Today is Family Day, an Ontario holiday. It’s also observed in Saskatchewan and Alberta. But because it’s a provincial holiday and broadcasting is a federally regulated industry, it’s not a day off for us unless we have booked it as a regular holiday day. …
Family Day, But Not For All Read More »
Have you ever wondered who is at the other end of spam emails, and what they do when they get a sucker on the hook? British writer and comedian James Veitch did. …
Prior to and during the holidays we are deluged with anti-drinking and driving messages. This year, one stuck out and became a bit of a hit on Twitter, at least in the London area. …
A Spoonful of Sugar Read More »
For the past few years, I’ve set out our leg lamp inspired by the movie, A Christmas Story, on a table in front of our livingroom window. Outside of the holidays, the lamp lives in our guest bedroom, where it provides illumination of the dresser top. This year I decided it would stay there. …
Merry Custom Christmas Read More »
We are, for the most part, a tolerant society. We are generally accepting of those with lifestyles that are different from ours. We don’t have to empathize with it and we likely never will but we can accept that transgendered people, for example, feel trapped in the wrong bodies. But what a Toronto man has done is pretty difficult to accept even for people with the most liberal viewpoints. …
Where’s The Line? Read More »
A tireless woman I know named Mandi was touring the London Food Bank a few years ago and noticed that in addition to all of the toiletries available, there were no feminine protection items. She decided to do something about it and Tampon Tuesday was born. …
IKEA has finally come to London. Praise be to the gods of the Allan key and the foil-finished wood products. …
A guy in the US placed a Craigslist ad before US Thanksgiving and offered his services as a date to family dinner. The twist? In exchange for the free meal, he would intentionally ruin the day. …
Best Worst Date Ever Read More »
A pal who was downsized from her radio job is looking for work. She’s casting a wide net, because broadcasting is getting smaller all the time. So wasn’t she surprised to get a job offer via email, having never interviewed for the position. …
Old Game, New Players Read More »
The medical specialist I’ve known for more than two decades, who performed three surgeries on me over the years, is under review by the College of Physicians and Surgeons. His right to practise is at stake. A journalist friend who has worked for some of the biggest publications in the country is routinely forced to defend his judgment in front of a review panel. What do they have in common? They both teach at universities.  …
What can someone halfway around the world do about a senseless mass murder overseas? Nothing, really. And that’s what’s so damn frustrating. …
The title of this post is how much an Oregon woman is owed, in my opinion, after a slot machine malfunctioned and she thought she had won $8.5-million. …
Derek’s Dad was just 21 in 1943 when he answered the call to fight in WWII.Â
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Remembrance Day, 2015 Read More »
I was living in Burlington when a story came out about the toxicity of a chemical used in hair dye. A study showed that whatever it was, was leaching into the scalp and possibly causing harm. Grey-haired women of a certain age let out a silent scream and ran to health food stores, looking for natural alternatives. …
When you run your own small business, you’re sometimes asked to work for free. Musicians say it happens to them all the time. I’m not sure if it’s as much of a problem if you’re in the trades. I don’t see how someone can possibly think you’ll replace a toilet or wiring or put up drywall for free. But maybe they try. …
The Value of Work Read More »
A study claims first-born children are smarter than their younger siblings. According to the research, in a family of ten children, the first one would be smart and by the time you get to number ten, they’re basically a turnip. …
When I read the story last weekend that TD Canada Trust was letting hundreds of people go to reduce costs, I saw red. …
