Category Archives: Culture

Top Ways Folks Go Broke

March 25, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Being broke sucks and you don’t have to come from a wealthy family, have the next billion-dollar idea or work 18-hour days to become rich, says self-made millionaire Mike Finley. In fact, you don’t have to be extraordinary in any of the headline-grabbing ways. What you need is the self-awareness to avoid wasting Financial Happiness.

“Money used wisely can give you financial security ”

Finley lists 10 of the most common money traps that lead to consumers going broke:

1- Making the appearance of wealth one of your top priorities by acquiring more stuff. The material trappings of a faux lifestyle, as seen in magazines and advertisements, are not good term happiness.

2- Working a job you hate, and spending your free time buying happiness. Instead, find fulfilling work Monday through Friday so you are not compensating for your misery with expensive habits during the weekend.

Even worse than living paycheck to paycheck- advance loan on your paycheck.

3- Living paycheck to paycheck and not worrying about saving money. Don’t live for today, as if that’s all that matters. Have you already achieved all of your dreams by this moment? If not, embrace hope and plan for tomorrow. (Appreciating your life today doesn’t require unnecessary expenditures.)

4- Stopping your education when someone hands you a diploma; never reading a book on personal finance. Just about any expert will tell you that the most reliable way out of poverty is education. Diplomas shouldn’t be the end of learning; they should be a milestone in a lifetime of acquiring wisdom.

5- Playing the lottery as often as possible. While you’re at it, hitting the casino! Magical thinking, especially when it comes to money, is a dangerous way to seek financial security.

6- Running up your credit cards and making the minimum payments whenever possible. Paying interest on stuff you really don’t need is a tragic waste of money.

7- When you come into some free money, spending it. Feeling like you deserve it. By that logic, you’re saying that a future version of you doesn’t deserve the money, which can be multiplied with wise investments.

8- Buying the biggest wedding and the biggest ring so everyone can see just how fabulous you really are. Nothing says “Let’s start our future together” like blowing your entire savings on one evening.

9- Treating those “amazing” celebrities and “successful” athletes as role models. Trying to be just like them whenever possible. As far as we know, there’s only one you the universe has ever known. Don’t dilute your unique individuality by chasing an image.

10- Blaming others for your problems in life. Repeat after me: I am not a victim. The victim mentality is an attempt to rationalize poor habits and bad decision-making.

“If you’re feeling uncomfortable with your financial situation, don’t just sit there in a malaise of ‘If only I had more money,’ ” Finley says. “Instead, use it as motivation for a better life; that’s why the discomfort is there.”

Like most North Americans, Mike Finley was raised with no education in personal finances. Joining the Army out of high school, he realized he didn’t understand money management and began the task of educating himself. After 26 years in the service, during which he practiced the principles he learned, he retired a millionaire. Finley is the author of “Financial Happine$$,” and teaches a popular financial literacy class at the University of Northern Iowa. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Culture

Why Biz Schools Need Focus On Communication Skills

March 23, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

The importance of communication cannot be overemphasized since it is the cornerstone of civilization. From the very origin of the human race, communication was the means of conveying feelings, emotions and desires. It is this necessity to communicate that led to the invention of languages that are ever evolving even to this day.

Importance of communication skills

David Hume, the 19^th Century philosopher, was not wrong in stating that the art of communication is the language of leadership. This is why great orators proved effective leaders. Paul J Meyer, the founder of Success Motivation School, was also of the view that communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.

Business schools are seized of the fact that effective communication skills are a must-have for success in the business world. According to QS TopMBA.com Jobs & Salary Trends Report of 2018, there is an increasing demand for MBAs trained in communication skills for effective interpersonal relationships and leadership.

This has prompted business schools to give priority to improving the communication skills of its students, particularly those undergoing MBA programs.

Need for teaching communication skills in B-schools

#1 In delegating

B-school grads require leadership skills in their future positions. And to be effective leaders, they need to hone their communication skills to explain what their expectations are from the team. The more clearly these responsibilities are defined, less will be the chances of miscommunication and mistakes. By effectively communicating, leaders can explain the role of each team member to get things accomplished faster.

#2 In inspiring and motivating

Good communication skills help leaders interact more personally with their team members. This personal touch acts as a morale booster and a great motivator, thereby lifting the spirits of team members. The result is increased productivity and cohesiveness as a team. This is in contrast to ordering people around, which may get the work done, but may cause resentment too and undermine the motivation of the team. Inspiring words from leaders are much more effective than words of command. The B-school students should be taught how to ask about employees’ feelings and what appropriate responses should they provide.

#3 In improving listening skills

Communication is not only conveying, but also receiving. It is a two-way process. So, leaders should learn to be good listeners too. This will not only encourage the team members to open up to their leaders, but also encourage them to convey their ideas and opinions. This two-way interaction creates a kind of bonhomie between the leader and the led.

#4 In making sales

What is commonly known as ‘shop talk’ is persuasive communication that helps the marketing personnel convince their customers into buying marketed products. Such communication skills require clarity in explaining the product or service to the customers that the marketer is selling. This is what converts it into sales, builds relationship with customers and widens the network.

#5 In handling crises

Businesses often suffer from crisis of one kind or the other. In most cases, timely action helps in overcoming such crises. However, timely action happens with good communication skills, which helps explain the crisis to all concerned in the quickest possible way. Communication skills also help in conveying the news of the crisis to the public and the media in the most favorable way, as also in steering clear of any controversies that may crop up due to such crises.

#6 In spreading charisma

Great speakers and orators are a charismatic lot and become the cynosure of the public. This is due to their art of communication that charms and motivates people to act at their behest. For business leaders, such charisma works like a charm for networking with key people and potential customers, as also to push their employees and team to do better in a constructive manner.

Conclusion

Effective communication is one of the most vital tools in business today. It not only enhances teamwork but also facilitates high performance and improves workplace culture. This is the reason why such skills have become indispensable for success in business and have made B-schools sit up and take notice. For the Silo, Merin Mathew.

Culture

Most Popular MBA Specializations

March 23, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

The MBA is inherently a generalist program, which aims at educating students on how to become better managers and handle businesses successfully. But quite recently, a lot on business schools have incorporated a large number of ‘specializations’ to their MBA courses to give students a deeper dive into the subjects of their choice. For example, the INSEAD MBA boasts of a choice of 75 elective courses for the students.

The world is changing at a fast pace. With the introduction of new technologies and the demand for skilled professions to manage those tasks, novel modules like blockchain, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience which were barely significant a decade ago have been incorporated into many major MBA programs around the globe. Be it an MBA in Canada, the US or the UK, these specializations help in preparing students for specific business challenges that they would face in the fields of their choice. It also greatly helps in certain specific sectors such as hospitality, healthcare, luxury, and sports.

There is a pressing need to diversify the portfolio of courses to meet the latest market trends, requests by students and the dynamic requirements of recruiters.

Here we would be discussing the various specializations to help you choose the best career path in your management endeavor.

1. Marketing

With the increasing competition in the marketplace, there is a need for excellent marketing skills and competitive positioning to differentiate your products and services and ensure a long term and sustainable profitability. Students opting for this specialization get useful insights into key marketing strategies such as competitive analysis, market research, consumer behavior analysis, business ethics, product and brand management, digital marketing, advertising, and e-commerce.

2. Human Resources

This specialization involves a systematic and organized study on how to acquire, manage and retain workforce within an organization to achieve the goals of the organization. HR managers also ensure that there is a cordial relationship between the management and the employees. They may also be required to organize and coordinate various activities like off-site visits and employee get-togethers to keep alive the office culture.

3. Finance

If you are excited about financial data and numbers, this specialization is for you. It accounts for almost 22% of the MBA career choices, and this trend can be attributed to the higher pay packages offered and the wide varieties of job opportunities as compared to other streams. It gives you thorough insights into the functioning of the financial world and the knowledge of various financial theories that would help you to solve various business problems that you might encounter. Common job profiles include investment banking, credit risk management, and portfolio management.

4. Information Systems

Digital innovations and the introduction of technology in almost all industries has produced a growing demand for professionals who possess sound managerial skills coupled with advanced technical expertise. It gives you knowledge about the emerging technological innovations in the field of IT and enables you to handle areas like network security, systems analysis, data analytics, supply chain management, and e-business along with managerial decision-making.

5. Consulting

The scope of higher pay packages and the opportunity to travel to places lures MBA graduates into going after this profession. You may be expected to provide opinions and solutions to the issues faced by the organization, or even take the responsibility of handling projects beyond the scope of the internal staff. Common job roles offered are IT/technology consulting, strategy consulting, operations consulting, investment consulting and advertising.

6. Operations Management

This specialization teaches students to effectively manage the planning, organization and production/manufacturing of products and services to maximize the overall efficiency of the organization. You can consider this specialty if you have interest in logistics or supply chain management.

7. Entrepreneurship

If you want to establish your startup with the available resources, this specialization is for you. It offers critical business development and management knowledge that is required to set up and run a business successfully. Moreover, it teaches the requisite skills that entrepreneurs must possess to pitch their ideas and secure funding. The curriculum incorporates theoretical teaching with practical projects to give the students a taste of the real world.

For the Silo, Merin Mathew.

Culture

Ways To Retrain And Put Your Adult Brain Back In Charge

March 20, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Jungian Psychology uses art-therapy, dreams and imagery in mapping personal and collective unconscious, archetypes and complexes. Jung believed that there were fears and thoughts that children and adults exhibit that are "remarkably similar across time and culture" (allpsych.com) image: skycladtherapist.files.wordpress.com — Jungian Psychology uses art-therapy, dreams and imagery in mapping personal and collective unconscious, archetypes and complexes. Jung believed that there were fears and thoughts that children and adults exhibit that are “remarkably similar across time and culture” (allpsych.com) image: skycladtherapist.files.wordpress.com

The human brain is a wonder of the universe, but our understanding of it can seem contradictory, says Steven Jay Fogel, author of the book Your Mind Is What Your Brain Does for a Living.

“On the one hand, we’re often told of those crucial years that our brain develops in childhood, when we’re rapidly progressing in development of our language and other skills, and our preadolescent and teenage years, when our brains undergo a sort of second Big Bang of learning,” says Fogel, (www.StevenJayFogel.com).

“But although it may seem that the brain is pretty much set by adulthood, it remains malleable throughout adulthood; it continues to change as we learn and adapt.”

Most of us are unaware that elements of our inner child’s development are constantly tugging at us, and we don’t have a clue that it’s happening, he says. In Jungian therapy there’s a concept called the dark side, or shadow side, the place in our unconscious to which certain feelings and thoughts are banished because they don’t support our image of ourselves, he says.

Steven Jay Fogel is a longtime student of human behavior and development. — Steven Jay Fogel is a longtime student of human behavior and
development.

“That is our inner child responding to the emotional pain we experienced and interpreted with the limited understanding we had when we were very young. It continues to steer our reactions and behavior as adults, often in inappropriate ways,” Fogel says.

Awareness creates an opportunity for change. Fogel reviews how our adult brain can take command of the inner child:

• Recognize the elements of your self identity that keep you trapped. Our identity – how we want the world to see us – develops, in part, as a response to avoiding pain. Our identity may change from one situation to another (in the same way a chameleon changes its body color to match its surroundings) as we slip on the persona we believe is expected in a particular environment or social setting. This automatic behavior is the opposite of making mindful choices, and it robs us of the joy of living in the moment and inhibits spontaneity.

• Be aware of when you’re acting. Many of us live our lives as though we’re playing parts in various movies, navigating different storylines every day. You may be the righteous Clint Eastwood manager at work and then shift into the town drunk during happy hour, and later the loving husband and father during brunch the following weekend morning. When you’re playing these roles, you’re not in the present.

• Be skeptical of what the voice in your head may tell you. It’s not easy to recognize and quiet the mental chatter associated with the different roles we play. We’ve become so accustomed to the voice in our head, that we don’t realize its messages are programmed – and not necessarily the truth. Is your voice telling you to feel guilty? Ashamed? Angry? Is that rational? If not, it may be your inner child acting out of a childlike fear.

“Instead of simply responding to what we’re hardwired to think and react, we can hear, in mindful repose, those promptings as simply chatter,” Fogel says. “When you’re mindful, the inner child’s chatter can be seen for what it is, and you will be free to take a more mature directionin your day-to-day living.”

Steven Jay Fogel is a longtime student of human behavior and development; he has studied with psychologists, educators, and rabbinical scholars. Your Mind Is What Your Brain Does for a Living, (Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2014), is his third book. He is also the author of My Mind Is Not Always My Friend: A Guide for How to Not Get in Your Own Way (Fresh River Press, 2010) and The Yes-I-Can Guide to Mastering Real Estate (Times Books-Random House). For decades he has been an active participant in the human potential movement, inspiring and mentoring others to seek their true selves. Fogel is a principal and cofounder of Westwood Financial Corp., one of the largest owner-operators of retail properties in the United States. He is a licensed real estate broker and past chairman of the California Arts Council.

Supplemental- Synchronicity is the experience of two or more events that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance, yet are experienced as occurring together in a meaningful manner. The concept of synchronicity was first described in this terminology by Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychologist, in the 1920s.
The concept does not question, or compete with, the notion of causality. Instead, it maintains that just as events may be grouped by cause, they may also be grouped by meaning. A grouping of events by meaning need not have an explanation in terms of cause and effect.

Art

Terrace Photographer Captures Sunrise And Sunset From Fourteenth Story

March 19, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Great vantage point! A "terrace photograph" from Kim's new book. — Great vantage point! A “terrace photograph” from Kim’s new book.

“It’s important in today’s world that we counter all the bad news we read or hear about by savoring positive moments as if our lives depended on it.” So says author/photographer, Kim Weiss, who every days stops to “smell the sunshine” and photographs nature scenes from her 14th story balcony. This daily ritual, now documented in a small gift book and peppered with inspirational words is called Sunrise, Sunset: 52 Weeks of Awe & Gratitude, Weiss’ offering that reminds us that there’s more to life than what the media shows to us. A significant portion of the proceeds from book sales is donated to AVDA – an organization dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence.

Kim Weiss- "Sunrise, Sunset" author/photographer — Kim Weiss- “Sunrise, Sunset” author/photographer

“I never thought that my hobby of photographing the sun would turn into my ‘passion project,’ never mind a book,” says photographer/author, Kim Weiss about, Sunrise, Sunset: 52 Weeks of Awe & Gratitude (HCI Books) “Odd as it is to go from publicist to ‘author,’ I was moved to share the sense of awe I get to experience every day from my 14th floor terrace.” Her universally loved sunrises (& sunsets) fill the pages, accompanied by the sage words of inspiring people we admire. Each week commentary from people like Candace Bushnell, Lisa Nichols, Jack Canfield, Joan Halifax, Marty Becker, Marci Shimoff and many, many more complement the visual beauty of the sun rising and setting.

“I’m actually thrilled to see that a growing number of admirers of my photographs have convened on Facebook and Instagram and not only like my pictures but are inspired to post their own,” says Weiss. “We’re many thousands strong and have posts from Nova Scotia to Guam.”

Another lovely photo from Kim's book. — Another lovely photo from Kim’s book.

Sunrise, Sunset, (which happens to fit nicely inside a bag, or perch on a nightstand), is the ultimate gift book for saying “thank you,” sharing a blessing, or offering an oasis for spiritual awakening. From sunrise to sunset this book will be a perennial source of inspiration.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kim Weiss (Boynton Beach, FL) has been a publicist in the book industry for many years and coaches other writers aspiring to be bestselling authors. Her love of nature and photography began when she was just a little girl and bloomed into the writer and photographer she is today. From her 14th floor terrace she witnesses the beauty of nature and captures it through the lens of her camera. As a storyteller, Kim has contributed to the hugely popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series and The Ultimate Bird Lover.

Weiss’s actively growing community of backyard photographers can be joined on her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KimWeissSunriseSunset and all her events and reviews can be seen at: www.sunrisesunsetbook.com

Art

You’re Writing A Book So Tell Your Tale, And Tell It Well

March 14, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

You have probably always wanted to write a book. You have probably tried to start writing it several times and gave up. Or maybe you did write it, but it didn’t quite turn out the way you wanted it to. You have most likely been scared and frustrated by the writing process, as well as exhilarated and thrilled. And you probably wondered how you could tell exactly what you wanted to tell, and tell it well.

I’m not going to give you an answer to your burning questions. I’m still searching for it myself. But I will maybe alleviate your pain in sharing with you my own search on the way to telling my stories in the best way I can. After four years of writing full-time, I have turned a corner and am no longer scared. No, this is a lie. I am scared, but being scared no longer stops me. And the answer is simple: study the craft of writing. How? By doing it and by learning how others did it before you.

When I started out, I charged ahead like mad, high on the possibility of writing my very first book and actually doing it. I disregarded rules and channeled my inner self on the page, believing it was true art (not that I understood what that meant). I was fine for a while. But on my fourth book I got lost and quickly finished it because I didn’t know how to make it better. And on my fifth book I got stuck and had to scrap everything and reengineer my entire writing process. Why? Because I ignored the rules. I thought writing was an expression of something intangible and divine that couldn’t be touched lest it be wrecked by such rudimentary and boring things as plotting, theme development, grammar, character arcs, etc. And I was wrong, and maybe because you read these lines you will trust that what I’m sharing with you is true and will spare yourself the pain I went through (or maybe you won’t, but you will remember these lines when you hit rock bottom).

Writing isn’t some nebulous ethereal substance to be caught from the air and randomly spun into a story. Writing is both an art and a craft, and the two can’t be separated from each other. If you’re a painter, you must know the types of paints and brushes you use. What would happen if you didn’t? Same with writing. The boring grammar is not boring at all. It’s a wonderful tool to help you say exactly what you want to say the best way you can. It’s a tool that you have to learn and allow yourself to be awkward with, at first, and keep practicing until you master it, and it becomes a skill that you don’t have to think about.

Jemaine Clement as frustrated author Dr. Ronald Chevalier in Gentleman Broncos.

That frustration we talked about, remember? It comes from the feeling that something isn’t right, but you can’t pinpoint what exactly. Studying the craft of writing will show you what’s wrong and how to fix it. Without it you’ll be lost and tempted to give up.

But there are so many ways to write! You might be thinking. There are writers who plot, and writers who don’t! You’re right, of course. But here is what I’ve learned. Until you study the rules of your craft, you won’t know how to break them. And by not studying the rules at all you’re robbing yourself of a chance to learn how to tell your tale and tell it well. You might get lucky and stumble on it. You might not. Are you willing to spend days, months, years groping around in the dark? That’s what I did, and it’s not an easy road. I nearly quit writing altogether several times, that’s how bad it got.

So where do you start? You start by doing and learning. What do I mean by that? Simple. Start writing your tale. Just start. When you get blocked and don’t know how to proceed, look at what’s stopped you and study it. Read about it. Is it grammar? Revisit your grammar. Is it sentence structure or style? Read about style. Is it your character who gives you trouble? Study how to write characters. Plot problems? Learn about plotting. And so on. You will find that every time

you get stuck you will get unstuck, and with new knowledge keep charging forward. You will see that learning how to write well takes time, and you will allow your tale to be bad and awkward and messy, because you will know that it’s normal, and this is what will keep you from quitting. That’s huge. I wish someone told me this when I started.

I had to find out for myself. I hope my telling you this now will keep you from quitting. We need your tale. We want to read it. So tell it. And while doing so, learn how to tell it well. It may be that it’ll take you ten bad tales to arrive at one good one. Or maybe twenty. Or thirty. But never give up. Do and learn, do and learn, and you will get there. And now I’m done telling you my tale about how I learned that to tell my tale well I needed to study how to do it. Your turn.

For the Silo, ksenia anske | fantasy writer

blog | ello | | twitter | patreon

Culture

Disease Did Not Stop Marine Swimming Alcatraz To San Fran Blindfolded

March 7, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Shackled but making waves- Jay Platt swimming from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco with his hands and feet tied.

For as long as he could remember, Jay Platt wanted to be a U.S. Marine, and for nearly 15 years, he lived that dream. But in 1998, a rare condition called von Hippel Lindau syndrome (VHL), attacked his eyes, brain, spine and kidneys, forcing his retirement from the service.

“Before VHL I pretty much felt untouchable – until I started having symptoms and the eventual diagnosis,” he says.

"I was scared, confused and angry" Jay Platt explains some of the emotions that he has learned to conquer. — “I was scared, confused and angry” Jay Platt explains some of the emotions that he has learned to conquer.

“I was scared, confused and angry for a number of years; I couldn’t understand why God would do this to me. I went from feeling invulnerable to officially being considered handicapped.”

After a personal journey of acceptance, Platt re-calibrated his sense of purpose by accepting challenges many world-class athletes wouldn’t consider. Along with a record-breaking Mississippi swim while blindfolded, handcuffed and shackled, he swam from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco with his hands and feet tied, and he was one of fewer than 300 people to hike the more than 2,100-mile southbound Appalachian Trail.

Platt, who is the subject of the new documentary, “Living Unstoppable,” (www.LivingUnstoppable.com), explains his transformation and how others might apply the lessons of his journey to their own lives:

>

• The motivation of “can’t” … Something is triggered in people when they’re told they can’t do something. Those who want to do what they “can’t” eventually find a way if they’re motivated and determined. “I don’t care who you are – everybody goes through something in life; nobody gets through unscathed,” he says. “And everyone, at some point, faces something they believe they can’t do – but want very much. If you haven’t yet, you will, and coming to terms with it will be a process.” Use it as motivation for living life to the fullest, and let it show you how beautiful our time on Earth really is, he says.

• The lesson of the severely handicapped little girl: Platt experienced a long period of despair, hopelessness and rage against the universe. One day while at the park, he heard the pure joy in the laughter of a severely handicapped girl who was being pushed in a wheelchair by her mother. “ ‘Listen to the birds, Momma,’ I heard her say – she was just so happy to experience that simple pleasure,” he says. “That has stayed with me ever since; if that little girl could get past her suffering and appreciate singing birds, then I could do much better.”

• A promise to contribute to the greater good: The onset of his VHL symptoms, which included vision problems in his left eye and disorientation, was a very scary period for Platt. During this period he made a promise to himself and God to devote his life to others if he survived. He has kept that promise – his Appalachian Trail hike alone raised $109,000 for charity.

• You are still you; don’t let tragedy totally define you: While Platt is officially retired from the USMC, he is still the same guy who fully lived a proud life as a Marine for a decade and a half. While how you respond to hardship says much about one’s character, you don’t have to remain psychically stuck in the worst part of your life by identifying most with a weakness. Use a handicap, for example, for what it’s worth – something that helps you strive for significance and fulfillment in life. For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley.

About Jay Platt
Jay Platt was medically retired from the Marine Corps in 1998 after suffering complications from von Hippel Lindau syndrome (VHL), a genetic disease that resulted in brain and spinal tumors, kidney cancer, and the loss of his left eye. When told his future would be considerably dimmer than his past, Platt set out to rebuild himself physically, mentally and spiritually, and to challenge himself by setting demanding physical goals. He was one of fewer than 300 people to have hiked the more than 2,100-mile southbound Appalachian Trail; one of three to swim from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco with hands and feet tied; and the only person to swim across the Mississippi River while blindfolded, handcuffed and shackled. The proceeds from his adventures and sales of his documentary benefit non-profits, including the VHL Family Alliance.

Art

Once Devastated By Hurricane Irma Now Giving Back

February 20, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

What do you do when you end up losing everything in a natural disaster? You pick yourself up and really haul the proverbial ass on getting your ducks in a row. One never knows just how blessed you are until it’s all gone.

Just the simple thing of buying towels, toothpaste, toothbrushes and utensils (after losing everything) adds up to hundreds of dollars. But where do you turn when absolutely everything is gone and you spent your last dollar on a house but you literally have nothing to put in it? There are wonderful charities out there to help you get back on your feet such as the Furniture bank of Metro Atlanta. They helped our family with furniture when we lost everything in August of 2017 due to Hurricane Irma and had nothing but our new floor to lay on.

I wanted to give back and so I got an old piece of furniture to ‘redo’ for their February 22nd furniture gala which raises money for their worthwhile foundation. The old furniture I worked on was a 1910 hat rack which at the time of purchase was falling apart. I created two sculptural cathedral agates in paint and resin to go on either side of the turn of the century mirror. I then stripped, sanded, studded, wood burned, wood carved and added leather and succulent gardens at the bottom. After that, I create handmade conchos and metal stars to add a bit of southwest flare. Now the old hat rack is transformed into a southwest jewelry doorless armoire.

https://www.facebook.com/Offtofindalife/videos/2036272949803790/

Painting the cathedral agates.

For a final touch, I stashed it full of handmade- one of a kind jewelry! In many ways, I feel like I have responded positively to such a tragic event. Remember when tragedy strikes, you have a choice on how you will react and move forward. Art is one of the best ways of digging yourself out of a void.

Here are a few photo’s of my work and if you enjoy it, please consider voting for me, Josette Redwolf, for peoples choice award by liking the photo on the furniture bank facebook page.

Josette Redwolf.

Culture

Treasures Of Desert Kingdom Exhibit Coming To ROM Soon

February 16, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Explore the spectacular royal arts of one of India’s greatest former kingdoms, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, where alluring jewelry, lavish tents and canopies, vibrant paintings, and opulent decorative arts tell stories of kingship, strategic alliances, the role of women, and life at court.

Treasures of a Desert Kingdom features masterpieces drawn from the collection of the former royal family, most of which are on display outside their palace setting for the very first time.

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Mehrangarh Museum Trust

While the stunning objects highlight India’s multifaceted past, they reveal a lasting cosmopolitan culture that was sustained by a delicate balance between local and external influences, and tradition and modernity.

Rajasthan Spice Box for Paan or Betal nut. Photo- Neil Greentree

Now showing- ON NOW AT THE ROM Royal Ontario Museum
Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Zuul: Life of an Armored Dinosaur, presenting sponsor Sinking Ship Entertainment
Gods in My Home: Chinese New Year with Ancestor Portraits and Deity Prints
Being Japanese Canadian: reflections on a broken world

For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Culture

A Newbie Guide To Proper Ordering And Eating Steak

February 5, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

The best steakhouse and seafood restaurant in town is not like other dining establishments. There are some simple guidelines to keep in mind when you’re dining in one:

The first rule is that if you’re going for a steak,it’s best to go to one of the best steakhouses in town. Cheaper places offer tasteless food, and you may just end up with MSG-laden steak that’s bad for your health and your taste buds.
If you only eat steak on special occasions, you may as well splurge on the best meat you can afford. These cuts include the rib eye, which is tender because of the high fat content. The filet is also flavorful and tender. You should also try the tender short loin, also known as the New York cut.

The special “Cowboy Rib Steak” from Baton Rouge Steakhouse Canada.

Of course, the taste of the steak also depends on where the meat comes from. American steak is tastier than European steak, while Japanese steak is extremely fatty. You may want to refrain from ordering a rib eye if you are ordering a Japanese steak.
It’s best if you order your steak rare to medium rare. This isn’t about snobbishness. It’s about the fact that when you cook steak to a degree more than medium the steak can become tough and very chewy. It’s not as enjoyable to eat.

When you cut meat and you’re right-handed, you hold the fork with your left hand while the knife is on the right hand. Hold the knife and the fork with the index fingers down the back of the utensils. You shouldn’t hold them like they’re pencils or by clenching your fists around them. You can then use the fork to hold the meat while you make your cut with the knife.

After cutting the meat, you have 2 options. One is the American style of transferring the fork to your right hand. You first have to put the knife on the plate without it touching the tablecloth. Then you use the fork in your right hand to spear the meat and place it in your mouth.
You can also use the Continental style of just using the fork in your left hand to spear the meat and take a bite. It’s quick and efficient.
You should cut each piece of meat one at a time. You shouldn’t cut more than once before you take a bite, as it’ll leave a mess on your plate. It may also tempt you to take more than 1 piece of meat into your mouth and that can be awkward when you’re having a conversation around the table.
For the best wine drink some good red wine. California wines are very good with steak.

Side dishes depend on your particular tastes. Sautéed spinach is excellent, while for some the best side dish is French fries. You may also want to try creamed spinach with fried egg at the top.
You should try to eat your steak with no sauces so that you can really savor the true taste of your steak. You can then add a bit of sea salt to flavor. For sauces, you candip your French fries into your favorite sauce to accompany the taste of the steak.

Of course, the true rule of eating steak is to enjoy yourself while you mind your manners. Etiquette isn’t really about blind obedience to the rules. It’s all about making sure that your dining companions (and everyone around you) enjoy the steak as much as you do!

Featured image- Angus Beef New York Strip Steak

Culture

Identify Toxic Cosmetics

January 30, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

What does the ingredients list above represent? It’s taken from the label of a popular name brand soap advertised with fresh faces, and as leaving no residue on the skin. Would it surprise you? Perhaps you recognized it, but thought well it’s being sold in stores so it must be safe.

The good news is that since 2006, Canadians have been provided with mandatory labeling on personal care products. Health Canada has even gone a step further providing a “hotlist” or list of prohibited or restricted chemicals . This is a huge step above our neighbours to the south, whom currently have minimal regulation on personal care products. Canada is on the right track, but is still a few steps behind the European Union, where personal care products are held to stringent guidelines.

The bad news is that even though there are guidelines set of by Health Canada, some of the products on the market today still contain chemicals, with similar structures to those chemicals that have been restricted. And if something shares a similar structure it is likely to interact with the human body in a similar fashion, thus causing similar health concerns.

What at can you do? The good folks at the David Suzuki Foundation performed a Survey of Canadians and their use of personal care products, and from this developed a “dirty dozen” of chemicals to avoid. Results of their survey demonstrated that 80% of products contained at least one ingredient on the list, and only 20% did not contain any. By visiting the www.davidsuzuki.org and searching “What’s Inside? That Counts,” you can download your own copy of the list, or even visit the mobile site when you are out shopping.

Why does this all matter? Many of the chemicals that are found in personal care products can bio-accumulate, meaning they can increase in concentration over time, and be passed on to our next generations. There is also well documented evidence of effects within the human body caused chemicals affecting the endocrine system. Within the human body endocrine disruptors have been implicated in neurological diseases, reproductive disorders, thyroid dysfunction, immune and metabolic disorders. Cancer is also another health concern that has been linked to many of the chemicals found in personal care products.

What about my health? As a naturopathic doctor I am always thinking from a preventative medicine point of view. The more I learn, I continue to look for natural/chemical free personal care products. Also important is optimizing your body’s innate ability to remove build up of chemicals through organs such as liver, skin, and kidneys. As always, prevention is the best medicine, and becoming a savvy consumer involves reading labels and asking questions. For the Silo, Ashley Beeton Bsc. ND.

Vintage

Worthy Road Trips Part 2 New York State

January 4, 2019 The Silo 2 Comments

In my last Silo travel column, I featured five of my favorite travel destinations in Ontario within 250 kilometres of Niagara. Here’s another five, but this time “on the other side of the ditch”. First, I’d suggest if you travel into the United States frequently like I do apply for a NEXUS pass (www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexus). This pass is available to Canadian and U.S. citizens and costs around $50.00. It allows you and every other occupant in your car that has the pass to quickly cross over the border and return. It’s saved me hours of waiting at the border. Also be sure to carry health insurance for travel outside of Ontario.

[The nexus card will save you time at US Canada border crossing but part of the application process involves finger-printing and the completed card uses the same controversial RFID technology used across parts of the US Mexico border CP]

Now let’s get down to business…….and in no particular order ;>
Ellicottville, N.Y.
(120 kilometres from the Canada/U.S. border)
This is a place I go to two or three times a year because there’s always something happening. They have 11 festivals spread throughout the year. Ellicottville has a compact pretty-as-a picture postcard downtown. It’s void of big-box retailing. There are plenty of historic brick and wooden buildings that have been re-born as unique, quirky, crayon-coloured stores and restaurants www.ellicottvilleny.com or 1-800-349-9099

Randolph, N.Y.
(140 kilometres)
Not far from Ellicottville you’ll find the tiny village of Randolph. This village and the outlying countryside are deliciously peaceful. You’ll find a large thriving population of Amish families. As you drive the back roads, you’ll pass numerous styles of Amish horse and buggies. Loose your camera for this part of the trip. The Amish don’t like to be photographed. We spent all day visiting and speaking with these fine people who operate numerous businesses along, “The Amish Trail” that are open to the,” English”. Some of the places we visited specialized in toy making, farming, jams, pies, cheese making, quilting, pillows, and rugging. Forget your credit card. The Amish only accept cash and they’re closed on Sundays.
www.NYAmishTrail.com or 1-800-331-0543

randolphNYamishtrail — Stay cabins along the Amish Trail in Randolph

Hammondsport N.Y.
(250 kilometres)
I was originally trying to find Watkins Glen when I got lost and stumbled upon Hammondsport N.Y. What a hidden gem it turned out to be. This small community is nestled at the southern end of Lake Kueka and set in a protected valley in New York State’s Finger Lakes region. You can’t be in a hurry here. An old-fashioned town square anchors the village. Historic buildings snuggle side-by-side around its perimeter. The star attraction here is pristine Lake Kueka. There are also well maintained homes on the tree-lined streets date back to the 1800’s.Just on the outskirts of town is the Glenn H. Curtis Museum. It pays tribute to Glenn Curtis a pilot who took the first preannounced flight in America on July 4, 1908.In January of this year Budget travel voted Hammondsport the, “Coolest Small Town in America”. Well, so much for my hidden gem.
www.hammondsport.org

HammondsportNYmaloneyspub — Heritage architecture and vintage ooze at Maloney’s Pub in Hammondsport

Medina, N.Y.
(69 kilometres)
I have known some great breakfast joints in the past but Rudy’s Diner (closed Sundays) found in this friendly village along the old Erie Canal is one of the best. Just about everything here is made from scratch and reasonably priced in this converted 1940’s Sinclair Gas Station.
This town founded in the 1820’s echoes of the nineteenth century. Check out these things. Their beautifully restored downtown is very walkable. Don’t pass up seeing the Oak Orchard River Gorge and Medina Falls. It’s hard to find so ask a local. On the outskirts of town is the Culvert Road Tunnel. It’s the only arched roadway running under the Erie Canal. This narrow tunnel is like going through the eye of a needle! One must, is a visit to the Medina Railroad Museum (closed Mondays and major holidays).If you have kids they’ll love it and so will you. Tell owner Marty that George and The Silo sent you.
www.medina-ny.com

So there you have it. Enjoy the remaining bit of Summer holidays and remember September and October are beautiful months. For the Silo, George Bailey.

Culture

Star Ancestors Extraterrestrial Contact In Native American Tradition

January 2, 2019 The Silo Leave a comment

Nancy Redstar explores the long-standing contact between American Indian tribes and extraterrestrial visitors through interviews with the tribes’ spiritual leaders and shares the wisdom and ET experiences of Dawnland founder Dana Pictou, Mayan daykeeper Hunbatz Men, Choctaw wisdomkeeper Sequoyah Trueblood, and Creek healer and artist Shona Bear Clark.

Her book includes color photos of ET-inspired work by prominent Indian artists as well as traditional Indian art and petroglyphs depicting contact with “Sky Elders”

As humanity stands at the crossroads between the Fifth and the Sixth Worlds, American Indian wisdom keepers have recognized signs that they must now speak their closely held knowledge about extraterrestrial contact, their original instructions from the Sky Elders. These ET relationships have existed since the beginning of time. They have been depicted on ancient rocks and hides, embedded in creation stories, choreographed in sacred dances, beaded on wampum belts, and continued to this day through rituals and the tobacco blessing.

They show our planet back into balance with natural laws.

Exploring the unifying “Sky Elder” theme found in virtually every Indian culture, Nancy Red Star shares her profound interviews with wisdom keepers from several Native traditions and produced an exciting documentary film that offers their teachings on taking our rightful place among the peoples of the universe. http://www.nancyredstar.com/film.htm

Laying out a path for rebuilding our world, the Sky Elders’ original instructions initiate us into the possibility of a coming time of peace. Inviting all peoples to realize their Star ancestry, the women and men of proud lineage and inspiring wisdom who share their experiences here offer us a survival plan for walking into the next world. http://www.amazon.com/Star-Ancestors-Extraterrestrial-American-Tradition/dp/1591431433

For the Silo, George Filer. from Filer’s Files #23 http://tinyurl.com/ka82j4j

Culture

NBA Player Ends Eating Red Meat To Lower Carbon Footprint

December 11, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

The individual’s role in combating climate change is becoming a prevalent topic, following the release of the IPCC report this autumn. Leading by example, NBA star Lauri Markkanen is taking a stance by changing his daily eating habits. As his first action to combat climate change on a personal level, the Chicago Bulls player has given up eating red meat.

“As my first action for #DontChoke, I pledge to stop consuming red meat as a concrete step towards minimizing my personal carbon footprint. Every move counts, play your part”, Markkanen declares on social media.

Following his #DontChoke collaboration with renewable energy company Neste, the decision is an exemplary step in doing his part in the fight against global warming.

Markkanen explains, that having recently become a father has made the well-being of the environment even more significant to him. Markkanen encourages his fans to follow in his footsteps to ensure a better environment for generations to come. “I want to do everything in my power so that my child will grow up in a clean environment, like I did. This is a call to all my fans to do their share”, Markkanen explains.

The #DontChoke campaign is a call to action for individuals to do their share in battling climate change. The NBA player kicked off the campaign by shooting hoops with a basketball covered with a hand painted visualization of this year’s heat map. Throughout the on-going campaign, Markkanen will consider the elements of his own lifestyle and opt for more sustainable alternatives. Leading by example, the NBA player hopes to encourage others to make their own climate pledge.

Culture

Anti Arnaques Is First Website Created To Fight Russian Romance Scams

November 23, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

There are nowadays millions of single men, and among those, many dream of meeting a woman from Eastern Europe. Indeed, these women are known to be extremely attractive, faithful, and ready to do anything to come to live in Europe. Many dating and marriage agencies have been created to cater for this niche, specializing in so-called international marriages.

Unfortunately, many scams are hidden among these agencies. The websites use the faces of superb young women as bait. Once the vulnerable bachelor is hooked by some carefully worded emails, he is asked for money to cover the cost of a plane ticket as well as the visa fee. The sums involved can go up to 1,500 or 2,000 €, depending on the naivety of the man, and there is generally no way to fight it legally.

Anti Arnaques, the First community dedicated to fight Eastern Europe romance scams

That’s why Anti-Arnaques was created, in order to provide a reliable verification platform to any man who has doubts about the sincerity of the person he is speaking to. It includes:

A unique identity verification system in 2 steps: the Express Background Verification, through the four major Russian social networks, and the Official Background Verification, through the public and private databases of Russian and Ukrainian citizens that are reserved to the official authorities.
A black list containing names and pictures of women known to have practiced scams.
Practical advice to identify risk scenarios.
A forum to exchange ideas on potential risky encounter situations.

Testimony of a scam victim

“Hello, I am Rui, I live in Portugal and I was a victim of a scheme. Nastya or Anastasiya Vorozhnina, living at Lomonosova 97-64, 428000 Novopokrovskoe Russia, deceived me. By mere chance, I only lost 200 €, as well as 24 photos. This scheme lasted about 5 months, but I always resisted to send the full amount of money she requested, which was around 800 € to start with.

I hope to my testimony will help someone, and prevent him to fall into such scheme. These women can be very sweet at the beginning: only after 2 or 3 months she started to ask money. She was an authentic professional, who already appears in your list with other names: if I had knew Antiarnaques.org back then, I would not have wasted so much time.”

Rui, 48 years old, scammed by A.V.

The website Antiarnaques.org (which means Antiscams in French) allows anyone who wants to date a Russian, Ukrainian or Slav women to check the identity of a specific woman. Antiarnaques.org also offers the possibility to check the reliability of any marriage agency, and to consult the black list of Russian women known for fraud.

About Dimitri Berezniakov, the creator of Anti Arnaques

Dimitri Berezniakov launched UKReine.com in 1998: it was the first dating site specializing in international marriages between men from France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada, and Ukrainian women.

This allowed him have a ringside seat to witness the rise of Russian romance scams: he used to receive emails from men victims of these scams almost daily. Because of the magnitude of the problem, he decided to create Anti Arnaques in 2010, in order to offer a reliable solution to individuals wishing to verify the identity of Russian and Ukrainian women.

Supplemental- Top Social Networks in Russia.

Anti Arnaques, le premier site francophone de lutte contre les escroqueries sur le marché de la rencontre russe

Le site Antiarnaques.org permet à tout individu souhaitant trouver l’amour auprès d’une femme russe, ukrainienne ou slave de vérifier l’identité d’une femme spécifique. Antiarnaques.org offre également la possibilité de vérifier le sérieux de l’agence matrimoniale choisie, et de consulter la liste noire de femmes russes connues pour escroquerie.

La rencontre de femmes russes, ukrainiennes et slaves : un marché florissant mais présentant de nombreux risques

On compte aujourd’hui dans l’Hexagone de 16 millions à 18 millions de célibataires, divorcés et veufs, ce qui représente un marché attractif et porteur (CIDJ.com). Et ce nombre ne cesse d’augmenter : le nombre de seniors et de divorcés étant en hausse, de plus en plus d’individus se retrouvent à chercher l’âme sœur.

Parmi ces millions de célibataires, de nombreux hommes rêvent de rencontrer une femme originaire d’Europe de l’Est. En effet, on leur promet des femmes fidèles au physique extrêmement attractif, prêtes à tout pour venir vivre en France. Une multitude d’agences matrimoniales s’est ainsi positionnée sur ce créneau, en se spécialisant dans les rencontres dites internationales.

Malheureusement, de nombreuses arnaques se cachent parmi ces agences. Les sites utilisent les visages de superbes jeunes femmes comme appât. Une fois le célibataire vulnérable hameçonné par quelques emails soigneusement rédigés, on lui demande de l’argent pour couvrir le montant d’un billet d’avion ainsi que les frais de visa. Les sommes en jeu peuvent monter jusqu’à 1 500 ou 2 000 € selon la naïveté de l’interlocuteur, et il n’existe en général aucun recours devant la justice.

Anti Arnaques, première communauté francophone luttant contre les arnaques sentimentales d’Europe de l’Est

C’est pour cela qu’a été créé Anti Arnaques, dont l’objectif est de fournir une plateforme de vérification fiable à tout homme ayant des doutes sur la sincérité de son interlocutrice. On y trouve ainsi :

Un système de vérification d’identité unique en deux temps : la Vérification Express, via des 4 principaux réseaux sociaux russes, et la Vérification Officielle, via les bases de données publiques et fermées des citoyennes russes et ukrainiennes qui sont réservées aux organismes officiels.
Une liste noire répertoriant les noms comme les visages des femmes connues pour avoir pratiquées des escroqueries.
Une liste noire des agences matrimoniales internationales connues pour pratiquer des escroqueries.
Des conseils pratiques et concrets pour identifier les scénarios à risque.
Un forum d’entraide pour échanger sur des situations de rencontres potentiellement à risques.

Ils ont été victimes d’arnaques et témoignent

« Tout a commencé par un mail, et des conversations dans lesquelles on parlait de tout et de rien. Je lui ai proposé de venir en France pour son anniversaire, et la cascade d’ennuis a débuté : pas d’argent pour payer le passeport, pas d’argent pour payer le visa…J’ai donc payé tous les frais. Une fois à l’aéroport, elle s’est soi-disant faiteî arrêter, on lui a interdit de quitter le pays à cause du crédit de son appartement. J’ai eu moult preuves de sa bonne foi, j’ai cru en elle, je me suis senti responsable, je me suis investi à fond. J’ai donné beaucoup beaucoup d’argent, et aujourd’hui j’ai tout perdu.
Je souhaite simplement que d’autres ne répètent pas les mêmes erreurs : je l’ai donc signalé sur Anti Arnaques, s’il vous plaît allez-voir, et faites attention ! »

Joël, 43 ans, arnaqué par E. T.

“J’ai commencé une relation par email avec Anastasiya, elle m’a complétement séduit en quelques semaines. Elle était extrêmement douce au début, puis a commencé à réclamer de l’argent. Par chance, j’ai flairé quelque chose de louche et ne lui ai envoyé que 200 €. J’ai ensuite réalisé qu’elle était présente sur la liste noire d’Anti Arnaques ! »
J’espère empêcher un autre homme de tomber dans le même piège ! »

Pierre, 48 ans, arnaqué par A. V.

A propos de Dimitri Berezniakov, le créateur du site Anti Arnaques

Dimitri Berezniakov a lancé UKReine.com en 1998 : il s’agissait alors du premier site de rencontres spécialisé dans les mariages internationaux entre des hommes originaires de France, de Belgique, de Suisse et du Canada, et des femmes ukrainiennes.

Cela lui a permis d’être aux premières loges pour assister à l’essor des arnaques sentimentales en provenance d’Europe de l’Est : il reçoit alors des emails provenant d’hommes victimes de ces escroqueries quasi-quotidiennement. Face à l’ampleur du problème, il décide de créer Anti Arnaques en 2010, afin d’offrir une solution fiable aux individus souhaitant vérifier l’identité de leurs interlocutrices.

Art

Photo Glitch Art Book Is Mysterious And Beautiful

November 15, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

“The growing flow of digital culture depends on the hidden protocols of its underlying systems. To explore how interfacing shapes spectatorship online, this pioneering study pinpoints experiences of flow through the friction of photo-based glitch art by Phillip Stearns, Rosa Menkman, and Evan Meaney.

Homing in on the viewer, these three cross-disciplinary case studies present and analyze material that is new to the art-historical context. In particular, they focus on how glitched artworks in online environments make viewers aware of their own activity within the flow, causing a break from the increasingly naturalized integration of system and individual.

Mysterious and Beautiful

When a glitch invites the viewer to try out different positions in relation to the system, a tactical spectatorship unfolds.” That’s the introduction text of Vandela Grundell’s book Flow And Friction: On The Tactical Potential Of Interfacing With Glitch Art. In simpler terms, our modern online life utilizes smartphones and digital cameras to not only represent who we are, but to present to others ‘how’ we are.

It’s a culture of ‘identity sharing’ that we live in and we are spending more and more time at online sites and hangouts where our digital selves mingle as shared photos, text and videos. However, sometimes things do not go as planned. Perhaps a faulty internet connection wreaks havoc with an upload…or maybe a dying battery in your i-Phone confuses the CPU and errors are introduced into the system creating a digital mutation.

In the early days of computer, during the great Cold War and its technologically dependent Space Race this was known as a ‘glitch’.

Flow and Friction is a fascinating celebration of the mystery and the beauty that sometimes arises from glitched systems. 238 pages. Recommended. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.

Supplemental: Moire pattern, John Glenn’s “glitch” , the History of the word “bug” when used in Computing.

Culture

World War One Trenches Crisscrossed Western Front Over One Hundred Years Ago

November 11, 2018 The Silo 2 Comments

About one hundred years ago, millions were involved in war – a war later to be known as the War to End All Wars. It was a global conflict of brutality, propaganda and technological advance — a war of survival and humanity and courage.

Trench warfare forced soldiers to adapt to new technology and new techniques in order to survive – something my grandsons and I learned on a recent visit to the Canadian War Museum.

The helmet, the respirator and the Lee Enfield rifle were all introduced in 1916. The helmet was in response to shrapnel artillery shells. The respirator provided some defense against chlorine and phosgene gas. The Lee-Enfield bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle replaced the unsuitable and much hated Ross Rifle.

One hundred years ago, thousands of miles of trenches crisscrossed the western front. Between the opposing trench systems lay No Man’s Land — a battered killing zone across which soldiers had to move in order to attack.

Howitzers were used to pound trenches and targets at the enemy’s rear. The eight-inch Howitzer could fire an enormous high-explosive, 200-pound shell up to seven miles. The trajectory of fire was very high, with the shell plunging downward to deliver a devastating explosion.

Nieuport 17 image courtesy of airpowerworld.info

Shrapnel shells were designed to burst in the air, producing a cone–shaped whirl of deadly metal. Soldiers suffered horrific wounds as pieces of shrapnel ricocheted inside the body, causing further internal damage and gaping exit wounds.

The Creeping Barrage was a key to victory on the Western front. This moving wall of artillery fire forced the enemy to remain under cover, unable to fire on the attacking infantry as they moved across No Man’s Land.

Control of the air was essential for victory on the ground. Canadians played a key role in the British air services as fighter and reconnaissance pilots, aerial observers, mechanics and flight instructors. The Nieuport 17, introduced in 1916, featured a powerful engine and a synchronized Vickers machine gun. It became one of the best allied fighter planes of the war.

Improvements in combat surgery and new techniques like blood transfusions meant almost 90 per cent of all wounded soldiers who received medical treatment survived.

Doctors learned to treat the terrible wounds of modern warfare, and served in the front lines or within range of enemy artillery. Causalities were so heavy that more than half of all Canadian physicians served overseas to meet the demand.

Canadian nurses were trained medical professionals, but nothing could have prepared them for the horror of battlefield wounds — more than 3,000 served in the Canadian Army medical corps. Their wartime service assisted women to receive greater recognition within the medical profession.

To pay for the enormous cost to equip our personnel overseas, the federal government imposed a business profits tax in 1916, and an income tax for individuals in 1917. Proposed as a temporary emergency measure, the income tax became permanent.

And, almost every city and town across Ontario and the country launched campaigns to raise money. Women worked without pay to provide countless supplies and gifts, including warm clothing, bandages and food.

To quote a popular phrase of the time, everyone was encouraged to, “Do your bit,” in support of soldiers and winning the war.

A century has passed, and we remember the tremendous impact of the War to End All Wars. For the Silo, Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett.

Culture

Ebola Outbreak Essentials

November 5, 2018 The Silo 1 Comment

Culture

Holiday Hints For Moms To Reduce Stress

October 31, 2018 The Silo 1 Comment

Busy moms share a common stress during the holiday season. There is too much to do, and not enough time to do it. The best way to reduce stress levels is to reduce expectations. The only woman obligated to entertain like Martha Stewart is Martha Stewart. By lowering personal expectations and opting for timesaving options, moms can reduce the pressure they put on themselves. The following are a few of Kleven’s holiday tips and tricks for busy moms:

Purchase holiday baking at fundraising bake sales or from community-based charities. Moms can stock up on a supply of festive treats while supporting worthwhile organizations. Get together with girlfriends for an afternoon of baking. Each woman bakes enough batches for herself and the others. Once cooled, everyone has a selection of festive baking that can be combined on disposable platters ready for gifts giving or holiday get-togethers. Offer to watch a friend’s children while she does her gift shopping. Get her to do the same for you. Shopping without children is faster and less stressful. Moms can also do their gift shopping online, in the comfort of their own homes.

Arrange to have the items shipped to a nearby neighbour or friend, where they can be stored away from prying eyes until just before the big day.

Money doesn’t have to be an issue. Re-gifted items make perfectly acceptable presents. So do homemade treats like cookies, flavoured popcorn, or peanut brittle. Check the internet for quick and easy recipes. Another gift that is sure to please the other moms on the list is an I.O.U. for a free afternoon of babysitting. The only cost to the giver is a few hours of her time, while her friend enjoys a quiet afternoon all to herself.
Simplify entertaining wherever possible. Meet friends for coffee and dessert at a local restaurant instead of at home. The holidays are about spending time with loved ones. Holding the festivities somewhere else ensures that everyone, even the hostess, gets to sit down and enjoy the visit.

If you do decide to invite friends and family to your home, have them drop by in the afternoon. Daylight get-togethers are far less formal. Ask guests to bring finger foods or purchase them ready-made. The selection and quality of hors d’oeuvres, vegetable and fruit platters available at grocery stores has come a long way in the past few years.

Rather than creating a pile of dirty dishes for afterward, pick up plastic cutlery, disposable plates, paper tablecloths, and napkins in festive patterns. For best selection, shop early. This holiday season, prepare for a house full of guests in advance. Borrow sleeping bags and air mattresses from family and friends and tell children they are all “camping out” in one bedroom. This creates extra sleeping areas for grandparents, aunts and uncles.
Over the next several weeks, make double batches of dinners like spaghetti sauce, chili, soups and casseroles. Freeze leftovers to thaw and serve during the holidays.
When planning for meals, go for the easiest alternative. Pick up a mixture of lunch meats and buns for self-serve lunches, and order pizza for dinner one night. By taking a more relaxed approach to the holiday season, busy moms stand a better chance of actually enjoying themselves instead of starting the New Year exhausted and disappointed. For the Silo, Colleen Kleven.

Art

Award Winning Doc The Devil And Daniel Johnston

October 23, 2018 The Silo 2 Comments

Daniel Johnston is not a secret anymore. Thirteen years ago, in 2005, director Jeff Feuerzeig released the Sundance award-winning documentary on Johnston’s life “The Devil and Daniel Johnston,” his songs have been covered by renowned artists like Beck, Tom Waits and The Flaming Lips and he has also been featured in the 2006 Whitney Biennial of American Art. It seems that over the past few years the enigma that was Johnston has mutated into a proverbial “cult figure.” However this cliché is an inaccurate description. Where is the line between cult figure and pop culture icon drawn? The common theme found in essays and reviews on Johnston’s work is the examination of his mythology rather than the examination of his work. This type of analysis tends to do more harm than good: the myth swells while the work rusts.

The lack of critical texts on Johnston’s artwork is alarming considering that he has exhibited internationally and in his home country of the United States. Moreover, his work resides in numerous public and private art collections (including my own). Anyone even remotely familiar with Johnston’s work can recognize his assorted cast of unusual characters, symbols and motifs like Jeremiah the Frog (refer to images above and below), Vile Corrupt and the Dead Dog’s Eyeball. The latter image surfaces in Johnston’s early work as a result of a traumatic encounter with exactly that, a dead dog’s eyeball. In the book The Life, Art, and Music of Daniel Johnston, Johnston himself describes a childhood incident where he witnessed a dead dog hanging from a swing set: “He got himself caught on the rope and got hanged. I asked this girl where was her dog and she pointed over at him and said right there.” As the authors of the book point out, the same incident was addressed in lyrics from Johnston’s song “Catie” on the album Fun (1994):

I saw the dog hanging on the swing set
I asked the girl
Where was your doggie at?
I walked on down to see my grandpa yeah!

Well I’ve had a lot of horrors
And I’ve had a lot of fears
But the worst of horror
Is when there’s nothing here

What is fascinating about the reproduction of the dead dog’s eyeball in lyrics and illustrations is that it may be connected to the trauma Johnston experienced when first encountering the dead dog on the swing set. Trauma is characterized by an affective shock that has the capacity to wound the body and the psyche, which in turn causes anxiety, stress and other forms of neurosis. Seeing the dead dog’s eyeball during childhood might have registered trauma in Johnston that affects him well into his adult life and it could have taken the form of an obsession (fig. 4). In one particular drawing from his early work Johnston asks himself in bold text, “WHY DO I KEEP DRAWINGS [sic] THESE SILLY LITTLE EYEBALLS?” Here and elsewhere, the artist is consumed by flashbacks of the dead dog’s eyeball to the extent of being overwhelmed.

While Johnston’s manic depression and schizophrenia have been well-documented—and largely contribute to his mythic status—his encounters with trauma and its relation to his artwork have not. Keeping this idea in mind will help to better understand and appreciate the construction and trajectory of his characters, symbols and motifs. It may be time for writers, critics and scholars to take a step back, allow Johnston’s myth to rust and the impact of his work to swell. He is not a secret anymore. For the Silo, Matthew Ryan Smith, P.H.D.

Tarssa Yazdani and Don Goede, The Life, Art, and Music of Daniel Johnston (San Francisco and Colorado Springs: Smokemuse and Last Gasp, 2006). 33-34.

Culture

Leave Your Art Behind For Others To Carry Forward

October 19, 2018 The Silo 3 Comments

Random acts of kindness come in all shapes and sizes, something as simple as a smile to a stranger, or paying for the guy behind you in the cue at the coffee shop drive-thru counts. The idea is to leave someone, whether you know them or not, with a brightened day and a reminder that there are good people. There is an amazing movement happening in the artistic circles, created with the same purpose, it is called art abandonment and artists from all over are leaving behind their artworks anonymously.

Michael deMeng is credited as starting the Facebook Group, Art Abandonment ttps://www.facebook.com/groups/ArtAbandonment/ , although he says the group created itself.

“It’s something that I’ve done for a number of years now, albeit infrequently, usually on beverage napkins and the like,” says deMeng in an introduction to Art Abandonment on his blog. “About ten or so years ago I would walk to the same place by a river and leave a little charcoal drawing. So recently I started this activity up again…leaving little sketches with a note on the back”

deMeng acknowledged that he did not create the idea of art abandonment, but perhaps discovered its use as a random act of kindness as opposed to a political message used by many urban guerilla artists.

In fact, Haldimand-Norfolk artist Jarrod Barker created several guerilla art installations in Haldimand-Norfolk including one at Simcoe’s now demolished American Can property back in the summer of 2010.

Barker’s piece titled Iliad features an amoebic-like form that pays homage to the shields of the Trojan War, where an art piece in the form of a wooden horse was abandoned at the gates of Troy. The amoeba-like form lends reference to the “sleeping soldiers” within homemade preserves known as amoebic dysentery which was a serious cause of food related death prior to the canning industry boom. LW — ILIAD. J. Barker. Abandoned canned food factory Norfolk, Ontario.

deMeng outlined some of his theories behind the art of abandoning art and its purpose, including that its good for the heart and a little addictive once you begin and the simple fact that money is tight and giving a gift like this could encourage someone to continue to support the arts.

“I think it’s important to be able to let one’s art live beyond it’s creator, I love imagining what becomes of my art after it is gone…whether given or sold,” said deMeng.

“Some folks can’t seem to let go of their work, even when they sell it. This is a great way to learn to move on.”

The concept is very simple:

1) Create a piece of art.

2) Write or attach a note explaining it is a free gift, purposely left behind including contact information if you so wish.

3) Take a photo of your art and its place of abandonment and then sneak away unnoticed.

I myself am not an art abandoner, although if I had the time and resources I would, but I thought I could offer a unique opportunity for the abandoners I find so much joy in following on social media.

June 30, 2013 I will have departed to Peru for a ten day journey across a wide variety of landscapes including urban centers, Machu Picchu, and the Amazon rainforest.

I invited artists to send me their work in order to abandon on my journey, and I would share the photos of their abandonment locations with the artists as I continue my journey.

“Machu Picchu is on my bucket list,” said Burlington artist Heather Kuzyk who sent three art trading cards (atc) to be abandoned.

“So if I never perchance to make it there in body at least a part of my soul has been. ”I was excited by the thought of the photos I could take of the abandoned art on the Machu Picchu ruins with the beautiful Peruvian mountains sprawling in the background. Although I sincerely hope some of the finders will share of their discovery, I’m pleased just to imagine how excited I would be if I found something like that in such a magical place. For The Silo, Lacie Williamson.

Post-script: Remember to never install or leave behind work that contains string, toxic or synthetic materials, small pieces of plastic etc. Anything that can harm or interfere with the natural environment or wildlife must never be used.

Culture

Art Meets Politics Via China Pirate Video Underground

October 17, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

Ukrainian music the world needs to hear

Recent Ukrainian laws requiring that one in four songs on the radio be Ukrainian, not Russian or any other language, have met resistance from DJ’s who claim there is just not enough local talent. Ukrainian linguist and music lover Vira Vyrśka says there is plenty to choose from and shares her personal play list.

Can Ukraine legislate which language is spoken?

While we are on the topic of Ukraine’s aspiration to become free of Russian domination and partner with Europe, the political feud has bubbled over into new proposed language laws. But can you legislate which language people speak? Even some Putin critics disagree.

China’s pirate video underground

Unpaid subtitlers have made it possible for the House of Cards and John Stewart to become massive hits on the other side of the globe. So are they copywrite thieves or the last hold out against Chinese censorship? Meet Mr. Xia.

How beards explain international history

And you thought it was just hair. Beards have represented everything from religious extremism to masculine savagery and intellectual gravitas. A timeline of 3,000 years and 20 countries.

Yes, you can go to jail for writing poetry

Putin’s political opponents and courageous whistle blowers have been thrown off of buildings and shot in broad daylight. But they are not his only targets. Bad poetry, it turns out, is also a crime. Just ask Alexander Byvshev.

Egypt’s missing belly dancers

Where are the famous belly dancers of Egypt? A video tour of belly-dancing from its heyday in the 1920’s in Cairo to its current diminished status in the country where the art of belly-dancing was born.

The 14 best Middle Eastern musicians?

Break out your iTunes and Spotify. This list spotlight Middle Eastern music trending now in every country from Morocco to Iraq. This music will make your next dinner party or romantic evening.
Syrian warfare the computer game?

Russian game makers Cats Who Play released a new game this year based on the war in Syria in which the player must side with the regime. Did they get it right?

Chavez love culture

The cult of Chavez has only spread after his death, creating a “love culture” as annoying to some as a clingy ex-girlfriend in a small town who keeps showing up everywhere. For the Silo, Alisa Cromer.

Fill in the gaps by visiting our friends at worldstir.

Culture

Appetite For Failing Public Figures Continues To Be Satiated

October 15, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

Yes this post’s title bears repeating. The public’s appetite for failing public figures continues to be satiated. But beyond the face value of these stories, should the public have deeper concerns about their causes and what could they be indicative of beyond sexual obsession? According to Dr. David M. Reiss, what is more pertinent to analyze is the self-defeating, self-sabotage aspect of these actions, and essentially the unconscious self-hatred and hatred of anyone who cares for them (i.e., humiliation of a wife).

According to Reiss, “We are getting away from one on the true critical issue — masochism. It is the acting out of the self-hatred by politicians through their legislation and power that is actually infinitely more dangerous to the public than any particular sexual activities. What more don’t we know about their behaviors behind the scenes and what else may manifest?”

In addition, the so-called treatment for someone is nothing more than a publicity play to help “fix” the problem in the public eye. The idea of his going into an “intensive treatment program” for two weeks is a joke. Especially at age 70, with decades of this type of behavior, a program like that can’t do anything but perhaps a diagnostic evaluation and set a course for ongoing therapy – with a poor prognosis. Otherwise, it’s an insult to the idea of therapy to think that two weeks could be of any significant effect.

David M. Reiss is a practicing psychiatrist for 30 years and recognized internationally for his expertise in character and personality dynamics. He has performed more than 10,000 psychiatric evaluations; evaluated and treated patients from diverse social and cultural backgrounds, and from every occupational field. He is an in-demand lecturer and has been published and covered in academic journals as well and general consumer media. For the Silo, Alyssa LaManna.

Art

Vision Quest Poetry Inspired By Spirit And Landscape Of Scotland

October 12, 2018 The Silo 1 Comment

In her youth, Wendy E. Slater found her greatest gift of expression in poetry- and then went dormant. Years later, on a trip to Scotland, the fount reopened. She had been through a crucible of chronic illness that forever changed her, launching Slater on a quest for meaning and life reexamination. That quest opened a gateway into self-healing that resulted in 20 volumes of simmering, soul-searing and spiritual poetry that deftly points humankind toward a new awareness of our Oneness with all humanity, nature, the cosmos and the divinity.

Slater’s breathtaking dive into self-scouring, cleansing and finally transcendence offers hope for all who have been pulled down by the forces of self-blame, self-judgment and self-sabotage. The beauty of her soothing words and healing revelations clears the way for a new path to life-altering Unity, emerging from the alienation of separation.

Her awakening journey began first in the 1980’a where as a student studying science, she became increasingly aware of the inter-connectedness of all things. Struck down by an undiagnosed chronic illness in 1991 that incapacitated her for five years, she turned to alternative healing techniques when allopathic medicine failed her. This widely ranging exploration of holistic health and spiritual practices opened her eyes to a new way of being, brought forth consistently by healers from all societies and eras- an existence without “the false archetype of perfection.”

Says Slater, today a gifted alternative healer herself: “When blame and self-judgment are transformed, healed and cease to be, we have reawakened without myth, the mythos, of separation.”

It was on that one heart-opening trip to Scotland in 2001, that the poetry coalescing inside of her during that healing period began to pour forth. In subsequent trips to spiritually enriched landscapes, the words found their way to paper. Slater calls her work “Vision Quest” Poetry.

Into the Hearth, Poems-Volume 14, is actually the first of her volumes to reach publication. And it is already a widely-acclaimed Amazon.com #1 Bestseller:

“This is a very dangerous book of songs. You will find yourself overwhelmed, engulfed, and swept away into the very intimate heart fire of Wendy Slater, the feminine heart fire of love, and in the end you will be left in ashes, totally in love without any object whatsoever, yearning for more.: ~ John A. Perks, Author of “The Mahasiddha and His Idiot Servant,” Ven. Seonaidh Perks, Celtic Buddhist lineage

“Wendy E. Slater is that breed of poets who open our eyes, our hearts, and our minds with a warm arm around the shoulder, a sympathetic and empathic delivery that instantly binds the reader to her. These poems, quite simply, are eloquent, not only because they are offered with a desire to invite us to join her on the path to enhanced perception of the world and our place in it, but also because she manages to infuse that sense of spiritual respect that is so often absent in contemporary poetry.” ~Grady Harp, Amazon’s Hall of Fame, a Top 100 Amazon reviewer.

In the Hearth by Wendy E. Slater is available from Amazon.com and also on Kindle. To learn more about “Vision Quest” Poetry visit Traduka.com

Culture

Rare India Desert Treasures Exhibition At ROM 2019

October 5, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

TORONTO — In March 2019, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) brings visitors an exhibition of rarely-seen royal treasures from Marwar-Jodhpur, one of the largest former princely states in India. The ROM will be the final North American destination and the exclusive Canadian venue for Treasures of a Desert Kingdom: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India. This exhibition, organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, with the collaboration of the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, India, will be on display from March 9 to September 2, 2019.

“As a leading centre for scholarship and expertise in South Asian art and culture, we are delighted to give visitors the unprecedented opportunity to explore a part of India’s rich cultural history that has rarely been seen,” says Josh Basseches, ROM Director & CEO. “This landmark exhibition will not only captivate audiences, it will also offer a deeper understanding of India’s artistic heritage and its continuing influence today.”

“Peacock in the Desert” | Turbans from Museum of Fine Arts, Houston on Vimeo.

Treasures of a Desert Kingdom features nearly 250 artworks and objects from the kingdom of Marwar-Jodhpur, located in the northwestern state of Rajasthan. The exhibition traces the kingdom’s cultural history as it was continually reshaped by cross-cultural encounters. Lavishly-made ceremonial objects, opulent jewellery, textiles and tapestries, palace furnishings, architectural treasures, and a monumental 17th-century court tent showcase the history of Marwar-Jodhpur and the Rathore dynasty that ruled the region for more than 700 years.

MFAH choker necklace al-Sabah Collection photo: Houston Press

Drawn primarily from the collections of the Mehrangarh Museum Trust and the private collections of the royal family of Jodhpur, the exhibition marks the first time that most of these treasures have been seen beyond the palace walls.

Dr. Deepali Dewan, the exhibition’s coordinating curator and ROM’s Dan Mishra Curator of South Asian Art & Culture says: “This exhibition will be a special experience because most of the treasures are coming from Jodhpur itself. Treasures of a Desert Kingdom tells the story of an incredibly dynamic, cosmopolitan, and influential kingdom that saw art and culture as a critical aspect of rule. Jodhpur flourished, despite the odds of being in the middle of a desert, because they made strategic alliances, opened their borders, and allowed for a diverse culture. These are lessons still relevant today. This enthralling presentation demystifies our notions of life at the royal court, while highlighting India’s multifaceted past and its contemporary cultural landscape. There will be something familiar and something surprising for everyone.”

On view in Garfield Weston Exhibition Hall, Treasures of a Desert Kingdom: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India explores numerous thought-provoking themes, including the cross-pollination of new ideas through art and culture; the strong influence of women in the royal court; the importance of royal patronage; and the powerful role of art as tools of diplomacy.

The ROM engagement follows the exhibition’s run at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Seattle Arts Museum.

Treasures of a Desert Kingdom: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India is a separately ticketed exhibition. ROM Members enjoy free admission and exclusive opportunities to experience ROM exhibitions and programs. For the Silo, Anne Vranic.

Featured image- MFAH Exhibit Peacock in the Desert photo: Houstonia

Art

My Road To VR Toronto Art

October 4, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

My name is Olga and I’m a Virtual Reality VR artist/sculptor based in Toronto,Ontario. In 2016 I was hired by Google to create VR experience for YouTube Plus event. This was my first introduction to Google Tiltbrush. I live painted the Toronto skyline in front of hundreds of people.

Since then I was involved in Google projects and many other events and conferences. My VR works were featured on national media chains such as the CBC and Space Channel. I would very much like to share them with you as well. Since Russian is my native language, I often prefer to speak through video and if a picture is worth a thousand words then a video must be worth even more.

The presentation “ My road to VR art” is about how my traditional art skills and experiences translated into the Virtual Reality VR world.

I am very passionate about this new medium. I have talent and humor and would love to work on big VR / AR art project. Perhaps there are others like me, looking to collaborate? I would be happy to hear from you.

Olga Nabatova.

Culture

Why We Celebrate Breastfeeding

October 3, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

Put Breastfeeding on the map! As a species, we have survived because of breastfeeding. With the advent of corporations devising infant formulas to help moms who return to work, or to help moms who can’t breastfeed, and to help dads feel bonded to their babies – formula in Western Society has become the expected way to feed your baby.

But does the choice to breastfeed or formula feed define your ability to be a mom? Absolutely not.

So, why do we celebrate World Breastfeeding Week for an entire week around the world (First week of October in Canada)?

We celebrate what has been passed down to us through evolution (or creation). We have breasts to feed our children. They weren’t positioned to hold up strapless gowns, nor were they created for the purpose of pleasing our mates.

There have been 2 or 3 generations in Canada who haven’t breastfed. Much knowledge has been lost.

Thanks to the La Leche League and more recent peer-to-peer groups, mother-to-mother support is filling the hole made by the lack of breastfeeding knowledge among family members, and the relative lack of medical information in our medical systems. For years, doctors and hospitals have been visited by formula company representatives. This does not make the doctors knowledgeable about breastfeeding. They only learned to give a bottle when there was an breastfeeding issue.

Many doctors today still do the same thing. Push the formula and don’t give mom breastfeeding support. I’ve heard them. Clients also tell me. They need support in their choices, not a heartbreaking way out.

There is no money in breastfeeding. A Lactation Consultant could spend time visiting doctors like formula companies do, discussing the risks to formula feeding (and those risks are many and documented). She would not have money to leave freebies at the office – pens, measuring tape, free samples. There is no money for breastfeeding promotion.

How will the doctors and nurses learn? I know recent grads from medical schools who were given 3 hours of breastfeeding education over the course of their studies. Clients who take classes with me also get 3 hours but I wonder which is of better service?

This is one reason why we celebrate breastfeeding for a week: We need to let people know about the damage the marketing of formulas has done to our psyche and to our general health.

This is not about being “mom enough.” This is about remembering that biologically and physiologically speaking, the normal way to feed our children is by breastfeeding. Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week in October. This is not about any ‘mommy wars’ which are born and bred by the media. This is about helping women feel happy in their choice to breastfeed – under a blanket or not. This is about getting letting every know that breastfeeding needs to be seen and celebrated, if only this one week a year. Stephanie MacDonald.

Culture

Pros And Cons Of Condo Living

September 28, 2018 The Silo Leave a comment

If you are considering taking your first steps onto the property ladder, you basically have a choice between purchasing a condo or purchasing a house. Which is right for you depends on your circumstances and wants/needs.

Royalty Free Photo

A condo encompasses more elements of apartment living which can have both its benefits and drawbacks, and it is important to weigh these up before you make a final decision and take on what is a huge financial undertaking. Why not check out the Mirvish + Gehry condo complex to see an example of what’s on offer and then come back here to find out more about the pros and cons?

#1: No Mowing the Lawn

One of the biggest pros of living in a condo is that there is very little to look after aside from the general cleanliness of your home, and even then, there’s not a whole lot of that in comparison to a house. Less square footage means less cleaning and no garden means you don’t have a lawn to mow, a garden to tend to or a roof to repair when things start to go wrong. This leaves you with more time to do things which you truly enjoy.

#2: A True Sense of Community

When you are living in a condo building, there’s a true sense of community between you and your fellow residents, especially when there are communal areas such as lounges and game rooms. This is much better than living in a street where people keep themselves to themselves and don’t get involved with each other. You will make more friends and develop relationships.

Community meet up in condo elevator — Image- liherald.com

#3: It Can Be Quite Noisy

The obvious downside to living in a condo vs. a detached house is the noise factor. When you live in a condo, you are adjoined to other people’s homes and sometimes there can be problems arising due to noise. Although modern condo buildings have good sound insulation, it’s not perfect and this is an important consideration if you are somebody who doesn’t like the slightest bit of noise from other people.

#4: You Can’t Choose Your Neighbours

Although you can’t pick your neighbours with a house, it’s easier to avoid them. When you live in the same block as neighbours whom you don’t like, avoiding them can be difficult as you are forced to share certain parts of the building with them. Although there can be a great sense of community, this can work in the other direction and be more of an inconvenience than anything else.

When it comes to deciding between buying a condo and a house, the decision can be very hard to make. It requires a lot of careful thought before you dive into it – you’ll probably be living in your condo for several years and it’s important to make the right choice. There are many other pros and cons associated with living in a condo vs living in a house, so before you commit to anything, carry on doing your research. For the Silo, Dimitry Karloff.

Importance of communication skills

Need for teaching communication skills in B-schools

#1 In delegating

#2 In inspiring and motivating

#3 In improving listening skills

#4 In making sales

#5 In handling crises

#6 In spreading charisma

Conclusion

1. Marketing

2. Human Resources

3. Finance

4. Information Systems

5. Consulting

6. Operations Management

7. Entrepreneurship

#1: No Mowing the Lawn

#2: A True Sense of Community

#3: It Can Be Quite Noisy

#4: You Can’t Choose Your Neighbours

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