The world was shocked when 18 people in China ignored a critically injured toddler in the middle of the road. She eventually died of her injuries.  However, before criticizing the Chinese, we must look in the mirror. In April 2010, Mr. Tale-Yax, a homeless New Yorker, was stabbed while trying to save a woman from an attacker. The attacker turned on Mr. Tale-Yax, fatally stabbing him. Two dozen people walked by. He later died. In the summer of 2010, dozens of teens watched a 16-year-old BC girl being gang raped. No one helped her. Earlier this year, an Ontario woman froze to death in her yard after neighbors ignored her. Are these tragic coincidences? I think not.

These situations confirm that we have become indifferent. In a recent Yahoo News Blog, Laura Rozen discusses the Chinese situation suggesting the reason that passers-by did not help the child is because “many people in China are hesitant to help people who appear to be in distress for fear that they will be blamed”. I disagree.

Laura Rozen’s blog shares gruesome details of the Chinese situation, but it also highlights the sad reality: our industrialized society is self-absorbed and indifferent.

Maddie Erjavec’s blog about women in business makes accurate and relevant points with which I wholeheartedly agree.

It is true that men who are extroverted and outspoken are often seen as leaders, whereas if a woman were to do the same, she would be seen as bossy and overbearing. Women are judged by a different standard than men. The recent furor created by David Schreck in

Christy Clark was criticized for showing too much cleavage.

respect of Christy Clark’s clothing is a perfect example of the challenges that women in leadership positions face. “B.C.’s premier says the suggestion that her cleavage-revealing outfit in the provincial legislature this week was inappropriate is ‘unfair criticism’ that dissuades young girls from entering politics.”

It is ‘fair game’ to judge a woman based on what she wears. However, it would be unthinkable to judge a man in the same way. To break this cycle, women who are currently in leadership positions need to mentor, coach, guide and support other women. Even if one young woman is supported and inspired by another woman, that will be one more young woman in the leadership pool.

Picture Reference: Christy Clark 

Comment on Maddie Erjavec’s Blog Post

Over the past decade, advancements in technology have expanded exponentially. People are now using  smartphones to complete a host of daily tasks. A new ‘tech’ phenomenon, that is proving popular, is online banking. More and more, people are visiting their banks less and less, a topic discussed in a Globe and Mail article. Advancements in online banking enable people to manage finances, transfer money, and pay bills all within a few clicks. Yes, this does sound appealing to the increasingly lazy society in which we live,  but how trustworthy is an online site? Are your numbers safe against hackers?

Although this chart is taken from a few years ago, it shows the increase in popularity in online banking.

For me, someone who still visits the bank to deposit a check or withdraw some cash, online banking has  worrisome aspects. How do you know if your transaction actually went through? What if someone was hacking your computer while you made an important money transfer? A Rediff Business Blog confirms my apprehension about online banking.

Online banking is convenient  but, until we have more assurance against hackers and security breaches, to me, the risks and uncertainty of the online bank outweigh its convenience.

Picture Reference: Banking Chart 

About a month ago, Dubai was introduced to a Canadian phenomenon: Tim Hortons. As discussed in class, franchising in the Middle East, an area where donuts and bagels aren’t the norm, is risky. However, Tim Hortons took the plunge and opened its first store on Sheikh Zayed Road just beside Starbucks. In doing so, many speculated about whether or not the Canadian legacy would live on across the world.