Sorry, Red Sox Nation, but Bautista's more valuable than Adrian Gonzalez

SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2011



Okay, Red Sox Nation!  You aren't going to like what I'm going to say, but I still have to say it.  Jose Bautista is a more valuable player than Adrian Gonzalez.  Now before you tar and feather me in Fenway Park or throw me over the Green Monster or charge me with heresy and high treason, let me explain my reasoning.

First of all, a disclaimer.  I'm going to declare my bias.  I live in Toronto and I am a die hard Toronto Blue Jays fan.  Just remember, though, Red Sox Nation, you have your bias too.  So that makes us even.

Second of all, let me state clearly that I think that both men are outstanding ball players.  This is not to disparage or demean Adrian Gonzalez; however, I believe that Bautista is a more valuable player than the Boston first baseman.  Here's why:

* Jose is more versatile.  He's a terrific outfielder and a superb third baseman.  He can play both positions with the same adroitness and proficiency and he possesses a great throwing arm.  He also swings the bat with authority.  Last season he slugged 54 home runs, making him a member of major league baseball's exclusive 50-home run club.  Only 26 players, including Bautista, belong to the club. This year, he has already slammed 31 homers and is well on this way to a second consecutive 50-home run season.  As I write this, Jose is out of the lineup with a twisted ankle.  He is expected to be back soon.

Adian Gonzalez is having an incredible season and he will probably win the American League MVP award.  I doubt that Bautista will be chosen because the award does not usually go to a player whose team does not make the playoffs.  As much as I'm a Jays fan, it's obvious that they are not going to be in post-season play this season.

* Adrian has 17 homers so far this season, not anywhere close to Jose's 31.  Gonzalez, however, has a higher batting average.  His current batting average is a robust .346.  Jose's average is .336.  Gonzalez has 77 RBIs while Bautista has 65.  Remember, though, that Gonzalez plays for a team with a better record.  Can you imagine how many RBIs Bautista would have if he played for the Red Sox or the New York Yankees?  Remember too that Jose has been given a large number of intentional walks this year.

* The slugging percentage really tells the story.  As of this writing, Jose has a slugging perctage of .701 while Adrian Gonzalez has a slugging percentage of .570.

For my money, Joey Bats is the more valuable player.  I rest my case.  By the way, the court of public opinion seems to agree with me.  Jose set the all-time Major League Baseball record for the most All-Star votes ever received by a single player with 7,454,753.  Over to you, Red Sox Nation.


END NOTES

I have visited Boston once in my life.  I was in Beantown in July of 1997 when Roger Clemens returned to Fenway for the first time since his trade to the Toronto Blue Jays.  The Jays and Red Sox played a four-game series.  The Jays won three out of the four games.  I attended two of the games but I was unable to procure tickets for the game that Clemens pitched.  Clemens threw a magnificent game that day.  He gave up only 4 hits and 1 run over 8 innings, striking out 16 Red Sox batters.  The Blue Jays defeated Boston by a score of 3 to 1. 

Since I could not attend the Clemens game, I took a bus tour of Cape Cod instead.  I have great memories of my trip to Boston and I plan to go again.  I absolutely love the city.  As a souvenir of my 1997 visit, I have a mock Wanted Poster of Roger Clemens that was distributed around Fenway Park.

- Joanne

The nurse who survived Richard Speck's 1966 murder rampage

THURSDAY, JULY 14, 2011

On this day, 45 years ago, Richard Speck committed one of the most heinous crimes of the 20th century.  Late in the evening of July 13, 1966, Speck broke into a Chicago townhouse that served as a dormitory for nurses who worked at the South Chicago Community Hospital.  He brutally raped and murdered eight women - two Filipino exchange nurses and six American nursing students.  One young exhange nurse, 23-year-old Corazon Pieza "Cora" Amurao of San Luis, Batangas in the Philippines, hid under one bed after another and survived the attack. 

It was Cora who had answered the knock on the door that night to a tall young man with pockmarks on his face and greasy slick-backed hair.  The first thing she noticed about him "was the strong smell of alcohol."  He was dressed in black and he pushed his way into the townhouse where the nightmare soon began.

Speck may have lost count or he may have been unaware that a ninth student nurse was sleeping over that night.  Cora remained hidden under that bed until almost 6 A.M.  She then climbed out of the bedroom window onto a ledge and screamed that her friends were all dead.  She later gave police and prosecutors an eyewitness account of the horror.  Her testimony led to the capture and imprisonment of Richard Speck.

In the early hours of July 17, 1966, Speck was taken to Cook County Hospital after attempting to commit suicide.  He was identified by Dr. Leroy Smith, a surgical resident physician who had read about the killer's "Born to Raise Hell" tattoo in the newspaper.  Police were summoned and Speck was arrested.

On April 15, 1967, Richard Speck was found guilty of eight counts of murder.  He died of a heart attack on December 5, 1991 in a hospital near the Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois where he  had been imprisoned for 24 years.  His death came one day before his 50th birthday.

Much has been written about the sordid life of Richard Speck, but I couldn't help wondering what happened to the lone survivor of Speck's killing spree on that scorching summer night 45 years ago. Corazon Amurao is now 68 years old and has kept a low profile.  Although she can never forget the horror of that night, she has tried to live a normal life.

After the Speck terror, Corazon went home to the Philippines and worked as a nurse at Far Eastern University Hospital in Manila.  She also became a councillor in her hometown of San Luis, Batangas and married Alberto "Bert" Atienza, a Filipino lawyer and real estate broker.  The couple had two children who are now over 40 years old.  Corazon returned to the United States with her family and was employed as a nurse at Gerorgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.*

Below is 1969 photo of Corazon's wedding at San Luis Chapel.

The former Cora Amurao is a woman of integrity. She has steadfastly refused to accept any personal gain from the horrific crime other than $5.000 out of the $10,000 reward money she received from the South Chicago Community Hospital for her role in solving the case. 

Amurao has resisted the temptation to sell the rights to her story. She once issued the following statement:  "It is my desire to make clear that the memory of my dear colleagues is of such character that I do not want to have it tainted by the acceptance by me of money or any other personal benefit."

Five years ago, on the 40th anniversary of the murders, the Chicago Sun-Times, revisited the case.  The newspaper examined hundreds of page of court records and police documents and asked for the personal memories of those touched by the murders.  Corazon declined requests for an interview; however, Chicago Daily News reporter, M.W. Newman, described the 4 foot 10 inch woman as "a blend of steel and lace."  "Hey, without her identification, we wouldn't have nothing," remarked Jack Wallenda, the first homicide detective at the crime scene.  "She was a petite little girl, you know.  But what she went through, , it's unbelievable."

How appropriate that her given name, Corazon, means "heart of love" in Spanish!


* Sources: Empire and Care: Nursing and Migration in Filipino American History by Catherine Ceniza Choy; People magazine, "An Unfathomable Evil," Paula Chin, December 23, 1991


EDITORS NOTE - September 3, 2013 - I have added some additional information to this blog posting.  Below is another photo of Corazon Amurao Atienza.  I do not have the date when it was taken.

A more recent photo of Corazon appears on the blog chocoholic11  http://chocoholic11.tumblr.com.

This photo appears on http://chocoholic11.tumblr.com/page/6


EDITOR'S UPDATE - May 18, 2016 - I must make a correction to my 2011 blog posting on Corazon Amurao and the Richard Speck murders.  According to accounts in the Chicago Tribune, Speck broke into the townhouse through a window.  In an April 28, 2016 article in the Tribune, Rosemary Regina Sobol writes the following: "A lanky man in dark clothes, with slicked-back hair and marks on his face, was standing there with a small black revolver in his write hand.  He had pried open the screen of a first-floor window, reached inside for the back-door handle and slipped into the house."

If you are interested in some background on the eight murdered nurses and Cora, I recommend the article by Rosemary Regina Sobol.  It is entitled "Rare photos, interviews honor memory of 8 nurses slain by Richard Speck."  Here is the link: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/rare-photos-interviews-honor-memory-of-8-nurses-slain-by-richard-speck/ar-BBsuN6q


EDITOR'S UPDATE - August 3, 2017 - Corazon has a daughter named Abigail Atienza Phillips and a son named Christian Amaruo and six grandchildren.  She is now retired after working for many years as a critical care nurse in Washington, D.C.  According to an April 25, 2016 article in the Chicago Tribune by Rosemary Regina Sobol, Abigail followed in her mother's footsteps and became a nurse practitioner.  Christian is a certified public accountant. 

Corazon's current location is difficult to pin down.  She has lived in the Washington, D.C. area (Woodbridge, Virginia, Springfield Virginia, Alesandria Virginia).  She has a recent address listed in Houston, Texas.  However, according to the U.S. White Pages, she currently has a residence in Las Vegas, Nevada.  According to the Chicago Tribune article, "Corazon "became friends and learned to play penny-ante poker with the policemen and bodyguards who watched over her while she was in protective custody.  She still gets a kick out of playing poker at 
casinos in Nevada with her husband."


EDITOR'S UPDATE - October 20, 2017 - Hoagy Pardo, an FM radio announcer on JAM 88.3 in Manila, a leading station in the Philippines.  He has sent me the following Facebook letter he has written to Corazon.  I would like to share it with you.

20 Oct 2017

Friday

4.26pm

Mandaluyong, WackWack Brgy.

Dear Corazon,

You know, I have been watching a NETFLIX TV show here on a show about the FBI and profiling killers....The one, Richard Speck, was featured in an episode and I thought of you and how they never said a word on your name, ethnicity except being a Nurse. GOOD for you.

I was 20 years old in 1966 and in college at De La Salle.

Wherever you are, I hope you are well.  Such an experience is what movies are made of and it was TRUE.

I have lived half my life in Manila part in Sprinfield, Va. even....Then back and forth till now, 71, that's it....LOLO time.  4 here sa Filipinas and 1 in Connecticut.

I am still working, a lifetime job, as FM radio announcer at JAM 88.3 fm where I play the Blue, Rock, Jazz Soul and everything...plus ALL Pinoy at Midnight...rock, blues, jazz that is NOT played on regular channels.  Google me C. H. Pardo. My radio name is Cousin Hoagy.

You are a brave Filipina and deserve everything for LIVING and trying to move on......

I hope to meet you one day..Sincerely,

Hoagy Pardo

FaceBook:

Cousin Hoagy

Rock and Roll Machine 

- Joanne

Who is droppin' the letter g and why?

THURSDAY, JULY 13, 2011

  droppin' the letter   

Language and pronunciation have always fascinated me.  I constantly listen to speech patterns and to the various expressions people use.  I strongly believe that language mirrors society.  It is the harbinger of social trends.

In recent years, the dropping of the letter "g" has become increasingly common in the English-speaking world, particularly among politicians and broadcasters.  It has always been a popular staple of songs and song titles.  Singers, especially country singers, commonly g-drop.  Sometimes g-dropping is done for rhyming purposes in lyrics and in album titles.  For example, Paul Simon's There Goes Rhymin' Simon flows much better better than There goes Rhyming Simon.

G-dropping is rife among television hosts and politicians, especially American politicians.  It does not seem to be as prevalent in the speech of British and Canadian politicians.  Sarah Palin is notorious for g-dropping; however it is unfair to just single her out.  It's not just Palin's failin'.  John McCain does it and so do Bill Clinton and George W.  Bush.  G-dropping, however, goes beyond Republicans and Southerners.  President Barack Obama, a graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, also has the habit.  Obama talks about "hard workin' American families."  Often, instead of "to" he says "ta"  as in "This is the time for Americans ta seek new opportunities and ta create jobs . . ."

In many cases, this g-dropping is no accident.  It is deliberate and calculated.  Politicians, especially conservative American politicians, want to sound folksy and down-home friendly.  They want to give the impression that they are one of the ordinary people, not some high falutin' snob with high brow tastes.  It's a definite sign of the times, a reflection of anti-intellectualism.  It's part of the long-time steadily increasing casualness of society in dress, manners and deportment.

As for television and radio broadcasters, especially sports announcers, they just want to sound like one of the boys.  Before commercials, they tend to say, "comin' up next."  I can't remember the last time I heard a sports announcer say, "coming up next."  On CNN, Anderson Cooper hosts a segment of his show called "Keeping Them Honest."  Cooper, however, refers to it as "Keepin' Them Honest." 

I also think that g-dropping is partly due to laziness.  It takes more effort and concentration to enunciate.  That is why I don't expect g-dropping to end any time soon.  It is no longer just the mark of Cockneys and country bumpkins.


SPORTS

Baseball

I watched the All-Star Game last night.  The National League won 5-1.  It was the second consecutive All-Star victory for the NL.  It seems as if the era of American League dominance is over.

It was great to see Toronto Blue Jay slugger Jose Bautista in the All-Star Game.  Bautista leads the majors with 31 home runs at the break.  If he continues to hit homers at this pace, he'll surpass the 54 taters he hit last season.  Congratulation Joey Bats!  I just wish your team was in contention for a playoff spot.

- Joanne

U.S. Presidents and First Ladies Quiz #1

MONDAY, JULY 11, 2011

Today Number 16 presents its first quiz on U..S. Presidents and First Ladies.  There will be more quizzes on this topic in the future.  If you think you think you know your presidential trivia, give it a try.  Good luck and enjoy!


U.S. PRESIDENTS AND FIRST LADIES QUIZ #1

1.  Which U.S. President served as President of Princeton University from 1902 until 1910?

A.  Franklin Roosevelt

B.  Theodore Roosevelt

C.  Woodrow Wilson

D.  Warren G. Harding

E.  Calvin Coolidge


2.  Which President never married?

A.  James Buchanan

B.  Franklin Pierce

C.  Millard Fillmore

D.  Zachary Taylor

E.  James Knox Polk


3.  Which President declared that "the business of America is business?"

A.  William Howard Taft

B.  Ronald Reagan

C.  Herbert Hoover

D.  Calvin Coolidge

E.  Chester A. Arthur


4.  Who was the youngest First Lady?

A.  Dolly Madison

B.  Frances Folsom Cleveland

C.  Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy

D.  Florence Harding

E.  Louisa Johnson Adams


5.  Who was the first sitting President to attend a World Series game?

A.  Franklin D. Roosevelt

B.  Herbert Hoover

C.  Warren G. Harding

D.  Theodore Roosevelt

E.  Woodrow Wilson


6.  Which First Lady learned to speak Mandarin Chinese?

A.  Eleanor Roosevelt

B.  Louise Henry Hoover

C.  Hillary Rodham Clinton

D.  Patricia Nixon

E.  Grace Coolidge


7.  At 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm.), Abraham Lincoln and Lyndon B. Johnson are the tallest U.S. Presidents to date.  Who is the shortest U.S. President to date?

A.  James Madison

B.  James Monroe

C.  Martin Van Buren

D.  John Quincy Adams

E.  James Knox Polk


8.  Which President had a dog named Fala?

A.  Richard Nixon

B.  Harry Truman

C.  Franklin D.  Roosevelt

D.  Herbert Hoover

E.  Calvin Coolidge


9.  What was Mamie Eisenhower's real name?

Mamie in 1954

A.  Martha Ann

B.  Mary Geneva

C.  Marian Grove

D.  Mary Margaret

E.  Madeleine Margaret


10.  Which President only served one month in office, the shortest term of any President in American history?

A.  James Knox Polk

B.  Zachary Taylor

C.  Millard Fillmore

D.  John Tyler

E.  William Henry Harrison


ANSWERS

1.  C

Woodrow Wilson was President of Princeton University from 1902 until 1910.  In 1910, Wilson was elected Governor of New Jersey.


2.  A.

James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States, never married.  During his time in office, Buchanan's niece, Harriet Lane, fulfilled the duties of a First Lady and served as White House hostess. There has been much speculation about whether or not Buchanan was a homosexual.

James Buchanan

3.  D

Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States, said that "the business of American is business."


4.  B

Frances Folsom Cleveland remains the youngest First Lady in American history.  She was only 21 years old when she wed President Grover Cleveland.  They married on June 2, 1886 in the Blue Room of the White House.  To date, Frances is the only bride of a U.S. President to marry and give birth in the White House.  Prior to Cleveland's marriage, his sister, Rose Elizabeth Cleveland, had served as White House hostess.

Wedding of Grover Cleveland and Frances Folsom

Frances Folsom Cleveland

5.  E

Woodrow Wilson became the first sitting President to attend a World Series game.  Wilson was an avid baseball fan and attended 11 major league games while in office.  He never once used his Presidential Pass, opting to pay for every game he attended.  On October 9, 1915, Wilson attended Game 2 of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies at Baker Bowl in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He threw out the first pitch and Boston won the game by a score of 2-1.  The Red Sox went on to win the World Series 4 game to 1.  By the way, the first sitting president to throw a ceremonial pitch at a baseball game was William Howard Taft.  He began the tradition at the Washington Senators' opening day game in 1910.

Wilsn throwing ceremonial pitch at ball game

6.  D.

Louise Henry Hoover spoke Mandarin Chinese.  She was also the first female to graduate from Stanford University with geology degree.  Her husband, Herbert lived in China as a young mining engineer.  After their wedding on February 10, 1899, the newlyweds sailed to China so that Herbert could take up his new post as head of China's mine program.  Lou, as she was know, had a natural proficiency for languages and became quite proficient in Mandarin.  His job required travel to remote and primitive areas.  The Hoovers were forced to leave China in August of 1900 due to the Boxer Rebellion, a Chinese nationalist uprising against foreigners and colonialism. 

Herbert and Lou Hoover were able to converse with each other in Mandarin and would sometimes do so at the White House to thwart eavesdroppers.  Lou eventually created her own English-Mandarin dictionary.  It is among her papers at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, Iowa.

Lou Henry Hoover

7.  A

James Madison, 4th President of the United States, stood 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm.).


8.  C.

Franklin D.  Roosevelt had a dog named Fala.  Fala was a Scottish Terrier.


9.  B.

Mamie Eisenhower was born Mary Geneva Doud on November 14, 1896 in Boone, Iowa.  She died on November 1, 1979 at the age of 82.


10.  E

William Henry Harrison took the oath of office on March 4, 1841.  It was a cold and rainy on his inauguration day.  Harrison did not wear a hat or overcoat and he delivered the longest inaugural address in American history.  On March 26, he became ill with a cold.  Due to his busy schedule, he had little time to rest and his condition worsened.  It quickly developed into pneumonia and pleurisy.  On April 4, 1841, he passed away after serving only 30 days as President.  It was thought at the time that his pneumonia was a direct result of the inclement weather during his inauguration ceremony.  His illness, however, did not occur until more than three weeks later.

- Joanne

Hey, Gary Carter, we're pulling for you, Kid!

WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 2011

As the 2011 All-Star Game approaches, I hope baseball fans will take some time to think of Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter.  Canadians will always have fond memories of Gary's years with the Montreal Expos.  He captured the hearts of the fans during his 12 seasons in the city.  How could Montrealers resist a guy with such an infectious smile, a guy who was nicknamed The Kid? 

Born in Culver City, California on April 8, 1954. Gary was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the third round of the 1972 amateur draft.  He made his first appearance behind the plate for the Expos on September 16. 1974 and quickly tried to establish himself as part of the community.  In 1975, Gary married his wife Sandy and, during his early years with the Expos, the couple lived in Montreal.  "Le Kid" endeared himself to Montrealers by taking French lessons and making a strong effort to learn the language.

Although Gary Carter spent the majority of his career as a Montreal Expo, he also made his mark in New York City.  Prior to the 1985 season, the Expos traded him to the New York Mets.  He played for five seasons in the Big Apple and has a World Series ring to show for it.  He was one of the stars of the Mets' 1986 championship team. 

Gary reached a milestone in his career on August 11, 1988.  After a 225 at-bat home run drought, he finall slugged his 300th homer to lead the Mets to a 9-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.  He left New York after the 1989 season and spent 1990 with the San Francisco Giants and 1991 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

At the end of the 1991 season, the Expos selected Carter off waivers from the  Dodgers.  He returned to Montreal and finished out his career there. Gary Carter played his final major league game on September 27, 1992. The Expos retired his Number 8 uniform on July 31, 1993.  In 2003, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown with a Montreal Expos cap.

In May of this year, Gary, 57, was discovered to have four small tumours in his brain.  He was diagnosed with Stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer.  Carter's daughter, Kimmy Bloemers, wrote on the family's website: "Dad's tumor is not operable as it like a snake of tumors that are connected across the back of the brain.  The biggest tumor is on the left side of the brain." 

Gary is receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatments at home in Florida.  A special Facebook page has been set up where baseball fans can leave messages of support and encouragement for him and his family during this horribly difficult time.  If you would like to leave Gary a message, just click on the link below.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Team-990-Messages-for-Gary-Carter/123584591056100


END NOTES

* If you want to know why Gary Carter is so popular in Canada, just read the words he wrote about this country in his tribute to Canada's hero, Terry Fox.

Terry Fox's run was one of the greatest examples of this dedication and faith I have every seen.  His effort rates as the ultimate of any athletic endeavour.  He characterized all the things that make a person a great athlete and a great human being.  This is but one image of Canadians that I have had as an American playing baseball in Canada.  I also admire the honesty and friendliness of the people.  I have had the opportunity of visiting many parts of Canada.  Each area has its own strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes one part of Canada may see itself as being better or worse off than another.

But as an outsider, I have had the opportunity to see how as one country Canada can take all its talents and work to become one of the greatest places to live in the world. 

- Gary Carter
From My Canada, edited by Glenn Keith Cowan

* Gary and Sandy Carter are the parents of three children - Christy, Kimmy and D.J., and three grandchildren.  They are residents of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. 

* After the news of Gary Carter's illness, a video board at a game between the New York Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field in Queens, New York played a highlight reel of Carter's career iin New York.  The video was followed by a message that read, "Our thoughts are with you Gary.  From your millions of fans and the New York Mets."

Our thoughts and prayers are indeed with you, Gary Carter.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Sadly, Gary Carter passed away on February 16, 2012 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  He was 57 years old.  Rest in peace, Kid.


CONGRATULATIONS, JOSE

Congratulations to Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays for being selected to the American League All-Star team.  Jose received a record number of 7,454,753 fan votes.  Now that's impressive!

- Joanne

A Note to America on Independence Day

MONDAY, JULY 4, 2011

Happy Fourth of July to my American friends and readers! On Independence Day, this Canadian would like to write a brief note of congratulations and best wishes to you. I hope that you will never forget two very important instances when Canadians gladly came to your aid in your hour of need.

During the Iran Hostage Crisis, 53 Americans were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979 until January 20, 1981. On the day the hostages were seized in 1979, six American diplomats were rescued due to the efforts of Canada’s ambassador to Iran, Ken Taylor. The six diplomats were hidden in the Canadian and Swiss embassies. The Canadian Parliament held a secret session to permit Canadian passports to be issued to these six Americans so that they could escape. The diplomats were flown safely to Zurich, Switzerland on January 28, 1980.

Almost ten years ago, on September 11, 2.001, many American travellers were stranded as a result of the terrible terrorist attacks on that day. After U.S. airspace was shut down, thousands of unexpected visitors found themselves in Gander, Newfoundland when 39 transatlantic flights, bound for the United States, were ordered to land at Gander International Airport. Passengers and airline crews were required to remain in the Gander area for up to three days, until airspace was reopened. During that uncertain time, residents of the town of Gander and surrounding communities welcomed those stranded Americans into their homes and provided them with food and hospitality.

Former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau once compared Canada’s location next to the United States to that of a mouse sleeping beside an elephant. Sometimes America seems so huge and overwhelming to us. It has almost ten times Canada’s population and enormous economic and military might. It’s difficult for Canadians not to feel dominated both culturally and economically. It is not easy to take a divergent path in some matters.

If Canada is to remain more than just a northern satellite of the United States, there are times when we must differ – not just for the sake of differing but in matters of principle. Nevertheless, I can’t think of any other country I would prefer to have as a neighbour. Whenever I have travelled south of the border, I have been greatly impressed by the generosity and friendliness of the American people.

Many Canadians have personal links to the United States, including myself. My grandparents were Italian immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island before eventually moving to Canada. My mother’s parents were married in New York City and my paternal grandfather worked in Pittsburgh and New York before finally settling in Toronto.

So Happy Fourth, America! In the words of John F. Kennedy, “Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends, and necessity has made us allies.” Let neither of us take each other for granted.

- Joanne

Reflections on Canada

FRIDAY, JULY 1, 2011

There was a time in this fair land when the railroad did not run
When the wild majestic mountains stood alone against the sun
Long before the white man and long before the wheel
When the green dark forest was too silent to be real

- From Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Lyrics by Gordon Lightfoot


Today, on the 144th anniversary of our country, I want to express my pride in being a Canadian and my hopes for the future of this great land.  Canada was not born out of revolution, war or bloodshed.  It was born out of the boldness of a dream.  That dream was to create a new dominion from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Arctic to the Great Lakes.

Confederation was an incredible achievement!  To think that such a huge land mass, so geographically and demographically diverse, could be melded into a country is mind-boggling.  Yet, it happened.  It happened because a railroad was built westward to the Pacific Ocean.  It happened because thousands of Chinese labourers toiled relentlessly to build the railway, often in the harshest of weather conditions. 

It came about because of the joint efforts of an anglophone, John A. Macdonald, and a francophone, George-Etienne Cartier. who worked together for a common cause.  That cause was to forge a nation in the northern part of the continent, a nation built on the premise of "peace, order and good government."

Sir John A. Macdonald would be astounded at today's Canada.  His Canada was sparsely populated,  chiefly rural and mainly white.  The majority outside of Quebec was Anglo-Saxon and Protestant.  Although the face of Canada has changed in 144 years, certain things have not.  In 1867, Canada was a land of promise with much to give the world.  In 2011, it remains a land of promise with much to give the world and much it has already given.

Whenever I return from travelling outside of Canada, I have a joyful feeling of returning home and appreciation for my country.  Here are the words of the late Therese Casgrain of Quebec.  She was a Canadian Senator and a strong advocate for women's rights.

I remember once our famous hockey team les Canadiens had just come back from the USSR where they had been playing.  When they arrived in Dorval (now Montreal's Pierre E. Trudeau Airport), some of them bent down and kissed the soil of their wonderful country.  I can well understand, for each time I returned from any far-away trips, I felt exactly the same way.

- Therese Casgrain
From My Canada, Edited by Glenn Keith Cowan

Theree Casgrain was the driving force of the woman's suffrage movement in the province of Quebec.  In 1951, Casgrain became the leader of the Quebec provincial wing of the CCF (The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation), the forerunner of the NDP.  Thus, she has the distinction of being the first female leader of a major political party in Canada.

In 1970, Therese Casgrain was appointed to the Senate of Canada.  She died in Montreal on November 3, 1981 at the age of 85.


SOME CANADIAN TRIVIA

PABLUM:  The first ready-to-use baby cereal with vitamins and minerals was invented in 1930 by Dr. Theodore Drake, Dr. Alan Brown and Dr. Frederick Tisdall of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto..  After trying to devise a vitamin biscuit, the doctors came up with the idea of a pre-cooked cereal.  Its name was taken from pabulum, the Greek word for "food."

THE PAINT ROLLER:  Norman Breakey of Toronto invented the paint roller in 1940.  He was unable to find backing for the development of his invention and couldn't even afford to defend the patent from copyright infringement.







* Canada has the longest national highway in the world, the Trans-Canada Highway.  The highway was officially opened on September 3, 1962, although all the sections were not yet completed.  The Ontario section of the highway was not opened until June 28, 1965.

The Trans-Canada Highway crosses the country and stretches 7,821 kilometres (4,860 miles) from St. John's Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia.

Canada is also home to the longest designated street in the world - Yonge Street.  Yonge Street runs north and west from Toronto, Ontario.  The first segment of the street was completed in 1796.  It now officially runs as far as Rainy Rivers at the Ontario-Minnesota border.  It is 1,900.5 kilometres (1,178.3 miles) long.

*  In 1867, the year of Confederation, Canada's population was estimated to be about 3.5 million (Statistics Canada Historical Statistics)  By 1967, Canada's centennial year, the population of the country had grown to 20,378,000 (June 1, 1967 Statistics Canada estimate).  According to Statistics Canada, as of April 1, 2011, Canada's estimated population was 34,349,200. 

From 1867 to 1967, Canada's population grew from about 3.5 million to about 20.4 million.  In the 44 years since 1967, it has already grown from 20.4 million to 34.4 million, an increase of 14 million.


TERRY FOX

June 28th marked the 30th anniversary of the death of a great Canadian, Terry Fox.  On September 1, 1980, after learning that cancer had spread to his lungs, Terry gave up his cross-Canada run  to raise money for cancer research.  He died on June 28, 1981 at the age of 22.  Canadians will never forget his heroism.  Below is an excerpt from a tribute to Terry.  It was written by another great Canadian, scientist and environmentalist Dr. David Suzuki.


To Terry

We are a self-deprecating people; too often that translates into a sense of inferiority: that if it's Canadian, it can't be first rate; that somehow pride in Canada is dangerous or unsophisticated.

What Terry Fox has made me do is think about the things that make me proud to be Canadian.  No country is without its warts, defects, and stupidities.  But in our self-criticism. we must never forget the solid base of positive features. 

As a third-generation Canadian, I felt the full force of panic, greed, and stupidity during World War II.  I hope that the incarceration of the Japanese Canadians, which was forced upon all of us in my family, will stand as a powerful lesson in the fragility of democratic guarantees.

- David Suzuki
From My Canada, Edited by Glenn Keith Cowan


- Joanne

The Riots in Vancouver: A disagrace, but should the rioters lose their jobs?

MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2011

Blood in our streets.  I saw people on the ground, bleeding.  Shattered glass everywhere.  Police cars set alight.  Major bridges are now closed, preventing public access into the downtown core.  Transit is plugged up, there's no way out.  More police and fire crews are arriving, from the suburbs, but again, it seems too late.  And as I write this, the sun has just set.  Vancouver, what a disgrace.

- Brian Hutchinson
National Post


Some time has passed since the riots in Vancouver over the Canucks' loss to Boston in the Stanley Cup final.  Truth be told, their would have been rioting even if the Canucks had defeated the Boston Bruins.  A minority of drunken yahoos were out there looking for any excuse to vandalize, loot and cause a public disturbance.  Their actions on June 15, 2011 have sullied Canada's international reputation.  For this, they should be held accountable.  Should they lose their jobs?  My answer is no.

Let me be clear and unequivocal.  I am not defending the actions of the looters.  I am condemning them in the strongest possible terms.  They need  be held responsible for their actions.  They should pay restitution to the hardworking shopkeepers whose property they destroyed and whose merchandise they plundered.  In addition, they should be required to do community service or pay a heavy fine.  I do not, however, believe it would serve any purpose for them to lose their employment.  It would only cause suffering and create untold financial burden for the innocent members of their families, including young children.

The Vancouver rioters were shameless.  Some did not even hide their faces and allowed themselves to be videoed and photographed.  Drunk or sober, what kind of person behaves in such a disgusting manner?  Having said that, I have no desire to be a smug Torontonian.  I have no illusions that some people in Toronto would behave any better if the Leafs should ever win or lose the Stanley Cup final - not that that's going to happen anytime soon!  Remember the G20 Summit last summer!

What happened in Vancouver is truly lamentable.  Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  What happened there is cause for deep reflection and investigation.  There have been jokes about how hockey turns polite, peace-loving Canadians into violent brutes.  Yet, no city and no country seems immune to such behaviour given certain circumstances.  In Canada, hockey is used as an excuse to behave in a violent and uncivil manner.  In Europe, it is soccer.  There is one common thread, however.  The majority of rioters are young men. So,  is it testosterone?  Is it male angst?  Why do they behave in such a boorish fashion?  Why do they bring ignominy to their city and their country?  Are they frustrated or just plain boorish?  How can cities and police better deal with these situations?  So many questions . . . so few answers!

- Joanne

Ernie Shore's strange no-hitter: What was Babe Ruth's part in it?

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2011

Ernie Shore

Hey baseball fans!  Let me take you back to one of the most unusual no-hitters in the history of the game.  It happened on this very day, ninety-nine years ago. Sit back and let me set the stage for you . . . 

World War I is raging and John F, Kennedy is just a babe in his mother's arms.  It's June 23, 1917 at Fenway Park in Boston.  There are 16,158 in attendance to witness the first game of a double header between the Boston Red Sox and the woeful Washington Senators.  George Herman "Babe" Ruth is the starting pitcher for the Red Sox. 

Ruth takes the mound and immediately begins complaining to home plate umpire Brick Owens after each pitch.  The Babe loses his temper after walking the leadoff batter, Washington's Ray Morgan, on four pitches.  He argues with Owens and Owens promptly tosses him and Boston catcher Chester "Pinch" Thomas out of the game. 

An enraged Ruth rushes at the umpire and Thomas attempts to prevent him from reaching Owens.  The Bambino swings his arms and strikes the umpire behind the left ear before being forcibly removed from the field by Boston manager Jack Barry and several policemen.  Ruth is later quoted as saying, "It wasn't a love tap - I really socked him- right in the jaw."

After Babe Ruth's ejection, right-hander Ernie Shore, is thrown into the game with very little warm-up.  Ray Morgan is then caught stealing and Shore proceeds to retire the next 26 Washington Senators in a row.  The Red Sox win the game by a score of 4-0. 

The account of the game in the Boston Globe  declares that "Baltimore Babe with his temper beyond control went to the dugout under a cloud and undoubtedly will be punished by (American League) Pres. (Ban) Johnson."  The Globe further opines that "his suspension will cripple the Red Sox badly as they will need the bîg portsider very much."

END NOTES

Ernie Shore was initially credited with a perfect game.  It was later redefined as a combined no-hitter with Babe Ruth because Shore had started in relief.  Some have referred to it as a "perfect game in relief."

As the Boston Globe had expected, Babe Ruth, was suspended for his poor conduct.  He received a ten-game suspension and made a public apology for his behaviour.

1917 was Babe Ruth's final year as a full-time pitcher.  During that season, he posted a record of 24 wins and 13 losses with an ERA of 2.01.  He went 35 complete games.  In 1918, Ruth began to shift his playing time from the mound to the outfield.

Although the Boston Red Sox won the World Series in 1918, they had a terrible season in 1919.  Red Sox owner Harry Frazee, facing financial difficulties, sold the contract of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees on December 26, 1919.  Ernie Shore had been traded to the Yankees earlier in the year.  Shore finished his baseball career as a Yankee in 1920 at the age of 29.

Ernie Shore, a native of North Carolina, died on September 24, 1980 at the age of 89.


RIDDLE ME THIS

What comes once in a minute, twice in a moment, but never in a thousand years?

ANSWER

The letter M


- Joanne

Grover Cleveland: How the President's cancer surgery was covered up

If U.S. President Barack Obama had cancer surgery, you can be sure that the press would be in hot pursuit of every detail.  Facebook and Twitter would be flooded with rumours and speculation.  It would be impossible to conceal such surgery from both the press and the social media.  In 1893, however, when Grover Cleveland was president, the situation was entirely different. 

At 56, years old, Grover Cleveland was not exactly a poster boy for healthy living.  He was quite overweight.  In fact, he was so rotund that some of his nieces and nephews took to calling him "Uncle Jumbo."  Cleveland often indulged in unhealthy habits.   The President frequently smoked cigars which he inhaled deeply.  He also had a fondness for beer.  He had what can only be described as a beer belly.  Where his health was concerned, something had to give - and it did!

On June 13, 1893, Cleveland noticed a "rough place" on the room of his mouth.  It was diagnosed as cancer.  On July 1, surgery was performed to remove the cancerous lesion from his left upper jaw.  The operation took place aboard a private yacht, the Oneida, as it sailed up Long Island Sound to the President's summer home in Massachusetts.  Dr. Joseph D. Byrant of New York performed the surgery.  He was assisted by Dr. W.W. Keen of Philadelphia, three other doctors and a dentist. 

On July 17, another less risky procedure was performed aboard the yacht.  Additional tissue was removed and a vulcanized rubber plate was put in place to restore the President's speaking voice and his appearance.  The size of the tumour and the extent of the initial surgery had disfigured Cleveland's mouth and impaired his speech.

At President Cleveland's insistence, the truth was hidden from his Cabinet, the press and the public.  Even the First Lady, Cleveland's popular wife, Frances, lied to the press about his whereabouts.  The White House press aide also took part in the deception.  Reporters accepted the falsehoods and were led to believe that the President had disappeared to have dental work.  In 2011, it seems difficult to believe that the media were ever so gullible.  We are definitely living in a more skeptical times.

The reason for Grover Cleveland's deceit was the financial state of the country.  The American economy was in recession and  Cleveland did not want to cause further panic in the markets.  The President, his doctors and his advisors feared that his illness would exacerbate the economic crisis.

In spite of the President's efforts to prevent publicity, the Philadelphia Press broke the story on August 29, 1893.  The White House and Cleveland's family and friends strongly denied the newspaper's report.  The official line was that the President had had a tooth extracted.

The Philadelphia Press reporter who wrote the story was E.J. Edwards.  Another newspaperman, Alexander McClure of the Philadelphia Times, reviled Edwards and vilified him as a liar.  McClure painted a picture of Edwards as a journalist who had treated the President unfairly and without respect.  Although the criticism hurt Edwards, he courageously stood by his story.

Grover Cleveland left the White House on March 4, 1897 and retired to Westland Mansion, his estate in Princeton, New Jersey.  He died of heart failure in Princeton on June 24, 1908.  He was 71 years at the time of his death.  The truth about his oral cancer was not disclosed to Americans for several more years.

In 1917, with the permission of the Cleveland family, an article detailing the operation appeared in the Saturday Evening Post.  Dr. W.W. Keen, who had assisted with the surgery 25 years beforehand, authored the article.  It was a clear account of what had occurred on that yacht back in 1893.  Journalist E.J. Edwards lived to see himself vindicated.  He died in 1924 with his reputation restored and his integrity intact.

A book has been written about Grover Cleveland's secret surgery and how he deceived the public. press.  It is titled The President is a Sick Man and was written by historian and radio journalist Matthew Algeo.


AMERICAN PRESIDENTS WHO USED THEIR MIDDLE NAMES

Grover Cleveland's full name was Stephen Grover Cleveland.  He decided to drop the "Stephen" and go by his second name.

Woodrow Wilson's birth name was Thomas Woodrow Wilson.  He was called "Tommy" until he graduated from Princeton University.

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, was born John Calvin Coolidge, Jr.

- Joanne

2011 Father's Day Quiz

SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2011

Fatherhood is a mirror in which we catch glimpses of ourselves as we really are.

- Hugo Williams, British writer and poet

From Fatherhood [1922]


FATHER'S DAY QUIZ 2011

In honour of fathers, Number 16 presents the 2011 Father's Day Quiz.  See how many of the questions you can answer correctly.


1.  In the Book of Genesis, who is told that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky?

A.  Moses

B.  Abraham

C.  Jacob

D. Isaac

E.  Adam


2.  George Washington is often referred to as the father of his country.  Did Washington have any biological children?

A.  No, he did not have any biological children.

B.  Yes, he and his wife, Martha, had two sons.

C.  Yes, he had twin daughters, Margaret and Beatrice Washington.

D.  Yes, George Washington was the biological father of four childrren. 

E.  Yes, he had one child, a daughter named Florence.


3. Superman's adoptive father on Earth was Jonathan Kent. What was the name of Superman's biological father on the planet Krypton?

A.  Kal-El

B.  Je-El

C.  Kortak

D.  Jor-El

E.  Kaytak


4.  Angelina Jolie's father is also a film star.  Who is her father?

A.  George Kennedy

B.  Peter Fonda

C.  John Voight

D. Martin Landau

E.   Christopher Plummer


5.  England's Henry VIII had only one legitimate son who survived.  His third wife, Jane Seymour, died soon after giving birth to their son in 1537.  What was the name of Henry's male heir?

A,  James

B.  Edward

C.  George

D.  Charles

E.  William


6.  What did country singer Loretta Lynn's father do for a living?

A.  He was a country doctor.

B.  He worked in a factory.

C.  He was a fisherman.

D.  He was a truck driver.

E.  He was a coal miner and farmer.


7.  Who is known as the "Father of New France."

A.  Jacques Cartier

B.  George Etienne Cartier

C.  Samuel de Champlain

D.  Louis Papineau

E.  Henri Mercir


8.  Before George W. Bush and his father, did any other father and son both serve as U.S. president?

A.  Yes, John Adams and John Quincy Adams

B.  No

C.  Yes, William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison

D.  Yes, John Tyler and James Tyler.

E.  Yes, Grover Cleveland and Stephen Grover Cleveland


9.  What was the name of Alexander the Great's father?

A.  Stephen the Great

B.  King Milos III of Macedonia

C.  King Andreas II of Macedonia

D.  King Philip II of Macedonia

E.  Costos III of Macedonia


10.  Who is the father of English rock drummer Zak Starkey?

A.  Mick Jagger

B.  Hugh Grant

C.  Ringo Starr

D.  Roger Daltry

E.  Rod Stewart



ANSWERS:

1.  B

In Genesis 26:4, God tells Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

2.  A

George Washington did not have any biological children.  He was, however, a stepfather.  His wife, Martha, was a widow with two children when she married him.

3.  D

Superman's biological father was Jor-El, a respected scientist on the planet Krypton.  Jor-El foresaw the destruction of Kryton and tried to warn others.  Although Jor-El was unable to save himself, he managed to save his infant son, Kal-El, by sending him to Earth in a rocket ship.  Kal-El was discovered by Jonathan and Martha Kent who raised him as their son and named him Clark Kent.

4.  C

Angelina Jolie's father is Academy Award winner John Voight.  Voight won his Oscar for his performance in the film Coming Home.

5.  B

Edward ascended to the throne when he was only nine years old.  He was crowned Edward VI but his reign was not long.  He died of tuberculosis at the age of 15.

Edward VI

6.  E

Loretta Lynn's father, Melvin "Ted" Webb was a coal miner and farmer in Kentucky.  That is why Loretta titled her best-selling autobiography Coal Miner's Daughter.


7. C

 Samuel de Champlain, known as the "Father of New France" was a navigator, explorer, soldier and diplomat.  He founded Quebec City on July 3, 1608.

8,  A

John Adams was the second President of the United States.  His son, John Quincy Adams, was the sixth President of the U.S.  William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison both served as president but they were grandfather and grandson.

9.  D 

Alexander the Great's father was King Philip II of Macedonia.  Philip conquered Greece and died in 336 B.C.

Philip II of Macedonia

10.  C

Zak Starkey (born  September 13, 1965) is the son of former Beatle Ringo Starr and his first wife, Maureen.
 

ON THIS DAY

On June 19, 1910, Sonora Smart Dodd organized the first June Father's Day celebrations to honour her father, Cival War veteran William Jackson Smart.  The festivities took place in Spokane, Washington.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL FATHERS AND ESPECIALLY TO MY OWN DAD.

- Joanne

Bloomsday 2011: How James Joyce met Nora Barnacle

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2011

Nora circa 1916

Today, June 16th, is Bloomsday.  On this day in 1904, the great Irish writer James Joyce had his first outing with his future wife, Nora Barnacle.  Joyce would later choose June 16th as the setting for his literary masterpiece, Ulysses.  The day would come to be known and celebrated throughout the world as "Bloomsday" after Leopold Bloom, the protagonist of Joyce's novel. 

The romantic rendezvous between James Joyce and Nora Barnacle on that June day in 1904 was the beginning of a lifelong partnership, although they did not marry until 1931.  The couple had two children and they stayed together for 37 years, until Joyce's death in 1941.  Joyce's father, upon learning of Nora's surname, was said to have remarked, "She'll stick with him.

Nora Barnacle was born in Galway county, Ireland in March of 1884 (the exact date of her birth is uncertain).  Her father, Thomas Barnacle, was a baker in Connemara and her mother, Annie Honoria Healy was a dressmaker.  In 1896, Nora completed her schooling.  She found employment as a doorkeeper and laundress.  That same year Nora's parents separated due to her father's drunkeness.  Nora went to live with her mother and her uncle, Tom Healy, in Galway City.

In 1903, after a falling out with her uncle over her relationship with a Protestant named Willie Mulvagh, Nora moved to Dublin.  She worked as a chambermaid and waitress at Finn's Hotel.  On June 10, 1904, while walking down Nassau Street, she ran into 22-year-old James Joyce.  Joyce, a graduate of University College, Dublin, may have met her before while visiting Finn's Hotel with friends.  On this day, however, the struggling writer asked her for a date.  On June 16th, they walked to the urban village of Ringsend, near Dublin's harbour.  Although they had different personalities and tastes, the two were able to find common ground.

Jim and Nora left Ireland together in October of 1904 and headed for continental Europe. The couple would never live in Ireland again.  Instead they began a pattern of moving back and forth to various European locations.  By 1905, they had set up housekeeping in Trieste, which at that time was part of Austria-Hungary.  James found employment as an English teacher there.

Nora gave birth to a son, Giorgio, in Trieste, on June 27, 1905.  She had a second child, a daughter named Lucia, on July 26, 1907.  Lucia was also born in Trieste.  In 1908, however, Nora suffered a miscarriage and faced a very difficult period of her life.  This put a strain on her relationship with Joyce. 

During World War I, James Joyce and his family lived in Zurich.  At the time, the neutral city was a refuge for artists, intellectuals and pacifists such as Joyce.  It was in Zurich that Joyce wrote Ulysses and it is in Zurich that he is buried at the Fluntern Cemetery.

In 1920, James and Nora took up residence in Paris. During the 1920s, Nora wrote a series of letters to her sister Kathleen that were critical of Joyce's choice of writing as a career.  She told Kathleen that she would have preferred James to be a singer (He was a good singer and he had a strong affection for music and great knowledge of it.).  Nora also complained to her sister that Jim drank too much.

Their daughter Lucia's mental illness was another strain on the relationship.  By her mid-twenties, Lucia's behaviour had become erratic.  Her condition worsened when a love affair with playwright Samuel Beckett turned sour and he rejected her.  After bringing in many specialists to help Lucia, including Carl Jung in 1934, her parents finally placed her in an institution.  James Joyce often visited his daughter, but Nora refused to see her.

Despite the strains in their relationship and Nora's criticism of James, she married him in a civil ceremony on July 4, 1931.  The wedding took place at a registry office in London, England.  James Joyce was 49 years old at the time.  His bride was 47.  Their 23-year-old daughter, Lucia, had not
even known that her parents were unwed.

The wedding of James Joyce and Nora Barnacle, more than a quarter of a century after their first meeting, created a frenzy in the British and Irish press.  Below is a version of the photograph by the London Daily Standard.  The newlyweds are shown after their register-office marriage accompanied by Joyce's solicitor, Fred Monro. (right).  Joyce became a UK resident and took a lease on house in Kensington in London before applying for a marriage licence.

After the fall of France in 1940, Jim and Nora fled from the Nazis and returned to Zurich.  James Joyce died in Zurich on January 13, 1941, of complications from a perforated ulcer.  He was 58.  After Joyce's death, Nora decided to remain in the Swiss city.  She died of acute renal failure in Zurich on April 10, 1951 at the age of 67.  

Life was not kind to the children of James Joyce and Nora Barnacle.  In 1932, Lucia Joyce, a dancer, suffered a mental breakdown. At her father's 50th birthday party, she threw a chair at her mother.  Her brother Giorgio took her to a medical clinic and checked her in.  She underwent treatment in Paris and Zurich and was eventually diagnosed as a schizophrenic.  In 1935. when she was 28 years old, the Joyces put her in an asylum outside of Paris.  She spent the remainder of her life in mental institutions.  In 1951, she was sent to St. Andrew's Hospital in Northampton, England.  After spending many lonely years at St. Andrew's, she died there in 1982 at the age of 75.

Lucia's alcoholic brother, Giorgio Joyce, became a musician.  On December 10, 1930 (before the marriage of his parents), Giorgio wed Helen Kastor Fleischmann., a New York divorcee who was much older than he.  Helen, like his sister, was eventually diagnosed as a schizophrenic.  The couple had a son named Stephen James Joyce. 

Stephen Joyce was born in France on February 16, 1932.  He resides in France and remains James Joyce's only living descendant.


THE BLOOMSDAY TRADITION

Many regard Ulysses as one of the greatest novels ever written.  It chronicles one day in the life of a Jewish Dubliner named Leopold Bloom, his wife Molly and an aspiring writer named Stephen Dedalus.  The events of the story all take place on June 16, 1904.  The novel traces the adventures of Bloom as walks through the city of Dublin. and it is filled with countless literary and linguistic references.  It also contains passages written in a stream of consciousness style.

Every year on June 16th, fans of James Joyce celebrate Bloomsday by having public readings from Ulysses, dramatizations and pub crawls.  In Dublin, tourists dress in Edwardian costume and retrace the steps Leopold Bloom around the city.  They stop at such landmarks as Davy Byrne's Pub.  Below is a 2004 photograph  of Bloomsday celebrations on North Great George's Street in Dublin.  The crowd is enjoying a street party provided by the James Joyce Centre.

SPORTS

Hockey

Although I was hoping that Vancouver would come through, I have to be fair and admit that Boston deserved to win the Stanley Cup.  The Canucks had home ice advantage and the whole city of Vancouver behind them (plus thousands of Canadian fans) and they came up flat.  They couldn't even score a solitary goal.  They came up with nothing but a big fat goose egg.  They lost 4-0.  Boston proved to be hungrier and much more inspired.

Roberto Luongo must be feeling awful.  I still think he's a good goalie, but he has let greatness slip away from his grasp.  He didn't rise to the occasion when it counted.  It's time for Luongo and the rest of the team to take a good hard look at themselves.  It's going to be a long, hot summer.

As for the fans in Vancouver, I know they are disappointed in their team.  Nevertheless, there is no excuse for the rioting that went on in the city after the loss.  It is just reprehensible and shameful.

- Joanne

Brian Epstein: The Life and Times of The Beatles' Manager

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2011

In a 1997 BBC interview, Paul McCartney said of Brian Epstein, "If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian."  That's how integral Brian Epstein was to the success of The Beatles.  He was the man who advised the group.  It was he who influenced their style and the way they dressed.  Until his untimely death in 1967, Brian was the Beatles' manager and their friend. 

Brian Samuel Epstein was born on September 19, 1934 in Liverpool, England.  He had a younger brother, Clive, who was born 22 month after him.  His parents, Harry and Malka Epstein, owned a furniture store on Liverpool's Walton Street.  The Epsteins later expanded their family business by purchasing the North End Music Store (known as NEMS) next door.

During World War II,  the family left Liverpool and moved to Southport.  They returned to Liverpool in 1945.  After being moved from boarding school to boarding school, young Brian spent two years at Wrekin College in Shopshire.  At 16. he wrote a letter to his father expressing his desire to be a dress designer.  Harry Epstein refused to support his elder son's ambition and Brian was sent to work at the family furniture store.  In December of 1952, when he was 18 years old, he was drafted into the army as a data entry clerk and was posted near Regent's Park in London.  Ten months later he was discharged after being determined emotionally and mentally unfit for military service.

In Brian Epstein's autobiography, A Cellarful of Noise, published in 1964, he claimed that he had impersonated a police officer.  It was later revealed that he had gotten a tailor to make him a police uniform which he had worn while cruising London bars.  After being arrested by the military police, he avoided a court martial  by agreeing to see a military psychiatrist. Brian confided his homosexuality to the psychiatrist.   Although his sexual orientation became well known to friends and business acquaintances, it was not revealed publicly until after his death.

In 1954, Brian Epstein returned to Liverpool and took charge of Claredon Furnishing, a branch of the family business.  Although a successful salesman, a restless Brian was searching for something else in his life.  He decided to try his hand at acting and persuaded his parents to let him train at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA).  He left RADA after only three terms, although he did have the opportunity to study with classmates such as Peter O'Toole, Albert Finney and Susannah York.

In 1955, at the age of 21, Brian was made a director of NEMS.  When Harry Epstein opened a new NEMS store on Great Charlotte Street in Liverpool, his son was given the responsibility of managing the main floor.  Under Brian's influence, the Great Charlotte Steet store began to sell gramophone records in addition to pianos and wireless radios. 

The record department was such a resounding success that the shop became one of the largest and most popular music outlets in northern England.  Brian was then placed in charge of a new branch at 12-14 Whitechapel.  The Whitechapel shop was just around the corner from the Cavern Club where The Beatles played.  In August of 1961, a regular customer came looking for a record called "My Bonnie." by the Beatles and Brian became curious about the band.  When more youngsters came into the shop inquiring about The Beatles, Brian learned that the were performing nearby.

On Novermber 9, 1961, Epstein watched The Beatles perform a lunchtime concert at the Cavern Club, a dingy local spot where new bands booked gigs.  After the concert, he met with the group.  By January of 1962,, Epstein had become The Beatles' manager.  Despite his inexperience, they agreed to a five-year concract with him, giving him 25% of their gross income.

Brian attempted to change the image of The Beatles so that they would appeal to a larger audience.  When he had first watched the band perform at the Cavern Club, they wore leather jackets and blue jeans on stage.  As soon as he became their manager, he encouraged them to to dress more stylishly and he urged them to stop smoking in public.  John Lennon initially opposed the idea of wearing suits and ties.  He later said that he would "wear a bloody suit if someone's going to pay me."

Epstein also paid for The Beatles to record a demo at Decca studios.  Athough Decca was not interested in signing the band, Brian pesuaded George Martin to listen to the demo.  Martin, impressed by Epstein's enthusiasm and confidence, offered him a recording contract under EMI's Parlophone label.  By the autumn of 1963, Britain was awash in Beatlemania.

In November of 1963, Brian went to the United States and booked The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.  He had to fight to get them top billing on the show.  The following year, The Beatles travelled to New York.  They made their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964.  The four mop-haired English lads took America by storm and the wave of Beatlemania continued to spread around the world.  The once obscure group from Liverpool was on its way to becoming what many consider to be the greatest band ever.

Although Brian is remembered as the manager of The Beatles, he managed several other artists including Gerry and the Pacemakers, Cilla Black, The Crykle and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas.  The name of his management company was NEMS Enterprises, after his family's music stores. Groups managed by NEMS were presented as opening acts for The Beatles.

On August 29. 1966, The Beatles played their last-ever (commercial) concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco.  Almost a year later, Brian Epstein was found dead in his London home at the age of 32.  On August 27. 1967, Brian's housekeeper became concerned when she knocked on his bedroom door in the middle of the afternoon and received no response.  She alerted friends.  They broke into the room and found him dead.  An autopsy revealed that Brian died of an overdose of sleeping pills.  Although the death was ruled accidental, there has been much speculation that it was a suicide.

At the time of  Brian Epstein's passing, The Beatles were in Bangor, north Wales to meet with Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and participate in a spiritual retreat.  Brian had been due to join them in Bangor for the conference of the International Meditation Society.  Upon hearing the news of Epstein's death, The Beatles were devastated.  Paul McCartney and his then-girlfriend, Jane Asher, returned to London in a chauffeur-driven car.

The other Beatles also returned home. They did not, however, attend Brian's funeral in order to avoid a media circus and fan frenzy.  They did, nevertheless, attend a memorial service for their manager at the New London Synagogue.  Brian Epstein was laid to rest at the Kirkdale Jewish Cemetery in Liverpool.

Brian had taken care of every aspect of The Beatles' business affairs.  After his death, their finances fell into disarray.  They went their separate ways in 1970.  It is interesting to note that in a 1970 interview with Rolling Stone, John Lennon remarked that Epstein's death meant the beginning of the end for The Beatles as a group.  He said, "I knew we were in trouble then . . ."

To watch a 1964 interview with Brian Epstein and Larry Kane, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_s45_Ky19PE

To watch a video about the death of Brian Epstein, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7WI88GCh-Y


RIDDLE ME THIS

Whu did't the man become a farmer?

ANSWER

It wasn't his field


SPORTS

Hockey

The Vancouver Canucks are one game away from winning the Stanley Cup.  The Boston Bruins have home ice advantage tonight.  So far in this series, the home team has one every game.  This evening we will see if the Canucks can wrap it up and avoid a seventh game.

Baseball

It was a discouraging weekend for fans of the Toronto Blue Jays.  It pains me to write this, but they were just pounded by the Boston Red  Sox.  The Jays lost to the Sox by a score of 4-1 on Friday night.  Saturday's game and Sunday's game were so one-sided, it was embarrassing.  I don't know how long Blue Jay fans will have to wait before this team is ready to contend, but after watching the team over the weekend, it's hard to be encouraged. 

- Joanne