Metanoia Special Spring Edition 2012

The Magazine That Makes You Think

SPECIAL TECHNOLOGY SPRING 2012 ISSUE

METANOIA The Magazine That Makes You Think

EXECUTIVE AND STAFF

PUBLISHERS

SALME JOHANNES LEIS & ALLISON PATTON

COPY CHIEF

CALEB NG JR LEIS AND HEINO LEIS

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

DAL FLEISCHER

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

DAN DENIS

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

GALINA BOGATCH

PHOTO ARCHIVIST CONTRIBUTORS

Maureen Bader Alex Barberis Andy Belanger Donald J. Boudreaux Tim Brown John Coleman Brian Croft Cheryl Gauld Marilyn Hurst Hank Leis Chris MacClure Caleb Ng Janice Oleandros Allison Patton Cara Roth Kaela Scott ON THE COVER...

The Bengal Tiger jumping through flames represents India’s emerging presence in the world of technology.

METANOIA MAGAZINE is a publication of METANOIA CONCEPTS INC. For questions, comments, or advertising contact by Phone: 604 538 8837, Email: metanoiamagazine@gmail.com, Mail: 3566 King George Blvd, Surrey, BC, Canada, V4P 1B5 2 METANOIA

METANOIA The Magazine That Makes You Think

4 5 9 11 14 22 24 25 26

CONTENTS

Executive Summary

When Economics and the Environment Collide

An Interview With Rich Coleman, MLA

The Interview

Into the Wildness

A New York State of Mind

The Rant

Missives by Donald J. Beaudreaux

Art &The Indominable Spirit

Let’s Talk

Electrical Power Management as a “Greening” tool

On becoming a Provincial Minister

Former SFU Dean Talks about the MBA Program

The Inspiration of BC Artist, Murray Phillips

A Trip to Albany to discuss a real estate deal

Figuring out life one rant at a time.

This Professor of Economics takes on Pat Buchannan and Ralph Nader

On Loss, Living and Rebuilding

METANOIA 3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This, our second technological issue, was inspired by

Hank Leis , Executive Director

get what he had to say the first time.

the ongoing debate, over the actual benefits that green

Artist, Murray Phillip, talks about his wild side. He too

technology is achieving. Robert Taylor has had great

taught at SFU, however his PhD is in anthropology and

difficulty in convincing manufacturers and end-users to

theology.

utilizing his patents and proven technology, even though he can easily demonstrate that it is cheaper, lighter and more efficient than the technology that is in current use.

JR Leis discusses her trip to Albany, New York demonstrating what goes into the making of a deal.

Metanoia interviews Rich Coleman, MLA, Minister of

Hank Leis as always rants about meaninglessness. This

Energy and Mines and minister responsible for housing

time he declares that microbes are really in charge and we

who talks about what it took to go from being an RCMP

are merely instruments of their desires.

officer to cabinet member.

Janise O’Leandros continues her compelling story of We also repeat our interview with Ernie Love, former Dean of the Business School at SFU, just in case you didn’t

what it means to lose everything after success and then do it all over again and even after that one more time.

What’s the Story with You? Do you have a story to tell? Do you have a rant of your own? Metanoia Magazine is looking for stories and writers. If you’ve got something to say in 500 words or less email us at metanoiamagazine@gmail. com. Be sure to include pictures. If selected for publication you will receive 2 complimentary copies of the magazine plus a link to an online version. Additional copies will cost $3 each.

4 METANOIA

When Economics and the Environment Collide GREEN Technologies, Save the world or just more Techno babble?

by Robert Taylor

I

magine a world without electrically powered devices.

We would have no life-saving systems such as 911 communications, no electronic ignition to start our automobiles nor signals to ensure the safe regulation of traffic, no lights in our homes, offices and on our streets, and no cell phones or computers, and many more. Electrically powered devices have become a vital and pervasive part of everyday life for virtually everyone around the globe.

Now social media has gripped the world and continues to grow with industry leaders such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Yahoo, Google and even Microsoft all scrambling for more market share by virtually inflicting and feeding a new found addiction called social networking.

Personal human interaction is changing, long distance relationships promoting dating and even marriage are incubating in cyber space. Yet very few people think of the additional pollution being created by chatting or texting, and it’s only the beginning. We assume our devices are clean, battery-powered devices that consume little power, or do they? There is actually a massive power hungry infrastructure behind each text message required to activate trillions of transistors that process, store and transmit digital data.

Technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. Each passing year sees new and diverse applications such as solar panels, wind power, electric cars, LED lights, wireless devices, internet appliances, smart phones, tablet computers, LED televisions, and even household appliances. The list is endless.

All of these technologies require a reliable and low cost way to manage power or to charge batteries. Of great

importance today, power management and battery charging must be done in a power saving or environmentally “green” manner. To ensure this, governments around the globe are subsidizing and promoting clean energy initiatives for transportation, consumer and industrial products.

But does the growing public awareness with the latest green rage merely prey upon our humanity and compassion gene to do our part in order to “Save the Planet”? While the environmentalists continue to induce the fear of a “Planet in Peril” will the human race abandon their new found love of technology in order to support Green house gas reduction initiatives? Will We really save endangered species and make the planet a more habitable place to be for future generations? We are running out of oil and the end is near. Recent technical innovations such as energy generation from Bio Mass, Solar and Wind Power can now be coupled to the aging power grid or some alternative form of energy storage or electronic storage tanks to heat our homes and propel electric vehicles.

What will sustain and help the environment as the global population continues to erupt beyond the available resources needed to support the growth?

Will it be alternative energy sources and new power generating technologies that utilize renewable resources? Or will it be better education for maximizing power efficiency and limiting waste through wise consumption? Perhaps it will be some combination of both. What can we do?

For simplicity, let’s just speak about two relatively new and emerging technologies that have been around for a while but are poised to proliferate around the globe in massive numbers.

One is the network router. These are the marvellous little boxes that get us up on the Internet as we consume our Starbucks coffee or, as a growing number of people do, create a home or office

wireless network. Here is what they look like: Now you may ask how these marvellous

Router Power Adapter

communication facilitators could burn much energy as they only use about 20 watts of power.

Well that’s true, however, when you look at the power adapter on the right (the little black box you need to plug in to make the router work) you learn a bit more. Upon looking closer, you will notice the label on the power adapter will indicate the voltage rating you can connect it to, and it likely indicates 100-240V. These routers generally run 24/7. Not many business or home networks unplug those adapters when they are not in use. So the router’s lights continue to flash all the time. Lack of awareness or ignorance of power waste is one thing, but when manufacturers of these black boxes make them convenient to sell all over the world, they really waste about 15% more energy than they really need to. This energy can be saved if these manufacturers optimized their designs for a single voltage range, such as 120V as found in North America, Japan, Taiwan and a handful of other countries.

This is one of many devices that is not a mobile product. The majority of them stay put in one central location, geographically speaking.

There is another infrastructure that is needed to support network routers. It’s the information technology back bone, or as it is better known, the Internet.

A diverse and large number of other devices comprise the Internet and allow us to better communicate. And each of

METANOIA 5

One would think that would grab both political and consumer attention alike Inefficient power supply operation of these electrically powered systems or lights negatively impacts the environment through additional green house gas emissions caused by less than optimal power sources.

Low efficiency power supplies waste power.

Despite the advanced new technologies each generation creates, power waste continues to occur.

these devices is connected to the power grid and consumes ever more power.

The problem is that all of these devices have power adapters that are made in the same way as the network router, and each day they rob the energy grid needlessly consuming power.

One may view the energy crisis as a parallel to home economics. The wise use of money, by being less greedy or decadent and reducing household debt, will improve personal finances. It could even trim some belly fat. It’s relatively easy (other than for governments) for everyone to do, yet pays dividends by greatly enhancing the personal and economic health of the population.

The same concept works for energy consumption. Reducing energy waste by turning off lights and appliances when not in use is a simple thing to do, but most of us do not do so. Ah, go on and eat that extra doughnut, or leave the lights on till we get back from driving the car a km or so just for a jug of milk.

Â

6 METANOIA

This waste occurs not only in the manufacturing process, but also as the result of continual energy drain resulting from the lack of optimized  power management for idle electronic To be fair, energy saving awareness equipment and lights connected to the and education is slowly emerging through utility grid. international bodies, such as Energy Star, Due to population growth and rapidly and educational institutions, such as the Green Design Institute, (and many developing nations world-wide, the more are added each year) generate and environmental problem is magnifying promote energy saving initiatives and with progress. Driven by advances such as cloud based computer servers, the energy saving mandates. world produces even more electronic There are however, other energy devices that improve the human interface conserving strategies that could be to connect, inform and empower a used to yield even more savings of up growing global community through to 15%. Manufacturers of computers, the Internet,. This means more cell tablets, smart phones, hard drives, phones, communication devices, Internet Internet appliances and even systems appliances, and entertainment devices. integrators such as large data centres This new industrial and global continue to exert downward price pressure on their power component communication revolution driven by the vendors when specifying their power World Wide Web has introduced even adapters or internal power supplies. In more drain on the power grid to support turn, to remain competitive most vendors equipment that connects us while cut corners by avoiding numerous costly sharing information to feed our human compliance and logistical factors. These social needs. include regulatory compliance mandates Power management for electronic predominantly driven by global equipment is slowly improving, but economics. When economics drives an manufacturers still strive to provide a industry, the best technology for the job one size fits all solution in order to reduce is often abandoned. costly agency compliance requirements.

Power management is a critical This is where a dirty little secret is issue even within the green technology movement.

Power management hiding! Because manufacturers try to determines the efficiency of an electrically avoid depriving bottom line dollars of powered system. Efficiency determines regulatory compliance cost, the world is the power that is ultimately wasted sacrificing up to 15% of electrical power through energy conversion in the form conversion waste in every AC-input of electrical energy waste manifested electrically powered device. This energy by heat losses, and ultimately in wasted waste costs you, me and the environment.

This situation is poised to worsen with MONEY!!! the world shifting to newly emerging LED lighting technologies. Many LED driver

specifications are calling for universal input designs despite the fact these lights run at a fixed input voltage in each location around the globe Manufacturers of power management equipment predominantly build what are termed “Universal Input Power Supplies”.

These are easy to identify - just look on the back of any modern television or network router at home and read the label. It will likely indicate “AC input 100240VAC”. Since 120VAC is the only voltage one would encounter in North America, the convenience to manufacturers of universal voltage input for non-mobile electronics wastes up to 15% of power due to non-optimized internal electronic components.

Why do we allow this? That power waste is mainly due to ignorance of the technical facts and because we have outsourced all manufacturing of electronic products to nations where assembly labour costs are substantially lower.

Cost reduction is the primary market driver in the industry. For example, a 120VAC input only TV made for North America would allow a manufacturer some lower parts costs and 15% higher efficiency power supply, but would also cause a minor production and logistics inconvenience to the manufacturer. As a result, we go on to waste power at an ever alarming rate. Manufacturers cite consumer convenience, but most consumers rarely travel around the globe with their TV or wireless router as part of their luggage.

A select few travelers of course benefit from the convenience of universal input chargers for cell phones and communication devices, but the resulting power waste for these devices when predominantly used back at home is also above 15%. For those few who travel, a universal adapter could be separately purchased, reducing the waste when using these devices at home.

In addition to network equipment, a new lighting technology is poised to enter the market in a very large way. It’s called LED lighting.

the few that run from your local wall outlet voltage of 120V. Create industry awareness by asking your local retailer about their products that have 100240VAC voltage ratings. At some point, manufacturers may get the message. If we are to truly go green then let’s get it done it right.

As power supply designers, we are now being asked to develop power supplies to the same requirement for this new lighting technology that plagues network routers and Internet equipment. If this happens in a mass scale way, we will waste another 15% of power transfer energy in the implementation of new green lighting solely due to manufacturing convenience Now you may ask is 15% of 20 watts = ~3 watts wasted or 15% of 12 watts =~2watts wasted for an LED light really matter? Here is a simple generalization but worth thinking about.

According to the Internet world statistics of http://www. internetworldstats.com/stats.htm there are about 2 billion users on the web right now. Now let’s assume that each user will in the not too distant future have at least one router per 10 people and one LED light each in their office or home then here is what it looks like: (2,000,000,000/10 )=200,000,000 x 3 watts = 600,000,000 watts wasted for routers and 2,000,000,000 x 2= 4,000,000,000 watts wasted for LED lighting.

The grand total adds up to 4.6 billion watts. How much waste is that? Over four million (4,600,000) kW hrs of power waste.

This power waste translates into about 2,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year that is produced as a result of inefficiency with just two devices. Now imagine just how much additional waste could be avoided with the dozens of other Internet infrastructure support devices and all other electrically powered devices that is 100% preventable at little cost.

What’s the answer?

Many electric authorities around the globe subsidize energy saving or Energy Star approved appliances, and even devices such as CFL and LED bulbs, to encourage consumers to adopt their use quicker while avoiding the retail price sticker shock.

Perhaps one solution is for these same authorities to consider subsidizing regulatory compliance costs. Then manufacturers would then have the incentive and maybe even be encouraged to develop many different energy efficient systems to maximize their efficiency.

Then all electrically power devices would run cooler and more efficiently, while having a more positive impact on the environment through less waste of power and stress on the electrical grid while reducing green house gas emissions at the same time.

MHPS (Megahertz Power Systems, Inc.) doesn’t manufacture any of the power management products consumers or industry uses. But we provide build to print designs and power management solutions to optimize power transfer while reducing cost and power waste for the power management products industry uses.

Less power waste means less green house gas. We invite manufacturing companies to submit their power management requirements for us to review so we can provide a cost and power waste reduction proposal.

We offer customers licenses and transfer of our innovative power management technologies. Let’s help power a better world.

References *http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm **http://solar1.org/http:/solar1.org/uploads/ electricy_in_nyc.pdf

When you purchase these products, look closely at the labels and try to find

METANOIA 7

MegaHertz Power Systems Ltd. Providers of LOW COST power management Micro Chips Better Energy Efficiency and long term Sustainability There are many sources of energy, Use our resources Smartly!

The energy that is not used is the cleanest and cheapest energy of all

MeghaHertz Power Sources Ltd. 7316-515 West Hastings St. Vancouver BC. V6B 5K3 778-294-1141 - www.mhps.co

An Interview With Rich Coleman

,

MLA

by John Cameron

Metanoia: I’m curious, how did an RCMP officer from small town Penticton wind up BC politics?

Well, I left the RCMP because we wanted be closer to our families back home in BC. My first attempt at politics was when I ran for council in Langley in 1986 and I lost. After that I started working on getting a community centre built in Aldergrove. The community really needed one. My Kinsmen club used to hold some of our meetings in a local bar, often that was the only space available. I worked hard at getting government grants for the project. One of my regular stops was the MLA’s office where I met Ida Fallowfield and Marjorie Allen. They convinced me to join the old Social Credit Party.

We got the Kinsmen Community Centre built.

I volunteered a lot of hours on the project and a lot of other people did too. We worked hard and we had some good times. I’ve got great memories of those days.

A while after that the local MLA Gary FarrellCollins decided to run in another riding. My friends Bruce and Sheryl Strongitharm asked me to run for the BC Liberal nomination. I told them I would, if they could get a couple of hundred people to support me. They did, I won the nomination and then went on to get elected to the BC legislature.

Metanoia: You’ve been an MLA for 15 years now, what are the highlights for you?

It’s tough to pick one. There have been so many people that have dropped by or called

my constituency office with problems or issues. We’ve been able to help a lot of people over the years and a lot of the cases, especially the medically related ones are confidential.

It’s tough to describe. We get everything from overcrowded schools to badly needed knee surgery. My staff are really good listeners. (pause) This business is all about taking the time to listen and get to the core of the matter. After that we try to find some creative solutions - if there isn’t a straightforward answer. It’s about people and relationships.

Metanoia: You were Solicitor General during the 2003 Kelowna fires. That must have been interesting.

One day in particular stands out. The Kelowna Airport was closed so the Premier and I flew into Penticton and we drove over. The fire had been going for quite a few days by then. It was so big that it was creating its own weather systems inside it with winds up to 60 miles per hour. We had 1,000 forest firefighters, 1,400 armed forces personnel and 60 fire departments on it, but it was impossible to contain. We had already evacuated about 27,000 people at that point.

As we drove down the hill into town we could see was smoke. The lake was smooth as glass and that meant there was no wind. I told the Premier that if it stayed calm like that we might be able to get control of the fire that night.

Later in the day Emergency Preparedness called and asked for an order to bulldoze eight to ten expensive homes at the top of a subdivision to create a firebreak to try and save the homes below. I remember watching the Premier while he was being interviewed on TV and I could see the wind blowing his hair. I

gave them the order to bulldoze the homes.

They tried to move the heavy equipment up there to get the job done, but the fire came in too fast and we lost the whole subdivision.

Metanoia: That’s quite the decision you were asked to make. I didn’t realize the Solicitor General would be that involved in forest fires.

Not in the forest, but when a fire interfaces with people and property it becomes part of the Provincial Emergency Preparedness Program and that’s when the Solicitor General gets involved.

Metanoia: You had that portfolio twice. Is there anything else that was interesting?

There’s a couple of things. I’m really proud of PRIME – the Police Records and Information Management Environment - that we introduced. It means real time information is available in every police car. BC is the only jurisdiction in North America that’s accomplished that. It’s all about intelligence based policing. Sometimes a stopped motorcycle in Chilliwack can be the key that solves a crime in Coquitlam. And bringing in the first police helicopter reduced police chases on our streets, it was a good move too. There was a lot of controversy over police chases before we got the helicopter.

They were getting more than their fair share of media attention. Our police officers were having to make difficult decisions when they were trying to apprehend criminals and they were getting second guessed. It’s important to

METANOIA 9

get the police the resources they need.

Metanoia: You were then appointed Minister of Forests and Range at a pretty difficult time weren’t you?

Yeah, for decades before the forest industry was the economic engine of BC. Historically almost all of our products had been shipped to the states. If you could predict the US housing starts you could predict how well BC’s forest industry was going to do. They were our single biggest customer. The market was shrinking and their domestic producers were fighting pretty hard. The dispute had been going on for about 30 years. We had to negotiate a new Softwood Lumber Deal with the US. There was literally Billions of BC dollars tied up in countervailing duties. It was a tough negotiation. This time I thought we had to approach it differently. In the past BC used to set up a “war room” in Washington.

For these negotiations we set it up here in BC at the COFI offices. That way we had all the resources of our forest companies right there with us and we could get answers from the CEOs much faster. We kept working on the art of the possible and eventually got the deal done, the countervailing duties released and people back to work. I think next time will be easier because the US needs us and China is becoming a competing customer for our products. Just recently we started shipping more to China than the States and that’s the first time that’s ever happened.

Metanoia: That’s a big jump from small town cop to negotiating an international trade deal. You had a big portfolio with the Housing Ministry at the same time didn’t you?

I was given that file in 2005 and at the time I said it was going to take a year to write the housing strategy for BC. I knew a bit about it.

In between being on the RCMP and becoming an MLA I’d built a few social housing buildings.

The overall housing strategy was more complicated, it had to address homelessness, mental health and addiction issues as well as people who were having financial challenges.

I stole every good idea I could find and wrote the strategy.

The key was to stop cutting ribbons and concentrate on people. Previous governments often overbuilt unit sizes. We took a good look at what people needed and found

10 METANOIA

housing stock them. The occupants needed a bathroom, small kitchen and a bed. In 2007 people started hearing that a developer was buying up all of the single room occupancy units in the Downtown East Side to redevelop the sites. People were worried, but really it was a shell company owned by BC Housing.

We used a shell company because didn’t want asking prices to rise, like they would have if the owners knew our strategy. All in all we bought 47 buildings with 23 in the Downtown East Side. We renovated the buildings and put good solid social housing operators into place who connect the residents to the services they need. That’s really important, our most vulnerable are now getting the supports they need right where they live. That was a bold move and sometimes that’s what it takes. BC is now the only jurisdiction in North America with a declining homeless population. And that’s saying something because of the migration issue. A lot of homeless people move to Vancouver because of the milder weather.

expensive and people keep their dignity.

Metanoia: It sounds like that strategy worked very well. Can you give us a specific example?

Metanoia: People perceive you as a hard edged conservative. I never would have thought you had a soft side.

Sure we looked at Penticton and learned that the big need with the homeless there was mental health services so we bought the Hansel and Gretel Motel, renovated it and worked out a deal with Canadian Mental Health Association to operate the facility. They are really the best people to work with that particular clientele. That’s the type of solutions we are looking for.

If you don’t want to help people you probably shouldn’t go into politics.

Metanoia: That makes sense.

That’s the visible piece, but there’s another part of the housing strategy that’s designed not to be seen. It still follows the principle of forgetting about cutting ribbons and focusing on people. I had the privilege of introducing the Rental Assistance Program. It’s not about building buildings which can stigmatize people. Many people don’t want social housing in their neighbourhood. The Rental Assistance Program gives low income people cheques based on their income and they can live where they want. Nobody in their neighbourhood knows. Today there are 10,000 people in BC on the program. If we were to build housing for them, as some people suggest we should, it would cost 30 Billion Dollars and take many years. The route we’ve chosen is faster, less

Metanoia: I’ll bet they appreciate that.

We’ve gotten hundreds of letters and lots of them can bring tears to your eyes. One single Mom was finally able to afford to put her son into sports and he could have the life that other kids his age had. When I read those letters it reminds me that we’ve got to be dogmatic and stick to the strategy. It’s called Housing Matters BC. And it matters to a lot of people.

Another letter I got that really stood out is one from a Mother with a mentally ill daughter who was caught up in the Downtown East Side and spiralling down until we got her into one of our facilities. Eight months before being housed she was hospitalized 89 times. After she got into supportive housing, that went down to twice in the next year. It’s the stuff like that, that never makes the news that keeps me going on the tough days. With the Housing Matters BC strategy there are stories like those are playing themselves out thousands of times all over BC.

Metanoia: After you left Forest and Range, you became the Minister of Housing and Social Development, essentially the social services minister.

At the time I thought it was an unusual appointment but I’m starting to see why. I think you were only there a short time, were you working on anything interesting?

Actually yes, there’s a redesign to get better services for developmentally disabled people.

It’s more individualized now. We used to have group homes and sometimes you’d get two 50 year old people with autism and then add in two twenty year olds and that could cause issues. The shift is to think about the individuals first and design services for them.

Then you get better value for the money because you get better outcomes. There is a lot more to it, but I have to go now, my next appointment is waiting.

Metanoia: Thanks for your time I appreciate it.

THE INTERVIEW Ernie Love,

B. Eng. (Chemical), MBA, PhD (Business) I. THE FORMATIVE YEARS Tell me about your life growing up?

Interesting question! In reality I would have to think I had a pretty ordinary kind of growing up. My father was quite successful as a contractor. This was the 50’s and if you were ambitious there was lots of opportunity with the strong post-war economy of Canada. But what had the strongest impression on me was the entrepreneurial ability to see business opportunities and capitalize on them. However my parents, neither of which had the benefit of a lot of formal education were keen to push me into University and here again, the 50’s saw a real growth in University education for ordinary Canadians. As a kid you don’t realize what an opportunity this was.

Obviously my parents did, and it is only after one gets older and also travels to other countries do you realize just what an opportunity this was.

Who were the people that inspired you?

Well obviously, from what I said above, my parents, particularly my father, was a big influence in my life. That’s no doubt true for many people. Parents have that influence and certainly they ensured that I got off to a good start. But I also admired my father as an individual. He always seemed a very well rounded individual. Growing his business was very important but he also involved in many outside activities in the community and throughout his life always gave a lot back. See that close at hand does impact the way you look at life I think.

But I would also have to say that one early

friend in particular had a very strong influence on the path I took in life. He was quite different than me when we were young – or at least that’s how I perceived it. Much more scholarly, intellectual and with an enormous passion for travel and history. I am quite certain this influenced my going down an education track farther than I otherwise probably would have. It certainly set in me my great fondness for travel and an interest in cultures and history - more than I would have otherwise I am sure. I am still good friends with this fellow after close to fifty years and I think that itself speaks to the issue of influence.

II. About the M.B.A. Did you develop a strategy in your own life and how successful were you in achieving your objectives?

Probably although I don’t think I articulated it in any detail and certainly there wasn’t a single strategy. Mostly I found I made some important career shifts and that required making decisions about how I was going to be successful on a different path.

I undoubtedly thought a lot more about strategy when I became a Dean. Then you really have to map out a vision, develop some strategies and execute. But that is part of running an organization and needing to ensure the organization is going to grow and flourish. I suspect Business

Schools have a lot in common with most businesses. You don’t lack for opportunities. The issue is to decide which opportunities to take up. That requires

vision and strategy and ensuring you get buy in from all your stakeholders.

My understanding of business has been that there are basically 3 levels on which business needs to be understood, Strategy, Tactics and Implementation. How does this relate to what is being taught now?

I was the RBC Professor of Technology and Innovation. So my world was operations management, operations research and the management of technologies.

But you ask the question about 3 levels: Strategy, Tactics and Implementation.

I rather prefer to think that the 3 levels are: Vision, Strategy and Implementation.

And your stakeholders – all of your stakeholders, have to buy in to what you do at these three levels.

But I also believe that much of management is filtering through the opportunities and picking the ones that are consistent with the agreed upon vision. Mostly I found that there were plenty of opportunities. The trick is to be very clear about where you are going, pick the opportunities that can help you get there, figure out how best to incorporate the new opportunity and then execute, execute, execute.

There is a kind of sense by MBA students that they are all either leaders or learning to become leaders. The term “boundary spanning position” is hardly ever talked about in most educational systems. Is there a kind of dishonesty in the notion that everyone is or can be a leader?

There is no question that you are trying to teach MBA’s to be leaders. That’s the

METANOIA 11

nature of why they are there. Typically they want to move up in an organization and get to the top of the pyramid. The top side of a business needs leadership since that is where vision and strategy are set.

I don’t know about ‘boundary spanning’ and whether it is or is not talked about. I do think good MBA programs do spend a lot of time on developing collaborative models and team building. To the extent that this brings engineers, scientists, accountants and behaviorists/HR types together to problems solve, and then good MBA program do span boundaries in this sense.

I would probably suggest that of the three key aspects of moving a business forward: vision, strategy and implementation that MBAs put the lion’s share of the emphasis on strategy (of course they also build foundation skills – marketing, accounting, finance, operations etc. since one needs those).

Vision I think is quite different and harder. It requires that one spend time in a business to know what the art of the possible is. Strategy is implementing a vision. And of course since a typical MBA program takes a year now, there really isn’t much time for implementation, though in reality anyone will tell you, “The devil is in the details”.

III. The Economy The current state of the economy has put a lot of holes into economic thinking. Why is it that the few who predicted this economic fiasco were not heeded by the economists and the M.B.A.’s?

Does the current economic situation point out the flaws in what has been taught in M.B.A. schools? “The Black Swan” by Nassin Taleb seems to indicate that much of what is taught in M.B.A. schools is flawed. Do you yourself think that the M.B.A. needs rethinking?

12 METANOIA

It seems that the concept of leveraging is particularly flawed – from Main Street to Wall Street – and because of that, the economic collapse was not a possibility but an inevitability. Why were the brightest and the best not able to convince policy makers to deal with this before the problems became so severe?

These questions seem highly interrelated to me. There has been a lot of ‘expert’ talk on the reasons for the economic meltdown of the last eight months.

I don’t know that I have any real qualifications to posit opinions beyond what has been offered by many others.

It does seem to me however that much of what we have seen has been driven by two major factors. One has to be the American attitude to debt. They seem to have an incredible appetite to take on debt and not save. This goes right up to the top where the US Federal Reserve has wanted to keep money cheap so that people can borrow and continue to drive the economy. It does seem that that economy was so highly leveraged (and owing the Chinese most of their debt) that the slightest tremor was going to start the tumble.

The other factor is how the technical people in the financial sector began to hold sway with an ever growing array of complex financial instruments. In an attempt to continue to drive the success of the financial markets world-wide, more and more complex hedges, derivatives, swaps, funds and the like were created.

I think it is generally acknowledged now that the real risk of such instruments was largely near impossible to determine.

Certainly not by the average investor who was borrowing cheap dollars on the promise of double digit gains. I suppose you could point the finger at MBA programs to some extent since that is where many of these financial wizards were getting their advanced training.

But I think it is generally acknowledged that some of the blame must also be borne by the rating agencies. There certainly appears to be a strong view that they were not providing proper risk advisories on many of these investment instruments. Asset back securities, which triggered much of the meltdown, feature centrally in this. These were bundled and re-bundled and sold off in ways it was virtually impossible to assess the risks.

But once it began to unravel, the fall has been pretty hard.

Has anyone noted that in the last 15 years that there has been a major paradigm shift in the way that C.E.O.’S view “their” companies and that this has resulted in an ominous change in the relationship between company executives and shareholders? (i.e. executives regard themselves as mere employers – who get stock options to dispose of at the highest prices – i.e. no pride of ownership as the Rockefellers and others had. As a result the stock market has become an exit strategy for those in the upper echelon) rather than a place to accumulate wealth (Wealth v.s. Income strategy, which also indicates that pride of ownership is no longer relevant to a C.E.O.’s strategy.)

How CEO’s view ‘their companies’. I agree with the sentiment of your comments here. CEO’s are managing these companies and don’t have particular ‘pride of ownership’. It has been argued by many that there is a very serious ‘agency theory’ problem here – reflected in giving these CEOs stock options. At some level, this induces them to focus on driving the stock price and not the core business. This is all part of the serious abuse we have seen lately with respect to bonuses being granted to the CEOs of failing firms. Firms that are asking for government bailouts only to then reward themselves with excessive bonuses.

What are business ethics other than determining the trade offs between

short term requirements and long term opportunities in the context of what is legal?

Ethics. I am not sure I am following this question. It is clear in terms of the discussion on these excessive bonuses being granted to CEOs (often of failing companies) that there is a serious ethical issue here. I suppose some new laws might come into being as a result but often this can produce unintended consequences. It does seem to me that ethics is a powerful force in Society and often gets revealed by ways such as embarrassing those exhibiting unethical behaviour rather than forcing a new law into being.

Why does it seem that entrepreneurs have become almost the “intellectually disabled children” of the M.B.A. program?

The M.B.A. programs seem to be designed more and more for bureaucrats and administration and less and less for entrepreneurs.

Does it just seem that way or is entrepreneurship now regarded as merely a mechanism to feed the appetites of huge corporations? (many Entrepreneurs build companies for the purpose of being taken over)

I don’t know that entrepreneurship and the MBA curriculum is a particularly good match. MBA programs are designed to take non-business people (engineers typically) give them core business skills and then teach them how to strategize.

Those are worthwhile goals for such a program. This doesn’t mean you can’t teach a bit about entrepreneurship along the way like defining a value proposition and writing a business plan. But it doesn’t seem to me the incentives are particularly well aligned. A fledging entrepreneur has to take a value proposition that they really understand and get it exposed to the harsh evaluation by mentors and potential investors to see if the proposition really has what it takes. And even then, one in a hundred actually gets significant venture funding and gets

moved along. That takes a lot of staying power. There are better frameworks to really challenge budding entrepreneurs than an MBA program. At most it is just a course in an MBA program. But that is not what the risk and reward proposition for an entrepreneur is all about.

I don’t however have a problem with an entrepreneur thinking about an exit strategy very early on, in fact, most of the time it is necessary. If you go for venture capital, they insist on knowing what your exit strategy is. That’s because they put up very risky money, want a big and quick return. Then they want to cash out and re-invest in other leading ideas. They don’t want to be there for the long haul. So you have to have a credible exit strategy if you want to attract risky capital. That doesn’t mean that you, as the entrepreneur, have lost your baby.

Some of the best exits are doing a float on a stock market. Then you can remain an active player. But if your idea is a one trick pony then it may well be better to exit by selling to a firm that can use your idea to fill in a hole in their offering to the market.

Even the President of the U.S.A. seems to put an emphasis on his role as doting father. Are leaders no longer expected to make the trade offs that require more or all of their time and attention spent on public matters rather than private matters? Is the leader no longer expected to sacrifice his personal life for the greater good? Are our expectations of how a leader spends his time no different from those of us who are asked to follow?

I assume here you are questioning the balance between work and home (or outside) life. I don’t really have much of an opinion on this. Being a workaholic works for some, not so for others. Frankly mostly my sympathies lay with the kids when these things don’t work out. Unless I have missed the point of the question all together!

Ernie Love was born in Hamilton Ontario, Ernie’s initial training was in Chemical Engineering. After graduating he worked for Shell Oil and Union Carbide in Ontario and Quebec. This was followed by a return to McMaster for an MBA with the intention of returning to industry. However a teaching opportunity at the University of Saskatchewan initiated a lifelong career as an academic. Time at Saskatchewan was followed by three years at the London Business School in England for a PhD in Business (Operations Management/ Operations Research) and a subsequent thirty year career at Simon Fraser University as Professor and subsequently as Dean of the Business School. Interspersed throughout the thirty years were many extended visits to other Universities world-wide in order to work with international colleagues on a variety of research projects. He is shortly to embark on a one or two year stint in the United Arab Emirates working at the American University of Sharjah.

METANOIA 13

INTO THE WILDNESS by

Murray Phillips

W

e isolate ourselves in layers of protection from the wildness.

Even our camping is hardly a foray into wildness. It has a certain safety and sterility to it. We pack our belongings into our trailers and head to the country for the weekend to set up temporary residences along with other urbanites in the great outdoors. Tents and trailers hastily assemble on Friday evening and set up temporary nomadic villages that disassemble Sunday and move back to the city. Wildness is unseen and unknown - it remains a stranger and therefore frequently frightening.

Yet, it is a craving that is so essential to our being. For many wilderness has become artificial and the city is reality - wildness is abandoned for the false security of the cloistered neighbourhood.

For me as I grow older the urban world is increasingly foreign. I find it necessary to imbibe regularly from the wildness in our world. I am not immune to creature comforts but I need to move beyond that at times and experience the wildness that is there. We do not often go into the wilderness to find the wildness - we go onto the wilderness.

The wilderness becomes our playing field in which we engage in our “extreme” sports. We tear over our lakes in high powered thundering boats or seadoos. Snowmobiles try to outdo one another in speed and telemarking. We “conquer” mountains by climbing them. But, the wildness remains unseen and unnoticed.

The wildness is subtle and secretive revealing her beauty to the patient and determined suitor. Wildness is the soul of the wilderness - it is not a place

14 METANOIA

as much as an experience. It is the art and spirit of the Creator frequently found in the most elusive and isolated places. It most frequently comes to us when we are quiet and alone in an unexpected time. It withdraws from noise, clamour, and busyness.

We live in a time when people are increasingly nervous about quietness.

We are bombarded with messages and the media every day. We have been seduced by noise and clamour.

We want to be endlessly entertained.

In his excellent book Last Child in the Woods Richard Louv writes about a commercial on television which advertises the advantage of a particular model of Minivan in which children are entertained in the back seat by videos that can be seen on the back of the front headrest. The commercial shows these children immersed in the viewing of this video while driving through spectacular mountain scenery which they never observe. We are so enamoured with the media that we do not see the beauty around us. My father was a Baptist minister and his last parish was in the heart of the inner city in downtown Brooklyn, New York.

His church was in the ghetto with

Murray Phillips addresses a crowd at the West is Best Fine Art Show at Senator St. Germain’s Ranch in South Surrey.

the Black Community on one side of the church and the Puerto Rican Community on the other. In the summer he operated a day camp which took children from the ghetto out to the country. They were in shock, it was a world they never had seen in reality. Some children saw their first tree. The ghetto where they lived did not have trees and they never strayed far from home. The risk was too high.

I was walking one day with some children in a park near my home and I suggested that we see how many different birds we could identify on the trail. No sooner had I said that than a robin landed on the path in front of me. I said “Look, there’s a robin”. A ten year old said, “What is a robin?” I was surprised that even something as common as a robin was unknown.

What is happening here is significant.

I do not think the primary threat to our wilderness is overhunting or pollution. We lose it first from neglect and lack of knowledge. With no naming of what is there and no knowledge we simply do not show up - we forfeit our stewardship.

Naming is an important process.

In the biblical account it was the first task given to people. It is still the first task. When my father was a child being raised in southern Ontario his mother told him not to name the farm animals because, she said, it made it hard to eat supper. Sounds funny, but it is true. If you name the young calf or the chickens you change the nature of your relationship and when it came time to butcher the animal it was difficult. We need to start again to name and to identify what is there; in that process we change the nature of our relationship.

Call of the Wild

From L to R: Brian Croft, Red Robinson, and Murray Phillips

So it is with my painting. I view my art as a language, an effort to translate my experience in the wilderness. It is an attempt to communicate wildness in its many forms; to narrate my encounter with wildness. It is a story.

But I only get to tell half the story, I never write the conclusion. That is up to you. When you observe the painting and say: “That reminds me of the time....”, you pick up the story and carry it on. I spend approximately 4 months of every year in the wilderness, sometimes in isolated places. I live there and paint there.

These are not “plein aire” paintings done in one sitting. They are often large canvases (24” x 36”) done on location over several weeks. I try to catch the elusive wildness of the place. I try to communicate to you the beauty and secretive quality of wildness. Sometimes, every once in a while, I get glimpses of something so precious, fleeting, and wild that I am moved to tears. It seems as if I am walking on the still wet paints of a Master Artist so far beyond me in ability and resources. I stand in silent awe and adoration. It is a humbling experience. I am left with my paints and my brush to tell you what happened. This book is about that effort.

I was born in Drumheller, Alberta where my father along with mother’s assistance served as a pastor in the local Baptist church. When I was only 6 months old we moved to Winnipeg for the next 15 years and later for my high school years to Edmonton. My childhood was a wonderful time with many happy memories. Early on there were many opportunities for artistic expression. The church youth group was involved in a number of church plays each year and someone had to do the backgrounds.

I have many memories of spending hours on these large background scenes; usually religious in nature. The largest of which was 8” x 40”. I recall one nativity scene that I worked on and my particular task was to draw the cattle in the manger scene. It was hard work but I enjoyed the process. After the play I recall vividly an elderly lady commenting to me that she “saw the cows move during the play”. It was a simple compliment but so

affirming for me. I never forgot the joy that brought me. Despite these artistic endeavours, art as a career was frowned upon. It was second best. In a rather strict religious home it was seen as somewhat frivolous.

After high school I pursued an academic career and spent many years in a variety of colleges and universities ending up with graduate degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Theology. While I was working on my Ph.D. my father passed away on 1991. He had been such a significant figure in my life. My eldest sister, Darlene, had passed away years before in 1968. At the time of Darlene’s passing my father realized that in trying to fulfill his obligation as a minister he had neglected his role as father. I was the beneficiary of a father who tried to make up for lost time. We spend much time together and most of it was in the wilderness. I went on many canoe trips and grew to love the outdoor world.

When my father retired from the

From R to L: Yvan Lalonde, Dr. Allison Patton, and Murray Phillips at the Mountainview Wellness Centre

METANOIA 15

and life.

Murray Phillips addresses another crowd at the West is Best Fine Art Show at Senator St. Germain’s Ranch in South Surrey.

ministry - his last two churches were in Chicago and Brooklyn; he moved back to Canada and concentrated on a lifelong hobby, namely photography.

He was an excellent photographer with an outstanding technical ability. My mother was more the aesthetic artist and together they explored and developed into outstanding photographic artists.

My father was honoured in Milwaukee for his contribution to North American photography by the Photographic Society of America (PSA). At the time of his passing, I inherited 21,000 photographic slides all catalogued and cross-referenced.

The critical thing for me was to observe the effect of photography on my father.

He had been a fine minister and a man of integrity and commitment and I would not want to take anything away from that but the reality was he was a “better” man as a photographer. He was well rounded and joyous. The joy he experienced in photography was contagious. The constraints of his “calling” had not encouraged artistic pursuits and as a person he flourished in his new interests

16 METANOIA

At the time of his passing I was going through considerable soul-searching of my own. Much of my world was in question and I was not content with who I was or who I was becoming. With much support from my wife I decided to go a new direction. Though I had been painting for many years, I always thought of it as a hobby. But the effect on my father of artistic pursuits caused me to consider a new path. I decided to buy a gallery and paint full time. I also had a love for music and studied classical guitar for several years including lessons at Western Washington University while I was doing graduate work in Anthropology. I thought I would play guitar in the morning, paint at the gallery in the afternoon and evening. It started out that way, but there was one problem.

The small gallery became an enormous success. It was voted “Business of the Year” and at its peak employed 14 people.

More time was needed for administration and the more the gallery succeeded the less time there was to paint.

However, now I had gained some confidence and many of my paintings had sold. For two years prior to this I had committed myself to paint for 40 hours a week. It had been hard to do this because of the busyness of my schedule but I managed to do it and that made a huge difference.

Also at this time I had been invited to join the Western Lights Artists Group.

At the time of my joining there were 5 painters and one carver (one of the painters dropped out within the next few months). Although I recently withdrew from the group I will always be grateful for the connections and support I experienced with that fine group of artists.

I am now a senior my life is rich and full, and busier than ever. I display in a wonderful group of galleries. I travel extensively. Two years ago my wife and

I, along with friends, travelled by canal boat through parts of Wales and England sketching and painting the beauty of the countryside. I do a variety of shows including the Western Showcase at the Calgary Stampede. Last Fall I was commissioned to do some paintings for a University in Toronto. I got to travel there and also spend some time in Algonquin Park which had played such a significant role in the formation of the Group of Seven. I am presently working on a series of paintings called “Revisiting Algonquin”. I also am occupied as an art consultant in Calgary and get to work with a wonderful group of people who are concerned about connecting people and art and touching people’s souls with art. I have more opportunities to teach than I can fulfill and I get to meet wonderful people along the way.

My paintings are collected by many individuals and corporations throughout the world and I have difficulty, at present, keeping up with the demand.

The wilderness is still my favourite place to go. I try to spend about four months each year in remote areas. I often am alone and it gives much time for painting and introspection. Although I certainly have had failures in my life, I am grateful to God for the richness of my life and experience. I have been enriched by many companions and encouragers along the way and for that I am deeply indebted. The family I had as a child has all passed away and at times that pains me deeply but many others have become family to me through art and that brings great joy. 

Investing in Serving Investors Since 1963 Retail Equity Services • Stocks • ETFs • Bonds • Mutual Funds • RRSP / RRIF / RESP / TFSA Capital Markets Group • Investment Banking • Syndication • Institutional Sales • Equity Research

Wealth Management Services • Managed Accounts • Elite Wealth Strategies - a Multi-Manager, Multi-Style, fee-based program that provides our clients with their choice of Discretionary Portfolio Management, or a Non-Discretionary, structured investment program Commodity Futures and Options • Futures, Options, and Futures on Options • Speculation and Hedging strategies • Risk management services

Contact one of our Investment Advisors today Phone: 604-687-2201 | Email: info@union-securities.com Web: www.union-securities.com Head Office: 900 - 700 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V7Y 1H4 Vancouver • Kelowna • Calgary • Edmonton • Saskatoon • Winnipeg • Regina • Brampton • Kitchener Timmins • Oakville • Moncton • Thunder Bay • Toronto

Mount

WELLNES

Join Us in Celebrat

Providing A Decade of Se

tainview

SS CENTRE

ting Our 10th Anniversary

ervice in Holistic Medicine

Mountainview Group Events and Benchmarks 2001-2011 1

3

2

12

13

4

14

1. Dr. Allison Patton with Brett Wilson formerly of the Dragon’s Den 2. Salme Leis, former BC Premier, Rita Johnson, and Dr. Allison Patton 3. Dr. Caleb Ng and Health Minister Mike de Jong 4. Finance Minister, Kevin Falcon and Dr. Caleb Ng 5. Dr. Allison Patton and former BC Premier, Gordon Campbell 6. Dr. Allison Patton and Health Minister Mike de Jong 7. Salme Leis and Dr. Allison Patton with classmates from Columbia University, New York 8. Olivia Katherine Ng, future CEO

5

15

6

7

16

9. Dr Allison Patton graduates with her MBA 10. Dr. Allison Patton Receives her Governor General’s Gold Medal 11. Salme Leis and former US Secretary of State, George Shultz at his offices at Stanford in Berkley, California 12. Dr. Allison Patton, Kevin O’Leary of the Dragon’s Den, and Salme Leis 13. Autumn Art Vernissage - Dr. Galina Bogatch organized this gala event which raised money for Peace Arch Hospital Foundation and Baan Sang Tawan Orphanage in Thailand 14. Dr. Allison Patton and Presidents of the BC

9

8

17

18

10

19

11

20

21

Conservative Constituency Associations 15. Dr. Caleb Ng, Alice Wong MP, and Dr. Allison Patton 16. Hank Leis, Marilyn Rice, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, JR Leis, Dr. Allison Patton, and Dr. Caleb Ng 17. Suzanne Somers, Dr. Allison Patton and Dr. Galina Bogatch 18. Former US Secretary of State, George Shultz 19. Leader of the BC Conservative Party, John Cummins and Dr. Allison Patton 20. Dr. Allison Patton and Ellen DeGeneres 21. The Singing Revolution- a documentary

Highlights, Accomplishments, and Projects Birth of Olivia Katherine Ng provided by Allison Patton and Caleb Ng

Galina Bogatch Organized the Autumn Art Vernissage, a fundraiser for Peace Arch Hospital and Baan Sang Tawan Orphanage in Thailand

Co-Chaired CAND Naturopathic Medicine Week Committee 2010-2012

New York, USA Columbia University, On solving environmental issues

Guest lecturer for UBC Medical School

Las Vegas, Nevada, A4M Conference

Speaker at 9th Annual Restorative Medicine Conference

Cabos San Lucas, Mexico, Strategy meeting

Allison Patton

Kona, Hawaii, Lifestyle Project London, England, Business Presentation on Manitou Beach Project

Deputy Financial Agent-White Rock BC Conservative Consituency Association

Graduates with her MBA

ACAM certified in Anti-Aging Medicine

Elected President of Surrey-White Rock BC Conservatives Constituency Association

Original founders in partnership for a decade

Porto, Portugal, Addresses over 100 medical doctors in regards to mineral properties of water of Little Manitou Lake in Saskatchewan

Founding of Metanoia Magazine

Caleb Ng Vice President and Director of Media Relations for BC Naturopathic Association Meetings on behalf of the BCNA with government Ministers Mike de Jong, Kevin Falcon, George Abbott

Recipient of Governor General’s Gold Medal

Paris, France, Addresses over 100 medical doctors regarding her strategic marketing plan

Other Hosted Dr. Paul Swingle Neurofeedback Seminar Mentored and worked with over 30 associates and CAM practitioners Hosted Lorna Vanderhaeghe Women’s Hormones, Women’s Happiness Seminar

ATTENTION REAL ESTATE INVESTORS:

OPPORTUNITY

IS EVERYWHERE WHEN YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND IT! LEARN TO MAXIMIZE OPPORTUNITIES IN A DOWN REAL ESTATE MARKET WITH A GROUP OF LIKE MINDED INVESTORS. WHAT IS ACTION INVESTOR NETWORK ALL ABOUT? • Monthly meetings to facilitate real estate transactions between members, as well as real estate networking/mentoring • Guest speakers at the meetings that help you learn and grow your business • Vendors that educate us and provide group discounts • Legal, financial, and contractor assistance available to members at meetings • Making contact with like-minded people that may become your business partners... and friends for life!

For More Information Log On To:

www.AlbanyInAction.org

METANOIA 21

A New York State of Mind An Entrepreneurial Escapade

by J.R. Leis

A

s often has been the case in the last few years, a call from Jim Tusty is a call to adventure. Jim is the famous producer of the highly successful feature film documentary “The Singing Revolution” (now in the Guiness Book of Records).

His movie opened with success in New York (where he is from) and then played in theatres across the U.S., Canada and Europe. Prior to that, his New York based company Mountain View Group Ltd. did video productions for the Coca Cola Company, IBM, Raytheon, Home Depot and numerous other multinational companies.

When Jim calls, we listen. Usually the follow-up is a meeting in Las Vegas, or he comes directly to Vancouver where he also has business (occasionally in New York City, Tallinn, Estonia). He is a man who travels over 200 days each year. He meets with heads of states and other luminaries which include CEO’s, CFO’s of various companies and organizations.

We feel honored to be included in his itinerary.

This time he phoned about New York real estate. Were we interested?

Soon thereafter, he flew to Vancouver with a contingent of New York real estate entrepreneurs to meet with us (Leis Industries Limited) and John Thompson, vice-chairman of Union Securities

John Thompson, Seth Meltzer, and Chuck Rozenstein inspect the rooftop of one of the buildings of the Albany project.

22 METANOIA

Limited. We all liked what they had to say – so it became our turn to fly to Albany, for an on ground inspection, to see what they had in mind.

I flew to Montreal, rented a vehicle to drive to Albany, to meet up with John Thompson and Azim Dhalla, investment advisor of Union Securities Ltd.. The drive from Montreal to Albany is nearly four hours long.

Arrangements had been made to meet the mayor of Albany, as well as the Capitalize Albany Corporation, prior to the tour of the office buildings we had been invited to invest in.

Christopher Maddalone owns and operates one of the largest residential property management firms in the Capital District, a construction company, a land development company and realty firm, not to mention other interests.

Seth Meltzer, the lead player in the Penta group has a 15 year background in sales and marketing, coupled with a successful career in real estate. He owns over 30 units in the Capital District and is co-founder and President of a regional real estate network and sits on the board of the Capital District Association of Rental Property Owners.

Seth has ambition written all over him.

He is pleasant, direct and proactive. He means to make it big and from the looks of it he just may be on his way.

Although it was the compatibility, expertise and the genuine feel of the team that courted our interest, it was Seth’s full time commitment to the business that gave us reason to participate in his dream.

JR Leis with the Mayor of Albany New York, Gerald D. Jennings

The New York four welcomed us to their Neighborhood. They were Jim Tusty, Chris Maddalone, Chuck Rozenstein and the key player Seth Meltzer. Each of them

From L to R: Chuck Rozenstein, Christopher Maddalone, Jim Tusty and Seth Meltzer.

had a specific role to play in this venture.

Charles Rozenstein is a real estate lawyer who has been in the business for twenty years.

I met with Ray Gillen, Chairman of the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority who was very informative about the development that had taken place in his city. He explained to me passionately why his city was the one to invest in.

Schenectady, NY is a city with a population nearing 70,000 people. It is in the same metropolitan area as the state capital, Albany. The surrounding area in the Adirondack Mountains is beyond description, particularly with the fall colors of the maple trees carpeting the gentle sloping hillsides.

John and Azim’s plane was delayed, so they were unable to make this meeting but after lunch we were all given a tour of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at the University at Albany. We were told of the $1 billion in renovations and additions to the St. Peter’s Hospital and Albany Memorial Hospital and the tour culminated with a visit to Empire Plaza the Governor’s Mansion area and State Street. All in all a wonderful education.

and their staff. In a warm and friendly presentation they told us of the 9 billion dollars of investment that had occurred in over 300 projects in the last fifteen years. Albany is close to New York, Boston, Montreal and Buffalo with the populations within 200 miles totaling 45 million. That’s more than the entire population of Canada!

We met with Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings who welcomed us to his beautiful city. I managed to embarrass myself by asking to take a picture with him. None of the available cameras seemed functional. Awkward!

We did a walkway through the Broadway project. This was what I had travelled across the continent for. There were actually two buildings both built in 1905. I could see the original elegance.

The details of the work that needed to be done on them were revealed to me. The proposed plan seemed decent and workable, the business partners competent and genuine. I had lots to think about.

But before returning, I was not going to miss my opportunity to go to nearby Saratoga. I spent the next day looking at the sites: the mansions, the raceway and the surrounding beautiful hills. I lead a charmed life incorporating travel, beauty and education into all I do. Wow!

We then met with Capitalize Albany Corporation’s Commissioner, Mike Yevoli, Deputy Commissioner Megan Daley

METANOIA 23

The Rant

Why? Why? Why?

By Hank Leis

Parmenides (AKA Hank Leis)

T

he history of human kind has been written by historians and anthropologists in a manner that is suitable to their own purposes and thus has rarely given us a glimpse at understanding this phenomenon in the context of the meaninglessness of life forms, trying to survive, for no apparent reason, on a planet on the fringes of the Universe.

While “how we evolved” may be a worthy question – the “why we evolved” is meaningless. We find out that we have predispositions in our genes to do what we do, and remarkably – those predispositions are even alterable - to be reshaped and redefined in purpose to accommodate changes in nature.

Some have framed our existence as mere robots to serve at the pleasure of the microbes within, who ironically may be micromanaging our daily affairs – including their embedded partners, the genetic material that determines our predispositions – which occupy our bodies as a result the integration of viruses into our system through evolution.

For those of us who look for purpose or a plan hidden in this mess of microscopic DNA, we do so only at our peril because we become selective in the evidence we chose to discuss, while ignoring the vast evidence of unoccupied space that at least to this writer, implies that we are wasting our time trying to glean a grander vision which designed us as a significant part of something were not sure of. Our mission of course – is in part to procreate and part to find out answers

to meaningless questions, but that’s just DNA talking – and even giving us the illusion that we have choices and we are able to choose because we are intelligent, not programmed.

At a more mundane level, we might examine the current economic situation, our creation of solutions to dangers of nature, the environment, invariably of the unintended consequences of not getting it quite right. We of the narcissist intelligencia never get it right – but the ignorant masses do. They destroy by exploiting the weaknesses of any system that has been created by overriding what systems we design and then blame and punish the creators by threats, violence and more destruction. There are genes out there waiting patiently, to destroy what has been created, with another pool that restarts creation after everything has been destroyed. It is only the historic cycles that go on and on and on– each cycle producing unintended consequences for the future.

We are currently in a systems breakdown and what happens after this cannot be predicted. Confusion at the highest levels says this is so – and anarchy at its lowest levels say that the ignorant middle class is about to go through the throws of another nightmare. There is nothing anyone can do until all the damage has been done. History says it is so.

The protests in New York and now in Vancouver will ultimately end – either because of boredom or because violence is ended by other violence. All things end badly by definition. But the consumers will look to other leaders to placate them

and provide them with goodies that they cannot afford or will ultimately bite them on the ass - and what will happen then is anybody’s guess.

But there are other genes waiting in the mess. They are all virtuous, reaching for the attention to validate their own particular agendas – each ready for the big fight to conquer the other. For some reason virtue has become an edict to do everything. We are all right – seeking to validate our macabre acts by condemning others for theirs and confirming our own by associating with those of the same ilk.

Virtues are repeatable but the patterns and cycles are not. We are a truly ignorant bunch – but all together through death, destruction and creation we seem to be creating some kind of new species – that may comprehend that something we’re not sure of.

As Parmenides, the Greek from Southern Italy might have said “Get depressed, go into a cave and give it a rest, and emerge a more knowledgeable man – and as long as that won’t make you important, you’ll remain a humble man capable only of worthwhile acts.”

We the progeny of microbes, may very well return to where it all started, but even that knowledge is all hidden from us in our DNA. The revelation is yet a long ways away, but we keep searching for the answer.

METANOIA 25

Fiction Made in America

MISSIVES FROM DONALD J BOUDREAUX Naderomics

by DON BOUDREAUX on NOVEMBER 1, 2011 in MYTHS AND FALLACIES, SEEN AND UNSEEN, TRADE Here’s a letter to the editorial-page editor of the Washington Times:

by DON BOUDREAUX on NOVEMBER 2, 2011 in MAN OF SYSTEM, SEEN AND UNSEEN, TAXES, WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE COUNTRY Here’s a letter to the Wall Street Journal:

Mr. Brett Decker, Editorial-Page Editor, The Washington Times

Ralph Nader’s call for an additional tax on gains earned through “financial speculation” swirls with comical irrelevancies (So what that this tax is supported by the group “National Nurses United”?) and failures to deal with fundamental objections to such a tax (“Time for a Tax on Speculation,” Nov. 2).

Dear Mr. Decker: In your uncritical review of Pat Buchanan’s new book – which expresses his hysterical fear that the American economy will be shattered if nothing more is done to block Americans’ access to inexpensive goods from abroad (and especially from China) – you assert that “It doesn’t matter what you want; almost every consumer product on U.S. store shelves is made overseas, especially in China.

It doesn’t matter how much you want to find it; almost nothing you need is made in the USA” (“Buchanan: Take the China Test,” Oct. 30).

Wrong. According to an August 2011 report by the San Francisco Fed, the percent of Americans’ personal consumption expenditures used to buy Chinese-made goods and services in 2010 was 2.7 percent. And if we exclude expenditures on food and energy, the percent of our 2010 personal consumption expenditures spent on goods and services from China rises to only 3.1 percent.

In contrast, the percent of Americans’ personal consumption expenditures spent on goods and services made in America in 2010 was 88.5 (and 88.0 percent if we look at personal consumption expenditures excluding those on food and energy).* Surveying the “Made in” labels on goods sold at Wal-Mart and Costco, while perhaps a cheap source of anecdotal fodder for fear-mongering protectionists, is not rigorous economic research.

Sincerely, Donald J. Boudreaux 26 METANOIA

The principal objection to the tax that Mr. Nader and the nurses demand is not that it will harm small investors.

Rather, the chief objection is that, by preventing asset prices from reflecting as fully and as quickly as possible the collective judgment of investors, this tax will ensure that inefficient uses of capital persist longer than otherwise. Asset prices will take longer to reveal unwise business decisions – as well as, by the way, take longer to reveal unwise government policies. Capital owners and policymakers, therefore, will be less disciplined. Over time, living standards will be lower for everyone.

This argument against the tax does not rest upon any presumed ‘perfection’ of capital markets or flawless rationality of investors. Instead, it rests upon the modest proposition that the more prices are distorted by taxes the less reliably, in general, they serve as trustworthy signals of underlying market realities.

Sincerely, Donald J. Boudreaux

The Indomitable Spirit PART TWO

Previously: When she closed her bedroom door, 9-year-old Janise O’Leandros entered another world. Outside, the world was tumultuous, violent and hard to understand. In her room the world was beautiful. It was a world that poured out of her soul in paintings and sketches -- a young soul that had a river of art flowing from it. Art would be her life. She knew that. But there were things she didn’t know.

She didn’t know the life that awaited her -- money, luxury, exotic vacations, hob knobbing with the rich and famous -many who would buy her art. And she didn’t know of the lows that also awaited her. But as a child she had learned her way through lows. Her soul had wings, and in her adult years, like a phoenix she would soar to the sky, then crash to once again arise and remake herself -- not once or twice but through a half dozen series of transitions -- each bringing a new level of self awareness and artistic creativity.

After my back surgery I became very fit and active – and was passionate about competitive tennis. Since I had the money and means to do it, I went to England in 1997 with my female doubles partner to watch one of the Grand Slam Tennis events at Wimbledon. The most memorable day was when I was given center court tickets and found myself seated by Boris Becker’s fiancé. I marvelled at her poise and excitement.

On a whim one night we decided to go to Annabelle’s, an exclusive private club in London and, on crashing the club, we met three men with one of whom I made an almost magical connection - dancing, walking, and talking the night away before he flew home to the U.S. The next day I received a call from his brother that he had died in a tragic sky diving accident. A soul connection between two strangers was made that night and opened up something deep and profound within me.

‘Jeffery’became the first portrait that I ever painted. Even though I had never painted one before, I felt compelled to go to Rhode Island and convincingly announced to his father that I was going to paint a portrait of him and his son. He gave me pictures to work with and I returned

Metamorphoses Three

home to West Vancouver and started sketching my first ever portrait on canvas.

During the creation of this portrait I was painting the father’s image first when suddenly a vista opened up and I saw images of Jeffrey and his father running through fields, laughing and talking as if in a movie.

When I asked my teacher if I was going crazy he said: “No. Stay with it; magic will happen. This is the process for an inspired artist - you are not going crazy.”

I delivered the painting to Jeffery’s family in Rhode Island. They were all present as I unveiled it. The response was electric. The intensity of emotion was unbelievable.

It was a profound and moving experience for all of us but especially for me as the artist to see directly what effect my work had on these people.

While this was a profound opening for me, it was also the beginning of the crash that was coming for my marriage and my time in the world of the wealthy.

The Self Portrait-

METANOIA 27

When I asked my teacher about creating a self-portrait he instructed me to look inside and depict how I saw myself as a woman. Accordingly I set about following all the processes he taught me while I was still under his apprenticeship and together we created Bacchus – A portrait of two women in sublime relationship.

On completion of that painting, my teacher said, “What took me fifteen years to accomplish these techniques only took you three months. Who taught you the color theory you used?” I replied, “Nature was my first teacher, the rest came from within.”

His response: “There is nothing more I can teach you.”

From that moment we went from being teacher and student to business partners painting commissioned contemporary portraits.

The Inevitable Crash In 2000, I was recognized through the Canadian Institute of Portrait Artists as Honoured and privileged

pertaining to Extraordinary and Meritorious Achievement in the Fine Art of Portraiture.

Through all of this, the heightened subconscious state that I had been gifted with from the beginning and had worked to develop over the years matured giving me a clear vision, a form of extra sensory perception that would soon become one of my greatest tools in life.

As my success as an artist increased, my marriage became very rocky and eventually came crashing down. My husband seemed not to accept my success as an accomplished artist. A five-year divorce battle was about to begin.

It was also during this time that my mother, my grandfather, AND my best friend all died. Life took on a darkened tone and I tried to vanish - going “underground” to Victoria with my 13-year-old son, my dog, my vehicle, and a few furnishings to start a new and very different life.

Key thought: I used my art as therapy to get through this dark night of the soul – putting my feelings into canvas and paintings.

V - The Re-Creation of Artist as Businesswoman During my time in Victoria, while on a flight to a convention in New York, I met a woman who saw my art and gave me the inspiration to turn my work into accessories and fashion. Fortunately, as it turned out, my business training as well as my divorce had taught me all about the need to protect myself so I made sure that I photographed and copyrighted my artwork - maintaining the rights to both my work and the images from it for the future.

28 METANOIA

I then proceeded to form a company called “Janise O’Leandros Enterprises,” for the creation and distribution of fashion art handbags, accessories and shoes.

Initially I worked with the lady I met on the plane ride to New York. She was in the business of manufacturing in China. It was at this point that my first prototypes were created but I found that the standards of the manufacture were too low for what I wanted and I started looking elsewhere.

This led me to a businessman who introduced me to manufacturers in Italy and other parts of Europe. I soon started manufacturing leather wristbands for childhood cancer benefits, handbags for women, scarves and billfolds for men and women, and various other accessories.

At one point I had contracts with various retail shops in Philadelphia, the Hamptons and Manhattan so, I moved my belongings into storage and flew to the Big Apple to start a new” Key Scene: One day I was standing in line behind a man who took out one of my signature billfolds. I was so excited that I tapped him on the shoulder and as he turned in surprise I said, “Hey! I am the artist who manufactured that billfold.!” He told me he liked them so much he had bought twelve of them for his family members in New York and London.

The Crash and Transition: During my time in New York, I met and became engaged to a wonderful man. I also met numerous great people, travelled throughout Europe, helped develop various businesses deals and ventures and was featured in New York Fashion Week. My fashions were showcased and written up in Sky High Magazine

and appeared on fashion TV. I was even invited to receive a premium showcase before a Versace ‘first ever’ showing at Vancouver fashion week in British Columbia. Then the seemingly inevitable crash came again.

Soon after we were married and upon return from our honeymoon, my wonderful husband was diagnosed with cancer and passed away within a year. Through this period, I spent most of my time focusing on helping him through his last stages of life.

At around the same time, the American economy went for a plunge and the value of the Euro skyrocketed, which made manufacturing in Italy unprofitable. To make matters worse, my husband’s entire estate ended up going to his family and I was left with nothing.

Key Scene: It is December, 2008 and I am in a fur coat, feeling totally empty and crushed with the weight of loss and betrayal - numb to the feel of the earth beneath me and homeless. I am walking for many blocks in the dead of winter across Manhattan to deliver some office supplies so that I can make enough money for a burger and ride to the airport. Only through the kindness and grace of my New York friends and Victoria friends and of my brother was I gifted with a basic plane

ticket to come back to Vancouver, Canada.

Key Thought and Learning: Even though I felt crushed, a zombie in body and almost in spirit, I decided to make a conscious decision, and said to myself, “Let’s be innovative, creative, and see how you can turn this seemingly impossible ordeal around to your advantage.”

VI – Landing Back Home – The Woman Returns In mid-December 2008, my aunt Jeanette and uncle Art, who were like adopted parents, picked me up at Vancouver airport. I was so numb and distraught, that I began having asthma symptoms, very much like those my mother had died from. I was unable to make the slightest decision and was truly unaware of my surroundings. I wasn’t able to sleep or eat properly. My aunt, uncle, family and friends had never seen me like this – morphing from a highly functional, happy and self-assured woman to a zombie- like shell of a person stuck in basic survival mode.

Four days later, at a cousin’s suggestion, I started a form of neurofeedback therapy called Brain State Training or BST at her wellness centre. After only a few sessions, I noticed that my depression started

lifting; my asthma symptoms were decreasing; and my sleep and cognitive functioning were improving.

My body was feeling connected once again. I was excited by these quick changes and soon, I started learning the business of the Brain State Technologies in order to train others to help them obtain benefits of balanced brain functioning that I had experienced. Shortly after I began working in this field, I completed a training course that taught me about the functioning of the nervous system and how it can be altered through neurofeedback training.

As a neurotherapiest, I continue to see the quality of life that this technology brings to our clients that suffer from head injury, anxiety, depression, sleep, autism, and stress issues. I also see how it benefits peak performance training with athletes, musicians, artists, and business professionals.

As a mother I have directly watched how it has changed the life of my son – Robert.

He was born with many talents and soon developed his passion and skills for music, painting and animation but at the age of six he was diagnosed with a learning disability commonly known as dyslexia, which resulted in him having many learning difficulties in school – especially with taking

Blended by Alison Legge, Registered Aromatherapist®

Product line now available at Mountainview Wellness Centre

Featured Products: ∞Headache Roll-On ∞Inner Calm Roll-On ∞Penetrating Salve ∞Room Deodorizer ∞Lavender Mist ∞Aromatic Deodorant ∞Uplifting Lip Balm

METANOIA 29

exams. Knowing how neurotherapy had a strong benefit on my life, I knew he would have similar results, and had his brain functioning assessed. During his assessment we noticed that he had frontal-lobe imbalances, and high frequencies and interference of cognitive functioning.

Within the first week we noticed that his brainwave activity started to normalize, he started to enjoy reading, his anxiety decreased, and he is able to write exams without going into a “Freeze - Fear” response. He has since gone on to become an accomplished neurotherapist, an NLP Practitioner and is working to become a personal fitness instructor.

Re: Emergence of the Woman: Not withstanding all of my tribulations, I still believe in the power of human relationships and feel strongly that I deserve a happy and fulfilling relationship that lasts and grows. Once again, I have found a wonderful man to support my vision and with whom I can share dreams.

What I have learned about myself is that my creativity knows no bounds that I am able to move from one medium to another with ease and continue to express my artist’s soul in whatever I do.

VIII – Vision and Future for My Art Life is exciting once again. I personally continue to develop my subconscious states and manifestations through neurofeedback therapy. Through this process I have envisioned a new series of paintings showing how the brain interacts with various life experiences. I have also begun to formalize an understanding of how art and science are a necessary mix in human experience and how I might express this through another series of educational pieces.

Who really runs BC?

Currently, I am working on another exciting project.

Through technology I am able to transform my art into glass, which allows me to design my next series in home décor.

Janise O’Leandros, a professional artist, is also a Brain State technologist with Ocean Park Natural Therapies in White Rock. Her life’s journey is remarkable. She is, without doubt, a triumphant survivor of tumult and tragedy and an inspiration for others who also carry the artists’ soul within them.

Horoscope Libra The importance of securing international peace was recognized by the really great men of former generations. But the technical advantages of our times have turned this ethical postulate into a matter of life and death for civilized mankind today, and made the taking of an active part in the solution of the problem of peace a moral duty which no conscientious man can shirk.

-Albert Einstein

Scorpio What most often weighs you down and brings you misery is the past. You must consciously wage war against the past and force yourself to react to the present moment. Be ruthless on yourself; do not repeat the same tired methods. Wage guerilla war on your mind, allowing no static lines of defense, make everything fluid and mobile.

- Robert Greene The 33 Strategies of War

Sagittarius It’s one thing to read about it and acknowledge it intellectually.

It’s something else to experience discrimination personally and realize in your gut how ugly and unacceptable it is.

- George P. Schultz

Capricorn What is remarkable about man’s behavior is his cooperation, compromise, and altruism. In a Darwinian sense, these traits are what put him at the highly developed level on the evolutionary scale. Socio-biologists have explained this as the “multiplier effect.”

- Hank Leis The Leadership Phenomenon: A Multi-Dimensional Model

Aquarius In the heat of battle, the mind tends to lose its balance. It is vital to keep your presence of mind, maintaining your mental powers, whatever the circumstances. Make the mind tougher by exposing it to adversity. Learn to detach yourself from the chaos of the battle field.

- Robert Greene The 33 Strategies of War

Pisces Hard work will never go out of style.

- Wendy McDonald, CEO of B.C. Bearing

Aries Those individuals, who possess the inherent assurance and problem solving ability to make the best decisions in a group concerning definition of goals, and methods to attain them, are leaders. The complex process of their emergence in a group, and their methodology is called leadership.

- Hank Leis The Leadership Phenomenon: A Multi-Dimensional Model

Taurus Another commandment is to accept negotiating as an educational process… You have to give your constituency time to get used to that, and, at the same time, educate yourself. As a good negotiator, you must try constantly to determine what is really important to the other side and what is less important.

- George P. Schultz

Gemini A small evolutionary change in the behavior pattern of individuals amplified into a major social effect by the expanding upward distribution of the effect into multiple facets of social life.

- Edward O Wilson Sociobiology , The New Synthesis

Cancer The way to a joyful and happy state is through renunciation and self-limitation everywhere.

- Albert Einstein

Leo To succeed in negotiations, you must bring strength to the table or you will have your head handed to you.

- George P. Schultz

Virgo Grand strategy is the art of looking beyond the battle and calculating ahead. It requires that you focus on your ultimate goal and plot to reach it. Let others get caught up in the twists and turns of the battle, relishing their little victories. Grand strategy will bring you the ultimate reward: the last laugh.

- Robert Greene The 33 Strategies of War

METANOIA 31

ON

DR. ALLISON PATTON

DR. ALLISON PATTON

ND