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Keep the pick

Ron Davidson

Feb 3, 2022
2 min

Keep the pick

Well, Toronto Maple Leaf’s fans, as we get further through the 2022 NHL season, trade rumours are starting to pick up. But, despite this team seeming to be in ‘Stanley Cup or bust’ mode I think, at the trade deadline in March, General Manager Kyle Dubas should keep the team’s first-round draft pick for this year. Last season, Dubas traded a first-round pick to acquire Nick Foligno. He also previously traded the club’s 2020 first-round pick to Carolina, as an incentive to help

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Aging is not what it used to be<br>by Tina Y. Gerber

Ron Davidson

Jan 20, 2022
2 min

Aging is not what it used to be<br>by Tina Y. Gerber

Over the last few years, I have noted the contrast between the ‘Baby Boomer’ seniors versus the ‘Depression Era’ seniors. The main difference, in my opinion, is seniors of today want control. They want control over their lives, as well as, how they live and experience life. In my opinion, control is definitely the biggest issue. The Baby Boomers want to have a say in all areas of their lives, from what is done for them, how they will age and what they will do in their retirem

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Inclusive chat

Ron Davidson

Jan 20, 2022
2 min

Inclusive chat

Back in 2020, a serious conversation started, at all levels of government in Canada, following the death of George Floyd in the United States, about racial discrimination and how changes can be made to make communities, provinces and countries more inclusive for all peoples. While it was an important conversation to have at the time, I don’t think we’re really finished having this conversation. While it may be an uncomfortable topic for some people, I think the topic of battl

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Richard Park: The flame is burning bright

Ron Davidson

Jan 20, 2022
4 min

Richard Park: The flame is burning bright

Entrepreneurship is a major factor in the success of both individuals and businesses in Canada. We can all be glad to live in a place where we have the opportunities to be what we want to be and succeed based on our talents and willingness to work. This month’s article should be entitled, ‘The Story Behind the People’, as I focus on three individuals: Richard Park, Steven Frederiksen and Shane Soehner. They are the driving force behind the day-to-day operation of the Old Flam

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Let’s Talk Barbie

Ron Davidson

Jan 20, 2022
2 min

Let’s Talk Barbie

I have long been intrigued by the origin of words, phrases, events and some products. One of those fascinating products turns 63 years old this year; the never aging Barbara Millicent Roberts, a doll created by Ruth Handler, who became affectionately known as ‘Barbie.’ Children have played with dolls forever, but not until Mattel licensed Barbie did the industry really take off. There have been more than 400 million Barbies sold worldwide, and in 2019 it was the most popular

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Action first

Ron Davidson

Jan 6, 2022
2 min

Action first

Welcome to 2022, a new year with new possibilities. However, it is also year three of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ontarians have been through a lot in the last couple of years. That is why I have a recommendation for politicians and high-ranking health staff. Don’t talk about the end of the pandemic or ‘defeating COVID-19’ until we actually do it. The changing landscape of health measures can be equated to a roller coaster ride in the last couple of years. At times, high levels of

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Ron Davidson

Dec 23, 2021
3 min

From Hollywood to Broadway to… Durham?

There are many notable individuals residing in North Durham, and yes, we even have one who has won a Genie and a handful of Gemini awards. Of course, it is none other than Kenneth Welsh, one of Canada’s most well-known actors. His forty years of experience stretches from Stratford and Broadway to Canadian films and television and Hollywood blockbusters. He has appeared in more than 240 movies and television shows and has an extremely recognizable face. I first met Ken Welsh a

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2022 wishlist

Ron Davidson

Dec 16, 2021
2 min

2022 wishlist

As we near Christmas and with this being my last column of 2021, I’ve chosen to write about what I hope to see in 2022. For starters, with a provincial election upcoming, I hope at least some of the advertising is focused on what each party could potentially provide to Ontarians rather than what other parties can’t. There are always attack ads in every upper-tier election, be it federal or provincial. These are meant to draw attention to a certain leader or party’s potential

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Oh Deer!

Ron Davidson

Dec 9, 2021
3 min

Oh Deer!

In North America, we have several species of deer, but in our area, only two can be found; the Moose and the White-tailed Deer. Yes, believe it or not, Moose are deer! Now before we explore the lives of these familiar animals, let me remind you, Santa’s Reindeer type deer, are also deer but have morphological differences [which] separate them from ‘typical’ deer. For one thing, both male and female Reindeer (or Caribou) grow antlers annually, while in our deer, only the male

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Puppies and Kitties Love Christmas Too

Ron Davidson

Dec 9, 2021
2 min

Puppies and Kitties Love Christmas Too

I love this time of year, when everything around us is festive, and people tend to be friendly and cheerful. I also enjoy all the special events taking place everywhere. One such affair was the annual Pet Valu pet photos with Santa. It is my 9th year participating in their event. This year, all the proceeds, more than $600, are going to Operation Scugog, which administers the food bank for the needy. The event, as always, was fantastic. Scott Riley and his Pet Valu team welco

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Santa Claus is Coming to Town… At Last

Ron Davidson

Dec 2, 2021
2 min

Santa Claus is Coming to Town… At Last

This marks the third year I have had the pleasure of hosting the Santa Claus parade in Scugog, and I am really looking forward to it. The main reason for my excitement is, the parade will be live, on the street, in our town, where everyone can see it. To say the pandemic has disrupted our lives is an understatement. The organizer of the parade, the Scugog Chamber of Commerce, has had difficulty making decisions on how to best welcome Santa to town. Thankfully, the provincial

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GEOFF CARPENTIER: 35 Trips to Antartica & Counting

Ron Davidson

Nov 18, 2021
4 min

GEOFF CARPENTIER: 35 Trips to Antartica & Counting

I recently had the pleasure of having Geoff Carpentier on my television show and was so impressed by his travel tales; I thought I would feature him in this article. For those of you who do not know Geoff, he has a bi-weekly column in this publication, which focuses on nature and wildlife. Geoff is an ecologist and world traveller who has taken tour groups all over the planet, including 35 (or so) trips to Antarctica. His life began in Winnipeg, where his mother was a stay-at

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I’m in the air again

Ron Davidson

Nov 4, 2021
2 min

I’m in the air again

At last, it has happened. After two years and one month of being earthbound, I have finally flown again, four times. The only concern I had was the introduction of ‘only vaccinated passengers’, would be implemented halfway through my trip. Of course, I’m vaccinated, but I wondered what it would do to the timing of my return. Fortunately, my layover was overnight, so I would not be rushed to make a flight. Going out was easy. I was told to be at the airport 90 minutes before m

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The golden years aren’t what they used to be by Tina Y. Gerber

Ron Davidson

Oct 22, 2021
2 min

The golden years aren’t what they used to be by Tina Y. Gerber

Getting older can seem like a daunting task: deepening wrinkles, grey hair, pronounced laugh lines, forgetfulness, and the need to grab your reading glasses more often. Most people in the world today can expect to live into their sixties and beyond. A longer life provides seniors with an opportunity; a chance to pursue new activities while making valuable contributions, but of course, the main factor to consider is ones personal health! While we tend to decelerate, we can sti

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Why I can’t stand to sit

Ron Davidson

Oct 22, 2021
2 min

Why I can’t stand to sit

Whether it’s sitting to watch TV or driving to work, these minutes add up! Sitting is an epidemic, and we must find ways to break the habit. I rarely sit down. I cannot stand to sit! It stiffens my back and completely drains my energy levels. It is recommended we have the goal to accumulate 10,000 steps in the course of our day. I wonder if the average person even gets close to that? Let’s take a look at the average Joe: “Joe has to drive thirty minutes to the office. He work

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An old hobby

Ron Davidson

Oct 22, 2021
2 min

An old hobby

Obviously, through my career, two of my strongest art forms have been writing and photography. However, recently, I’ve rediscovered the joy in doing another form, painting. A little while ago, I did a freestyle type online painting session over Zoom with another person. It brought back memories of fun art classes in elementary school and doing crafts at home with my mom and sister when I was much younger. I’ve also found it’s a great outlet to relieve stress and deal

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Wow, I never knew…

Ron Davidson

Oct 21, 2021
2 min

Wow, I never knew…

Many of us have travelled extensively, and something I always look for when I’m in lineups at airports is other people’s passports. I am always curious where people are from and am intrigued by the different colours of passports. Did you know the colour is actually significant? The four common colours you see in passports are blue, maroon, green and black. There are no international regulations for passport colours; however, countries continuously choose one of these four col

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Who Owns the Money?

Ron Davidson

Oct 14, 2021
2 min

Who Owns the Money?

I am about to finish another turkey sandwich while reading a report by Visual Capitalist, a firm out of Vancouver. It deals with the distribution of wealth around the world. Some results are surprising and others, not so much. The report states the global wealth, at the end of 2020, is 418 trillion dollars, a number I cannot fathom. So, let us break it down, and remember, this is globally, not Canada only, and only adults, not children. Adults who have less than $10,000 to th

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Welcome back

Ron Davidson

Oct 8, 2021
2 min

Welcome back

I recently saw an ad for the Town Hall Theatre in Port Perry and a new production they were putting together. I was extremely intrigued, as it has been a very long time since I was able to go to live theatre. It started me wondering when the last time I attended a concert was? I love musical theatre and have always seen most new productions in Toronto and every production in Port Perry. So, here is where the irony comes in. The last live production I went to was at the Town H

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Game on

Ron Davidson

Oct 7, 2021
2 min

Game on

As we head closer to the start of another Toronto Maple Leafs season, it’s time for me to bring back one of my old traditions. Those of you who have read my column over the years will likely remember, in the past; I’ve started off NHL seasons with predictions about such things as what fringe players might make the team, player-specific accomplishments, as well as team accomplishments. While I haven’t always had big success with these predictions, it’s still a fun process. So

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