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An ordinary man, an extraordinary life: David Foster's tribute to Frank Copley – Times Colonist

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1 year ago

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I grew up in Victoria — Saanich, to be specific — one boy with six sisters.

I’ve always considered my Victoria upbringing to be a “secret weapon” as

I navigated my way throughout the world trying to carve out a career.

I attended Cedar Hill Elementary, Doncaster, Lansdowne Junior High and Mount Doug.

As a teenage musician, I played at the Century Inn, the Surfside, the Forge and more weddings than I can remember. That was the foundation of my musical education.

I’m as deep-rooted in Victoria as one can be. I wave the Canadian flag every chance I get. That’s a little context — but this story is not about me.

It is about my brother-in-law, Franklin Alfred Copley.

It’s a great privilege that I get to tell a little of Frank’s story. Most families have a “Frank” in their lives and I hope that this story, his story, will resonate with readers.

He was a seemingly ordinary man who lived an extraordinary life.

As a 12-year-old, it was always exciting when my three older sisters would have a “boyfriend” come over. Shallow as it was, I judged them not by their character but by their cars.

One day, to my utter disbelief, in our driveway was the most beautiful baby blue 1957 Ford Thunderbird with a porthole back window.

Inside (as I would learn later) sat this young, handsome, kind, beautiful man, Frank Copley. I think my sister Ruth knew from the start that Frank was going to be her man. In 1964, I played the organ during the signing of the register as they were married at St. Luke Anglican Church.

But who was Frank Copley, this person who stole my sister’s heart and went on this life journey with her for almost 60 years of marriage, with three kids and six grandkids?

Frank was one of four kids. His parents, Frank Sr. and Beatrice, owned enough land to have an airstrip, an airplane and a swimming pool, just three miles from Victoria.

To me at 12, this was amazing – but these material things did not define Frank, his two sisters Pat and Helen, or his brother Robbie, who coincidentally married my sister Jeannie a couple of years later.

These were hard-working people who were in the construction business. Like most of us, they faced good times and tough times.

Today, their property is in a beautiful neighbourhood, the Northridge subdivision off Carey Road, and Copley Park stands as a tribute to the whole family.

Frank went to Cloverdale, McKenzie and Mount View schools as well as Victoria College before graduating from the University of British Columbia.

As my sister said in her well-written obituary for Frank, he “briefly taught high school before moving on to the industrial business world, working as equipment manager for many prestigious big equipment companies all over B.C.”

Eventually they settled back to Victoria.

In later years, Frank operated his own automotive business.

With his passing, my sister discovered many acts of kindness by her husband.

One man wrote “I couldn’t pay for my auto parts — Frank said no problem — just pay me when you can.” Another wrote “Frank spent the day working on my car without charging a penny.”

This is where ordinary life becomes extraordinary.

Frank had a brilliant mind. He was well read, he loved technology, he could fix anything, and he remodeled all the family homes almost single-handedly.

He loved aircraft and flight and got his pilot’s licence when he was 15.

He always had a smile on his face. He never talked bad about anyone. He didn’t know the word gossip.

He was an excellent listener and extremely patient. As unbelievable as it sounds, I never saw him in a bad mood.

Whether it was a stranger or his best friend, when he greeted you, it was always “oh heyyyy — haha — how you doing?” or “hey – how’s it – haha – going?”

And: He loved my sister unconditionally, like a parent loves a child.

I’m sure Frank was no saint, but, in my eyes, he certainly came close.

When Frank got sick a couple of years ago, my sister kicked into high gear, becoming the best caregiver ever. She is a skilled nurse who spent much of her brilliant career in her specialty of taking care of terminally ill cancer patients.

This was both a blessing and a curse. She had experience dealing with situations such as this, but knew (probably more than Frank’s doctors) exactly what to expect and what the actual timeline was going to be.

A few months ago, we had a Foster/Copley family reunion. That’s how we framed it, but we all knew it was to say goodbye to our dear Frank.

It was an amazing evening. Sixty-five people strong. Frank was in good spirits and loved the night. Hopefully he didn’t put two and two together, but he was super smart so I’m thinking he probably knew.

He gave a flawless, heartfelt speech and everyone had a great time. I would certainly encourage everyone to have more family reunions.

For most of us, family is the backbone of our existence. We should never take it for granted. I know Frank never did.

He was devoted to his wife, his three children and his grandchildren: Son Frank and his wife Nancy, and their kids Maia and Maury Copley; daughter Maureen Lomax and her kids Ty (Brooke) and Jacob Lomax, Maureen’s husband Phil Coelho and his daughter Valentina; as well as daughter Tanya and her husband Kirk Jensen, and their kids Annelise and Torben Jensen.

For his entire 84 years, Frank never lost his sense of childlike wonderment. It is a rare trait, for sure, but so enduring. I will never forget him.

I love coming home and spending time in Victoria.

Coming home now is going to be different, for sure. No more “hey — how you doing?”

But I think the legacy is simply feeling like that person is still here. Sounds corny, but Frank will stay with our family for as long as we all live.

He was a gem. He was the bright light in the room. He was … like all of us … a Victorian.

David Foster is a Grammy award-winning music producer and composer based in Los Angeles who started his career in Victoria.

A final note from David: “I hope that the Islander could feature a weekly column called Frank’s Corner, with home-spun stories about the extraordinary Franks that come in and out of our lives.”

>>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor: letters@timescolonist.com 

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The Internet is Littered in ‘Educated Guesses’ Without the ‘Education’

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1 week ago

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October 8, 2024

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Although no one likes a know-it-all, they dominate the Internet.

The Internet began as a vast repository of information. It quickly became a breeding ground for self-proclaimed experts seeking what most people desire: recognition and money.

Today, anyone with an Internet connection and some typing skills can position themselves, regardless of their education or experience, as a subject matter expert (SME). From relationship advice, career coaching, and health and nutrition tips to citizen journalists practicing pseudo-journalism, the Internet is awash with individuals—Internet talking heads—sharing their “insights,” which are, in large part, essentially educated guesses without the education or experience.

The Internet has become a 24/7/365 sitcom where armchair experts think they’re the star.

Not long ago, years, sometimes decades, of dedicated work and acquiring education in one’s field was once required to be recognized as an expert. The knowledge and opinions of doctors, scientists, historians, et al. were respected due to their education and experience. Today, a social media account and a knack for hyperbole are all it takes to present oneself as an “expert” to achieve Internet fame that can be monetized.

On the Internet, nearly every piece of content is self-serving in some way.

The line between actual expertise and self-professed knowledge has become blurry as an out-of-focus selfie. Inadvertently, social media platforms have created an informal degree program where likes and shares are equivalent to degrees. After reading selective articles, they’ve found via and watching some TikTok videos, a person can post a video claiming they’re an herbal medicine expert. Their new “knowledge,” which their followers will absorb, claims that Panda dung tea—one of the most expensive teas in the world and isn’t what its name implies—cures everything from hypertension to existential crisis. Meanwhile, registered dietitians are shaking their heads, wondering how to compete against all the misinformation their clients are exposed to.

More disturbing are individuals obsessed with evangelizing their beliefs or conspiracy theories. These people write in-depth blog posts, such as Elvis Is Alive and the Moon Landings Were Staged, with links to obscure YouTube videos, websites, social media accounts, and blogs. Regardless of your beliefs, someone or a group on the Internet shares them, thus confirming your beliefs.

Misinformation is the Internet’s currency used to get likes, shares, and engagement; thus, it often spreads like a cosmic joke. Consider the prevalence of clickbait headlines:

  • You Won’t Believe What Taylor Swift Says About Climate Change!
  • This Bedtime Drink Melts Belly Fat While You Sleep!
  • In One Week, I Turned $10 Into $1 Million!

Titles that make outrageous claims are how the content creator gets reads and views, which generates revenue via affiliate marketing, product placement, and pay-per-click (PPC) ads. Clickbait headlines are how you end up watching a TikTok video by a purported nutrition expert adamantly asserting you can lose belly fat while you sleep by drinking, for 14 consecutive days, a concoction of raw eggs, cinnamon, and apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before going to bed.

Our constant search for answers that’ll explain our convoluted world and our desire for shortcuts to success is how Internet talking heads achieve influencer status. Because we tend to seek low-hanging fruits, we listen to those with little experience or knowledge of the topics they discuss yet are astute enough to know what most people want to hear.

There’s a trend, more disturbing than spreading misinformation, that needs to be called out: individuals who’ve never achieved significant wealth or traded stocks giving how-to-make-easy-money advice, the appeal of which is undeniable. Several people I know have lost substantial money by following the “advice” of Internet talking heads.

Anyone on social media claiming to have a foolproof money-making strategy is lying. They wouldn’t be peddling their money-making strategy if they could make easy money.

Successful people tend to be secretive.

Social media companies design their respective algorithms to serve their advertisers—their source of revenue—interest; hence, content from Internet talking heads appears most prominent in your feeds. When a video of a self-professed expert goes viral, likely because it pressed an emotional button, the more people see it, the more engagement it receives, such as likes, shares and comments, creating a cycle akin to a tornado.

Imagine scrolling through your TikTok feed and stumbling upon a “scientist” who claims they can predict the weather using only aluminum foil, copper wire, sea salt and baking soda. You chuckle, but you notice his video got over 7,000 likes, has been shared over 600 times and received over 400 comments. You think to yourself, “Maybe this guy is onto something.” What started as a quest to achieve Internet fame evolved into an Internet-wide belief that weather forecasting can be as easy as DIY crafts.

Since anyone can call themselves “an expert,” you must cultivate critical thinking skills to distinguish genuine expertise from self-professed experts’ self-promoting nonsense. While the absurdity of the Internet can be entertaining, misinformation has serious consequences. The next time you read a headline that sounds too good to be true, it’s probably an Internet talking head making an educated guess; without the education seeking Internet fame, they can monetize.

______________________________________________________________

 

Nick Kossovan, a self-described connoisseur of human psychology, writes about what’s

on his mind from Toronto. You can follow Nick on Twitter and Instagram @NKossovan.

 

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Tight deadlines on software projects can put safety at risk: survey

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October 8, 2024

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TORONTO – A new survey says a majority of software engineers and developers feel tight project deadlines can put safety at risk.

Seventy-five per cent of the 1,000 global workers who responded to the survey released Tuesday say pressure to deliver projects on time and on budget could be compromising critical aspects like safety.

The concern is even higher among engineers and developers in North America, with 77 per cent of those surveyed on the continent reporting the urgency of projects could be straining safety.

The study was conducted between July and September by research agency Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry Ltd.’s QNX division, which builds connected-car technology.

The results reflect a timeless tug of war engineers and developers grapple with as they balance the need to meet project deadlines with regulations and safety checks that can slow down the process.

Finding that balance is an issue that developers of even the simplest appliances face because of advancements in technology, said John Wall, a senior vice-president at BlackBerry and head of QNX.

“The software is getting more complicated and there is more software whether it’s in a vehicle, robotics, a toaster, you name it… so being able to patch vulnerabilities, to prevent bad actors from doing malicious acts is becoming more and more important,” he said.

The medical, industrial and automotive industries have standardized safety measures and anything they produce undergoes rigorous testing, but that work doesn’t happen overnight. It has to be carried out from the start and then at every step of the development process.

“What makes safety and security difficult is it’s an ongoing thing,” Wall said. “It’s not something where you’ve done it, and you are finished.”

The Waterloo, Ont.-based business found 90 per cent of its survey respondents reported that organizations are prioritizing safety.

However, when asked about why safety may not be a priority for their organization, 46 per cent of those surveyed answered cost pressures and 35 per cent said a lack of resources.

That doesn’t surprise Wall. Delays have become rampant in the development of tech, and in some cases, stand to push back the launch of vehicle lines by two years, he said.

“We have to make sure that people don’t compromise on safety and security to be able to get products out quicker,” he said.

“What we don’t want to see is people cutting corners and creating unsafe situations.”

The survey also took a peek at security breaches, which have hit major companies like London Drugs, Indigo Books & Music, Giant Tiger and Ticketmaster in recent years.

About 40 per cent of the survey’s respondents said they have encountered a security breach in their employer’s operating system. Those breaches resulted in major impacts for 27 per cent of respondents, moderate impacts for 42 per cent and minor impacts for 27 per cent.

“There are vulnerabilities all the time and this is what makes the job very difficult because when you ship the software, presumably the software has no security vulnerabilities, but things get discovered after the fact,” Wall said.

Security issues, he added, have really come to the forefront of the problems developers face, so “really without security, you have no safety.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:BB)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Beware of scams during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sales event: cybersecurity firm

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October 8, 2024

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As online shoppers hunt for bargains offered by Amazon during its annual fall sale this week, cybersecurity researchers are warning Canadians to beware of an influx of scammers posing as the tech giant.

In the 30 days leading up to Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days, taking place Tuesday and Wednesday, there were more than 1,000 newly registered Amazon-related web domains, according to Check Point Software Technologies, a company that offers cybersecurity solutions.

The company said it deemed 88 per cent of those domains malicious or suspicious, suggesting they could have been set up by scammers to prey on vulnerable consumers. One in every 54 newly created Amazon-related domain included the phrase “Amazon Prime.”

“They’re almost indiscernible from the real Amazon domain,” said Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point in Canada.

“With all these domains registered that look so similar, it’s tricking a lot of people. And that’s the whole intent here.”

Falzon said Check Point Research sees an uptick in attempted scams around big online shopping days throughout the year, including Prime Days.

Scams often come in the form of phishing emails, which are deceptive messages that appear to be from a reputable source in attempt to steal sensitive information.

In this case, he said scammers posing as Amazon commonly offer “outrageous” deals that appear to be associated with Prime Days, in order to trick recipients into clicking on a malicious link.

The cybersecurity firm said it has identified and blocked 100 unique Amazon Prime-themed scam emails targeting organizations and consumers over the past two weeks.

Scammers also target Prime members with unsolicited calls, claiming urgent account issues and requesting payment information.

“It’s like Christmas for them,” said Falzon.

“People expect there to be significant savings on Prime Day, so they’re not shocked that they see something of significant value. Usually, the old adage applies: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Amazon’s website lists a number of red flags that it recommends customers watch for to identify a potential impersonation scam.

Those include false urgency, requests for personal information, or indications that the sender prefers to complete the purchase outside of the Amazon website or mobile app.

Scammers may also request that customers exclusively pay with gift cards, a claim code or PIN. Any notifications about an order or delivery for an unexpected item should also raise alarm bells, the company says.

“During busy shopping moments, we tend to see a rise in impersonation scams reported by customers,” said Amazon spokeswoman Octavia Roufogalis in a statement.

“We will continue to invest in protecting consumers and educating the public on scam avoidance. We encourage consumers to report suspected scams to us so that we can protect their accounts and refer bad actors to law enforcement to help keep consumers safe.”

Falzon added that these scams are more successful than people might think.

As of June 30, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre said there had been $284 million lost to fraud so far this year, affecting 15,941 victims.

But Falzon said many incidents go unreported, as some Canadians who are targeted do not know how or where to flag a scam, or may choose not to out of embarrassment.

Check Point recommends Amazon customers take precautions while shopping on Prime Days, including by checking URLs carefully, creating strong passwords on their accounts, and avoiding personal information being shared such as their birthday or social security number.

The cybersecurity company said consumers should also look for “https” at the beginning of a website URL, which indicates a secure connection, and use credit cards rather than debit cards for online shopping, which offer better protection and less liability if stolen.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2024.

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