Tag: Call Me Crazy…

By Sydney Stokoe

Last week a woman was expelled from a French class in Quebec for refusing to remove the veil covering her face. The woman ­– identified as Naema — was wearing a niqab­, a veil exposing only the eyes of the wearer. When asked to remove the headwear for class, she refused, and was subsequently told… Continue reading The face-off over cultural (in)tolerance

By Sydney Stokoe

We are a generation of fatties. Everything from the lifestyles we live to the food we eat is contributing to the extra weight we’re all carrying. Of course, the question asked by public health officials is why do we consciously choose things we know are unhealthy? Certainly everyone has a vague idea of which foods… Continue reading Helping your waistline and your wallet

By Sydney Stokoe

In December, Brian McKeever placed first in the men’s 50 kilometre classic race during trials for the Canadian Olympic Nordic ski team. He beat the second place finisher by a minute and a half. Brian McKeever is legally blind. The most decorated skier on the para-nordic circuit — winning seven medals in various Paralympic games… Continue reading Canada blinded by golden aspirations

By Sydney Stokoe

In case you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last several years, allow me to fill you in. It’s 2010, and the Vancouver Winter Olympics are but a day away. The impending games have been drawing a great deal of media attention since they were announced back in 2003. Although the real figures aren’t… Continue reading Vancouver’s streets ain’t made of gold

By Sydney Stokoe

Our writers are dying. In many ways writers of modern literature are dead as soon as their last work is published. Unlike the music and movie stars of today, the author silently puts their thoughts to work, remaining out of the public eye; the invisible hand behind the most important aspects of the thinking world.… Continue reading Remembering the life and words of J.D. Salinger

By Sydney Stokoe

Once again the time of year has come when we dust off the Christmas decorations, break out the nog and apply for that extra credit card. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Black Friday has come and passed and we have now entered into full-fledged Christmas shopping season. Black Friday, the last Friday in November, has become… Continue reading Spending shouldn’t be the reason for the season

By Sydney Stokoe

Don’t burn your hands, they might still be hot. Used Olympic torches from the 2010 torch relay have been popping up all over the Internet. Some of the torches were listed online before ever being lit, others are advertised as being covered in Olympic soot, which the buyer can clean off if they please. We’ve… Continue reading Going for the green: Olympic torches for sale

By Sydney Stokoe

Go ahead, punch yourself in the teeth. Sure it doesn’t sound like a great plan, but this guy here is your friend, and if he says you should punch yourself in the teeth, then it can’t be all bad. Right? Despite the nagging suspicion that punching your own teeth out is probably a bad plan,… Continue reading Health-care costs spark government action

By Sydney Stokoe

Once upon a time, before dash mounted GPS, before the advent of Map Quest and Google Maps, before the Internet, travelling to a new place had an extra adventure attached to it. How were you going to get there? What would it be like? It was mysterious. It was exciting. It evoked all sorts of… Continue reading Google street view versus the thrill of discovery