I learned a lot from Comm299 this year, and many things were not only business based but also about what I learned about myself.

During the first section of the year, the weekly speeches allowed me to find out exactly what kind of public speaker I am. Before the classes, I thought I would get stage fright and be unable to present. However, within a few speeches, I found out that although I do get nervous sometimes and forget little bits of my speech, I end up doing quite well and keep good eye contact with the audience. I also found out that I enjoyed going first to get it over with, or the wait will cause me to get more nervous.

In the second part of the year, the activity that allowed me to learn most about myself was the StrengthFinder quiz. My five strengths, deliberative, discipline, harmony, analytical, and consistency described my abilities in a way I rarely thought about before. I didn’t realize that the certain ways that I act or think were actually strengths that I can use and build upon.

Career Fundamentals is a course that really helped me understand myself better, through activities and quizzes, and all that it taught me about the business world.

I learned many lessons from many people I have encountered throughout my life. However, the greatest lesson that I learned was taught by my mom. A lesson of independence.

My mom is a single parent, and she has been taking care of me without any help from relatives or friends because only the two of us came to Canada. She never depended on anybody, and didn’t even accept the money she could have gotten from my dad after the divorce. She worked very hard, beginning with part-time jobs, then going back to school, and finally finding a job that offered the two of us a better life. It was a struggle, but she made it on her own while taking care of me.

I was very dependent on her for everything when I was still in elementary school. I relied on my mom for simple things like how to get around the mall, taking the bus, or even talking to the workers at PetCetera to get the pets I wanted. Eventually, when I was roughly in grade six, my mom decided it was time for me to be more independent. She didn’t want to baby me anymore, and knew I needed to grow up.

So, ever since grade six, my mom taught me which bus routes I needed to take when I needed to go anywhere. She also made me learn to get around in malls alone, and speak for myself when I had questions. Not only that, but these day to day lessons taught me to work hard for things I want, and reach my goals without relying on other people so I could grow. I became independent, from the great lessons taught by my mom.

There are unreasonable amounts of unethical advertisements, whether on TV, on the radio, or elsewhere. Some may have obvious attacks on other companies, and others may seem appropriate but include hidden meanings.

In this one car insurance commercial, it portrays a crazy woman driving a car, including banging her head on the horn, screaming, and other nonsense. The car insurance dealer would then say “If you don’t drive like her, you shouldn’t pay the same insurance rate as her.” This emphasis on the word “her” makes me feel like he is attacking women, as if all females drive like maniacs.

In another commercial by the same company, the driver is a crazy woman as well, therefore proving that the company is being sexist towards women. This type of advertising is unethical and should be revised.

“Funny Car Accident with Crazy Woman”

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*Even though this video is not the commercial I wrote about in the article, it’s still amazing how ridiculous some commercial are to promote their car insurance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciHT8tS0p80

This is what I hate the most when buying things: “Sold Separately”.

I went to Futureshop today to get a netbook. Yes, the original price was pretty nice, 1 penny less than $230, but guess what, it’s just a useless shell. So, after listening to what the salesperson had to say, I had to pay $99 for the system then $159 for Microsoft. So… $258 for the netbook to work. I’m paying more for the things not included than for the thing itself. That’s pretty sad.

I looked at printers too. What a delight to see printers under $80! But of course, toner was not included. It was estimated that the toner itself would be another $300 or so. What was I there to buy? A working printer. Not an empty box.

I guess it’s a good way to earn money; make the customer want the cheap item, then force them to buy the insanely expensive things not included but necessary for usage. Great strategy. Unethical in my eyes. The real price always ends up being over double what you expect. Go buy something, and prepare to be robbed.

The automobile industries have always been very competitive. Always getting the best and newest technologies, the best models, and now, the most eco-friendly. Companies began producing microcars.

Let’s compare three of these microcars. The Tata Nano, Smart Car, and Toyota iQ.

What’s the difference?

I’d say that the Nano not only saves people a whole lot of money, but its build isn’t half bad either. Out of all the three, it has the best fuel efficiency (over 55 mpg-US) and battery range (up to 80 miles). The iQ is almost as good in fuel efficiency, but neither the iQ nor the Smart Car could compete with the battery range. For 2,500 in India? That’s amazing.

Not much to say about the Smart Car. Pricey for its size, although the tiny engine, ranging from 0.6L petrol, is really something.

Toyota iQ. Beautiful. Its engine isn’t noticeably small like the Smart Car, and it’s not cheap like the Nano, but what’s the use without safety? The Nano needed heavy upgrades to meet the European safety standards, and the Smart Car received ratings such as “acceptable.” iQ’s crash testing was a score of five stars.

Now, which would you pick?

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Nano: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Nano

Smart Car: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_ED

iQ: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_iQ