Columnists

Former B.C. Lion Herman Smith is poised to be reunited with this ring he lost more than 20 years ago. (courtesy Bob Marjanovich)

THE MOJ: Found B.C. Lions Grey Cup ring reveals a story of redemption

Herman Smith has come a long way from the man who lost his ring in a Montreal hotel room

Former B.C. Lion Herman Smith is poised to be reunited with this ring he lost more than 20 years ago. (courtesy Bob Marjanovich)
Mike Barnes of Hayward smokes while dressed in a marijuana leaf suit during the 420 event at Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park on Friday, April 20, 2018. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Are 4/20 events in B.C. influencing youth marijuana use?

Community outreach coordinator speaks on the dangers of teen drug use

Mike Barnes of Hayward smokes while dressed in a marijuana leaf suit during the 420 event at Hippie Hill in Golden Gate Park on Friday, April 20, 2018. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Abbotsford’s Devon Toews celebrates with the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche on June 26. (Twitter photo)

THE MOJ: Pay attention, here’s how round 1 of the NHL playoffs will unfold

Moj leans heavily towards the favourites as the chase for the Stanley Cup opens

Abbotsford’s Devon Toews celebrates with the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche on June 26. (Twitter photo)
B.C.’s Minister of Labour Harry Bains is the MLA for Surrey-Newton. (Photo: flickr.com/photos/bcgovphotos)

Painful Truth: Wages need to keep rising

Sure, wages are up, but the cost of living is still going up faster

B.C.’s Minister of Labour Harry Bains is the MLA for Surrey-Newton. (Photo: flickr.com/photos/bcgovphotos)
Vancouver Canucks right wing Conor Garland shields the puck from Arizona Coyotes defenseman J.J. Moser (90) in overtime during an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 13, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. The Canucks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

THE MOJ: Plenty of questions as the Canucks reset after another disappointing season

Will the Tocchet new coach bump affect how team approaches the offseason?

Vancouver Canucks right wing Conor Garland shields the puck from Arizona Coyotes defenseman J.J. Moser (90) in overtime during an NHL hockey game Thursday, April 13, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz. The Canucks won 5-4. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Glen Suitor (right) is one the SFU alumni furious with the way the university’s storied football program has ended. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards

THE MOJ: Shocked football world pushing back against SFU football demise

Lack of warning, effort to save the program, caught supporters off guard

Glen Suitor (right) is one the SFU alumni furious with the way the university’s storied football program has ended. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards
Strathcona Dam. BC Hydro photo

PAINFUL TRUTH: Bitcoin mining ban needed

A waste of power as we decarbonize our economy

Strathcona Dam. BC Hydro photo
Simon Fraser University football team kicker Kristie Elliott, who had recently become the first Canadian woman to play and score in a college football game, lines up a kick as coach Jerome Erdman watches during team practice in Burnaby, B.C., Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

THE MOJ: All that history and SFU’s storied football program ended with a press release

Lack of money and commitment doomed what was once one of Canada’s finest programs

Simon Fraser University football team kicker Kristie Elliott, who had recently become the first Canadian woman to play and score in a college football game, lines up a kick as coach Jerome Erdman watches during team practice in Burnaby, B.C., Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
With his latest column and this picture he took more than a month ago of a fisherman casting a line on the Boise River in Idaho, columnist David Clements hopes to encourage folks to "get out and enjoy our local rivers." (David Clements/Special to Langley Advance Times)

GREEN BEAT: Columnist captivated by river experience

Langley environmental spent a few extra days, after a convention in Idaho, exploring the Boise River

  • Apr 5, 2023
With his latest column and this picture he took more than a month ago of a fisherman casting a line on the Boise River in Idaho, columnist David Clements hopes to encourage folks to "get out and enjoy our local rivers." (David Clements/Special to Langley Advance Times)
Members of Canada’s technology sector say they’re worried the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank will have a chilling effect on investments in their sector. A pedestrian carries an umbrella while walking past a Silicon Valley Bank Private branch in San Francisco, Tuesday, March 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

PAINFUL TRUTH: Arguments against optimism

We’re going to keep blowing up the economy every five years forever

Members of Canada’s technology sector say they’re worried the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank will have a chilling effect on investments in their sector. A pedestrian carries an umbrella while walking past a Silicon Valley Bank Private branch in San Francisco, Tuesday, March 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Saint John Sea Dogs’ Yan Kuznetsov celebrates with the Memorial Cup after Saint John beat the Hamilton Bulldogs in Saint John, N.B., Wednesday, June 29, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward

THE MOJ: Kamloops blazing a trail to host the nation for the Memorial Cup

Hosting Canada’s premier junior hockey event culmination of a 15-year journey

Saint John Sea Dogs’ Yan Kuznetsov celebrates with the Memorial Cup after Saint John beat the Hamilton Bulldogs in Saint John, N.B., Wednesday, June 29, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward
Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Ezequiel Carrera makes a diving catch to rob Minnesota Twins’ Trevor Plouffe of a hit in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 20, 2016, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Ezequiel Carrera makes a diving catch to rob Minnesota Twins’ Trevor Plouffe of a hit in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 20, 2016, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

THE MOJ: Friday nights at the Marpole Flying Club and the joys of fantasy baseball

Fantasy sports have changed over the years, but there’s nothing like trash talking your buddies

Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Ezequiel Carrera makes a diving catch to rob Minnesota Twins’ Trevor Plouffe of a hit in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 20, 2016, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Ezequiel Carrera makes a diving catch to rob Minnesota Twins’ Trevor Plouffe of a hit in the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 20, 2016, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, front left, and general manager Patrik Allvin listen during a news conference after the NHL hockey team announced Tocchet’s hiring, in Vancouver, on Sunday, January 22, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

THE MOJ: Of course, the worst has (predictably) happened, the Canucks are good again

Is management going to buy into this late-season resurgence, or is major surgery still on the way?

Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, front left, and general manager Patrik Allvin listen during a news conference after the NHL hockey team announced Tocchet’s hiring, in Vancouver, on Sunday, January 22, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Seattle Mariners’s Julio Rodriguez reacts after stealing second base during the 13th inning in Game 3 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

THE MOJ: The hunter about to become the hunted for the Seattle Mariners

After breaking a long post-season drought, what’s next for B.C.’s other favourite baseball team?

Seattle Mariners’s Julio Rodriguez reacts after stealing second base during the 13th inning in Game 3 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Houston Astros, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Jogging our memory, at one point in time during the pandemic, we had travelling vaccination centres – like this bus that stopped in neighbouring Pitt Meadows – so everyone who wanted to, could receive their shot. (Black Press Media files)

PAINFUL TRUTH: Do COVID’s origins matter?

In this week’s column, Matthew Claxton says it doesn’t really matter much where this virus came from

Jogging our memory, at one point in time during the pandemic, we had travelling vaccination centres – like this bus that stopped in neighbouring Pitt Meadows – so everyone who wanted to, could receive their shot. (Black Press Media files)
Toronto Blue Jays announcer Ben Wagner sits in the broadcast booth in Toronto, Sunday, April 10, 2022. Sportsnet, the Blue Jays’ radio rightsholder, will not resume on-site radio broadcasts for the 2023 regular season and will instead use remote coverage from its downtown Toronto studio for road games. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

THE MOJ: Leaving the broadcasters at home a sad and baffling decision

Radio crew not joining the team on the road leads to an inferior product without much of a saving

Toronto Blue Jays announcer Ben Wagner sits in the broadcast booth in Toronto, Sunday, April 10, 2022. Sportsnet, the Blue Jays’ radio rightsholder, will not resume on-site radio broadcasts for the 2023 regular season and will instead use remote coverage from its downtown Toronto studio for road games. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Photographer Arlette Hatcher captured this image of the Applewood Valley Granfondo that started at the Eagle Acres farm near Fort Langley on Saturday, June 4. (Langley Advance Times files)

PAINFUL TRUTH: Fear of weight loss drugs

Being thin isn’t a virtue – it’s mostly luck and privilege

Photographer Arlette Hatcher captured this image of the Applewood Valley Granfondo that started at the Eagle Acres farm near Fort Langley on Saturday, June 4. (Langley Advance Times files)
B.C. Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian speaks to reporters after an end of season meeting at the CFL football team’s practice facility, in Surrey, B.C., on Tuesday November 13, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

THE MOJ: Saluting the wisdom — and the resolve — of Solomon Elimimian

Hall of Fame induction is the crowning achievement of an examplary B.C. Lions career

B.C. Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian speaks to reporters after an end of season meeting at the CFL football team’s practice facility, in Surrey, B.C., on Tuesday November 13, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Vancouver Canucks’ Brock Boeser tosses a stick into the crowd after being named the first star of the game after Vancouver defeated the Dallas Stars during an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Vancouver Canucks’ Brock Boeser tosses a stick into the crowd after being named the first star of the game after Vancouver defeated the Dallas Stars during an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Cocaine – still illegal. (Black Press Media files)

PAINFUL TRUTH: Face value is not enough

A press release about legal cocaine quickly took on a life of its own

Cocaine – still illegal. (Black Press Media files)