Put on your big boy pants
As I’ve written before, sometimes a column is difficult to put together. This week’s is one of those columns. Mostly I try not to step too deeply into politics, but it’s all politics, isn’t it? Everything has a political side and today I’m trekking down the road I’ve avoided in the past. War. Armed conflict. […]
Just gin and bear it
Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius is considered the first to distill gin in the early 17th century. This tasty spirit—as most early distillations—was primarily created for medicinal value, as a beverage infused with botanicals. In fact, it’s name derives from the Dutch word “jenever” which translated to English indicates its prime flavouring of juniper berries. It […]
50 years of kitten’y softness
My editor was expecting that this week I would weigh in with a piece about the size of council, and make some acerbic comments about which councillors would ‘drink the hemlock’ in order to conform with the wishes of the Citizens’ Assembly. But that’s for another time. Today’s column is all about toilet paper. And […]
What’s green and pushes itself to the curb?
Okay. Okay. You’re going to laugh, so have your laugh right now. Go on. Yuck it up. I’ve got a problem. Ya, I know I’ve got more than one problem, but this particular problem is green and my problem is a bin. I fell for the green bin hyperbole. I crawled all over the idea […]
On the last night of August
The Carrying Place bridge swings closed; a final rotation on this hot August day. Downbound in the Murray Canal the sail vessel ‘Sally’ courses out toward Indian Island and a blue moon rising. Night falls and the crickets begin their chant. At North Beach provincial park the neon sundown is swallowed by Weller’s Bay; the […]
The Wildfire Invitational 2013
Several weeks ago, I shared a note with you about a young South African who was wending his way across North America as a touring golf professional. Andrew Georgiou had earned a ticket to the Canadian Open and was moving on to the Canadian PGA circuit. Last weekend, he and his fellow professionals played in […]
Knocked back on the heels
I recently read about the national drink of Turkey called “Arak” also known as “Raki” (not to be confused with Aragh, a version of vodka that is common to Georgia, Armenia, and Iran). Well known throughout the Middle East, this alcoholic beverage is distilled from grapes, botanicals and aniseed, which gives a distinctive flavor that […]
Has it come to this?
As a former lawyer, I think I am entitled to ask the question: has it come to this? According to a notice published in the paper on August 9, the “Crayola 2011 Washable Coloured Bubbles Class Action Settlement” has been reached. A court hearing will shortly be held to approve it. This follows an earlier […]
Lost generation
The Lost Generation. They are underemployed. They are overeducated. They are products of a post-secondary educational system that is fragmented and in business to make money. The Lost have a huge financial investment in a future that may never be theirs. They are in debt and many will spend years trying to land a job […]
The thing about corn
Navaho…Charisma…Accord… Jackie…now here’s one new to me…King Arthur…mmm…wonder what it looks…? “The way to do it is to gently pull back the blanket at the top and have a peek inside and then put it back to bed,” a voice beside me says. It’s Sandra Roebuck. She works here and is re-stocking the bins of […]