Latest news with #Gow
National Observer
01-08-2025
- Climate
- National Observer
Dozens of new fires in BC, amid evacuations and alerts
There's been a surge in wildfire activity in British Columbia associated with this week's high temperatures and thousands of lightning strikes, with dozens of new fires sparked in just one day. Multiple evacuation orders were in place across the province on Thursday, including for lakefront properties near Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, homes in the Okanagan Valley and two First Nation reserves near Lytton. By late Thursday, the BC Wildfire Service online dashboard showed more than 40 new fires in the past 24 hours. Almost half of the more than 90 fires burning across the province were started since Wednesday and the service said that number is expected to rise. "Yesterday, approximately 13,167 lightning strikes were recorded across B.C., with over 9,000 occurring within the Prince George Fire Centre," the service said in a statement on Thursday. It said with the hot and dry conditions this week, "fuels are extremely susceptible to ignition." Emergency officials in the Okanagan Valley said the hot temperatures made fighting a fire near Peachland difficult, although firefighting efforts on Wednesday helped tame the blaze. A statement from Central Okanagan Emergency Operations said aerial drops of fire retardant and water were effective in reducing fire behaviour. The fire was displaying rank-two fire behaviour, meaning "a surface fire with some open flame and a slow to moderate rate of spread," the emergency agency said. The blaze spread quickly on Wednesday, forcing police and fire crews to go door-to-door to evacuate residents from about 400 properties near Peachland. Another 225 properties were put on evacuation alert due to the fire that started Wednesday afternoon and quickly spread through tinder-dry brush. By Thursday, alerts and orders had been downgraded, with residents at 118 properties told they still had to stay out, while 490 properties were on evacuation alert. The operations centre said in a statement that no structural loss was reported. Emily Gow with Todd's Lakeside RV, located south of the blaze, said it was 'just up the highway,' but the business was not among the evacuated properties. Gow said she could see flames on Wednesday, but by Thursday the fire appeared to have calmed down. 'They're only dealing with little hot spots. There's no raging fire that's blooming all over the place.' She said guests were concerned the fire could get out of hand, but staff from the area weren't as worried. 'We've got guests anywhere from up the road to in Europe staying with us right now, so people were having a mixed range of emotions toward the fire,' she said, adding guests from Switzerland had checked in at about 11 p.m. Wednesday after delays due to highway closures in the area. Environment Canada has issued more than two dozen heat warnings in B.C., including in the central Okanagan, where temperatures could reach 38 C on Thursday. Temperatures were expected to moderate on Friday, a weather statement said. On Vancouver Island, an evacuation order was issued for properties in the Nanaimo region including waterfront properties on the north side of Cameron Lake and a portion of Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park. Rebecca Taylor, a spokesperson for the Nanaimo Regional District, said "a few dozen" properties were covered by the evacuation order. A statement from the district said additional properties to the northeast of the lake are under an evacuation alert, meaning residents should be ready to leave if required. The Lytton First Nation issued an evacuation order Thursday for two sparsely populated reserves due to immediate danger posed by the out-of-control wildfire nearby, about 10 kilometres south of the village of Lytton. The order said residents were to leave the Lytton 26A and Skwayaynope 26 reserves immediately and head to a reception centre. Officials with the Lytton First Nation said there are only two households on the reservation plots, one of which is unoccupied, while the other belongs to a member of the First Nation firefighting team on the front lines of the fire. A spokesman for the First Nation said it was not the same area evacuated in June 2021, when much of Lytton was destroyed by a wildfire and two people were killed. The current Lytton wildfire was recently measured at 6.5 square kilometres and continues to burn out of control, causing the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and local First Nations to issue a series of evacuation alerts this week. Barj Dehaan said he was driving back home to Vancouver on Wednesday when he started seeing smoke about 30 kilometres east of Lytton. "As I got closer, I could see this huge plume of smoke. And as I got closer, I could see the literal fire as well, trees on fire. I have not seen a live fire like that before,' he said Thursday. He said the region has been very hot. "The air quality was poor, and I could feel a burning sensation in my throat, strong smell of burning wood. And then I started thinking about the people who live in that town, that here they are again, having to deal with a fire that seems to be out of control,' he said. The BC Wildfire Service has meanwhile upgraded a blaze in the Fraser Valley to a "wildfire of note" and is warning campers to leave the Harrison Lake area as roads are closed ahead of the long weekend. The 65-hectare Bear Creek fire is the first fire of note in B.C. since July 9, when the Izman Creek blaze near Lytton lost that status. — With files from CHNL
Hamilton Spectator
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Behind Closed Doors' – a story of vulnerability and purpose
New CBC documentary chronicles story of sexual assault victim from Florenceville-Bristol On May 18, 2025, the world was introduced to the horrors of Florenceville-Bristol resident Sarah Sherman's abusive past with her late first husband. A new CBC documentary tells the story of how Sherman turned her traumatic experiences into a charity that supports people who have gone through the same incidents. 'Behind Closed Doors' is directed by Robert Gow and unveils Sherman's tales of how she survived sexual assault and introduces her project, We're Here For You. Gow and Sherman were first introduced two years ago when he posted an ad searching for a subject for his next documentary. 'We chatted for a few hours, and I immediately was like, wow, this is as engaging a story as I'd ever be able to find and inspiring a story,' said Gow. Sherman was eager to raise awareness about the importance of the program and the work it supports. 'He was looking for a story of resilience, and I kind of felt like I met that. So I was, and I had already started to do the Comfort Kit program, and I just thought that it might help our work more than anything,' said Sherman. CBC had greenlit the idea in December; Gow worked on the story over the next few months. His goal for the documentary was to include Sherman, her current husband, and the people she works with at We're Here For You. Knowing there is a large hole in Canadian health care for clothing and other supplies for sexually assaulted survivors, Gow wanted his documentary to look at how underserved the population of women who have been sexually assaulted is and understand how a person psychologically recovers from a scarring incident. 'I felt like that was a story most people didn't know about because people don't want to talk about what happened to them,' said Gow. The founder of We're Here For You says that sharing her story took years of personal growth before she felt ready. She also needed to wait until her children were older to get permission to tell the truth. 'It's not just my story. It's my kids' story too,' said Sherman. During the filming, Sherman underwent a whirlpool of emotions. She explained that she was full of embarrassment, shame, guilt, vulnerability, and fear. Sharing details from her past made her feel exposed, and despite working hard to let go of shame, certain aspects of her story still carried an emotional weight. Some moments during the interview made her self-conscious about how some people would perceive her experience. 'I'm a little bit scared for the documentary, not because I didn't think he [Gow] would do a good job, because I watched his other work, but it just puts me out there. It makes me very vulnerable, and it's always a bit worrying about what people might say or think about you,' said Sherman. One of the strongest emotions she expressed was guilt. In a way, Sherman felt the burden of how her children and others suffered from what she endured. She feels she carries a deep sense of responsibility for the ripple effect of her struggles on those close to her. Despite feeling like these emotions overpowered her, she has learned to accept them to grow emotionally. 'I've been working really hard to let that part go,' said Sherman. While editing the footage, Gow struggled initially to find the right way to execute Sherman's story. With the copious amounts of interview footage from all his sources, coming out to around six hours, he re-watched every second to ensure key parts were highlighted in the final edit. 'I tried to just find these little moments that I felt could work as an expression of that period of life, as opposed to having to go through every single detail,' said Gow. Since the documentary has been out, Sherman has breathed a sigh of relief from the overwhelming amount of positive and supportive comments she's had from people. While painful, Sherman has realized that her journey can help others recognize struggles before it's too late. The documentary reached 40,000 views on YouTube, making it one of the most-watched documentaries by Creator Network. 'This could really help a lot of people in need. And it's very difficult not to get emotional about that when you're like, wow, this documentary I've been making over the last few months, editing alone in my room could have this huge impact,' said Gow. Sherman says this opportunity has helped her recognize the importance of connecting with people through personal storytelling. 'If I had to go through everything I did, if I can take that pain and that grief and that shame and turn it into something that will maybe help someone else identify what they're going through before it's too late…that just makes me feel grateful if I can help someone else, if I can take this and turn it into something positive,' said Sherman. Sherman is considering hosting a screening event in the Upper River Valley area to allow attendees to engage with the documentary through discussions and question-and-answer sessions. She also plans to have a local SANE nurse (sexual assault nurse examiner) present to explain the role of forensic nursing in helping survivors. Follow the River Valley Sun for updates on the screening date. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . 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Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tylenol Has Launched Its First Supplement to Support Muscle and Joint Health
Tylenol is betting big on the supplement market. The company best known for its pain relief medications featuring acetaminophen on Monday is entering the supplement category with its base product Proactive Support From the Makers of Tylenol, $20, a muscle and joint support supplement and an additional product with added stress support for $24, both available at all retailers where Tylenol is sold. This marks the company's first foray into drug-free pain solutions. Both products come with a month's worth supply of a single daily capsule. More from WWD Dianna Singh Is Taking Beauty Cues for Her Fashion Brand EXCLUSIVE: Fifteen Years After Hitting the Market With Its Signature Greens, AG1 Is Launching a Sleep Supplement Can Beauty Dupes Coexist With - or Even Benefit - the Products That Inspire Them? According to the Tylenol team, the move into supplements was strategic in order to be able to offer consumers both reactive support with medication and proactive support with this new product. 'I constantly heard from consumers and pain sufferers that they want a full, robust toolkit to manage their pain,' said Jennifer Gow, head of U.S. pain at Kenvue, who has worked at Johnson & Johnson and now Kenvue for the past 17 years. 'Being the leader of the category and being Tylenol, it made sense for us to provide both drug and non-drug solutions… We hear from consumers that they want to be more proactive about managing [and] preventing pain.' According to Gow, the team had always been exploring the opportunity to enter this category, and given the increased consumer demand and discovery of a differentiated formula, now was the right time. The product specifically uses a proprietary blend of turmeric and tamarind called TamaFlex, as well as cucumber extract, which are clinically studied ingredients that show joint and flexibility supporting properties. According to the company, the product should start working within five days compared to a leading competitor at seven days. The version with added stress-relief benefits is also formulated with sceletium extract for its calming effects. 'We talked to health care professionals, and 84 percent of them said they would consider providing this specific formula,' Gow said. While Tylenol is targeting a variety of consumers who may experience pain with this launch, Gow identified a few specific ones, particularly those 40-plus. 'Recently, we have been reaching out to our transitional consumer… or that type of consumer who is going from acute, occasional pain to more regular, but it isn't always on a daily basis. Those transitional consumers are the people who can start being more proactive about their health,' she said. In addition, Gow pointed to perhaps a more niche consumer but a still important market, such as the person in their 20s experiencing joint pain from marathon training. It's also an ideal support product for someone experiencing chronic pain to help manage symptoms. 'You don't age out of this product, but the earlier you can start, as you're starting to feel that joint discomfort, that's the best time to be more proactive about this,' said Gow. As these products launch, they will be strategically placed directly next to Tylenol on the pain aisle rather than merchandised with other supplements. According to Gow, the company surveyed consumers and an overwhelming amount said they would want to see it in retail this way. To introduce the product, the company is employing traditional national media as well as tapping comedian and actress Molly Shannon for content that will be used primarily on social media. 'She's going to be talking a lot about this launch, and how she had a very active comedic career, and to stay active now, she partners with us and takes Tylenol Proactive Support, as well as all of the other things that she needs to do to stay active,' said Gow. In addition, the company will partner with other creators and experts to discuss their pain prevention routines, including this new product, sleep, exercise and more. As far as expanding in the supplement category, there could be more to come. 'I see big opportunities for us in the future. We're partnering with our research and development team to see what's next,' Gow said.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Graduate Smart: Career Advice For The AI Era
Spring has sprung. It's getting warmer. April showers have commenced. Flowers are blooming—and so is all that once-dormant grass. We're fast approaching graduation season. Soon it will be time for all those proud teens on adulthood's cusp to parade across the stage, diplomas in hand. Only this year feels different. Uncertain. It's not just the fact that a tariff war is well underway. AI is the underlying cause of so much head scratching and soul searching of late. The national youth charity Onside recently conducted a survey of 1,000 young people ages 8-25 to learn their thoughts on the emerging technology. The results were stunning. 'Despite research suggesting there will be a 40% increase in demand for jobs requiring AI or machine learning skills in the next five years, the most common feeling towards AI is 'confused,' and when asked if they thought AI would help them to get a job in the future, the majority of young people (68%) answered either no, or that they were unsure.' Anecdotally, several professor friends have told me their students feel increasingly apprehensive about the future. They wonder what they should major in or if they should go to college at all now that AI is upending the labor market. My own children are still too young to face these types of questions. Still, they worry my wife and me, prompting all kinds of deep conversations. In the spirit of guiding tomorrow's grads, I sat down with Glenn Gow, a CEO success coach and AI strategist on ways to prepare our youth for an unprecedented future. 'When artificial general intelligence (AGI) comes online, a human will be the equivalent of an ant to AI,' Gow told me at the start of our chat, blowing my mind. The obvious reaction to such a statement could be panic. After all, we humans have little problem crushing ants, especially when they pop up uninvited at picnics or find their ways into our homes. Gow encourages young people to take a different tactic. Embrace AI. Not in a fealty sense to some cognitive overlord but rather as a partner. I see the wisdom in this approach. A few months ago, I wrote about how properly trained Large Language Models can now enable us to access great thinkers, even if they lived millennia ago through AI Mind Clones. Imagine being able to converse with the late Jack Welch on how to scale your company. Or being able to ask David Ovildy questions about Facebook ads even though 'The Father of Advertising' passed away in 1999. Yes. But there's more to this story. Gow recommends going beyond using what we might dub digital mental twins for guidance. He suggests leveraging AI as a business mentor. 'What if you had an AI with full access to your knowledge and experiences. Even if it didn't have a complete picture of you, even limited familiarity could still be a game-changer. Trained on you and already possessing a vast database of general information, such a mentor could be the ultimate professional developmental tool.' For the first time ever, you could benefit from an advisor with an IQ surpassing 300—maybe even 1,000—if we achieve artificial super intelligence (ASI.) The implications are staggering. Your genius mentor would know you inside and out, grok your goals, track your progress, and be able to offer breathtaking personalized guidance—instantly. No human mentor could ever match that—not even Tony Robbins. Once activated, your AI mentor—or more likely, mentors—could offer helpful advice, guiding smarter business decisions. They could also assist from a resource standpoint. If they knew you wished to start an online store, they could serve in an agent capacity: sourcing inventory, managing sales, and handling distribution as a start. 'Possessing such AI mentorship won't just make you a smarter, more capable professional. It will make you braver,' says Gow. 'This is because the feedback and insights you receive will be consistently spot on and therefore tremendously empowering.' Hearing these words, I am reminded of Limitless. In the film Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper), a struggling writer unlocks that 90% of grey matter most humans never access via a mysterious pill. Enjoying a huge intelligence surge, Morra dominates the world, producing and then selling his literary masterpiece, playing the stock market like a champ, and learning martial arts to rival Bruce Lee. So much off-the-charts competence produces off-the-charts confidence. This could be our young people's future should they embrace AI partnership. But the benefits don't end there. Tech visionaries like Tim Cortinovis suggest the future belongs to 'companies of one,' as outlined in his book Single-Handed Unicorn: How to Solo Build a Billion-Dollar Company. This isn't so farfetched of an idea when we understand the stunning leverage AI affords individuals willing to embrace such technology with open arms. To understand why consider this: Until now it required dozens or hundreds of people to build a scalable profitable company. Jim Collins' book From Good to Great once advised business leaders to start with putting the right people in the right seats. Part of this mental calculus involved determining one's limitations—then hiring a team of individuals possessing such skills. Now along comes AI. Vast computing power can pick up all that slack, making the dream of entrepreneurship ever more accessible. 'Suddenly, you don't need a massive staff or even VC capital. Armed with your own ambition and creativity, you can execute with a small army of AI assistants,' says Gow. That's not all. Again, AI can serve as your outsourced mind—much like the advisory council of a Game of Thrones sovereign, complete with a Hand of the King, Master of Whisperers, Master of Coins, the Grand Maester, and more. Analogously, you can imagine a future boardroom where your CFO, CMO, CTO, etc. are all brilliant AIs customized to your style and goals and committed to your success. You'd be unstoppable. But only if you embrace the promise of technology. This requires an element of humility previous generations never had to accept—or consider. 'For centuries, we've been the smartest species on earth. But soon, we won't be,' says Gow. 'Remember my ant to human comparison? The resulting psychological shift is massive. It doesn't mean we humans lose our worth—it means we must redefine it.' Gow isn't doomsaying. He's offering pragmatism: Don't resist inevitability. Play to your human strengths—creativity, curiosity, compassion—then let AI elevate you. Of course, some young people may dismiss these ideas for any number of reasons. Some might push back on embracing entrepreneurship. That's their right. But it's worth noting another prediction Gow made in this regard. Those young people who don't opt to go into business for themselves—with AI's help—will likely have AI bosses. I don't know about you, but I'd often bristle at my flesh and blood managers as an employee. I can't imagine how much more I might resent an AI who gave me orders. Again, young people can still opt out. They can go off-grid or avoid tech entirely. But that life is small. And growing smaller. Its opportunities are also rare and few. 'The economy won't hold its breath for nostalgia or sentimentality. It chugs along inexorably,' says Gow. Knowing all this and seeing what's coming, we still have options. That is the beauty of being human—and young. Moving forward, it seems there are two paths. But it's not between selecting analog versus AI. It's between accepting limitation or embracing potential. The choice is yours. And so is the world—if you will have it.
Zawya
10-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
UAE-based, Capital Haus CEO appointed Executive Chairman of ASX-Listed Equity Story Group
Dubai, UAE – UAE-based financial concierge firm Capital Haus has announced the appointment of its Founder and CEO, Brendan Gow, as Executive Chairman of Equity Story Group Ltd. (ASX: EQS), the Australian-listed investment advisory and financial media firm. The appointment follows Capital Haus's strategic acquisition of an 11.6% stake in Equity Story, further strengthening the firm's global presence and reinforcing its bold approach to scaling through international acquisitions, a strategy still uncommon in the UAE's financial services sector. This milestone also reflects a broader industry shift: UAE-based boutique firms are increasingly driving global investment strategy, leveraging the nation's role as a financial gateway between East and West. With over 68,000 high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) now residing in the UAE, the country is evolving into a launchpad for internationally connected wealth firms. ' We're entering a new era of investor expectations, where affluent clients demand both direct access to global opportunities and bespoke financial guidance,' said Brendan Gow, Chief Executive Officer of Capital Haus. ' This partnership reflects the future of wealth management in the UAE: globally connected, research-led, and client-first in every respect. ' Headquartered in the United Arab Emirates, with offices in Zurich and Australia, Capital Haus offers concierge-style wealth management, a highly personalised, high-touch model that blends advisory services, cross-border tax structuring, and exclusive investment access for HNWIs, family offices, and institutions. The appointment positions Equity Story for a new phase of growth, as it evolves from a research-focused equities platform into a next-generation investment advisory group. Under Gow's leadership, Equity Story will expand its offering to serve both self-directed investors and those seeking full-service advisory, bridging traditional research with concierge-level investment solutions. ' Equity Story has built a loyal following based on trust and insight,' Gow added. ' Our vision is to integrate that foundation with Capital Haus's international infrastructure and financial concierge expertise, giving investors in the UAE, Australia, and beyond access to smarter, more personalised wealth pathways. ' Shane White, Chief Executive Officer of Equity Story Group, commented: 'Brendan's appointment brings leadership, clarity, and ambition. His track record in building multi-market investment platforms is exactly what we need to take the business to the next level.' Capital Haus currently manages over AED 2,441,565,500 million in client assets and recently surpassed $1 billion in total assets under management (AUM) globally. The firm has grown rapidly by identifying strategic acquisition targets that complement its high-net-worth client model, a fast-track growth approach that remains rare in the UAE but is core to Capital Haus's business DNA. This alignment also introduces new capabilities for UAE-based investors, including direct access to global public equities research, high-growth private markets, and a broader suite of cross-border investment tools. ' This is not just a leadership appointment, it's a reflection of how we see the future of wealth management,' Gow noted. ' More firms in the region will need to adopt an agile, acquisition-led approach if they want to deliver real value and innovation to their clients. The UAE is ready for that. ' As the region continues to establish itself as a global hub for wealth, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Capital Haus is positioning itself not only as a service provider, but as a visionary investor reshaping the future of wealth in the UAE and beyond. About Capital Haus Founded in 2021, Capital Haus is a global financial concierge service specializing in wealth management, corporate advisory, and funds management. With a presence in Australia, United Arab Emirates, and Switzerland, the firm combines global expertise with local insight to provide bespoke financial solutions tailored to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and corporate institutions. Capital Haus takes a client-first approach, offering high-touch, concierge-style wealth management that extends beyond traditional financial advisory models. The firm is committed to precision, innovation, and financial empowerment, ensuring clients receive personalized strategies designed to optimize and preserve their wealth. With a vision to become the most trusted partner for wealth creation and preservation globally, Capital Haus continues to expand its service offerings, leveraging cutting-edge technology, exclusive investment opportunities, and a hands-on approach to financial education. For more information, visit
