FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010
TORONTO TALK
Today’s topic is close to my heart. I am going to ruminate about the future of Toronto, Ontario, my hometown and the city of my birth.
On October 25th, Torontonians will go to the polls and elect a new mayor for this growing metropolis. The City of Toronto has a population of about 2.6 million people, which means that the new mayor will preside over a city with more people than six of Canada’s ten provinces. According to Statistics Canada’s 2009 estimates, only Ontario (12.7 million) Quebec (7.6 million), British Columbia (4.2 million) and Alberta (3.2 million) have larger populations than the City of Toronto.
The new mayor will have a four-year term. These will be crucial years in the development of our city. It would be disastrous to be stuck with a poorly performing mayor for the next four year. To be brutally frank, I am not impressed with any of the current candidates. I’m not sure whom to vote for. I want to like at least one of the candidates. I really do. Alas, I am dismayed. None of them inspires me. None of them seems to have a vision, a passion for this city. I am fervently hoping for another candidate to make a late entry into the race, but I realize that might not happen. What we see may be what we get.
Toronto is a city of so much potential. It is vibrant and diverse and there are so many cultural activities. All the street festivals, sporting events, museums and restaurants make this city come alive. People from all corners of the world bring energy and excitement to T.O. That is why The Huffington Post recently dubbed Toronto “the new capital of cool.”
Yes, this city is a wonderful place to live, but it could be even better. For one thing, it could be cleaner. Job number one is to remove the litter from our streets and from the TTC. I take public transit frequently and I am sorry to say that our buses and subways are filthy. I also regret that our waterfront is hidden by a concrete jungle of ugly condos. We never should have let that happen. In 1987, Peter Ustinov described Toronto as “New York run by the Swiss.” I wonder if he would be able to make that same statement today.
The good denizens of Hogtown deserve better. We’ve gone through some terrible ordeals these past few years. In 2003, we had an outbreak of SARS and a massive power outage. Last summer, our city employees went on lengthy strike. Toronto resembled a pigpen and smelled like one too. Garbage was strewn everywhere and city services were closed down. This summer, we held a G20 summit we didn’t want or need. There was rioting and vandalism. The downtown core was fenced in. It was an armed camp with police everywhere. We learned what it felt like to be under martial law. To top it all off, taxpayers have to foot the bill for the over $1 billion in security costs for the summit.
We in the Big Smoke have survived all of this. Although we have thrived, we can have an even brighter future with better leadership. WANTED : A good mayor for the largest city in Canada. Time is running out. Where have you gone, David Crombie? An anxious city needs someone just like you.
SPORTS
Don’t get me going on Toronto’s sports teams. I’ll leave that for another day. Today I’ll just discuss the Jays ongoing road trip and the Argos’ season thus far.
After a promising start after the All-Star break, the Blue Jays have slipped back again. Their road trip began well with a sweep of the feckless Baltimore Orioles. Then they dropped two out of three games in Kansas City against the Royals. They began a new series in Detroit yesterday by losing to the Tigers by a score of 5-2.
I am a CFL fan. I follow it more than the NFL. The Argonauts are off to a decent start under head coach Jim Barker with a respectable record of 2-1. They have a home game today against the B.C. Lions. Both teams are owned by Senator David Braley. I can’t help thinking that Braley would certainly be in an awkward situation if the Lions were to play the Argos in the Grey Cup.
- Joanne
Friday, July 23, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
William Spooner and Spoonerisms
THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010
Do you know what a "spoonerism" is? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a spoonerism is "a transposition of usually initial sounds of two or more words." An exapmple is "toin coss" instead of "coin toss."
The term "Spoonerism" derives its name from William Archibald Spooner, a classical scholar and Anglican priest who was prone to such errors in speech. Spooner was born in London, England on this day in 1844, the son of a Staffordshire county court judge. At the age of 18, he won a scholarship to New College, Oxford and maintained a 60-year association with the institution. He became a fellow of New College in 1867, lecturer in 1868, a tutor in 1869, dean 1876-1889 and Warden of New College from 1903. That same year he obtained his Doctor of Divinity degree.
During his many years at New College, the Reverend Spooner gained a reputation for making verbal slips of the tongue. His students even began devising transpositional puns, and attributing them to him.
I was intrigued to learn that Dr. Spooner was an albino. As a result. he suffered from defective eyesight. Spooner had a pinkish face, very pale blue eyes and white hair tinged with yellow. His physique was poor, his head was too large for his body and he stammered. In an article entitled Will Someone Please Hiccup My Pat, Wiliam Spooner Donald (Spooner’s nephew), says that “nature compensated the weakling by blessing him with a brilliant intellect.” He describes his uncle as a "caricaturist’s dream with freakish looks, nervous manner and peculiar mental kink that caused him – in his own words – ‘to make occasional felicities in verbal diction.’”
William A. Spooner overcame his drawbacks, lived a successful life and was very popular with his students. This master of malapropism died in 1930 at the age of 86.
Hare are some examples of Spoonerism that have been attributed to William Spooner.
"Blushing crow" for "crushing blow"
•A well-boiled icicle" for "well-oiled bicycle."
"I have in my bosom a half-warmed fish" (for half-formed wish)
Spooner is said to have raised this toast to Queen Victoria: "Three cheers for our queer old dean!"
Upon dropping his hat: "Will nobody pat my hiccup?"
Officiating at a wedding, Rev. Spooner prompted a hesitant bridegroom, "Son, it is now kisstomary to cuss the bride."
Paying a visit to a college official: "Is the bean dizzy?"
Addressing farmers as "ye noble tons of soil"
Visiting a friend's country cottage: "You have a nosey little crook here."
He castigated one student for "fighting a liar in the quadrangle"
Another severe reprimand to a misbehaving student:- "You have hissed all my mystery lectures. You have tasted two worms. Pack up your rags and bugs, and leave immediately by the town drain!"
"Mardon me padom, you are occupewing my pie. May I sew you to another sheet?"
Some of these are apocryphal, likely devised by Spooner's students. They sure are fun, though.
- Joanne
 |
| Willam A. Spooner |
Do you know what a "spoonerism" is? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a spoonerism is "a transposition of usually initial sounds of two or more words." An exapmple is "toin coss" instead of "coin toss."
The term "Spoonerism" derives its name from William Archibald Spooner, a classical scholar and Anglican priest who was prone to such errors in speech. Spooner was born in London, England on this day in 1844, the son of a Staffordshire county court judge. At the age of 18, he won a scholarship to New College, Oxford and maintained a 60-year association with the institution. He became a fellow of New College in 1867, lecturer in 1868, a tutor in 1869, dean 1876-1889 and Warden of New College from 1903. That same year he obtained his Doctor of Divinity degree.
During his many years at New College, the Reverend Spooner gained a reputation for making verbal slips of the tongue. His students even began devising transpositional puns, and attributing them to him.
I was intrigued to learn that Dr. Spooner was an albino. As a result. he suffered from defective eyesight. Spooner had a pinkish face, very pale blue eyes and white hair tinged with yellow. His physique was poor, his head was too large for his body and he stammered. In an article entitled Will Someone Please Hiccup My Pat, Wiliam Spooner Donald (Spooner’s nephew), says that “nature compensated the weakling by blessing him with a brilliant intellect.” He describes his uncle as a "caricaturist’s dream with freakish looks, nervous manner and peculiar mental kink that caused him – in his own words – ‘to make occasional felicities in verbal diction.’”
William A. Spooner overcame his drawbacks, lived a successful life and was very popular with his students. This master of malapropism died in 1930 at the age of 86.
Hare are some examples of Spoonerism that have been attributed to William Spooner.
"Blushing crow" for "crushing blow"
•A well-boiled icicle" for "well-oiled bicycle."
"I have in my bosom a half-warmed fish" (for half-formed wish)
Spooner is said to have raised this toast to Queen Victoria: "Three cheers for our queer old dean!"
Upon dropping his hat: "Will nobody pat my hiccup?"
Officiating at a wedding, Rev. Spooner prompted a hesitant bridegroom, "Son, it is now kisstomary to cuss the bride."
Paying a visit to a college official: "Is the bean dizzy?"
Addressing farmers as "ye noble tons of soil"
Visiting a friend's country cottage: "You have a nosey little crook here."
He castigated one student for "fighting a liar in the quadrangle"
Another severe reprimand to a misbehaving student:- "You have hissed all my mystery lectures. You have tasted two worms. Pack up your rags and bugs, and leave immediately by the town drain!"
"Mardon me padom, you are occupewing my pie. May I sew you to another sheet?"
Some of these are apocryphal, likely devised by Spooner's students. They sure are fun, though.
- Joanne
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Reflections on the anniversary of the moon landing
TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die.”
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson
From "Ulysses"
I have chosen this quote because I think it is very appropriate to mark the anniversary of the day that a man walked on the moon. It embodies the sense of adventure and curiosity that is so noble in human beings.
It has been 41 years since Neil Armstrong took that historic step onto the lunar surface. I had just completed elementary school and I can vividly recall the sense of wonder and excitement of that day in the summer of 1969. Younger generations are perhaps baffled by the grainy black and white footage of Armstrong stepping down that ladder and bouncing around the moon. It probably seems so old hat to them, no big deal. There appears to be a lack of interest in space travel among today’s youth. In the 1950s and 1960s, children pretended they were astronauts and wore space helmets. Space was an exciting new frontier. Of course, there was the political motivation of the Cold War. There was the incentive for the Americans to reach the moon before the Soviets and to plant the Stars and Stripes there before the Hammer and the Sickle.
To this day, my adrenalin flows, when I watch footage of that walk on the moon and I hear Armstrong’s famous “That’s one small step . . . But did Neil Armstrong actually flub his monumental line? Did the first person to walk on the moon mistakenly utter the words “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”? That immortal phrase has been the subject of debate among academics and aficionados of space travel for years. Armstrong himself has vehemently claimed that he said "for a man" rather than "for man,” but the tapes of the event aren't clear enough to be absolutely certain. With the technology of the 1960s, the worldwide television audience at the time definitely did not hear the crucial “a”.
It is not a trivial matter. The omission of the article “a” makes a tremendous difference in the literal meaning of the phrase. Armstrong obviously meant to link the small action of one man with a monumental achievement for humanity. Instead, he wound up uttering a phrase that that equated a small step by the human race with an epic accomplishment for humankind. The phrase sounded good without the ‘a’ and it was quoted that way around the world. It is unfortunate, however, that the true meaning of Armstrong’s words has become clouded and confused.
In recent years, evidence has emerged demonstrating that the “a” is present on the recording but is too indistinct to hear.” According to an October 3, 2006 article by Mark Carreau in the Houston Chronicle, the missing “a” was discovered as a result of the software analysis of Peter Shann Ford, a Sydney, Australia-based computer programmer. In his research, Ford found that Armstrong spoke, "One small step for a man ... “with the "a" lasting a total of 35 milliseconds, 10 times too quickly to be heard." Nevertheless, Ford insisted that the "a" was indeed transmitted and that this can be proven in an analysis using Canadian sound-editing software called GoldWave,
The last manned lunar mission was Apollo 17 in December of 1972. The United States remains the only country to have a human being to the moon. However, recent plans to return to the moon were cancelled due to U.S. government cutbacks.
Some argue that money should be spent to improve life on earth, not on space travel. While I firmly believe that there should be restraint on government spending on space travel, I do not agree that it should be abandoned. Human beings are natural explorers. We need to learn about the universe and our place in it. Space exploration leads to the development of technology and provides information that is beneficial to humanity and improves life on this planet. That is why I am convinced that a human being will walk on the surface of Mars one day. I fervently hope to be alive to see that day. The Red Planet beckons and we will answer the call.
FOCUS ON CANADA
On this day in 1871, British Columbia became Canada’s sixth province. With plans for a railway to be built linking the new province to the East, Sir John A. Macdonald’s vision of a country from sea to sea moved one huge step closer to reality.
Congratulations to all British Columbians. This Torontonian is of the opinion that your province has some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. It is a natural wonder with its mountains and forests and the Pacific Ocean. Geographically speaking, you have the most beautiful province in Canada. Here’s to you, B.C.! Happy 139th anniversary.
SPORTS
It appears that Toronto Blue Jays have an exciting new shortstop in Yunel Escobar. They were looking to the future when they acquired the talented Escobar from the Atlanta Braves for the veteran Alex Gonzalez. The move seems to be seems to be paying off. On Sunday, the 27-year-old Cuban hit the Jays’ first grand slam of 2010 as the Jays swept their three game series against the hapless Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Escobar led the Blue Jays in a 10-1 rout against the Orioles.
The Jays were on a roll as they began a new series against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City last night. Struggling closer Kevin Gregg handed the game to the Royals in the 10th inning. Gregg surrendered the walk and the single that drove home the winning run in Toronto’s 5-4 loss. His days as Jays’ closer could be numbered.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die.”
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson
From "Ulysses"
I have chosen this quote because I think it is very appropriate to mark the anniversary of the day that a man walked on the moon. It embodies the sense of adventure and curiosity that is so noble in human beings.
It has been 41 years since Neil Armstrong took that historic step onto the lunar surface. I had just completed elementary school and I can vividly recall the sense of wonder and excitement of that day in the summer of 1969. Younger generations are perhaps baffled by the grainy black and white footage of Armstrong stepping down that ladder and bouncing around the moon. It probably seems so old hat to them, no big deal. There appears to be a lack of interest in space travel among today’s youth. In the 1950s and 1960s, children pretended they were astronauts and wore space helmets. Space was an exciting new frontier. Of course, there was the political motivation of the Cold War. There was the incentive for the Americans to reach the moon before the Soviets and to plant the Stars and Stripes there before the Hammer and the Sickle.
To this day, my adrenalin flows, when I watch footage of that walk on the moon and I hear Armstrong’s famous “That’s one small step . . . But did Neil Armstrong actually flub his monumental line? Did the first person to walk on the moon mistakenly utter the words “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”? That immortal phrase has been the subject of debate among academics and aficionados of space travel for years. Armstrong himself has vehemently claimed that he said "for a man" rather than "for man,” but the tapes of the event aren't clear enough to be absolutely certain. With the technology of the 1960s, the worldwide television audience at the time definitely did not hear the crucial “a”.
It is not a trivial matter. The omission of the article “a” makes a tremendous difference in the literal meaning of the phrase. Armstrong obviously meant to link the small action of one man with a monumental achievement for humanity. Instead, he wound up uttering a phrase that that equated a small step by the human race with an epic accomplishment for humankind. The phrase sounded good without the ‘a’ and it was quoted that way around the world. It is unfortunate, however, that the true meaning of Armstrong’s words has become clouded and confused.
In recent years, evidence has emerged demonstrating that the “a” is present on the recording but is too indistinct to hear.” According to an October 3, 2006 article by Mark Carreau in the Houston Chronicle, the missing “a” was discovered as a result of the software analysis of Peter Shann Ford, a Sydney, Australia-based computer programmer. In his research, Ford found that Armstrong spoke, "One small step for a man ... “with the "a" lasting a total of 35 milliseconds, 10 times too quickly to be heard." Nevertheless, Ford insisted that the "a" was indeed transmitted and that this can be proven in an analysis using Canadian sound-editing software called GoldWave,
The last manned lunar mission was Apollo 17 in December of 1972. The United States remains the only country to have a human being to the moon. However, recent plans to return to the moon were cancelled due to U.S. government cutbacks.
Some argue that money should be spent to improve life on earth, not on space travel. While I firmly believe that there should be restraint on government spending on space travel, I do not agree that it should be abandoned. Human beings are natural explorers. We need to learn about the universe and our place in it. Space exploration leads to the development of technology and provides information that is beneficial to humanity and improves life on this planet. That is why I am convinced that a human being will walk on the surface of Mars one day. I fervently hope to be alive to see that day. The Red Planet beckons and we will answer the call.
FOCUS ON CANADA
On this day in 1871, British Columbia became Canada’s sixth province. With plans for a railway to be built linking the new province to the East, Sir John A. Macdonald’s vision of a country from sea to sea moved one huge step closer to reality.
Congratulations to all British Columbians. This Torontonian is of the opinion that your province has some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. It is a natural wonder with its mountains and forests and the Pacific Ocean. Geographically speaking, you have the most beautiful province in Canada. Here’s to you, B.C.! Happy 139th anniversary.
SPORTS
It appears that Toronto Blue Jays have an exciting new shortstop in Yunel Escobar. They were looking to the future when they acquired the talented Escobar from the Atlanta Braves for the veteran Alex Gonzalez. The move seems to be seems to be paying off. On Sunday, the 27-year-old Cuban hit the Jays’ first grand slam of 2010 as the Jays swept their three game series against the hapless Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Escobar led the Blue Jays in a 10-1 rout against the Orioles.
The Jays were on a roll as they began a new series against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City last night. Struggling closer Kevin Gregg handed the game to the Royals in the 10th inning. Gregg surrendered the walk and the single that drove home the winning run in Toronto’s 5-4 loss. His days as Jays’ closer could be numbered.
- Joanne
Monday, July 19, 2010
Photos of Cleveland
MONDAY, JULY 19. 2010
Here are some photos of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that I took during my recent visit to Cleveland. There was a featured exhibit on Bruce Springsteen. (See my blog posting for June 30th) Also included are some pictures of Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians.
- Joanne
Here are some photos of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that I took during my recent visit to Cleveland. There was a featured exhibit on Bruce Springsteen. (See my blog posting for June 30th) Also included are some pictures of Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians.
- Joanne
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Reflections on Happiness
SATURDAY, JULY 17, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is never attained. Follow some other object, and very possibly we may find that we have caught happiness without dreaming of it."
— Nathaniel Hawthorne
Okay Sixteeners, the subject for today is happiness. It is on my mind because I read the results of a Gallup World Poll ranking the world's countries by happiness. The results wre released recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Looking at data collected across 132 countries, the Gallup Organization based their marks on representative samples of more than 136,000 people in each country. Respondents were asked how they would rate their lives on a scale from zero (worst possible) to 10 (best possible). They were also required to reply to a series of questions on positive or negative emotions. In addition, the poll asked respondents whether they felt respected, whether they had family and friends they could count on in an emergency, and how free they felt to choose their daily activities, learn new things or do "what one does best."
As in previous studies, this recent analysis found that life evaluation, or life satisfaction, increases with personal and national income. It also found that positive feelings, which also increase somewhat as income rises, are much more strongly associated with other factors, such as feeling respected, having autonomy and social support, and working at a fulfilling job.
According Gallup, the happiest country was ..... a little drum role please ..... Denmark.
Here is Gallup's list of the top 15 happiest countries, each with a mean score between 7.0 and 7.7.
1. Denmark: 7.7
2. Finland: 7.7
3. Norway: 7.6
4. The Netherlands: 7.6
5. Costa Rica: 7.6
6. Canada: 7.5
7. Switzerland: 7.5
8. New Zealand: 7.4
9. Sweden: 7.3
10. Austria: 7.3
11. Australia: 7.3
12. The United States: 7.2
13. Belgium: 7.1
14. Brazil: 7.0
15. Panama: 7.0
It is interesting that northern European and Scandinavian countries always score so well on these types of polls. The top ranking country in the Americas was Costa Rica. Costa Rica finished fifth in the happiness derby. Canada was the second ranking country in the Americas and the sixth overall. Hmmmm . . . sixth out of 132 countries is not too shabby.
The percentage of respondents who said they were "thriving" ranges from a high of 82% in Denmark to a low of 1% in the African country of Togo. 62% of the Canadians surveyed said they were thriving.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is never attained. Follow some other object, and very possibly we may find that we have caught happiness without dreaming of it."
— Nathaniel Hawthorne
Okay Sixteeners, the subject for today is happiness. It is on my mind because I read the results of a Gallup World Poll ranking the world's countries by happiness. The results wre released recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Looking at data collected across 132 countries, the Gallup Organization based their marks on representative samples of more than 136,000 people in each country. Respondents were asked how they would rate their lives on a scale from zero (worst possible) to 10 (best possible). They were also required to reply to a series of questions on positive or negative emotions. In addition, the poll asked respondents whether they felt respected, whether they had family and friends they could count on in an emergency, and how free they felt to choose their daily activities, learn new things or do "what one does best."
As in previous studies, this recent analysis found that life evaluation, or life satisfaction, increases with personal and national income. It also found that positive feelings, which also increase somewhat as income rises, are much more strongly associated with other factors, such as feeling respected, having autonomy and social support, and working at a fulfilling job.
According Gallup, the happiest country was ..... a little drum role please ..... Denmark.
Here is Gallup's list of the top 15 happiest countries, each with a mean score between 7.0 and 7.7.
1. Denmark: 7.7
2. Finland: 7.7
3. Norway: 7.6
4. The Netherlands: 7.6
5. Costa Rica: 7.6
6. Canada: 7.5
7. Switzerland: 7.5
8. New Zealand: 7.4
9. Sweden: 7.3
10. Austria: 7.3
11. Australia: 7.3
12. The United States: 7.2
13. Belgium: 7.1
14. Brazil: 7.0
15. Panama: 7.0
It is interesting that northern European and Scandinavian countries always score so well on these types of polls. The top ranking country in the Americas was Costa Rica. Costa Rica finished fifth in the happiness derby. Canada was the second ranking country in the Americas and the sixth overall. Hmmmm . . . sixth out of 132 countries is not too shabby.
The percentage of respondents who said they were "thriving" ranges from a high of 82% in Denmark to a low of 1% in the African country of Togo. 62% of the Canadians surveyed said they were thriving.
- Joanne
Friday, July 16, 2010
July 16th birthdays
FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010
My birthday is today, July 16th. That is one of the many reasons why I am so partial to the number sixteen. On this July 16th, I hearby present a list to you of some renowned persons who share my birthday.
St. Clare of Assisi was born on this day in 1194. In Italian, her name is “Santa Chiara.” She was born and died at Assisi and was a follower and protégé of St. Francis. On February 17, 1958, the Vatican designated her as the patron saint of television. There is a story that St. Clare was ill and bed-ridden one Christmas Eve in 1252. She was disappointed that she was not well enough to attend Mass in the new Basilica of St. Francis in town, but had a vision of the Mass, both hearing and seeing it from several miles away. It is for this reason she was pronounced the patron saint of television. Clare is also the patron saint of sore eyes. In 1996, while on a tour of Italy, I visited the Basilica of Saint Clare in Assisi.
The great dancer and actress, Ginger Rogers was born on this day in 1911. She’ll always be remembered as the legendary Fred Astaire’s dancing partner, although she was an accomplished actress in her own right. Together they were magical and I sometimes imagine what it must have been like to glide so effortlessly and graciously with Astaire. Ginger Rogers was born Virginia McMath in Independence Missouri. She died in at her home in Rancho Mirage, California on April 25, 1995 at the age of 83.
Movie and television actress Barbara Stanwyck was born on July 16, 1907 in Brooklyn, New York. Her birth name was Ruby Stevens. Fans of the Big Valley (1965-1969) will remember her primarily for her role as Victoria Barkley, the matriarch of that television western. However, she had a long and successful film career and was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Although she never won an Oscar, Stanwyck received four Academy Award nominations, the first for 1937’s Stella Dallas. Her film career ended in 1964 and she moved on to an Emmy-winning television career. Barabara Stanwyck retired in 1986 after appearing on the primetime television soaps Dynasty and The Colbys. She died on January 20, 1990 in Santa Monica, California at the age of 82.
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science movement, was born on July 16th, 1821 in Bow, New Hampshire. She spent much of her life in ill health. Her health improved dramatically after she became a patient of the New England healer Phineas Pankhurst Quimby in 1862. Dr. Quimby and his "medicine-free" healing techniques influenced her greatly. Her health quickly improved and she discovered a sense of comfort and well-being. In 1875, Mary Baker Eddy published a book called "Science and Health” in which was set forth a philosophy of Christian faith and spiritual healing. She formed the Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston in 1879, a church that often faced controversy for its beliefs and techniques. In 1908, at the age of 87, Mrs. Eddy founded the Christian Science Monitor, a well-respected and successful newspaper. She died on December 3, 1910 at her home in Newton. Massachusetts. In 1995, Mary Baker Eddy was elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame as the only American woman to found a worldwide religion.
Baseball’s "Shoeless" Joe Jackson was born Joseph Jefferson Jackson in Brandon Mills, South Carolina on July 16, 1887. According to his official web site, he received the nickname “Shoeless” after playing a minor league game in his stockings. A new pair of spikes had caused him to have blisters on his feet. As a member of the Chicago White Sox, Jackson became embroiled in baseball’s infamous “Black Sox” scandal. In 1920, the left fielder was suspended from playing baseball after allegations that he was involved in the throwing of the 1919 World Series. The following year, a jury acquitted Shoeless Joe of conspiring to fix the World Series. Despite the court’s decision, Jackson and seven other Chicago players were banned from baseball for life. Shoeless Joe cannot be inducted into the baseball's Hall of Fame unless and until he is reinstated by Major League Baseball. Joe's supporters point out that he had a .375 batting average and recorded 12 hits in the 1919 World Series. His detractors counter that he failed to hit in the clutch during that series. Although the debate rages on all these years later, Jackson's hitting ability has never been disputed. Shoeless Joe Jackson died in Greenville, South Carolina on December 5, 1951 at the age of 64. He is sometimes reported to appear in Iowa cornfields (just kidding about that).
Orville Redenbacher of popcorn fame was born on the 16th of July in 1907 on a farm near Brazil, Indiana. In 1951, he purchased the George F. Chester and Son dent seed corn plant with partner Charlie Bowmannear Valparaiso, Indiana, and experimented with tens of thousands of hybrid strands of popcorn before achieving success. In 1970, he marketed Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn. Renenbacher sold the company to Hunt-Wesson Foods, a division of Norton Simon, Inc., in 1976. On September 19, 1995, he suffered a heart attack and drowned while in the whirlpool tub of his condominium in Coronado, California. The popcorn king was 88 years old.
Happy Birthday to all those born on July 16th.
- Joanne
My birthday is today, July 16th. That is one of the many reasons why I am so partial to the number sixteen. On this July 16th, I hearby present a list to you of some renowned persons who share my birthday.
St. Clare of Assisi was born on this day in 1194. In Italian, her name is “Santa Chiara.” She was born and died at Assisi and was a follower and protégé of St. Francis. On February 17, 1958, the Vatican designated her as the patron saint of television. There is a story that St. Clare was ill and bed-ridden one Christmas Eve in 1252. She was disappointed that she was not well enough to attend Mass in the new Basilica of St. Francis in town, but had a vision of the Mass, both hearing and seeing it from several miles away. It is for this reason she was pronounced the patron saint of television. Clare is also the patron saint of sore eyes. In 1996, while on a tour of Italy, I visited the Basilica of Saint Clare in Assisi.
The great dancer and actress, Ginger Rogers was born on this day in 1911. She’ll always be remembered as the legendary Fred Astaire’s dancing partner, although she was an accomplished actress in her own right. Together they were magical and I sometimes imagine what it must have been like to glide so effortlessly and graciously with Astaire. Ginger Rogers was born Virginia McMath in Independence Missouri. She died in at her home in Rancho Mirage, California on April 25, 1995 at the age of 83.
Movie and television actress Barbara Stanwyck was born on July 16, 1907 in Brooklyn, New York. Her birth name was Ruby Stevens. Fans of the Big Valley (1965-1969) will remember her primarily for her role as Victoria Barkley, the matriarch of that television western. However, she had a long and successful film career and was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Although she never won an Oscar, Stanwyck received four Academy Award nominations, the first for 1937’s Stella Dallas. Her film career ended in 1964 and she moved on to an Emmy-winning television career. Barabara Stanwyck retired in 1986 after appearing on the primetime television soaps Dynasty and The Colbys. She died on January 20, 1990 in Santa Monica, California at the age of 82.
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science movement, was born on July 16th, 1821 in Bow, New Hampshire. She spent much of her life in ill health. Her health improved dramatically after she became a patient of the New England healer Phineas Pankhurst Quimby in 1862. Dr. Quimby and his "medicine-free" healing techniques influenced her greatly. Her health quickly improved and she discovered a sense of comfort and well-being. In 1875, Mary Baker Eddy published a book called "Science and Health” in which was set forth a philosophy of Christian faith and spiritual healing. She formed the Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston in 1879, a church that often faced controversy for its beliefs and techniques. In 1908, at the age of 87, Mrs. Eddy founded the Christian Science Monitor, a well-respected and successful newspaper. She died on December 3, 1910 at her home in Newton. Massachusetts. In 1995, Mary Baker Eddy was elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame as the only American woman to found a worldwide religion.
Baseball’s "Shoeless" Joe Jackson was born Joseph Jefferson Jackson in Brandon Mills, South Carolina on July 16, 1887. According to his official web site, he received the nickname “Shoeless” after playing a minor league game in his stockings. A new pair of spikes had caused him to have blisters on his feet. As a member of the Chicago White Sox, Jackson became embroiled in baseball’s infamous “Black Sox” scandal. In 1920, the left fielder was suspended from playing baseball after allegations that he was involved in the throwing of the 1919 World Series. The following year, a jury acquitted Shoeless Joe of conspiring to fix the World Series. Despite the court’s decision, Jackson and seven other Chicago players were banned from baseball for life. Shoeless Joe cannot be inducted into the baseball's Hall of Fame unless and until he is reinstated by Major League Baseball. Joe's supporters point out that he had a .375 batting average and recorded 12 hits in the 1919 World Series. His detractors counter that he failed to hit in the clutch during that series. Although the debate rages on all these years later, Jackson's hitting ability has never been disputed. Shoeless Joe Jackson died in Greenville, South Carolina on December 5, 1951 at the age of 64. He is sometimes reported to appear in Iowa cornfields (just kidding about that).
Orville Redenbacher of popcorn fame was born on the 16th of July in 1907 on a farm near Brazil, Indiana. In 1951, he purchased the George F. Chester and Son dent seed corn plant with partner Charlie Bowmannear Valparaiso, Indiana, and experimented with tens of thousands of hybrid strands of popcorn before achieving success. In 1970, he marketed Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn. Renenbacher sold the company to Hunt-Wesson Foods, a division of Norton Simon, Inc., in 1976. On September 19, 1995, he suffered a heart attack and drowned while in the whirlpool tub of his condominium in Coronado, California. The popcorn king was 88 years old.
Happy Birthday to all those born on July 16th.
- Joanne
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Bastille Day and all things French
WEDSNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010
Today is Bastille Day, he national holiday of France. On this day, the French commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1759 and the beginning of the French Revolution. For your edification and enjoyment, here are a few quotations about France and the French.
"How can anyone govern a nation that has 240 different kinds of cheese?"
- Charles de Gaulle, former French president, 1962
"Everything ends this way in France - everything. Weddings, christenings, duels, burials, swindlings, diplomatic affairs - everything is a pretext for a good dinner."
- Jean Anouilh
"Paris is the city in which one loves to live. Sometimes I think this is because it is the only city in the world where you can step out of a railway station—the Gare D’Orsay—and see, simultaneously, the chief enchantments: the Seine with its bridges and bookstalls, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Tuileries Gardens, the Place de la Concorde, the beginning of the Champs Elysees—nearly everything except the Luxembourg Gardens and the Palais Royal. But what other city offers as much as you leave a train?"
- Margaret Anderson
SPORTS
The National League won its first All-Star game since 1996. The NL defeated the American League by a scre of 3-1 in Anaheim. I am more of an American Leaguer as I follow the Blue Jays. However, it's about time the National League won the ALL-Star game.
Today is Bastille Day, he national holiday of France. On this day, the French commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1759 and the beginning of the French Revolution. For your edification and enjoyment, here are a few quotations about France and the French.
"How can anyone govern a nation that has 240 different kinds of cheese?"
- Charles de Gaulle, former French president, 1962
"Everything ends this way in France - everything. Weddings, christenings, duels, burials, swindlings, diplomatic affairs - everything is a pretext for a good dinner."
- Jean Anouilh
"Paris is the city in which one loves to live. Sometimes I think this is because it is the only city in the world where you can step out of a railway station—the Gare D’Orsay—and see, simultaneously, the chief enchantments: the Seine with its bridges and bookstalls, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Tuileries Gardens, the Place de la Concorde, the beginning of the Champs Elysees—nearly everything except the Luxembourg Gardens and the Palais Royal. But what other city offers as much as you leave a train?"
- Margaret Anderson
SPORTS
The National League won its first All-Star game since 1996. The NL defeated the American League by a scre of 3-1 in Anaheim. I am more of an American Leaguer as I follow the Blue Jays. However, it's about time the National League won the ALL-Star game.
Monday, July 12, 2010
MONDAY, JULY 12, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. What a man thinks of himself, that is which determines or rather, indicates , his fate."
- Henry David Thoroeau
From "Walden"
Henry David Thoreau, the great writer, naturalist and philospher, was born in Concord, Massachusetts on this day in 1817.
WITTY DEFINITIONS
As promised in my blog of July 9th, here are some more witty definitions.
Sneeze: Much achoo about nothing.
- Oscar Brinkman
Plumber: Drain surgeon
- Merry Browne
Eraser: A corrector's item.
- From Boys' Life
Hypochondriac: A person who loves sham pain.
Apology: The pause that redresses
- Bert Murray
I can't resist wit. If you would like to contribute any witty definitions to Number 16, please send them to me. I will publish them in this space.
SPORTS
Congratulations to Spain for winning the FIFA World Cup. Congratulations to South Africa for proving that such an event could be held successfully on the African continent.
The Blue Jays lost the final game of their series with Boston yesterday by a score of 3-2. Unfortunately, they head to the All-Star break on a losing note. Sigh.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. What a man thinks of himself, that is which determines or rather, indicates , his fate."
- Henry David Thoroeau
From "Walden"
Henry David Thoreau, the great writer, naturalist and philospher, was born in Concord, Massachusetts on this day in 1817.
WITTY DEFINITIONS
As promised in my blog of July 9th, here are some more witty definitions.
Sneeze: Much achoo about nothing.
- Oscar Brinkman
Plumber: Drain surgeon
- Merry Browne
Eraser: A corrector's item.
- From Boys' Life
Hypochondriac: A person who loves sham pain.
Apology: The pause that redresses
- Bert Murray
I can't resist wit. If you would like to contribute any witty definitions to Number 16, please send them to me. I will publish them in this space.
SPORTS
Congratulations to Spain for winning the FIFA World Cup. Congratulations to South Africa for proving that such an event could be held successfully on the African continent.
The Blue Jays lost the final game of their series with Boston yesterday by a score of 3-2. Unfortunately, they head to the All-Star break on a losing note. Sigh.
- Joanne
Sunday, July 11, 2010
John Quincy Adams : The president and his "foreign" wife
SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The end cannot justify the means, for the simple and obvious reason that the means employed determine the nature of the ends produced."
- Aldous Huxley
From "Ends and Means"
FOCUS ON HISTORY
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was born on this day in 1767. Adams was born in in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. He was the eldest son of John Adams, the second president of the United States. They were the only father and son combination to hold the office of president until George W. Bush and his father equalled the accomplishment in 2001.
John Quincy Adams was a career diplomat. He was a well-travelled man of the world who spoke French fluently. While on a mission abroad, he was charmed by London-born Louisa Catherine Johnson, the daughter of an American diplomat and his English wife. Louisa’s father, Joshua Johnson of Maryland, served as United States consul in London.
The futre president married Louisa in 1797, the same year that his father became president. They had four children, one of whom died in infancy. By the time she became First Lady, Louisa suffered from health problems and was not fit to undertake the social duties expected of her.
It is interesting to note that Louisa Catherine Adams remains the only American First Lady born outside the United States. Political enemies sometimes referred to her as being English.
If John Kerry had won the presidency in 2004, his wife would have become only the second foreign-born First Lady of the U.S. Teresa Heinz Kerry was born to Portuguese parents in Mozambique.
LANGUAGE CORNER
Why do we still say "dial a number" when telephones haven`t had dials for years? In fact, the majority of young people have never even seen a rotary phone, except on television or in a photograph. I guess we still say "dial" for lack of a better word. What else can we say? We can't say ``push button`` a phone. If anyone out there has any ideas, let me know. I`d be happy to publish your thoughts on my blog. I won`t use your name if you don`t want me to. So, what do you think, Sixteeners? I`m quite stumped on this one.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays lost the first game of their series with the Boston Red Sox by a score of 14-3. They were clobbered and it was not pretty. I attended that game, and for a Blue Jays fan, it was an unmitigated disaster. There were many Red Sox fans in attendance. I have to say that Red Sox fans are very loyal and follow their team around to different cities. Yesterday, the Jays redeemed themselves and won by a score of 9-5.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The end cannot justify the means, for the simple and obvious reason that the means employed determine the nature of the ends produced."
- Aldous Huxley
From "Ends and Means"
FOCUS ON HISTORY
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was born on this day in 1767. Adams was born in in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. He was the eldest son of John Adams, the second president of the United States. They were the only father and son combination to hold the office of president until George W. Bush and his father equalled the accomplishment in 2001.
John Quincy Adams was a career diplomat. He was a well-travelled man of the world who spoke French fluently. While on a mission abroad, he was charmed by London-born Louisa Catherine Johnson, the daughter of an American diplomat and his English wife. Louisa’s father, Joshua Johnson of Maryland, served as United States consul in London.
The futre president married Louisa in 1797, the same year that his father became president. They had four children, one of whom died in infancy. By the time she became First Lady, Louisa suffered from health problems and was not fit to undertake the social duties expected of her.
It is interesting to note that Louisa Catherine Adams remains the only American First Lady born outside the United States. Political enemies sometimes referred to her as being English.
If John Kerry had won the presidency in 2004, his wife would have become only the second foreign-born First Lady of the U.S. Teresa Heinz Kerry was born to Portuguese parents in Mozambique.
LANGUAGE CORNER
Why do we still say "dial a number" when telephones haven`t had dials for years? In fact, the majority of young people have never even seen a rotary phone, except on television or in a photograph. I guess we still say "dial" for lack of a better word. What else can we say? We can't say ``push button`` a phone. If anyone out there has any ideas, let me know. I`d be happy to publish your thoughts on my blog. I won`t use your name if you don`t want me to. So, what do you think, Sixteeners? I`m quite stumped on this one.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays lost the first game of their series with the Boston Red Sox by a score of 14-3. They were clobbered and it was not pretty. I attended that game, and for a Blue Jays fan, it was an unmitigated disaster. There were many Red Sox fans in attendance. I have to say that Red Sox fans are very loyal and follow their team around to different cities. Yesterday, the Jays redeemed themselves and won by a score of 9-5.
- Joanne
Friday, July 9, 2010
Witty Definitions
FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2010
Here are some witty definitions for you on a July day.
A hypocondriac is one whose claims to being an invalid are invalid.
- Frank Tyger
Global peace: The world coming to a mend.
- Merry Browne
Paralyze: A couple of fibs.
- Buck Tracy
Bankrupt corporation: Red Inc.
- Buck Tracy
I hope you enjoyed these witty definitions. I promise to share more of them with you soon.
RANT OF THE DAY
As someone who has worked in a library for many years, a column in yesterday’s Toronto Star caught my attention. It really hit home for me and I feel compelled to comment on it.
The column was written by James Travers and it laments the Harper government’s decision to no longer make mandatory the long form of Canada’s census. I strongly agree that the government has made a foolish and short-sighted decision. I am astounded at such pettiness and lack of awareness.
Approximately 20% of the population receives the mandatory long form of the census. I happen to be quite familiar with the long version as I was required to fill it out in 2006 and in 2001. It is a bit time-consuming and tedious, but the effort is well worth it. When one considers the usefulness of demographic information, there is no doubt that the benefits far outweigh the drudgery of answering about 50 census questions.
As Travers puts it, ``Conservatives are pandering to the fringe conspiratorial notion that big government is prying too deeply into private lives.`` When I filled out the long-form census, I never felt that my privacy was being invaded and that Big Brother was watching me. I realized that I was contributing to a self-portrait of my country.
James Travers is right on the money with his criticism of what he calls the ``dumbing down``of Canada. Any librarian will tell you how valuable and how necessary census material is to researchers, journalists, students and countless others. Nothing else provides such a vital and accurate snapshot of our country. As Travers points out, that snapshot will be distorted and incomplete without the long version.
Thank you, Jim Travers, for exposing this travesty. Canada and its people deserve better.
SPORTS
What a circus surrounding LeBron James' departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers! He's off to Miami to play with former Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh. Good riddance to both of them!
I'm cheering for the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup. No, I don't have any Dutch blood, but I want the Orange to win because of their warm relationship with Canadians.
The Blue Jays won their series with the Minnesota Twins last night in magnificent fashion. They defeated the twins by a score of 8-1 and slammed 5 solo homo runs. The Jays are the major league leaders in homers. I am inpressed with the ability of this team to hit the long ball. Unfortunately, the Jays have been hampered by their inability to hit for average. Their batting averages are pitifully low. They need to hit some more singles in addition to homers. When the home runs go dry, the Jays are in trouble, as was evident in their recent series in Cleveland. They did not hit one home run in that nightmare of a series and they lost all four games.
The Jays begin a new series against the Boston Red Sox and I will be at the dome tonight to cheer them on.
- Joanne
Here are some witty definitions for you on a July day.
A hypocondriac is one whose claims to being an invalid are invalid.
- Frank Tyger
Global peace: The world coming to a mend.
- Merry Browne
Paralyze: A couple of fibs.
- Buck Tracy
Bankrupt corporation: Red Inc.
- Buck Tracy
I hope you enjoyed these witty definitions. I promise to share more of them with you soon.
RANT OF THE DAY
As someone who has worked in a library for many years, a column in yesterday’s Toronto Star caught my attention. It really hit home for me and I feel compelled to comment on it.
The column was written by James Travers and it laments the Harper government’s decision to no longer make mandatory the long form of Canada’s census. I strongly agree that the government has made a foolish and short-sighted decision. I am astounded at such pettiness and lack of awareness.
Approximately 20% of the population receives the mandatory long form of the census. I happen to be quite familiar with the long version as I was required to fill it out in 2006 and in 2001. It is a bit time-consuming and tedious, but the effort is well worth it. When one considers the usefulness of demographic information, there is no doubt that the benefits far outweigh the drudgery of answering about 50 census questions.
As Travers puts it, ``Conservatives are pandering to the fringe conspiratorial notion that big government is prying too deeply into private lives.`` When I filled out the long-form census, I never felt that my privacy was being invaded and that Big Brother was watching me. I realized that I was contributing to a self-portrait of my country.
James Travers is right on the money with his criticism of what he calls the ``dumbing down``of Canada. Any librarian will tell you how valuable and how necessary census material is to researchers, journalists, students and countless others. Nothing else provides such a vital and accurate snapshot of our country. As Travers points out, that snapshot will be distorted and incomplete without the long version.
Thank you, Jim Travers, for exposing this travesty. Canada and its people deserve better.
SPORTS
What a circus surrounding LeBron James' departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers! He's off to Miami to play with former Toronto Raptor Chris Bosh. Good riddance to both of them!
I'm cheering for the Netherlands in the FIFA World Cup. No, I don't have any Dutch blood, but I want the Orange to win because of their warm relationship with Canadians.
The Blue Jays won their series with the Minnesota Twins last night in magnificent fashion. They defeated the twins by a score of 8-1 and slammed 5 solo homo runs. The Jays are the major league leaders in homers. I am inpressed with the ability of this team to hit the long ball. Unfortunately, the Jays have been hampered by their inability to hit for average. Their batting averages are pitifully low. They need to hit some more singles in addition to homers. When the home runs go dry, the Jays are in trouble, as was evident in their recent series in Cleveland. They did not hit one home run in that nightmare of a series and they lost all four games.
The Jays begin a new series against the Boston Red Sox and I will be at the dome tonight to cheer them on.
- Joanne
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Ringo, The Beatles and Ray Sonin
WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010
On this day in 1940, Richard Starkey was born in Liverpool, England. He’s better known as Ringo Starr, the drummer for the Beatles. It’s noteworthy that Ringo, the eldest of the Fab Four, is the first to reach the age of 70. John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, about three months after Ringo. If John were still alive, he too would be turning 70 this year.
I remember when the Beatles first arrived on the scene. I came home from school one day and my father presented my siblings and me with a copy of "Twist and Shout." I played that album over and over and I collected black and white Beatle cards.
It is interesting that a Toronto radio announcer was the first to play the music of the Beatles in North America. His name was Ray Sonin and he had a program on CFRB 1010 called "Calling All Britons." English-born Ray was the first to play the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five and Petula Clark to North American audiences
SPORTS
Bob Probert died on Monday at the age of 45. He battled his demons and had problems with drugs and alcohol. I notice that the media describe him as “Tough guy, Bob Probert” or "Enforcer Bob Probert" or the “NHL’s heavyweight champion.” These are all eupehemisms for "goon" - although Bob Probert was a goon with some hockey skill.
There is no doubt in my mind that the media are complicit in supporting the old boy's network and perpetuating the myth that Don Cherry's precious "code" is necessary. I am absolutely sick and tired of television networks replaying hockey fights ad nauseum.
It's not just the media. It's the players themselves and the National Hockey League. The code is sacred to them. Woe to any player who would dare speak up and say that "enforcers" are not necessary! I wish that even one player would have the courage to do so. It would be difficult, however, because that player would become a paraiah, shunned and ridiculed by the other players. Such a player would also have to defy the The NHL Players' Association The Players' Association would not be pleased if hockey fights became a thing of the past. Goons with few discernible hockey skills would find themselves unemployed.
Hockey fans should never forget the death of Don Sanderson of the Whitby Dunlops in January of 2009. The 21-year-old died 20 days after banging his head on the ice during a hockey fight. His helmet fell off during the skirmish and Sanderson lapsed into a coma after his head hit the ice. Many questioned the regulations surrounding helmets and fighting. They skirted around the real issue. They were afraid to question whether that fight was really necessary at all. A young man with a promising future lost his life. For what?
Some will scoff at my opinion, especially since it is coming from a woman. That doesn't bother me. All I know is the best hockey occurs in the playoffs and in the international tournaments, when fighting is not a factor. I reject tha notion that fighting is an integral part of the game and I firmly believe the NHL could put a stop to it - if it wanted to. Obviously, it don't want to because Gary Bettman and company have the misguided belief that fighting helps to sell hockey in the United States.
The sad and undeniable truth is that the NHL does not feel confident enough in the sport itself to attract fans. The quality of regular season hockey has been greatly diluted by far too may games and far too many teams.
By the way, I do not stand up and pay attention when there is a hockey fight. I remain seated and I just roll my eyes and sigh with annoyance.
- Joanne
On this day in 1940, Richard Starkey was born in Liverpool, England. He’s better known as Ringo Starr, the drummer for the Beatles. It’s noteworthy that Ringo, the eldest of the Fab Four, is the first to reach the age of 70. John Lennon was born on October 9, 1940, about three months after Ringo. If John were still alive, he too would be turning 70 this year.
I remember when the Beatles first arrived on the scene. I came home from school one day and my father presented my siblings and me with a copy of "Twist and Shout." I played that album over and over and I collected black and white Beatle cards.
It is interesting that a Toronto radio announcer was the first to play the music of the Beatles in North America. His name was Ray Sonin and he had a program on CFRB 1010 called "Calling All Britons." English-born Ray was the first to play the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five and Petula Clark to North American audiences
SPORTS
Bob Probert died on Monday at the age of 45. He battled his demons and had problems with drugs and alcohol. I notice that the media describe him as “Tough guy, Bob Probert” or "Enforcer Bob Probert" or the “NHL’s heavyweight champion.” These are all eupehemisms for "goon" - although Bob Probert was a goon with some hockey skill.
There is no doubt in my mind that the media are complicit in supporting the old boy's network and perpetuating the myth that Don Cherry's precious "code" is necessary. I am absolutely sick and tired of television networks replaying hockey fights ad nauseum.
It's not just the media. It's the players themselves and the National Hockey League. The code is sacred to them. Woe to any player who would dare speak up and say that "enforcers" are not necessary! I wish that even one player would have the courage to do so. It would be difficult, however, because that player would become a paraiah, shunned and ridiculed by the other players. Such a player would also have to defy the The NHL Players' Association The Players' Association would not be pleased if hockey fights became a thing of the past. Goons with few discernible hockey skills would find themselves unemployed.
Hockey fans should never forget the death of Don Sanderson of the Whitby Dunlops in January of 2009. The 21-year-old died 20 days after banging his head on the ice during a hockey fight. His helmet fell off during the skirmish and Sanderson lapsed into a coma after his head hit the ice. Many questioned the regulations surrounding helmets and fighting. They skirted around the real issue. They were afraid to question whether that fight was really necessary at all. A young man with a promising future lost his life. For what?
Some will scoff at my opinion, especially since it is coming from a woman. That doesn't bother me. All I know is the best hockey occurs in the playoffs and in the international tournaments, when fighting is not a factor. I reject tha notion that fighting is an integral part of the game and I firmly believe the NHL could put a stop to it - if it wanted to. Obviously, it don't want to because Gary Bettman and company have the misguided belief that fighting helps to sell hockey in the United States.
The sad and undeniable truth is that the NHL does not feel confident enough in the sport itself to attract fans. The quality of regular season hockey has been greatly diluted by far too may games and far too many teams.
By the way, I do not stand up and pay attention when there is a hockey fight. I remain seated and I just roll my eyes and sigh with annoyance.
- Joanne
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
TUESDAY, JULY 6, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I consider a human soul without education like marble in the quarry, which shows none of its inherent beauties till the skill of the polisher fetches out the colours, makes the surface shine, and discovers every ornamental cloud, spot, and vein that runs through the body of it.”
- Joseph Addison (The Spectator, No. 215, Nov. 5, 1711)
Hey Sixteeners, I’m back in Toronto and we are in the midst of heat wave in this city. Due to the weather, there was a power outage yesterday. Although it is very hot and humid, the record temperature has not been broken. Toronto recorded its highest recorded temperature in July of 1936. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, a peak of 41.1° C was recorded in Toronto on the 10th of July, 1936.
“The 1936 heat wave killed 780 Canadians - 376 males and 404 females, most of whom were elderly and infants. A year earlier there were only 42 heat-related deaths. In July 1936, there were another 400 indirect casualties including several drownings. Ontario had the greatest - number of deaths - nearly 600 persons - and in Toronto over 225 succumbed to the heat. Heat-related deaths in Manitoba exceeded 70.”
- From the Canadian Encyclopedia
LEFTOVERS FROM MY VISIT TO CLEVELAND
Not surprisingly, there was little interest in the World Cup in Cleveland. There were no flags on cars as in Toronto. It’s not multicultural and has a much smaller population than Toronto. As I have already mentioned, Cleveland does not have a subway and public transit is not great. The car rules there. Downtown Cleveland looked clean to me. I did not notice much litter on the streets.
On our return from Cleveland, we stopped at Niagara-on-the-Lake, the most beautiful and delightful small town in Ontario. The Shaw Festival was in full swing and we attended a play at my favourite theatre there - The Courthouse. The Courthouse is the smallest of the three theatres at Niagara-on-the-Lake, and the most intimate. We saw "The Cherry Orchard" by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. I enjoyed it immensely.
SPORTS
Major league baseball’s first All-Star game took place on this day in 1933 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The American League All-Stars won the game by a score of 4-2 before a crowd of 47,595. The time of the game was 2 hours and 5 minutes. Babe Ruth played right field for the American League and Lou Gehrig played first base.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I consider a human soul without education like marble in the quarry, which shows none of its inherent beauties till the skill of the polisher fetches out the colours, makes the surface shine, and discovers every ornamental cloud, spot, and vein that runs through the body of it.”
- Joseph Addison (The Spectator, No. 215, Nov. 5, 1711)
Hey Sixteeners, I’m back in Toronto and we are in the midst of heat wave in this city. Due to the weather, there was a power outage yesterday. Although it is very hot and humid, the record temperature has not been broken. Toronto recorded its highest recorded temperature in July of 1936. According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, a peak of 41.1° C was recorded in Toronto on the 10th of July, 1936.
“The 1936 heat wave killed 780 Canadians - 376 males and 404 females, most of whom were elderly and infants. A year earlier there were only 42 heat-related deaths. In July 1936, there were another 400 indirect casualties including several drownings. Ontario had the greatest - number of deaths - nearly 600 persons - and in Toronto over 225 succumbed to the heat. Heat-related deaths in Manitoba exceeded 70.”
- From the Canadian Encyclopedia
LEFTOVERS FROM MY VISIT TO CLEVELAND
Not surprisingly, there was little interest in the World Cup in Cleveland. There were no flags on cars as in Toronto. It’s not multicultural and has a much smaller population than Toronto. As I have already mentioned, Cleveland does not have a subway and public transit is not great. The car rules there. Downtown Cleveland looked clean to me. I did not notice much litter on the streets.
On our return from Cleveland, we stopped at Niagara-on-the-Lake, the most beautiful and delightful small town in Ontario. The Shaw Festival was in full swing and we attended a play at my favourite theatre there - The Courthouse. The Courthouse is the smallest of the three theatres at Niagara-on-the-Lake, and the most intimate. We saw "The Cherry Orchard" by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. I enjoyed it immensely.
SPORTS
Major league baseball’s first All-Star game took place on this day in 1933 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The American League All-Stars won the game by a score of 4-2 before a crowd of 47,595. The time of the game was 2 hours and 5 minutes. Babe Ruth played right field for the American League and Lou Gehrig played first base.
- Joanne
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Canada Day in Cleveland
THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2010
Happy Canada Day from a proud Canadian. Today is our country's 143rd birthday and for the first time in my life I am spending it outside our borders. I am here in Cleveland enjoying myself, but my heart is and always will be in the Land of the Maple Leaf.
In 1775, Samuel Johnson famously described patriotism the last refuge of a scoundrel. Johnson never put those words into context, but I would like to do so. I would amend Johnson's statement. I would say that unbridled or excessive patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. By that, I mean the "my country right or wrong" brand of patriotism. That type of patriotism leads to warmongering and jingoism. As far as I am concerned, true patriotism is not jingoism. That is the mentality of the Archie Bunkers of this world.
As much as I love Canada, I do not think it is perfect. I do not think it is above criticism and that it has no blemishes on its record. No country can live up to that standard. That is why I firmly believe it is the act of a patriot to speak up when one is of the conviction that one's courtry or government is wrong.
In an imperfect world, Canada is a beacon of hope. My wish on this Canada Day is for Canada to live up to its promise and its potential.
SOME NOTES FROM CLEVELAND
It's a beautiful sunny day here on the shores of Lake Erie. We went to the baseball game at Progressive Field and the Jays lost by a score of 6-1. They were swept by Cleveland and they did not even hit one home run in the series. What a tale of woe! They have now lost five games in a row and their record is a mediocre 40-40 - that's .500 baseball and it's not good enough.
There is a big movement here to keep Ohio-born LeBron James in Cleveland. People are standing on street corners carrying signs and wearing black t-shirts reading "home" and "family" etc. They really want King James to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers. At the ballpark today. fans were chanting, "Stay LeBron." Alas, I do not think they will succeed in keeping him anymore than the Raptors will succeed in keeping Chris Bosh.
There were more Jays fans at the ballpark today. The attendance today was the highest in the 4-game series - about 16,800.
- Joanne
Happy Canada Day from a proud Canadian. Today is our country's 143rd birthday and for the first time in my life I am spending it outside our borders. I am here in Cleveland enjoying myself, but my heart is and always will be in the Land of the Maple Leaf.
In 1775, Samuel Johnson famously described patriotism the last refuge of a scoundrel. Johnson never put those words into context, but I would like to do so. I would amend Johnson's statement. I would say that unbridled or excessive patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. By that, I mean the "my country right or wrong" brand of patriotism. That type of patriotism leads to warmongering and jingoism. As far as I am concerned, true patriotism is not jingoism. That is the mentality of the Archie Bunkers of this world.
As much as I love Canada, I do not think it is perfect. I do not think it is above criticism and that it has no blemishes on its record. No country can live up to that standard. That is why I firmly believe it is the act of a patriot to speak up when one is of the conviction that one's courtry or government is wrong.
In an imperfect world, Canada is a beacon of hope. My wish on this Canada Day is for Canada to live up to its promise and its potential.
SOME NOTES FROM CLEVELAND
It's a beautiful sunny day here on the shores of Lake Erie. We went to the baseball game at Progressive Field and the Jays lost by a score of 6-1. They were swept by Cleveland and they did not even hit one home run in the series. What a tale of woe! They have now lost five games in a row and their record is a mediocre 40-40 - that's .500 baseball and it's not good enough.
There is a big movement here to keep Ohio-born LeBron James in Cleveland. People are standing on street corners carrying signs and wearing black t-shirts reading "home" and "family" etc. They really want King James to stay with the Cleveland Cavaliers. At the ballpark today. fans were chanting, "Stay LeBron." Alas, I do not think they will succeed in keeping him anymore than the Raptors will succeed in keeping Chris Bosh.
There were more Jays fans at the ballpark today. The attendance today was the highest in the 4-game series - about 16,800.
- Joanne
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Cleveland, Alan Freed and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010
Hello again from Cleveland where I spent most of the day in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I have got to say that this pyramid-shaped glass building is a marvelous showcase. It's relatively new as it opened in 1995. If you are a music fan and happen to be in the area, this is a must-see.
Cleveland proclaims itself at the birth place of rock and roll. The first rock concert took place in this city. It was organized by famed disc jockey Alan Freed, the man who coined the term "rock and roll." The concert was called the Moondog Coronation Ball and it was held at the Cleveland Arena on March 21, 1952. Freed moved to New York City in 1954 and began broadcasting there on 1010 WINS AM. In 1959he was at the centre of a payola scandal. He was fired by his New York radio station and eventually pleaded guilty to 29 counts of commercial bribery. He received a $300 fine and 6 months suspended sentence. Alan Freed died a penniless alcoholic in Palm Springs, California in 1965. He was only 43 years old.
Freed's legacy lives on in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with its seven floors of exhibition space and numerous exhibits, interactive listening stations and films. There are displays of the stage clothes and guitars of many performers. The featured attraction at the hall right now is a fabulous exhibit on the life of Bruce Springsteen. It is called From Asbury Park to the Promised Land. For fans of the Boss, this is a real treat. There is also a great exhibit on the history of Motown that I enjoyed very much.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is conveniently located in downtown Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie. It is in close proximity to the Great Lakes Science Center, Burke Lakefront Airport and Cleveland Browns Stadium, home of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. We were able to walk to it easily from our hotel. Cleveland does not have a subway system but it has light rapid transit.
- Joanne
Hello again from Cleveland where I spent most of the day in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I have got to say that this pyramid-shaped glass building is a marvelous showcase. It's relatively new as it opened in 1995. If you are a music fan and happen to be in the area, this is a must-see.
Cleveland proclaims itself at the birth place of rock and roll. The first rock concert took place in this city. It was organized by famed disc jockey Alan Freed, the man who coined the term "rock and roll." The concert was called the Moondog Coronation Ball and it was held at the Cleveland Arena on March 21, 1952. Freed moved to New York City in 1954 and began broadcasting there on 1010 WINS AM. In 1959he was at the centre of a payola scandal. He was fired by his New York radio station and eventually pleaded guilty to 29 counts of commercial bribery. He received a $300 fine and 6 months suspended sentence. Alan Freed died a penniless alcoholic in Palm Springs, California in 1965. He was only 43 years old.
Freed's legacy lives on in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with its seven floors of exhibition space and numerous exhibits, interactive listening stations and films. There are displays of the stage clothes and guitars of many performers. The featured attraction at the hall right now is a fabulous exhibit on the life of Bruce Springsteen. It is called From Asbury Park to the Promised Land. For fans of the Boss, this is a real treat. There is also a great exhibit on the history of Motown that I enjoyed very much.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is conveniently located in downtown Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie. It is in close proximity to the Great Lakes Science Center, Burke Lakefront Airport and Cleveland Browns Stadium, home of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. We were able to walk to it easily from our hotel. Cleveland does not have a subway system but it has light rapid transit.
- Joanne
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Greetings from Cleveland, Ohio: All about the Buckeye State
TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Greetings from Cleveland, Ohio. This is my first visit to Cleveland and to the great state of Ohio. Ohio is known as the Buckeye State. A buckeye is a type of nut and the state has many buckeye trees. The nickname is forever linked to the 1840 presidential election campaign of William Henry Harrison. Harrison was a Virginia-born Ohioan. His opponents dubbed him "the log cabin candidate." In response, Harrison's supporters designed his campaign emblem as a log cabin made of buckeye timbers with a string of buckeyes adorning its walls. Harrison's campaigners also walked with buckeye canes in parades. By the way, William Henry Harrison won the election and became the 9th president of the United States.
I attended a game at Progressive Field tonight between the Blue Jays and Cleveland. Unfortunately, the Jays were defeated by a score of 5-4. I was quite impressed by the ballpark. Despite the beautiful ballpark, attendance was low. Cleveland's team has been struggling this year. They are in last place in the American League Central Division and have had injuries to key players such as Grady Sizemore. They seem to be headed in the right direction as they have won 3 games straight. We spotted a few Jays fans in the stands.
We are going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tomorrow. There is a special exhibit on Motown. I'm really looking forward to it.
Note to a reader:
In 1863, John D. Rockefeller started a Cleveland, Ohio oil refining firm which was incorporated as the Standard Oil Company in 1870 I just had to look it up. It's the library researcher in me.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Greetings from Cleveland, Ohio. This is my first visit to Cleveland and to the great state of Ohio. Ohio is known as the Buckeye State. A buckeye is a type of nut and the state has many buckeye trees. The nickname is forever linked to the 1840 presidential election campaign of William Henry Harrison. Harrison was a Virginia-born Ohioan. His opponents dubbed him "the log cabin candidate." In response, Harrison's supporters designed his campaign emblem as a log cabin made of buckeye timbers with a string of buckeyes adorning its walls. Harrison's campaigners also walked with buckeye canes in parades. By the way, William Henry Harrison won the election and became the 9th president of the United States.
I attended a game at Progressive Field tonight between the Blue Jays and Cleveland. Unfortunately, the Jays were defeated by a score of 5-4. I was quite impressed by the ballpark. Despite the beautiful ballpark, attendance was low. Cleveland's team has been struggling this year. They are in last place in the American League Central Division and have had injuries to key players such as Grady Sizemore. They seem to be headed in the right direction as they have won 3 games straight. We spotted a few Jays fans in the stands.
We are going to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tomorrow. There is a special exhibit on Motown. I'm really looking forward to it.
Note to a reader:
In 1863, John D. Rockefeller started a Cleveland, Ohio oil refining firm which was incorporated as the Standard Oil Company in 1870 I just had to look it up. It's the library researcher in me.
- Joanne
Saturday, June 26, 2010
SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2010
I am preparing to go to Cleveland, Ohio for a few days. My husband and I will be driving there. We are planning to spend a night in Erie, Pennsylvania and then it's on to Cleveland. I have never been to Cleveland before and I am looking forward to seeing the city. We have purchased tickets for two baseball games because the Blue Jays are going to be in town. We'll also pay a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next Wednesday. On the way home, we'll make a stop at picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
We hit the road on Monday. So, Sixteeners, I'll be reporting to you from the USA.
- Joanne
I am preparing to go to Cleveland, Ohio for a few days. My husband and I will be driving there. We are planning to spend a night in Erie, Pennsylvania and then it's on to Cleveland. I have never been to Cleveland before and I am looking forward to seeing the city. We have purchased tickets for two baseball games because the Blue Jays are going to be in town. We'll also pay a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next Wednesday. On the way home, we'll make a stop at picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
We hit the road on Monday. So, Sixteeners, I'll be reporting to you from the USA.
- Joanne
Friday, June 25, 2010
Earthquake in Ontario
FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 2010
Well, Sixteeners, I experienced an earthquake for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. I was sitting at my computer when I felt some shaking and vibrating. For a moment I was frightened. I thought something was wrong with me. An earthquake never occurred to me because they are so rare in the Toronto area. When I turned on the television, I learned that there had been a magnitude 5.0 quake which originated about 65 kilometres northeast of Ottawa in Quebec and could be felt across Southwestern Ontario.
Canada was the recipient of some ribbing from comedian Stephen Colbert. He said that even our earthquakes are bland. I chuckled a bit, but I have to say, Stephen, if that's bland, I'll take it. I can do without the "excitement" of a more severe earthquake, thank you very much. By the way, in a future blog posting, I will address the perception that Canada is bland and that Canadian history is boring.
One year ago today, Michael Jackson, the King of Pop died. Yes, he was weird and he was extremely troubled. As the years passed, he became more and more eccentric and his behaviour incresingly bizarre. I always thought that he was a ticking time bomb just waiting to be detonated. On the Larry King Live program yesterday, Joan Rivers dismissed Jackson as a pedophile and a druggie. She also claimed that the moonwalk was no big deal, that anyone could walk backwards. As always, the truth is much more complicated than that. There are far more shades of grey.
It is not my place to judge Michael Jackson as a human being. If the allegations of pedophilia are true, he was certainly one sick individual and a criminal. Some would say it is naive to believe he did not pay off the parents of the children involved.
Michael Jackson was a man of immense talent and a magnificent entertainer. He was also the victim of celebrity and an emotionally unhealthy upbringing. It's sad and truly stomach-churning to think that a man who was deprived of a true childhood became a victimiizer of children himself. In the end, I can only say that Michael Jackson was a man blessed with an extraordinary talent whose half century of life was rife with tragedy and ended tragically. He was a person who was never confortable with himself and never seemed to like himself. Although he received an enormous amount of praise and adulation aa a performer, he never appeared to be satisified or content. His wealth and fame seemed to bring him a great deal of misery. It certainly led him to a premature death.
FOCUS ON HISTORY
This is the anniversary of Custer's Last Stand. On this day in 1876, the United States military suffered a humiliating defeat. 134 years age, the Battle of Little Bighorn took place on the plains of southeastern Montana (present-day South Dakota). George Armstrong Custer and his men of the 7th Cavalry fell to ignonimous defeat when they attecked and battled Lakota Sioux warriors. The Battle of Little Bighorn claimed over 200 soldiers, including Custer himself. as several thousand warriors led by Sitting Bull fought for their land near what's now Crow Agency, Mont. The conflict was the result The U.S. government attempt to drive the natives off their land after gold was disovered in the Black Hills of what was then Montana.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays salvaged a game in their series against the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday. They blanked the Card 5-0. Brandon Morrow was the starting pitcher for the Jays and delivered eight scoreless innings. I've got to say I'm really impressed with him and the other members of the rotation. As much as I like Roy Halladay, I think it's for the best that he's gone to the Philadelphia Phillies. Speaking of Roy, the Jays play in Philly tonight and Doc is starting for Philly. They are playing under American League rules because the game was originaally scheduled for Toronto - until the G20 Summit circus changed all that.
Italy and France are both eliminated from the FIFA World Cup. They have a lot of explainin' to do back home.
- Joanne
Well, Sixteeners, I experienced an earthquake for the first time on Wednesday afternoon. I was sitting at my computer when I felt some shaking and vibrating. For a moment I was frightened. I thought something was wrong with me. An earthquake never occurred to me because they are so rare in the Toronto area. When I turned on the television, I learned that there had been a magnitude 5.0 quake which originated about 65 kilometres northeast of Ottawa in Quebec and could be felt across Southwestern Ontario.
Canada was the recipient of some ribbing from comedian Stephen Colbert. He said that even our earthquakes are bland. I chuckled a bit, but I have to say, Stephen, if that's bland, I'll take it. I can do without the "excitement" of a more severe earthquake, thank you very much. By the way, in a future blog posting, I will address the perception that Canada is bland and that Canadian history is boring.
One year ago today, Michael Jackson, the King of Pop died. Yes, he was weird and he was extremely troubled. As the years passed, he became more and more eccentric and his behaviour incresingly bizarre. I always thought that he was a ticking time bomb just waiting to be detonated. On the Larry King Live program yesterday, Joan Rivers dismissed Jackson as a pedophile and a druggie. She also claimed that the moonwalk was no big deal, that anyone could walk backwards. As always, the truth is much more complicated than that. There are far more shades of grey.
It is not my place to judge Michael Jackson as a human being. If the allegations of pedophilia are true, he was certainly one sick individual and a criminal. Some would say it is naive to believe he did not pay off the parents of the children involved.
Michael Jackson was a man of immense talent and a magnificent entertainer. He was also the victim of celebrity and an emotionally unhealthy upbringing. It's sad and truly stomach-churning to think that a man who was deprived of a true childhood became a victimiizer of children himself. In the end, I can only say that Michael Jackson was a man blessed with an extraordinary talent whose half century of life was rife with tragedy and ended tragically. He was a person who was never confortable with himself and never seemed to like himself. Although he received an enormous amount of praise and adulation aa a performer, he never appeared to be satisified or content. His wealth and fame seemed to bring him a great deal of misery. It certainly led him to a premature death.
FOCUS ON HISTORY
This is the anniversary of Custer's Last Stand. On this day in 1876, the United States military suffered a humiliating defeat. 134 years age, the Battle of Little Bighorn took place on the plains of southeastern Montana (present-day South Dakota). George Armstrong Custer and his men of the 7th Cavalry fell to ignonimous defeat when they attecked and battled Lakota Sioux warriors. The Battle of Little Bighorn claimed over 200 soldiers, including Custer himself. as several thousand warriors led by Sitting Bull fought for their land near what's now Crow Agency, Mont. The conflict was the result The U.S. government attempt to drive the natives off their land after gold was disovered in the Black Hills of what was then Montana.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays salvaged a game in their series against the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday. They blanked the Card 5-0. Brandon Morrow was the starting pitcher for the Jays and delivered eight scoreless innings. I've got to say I'm really impressed with him and the other members of the rotation. As much as I like Roy Halladay, I think it's for the best that he's gone to the Philadelphia Phillies. Speaking of Roy, the Jays play in Philly tonight and Doc is starting for Philly. They are playing under American League rules because the game was originaally scheduled for Toronto - until the G20 Summit circus changed all that.
Italy and France are both eliminated from the FIFA World Cup. They have a lot of explainin' to do back home.
- Joanne
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Air India Bombing and Vijaya Thampi
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."
— Oscar Wilde (The Critic as Artist)
That's one for all you dreamers on a summer day in June. I believe it's a good thing to be a dreamer - as long as one doesn't become too obsessed and nreasonable. I alo believe there is a correlation between dreaming and creativity. So, yes, I am proud to count myself among the dreamers of this world. I am definitely with Oscar Wilde on that one. After all, the witty Mr. Wilde was one of the world's most creative playwrights.
THE AIR INDIA BOMBING AND VIJAYA THAMPI
Today is a sober anniversary for Canadians. This is the 25th anniversary of the Air India bombing, the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history and the deadliest case of aviation terrorism until the 9/11 attacks in the United States in 2001. On June 23, 1985, an airplane operating on the Montréal-London-Delhi-Bombay route. — a Boeing 747 - was blown up by a bomb while in Irish airspace and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The attack was orchestrated by Sikh extremists and all 329 people aboard Air India Flight 182 were killed, 280 of whom were Canadian. A quarter of a century later, their family and friends still mourn them and feel the pain of loss.
It always hits home when you can put a face to the victims of a disaster. One of the victims of Air India Flight 182 worked at my place of employment. Her name was Vijaya Thampi and she was a Toronto Star employee. She worked in the Human Resources Dept. and I worked in the library, but I recall speaking to her briefly. I remember her as a very pleasant woman.and I will not forget her. I'll be thinking about her today and all the other innocent victims of that doomed Air India flight.
SPORTS
I attended the Blue Jays game at the dome last night. The Jays began their series with the St. Louis Cardinals. They lost by a score of 9-4 even though Jose Bautista hit 2 home runs. Bautista now leads the major leagues in home runs with 20. Brett Cecil was the starting pitcher for the Jays and it was not one of his better performances. Aaron Hill and Adam Lind continue to strggle. This is very worrisome since they are the number 2 and 3 hitters in the batting order. Jarrett Hoffpauir, the new third basman for the Jays, made his debut last night and chalked up his first hit in a Blue Jays uniform.
The area around Union Station, the harbourfront and the dome resembles an armed camp due to that infernal G20 Summit. There are police and fences everywhere.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Yes: I am a dreamer. For a dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world."
— Oscar Wilde (The Critic as Artist)
That's one for all you dreamers on a summer day in June. I believe it's a good thing to be a dreamer - as long as one doesn't become too obsessed and nreasonable. I alo believe there is a correlation between dreaming and creativity. So, yes, I am proud to count myself among the dreamers of this world. I am definitely with Oscar Wilde on that one. After all, the witty Mr. Wilde was one of the world's most creative playwrights.
THE AIR INDIA BOMBING AND VIJAYA THAMPI
Today is a sober anniversary for Canadians. This is the 25th anniversary of the Air India bombing, the worst terrorist attack in Canadian history and the deadliest case of aviation terrorism until the 9/11 attacks in the United States in 2001. On June 23, 1985, an airplane operating on the Montréal-London-Delhi-Bombay route. — a Boeing 747 - was blown up by a bomb while in Irish airspace and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. The attack was orchestrated by Sikh extremists and all 329 people aboard Air India Flight 182 were killed, 280 of whom were Canadian. A quarter of a century later, their family and friends still mourn them and feel the pain of loss.
It always hits home when you can put a face to the victims of a disaster. One of the victims of Air India Flight 182 worked at my place of employment. Her name was Vijaya Thampi and she was a Toronto Star employee. She worked in the Human Resources Dept. and I worked in the library, but I recall speaking to her briefly. I remember her as a very pleasant woman.and I will not forget her. I'll be thinking about her today and all the other innocent victims of that doomed Air India flight.
SPORTS
I attended the Blue Jays game at the dome last night. The Jays began their series with the St. Louis Cardinals. They lost by a score of 9-4 even though Jose Bautista hit 2 home runs. Bautista now leads the major leagues in home runs with 20. Brett Cecil was the starting pitcher for the Jays and it was not one of his better performances. Aaron Hill and Adam Lind continue to strggle. This is very worrisome since they are the number 2 and 3 hitters in the batting order. Jarrett Hoffpauir, the new third basman for the Jays, made his debut last night and chalked up his first hit in a Blue Jays uniform.
The area around Union Station, the harbourfront and the dome resembles an armed camp due to that infernal G20 Summit. There are police and fences everywhere.
- Joanne
Monday, June 21, 2010
The First Day of Summer
MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2010
Today is the first day of summer, the day when we are blessed with the longest peiod of daylight in the evening. It is the summer solstice and a bittersweet day for me. Here's why. I enjoy daylight in the evening. In fact, I revel in it. However, after today, the sun will set earlier. There's something sad about that even though longer days will return after December 21st. So I am going to savour every moment of the long, lazy summer evenings. I hope you do too.
Here is a poem with a summer theme that I wrote.
Summer Night
You came to me on a soft summer night
When the air was sultry and serene
I took your hand as we walked in the light
Of a garden ripe and lushly green
And we drank of sweet jasmine in the air
We gazed on blossoms and bumblebees
I saw the moonlight shine ujpon your hair
As you sat beneath the cherry trees
Then we took a path to the lily pond
Stepping on stones and brittle branches
And there we quietly sealed our bond
With gilded dreams and winsome glances.
- Joanne Madden
Today marks a significant day in the history of women in Canada. For it was on this day in 1957 that Ellen Louks Fairclough was sworn in as Canada's first woman Cabinet Minister. She became Secretary of State in the minority government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.
After the Diefenbaker sweep in the electon of 1958, Fairclough was promoted to a post of considerable difficulty and more responsiblity - Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. At that time the position included responsibility for the Royal Canadian Mint, the National Film Board, the National Gallery and the Public Archives/National Library. Indian Affairs was also under Ellen Fairclough's jurisdiction. In 1960, she introduced the historic legislation allowing Status Indians the right to vote in federal elections, a significant breakthrough for Aborignianl Canadians.
Born in Hamilton Ontario in 1905, Ellen Fairclough was first elected as a federal MP in 1950. During the course of her political career, she was elected to the House of Commons five times - more than any other woman during she 1950s and 1960s. It is also notable that Ellen Fairclough was the first female Acting Prime Minister of Canada. After her defeat in the election in 1963, she returned to her roots in Hamilton.
Fairclough was an advocate of equal pay for equal work for women. In 1975, she was named "Woman of the Year" by the Province of Ontario. In 1995, Ellen Fairclough became a Companion of the Order of Canada. At a time when men thorouhly dominated the Canadian political scene, Ellen Fairclough was a pioneer and a trailblazer. She lived a long and fruitful life and died on November 13, 2004 at the age of 99.
Britain's Prince William turns 28 years old today. His father, Prince Charles, will turn 62 on November 14th. Queen Elizabeth II is 84 years old, the eldest monarch in British history. If the Queen lives until the age of 101, as her mother did, Charles will ascend to the throne at the age of 79. It is interesting to note that Henry VIII was a mere lad of 17 when he became king. Henry died at age 55.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays have today off. They begin a series with the St. Louis Cardinals tomorrow.
Blue Jays third baseman Edwin Encarnación was sent down to the minors.
Today is the first day of summer, the day when we are blessed with the longest peiod of daylight in the evening. It is the summer solstice and a bittersweet day for me. Here's why. I enjoy daylight in the evening. In fact, I revel in it. However, after today, the sun will set earlier. There's something sad about that even though longer days will return after December 21st. So I am going to savour every moment of the long, lazy summer evenings. I hope you do too.
Here is a poem with a summer theme that I wrote.
Summer Night
You came to me on a soft summer night
When the air was sultry and serene
I took your hand as we walked in the light
Of a garden ripe and lushly green
And we drank of sweet jasmine in the air
We gazed on blossoms and bumblebees
I saw the moonlight shine ujpon your hair
As you sat beneath the cherry trees
Then we took a path to the lily pond
Stepping on stones and brittle branches
And there we quietly sealed our bond
With gilded dreams and winsome glances.
- Joanne Madden
Today marks a significant day in the history of women in Canada. For it was on this day in 1957 that Ellen Louks Fairclough was sworn in as Canada's first woman Cabinet Minister. She became Secretary of State in the minority government of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.
After the Diefenbaker sweep in the electon of 1958, Fairclough was promoted to a post of considerable difficulty and more responsiblity - Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. At that time the position included responsibility for the Royal Canadian Mint, the National Film Board, the National Gallery and the Public Archives/National Library. Indian Affairs was also under Ellen Fairclough's jurisdiction. In 1960, she introduced the historic legislation allowing Status Indians the right to vote in federal elections, a significant breakthrough for Aborignianl Canadians.
Born in Hamilton Ontario in 1905, Ellen Fairclough was first elected as a federal MP in 1950. During the course of her political career, she was elected to the House of Commons five times - more than any other woman during she 1950s and 1960s. It is also notable that Ellen Fairclough was the first female Acting Prime Minister of Canada. After her defeat in the election in 1963, she returned to her roots in Hamilton.
Fairclough was an advocate of equal pay for equal work for women. In 1975, she was named "Woman of the Year" by the Province of Ontario. In 1995, Ellen Fairclough became a Companion of the Order of Canada. At a time when men thorouhly dominated the Canadian political scene, Ellen Fairclough was a pioneer and a trailblazer. She lived a long and fruitful life and died on November 13, 2004 at the age of 99.
Britain's Prince William turns 28 years old today. His father, Prince Charles, will turn 62 on November 14th. Queen Elizabeth II is 84 years old, the eldest monarch in British history. If the Queen lives until the age of 101, as her mother did, Charles will ascend to the throne at the age of 79. It is interesting to note that Henry VIII was a mere lad of 17 when he became king. Henry died at age 55.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays have today off. They begin a series with the St. Louis Cardinals tomorrow.
Blue Jays third baseman Edwin Encarnación was sent down to the minors.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
To become a father is not hard,
To be a father is, however.
- William Busch
From "Julchen" {1877}
It certainly isn't easy to be a father. So many fathers are unsung heroes. They are undervalued and underapprciated. That is why on this Father's Day, I salute fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, especially my own father, Sam Lima. They deserve recognition and appreciation - not just on Father's Day but every day of the year.
A happy birthday to Canada's songbird, Anne Murray. Anne was born in Springhill, Nova Scotia on this day in 1945.
On this day in 1948, The Ed Sullivan Show made its debut on CBS. It was originally called Toast of the Town. The first telecast of Ed's show was produced on a budget of $1,375. The performers on that first Sullivan show included Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Martin and Lewis split the $200 they received for their performance.
The Ed Sullivan Show ran until 1971. Through the years, so many great artists appeared on that show and so many families gathered around the television on Sunday nights to watch Ed's program. But how show do you explain the success of The Ed Sullian Show in the age of Simon Cowell and American Idol? Here's what The Complete Directory To Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946 - Present says about the Ed Sullivan Show.
"If sny program in the history of American television could be called an institution , it would probably be The Ed Sullivan Show. Every Sunday night for more than two decades this homely newspaper columnist with peculiar diction and awkward gestures brought an incredible variety of entertainment into American homes. No pandering to the lowest common denominator here - there was grand opera and the latest rock stars, classical ballet and leggy Broadway showgirls, slapstick comedy and recitations from great dramatic writings, often justaposed on a single telecast. Viewers loved it."
Would Ed's formula work today? It probably wouldn't because times have changed too much.
SPORTS
Yesterday the Blue Jays won their second game in a row against the San Francisco Giants. I attended the first game of the series on Friday night at the dome. Edwin Encarnación was the hero. In my blog of June 17th, I was highly critical of Encarnación's play. I ought to criticize him more often.
Congratulations to Dion Phaneuf for chosen as the new captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's about time the Leafs had a captain. Good luck Dion - you'll need it.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
To become a father is not hard,
To be a father is, however.
- William Busch
From "Julchen" {1877}
It certainly isn't easy to be a father. So many fathers are unsung heroes. They are undervalued and underapprciated. That is why on this Father's Day, I salute fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers, especially my own father, Sam Lima. They deserve recognition and appreciation - not just on Father's Day but every day of the year.
A happy birthday to Canada's songbird, Anne Murray. Anne was born in Springhill, Nova Scotia on this day in 1945.
On this day in 1948, The Ed Sullivan Show made its debut on CBS. It was originally called Toast of the Town. The first telecast of Ed's show was produced on a budget of $1,375. The performers on that first Sullivan show included Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. Martin and Lewis split the $200 they received for their performance.
The Ed Sullivan Show ran until 1971. Through the years, so many great artists appeared on that show and so many families gathered around the television on Sunday nights to watch Ed's program. But how show do you explain the success of The Ed Sullian Show in the age of Simon Cowell and American Idol? Here's what The Complete Directory To Prime Time Network TV Shows 1946 - Present says about the Ed Sullivan Show.
"If sny program in the history of American television could be called an institution , it would probably be The Ed Sullivan Show. Every Sunday night for more than two decades this homely newspaper columnist with peculiar diction and awkward gestures brought an incredible variety of entertainment into American homes. No pandering to the lowest common denominator here - there was grand opera and the latest rock stars, classical ballet and leggy Broadway showgirls, slapstick comedy and recitations from great dramatic writings, often justaposed on a single telecast. Viewers loved it."
Would Ed's formula work today? It probably wouldn't because times have changed too much.
SPORTS
Yesterday the Blue Jays won their second game in a row against the San Francisco Giants. I attended the first game of the series on Friday night at the dome. Edwin Encarnación was the hero. In my blog of June 17th, I was highly critical of Encarnación's play. I ought to criticize him more often.
Congratulations to Dion Phaneuf for chosen as the new captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's about time the Leafs had a captain. Good luck Dion - you'll need it.
- Joanne
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