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Category Archives: General

All social media discussion, all the time. And a warning about your Facebook privacy.

Today I ventured into the drizzly day to have lunch in Hamilton and then work in my office on the second edition of the textbook of which I am writing the second edition: Understanding Human Communication, Canadian Edition. Lunch at Bad Dog Café on Locke to talk social media… I went to bed late, because [...]

[Belatedly] commemorating tenure with a pen

I picked up a gift from my grandmother today. A gift that she had given me money to buy a few years ago when I was granted tenure by McMaster University. She is terribly ill right now, perhaps in the beginning of a sad slow decline. In many ways, she was the person who raised [...]

What’s wrong with Canadian universities – part 2: How to reform them?

On April 15, I wrote a blog post about why I think Margaret Wente is wrong to say that universities are sitting ducks for reform because the system is overly focused on professors and research. She said that professors, because of a sense of entitlement and because of tenure, think that they are above the [...]

Laid out by a huge cold – but reading two books in King City!

I have had the worst cold that I have experienced in 10 years since Monday. My parents came over on Sunday night to help me clean my house. They like doing this, not because I am incapable, but it makes them feel they doing something productive, other than sitting around and visiting with me. I [...]

Simplifying and focusing my life

I did a very stupid thing early this week and lost someone I care deeply about. A person who made me dream, who unlocked my creativity. A kindred spirit. It has shaken me to the core. I am still reeling from from it today. It has been a rough week. This has pushed me to [...]

Launched new publication: Journal of Professional Communication !

I thought that this warranted its own entry! Today, I launched the Journal of Professional Communication at the Public Relations Leadership Summit. The JPC will be a forum where academics, PR practitioners, marketers, political communicators, and multimedia artists and designers can exchange ideas, publish case studies and discuss the actual state of and future of [...]

Picked up my new car: Mercedes-Benz GLK 350x 4MATIC

A week ago, I decided to replace my 2002 VW Jetta 1.8T with a new car. I had a few things in mind when I went shopping: (i) My involvement in political organising, student life and community service proved to me that I needed more cargo space; (ii) The terrifying trip to Ottawa in December [...]

Preparing for Michael Ignatieff’s visit to McMaster.

Communications campaigns have really been the focus so far this term! In a couple of days, Michael Ignatieff will visit McMaster for an open conversation with students and faculty in a non-partisan, unbranded town hall-style forum. I am one of three Co-Chairs for the event, with Tyler Banham, a Hamilton lawyer and political organiser, Sarah [...]

Two great nights out: One Duke and CLiC at the Art Gallery of Hamilton

On Wednesday night I went out to a new pub for me – One Duke in Hamilton. It was a night of great conversation and good wine. The grilled calamari was excellent. It’s a shame that busy schedules and time constraints don’t let me hang out with one of my favourite people as much as [...]

Quiet Heroes

(This was originally posted to my Facebook page as a “Note” on Monday, 13 July 2009 at 23:24) I recently had an unusual moment while sitting on a bench, at Lime Ridge Mall, in Hamilton, Ontario. It was the end of a long day and I was tired. I let my eyes close gently and [...]

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