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Learn to Relax and Recharge Within Your Crazy Busy Life

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Are you so busy that you find it hard (or guilt-inducing) to stop and recharge? Learn how to leverage the power of rest to avoid flaming out and enjoy more sustainable success.

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Canadian shoppers craving a deal increasingly turn to Black Friday - a sales bonanza imported from the U.S., where retailers long slashed prices the day after their Thanksgiving holiday - at the expense of another sales spree, Boxing Day.

The shift comes as consumers increasingly plan to spend before Christmas and check gifts off their holiday lists, industry watchers say, and the change offers retailers a slight edge.

"[Black Friday] is fulfilling an unmet need," said Michael Leblanc, a senior retail adviser with the Retail Council of Canada, an advocacy group. It gives consumers the chance to secure deals on presents rather than shop after the gift-giving season is over.

Forty-three per cent of respondents to the group's second annual holiday shopping survey planned to purchase items on Black Friday - up from 40 per cent the previous year. Only 34 per cent of respondents intended to shop on Boxing Day.

A survey by Deloitte Canada showed a similar disenchantment with the Dec. 26 sales day. Only one out of three respondents wanted to shop during the stretched out, week-long event. The same number said the earlier Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales changed their habits for Boxing Day.

Spending figures from previous years suggest this shifting consumer sentiment is ongoing.

Boxing Day 'significantly' less popular

Canadians made six per cent more debit transactions on last year's Black Friday than in 2017, according to data from payment processor Moneris. Black Friday also earned the title of biggest shopping day of the year for transaction volume.

Meanwhile, Boxing Day growth slowed in 2018, and the Friday and Saturday before Christmas surpassed it in transactions and dollars spent, the company said.

The shopping day "has dropped significantly in popularity with consumers," Moneris said.

Interac Corp. recorded jumps in debit transactions on Black Friday of more than four per cent for the past three years, while the total amount spent rose steadily as well. Its yearly growth in both categories for Boxing Day was higher, but the overall number of Interac debit transactions and the total volume of spending are about half of those seen on Black Friday.

Mad scramble in U.S.

In the U.S., retailers are expecting a mad scramble because Thanksgiving fell on the fourth Thursday in November - the latest possible date it could be. That means customers will have less time to shop before Christmas and retailers will have less time to woo them.

Adobe Analytics predicts a loss of $1 billion US in online revenue from a shortened season. Still, it expects online sales will reach $143.7 billion, up 14.1 per cent from last year's holiday season.

The National Retail Federation, the U.S.'s largest retail trade group, baked the shorter season into its forecast, but it says the real drivers will be the job market. It forecasts that holiday sales will rise between 3.8 per cent and 4.2 per cent, an increase from the disappointing 2.1 per cent growth seen in the November and December 2018 period that came well short of the group's prediction.

Last year's holiday sales were hurt by turmoil over White House trade policy with China and a delay in data collection by nearly a month because of a government shutdown. This year's holiday forecast is above the average holiday sales growth of 3.7 per cent over the previous five years.

Top shopping day in U.S.

NRF expects online and other non-store sales, which are included in the total, to increase between 11 per cent and 14 per cent, for the holiday period.

Black Friday is expected to once again be the largest shopping day of the season in the U.S., followed by the last Saturday before Christmas, according to MasterCard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all types of payments including cash and check. Thanksgiving Day isn't even on the top 10 holiday shopping days, according to MasterCard.

The 2019 holiday season will be a good measure of the U.S. economy's health. Many retail CEOs describe their customers as financially healthy, citing moderate wage growth and an unemployment rate hovering near a 50-year low.

"The overall picture is positive," said Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, a retail consultancy. "People are spending out of positive cash flow as opposed to borrowing."

German distribution centres on strike

The U.S. sales phenomenon has spread to retailers across the world in recent years with such force that it's prompting a backlash from some activists, politicians and even consumers.

Workers at Amazon in Germany went on strike for better pay on one of the busiest days of the year. Near Paris, climate demonstrators blocked one of the company's warehouses on Thursday to protest over-production they say is killing the planet. Some French lawmakers want to ban Black Friday altogether.

Consumer rights groups in Britain and some other countries say it's not always clear how real or big the discounts are. Other critics say it hurts small businesses.

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It's Black Friday - and Canadians are leaving Boxing Day behind | CBC News

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Canadian shoppers craving a deal increasingly turn to Black Friday - a sales bonanza imported from the U.S., where retailers long slashed prices the day after their Thanksgiving holiday - at the expense of another sales spree, Boxing Day.

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As the Duchess of Windsor famously remarked, "You can never be too rich or too thin." Her skeletal frame certainly attested to the statement. Fortunately for those whose obsession with thinness may lead them to unwise dieting practices, Great Britain is preventing a pharmaceutical company, Omega Pharma, from promoting unhealthy slimming. The British company selling a very low-calorie weight loss drink is being criticized for a television advertisement in which one skinny young woman encourages her friend to use the product so she can lose a large amount of weight very quickly; just in time for bathing suit season. The bodies of both women are almost impossibly thin, and after about 200 complaints were received condemning the adverts as pushing young girls toward eating disorders, the advertisement was halted.

The push against promoting a body image at odds with good health, however, is rare. In our concern over the failure of effective weight-loss treatments to halt the obesity epidemic, we may overlook the success of some diet and excessive exercise regimens to produce rapid and perhaps even extreme weight loss. I overheard a discussion in my gym's locker room between two women who were disputing the methods used by the television program, "The Biggest Loser." One was admiring the enormous weight loss of a contestant, while the other was lamenting the almost ruthless demand for constant exercise and semi-starvation rations.

"But look at what they accomplished," the first was saying. "All that weight lost? It has to be worth it because the contestant is now thin. "

Being thin certainly seems worth a great deal by those wishing to be fashion models. Their measurements may not exceed 32, 22, 32 and thinner is better. Nowadays the super-thin model is the norm. The gold standard, apparently, for the perfect excessively thin body is the person who works as a 'fit' model for the fashion houses. A fit model is extremely thin, so that the clothes being draped on her body hang without being disturbed by curvaceous anatomy that are part of a normal female body. As a result, the runway models wearing these clothes have to be equally thin, and resort to starvation to achieve the emaciated look desirable by the designers.

A former editor of Australia Vogue, Kirstie Clements, described the health costs of this a few years ago. She described models so weak from hunger that they could barely stand up during a photo shoot and how they ate tissues to fool their stomachs into feeling full. Some were in and out of hospitals to receive intravenous solutions because dehydration and starvation caused them to collapse. According to her, what the rest of us might think is a severely emaciated body requiring immediate hospitalization, is considered by the fashion industry as perfect for fashion shoots.

Equally disturbing is the pressure on actors to exhibit sleek, thin bodies during the red carpet events preceding various award ceremonies. When did it become necessary for actors who take on multiple roles in the theatre, and in film to also take on the role of fashion model? Why are we, the on-lookers, so concerned about their weight, when we should only be concerned about their acting? Why should we want to know how these normal size people have to reduce the size of their bodies by cleanses, fasts or avoidance of most food stuffs or hours of exercise prior to these red carpet events? But we do, as the many articles in the print and internet media attest.

This is why the action by the advertising board in the UK is so important. But it is such a small step. Despite the horror of seeing the incredibly thin models used in a Parisian fashion show last year, the thinner the better ideal is still the mantra of the fashion business. And woe unto a celebrity who wears comfortable normal size clothes to a red carpet event, allowing some natural lumps and bumps to show beneath the fabric. Unless she squeezes herself into a better shape, she will probably have to enter the event by the back door.

Research has shown that people who obsess about their body image are helped if role models are a normal weight rather than an unattainable one (Posavac, H Posavac, S and Weigel R. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, Vol. 20, No. 3, 2001, pp. 324-340). How many young women flirt with anorexia or develop this eating disorder so they look as thin as the models in the magazine?

Isn't it time to stop demanding that models and celebrities present unrealistically thin bodies produced only by the unhealthiest life style? Editors of fashion magazines, and indeed the whole fashion industry, have managed to influence us as to what is appropriate or what not to wear, as well to how to style our hair, makeup and manicures. Thus they have the power to convince us that a normal size, fit human body is the body we should be striving toward, not a body that has the girth of a clothes hanger. They have the power to tell the designers to make clothes that will fit over a woman's body that looks like a woman's body, not a pre-adolescent girl. They have the power to tell models that it is necessary to eat, and not alright to sacrifice their health for their job. How long must we wait until they do?

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Too Skinny Models: Are They Models of Eating Disorders?

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As the Duchess of Windsor famously remarked, "You can never be too rich or too thin." Her skeletal frame certainly attested to the statement. Fortunately for those whose obsession with thinness may lead them to unwise dieting practices, Great Britain is preventing a pharmaceutical company, Omega Pharma, from promoting unhealthy slimming.

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When I was a kid, I hated homework.

Infinite pages of problem-solving math, hand-scrawled essays on Canadian history or French verb conjugations - whatever it was, it infringed on those precious after-school hours where I would have rather done anything else.

In the eternity since graduating high school, though, I came around on the idea of homework, seeing it as a necessary component of learning. As a parent, I think part of me even started liking it. My kids are still young, so it's not like I'm facing hours of calculus or high-stress science projects. At our stage, having 20 or 30 minutes of evening homework is almost nice. It's a good way to share part of their life I wouldn't otherwise see - and learn firsthand - what they're being taught and how.

This mom's take on homework is a little different: My Daughter Won't Let Me Do Her Homework

There's also probably some comfort in realizing it's a generational thing. I'm flashing back to my mom sitting with me at the kitchen table, trying to not get frustrated as a few simple questions on a page.

The only difference is that now it's me who is pretending to totally understand fractions.

This year, our eldest has a teacher who doesn't assign homework. I'd been warned by other parents in hushed, knowing tones: "You know, she doesn't believe in homework." I don't think a year of no-homework will stop my kid from getting into grad school, but it did get me thinking about the idea of take-out learning.

I truly believe that our brains need a reset each day and family time should be fun.

And the more I thought about modern life, healthy balances and ways to learn, the more I realized that maybe I didn't believe in assigning homework either.

I've heard a lot of people say homework prepares kids for what it's like to work in the real world. This might be true, but, at the same time, working in the real world is often kind of messed up.

There are so many studies out there about the effects of having an unhealthy work/life balance. I've gotten away (mostly) from checking my phone for emails, but there are still times when I fixate about job stuff that can wait until the next day, rather than just truly be in the moment. In an ideal world, most of us should be able to completely focus on our kids when we leave the office/factory/whatever for the day.

From the Psychology Foundation of Canada: How to Create Quality Time With Your Kids When There Is So Little Time

I truly believe that our brains need a reset each day and family time should be fun. If adults get to leave the workplace behind each day when they clock out, shouldn't our kids get the same opportunity, rather than keep their work going at home and lose out on free time?

For some families, there isn't a lot of free time to begin with. There might be karate classes or swim meets or dance competitions or hockey or piano recitals. Whether it's a case of overprogramming our kids or allowing children to pursue things they love, homework is another thing to add to the daily calendar. It's one more activity for parents and kids alike to stress over while bedtimes get pushed later and later.

A teacher may be assigning what they feel is a straightforward hour of homework, but the ramifications could be very different for different kids.

I want our kids to explore, relax and refresh. I want them to like learning and be curious and passionate. But this can be a particularly tall ask if the homework they're going to be assigned over the next few years ends up being repetitive or rote, or demands they memorize rather than truly investigate and understand. A lot of parents say they want their kids to get outside and to stop staring at a screen, to be active rather than curled up at a desk or table all evening, and I feel like maybe rethinking the quality and quantity of homework is part of this process.

And there are other issues with homework. In a classroom, all kids are at least theoretically using the same resources - everything should be equal. At home, though, everyone's situation is different - some kids have helicopter parents, super-high-speed internet and quiet places to get work done, while others may be helping out with childcare at home or working a part-time job. A teacher may be assigning what they feel is a straightforward hour of homework, but the ramifications could be very different for different kids.

Too many​ parenting styles? Read this dad's take on the culture: Are You A Free-Range Or Helicopter Parent? My Advice Is To Get Over It

I get that there are lots of good reasons to assign homework; that it encourages kids to think and apply what they've learned. Sometimes, schoolwork just doesn't get finished during the day and needs to come home (offering a lesson in time management and focus). I also understand that various teachers will have their own approaches and techniques, and that kids need to be adaptable and resourceful and learn how to work within different sets of expectations, especially if they want to be ready for college or university and, yes, the "real world."

Ultimately, though, it's important to not lose sight of how important leisure and family time are, and how kids need a break once in a while.

This means I was mostly right when I hated doing Grade 7 homework, and only now do I realize how much of a hassle it was for my parents who made me do it anyway.

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Homework As We Know It Doesn't Properly Serve Every Kind of Kid - So I Think I'm Done With It | CBC Parents

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When I was a kid, I hated homework. Infinite pages of problem-solving math, hand-scrawled essays on Canadian history or French verb conjugations - whatever it was, it infringed on those precious after-school hours where I would have rather done anything else.

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There's always something we aren't doing, it seems. My school-age kids, who are 7 and 4, bring home shiny brochures every Friday, broadcasting the latest after-school programs all the cool kids are doing: hip-hop, soccer, flag football, drawing, Girl Scouts, horseback riding, clay-making, ukulele. And every Friday afternoon, I allow my 2-year-old to shred the after-school brochures in her hands and relocate them to the trash.

We've participated in many of these classes, and they've been led by happy, capable teachers. And yet, when the day of any class arrives, I regret that we aren't just spending the evening at home. The last ballet class my 4-year-old took required a 40-minute drive in rush-hour traffic so she could jump over stuffed animals placed in the middle of a room. The ceramics class my oldest daughter was taking at the same time, in the same arts centre, yielded 10 spiky and fragile glazed projects, two of which broke as soon as we brought them home.

Both of my girls loved these classes. My oldest daughter has anxiety issues, and my middle daughter is deaf and has gross motor delays, so I framed these activities as child-chosen therapies that would give them tools they could use outside the classes. And there were benefits: I love their early exposure to the arts; I love the clay projects, and the self-worth that came with them; and I love the glowing pride my daughter with special needs shows when she leaps through the air.

But I need only look at my blood pressure at the end of each class to see the weightier downside of our after-school commitments: The kids are in an unleashed tizzy after a full day of paying attention in school and structured extracurriculars, no matter how much fun they have had; the 2-year-old has reached her threshold for patience and one of her shoes is gone; I have nothing planned for dinner; and the traffic has reached a level of insanity.

The problem is that these activities are supplying my kids with lessons they don't need to learn at this point in their lives, on a strict schedule, and with monthly fees. These activities do them no harm, but they increase my anxiety and limit my mobility, and the hours between 4 and 6 p.m. are a time when I need to place my needs (decompressing after all the kids are home, starting dinner, pouring a glass of wine) ahead of the short-sighted desires of my young kids - a parenting move that feels countercultural in a country that provides cooking classes for toddlers and meditation sessions for those too young to be capable of reasonable thought.

In the 1980s, when I was the age my children are now, I was chiseling the atrophying concrete in our driveway after school, or trying to jump a bike over slabs of wood my older brothers had dragged out from the garage. I remember going to the park without our parents or hiding in the side yards of strangers. I wasn't anxious, and neither were my parents. I don't remember being lured by company-sponsored anything, and my mom doesn't either.

We played on soccer teams that practiced down the street when we were in second or third grade, and I joined the neighbourhood swim team. Neither sport became competitive until we were in late middle school. At that point, we could choose to join club sports or opt out. I went with the latter. I just wanted to jump off the diving board with my friends. But it seems harder to be that kind of fun-loving, casual participant today. Our kids are encouraged to commit to things at a higher level of intensity, farther away from home, at a higher cost, before we can weigh the commitment, commute and money against the rest of the family's needs.

When my oldest did gymnastics last spring, a mother sitting next to me on the bleachers asked me how many times a week I was coming to the gym. "Once a week," I said. And she replied, with obvious fatigue: "Just you wait. I'm here with my 8-year-old four days a week."

I decided, quietly, that gymnastics probably wasn't for us. In the car on the way home, I asked my daughter how she felt about gymnastics. "I'm really just doing it because I like the unitards," she said. We were passing a doughnut place, so I pulled in.

"Maybe it would be nice to have a doughnut on Saturday mornings instead of gymnastics," I said. She lit up, and it was unlike any expression I'd ever seen on her face at the gym. I'm not encouraging slovenliness and doughnut eating over healthy athleticism, of course; I'm advocating for life balance, which sometimes means sprinkles and giggling in a sticky booth instead of standing stick-straight on a beam.

I'm sure there are more Zen moms than me, who have calm drives and organized planners and who don't love cancelling as much as I do. But a recent Pew Research Center survey reported two truths about the demographic that represents me: parents with higher incomes (above $75,000 a year) and higher education levels are more likely to report that their children participate in after-school activities; "meanwhile," the Pew report says, "these parents tend to worry about their children doing too much."

A lot of us put our kids in activities because other similar-aged kids are doing these activities. But the implied state of playing "keep up with the Joneses" is that we're pursuing an illusory ideal that exhausts us and that we'll never actually reach. Maybe even the Joneses are more tired than they seem.

The statistic above reveals a tension many parents like me are silently feeling while we play Uber driver and distracted audience member: We have a whole life of worthier sacrifices ahead of us, and we don't need to be prematurely, culturally cajoled into this. When I asked my mom what she thought, she said: "If you feel like you're doing too much, then you are."

This week, when the instructors of both of my girls' classes asked if we were signing up for the next session, I told them I'd think about it. I have, and the answer is no. We have clay in the closet and a wood floor in the family room, and the rest of my kids' lives will be rife with competition. For now, they can enjoy after-school activities like I did at this age: at home.

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Do young kids really need all those structured after-school activities at their age? | The Star

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There's always something we aren't doing, it seems. My school-age kids, who are 7 and 4, bring home shiny brochures every Friday, broadcasting the latest after-school programs all the cool kids are doing: hip-hop, soccer, flag football, drawing, Girl Scouts, horseback riding, clay-making, ukulele.

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In Canada's first dementia village, residents can walk by themselves outdoors on what seems like a never-ending path.

They can leave by the front door of their house and walk along Main Street past the rock garden to the community centre. Or they can walk toward the Red Barn and circle behind near Bradshaw Meadow.

There's eight-foot fencing that's mostly made of cedar bounding the property so residents can't wander and leave The Village, which has one controlled entrance and exit.

The needs of people living with dementia permeates every aspect of the design, from the pathways around the five-acre site to the spacious interior rooms able to accommodate wheelchairs.

Eitaro Hirota, The Village project architect with NSDA Architects, said one of the principles of designing for people with dementia is that you don't want dead-end corridors or paths.

"If you have a dead end, it goes to a destination so that it doesn't seem that the path ends and there's nothing there," he said.

A person living with dementia who comes up against a dead end can experience heightened anxiety. In some cases, it can lead to the person going through the door to the other side in what's called 'eloping.'

"If you create an environment like The Village, that urge is diminished," Hirota said. "They have options. They have a variety of destinations to go to."

The Village opened earlier this summer in Langley. It's inspired by De Hogeweyk, the world's first dementia village that opened in The Netherlands in 2009.

Built at a cost of $28 million, Langley's The Village is designed to make it as easy as possible for someone with dementia to live their life independently. It has a beauty salon/barbershop where people can get their hair cut and styled. There's a grocery store where residents can buy household items. At the community centre, you can order a coffee or have a meal.

The Village is at 3920-198th St. on what's known as the old Bradshaw Elementary School site.

Barb Ruscheinski knows The Village well. Her mother Regina, who has dementia, is a resident, as is her aunt Kay Gorse who doesn't. Both women were at Maple Ridge Seniors Village before moving into The Village. She described the Maple Ridge home as a "wonderful place" with "very caring staff." What it lacked, however, was the personal attention Ruscheinski's mother needed.

"We need someone who could pay more attention to her and get her involved in day-to day activities that she always loved to do," she said. "It's been such a positive experience for us and our family. We're very happy to have them there."

Ruscheinski acknowledged the high cost of living at The Village. Including taxes, rates are $7,300 a month for regular residents and $8,300 a month for complex care.

"We're very fortunate that they can afford to be there," she said. "I think the model is fantastic. I think it could be applied just about anywhere."

The Village builds on the kinds of assisted- and extended-care communities built by Elroy Jespersen during the past 30 years. Jespersen is the vice-president, special projects, for Verve Senior Living and the project leader for The Village.

The site had to be big enough, Jespersen said, so that the residences could all be built on one level with no stairs.

"One of our principles is for villagers to roam free so they can walk out the door without any stairs or barriers," he said.

The Village has 38 residents, a little less than half of the 78 it's designed to accommodate. Residents wear a Bluetooth-enabled wrist band that acts as an electronic key for their house and allows for real-time location monitoring.

Earlier this spring, the Alzheimer's Society of B.C. estimated that 70,000 people in B.C. are living with dementia, an umbrella term that can include many diseases and conditions such as Alzheimer's, as well as head injuries. By 2033, as many as 120,000 people in B.C. could develop dementia.

"We purposely need to move slowly because it's new for everybody - new for the people who work here and new for the people who live here," Jespersen said.

One of The Village 's unique elements is that each house has the same group of 10 staff who work with 12 residents. A small, consistent group makes it easier for villagers and residents to get to know one another.

Jespersen took Postmedia News on a tour of Holly House, one of the unoccupied residences. The house was identified by its name out front and a symbol of a leaping deer, a visual cue for someone with dementia who loses the ability to read. Inside, Holly House looked like more like a big suburban home than an institutional care facility.

In the bedroom, the wardrobe has a unique design. A person with dementia can mix up the sequence of things and end up wearing underwear over their clothes. The wardrobe rack, visible from the bed, allows clothes to be laid out in their proper order so that someone can dress themselves unassisted when they wake up in the morning.

"Our success will be dependent on people who work here, how well they do their job and how long they stay. That's our product - this is our packaging," he said, referring to the surrounding buildings, paths and landscaping.

Jespersen said he'd love for researchers to come into The Village to study whether in fact a village designed and built for people with dementia is a better way to care for them.

"If it is, and we can demonstrate that, then it's something the government can look to and say, 'Maybe we should be looking to do more of these,' " he said. "We'd love to be able to partner with government and make it more affordable."
kevingriffin@postmedia.com

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The Village designed from ground up to accommodate people living with dementia

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In Canada's first dementia village, residents can walk by themselves outdoors on what seems like a never-ending path. They can leave by the front door of their house and walk along Main Street past the rock garden to the community centre. Or they can walk toward the Red Barn and circle behind near Bradshaw Meadow.

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Researchers at the University of California's Center for Climate Science say they have narrowed the projections of when the Arctic might be free of sea ice.

Past projections vary from as soon as 2026 to as distant as 2132. Now, according to research published in the journal Nature Climate Change, the Arctic could have a "functionally ice-free" September by 2044, and no later than 2067 -assuming no changes to global carbon emissions.

Functionally ice free is like basically broke - it doesn't mean there won't be a shard of ice anywhere, but there would be fewer than one million square kilometres of it. That's compared to the current minimum six million square kilometres of Arctic sea ice that exists today, even at its lowest point after summer's heat.

The important thing about one million square kilometres of Arctic sea ice is that it mostly represents thick multi-year ice close to coastal areas of Greenland and in the Arctic archipelago. The Arctic Ocean itself would be essentially ice free. Declining sea ice hurts the ability of the Arctic to perform its important albedo function.

The sea ice albedo effect refers to the reflective capacity of sea ice to deflect sunlight. Where there is no sea ice, darker open water absorbs up to approximately 90 per cent of incoming solar energy (heat). Sea ice absorbs just 20 per cent of that energy, with the rest reflected away, according to research published by the University of California.

It's the Earth's freezer malfunctioning. This quickens global warming.

"Essentially when we're losing that ice, the ocean is taking up much more heat than it would be say if we had an ice-covered Arctic," said Chad Thackeray, the article's lead author and research scientist on climate change at the University of California Los Angeles.

"So that change has big implications for the climate system; not just changes in the Arctic."

Accurate modelling of when we could see an ice-free Arctic is an important piece of data in global climate models, Thackeray said.

"This is one ... quantity or metric where a model disagreement is particularly large. A lot of our work is about trying to reduce this uncertainty ... so that we're better prepared for the changes that are to come."

Consistent modelling of Arctic sea ice changes will improve global projections that rely on that data.

"If models have more consistent simulations of sea ice, then it's likely that they'll have a better consistency in projecting future changes in temperature - especially in the Arctic region," he said.

New method

Thackeray and co-author Alex Hall used a new method to build their model. They took 30 years of satellite data on seasonal ice melt as a benchmark. Next, they compared 23 existing models to the data, rejecting those that failed to match the benchmark. The idea is that if a model can't accurately 'predict' what did happen, it shouldn't be relied on to predict what will happen.

Once the weak models were rejected, they were left with six models that, taken together, give what they believe is the most accurate timeframe a functionally ice-free Arctic, and how soon the best science tells us we should expect it.

There are some caveats to the research. Data was limited to sea ice between 70 and 90 degrees North latitude. That leaves out much of the Canadian archipelago - that mass of land and islands that defines Canada's North on a map.

Sea ice in that area is affected by nearby land masses. Regional sea ice forecasts would be a different, and more complicated, data set to work with.

"There are some areas ... just north of the archipelago and off northwestern Greenland, where the ice is very thick, multiyear ice that doesn't really melt every summer," Thackeray, who is from the Toronto area, said.

"That ice will stick around a bit longer. There will still be flows that find their way through the Canadian archipelago. That'll be pretty thick even in this mid-century timeframe."

But the trend is toward ice-free, assuming nothing is done to curb carbon emissions.

Thackeray said they did not consider how reductions in greenhouse gas emissions could effect the timeframe. Different models or "pathways" could significantly delay, halt, or even ultimately reverse Arctic sea ice thaw.

"This process can be delayed by several decades or even completely halted if we were to limit ourselves to say 1.5 degrees of warming," Thackeray said. "It's just a matter of what pathway we choose ... and how quickly we choose."

Helpful, if not groundbreaking

Walt Meier, senior research scientist with the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado, said that Thackeray's paper does not necessarily point to something new. Other attempts to cull the data of extreme outliers have given similar results. But he said the method itself is new and it's reassuring to see different approaches yielding similar results.

"In one sense, many people are reluctant to give a date or range of dates because of uncertainties," Meier stated in an email. "This paper does provide the range and a reasonable justification."

Meier's research focuses on satellite data, not modelling, so he doesn't expect the paper to directly inform his work.

"But I am on a couple projects that focus on sea ice projections, including from models, and I think this paper makes a valuable contribution to our knowledge."

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We'll see an 'ice-free' Arctic this century, says latest research | CBC News

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Researchers at the University of California's Center for Climate Science say they have narrowed the projections of when the Arctic might be free of sea ice. Past projections vary from as soon as 2026 to as distant as 2132.

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Many people think that cards are just fun and games, but as it turns out there are quite a few advantages to knowing your way around a deck of cards. Even basic card games can keep a person mentally sharp, improve memory, boost confidence, and improve important business and professional skills.

Picking up card games as a hobby is a rewarding experience - and not just because it's fun!

ADULTS

There are plenty of benefits for adults who want to sharpen their card skills. As adults we often think of play time in general as a luxury, but researchers say it's actually good for us. Enjoying a little bit of leisure time is a great way to burn off stress, spend time with your loved ones, and have a temporary escape from the stresses of life. After all, playing is observed in all animals, even when it's not based on skill-building. Some even play dangerous games with predators just for fun! Playing doesn't just ease your mind, it also stimulates nerve growth in the sections of the brain in charge of emotion and executive function.

Still having trouble with the idea of taking some time for yourself or playing a game? Think of it this way: when you incorporate card games, you're really maximizing your downtime because while your body may be at rest, your brain will be getting some exercise.

Card playing has an interesting social dynamic for adults. It's arguably one of the best ways to get a group of friends together (since all you need is a deck of cards and a table), it doesn't require anyone to get dressed up, and it's low-key enough that you can even gather during a weeknight. You get to learn about your friends in a very unique kind of way: most group card games require you to read your partner or opponents. Poker is a great example because it requires you to pay close attention to how everyone is acting at all times. Did a player just pick up a lousy card, or is he only pretending to be flustered? Is everyone buying your bluff, or does a player seem especially confident? On top of watching others, you must also be composed. You have to make sure you don't show too much emotion one way or another, and be especially careful to monitor your reactions. It can be excellent practice for being in a tough meeting or giving a sales pitch to clients: you learn how to be persuasive, as well as how to tell if someone is on-board with you.

There's also something to be said for the self-control that games like poker require a serious player to have. Players must not get overzealous and go all in if the odds, which must be weighed constantly, are not in their favor. They can't let the heat of the game get to them and make any decisions too hastily. Even if they really want to win a particular hand, they have to be able to recognize when it's time to fold. This can be a useful skill to hone if your job requires you to make a lot of business deals: you'll have practice weighing your choices under pressure and have the composure to walk away from a bad deal.

Adults can also improve their short-term memory by playing card games. Bridge seems to be especially beneficial; one study found significant evidence that one of the areas of the brain used while playing bridge actually stimulates the body's immune system. Though they can't say for sure, the researchers suggest it could be because players are required to use visualization, memory, and sequencing.

Playing card games can be an excellent way to unwind at the end of a long day for many reasons. It's a relaxing way to regain your sense of control, especially on days where it seems like everything has been out of your hands. It can allow your mind to stop reeling over your many responsibilities, and get it moving in a different direction than it's been in all day. It allows you to see things in a different way and get a more well-rounded perspective. You might even find that as you work out whatever game you're playing, you also discover a new solution to something that's been weighing on your mind.

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Playing cards has wonderful benefits for people with disabilities, especially those with cognitive deficits. The possibilities are endless: they can use cards to count, match, identify numbers, study shapes and patterns, and even work on basic adding, subtracting, multiplying, and piding skills. For example, someone with a photographic memory may find it easier to use cards to work out addition problems so he or she can actually see both the numbers and their quantities.

People with disabilities can also exercise their memory and recall skills with basic match games. As they become more advanced in their card-playing skills, they can work their way up to more complicated games that require players to pay close attention to what's going on. With regular practice, they will sharpen their strategizing skills, looking ahead, predicting potential outcomes, and developing a plan.

Developing social skills is a major advantage for people with disabilities who enjoy playing cards. If they are shy or have social anxiety, it's an easy opportunity for real interaction, yet they aren't forced too far out of their shells in order to play. It's a great way to practice social rules like taking turns, obeying specific rules, and resisting the temptation to play dishonestly. Focusing on watching which cards are being played during a game like bridge might even be able to help someone perfect the art of concentration.

Finally, playing cards can even boost a person's self-confidence. It's something fun for them to practice and develop as a skill, as well as an opportunity to impress their friends. A deck of cards is compact and easily carried around for practice or impromptu games with friends. They'll even enhance their dexterity, which could be especially beneficial to those with limited mobility in their arms or hands.

Loved ones can play an important role in helping their friends and family with disabilities feel even more confident about their card game hobby. Boost their self-esteem and help them with their verbal skills all at once: have them teach you a card game or give you pointers on how to get better at one you already know. Playing together on a regular basis isn't just a great opportunity to bond, it can be a sort of escape. Some with disabilities spend all day, every day having little to no control over their lives. When they play cards, however, the rules are the same for everyone and the playing field is even. Having the ability to beat anyone, regardless of physical or cognitive abilities, at a game, especially if it's a game they've gotten good at, can be an important win. They've proven themselves a worthy opponent to anyone around them.

SENIORS

The cognitive benefits of playing cards are especially notable when it comes to seniors. A person can give their brain a little problem-solving exercise by playing solitaire, or work out their memory skills by playing "Concentration." It's entertaining mental stimulation that can be done with others or alone at just about any time or place. For those with limited dexterity or vision, special cards can be used to make playing less of a strain. And while playing card games can't necessarily prevent the development of a degenerative disease like Alzheimer's, it's posited that regular brain stimulation of this kind could delay the onset of symptoms and allow a person to function at a higher level.

Card games can actually continue to be beneficial for those who are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Isolation can be a major problem, but playing a card game allows a person to socialize with others in a light-hearted, positive way. It can be simply finding a favorite partner to play gin rummy with, or finding a group to play a weekly game of hearts. Not only can engaging in a familiar activity calm the anxiety and irritation many with Alzheimer's feel, it can stir up pleasant memories from the past. Perhaps your mother used to play a game of cribbage with your father every evening, so she feels comforted by playing with you.

From the cognitive benefits and mental stimulation to the tranquil feeling of finding order among chaos in a deck of cards, there are plenty of benefits to a card game hobby. Whether you're looking to learn the art of cards for the first time, or are picking back up an old hobby from your youth, don't be afraid to start small and work your way up. Remember: the goal is to relax and have fun!

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The Mental-Boosting Benefits of a Card Game Hobby

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Many people think that cards are just fun and games, but as it turns out there are quite a few advantages to knowing your way around a deck of cards. Even basic card games can keep a person mentally sharp, improve memory, boost confidence, and improve important business and professional skills.

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Narges- Fast Food Facts-1538 words - APPROVED

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Narges- Fast Food Facts-1538 words - APPROVED

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Fast Food Facts – Center for Young Women’s Health

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Fast food refers to food that can be prepared and served quickly. It can come from many places: sit-down restaurants, counter service, take-out, drive-thru, and delivery. Fast food is popular because the food is inexpensive, convenient, and tastes good. Fast food may include refined grains instead of whole grains, contain saturated fat, cholesterol, and added sugar, and it can be high in sodium (aka salt) which is used as a preservative and makes food more flavorful and satisfying.

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Uber loses London licence over safety, but promises to appeal

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London's transit authority on Monday refused to renew Uber's operating licence over concerns about impostor drivers, with the ride-hailing company vowing to appeal the decision as it struggles to secure its future in the U.K. capital.

It's the latest chapter in Uber's rocky history with London transport officials, who have subjected the San Francisco-based tech company to ever tighter scrutiny over concerns about passenger safety and security.

Uber called the decision "extraordinary and wrong." It has 21 days to file an appeal, which it said it would do. The company can continue operating during the appeals process.

Transport for London cited "several breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk" in its decision not to extend Uber's licence, which expires at midnight Monday. Among other things, unauthorized drivers carried out thousands of rides, the regulator said.

"While we recognize Uber has made improvements, it is unacceptable that Uber has allowed passengers to get into minicabs with drivers who are potentially unlicensed and uninsured," said Helen Chapman, director of licensing and regulation at Transport for London, known as TFL.

"We cannot be confident that similar issues won't happen again in future."

The company fired back, pointing out that TFL had found it fit and proper in its most recent licence renewal in September.

"We understand we're held to a high bar, as we should be. But this [TFL] decision is just wrong" chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi tweeted. "Over the last 2 years we have fundamentally changed how we operate in London."

Struggling to turn a profit

The denial in a lucrative European market is a big setback for Uber as it struggles to turn a profit. The company posted a $1.16 billion US loss in the latest quarter, and Khosrowshahi forecast it wouldn't make a profit until 2021. Shares fell 1.3 per cent in New York.

TFL had already been keeping Uber on a tight leash. It had revoked Uber's licence once before, in 2017, but a court later granted it a licence lasting 15 months, which TFL then extended for two more months in September, but added 20 conditions.

In the latest decision, the transit authority said it was concerned Uber's systems "seem to have been comparatively easily manipulated" by drivers.

One key issue was a change to Uber's systems allowing unauthorized drivers to upload their photos to other driver accounts.

This let them pick up passengers as though they were the booked Uber driver on at least 14,000 trips, which means all those journeys were uninsured, TFL said.

The change also resulted in some passengers traveling with unlicensed drivers, including one whose licence was previously revoked by TFL.

TFL faulted Uber for another "failure" that allowed dismissed or suspended drivers to create a new account and carry passengers. And it cited other "serious breaches" involving unspecified insurance-related issues.

Increased safety measures

Uber said it has audited every London driver over the past two months and will soon launch a new "facial matching process" for its Microsoft-powered verification system, which requires drivers to periodically take selfies for comparison with their account photos.

Drivers will have to more actively confirm their identity by blinking, smiling or turning their head - part of recently announced beefed up safety measures.

Investors shouldn't be under the impression the phony photo issue is limited to London, said Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, who estimated London represents three to five per cent of Uber's business.

"Regulators around the world are going to scrutinize this issue, peel away the onion and make sure there are no similar issues," he said.

In the U.S., safety advocates have criticized Uber for conducting less thorough background checks on drivers than traditional taxi companies, which generally check drivers' fingerprints against databases.

Uber has been slugging it out with regulators in recent months and losing. California recently passed legislation to make companies treat rideshare drivers as employees instead of independent contractors, which could force Uber to provide health and other costly benefits.

New Jersey's labour department recently sought more than $640 million US from Uber, saying it misclassified drivers as independent contractors, and New York has enacted a minimum wage for drivers, which Uber passed along to customers in the form of higher prices.

"It feels like the regulators have the upper hand," Ives said.

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Uber loses London licence over safety, but promises to appeal | CBC News

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London's transit authority on Monday refused to renew Uber's operating licence over concerns about impostor drivers, with the ride-hailing company vowing to appeal the decision as it struggles to secure its future in the U.K. capital.

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Are we eating too much meat?

Well, that depends on who you ask. For instance, most animal rights activists would say any meat is too much. Certain advocates of high-protein diets might say we aren't eating enough. And, there's even division of opinion amongst research scientists, especially since last week, when a recent analysis of existing nutritional studies found that the evidence supporting the case against meat wasn't nearly as strong as the public had been led to believe.

On the other side of the argument are the plant-based registered dieticians and nutritional scientists, who, since they have a different interpretation of the data, continue to advise people to cut back on meat, regardless of the new report. "We are absolutely saying that the previous advice to reduce the intake of meat and processed meat in order to prevent a number of major chronic diseases still stands," says Dr. David Jenkins, a professor at both the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto and the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael's Hospital. "These include cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes and, to my mind, that's a very nasty combination of diseases."

There's a lot of heart disease in my family, so I've been thinking about the right amount of meat for some time. Since I also have a B-12 deficiency, though, I'm reluctant to give it up entirely. Having done some research, I've nearly settled on a plan inspired by a 2012 cohort study from Japan that found no correlation between moderate meat consumption and cardiovascular problems.

What's moderate? Well, that would be 100 grams of meat per day-a little less than a Quarter Pounder. That's a pretty tiny amount. It'd take a lot of discipline, but I'm pretty motivated-for a number of reasons, not just heart health.

Turns out I'm not alone. Although it may feel like the last decade has been a decadent meat party, measured in terms of the total amount of available animal proteins, Canadians have been cutting back their consumption slowly but surely for the last 40 years. And, according to a 2018 Dalhousie University poll study, we can expect this downward trend to continue-likely at an even faster pace. One-third of respondents indicated a willingness to reduce their meat consumption in the near future. And since the publication was released, the meat-free trend has become even more dramatic.

"So, of course, I have limited data on retail sales," says Sylvain Charlebois, lead author of the poll study and senior director of the agri-food analytics lab at Dalhousie. "But what I can tell you is that meat sales at the retail level in Canada have dropped this year since January and we estimate by about two per cent. That's volume, not revenue. If you compound that with the fact that we have seen an increase in population, well, if you're down two (per cent) and you have 500,000 more mouths to feed, that's a lot."

Health concerns may be driving this trend, but it's far from the only issue-worries over climate change is a big factor, too. In fact, this is the major reason Dr. Jenkins thinks the scientific community should continue to endorse giving up meat, since he thinks that the role animal agriculture plays in greenhouse gas emissions needs to be considered in nutritional guidelines, noting that he wasn't the only one who felt that way at Toronto's recent climate protest, which he took part in.

That argument is gaining traction, thanks, in part, to Jonathan Safran Foer, a popular American author who just released We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast, in which he argues that the one, single thing we can do right now to save the planet is cut back on meat. Foer writes that animal agriculture is responsible for 37 per cent of man-made methane emissions, 65 per cent of nitrous oxide emissions and a whole lot of CO2-somewhere between 14.5 and 51 percent of global emissions. But whatever the CO2, as Foer puts it, "We do not know for sure if animal agriculture is a leading cause of climate change or the leading cause of climate change."

Are individual actions the answer? Many would say no, but Foer says we're going to need individual actions, in addition to political reform and technological solutions, to fight this. He uses the Second World War as an analogy, arguing that, beyond the actual fighting, we might not have stopped Hitler had we not made efforts in the physics labs and on the home fronts, where people dimmed their lights, carpooled, reduced waste, planted victory gardens and rationed food. The modern equivalent to the home front sacrifices, he suggests, is to stop eating animal products at breakfast and lunch.

That reasonable-sounding proposal happens to coincide with best-selling food writer Mark Bittman's VB6 diet plan-becoming vegan until 6 p.m. every day. It'd also probably work well with my 100-gram plan.

As small as 100-grams per day is, that's still too much for some people, such as Dr. Jenkins, who suggested it's unsustainable given the 7.2 billion people on earth. Others, though, have told me the opposite, namely, that cutting meat out isn't the answer. Instead, we need to change the type of meat we eat, since some farming models can actually reduce atmospheric carbon levels.

Is it possible to fight the climate crisis and keep some meat? Possibly. If (and this is a big if) we start eating a different kind of meat-farmed outside of industrial agriculture. What's intriguing about this option, though, is that, since it provides better conditions for animals and arguably healthier meat, it also addresses some of the ethical and health concerns critics have about meat. It won't satisfy everybody. But it just might establish some common ground.

We'll explore that next week with Part Three: Are we eating the wrong kind of meat?

In case you missed it, here's Part 1 of the series: Meat vs. meatless? 'Vegandale' butcher insists there's a third option

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Is it possible to fight the climate crisis and eat some meat? | The Star

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Are we eating too much meat? Well, that depends on who you ask. For instance, most animal rights activists would say any meat is too much. Certain advocates of high-protein diets might say we aren't eating enough.

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The design of many stores - from floor plan to scent - actively encourages consumers to stay longer and spend more money, according to retail design and wayfinding experts.

With the U.S. tradition of Black Friday approaching, and the Christmas shopping season at hand, retailers could be leaning on subtle design choices that nudge shoppers to stay longer and buy more.

The cues can range from visual to auditory to olfactory. Essentially, everything from what you see to what you smell impacts how wide your wallet opens.

How much is that doggy in the window? Depends where the window is

One of the major components retailers take into account when designing their spaces includes understanding what customers do as soon as they walk through the front doors, according to retail interior designer Jennifer Jordan.

"We're more likely to turn to the right... when we enter [a store] and that means it's the best place for the newest and highest margin goods," said Jordan, who is based in Edmonton.

Jordan points out that there are unconscious biases that come into play when we enter a retail environment, and things like the scent of a store can prime you to spend money on items in there.

As an example, she points out that many Canadian Tire outlets often have a "distinct smell," conjuring up thoughts of motor oil or steel.

"That's part of this sensory differentiation that you don't feel when you're on the Canadian Tire website," said Jordan.

"[It brings] the construction mindset, you know this is the smell of progress. And soon my house is going to smell like this."

Design elements influence emotions

The physical layout of the store can have a strong influence on your emotional state as well, according to designer Chris Herringer.

The wayfinding expert helps come up with methods to help people direct and navigate themselves through physical environment, and helped deconstruct a Costco warehouse layout for The Cost of Living.

"I just noticed how big and open it is, and I can get my bearings quite easily because it kind of presents the whole layout of the store to me," said Herringer, who is a senior associate with design firm Entro in Calgary.

"It's not like I'm in a maze where I have to react to barriers that might create anxiety," said Herringer, who pointed out that anxious customers may not spend as much.

The designer also noted that Costco, with only one entrance, wants everyone to start at a single point and then proceed almost along a "racetrack" where you can experience other products as you walk along towards your destination.

The trick is that if you approach the store with a specific task - for example, purchasing meat - you'll be distracted, deliberately, along the way. And you could be enticed to purchase more.

"Poultry and seafood are down at the end ... if you were task-oriented and you wanted to just run in here and get something quick ... you're not going to get into that until you go through the rest of the store," he said.

He did point out that Costco still keeps things changing to make sure that you have to pay attention to your surroundings, even if you are a savvy Costco member who might know where most things are.

"There's kind of a rotation going on, and you're kind of forced into this a bit of a scavenger hunt," explained Herringer.

Where the items are - and how many - influences you

Products that are more complex can often be placed in high-profile locations at the front of a store because you are more willing to consider them earlier in your shopping, according to Claire Tsai, associate professor of marketing at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management.

Think of why complicated devices like television sets or home appliances are placed close to the beginning of the Costco "racetrack" - experts like Tsai believe you are more likely to have the energy to think about a complicated and expensive purchase right when you enter the store.

"They have the highest willingness to process product information to actually carefully consider their choices," she said.

Towards the end of a shopping trip... [shoppers] don't have the patience or the capacity to consider tough choices. - Claire Tsai, associate professor of marketing at the University of Toronto

According to Tsai, retailers choose certain things to be at the front of the store because customers have the most energy when they first start shopping.

So it could be more effective to intercept shoppers early in their visit to the store with unexpected or new information.

"Halfway through, or towards the end of a shopping trip, they are tired or they feel they've run out of time, so they don't have the patience or the capacity to consider tough choices," said Tsai.

Another trick that could be driving sales at stores is actually limiting the choices available to them on a shopping floor.

Some of the research Tsai has worked on showed that consumers are often less happy with a selection if they had to pick from dozens of choices than if they had, for example, six options to choose from.

It's unclear whether limiting selection is deliberate on the part of retailers such as Costco, but it could have an impact.

"Costco might not be doing it on purpose, but at the end of the day it's making people happier which probably makes them spend more money," said Tsai.
Written by Anis Heydari, with files from Falice Chin and Paul Haavardsrud.

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How stores like Costco use everything from layout to smell to make you open your wallet | CBC Radio

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The design of many stores - from floor plan to scent - actively encourages consumers to stay longer and spend more money, according to retail design and wayfinding experts. With the U.S. tradition of Black Friday approaching, and the Christmas shopping season at hand, retailers could be leaning on subtle design choices that nudge shoppers to stay longer and buy more.

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Dozens of tractors from Quebec farms delivered bags of corn to the doors of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's constituency office Monday, along with a demand for action from Ottawa in the week-long CN Rail strike.

"We're on the alert - it's an intolerable situation," said Marcel Groleau, president of the UPA, Quebec's agricultural producers union, at the rally in Montreal.

His message was echoed across the prairies, though there are differences in how producers want the labour dispute resolved.

About 3,200 CN employees, members of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference union, walked off the job last Tuesday. They've been without a contract since July 23, and say they're concerned about long hours, fatigue and what they consider dangerous working conditions.

On Monday, the union released an Oct. 19 recording of a CN supervisor asking a conductor to move his train to a location near Pickering, Ont., where a relief team could take over.

The conductor replies that he and the locomotive engineer are unfit to move a train, having been on duty too long.

The union says the conductor was suspended for two weeks without pay after refusing to move the train through residential areas east of Toronto.

"This recording illustrates CN's blatant disregard for the health and safety of our members and the public," Teamsters Canada president François Laporte said in a statement.

"This is why we are on strike against CN. This happens every day across the rail industry, and CN regularly intimidates workers who raise the issue of fatigue with the threat of discipline."

Many farmers say they are sympathetic to the working conditions of rail workers, but they're also worried they won't be able to get crops to market in a year when they had a disappointing harvest and continue to face trade disputes - notably China's ban on Canadian canola.

In Montreal, the UPA isn't asking for special legislation to force the CN employees back to work, but it wants Trudeau and his government to "put pressure on CN" to prioritize the transportation of propane.

Farmers use propane to heat hog barns and henhouses, and they need it to dry their grain before it can be stored - especially this year, when the crop is abnormally wet, said Dominique Leroux, a grain farmer who is also a member of the Grain Farmers Association of Quebec.

Leroux has no propane left on his farm - and he says Ottawa needs to act.

"They need either to resolve the strike, resolve the problem, resolve the negotiation or take a risk with us. Because if we lose our crop, we lose our income," he said, adding that farmers need to harvest before it snows.

"Everything is still in the field. I'm also a grain elevator owner, so what that means is I dry corn for other farmers .... They have to leave their crops in the field, because I can't dry their crops. So that's really stressful for them, for me, for our family, for everybody."

Strikes part democracy

In Winnipeg, the CN strike was top-of-mind at the annual National Farmers Union meeting, but members have mixed ideas on how they want the dispute settled.

Ian Robson, who farms in western Manitoba, said he is having a hard time planning his grain sales to get the best possible price, but as a member of a farmers union, he supports the Teamsters.

"We like to see fair bargaining and fair determination of labour standards and labour conditions," Robson said.

"The longer the strike goes on, the bigger the impact and that is the point of a strike.... That's what negotiations are for. And you know that's part of democracy and very important that that things play out."

NFU president Katie Ward said she has reached out to federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, who was re-appointed to the portfolio last week.

"I certainly hope that she will be working with her cabinet colleagues to help shepherd the decision process to an equitable and swift agreement," Ward said.

'It holds all of us ransom'

Manitoba farmer John Preun won't say how he hopes the dispute is settled - he just hopes it's soon.

His grain bin is supposed to be empty this time of year, but instead he has about a dozen bins filled with 7,500 tonnes of cereals, soybeans, oats and wheat.

"This is one of the worst years that I remember in my entire career of farming. I've never seen anything this bad, where we've gone from a drought, to an unconfirmed tornado, to a drought, and then just a deluge of rain when we didn't need it anymore," Preun said.

He agrees rail workers deserve to have a safe workplace and he's sympathetic to their concerns, but he says Canadian farmers are among those paying the price.

"The fact of the matter is that they've brought Canada [to] a standstill. We need the trains to move, so that we can move our grain to an export position. It holds all of us ransom."

Rail is an essential service

The association representing western grain elevators is going further - asking Parliament to recognize rail service as an essential service so it won't be subject to work stoppages.

"My understanding is that they can impose binding arbitration.... We would like to see Parliament resume as quickly as possible to take a look at passing emergency legislation to get grain flowing," said Wade Sobkowich, executive director of the Western Grain Elevator Association, based in Winnipeg.

"We don't think that was the intention of the collective bargaining process to hold Canada's economy as a hostage ... as as they work things out."

About half of the 360 Prairie elevators are on CN tracks, and they are being squeezed on both sides of the supply chain, Sobkowich said.

"On the producer side, farmers are being called in and asked to deliver it at some point in the future [but] they don't get paid until they deliver, so it's having an impact on farmers. And then on the export side ... we're paying contract extension penalties, because we can't get the grain to port loaded onto a vessel to get it to a customer."

Empty vessels in Vancouver face fines of up to $15,000 a day, costs that will eventually be passed on to producers.

A worst-case scenario is defaulting on contracts, Sobkowich added.

"If we're not seen as a reliable supplier there are going to be customers in the world that will have less interest in Canadian grains and oilseeds," he said.

"So now we're not able to earn as much of a return on our grain sales yet we still need to move it because we need to make room for next year's crop to come in."

Believes in negotiating

The federal Liberals say they are trying to help both sides reach a deal, but they are hesitant to intervene and introduce back-to-work legislation.

On Monday, Bibeau spoke at the Canadian Western Agribition show in Regina, where she also met with farmers and the Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit.

She said the federal government believes in the negotiating process and is pushing both sides to come to an agreement.

Canada's agriculture minister is urging Canadian National Railway Co. and its workers to reach a deal to alleviate the impact the ongoing strike is having on farmers.

Marie-Claude Bibeau delivered remarks Monday at the Canadian Western Agribition show in Regina, where she also met with producers.

Bibeau said the federal government believes in the negotiating process and is pushing both sides to come to an agreement.

Moe says intervene

"Every option's always on the table. But for the time being, we hope that both parties will get to an agreement," she said.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe wants Ottawa to intervene in the strike, and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has asked that Parliament be recalled early to pass back-to-work legislation.

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister said Monday he wants Ottawa to "move toward a resolution as soon as possible," adding Manitoba and Alberta have been discussing joint strategies to apply pressure on the federal Liberals.

"No one wants to enter into the fray of a labour dispute, but the consequences of this one are so severe," he told reporters.

"This is an issue of public safety now as well in terms of heating supplies, heating fuel.... This is one that they need to take action on fairly quickly.

No quick end

Parliament isn't scheduled to resume until Dec. 5, and the first order of business will be to elect a new Speaker and hear the Speech from the Throne.

Even if the minority Liberals introduce a back-to-work bill, there's no guarantee of a quick end to the strike.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has already said he's opposed to legislating CN workers back. Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer wants Parliament brought back early and "emergency legislation" tabled.

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Farmers want action from Ottawa in week-long CN Rail strike | CBC News

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Dozens of tractors from Quebec farms deliver bags of corn to the doors of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's constituency office, along with a demand for action from Ottawa in the week-long CN Rail strike. It's a message echoing across the prairies.

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Every two weeks, a group of 50 or 60 men cram into a makeshift bingo hall in Vancouver's poorest neighbourhood, the Downtown Eastside.

They share a hot meal, play bingo, get free haircuts - then they get real about their health, talking about everything from prostate cancer to sexual abuse, in sessions led by doctors and nurses.

It's called DUDES Club, an acronym for Downtown Urban Knights Defending Equality and Solidarity.

"We have this phrase, 'Leave your armour at the door,'" said long-time club member Robert Chippeway, 54.

"You just leave all your toxic masculinity at the door, feel free and everyone's at the same level. And that's where the magic happens."

Chippeway was in rough shape when he first stumbled upon the group in 2010. After a decade of living in the Downtown Eastside, he was an alcoholic with a cocaine addiction, living with HIV and Stage 2 cirrhosis of the liver.

"My mental health was all over the place," he recalled. "I was powerless and I felt hopelessness."

But he was encouraged by the club's welcoming atmosphere, so he kept returning. He credits his fellow dudes for helping get him back on his feet again. "It's very important, crucial, to my recovery," he added.

The program is now fielding inquiries from community health providers worldwide who wonder if the key to improving men's mental health is as simple as good, old-fashioned male bonding.

Overcoming loneliness

The Vancouver Native Health Society started in 2010, after male patients at its HIV drop-in clinic repeatedly talked about being lonely.

"They all identified loneliness as their main mental health concern ... it manifests in substance use, depression, anxiety, and PTSD," said Dr. Paul Gross, a family physician and co-founder of the men's health group.

"So, [we were] just trying to be a sanctuary, a safe space where men can come and connect."

In addition to the bi-weekly dinner and bingo, the men take outings to sports events and go camping.

But the backbone of the program remains discussions about health. Once a year, the dudes also gather for a wellness fair, where medical tests are offered.

Gross says the club's social aspects are essential to coaxing men to open up about health.

" There's an expectation, constructed over centuries, of what is expected of men. Stoicism and courage in the face of any suffering. And don't show emotion, don't show weakness. Don't ask for help if you absolutely don't need it," said Gross.

" That narrative has been responsible, we believe, for a lot of the trend over the past decades in terms of toxic masculinity, gender-based violence and harassment in the workplace."

Brotherhood of solidarity

About two-thirds of DUDES Club members identify as Indigenous.

Sandy Lambert, a member of Tallcree First Nation in Alberta and DUDES Club resident elder, says he's met many Indigenous men who avoid hospitals and medical clinics, even if they require urgent care.

" They just didn't feel any trust with the health-care system because of all the stigma and discrimination that happens. I thought, 'Well, maybe, as a human being, I can help my brothers out there.'"

Persuading men to talk is no "overnight fix," says Lambert, but he believes it helps to combine Western medical treatment with Indigenous healing traditions such as the medicine wheel.

"I know my people used to sit in the teepees, and the men and women would have their own talking circles. So, for generations and generations, we did that," said Lambert.

Research suggests that the DUDES Club model shows benefits. A three-year study by the University of British Columbia found that participants' mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health improves in the program's safe, non-judgmental environment.

"Part of what we try to do is to encourage men to move along the spectrum from curious to serious about their health and wellness," said Gross.

Elders and cooks receive honoraria, but the group relies primarily on volunteers, including Gross, which allows the club to operate on a budget of approximately $25,000 a year.

The program's cost-effectiveness has led to the launch of satellite clubs in seven communities across B.C., including Kamloops, Smithers and Prince George.

'It reconnected me to my spiritual being'

Robert Chippeway still marvels at how the brotherhood helped him clean up his health, recalling a critical moment in his recovery that took place one evening at DUDES Club.

"I stood up there and said, 'Hey guys, this is really good for me. I'm actually one-year sober today.' The whole group applauded ... I was super proud."

Chippeway has been sober for nearly four years, and he's managing his HIV with medication. He also began exploring his Ojibway heritage, which he'd long felt alienated from.

"I'm more involved in singing and making drums and going to sweats and stuff like that. It reconnected me to my spiritual being," he said.

Chippeway also reconnected with his family, eventually moving to Coquitlam to live with his brother, sister and father.

He was recently named a DUDES Club Champion, which means he helps organize dinners and plan outings for the men. Though he no longer calls the Downtown Eastside home, Chippeway still makes time for the dudes.

"Just the bonding, being in a room full of men with men, the messages from the doctor ... it's just amazing," he said.
With files from Samantha Lui

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'Leave your armour at the door': How bonding is helping Indigenous men heal body, mind and spirit | CBC Radio

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Every two weeks, a group of 50 or 60 men cram into a makeshift bingo hall in Vancouver's poorest neighbourhood, the Downtown Eastside. They share a hot meal, play bingo, get free haircuts - then they get real about their health, talking about everything from prostate cancer to sexual abuse, in sessions led by doctors and nurses.

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Alarming headlines and emergency-room pictures of kids hooked up to tubes and respirators because of vaping don't appear to be having much impact on B.C. teens.

Nicotine vaping has shot past cigarettes, cannabis and drinking alcohol as the most popular drug-delivery system among teens in senior grades.

Armed with a healthy aura - hey, it's not smoking! - vaping is quickly creating a new generation of addicts just as cigarette smoking appeared to be breathing its last as an acceptable pastime.

Tobacco companies have spent billions of dollars to secure their share of a growing market of young people taking up vaping, who in many cases haven't had much more than a puff of tobacco in their lives.

"If it was tobacco flavoured, I probably wouldn't use it. But all the flavours are why I keep it up," says Sarah, a high school student who has never smoked cigarettes. "It doesn't worry me at all that people are dying or being hospitalized. I know about that, but it doesn't scare me enough to stop. It seems pretty safe."

Other teens say educational films on vaping put them off making it a habit.

The Vancouver school district's Supporting and Connecting Youth program team is planning classroom education sessions on vaping this school year and offers one-to-one support for students and parents, as well as online resources. Education sessions for students caught vaping are also available.

Sarah and her classmates agree on one thing: Virtually every teen they know has tried vaping.

Data from the 2018 B.C. Adolescent Health Survey found that 21 per cent of teens between 12 and 19 years of age had used a nicotine-laced vaping product in the past 30 days. But the figure jumps to 31 per cent among 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds, says Elizabeth Saewyc, a professor at UBC's School of Nursing.

By contrast, just seven per cent of B.C. youth smoked a cigarette in the past month. More than 38,000 young people ages 12 to 19 in 58 of B.C.'s 60 school districts completed the survey.

E-cigarettes and vaping wands create a mist that the user inhales, which may contain nicotine, flavouring agents and THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

Vaping is so new that the long-term effects of inhaling e-juice ingredients such as glycerine and propylene glycol are unknown.

"We don't have really good, long-term research about the potential health impacts on adolescents and their growing brains and bodies," Saewyc says.

You don't have to look 20 years down the road to see the immediate acute impacts that vaping can have.

Wave of lung failures

American health officials are investigating more than 450 cases of "vaping-related" lung disease across 33 states.

Recently, a 20-year-old outdoors enthusiast was diagnosed with a potentially fatal case of lung failure and ended up on life support after vaping triggered an immune response usually associated with inhalation of mineral oil.

Six people have died from illness related to vaping in the U.S. Michigan is now taking steps to ban flavoured vaping products.

The Canadian Paediatric Society has called for a ban on flavoured vaping products in Canada. Flavoured e-juice is allowed in Canada, but it is not allowed to be "appealing to youth."

British Columbia limits the open display of vaping products to adult-only stores. In an open retail environment, vaping displays and advertising cannot be visible to minors and sale of those products is restricted to people at least 19 years of age.

Vaping giant Juul has marketed its products as a safe alternative to smoking cigarettes and even taken that message to high school students, though it was recently warned to stop doing so. Tobacco conglomerate Altria recently purchased a $17-billion stake in Juul.

Unlike smoking cessation products such as nicotine gum or skin patches, vaping simulates and reinforces every aspect of smoking, right down to inhaling and the rush of the drug.

Nor do e-cigs necessarily wean users from their drug. Nicotine-laced e-juice delivers every bit as much nicotine as tobacco. One vial can contain as much nicotine as a full pack of cigarettes.

Pro-vaping messages easily reach young people through social media, where it is depicted as "safe, tech and cool," says Saewyc.

"YouTube is becoming a really popular place where young people are talking about the different kinds of e-cigarettes, how they're modifying them, the different juices and all of the different sorts of equipment, plus showing tricks that you can do with steam," she says.

Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances known to science and binds to specialized receptors that already exist in the brain.

"It fits in the brain really specifically and that's what makes it so addictive," says Saewyc.

Governments have spent decades convincing teens that cigarette smoking is harmful and unpleasant, she notes. Now vaping threatens to undo all that work.

"It's easier to hide because it doesn't smell of smoke and young people are doing it because they think it's safer," she says. "They haven't gotten the same key messages and the same active campaigns around the risks of nicotine from vaping as they do from tobacco."

Using the free expression space provided in the adolescent health survey, teens pleaded for guidance.

"I would like to learn more about vaping side effects. How do I quit vaping when I'm severely addicted to nicotine?" wrote a student from the Interior.

"I quit smoking 4 months now. I used e-cigarettes with nicotine to do so (I use it on a daily basis). I used to smoke 1-2 packs a week," wrote a Fraser Valley student.

Safety claims unproven

"We know that manufacturers of these products are being controlled by the tobacco industry," says Marvin Krank, a UBC Okanagan psychology professor. "These are drug-delivery systems that easily replace cigarettes and they are so new that they can say a great deal about them that isn't true."

Vaping nicotine might reduce the incidence of cancer compared with tobacco smoking, but it's far too early to know.

"It took 25 years to demonstrate what was going on with cigarettes and the industry resisted every step of the way," Krank says.

The way manufacturers target children with their products isn't remotely subtle, he notes.

"You can't tell me that bubble gum and watermelon flavours are going to be used by adults to quit smoking," he says. "There are a lot of fruit and candy flavours out there in youth-appealing bottles."

Many of the ingredients being used in e-juice - including in flavoured e-juices that don't contain nicotine - have been approved for consumption through the digestive system rather than inhalation.

"These have never been proved safe for the lungs," says Krank. "Diacetyl is the stuff that caused popcorn lung in workers that make microwave popcorn."

Several deaths have been linked to e-cigarettes, along with dozens of emergency-room admissions, some of them for injuries caused by vaping devices that exploded. A California man lost an eye to an exploding e-cig while others have lost teeth.

The rising tide of injury and illness is especially concerning given the speed with which young people are taking up vaping.

Krank's own research with 1,209 students in the Vernon school district found that the number of students who had tried nicotine vaping increased by 50 per cent in each of Grades 8, 9 and 10 between 2017 and 2018.

"It's absolutely ballooning and it's really sad because we were winning the battle with tobacco," he says.

Vaping "directly mimics" the way that cigarettes deliver nicotine to the brain, which is likely to encourage addiction, he says.

"Nicotine consumption is on the rise again, nicotine addiction is on the rise again ... all with an aura of safety," he says. "We are watching the creation of a new generation of addicts. I wonder why tobacco companies are so interested in it?"

The Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research warns that e-cig vapour may contain substances that can cause cancer.

"It will be years before we know the long-term effects of vaping," Krank says. "But if (harm) is happening acutely, we can only imagine what the cumulative effects are going to be."

E-lung

"E-cigarette products often use glycerine, which is an oil that is known to be irritating to the lung," says Dr. Christopher Carlsten, a professor at the UBC School of Medicine and Canada Research Chair in Occupational and Environmental Lung Disease. "One of the big problems is that e-cigarettes are evolving so quickly, the product is changing faster than anyone can properly test for what's actually in it."

Liquids and moist environments are also a terrific medium for microbes, which can thrive in e-juice or e-cigs and vaping equipment. The gear is expensive enough that it is not considered disposable, so people keep them around and reuse them long enough for bugs to grow.

In the United States, hundreds of people who vape - mainly young - have presented symptoms similar to pneumonia, which include constant coughing, difficulty breathing, fever, fatigue and respiratory failure. In the past few weeks, two people have died, in Illinois and Kansas.

There isn't any data on vaping-related illness in B.C. so far, likely because doctors and health authorities haven't started to look specifically at vaping as a cause of illness.

Ultimately, Carlsten supports the preventive approach taken by Michigan.

"There might be some arguable benefit to vaping for adults who are addicted to nicotine from smoking cigarettes, but there are no redeeming benefits to vaping for anyone else," he says.
rshore@postmedia.com CLICK HERE to report a typo. Is there more to this story? We'd like to hear from you about this or any other stories you think we should know about. Email vantips@postmedia.com.

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Vaping more popular than ever with B.C. teens despite medical horror stories

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Alarming headlines and emergency-room pictures of kids hooked up to tubes and respirators because of vaping don't appear to be having much impact on B.C. teens. Nicotine vaping has shot past cigarettes, cannabis and drinking alcohol as the most popular drug-delivery system among teens in senior grades.

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It wasn't the first time I'd vowed to stop drinking after waking up with a hangover. Perhaps that's why family and friends reacted to my news that I wouldn't drink for a year with more skepticism than support. If it had been New Year's Day, they might have understood, but it was December 3 and social gatherings filled with holiday spirits beckoned.

After all, who quits drinking just before the holidays? My cocktail party persona was in peril, and it worried my friends as much as it did me.

I'd been flirting with sobriety for years, practising month-long dry periods here and there. Finally, at 46, I realized moderation was not my bag. As much as I tried to limit my drinking to weekends or one glass a night, I would eventually cheat if there was a good enough reason, and there frequently was. I settled on a one-year commitment because that seemed pretty close to forever, and I've always thrived under deadlines. I figured if I could survive the booze-soaked holidays without a drink, I could survive a whole year. I was right. I'm one year sober now and armed with tips for newbie teetotallers trying to survive the holidays without succumbing to the martini shaker.

Among the toughest hurdles during that first month was managing the reactions, especially at parties when it was glaringly obvious I was no longer one of the revelers. But you're not an alcoholic, they'd say, baffled. I'd agree I wasn't, but still, I drank more than I wanted to.

"It's shaming," says Angus Coll-Smith, a registered social worker who specializes in addiction and is in long-term recovery with 18 years of sobriety. "If you're not an alcoholic, your friends and family don't understand why you need or want to quit. The reality is that the reason to quit drinking is based on symptoms, more so than a clinical definition of addiction." He described two hallmarks of a drinking problem: that it's negatively impacting a person's life and that they have tried repeatedly to quit but can't. Ultimately, it's a personal decision that nobody but you needs to understand.

That being said, the impulse to drink doesn't evaporate overnight, no matter how steadfast the commitment. It's a consistent effort that often requires strategy. Coll-Smith recommends having a plan before heading to an event where you'll be tempted, like grabbing a can of pop before the offers of wine start or arriving in your own car to enable a quick exit.

Mingling at a party with a can of Sprite in hand was too grade six sleepover for my taste. I could give up my wine, but not my dignity. My modus operandi was to immediately slither to the wine glasses and discreetly fill one up with sparkling water. This kept my ritual somewhat intact, which eased the compulsion to sip Sauvignon.

There was no hack, however, for delivering pithy small talk and punchy comebacks. Like most people I know, I relied on alcohol to relax my nerves and build up courage to talk with people I barely knew. Before leaving for a neighbourhood holiday party last year, my boyfriend, who also doesn't drink, lamented, "This is going to be so much work for me."

"It's hard for everyone," I replied. "Why else do you think everyone drinks?" We laughed, but it's a hard truth. Parties gather people, many of whom are strangers, to stand in small circles and chit-chat like they're fast friends. I'd long mastered the art of sparkling chatter, but without my buzz, I was reduced to prolific nodding and bouts of awkward silence.

It took some time, but I learned to fill uncomfortable moments by asking questions - everyone loves to talk about themselves. Relief always comes after the first hour or two: By then, even if you still feel boring, everyone else is feeling more interesting, which makes you interesting, too. The downside is that just as they're revving up, you're ready to watch Netflix in bed with your dog.

Ever notice how time flies when you're drinking? Well, it slows down when you're not. I now give myself permission to leave a party early. At first, it felt strange, even rude. But if you stay long enough to see someone break a glass or fall off a stool, nobody will remember what time you left anyway.

No matter how long you stay, you need to prepare for the inevitable question, 'Why aren't you drinking?' This can be a stressful moment for a newly sober person. When I answered truthfully, it often led to a personal discussion that I wasn't prepared to engage in. If I simply said I had to drive home (which was often true), I was left alone.

The most effective way to avoid drinking through the holiday season is to decline invites. I was selective about what events I'd attend, but this strategy left a bigger void in my life.

"You can decide to stop putting alcohol in your body, and if that's all you do, great," says Coll-Smith. "But if you give it up for a year, what are you going to replace it with?" For me, that meant spending more time with my teen boys, including on weekend nights. I signed up for yoga teacher training, returned to running and started a blog.

If most of your friends are drinkers, as was my case, it's imperative to have at least one cheerleader on your side, preferably one who is a regular part of your life, whether it be a spouse, family member or best friend. I'm not sure I could have stayed the course without mine by my side.

One year later, my life has changed. What seemed drastic last December is my new normal. I have no desire for wine after work. At restaurants, I contentedly order soda water with lime. And nobody asks me why I'm not drinking; it's common knowledge now.

The party girl persona I once coveted is no match for the authentic person I've become. I feel healthier in mind, body and spirit than I have in years. This Christmas, I can think of no greater gift to myself than a second year of sobriety.
Danielle Leonard is the editor of West of the City magazine and blogs about sobriety at helloclarity.ca. @writeryogiseeker

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Surviving the holidays without alcohol | The Star

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It wasn't the first time I'd vowed to stop drinking after waking up with a hangover. Perhaps that's why family and friends reacted to my news that I wouldn't drink for a year with more skepticism than support. If it had been New Year's Day, they might have understood, but it was December 3 and social gatherings filled with holiday spirits beckoned.