Oscar predictions from a guy who hasn’t seen most of the nominees
If Barbie wins the best picture Oscar on Monday, it will mark two years in a row that I didn’t finish the best picture winner. I stopped watching last year’s…
Maurice Tougas
You – yes, you – can be scammed
One day last week, I got a phone call from my mother-in-law. I know this sounds like the set-up for a joke, but it isn’t. “Where are you?” she practically…
The age-old question of … age
One of the biggest issues in the U.S. election isn’t the economy, or the border (southern, not northern), or various worldwide conflicts. It’s age. Specifically, old age. The only thing…
Skip Valentine’s Day, save the world
How much have you, or are you, spending on Valentine’s Day? If the Retail Council of Canada can be trusted (have they ever lied to us before?), the answer is,…
When The Beatles conquered America (and me)
I am reading a called ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’ a history of pop music. Naturally, there was a chapter on The Beatles and their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show,…
Tim Hortons has become the ultimate symbol of Canada
Canada is not a great country for symbols. Sure, there’s the maple leaf, but how many times do you actually see a maple leaf tree in Western Canada? There’s the…
Whither the Alberta NDP?
During the provincial election of 2015, Rachel Notley was everywhere. Literally. The party – which, going into the election, had just four seats – was desperate. Their candidates were so…
My 2023 books worth reading (and one to avoid)
Happy New Year, readers. And since you are readers, I thought I would give you the New Year’s gift of a list of my favourite books of 2023. (You will…
The goodbye list of 2023
Welcome again to my annual list of the famous and infamous who left this mortal coil in 2023. In this list you will find famous names, people you thought were…
All I want for Christmas is …
“What do you want for Christmas?” I’ve heard those six words dozens of times since I was a child. As a kid, it was an invitation to go crazy. The…
Your must not see films of 2023
As a lifelong fan and even, dare I say, a student of movies, at this time of year I like to peruse the ‘best of’ lists from movie critics, looking…
Wait a second before you toss your cookies
In preparation for the inevitable snowfall, I was attempting to get my snow tires put on my car last week. I went to one of those drive-thru lube places, which…
In the land where money has no value
Wouldn’t you like to live in a world where money has no value? Where you could spend any amount of money on anything you like? And I don’t mean Taylor…
I want my Goodies
Canada’s population has been growing at an unprecedented rate – more than one million people in 2022, making it the fastest-growing country in the G7. But if we’re so hot,…
Hey, Danielle! Keep your hands off my pension
When the news broke about Danielle Smith’s scheme for an Alberta pension plan, an old expression came to mind – if it ain’t broke, don’t fit it. Admittedly, the English…
Grandfatherhood: The final frontier
So, I’ve got big news. I think. I’m going to be a grandfather for the first time. Congratulations, people tell me. Um, sure, I say. Don’t get me wrong. I…
The year the musicians died
I worry about Willie Nelson. The Red-Headed Stranger turned 90 this year, so clearly he won’t be on the road again much longer. But I’m especially worried about Willie, one…
A city guy goes to the farm
As a child in the city, my knowledge of farm life was limited to what I saw on Green Acres (which was, for younger readers, a TV show about a…
Clash of the holidays
So, what costume are you wearing for Halloween? Are you giving out mini-chocolate bars, or Twizzlers? Oh, wait. Sorry, seems I’ve jumped the gun. Based on what I’ve seen in…
This is perfect, thank you so much … not
The other day, while on an extended old-man rant about words and phrases that irk me, my son asked why I let such trivial things bother me. There’s nothing you…