Before, Behind and Between

Who knew that social behaviour during a global pandemic would become more viral than an actual virus itself?  Social isolation and the shutdown of most workplaces around the globe have afforded many people more opportunities to reach out through the various social media platforms. This can be enormously beneficial.  Yet we are learning that social media seems perfectly suited to those wh...

Finding solutions to new challenges sometimes requires us to think completely outside the parameters we're used to. This might well apply to the CFL for whatever becomes of the 2020 season. If you know you can't achieve anything remotely close to your expectations, why not completely turn the issue upside down and conceptualize something new, something crazy perhaps. What if the so-called hub citi...

Many bands have evolved their members, suggesting that the band is an entity that exists aside from any particular member, that the band is possibly bigger than the sum of this members. Is this the case with Rush? Could Rush have a different drummer, different members for that matter? If so, would it still be Rush? Fans have experienced two recorded iterations of Rush.  Could there possibly b...

With some many people going cabin crazy, while others reduced the number of vacations over the next year, the prospect of a late fall or winter get-a-way is looking more appealing for snowbirds. In fact, vacation companies report an increase in bookings. While the dust is yet to settle, many resort companies have been putting in place a host of new policies, procedures and practices that respond t...

Quite a lofty title for a relatively short episode. But this one, in fact, may evolve into something much bigger. The question discussed in this episode: "Is is possible for a narrator to tell a story without influencing the viewpoint of the audience?". There was once a guiding sense of professionalism in this field that dictated that the reader ought to draw his or her own conclusions, that the w...

Soundmarks. Sound trademarks. Sound logos. Whatever you call them, they are one of the tools of sound branding. They are the acoustic equivalent of a visual logo, and, when used with visual properties, they have the potential to be very powerful identifiers of a product or service. This episode, like most in this podcast, do not make or intend to make money. The sound clips used in this episode ar...

It is no easy challenge keeping the Canadian Football League afloat. Team owners and presidents know that situation all too well. And just when the CFL thought it had seen it all, we're now looking at a situation in which the very existence of the League is in jeopardy. A League that relies heavily on gate receipts, the CFL won't likely play until September -- if that is even possible. Even if pla...

Words have fun origins. The usage and meaning of words can change to reflect new social behaviour, new technology, and new economic contexts. Every year we find at least one new word added to our dictionaries. Some words change meaning over time, while others are completely new.   Only four months in 2020 and we already have a Top 10 list of words we're using differently, as well as new or co...

We're seeing governments around the world using fiscal resources to address domestic crises as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. These are necessary, at least temporarily. But there is something missing, something many leaders, notably the Canadian Prime Minister, are not latching on to. We know there is, or soon will be, a new reality about the way we do things; yet our leaders are still...

Just when things were looking up for year-round football (See Season 1, Episode 2), the XFL has folded. Two and a half months into their inaugural season saw a suspension of play (while players and staff were still remunerated), then the release of all players, then the elimination of all operations staff, to the final blow -- the filing for bankruptcy -- on April 13.  The XFL had some seriou...

This special episode is dedicated completely to the power of music. It is often said, in varying ways, that the universal language of music can sometimes have the effect of calming the demons that roam among us. Today, one of the demons that prevails is stress. Stress leads to so many negative outcomes. So for your enjoyment, for 2 and a half minutes of therapeutic inspiration, hopefully providing...

This episode talks about how almost anyone, almost anywhere, can make a contribution to helping others during the COVID-19 crisis. Now that we know this crisis has impacted many longer-term aspects of our lives, we need to begin adapting. And part of that adaptation must focus less on social isolation and greed-driven shopping at the grocery store, and more on how we as individuals and communities...

Why 7? Why not? You'll find tons of "top 10" or "top 50" lists for everything ranging from films and books to music. As Rush is one of my favourite bands, with 57 concerts under my belt, it is safe to say that I might have a bit of experience with this band that others might find useful. I own nearly everything that Rush has recorded and performed. So, reflecting on all of it, today these are my T...

The current crisis facing Canada and, indeed, everyone around the globe, will amplify the fault lines between rich and poor, between generations, between the global north and south, and will potentially leave us with even deeper divisions and challenges. This episode discusses how this crisis is amplifying the concerns of political leadership -- and cooperation -- in Canada, and how we may yet fin...

This is the first in a series of upcoming episodes that explores the impact of Toronto's music venues, the bands that played there, and the retail scene and events that complemented both. This episode considers the concept of economic clusters, and discusses how such a concept might be applied to a music scene in cities like Nashville, Cleveland and Toronto. The concept of an economic cluster, or...

While the idea of streaming live content is not new, social distancing has propelled us more towards social media. If, for whatever reason, you don't want to be at a live venue, or you can't be, why not experience the music through a social media feed/platform?

For the second year in a row a new league of football has ceased playing prior to the close of the season. In fact, what was supposed to be a link in the gap of football has been an addition to the growing list of indefinitely cancelled sports leagues around the world. At least this time the cause was not of the league's own doing. And, if XFL execs are careful this off-season, they may in fa...

As news around COVID19 develops by the hour, people are dealing with business closures, self-isolation and social distancing. The emptiness of the streets and the subways is just plain eerie. And people in grocery stores are being rude and selfish beyond belief.  It was announced in recent hours that the Canadian border would be closed to everyone except necessary travel by Canadians, landed...

What's old is new again. LPs went out of production for many years. CDs were the thing. Then digital music overtook CDs. And LPs came back again. Most consumers, statistics tell us, are younger. They spend significantly more on each disc than was the case just prior the demise of the record. And today's consumers claim to enjoy a more authentic listening experience than they do through digital pla...

There's a level of panic that outstrips the reality of Covid19. This episode talks about the current global spread of the coronavirus in the context of that panic, and suggests that the panic generated might be more viral than the virus itself. This discussion in no way minimizes the danger, but points out a number of contradictory attitudes among people. At the beginning of the pandemic, people w...

From the TV shows to the films, here's a fun ranking of the Star Trek offerings and why I think some things deserve greater attention than they might have received over the years. It's easy to revisit both the films and series, especially through streaming services (some of which contain the entire Star Trek catalog). Sometimes we enjoyed or really didn't like a show or film simply because of what...

Consider these helpful tips when booking, and maximizing your experience for, a winter vacation. January 27, 2020.

Here are 6 essential tips for growing your idea or service through social media and marketing.

These raw interviews are with various journalism students following a seminar in which I was guest speaker at Ryerson University in 2006.

This podcast was originally produced in 2006. It is republished here strictly for historical and information purposes.