How do you manage a crisis with little time between the story going public and reporters calling?
“I’m on deadline!” the harried journalist yells. This is a euphemism for “I’m very busy.” There were also literal deadlines. An old-fashioned newspaper went “to bed” because the printing press was bolted to the floor on what was called the “bed.” The presses started running in time to get the newspaper out the door. It…
Telling someone to "do the research" may in fact do more harm than good
The expression that beauty, or art, is in the eye of the beholder means that it’s the viewer who decides. The same is true of the beholder of news stories. More simply, new research shows us, again, that news consumers see what they want to see. The latest research data comes from the ongoing conflict…
We are paying the price in degraded focus for constantly being on our devices
The pandemic has brought on new debates about the nature of work. We’ve seen fads over the decades – the predicted four-day workweek, sabbaticals, job sharing, full-time part-time, hotelling, working from home, and now hybrid work. All are euphemisms for not working 37.5 hours per week in an office. Seamless work really means you’re always…
It has dulled our ability to have face to face relationships
Something is happening to human communication because of our reliance on technology. Technology is a mediating force – getting in between actual humans and their interaction. Technology also affects us physically and mentally. If you work on a computer all day, you are susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome and a stiff neck. Use a hand-held…
Exposure to material that advocates violence and extremism likely leads to it
When General Edwin A. Walker was fired, the evidence against him was very clear. He had been distributing right-wing John Birch Society (JBS) pamphlets implying that his President – John F. Kennedy – was a traitor. General Walker fought with former President Dwight D. Eisenhower over school integration too. The John Birch Society accused Eisenhower…
I'm thinking I would have better luck taking my chances with fraudsters
What do we do when efforts to preserve our privacy are more of an intrusion than the potential lack of privacy? Take banks. We can all be the victims of identity theft and fraud. We need to be careful. So do banks. A generation ago, a few pieces of ID got a check cashed. No…
Public statements disclosing our intentions not to engage in an actual war were stupid
What if the following occurred at a Prime Ministerial news conference? Reporter #1: Prime Minister, there are reports that most or all of our ships at CFB Esquimalt on the west coast have left port. Can you tell me where they’re headed? PM Trudeau: This is a normal military action. Ships must leave port regularly…
Canadian deterrence simply consists of heavy breathing from Trudeau
Those who worry about hyperbolic accusations of an authoritarian government in Canada because of recent events need not worry. Wouldn’t an authoritarian government have been better able to direct police to prepare for the truckers’ convoy and related protests? They did, after all, have a month’s notice. Ottawa's ineffectiveness proves we don’t have totalitarian tendencies…
Putin reignites the Cold War
I don’t often write about house-to-house combat, so I’ll seize this opportunity as Russians attempt to seize cities in Ukraine. A primary consideration in war is how to get from one spot to another while supplying your troops. In the U S. Civil War there was a good road from the south winding up to…
The “theatre” of security is not actual security
In the current Canadian Freedom Convoy emergency, it’s important to remember that we have the “theatre” of security, not actual security. We have badges, signs, uniforms, guns, scans, and pat-downs. We’re told to say something if we see something but are not told what to look for or whom to tell. This theatre accomplishes less…