If you want my attention, money or my loyalty here is my top ten ways you as a marketer or person can keep me and other introverts from wishing bad things would happen to you.
1.Don't invade my personal space-I don't like interruptions, uninvited visits or phone calls. I hate telemarketers, so much, my old answering machine message stated "If you are family, leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible, if you are trying to sell me something, hang up now!" It was quite effective, but a bit long. Anyway back to my point, extroverts will take the call, listen to your shpeel, politely tell you their not interested, four times! Then hang up, huff, puff, hit the high blood pressure button, yell, and curse the devil. Introverts get call display, get an answering machine and have your number blocked. Also they have no qualms whatsoever about hanging up on you or closing the door in your face. I'm not your friend I don't care if you think I'm rude.
2.Intoverts are info junkies-I would rather read those stupid ads on a bus than listen to someone yak non stop about their favourite ways to get drunk for fifteen minutes. So listen up marketers, put ads on buses that are interesting. Forget the booze ads, try ones that promote literacy and the arts. Or just try to sell me something I or the guy telling the dumb story can use mouthwash and deordarant.
3.I'm an introvert, just because I have an intent look on my face and don't say anything while you talk, it doesn't mean I'm brain dead!-Just because you talked to me doesn't mean I care a damn about what you have to offer. Make your point, and make it quick, if I'm interested I take your reading material and study it and get back to you if it interests me. This point is expecially for you religious groups who see fit to bug you at 8:00am on a Sunday in the middle of January. While not getting the hint to remove your foot from my door so I can close it and keep my heat in. You insist on wasting my time on stupid querries like do you think their is room in the world for more than one religious deity. Um, yes! You intolerant Judas goat!
4.The cute act doesn't cut it cookie!- Just because introverts tend to internalize and keep their personalities under raps, doesn't mean we don't have one. So don't act like a chihuahua on crack. Don't be giggly, peppy, over positive, enthusiastic or act like you just took the Tony Little motivation home course. Instead, be polite, know your stuff, get to the point, leave written material or menu and get lost.
5.Don't ASS-U-ME-As the old saying goes, or you the extrovert may end up getting my goat and looking like the donkey. Just because you may or may not hang out with important people and throw their names around like water, I don't care, it doesn't make me jealous because I don't know these people. Just because intoverts see no reason to window dress their egos like a two bit hooker and are willing to risk not getting ahead in the company because they aren't agressive in selling themselves, that doesn't mean they are losers, it just means me have the patience to wait until our skills sell themselves.
6.Once we make up our minds, that's it!-This means N O H Y P E. Not now! Not ever! Not only does brow beating not work, it is exhausting to introverts because we give energy while extroverts suck energy. When I get tired from hearing the same stupid thing over and over, I get irratable and annoyed. To quote Popeye, "I'se give, till I kansk take no more!" Than I start grabbing for the spinach!
7.Introverts are greatly afraid of making mistakes in public and don't like being humiliated-If you have something to say to me of a sensative or personal nature, do this in private. Give clear instructions and a demonstration of what you want. Then leave it with me and go! Don't hover over me. No matter how confident in my abilities I am you will make me feel like a child again.
8.Introverts hate small talk-With a passion! If you would like to make an excellent first impression, be polite and come quickly to the point. Above all, don't ask personal questions and by that I mean things that are none of your business, like where do you live, I don't want to invite you to my house.
9.Introverts hate rambling phone calls and cell phones are a neccessary evil not gods creation-Don't phone me and yak on about what your kids did in kindergarten, what you had for dinner or your beef with the hydro company. Surprise! I don't care! If I need to contact you, the introvert is an excellent writer of their thoughts, I will email you with a percise question and I expect the same in the form of a response.
Oh, please don't give me your facebook nickname, I'm not into instant chat and I don't want to be your buddy. I believe in the old ways of decorum when communicating, I hate bad grammer and stupid short hand, don't give me "lol" or I'll give you "wtf!".
While I'm on a role if I'm talking to you and your cell phone goes off, don't expect me to stand their while you yak. I'll get back to you when your not so busy.
10.Introverts say what they mean-If you haven't guessed. Please feel right at home and ad a comment if you wish. I may respond. Wink.
Later,
Kenaz
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
The myth of the "anti-social" Introvert
The trait of Extroversion-Introversion is a key stone of human personality. Extroverts are gregarious, assertive, and generally seek out excitement. Introverts, in contrast, are more reserved, less outgoing, and less sociable. They are not necessarily asocial, but they tend to have smaller circles of friends, and are less likely to thrive on making new social contacts.
Most people mistakenly believe that an extrovert is a person who is friendly and outgoing. The proverbial "life of the party". While that may be true, that is not the true meaning of extraversion. Essentially, an extravert is a person who becomes energized when in contact with other people; while an introvert is a person who finds the energy within themselves.
Extroverts tend to "fade" when alone and can easily become bored without other people around. When given the chance, an extravert will talk with someone else rather than sit alone and think. Extraverts tend to think as they speak, unlike introverts who are far more likely to think before speaking.
Extroversion is defined as "the act, state, or habit of being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self" according to Websters Dictionary. Extroverts tend to enjoy human interactions and to be enthusiastic, talkative, assertive, and gregarious. They take pleasure in activities that involve large social gatherings, such as parties, community activities, public demonstrations, and business or political groups. An extraverted person is likely to enjoy time spent with people and find less reward in time spent alone.
Introversion is "the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one's own mental life". Introverts tend to be quiet, low-key, deliberate, and relatively non-engaged in social situations. They take pleasure in solitary activities such as reading, writing, watching movies, listening to music, inventing, and designing. An introverted person is likely to enjoy time spent alone and find less reward in time spent with large groups of people (although they may enjoy one-to-one or one-to-few interactions with close friends).
According to Carl Jung, introversion and extraversion refer to the direction of psychic energy. If a person’s energy usually flows outwards, he or she is an extravert, while if this energy normally flows inwards, this person is an introvert. Extroverts feel an increase of perceived energy when interacting with a large group of people, but a decrease of energy when left alone. Conversely, introverts feel an increase of energy when alone, but a decrease of energy when surrounded by a large group of people.
Extroversion-introversion is normally measured by self-report. For example the Myers-Briggs Personality Type test. In her studies of people and extensive reading of Jung's theories, Isabel Briggs Myers concluded there were four primary ways people differed from one another. She labeled these differences "preferences" - drawing a similarity to "hand preferences" to illustrate that although we all use both of our hands, most of us have a preference for one over the other and "it" takes the lead in many of the activities in which we use our hands.
The first set of mental preferences relates to how people "Perceive" or take in information. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the second letter. "S" Those who prefer Sensing Perception favor clear, tangible data and information that fits in well with their direct here-and-now experience. "N" In contrast, those who prefer Intuition Perception are drawn to information that is more abstract, conceptual, big-picture, and represents imaginative possibilities for the future.
The second set of mental preferences identifies how people form "Judgments" or make decisions. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the third letter.
"T" Those who prefer Thinking Judgment have a natural preference for making decisions in an objective, logical, and analytical manner with an emphasis on tasks and results to be accomplished. "F" Those whose preference is for Feeling Judgment make their decisions in a somewhat global, visceral, harmony and value-oriented way, paying particular attention to the impact of decisions and actions on other people.
There are two other mental preferences that are part of the Myers-Briggs model: Energy Orientation and Outer World Orientation. The first one is the dimension of personality discovered by Carl Jung that became widely adopted by general psychology: Extraversion-Introversion. The second is the dimension of personality that is Myers' unique contribution to Jung's theory, an element she inferred from Jung's work but was not clearly addressed as an essential component of his theory of types. This is the style or orientation one uses in dealing with the external world: Judging or Perceiving.
Energy Orientation pertains to the two forms of Energy Consciousness each of us experiences on a daily basis. We occupy two mental worlds: one is inwardly turned, the other is outward. One of these worlds is our elemental source of energy; the other secondary. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the first letter.
"I" Those who prefer Introversion draw their primary energy from the inner world of information, thoughts, ideas, and other reflections. When circumstances require an excessive amount of attention spent in the "outside" world, those preferring Introversion find the need to retreat to a more private setting as if to recharge their drained batteries.
"E" In contrast, those who prefer Extraversion are drawn to the outside world as their elemental source of energy. Rarely, if ever, do extraverted preference people feel their energy batteries are "drained" by excessive amounts of interaction with the outside world. They must engage the things, people, places and activities going on in the outside world for their life force.
While the E-I dimension was Jung's gift to general psychology, unfortunately it has been widely distorted into a well-unwell scale with characteristics of Introversion being cast in a negative light and conversely characteristics of Extraversion cast in a positive light. This cultural bias frequently leads natural introverted types to mis-identify their primary preference as Extraversion.
Extraverted Orientation relates to which mental preference one relies upon in dealing with/relating with the Outside World. It is the mental function that takes the lead in the Extraverted portion of a person's personality. When this leading function is one of the two Judging mental preferences, then this orientation is called Judging. When this leading function is one of the two Perceiving mental preferences, then this orientation is called Perceiving. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the fourth letter.
"J" Those who prefer Judging rely upon either their T or F preference to manage their outer life. This typically leads to a style oriented towards closure, organization, planning, or in some fashion managing the things and or people found in the external environment. The drive is to order the outside world. While some people employ an assertive manner, others "ordering touch" - with respect to people - may be light.
"P" Those who prefer Perceiving rely upon either their S or N preference to run their outer life. This typically results in an open, adaptable, flexible style of relating to the things and people found in the outside world. The drive is to experience the outside world rather than order it; in general lack of closure is easily tolerated.
For person's whose Energy Orientation preference is E, the Extraverted Orientation (J or P) points to their dominant function, ergo "what you see is what you get." But for those whose Energy Orientation favors I, their Extraverted Orientation (J or P) is opposite their dominant function. Thus the four IxxJ types - whose extraverted style is Judging - are actually Perceiving types on the inside! Thus their extraverted "personality" can mask their primary nature. Likewise the four IxxP types - whose extraverted style is Perceiving and thus tend to have an open style - are actually on the inside Judging oriented!
After taking the Myers Briggs Personality Type? test I wasn't all that surprised with the results. As an introvert, I am
dependable, reliable and trustworthy, I thrive to belong to a solid organisation or employer that are reasonable in their goals and loyal to their employees. I feel useful when my roles and responsibilities are clearly established and enjoy clear feedback on productivity in tangible ways. I'm extremely modest, I prefer tradition and convention over extravagance, I like sensible clothing, I prefer thrift stores and am very careful and wise with both money and possessions.
When I'm given a project, I will see it to the end, sometimes over obsessively though. I manage time well and pretty realistic about how much time and resources will be needed. The only draw back is that if I am given an hour to do something I find it a personal goal to do it in half the time, and then get really anxious if the next task isn't immediately available. This can lead to a feeling that I am doing more than an extrovert who finds way to do a task more slowly.
I don't like change, I prefer familiarity and calm. I have stayed within a few kilometers of the neighbourhood I was raised in all my life. When I purchase something, it is after careful consideration; rarely will I buy something without having a need or use for it. Many of my possessions are personal gifts that may not have cost a lot, rather they where given out of love, and those are the ones that I cherish the most.
I tend to remember specific facts that are necessary in their day-to-day life at work and at home. I remember facts by connecting them with past experiences that have been proven trustworthy.
"A fact once experienced may be the product of circumstance and happenstance; it is not in and of itself reliable. When an introverted sensing type hears an idea, they rummage through reams of archived facts to find an experience that provides information for the relevance and realism of an idea. When an introverted sensing type utters, "It's never been done!" they are saying that no information about the relevance or usefulness of the idea is available to them. They tend to shy away from surprises and what is perceived as unnecessary change."
One of the biggest myth about introverts is "their must be something wrong with them" This couldn't be more wrong, the biggest difference between introverts and extroverts is how they react to stress.
Some people don’t understand how introverts react to stress. Because of this, they think that all introverts are “neurotic” or mentally ill. Let me explain why this is a misperception.
When extroverts are stressed they “act out”. They may smoke, drink, yell and scream, throw a punch, stomp around or generally raise the roof. Although this behavior is difficult and even obnoxious, it is not considered “mentally ill”.
When introverts are stressed, they withdraw. They do this to recharge their batteries, not because they are neurotic. Introverts need time alone to bring order back into their inner world. They give energy to others and receive energy when alone.
Let me reiterate some key points about 10% to 25% of the population who may have been told as children to "get out more" or "don't be so quiet". Introverts are territorial. Someone cannot take your seat, move your stuff, lean on your desk, ignore your closed door or borrow your clothes without making you very angry. Introverts need time alone to recharge their batteries. If denied time alone, you may become irritable and depressed.
Introverts value privacy. When your boundaries are disregarded, when someone has a loud personal conversation on their cell phone in your captive presence, such as waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store, you can be annoyed and offended.
Introverts fear failure in public and experience deep humiliation because of it. If the teacher grabs you for a demonstration of a new skill or your spouse puts you on the spot to put a bicycle together it can be extremely stressful. Introverts prefer to communicate in writing. They may feel exhausted by too much verbal communication that “isn’t going anywhere”. Introverts hate small talk. Introverts like to be prepared. If rushed to present a solution or opinion, they may be extremely uncomfortable and sometimes refuse to do so at all.
Just because you see someone or work with someone who internalizes their feelings and aren't the one who is the first to lead the team, it doesn't mean they don't have ideas to share. Sometimes the "quiet man" is the one who has the most to share. It is theorized that Albert Einstein was an introvert.
Later,
Kenaz
Most people mistakenly believe that an extrovert is a person who is friendly and outgoing. The proverbial "life of the party". While that may be true, that is not the true meaning of extraversion. Essentially, an extravert is a person who becomes energized when in contact with other people; while an introvert is a person who finds the energy within themselves.
Extroverts tend to "fade" when alone and can easily become bored without other people around. When given the chance, an extravert will talk with someone else rather than sit alone and think. Extraverts tend to think as they speak, unlike introverts who are far more likely to think before speaking.
Extroversion is defined as "the act, state, or habit of being predominantly concerned with and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self" according to Websters Dictionary. Extroverts tend to enjoy human interactions and to be enthusiastic, talkative, assertive, and gregarious. They take pleasure in activities that involve large social gatherings, such as parties, community activities, public demonstrations, and business or political groups. An extraverted person is likely to enjoy time spent with people and find less reward in time spent alone.
Introversion is "the state of or tendency toward being wholly or predominantly concerned with and interested in one's own mental life". Introverts tend to be quiet, low-key, deliberate, and relatively non-engaged in social situations. They take pleasure in solitary activities such as reading, writing, watching movies, listening to music, inventing, and designing. An introverted person is likely to enjoy time spent alone and find less reward in time spent with large groups of people (although they may enjoy one-to-one or one-to-few interactions with close friends).
According to Carl Jung, introversion and extraversion refer to the direction of psychic energy. If a person’s energy usually flows outwards, he or she is an extravert, while if this energy normally flows inwards, this person is an introvert. Extroverts feel an increase of perceived energy when interacting with a large group of people, but a decrease of energy when left alone. Conversely, introverts feel an increase of energy when alone, but a decrease of energy when surrounded by a large group of people.
Extroversion-introversion is normally measured by self-report. For example the Myers-Briggs Personality Type test. In her studies of people and extensive reading of Jung's theories, Isabel Briggs Myers concluded there were four primary ways people differed from one another. She labeled these differences "preferences" - drawing a similarity to "hand preferences" to illustrate that although we all use both of our hands, most of us have a preference for one over the other and "it" takes the lead in many of the activities in which we use our hands.
The first set of mental preferences relates to how people "Perceive" or take in information. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the second letter. "S" Those who prefer Sensing Perception favor clear, tangible data and information that fits in well with their direct here-and-now experience. "N" In contrast, those who prefer Intuition Perception are drawn to information that is more abstract, conceptual, big-picture, and represents imaginative possibilities for the future.
The second set of mental preferences identifies how people form "Judgments" or make decisions. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the third letter.
"T" Those who prefer Thinking Judgment have a natural preference for making decisions in an objective, logical, and analytical manner with an emphasis on tasks and results to be accomplished. "F" Those whose preference is for Feeling Judgment make their decisions in a somewhat global, visceral, harmony and value-oriented way, paying particular attention to the impact of decisions and actions on other people.
There are two other mental preferences that are part of the Myers-Briggs model: Energy Orientation and Outer World Orientation. The first one is the dimension of personality discovered by Carl Jung that became widely adopted by general psychology: Extraversion-Introversion. The second is the dimension of personality that is Myers' unique contribution to Jung's theory, an element she inferred from Jung's work but was not clearly addressed as an essential component of his theory of types. This is the style or orientation one uses in dealing with the external world: Judging or Perceiving.
Energy Orientation pertains to the two forms of Energy Consciousness each of us experiences on a daily basis. We occupy two mental worlds: one is inwardly turned, the other is outward. One of these worlds is our elemental source of energy; the other secondary. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the first letter.
"I" Those who prefer Introversion draw their primary energy from the inner world of information, thoughts, ideas, and other reflections. When circumstances require an excessive amount of attention spent in the "outside" world, those preferring Introversion find the need to retreat to a more private setting as if to recharge their drained batteries.
"E" In contrast, those who prefer Extraversion are drawn to the outside world as their elemental source of energy. Rarely, if ever, do extraverted preference people feel their energy batteries are "drained" by excessive amounts of interaction with the outside world. They must engage the things, people, places and activities going on in the outside world for their life force.
While the E-I dimension was Jung's gift to general psychology, unfortunately it has been widely distorted into a well-unwell scale with characteristics of Introversion being cast in a negative light and conversely characteristics of Extraversion cast in a positive light. This cultural bias frequently leads natural introverted types to mis-identify their primary preference as Extraversion.
Extraverted Orientation relates to which mental preference one relies upon in dealing with/relating with the Outside World. It is the mental function that takes the lead in the Extraverted portion of a person's personality. When this leading function is one of the two Judging mental preferences, then this orientation is called Judging. When this leading function is one of the two Perceiving mental preferences, then this orientation is called Perceiving. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the fourth letter.
"J" Those who prefer Judging rely upon either their T or F preference to manage their outer life. This typically leads to a style oriented towards closure, organization, planning, or in some fashion managing the things and or people found in the external environment. The drive is to order the outside world. While some people employ an assertive manner, others "ordering touch" - with respect to people - may be light.
"P" Those who prefer Perceiving rely upon either their S or N preference to run their outer life. This typically results in an open, adaptable, flexible style of relating to the things and people found in the outside world. The drive is to experience the outside world rather than order it; in general lack of closure is easily tolerated.
For person's whose Energy Orientation preference is E, the Extraverted Orientation (J or P) points to their dominant function, ergo "what you see is what you get." But for those whose Energy Orientation favors I, their Extraverted Orientation (J or P) is opposite their dominant function. Thus the four IxxJ types - whose extraverted style is Judging - are actually Perceiving types on the inside! Thus their extraverted "personality" can mask their primary nature. Likewise the four IxxP types - whose extraverted style is Perceiving and thus tend to have an open style - are actually on the inside Judging oriented!
After taking the Myers Briggs Personality Type? test I wasn't all that surprised with the results. As an introvert, I am
dependable, reliable and trustworthy, I thrive to belong to a solid organisation or employer that are reasonable in their goals and loyal to their employees. I feel useful when my roles and responsibilities are clearly established and enjoy clear feedback on productivity in tangible ways. I'm extremely modest, I prefer tradition and convention over extravagance, I like sensible clothing, I prefer thrift stores and am very careful and wise with both money and possessions.
When I'm given a project, I will see it to the end, sometimes over obsessively though. I manage time well and pretty realistic about how much time and resources will be needed. The only draw back is that if I am given an hour to do something I find it a personal goal to do it in half the time, and then get really anxious if the next task isn't immediately available. This can lead to a feeling that I am doing more than an extrovert who finds way to do a task more slowly.
I don't like change, I prefer familiarity and calm. I have stayed within a few kilometers of the neighbourhood I was raised in all my life. When I purchase something, it is after careful consideration; rarely will I buy something without having a need or use for it. Many of my possessions are personal gifts that may not have cost a lot, rather they where given out of love, and those are the ones that I cherish the most.
I tend to remember specific facts that are necessary in their day-to-day life at work and at home. I remember facts by connecting them with past experiences that have been proven trustworthy.
"A fact once experienced may be the product of circumstance and happenstance; it is not in and of itself reliable. When an introverted sensing type hears an idea, they rummage through reams of archived facts to find an experience that provides information for the relevance and realism of an idea. When an introverted sensing type utters, "It's never been done!" they are saying that no information about the relevance or usefulness of the idea is available to them. They tend to shy away from surprises and what is perceived as unnecessary change."
One of the biggest myth about introverts is "their must be something wrong with them" This couldn't be more wrong, the biggest difference between introverts and extroverts is how they react to stress.
Some people don’t understand how introverts react to stress. Because of this, they think that all introverts are “neurotic” or mentally ill. Let me explain why this is a misperception.
When extroverts are stressed they “act out”. They may smoke, drink, yell and scream, throw a punch, stomp around or generally raise the roof. Although this behavior is difficult and even obnoxious, it is not considered “mentally ill”.
When introverts are stressed, they withdraw. They do this to recharge their batteries, not because they are neurotic. Introverts need time alone to bring order back into their inner world. They give energy to others and receive energy when alone.
Let me reiterate some key points about 10% to 25% of the population who may have been told as children to "get out more" or "don't be so quiet". Introverts are territorial. Someone cannot take your seat, move your stuff, lean on your desk, ignore your closed door or borrow your clothes without making you very angry. Introverts need time alone to recharge their batteries. If denied time alone, you may become irritable and depressed.
Introverts value privacy. When your boundaries are disregarded, when someone has a loud personal conversation on their cell phone in your captive presence, such as waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store, you can be annoyed and offended.
Introverts fear failure in public and experience deep humiliation because of it. If the teacher grabs you for a demonstration of a new skill or your spouse puts you on the spot to put a bicycle together it can be extremely stressful. Introverts prefer to communicate in writing. They may feel exhausted by too much verbal communication that “isn’t going anywhere”. Introverts hate small talk. Introverts like to be prepared. If rushed to present a solution or opinion, they may be extremely uncomfortable and sometimes refuse to do so at all.
Just because you see someone or work with someone who internalizes their feelings and aren't the one who is the first to lead the team, it doesn't mean they don't have ideas to share. Sometimes the "quiet man" is the one who has the most to share. It is theorized that Albert Einstein was an introvert.
Later,
Kenaz
Saturday, July 21, 2007
SOCAN''s hairbrained ideas
First it was dentists, now it’s the hairdressers turn to feel the death grip of the music terrorists. I can't believe SOCAN; the umbrella group for Canadian composers is trying to grab cash from thousands; in some cases very small business owners; for playing Canadian music in the salons.
In a post on CBC.ca Serge Boutros is quoted as saying:
"Hairdressers happen to utilize music quite frequently and so currently, we are targeting hairdressing salons to educate them on the fact that they do require a licence if they are using music."
Mr. Boutros should be thanking these business owners for exposing their customers to musicians work that otherwise would never be heard. In Canada, he have very few outlets for creative people to show off their skills. The music stations and large radio stations still don't feel independent artists have the right to have the music heard along side the big names. So how are these people supposed to eat? Rely on SOCAN for a hand out? I'm sure if they asked their clients, SOCAN would realize that most of them have no problem with people sharing their music in this way as long as it isn't being pirated and somebody else making money from it.
SOCAN needs to get out of the dark ages and embrace reality, business owners aren't going to buy a licence if all they have to do is flick on the radio. Look out coffee and doughnut shops, you could be next on the music police's hit list. No more cruller's and Michael Buble.
Later,
Kenaz
In a post on CBC.ca Serge Boutros is quoted as saying:
"Hairdressers happen to utilize music quite frequently and so currently, we are targeting hairdressing salons to educate them on the fact that they do require a licence if they are using music."
Mr. Boutros should be thanking these business owners for exposing their customers to musicians work that otherwise would never be heard. In Canada, he have very few outlets for creative people to show off their skills. The music stations and large radio stations still don't feel independent artists have the right to have the music heard along side the big names. So how are these people supposed to eat? Rely on SOCAN for a hand out? I'm sure if they asked their clients, SOCAN would realize that most of them have no problem with people sharing their music in this way as long as it isn't being pirated and somebody else making money from it.
SOCAN needs to get out of the dark ages and embrace reality, business owners aren't going to buy a licence if all they have to do is flick on the radio. Look out coffee and doughnut shops, you could be next on the music police's hit list. No more cruller's and Michael Buble.
Later,
Kenaz
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Thanks and congradulations for two Canadian ledgends
Entrepreneur Mirvish dead at 92
Flair, dedication, infectious enthusiasm and unending caring are all words that describe Canada's discount king, Ed Mirvish.
Honesty in business, especially in retail sales has almost become an oxymoron but not in the world of the man who revolutionized retail in North America. The man was completely free of pretension, a claim that none of his cold big box competitors could ever claim. His gigantic, multi-floor store on the corner of Bloor and Bathurst streets in Toronto contests to his character. The store famously was called “Honest Ed’s.
Ed Mirvish, was a child born into poverty, but left this world as Canada’s leading patrons of the arts and humanity. Mirvish was known for his corny humour, using slogans like “Don’t faint at our low prices — there’s no place to lie down.” to promote his business. He was a man who took giving back to the less fortunate seriously, at Christmas he would give out thousands of free turkeys.
Sadly, Mirvish is no more.
He died today in Toronto at the age of 92 — just days away from his 93rd birthday.
David Onley named Ontario’s new lieutenant-governor
Ontario’s incoming lieutenant-governor who join a long list of governors who lead key “activist” roles. Over the next five years he says his aims are in the direction of improving the lives of people who, like him, live with physical disabilities.
Stricken with polio when he was three, Onley grew up to become one of Canada’s first on-air personalities with a physical disability when he joined CityTV in Toronto in 1984 as a science and weather reporter. In his long career with the station, he has also been an education reporter, a science and technology reporter, news anchor and producer.
Outside of his journalistic endeavors, Onley has been high-profile advocate for people with disabilities joining other Canadian role models, the likes of Terry Fox and Rick Hansen in offering kids with disabilities hope in turning their set backs into life embetterments.
Prime Minister Harper announced the appointment Tuesday, describing Onley as a “respected author, broadcaster and tireless champion for persons with disabilities. Through this work, he has demonstrated the qualities needed for such an important position."
Good luck,
Later,
Kenaz
Flair, dedication, infectious enthusiasm and unending caring are all words that describe Canada's discount king, Ed Mirvish.
Honesty in business, especially in retail sales has almost become an oxymoron but not in the world of the man who revolutionized retail in North America. The man was completely free of pretension, a claim that none of his cold big box competitors could ever claim. His gigantic, multi-floor store on the corner of Bloor and Bathurst streets in Toronto contests to his character. The store famously was called “Honest Ed’s.
Ed Mirvish, was a child born into poverty, but left this world as Canada’s leading patrons of the arts and humanity. Mirvish was known for his corny humour, using slogans like “Don’t faint at our low prices — there’s no place to lie down.” to promote his business. He was a man who took giving back to the less fortunate seriously, at Christmas he would give out thousands of free turkeys.
Sadly, Mirvish is no more.
He died today in Toronto at the age of 92 — just days away from his 93rd birthday.
David Onley named Ontario’s new lieutenant-governor
Ontario’s incoming lieutenant-governor who join a long list of governors who lead key “activist” roles. Over the next five years he says his aims are in the direction of improving the lives of people who, like him, live with physical disabilities.
Stricken with polio when he was three, Onley grew up to become one of Canada’s first on-air personalities with a physical disability when he joined CityTV in Toronto in 1984 as a science and weather reporter. In his long career with the station, he has also been an education reporter, a science and technology reporter, news anchor and producer.
Outside of his journalistic endeavors, Onley has been high-profile advocate for people with disabilities joining other Canadian role models, the likes of Terry Fox and Rick Hansen in offering kids with disabilities hope in turning their set backs into life embetterments.
Prime Minister Harper announced the appointment Tuesday, describing Onley as a “respected author, broadcaster and tireless champion for persons with disabilities. Through this work, he has demonstrated the qualities needed for such an important position."
Good luck,
Later,
Kenaz
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Hypocrisy of Live Earth
Live Earth wasn't a bad idea, it just that I was not all that impressed with it. Live Aid at least raised money for feeding starving people. Where did the proceeds from Live Earth go? To the coffers of the Alliance for Climate Protection, former Vice President Al Gore's newly founded organization. For what good? to have more of these gross exercises in hypocrisy.
Lets look at the facts of this so called "green" initiative. Every performer and actor who took the stage expressed some form of plea to the public to do their part to help preserve the environment. Yet pictures of obscene amounts of garbage and plastic bottles littering stadiums in New York and London where splashed all over the air waves.
The most conservative assessment of the flights taken by the performers is that they flew an extraordinary 222,623.63 miles between them to get to the various concerts - nearly nine times the circumference of the world. The true environmental cost, as they transported their technicians, dancers and support staff, is likely to be far higher.The total carbon footprint of the event, taking into account the artists’ and spectators’ travel to the concert, and the energy consumption on the day, is likely to be at least 31,500 tonnes of carbon emissions. In comparison the average person produces 10 tonnes a year.(London's Daily Mail)
I’d have been more impressed with Live Earth if they’d actually put on the whole show without using a bit of non-green energy. Live Earth was just a big rock concert marketed with the “green” label to move more tickets and sell more over priced snacks and souvenirs to a bunch of people who couldn't care less about the environment.
Later,
Kenaz
Lets look at the facts of this so called "green" initiative. Every performer and actor who took the stage expressed some form of plea to the public to do their part to help preserve the environment. Yet pictures of obscene amounts of garbage and plastic bottles littering stadiums in New York and London where splashed all over the air waves.
The most conservative assessment of the flights taken by the performers is that they flew an extraordinary 222,623.63 miles between them to get to the various concerts - nearly nine times the circumference of the world. The true environmental cost, as they transported their technicians, dancers and support staff, is likely to be far higher.The total carbon footprint of the event, taking into account the artists’ and spectators’ travel to the concert, and the energy consumption on the day, is likely to be at least 31,500 tonnes of carbon emissions. In comparison the average person produces 10 tonnes a year.(London's Daily Mail)
I’d have been more impressed with Live Earth if they’d actually put on the whole show without using a bit of non-green energy. Live Earth was just a big rock concert marketed with the “green” label to move more tickets and sell more over priced snacks and souvenirs to a bunch of people who couldn't care less about the environment.
Later,
Kenaz
Monday, July 02, 2007
Mr. Brant is a terrorist
Terrorist-def'n:"The unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives"
Mr.Brant and his small narrow minded band of thugs have said that they have guns and will use them if necessary. This group of stone age natives do not represent the majority of peaceful, hardworking native Canadians who strive hard to improve themselves daily. Poor water conditions,bad schools and a lack of affordable housing is common in all strata's of civilization. Natives are not the only ones who are angry at our governments for how they treat the underprivileged, so what gives the right for those are like minded to terrorists to feel they have the right to hold the innocent hostage?
This is the same type of atmosphere that permeated Ipperwash back in the mid-nineties - a splinter group of militant natives who threatened violence and were known to have access to guns. The rash actions of a woefully unprepared police force led to the unfortunate shooting of Dudley George. Two wrongs didn't make a right-the fact was, militant natives were conducting civil disobedience and flouting the rule of law and to demonstrate that the rule of law had to be respected, the Natives had to be cleared from the park. As we all learned, if a plan can't be executed properly things can quickly go bad. Since then, Fantino in an effort to save face in an election year, has decided to take the other approach and allow all sorts of civil disobedience with impunity - like Caledonia.
Our current government has taken some long-awaited steps to fast-tracking land claims. But we are far behind countries like New Zealand who have lived up to their part of the bargain and taken Native affairs more seriously. When the Canadian government and representatives from the Native people finally sit down and have meaningful dialogue, then, and only then, can we start returning to more respect for the rule of law. We all wish as humans to find resolve for the issues of land claims, safe water, Human Rights/Women Rights, Education, and Band/Police accountability.
As soon as we can reasonably prove by example that we are moving forward with priority and purpose, then guys like Shawn Brant and his thugs should be ashamed of their actions and live up too their word and turn themselves in and face their peers in court.
Later,
Kenaz
Mr.Brant and his small narrow minded band of thugs have said that they have guns and will use them if necessary. This group of stone age natives do not represent the majority of peaceful, hardworking native Canadians who strive hard to improve themselves daily. Poor water conditions,bad schools and a lack of affordable housing is common in all strata's of civilization. Natives are not the only ones who are angry at our governments for how they treat the underprivileged, so what gives the right for those are like minded to terrorists to feel they have the right to hold the innocent hostage?
This is the same type of atmosphere that permeated Ipperwash back in the mid-nineties - a splinter group of militant natives who threatened violence and were known to have access to guns. The rash actions of a woefully unprepared police force led to the unfortunate shooting of Dudley George. Two wrongs didn't make a right-the fact was, militant natives were conducting civil disobedience and flouting the rule of law and to demonstrate that the rule of law had to be respected, the Natives had to be cleared from the park. As we all learned, if a plan can't be executed properly things can quickly go bad. Since then, Fantino in an effort to save face in an election year, has decided to take the other approach and allow all sorts of civil disobedience with impunity - like Caledonia.
Our current government has taken some long-awaited steps to fast-tracking land claims. But we are far behind countries like New Zealand who have lived up to their part of the bargain and taken Native affairs more seriously. When the Canadian government and representatives from the Native people finally sit down and have meaningful dialogue, then, and only then, can we start returning to more respect for the rule of law. We all wish as humans to find resolve for the issues of land claims, safe water, Human Rights/Women Rights, Education, and Band/Police accountability.
As soon as we can reasonably prove by example that we are moving forward with priority and purpose, then guys like Shawn Brant and his thugs should be ashamed of their actions and live up too their word and turn themselves in and face their peers in court.
Later,
Kenaz
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Happy 140th Birthday Canada!!!
Canadian comedian Ron James talking about something near and dear to Canadian's "Tim Hortons"
Canadian humour is unique to our identity in both French and English. While these traditions are distinct and at times very different, there are common themes that relate to Canada's history, geography, politics and our relationship with the U.S and the rest of the world.
Various trends can be noted in Canadian comedy. One thread is the portrayal of a "typical" Canadian family in an on-going radio or television series. An example, was the seventies sitcom "King of Kensington".
Another trend tends to be political and cultural satire: television shows such as CODCO, Royal Canadian Air Farce and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, monologuists such as Rick Mercer and writers, including Will Ferguson and Eric Nicol draw their inspiration from Canadian society and politics. Another trend revels in absurdity, demonstrated by television series like The Kids in the Hall and The Frantics, and musician-comedians such as Bowser and Blue. Satire and our ability to laugh at our selves is arguably what defines Canadian Comedy.
Canadian television comedy begins with Wayne and Shuster, a sketch comedy duo who performed as a comedy team during the Second World War, and moved their act to radio in 1946 before moving on to television. They became one of Canada's most enduring comedy teams, not just on Canadian television, but in the United States as well: they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show 67 times, a record for any performer. They were particularly famous for their Julius Caesar sketch, Rinse the Blood off My Toga, with its legendary catch phrase, "I told him, Julie, don't go!" Wayne and Shuster continued to appear on CBC Television until the late 1980s, with specials that mixed new sketches with their classic material.
Another pioneer in Canadian television comedy was, oddly, a news series. This Hour Has Seven Days, which debuted in 1964, was primarily meant as a newsmagazine, but its segments included political satire as well as serious news reports. Later series such as Royal Canadian Air Farce, This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Rick Mercer Report have all drawn on the tradition of political satire established by Seven Days, and have been among Canadian television's most popular comedy series in recent years.
Canadian born Lorne Michaels, who had moved from Toronto to Los Angeles in 1968 to work on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, launched the NBC comedy show Saturday Night Live in 1975. Over the years, several Canadians came to fame as part of the SNL cast, including Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, and Mike Myers. Michaels also produced The Kids in the Hall for Canadian TV in the 1980s.
Many Canadian comedy shows, while not directly about politics per se, have made profound political statements by satirizing society and pop culture. This includes shows such as SCTV and CODCO.
Other shows, such as The Kids in the Hall, The Frantics, Bizarre, Puppets Who Kill and Trailer Park Boys, revelled in absurdist humour, making household names out of characters such as Chicken Lady, Mr. Canoehead, Bubbles and Super Dave Osborne.
Canadian television also frequently showcases stand-up comedians. The popular series Comics, based around one comedian each week, has been the first national television exposure for many of Canada's current comedy stars. Another series, Just for Laughs, has for many years presented comedians appearing at the Montreal International Comedy Festival. That series has also spawned the more recent Just For Laughs Gags, a practical joke show similar to Candid Camera.
One of the most famous figures in Canadian television comedy in the 1990s and 2000s has been Rick Mercer. Mercer began his career in 1990 with a touring one-man show, Show Me the Button, I'll Push It, about Canadian life in the immediate aftermath of the failed Meech Lake Accord. That show was a sellout success; in 1993, he made his television debut as one of the writers and performers on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Mercer's "rants", short op-ed pieces on Canadian politics and culture, quickly became the show's signature segment. When he published a collection of rants in 1998 as Streeters, the book quickly became a bestseller. Mercer left 22 Minutes in 2000 to devote more time to his other series, Made in Canada. When that series ended its run, he launched the new Rick Mercer Report.
As with many other genres, Canadian television comedy also frequently plays with the topic of Canada's relationship with the United States. Mercer turned another 22 Minutes segment, Talking to Americans, into a 2001 television special, which was a ratings smash. In Talking to Americans, Mercer, in his 22 Minutes guise as reporter "J.B. Dixon", visited American cities to ask people on the street for their opinion on a Canadian news story -- the joke for Canadians was that the news story was always fabricated, and either inherently ridiculous (e.g. a border dispute between Québec and Chechnya or an annual Toronto polar bear hunt) or blatantly out of context (e.g. wishing Canadians a "Happy Stockwell Day".)
Other notable Canadian Comedians:
Dave Broadfoot (Royal Canadian Air Farce)
Mike Bullard (Open Mike with Mike Bullard, The Mike Bullard Show)
Brent Butt (Corner Gas, stand-up)
Sean Cullen (Corky & the Juice Pigs, The Sean Cullen Show, stand-up)
Don Ferguson (Royal Canadian Air Farce)
Luba Goy (Royal Canadian Air Farce, Bizarre)
Paul Gross (Due South, Men With Brooms)
Don Harron (aka Charlie Farquharson Spring Thaw, Hee Haw)
Ron James (Blackfly, stand-up)
Cathy Jones (CODCO, This Hour Has 22 Minutes)
Mike MacDonald (stand-up)
Eric Peterson (This is Wonderland, Corner Gas)
Gordon Pinsent (The Red Green Show)
Leah Pinsent (Made in Canada)
Dan Redican (Puppets Who Kill, The Frantics)
Kenny Robinson (stand-up, radio)
Nancy Robertson (Corner Gas)
Wayne Robson (The Red Green Show)
Mike Smith (Trailer Park Boys)
Steve Smith (The Red Green Show, Smith & Smith's Comedy Mill)
Tara Spencer-Nairn (Corner Gas)
Mary Walsh (CODCO, This Hour Has 22 Minutes)
Robb Wells (Trailer Park Boys)
Janet Wright (Corner Gas)
Lorne Cardinal (Corner Gas)
André-Philippe Gagnon (impressionist)
Famous Canadian Exports:
Dan Aykroyd (Saturday Night Live, The Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters)
John Candy (SCTV, Uncle Buck, Spaceballs, Canadian Bacon)
Jim Carrey (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Man on the Moon, The Mask, Liar Liar, In Living Color)
Joe Flaherty (SCTV)
Dave Foley (The Kids in the Hall, News Radio)
Michael J. Fox (Family Ties, Back to the Future, Spin City)
Phil Hartman (Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, NewsRadio)
Eugene Levy (SCTV, American Pie)
Rich Little (impressionist)
Tim Long (Head-writer for The Simpsons)
Howie Mandel (Bobby's World, The Tonight Show)
Andrea Martin (SCTV)
Rachel McAdams (The Hot Chick, Mean Girls)
Eric McCormack (Will & Grace)
Bruce McCulloch (The Kids in the Hall)
Kevin McDonald (The Kids in the Hall)
Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live)
Colin Mochrie (This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Supertown Challenge, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Improv Heaven & Hell, Blackfly)
Rick Moranis (SCTV)
Mike Myers (Saturday Night Live, Wayne's World, Austin Powers)
Leslie Nielsen (Liography, Zeroman, Men With Brooms, The Naked Gun)
Catherine O'Hara (SCTV)
Will Sasso (Mad TV)
William Shatner (Star Trek and various spoofs thereof, comedic commercials)
Martin Short (SCTV, Primetime Glick, Saturday Night Live)
Dave Thomas (SCTV, The New Beachcombers)
Scott Thompson (The Kids in the Hall)
Enjoy your long weekend Canada, Eh
Kenaz
Canadian humour is unique to our identity in both French and English. While these traditions are distinct and at times very different, there are common themes that relate to Canada's history, geography, politics and our relationship with the U.S and the rest of the world.
Various trends can be noted in Canadian comedy. One thread is the portrayal of a "typical" Canadian family in an on-going radio or television series. An example, was the seventies sitcom "King of Kensington".
Another trend tends to be political and cultural satire: television shows such as CODCO, Royal Canadian Air Farce and This Hour Has 22 Minutes, monologuists such as Rick Mercer and writers, including Will Ferguson and Eric Nicol draw their inspiration from Canadian society and politics. Another trend revels in absurdity, demonstrated by television series like The Kids in the Hall and The Frantics, and musician-comedians such as Bowser and Blue. Satire and our ability to laugh at our selves is arguably what defines Canadian Comedy.
Canadian television comedy begins with Wayne and Shuster, a sketch comedy duo who performed as a comedy team during the Second World War, and moved their act to radio in 1946 before moving on to television. They became one of Canada's most enduring comedy teams, not just on Canadian television, but in the United States as well: they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show 67 times, a record for any performer. They were particularly famous for their Julius Caesar sketch, Rinse the Blood off My Toga, with its legendary catch phrase, "I told him, Julie, don't go!" Wayne and Shuster continued to appear on CBC Television until the late 1980s, with specials that mixed new sketches with their classic material.
Another pioneer in Canadian television comedy was, oddly, a news series. This Hour Has Seven Days, which debuted in 1964, was primarily meant as a newsmagazine, but its segments included political satire as well as serious news reports. Later series such as Royal Canadian Air Farce, This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Rick Mercer Report have all drawn on the tradition of political satire established by Seven Days, and have been among Canadian television's most popular comedy series in recent years.
Canadian born Lorne Michaels, who had moved from Toronto to Los Angeles in 1968 to work on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, launched the NBC comedy show Saturday Night Live in 1975. Over the years, several Canadians came to fame as part of the SNL cast, including Dan Aykroyd, Martin Short, and Mike Myers. Michaels also produced The Kids in the Hall for Canadian TV in the 1980s.
Many Canadian comedy shows, while not directly about politics per se, have made profound political statements by satirizing society and pop culture. This includes shows such as SCTV and CODCO.
Other shows, such as The Kids in the Hall, The Frantics, Bizarre, Puppets Who Kill and Trailer Park Boys, revelled in absurdist humour, making household names out of characters such as Chicken Lady, Mr. Canoehead, Bubbles and Super Dave Osborne.
Canadian television also frequently showcases stand-up comedians. The popular series Comics, based around one comedian each week, has been the first national television exposure for many of Canada's current comedy stars. Another series, Just for Laughs, has for many years presented comedians appearing at the Montreal International Comedy Festival. That series has also spawned the more recent Just For Laughs Gags, a practical joke show similar to Candid Camera.
One of the most famous figures in Canadian television comedy in the 1990s and 2000s has been Rick Mercer. Mercer began his career in 1990 with a touring one-man show, Show Me the Button, I'll Push It, about Canadian life in the immediate aftermath of the failed Meech Lake Accord. That show was a sellout success; in 1993, he made his television debut as one of the writers and performers on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Mercer's "rants", short op-ed pieces on Canadian politics and culture, quickly became the show's signature segment. When he published a collection of rants in 1998 as Streeters, the book quickly became a bestseller. Mercer left 22 Minutes in 2000 to devote more time to his other series, Made in Canada. When that series ended its run, he launched the new Rick Mercer Report.
As with many other genres, Canadian television comedy also frequently plays with the topic of Canada's relationship with the United States. Mercer turned another 22 Minutes segment, Talking to Americans, into a 2001 television special, which was a ratings smash. In Talking to Americans, Mercer, in his 22 Minutes guise as reporter "J.B. Dixon", visited American cities to ask people on the street for their opinion on a Canadian news story -- the joke for Canadians was that the news story was always fabricated, and either inherently ridiculous (e.g. a border dispute between Québec and Chechnya or an annual Toronto polar bear hunt) or blatantly out of context (e.g. wishing Canadians a "Happy Stockwell Day".)
Other notable Canadian Comedians:
Dave Broadfoot (Royal Canadian Air Farce)
Mike Bullard (Open Mike with Mike Bullard, The Mike Bullard Show)
Brent Butt (Corner Gas, stand-up)
Sean Cullen (Corky & the Juice Pigs, The Sean Cullen Show, stand-up)
Don Ferguson (Royal Canadian Air Farce)
Luba Goy (Royal Canadian Air Farce, Bizarre)
Paul Gross (Due South, Men With Brooms)
Don Harron (aka Charlie Farquharson Spring Thaw, Hee Haw)
Ron James (Blackfly, stand-up)
Cathy Jones (CODCO, This Hour Has 22 Minutes)
Mike MacDonald (stand-up)
Eric Peterson (This is Wonderland, Corner Gas)
Gordon Pinsent (The Red Green Show)
Leah Pinsent (Made in Canada)
Dan Redican (Puppets Who Kill, The Frantics)
Kenny Robinson (stand-up, radio)
Nancy Robertson (Corner Gas)
Wayne Robson (The Red Green Show)
Mike Smith (Trailer Park Boys)
Steve Smith (The Red Green Show, Smith & Smith's Comedy Mill)
Tara Spencer-Nairn (Corner Gas)
Mary Walsh (CODCO, This Hour Has 22 Minutes)
Robb Wells (Trailer Park Boys)
Janet Wright (Corner Gas)
Lorne Cardinal (Corner Gas)
André-Philippe Gagnon (impressionist)
Famous Canadian Exports:
Dan Aykroyd (Saturday Night Live, The Blues Brothers, Ghostbusters)
John Candy (SCTV, Uncle Buck, Spaceballs, Canadian Bacon)
Jim Carrey (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, Man on the Moon, The Mask, Liar Liar, In Living Color)
Joe Flaherty (SCTV)
Dave Foley (The Kids in the Hall, News Radio)
Michael J. Fox (Family Ties, Back to the Future, Spin City)
Phil Hartman (Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, NewsRadio)
Eugene Levy (SCTV, American Pie)
Rich Little (impressionist)
Tim Long (Head-writer for The Simpsons)
Howie Mandel (Bobby's World, The Tonight Show)
Andrea Martin (SCTV)
Rachel McAdams (The Hot Chick, Mean Girls)
Eric McCormack (Will & Grace)
Bruce McCulloch (The Kids in the Hall)
Kevin McDonald (The Kids in the Hall)
Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live)
Colin Mochrie (This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Supertown Challenge, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Improv Heaven & Hell, Blackfly)
Rick Moranis (SCTV)
Mike Myers (Saturday Night Live, Wayne's World, Austin Powers)
Leslie Nielsen (Liography, Zeroman, Men With Brooms, The Naked Gun)
Catherine O'Hara (SCTV)
Will Sasso (Mad TV)
William Shatner (Star Trek and various spoofs thereof, comedic commercials)
Martin Short (SCTV, Primetime Glick, Saturday Night Live)
Dave Thomas (SCTV, The New Beachcombers)
Scott Thompson (The Kids in the Hall)
Enjoy your long weekend Canada, Eh
Kenaz
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