As the book has closed this past weekend on another Summer Olympic Games, one is struck not only by the inspirational level of commitment of athletes, coaches, and their supporters, but also by the diversity of activities recognized as meriting official competition. No wonder there are so many venues, providing huge logistical issues for host cities as well as those attempting to cover the activities. (more…)
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Have you ever been selected to receive an award of some significance, and been uncertain how to behave leading up to the moment and then when actually accepting the honour? Since so many people are afraid of public speaking, this situation could easily gravitate for the recipient between one of joy and one of trepidation.
A brief article in the August issue of Toastmaster magazine looks at appropriate protocols for an award receiving situation: (more…)
A TV show that has been around as long as THE SIMPSONS has had its own life cycles, disguised by its animated construct. Although the characters technically haven’t aged, the way they appear, and the increasingly tangential nature of their world, have gone through a version of evolution. Even the annual “Treehouse of Horror” satires and parodies have gone past exploring easier source material (such as with the classic “The Shinning”) to the extent that even the aliens don’t appear as regularly as they used to. Ah well, that’s show biz. (more…)
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Arts commentary, Behaviour & Relationships, Humour, Social & political humour, Uncategorized
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Just about anytime one clicks on-line to register with an app provider, there are a list of terms and conditions to be tacitly approved.
Such lists inevitably come with additional built-in links to more complex details, for those who want to bask in even more convoluted legalese. Given that these structures are compounded with periodic updating, there must be some organizations making a fortune on compliant wording approvals – especially if it’s by the word. (more…)
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The first Monday in August is one of those non-Federal holidays in much of Canada.
Federal holidays – like Labour Day or Thanksgiving – are statutorily recognized by governments and businesses alike. Almost no workers in the former category, and only a limited number of the latter (primarily retail service) are required to work that day.
But days like Monday are recognized on a provincial basis in Canada, so the degree of application depends. (more…)
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While for most of us warm weather months are more conducive to outdoor physical activity than cold months, that time frame too has its ups and downs. For instance, the run of hot & humid weather we’ve been experiencing in southern and eastern Ontario really puts a premium on keeping hydrated, also ipso facto making compromises on outside efforts.
A health and conditioning option unaffected structurally by the change of seasons is the gym or fitness centre (descriptions have become marketability more imaginative in recent years). (more…)
Our lives these days are filled with passwords, exacerbated to the extent that we conduct aspects of our affairs on-line.
There are many theories and rules-of-thumb about establishing passwords: use different ones for everything (but where do you safely store the list?), use the same core, but not easily deciphered, pattern so it’s easy to remember (but what if someone figures out the first domino?), frequently changing them, etc. (more…)
It seems the art of sending and getting greeting cards is a declining one, certainly insofar as customary paper manifestations. Hanging up fewer and fewer Christmas cards results in less decorative ambience than it once did.
I find that on-line access to services such as Hallmark e-cards (for a minimal annual fee) provides a key benefit missed by the traditional card, namely immediacy. (more…)
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Arts commentary, Behaviour & Relationships, Humour, Uncategorized
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A couple of days ago at a popular provincial park beach south of Belleville, Ontario, I saw for the first time police officers, in otherwise standard attire, riding along the edge of the beach on Segway bikes. It appears that I was far from alone insofar as this being a revelation, or at least a familiar site, as I witnessed a number of people having animated interchanges with the two officers (male and female), including an officer posing for a picture on the upright bike. (more…)
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the watch of time
Consumer Agreement Stipulations
It seems that the continuing infiltration of technology and legal engagement into our affairs has made its impact on consumer agreements, such as memberships. The way things are going, perhaps the following will come to reflect a more tangential wording of future contract stipulations and terms… (more…)
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Humour, Social & political commentary, Social & political humour, Uncategorized
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