I went to an afternoon concert recently—a tribute to Gordon Lightfoot. About 70 people attended in a small venue. The lead of the trio was Benjamin Williams. I first saw him when he was 15 years old, busking on the street corners of Edmonton. He sounded good back then, and it was fun to hear…

I love the social custom of clinking glasses or beer bottles. Cheers! My wife and I clink our glasses when we first drink together, even if it’s just water. Somehow, it connects us more. During some of my ‘time-well-wasted,’ I came across the latest advances in seawater desalination. The future looks very hopeful. Over the…

I have seen a lot of sexual assault cases being covered in the news. Some cases are related to domestic violence, attacks by strangers, or power differentials, to name just a few. I came across the research of a PhD student of history at Memorial University in Newfoundland. Here is a summary of her findings…

I like a good Scotch more than the next guy. Or so I’d like to think. I have an extensive collection of Scotch bottles from around the world. I use the term Scotch loosely. Scotch is legally and narrowly defined as Scotch from Scotland, made to exacting standards. I won’t say how many bottles I…

I have been bothered by the remarks of a prominent American leader in the health field. For purposes of this Blog, I don’t need to name him. He has dehumanized all people with a diagnosis of autism. It would be as accurate as describing all those adults under 5 feet as not only short, but…

I know, borrrrrring! Couldn’t I do better than this? Yes and No. Many societies and non-profit groups hold their Annual General Meetings, or AGMs, at this time of year, which is a legal requirement. In brief, this is what happens at an AGM. The Agenda is distributed, and the first item of business is the…

I finally had my turn to name our cat. I chose to call her ‘Ghlarn.” It is an acronym for my words of faith: Gratitude, Hope, Love, Attitude, Respect, and Nature. Those 5 words are ‘enuf.’ The English language has many words with silent letters or combinations of letters that should sound the same but…

I often smile or laugh out loud when I hear this expression. But things are different this time. With the recent release of the final reports, a telescope in South America ended its useful life in 2022. The telescope originated in Vancouver—yes, Vancouver—where this 6-meter telescope was assembled for its trial run before being reassembled…

I heard of life slowing down in moments of great stress. I recently experienced this phenomenon. I was driving to a frequent Friday night Folk Music Club with my wife, where about 450 of my closest friends gathered to visit and enjoy great music. When we arrived at a T intersection, I wasn’t more than…

I had a mantra when I was “Movin’ On” from paid employment: I wanted to be much more technologically competent and confident. I’ve worked hard at that. Not all technology is my friend, though. I need to see a significant benefit before I delve into the electronic abyss. I recently had an experience I didn’t…