Confused priorities
The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, in its wisdom, has decided it’s time to add a new service for the public. Women under the age of 42 will now be eligible for one round of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) therapy. The costly treatment greatly increases the chance that a woman with fertility issues becomes […]
Just click your heels together
In spite of all the rave reviews I’ve heard and read over the years, I have never been a fan of the movie The Wizard of Oz.Yeah, I know, I obviously don’t have good taste. Maybe I’m culturally deprived. I just don’t like the movie and I usually don’t give it much thought. I have […]
Autumn football nights
Ottawa REDBLACKS football fans have turned game days into real festivities. They arrive early to the game, and they are not shy about wearing team colours. There are several fine eateries near the stadium. Last Saturday night was a beautiful September evening, perfect for the REDBLACKS fans. Well, nearly perfect. The Toronto Argonauts took the […]
Italian inspiration
Although Italy has a history of sublime wines pre-dating the Roman Empire, it has also produced significant quantities of sub-par offerings that diminish their reputation. Much of this damage can be traced to a tradition of weak regulation. In the 1960s Italy introduced DOCG legislation in order to compete with French AOC law, which guaranteed […]
Das Scandal
The first car I drove required the athletic skills of a bobsled runner: it refused to start from a standing position. The second had a quaint habit of fading out on any road that was more than walking distance from a repair facility. And the third required the nerve of a Russian Roulette player: one […]
It’s apparent you’re a parent
Many of you will nod and smile at this, but just when you think your children have grown up enough to stop being a challenge, they throw a wrench into the works. If you’re a parent, you never stop being a parent. Why do we, as parents, forget this? Raise your hand if you’ve ever […]
Vote
There were lots of grumbles when the federal election was officially called, far in advance of the set date of October 19. But now we’re no longer that far away. October is upon us, and the ballot boxes will be open in less than three weeks. Some found the prospect of a long campaign tedious, […]
The 2015 Terry Fox Run
It was thirty-five years ago that hordes of people started participating in what is known as the Terry Fox Run. I was there on that occasion. In fact, I pushed a stroller around the course that day, and on several other runs. I have travelled the course with two dogs, and I remember dragging Loki, […]
A chronology of Chianti
Perhaps the most recognized Italian wine, Chianti has a fabulous back-story. Around 600 BC, vines were brought to the region from the Middle East, where the Etruscans (for whom Tuscany is named) soon became famous for their winemaking skills. The Italian peninsula would see the rise and fall of the Roman and Byzantine Empires— along […]
Silent sky
Travelling from urban to rural settings and back again on a semi-regular schedule these days, I have begun more than ever to appreciate the solitude of wide-open country. Tonight, shutting the ignition on my truck—a noisy diesel affair—after a four-hour drive from Ottawa, I stand under the night sky and take in the stillness of […]