I recently read that there are more wall-type barriers in the world than before the end of World War II. Whether true or not is debatable. However, there is food for thought. What can I learn from these physical walls, and how can I apply that learning to myself? When governments at any level erect…

I was watching yesterday’s news conference led by the premier of my province. In a very brief summary, we are reinstating many restrictions we are already familiar with but with one significant difference, the inclusion of a Vaccine Passport. Oops, my mistake. Let’s call it a ‘Proof of Vaccination Certificate.’ I’m deliberately going to stay…

I recently watched an episode of The Good Doctor. The main character, Shaun Murphy, has autism and speaks honestly and without a filter. He posed a question to the surgical team. If humans lived for 1,000 years, should the marriage vows still mean “till death do us part?” We struggle with a 50% divorce rate…

I know this title is already tagged to Marshall McLuhan, but I discovered a modern application. In my youth, pictures were black and white. The film, remember that, was mailed away to Toronto for developing and printing. No refunds for blurred images or folks who blinked as the shutter clicked. Poor pictures were costly. I…

I have been very fortunate to have travelled from my home in North America to many countries in western and eastern Europe. I try to honour my privilege by ultimately appreciating the gumption of the people of the countries I visited. Grit and determination abound. Each country has its own biography from different points of…

I was quick to register for the one million dollar lottery prize for having a single, then a double dose of the vaccine. Then I began to hear a different side of the discussion. A viewpoint said these lotteries were not good as they devalued the higher purpose of civil responsibility to help others. This…

I was at home, minding my own business when my phone rang. “Hello. Hello. HELLO” No response, but I could hear voices in the background. Finally, I hear a hesitant “Hello” back. A familiar voice but one I hadn’t heard for quite a while. “Hi, Tom. Long time, no talk!” Yup, Tom had butt dialled…

I remember many years ago hearing about the “new age” we were entering. The Industrial Age was long gone. We were at the beginning of the Information Age. At the time, I could sort of accept that. Later, I read that people would actually pay to get information. What nonsense! Libraries were free. We seemed…

I know that Heritage Day or its equivalent is coming in early in August for many locations. It’s a time to celebrate who we are; our culture, food, sports, dance, music and more. What a vibrant diversity of sights, sounds and tastes! If I could place one object in a museum to help future generations…

I will be different, or at least I hope so. I think it will be impossible to go back to the old normal. Almost without exception, we have suffered losses; jobs, income, relationships, loved ones, health, naivety, and a lot of ignorance. I highlight the trend during the pandemic for issues to be seen as…