Columns

Milk-Crate Bandit – Music is Better Than Cars

When Ontario introduced an additional character to license plates, the new system incorporated a random, four-letter sequence at the start of the plates. During the process of programming a machine to select the sequences of letters to be used, somebody surely saw fit to include a statute that, should any colourful language arise from a… Read more »

Milk-Crate Bandit – My Trip to Japan

Japan is one of those places where anything goes, like public parks inside skyscrapers, used-underwear vending machines, second careers for failed North American bands, and ganguro troupes haunting the streets. The unabashed open-mindedness of the music scene in Japan breeds jealousy in the minds of small-town dwellers and city folk alike on this side of… Read more »

From Where I Sit – Any Trick Will Do

I’m not sure where You’re reading this. If You’re in north-central Alberta It’s been a long, painful climb to spring-like conditions. It’s hard to believe my May Day tree will actually bloom in May, given that it doesn’t even have leaves at this writing. We had a surprise snow dump of about 10 inches a… Read more »

From Where I Sit – Functional? Beautiful?

Have you caught the de-cluttering bug? The message of urging (and urgency) on television and in books and magazines is relentless. That message is at cross-purposes with the pressure to buy, buy, buy. we’re bombarded with the benefits of purging: breathing space; a calming, zen-like setting; simplicity. we’re shamed into it by the hectoring advice… Read more »