• Dirty dishes and a quest
    September 1, 2010
    Every parent anticipates that one day his or her child will grow up, leave the nest and make of a life of their own. There’s the expectation that...
  • Tortoises, tegus and pythons, oh my!
    August 18, 2010
    There I was, with a 14-foot albino Burmese python named Marshmallow around my neck. I could have been regretting my decision, but in reality, I...
  • When life hands you lemons...
    August 11, 2010
    Cute kids have been hawking wares for corporations ever since the advent of the idiot box, and in print long before that. Those old enough to...
  • We're all guilty of short-term horizons
    August 4, 2010
    Being an optimist by nature, there's a danger in believing that silver linings can be found everywhere in the narrative of our collective stories. ...
  • Property rights gone wrong
    July 28, 2010
    There’s something beautifully simple about hot dog-eating competitions. The winner simply has to eat more dogs than his competitors for Major...
  • You, me and the billions more to come
    July 21, 2010
    The theme of this year’s World Population Day, which was recognized on July 11, was Everyone Counts. And apart from some quibbling over the life...
  • Artificial environments, heat waves and blackouts
    July 14, 2010
    Last week’s scorching temperatures may have solidified our love-hate relationship with Canadian weather. We lament the cold, long-drawn-out...
  • Boating pollution rivals big oil spills
    July 7, 2010
    When it comes to painting everyone with the same brush, it’s sometimes hard to see things objectively. So, when a motorboat speeds into a...
  • Public education grows about dangers of Lyme disease
    June 29, 2010
    Strolls off the beaten path always capture an adventure seeker’s sense of well, adventure. However, trailblazers are often at the mercy of...
  • Pain and suffering in the World Cup’s shadow
    June 24, 2010
    Golden medals have given way to golden goals, as the attention of the international sporting world turns from the Vancouver Olympics to the planet’s...