Articles written by Michelle Graf

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About me - Michelle Graf

My first "journalism" experience was an assignment to write a faux news article documenting one of the New Testament miracles for my Grade 4 catechism class at Veritas Elementary School in Terrace, B.C. I was hooked.

A career in journalism was not in the

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Politics, News & Issues > Politics, News & Issues (Other) Universal healthcare concerns: 1 of 43
During the August recess, U.S. Senators and Congressmen will likely be taking the pulse of their constituents on the health care debate, hopefully in order to represent the wishes of the American public when the bills come to votes in the fall. Some Senators and Congressmen have been using the Canadian system as an example o... More..
Education > Education (Other) Are Americans really stupid versus the rest of the World: 1 of 21
Well, the short answer is no. But it sure looks that way from the outside sometimes... Somewhere around the conflicts stemming out of the 1960's, an attitude pervaded the U.S. that to admit failure, wrongdoing, or misjudgement was unpatriotic. In the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, to claim victory or super... More..
Travel > Travel Diaries & Adventures (Other) Travel diaries: Airport adventures and customs calamities: 1 of 19
Travelling with Gracie the Cat - what could go wrong? The following is an account of our adventures flying from Canada to the U.S. We were moving on account of my husband's job transfer, and the last things to make the journey were the cat and I. I had checked all the airline rules, gathered the appropriate paperwork to... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Taking a look at stupidity in today's society: 5 of 42
Perhaps this may be splitting hairs, but there is a difference between stupidity and ignorance. I was thinking about his today as I was driving home from work. I had told a co-worker a story about how, on the weekend, I had attempted to order a cup of coffee at the movie theater (while, to be honest, a cafe mocha) and during ... More..
Health & Fitness > Diet Programs The benefits of going to weekly Weight Watchers meetings: 1 of 8
Losing weight and keeping it off are tough without support. A key component of the Weight Watchers programs over the years has been the weekly meetings. There are several benefits to attending the meetings, all of which are important to help achieve weight loss goals. 1. Peer support: It has long been established in psychoth... More..
Travel > Canada Why you should visit Canada: 3 of 22
Canada is the second largest country in the world by area, and encompasses a tremendous range of climates, cultural experiences and adventures. But perhaps the best reasons to visit Canada are those experiences that can be had in few, if any, other places in the world. See A Polar Bear In the Wild The future of the largest ... More..
Health & Fitness > Diet Programs An overview on the Weight Watchers point system: 1 of 7
The Weight Watchers Points System is essentially an easy version of their traditional low fat/low calorie diet. One of the complaints in the old days of Weight Watchers, and with many calorie focused diets, is that calculating calories every time you want to eat something was too time consuming and complicated. The points sy... More..
Health & Fitness > Aging & Longevity Easy and safe exercises for elderly people: 2 of 13
The benefits of regular physical activity have been well proven at any age, not just to maintain and improve physical health, but to reduce mental stress and ease depression, a common difficulty for the elderly. Starting an exercise program is difficult at any age, particularly if you have been inactive for some time, and sh... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Leaders (Other) Political commentary: Will Obama's presidential success be determined by healthcare reform?: 2 of 13
As of this writing, the next presidential election is still more than three years away. It is quite unlikely that however the health care debate resolves, it will be the defining issue of President Obama's term. With the war in Iraq winding down and the war in Afghanistan heating up, with the economy still hooked up to the li... More..
Society & Lifestyle > North American Culture Comparing Canadian and American cultures: 4 of 19
A Canadian Gen X-er, I grew up in the era of the Meech Lake fiasco, the uncertainty of the Quebec issue, and a lot of hand-wringing and navel-gazing as to whether there was such a thing as Canadian culture. I always believed that there was such a thing, and the past two years living in the U.S. has only served to cement that... More..