Top-10 Most Stolen Cars In Canada. Hint: Think Twice If You Drive A Ford F350

Ever wonder about what vehicles are stolen the most in Canada? Think your Mercedes or VW Golf GTI make the list? And why do people steal vehicles in the first place? 

The Canadian Insurance Bureau claims that vehicle theft costs $1 Billion a year, including $542 Million to fix and replace stolen vehicles, $250 Million in police, health care, and court system costs, and millions of dollars more in correctional services. (As an aside, you can see with such costs that many advocate driverless cars fully autonomous and equipped with numerous data tracking devices. Some in the U.S. are already calling for the end to the $100 bill, given its convenience for thieves--could this be a similar argument for the end of the human-driven vehicle?)

There are a number of reasons why vehicles are stolen: they can be shipped over seas and sold for higher profit than in Canada; they can be given a fake VIN and sold to unsuspecting consumers; they can be used for joy-rides and get-away cars; or they can be simply taken out of pure desire. 

So which vehicles made the top-ten Canadian Insurance Bureau list for 2015? First I will list the top ten in Canada, then the top-ten in Ontario, both of which are distinct from the other. 

Top-10 stolen vehicles In Canada

1. 2005 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
2. 2006 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
3. 2007 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
4. 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE 4DR 4WD SUV
5. 2003 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
6. 2006 FORD F250 SD 4WD PU
7. 2001 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
8. 2004 FORD F250 SD 4WD PU
9. 2007 FORD F250 SD 4WD PU
10. 2001 FORD F250 SD 4WD PU

If you (legitimately) own a Ford F250 or F350, as you can see not only do you own a highly desirable vehicle, but also you will need to go to some lengths to prevent it from being stolen. Amazing how they make up 90% of the top-ten list--I wonder why? Crooks need to haul stuff? They're cool and rugged, and powerful--perfect for high-speed get-aways?

Nevertheless, the top-ten list for Ontario is much more varied than that for Canada. 

Top-10 Stolen Vehicles In Ontario

1. 2003 CADILLAC ESCALADE 4DR 4WD SUV
2. 2010 ACURA ZDX 4DR AWD SUV
3. 2009 BMW X6 4DR AWD SUV
4. 2013 ACURA MDX 4DR 4WD SUV
5. 2003 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 2WD PU
6. 2013 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 4DR 4WD SUV
7. 2005 HUMMER H2 4DR AWD SUV
8. 2014 TOYOTA VENZA 5DR 4D
9. 2011 BMW X6 4DR AWD SUV
10. 2004 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE 1500 2WD PU

One thing we can observe is that the Cadillac Escalade is a very desirable vehicle, filling out top spot in Ontario and 4th overall in Canada, edged out by the Ford F350. I wonder, however, why the 2006 is more popular as a stolen vehicle than the 2003 in Ontario? Another thing we can notice is thieves prefer SUVs and pick-ups over cars, for none of the vehicles above is a car. 

It goes without saying that if you have any of these vehicles, it will be important to keep them safe. Talk to your insurance broker about vehicle theft insurance, and keep your vehicle locked at all times. 

There is some good news to all of this: if you are driving a heap of kids around in a family van, chances are you won't be finding it stolen anytime soon...

11 Jobs Of The Future That Sound Sci-Fi But Aren't

We are in a time of transition. In fact, when the future and the present collide as quickly as is in only this second decade of the 21st Century, perhaps we will always be in transition. Often we think of the future as a place to which we will arrive--period. But that's not the case. As difficult as it is to 'catch' the present moment, so it is to somehow 'catch' the future. Transition is reality.

In a previous post, I expanded a bit on the claim by world leaders at the World Economic Forum that robots will steal 5 million jobs by 2020--only 4 years from now. I wrote how disruptive this time in history will be, and how important it is for us to be constantly learning, up-skilling, and preparing ourselves for this future. 

But there is another side of the issue that is just as important to understand, namely all the jobs that will have to be created for this future, which will give rise to opportunity. Perhaps by seeing some of these opportunities now you'll get a leg up on the competition.

What will these new jobs look like? We don't know for sure, but here are some of them:

1. Jobs of the Future Consultant: This may seem obvious, but with the rate of change there will be many out of jobs looking for new ones; and with new kinds of jobs emerging at lightening speed, a person who has a pulse on the times will be in high demand for career consulting.

2. Future Researcher: Right now, information is said to double every 12-18 months--imagine when it doubles every month, or week! Those who are able to research future trends and apply that knowledge to new innovations, business models, and inventions will be on the right side of change.

3. Designer: There will be many new problems arising that we can't yet conceive of. Design is the process of solving problems through creative means. Hence, designers will remain in high demand in the future, from human bio-design to environment, products, and services--even experiences. 

4. Education Specialist: Education will continue to be critical, especially in a world of constant transition. But we're not talking here merely of the 4 Rs, but training in areas such as innovation, design, future research, adaptability--things many may consider soft skills, but are really the hard ones to learn and apply. And schools will be very different in the future--not so much brick-and-mortar, but rather networks of organized knowledge. With brain plug-ins, people will be downloading information to their brains faster than they do now on their computers. But how to use that information will require wisdom, philosophy, ethics. 

5. Systems Navigation Consultant: We are spending more time in a virtual network--a very large, somewhat chaotic nevertheless ordered system. There are those who can think systemically and those how can't. Being able to navigate this growing web of humans and machines, virtual and non-virtual, will require skill; and if you don't have that skill, consultation. 

6. Life Hack Consultant: As the world becomes more 'virtual', many will seek to live outside it--to return to the way humans lived for tens of thousands of years before the technological age. They will need people to help them transition back to a life of self-sustainment--to (re-)learn the basics of human living: building shelter, finding food, building fires, bartering with others, to name only several. 

7. Seniors Specialist: With the rise of senior citizens, this is going to be a massive field of work, from designing residences to providing various kinds of technological-wellness services, to career consulting.

8. Biography Manager: While transitioning to a time of prolonged life, many people will opt for cryogenic preservation, which will require storage of their memories--this is where the Biography Manager comes in. A place that stores all the photos and documents and childhood paraphernalia that will be scanned and uploaded to a series of servers. 

9. Longevity Consultant: What do you do when you return from the doctor and are given another 500 years to live? First you'll probably need to see a psychologist to help get your head around it, and what then? See a longevity consultant who will set you on a fulfillment plan: a series of alternatives for spending those 500 years. 

10. Bio-transition Consultant: As humans and machines converge, many will be seeking guidance on the right techniques and procedures. While there will be scores of early adopters of, for instance, brain chips, there will be many who will want to take it slower, will need guidance and consulting for the program that's right for them. 

11. Human-Machine Relationship Specialist: Psychology will branch into areas dealing with human-machine dynamics and relationships, especially as more machines enter the workplace, and humans and machines couple romantically. As humans and machines intermarry--whatever that looks like in the future--there will need to be specialist who can help counsel such couples through myriad challenges of communication and even empathy. Add to this the need for conflict resolution between humans and machines--who will write the textbook on that?

We don't really know what the future will hold, but we can take some of the big trends of today and push them ahead 20 years and see what pictures they create. The list is consultant heavy; but given the number of consultants in our society today, and the rise of those seeking a career outside of a large corporation, I can only see the demand for consultants rising. Essentially, the ones who will be most successful at navigating and capitalizing on the new job-terrain will be those who are adaptable, able to see a market niche, and, for a time, leverage it. 

6 Simple Ways You Can Tell You're Being Lied To

Trust is vital for the growth of a given community or society, whether its your neighbours or work colleagues. And for family relationships, it's a must--without trust, there's no safety, and where there's no safety, there's no relationship, no cohesion, no togetherness. 

What if a person was lying to you: could you tell? Would you know the signs? While there's no quick answer, and given that human communication can be convoluted at the best of times, here are a few tips that may help you navigate the sargasso sea of everyday communication. 

1. Inconsistencies: If during a conversation you notice inconsistencies in the persons story, you can infer that they're at the very least fibbing. Such inconsistencies can be time and location issues, or simply about reactions to a given experience. Fiction writers are notorious for telling far-fetched tales, and one of the most important thing about editing a story over and over again is to iron out the inconsistencies of the narrative. Listen deeply, ask questions, and if there's a tall tale in there, you'll catch it.

2. Change in behaviour: When you are talking to the person and they are acting stranger than usual, chances are they're either telling you a lie or omitting something important. One strange behaviour pattern when one is telling a whopper is rubbing the nose and/or covering the mouth, which may be a result of adrenaline rushing to the capillaries. Eye contact can be another sign--though not guaranteed--of someone lying: if they usual maintain strong eye contact, but suddenly can't, there may be a trust issue going on.

3. Insincere emotions: If a person is smiling to hide stress or deception, you can typically tell after a while. Smiling is a devilish way of hiding other emotions, but the mask can't be maintained for long; you'll be able to see cracks of anger or aggravation forming in the smile. You will see this a lot, for example, when celebrities or politicians are placed in the hot-seat and have to answer hard questions. Smiling and joking can also portray a kind of truth, whether awkwardness or guilt. Sigmund Freud was brilliant at noticing how jokes were used to cover truths. It's also a way to gain approval and attention: how often do you hear or watch a speaker who begins with a joke or two? 

4. Contradictions: In between appearance and reality falls the shadow. There's a lot of appearance/reality stuff that we see in the news, on TV, and simply hanging around other people. If someone is making a claim and there's a report or set of reports that invalidate the claim, then you know there's an issue of truth. If someone is telling you a story and they contradict themselves, or what someone else had to say about it, you know there's an issue of truth. Finding those contradictions, however, can be the difficult part--it takes some digging, as well as gut instinct. Often if you sense you're being lied to it's likely you are.

5. Benevolence: In cases of benevolence, people will lie to defend another person, or not believe the truth when told to them. Think of the mom who won't believe her son committed a heinous offence, or will try to cover it up--a definite motive for lying. 

6. Skin in the game: If someone's trying to hold up a personal profile that is of great ambition or importance, there is a high chance of lying to maintain it. How many stories have you heard of the high and mighty falling as a result of a scandal? When there's skin in the game, people will go to great lengths to hold power, which often consists of lying. Some go so far with their lying that truth and falsity blend into one.

Sometimes the deceived can empower the liar by simply covering for them, legitimizing the behaviour, or just disbelieving they would lie in the first place. The latter often takes place with people in positions of power--we'll simply believe them because of the charisma we've placed on them--and that in turn fuels more and greater instances of lying. 

As Francis Fukuyama wrote in his book Trust: The Virtue and the Creation of Prosperity, we need to be trustworthy and able to rely those around us. One way of using these tips is to foster dialogue and enhance communication. If you sense someone is lying to you, you can either dig a bit deeper, or call the person on it. If done in a sincere way to foster trust, in a context of safety and relationship, you can have more genuine dialogue with the other. If, however, you're using these tips to incessantly expose lies, you may wind up with more trouble on your hands than you really want. As well, if you're interested in these tips and the ways in which people try to hide their lies, I encourage you to commit yourself to further research; for while these tips may hold in certain contexts, human behaviour is much more complex and complicated to fully detect.

10 Classic Movies About Insurance That Will Blow Your Mind

The topic of insurance has provided some amazing movies. Anytime you combine risk, accidents, and money you have the possibility of something interesting happening. Or, have a character languish behind the desk of a highly predictable job for 30 years suddenly retiring or reinventing him/herself, and you've got enough tension for a dramatic story. 

Don't believe me? Check out these movies below--you'll be stupefied:

About Schmidt (2002): Watch Jack Nicholson play Warren Schmidt, a retired insurance agent who has led a safe, predictable life—until he buys an RV and takes a risk-ridden ride to attend his daughter’s wedding. A great movie not only about insurance, but the frailties and complexities of life. IMDB Rating: 7.2

Death of a Salesman (1985): Starring a young Dustin Hoffman and a very young John Malkovich. Based on the Arthur Miller classic about a traveling insurance salesman, Willy Lowman, going through a mental degeneration. A number of disappointments lead to a tragic car accident and left insurance money for his son Biff’s misconstrued business. IMDB Rating: 7.3

The Truman Show (1998): Jim Carey stars as an insurance salesman/adjuster who discovers that his entire life is actually a TV show. This movie tied to insurance is a striking play on the appearance/reality tension in our daily lives, especially with the rise of social media and the phenomenon of reality TV. 
IMDB Rating: 8.0

Cedar Rapids (2011): A small-town Iowa insurance agent, Tim Lippe, is dispatched to a regional insurance conference in ‘hicksville’ Cedar Rapids. His mission: Bring home the much-coveted Two Diamond award. It’s a regaling story about corruption and the pursuit of virtue. IMDB Rating: 6.3

Sicko (2007): Documentarian and libertarian political pundit, Michael Moore’s documentary on the ills of US health insurance, and those sufferers under its penurious policies. Makes one thank God for Canadian healthcare. While Moore remains contentious figure, this movie is a stunner, and will certainly not bore you. IMDB Rating: 6.3

The Rainmaker (1997): Starring Danny DeVito, Matt Damon, and Claire Danes. The film is about an idealistic lawyer and his cynical partner who take on a powerful law firm representing a corrupt insurance company. If you thought insurance could make for a boring film, think again. And did I mention it's based on a John Grisham classic?
IMDB Rating: 7.0

The Incredibles (2004): Bob Parr (aka Mr. Incredible) plays an insurance agent before losing his job for assaulting his boss at the fictional Insuricare. His firing is the catalyst for his transformation as a superhero. For those of us languishing in jobs we don't like, or living someone else's dream--regardless of being in the insurance industry or not--this one's for you. Really, the title says it all--doesn't it?
IMDB Rating 8.0

Owning Mahowny (2003): Starring the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and Minnie Driver, it is a film not about the insurance industry per se, but about risk. Hoffman’s character, a bank manager, has both a gambling addiction and access to a multimillion dollar account that he uses to fuel a series of regaling and clandestine gambling episodes. It’s based on the story of the largest one-man bank fraud in Canadian history.
IMDB Rating: 7.1 

A Little Trip to Heaven (2005): Starring Forest Whitaker and Julia Stiles, this film is wrapped around a husband and wife’s tangle with an investigator over her dead brother’s million-dollar insurance policy. Fact or fraud? Whitaker is a brilliant actor, and whenever you have dead bodies and insurance money, things just naturally get interesting.
 IMDB Rating: 6.1

Along Came Polly (2004): A hilarious romantic comedy starring Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston (along with brilliant performances by Alec Baldwin and Philip Seymour Hoffman). Stiller plays a risk-assessor for an insurance company, who, in attempting to live a risk-free life, winds up with Aniston whose life is anything but predictable.
IMDB Rating: 5.9

Beat Aging And Live Awesome With These 10 Rockin Health Tips

Longevity is a huge topic today in the technological world. Scientists and researchers are working tirelessly to find ways to reverse aging for good—and all this by 2029, or earlier.

But beyond the research and speculations, there are some very simple ways you can begin now to increase your longevity. By putting effort into these following activities everyday, you can add more years to your life. 

1. Get Outside: By getting outside you expose your skin to sunlight. The sunlight then triggers cells in your skin to produce Vitamin D, which is essential to bone health, mental well-being, and reducing heart disease and diabetes. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to feelings of fatigue, aches and pains, and even depression.

2. Go for a Walk: Following the above tip to get outside, a simple walk can make a tremendous difference to your overall health. You’ll get the Vitamin D you need, while strengthening your heart, lowering risk of disease, and strengthening your arms and legs. Some studies have shown an increase in intensity of the walk lead to greater longevity. Nevertheless, walking can stimulate brain activity and boost your mood.

3. Floss Your Teeth: Some sources maintain you can add 1.5 – 6 years to your life by simply starting to floss, if you don’t already. By flossing, you prevent gum inflammation, which is a chronic bacterial infection in your mouth. This bacteria can find their way in to your arteries and vital organs. As well, those with gum disease have worse mental functioning than those whose gums are healthy.

4. Reduce Alcohol Consumption: According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, you’re 95 percent more likely to reach age 85 if you keep your daily alcohol consumption to lower than 3 drinks per day. There are in fact many different health risks to alcohol consumption, such as anemia, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and depression (an obvious one, given that alcohol is a depressant). Abstaining from alcohol can lead to weight loss, increased mental functioning, and a better social and familial life--all of which over time lead to a better healthier life.

5. If You’re Looking for a Pet, Buy a Dog:  Has the irresistible face of a dog on an online rescue website caught your attention? There are several ways in which adopting such a pet can boost your longevity. Pet ownership can ward off depression, speed recovery from surgery, and even reduce your visits to the doctor. Elderly dog owners also tend to be slimmer than those who are not owners. Petting dogs lower your heart rate and lower your blood pressure. You sleep better, and are sick less. 

6. Get Out More with Friends and Engage in Community Action: Having community is important for well-being. The more connected one is, the better the overall health.  People in community tend to take on less-risky activities, and take care of themselves and others more. This may seem simple, but face-to-face time (and not Facetime) is becoming more difficult in our technological society.

7. Sleep: There are many studies that point to the connection between insufficient sleep and serious health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. As well, the more rested you are, the more accident-averse you are. Many auto accidents are results of drowsy driving. Sleep helps you learn more, raises your testosterone levels, and helps you build muscle. Those with a good night's sleep are less likely to suffer from depression, and are generally happier and healthier. 

8. Cut Calories and Eat a Vegetable-Rich Diet: Cutting your calories by an eighth and a fourth can lower metabolism (your body’s natural act of breaking down) and insulin levels, and even damage to cellular DNA, which are all active agents in harmful effects of aging.  As well, a diet rich in vegetables helps you avoid bad fats, and get more antioxidants, which ward off free radicals that cause disease. Moreover, it raises brain function and memory.

9. Relax and Enjoy Life:  There’s no point in enhancing your life expectancy if you’re living a life of fear and loathing. Learn to relax more, slow down, take things easier. The world we live in is so fast-paced—but for what? Enjoy your life—each moment. Take a deep breath when you feel your self get stressed or your blood pressure rising. Learn strategies to think positively, rather than dwelling on negativity. 

10. Get Routine Check-Ups: Visiting the doctor for routine check-ups and tests increases your vigilance of life-threatening illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer.

There are so many ways to benefit your life. By following these simple things, and adding more, you will add years to your life, and, more importantly, live a life that is healthier and happier. And when you live a life of discipline and awareness, you will live a better life. Isn't that what all of us want? It's not easy. It requires intent. But the benefits outweigh the effort in getting there.   

5 Important Books That Will Give You A Leg-Up On The Future

We're living in the Information Age. Information is like currency that can be earned, spent, and invested into projects and dreams and ambitions. If you're a business owner or executive, how you gain new information is a critical part of what you do. If you're seeking to move into another job-position or start a company, how you gain and leverage new information will be the difference that makes a difference between being successful or falling short of your goals. As we're entering an age or artificial intelligence, how you up-skill through information acquisition will determine whether you're on the right or wrong side of this change. 

While there is now a plethora of information out there on the net, I continue to glean much from books. As such, here are 5 recommended books that will prepare you for the next 10 years. Some are oldies--by that I mean about 10 years old--and others are pretty current. They touch on a number of key issues in our world; and while they are highly relevant, they are not the only ones important to read. 



1. Collapse: How Societies Choose To Fail Or Succeed

  

This is a classic look at how civilizations rise and fall, and the patterns that almost seem universal. By reading this book, you can draw your own conclusions about where we are as a civilization, and where we should be going. 

2. The Pentagon's Brain

This is a very erudite book about DARPA--Defense Advanced Research Agency. As the Pentagon's brain, this book shows the history of advanced technology in the United States, and its role in geopolitics. It also paints a picture of where technology is going, and what we can expect over the next 20 years. Artificial Intelligence and cyborgs are key areas of research right now, according to the book. It's claimed that DARPA's technology is 10-20 years ahead of that available to civilizations at a given time. This means that what DARPA is working on now can be expected in 10 to 20 years--but with the exponential rate of technological advancement, this could be much sooner.



3. The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

 
Ray Kurzweil's seminal work remains relevant a decade after its publication in 2005. Back then, Kurzweil's projections were claimed no less than outrageous--now they are almost conventional. This book is a very important read for those who want to know where we are heading as a civilization, and when read with the two book above, will be sure to draw out some very fascinating conclusions.

 

4. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future

While the story of Elon Musk is certainly unfinished, this biography offers a glimpse into one of the most important entrepreneurs of the 21st Century. Steve Jobs was a brilliant man; but if his purpose was to "make a dent in the universe," Elon Musk is looking to blast a big hole in it. To get a glimpse of the future, you need to look through the lenses of visionaries and inventors--this book is a good place to start. How do Musk and Kurzweil (an amazing inventor in his own right) push and pull on each other? 



5. Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All

This is a great book on creativity. You know, in this world that is so unpredictable, creativity is a critical 'skill' to have and hone; and this book is a fine place to begin. This book goes into why people often don't consider themselves creativity, and how to get over the humps to a new awareness of themselves. It lays forth the blocks of creativity and how to overcome them. As you're looking to up-skill or enter a new professional challenge, or embark on a new venture, this book will be a good companion indeed.

Reading is important. It's important to take time in your daily schedule to read. Early morning can be a good time to do it--when your mind is fresh and just awakening. Reading before bed is another great time. If you use TV as a sedative, turn it off and pick up one of these books. While you sleep, the ideas will churn around and you'll find yourself awaking the following morning to a kind of new awareness. From there you can plot your course(s) of action. 

Why Big Tech Execs Don't Let Their Kids Use Technology. The Reasons Are Bound To Alarm You.

Remember that ad showing toddlers trying to use a magazine like an iPad? If you haven't seen it already, it's provided below.

Adorable, isn't it. How many parents use these devices to keep their kids occupied, quiet, even engaged? More than we'd imagine. It's just all too easy.

But what if you found out that the people creating these technologies don't let their kids near them? What if you learned that the tech executive million and billionaires are sending their children to schools that have zero technology? What if you read that tech executives will only let their children use technology for 30 minutes on the week-end, and never during the week? 

As Arsenio Hall used to put it: These are things that make you go hmm.....

Here are the reasons why tech executives don't let their kids use technology, and why you shouldn't either:

1. They know more that we do: Those people creating these technologies understand their pitfalls more than we do. They're exceptionally smart, well-educated people who have high expectations for their children. And working in the tech industry, they've witnessed tech-abuse on off-the-charts levels. According to a telling article in the New York Times, Steve Jobs didn't let his children have iPads and such. According to his biographer, Walter Isaacson, at the dinner table Steve would talk to his kids about history and books, and not a computer or iPad was around. 

2. Too young, too addicted: Your child can become addicted to a tablet or mobile phone without being old enough to know it. And tech execs understand that. Chris Anderson, the former editor of Wired Magazine, claims that his kids consider him and his wife tech-fascists for the restrictions imposed on their technology time. Anderson claims he doesn't want his kids becoming addicted like he's been in the past.

3. More tech, more problems: Tech execs don't want their children to be exposed to the dark-side of mobile devices, such as pornography, bullying, and addiction. Anderson maintains the strict rule of no screens in the bedrooms--ever. And some parents will restrict their children from all social media so the children don't have to worry about things posted coming back to haunt them later in life. 

4. Learn better without them: There is a trend among computer executives to send their children to schools that have absolutely no technology simply because the learning is more impactful. A Google executive with a degree in Computer Science from Dartmouth claims his grade 5 child doesn't know how to use Google. Evan Williams, the founder of Blogger, Twitter, and Medium, and his wife claim that in the absence of iPads and other mobile technology, their boys have hundreds of real books they can read anytime. Technology hinders learning and creativity, both of which take place better with hands-on activity with real materials. 

Here are some rules from top tech execs you can begin to impose now to save your children:

1. No technology gadgets during the week when child is under 10. Between 10-14, computers can be used, but for homework only.

2. 30 minutes of technology per day on the week-end.

3. No computers or tablets, etc, in bedrooms.

4. No social media for teenagers, simply given the tracking and profiling of every statement made.

5. No cell phones until child is 14 years old and older. If you have an old iPhone and want to give it your child, disable the wifi and cellular connection.

6. Make distinction between working on a computer and just watching it. If you child is creating something like a movie or a piece of music, be lenient--but regulate it to the living room. 

7. Create a library of good books. With all the computer consumption going on, books have become somewhat cheap--a perfect time to start a library, if you haven't done so already. 

8. Take your kids to the library every week to stock up on books--it'll keep them occupied and away from the computers.

9. Parental restrictions: Would you leave your child in the downtown core of a major city at dusk and drive off? If not, then why would you let them have free reign of the internet? Put some good parental restrictions on all websites and content--after a while, they'll grow tired of fighting it and get their information from books. 

This is not some kind of knee-jerk against technology--these restrictions have been imposed by the very people creating the technology in the first place, including the legendary Steve Jobs himself. If that doesn't give you pause, and question your child's use of technology, I don't know what else would. 

These 12 Ways Of Surviving Extreme Winter Cold Are So Important It's Ridiculous

Winter can be brutal--especially in places that experience deep arctic freezes. If you are facing extreme cold temperatures, here are some ways you can keep yourself warm:

1. Dress appropriately: It sounds straightforward, but remember that when you decide to walk out of the house in your dress shoes and car coat. What happens if you have car trouble, or get in an accident? How will those dainty shoes work for you in the ditch? Best to wear the parka and even boots. Synthetic fabrics are good, and some even keep perspiration away from your body. 

2. Mittens: Yes--mittens! They work better than gloves because your fingers are held together and thus keep your body heat together. I've always wondered why my fingers freeze in gloves.

3. Hats and scarves: What do you want more, nice hair or hypothermia? Put a hat on and if the wind is real severe a scarf wrapped around your neck and mouth is advisable. 

4. Keep informed: Check the weather before you head out in the morning or going out to walk the dog. You don't want to walk out unprepared and get blasted by extreme winds and cold. You'll also want to stay informed over the following several days until the arctic freeze passes.

5. Recognize symptoms of cold weather exposure: 

• Shivering, dizziness, confusion, and exhaustion are signs of hypothermia: if you notice this on yourself or someone else, seek medical attention immediately,
• Grey, white, or yellow skin colouration and waxiness and overall numbness are symptoms of frostbite: seek medical attention

6. Get warm: If you've had overexposure to extreme temperatures, get inside and wrap yourself in blankets and drink warm liquids. 

7. Seek shelter: If you're caught in extreme temperatures, find shelter immediately, whether in buildings or cafe, or your car. If you're outdoors, a hollowed out tree or ditch or even a cave can provide shelter.

8. Keep active: You're going to want to keep your temperature as high as possible. Even when taking shelter somewhere, keep your body moving to stay somewhat warm. 

9. Double-check children's outerwear: Your kids can easily slip outside without a hat or gloves--in extreme cold, this can be hazardous for them. Double check before you leave the house that all your children are bundled up. If one slips out, double-check them also. 

10. Avoid alcohol: Yup--that Gluwein might sound romantic, but in a deep freeze it's not. The alcohol will create blood flow to your extremities thus making you feel warm when you're body's losing heat. 

11. Stay hydrated: You're going to need to drink a lot--unless ordered by your doctor not to. The cold dehydrates your body faster. You know the number one killer of those stranded in the Arctic? It's dehydration, not hunger. People like to use all kinds of body lotions in the winter, for their hands, face, etc. If your body is feeling dry, you could be dehydrated. After drinking, you'll feel your skin moisten up. 

12. Winter vehicle safety kit: You've got to make sure you've got blankets, candle, kitty-litter on hand. If you're confused about the kitty-litter thing, just read my post on how to prepare your winter vehicle safety kit. 

Winter can beat us up. It's important that we are wise and prepared for the cold when it comes. 

These 7 Simple Stress Busters Will Lower Your Cholesterol And Reduce The Risk Of Heart Disease

Do you check food labels before you buy or eat something? Are you concerned about your cholesterol, the amount of sodium you eat, the fat content of your favourite food and snacks? 

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, heart specialists are claiming that stress plays more of a factor in raising cholesterol levels than many people would think. 

Do you not find that to be a sick irony? That our world is moving more rapidly, bosses are demanding results faster and cheaper, media is pushing out more information than we can keep up with, robots are poised to take our jobs--and yet we're learning more about the impact of stress on our bodies? What are we supposed to do when our world is pushing us faster and harder than any generation that has ever existed? What are we to do? 

It's a very difficult thing to consider, for we are rewarded for moving fast, multi-tasking, taking on more projects, launching yet another enterprise, pushing our workers harder, demanding results, outsourcing everything including our meals, rushing here and there... We rush, push, demand, and reap the rewards--or do we? And what really is a reward? Is not health greater than money? Some might say, perhaps, that without money one can't enjoy one's health as much--a load of bunk, if you ask me.

So let's look at some simple tips for reducing stress in your life and thus reaping the health benefits of lower cholesterol, among other things:

1. Slow down: No, really. It's important. You've just got to try to do it. Do you really need to rush everywhere you go? Do you really need to get your heart rate up just to leave the house for the store? Do you really need to cram a million things into your day? No--probably not. Slowing down is critical for releasing stress.

2. Be present: Live in the moment, not in the next deadline, task, or project. If you find your mind and body racing, it's good to stop, breathe, and look around you. Look at how you're feeling. Is your heart racing? Is your head pounding? Are you living in the future or in the now? 

3. Pause: Take a time-out and sit down without any distractions. Find a place outside to sit down, whether a park bench or otherwise. Breathe. Feel the air. Look around you. Let your mind rest. 

4. Avoid distractions: Our mobile devices have the illusion of immediacy, especially when they're blinging away with every notification imaginable. Is it really important? Must you really respond to every email, every text, every FB message within seconds of getting it? Put the phone away, put it on airplane mode, leave it at home--yes, leave it at home--and rid yourself of it for a while. 

5. Walk: You don't need to hit the YMCA 4 times a week to stay healthy--a simple daily walk will do. Walking is amazing for increasing your heart rate, getting oxygen up into your brain, and putting your brain on hold. Many thinkers, as I've written before, swear by their walks for their ability to release the mind from a difficult task allowing breakthrough ideas to come. Try one. 

6. Be grateful: Approaching life with thanksgiving is very important. How many times do we feel we somehow deserve more than we have? How many times do we let our children pass us, or food cross our lips, or the warm house door open without even realizing how fortunate you are? Being grateful, having a heart of thanksgiving, is vital for reducing stress. Try it. When you curse your job, stop and think what it would be like if you were suddenly fired. When your house seems too small, think about how it would feel to have nowhere to live. When your children are driving you crazy, think about how you would feel if anything happened to them. When you fail at a task or don't get what you want or get passed up on that promotion, think about what you would do if you were given only 48 hours to live.

7. Forgive: This is a big one, though some might think it's all too subtle. When someone does you wrong, your stress levels surge--unless you are able to forgive. There are so many health ramifications that arise from a lack of forgiveness. When people hurt us, when we feel wronged, anger and bitterness can fester like an open wound; and that wound can lie open for years and spread through our bodies and minds and hearts in debilitating ways. Have you ever met someone who can't forgive? Have you ever met someone who learned about the power of forgiveness and whose health improved? I have--and it's wonderful. 

The world surges, and our stress surges with it. But the story doesn't have to end there; we can do something about it. The simple tips above will help you today begin the process of reducing your stress, thus lowering your cholesterol, and, consequently, improving the health of your heart. Sounds good, doesn't it. 

Looking For A Cure For Death? Cryonics Could Be Your Solution--But Do You Really Want Your Brain In A Vat?

If you were about to die, and were given the option of freezing yourself to be resuscitated at an unknown future time, would you do it? 

Cryonics: (from Greek κρύος 'kryos-' meaning 'cold') is the low-temperature preservation of animals and humans who cannot be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future.  According to Wikipedia, this process has been around since the 1950s, and involves freezing the body, typically with liquid nitrogen, in the confidence that technology will reach a point at which the body can be resuscitated and the life extended indefinitely. 

Isn't this what Han Solo underwent in the Empire Strikes Back? Isn't this the stuff of Star Wars fantasies? 

Well...

One of the themes of this blog is emergent technology, whether bio or nano or info or genetic. And a sub theme is that modern science and technology are moving closer to making what was once considered mere science fiction a reality. In fact, there are some scientists who claim that science, when at its best, is tantamount to magic. 

Think this is merely the stuff of science fiction? Get this report from the BBC: in October 2015, a two-year old Tai girl became the youngest human to be cryogenically frozen. The procedure was completed just moments after her death in an effort to preserve her brain as much as possible in hopes that one day in the future she'll be brought to life. 

Immortality Quest is a competition that brings the worlds top scientists together to vie for a $100,000 prize. The challenge? Here it is, according to Discovery News:

[Starting with an effective animal model] rigorously demonstrate a surgical technique that can completely — and inexpensively — preserve a whole human brain for more than 100 years in a way that keeps neuronal processes and synaptic connections intact. Plus, you must use current electron microscopic imaging techniques.

Sounds like a piece of cake, right? 

According to the article, two groups have submitted their solutions, one of which--a company out of California called 21st Century Medicine--involves cryogenically preserving the brain through a fixative agent and soaking it in a chemical solution that prevents ice formation. They claim to have succeeded at such a procedure with mice. 

Another solution is a more infotech approach: uploading the human brain to a server and preserving one's memories that way. Some claim that such technology is at least a century away; however, inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil unflaggingly holds that such technology will emerge over the next 10 years. 

What are the ramifications of such a procedure? Would you enter a cryogenic process in the hopes of one day being resuscitated? The question always is, what would you be resuscitated to: like Rip Van Winkle, you'd be waking up to a world you'd barely recognize. Ray Kurzweil in fact shares this concern--at least in a 2002 interview with Wired Magazine:

It is a scary prospect. My biggest concern is the loss of control — the possibility that the reanimation would be done prematurely. So you'd wake up but you'd really be in an impaired state, like locked-in syndrome. There's a profound loss of control. I mean I have enough trouble looking after my interests when I'm alive and kicking. To look after your interests when you're not only frozen in a vat of liquid nitrogen, but don't even have legal status as a person….

That's a big concern: being resuscitated too early, and being stuck in some limbo state or, worse yet, dead. 

Can technology pull such resuscitations off? There's a part of me that believes it can; a part of me that believes science, when taken to its highest state of art, can mimic magic--whether it's wise or beneficial is a different conversation.

So, are you ready to have your brain stored in a vat of liquid nitrogen?

Travelling And Worried About The Zika Virus? These Tips Will Keep You Covered

The Zika virus is becoming an emergent global issue. How it is contracted is becoming more of a concern as health officials are stumbling to get their heads around a virus that threatens to spread to every country on the planet. 

One recent report from the CBC claims that the carrier mosquitos of the virus cannot exist in the cold Canadian climate; nevertheless, officials have put in effect a 21-day donation ban on travellers from infected countries. And a BBC News report claims that a US infection was transferred through sex, not a mosquito: the person infected had not been to an infected country, but his partner had returned from Venezuela. The big issue with Zika of course is it has been linked to thousands of babies born with shrunken brains. The US is currently bracing itself for what the World Health Organization has called a "pandemic in process," as the virus has spread, thus far, to 20 countries.

So let's say you've got a business trip coming up, or a vacation planned to one of the countries that you just can't back out of? Here are some tips:

1. Check the Pan American Health Organization: If you're unclear about whether your destination is infected, check out the PAHO website for ongoing updates. 

2. If you're pregnant, travel is not recommended: Given that the virus is impacts babies in utero, pregnant women are advised to reconsider their plans. In fact, thus far only pregnant women have been advised to reconsider travel plans. If you are pregnant and choose to travel, it will be important to avoid being bitten by mosquitos at all cost. 

3. Avoid being bitten: There are some simple ways to accomplish this: 

• Cover up with long sleeves and pants
• Use insect repellents, particularly those with DEET or picaridin
• Apply sunscreen before applying insect repellent
• Keep doors and windows closed, and use the air conditioning

4. For men: We don't know yet the extent to which the virus is spread through intercourse, but it is advised that men returning from such countries use condoms if your spouse or partner is pregnant or might become pregnant. This should be done for 28 days after returning home if you are not infected and 6 months if you notice symptoms.

5. Take certain remedies, avoid others: If you are infected, there are various remedies safe to take:

• Acetaminophen or paracetamol, to relieve fever and pain
• Do NOT take aspirin or other anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen
• Rest and plenty of liquids
• Avoid further mosquito bites through repellent, etc.

These 10 Reasons For Avoiding The TV Will Change Your Life

I've written a bit over the past week on productivity, personal success, becoming a life long learner, and even about using art and design practices. 

This is a topic whose subject is a tension for me--it's something I'm both drawn to and repelled by, and it is so pervasive that to attempt to remove it from one's life is like going without food or shopping: that subject is TV. It's in almost every home, it's on almost ever hour, and it consumes almost everyone's attention. 

And this is precisely the reason why it should be, at least for a time, removed from your life.

Now I know this is highly contentious and may even sound sanctimonious, but if you want to live a life of productivity and ideas and learning and art and creativity, then you should read on. 

Here are a few reasons why you should seek to watch less and less TV:

1. Wastes time: TV is like 21st Century opium. Indeed Marx famously claimed that religion is the opium of the people, but that was before TV. How much time can you spend just sitting there watching show after show drift by for hours and days on end. It's so relaxing in your comfy pants and couch, slucking your favourite bevy and munching on every kind of carbohydrate imaginable... So many things you could be doing--if you could just turn it off. Not so easy.

2. Shuts down conversation: I like to think I can watch TV and have conversation at the same time, but it's hard to truly listen to someone when my eyes are drawn to all those vibrant megapixels and silky voices. Even when the actors or anchors are saying nothing at all, it's for some reason more captivating than the person next to me... 

3. No voice: When you watch TV, you have no voice, for even when you're watching something funny, it laughs for you. You are unnecessary. When you watch an event take place across the world--all 24 hours of footage--you can't do anything about it. When you watch commenters give a point of view contrary to yours, you cannot address them, except at the screen. 

4. Bio-scrambling: There's more data coming out showing the disastrous effects of TV on children's brains particularly. There was a network in Japan that ran a show whose scenes shifted every 1.5 seconds. When it realized the viewer ratings correlated to the speed of scene-changes, they shifted it to every second--reports came in of children going in literal seizures. Their brains are so malleable; the neural pathways are just forming, and TV can scramble them up. Best to keep them away from the screen and have them play.

5. Those who are on TV don't have them: There are countless actors and producers and entrepreneurs who may be on the TV screen but don't own one. How does this make sense? Wouldn't they be the first to sing their praises? Nope. It's probably because while you're sitting there watching them, they're out getting more work or auditioning for another part, or researching another role. What about the internet or computers or iPads and iPhones? Well, George Lucas claims he has been hiding from the internet since 2000, and Steve Jobs wouldn't let his kids use iPads. Makes you kinda think, doesn't it? 

6. So many better things to do: Think of all the amazing books sitting around your house you haven't read, or those glutting the shelves of your public library. Think of your family with whom you can hang out or go on an outing or read to, draw with, talk to. 

7. Stress: How much good is on TV? Conflict sells. So much of what is being broadcasted on TV is conflict-ridden; it shows more bad news than good; it reveals the worst of human beings rather than their best; it pits people against each other; it raises the hairs on backs with doomsday predictions; it shows suffering and exploitation and oppression and hatred. What does that do to your mind? How does that bring peace and joy to your life? I'm not saying there's nothing good on TV--no. What I'm saying is the majority of it is conflictive in nature primarily because it's interesting and thus keeps people's attention. 

8. Malleability: Humans are highly suggestive. It's probably in our genetic make-up to learn from others and adapt to behaviour that will get us farther ahead in life--but there's an underbelly to that: we can model even those behaviours we find, under normal circumstances, deplorable. There was a study I read once that showed people talking and acting like their favourite Friends characters up to several hours after watching an episode. How much of your thinking is manufactured in such a way? How much of your opinions are shaped by what you are watching? How much of what comes from your mouth is a repeat of cliches and slangs and faulty logic you've watched on television? Think about it. 

9. Change your habits: When you're watching TV you're zoned out; you're often so drawn into the show that you're hardly thinking. One of the great scholars in the field of creativity, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, claims that you're using the same level of creativity while watching TV as you would while using the bathroom--no joke! Instead of watching TV, begin changing your habits: incorporate a book per week and learn the art of reading; spend more quality time with your family; begin to incorporate the habits of successful people and the ways to think like a designer; make goals lists and try to accomplish all of them. You'll be a different person when you turn off, and tune in, and return to, life. 

10. TVs are getting 'smarter': TVs are becoming smart TVs, which means they are equipped with surveillance technology that records what you watch and even video records you while you're watching it. And where does that data go? The manufacturer. And what does the manufacturer do with that data? Whatever makes it more money. With smart TVs, there is no such thing as privacy.