These days it’s not just parents who are sleep-deprived- kids feel it, too. We recognize the signs of tired children- they are grumpy, sluggish and impulsive. But research tells us that the consequences of inadequate sleep are much more serious than bad moods. Poor sleep is associated with suicide risk,… Continue reading
This weekend, I returned to Fleming College for a visit to the Garden Show. Some things had changed since my retirement four years ago, including a brand new wing. I remember faculty often complaining that the college always had money for buildings, but not so for core academic expenditures-… Continue reading
“To the thief who took my anti-depressants – I hope you’re happy.” Just kidding — who can’t help but smile as new evidence arrives each day that this brutal winter is finally going to end? It’s important to appreciate the things that are disappearing–the old arena, for example, but change… Continue reading
Remember the bumper stickers saying “If you like to eat, thank a farmer”? How about this version: “If you like the local paper, thank the advertisers”? Publishing this newspaper takes a lot of work and yes, money. Much of the “work” is fun – how can you not smile when… Continue reading
Budget time is when elected representatives feel the pressure of reconciling the public wants against the fiscal realities. Very few funding requests they receive are fundamentally unreasonable; but when put into the context of financial reality, the demands conflict, making some decisions feel arbitrary. Cavan Monaghan Council members received some… Continue reading
Last month, McMaster University published the results of a research study that concluded that your postal code affected your ability to make healthy choices. That someone actually funded such a study is mind-boggling. Of course where we live affects our health. When we choose our home, we make choices; we… Continue reading
Last week the Federal Finance Minister told us things were pretty rosy in the Canadian economy, but actions speak louder than words. A healthy economy doesn’t need propping up, yet his fiscal update projected deficit spending as far as the eye could see. I’m not sure just where the… Continue reading
Standing in the wind and cold through many past Remembrance Day events has felt like an appropriate discomfort to face to acknowledge the many trials that former and current members of our Armed Forces have undergone on our behalf. Whether you attend a Remembrance Day service or take a quiet… Continue reading
The good news and bad news in a democracy is that every vote counts, so ones cast by informed and thoughtful voters carry no more weight than those selected by those who throw the proverbial dart. Perhaps voters will be less cavalier in their candidate selection these days given how… Continue reading
