Picture a Monarch butterfly: Orangy rust with those eye-like dots on the wings that leave fine dust in the hand. Up close it just looks like a beetle with a good tailor. Nobody gets excited (in a positive way) about roaches, but the Monarch! Without those wings, it would look as common as the Queen, minus the gloves, entourage, and attitude, at Loblaws. Ordinary. I was telling Jasper at bedtime tonight about how these butterflies fly from Canada to Mexico, and back, each year. Thumb and index fingers were wings showing the awkward fluttery dance. It’s tough to imagine, but these tiny creatures fly thousands of miles like this. Nobody…

Odd signs or just hypervigilance? Yesterday at a busy deli downtown, the cashier gave me my change and handed me an extra 75 cents by accident. He had closed the register drawer by then, so he just shrugged and said “close enough”. Last week I was getting a newspaper from a box by a bus stop. A woman in front of me slipped in her coins, took her paper, then turned to me with the news box door ajar and said “Go ahead. Take one”. Everyone knows when you put in your change you can take as many papers as you want, but nobody does, right? It occurred to me…

Recent studies have concluded that the Canada’s health care system needs an annual infusion of between three and five billion dollars to ensure universal, high-quality care. The debate is raging: Where to find this money? In a country as rich as Canada, the answer is simple: We can have the world’s best public health care system if it becomes a priority for the public. High-quality, universally accessible health care can be funded by redirecting existing resources. Consider the following simple calculation. Statistics Canada and Leger Marketing have recently reported that (in 2000) 58% Canadians used cell phones. If there is one phone for every two users, and the average monthly…

When is the right time to put up the Christmas tree? I’ve seen some up already, and I think it’s just wrong. The Christmas tree should not become as normal as furniture, and besides, what about those needles. Even with daily watering, the healthiest Nova Scotia spruce will be crapping all over the carpet by New Years. You’re sure to still be vacuuming that up in July. I’m a two-week tree guy. Up on the 15th, down by January 1. I commented to Suzy tonight that I like to have just a few holiday decorations still around to greet the new year because by then the relief from the Christmas…

I think Jane Siberry is depressed. Her concert at the National Arts Centre on Saturday night was flat — a lot of introspective monologue, tinkling piano, and little energy. “The … cocoon … is … white … (waving hands near head as if to discourage a persistent fly) … oh, yes … it is … “ What? She set the theme for the evening by recounting a lunch conversation between friends. “You sense it’s a bad time, and darker days are ahead, and yet you seek truth. Why are you there? Why can’t I see the mountains through you?” Geez. The room swayed with rolling eyes. I last saw Jane…

Factoid: The Midway Islands just are. Mid-way across the Pacific. No clowns or rides involved!

A long while ago I read a book that suggested taking in the view from the floor as a way to rejuvinate a positive outlook on life. I’m a firm believer in this. If you haven’t rolled across your kitchen floor sideways, for God’s sake do it! At the very least, it’s a good stretch and there’s always something interesting under the ‘fridge. Tonight’s roll revelations included the conclusion that my high-fibre cereal is not enough to compensate for a bad habit, and I really want to lose the 60’s hall light. Send me your ceiling photos!

I’ve lost 8lb since my trip to Jordan, mostly due to a nasty intestinal bug that had me bowing to the bowl at the ancient temples of Petra. I want that weight back; yet, talking about it does not inspire sympathy. Try these simple health calculators to see where you fit on several scales. See you at the gym!

Find out for yourself. An interesting collection of Kyoto Protocol information.

I’m pretty sure this site is about soy sauce. But the truth could be more subtle. What’s with the hanged cat?

Reader’s Digest contacted me today. I just found out that since they published my Special Feature, Legacy of Angus, in April, the article has been translated into 11 languages, published in tens of millions of copies. The story has appeared in Czech, Hungarian, Polish, German, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, Swiss German, and Belgian Dutch. Next month it will also be published in Finland. Suzy and I never dreamed that the story of our little lost son would reach so many people. The thought that Angus’ story may also help even one person, somewhere, makes his loss a little easier to bear. And we may also have a more direct way to…

Thank you, Francoise Ducros! The Prime Minister’s communications director showed yesterday that the PMO has its finger on the pulse of the nation, if not the world. If she’s fired for suggesting that the US President is a moron, we should riot in the streets. Recently in Amman, Jordan, a taxi driver warned me to stop talking about the US as we drove past the new US Embassy. “They can hear you.” Presumably, one would hate to be caught calling George Bush a name in the Middle East. Perhaps an unmanned CIA drone would fly in and blow up the car (as happened last month in Yemen). Since we’re in…

Who’s the twit that designed single-hull oil tankers? Picture the board meeting where that decision was made: “Yeah, an inch of steel between 100,000 tonnes of crude and the open sea should be fine. No worry about spills. It’s almost Christmas again. Today’s warm weather was a welcome reprieve for the folks who didn’t leave the lights attached to the eaves all summer. Yet, all down the street you could hear people taking the Lord’s name in vain while setting up plywood nativity scenes. Hmm. I’m getting a pickle for our tree this year.

Had a great chat with a Buddhist monk last week. On an impulse, I visited the temple just around the corner from my house. The building was festooned with colourful striped flags and Christmas lights, and was buzzing with people. I went in, just as the funeral was getting started. They made me sit at the front — two hours cross-legged on a thin cushion on the floor. I realized about half-way through just how far from enlightenment I am, all unstretched and achy. I need to do more sun salutations. After the service (which alternated between sermons in Sri Lankan and repetitive chanting) a thin monk in saffron robes…

Finally, driving across Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island could be exciting.