There are aspects of Canadian democracy that baffle outsiders. Independence referenda probably top the list. Twice residents of Quebec have been asked whether they want the province to become an independent country. Twice the voters have chosen to stay, through in 1995 it was a pretty narrow margin. Next month voters in Alberta will go […]
I went to see Switchfoot Friday night at Ottawa’s Cityfolk festival. I was struck by the lasting power of their lyrics and the band’s ability to speak hope into a hurting world. I’m not sure how many times I have seen Switchfoot since they first began their rise at the tail end of the last […]
Apparently Canada is not allowed to make an agreement with the European Union to have closer ties. Donald Trump will not permit it. trump says such a deal would be “laughable. But he doesn’t appear to be laughing. Such an agreement, he said, would be a “hostile act.” If it comes to pass, Trump says […]
Canada is on track to become an associate member of the European Union. Which sounds good, except for the fact that nobody knows what that means. To state the obvious, Canada is not part of Europe. Joining together with the 27 EU countries might raise a few challenges. Someone is bound to object. After all, […]
I was thinking of collecting the best humor online about the Canada-US trade war, the tariffs leveled by the USA ,and the Canadian retaliation. Problem was, I couldn’t find anything really funny to share. Still, there were a few images I found mildly amusing. I am sharing them today, trying to add some levity to […]
“The only control or ‘guardrails’ that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!” – U.S. President Donald J. Trump, writing on Truth Social. Somewhere an AI model is laughing, or doing whatever the machine equivalent is. Maybe they all are.
You don’t expect spiritual truths from the daily comic strips in the newspaper. But this one yesterday, from the Pickles strip spoke to me with its understanding of God, humans and the relationship between us. He likes it when all we want to do is say hi, and maybe get caught up with each other.
Today would have been my mother’s 98th birthday. Given that she died in 2019, it seems a little strange to be commemorating it. You don’t have a birthday party without the guest of honor. Except, as humans we have an awareness of time (and mortality) that the rest of creation does not. Why else do […]
With all the turmoil in the world, I thought perhaps revisiting a place of peace might be nice for all of us on this Sunday. This post first ran in 2015, and I have repeated it a couple of times since. Anything free when you are traveling is a good thing, given that travel can […]
In a democracy it is illegal to offer cash to someone to buy their vote. That is probably also true in the pseudo democracy called the United States of America. Of course, the law doesn’t always apply when it it the government offering the bribe. Canadians are used to new government programs, including some with […]
random thoughts from lorne 
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