By Alison@Creekside A one minute time lapse of the start, last week, of the student strike against austerity in Montreal: Austerity — that’s when your government impoverishes its citizens by decimating public services like education and health in order to balance its lining of corporate pockets with tax breaks. “Our services are worth more than your profits” is the slogan […]
Gluten, and amusement, free
By Jim Henshaw I’m not sure if this was a good month or a bad one for the people who enjoy annoying other people. On one side, actress Ashley Judd, after being threatened with sexual violence by Twitter trolls who didn’t like her playfully dissing their basketball team, sued her attackers. On the other, actress Eva […]
Eating like your ancestors
BY TJ Dawe It’s Farmer’s Market season, and that means it’ll be that much easier to shop and eat locally, and in season. Fresh fruits and vegetables are unquestionably good for you, but some are better than others. How can you tell which ones? By buying and reading Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing […]
Toronto puts on the gloves
A BoB Short Now that Rob Ford is (allegedly) stowed away in rehab and (thankfully) out of the public eye, Toronto Public Health has announced a new plan to inspire immature jokes. Meet condomTO, the city’s own brand of prophylactic. Though the official unveiling will occur on June 4th, local Twitter users have already beaten […]
The birds of Spring
By Montreal Simon The birds have been flocking back to the island as they do every spring. Flying in from south of the lake, on their way north. But this year I’m not as glad to see them, as I usually am. Because this year they can’t help reminding me of what’s going on in China. The outbreak […]
Out of the woods
By Montreal Simon I went for a walk the other day through the leafy lanes of The Shire, with a friend of mine who has suffered from severe depression from about this time last year. It was such a beautiful fall day. He was so happy, at having made so much progress on the road […]
Three simple words that can save a life
By Montreal Simon About ten years ago I saw a young couple throw themselves in front of a subway train at the McGill metro station in downtown Montreal. It was all over in a flash. All I saw was two people on the opposite platform suddenly rush forward, and then the body of one of […]
Popping iodide pills in BC, despite the Experts
By Frank Moher Updated below I travelled to a local health food store on Monday and bought some kelp tablets. I was actually after potassium iodide, but they were already sold out. I am not naturally a health food store habitué — as I write this, I’m finishing up a Teen Burger meal — but […]
Say goodbye to Meridia — and all other diet pills
by Jodi A. Shaw Surprise, surprise, another diet pill may be pulled from store shelves. Meridia, manufactured by Illinois-based Abbott Laboratories, is under review by the FDA after a study raised concerns that the pill increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Yesterday, fully half of the FDA’s advisory panel recommended that it be […]
Leaping Flames
By Jodi A. Shaw From the very beginning of the H1N1/Swine Flu drama, I’ve had zero intention of getting a flu shot. Nevertheless, even I am infuriated by the preferential treatment given to the Calgary Flames players and their families. I don’t blame the Flames’ medical team for requesting special treatment (it doesn’t hurt to […]
