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Buckle Up!
By Jonathan van Bilsen Many of you may have recently heard about the devastating turbulence encountered, on a flight from London to...
Jonathan van Bilsen
Jun 19, 20242 min read
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Centre of attention
DAN CEARNS The Standard After another season of disappointing results for the Toronto Maple Leafs, all eyes are on what this team will do...
Dan Cearns
Jun 13, 20242 min read
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6 comments


Who doesn't love fireflies?
by Geoffrey Carpentier I’ve noted, of late, a number of posts in some local Facebook groups expressing how happy folks are to see...
darryl knight
Jun 13, 20243 min read
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7 comments


Nickel and Diming to death
by Jonathan van Bilsen Last week I flew back to Toronto, from a few weeks of fun and travel in Europe. The trip and everything associated...
Jonathan van Bilsen
Jun 13, 20242 min read
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Does this float your boat?
By Jonathan van Bilsen Under the expansive blue sky, at the historic Harland & Wolff shipyard, in Northern Ireland, where the Titanic was...
Jonathan van Bilsen
Jun 6, 20242 min read
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In nature
DAN CEARNS The Standard Recent information is backing up what I’ve written about before in this column, getting out in nature has immense...
Dan Cearns
May 29, 20242 min read
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Walk Softly – Should I mow my lawn?
by Geoffrey Carpentier People spend a lot of time and money trying to keep their lawns perfectly weed-free. I could not determine how...
Geoff Carpentier
May 29, 20243 min read
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5 comments


Did you know...
Did you know, the clear liquid found inside young coconuts has a surprising application? It can serve as a substitute for blood plasma,...
Jonathan van Bilsen
May 29, 20242 min read
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6 comments


Hot off the press
by Jonathan van Bilsen It is, once again, time to look at the etymology of phrases. Ever wonder where some of our frequently used sayings...
Jonathan van Bilsen
May 22, 20242 min read
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Walk Softly – What? I can't hear you!
by Geoffrey Carpentier One of the greatest challenges we face as we grow older is that our balance changes, our eyesight diminishes, and...
Geoff Carpentier
May 22, 20243 min read
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Hello Dolly
by Jonathan van Bilsen In the very early nineties, I had an opportunity to emcee an event in Orlando, Florida. I introduced the...
Jonathan van Bilsen
May 14, 20242 min read
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Make changes
DAN CEARNS The Standard Unfortunately, we’ve come to the end of another Toronto Maple Leafs season, recently, with yet another early...
Dan Cearns
May 14, 20242 min read
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5 comments


An Elephant Never Forgets
by Jonathan van Bilsen One of my favourite animals on the planet are elephants. I respect their intellect, cherish their family values...
Jonathan van Bilsen
May 8, 20242 min read
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Planes, Trains and Automobiles
by Jonathan van Bilsen Many people, including those I know and many I do not, worry about what is going to happen to our environment in...
Jonathan van Bilsen
May 1, 20242 min read
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A true legend
DAN CEARNS The Standard The Canadian sports landscape lost a true legend, this past week, when hockey announcer Bob Cole passed away, at...
Dan Cearns
May 1, 20242 min read
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How do I look?
By Jonathan van Bilsen I have always been intrigued at how we handle waste. The Dutch, for example, recycle 57 percent of their collected...
Jonathan van Bilsen
Apr 24, 20242 min read
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Walk Softly – Frogs of North Durham and the Kawarthas
by Geoffrey Carpentier Last column, I spoke about salamanders and newts, so today I’d like to introduce you to the rest of the...
Geoff Carpentier
Apr 24, 20243 min read
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7 comments


Break a leg
by Jonathan van Bilsen I have always been a fan of musicals, and have seen most of the major productions when they are hosted in Toronto....
Jonathan van Bilsen
Apr 17, 20242 min read
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8 comments


Process and wait
DAN CEARNS The Standard As the old saying goes, the wheels of government turn slowly, and with no project does that seem more the case...
Dan Cearns
Apr 17, 20242 min read
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Walk Softly - Salamanders & Newts: enigmatic creatures
By Geoff Carpentier I love to watch these elusive amphibians, as they forage through varied watery habitats. This may be in the form of...
Geoff Carpentier
Apr 10, 20243 min read
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6 comments
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