The forced march
The old era is just about over—the era of creating, storing and regurgitating hundreds of different passwords—to be succeeded by the new biometric era. According to the New York Times, most major banks in the U.S. are implementing systems that will allow for recognition of voice, eyes, facial contours or fingerprints as a password substitute […]
Strong women
I’ve never been one to follow professional sports too closely, and the nationalism and politics of the Olympic Games has always felt a little too forced for me. Generally, I’m the type to dread the biennial two-week stretch when the news is overtaken by dramatic stories from the lives of extraordinary people. This year, in […]
Water, water…
This week, I will not mention Donald Trump. Nope. This column is dedicated to all those people who just don’t understand the importance of conserving water and the significance of the current County-wide drought. It’s also for the people who do understand and don’t know how to have a good time conserving. This column is […]
Knee high
Within arm’s length from where I sit, I study a wasp as it lands on the edge of a birdbath. The wasp is soon joined by a second one; a cicada sings from the prairie grasses beyond. The rust-coloured leaves from the three-storey poplar trees blanket the driveway, autumn-like. Stress has driven the poplars to […]
Round table
In 2011, I visited Wellington, dressed in my best and ready for an interview with Rick Conroy—editor of this paper—for a four-week internship. After that interview, I took myself out for breakfast at the Wellington Grill, where a group of locals sat around a table, discussing everything from the local gossip to the troubles of […]
Bright prospects
I’ve long been intrigued by those “wine stores” usually found at the supermarket exit. How are they able to sell wine outside the premises of an LCBO? Very little detail was available on the subject until I was guided to an in-depth article written by Toronto Star reporter Martin Regg Cohn in March of 2015. […]
Three disappointments
It’s been a week filled with disappointments, so the least I can do is to share them with you. They came in the form of Thomas the Tank Engine, dental floss and Hank Williams. Thomas the Tank Engine first. I grew up in England during the last years of the steamtrain era. My grandparents lived […]
Make museums great again
I will not talk about Donald Trump. I will not talk about Donald Trump. I will not. How about those County Museums, folks? Have you hugged one of our museums recently? We’ve got five sites! Something for everyone. I know many of y’all have never been to any of the County Museums. I know it. […]
RedBlacks Football
The Canadian Football League recently announced that the 2017 Grey Cup game will be played in Ottawa. The game usually takes place in late November. If you plan to attend, I recommend that you bundle up. But if you want a truly spectacular professional football experience, I suggest that you head up to Ottawa for […]
Celebration
I hold back speed-wise as I navigate the busy streets of Ottawa. The thermometer is up there and drivers are impatient but with my trunk lid open, I’m careful. Somehow, this last-minute grocery run has to work, and the fact that dad’s wheelchair— the non-portable one that is now hanging out of the trunk of […]