July 24, 2000

View Full Issue Table of Contents

The Mail

I am continually amazed at the central Canadian mainstream media’s ability to pass off vilification and demonization of a public figure as news reporting. “How scary?” (Cover, July 10) goes to great lengths to air Canadian Alliance Leader Stockwell Day’s personal views regarding gay rights and abortion, but merely passes over his stance on economic issues.

Education

Stretching Minds

Peals of laughter roll through the room. At the front, 12 precocious teens twist and contort themselves into the shape of a human massage chair, then vigorously shake their supervisor as she reclines on a latticework of limbs. Clearly another summer-camp shenanigan. By John Schofield

World

Olympic Mess

It seemed like a natural thing—holding the 2004 Olympic Games in Greece, where the tradition began more than 2,700 years ago. But now, three years after the International Olympic Committee awarded Athens the Games, there is growing pessimism over whether they will ever get on track.

Business

Bills, Bills, E-bills

Like lots of people, Mark Reynolds maintains a constant battle with the paper that floods through his mailbox. In his case, it’s the kitchen counter that starts to disappear when he can’t keep up with the onslaught. To help stem the tide, the owner of a pet business in Dunnville, Ont., near Hamilton, uses the Web to do most of his personal banking.

Overture

Over and Under Achieversz How does Clint Clark sound, pal? Pierre: a toast to turning 80! Bill Gates: the cheque please (in pieces) Joe Clark: where did you get that hat? And Ben Johnson: life in the slow lane! Pierre Berton: Canadas Giant of Journalism celebrates his 80th birthday with massive party. Hope it’s almost as much fun as he’ll have on his 90th. By John Intini, JL

Space

Reach for the Skies

Brian Feeney is neither a pilot nor an engineer. He has never been to basic training at NASA or anywhere else. He has more the look of a maître d’ at an urban retro dance club than a testosterone-oozing claimant to the Right Stuff. Yet some time next year, if he gets his way, the Toronto industrial designer, a divorced father of two teenage girls, will be strapped into a rocketship slung from one of the biggest hot-air balloons ever built. By Chris Wood

Profile

The bug man of Montreal

Georges Brossard’s suburban Montreal basement would spook even the most hardened burglar. Almost every inch of wall space is covered with bugs stored in shadow boxes. Long-horned beetles from Brazil the size of mice. Giant butterflies with sapphireand emerald-coloured wings. By Brenda Branswell

Columns

Experience can hurt

At some point relatively late in life—according to an old and perhaps apocryphal story—Pablo Picasso was sitting in a café one day when he was approached by a tourist who beseeched him, with increasing vehemence, to do a sketch for her. Picasso refused. By Anthony Wilson-Smith

July 172000