I took some heat from fellow BJs – Broadcast Journalists – last week for a tweet I put out after Kathleen Wynne held a news conference to announce the changes to minimum wage.  You’re likely aware that minimum wage has been frozen at $10.25 since 2010 and it will go up in June to$11/hr. The province will also table a bill to tie future increases to inflation. …
The Issue at Hand Read More »
Fascinating news came out of Western University late last week. A PhD student there was honoured by NASA with a prestigious award because of his work operating the Mars rover Curiosity from his lab at the school. …
Real-Life Howard Wolowitz in London Read More »
They mean well, they really do, but celebrities aren’t always the best ad-libbers. This week a couple that offered some hyperbole with a capital HYPER caught my attention. And so I randt. …
Brandt’s Randt – Smart People Saying Dumb Things Read More »
NOTE: I have learned that this is a hoax. Or at least, it started that way. It was meant to inspire exactly the kind of discussion I’ve started here. So life imitates art. Read on: Perhaps you’ve heard of the thigh gap. It’s the determination to be so thin that your thighs don’t rub together. It’s ridiculous and in many cases, unsafe to pursue this stupid fad. But that’s not stopping some teen girls from making it their goal. And it gets even better. Or in this case, worse. …
Blow up That Bridge Read More »
Late last year the Ontario Nurses Association started a campaign against health care facilities forcing them to get the flu shot. This is a problem on several levels. …
Time Magazine named Pope Francis its Person of the Year for 2013 and it was a richly deserved distinction. I’m not Catholic and I’m not likely to praise anyone who’s steeped in religious dogma but this man is more than just a Pope. He’s a humanitarian in a true sense of the word. Â …
A Pope for All of the People Read More »
You have to be from Mars to have escaped hearing about a boy group called One Direction.  They’re the biggest thing since whoever was the biggest thing since the Backstreet Boys. …
Unexpected Direction Read More »
Admittedly, I’m a sucker for dishy, insider stories from those who have made their living in some form of popular entertainment. …
Review: My Mother was Nuts by Penny Marshall Read More »
That was the title of a song I first heard when I began working at Sam the Record Man in downtown London in 1984. Â …
Free Nelson Mandela Read More »
Like everyone, I was shocked and saddened by the death of actor Paul Walker on the weekend. He was just 40.  He was killed in a car crash after leaving a charity event he had organized to raise money for Philippine typhoon relief. …
One of my favourite actors is one of my least favourite people. Does that make sense? …
Brandt’s Randt – Advice for Alec Baldwin Read More »
As a fan of the genre I thought it was well past time to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. …
It’s True – Cleveland Does Rock Read More »
We’ve been playing this little ditty since Tim Hortons announced that London would be its Canadian test market for dark roast coffee. We also tested sandwiches, donuts and other items for the chain. In fact London is so typical that our city is used to test all sorts of new products. Â …
Tribute to Lou and to Tim Read More »
My former boss, Gary Slaight, and his family made a very significant donation yesterday that will benefit us all. …
A Wealthy, Healthy Turn Read More »
Russell Brand is very funny. He’s also a bit of an idiot, a former drug addict, ex-husband of Katy Perry and hard to take seriously for long stretches of time. …
A Brilliant Perspective from an Unlikely Source Read More »
Sometimes it doesn’t matter whether something is right or wrong, it’s just how it looks. This week the Ontario Ombudsman ruled that London city council was in the wrong, though, when 7 of them met for lunch in a back room of a restaurant prior to a budget vote. …
Brandt’s Randt – It’s About The Optics Read More »
The Grand Theatre’s new season has opened with a strum and a twang in homage to the music of Johnny Cash. …
Review: Ring of Fire (The Music of Johnny Cash) Read More »