Guilty - until proven otherwise

Toronto's Mayor Ford has been pronounced guilty - at least in the court of public opinion. He is guilty of smoking crack in an alleged video, which 3 people have alleged to have seen, there are also many sources, all nameless, who have claimed about various illegal acts that he has committed. Ford's biggest problem appears to be that he has not come out an outrightedly denied these allegations. He is tippy toeing around them. But is this really fair to him? Also, what interest does it serve the city of Toronto and its resident to prove or disprove whether or not he has smoked cocaine? Will the taxes increase/decrease because of it? Will there be a change in the level of service that Torontonians receive change because of it?

Come to think of it, is there not two sets of rules here? I mean what if you go out an allege that your neighbor has committed a serious crime but when asked for proof you respond that you are protecting your sources and will not reveal them. What will happen if you dont share the names of your sources, yet you keep on reminding everyone that the illegal act has actually been committed and everyone can take their word for it. I bet that this will land in a court of law and you will be penalized severely - as should be the case. Yet the media appears to be free from providing the burden of proof. They do not have to answer question as to why they didnt buy the alleged video first before making the allegation - after all the video was up for sale, at least according to them. 

Another major concern with the Ford's case is that the amount of reporters who appear to have been assigned on Ford's file by the Toronto Star and now the Globe and Mail. Imagine that there are people who are getting paid to do nothing else but to come to work to sift through data, past records, his personal files, call his associates. In short do whatever that they have to, to get some flaw (or dirt, as it is called) on him. I guess politicians are fair game but his case is not similar to that of Senator Duffy or Senator Wallin who have helped themselves to some  (ok lots of) free money by cheating the system and have not got caught red handed. This is a guy who did, sorry alleged to have done something, which the city of Toronto nor its residents will be affected.

This is neither fair nor right.

What a wonderful world

As I was cycling through the Petticoat Creek’s wooded area with my son, I could not help but think that this is truly a wonderful world. The lake next to us and the sounds of the waves crashing into the rocks, was the most melodious of music. The wind gushing through causing the trees laden with the heavily leafed branches, dancing to stay straight. It was a sight to behold. And as if it was not enough, to top it off, we came across a couple of deer who were prancing around, perhaps to catch a glimpse of the heavenly scene.

Oh what a wonderful world.

Lets face it - We like neagtivity

Negative ads work in political arena. It is not a hypothesis. It is a fact. You don't have to look far - Prime Minister Harper has won 3 successive federal elections due to it. In all these elections, he didn't focus on what he will do but trained his guns on his opponent. Often times the stuff he was bringing up was all far fetched fabrications, yet he still won.

Liberal's BC win is another example of why negative campaigning works

Toronto Star's vendetta against Toronto Mayor and Councillor Fords is also leveraging our baser instincts.

But lets not look at the political arena how about our private households or the social scene at the office. Does not gossiping always find attentive ears.

Perhaps the reason why gossiping is so popular, negative political ads are so effective and malicious news stories sell is because we as humans are creatures focusing on flaws. If there would have been more people focusing on the positives, we should be seeing more positive ads. If we would focus on facts, then rumors will not be finding any legs to travel (or wings to fly). What is it in us that tends to always get attracted to the meanest instincts. Mind you we always condemn it. We always complain that (other) people should stop doing it. But this holier than thou attitude is yet another example that we are primarily attracted to negative or base emotions

Fords and the media

The media is continuing to train its guns on the Fords. With his weight problems, his "intellectual" style and interesting choice of words and often times, his actions, he remains an interesting target for the media. After all, the news has to sell. For the news to sell, it has to be entertaining. And Mayor Ford provides ideal recipe for the media.

Toronto Star has set aside at least 2 full time reporters on Ford. Globe and Mail also has followed suit. Their job description is simple. Get as much dirt as possible on Ford. These journalists appear to be very well thorough and also honest. When Torontonians think about the Star, they equate it to the neatly dressed, kind and thoroughly factual, honest journalists that these guys are. The reality is that it is not about these journalists. It is about the full might of the multi millon dollar industry.

After all, why are these journalists asked to dig up stuff on the Fords. What difference does it matter what Fords have done decades ago. It will have no impact whatsoever in the lives of the Toronotonians. What should count is the politics and the effectiveness now. 

Mayor is claiming to be saving the city $65 M. Lets challenge him on that. Make sure that he is counting it correctly. Identify other areas that he should be reducing. Also, lets not forget to congratulate him for championing this.

Best Uses of Time

Best uses of your time:

• Attempting different things that hardly anyone else is doing
• Utilizing books to educate yourself
• Developing intellectual property
• Meditating and exercising
• Laughing and being playful

Those who make us proud

There are people that you hear about who are welfare bums. Who choose to enjoy the handouts. And then there are those that work really really hard - day in and day out, just to make ends meet. Yet refusing a handout. At times even refusing a handup. 

We all have come across those individuals. Who smile in the face of adversity. Who always respond with, "Very Well, thank you", each and every time they get asked about their well being. They are proud to not bore you with the tales of their ill fortunes.  Life may have thrown everything at that them, but they carry their burden with a smile, with their head held high. They are amazing human beings. 

I am proud to know them.

Is Doug Ford right about the media?

Doug Ford vigorously defended himself against the allegations by the Globe and Mail of him being a drug dealer. He trained his guns on the media. His point was simple. They (ie the media) is out to get him and his family because the Fords are standing up to the special interests groups. Is he right?

He appears to be.

It is interesting to see that both the centrist and left wing media has launched a full scale attack on the Fords' character. The attacks have been horrendous.They included a range of allegations, some as serious as sexual assault and drug trafficking. None of these allegations have been proven. In fact for drug use and trafficking, even the sources of these allegations have not been revealed. In other words, the Torontonians are expected to take the word of the journalists at face value. The rationale being, what do these journalists have to gain by lying. After all, these are professionals and wont jeopardize their careers by fabricating facts.

The argument of journalistic integrity makes sense. However the bigger issue is that what is the relevance of what Fords are doing in their private lives to their political activities. More importantly, why has the media decided to unleash their enormous  resources and asked the journalists to go and fetch any dirt that they can dig up about the Fords. Yes they are running the city but so are many others who are leading many other important organizations (I am thinking of the Premiers of the various provinces, the Ministers, the Prime Minister etc). Why are the Fords so news worthy?

I think Doug Ford has a point when he says that the Fords are being unfairly treated by the media.

I have not been a supporter of the Fords (due to their political views). But they should be given the respect and people, specially the media, needs to focus on their political agenda. To be fair to the Fords, that is what they have been asking for.

Cricket and the culture of greed

"No point cancelling the tournament" screamed a headline in one of the popular cricket website. This of course after fresh arrests made by the police on May 24. This time reaching the upper echelon of the IPL masterminds and managers.

For those who dont know, IPL stands for India Premier League. It is a professional organization in the world of Cricket. For those living in Europe you can think of it as the FA cup and for those living in North America, it is somewhat similar to the NHL or MLB. It involves huge amounts of money and huge contracts for the players. More importantly, it also invites the attraction of gamblers. These gamblers are putting millions of dollars worth of bets on various facets of the game eg runs being scored, who scores them, who does not score, including the results of the game. The gamblers are willing to go the distance and pay money to players for not performing in certain segments of the game. In other words they, and they includes both the gamblers and the players, cheat.

There have been numerous instances of cheating which have been rumored (yet remains unproven) and also instances where the proof was so enormous that the players and now officials of the game, have been arrested. 

These cricketers have actually robbed the fans of their love of the game. Now ever time that a catch gets dropped, or someone gets out in what appears to be a soft dismissal or other things like that happens, the fans remain unsure whether it is a simple (un)lucky event or are there bigger principles at play here. 

Cricket has been around for over 100 years. It has survived many ups and downs, changes in the culture, expansion into different corners of the world, the pace of life. Yet this is one body blow that may rob it of its fan base, if it goes uncorrected.

Think to Win (or Lose)

Ottawa Senators is a fantastic hockey club. Daniel Alfredsson, the Captain of the team and a fine hockey player has contributed a lot to its success and prestige. So it was a surprise when Ottawa Senator loyalist were upset with him over his post game comments on May 22. 

Alfredsson was asked after the loss to Pittsburgh Penguins if Ottawa can win the next 3 games. They needed to do that to win the 7 game series against the Penguins. Alfredsson's response was "Probably Not".

Alfredsson's clarified later that he was telling the truth or being realistic.  

Was he doing the right thing by being realistic?

Probably not. 

In the book by Bob Skura, "How the Great Golfers Think", there is an interesting principle that Bob has talked about. It is about Positivity.

The principle is very simple. 

Just like when you search for something in Google, it fetches you the search results for that specific word(s), our mind does the same thing. You ask the question of yourself, "How I suck so much?" or "How can I be so stupid?" and the brain will faithfully and efficiently supply you with the responses to your question. It will not understand that you actually are not looking for responses for these questions but are instead are being sarcastic. If you change the question and ask "So how can I fix this?" And you will be provided with the responses for this question. It is absolutely critical that we ask the right question and talk "correctly".

As it turned out, Ottawa was "stream rolled" by the Penguins in the next game, exactly as Alfredsson predicted so realistically. 

So had Alfredsson answered the question differently, would the result have been any different? Possibly.

Harper Conservatives should thank Ford for taking the heat off them

What goes on in personal lives of politicians should remain personal (to them). At least that is the view I have. Though it is at times enticing and entertaining to peek into the personal lives of others yet we don't do it as we consider it to be impolite and unconscionable. Yet when it comes to politicians, we use a different yard stick. We have no qualms in taking our turn at the peep hole to see what is going inside their bedrooms and what are they doing at the crack houses. Instead of feeling guilty we enjoy their tales of human failings and share that with each other without any qualms, at times just to fill up dead air

After all, whatever that Clinton and Monica Lewinsky had going between them, was not affecting the lives of Americans in any tangible way. Similarly, whether or not Ford has smoked crack or not, does not affect ordinary Torontonians. 

Though I strongly hold the views about entitlement of personal freedom by politicians, I am still upset that Rob Ford is continuing to be mute about the allegations of him smoking crack. The reason is simple. It does not really affect me what he does in his spare time, ie coaching a football team, smoking crack, or being a good father to his kids. It does however affect me when his past time squabbles are affecting city business. By not speaking to the media, sneaking out of his office through back doors and playing all kinds of cat/mouse games that you can think of, this guy has turned this whole episode into a circus. He is not a politician any more but an entertainer. And this is not what he was elected to do.

Worse than him not being able to effectively run city business (because from what has been reported, he was hardly in the office in the first place even before this issue came about), he has provided a perfect get away to Prime Minister Harper and his Conservative government. And this is affecting ordinary Canadians big time. After all, $90 000 to Senator Duffy, his strange and dubious expense claims, should be the only political story at this time. Yet Ford's daily entertainment has caused that serious matter to be over shadowed.

Now the Senate corruption scandal is important. Boring yes. Entertaining, no. Important, yes. Why? Because it involved public officials (unelected politicians, be it in the PMO or in the Senate, embezzling heaps and heaps of tax payers money. Yet somehow this cant be reported because there is no air time available to discuss it.

This, to me, is the real tragedy.

Dream On

"The biggest mistake is not dreaming big dreams". This was inscribed in a message in a local elementary school of Karachi. And how true is it.

Whether it is individuals, organizations,  sports teams, enterprises or nations. As soon as the courage to dream big or make big bets die, the journey downwards start.

So how compelling is your dream? Have you thought about who your legacy? What is the one thing that you will be remembered for? Remembered by?

It all starts with a dream.

Risk Taker or Utter Fool - Part 1

So here is something interesting. Toronto's mayor Rob Ford has a weight challenge - ok to put it bluntly he is overweight, way overweight, some may call him fat. And he decided to lose a few pounds. Which is a great thing. After all, it is great for health and in the "thin and health conscious culture that we are in, it is fantastic. Loosing weight will also make him look sharper - an added bonus. So why did he become a laughing stock of Torontonians planning on losing weight? Well .... It is somewhat of an interesting story.

His worship, decided to make it a very public commitment and spectacle of him losing weight. Perhaps the idea was to inspire others to do so. Or perhaps it was a strategy to distract his opponents who were saying he is not putting in 8 hours a day. Or perhaps, he felt that it is a great idea at the time. Well, whatever the reason is. He did decide to make his weight loss a big deal (pardon the pun). He called the men and women of the press. Told them that he is going to stop the gravy train. And will do so publicly. He also told them that for those who deride him for not having a plan. He told the press folks that he has one. It is simple and yes, it is fool proof. He will weigh in every week. And these weigh ins will be very very public. All will be welcome. Including the Toronto Star and Canada's irrepressible Warrior Princess, Marg Delahunty of CBC.

Well he started of with the initial weigh in. I cant recall what it was - likely around 500 lbs (rounding off). He cancelled in the weigh in for the next week as it interfered with his scheduled stop to McDonald's for a quarter pounder for his morning snack. He did struggled through the weigh ins for 3-4 weeks - on and off. And finally decided to give up. For all his struggles, he was not any thinner, sharper or smarter than what he was when he started the public weigh ins.

Perhaps, and this is something that I dont think is his fault but his advisers',  he should have not decided to go so damn public with his weigh ins. Perhaps he should have "kicked the tires" so to speak in privacy to see if he can actually go through it. May be for a month, or at least a week, or at least by skipping a meal to see what it feels like. And more importantly if he actually can go through with it

But alas our mayor is a risk taker. Or is he ...?  

Hold off to your judgement as there is more to come

The Perfect Cure

So you are stuck in a boring conversation, are dealing with a way to get out of an awkward situation, trying to get a point across to an inattentive audience, or some other situation like that. 

Well, we have all been there.

And we have all tried different ways to "fix" this. Some with success and other times without success.

But there is a way which is sure to work all the time. It is simple. Does not require much effort.

It is sure to the most inattentive audience to start listening. It will help the boring conversation into a lively note, though no guarantee that the lively notes will continue.

That neat little trick is called laughter. If you can get the audience to find laughter in a boring situation, they are sure to tune to listen in to your point of view. You have done that before and you have also seen its success.

I read a while back that if you can cause the first 3 people you meet in the morning to laugh, then that will significantly increase the chances of you having a happy day. Sounds like it is worth the investment.

Want to give it a try?

Marathon - One step at a time

A marathon is 40 km - 26 miles if you prefer the British Imperial System. That is a lot of kilometers.  So if you are a runner and want to conquer this mountain of distance how would you do it?

There is no other way but to put one step in front of the other.

Sounds simple and straightforward? Yet how often do we look at an enormity of a task and are awed into inaction by it. In other words, the problem is the mental incapacity and not the physicality of the task itself.

In "How Great Golfers Think", Bob Skura has highlighted this mental aspect. The idea again is fairly simple. Break the task down into smaller chunk. How big is small? As big that you can wrap your mind around it. For a marathon, it may mean 8 segments of 5 km. 

Still a lot of distance, but 5 kms is definitely much more simpler than 40!

The One Thing

A colleague, who shall remain unnamed, confided, "I don't have time for anything. Too many emails. Too much to do. "

Sounds familiar. 

There is a simple way to address this challenge. The formula is to focus on things that you can include in your resume. In other words, don't just work on doing things but focus on doing things which matters. As an example, don't worry about responding to emails within 10 mins but perhaps focus on creating a process to address an important issue that the organization is facing. Help move the yardstick forward. Doing mundane tasks will not be the way to go about doing it

Come to think of it, we can apply the same principle in our personal lives. By focusing on things which matter, we can weed out the other 100s of things that we have to do but it does not matter if they really get done.

If you have not defined that One Thing that is important to you, then you may be finishing 100s of things but are not really accomplishing anything.

Do you know what that One Thing is for you?

Ideas from The Happiness Project

I liked The happiness Project. It is one of a few books which made me reflect and helped me grow. It is a good read with several interesting ideas. Following are some which I found appealing 

• take time for happiness by not making life an efficient project  Often times we rush through life. Whether it is the time when kids are getting ready for school, doing household chores, planning for an event eg birthday parties or any parties, vacation etc. It is ok to waste time and let kids and yourself "waste" time by not focusing on the task at hand. 

• we are happy when we "grow". When we buy a new car, house or get a promotion etc, we are actually growing. However after some times we get acclimatized in that environment and the happiness feeling wears off because we are not growing. Learning new things, whether it is a new language, learning to use new activities eg skating, snowboarding, roller blading etc, can actually enhance happiness as it leads to growth as long as the goals are something that we consider worthwhile

• Anticipation of a happy event creates more happiness than the actual event itself. For example, if you are planning for a vacation, you likely will have more pleasure and happiness as you go through the steps of choosing where to go, deciding about which activities to do during the vacation, even packing for the vacation then the actual event itself. In other words,dwell on the happy moments
• Just like you have more fun planning ahead for happy events, you get more currency when you reflect over it.  Happy memories bring happiness even after the event has ended. Similarly, when you think about an unhappy event, you are effectively living it again. Avoid that

• There are four stages for enjoying a happy event:

1. anticipation 
2. savoring 
3. expression
4. reflection 

Other ideas - though not really unique

• look at each day as a bonus and cherish it. Instead of taking it for granted that you have a "normal" day, consider the fact that you have got an extra day to live, enjoy

• instead of having new year resolutions for the entire year, it is better to have new year's resolution which are short term. For example instead of having 12 resolutions which you want to accomplish in a year, you will be more successful if you have 1 resolution for each month. Also make these resolutions very visible. 

The 7 mins workout

It was coincidental that I read about the 7 min workout while on the bike at the gym today. The idea is appealing - instead of spending hours to get yourself in decent healthy shape, all you need to do is spend 7 mins. Yes that's it only 7 mins! Sort of like a fast food of an exercise. And yes it is based on science.

Here it how it works:

There are 12 exercises. Each is to performed for 30 secs at high intensity. Intensity level should be 8+ on a scale of 1-10. After 30 sec, there is a 10 second of rest.

Equipment required is nothing more than a chair and a wall (to lean on). 

That's it!

NY Times has a good depiction of the exercises