There are not too many people who are really fond of spiders. Spiders have a bad rap, for several reasons. For one thing, they walk funny, with a gait which we–and the movies–have associated with evil. We hear about poisonous spiders, and there are a few, but not really very […]
Columnists
By Linda Wiens
Quetico Centre
Quetico Centre
The Trends Research Institute in Rhinebeck, N.Y., regularly examines over 300 trend categories. Each year, it picks the 10 biggest changes in social, economic, and political structures. This year’s group is: Several of these have moved up in rank from previous years; others are new. Personally, I would like to […]
It’s never happened before. But that really doesn’t matter because it’s happening now. The demographics of society are changing radically. As a nation and as a world, we’re growing significantly older. For tens of thousands of years, people expected to live short lives and life expectancy remained steady at less […]
In Sainte-Foy, Que., a 20-month-old choked to death a week after an un-popped popcorn kernel got stuck in her throat. The kernel absorbed saliva and expanded to nine mm within seven days, growing large enough to completely block the trachea. Each year, young children in Canada are at some risk […]
A babysitter, or an older brother or sister, is often responsible for the care and safety of young children. Knowing what to do in the event of a poisoning, and following proper poisoning prevention behaviours, are an important part of that responsibility. Caregivers should know children who are poisoned by […]
In the midst of rampant concerns about our health care system, here is some good news experience. First, I’ve had a chance to facilitate planning for the Northwest Health Network, a regional association of care facilities’ boards and staff. They are working hard to ensure high-quality, “seamless” care in Northwestern […]
There’s something in the human soul that craves the gentle fall of snow and the subsequent blanketing of everything ugly. With the world turned white, piles of rubbish take on artistic form, barren patches of earth are stacked with beauty, and snow-laden bushes spark the imagination. But vastly more important, […]
By Linda Wiens
Quetico Centre
Quetico Centre
Each new year reminds us to look back, and ahead, to get a sense of “the bigger picture.” The dilemma is always whether to try predicting the long term, which becomes an exercise of wild imagination; or the short term, which is an extension of what already exists. Here are […]
The “mood” of the fish–aggressive, neutral, negative–is a major consideration in successful ice fishing. Good ice fishermen will find a way to trigger neutral fish into biting, and the best of them can trigger some negative fish into doing so. Jigging walleyes is the most deadly method of all, if […]
It was Ruth who was there years ago when a tiny girl needed surgery to lengthen the shortened tendons in her thumbs. The hospital was a very scary place for a four-year-old–especially when aides came rushing in too late, slid her quickly onto the cart, and hurried her down the […]
By Aimee Pelletier
FFHS Recycling Coalition
FFHS Recycling Coalition
It recently has come to our attention that the Northwestern Ontario Recycling Program is in danger of cancellation, and this concerns us greatly. The information we have received is that the Ontario government, under Mike Harris, had made a commitment to fund 50 percent of the cost of operating the […]
Well, here we are. In the year AD 2000, Anno Domini 2000, in the year of our Lord 2000. Some of us wondered what the changeover might bring. With many still scratching their heads about the outcome of “Y2K,” let’s make it a year to remember nevertheless. So much will […]
