Obscure Sorrow
Bob wanders into "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows" and uncovers some fantastic new words to add to his vocabulary, especially around human emotions. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Nov 25, 2021•6 min•Ep. 170
RamsayWrites Mini-Casts
Bob Ramsay, the Toronto writer, has a unique take on the world that will have you saying: “Hmm...I never thought of it that way.” Twice a week, he tackles the political and personal issues of the day. Everything from craven politics and unchecked ambition, to secret sauces, bitter loss and fist-pumping redemption. They’re stories to live by – quirky, high-style, tear-jerking, funny ha-ha, sometimes funny peculiar. In fact, his blogs don’t walk down the sidewalk and browse in the windows. They sneak into alleyways and come out onto different worlds. Alex Brown narrates each mini-cast to bring it all to your ears and imagination. RamsayWrites mini-casts are written by Bob Ramsay, voice by Alex Brown, and produced/edited by Kyle Fulton.
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Episodes
Thin On The Ground
In this episode, Bob looks at what happened when unprecendented rains fell on British Columbia, and the federal government called in the military for help. But he also wonders if Canada's Search and Rescue Operations could be doing more. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Nov 25, 2021•6 min•Ep. 169
The Arts are Opening Up. We Should Too.
After 20 months, Bob goes to a live symphony performace and celebrates the thrill of being there in person, but also wonders and worries about the future of big arts groups post pandemic. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com
Nov 19, 2021•7 min•Ep. 168
The Banned Played On
Bob takes a look at two recent book banning situations by school boards - one in the U.S., and one in Canada, and comments on how and why they happened. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com
Nov 18, 2021•6 min•Ep. 167
When Early Bloomers Work Late
On the 80th birthday of Bob's friend, Canadian visual storyteller and artist, David Blackwood, Bob looks at how David's most creative period of his life just seems to be starting. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Nov 11, 2021•7 min•Ep. 166
Global Warming, Meet Global Drinking
In this episode, Bob wonders if the treatment for alcoholics and addicts could be applied to break the world of its addition to fossil fuels. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Nov 11, 2021•6 min•Ep. 165
The Least I Could Do
In this episode, Bob marvels at the random and powerful coincidence that reconnects him with someone he credits saving his life 30 years ago. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Nov 05, 2021•6 min•Ep. 164
Life is short. Death is long. Take that vacation
A new episode
Nov 03, 2021•5 min•Ep. 163
Edward the Third
In this episode, Bob compare the current family succession drama playing out in the Rogers' boardroom to several Shakespearan plays and Greek myths. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 28, 2021•8 min•Ep. 161
Why Can't We Be More Like The Chinese
Bob takes a look at ways the Chinese government is helping moderate the screen time of schooolchildren, and other measures in the country around education and media consumption. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 28, 2021•6 min•Ep. 162
The Best of Healthcare. The Worst of Healthcare.
In this episode, Bob looks at the Canadian healthcare system and wonders if it could be even better through a shared federal-provincial funding program. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 21, 2021•8 min•Ep. 160
There's No Denial Like Systemic Denial
In this episode, Bob looks at the systemic denial existing in both the Canadian military and the Roman Catholic Church, but offers a glimmer of hope for change. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 21, 2021•6 min•Ep. 159
Why No WiFi On The Subway?
Bob wonders why it is that in Toronto, rated one of the world's most livable cities, you can't get WiFi while on the subway. He offers a suggestion to do so. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 14, 2021•8 min•Ep. 157
The News On Depression Isn't All That Depressing
After Bob's heart surgery, he became depressed and found treatment with anti-depressants. In this episode he looks at other treatments showing promising results. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 14, 2021•7 min•Ep. 158
Depression: The Good, the Better, and The Ugly
In this episode, Bob puts his pen to depression, and a new treatment for severe depression that implants a neural pacemaker device in the brain. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 07, 2021•6 min•Ep. 156
Hunters and Hunted
Bob looks at the revelations of The Pandora Papers and asks why tax evasion is tolerated by governments that end up costing its citizens billions? For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 07, 2021•7 min•Ep. 155
Books About Big Things
In this episode, Bob looks at the safe return of "the two Michaels" (Michael Kovring and Michael Spavor) to Canada after more than 1000 days in Chinese prison, and what that means to Chinese-Canadian political relations. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Oct 01, 2021•7 min•Ep. 154
Amusing Themselves to Death
Bob puts the spotlight on the province of Alberta and the rapid and dangerous rise in Covid cases brought about by the Premier's relaxing of public health protocols earlier in the summer. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com
Oct 01, 2021•7 min•Ep. 153
Forced Feeding
In this episode, Bob aligns the idea of compulsory voting with compulsory "opt-in" programs for organ donation to increase participation rates of both. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com
Sep 24, 2021•7 min•Ep. 152
How Will You Die?
Bob looks at poling firm Ipsos' "Perils of Perception" which explores the yawning gap between what is demonstrably true and what people think is true. Chief among the biggest mismatches of perception and reality is how people think they will die. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Sep 24, 2021•8 min•Ep. 151
Destination Television
After watching 72 hours of a French television series, A French Village, Bob describes why it was so captivating, and makes some other recommendations for equally gripping, binge-worthy TV drama series. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Sep 16, 2021•7 min•Ep. 150
Terror Times Two
In today's episode, Bob recounts being in both New York on 9/11, and in Boston in 2013 when bombs exploded during the Boston Marathon. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Sep 16, 2021•12 min•Ep. 149
Five Royal Scandals
Recently, the British Royal family finds itself embroiled in a number of scandals that are serious and damaging to the monarch. In this episode, Bob looks at the recent scandals and their impact.
Sep 13, 2021•7 min•Ep. 148
The Good, The Baad, and The Lucky
In this episode, Bob looks at the similarities between the treatment of women in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, and the new Texas Heartbeat Act which forbids abortions after 6 weeks if a doctor detects a fetal heartbeat. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Sep 13, 2021•8 min•Ep. 147
Passport Please
Bob compares vaccine passports to the many existing passports we already hold - from the 19 childhood vaccines we received, to driver's license, to a health card. If everyone is OK with those, why the protests for vaccine passports?
Sep 13, 2021•7 min•Ep. 146
Manufacturing Addiction
Millions of people are addicted to drugs that are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies. Bob profiles two sources that examine the companies that produce them - Patrick Radden Keef'e "Empire of Pain", and Alex Gibney's documentary, "The Crime of the Century."
Sep 13, 2021•7 min•Ep. 145
Vax or Die
While on a summer road trip, Bob and Jean run headlong into a much less mask-wearing city and decide to leave town quickly, but not before Jean helps a very sick Covid patient.
Sep 13, 2021•7 min•Ep. 144
A Woman's Work
On a trip to Afghanistan in 2009, Bob and Jean see for themselves the suppression and maltreatment of women, especially widows with orphans. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Sep 13, 2021•8 min•Ep. 143
Broke, In More Ways Than One
The Catholic Church in Canada owes millions to compensate for their role in the Residential Schools tragedy, yet despite being a wealthy organization, have neglected to pay their full tally. Bob looks at what they will have to do to pay up. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com
Sep 13, 2021•6 min•Ep. 142
The Beautiful Game
Fresh off the Canadian women's soccer team gold medal win at the Tokyo Olympics, Bob takes a stand to support the creation of a pro women's soccer league in Canada. For more from Bob Ramsay, visit ramsayinc.com.
Sep 13, 2021•7 min•Ep. 141
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