A Japanese sushi chef, or itamae, can spend up to ten years learning their trade. The first two years of their apprenticeship are spent cleaning — not touching fish or rice, just scrubbing workspaces, washing […]
Going into a music store is downright confusing nowadays. After quite a few years of these types of stores have been shrinking CD and music offerings for piles of DVDs, Blu-ray discs and pop culture […]
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past five years, you’ve heard that the FIFA World Cup will be hosted in North America this year. Forty-eight men’s national football teams will descend on […]
Prime Minister Mark Carney was in China last week. The trip resulted in a trade deal reopening a vital market for Canadian canola exports, and will allow the limited import of Chinese-made electric vehicles. Reaction […]
A small claims court ruling in London, Ontario has ramifications for keyboard warriors on the internet. Deputy Judge David Miller heard a case in July and August 2025 where a person sued the administrator/moderator of […]
The actions by the United States military last weekend in Venezuela with the removal of their dictatorial president, Nicolas Maduro, should be viewed with the utmost suspicion. How the U.S. swooped in to seize Maduro, […]
Every village or community needs a curmudgeon. Most dictionaries define a curmudgeon as an ill-tempered, cranky person who does nothing but complain. According to stereotypes, this is the domain of the older man, seasoned by […]
Christmas stories are one of the best parts of the holidays. Yes, I like being with family, presents, and all the trimmings. I also like the stories that are about the holidays. Some stories are […]
The Merriam-Webster dictionary editors announced their word of the year for 2025 on Monday – slop. Slop, as defined by that dictionary, is “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by […]
It’s unfortunate that Premier Ford has such a restrictive policy when it comes to reporters asking questions at press conferences. Had the opportunity to ask more than the only one question and one follow-up at […]
©2026 – Phillip Blancher