Category: Opinions
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Living in a Cannabis-Friendly Condominium
The email from the building management had an innocuous subject line. It read: Owner Survey. Typically, surveys are not my thing; but this one was different. The building management rarely sent surveys out. As I read through the questionnaire and the attached “explanatory letter,” I realized that it was a feeler of sorts. The condo…
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Recreational Marijuana: When the Government Sells Pot
After a lengthy political approval process, the Canadian Government recently legalized recreational marijuana. Considering that marijuana has been illegal in Canada since 1923, It’s kind of a big deal! Effective October 17, 2018, you can walk into a designated store and buy marijuana like you would buy beer and cigarettes. As various players such as…
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When a Blast Rocks Your Neighbourhood
When I tweeted out to 680 News that there was an unusual level of police activity at the nearby plaza, I didn’t expect it to be anything serious. It was around 11:00 PM when all the commotion caught my attention. For a few minutes, I wondered whether there had been an accident at the Bombay…
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Meatless burgers and alcohol-free beer?
Imagine showing up for a barbecue where they serve you meatless burgers and alcohol-free beer! As someone who likes burgers juicy and beer medium-bodied, I am confused. It all started with some research into “meatless” meats. It was for a blog post on the subject of business disruption facing the meat industry. In case you…
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The Dangerous Weaponization of Data
The weaponization of data, as a term, has a dramatic sound to it. The reality is that data, in the wrong hands, can be as lethal as any dangerous weapon that can harm you. The unprecedented level of influence the FAANG companies have on our lives came to light with the recent Facebook-Cambridge Analytics fiasco.…
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The Facebook Fiasco – We Had it Coming
As a Marketing guy, I am ambivalent about the recent Facebook fiasco. I hate to tell you: But, we had it coming. Sure, I am outraged that 87 million people had their personal data accessed without permission, for corporate gains. But, the fact remains that the data existed within Facebook for it to be mined.…
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Havana Beyond Classic Cars, Rum, and Cigars
I will start with a cliché: Time seems to have stood still in Cuba. It is evident on my drive from Havana’s José Martí Airport to Hotel Nacional De Cuba. The typical buildings that you find near an airport — offices of companies that support the airport, hotels that cater to transit passengers — are absent.…
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Perceptions – A case for colouring your grey hair
“You should colour your hair,” my sister looked critically at me before adding, “You look old.” Siblings don’t sugarcoat. I was not offended, I knew she meant well. After all, she probably remembers the guy with the beard — shown below — more than the bald guy socializing with Brian Burke (that’s another story.) We…
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Ten minutes a day to learn something new
If you work in an evolving industry, it is likely that you have experienced imposter syndrome at some point. Working in the tech sector, I certainly did. In layman’s terms, it is the self-doubt that makes you feel that your success has been largely due to luck and not competency. The feeling persists despite your…
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Laughter is the best medicine!
Many people believe that laughter is the best medicine — it makes us feel good. It is something that we can share with others over great distances, or face to face in crowded spaces. Guillaume Benjamin Duchenne, a French Neurologist of the 1800s era, first noted the difference between a genuine and spontaneous laugh…