In August 1958, a dashing young refugee from the Hungarian Revolution visited the annual Couchiching Conference. He was told this was the way to get to know the essential Canada. He found that it did and, incidentally, that for every world problem discussed, there was one adultery committed among the delegates. (Source: In Praise of Older Women, by Stephen Vizinczey).
Since then, there has been no shrinkage of world problems discussed every summer, but the YMCA (the owner of the beautiful Geneva Park where the conference takes place) has not kept reliable statistics about the other matter.
If you want to understand why you have been so grievously infected by the current cosmic World Cup fever you must register immediately for this summer’s Couchiching Conference. The subject is “The Politics and the Potential of Sport.” You will mingle with jocks and non-jocks whose names you will drop happily, and perhaps profitably, during the months to come.
The agenda is Couchiching 2014 (pdf).
Eric Koch’s new book, New Beginnings, will be launched on Saturday, September 20. All are invited to mark the occasion at the Deer Park Branch of the Toronto Public Library between 2 and 4 pm. The book will be available at the launch, and from the 
