In the early 1990s a movie came out with the seemingly innocuous title of SNEAKERS. In it, a diverse group of professional security hackers are caught up in case involving Russians, organized crime, and ‘too many secrets’.
How many intriguing plot points in movies and television programs trace their roots to the keeping of or revelation of secrets?
An article in the current month edition of Psychology Today discusses the world of inner secrets (or, the inner world of secrets). (more…)
Many of us in Canada look in forward to a getaway, from late fall to early spring, to a warm southern destination somewhere in the Caribbean.
While we can plan and prepare for the trip as best we might, there are likely to be some surprises along the journey, some favourable and some not. (more…)
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Humour, Social & political commentary, Top 10, Uncategorized
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Anyone who has recently had the experience of completing or updating a Will (at least in Canada) has likely discovered, as I have, that the legalese terminology has been transformed into a little less technical linguistics, but replaced with a larger volume of phraseology covering subject matter which used to be implied, rather than overtly stated. (more…)
There are signs posted around Ottawa for Canada’s 150th birthday. This would seem to be a worthwhile cause. However, they prominently feature a sponsor name next to the emblem. One cannot help wondering if there’s no limit to such pervasiveness: even the promotion of a national sesquicentennial is not immune to association with patronage. (more…)
Those familiar with Freakonomics will likely recall one of the pivotal observations delved into about human behaviour: people’s actions are greatly, if not primarily, influenced by incentives.
This caveat is revisited in the new issue of Psychology Today. A major article discusses the links between human motivation and incentives which may be laid, sometimes waylaid, in its path. (more…)
An article in the January edition of The Insurance & Investment Journal discusses likely evolution of the insurance industry in Canada over the next two decades.
While obviously no on can foretell how it will look by then – especially given the ever-increasing pace of change – the roles of ‘consumption habits’ and technology are expected to be front and centre. (more…)
By now probably most of us are familiar with the concept of ‘crowdfunding’. As defined in Wikipedia, it “is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people”. It’s a source of alternative financing; in 2015, “it was estimated that worldwide over US$34 billion was raised this way”.
An article in a recent issue of Psychology Today explores the motivation for people to subscribe to this method of giving. (more…)
There is a famous long-standing saying that ‘Those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it’. Sadly, there is anecdotal and other evidence this is true.
When reflecting on this, many will tend to focus on larger, national and international episodes, some on personal experiences. It applies to instances of daily life, little events or communiqués which slip by in newspapers or on newscasts, subjects varying from actual life to advertising poseur. (more…)
‘Vernacular’ refers to language commonly used in regions or countries. It seems that such a loose parameter allows for the use of words or expressions which, at times, can test the patience of lexophiles.
George Carlin, probably the best stand-up comedian ever, certainly the most observant about the foibles of language, spent much of his career pointing out glaring issues in our lexicon, often involving clever observations about human behaviour. (more…)
the watch of time
Life Lessons from BILLIONS
A product of cable network Showtime, BILLIONS has just completed a high impact second season. The schedule expanded from the original season of ten episodes to twelve.
BILLIONS has become a modern times, high quality organic product. It showcases fast-paced dramatic writing with actors inhabiting their roles in stark transitions of settings. This mix of properties is a dependable formula for customer, i.e. viewer, loyalty. (more…)
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Arts commentary, Behaviour & Relationships, Humour, Social & political commentary, Social & political humour, Uncategorized
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