Columnists

The new logo— stage two

Posted: July 25, 2014 at 8:55 am   /   Columnists

Now that the County has settled on a new logo, stage two of the branding exercise can begin in earnest— unless, that is, the Fruit of the Loom underwear people seek an injunction to prevent it. Stage two, of course, is the introduction of County-branded products. Barring legal catastrophe, we will soon be inundated with […]

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Triple size this

Posted: July 25, 2014 at 8:53 am   /   Columnists

Size 000 at J. Crew. I wondered what the fuss was. A lot of head and media space has been taken up with the kerfuffle about size triple zero. Seemed like someone was making a molehill out of a mountain, or vice versa. As you know—or maybe you didn’t know—I’m no retail clothing expert, but […]

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Ready for some RedBlacks Football?

Posted: July 18, 2014 at 9:22 am   /   Columnists

There will be excitement in Ottawa this coming Friday night. For the first time in several years, there will be professional football in our capital city. The Ottawa RedBlacks will take the field at 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, to play the Toronto Argonauts. It is actually the team’s fifth game and the third in […]

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Super summer sippers

Posted: July 18, 2014 at 9:20 am   /   Columnists

The process of leaving the wine in contact with the lees has a long history in wine making. Cato the Elder records its use in the Roman region of Campania as far back as the second century B.C. This is the same area that would see Pompeii and Herculaneum destroyed by the eruption of Mt.Vesuvius […]

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The skyward solution

Posted: July 18, 2014 at 9:09 am   /   Columnists

Congestion. It’s the number one issue in the Toronto municipal election, where the candidates—when not in drunken stupors—are beating one another’s brains out over whether the solution is more subways or rapid transit. A recent column (June 18) noted the advent of the driverless car as a potential solution. But others are looking skyward for […]

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Road trip

Posted: July 18, 2014 at 9:07 am   /   Columnists

The nice thing about writing a column for a paper is getting to chew on a topic once or twice. It works for me. Since it’s half-past July already, I’m here to ask you to raise your hand if you’ve visited all of our local community museums. I’m thinking a road trip is in order. […]

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World Cup of Soccer

Posted: July 11, 2014 at 9:07 am   /   Columnists

On Sunday, the World Cup of Soccer final game will take place in Brazil, at 3 p.m. eastern time. The third-place game, as it is called, takes place on Saturday, at 4 p.m. At press time, three countries remain in the hunt for supremacy in the soccer world: the Netherlands, Argentina and Germany. They have […]

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Of vultures and the aesthetic of July

Posted: July 11, 2014 at 9:04 am   /   Columnists

A rattle-sound from my bike is about all that seems to ground me as I travel the rugged quiet of Closson Road. Red-winged blackbirds and four cranky crows tell of news—something maybe I oughta know? Something in the back-fields? Deer maybe, a fox? The man on the bike with the noisy fender? The sky at […]

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Passion and pride

Posted: July 11, 2014 at 9:02 am   /   Columnists

In the course of your tasting room visits you have probably heard of wines—in most cases chardonnay—undergoing malolactic fermentation. This week, I will attempt to define this process and its impact on wine. Malolactic fermentation occurs after primary fermentation. Malic acids—the tart acids found in Granny Smith apples—convert to lactic acids (found in buttermilk, butter, […]

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The silent woodwhistle

Posted: July 11, 2014 at 8:54 am   /   Columnists

“Chuck Tangello here for the new Silent Woodwhistle. Ever tried blowing a dog whistle and having every dog in the neighbourhood start yapping?” Cue scene with completely hapless couple blowing whistles, turning red in the face and being set upon by mob of angry dogs.) Chuck Tangello, Chuck Tangello; where have I heard that name […]

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