1. I'm broke. Ok, I'm not broke. I can afford food and rent. But as I get older, I'm realizing that my discretionary money has to be saved sometimes, and it means I have to make choices about where I spend it. I'm sorry, but your show is not my...

Full Disclosure: I have been friends with Bronwyn Page for a few years now. Her brother was my roommate, and we have a number of mutual friends. Bronwyn is a vibrant, social, and intelligent young woman. She is a combination of Holly Golightly and Mindy Kaling....

On November 26, 2012, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford was found guilty of breaking provincial conflict of interest law, and has been ordered to leave the mayoral office in 14 days. He can appeal the ruling, and likely will.

Here are some of the lessons I...

My grandma Maloha was a card-carrying Republican all her life.

She grew up under the shadow of Coolidge, Hoover, Eisenhower, and (her hero) Reagan. Her proudest moment was serving Ronald Regan coffee while working as a waitress.

One of Maloha's most difficult trials was watching her son (my...

Anybody who works in the charitable sector knows that things ain't what they used to be.

While charitable giving is recovering well since the recession, we are learning tough lessons about what the modern donor needs before making a gift. Many donors today want to know how their...

Last night, at the opening night of The Dark Knight Rises, a gas-masked gunman opened fire at a theatre full of people, killing twelve and injuring dozens more. From CBS:

The violent and chaotic scene erupted about 12:30 a.m. local time as the suspected gunman, identified as 24-year-old...

Nora used her films as vehicles to talk about women in new ways, to address elements of institutional sexism, to tell honest stories. She used humour to bring her audience with her, and she was loved because of it.

Life is stressful.

You wake up late. Or you wake up with allergies or a headache. You make it out the door, only to get crushed in the subway, stuck in traffic, or nearly 'doored' on your bike. You get into work, and you are already behind. Sometimes it...

A new study published by Dr. Douglas Zipes has found that Tasers can cause death in some cases.

The study is being questioned by Taser International Inc., because Dr. Zipes has been paid to be a witness in a number of Taser-related court cases. Whether or not...

As a response to how black parents have had "the talk" with their children following the recent murder of Trayvon Martin, noted racist and modern-day Latin-afficionado John Derbyshire recently penned a reflective, presumably tongue-in-cheek advice piece for fellow fearful, racist white parents who may...

1. People like giving, and often feel awkward about being thanked for it. But secretly, they appreciate it.
2. How a donor responds to direct mail is often different from what they say they want. Why do you think so many charities use frills (like mailing labels)? They make a lot more...

1. Race still matters, and for the foreseeable future, race will continue to matter.
2. It is fascinating to read through my Facebook newsfeed sometimes. Certain news stories will be perceived so differently among my friends. Some news stories are highlighted in particular communities (stories about Israel/Palestine, for instance, get a lot...

It was only just over 100 years ago (1892) that the sale or advertisement of contraception in Canada was outlawed.

Dr. Elizabeth Bagshaw was one of Canada's first female doctors, and believed that all women have the right to prevent pregnancy. She established the first family...

1. A health organization that partners with a fast food chain has its priorities out of whack. In the case of Susan G. Komen For The Cure, a choice like that can lead to very poor optics in the media.

2. A non-profit executive's salary should be at...

Note: I am not a DJ, but I do produce a weekly comedy show in Toronto (pimping my show now: www.openingnighttheatre.com). Anyway, this past Saturday we decided to throw a dance party after the show, and to save money, I DJ'd for much of the night (with a...

Noted writer and essayist Christopher Hitchensjust died after battling with throat cancer. Here are ten things I've learned from him:

1. Anybody who is willing to be waterboarded to test his own beliefs, and then able to change his beliefs afterwards, is to be respected.

2....

1. When I was in elementary school, I was pretty scrappy and I had big enough friends that I ended up pretty much on top of the social hierarchy by grade six. I teased certain girls in my class and I was a little jerk. My transition to being nearly...

1. In the 1960s and 1970s, Canadian Quakers housed and supported a large number of conscientious objectors in Canada. It allowed people like my dad to live, and eventually settle, here when he came up from California during the Vietnam War. It later meant that I briefly had a place...

1. Form is as important as function.

2. Corporate presentations do not have to be boring, or text-heavy, or generic. Presentations are performances; they should be important, heady, image-based, funny, and idealistic. Steve Jobs made corporate presentations into events.

3. Good, visionary people are critical and irreplaceable. Anyone...

1. I first saw Craig Kielburger speak when I was 14 or 15 years old, attending Jarvis Collegiate Institute. I am two years older than him, but I was inspired by his moxy and his passion at the time.. and still am.

2. You will be successful at a job...