Cast the net far and wide

 Ratisser large-to cast the net far and wide in French.

Emojis

 There are more than 4000 emojis in 2026.Only a few of them are used regularly or semi-regularly.

             Emojis are digital paralinguistics.

The Atlantic ocean

 The Atlantic ocean is saltier than the Pacific.

Poop

 Poop is about 75% water-even when it looks solid.

Xenogenesis

 Xenogenesis -The generation of offspring entirely different from the parents.

Fanta

 Fanta was named after the German word "Fantasie."

The Kingston Penitentiary

 The Kingston Penitentiary has been dubbed 'The Alcatraz of The North's;it is Canada's most notorious prison.It has held some of the worst offenders in Canada.

        Over 178 years the Kingdom Penitentiary has held serial killer Paul Bernardo and child murderer Clifford Olson along with many other rotten specimens of humanity.

           Kingston Penitentiary closed on September 30,2013,ending 178 years of operation .The federal government announced the closure in April 2012 due to the high cost of maintaining the aging infrastructure.

Repair Cafe

 The first Repair Cafe started in Amsterdam,where people bring broken lamps,toasters,clothes and other household things,so volunteers can fix them instead of letting them go straight to the bin.

A song from 1995 that I like

 Earth Song(1995)-song by Michael Jackson.

              This song contains the lines'What about sunrise?What about  rain' ?

A song from Billy Idol that I like

 Hot In The City-song by Billy Idol.

A song from Fergie that I love

 Big Girls Don't Cry-song by Fergie.

A song from Doja Cat that I like

 Jealous Type-song by Doja Cat.

He apologized for annoying ads

 Ethan Zuckerberg,the man who invented popup ads, apologized to the world for unintentionally creating one of the Internet 's most hated forms of advertising.

Question on the Boston Marathon

 Q.Who was the first indigenous person to win the Boston Marathon?

Answer.Tom Longboat.
                He was an Onondaga runner from the Six Nations of the Grand River in Canada.

Rue des Futailles in Montreal

 Rue des Futailles in east end Montreal  near the Longue Pointe region is named in reference to the presence of distillery warehouses and wine/spirits storage in that area.Futailles refers to barrels ,casks,or wine kegs,reflecting the industrial,wine and liquor storage facilities that historically occupied this sector,often associated with the Maison des Futailles.

      Rue des Futailles is near metro Honore Beaugrand.Rue Tellier intersects rue des Futailles.

A song from Lewis Capaldi that I like

 Someone You Loved-song from Lewis Capaldi.

African proverb

 Don't feed every dog that you see suffering,some of them just need the strength to bite you.-African proverb

African proverb

 A crocodile may shed tears but don't offer it a handkerchief.-African proverb

Another African proverb

 The wind that carried the mortar will not fail to carry the pestle.-African proverb

African proverb

 The monkey that laughs at the crocodile has never crossed the river.-African proverb

A song from Drake that I like

 In My Feelings -song from Drake.

New music

 A lot of new music is released on Friday.

The beauty of the Boundary waters

 The Boundary Waters are a pristine network of lakes and rivers in Minnesota,just south of the Ontario border.A mere 160 kilometres from Thunder Bay.

         The Boundary Waters is kind of a watery wilderness of interconnected waterways,separated by short streams and rivers that flow out into these large,island studded lakes.Sometimes you'll hear loons calling there.If you're lucky,you'll see a moose feeding in shallow waters.These waters  are great for fishing,just lakes full of bass and walleye and pike and lake trout.

             It's a pretty magical place where you would feel a lack of the sense of time.Once you get into the wilderness for a couple of days,all of a sudden the time on your wristwatch doesn't matter.

           The beauty of the Boundary Waters must be protected and safeguarded for the generations to come 

Inflation

 Inflation reduces the value of money over time.

An African proverb

 He who announced that he was going to hunt elephants and came back home with a rat mole cannot announce the results of his catch.-African proverb

African proverb

 If you appoint a toothless man to look after a pot of soup with much meat,he won't steal the meat but will drink the soup.-African proverb

Interesting small streets in Saint Leonard

 Rue Montjoie,rue d'Abancourt,rue Dollier,rue Verdier and rue Lisieux are small streets in the borough of Saint Leonard,Montreal that run parallel to rue Michelet.

Rue Michelet in Montreal

 Rue Michelet in Montreal is named after Jules Michelet(1798-1874),a prominent French historian,writer and professor.

     Rue Michelet is in the borough of St.Leonard and runs parallel to rue Viau,just east of Viau .

     Rue Michelet is a short street that runs between rue Jean Talon and rue Belanger.

Rue Arthur-Buies in Montreal

 Rue Arthur-Buies in Tetreaultville, Montreal is named after Arthur-Buies(1840-1901),a notable French-Canadian writer, journalist and pamphleter born in Montreal.

       He founded La Lanterne in 1868,a newspaper noted for its radical opposition to politician George-Etienne Cartier.

           As a young man in 1860,he fought for Italy's unification in Garibaldi's troops.

Rue Massicotte in Montreal

 Rue Massicotte in Tetreaultville,Montreal is named in honor of Edouard-Zotique Massicotte(1867-1947),a prominent Montreal lawyer, journalist,activist,folklorist and historian.

      He served as an archivist and historian for the city of Montreal.

Equivalent of junk food

 The digital equivalent of junk food comes at us from our cellphones.

A song from David Bowie that I like

 Starman(1972)-song by David Bowie.

          This song contains the line 'There's a starman waiting in the sky.'

Gromek

 The surname Gromek originates from Poland and has Slavic roots.

Reading

 Reading is the cognitive equivalent of jogging.

Burrito

 The word "burrito" means "little donkey" in Spanish.

Montreal Memory Museum

 There is a Montreal Memory Museum ,Centre des Memories Montrealaises.It is located in downtown at 1210 Boulevard Saint Laurent.

Black pepper fraud

 Black pepper fraud involves adulterating pure pepper with cheaper fillers to increase profits,often using papaya seeds,spent pepper(previously extracted for oil),or coffee husks.These adulterant can be detected at home by placing pepper in water;pure pepper sinks,while fillers like papaya seeds float.

In Anjou

 Boulevard Chateauneuf and Boulevard Joseph Renaud are in Anjou,Montreal.

Lilikoi pie

 Similar to Key Lime pie,this  Hawaii delicacy is made with Hawaiian grown passionfruit.Lilikoi pie is delicious.Passionfruit is known as lilikoi in Hawaii.

Campus radio stations threatened

 Campus radio stations are the voice of students across the country,but many of them are in danger of going silent in 2025.

          The media landscape has changed.Campus radio stations are getting lost in the noise of social media.Radio feels outdated to many in 2026.

         But there is a renewed push to see an on-campus radio resurgence.Many people are starting to look for alternatives to big tech filled with AI content.

        Radio is live,radio is local,radio is immediate.Campus radio stations strengthen student democracy and must stay strong.

Fraud in cayenne pepper

 Cayenne pepper is frequently subject to food fraud, often involving adulteration with fillers like sawdust or stone dust to increase weight,and artificial dyes to enhance color.Serious health risks can arise from  the use of banned substances,such as red lead oxide or carcinogenic Sudan dyes,to mimic a rich red color.

Quote from J.P.Morgan

 Gold is money.Everything else is credit.-J.P.Morgan

Campus radio stations fading

 Many campus radio stations are fading away in 2025,drowned out by the chorus of social media.

Very early spring flowers in Montreal

 Scilla Chionodoxa flowers sprout very early in spring in Montreal.They are also called Glory of the Snow because they sometimes start sprouting even before the snow has fully melted.

        They can resemble forget-me-nots from a distance due to their color or size.However,they are easily distinguished by their white centers,whereas true forget-me-nots typically have yellow centers.

Aspartame

 Aspartame is the chief sweetener used in diet coke.

How to check turmeric purity at home

 To check turmeric purity at home,add a teaspoon of powder to a glass of water without stirring;pure turmeric will slowly settle at the bottom,leaving the water mostly clear with a light yellow tint.Adulterated turmeric often floats,causes the water to turn a strong,bright yellow instantly,or reveals streaks of orange.

Food fraud in turmeric

 Turmeric food fraud,estimated at a 20% adulteration rate globally,involves replacing or bulking genuine turmeric with cheaper materials like starches or toxic industrial dyes to enhance color.The most dangerous adulterant is lead chromate,a neurotoxic pigment added to boost yellow vibrancy ,which can cause severe lead poisoning.

Horse meat

 China is the world's largest consumer of horse meat in 2025.

The most watched sport in the world

 Soccer is the most watched sport in the world in 2025.

       Strangely cricket is the second most watched sport in the world in 2025.

Some dark truths

 Some dark truths

1.People respect outcomes,not results.

2.Being feared often takes you further than being liked.

3.Stay around five lazy people,and you'll become the sixth.

Italian proverb

 Vices are learned without a master.-Italian proverb

Ketchup

 Ketchup comes from the Chinese word ke-tsiap.

A song from The Magnetic Fields that I love

 You Must Be Out Of Your Mind-song by The Magnetic Fields.

Chocolate

 Chocolate comes from Chocolate,meaning "bitter water."

Rue Claudel in Montreal

 Rue Claudel in the Saint Leonard borough of Montreal is named in honor of Paul Claudel(1868-1955).He was a renowned French diplomat,poet and playwright,as well as a member of the Academie Francaise.

Streets I walked on Saturday,April 18,2026

 On Saturday,April 18,2026 I walked along Fletcher Avenue in Tetreaultville,Montreal from Sherbrooke Street to rue Souligny for the first time in my life,passing rue de Marseille,rue Ste.Claire,rue Pierre de Coubertin and rue Hochelaga along the way.Fletcher Avenue is lined with small houses and a couple of duplexes or triplexes.

               Then I walked on Bilaudeau Avenue from Souligny to Pierre de Coubertin.Then I walked along the entire length of rue Joseph -Nolin.After that I walked along rue Paul Pau from rue de Marseille up to Sherbrooke Street.There on Sherbrooke Street I took the 186 metro to Honore Beaugrand metro.

The rare snow lotus

 High in the Tianshan Mountains of Central Asia,the snow lotus(Saussurea involucrata)grows in harsh,cold conditions at high altitudes.It develops slowly over several years and is valued in traditional medicine.Due to overharvesting and climate change,this rare plant is now under threat.

He walked around the entire earth on foot

 From 1970 to 1974,a man named David Kunst(born 1939) walked around the entire Earth on foot-14,450 miles across four continents -it took him four years and he wore out 21 pairs of shoes.

A song from Dean Martin that I like

 Where the Blue And Lonely Go -song by Dean Martin.

A song from The New Pornographers that I like

 The Fake Headlines -song by The New Pornographers.

An old song from Dean Martin that I like

 Confused -song by Dean Martin.

An old song from Dean Martin that I like

 Bye Bye Blackbird-song by Dean Martin.

A wonderful song from Magnetic Fields that I love

 I Don't Want To Get Over You-song by Magnetic Fields.

        The wonderful bass voice of Stephin Merritt needs to be more appreciated.Radio stations in Montreal never seem to play this song,and they must be urged to .

A slightly obscure song from Joan Baez that I like

 Danger Waters -song by Joan Baez.

A song from Doja Cat that I love

 Paint The Town Red-song by Doja Cat.

       This song samples the 1964 hit song 'Walk On By' from Dionne Warwick throughout the track.

         This song is very artfully done. Dionne Warwick was actually thrilled her song sample was used for this track.

A song from Bon Jovi that I like

 One Step Closer -song by Bon Jovi.

Croissant

 Croissant means "crescent" in French.

Clementines

 Clementines are generally considered to have a moderate to high oxalate content.

Airline passengers

 Airline passengers often fight over armrests.

A song from 2021 that I like

 Mile High(2021)-song by Astrocolor.

           Astrocolor is a band from Victoria, British Columbia.

Quote from Kelly Rimmer

 I know once I open the floodgates of feeling sorry for myself,I'll get a taste for it and it will destroy me.-Kelly Rimmer

Quote from Peter Bofinger

 I don't expect to get a standing ovation from businessmen  when I call for higher wages.-Peter Bofinger

African proverb

 Cutting off the head is not the cure for a headache.-African proverb 

The appeal of Dubai

 Dubai has a dazzling skyline;with its dazzling skyscrapers Dubai is a huge draw for tourists and the ultra-rich.
          Dubai is a metropolis on steroids;there are lots and lots of shopping malls in Dubai.Since Dubai is brutally hot for half of the year,people often hang out in shopping malls there.Shopping malls are kind of the town square in Dubai.

           Dubai is an aviation hub.90% of the population of Dubai consists of foreign nationals; most of the people who live in Dubai are on short-term work visas, typically two-year work visas that can be renewed.

      There is no pathway to permanent citizenship in Dubai for foreigners.People can live as foreigners in Dubai,but they will never become citizens.

In Dubai

 In Dubai people can be arrested for criticising the government.

A very old song from Dean Martin that I like

 Sleepy Time Gal -song by Dean Martin.

An obscure song from Dean Martin that I like

 The Object Of My Affection -song from Dean Martin.

An old song from Dean Martin that I love

 Maybe -song by Dean Martin.

An obscure song from Dean Martin that I like

 Only Forever -song by Dean Martin.

A song from Sebastian Gaskin that I like

 Cherie Amour-song by Sebastian Gaskin.

Seafood fraud

 Seafood fraud is very common;consumers need to keep their eyes open to it.

Fish fraud involves species substitution or mislabeling.Lower-value species such as tilapia are sometimes marketed as expensive ones like red snapper.

       Fish is labeled as cod sometimes when it's really Pollock.

       "White tuna" sold in sushi restaurants is often actually escolar,a fish that can cause digestive issues such as diarrhea.

Strange beauty custom among Japanese women

 Until the late 19th century,many Japanese women practised ''ohaguro"-dyeing their teeth black as a beauty custom.The glossy black finish was considered elegant and refined, especially among married women band aristocrats.

Amazing leafcutter ants

 Leafcutter ants look like they are stealing leaves for dinner,but they are really farming.They carry leaf pieces underground,use them to grow fungus,and then eat the fungus instead.

Deadline

 "Deadline"originally meant a prison boundary.

Sniper

 The word"sniper" comes from hunting birds called snipes.

An amazing way to make money in Tokyo

 In Tokyo,Shoji Morimoto rents himself out to "do nothing"-offering silent company for meals,events or just sitting together.After being fired for lacking initiative,he turned it into a full business earning around $80,000 a year.

         Congratulations are in order for him.

A song from Olivia Rodrigo that I like

 Drop Dead-song by Olivia Rodrigo.

It is illegal in Thailand

 In Thailand it's illegal to step on money because it has the king's image.

Hunter-gatherer

 Chasseur-cueilleur-Hunter-gatherer in French.

Cows

 One third of all the cows in the world live in India.

A unique country

 Kiribati is the only country in the world to fall into all four hemispheres.

A song from 1989 that I like

 Say You-You Must Be The One(1989)-song by Carolyn Hughes.

A song from Luther Vandross that I like

 Give Me The Reason-song by Luther Vandross.

A new techno song from 2026 that I love

 Relax Baby(Ecstasy& Fire Anthem)(2026)-song by LustDeep.

        This song contains the lyrics"Relax Baby,let the night take control."

               

A song from Jessie Ware that I like

 Sauna -song by Jessie Ware.

Another song from Luther Vandross that I like

 Your Secret Love-song by Luther Vandross.

A song from Luther Vandross that I like

 Never Too Much-song by Luther Vandross.

A song from Luther Vandross that I love

 Here And Now -song by Luther Vandross.