In praise of an aunt
      My mother's brother, my Uncle Dennis, joined the Canadian army early in the Second World War and was shipped out to Germany. He fell in love with the country/beer and, eventually, with a Germany lady, Ursula, who preferred to be called Ursel. She was tall and blond and buxom, a young man's dream come true.
More ...

Cut the clutter of commercials
      Although she will not be numbered among the film immortals, few of us will forget the recently late Bea Arthur, alias Maude Findlay and Dorothy Sbornak.
More ...

Development vs. Exploitation
      Quoting Yogi Bera, "It's deja vue all over again". As noted in a Globe and Mail article, "Land: Africa's last great treasure", this modern trend justifies the headline in the Globe, "The New Colonialism! Are we experiencing a modern form of exploitation or a breath of fresh air meeting society's direst needs?
More ...

What would his friend think of him now?
      As they say, people who live in tin houses shouldn't toss can openers. Which brings us to the recent epidemic of mammoth Tamil protests in Toronto. For decades, when their terrorist pals were either winning the war in Sri Lanka or holding their own - and practicing some of the vile terrorist tactics they invented, e.g.
More ...

Tamils latest in series protesting wars abroad
      Many who live in Ontario feel they owe their loyalty to countries thousands of miles away and they need to put Canada first. In the most recent example, thousands of ethnic Tamils blocked Toronto's main downtown street for five days, causing huge inconvenience, to focus attention on civil war in Sri Lanka, and 15 were arrested.
More ...

CPR ditched historic TG&B and Credit Valley railway names
Dipping Into the Past
      125 YEARS AGO Thursday, May 13, 1909 • In a general order issued by Manager Van Horne on the 1st inst., the Ontario & Quebec, Toronto, Grey & Bruce, and Credit Valley railways will henceforth be managed as part of the C.P.R. The old names of these railways will disappear, and they will now all be known as the Ontario Division of the C.P.R.
More ...

More than just fun to Jonah's story
      I've had Jonah on my mind lately. There's a good reason for that. A group of children at our church, with the dedicated help of a number of adults, is busy practicing a musical based on the story of Jonah and the whale. It's due to hit the stage, or more correctly, the chancel, one Sunday next month and it's a lot of fun.
More ...