Journalism. Opinion. Humour.

From Horse Girl To Re-Rider: The Lifelong Quest For Human-Equine Connection

The Globe And Mail

From Horse Girl To Re-Rider: The Lifelong Quest For Human-Equine Connection

Riding a 1,200-pound animal when you’ve reached the age of diminishing bounce-backability means fear is inevitably a factor. It’s a factor for the horse, too.

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A Putumayo Blend – Music from the Coffee Lands

The Walrus

How World Music Went From Something Wonderful To A Generic Branding Exercise

Everyone has a conference nowadays. Zucchini farmers, dental hygienists, the world music industry. You network, you learn stuff: Biotech zucchinis may cure obesity. Laser technology proves George Washington’s teeth weren’t made of wood. World music as a genre may be dying.

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Gilberto Gil plays a guitar

The Globe And Mail

A Politician Stands By His Records

The greying, dreadlocked ‘minister of cool,’ as Gilberto Gil has been nicknamed, is regularly seen striding through international airports on government business, guitar strapped across his back.

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Re-rider author Li Robbins on her horse, Pippin

Horse Canada

Return To Riding: Tips For Re-Riders

Riding horses is definitely not “just like riding a bike.” Getting back in the saddle after years on the ground can be thrilling — but also daunting.

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Canadian Screenwriter Floyd Kane

Canadian Screenwriter Magazine

Floyd Kane Delves Into Class, Race, And Gender In Legal Drama Diggstown

Kane could have created a show about the rich defending the even richer, but instead he chose to set Diggstown in the “socio-economically challenged” world of legal aid clients.

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Write Magazine Cover

Write Magazine

Writers Who Retail: A Reality Check

When I was a kid, my parents, avid readers, talked about opening up a bookstore in a small prairie town. The town was best known for car shows, power tobogganing, and a failing newspaper — possibly not the ideal marketplace.

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McSweeney's Slogan logo

McSweeney’s Internet Tendency

An Open Letter To The Substitute Yoga Teacher

It’s not like you’re the first. Other substitute teachers have come out with some real dillys too. Who can forget “think of your spine as a flexible snake in space?”

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Writer Li Robbins with Dusty the horse

The Plaid Horse

Love? Or Anthropomorphizing?

How do you know if a horse loves you? When are they truly connected to you as opposed to another human being? The scientific community has had similar questions.

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Cavalia Showcases Human Horse Bond

EquiSearch

Cavalia Showcases Human Horse Bond

Half a dozen Quarter Horses gallop across a huge stage causing the audience to gasp and applaud. Minutes later, three Lusitano stallions perform “la liberté” with French trainer Frédéric Pignon. It’s a ballet of silent communication — no tack required.

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Ry Cooder Bueno Vista Social Club album cover

The Globe And Mail

A Big Noise From A Little Island

The counter staff is shimmying to the sound of Buena Vista Social Club as Ry Cooder strolls in. He grins. It still tickles him that it’s cafés, boutiques, and public radio that made it a “word of mouth” success.

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Nelly Furtado on the cover of Elm Street Magazine

Elm Street

A Star In The Making

How did a down-to-earth, second generation Portuguese-Canadian girl from Victoria land in the Spielberg kingdom? It started with her family, whose embrace of Portuguese culture was responsible for her love of singing.

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More Mag Alanis Morissette

More Magazine

Alanis Morissette Feature

It was fresh, it was shocking and people loved it. It’s easy to forget today how groundbreaking Jagged Little Pill was at the time.

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Ontario Sings: The Future Of Ontario Choirs

Ontario Culture Days

The Future Of Ontario Choirs

As composer John Rutter puts it, “Choral music goes to the very heart of our humanity, our sense of community, and our souls.”

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