2010 in review
The year is almost finished The Christmas bells will chime Let’s mosey ’round the year that’s past And put our thoughts to rhyme Six horses in the race for mayor For five it would be curtains And who should canter into first But our own Peter Mertens In the cutthroat world of donuts He played […]
Ultimate fighting
Just plain wrong Last weekend patrons filled the Bell Centre in Montreal to watch the latest Canadian chapter in the ultimate fighting experience. It was entitled UFC 124, indicating that one of the sponsoring organizations had promoted one hundred and twenty-three previous experiences. For a certain segment of society, these are cool events. There is […]
The list
I guess lots of folks are busy getting every little thing ready for the holidays and I’m sure, in the back of your minds, the Christmas gift list is slowly being replaced by the resolutions for the New Year list. Me, too. I try not to think about “A New Year, a New You,” but […]
Aaah, Christmas cookies…
Let’s examine the subject of wine as a commodity. In the early Neolithic centers the wine producers would transport wine to the markets in reed boats covered by animal hides, down the river. Accompanying the precious cargo of wine would be a donkey, to carry their exchange goods home, as the reed boats were unable […]
Goodbye to the Grand Old Girl
DukeDome closes It is never easy to say goodbye. But like an old pair of sneakers, the Wellington and District Community Centre on Niles Street is tired, and weary, and the time has come to bid farewell. That occasion will be this coming Friday night for the Wellington Dukes. They will take the ice at […]
Yes, Virginia
December. It’s here. It’s cold outside. The snow decided to tough it out. The parades are done and the lists are made and the parking lots at the shopping centres are full. The Sally Ann bells are ringing (maybe even at the Eaton Centre) and the CAS Angels are on the tree. The Food Bank […]
Round ball notes
A look around the NBA in December Despite the fact that I have not poured a lot of ink into basketball columns this year, that does not mean that I have ignored the game. As a sports fan, that would be difficult to do. The news stream coming out of Miami in the last few […]
A piece of cake
After writing on the world pecan shortage, I feel more than qualified to suggest how the Irish debt crisis might be attacked. Now I grant you that paying off the EU and IMF the more than $100 billion they are putting into Ireland is a tall order. But heck, we’ve got to start somewhere. My […]
Christmas for Mom and Dad
A Hallmark Christmas! When I was a kid, I know my parents envisioned a family Christmas of greeting card proportions. Snow on the ground, beautifully wrapped gifts under the perfectly decorated tree, every cookie on the plate would have been baked and decorated to perfection and all of us kids looking spic and span like […]
Chilly scenes of winter
The road to the Grey Cup Last Sunday’s semi-final between the Saskatchewan Rough Riders and the Calgary Stampeders was played on the frozen tundra of Alberta, in the meanest weather conditions. At times, the mercury was registered at minus 20 degrees, give or take a few degrees with the wind-chill factor. Now we have not […]