Grooch

A generation"X", middle class, lover of satire and hyperbole.

Watching a recent televised press conference from New-York last week I listened to Prime Minister Stephen Harper begin all his responses to questions by first saying "LOOK".

Well he might have unintentionally been asking for more eyes to be watching then he might have counted on, considering the events of the past week.

Colin Kenny

Senator

It may not constitute criminal behaviour to apply for bogus housing allowances. But three people crossed over a moral line that a hundred other senators didn't. Doesn't that call for censure on the part of the institution that they hoodwinked? You can't just sweep things like this under the rug and pretend its business as usual. Wrong is wrong, and without formal censure, the Senate becomes part of the wrong. In dealing with this situation, the government has turned the concept of punishment upside down. No punishment for the housing allowance transgressors. But sweeping new rules to stymie senators involved in legitimate Senate business.

Theresa Wells

Writer

What the hell indeed is going on in Fort McMurray, you might ask. How did I get to spend time talking to Malcolm Gladwell, and Bill Cosby? What is bringing these people so far north? Well, what is bringing them is the Northern Insights speaker series from the Fort McMurray Public Library - but I think what is really drawing them in is the narrative of this community.

The Lapine

Get more coverage of trending topics at www.thelapine.ca

In a frightening display of rising sectarian violence, an atheist suicide bomber blew himself up on a busy street in Stockholm three days ago; killing eighteen agnostics and wounding over thirty. Members of the 'Swedish Atheistic Liberation Front' (SALF) have claimed responsibility for the bombing. Declaring the attack as revenge against the explosive agnostic riots, which, last week, hospitalized several atheists and terrorized the atheistic community.

Darlena Cunha

Blogger

I don't think that complimenting a little girl on her looks chips away at her self-esteem. I cannot see how simply telling a girl she's pretty somehow translates into telling her she's not pretty enough.

Bill Haines

Bill Haines is an avid reader, blogger and writer who lives in Edmonton, Alberta.

Over the holiday weekend I finished reading the gripping book, Joel Rosenberg's latest novel, "Damascus Count Down" all about the worst case scenario of what if nuclear warheads fell into the hands of the personification of evil.

And so, actually I was quite relieved to find that the biggest news story in Canada, Tuesday morning was - all the above are right, PM Stephen Harper is both not happy and very upset about the senate expense scandal.

Elaine Mah

Director, Canada at Intel Corporation

I'm enthusiastic about the bright future that is ahead if we can continue to foster and encourage governments, business leaders and young students to look beyond the limits to make the impossible, possible. I find myself wondering what it will take to win in this Third Industrial Revolution, and I keep coming back to our youth, these students whose brilliant minds know no limits. Are we doing enough to encourage and inspire them? Are we finding the right venues to foster innovation and commercialization of the best ideas in Canada, or will we retain our role as an exporter of raw goods, rather than an information economy of the future?

David Dodge

Producer/Host, Green Energy Futures.ca

When it comes to net-zero homes it too is an idea that seems more science fiction than anything, especially in the cold climes of Edmonton, Alberta. A home that produces as much energy as it consumes -- well that's just crazy.

Spencer West

Motivational Speaker

On the final day of our trek from Edmonton to Calgary to raise money for clean water overseas, we're just outside the city limits of Cowtown. I can see Calgary's skyline, and after 10 straight days of walking on my hands, it's like a mirage in the desert.

Anne Theriault

Feminist blogger

Stay in bed. Hunker down under the covers. Read Sheila Heti's How Should A Person Be? and highlight the passages that you feel specifically apply to your life. Eat too many cookies. Let your cat lick your face clean, but stop her when she tries to groom your eyebrows.

Mark Milke

Senior Fellow, The Fraser Institute

Fact is, Alberta's red-ink budgets have much more to do with real per-capita program spending being near historic highs. This also explains why so many Albertans "hiss" at the notion of a sales tax. To understand why the spending side of the government ledger deserves more attention, consider some statistics about Alberta's program spending, ones that take into account Alberta's population growth and inflation rate.

Marni Soupcoff

Managing Editor, Blogs

I'm sharing my cottage experience to make you feel better about the long weekend no matter your plans. Because if you're going to a cottage, you'll be making enduring memories of special time spent with family and friends. But if you're not, you'll be saving yourself an untold amount of aggravation, revulsion, and cash.

Lucas Silveira

Musician

I was repetitively asked "Are you a boy or a girl?" throughout childhood and adolescence and usually followed by "Fucking dyke!" Very recently, all of these wounds resurfaced when I saw this comment left by a woman on a video I posted on Facebook to raise funding for a tour for my band The Cliks. Don't shame me for speaking up for myself. Shame those who hurt me.

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

The Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog, www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca

Summer is coming and you may want a new appetizer for your first BBQ of the season. I have to give my husband credit for this recipe. Some of our readers know by know that he loves to BBQ and while on holidays in April he filled our shopping carts with a few ingredients and surprised me with these tasty appetizers.