Last week, I took a look at the interesting names given to children-assigned-female-at-birth, formerly known as girls. This week, let us peruse the 6,630 different boy names of 2023. The top 10 names are the same as last year, in a different order: Noah, Liam, Oliver, etc. The real fun is in going deep into… Continue reading Boy names for 2023, from Aabnay to Zyre
The baby girl’s name list 2023, from A to Zrylie
Every year, the government of Alberta does something that even Danielle Smith can’t ruin: the baby name list. I love this list, not only because it is vastly amusing and sometimes shocking, but because it makes for a really easy blog topic. It practically writes itself. The top baby names rarely change from year to… Continue reading The baby girl’s name list 2023, from A to Zrylie
Upcoming policies from future Alberta Prime Minster Danielle Smith
Premier Danielle Smith has announced changes to how Alberta educational institutions may accept research money from the federal government. “For too long, the Trudeau government has given research money based on left-wing, so-called ‘progressive’ ideology”, the premier said. “Only research designed to support Justin Trudeau’s view of the world is awarded grant money. Well, that… Continue reading Upcoming policies from future Alberta Prime Minster Danielle Smith
Saving the world one bag at a time
Before the federal government and The People’s Republic of Edmonton declared war on paper or plastic bags, stores would provide customers with bags, gratis, to tote away their purchases. Hey, it was the least they could do after we spent $200 on groceries. But now that bags are evil, we are required to bring our… Continue reading Saving the world one bag at a time
I am now a grandfather. Congratulate me.
As of March 15th at about 1:45p.m. – the Ides of March, whatever that means – I crossed the last threshold into senior citizenship. I am now a grandfather, and, by extension, I am now married to a grandmother. My youngest son, with a little help from his wife, increased the population of our already… Continue reading I am now a grandfather. Congratulate me.
Why Brian Mulroney looks so good today
Have I ever told you about the time I met Brian Mulroney? It was 1984, and Mulroney was running to replace the exhausted and deeply unpopular Pierre Trudeau/John Turner government. He stopped by Red Deer, and I decided to go see him. I stood in line just outside Red Deer Ciy Hall, and shook his… Continue reading Why Brian Mulroney looks so good today
In search of valuable cardboard
Hockey cards are having a moment, aren’t they? Recently, an entire carton of unopened 1979-80 hockey cards, found in a Saskatoon basement (could this story be any more Canadian?) sold for $5 million. There could be 20 Wayne Gretzky rookie cards in the box, potentially worth many millions. Last week, collectors lined up to buy… Continue reading In search of valuable cardboard
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 Everything Everywhere All At Once when I became hopelessly lost, intending to finish it later. Later has not arrived. And this year, I got about… Continue reading Oscar predictions from a guy who hasn’t seen most of the nominees
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 shouted. A strange question, in that she phoned me at my home. Then she asked me, in an even more panicky tone, where my wife/her… Continue reading You – yes, you – can be scammed
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 that can stop the rematch nobody wants between Joe Biden, 81, and Donald Trump, 77, is if one of them kicks the bucket, which, at… Continue reading The age-old question of … age