Bennett R. Coles's Blog, page 3
May 21, 2013
Common sense in politics is a rare, rare thing
Date: February 23, 2013
There has been a glimpse of common sense in the debate over Canada’s next-generation fighter aircraft, but it’s hard to see over all the name-calling, mud-slinging and partisan entrenchment. That glimpse of common sense was when our government decided, just before Christmas, to re-think the sole-source, non-competed contract to buy the F-35 as our next fighter. My worry is that common sense will now be banished from the discussion once again.
To read more, please visit Life as a Human.
Fiscal Fiasco Round 2: First the F-35, now the Fleet
Date: May 8, 2013
Just when we thought the F-35 Fiasco had gone away…
Welcome to Fiasco Round Two – and this time it’s really important, because we’re talking about ships. Earlier this spring the Canadian government announced that it was paying Irving Shipyards $288 million just to design the new Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy. Not build, just design.
To read more, please visit Life as a Human.
February 24, 2013
Common sense in politics is a rare, rare thing
Date: 2013-02-23
There has been a glimpse of common sense in the debate over Canada’s next-generation fighter aircraft, but it’s hard to see over all the name-calling, mud-slinging and partisan entrenchment. That glimpse of common sense was when our government decided, just before Christmas, to re-think the sole-source, non-competed contract to buy the F-35 as our next fighter. My worry is that common sense will now be banished from the discussion once again.
To read more, please visit Life as a Human.
February 1, 2013
New Year's Resolution #4 - The end of January shouldn't be The End
Date: 2013-01-26
It’s the end of January. Most New Year’s Resolutions are forgotten, abandoned or causing a great deal of angst. But they can succeed, and you will feel so awesome with the sense of accomplishment that comes. In this final article I’d like to share a few nuggets of wisdom I gained in 2012.
To read more, please visit Life as a Human.
January 20, 2013
New Year's Resolution #3 - Healthy mind and spirit
Date: 2013-01-19
New Year’s Resolutions are most often made to improve one’s physical health. But our bodies aren’t all that needs to be healthy; especially in this busy, bustling, modern world we need to take care of the rest of ourselves. One section of my 2012 New Year’s Resolutions was to do with another kind of health from the physical. Some might call it emotional health, or mental health, or spiritual health – it’s all of these things, and I just referred to it casually as my Morale. In this article I’d like to offer some advice to anyone who wants to improve their quality of life in 2013.
To read more, please visit Life as a Human.
January 7, 2013
New Year's Resolution #2: Losing Weight and Getting Healthy
Date: 2013-01-07
My New Year’s Resolution in 2013 is to lose weight.
Great – now what?
In my previous article I talked about the importance of setting a goal for your resolution which is both clear and realistic. In my case I said that I wanted to lose 25 pounds (just over 11 kilos) in 2012. In addition I described how successful it was when I set monthly milestones to keep track of my progress on a regular basis.
To read more, please visit Life as a Human.
January 3, 2013
How to make a New Year's Resolution and keep it!
Date: 2012-12-31
New Year’s Resolutions. How many have we made and how many have we broken? If you’re anything like me, it’s a sad, sorry tale over the years. But last year I set out to actually keep my New Year’s Resolutions, and 365 days later I’m happy to report success. What was different this past year? Just a few simple things that I’d like to share just in case anyone else out there is gearing up for the idea that 2013 is going be different...
To read more, please visit LIfe as a Human.
November 25, 2012
I've finished my new novel! Or have I...?
Date: 2012-11-25
The End.
Ahh… how satisfying; how fulfilling; how triumphant! I’ve just finished my book. This isn’t a theoretical scenario – my name is Bennett R. Coles and I just recently finished writing my latest novel Casualties of War. Or, to be more specific, I just finished getting the whole story down on the page. And this is what I want to talk about today. It’s a very common error that first-time authors make: thinking you’ve finished your book when in fact what you’ve done is finish the first draft.
To read more, please visit Life as a Human.
November 12, 2012
Remembering what's important on Remembrance Day
Date: 2012-11-11
Today is November 11th, which is Remembrance Day in Canada, the day we take time to remember the men and women who served in the Canadian military in the past and those who serve today. The focus is generally on remembering the sacrifices they made, as it should be.
As a veteran of 15 years myself, at the parade and service today I actually spent some time remembering something else. I stood there in the cold and the light rain, trying to still my fidgety 3-year-old who was more interested in picking at the wreaths lined up next to us than listen to the prayers and poems. He certainly took my focus away from where it "should" have been, but I really didn't mind. Because by spending that extra time with my son I was able to remember something just as important on Remembrance Day: what we have today.
I have a wife and two children whom I love. I have a house that keeps me warm and dry, a job that puts food on the table, a car to get me around in bad weather, and friends who support me. When I was overseas in uniform I sometimes had none of these things, although the cold and the rain were always eager to show up. I remember Christmas Eve in the Golan Heights, standing watch as a UN Peacekeeper, hoping that on that frigid night, of all nights, the Israelis and Syrians would not take shots at each other and thus my Norwegian OP mate and I could stay safely in our hut.
The men and women who made such sacrifices for us did so in order that we could have the safe and comfortable lives we enjoy. The petty concerns we wrestle with are, for the most part, insignificant compared to what many veterans endured and - just as important - what many civilians in troubles countries even today endure. We have it good, and that is something I took time to remember today.
We remember. Lest we forget.
October 25, 2012
Earthquake "Gang of Seven" Get Six Years
Date: 2012-10-24
I am stunned. I learned of some news yesterday and it’s taken this long to even be able to put my thoughts down in coherent sentences. Here’s the news: a group of Italian scientists were put on trial for not correctly predicting a 2009 earthquake that killed 309 people. Yesterday they were found guilty. And what were they convicted of? Manslaughter.
To read more please visit Life as a Human.
