Lessons from the Olympics

Lessons From The Olympics

The  2010 Winer Olympics in Vancouver BC  are still pretty exciting despite the problems with rain, rain, and more rain instead of snow  and there are many life lessons to be learned from both the organizers, their staff, and the competitors themselves.

The  around the clock efforts before and during the games by Vanoc staff  to protect what snow there was from melting away  as well trucking in snow for runs on Cypress Bowl in the North Shore Mountains just north of Vancouver are lessons in not giving up in the face of adversity. While they have not ended up with ideal runs and some events have had to be cancelled still their efforts have enabled the games to  go on.

Rather than being  critical  of their efforts  we should follow their examples in finding ways  to cope  when things suddenly  go wrong. 


Remember Murphy's Law?  This is a perfect example of that -- and also of how to respond to it. This is truly an Olympics within an Olympics.


Then there are the many lessons taught by the competitors themselves through their examples of dedication to achieving their athletic goals through proper nutrition,  and exercise programs as well as mental visualization techniques that many of these athletes use to put themselves in the proper frame of mind for success.


These are things  the rest of us would do well to practice in our daily lives whatever our business or social goals are -- not only to protect our mental and physical health but also to achieve success.

Protect Yourself From Epidemic of Dementia and Diabetes

According to two Vancouver Sun features Canadians are getting ominously close to the brink of major dementia and diabetes epidemics – but there are two things you can do to protect yourself.
 
The first article , "Canada must act to reduce impact of dementia, study warns" by Andrew Duffy on January 4, 2010 warns right now some 500,000 Canadian are suffering with dementia. 

In the article Richard Nakoneczny, president of the Alzheimer Society of Canada, said, : If we do nothing dementia will have a crippling effect on Canadian families, our health care system and economy." It is already costing some A$18 billion a year according to Duffy. 

The governments are still struggling to formulate some country-wide plan of attack on this disease with doctors and doctors ill-trained to diagnose and treat the disease which slowly robs victims of brain function including memory, personality and independence. 

Eventually some form of national treatment plan will hopefully be created by the combined efforts of the Alzheimer Society of Canada and the different federal and provincial health agencies, but you can do much to protect yourself from becoming another Alzheimer statistic by becoming more active –especially if you are 65 or over. This builds brain health and could help protect you from this terrible disease in your retirement years.

The second Vancouver Sun health feature "Diabetes rising: the quiet disease is about to get much louder" by Margaret Munro on October 10, 2009 presents some disturbing statistics such as the fact that while the recent H1N1 epidemic killed 78 Canadian diabetes is responsible for 40,000 Canadian deaths every year.

Munro says, "....it tends to sneak up on people as it numbs nerves in the feet, damages retinal cells in the eyes, clogs the cardiovascular system, cuts circulation and destroys tiny filters in the kidneys." 

It is also sneaking up on the health care and economic systems; its currently costs some $17 billion each year and doctors fear it could get much worse as most Canadian continue with "sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits". 

As a result the epidemic is escalating has surged to 2.3 million in the past decade and each year 200,000 more persons succumb to this disease. 

But you do not have to be among this number if you just shun the fast foods in favour of nutritional organic foods and spend just 30 minutes a day doing some brisk walking; this would reduce the likelihood of you developing this disease by 50 per cent.

The key to building and protecting your health into old age is to find some physical activity that you really enjoy and will work at according to another Vancouver Sun Chantel Eustace in her feature on January 4, 2010 which featured the advice of Ironman triathlete and author of the book Thrive Fitness, Brendan Brazier. 

He stresses the importance of a sport or activity such as dancing that you love, and a good nutritious diet.

 

Three Critical Words in Life

Three not so little words, part of the security  professional/s  procedure  for deciding how to respond to and deal -- safely --  with environmental hazards such as floods, fires, earthquakes as well as various types of man-made hazards as theft, assault, robbery or other criminal attacks:  Assess, Plan, Act. 




Just three words, but it is amazing how many police officers and security professionals,  forget how to do this properly  when responding to emergencies and end up  facing assault or excessive use of force charges -- or  getting injured or killed themselves.


 And the rest of us are no better as every day men, women, and children frequently suffer disastrous consequences as a result of not implementing this strategy when making critical decisions when dealing  -- safely -- with potentially dangerous situations or individuals.


Just the other day in Vancouver  B.C., Canada a jewelery store owner responded to being robbed by chasing the robbers out on the street and spraying them with bear spray.  They reacted to this  by shooting at him.


Luckily, they missed him, but what if the stray bullets had struck somebody sitting in nearby vehicles, or somebody walking along the sidewalk?


It was an irresponsible, potentially tragic act on the part of the. You can't really say that he did not  Assess, Plan and Act, but his response to being  robbed clearly was not well thought out.

Chinese Products Still Dangerous

Chinese products can still be dangerous to your health. Recent warnings by Health Canada and  the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission prove this


On Friday, January 15, 2010  Health Canada issued a warning that some  children's  jewelery items might contain high lead levels. This followed an earlier U.S. warning that some products from China are made almost entirely from cadmium a highly toxic heavy metal.


Lead can have detrimental affects on a child's development even at low levels.  Cadmium, a carcinogen, has even worse effects.


Health and consumer agencies in both the United States in Canada have issued warnings advising parents to prevent their children from sucking on such products.  A warning to check the sources and components or ingredients of things they buy for their children  and not buy suspect products would be an EVEN BETTER IDEA.

Beware of Fraudulent Money Making Offers on Internet

If you are looking for  ways to to earn extra money in these turbulent financial times look no farther than Craigslist and othIer online job centres -- but use discretion when considering them.

One  advertisement I personally responded to because it asked for somebody with the experience and skills to investigate customer in the retail outlets for the clients of one STARPOINT TRADING INC.  According to the job offer I would  carry out an intensive mystery shopping project and right detailed reports for these companies.

For this I would be paid $400.00 per report.

This, of course is far more than the typical mystery shopper would earn. But from the advertisement it appeared that these assignments required much more work including a detailed, investigative analysis  and report at the end of each investigation -- something I could provide for this company quite easily with my years as an investigative reporter so I responded to the add by sending in my resume.

Within a day this company responded by accepting me as one of their investigators and telling me I would be paid the $400.00 at the end of each assignment without delay.

I had misgivings about this company from the beginning, however, and they soon appeared to be well-founded.. First of all I received another e-mail from this trading company saying  I would start with a relatively easy assignment and be paid for it. But the representative of STARPOINT now told me that once I received my payment I was to deduct my money from the amount of the cheque and send the balance to their company.

Next I received a cheque for $1800.00 before I had even done any work for this company and then another e-mail again instructing me to cash the cheque,  keep $400.00 and send  the balance to their representative in Cyprus.

This job offer was nothing more than an  enticement to get involved in fraud. These e-mails, the receipt of the cheque with remittance instructions and evidence we had gained in the meantime from  the owner of the company who supposedly paid us proved it.

The  person who supposedly signed the cheque made out to me said right away that the cheque was fraudulent and she had never made it out or signed it. According to her she has been plagued by these fraudulent cheques by somebody who had gotten hold of her banking information.

So while there are many good employment and other offers on Craigslist who do have to use discretion and not get carried away by the apparent opportunity to earn some good money.

Regular Reading or Scanning of Newspapers Can Protect You

If you're not a person who regularly scans the newspaper you should because it might contain valuable tips on ways you can protect yourself and others.


Both of the examples of this idea come by way of the Globe and Mail  published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.


The December 23, 2009 edition printed Michael Kesterson's "Social Studies" column in which he mentioned a study conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology involving 50,000 men and women.


According to Kesterson the study showed that people -- especially men -- who took the time to get involved in artistic and cultural activities in their communities  were less likely to become depressed -- regardless of personal wealth or occupation.


In the same edition reporter Sheryl Ubelacker wanred:  "Exhaust fumes tied to severe pneumonia in elderly".


She said that a study by researchers in McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada showed that a prolonged exposure to vehicle exhaust  can result in severe pneumonia in elderly persons.


A regular reading or at least scanning of the newspaper can alert you to such benefits and dangers.  No?




A regular reading or at least scanning of the newspaper would have alerted you to these benefits and dangers.

Protect Yourself from Propaganda

With people apparently becoming paranoid about what will happen in 2012 in fulfillment of Mayan "End of Times" prediction possibly with the earth being torn apart as depicted in the movie 2012 it is good to keep in mine what King Solomon said at Proverbs 14:15: "A fool will believe anything." Don't let yourself become a gullible believer of "end of the world messages – or other issues.


 
It is good to keep open minded about things but don't let your mind be like an open pipe that lets everything flow through it – even sewage. When presented with information – whether it is promotional or supposedly factual news reports or educational material urging you to take some action scrutinize everything you hear carefully before deciding what to accept and act on.


 
Use discernment, the ability to analyze and make accurate decisions after testing the validity or what you are reading or being told. One good way to do this is make good use of the reporters" "five W's" who, what, why, where, when (and how). When confronted by persuasive message ask yourselves things like:


 

• What is the motive for this message?
  
• Is the presenter showing any bias?
  
• Is the language loaded with emotions designed to stir up my emotions?
  
• What proof or facts am I being given?
  
• What is the source of the evidence and arguments being given?
  
• What are the merits of this message – aside from its emotional appeal?
  

Above all don't go along with an idea just because large numbers of people have accepted what they hear. History is full of cases of popular opinion being proved wrong – often with disastrous results.