To say Jacob Trouba is one of the most feared body-checkers in professional hockey would be a bit of an understatement. Perhaps another way of putting it would be to say that Trouba is hockey’s version of a professional assassin.

Trouba laid out Nazem Khadri of the Calgary Flames last night for what has to be the latest in a league-leading highlight reel of rock ’em-sock em’ that Don Cherry would be proud of.

Nice to see Shania Twain out and about at the Grammys recently.

From Timmins, Ontario, this little girl named Eilleen sang and performed her heart out until she ended up taking the country/pop genre by storm in the 1990’s.

A victim of abuse in her early years, she lost both parents at age 22 and became the sole bread-winner for her three siblings. She moved them out of Timmins and brought them with her to Huntsville where she was performing at the Deerhurst Inn resort. It was after they grew and moved out on their own that she was able to submit demo tapes to producers and be, as they say, discovered.

I was never a huge fan even though I recognized her work. There was always something about her that I found odd. I recently saw a biography of her on Netflix that helped me appreciate her so much better as an artist, and also as a person.

I can’t speak to her new album, which I’ve not yet heard. Nor can I comfortably comment on the red hair, other than to say I hope that’s not a perma-thing. She’s always been a beautiful girl and that continues to hold true in her 50’s, so for me, hair gimmickry isn’t really a necessity. But it’s her thing and she’s earned it if she wants it, not that one has to earn their red hair.

Whatever your personal stance on COVID-19 vaccinations, or whatever your vaccination status might be, recent data shows a lot fewer of us getting jabbed than before.

There’s a number of reasons for this, vaccination fatigue probably at the top of the list.  I’ve received three doses but seem to be having difficulty motivating myself to go get the fourth, despite having an abundance of time to do so.

DO NOT BLOCK INTERSECTION shouts the sign as you approach the intersection of Plaunt Street and Monroe Avenue in Renfrew.  It makes you ask yourself “Now why in the hell would I want to do that?”

It’s the other sign, the one above that one that I really comply with. The stop sign that governs traffic travelling along Plaunt trumps all else. And I, historically a conscientious motorist, perform a complete stop, every time.

You’d be crazy not to.

Honestly, what says Canada better than a snowplow filling in the end of your driveway moments after you’ve finished clearing it of the latest 25 cm dump?

I can’t possibly imagine what it’s like to be a municipal or township snowplow driver.  As an occupation, is there any accumulated burnout that comes from years of being loathed by driveway owners?  They say that being a dentist is rough because, well, who honestly likes going to the dentist?  It’s like that for the snowplow people, I’m sure.

I feel bad for Saab.  I really do.

The Swedish company just happens to make one of the best fighter aircraft in the world.  But try as they might, and they do try mightily, they can’t seem to get anyone to buy their planes.

Their planes are awesome.  Totally interoperable with NATO and compliant with NATO ammunition standards.  Same high battlefield networking standards.  A very complete multi-role fighter.

Some countries have bought a few Gripen NG, and a few others have reached licensing agreements to build the planes domestically.  But the big buys have all gone to the F-35, which can now out-compete its rivals just by the sheer economy of scale of its production.

Had Canada picked the Gripen, I’d have not cried.  I might have shaken my head, but I could live with it.

They once made some really cool cars too, but you don’t see them around much anymore.

Check out Vladimir Putin’s summer home on the Black Sea coast. As you can see, it’s quite the shack. You wouldn’t want to get all caught up in a game of hide and go-seek in this place or they may never find you. But then again, it’s Russia, and people disappear all the time.

Is there any reason why Ontario voters shouldn’t take new NDP leader Marit Styles seriously?

Bravo to Rexall Pharmacy, on Raglan Street, for their incorporation of Renfrew history into their new “look” unveiled several months ago.

That it was a surveillance rig, I have no doubt. And the data it was collecting is already gone, also no doubt.

Big question: Why would China do this?