively contribute to the economy. In short, not all corporations are evil. Then again, what defines an evil corporation? The evil is not the entity, but what they are doing or not doing. The evil is also what is allowed by those entrusted to not allow it.  

By the way, not all monopolies are bad. Just as not all corporations are evil. Same for the government. There is no room for competition in certain parts of the economy; thus, a monopoly that sets or fixes a price can be healthy for the economy and consumers.  

The problem, which is a big one here in Canada, is that we have allowed them to grow too big. They have too much power, and the government does little to fix that. It will be up to the next PM to do something to open up the markets for things like food, housing, telecom, and banking in a regulated and fair manner. This also applies to the media. In short, too much monopoly and not enough diversity is making our lives difficult, and it's no longer fair, and NO, it does not suck to be us. We matter. The middle and lower class matter. So to the next person wanting to be PM, fix this, end this, and do it soon. We do not have to take it in the butt any longer, and we will not go away until you do.

Source material:

Article from The Conversation.

The Charted Professionals of Canada website has an excellent and sobering article about monopolies in Canada.  They have a second article about this topic that is just as solid as the first.

Got something to say?  You should actually have something to say, and you should convey your thoughts to the PM. Here is the contact form to send him your thoughts on monopolies.  You can also contact Pierre Poilievre and Jagmeet Singh.

Competition Bureau of Canada.  This body regulates completion. Some argue it could do it better. Tell them what you think.

Candid Comment - Coke In The White House Not the Drink

The Secret Service has closed an investigation into a bizarre incident involving cocaine that was snuck into the white house. Ok, you can not fly near the building without risking being blown out of the sky. If you jump the fence, you will get jumped by security lickedy split. Point a weapon at it, and a dude or dudette will put a round between your eyes in a second. But, apparently, you can sneak dope into the place and not get caught.  

Then again, and this is pure speculation on my part, the FBI and Secret Service may still be looking into the matter but pretending to close the case while still looking into it. Just a thought. I'm not planning to do it, but if I were going to sneak dope into the white house, I would choose Viagara. Joe may need help with, you know, that thing.

Humor aside, the fact that a drug that is highly addictive, not to mention illegal, got into one of the most secure buildings in the world puts into question how secure the facility is. That said, it is for sure that the procedures, policies, and day-to-day operations will have to be reviewed to ensure there is no repeat performance.  

For the person who did this, you got lucky.  If the investigation is indeed closed.  To anyone thinking I wanna try that, ummm, don't.  Like I said, humor aside, it may be funny, but it would not be so fun if you got caught. 

I will see you in the following Candid Comment or Conversation.  Thanks for reading.

Candid Comment - Titanic Claims 5 More Lives

Hours after the submersible Titan descended to explore the wreck of the Titanic, the ship lost contact with the surface, and a frantic search began. Yesterday the search effort came to a stretching halt at a debris site, and it became clear that the Titan had a structural failure that instantly killed its five passengers. First, condolences are to be extended to the families of the deceased crew. This is a tragic end to what should have been an event of a lifetime for the men who ventured to the site of the Titanic wreck. Instead, it will be remembered as a mission that ended with deadly speed in what appears to be a sudden failure of the hull.

Reports suggest that this was more than just a lets go down and look at the Titanic trip. The crew went down to the site to run experiments and explore the wreck, as has been done in the past. However, in this case, something went very wrong. The team never actually got to the wreck of the Titanic.

So what happens now? An investigation of the accident would be in order here. There have been suggestions of design flaws and other instances of lost communication with the surface. James Cameron, a filmmaker and deep sea diver himself, has commented on the tragedy. In his summation, he points out that since the 60s, there has not been an accident like this and that the design of the Titan may be to blame. Actor William Shatner flew to space. He knew the risks and also had an expectation of what it would be like in space. It was not what he expected.

When I looked in the opposite direction, into space, there was no mystery, no majestic awe to behold . . . all I saw was death.

I saw a cold, dark, black emptiness. It was unlike any blackness you can see or feel on Earth. It was deep, enveloping, all-encompassing. I turned back toward the light of home. I could see the curvature of Earth, the beige of the desert, the white of the clouds and the blue of the sky. It was life. Nurturing, sustaining, life. Mother Earth. Gaia. And I was leaving her.

Everything I had thought was wrong. Everything I had expected to see was wrong. - William Shatner.

Diving into the depths has the same effect. It's dark, cold, and dangerous. Just like rockets, the ships that go beneath the waters need to be durable, and the materials used to build them need to be tested for safety not just at one time but regularly to ensure that there are no hidden faults. Aircraft, for example, are routinely inspected for structural integrity, and maintenance is a regular occurrence. There is a gold certification standard in the submersible community, and when followed, the procedures are used to ensure safe and sound work. Accidents can happen even with tests and certifications, but, in this case, the testing may have been less than robust, and the Titan may not have been certified to dive as deep as it did.  

There is an old expression. Curiosity killed the cat. But resurrection brought it back. It means that being curious can be dangerous, and taking a risk unnecessarily is not good. A good result is enough satisfaction to take the risk or repeated risks. 

Exploring a graveyard, which is what the Titanic is, is risky. While there may be some value in the venture, going to the wreck of the Titanic should be rare, for scientific research only and done using state-of-the-art equipment. In general, the resting place of some 1500 people should be left alone untouched and visited, as noted above, very rarely and only by a select few and family of those who died aboard her. Nature
, in this case, water has sent a message. That message is, leave us alone. That is what we should do with the Titanic.

 

Candid Comment - Bill 96 Not The Way To Encourage French Usage

Most politicians are bright people. And generally, they are well intended. This said, there are a lot of really foolish men and women in office who do and say very dumb things while in office.

Francois Legault, the premier of Quebec, thinks it is a good idea to halt the decline of French in Quebec by using the levers of power to dictate what language people can communicate in with government agencies at all levels. Bill 96 is supposed to support and strengthen Bill 101. The laws are intended to ensure the French language remains strong and is used over all other languages in Quebec.  

The body that is tasked with this is the OQLF, sometimes referred to as the language police. They are generally not welcomed by businesses. In fact, the inspectors are widely seen as rude and unprofessional.  Though to be fair, it is probably not the case with all of them.  The agency gets thousands of complaints yearly from people, mostly about how they are served or not served in French.  The critical question is this.  Is French on the decline in Canada and Quebec? The answer is actually YES.  Recent reports in the media, like Global News, point to a recent report by Census Canada that showed a drop in the use of French to 19.2%, down from 20% in 2018.  Many factors are contributing to the decline, including immigration.  To see the full report, visit Census Canada. Ok, sow French is on the decline, and so is English in Canada.  It can be said that English should and most likely will not die in Canada, whereas French could.  That is why Quebec has adopted the charter of the French Language, which came into force in 1977 and is now being bolstered with Bill 96, An Act Respecting French as the Official and Common Language of Quebec.  The problem is what it allows public servants and municipal employees to do: flat-out deny service in English.  Except in health care and public safety, but even in these areas, it is possible to be refused service.  And it is already happening.  The Montreal Gazette reports even those allowed service have been denied service. 

There are Four Groups allowed to receive service in English in Quebec.

• People who only corresponded with the municipal administration in English prior to May 13, 2021.
• People who have been declared eligible for English language schooling.
• Indigenous communities and Inuit.
• Immigrants for the first six months after they arrive and people who live outside Quebec.

What a ridiculous thing to do.  Essentially allowing people paid by taxpayer dollars to deny service based on language.  It's offensive, racist, and unsafe.  In 2007 Robert Dziekański was tasered to death by members of the RCMP, part of the issue was that he did not know English, and no one thought or did such a lousy job trying to find someone who spoke Polish to avoid the incident.  There were other factors, but the core reason was communication or the lack of it.  This kind of thing could happen in Quebec.  Other errors could become pronounced in hospitals and nursing homes because of language barriers.  A person from another part of the world or Canada could get lost or taken advantage of due to not knowing the language.  English is a universal language. Even in countries like France, it is spoken.  This said, learning French or at least having an app like Google Translate or Reverso may help. The best way to learn is to learn the language through a course. The Government of Quebec has a site that you can use to find a good course.  It would also be a good idea for the servants of the people in Quebec to speak English.  

There is a right and wrong way to encourage the use of a language; Quebec's approach needs to be revised. Even the Parti Quebecois, an ardent proponent of Quebec sovereignty and advocate for protecting the French language, think it a bad bill. Pascal Bérubé, with the Parti Québécois, whose MNAs voted against Bill 96, was quoted saying, "The measures are not essential because they don't make any difference. It doesn't create the desire to live in or even learn French." "It doesn't promote French." "It gives the impression of doing something, but we are not in favor of this."

Promoting and protecting the French language is one thing. Denying citizens who pay taxes service in another language when you can is another.  And it needs to be said Quebec is a province, and Canada is a bilingual country.  That said, provinces like Ontario and Manitoba may want to consider doing what New Brunswick has done by making it official. They are the only true bilingual province in Canada.

Mr. Bérubé has it right; no one favors this except the CAQ.  And in a culture that is supposed to be guided by respect and solidarity, this nonsense only damages the reputation of Quebec's francophones.  I learned that the French pride themselves on being respectful. Allowing officials to be rude and deny service based on language is repugnant, no matter what language they speak or are supposed to officially speak.

Canid Comment - They Keep Going and Going - Articles You Love That Go Way Back

 

Wow, look at this the blog still going strong in 2023.  That is so nice and awesome to see.  Some people tend to go meh about blogs, but let's stop and take a look here for a moment and consider that this blog has been around since 2009, though I generally state 2010 as the year the blog was created.  2009 was a short year for the blog.  Since that time, 129 posts have been added since the start date.  Averaged out over 13 years, that is 10 posts per year or 1 per month, which is not exactly accurate.  In 2018 only one post was added, the lowest number ever, and in 2022 49 were.  The consistency does need a little work.  

Much of that has to do with finding people to interview or things to talk about here on the blog, and there have been years where life events altered things so much that I just could not add content here.  So the fact that Candid Conversations has done so well is impressive to me. And you, the reader, are a large part of that success.  The data shows that the blog has 25K total unique visits, according to stat counter.  Blogger combines unique visits with pages viewed up to 51K.  618 over the period that is how many people returned to read this blog.  So which posts have the most significant number of all-time visits since the creation of the blog?  Ah ha, well, I have the list right here.  Let's dive in.

1. The interview with the most views is about Sports Betting with Robert Ferringo.  The post date is April 9, 2012.  For 13 years, this interview has been getting read. In the last year alone, 119 views, according to Blogger.  The links are still working, so you can still visit the site. As for Robert, I do not know if he is still with the firm, but I may reach out and ask him back for another interview.  Note that the information in the post may be somewhat dated, but much of the advice is good.  Remember that this post is not an endorsement of the site or gambling.  

2. Becca Kidwell joined me in a Candid Conversation in November 2015.  The interview had to do with Twelfth Night by Shakespeare.  The hook, it was being done at the time in a jazz style.  I thought this was interesting, so I caught up with Becca and did this interview.  It's still a good read, with 69 views for the last 12 months.  Though the last time it was read was in Feb of this year.  Yes, all the links still work.  This artist is a shoe in for another interview request as they are still active today.

3. Look at this interview. Wow, I am still seeing reads on it.  Published in August 2015.  Mae West was the subject of the conversation.  LindaAnn Loschiavo, the playwright, spoke with me about her, what she did, and how her legacy is remembered.  I think every young man of the day and, who knows, maybe some of today's generation may find this story and Mae West interesting in more ways than one.  It's interesting to see that this post still has people reading it.  Ah, but she got beat out by one view.  Sorry, LindaAnn.  By the way, there is a second posted interview with LindaAnn.  Check it out as well as the main, and yes, I will see about a 3rd interview with her.

4. The next post on the list is the 1 Million Pixels Project.  Sorry to say, but this post has links that are no longer active, but the story behind selling pixels for a dollar was interesting at the time.  I never bought one.  The post date for this interview is March 13, 2012.

5. The number of views drops significantly from her on.  The threshold for this list is 10 or more views in a year, and with 20 views is an interview with a flea circus ringmaster.  Walt Noon, an inventor, amongst other things, runs flea circuses. I thought that was odd, but I appreciated his work after the interview.  October 1st, 2011, is the date this post was added to the blog.  Another posting with 20 views is also one of my favorites of all time.  Chris Roberts discussed self-defense techniques with me.  I am going to reach out to him again because I think he is interesting, and also, with the way the pandemic affected people, his course may be one of the most important ones you can take.  The posting date is June 8, 2012 

6. This is a bizarre and maybe creepy entry, posted in 2011 the interview got very few views.  During the height of the pandemic that changed.  Robert Barrows interview about video grave markers garnered 1.4K views.  This post got 13 views this going 12 months back.  And yes his site that has the video grave marker is still there.  I am hearing the Twilight Theme as I write LOL.

It goes without saying that there continues to be a lot of engagement here on the site.  Some other real cool interviews here include.  Peter Anthony Holder, discussing his show the Stuph File, Lucas Furst and his interview about the Sushi Popper and Christopher Roberts in his first interview about a program to help students at Troy University exercise while they study.

Take a look at these posts and let me know what you think of them.  Thanks for continuing the journey with me.  The blog is doing great and I am looking forward to more interesting conversations with people via a written and now my new Zoomed in feature on YouTube.  Thanks for reading and viewing the videos.  See you in the next one.

C. T.

Candid Comment - Freelancing

Freelancing, ever done it? I do, or at least I try to do it. Freelancing is a great way to learn how to run a small business. It's also a good model for deciding what you want to do in your business or a particular line of work. However, you should not be fooled into thinking that the freelancing world is a super-way to earn fast cash. Competition is stiff, and getting a good paying customer long or short-term is very challenging. Frankly speaking, I have only ever had one customer that did repeat business with me. That was back in 2011ish.  

You should know that when you dive into this world, you are driving into a fish tank, not an ocean of sellers and buyers.   Everyone is looking for each other. One group looking for the cheapest deal, and the other trying to get as many orders as possible. Some are really great at doing this work, others not so much. And you have to be aware that there are others out there looking to make a fast buck with fake accounts and jobs. So it pays to keep your focus and educate yourself on what the benefits and risks are when it comes to working as a freelancer. So what are the benefits and risks? Let's take a look.

1. You work at your own pace. You are in charge, and the hours you set can be fixed or flexible. Because you can decide when you work, you can have a more balanced life.

2. While you can set your hours to a fixed time, a lot of the work comes from people in different parts of the world, and that means you may need to meet deadlines outside of your regular schedule.  

3. You can charge what you want for the services you offer.  The flip side or con is that if you set too high, no one will look at your offerings; too low, and you won't make a decent amount of money.  

4. You can choose who you do business with, which is excellent.  You may find someone that you work really well with.  This said you want to ensure you do not get too cozy with your client.  Familiarity can breed contempt; some customers are dictatorial and may make demands or try running your business via remote control. In short, handle the business. Do not let the business handle you. You must always be in control of what you are doing while still providing service and building a solid relationship for your personal brand.  

Besides these things, you need to be aware of tax rules, know that you have to pay for your own expenses, and if you take time off, you don't make money. You may have to find a regular full or part-time job to supplement your freelancing work. You may have to do work that provides you with a continuous income in an automated fashion.  A webstore or YouTube channel can help, but you really have to research that too. The bottom line is that you must do some leg work before diving into freelancing.  Research, research, research.  It's all about knowing what people want, where to find the people, and how to manage time and the work.  

I hope you found this article interesting. Please feel free to comment and share this article.  I hope you have a successful run if you decide to try freelancing.  It is a lot of work.  But it is also fascinating and fun to do.  You can learn new skills and earn money at the same time and get a feel for what it is like to run a business.  See you in the next article.

C. T.

Candid Conversations - 1 Blogger + 1 Person Being Interviewed = A conversation About Cool Math Race Games With Vinod Ravisankar

Math was not my strongest subject in school. Hence the reason I became a call center rep by day blogger and YouTuber by night. Many kids struggle to learn math and as the equations get more complex the tougher it is to solve them especially if you have not had a good base to work off of. Simple math adding, subtracting, division and multiplication form the root base for all math and kids now have a new tool to help them gain the important base for all math. Cool Math Race Games for Kids developed by VionixStudio is a new and fun way for kids to learn math while playing a racing game.

I reached out to Vinod Ravisankar at VionixStudio to find out more about the game and how it works and he’s joining in via a Candid Conversations interview across email. Thanks for taking the time out Vinod.

Vinod R.: Thank you for taking the time to interview me.

Cliff T.: I have to admit my math is OK but I did struggle with the basics. I could have used this game when I was a kid. Vinod, how did this game come to be in the first place?

Vinod R.: The game was made as a tutorial to learn about Car controller physics in game development. Since it turned out to be very kid-friendly, I decided to publish the game as a math-learning game.

Cliff T.: How does the player interact with the game? What is the goal?

Vinod R.: The game aims at teaching the basics of math operators to kids and provides a way for them to test their skills using the race. It also has a multiplayer option to compete against your friend.

Cliff T.: So Vinod, I would assume that this game is for a particular age group mainly kids in grades 1 to 5 would I be correct in that assumption?

Vinod R.: The initial version was launched without any difficulty setting in mind. Based on player feedback, the version now available at Google Play store has two difficulty settings. One controls the speed at which you need to solve the problems and the other controls the complexity of the question. The difficulty at the highest can be hard even for adults.

Cliff T.: Looking at the graphics of the game I noticed a simple design, from what I can gather here the idea is to focus on the math, not the racing or the cars doing the racing, or is it more or less an equal balance between the two?

Vinod R.: The idea was to hit the balance between the two so that Kids both enjoy the game and learn math in the process.

Cliff T.: Is VinonixStudio planning other games like this one?

Vinod R.: Not in the near future. But we plan to update this game based on user feedback.

Cliff T.: Speaking of VionixStudio. Vinod, can you tell me what the company does?

Vinod R.:VionixStudio is a game development help site. We provide tools and tutorials required for new game developers to get started. We publish games sometimes for fun, but teaching game developers is the main purpose of VionixStudio. We are currently focused on the Unity game engine but we plan to expand to other game engines too.

Cliff T.: How did you get started doing this kind of work?

Vinod R.: I started game development as a hobby and found that there is no proper path for new game developers to follow. This led to the creation of VionixStudio. VionixStudio guides new developers in a step-by-step process to learn game development.

Cliff T.: Have you tested the game out with your kids? And, overall what has been the response to the game?

Vinod R.: Yes. The game was initially tested with local kids and was received well. We also took the help of the Educational App Store to test the game using teachers and we made lots of changes based on their feedback. You can read the review by EAS here https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/math-race-1

Cliff T.: What is the exciting part of all this for you?

Vinod R.: The best part is when I see a kid with zero interest in math trying to solve the math problem to win the race. I feel like this game can make many kids interested in Math.

Cliff T.: And from what I can see this game is found on Google Play, any plans for the IOS platform?

Vinod R.: Depending on the games performance in Google Play store, we might publish the game on IOS too.

Cliff T.: If anyone wants to develop their own game through VionixStudio what do they need to do?

Vinod R.: They can just go to VionixStudio.com and start following the steps on the homepage. If you are someone with basic knowledge of how games are made, then you can go to the Learn Unity page and start following the tutorials.

Cliff T.: Excellent Viond, thank you so much for taking the time to do a Candid Conversations interview. It’s been fun learning about Cool Math Race Games for Kids and VionixStudio.

Vinod R.: It was fun talking to you and thanks for having me on Candid Conversations

Vinod Ravisankar, VionixStudio. Here is where to find them on the web, https://vionixstudio.com to get the game go into the play store and look for Cool Math Racing Games for kids. Vinod wrote to us from New York NY.