Walter Ball was born to a farming family near Cookstown, Ontario in 1911 and grew up with designs of becoming a Electrical Engineer upon reaching adulthood, but fate chose a different path entirely for him. Newspapers & magazines were the most accessible media in the day and Walter's dreams were swept up in ads for mail-order drawing lessons. Often, the first lesson was sent free, costing just a postage stamp on the letter of request for the less...
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With the world economy tumbling around us, we couldn't blame one for being mindful of a time when our ancestors faced these challenges in the 1930s, the deepest days of the Canadian depression.

There seems not much specific about where the present crisis may take us, nor has it reached a point where anyone has given it a name, but the warning signs of depression are clear. We hear about it in the news internationally. However, the rubber test is when things are affected locally. More real esta...
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     Jimmy Frise was a living, breathing phenomenon. Once as close as it was possible to be a living legend in the world of Canadian publishing. A genuine character. A twinkling star that shone so bright, one could even catch a glimmer of his light, in a sullen, self-absorbed pubescent daze.
     It was probably the winter of 1971. A 13 year-old kid from the farm rides shotgun into town with his mom to get away from his perceived dreary rural existence. She shops for groceries and clothing, wh...
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