James Alexander Michie | Blogger: 2019

Thursday, 26 December 2019

The Strange “D-Force” Phenomenon Proven to Hand Some Investors Gains of 315X

Reed Hastings was sitting in his office in California when the telephone rang.

It was the phone call he’d been waiting months for.

The voice on the other end said yes, the boys at Blockbuster would finally meet with him. But only if he’d be at their Dallas office at exactly 11:30 the next morning.

So, Reed Hastings did what any eccentric CEO of a startup would do…

He rented Vanna White’s private jet and booked it to Dallas.

That jet cost him $20,000 for the day. Which was a bundle considering his company was on track to lose millions that year.

But it was important that Hastings show up in style. After all, he was going to ask Blockbuster’s CEO, John Antioco, for $50 million.

Image courtesy of Davide Bonazzi/theispot.com

Learning at work is work, and we must make space for it.

The event was running over, the car was waiting, but the keynote speaker did not seem to mind. He was enjoying fielding questions from a large auditorium packed to the rafters with executives, aspiring entrepreneurs, and management students. “Get ready for an age in which we are all in tech,” he had told them, “whether you work in the tech industry or not.” The moderator called for one last question. “What’s the best way to get ready?” a woman asked. “Be great at learning,” he said without hesitation. “The moment you stop learning is the moment you begin to die.”

Calls for learning have long been common at corporate retreats, professional conferences, and similar gatherings. But with the furious pace of change that technology has brought to business and society, they have become more urgent. Leaders in every sector seem to agree: Learning is an imperative, not a cliché. Without it, careers derail and companies fail. Talented people flock to employers that promise to invest in their development whether they will stay at the company or not. And companies spend heavily on it. By one estimate, in 2018, corporate outlays on learning and development initiatives topped $200 billion.

Americans broadly accept climate science, but many are fuzzy on the details

That’s right, Americans remain insecure about the details of climate science, even though they are increasingly worried about human activity that warms the Earth, this is assured by a national survey conducted by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) that tested the public’s understanding of climate change.

Thus, it should be noted that the growing alarm is one of the most dramatic findings of the survey. In just five years, the percentage of people who described climate change as a “crisis” increased from 23% to 38%.

Influence on the climate

Rex Murphy: A political travesty is unfolding south of the border

The days when it was obvious to all the oracles of the highest experts that Donald Trump was on a quixotic quest for the presidency, and when he signed up for the granite of fate that Hillary Clinton was going to hit the rampant stranger, some made a warning: what would happen if Trump, in violation of all the standards of American democracy, refused, after losing, as he surely would, to accept the outcome of the elections?

In this way, you could say that as expected, the answer was that it would be a horror, typical of Trump’s manic manner. The norm has always been: people vote, votes are counted, and save on the most exceptional and absolutely vivid demonstrations of open and blatant examples of fraud, the loser sighs and the winner continues to Pennsylvania Avenue.

Current panorama

Around the world by air: If you want to travel around the world in Abercrombie & Kent's customized Boeing 757, it'll set you back at least $140,000. Justin Weiler/Abercrombie & Kent

It should be noted that earlier this year, the world’s longest passenger cruise ship departed from London. Thus, it is understood that this is a 245-day luxury trip in Viking Cruises that covers six continents, 51 countries, and 111 ports.

Likewise, it is appropriate to mention an attractive and convenient option for those who want to see multiple destinations in a global epic adventure, but lack the time or disposition for a long sea voyage. Well, there is always an air cruise. A specially configured chartered plane embarks on an itinerary of two to three weeks, often around the world, stopping at world-class destinations along the way, such as Easter Island, Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal.

It is important to indicate that it is not cheap and that most products are for the few who can afford a vacation above the $ 100,000 mark, although some more “budget” options are beginning to appear.

A view of the travel market for 2020

Empirical evidence of declining global vulnerability to climate-related hazards

The number of fatalities and economic losses from natural hazards continues to increase in many parts of the world. In order to reduce the future impacts of natural disasters, it is crucial to understand the variability in the space and time of the vulnerability of people and economic assets.

Thus, based on a spatially explicit global framework that integrates the dynamics of the population and the economy into one of the most complete databases of natural disaster loss, mortality and loss rates have been quantified at all levels of income and in this way its relationship with wealth has been analyzed.

The results show a clear decreasing trend in both human and economic vulnerability, with average mortality rates and global economic loss that have decreased by 6.5 and almost 5 times, respectively, from 1980–1989 to 2007–2016.

Convergence in vulnerability

Conrad Black: Judging by the throne speech, Canada is en route to a train wreck

What is news, the throne speech in Ottawa on December 5 which there are those who consider was a very depressing occasion. In fact, the attempt of solemnity failed.

The Governor-General was kind and friendly and delivered the address in an exceptional way, yet the commentators compared him with the corresponding occasions in London and Washington. In neither of the two places is the camera crowded; language is not absurdly antiquarian; and the head of state who delivers the address does 98 percent of the verbalization and enters and leaves the state, not like a gear in an inelegant procession of mysteriously disguised officials.

Still, these were mere sounds and appearances. The text of the speech was very disturbing. In fact, it has been indicated as a sad succession of promises of expenses marked by recurrences to the call to war against climate change and, in international affairs, a prostration of this country before the United Nations.

Disaster everywhere

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg gives a speech at the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid, on Dec. 11, 2019. Cristina Quicler/AFP via Getty Images

In the dying days of the two-week United Nations’ 25th Congress of the Parties (COP25) in Madrid, a meeting described as Kafkaesque in one report, Time magazine Newsmaker of the Year Greta Thunberg said she and her Extinction Rebellion cohorts are “desperate for any sign of hope.” Well, here are two big signs of hope for today’s youth: The latest carbon emissions data and forecasts suggest the UN’s climate catastrophe scenarios are way off the mark.

Thirty years ago, when Time’s apocalyptarian editors declared Earth as Planet of the Year for 1988, they warned of the global environmental meltdown to come. Oceans will rise, deserts will grow, and human existence will be threatened. According to computer projections, claimed Time in late 1988, “the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere could drive up the planet’s average temperature 3 F to 9 F by the middle of the next century.”

Not happening. That temperature disaster (equal to an increase of 3 and 5 C) has been officially postponed at least 50 years. “If the current trend continues we may see temperature increases 3–5 degrees C by the end of the century,” the head of the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its 2018 report.

Justin Trudeau projected to be the largest debt accumulator in Canada's history: Fraser Institute

Excluding Prime Ministers who served during a world war or a major economic downturn, Justin Trudeau is projected to go down as the biggest debt accumulating Prime Minister Canada has ever seen.

A new report from the Fraser Institute detailing federal spending by Prime Ministers shows that Justin Trudeau is projected to raise the federal debt per person by 5.6% by the end of his first term. Sir Mackenzie Bowell and Sir John Abbott are the only other Prime Ministers to have increased the federal debt without facing an economic downturn or global conflict.

Those who advocate for a Canadian Security Council seat – one such meeting seen here on Nov. 20, 2019 at United Nations headquarters in New York City – say it is preferable to have a seat at the table than none at all. MARY ALTAFFER/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Among the many promises delivered in its Throne Speech last week, the government reaffirmed its commitment to securing a seat on the 2021–2022 UN Security Council. It’s one of the leftover pledges from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s first term, when he declared that the peacekeeping country of our collective memories (or perhaps our collective imaginations) was “back.” Mr. Trudeau’s leadership was to see to a more progressive, honest-broker approach to foreign policy, which would be capped off in his second term with Canada reclaiming its seat at this ostensibly important table.

And that is, in the most literal sense, what Canada will win if it is successful in its bid for a non-permanent position on the Security Council. It will have a seat, possibly a name plate and one of 10 non-permanent member votes, which can be arbitrarily overruled by any of the five permanent members. Canada’s material influence at the table will thus be negligible, but our government will still engage in the cynical courting and vote swapping necessary to win, if only for bragging rights and a chance to sit in that chair.

Typically, most of the cynical courting for a rotating Security Council seat happens behind the scenes — with trips, gifts, promises and alliances — but the Trudeau government made a most obvious gesture last month when it voted in favour of a United Nations resolution recognizing Palestinian self-determination and criticizing Israeli settlements.

Exposing The Promoters Of Climate Anxiety

There is a special place in the underworld for those who promote anxiety, desperation, and terror in the most vulnerable. A place where the infernal warmth is particularly torrid.

And one does not have to spend much time looking for candidates for this netherworld--the front page of the Seattle Times will do fine.

On Sunday, our local tabloid featured a story about fearful/desperate folks dealing with their apocalyptic fears about climate change.

Courtesy of the Seattle Times

On left, a picture of white rice next to Golden Rice, and on right, a girl who lost one eye due to vitamin A deficiency. (Photo Credit: Golden Rice Humanitarian Board)

It is necessary to talk about a project which has been independently praised as one of the most influential projects of the last 50 years. Where individuals discovered how to make rice produce a source of vitamin A, and rice turns golden instead of white.

Likewise, one could say that the objectives of the project have been admired by some and vilified by others. It has directly involved teams of highly motivated people from a handful of nations, both from the public and private sectors. However, success, so far, has eluded everyone. Since the story of their frustrated efforts is a tragedy that is expected to soon, finally, reach a milestone of potentially profound importance to humanity.

Specific objective

Diane Francis: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has mishandled Canada’s relationship with the United States and the Canadian economy as a whole. Blair Gable/Reuters files

It is necessary to indicate that Trudeau’s “hot mic” video mocking President Donald Trump behind his back at the NATO conference is a great diplomatic mistake. In addition, we must not forget that Trudeau has mishandled Canada’s relationship with the United States and in some ways the Canadian economy in general.

No doubt it is extremely important that Trudeau knows that, as the Prime Minister of Canada, his main foreign affairs work is to ensure Canada’s relationship with the United States. In fact, whether people like it or not, good relations with the United States are one of Canada’s two most important assets. The other is the spectacular endowment of resources in the country.

Certainly, there are many opinions that agree that Trudeau has degraded the value of both assets to the detriment of all Canadians. All this will be very expensive as the country faces a recession due to a global slowdown combined with the damage inflicted on the country’s oil industry.

Pressure that will increase

Charles Schwab CEO reveals how he tests job candidates by taking them to breakfast, having restaurant mess up their order

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

The CEO of Charles Schwab has revealed how he evaluates job candidates by taking them to breakfast, causing the restaurant to ruin their order.

Certainly, the character of a person is revealed in moments of great pressure and anguish. In this way, it could be considered as an excellent way to prove someone’s character is to observe how they react when things do not go according to plan.

Thus, there are ways for employers to evaluate candidates for the job and compare how each one reacts to the nasty curveballs. Taking into account the aforementioned, the CEO of Charles Schwab Corporation, Walt Bettinger, has created such a system. Earlier this month, he shared his secret with the New York Times.

The proof to obtain the contract

In the last election, the NDP proposed moving the rate to 75 per cent, from 50 per cent currently. Getty Images

It should be noted that there are many investors who are worried about possible changes in the capital gains inclusion rate these days. And it is that in the last elections, the PND proposed to move the rate to 75 percent, from the current 50 percent. This means that 75 percent of your capital gains would be subject to taxes.

In this way, liberals even with a minority government can consider the inclusion rate as a possible negotiation tactic to obtain the support of the PND to obtain the approval of a future budget.

Undoubtedly, actions are much more fun than politics. Still, it must be made clear why increasing the rate of inclusion of capital gains would be bad, very bad. Therefore, some of the reasons that make this clear are presented.

Reasons not to increase the inclusion rate

A vote at the United Nations Security Council in 2017. Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

What is clear is that chasing the seat in the dysfunctional UN Security Council is a waste of time for Canada

It should be noted that from any point of view one could say that the great foreign policy effort of the semi-re-elected federal government is to win a two-year term in the United Nations Security Council. Which for some could be established as a useless political objective as it could be devised. Being that, in addition, there are those who think that the UN is a dying and corrupt organization that, instead of providing the first step for world government, is the primary shout therapy for the poorest and most poorly governed and despotic countries in the world.

Thus, it is appropriate to mention that according to the UN figures themselves, 91 of the 192 UN member states have average per capita incomes of less than 10 percent of those in Canada.

Likewise, approximately half of the member states do not seriously comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, accession or, at least, the credible ambition to achieve the objectives that are supposedly a criterion for being a member of the UN.

Very interesting question

Why Apocalyptic Claims About Climate Change Are Wrong

Climate scientists are speaking out against grossly exaggerated claims about global warming. GETTY

It should be noted that journalists and environmental defenders have made in recent weeks a series of apocalyptic predictions about the impact of climate change. Bill McKibben suggested that the fires caused by the weather in Australia had made the koalas “functionally extinct”. Extinction Rebellion said “Billions will die” and “Life on Earth is dying”. So Vice claimed the “collapse of civilization may have already begun”.

Certainly, sometimes, the scientists themselves make apocalyptic statements. “It’s difficult to see how we could accommodate a billion people or even half of that” if Earth warms four degrees, said one earlier this year. “The potential for multi-breadbasket failure is increasing”, said another. If sea levels rise as much as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts, another scientist said, “It will be an unmanageable problem”.

Undoubtedly, apocalyptic statements like these have impacts in the real world. A clear example of this is that in September, a group of British psychologists said that children are increasingly anxious about the terrifying discourse about climate change.

Honesty and precision above all

It has been expressed that Canadians like to think that they live in a sovereign nation, insofar as they have control of their own destiny and likewise make their own decisions. However, that has become increasingly doubtful.

And it is necessary to take into account an important aspect, probably the most important aspect, of being a sovereign country is to have the ability to defend your own nation. Certainly, if you don’t have that, nothing else really matters.

Thus, for a country like Canada, having heavily equipped armed forces would not really be a great challenge, considering their high relative wealth as well as their high level of technology. And yet, the Canadian armed forces are in bad shape.

Problems that must be solved

China's Belt and Road Initiative: Where it goes and what it's supposed to accomplish

Security personnel stand guard near a "Golden Bridge on Silk Road" decoration for the Belt and Road Forum outside the China National Convention Center in Beijing earlier this year. (Jason Lee/Reuters)

What is news, economic power is investing billions of dollars in infrastructure projects worldwide. In this way, it is important to remember that in 2013 when the United States and many other countries were still recovering from the Great Recession, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced perhaps the most transparent and ambitious foreign policy of the new century: the Belt and Initiative Road.

Thus, it is considered that this name is a nod to the Silk Road, the old network of trade routes that connected China with the Roman Empire and many intermediate societies. Likewise, it has been indicated that the modern version provided by Xi goes even further.

And it is that China is financing infrastructure projects worth hundreds of billions of dollars, including ports, roads, bridges, railroads, power plants, telecommunications networks and much more, in partner countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and more there.

Purpose established

Maximum irony and another level, the Fed’s role admit that Fed policy can lead to economic ruin. And it is that in an article by Scott A. Wolla and Kaitlyn Frerking for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis warns that the Federal Reserve’s own policy could lead to “economic ruin”.

The aforementioned document has been entitled “Making Sense of National Debt” and explains the pros and cons of national loans in the typical Keynesian way. Simply put, a small debt is a good thing, but too much debt can become a problem. Even so, in the process of explaining the national debt, Wolla and Frerking come across a truth and that the impression of money from the Federal Reserve can destroy the economy of a country.

This is where an important question arises, when does the national debt become a problem?

Unsustainable Change

'Monopolies are very poor for the end consumer,' says B.C. doctor behind long push for private care

Dr. Brian Day outside B.C. Supreme Court on Sept. 17, 2018.Nick Procaylo/Postmedia/File

It should be noted that the Supreme Court battle over whether medical patients when faced with long waiting times, have the constitutional right to seek medically necessary services by paying out of pocket or through private insurance.

Thus, it is understood that those who oppose a public-private two-level or parallel system are concerned that such a system favors patients who can pay instead of those who need services most. Also, last year, the B.C. The government said it would begin enforcing the provisions of the province’s Medicare Protection Act that prohibits private billing for medically necessary care.

Even so, the plaintiffs in the current case managed to obtain a court order of execution until the constitutional case was heard

Arguments

Double standard applied to Andrew Scheer's social conservative views sends wrong message

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, seen here during a news conference in Regina on Oct. 22, has attracted criticism throughout the election campaign and in the weeks since for his social conservative views on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

According to observers, Andrew Scheer’s messages about abortion cost votes on both sides of the debate. In fact, it has been indicated that Scheer is indeed pro-abortionist.

Even so, people have also incorrectly inferred that because Scheer does not personally support abortion, he would take away women’s rights.

What is true is that Scheer clearly stated that he would not reopen the debate.

Likewise, it has caused annoyance in some people who have in fact criticized Scheer enough for his lack of clarity and strength to respond to inquiries about his personal views. He did not directly address the concern about whether or not he would discourage backbenchers from submitting motions about abortion, for example. In this way, one could say that it could have been handled better and even used the attacks of its opponents as opportunities to talk about conservative and democratic values that unite Canadians, such as individual freedom.

A possible obstacle to leading a nation?

Certainly, we basically assumed that each person was characterized by so many differences than any other person that it was better to focus solely on meritocratic selection.

It is necessary to refer to a Survey of Post Secondary Teachers and Researchers that was designed to evaluate what is known as “diversity” among the selected groups, as a result of the commitment of the three Canadian research concession boards, under the direction of the government liberal, to increase “Diversity” among those who receive funds. For a long time, research funding depended, to the extent possible, on two factors, both intensely meritocratic. Even so, it has been indicated that it seems to be about to change.

Referring to diversity, there are those who have listed it as a very slippery term. Likewise, “Diversity” is a word that, in appearance, disguises itself as something positive, because it is positive, in some of its manifestations.

Immutable features

JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT/AFP/Getty Images

David Gunnlaugsson is an Icelandic politician who was the youngest acting prime minister of Iceland from May 2013 to April 2016. He was also president of the Progressive Party from 2009 to October 2016. He was elected member of the Althing (Iceland’s Parliament) as The eighth member of the Reykjavík North constituency on April 25, 2009. He has represented the Northeast constituency as its first member since April 27, 2013.

The weather is always changing and humans are always adapting, writes Iceland’s former prime minister, so people should stop panicking over global warming. Despite the stories delivered by “reporters with teary eyes” about the tragedy of the melting of the glaciers, the fact is that some glaciers melt while others grow and so it has been throughout history, says Gunnlaugsson.

What is absurd for Gunnlaugsson

The responses of the macro-financial market as we knew them now have changed and that is that interest rates are at the lowest point in the financial history of the United States.

That’s right, interest rates in the US debt markets recently reached their lowest point since 1790. Yes, the lowest in the 229 years of the financial history of the United States. That is not a printing error. But the reasons are darker and less conventional than what goes into a typical interest rate perspective.

Likewise, it is important to mention that for at least the last decade, the economies of Europe, Japan, and other areas have been essentially dying, as in a slow or zero growth. Faced with this problem, policymakers in those countries were inclined to the policy suggested by John Maynard Keynes in the midst of the Great Depression 83 years ago.

Things never are seen before

The Great Ideological Lie of Diversity

It is important to talk about a Survey of Post Secondary Teachers and Researchers which was designed to evaluate what is known as “diversity” among the selected groups, as a result of the commitment of the three Canadian research concession boards, under government guidance. Federal liberal, to increase “Diversity” among those who receive funds. For a long time, research funding depended, to the extent possible, on two factors, both intensely meritocratic: the applicant’s research record and the quality of the proposed research. Still, it has been indicated that seems about to change.

Referring to diversity, there are those who have listed it as a very slippery term. Likewise, “Diversity” is a word that, in appearance, disguises itself as something positive, because it is positive, in some of its manifestations. Obviously, it is not useful to establish an organization in which everyone thinks the same or only in the approved manner.

Questions that arise

Trudeau Liberals will turn on the spending taps to get, keep opposition support in minority parliament

It should be noted that after cordial meetings with the leader of the Québec block Yves-François Blanchet and the leader of the PND Jagmeet Singh last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau clearly has the green light to move forward on an agenda focused on the fight against climate change, spending a lot on infrastructure and implementing pharmaceutical products.

Therefore, it is understood that this agenda will lead to deficits. But liberals don’t care about deficits anymore, and the federal NDP and Bloc never did. In this way, it has been said that we are going to party as if it were 1972.

Likewise, it should be noted that this was the year in which Pierre Trudeau’s liberals were reduced from majority to minority government, dependent to survive the David Lewis NDP.

Things that have not changed at all

'In panic mode now': How a Quebec snowboarder survived six nights in the B.C. wilderness

Encased in an impromptu snow cave, Stéphane Boisvert had been stranded in the unforgiving desert near the city of Golden in the interior of southern British Columbia for about four or five days; by then, everything was a bit blurry. All he could do was concentrate on his breathing.

And after losing snowboarding in the field of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort on January 29, 2017, the then 35-year-old from Victoriaville, Quebec, decided to follow a stream downstream, not realizing he was moving away from civilization. Soon he was surrounded by nothing but a fortress of trees, and suffocating silence.

Without a doubt, what awaited him would be really difficult.

Difficulty overcome

Rex Murphy: Shame on you Sportsnet. Don Cherry deserved much, much better

Don Cherry is photographed on Nov. 12, 2019, the day after being fired from Coach's Corner by Sportsnet for comments he made about people who don't wear poppies in honour of Remembrance Day.Craig Robertson/Postmedia News

Don Cherry deserved much, much more. Only three cheers for Don Cherry. And as that clearly seems insufficient, three more applause for the great old man.

Certainly for 39 years, Don Cherry has been the face, the voice and the proudest celebrant of the chosen game in the country, and Sportsnet closes that race and deepened it out of the air, because the so-called “usual crowd” became furious and screamed Just about what, in the worst case, was a rather delicate phrase that consisted of two words.

Likewise, there are diverse opinions that still exist, but many agree that there is no career in the entire sporting history of Canada, and there will never be another as successful, as entertaining, as lively and enthusiastic as Don Cherry’s. And this is how it ends. There is no testimonial dinner. There is no gathering of hockey heroes, old and young, to toast and toast the master communicator of the game. There are no television specials to celebrate the best television star that purely Canadian television has produced.

Poor recognition

There are clearly many possibilities that could answer this question, even so, there is a tendency towards corporate debt.

It is important to take into account the statistics and it is the same that indicates the history of deterioration.

Therefore, it is necessary to collect information that is useful. Thus, according to Bloomberg, the third quarter of this year experienced the largest reduction in the credit rating for US companies in relation to the updates since 2015.

Likewise, according to an analysis by Goldman Sachs, in the last 12 months, the S&P 500 non-financial cash balances have decreased by $ 185 billion, or 11%, the largest percentage decrease since at least 1980.

Vulnerable markets

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tastes whisky during an election campaign visit to Diageo's Roseisle Distillery near Elgin, northeast Scotland, on Nov. 7, 2019.Daniel Leal-Olivas/AFP/Getty Images

Certainly, the election of the United Kingdom is coming, which will take place on December 12. In this regard, it is estimated that this choice will be of great importance to the western world. And it is that the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union will be like the secession of California from the United States or British Columbia from Canada, a very serious blow.

Likewise, it is also estimated that the United Kingdom’s return to close cooperation with the United States and Canada would allow three of the G7 countries to join forces, with a combined GDP more than double that of China, substantially greater than the EU continues and with better economic growth.

In this way, it is understood that such a change will provide a reliable barometer of public policies that point away from fetishist globalism towards realism in alliances, capitalist economy and Anglo-American Values in general.

Letters on the table

'It's torture': Is a mysterious cannabis-related illness underdiagnosed in Canada?

A mysterious cannabis-related illness is turning up in emergency rooms in Canada, but exactly what causes it is unknown. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Regina Denney’s 17-year-old son Brian called her in a panic; he couldn’t stop throwing up.

It was April 7, 2018 and the Indianapolis teen asked her to take him to the emergency room — but doctors there couldn’t figure out what was wrong.

He was severely dehydrated and constantly vomiting.

“As we’re sitting there talking, another doctor happens to walk by our room and she pokes her head in and she says, ‘Do you smoke marijuana?’” Denney said.

“And he said yes. And she said, ‘Does it get better with hot showers or hot baths?’ And he said yes.”

Brian Smith Jr. was diagnosed with a rare condition called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS).

NYC, London, Vancouver Losing Luster With Luxury Homebuyers

Wealthy homebuyers are finding global cities less welcoming — even hostile — to their cash.

Luxury property prices in 45 global cities rose an average of just 1.1% in the third quarter from a year earlier, the weakest annual gain since the end of 2009, according to a report from Knight Frank. They fell 4.4% in New York, 3.9% in London and 10% in Vancouver.

No wonder. There’s uncertainty at every corner, from trade wars to Brexit, Hong Kong pro-democracy protests and a populist backlash in some of the world’s biggest and most affluent cities that are imposing new taxes on the rich.

“The safe havens are becoming less certain,” said Dan Conn, chief executive officer of Christie’s International Real Estate. “It’s becoming much more challenging in the hubs to find a high quality place to deploy capital.”

Corp. Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son speaks during a joint announcement with Toyota Motor Corp. to make new venture to develop mobility services in Tokyo, Japan, 04 October 2018. Alessandro Di Ciommo | NurPhoto | Getty Images

KEY POINTS

In a slide deck shown to investors, WeWork said it lost $1.25 billion on revenue of $934 million.
Occupancy decreased to 79% as the company added a record 115,000 desks.
The company is currently paring back non-core businesses as it focuses on sustainable business practices rather than rapid growth.

WeWork’s losses continued to mount in the third quarter, reflecting a fast-growth strategy undertaken by ousted CEO Adam Neumann, according to a slide deck the company presented to investors.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Canada needs to wake up to the threat posed by its geopolitical rivals and look for new allies as the United States withdraws from the world stage, says ex-CSIS director Richard Fadden. (Maxim Shipenkov/Pool Photo via AP)

Richard Fadden said Ottawa needs to acknowledge the United States is withdrawing from global leadership

Canada needs to be “clear-eyed” about the threat posed by Russia and China — and the power vacuum at the global level left by the United States’ growing isolationism — a former national security adviser to prime ministers told an audience of military and defence officials Friday.

“The risks posed by these two countries are certainly different, but they are generally based on advancing all their interests to the detriment of the West,” Richard Fadden, former national security adviser to both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his predecessor, Stephen Harper, said in a speech to the Conference of Defence Associations Institute (CDAI) Friday.

“Their activities span the political, military and economic spheres.”

Diane Francis: Alberta Premier Jason Kenney came out fighting this weekend and, as many of us have recommended, embarked on a “workaround” strategy to get out from under Trudeau and the Laurentian elites who still control Canada.Jim Wells/Postmedia News files

Kenney’s workaround emulates Quebec’s near-sovereignty autonomy, aimed at escaping fed policies rigged to bribe Quebec with Alberta money

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s father rolled out the National Energy Program in 1980 — a punitive tax grab for Alberta’s oil revenues to pay for the Liberal welfare state. Years later, Justin Trudeau did a redo by discriminating against Alberta’s oil industry to pay for his welfare state, phoney climate agenda and Quebec goodies.

But again, the jig’s up and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney came out fighting this weekend and, as many of us have recommended, embarked on a “workaround” strategy to get out from under Trudeau and the Laurentian elites who still control Canada.

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