A Little Wicked Thinking
If you're craving a little more peace and quiet in this chaotic world, you've come to the right place.Add a Little Wicked Thinking to your life
I’m on a mission to simplify the intricate web of modern life by exploring how massive technological, environmental and social changes are reshaping what we value as a society. The rise of political populism, the ever-shifting landscape of work, the disruptive forces of new technologies, and the rapid emergence of grassroots movements – I’m here to help you make sense of it all.
But don’t worry, it’s not all heavy stuff! I mix up discussions about economic inequity, AI concerns, and climate change, with musings on Broadway musicals, Indiana Jones, Rodents of Unusual Size, and the princesses of the pop and Disney varieties because pop culture can unveil truths in entertaining and emotionally resonant ways, touching the very heart of what we value.
Playing the Irving Oil Guessing Game
It's potentially the largest transfer of wealth in Atlantic Canada – and no one's talking about it The day the Globe and Mail broke the news that there were no more Irvings atop Irving Oil, a friend sent me a D.M.: “I’m hearing the French have bought it....
CBC Review: Barbie: Very pink but not what you think
Lisa reviews one of the record-setting release of Barbie, a movie that has everybody talking. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-83/clip/15998983
WTF Government? Justice Should Be Nigh
I started Wicked Ideas in 2012, and my first client was our local economic development agency, Enterprise Saint John. Its CEO Steve Carson wanted to explore some new ways of engaging with citizens around regional economic development, and he asked me to design...
CBC Review: Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Part 1
Lisa reviews the latest in this storied franchise. Are we there to see Ethan Hunt or just Tom Cruise? https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-83/clip/15997574
Let’s Be Citizens Again
Hello friends! I took a dive into my vault and pulled up one of my favourite columns from February 7, 2004. While I'm personally thrilled the writing holds up, I'm also a bit bummed the sentiment still holds true. Other than a few small tweaks to account for the...
CBC Review: Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Lisa reviews one of the biggest summer blockbusters as the Indiana Jones franchise makes another big splash. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-83/clip/15996390
Send All the Journalists Home
It’s been a tough month for humans who get paid to talk with humans. In Canada, Bell Media, owner of national brands CTV, BNN and CP24, cut 1,300 positions, closed its London and Los Angeles bureaus, and closed or put up for sale nine radio stations. On the same day,...
CBC Review: Graham Yost: The Canadian writer and producer behind some of your favourites
Lisa talks about all things Graham Yost, the writer and producer behind such shows as Justified, Silo and Slow Horses. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-28/clip/15994377
Trans Kids Need Us to Go Big
The late 20th century industrial age has left us with a lot to clean up, not least is how we solve complex or wicked problems. Management practises, perspectives and theories that worked so well from the 1950s to Y2K are now proving to be woefully inadequate in...
CBC Review: Hunt: South Korean espionage action thriller delivers
Lisa reviews Hunt, the directorial debut film from Lee Jung-jae. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-28/clip/15993576
Marie Clements’ Bones of Crows is Powerful Medicine for Canadians Willing to Feel
Adam Beach, Thomson Highway and Cherie Dimaline have taught me more about the Indigenous experience in Canada than any news story or university course ever could. Indigenous actors, playwrights and authors and the arts, entertainment and cultural products they...
Jane Goodall Doesn’t Have Time to Feel Hopeless
Jane Goodall is many things, but the one thing she isn’t is grumpy. She’s wry, gently charismatic and, at 89 years of age, fully focused on shifting hearts, minds and money to create a more just and sustainable world. The famous primatologist has been touring Canada...
To track power you need to look for what isn’t there
I once forced four companies to stop trading on the TSX because of what I didn’t hear. It was 1998, and New Brunswick’s provincial telephone company was riding high. NBTel had a chokehold on New Brunswick’s telecom market and one of the strongest brand...