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Paul Boucher • November 26, 2020
Virtual Birds, November 26, 2020
Virtual Birds, November 26, 2020
Gentlemen,
This week's highlights include bringing attention to the word "feckless" courtesy of the Globe and Mail but via our resident wordsmith, George Roberts. The Globe was applying it to our premier, but consensus seemed to favour applying it to our health minister.
Definition: feck·less /ˈfekləs/ - lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible. Example: "a feckless mama's boy"
Definition: feck·less /ˈfekləs/ - lacking initiative or strength of character; irresponsible. Example: "a feckless mama's boy"
Yep. That's our health minister.
There was a bit of book talk in the meeting and George
mentioned that one of his favourite recent discoveries is the Libby app - which lets you borrow books from the public library. It's made by Overdrive - the same people who initially developed the app. It's free and available for your iPhone or Android device here: https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby/
On books, Dave Hicks
brought up "The Upside Of Stress" by Kelly McGonigal. You might be able to use the Libby app to get it at the library, but you can also shop local and pick it up Via Pages Books in Kensington (Shelf Life Books, another good local bookstore, didn't seem to have it available) with this link: https://www.pageskensington.com/?q=h.tviewer&using_sb=status&qsb=keyword&qse=WLhu9GQ-hlNpmtiZmwpwdA
Dave also mentioned that the author had also done a TED talk on the subject, which he mentioned was definitely worth a look, and might lead you to a decision on whether or not to do the deep dive into the book. You can view the Ted Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend/discussion
Dr. Tom Olson
brought the contrarian's perspective to the table regarding COVID. He's certainly not alone in questioning the logic in some of what's going on regarding restrictions, the pandemic and others. His suggestion to look up alternative perspectives grounded in verifiable fact helps to add some grey, and a few other colours back into a black and white world.
This week, Tom recommended a short, interesting series of 3 "pamphlets" collated into book form as "Unreported Truths about COVID-19 and Lockdowns". To Tom's point about quality alternative perspectives:
"Former New York Times reporter and prominent lockdown critic Alex Berenson provides a counterweight to media hysteria about coronavirus in this series of short booklets answering crucial questions about COVID. Drawing on primary sources from all over the world - including state and national-level government data, Centers for Disease Control reports, and papers in prominent scientific journals - Unreported Truths about COVID-19 and Lockdowns offers clear, concise, and measured answers to some of the most important questions around the coronavirus..."
You can find the 1st one here: https://www.amazon.ca/Unreported-Truths-about-COVID-19-Lockdowns/dp/1953039014
Quick story from Dr. Tom - especially of note for Ian
- or for that matter, anyone wearing a hearing aid:
The final cut: A longtime surgeon finally hangs up his scalpel at 85
The final cut: A longtime surgeon finally hangs up his scalpel at 85
Dr. Michael Ross, Vascular surgeon reflects on his career and speaks of a hearing impairment suffered by a WW 1 vet.
“When Ross looked in the man’s left ear, the senior advised him not to bother, saying: “I lost my hearing there in 1918 when a shell killed my two buddies and I was left unconscious. I have a pension for hearing loss.”
Ross took a look anyway. Deep inside, he discovered pieces of cotton batten that had been blasted against the ear drum. “I took them out and the man covered his ear and said: ‘Stop yelling!
After his ear drum had been protected by the cotton for 50 years, the man suddenly had acute hearing. “He left with a hand over his ear saying he wasn’t going to tell the army,” said Ross.”
The Times Colonist
NOVEMBER 22, 2020
Final note before the video, Paul Boucher
mentioned he'd attended a virtual event via the Calgary Chamber of Commerce on "Doing Business with the Government of Canada: Supplier Registration and Finding Opportunities". As someone who's provided bilingual narration to a variety of Government Departments including Parks Canada (for a GPS navigation guide to Kootenay National Park among other things), this seemed like a logical extension to prospective customer/pipeline building, albeit a VERY time-consuming one. If you feel there could be applications for your business, then visit https://buyandsell.gc.ca/
to get started.As with most GOC web sites this is definitely on the list of "rabbit holes of all rabbit holes".
And now, the video. Enjoy.
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