BEYOND THE CARRIAGE: EMBRACING THE DIGITAL ERA

 Today, I want to talk about how work is changing from physical hands-on tasks to digital work. Technology is moving faster than ever. Since the pandemic started, remote work has shown us that we don't have to do everything in person anymore.

After working for many years, one thing is clear to me: technology is not going to stop. Look at how quickly things change. Most of us remember rotary phones, old desktop computers, and heating food over an open fire. Those things disappeared because better, faster tools replaced them. Trying to avoid new technology and believing that "only manual labor is real work" is a fight you can't win.

As an author who works on a computer every day, people sometimes tell me that digital work isn't "real" work compared to physical labor. But think about that logic. Does that mean lawyers, managers, judges, writers, or programmers aren't actually working? Is a physical job the only real job?

The truth is, physical work needs digital work to happen. Without managers, planners, and software creators setting up schedules and organizing systems, physical jobs would come to a stop. Behind almost every physical task, there is a team using smart tools to plan it out.

It is time to stop holding onto the past. Refusing to use modern tools is like insisting on riding a horse and carriage on a highway. Technology doesn't mean people are working less—it just helps us work smarter and live better.

RESPONSE TO PROPAGANDA

 

RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS REGARDING AGE

 

CAPABILITY HAS NO EXPIRATION DATE

This is Sam Smith. For a long time, I have been accused of lying about my age, or faced claims that if my age were true, I shouldn't be capable of writing books, publishing articles, or working with AI—suggesting my work must belong to someone younger.

I am writing this to make a clear statement: I am who I say I am. I refer you to my blog (https://samsmithbook.blogspot.com) and my LinkedIn profile (https://linkedin.com/in/azamdayyan) if you want to know me.

Furthermore, I have noticed a pattern of constant harassment attempting to compare my accomplishments to those of my daughters or my ex-husband. These are clearly not positive comparisons; they are desperate attempts to belittle what I have achieved by claiming anything I earned was solely due to my marriage. To dismiss my value post-separation, critics have even manufactured "before and after" scenarios—critiquing everything from my lifestyle and outfits to my personal habits—to push a false narrative that only people in relationships can overcome obstacles and succeed.

They go even further by creating rumors, lies, and intentional conflicts to make me struggle, all to present themselves as superior simply because they are married or in a relationship. They declare themselves "the one and only" to exaggerate their status and achievements. What is clear to me is that they are clinging to their relationships out of fear of being on their own. By harassing single, separated, and divorced individuals, they try to boost their own self-esteem. In doing so, they even involve innocent children who end up mimicking this bullying behavior. What I have observed is that this persistent abuse has unfortunately become embedded in our culture.

I apologize if you hold a narrow view of what people can achieve and struggle to believe that individuals can accomplish anything they set their minds and effort to, regardless of their age or relationship status. If you need proof of what experience and age can accomplish, simply look at the ages of world leaders and presidents today. Capability has no expiration date.

LISTEN TO MY RECORDED STATEMENT: SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

 Listen to this recorded statement from me in response to yet another baseless accusation—broadcast radio style.

#media #broadcasting #authorities #TradeWar #canada #USAToday #author #Journalism #accusation #authorities

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ns-fjsU4sFS4wKCkKx-uP7XkCcT_38cw/view?usp=drive_link

I ASKED AI - WILL CANADA AND THE U.S. MAKE A DEAL?

The high-stakes trade dispute between Canada and the United States has reached a critical juncture. With the implementation of Canadian retaliatory counter-tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on $27.6 billion of U.S. goods—matching Washington’s punitive surtaxes on Canadian exports dollar-for-dollar—the economic relationship faces its most severe strain in decades.

While rhetoric from both capitals remains aggressive, an independent structural analysis reveals that a total trade rupture is economically unsustainable for both nations. A negotiated resolution will eventually occur, driven by built-in structural constraints and shared economic vulnerability.

To evaluate how the standoff will resolve, one must look at the differing leverage models of both economies:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                           ECONOMIC LEVERAGE                             │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┤
│ CANADA                                  │ UNITED STATES                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────┤
│ • Macroeconomic Exposure: ~70% of       │ • Aggregated GDP Exposure:    │
│   exports flow to the U.S.              │   Low overall percentage      │
│ • Strategic Chokepoints: Heavy crude,   │ • Geographic Vulnerability:   │
│   nickel, aluminum, and electricity     │   High impact on northern and │
│ • Political Position: Broad domestic    │   border-state agricultural   │
│   consensus to defend sovereignty       │   and industrial sectors      │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────┘
A final resolution will not be a sudden, total return to unconditional free trade.
Instead, expect a transactional, sector-by-sector de-escalation framework negotiated
around core trade.
Issue Area
Expected Canadian Concession
Expected U.S. Rollback
Agricultural & Food Access
Targeted adjustments to tariff-rate quotas (e.g., dairy or poultry access)
Phase-out of Section 338 and emergency surtaxes on Canadian goods
Digital & Service Policy
Re-alignment or regulatory compromises on digital services frameworks
Carve-outs protecting CUSMA/USMCA-compliant cross-border manufacturing
Border Enforcement
Enhanced supply-chain security and joint cross-border regulatory alignment
Withdrawal of broad threats against aerospace and critical industrial exports

LOVE CAN’T BE GUARDED

 I understand you, married women and men. Believe me, I was there.

You are trying to hold on to your spouse and keep him or her for yourself. It is normal; it is love. But listen to me as a romance writer who has researched extensively about marriage, divorce, and cheating: holding on to a person who doesn't care about your feelings, and blaming another single man or woman for talking or calling them, is not how you protect your relationship.

You are simply trying to limit your spouse's social and business life, thinking that if you prevent them from talking, doing business, or seeing certain people, your marriage is safe. The answer is no. If a husband or wife truly loves their spouse, they can work, socialize, and interact with both men and women while still caring deeply about their partner's feelings. They will love them unconditionally, regardless of how many other people around are prettier, more educated, or healthier.

If you notice your spouse ignoring your feelings and you try to blame someone else for their actions, you are just making excuses for them. Sooner or later, those excuses run out, and you will realize a part of you has been gone for a long time—all to protect something that did not belong to you in the first place.

I have noticed many couples fighting with outside men or women over simple small talk or business interactions. Some even go further, spreading rumors about single, divorced, or married people who work or talk with their spouse, all in a desperate attempt to save their relationship. You are only trying to hide what is wrong in your own marriage by blaming others and labeling them as bad, flirtatious, or disruptive.

In the end, your relationship will either survive for the rest of your life without true love and care—covered up only by attacking others—or it will suddenly end out of the blue, leaving you surprised. Real love cares about the lover; it does not ignore or hurt them.

ON THE AIR, OFF THE RAILS: WHY CANADA’S PUBLIC RADIO NEEDS ACCOUNTABILITY

Listen to the recorded address below as I take these issues off the page and speak to you directly on the air.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lb5XxhjZdDJGwxfaIQfrcFiXkg9L208i/view?usp=drive_link

THIS IS WHO I AM, THAT IS WHO YOU ARE

THE HIDDEN PRICE OF JEALOUSY

 Competing with others to prove your worth is a game you will never win.

If you are truly at peace with who you are and content with the life you lead, there is zero need to compare your life, your belongings, your relationships, or anything else to someone else’s.

When you live in a constant state of comparison and contest, you might manage to gain similar things or build a similar facade, but it will never bring you genuine happiness. The standards will always move. There will always be someone richer, someone better-looking, someone with a higher-status job, or someone with better health and greater wealth.

If you spend your whole life locked in jealousy and competition, you waste precious energy trying to outdo others—energy that could have been spent enjoying what you already have or improving your life on your own terms.

This hidden competition is deeply unhealthy. It harms your peace of mind, and it strains your relationships with the very people you are trying to outshine.

Stop and think before you act: Are you living your life for yourself, or are you just living it to compete with her?

A FAIR DEAL OR NO DEAL

As a Canadian writer following the trade negotiations between the United States and Canada, I believe Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to end the negotiations is ultimately in Canada’s best interest. While walking away will inevitably place short-term pressure on Canadian businesses facing new tariffs, maintaining a firm stance is crucial for our long-term economic independence.

​From a protectionist standpoint, President Trump’s strategy of applying steep tariffs to foreign imports is designed to serve his nation's interests. By imposing high taxes on imported goods, his administration aims to direct internal businesses to produce, trade, and purchase domestic products—driving consumers toward American goods because heavily taxed imports struggle to compete on price.

​When it comes to Canada, the U.S. undoubtedly relies on our critical resources. However, as Prime Minister Carney recognized, the current U.S. approach seeks access to these vital supplies at minimal cost or under threat of total ban. By leaving the negotiations to protect Canadian resources, Prime Minister Carney’s "good deal or no deal" approach is the right boundary to draw for Canada.

​Both leaders are doing their best to protect their citizens, but the fundamental difference lies in their execution: the U.S. is doing it at Canada's expense, whereas Canada is acting defensively to protect its national resources.

​Personally, I believe the U.S., by putting too much pressure on Americans, is taking a risk, while having a fair deal with Canada is in its benefit—and Canada should fight for a good deal or no deal.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: CLARIFYING THE FACTS AND BOUNDARIES

 Good morning. You know me from my articles on this website and my books.

Today, I am posting this article to put an end to rumors that have been spread everywhere for the last 15 years. The mental and emotional harassment became so bad that I moved to another city, but I notice that even here, those rumors are everywhere.

Certain individuals, in an effort to cover up their nonstop harassment, are using my book characters—mostly from my book Waiting Eyes on the Road—by spreading 24/7 rumors assuming that I am waiting for my book character, that he is real and supporting me, or that he even pays me money. This rumor is too ridiculous to even answer, but since harassers are following me even to my new city and my new home, I have to disclose their abusive assumptions.

Another rumor they are spreading is that I am dying to take my ex back, which is absolutely not true. As I have mentioned many times in my previous posts, we are two adults and have no need for a third party to tell or direct us to reunite or stay separated. If those abusers must know, there is no plan for reuniting.

Another rumor I have noticed is that I regret my separation and that I feel every step I take after it is a mistake. Again, if you must know, I lived with my husband for decades, and while we have many memories, regret is not one of them. We have two daughters together, and separation does not change the facts that we lived a long time together and love our daughters.

A fourth rumor is that some individuals are following me everywhere to criticize my choices, pretending my book characters left me for whatever habit I have. That is, again, too ridiculous to answer, but this emotional abuse is nonstop, and I have to clarify.

For the hundredth and final time: all my books are fictional. I created my characters; they are not real, with the exception of my book Can We Talk, which is my true story.

I am asking for the hundredth time: stop this nonsense and stay out of my personal life.

ALBERT EINSTEIN AND THE RELATIVITY OF HUMAN LIFE

 I was studying Albert Einstein's theories of relativity and comparing them to our daily lives. Einstein said, "There is no such thing as absolute rest in the universe; you can only ever measure your speed compared to something else." It is an incredibly valuable theory. We have all experienced sitting in an airplane feeling no motion at all, or riding a bicycle and feeling a rushing sense of speed. These are perfect everyday examples of relativity. [1, 2, 3]

What drove me to review his theories was noticing how certain individuals behave. Some people believe they are incredibly fast, wealthy, healthy, or whatever other positive adjective they like to tag themselves with. The worst part is that they try to rub it in other people's faces to feel superior. On the flip side, there are many people who look up from a lower position, compare their lives to these individuals, and claim they should be living that exact same way—even believing they have a right to criticize you for not having what you have.

I want to be very clear here: everything is relative. You might be incredibly wealthy compared to one group of people, yet considered completely average—or even poor—by another group. To see this in action, you only need to look at billionaires. They are billionaires, so of course they are wealthy. However, when you compare them to other billionaires, some of them are not even considered rich anymore.

The exact same logic applies to being poor or living in poverty. Some individuals are considered poor compared to an average person. Others might actually be richer than the average person, but because they compare themselves strictly to the upper class, they view themselves as poor.

This brings me right back to Einstein's theory. There is no such thing as an "absolute" standard for anything. It is not just about speed; it applies to wealth, health, education, and smartness. Everything is relative. 

How about we just live our own lives? If we feel richer, healthier, happier, younger or wealthier, we should simply enjoy our life without rubbing it in someone else's face. On the other hand, if we feel poor, sick, slow, old or sad, instead of bothering others and interrupting their lives, we should focus on improving our own circumstances. After all, no one else is responsible for our life except ourselves.

THE COST OF SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

 As many of you know, my writing focuses on social and political issues. My motivation is twofold: first, I have personally experienced and suffered from these problems; second, I want to bring them to the attention of those in power so they can take action and fix them.

Unfortunately, instead of addressing the actual issues, many individuals have taken to following me everywhere, digging into my private life, and harassing my family—all under the absurd guise of "shedding light" on my situation. Worse yet, radio and television channels are using deceptive advertising and coverage to actively encourage the public to criticize and target me.

What is completely ridiculous is that a person's private life is their own territory. Whether I am fat or thin, rich or poor, living alone or in a relationship, healthy or sick, and a hundred other personal matters—it is nobody’s business but my own. My personal choices belong solely to me and do not infringe on anyone else. Democracy means having the freedom to live as you choose as long as you do not harm or interfere with others. Yet, for the last 15 years, media platforms and individuals have targeted my personal choices and privacy to criticize me 24/7.

It appears that certain political figures are using these media outlets and individuals to orchestrate this nonsense, aiming to intimidate writers and prevent us from exposing real issues.

I ask them directly: Is not the fundamental purpose of an opposition in any political system to highlight problems so they can be fixed? If so, why are you using the broadcast system, media, and the public to stalk me everywhere—even inside my own home—to report on my personal life?

Whether I am in a relationship or divorced, whether I have money or not, these personal details have zero impact on the public, the country, or society. Your political failures and negligence, however, do.

FROM MY LIBRARY TO YOURS

 

MY FAMILY IS NOT YOUR SHIELD: STOP THE FALSE PRETENSES AND VERBAL ABUSE

 For the past 15 years, I have been subjected to relentless verbal abuse and harassment wherever I go. The perpetrators have targeted me by misusing the characters from my book, and they cowardly cover up their mental and verbal assaults by pretending the abuse is coming from my family or my ex-husband. Because I know my family deeply, and because I lived with my ex-husband long enough to know his character, I know with absolute certainty that they would never say the horrific things these bullies claim they are saying.

This situation perfectly illustrates a well-known idiom: "It is done in your name, but to someone else’s favor." These individuals mask their own malice and shift the blame by falsely linking their abuse to the people closest to me. They use the manipulative excuse, "There is no solution for what you and your family created," which is nothing more than a psychological tactic designed to maintain control and justify their bullying.

For 15 years, I have repeatedly turned to the justice system, pleading for them to intervene and stop this targeted harassment. Yet, they have completely neglected to control this abuse. I have been under constant attack for absolutely no reason, while the perpetrators continue to hide behind the false pretense that they are speaking on behalf of my family, friends, or ex-husband.

This relentless campaign is a direct, retaliatory critique of my book, "Can We Talk"—which is a true story documenting misconduct, racism, and abuse within workplaces and by certain service providers. Unfortunately, the justice system has not only failed to stop this ongoing harassment, but by consistently ignoring my complaints, they have signaled to these abusers that their actions carry absolutely no consequences.

WHEN CRITIQUE TURNS INTO "MONKEY BUSINESS"

 When a writer writes a book, they create characters and take them on a unique journey. It is obvious that not every character will have an acceptable personality, just as no single book is meant for every reader.

However, what is entirely unacceptable is when certain individuals read your book and, out of disapproval or critique, choose to follow the author everywhere. They engage in "monkey business" by sarcastically mimicking her words, her posture, and her actions. I refer you to this article about monkey business to better understand the shallow and immature behavior of these critics—behavior that I, as a writer, personally have been facing for a decade.

https://grammarist.com/idiom/monkey-business/

TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE !

I have noticed, once again, certain individuals attempting to weaponize my articles against me. They falsely claim that their wrongdoing and harassment are somehow a reflection of my family, my ex-partner, or my siblings. Let me be entirely clear: you are an abuser. You are following my children, my family, and me simply to cover up your past or future harassment.

If anyone related to me had actually done what you claim, and you were not just fabricating stories to cover your own false acts, you would at least be able to provide an exact location, time, and situation. As I have explained before, everything must be defined by its specific context.

To give you an example: If you try to copy someone’s happiness by watching how they behave at a wedding, and then you mimic those exact actions and feelings at a funeral, you aren't covering up your mistakes. Instead, the host of the funeral is just left confused as to why you are laughing and celebrating. In that exact same way, I have been left confused for years by your unusual and unacceptable behavior.

Another unbelievable tactic I have witnessed is these individuals searching for anything they can find in my past to justify their unauthorized intrusion into my private life, crossing the line over and over again. I have explained countless times that my books are creations of my own thoughts and that my characters are not real. I have explicitly told these groups to stop their investigations, assumptions, guesses, and predictions. Yet, it seems they are too deeply entrenched in their abusive mindsets to understand that reality is not dictated by their theories. The true reality is that their behavior is disturbing, abusive, and an invasion of privacy.

I do not know why they are so obsessed with my personal life, but it clearly stems from my work as a writer. By shedding light on issues they prefer to keep hidden, I have made myself a target for those trying to find something damaging in my own life.

Let me emphasize this: Addressing public issues is completely different from digging into someone’s private life. My work as a writer and journalist aims to expose unresolved societal issues, which is my job. Your actions, on the other hand, are unethical and illegal.

Furthermore, you aren't even uncovering actual secrets; you are simply inventing abusive, insulting theories and targeting me for years based on them. You claim my daughters, my ex, or my family did something—or, in some cases, you invent a mysterious person to blame or admire for my efforts . I have constantly corrected you, telling you that your assumptions are entirely wrong. Perhaps it is your own family that has committed these acts, and you are projecting and seeking revenge on me just to feel better about yourselves. I have recommended many times that you seek professional help; this constant following, copying, assuming, guessing, testing, and accusing is not curing your pathology, yet you continue to do it.

A final word: If there were actually anything wrong in my past, you surely would have found it by now. You have spent the last 15 years digging into my life, testing every breath I take, and accusing me with every step I take. The fact that you have found nothing proves that your theories are entirely baseless. Hey perhaps I am too good to be true !

RIGHT OR LEFT

 For a long time now, I have noticed a constant, unreasonable conflict driven by so-called "right" and "left" groups. I have no idea how the people who created and have been advertising these labels for the last 15 years actually define them. It seems some individuals simply believe they are "in the right," and anyone else is just "left over."

In this manipulative game of definitions, both sides seem to think that using me as a punching bag will somehow solve their problems.

To that, the answer is simple: **"You should break yourself, not the mirror."**

A mirror is only a reflection; it is not the reality. What is real is who you are inside—no matter if you call yourself right, left, cold, hot, heavy, thin, black, white, or anything else. Projecting onto others is a clear dysfunction within you. No one else can fix it, and no one can "cure" you the way you might wish, except yourself.

No one is responsible for your life except you. Stop looking to someone else to hand you a job, money, progress, or success. Take accountability for yourself.

THE 2026 WORLD CUP IS HERE, SO WHY AM I WATCHING A DIGITAL GAME?

 It is amazing and truly an honour for Canada to be a host of the 2026 World Cup. I was so excited to watch the first Canadian game on June 12 without having to walk to the stadium. I checked TV, radio, and other media, but there was no sign of the football match, which in North America is called soccer.

After half an hour of searching, I found a YouTube video labeled “live streaming: Canada vs. Bosnia.” I watched for five minutes with excitement, but from the beginning something felt wrong. The video showed Canada winning 1–0, yet the technicality of play seemed unusuall for a World Cup match. I’m no expert, but as a football fan who has watched many games, I realized this couldn’t be real. Looking closer, I saw it was actually a digital game simulation.

My question is: as a host of this worldwide event, shouldn’t I be able to just walk into the Tim Hortons across my street and watch the live game on their TV or screen?