Electric Sky

Close Your Eyes examines the impact of sound, in a variety of forms, in our lives. I encourage you to listen to this entire program with your eyes closed.

613 Casual Choir leaders Lee Hayes and Rob Cosh, and well over 75 singers who braved a frigid January evening in Ottawa, make the case for singing as an act of survival.

For most aspiring rock stars, the prize is recording and touring, and having a loading dock to receive the mountains of cash being delivered to your home.

Democracy is a political simulation game you can't win. It's engaging and fun, and it reminds us that each political decision is like a flap of a butterfly's wings.

Shawn MacDonell ignored his guidance counsellor who was pointing high school students like sheep toward computer science degrees. Instead, he developed a program to teach children how to read. With baseballs.

Neil and Jeff followed their passion, curiosity and creativity to create a documentary about their favourite television show.

I grew up with a romantic view of radio pirates; ordinary people using public airwaves to build communities from locations offshore, from basement studios and from mobile transmitters in the backs of vans.

I’ve often heard people say they’re fighting or they’ve beaten cancer. It was a shift in my thinking when, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, my wife talked about healing and being a survivor. Six months, three surgeries and six rounds of chemotherapy later, I understand. Show ID and intro Interview with Andrea Ross You […]

One of my favourite lessons taught by Dewitt Jones is to study your tools and how to use them so you can capture the extraordinary no matter which tool happens to be in your hand at the time.  Dewitt knows this well.  His extraordinary photographs have graced pages and covers of National Geographic magazine for […]

A new all-ages book by historian and author, Hugh Brewster, explores the valour and determination of the Canadian forces as one problem after another stacked against them for the raid on German forces at Dieppe.  His book includes details on the planning and execution of the raid, as well as the incredible stories of survival […]

We tend to be myopic when we face challenges — it’s much more comfortable to focus inwards.  Leaders are no exception.  So, when leaders talk about thinking out of the box, they should be first in line. This concept has been embraced by Bill Hybels who founded The Leadership Summit fifteen years ago.  While the […]

It’s amazing who you can meet in a park during your child’s soccer game. I was introduced to Stephen Gritt on one such occasion last summer by someone who knew that Stephen would make a great guest for Electric Sky. They were right. Show ID and intro Interview with Stephen Grit National Gallery of Canada […]

During the annual Great Glebe Garage Sale (a huge community garage sale in Ottawa), my family stumbed on Jennifer Barnaby, a Cordon Bleu Chef who was serving baked goods she’d made while her husband, Jim, brewed up espresso and handled the transactions. Every single cent collected from the sales went directly to charity. They didn’t […]

I’ve wanted to produce a documentary on honesty for almost three years. In preparation, I gathered some street audio on honesty and dishonesty, definitions of the ideas and self-analysis (unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced some of this audio). I also conducted an incredibly insightful interview with Brad Blanton whose book Radical Honesty: How to […]

While in Perth, ON last August, I learned about Bracelets of Hope, an initiative to raise the money necessary to build a medical clinic for a Village of Hope in Harare, Zimbabwe — all by selling handmade bracelets. Even more impressive is that the initiative was dreamed up by a ten-year-old. I met with Carrie-Anne […]

Our family vacation in August 2007 was a two-week, unplugged, extravaganza down the Fundy side of New Brunswick. The camping was fantastic and we were able to witness the awesome vertical tides of the Bay of Fundy. The highlight of our trip was a whale watching expedition on the Jolly Breeze, a tall ship based […]

Sir Ken Robinson explains 'back to basics', offers ways in which parents can help foster creativity in their children, and outlines his ideal school.

Sir Ken Robinson's book "Out of Our Minds" offers an in-depth analysis of education systems and the role of creativity as part of our development.

In March 2006, I took a day off of work to spent time with the residents of Harvest House, a recovery program based in Ottawa. It was an incredibly educational and emotional day. I am currently producing a thirty-minute documentary based on my experiences that day. The program will be available at Electric Sky later […]

Ottawa Valley Honey is one of the popular attractions at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market. Children and adults flock to this booth to study the section of beehive that is always a part of the display. I had the opportunity to interview Michael Kositsin, one of the beekeepers, about his amazing honey bees. Show ID and […]

In the same way that many people figured Wayne Gretzky would always play hockey, I cannot imagine a time when William Hawkins, Bill, will no longer be driving his cab. And driving a cab is only one of the many lives he has led. Bill was part of the Ottawa music scene that centered around […]

I released my very first Podcast on April 29, 2005. Tod Maffin made me do it. That is to say, I heard him talk about podcasting during a technology segment on CBC Radio. That, combined with Brent Bambury’s announcement that he was leaving CBC Ottawa resulted in the launch of Electric Sky. Electric Sky led […]

In many respects, Alex Overwijk reminds me of my own high school math teachers – passionate, a good sense of humour and a unexpected skill that everyone knows them for. Alex is an unlikely celebrity for a viral YouTube video of him drawing a perfect freehand circle. Show ID and Intro Interview with Alex Overwijk […]

Since 2002, Pam Hunter has been organizing annual Scrabble tournaments to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis. I dropped in on this year’s event and learned that, like baseball, Scrabble is rich with strategy and language including speed games, board-vision, heavy tiles and “box scores”. Show ID and Intro Interviews with participants and event organizer, Pam […]

Quite by chance, my family and I learned about the CD release party for The World Voices Choir, an event that took place just over a month ago.  We made it a family event — that includes our two daughters ages five and seven.  It was an amazing and inspirational experience, and it raised money […]

On a recent visit to the Canadian Museum of Nature, we were polled for our opinions on a proposed exhibit on water. A display of four concepts were on display for public comment. I had never considered how museum exhibits were conceived, planned and pulled together. Show ID and Intro Interview with June Creelman of […]

Thomas Wartenberg has created an entire program for his philosophy class at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The program teaches his students how to facilitate a philosophical discussion with grade 1 through 5 students using picture books. The results are amazing. Show ID and Intro Interview with Thomas Wartenberg Philosophy for Children The […]

For no apparent reason, I have always assumed that any coast guard operation was a military outfit. It turns out I was wrong. To learn more, I sat down with the Commissioner of the Canadian Coast Guard, Mr. George Da Pont. Show ID and Intro Interview with Commissioner George Da Pont Search and Rescue Ice […]

This is an unusual episode of Electric Sky in which I cut loose with my other Rogic Conglomerites to bring you a festive song. Thank you very much for being a part of the Electric Sky audience. All the best to you and yours for a happy, healthy and safe holiday season – no matter […]

During a recent conversation about social media, my friend, Stephen Hardiman, started to talk about storytelling as a business tool. It was one of those times when I cut people off and tell them to save it for when the tape is rolling. Since Stephen has a radio background – he hosted Expert Radio, a […]

As a gift for his fiftieth birthday, Suzanne Roy-Seguin helped her husband, Yves Seguin, realize his dream of experiencing the launch of a Space Shuttle. I spoke with them about how they experienced this incredible event given that Yves is blind and Suzanne is legally blind – both from Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). Show ID […]

I’m finally putting some energy back into creating a documentary on honesty and I need your help – this after a year-and-a-half of threatening to do so. I’m looking for email and audio comments that will be used anonymously on my program. I’m looking for you to provide any of the following information: What is […]

Sheree Fitch is the author of more than twenty children’s picture and poetry books, a young adult book called Gravesavers, and several plays. During a conversation with Sheree for Just One More Book (another Podcast I produce with my wife, Andrea), Sheree introduced an idea she has called The Theology of Nonsense. I had to […]

I attended the Railfair 2006 at Algonquin College in Ottawa. The setups were incredibly elaborate and the exhibitors were more than happy to talk about their hobbies. Show ID and Intro Interview with Neil Hutton of Cumberland Third Rail Railfair 2006 video on YouTube How to subscribe to Electric Sky – it’s free.

Sometimes a chance meeting can take place when you grab the wrong airport shuttle. That’s exactly what happened to me when I arrived in San Francisco this past June. I shared a shuttle with Thomas Grande and his wife. Mr. Grande practices Qui Tam law and he gave me a brief education before we arrived […]

There’s a certain irony with the timing of this episode. Nevertheless, I am amazed by Ashley’s passion for, and commitment to, her rabbits. Show ID and intro Interview with Ashley LaFave of the Spencerville Hillside Rabbitry How to subscribe to Electric Sky – it’s free.

It’s a simple idea: wear red on Fridays to show support for the troops and families of the Canadian military. It’s not about politics or ideology. It’s about people. It’s called Red Fridays and it was organized by Karen Boire and Lisa Miller. Show ID and Intro Interview with Karen Boire and Lisa Miller Married […]

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is touring the world as part of the celebration of the Art of Living Foundation's twenty-fifth anniversary. I spoke with him during his stop in Ottawa.