Should Canada become USA’s 51st state?

The most talked-about controversial film, made by a guerrilla filmmaker to come out of the United States since September 11, is now on general commercial release in both America and Canada. It was a sensation at the last Cannes and Toronto film festivals. Some critics described the documentary as "anti-American" rant because writer/director Michael Moore, tabbed as the comedic prince of the proletariat, described the USA as a country with a "culture of fear." The movie is Bowling for Columbine which was co-produced with Canadian money (made only for $3.2 million) though basically an American production.

Moore praised the Canadians for being peace loving. But also commented that "Canadians don’t take compliments well. They have a lack of self-esteem. You’ve (meaning Canadians) created a society where, by and large, you talk about each other. You have a separate ethnic, not only from America, but from the rest of the world. But you won’t flaunt it." The box-office results will determine whether Moore’s effort will be appreciated by moviegoers attuned to the likes of Vin Diesel and Scorpion Kings. It will challenge the shopping mall culture and American mass mentality.

Truffles, the mysterious black tubers that’s the result of subterranean sexuality which has found their way to the dining tables of the nobility for centuries may no longer be exclusive to Europeans. It’s very expensive, difficult to find and can be found in limited quantities in certain regions of Southern France with the help of special pigs. To some, it is the divine tasting fungal fruit.

Truffles can be found in the roots of maple and birch trees. But most often, it likes to cohabit with the oak tree, an illicit love affair which brings about the aromatic variety. Last month, truffles was found by a dog in Richmond City. While many were surprised, those familiar with trees expected that they flourish in birch trees. And Canada is blessed with countless birch trees.

What was found was red truffles, still prized but not as much as the black ones. The red ones have a pleasant nutty flavor when compared to the pungent European variety. Red truffles are said to be best cooked or consumed with seasonal local produce and meat dishes.

If truffles can be found in the roots of a Richmond birch tree, there’s a possibility that they can be found in other trees in the area. Somebody can be rich if the "gold in the soil" can be collected in commercial quantity for selling to gourmets, foodies and chefs.

Should Canada become the 51st American state? According to a Montreal research company, four out of10 Americans answered "sure." About 38 percent of respondents said they would be "in favor of Canada being annexed to the United States, 49 percent said "no" and another 13 percent said they did not know.

But there’s no reason for us to panic because the average American don’t know enough about Canada to make a rational assessment. It is common knowledge that there’s an abysmal level of ignorance about Canada in the United States. From a historical perspective, there has been a real push by Americans for annexation since the 19th century.

I thought an apple is an apple, but to my surprise, CARP News elevated my knowledge of apples… that not all apples are created equal. There are eight common varieties grown in Ontario and the ranking according to their antioxidant content (antioxidants defend the body against free radicals in the blood) are: Red Delicious (has the peel being the richest source of antioxidants). It is followed by Spy, Ida Red, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Mcintosh and Mutsu. Empire apples came in last with less than half the antioxidant totals of Red Delicious. Next time you buy Canadian apples be sure to look at the label.

Winter is coming and more and more Canadians are choosing Cuba for their winter escape over more traditional Caribbean destinations like Jamaica and Barbados. Cuba ranked sixth behind the United States, Britain, Mexico, France and Germany out of the top countries visited by Canadians.

Cruises here continue to be lucrative business and the trend is to be more specialized, meaning, moving away from the predictable food and sports and traditional frolic in the beach theme. The current theme cruises combine a floating vacation side by side with one’s specific lifestyle such as Yoga, music, Harley Davidson motorcycles to nude cruises, Quit Smoking Cruise to Spy Cruise.