Columns

Among the most terrifying words that parents could hear, in past decades, was that of "diphtheria". Known by various names, such as the strangling angel of children, diphtheria was a scourge that caused grief for many centuries.

Well, everyone -- I'm 40. Thanks for coming along for the ride with me. Those reflections on age were so successful that I've been compelled to stick with them.

New York's Attorney General Letitia James will be investigating some social media services for the part they may have played in the devastating shooting that took place in Buffalo, just over the border, on May 14.

Since I'm an old guy with a limited time left on this earth, you'd think I'd be absorbed in the present, yet I find myself depressed by the human propensity to forget the near past and live for the moment.

Backlash over backlash, Stuck in the middle, Get out and vote

Last week I had a little blast from the past by way of a scraped knuckle. As I was walking through my kitchen, my hand clattered into the counter on that magical angle that's square enough for a bone bruise...

We've all been through this before but, after a letter to North Huron Township Council leveled some charges against The Citizen, I think we need to review what this page, page five, is all about.

As we approach (on June 6)  the 78th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy, a symbol of the sacrifice of my parents' generation to restore democracy, it's depressing to see how little regard people around the world seem to have for this precious gift.

Opening up, Sign o' the times, While the getting's good

When part of a verse about worrying popped into my head one day, I turned to my little autograph book. This plaid-covered booklet with pastel pages was a treasured object when I was about 10 years old.

Because I am someone with more than a passing interest in the work of the great Jane Fonda, the cover story from this month's issue of Glamour made its way to me last week. Fonda is on the cover an amazing 60 years after she first graced that page.

Last week, with the exception of a few hours Tuesday morning, I was out of the office almost the entire week due to a cold (which didn't start out as mine).

The other morning, as I did my exercises (the price of living to old age), I was entertained by a rabbit hunting food under some nearby cedar trees on our country property and some blue jays seeking material to build their nest.

Only the beginning?, A Canadian throwback, Walking the tight rope

For the second installment in what I guess will be a loosely-connected four-part series on turning 40, I wanted to really focus on a recent Sunday at the Loughlin home that felt like one of the best days of my life.

I used to really enjoy The Simpsons. It went from a show I watched at friends' houses, because my parents wouldn't allow me to watch it, to a guilty pleasure, to something I would regularly watch with my roommates at school. (One of them even splurged...

As I watched the most recent protest demonstrations on Parliament Hill this past weekend, the second in recent months, I couldn't help but think of three protests I had been part of in my life -- and how different they were.

Too close for comfort, The day after tomorrow, A high-wore balancing act

In the pages of the history of Ainleyville/Brussels, there are many people named who gave of their time and talents to benefit the community.

This year, my cohort turns 40. Born in 1982, the people I went to school with and many of those I grew up with are entering their mid-life.

This column started, as many of them do, with research for our weekly editorial board meeting, the fruits of which you can read on the opposite page (page 4 of the print edition of The Citizen, for those of you reading online).

With everything else grabbing attention last week, such as the most recent events in Ukraine, it was easy to miss the news that marked the 40th anniversary of the passing of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

An act of reconciliation, Flies on the wall, The freedom of choice

One of the highlights of my week is Thursday afternoon when I take off work a bit early (and make it up later that night) to pick up my daughter Mary Jane from the school bus.