DUSHANBE — Okay. Maybe the evil-doer premier of Ontario is not really planning to ban all driving in Ontario. But, he should be.
You see, he wants to ban operating any gizmos that might distract a driver from, say, driving. Things like cell phones, GPS, BlackBerrys, PlayStations, DVD players, Pong games, laptop computers, blow dryers, portable […]
DUSHANBE — Although this story originates in Penticton, B.C., I am located in Dushanbe and, in keeping with my custom, am datelining the story from where I happen to be at the time. The story jumps out at me after my, as it turns out, prognosticative comments on Tasers last week.
Today’s Globe and Mail features […]
DUSHANBE — This is a story that I’m not writing. It does not start on Saturday night or end early on Sunday morning. It does not involve a main character who owns a small enterprise in a town not called Dushanbe. Let’s call him Mr. U.
“U” because, thus far, he remains Un-named. Then again, maybe it […]
Is golden wheat the silver bullet for Afghanistan’s poppy habbit?
DUSHANBE — Could there be a silver lining in the global food crisis for Afghanistan? One newspaper says maybe so.
The Guardian newspaper says the rising cost of wheat is leading Afghan farmers to re-seed their fields with grains instead of poppies after the Spring harvest. Ballooning […]
How bad can a book be? Tune in next week to find out!
DUSHANBE - I have written a few book reviews in my life. But, I’ve never felt compelled to write a “mid-book” review. Until now.
Just in case I don’t make it to the end of Sacred Stone by Clive Cussler and Craig Dirgo, I feel […]
Are despotic rulers giving corrupt government a bad name?
DUSHANBE — Although, really, I could be anywhere…
A common complaint I hear about Canada’s participation in Afghanistan is that, while it’s all well and good to love the children, build schools, fight the War on Terror ®, the War on Evildoers ® and the War on Drugs […]
Would there be fewer fights in hockey if we armed the referees? Or, would it just make for more spectacular TV?
DUSHANBE — As I sat in the Irish Pub last night, defending the violence in Canada’s almost national sport in a discussion with fellow expatriates, it came to me that the most recent scandalous downfall of my […]
Careful what you eat! Vomiting on Windsor streets could become an offence punishable by fine. Until then, watch where you step…
DUSHANBE — As something of a Libertarian at heart, I thoroughly enjoyed this recent article on Canada.com about a pointless new law set for debate at Windsor’s city council (that’s Windsor, Ontario in Canada). In […]
DUSHANBE — Last Tuesday evening (time flies when you’re having fun, eh?), I participated in the Third “Conclave” or meeting of the (somewhat) venerable Dushanbe Whiskey Order. The Order is an association of connaisseurs, if I dare call them so, of fine single malt whiskeys.
At this meeting, er…. conclave, as at the first such event which […]