Connor McDavid and a Million Dollars

Connor McDavid is 27 years old.  The Richmond Hill, Ontario native is the captain of the Edmonton Oilers and he is arguably the best player in the National Hockey League.  Last weekend, McDavid participated in the All-Star festivities in Toronto.  Not surprisingly, he won the revamped skills competition.  He put on quite a show for hockey fans with triumphs in the fastest skater, stick handling, shooting accuracy and obstacle course events..  

McDavid won a cool one million dollars U.S. for his victory, but does he really need a million bucks?  He's rolling in dough.  On July 5, 2017, McDavid signed an eight-year $100 million contract extension with the Oilers, which came into effect at the start of the 2018-19 season.  

When McDavid was asked what he intended to do with his skill competition winnings, he replied the he would be giving some away to his teammates and might even donate some to charity.  Oh, Connor!  Why don't you donate it all to charity?  There are so many people out there who need your support more than your teammates need it.  A million dollar can go a long way in improving this world.  It can alleviate a great deal of suffering.

I admire Connor's hockey skills, but I would admire him even more if he would use his talent and his good fortune for the betterment of society.  There are so many important causes - medical research, mental illness, addiction, homelessness . . . the list goes on.  

Some may argue that the million dollars is McDavid's money and he can do whatever he wants with it?  That may be so, but shouldn't it be put to better use?  Perhaps the winner of the NHL All-Star competition should be required to donates the money to the charity of his choice.  Why reward star athletes with money they don't need?   It just makes the NHL appear greedy, selfish and uncaring.  Nah!  That can't be true, can it?

- Joanne

Why MAGA Republicans are so afraid of Taylor Swift

Why are ultra right-wing Republicans and Trump supporters so afraid of the woman pictured above?  Taylor Swift holds no political office and at 34, she is too young to qualify as a candidate for President of the United States,  Nevertheless, Taylor wields an enormous amount of influence around the world.  She may even be the greatest online influencer on the planet.  Her Instagram follower count is currently at 279.5 million followers.

Taylor Swift is on a roll.  She was the Time 2023 Person of the Year.  Her name has appeared on lists such as Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time and Billboard's Greatest of All Time Artists.  She is the highest-grossing female touring performer and the most streamed woman on Spotify and Apple Music.        

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour Movie has been a smash box office hit.  It has broken a handful of records pertaining to ticket sales.  It has become the highest-grossing concert movie of all time, surpassing Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.  In addition to being one of the world's best-selling musicians, Taylor is a philanthropist and an advocate for the empowerment of women.

In 2018, Taylor took to Instagram to support Phil Bredesen, the Democratic candidate for Senate in her home state of Tennessee.  This was the first that she expressed her political leanings publicly.  Then, a month before the 2020 presidential election. she formally endorsed Joe Biden in an edition of V magazine.  Taylor has also encouraged her supporter to become active in the political system, prompting over 35,000 of her Instagram follows to register to vote in September of 2023.  So what?  Isn't that a good thing?  Isn't it healthy for a democracy?  Isn't that Taylor's right as an American citizen to use her digital  platform to express her opinions, as long as she is respectful?

MAGA Republicans feel threatened by an increase in voters.  Instead of encouraging Americans to participate in the political process, MAGA Republicans want to limit voters, especially Democratic voters.  Instead of making their party more attractive to more people, especially Blacks and women, they choose to close it off.  They choose to be anti-democratic.   

Taylor Swift has a perfect right to express her political views.  It's called freedom of speech and it is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.  Unlike Donald Trump and his far-right supporters, Taylor has never been hate-filled and racist.

You can be sure, however, that if Taylor had endorsed Trump, those same MAGA Republicans would have praised her to the high heavens.  There would have been no talk of conspiracy theories.  However, she has expressed support for Democrats.  Horror of horrors!  She is evil.  She is a communist.  She must be stopped from corrupting her young fans.  

Taylor's boyfriend, Travis Kelce, a tight end for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs, has promoted both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines in commercials.  Oh boy!  He must also be a leftist radical.  He and Taylor must hate America. 

Unfortunately conspiracy theories about Taylor Swift abound among far-right believers.  There have been unfounded theories that the pop singer is a Pentagon psychological operative. Former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy described Taylor and Kelce as "an artificially, culturally propped-up couple."  Donald Trump's spokesperson, Karoline Levitt, called Democrats' alleged efforts to win Swift's endorsement as a "Hail Mary pass to drag Biden over the finish line."

Obviously, Republicans are concerned about whom Taylor will endorse in the 2024 presidential election.  She's a powerful and influential woman.  Unlike Trump, however, she does not bully people.  She does not behave like a mob boss.

Thank goodness that there is some sanity within the Republican party.  Nikki Haley, who is campaigning against Trump for her party's presidential nomination, has criticized Republican attacks on Taylor Swift.  When asked to weigh in on the pop star by Jake Tapper on CNN'S The Lead, Haley replied, "I'm not going to lie.  I don't know what the obsession is.  Taylor Swift is allowed to have a boyfriend,  I've taken my daughter to Taylor Swift concerts before.  You know, to have a conspiracy theory of all of this, is bizarre.  Nobody knows who she's going to endorse but I can't believe that that's overtaken our national politics."  

Haley, the former governor of South Carolina clearly believes that the United States has more pressing issues than than cooking up conspiracy theories about the candidate Taylor Swift will support in the 2024 presidential campaign.  To be fair, other sensible Republicans have also denounced the Taylor Swift conspiracy theories, including Megan McCain, daughter of the late Senator John McCain.  McCain, called out members of her own party in an X (formerly Twitter) post.  She wrote, "Whatever nutjob "republicans: are floating ugly and insane conspiracy theories about Taylor Swift are total idiots."

MAGA Republicans don't have the same point of view as Haley and McCain.  They have a very different perspective on the 2024 Super Bowl between the Kansas Chief and the San Francisco 49ers    on Sunday, February 11th in Las Vegas.  Travis Kelce plays for Kansa City, so there must be some conspiracy.  The NFL must be part of the conspiracy.  The league must have somehow arranged for the Kansas City Chiefs to be in the Super Bowl so that Taylor and Travis could promote their liberal views.  Don't you know that the Sup[er Bowl has been fixed?  That kind of thinking is absurd.  It is utterly ridiculous!  It would be laughable if it were not so sad that so many Americans take such claptrap seriously.

- Joanne

When will the Toronto Maple Leafs ever learn? They keep making the same mistakes

  “The definition of ‘insanity’ is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

The above quotation is often attributed to Albert Einstein, although there is little or no evidence that Einstein actually said that.  The source of the quote remains unknown, but the words certainly apply to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Let's discuss the Leafs.  It's truly astounding that the Core Four - John Tavares,
Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander- is still intact.  Tavares, the team captain is a seasoned veteran.  He often wins faceoffs for the team.  Although Tavares has been struggling lately, he can't be traded.  Number 91 has a no-trade clause in his contract.  Unless and until he waives his no-movement clause, he isn't going anywhere.

With the Core Four, the Leafs do well in the regular season, but year after year, they fizzle out in the playoffs.  Matthews, Tavares and Nylander take up about 49% of the team's salary cap.  It doesn't take a genius to figure out that that doesn't leave very much to spend on defence and goaltending. To win a Stanley Cup, you need a strong defence and really good goaltending. 

On January 8, 2024, the Leafs signed William Nylander to an eight-year $92 million contract extension.  That means that he will be earning an annual salary of $11.5 million.  At 27, Nylander is probably at the peak of his career.  If the Leafs had traded him, they could have received maximum value in return.  They could have asked for a top-of-the-line defenceman.  It's too late now.  

Nylander

On July 1, 2025, Mitch Marner becomes an unrestricted free agent, and he will ask for a hefty raise.  How are the Maple Leafs going to stay within their salary cap without compromising their defence and goaltending? How are they going to go far in the playoffs without a balanced team?  For too long, the Leafs  have been a strong regular season contender, but have faired poorly in the playoffs.  

I have been a Leafs fan my whole life, but I'm going to be blunt.  As every fan of the Blue and White knows, the Leafs have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967.  I really can't see a parade along Yonge Street in the near future.  I am not demeaning Tavares, Matthew, Marner and Nylander.  They are all good players.  However, I refuse to be greatly impressed until they shine in post-season play.  They have never done that and the Leafs have never gone deep into the playoffs with the Core Four.

- Joanne

Extremism is blocking peace in the Middle East

The world is off kilter right now.  It's off balance.  Too many people view society in terms of black and white.  For them, it's always "us against them", 'either/or," "my way or the highway."  There's never any compromise.  There's no in-between, no middle of the road.  They fail to see the shades of grey, the nuances.  

When that sense of balance is lost, extremism fills the void.  There is a lack of moderation.in an either/or world.  Unfortunately, the pandemic, social media and Trumpism have only exacerbated the problem.  There is a distinct lack of civility and so much polarization.

In particular, we are witnessing the rise of the extreme right around the globe, as well as a decline in trust for democratic institutions.  Conservatives are becoming noticeably more extreme.  In my own country, Canada, the conservatives of today are not the same as the conservatives of yesteryear.  They are more aggressive and they have moved much further to the right.  It's no surprise that our federal Conservative Party is no longer the Progressive Conservative Party.  The word Progressive has been dropped.

The far-right has drummed up hate for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.  He was swarmed by protesters in Belleville, Ontario and he was forced to cancel an appearance in Surrey, British Columbia due to safety concerns.  I have seen anti-Trudeau hate messages around Toronto.  This has never been the Canadian way and it is deplorable.  It seems that MAGA Republicanism has found its way north.

Have we not learned the lessons of history?  Have we forgotten the rise of fascism and Nazism in the 1930s?.  I was sickened to read about a far-right rally that was held in Rome on January 7, 2024.  Videos were later released showing hundreds of men making fascist salutes.  This happened in front of the former headquarters of the MSI group, a neo-fascist party that eventually became the conservative Brothers of Italy.  The Brothers of Italy was co-founded by Giorgia Meloni, who just happens to be the Italian prime minister.

Of course, condemnation of right-wing extremism must be balanced by condemnation of left-wing extremism..  Stalin and Mao were as brutal as Hitler and Mussolini. History teaches that extremism in any form, whether it be political, religious or social, leads to death, destruction and oppression.  

Right now we have a nightmarish situation in the Middle East, with no end in sight.  Both Palestinians and Israelis are suffering terribly.  Yet, around the world, people are using the actions of the Israeli government to unleash the most vile anti-Semitism.  Similarly, there has been a rise in Islamophobia.  Synagogues and mosques are being vandalized and defiled.  Protesters are busy assigning blame to Jews and Muslims for the actions of extremists.  Meanwhile, innocent civilians are suffering and dying, many of them women and children,  Who is speaking for them?  

Where is the steady leadership that is so dearly needed.?  Remember how former President Jimmy Carter brokered the Camp David Accords back in 1978.  Thanks to the leadership and courage of Carter, as well as Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat, peace was achieved between Israel and Egypt.  So, why can't a fair and just agreement be reached between the Israelis and the Palestinians?  The reason is that terrorist groups such as Hamas and extreme right-wing Israelis do not want peace.  They would prefer to see innocent civilians suffer than to agree on a fair and just two-state solution.  

Left to right: Begin, Carter and Sadat in 1979

There will be no peace in the Middle East without a two-state solution.  The Palestinian people and the Israeli people are sick and tired of war and suffering.  They desire peace and they want a two-state solution.  Meanwhile, the extremists are doing all they can to prevent peace and to prolong the suffering.  At one extreme, Hamas wants to obliterate Israel. wipe it off the map.  At the other extreme, Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government reject a two-state solution.  Neither path leads to peace, only more death, destruction and misery.

Benjamin Netanyahu

Netanyahu has always claimed that he would protect his country's security.  Yet, under his watch, Hamas was able to launch an attack on Israel and kidnap hostages.  Netanyahu has done Israel more harm than good.  He has hurt its reputation.  What is occurring in the Gaza is madness.  It is humanity at its worst.

- Joanne

Hey Evangelicals in Iowa, Trump is using you!

AN OPEN LETTER TO AMERICAN EVANGELICALS IN IOWA

The Iowa caucuses are about to open the Republican primary calendar.  It is frigid and snowy in the Hawkeye State.  A large percentage of Iowa voters identify as Evangelical Christians.   Here are some thoughts for them as they prepare to vote.

Dear Evangelical Voters,

Do you really think Trump cares about the hard-working farmers of Iowa?  Are you kidding?  The man lacks empathy.  He's running for president so he can avoid going to prison. He faces 91 felony charges across four criminal cases and two civil lawsuits.

I know you don't want to hear this, but you are being used by Donald Trump for political purposes.  All he wants is your money and your vote.  It is astounding that conservative Christians, who are well-schooled in Biblical verse, can support someone whose values and views are completely at odds with those of Jesus.  Trump is man whose policies and beliefs constantly violate the basic tenets of Christianity.

I live in Canada, so I do not get the opportunity to speak to many Trump evangelicals.  You are most welcome to email me and refute my arguments, but I don't see how you can square Trump's words and deeds with the teachings of Jesus Christ.  

* Jesus built bridges.

  Trump builds walls.

* Jesus preached love.  He said "Love thy neighbour."

Trump preaches hate.  It is no secret that he and his extreme right-wing followers harbour nothing but hate for immigrants, women, Blacks, Muslims, homosexuals etc.

* Jesus preached forgiveness.  "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," according to the Lord's Prayer.  In Matthew 18:22, Jesus rejects the teaching of religious leaders who restricted forgiveness to three times.  For followers of Jesus, forgiveness should be generous and unlimited.

Trump is vengeful.  His goal is to exact revenge on those whom he feels have wronged him or don't agree with him, especially Democrats, liberals, non-supporters and other critics.

* Jesus said that you can't serve two masters, God and mammon.  

Trump's wealth and lavish lifestyle tales precedence over everything with him.  He worships at the altar of the almighty buck.     

* Jesus showed respect and love for women such as his friends Mary and Martha, the Samaritan women at the well, the adulterous woman who was being stoned, and Mary Magdalene.

Trump denigrates women.  He objectifies them and rates them by physical beauty.  In the infamous Access Hollywood tapes, Trump bragged about groping women.  In addition, a Manhattan jury found trump liable of sexually abusing and defaming magazine journalist E. Jean Carroll.  Carroll was awarded $5 million in damages.

* Jesus suffered an ignominious death.  He was mocked, tortured and crucified.

In Trump parlance, Jesus would be considered a "loser."  After all, Trump insulted the late Senator John McCain for injuries he suffered while he was tortured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

I can't for the life of me understand how you, as people of faith, can support such a man as Donald Trump.  It is beyond me.  

Sincerely,

Joanne

The Missing Reporter

Note to Readers of Number 16

If you have been following my postings on this website, you might be interested in my novel, The Missing Reporter.  You can find information about this suspenseful thriller on my author page.  Just click on https://joannemadden.ca/

Update:  I am working on my third novel, the sequel to The Missing Reporter.  I am looking for someone with experience in editing to assist me.  Payment to be determined.

Happy New Year and Happy Reading,  Your comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated.  I would like to hear from you.  It's very important to me.

Thank you for your support,

Joanne

My 2024 New Year's Wish List

Last year I posted my personal wish list for 2023.  I promised to let you know which of my wishes came true and to write another wish list for 2024.  

Here's how my 2023 wish list turned out:

In my 2023 wish list, I hoped for an end to the horrible conflict in Ukraine, which has caused untold suffering and destruction.  That hasn't happened, and the war may drag on for a long time.  However, it's still h my hope that the war will end sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, another bitter conflict began in the Middle East in October.  Terrorists and extremists are responsible for the atrocities committed and the deaths of innocent civilians, among them women and children.  The majority of Israelis and Palestinians want to live in peace.  Both Jews and Muslims are children of Abraham.  They desire an end to the suffering and they support a two-state solution. The terrorists and extremists want war and a continuation of suffering.  

I hoped Premier Danielle Smith's United Conservative Party (UCP) would be defeated in the provincial election in Alberta of May 29, 2023.  I am opposed to Smith's policies and I don't like her Alberta Sovereignty Act.  However, the UCP, under Premier Danielle Smith was re-elected to government, albeit with a reduced majority.  

As regular readers of Number 16 are well aware, I am a homer all the way when it comes to sports.  I  hoped that the Toronto Maple Leafs would advance further than the first round of the playoffs in 2023.  Well, they did win their first playoff round against the Tampa Bay Rays, but they were eliminated in the second round by the Florida Panthers.  The Leafs need to break up the Core Four of John Tavares, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander.  They should trade Nylander for a top-of-the-line defenceman.  They need a stronger defence to win the Stanley Cup.

As for the Blue Jays, I opined that they must go deeper into post-season in 2023.  Nothing less would be acceptable.  It didn't happen and the team's playoff performance was very unacceptable and very unsatisfactory.  The decision to remove Jose Berrios after 4 1/2 good innings (during the second game of their playoff series against the Minnesota Twins) was boneheaded, as was the decision to trade Gabriel Moreno.  GM Ross Atkins should have accepted responsibility, but he didn't.  He just passed the buck.  

The defending Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts had a terrific regular season, led by quarterback Chad Kelly.  The Boatmen recorded 16 wins and only two losses in 18 games.  However, they were defeated in the Eastern playoff final by the Montreal Alouettes, who went on to win the Grey Cup.

Back in  2021, I wished that Benjamin Netanyahu would be ousted from power in Israel.  That wish came true, but only temporarily.  After continual political deadlock in Israel, Netanyahu was returned to power in 2022.  On December 29, 2022, he was again sworn in as Prime Minister, leading a hardline right-wing coalition. 

Netanyahu, 74, has been charged with one count of bribery and three counts of breach of trust in three long-running corruption casers.  Of course, he denies any wrongdoing and claims that he is the victim of a politically orchestrated "witch hunt."  Where have we heard that before?  Kind of sounds like his old friend, a former president who likes cheese burgers and diet coke.

On a happier note, Netanyahu's other friend, Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, was voted out of office in an election held on October 30, 2022.  He  left office on January 1, 2023.  During his presidency, Bolsonaro rolled back protections for Indigenous groups in the Amazon rainforest.

I hoped the world would  take stronger measures to protect our environment.  Some progress has been made, but far more has to be done. There should be less talk and more action.  People have so many day-to-day concerts, but the environment is of paramount importance.  It can't be relegated to the background.  According to the United Nations, 2023 was the warmest year on record.

Here is my 2024 wish list:

The American presidential election of 2024 will probably be the most crucial and consequential election in the history of the United States, if Donald Trump manages to evade justice and becomes the Republican nominee for president.  Should Trump win the election, the United States will never be the same.  Sadly, it will be transformed into an authoritarian regime.  One of my greatest wishes for 2024 is that Trump will not be allowed to run for president under the 14th Amendment, or that he will be found guilty under the law and sentenced to prison time.  If he is the Republican nominee in November, he must be soundly defeated by the American people. It will be a disaster and a nightmare if he should become president again.  He must be held accountable for his actions and for his assault on democracy on January 6, 2021.  No one is above the law.  No one should have immunity from prosecution for serous crimes and misdeaeanours, not a reigning monarch or a sitting president.(never mind an ex-president).

Trump, Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu are an unholy trio.  They are all Alpha males in their 70s and they have caused an enormous amount suffering, death and destruction.  All three pose a threat to world peace.

Putin

 Netanyahu 

Trump

I wish for better leadership around the world and I hope that the popularity of the far-right will decline in 2024.

The 2024 Summer Olympics will be held in Paris France and I hope they are a great success.

I wish the Leafs, the Blue Jays, the Argos the Raptors and all the other Toronto teams the best of fortune in 2024.

COVID is still around and is not going disappear.  We know more about it, but it is still around.  I hope that more will be done to combat it.

My final wish is that there will be more civility in the world in 2024, and less political and social polarization.  If Donald Trump does not become president again, there will be less animosity and political strife.  He has set the tone for much of this hatred and ill-feeling.  In 2024, I hope that there will be a greater connection between people and less isolation.  

All the best to you and yours in 2024.  I wish you happiness and good health.  In January of, 2025, I will write another wish list and I will let you know if any of my 2024 wishes came true. 

 Happy New Year!

     

- Joanne

Centennial Park Conservatory Photos

Here in Toronto, we've had days and days of damp, drizzly weather.  It's been unseasonably mild and there has been no sunshine and definitely no white Christmas.  That's why on Boxing Day, December 26th, I visited the Centennial Park Conservatory in Etobicoke, in the west end of the city.  It was filled with Christmas pants and flowers.  It brightened my day and there was a beautiful red cardinal in the greenhouse, which you see in the photo after the one below.  I hope you enjoy the photos.

- Joanen

Christmas 2023: Reflections on a world gone mad

Go, tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go, tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is born 

- Attributed to John Wesley Work, Jr. (1871-1925),  American musicologist, singer and songwriter

No one is completely certain of who actually wrote the words to the Christmas hymn "Go Tell It On the Mountain."  The verses that we sing today may have been written by John W. Work, Jr. to replace the original ones that got lost.  

Work, Jr., his wife Agnes, and his brother Frederick, collected slave songs and spirituals.  Work published them as New Jubilee Songs by the Fisk Jubilee Singers (1901) and New Jubilee Songs and Folk Songs of the American Negro (1907), which contained the first publication of "Go Tell It On the Mountain." which he may have played a part in composing.  Some, however, attribute the test to his bother, Frederick J. Work.

Joan Wesley Work, Jr.

With war in Ukraine and in the Middle East, "Peace on  Earth" may seem far away this Christmas. As we approach the end of 2023, the world seems to be plunging into madness.  Peace may seem a distant prospect, but it doesn't have to be, not if we find peace in our hearts.  This will not be easy.  Given all the discord around us, the quest for inner peace will be challenging.  However, it will be well worth the effort, especially when considering the alternative.

We live in a time of great polarization and enormous human suffering.  Finding inner peace will require a great deal of self-reflection and self-discipline.  It begins with you and me, and it's a matter of finding strength, courage and hope in a world gone mad.  

I try to remember that life is not all black and white.  There are shades of grey.  Therefore, I try not to regard those who think differently than I as "the enemy". No one has all the answers.  It's beneficial to look at matters from other points of view, even if you can never agree.  It is said that there are two sides to every story.  Sometimes there can be more sides and angle than you expect.  People of faith share much in common.  I believe in ecumenicalism.  It makes no sense for Jews and Muslims and Christians to hate each other, or for anyone who lives by the Golden Rule.

"He who has not Christmas in his heart will not find it under a tree."

- Roy L. Smith (1887-1963), American clergyman

May you find peace in your heart this Christmas.  I'm working on it myself, so I understand the struggle.

UPDATE ON THE  NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS CATHEDRAL

There is some good news this Christmas about Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral.  The renovation of the fire-damaged cathedral has entered its final stage. After the devastating fire on April 15, 2019, the spire has been reconstructed in similar fashion, despite some debate about whether to modernize it.

A large crane lifted a new copper rooster back to the top of its spire on Satiurday,December .  This new weather vane rooster was blessed by the Parish archbishop Laurent Ulrich.  The rooster symbolizes the cathedral's resurgence.  It is a French emblem of vigilance and Christ's resurrection, similar to a phoenix.  

Raising the copper rooster

The old rooster had crashed through the roof along with the wooden spire.  I was found slightly damaged but nearly intact in the debris l fire.  It will be displayed a new Notre Dame museum.  Last week, after viewing the rebuilt spire, French President Emmanuel Macron promised that the reconstruction of the cathedral would be completed as scheduled and that it would reopen within a year.  

Notre-Dome is de Paris is set to reopen for religious services and to the public on December 8, 2024, the feast of the Immaculate Conception.  President Macron would like Pope Francis to attend.  By next Christmas, the grand cathedral should be standing in all its glory.

- Joanne

Christmas Foods and Delicacies Quiz

Christmas Foods and Delicacies Quiz

Number 16 presents a multiple choice quiz on Christmas food from around the world.  There are ten questions to test your knowledge of Christmas cuisine.  Good luck!

1.  Plum pudding 

A.   A Christmas bread with raisins and plums

B.    A plum wine served at Christmas in Britain

C.    An Irish fruit pudding with peaches and plums

D.   A dessert of plums and ice cream served in Britain

E.   A sweet, dried-fruit pudding traditionally served at Christmas in Britain.

2.  Panettone

A.  A pasta

B.  An Italian soup served at Christmas

C.  An Italian type of sweet bread

D.  An Italian ice cream

E.   An Italian Christmas wine

3.  Pozole

A.  A classic Mexican soup

B.  A South American Christmas dessert

C.  A fruit served served at Christmastime in Spain

D.  A Christmas beef dinner in Peru

E.  A chicken Christmas specialty in Chile

4.  Ceviche

A.  A Christmas bread popular in Spain

B.  A Christmas soup served in Portugal

C.  A spicy Christmas Caribbean dish 

D.  A popular seafood Christmas dish in Peru

E.  A South American dessert

5.  Golubtsi

A.  A Dutch cheese served at Christmas

B.  Stuffed cabbage rolls, popular in Russia at Christmas

C.   A Turkish Christmas bread

D.  A popular Christmas dessert in Hungary

E.   A Polish Christmas appetizer

6.  Mopane worms

A.  A kind of Christmas soup in the West Indies

B.  A popular Christmas treat in Southern Africa

C.   A Christmas dessert in Mexico

D.  A Christmas appetizer in South America

E.   A Greek Christmas liqueur

7.  Rooster Doro Wat

A.  A renowned Ethiopian Christmas dish

B.   An African Christmas soup

C.   A Christmas appetizer, popular in Uganda

D.   A Christmas punch, a popular drink in Cuba

E.    A Christmas dessert, often served in Jamaica

8.  Fatah

A.  An ancient Christmas oatmeal dish

B.   A Mideastern soup served at Christmas

C.  A Christmas dish with origins in Egypt

D.  A Christmas desert in Madagascar

E.   A  Christmas biscuit in Nigeria

9.  Nyama Choma

A.  A Christmas dessert in the Philippines

B.  A Christmas soup in the Phiippines

C.  A Christmas vegetable dish in Kenya

D.   A Christmas seafood dish in the Philippines

E,  A classic Christmas meat dish in Kenya

10.  Cepelinai

A.  A popular Christmas candy in Latvia

B.   A Christmas soup in Croatia

C.  A Lithuanian Christmas dish

D.  Estonian biscuits served at Christmas

E.   A Romanian Christmas dessert

Answers

1.  E

Plum pudding, also known as Christmas pudding.  A sweet, dried-fruit pudding traditionally served at Christmas in Britain.  The classic plum pudding recipe calls for the pudding (or fruitcake) to be steamed.  It is soaked with brandy or sherry sauce.  Despite its name, plum pudding does not contain any plums. It calls for fruits such as raisins, sultanas, currants, diced apple, prunes and dried apricots.  The name "plum pudding" is thought to have originated from the pre-Victorian use of the work "plum" as a term for raisins or other dried fruits.

2.  C  

Panettone: An Italian type of sweet bread, speckled with raisins, citrus, almonds with a buttery texture..  It is commonly served at Christmas and during the winter.  It originated in Milan.

3. A

Pozole: A classic Mexican soup, popular at Christmas.  The soup has rich, cultural significance.  Preparing pozole on Christmas Eve is a way of sharing with family and friends.  Pazole contains Hominy corn.  Either pig or chicken are cooked in a spicy broth.  Its red and green colours contribute to the joyful atmosphere of Christmas.

4.  D

Ceviche: A popular seafood Christmas dish in Peru.  Christmas falls during the summer in Peru.  The spicy flavour of ceviche is ideal for the warm weather.  It consists of fresh seafood marinated in lime or bitter orange juice, topped with onions,  jalapeño peppers, and cilantro.

5.  D

Golubtsi:   Stuffed cabbage rolls, served in Russia at Christmas.  They are a popular Christmas Eve lunch in Russia.  The cabbage leaves are stuffed with ground pork and rice and then cooked in a tomato sauce.

6.  B

Mopane Worm:   A popular Christmas treat in Southern Africa, especially in Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.  The insects are full of protein and are caught and sun-dried before being rehydrated and cooked in different ways, often with onions, tomatoes and spices.

7.  A

Rooster Doro Wat:  An Ethiopian Christmas dish.  Doro Wat is a fiery chicken stew and is frequently served with a rooster, signifying the birth of Christ.

8.  C

Fatah: A Christmas dish with ancient Egyptian origins, part of Coptic Christian tradition.  Fatah consists of layers of rice, pita bread and lamb, topped with garlic-tomato sauce and finished with yogurt, crispy fried bread, and almonds.

9.  E

Nyama Choma:  A classic Christmas dish in Kenya.  It is made by grilling or roasting meat, usually goat, beef or chicken, and seasoned with local spices.

 

10.  C

Cepelinai: A Lithuanian dish, consisting of large potato dumplings, filled with meat, cheese or mushrooms.  It is a popular Christmas custom in Lithuania and highlights the importance of potatoes in Lithuanian cuisine.  

- Joanne

Dear America, what's wrong with you?

Republicans confronted after Donald Trump accused of  'parroting Hitler' with migrants speech

Dear America,

What is wrong with so many of you?  Don't you remember Hitler and Mussolini, or have you forgotten the lessons of history?  In 1940, John F. Kennedy, then a college student, wrote a book entitled Why England Slept. about the tragic events of the 1930s that led to Hitler's rise to power.  Kennedy's book also deals with the difficulties of democracies in confronting the threat of totalitarianism.  Why England Slept was reprinted in 1961, when JFK became president.  It should be recommended reading today because if Donald Trump returns to the White House, a sequel, entitled Why America Slept, will need to be written some day.

It's absolutely shocking that millions of people in the United States, which prides itself on its democracy, are willing to vote for a despot such as Donald Trump.  Many of them have had parents and grandparents who sacrificed their lives to rid the world of Naziism.  It's disconcerting that so many Americans are willing to overlook the fact that on January 6, 2021, Trump supported the attempted overthrow of a duly elected government.by a violent mob of his far-right supporters.  It's truly sad that some Americans actually believe that the mob was just a peaceful group touring the Capitol building.  

Trump's behaviour and his criminal activity, should have prevented him from running for president in 2024.  The thought of him in the Oval Office again sends chills down my spine.  It's a very scary prospect.  This is a man who said that "immigrants are poisoning the lifeblood of this country."

The Republican Party is controlled by Trump.  Almost 100 members of Congress have endorsed him, including the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, far-right extremist Mike Johnson. Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, said that Trump is fit to be president.

I hesitate to call the Republican Party the GOP (Grand Old Party).  It's no longer grand.  It's no longer the party of Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.  Republicans are a spineless herd, except for a few brave dissidents who have criticized mob boss Trump.  If democracy survives in America, it will be due to the courage of Republicans such Liz Cheney, Mitt Romney and Chris Christie. 

With regard to Trump's comment on immigrants, Christie stated, "He's disgusting.  And what he's doing is dog whistling to Americans who feel absolutely under stress and strain from the economy and from the conflicts around the world, and he's dog whistling to blame it on people from areas that don't look like us."

I disagree with the politics of Cheney, Romney and Christie, but they have stood up for the rule of law.  They have dared to speak out about Trump's threat to democracy, risking their own safety and political careers. Unfortunately, they are few and far-between. The egregious "Freedom Caucus " controlled by Trump, rules the show with such far-right zealots as Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Jim Jordan and Lauren Boebert.

This is not fear-mongering or exaggeration.  Trump's words and actions speak for themselves.  He has referred to the media as the "enemy of the people."  He has called his detractors "vermin."  He has declared that he would only be a dictator on Day One of his presidency.  Trump is not joking.  Americans must take his words seriously.  Hitler did not hide his intentions.  He made them very clear in his book Mein Kampf.

America, you need to awaken from your slumber before it's too late.  Stop sleepwalking through this crisis.  Why isn't there more concern about Trump's clear and real threat to democracy.  There aren't enough alarm bells sounding.  I can guarantee if Trump gets his hands on the reins of power again, American democracy will be lost.  Trump has not concealed his plans to turn the United States into an authoritarian regime.

Here's how German historian Volker Ulrich characterizes Hitler in his book Hitler: Ascent (1889-1939). Trump's personality and his behaviour are chillingly similar. to that of the Nazi dictator.      

* Hitler was an egomaniac who “only loved himself,” a narcissist with a taste for self-dramatization and a “characteristic fondness for superlatives” who had a “keen eye for the strengths and weaknesses of other people.”

* Hitler had a “bottomless mendacity” that took advantage of the latest technology to spread his message and “was so thoroughly untruthful that he could no longer recognize the difference between lies and truth.”

* Hitler was an effective orator and adept at assuming various masks and feeding off the energy of his audiences, concealing his anti-Semitism beneath a “mask of moderation” when trying to win the support of middle-class liberals.

* Hitler specialized in big, theatrical rallies staged with spectacular elements and adapted the contents of his speeches “to suit the tastes of his lower-middle-class, nationalist-conservative, ethnic-chauvinist and anti-Semitic listeners.”

* Hitler peppered his speeches with coarse phrases and put-downs of hecklers and fomented chaos by playing to crowds’ fears and resentments in “offering himself as a visionary leader who could restore law and order.”

* Hitler presented himself in messianic terms, promising “to lead Germany to a new era of national greatness,” although he typically was vague about his actual plans while painting “the present day in hues that were all the darker.”

* Hitler virtually wrote the book on modern demagoguery by using repeated emotion-based “mantralike phrases” consisting largely “of accusations, vows of revenge and promises for the future.”

* Hitler’s ascension was aided and abetted by the naïveté of adversaries who failed to understand his ruthlessness and tenacity, as well as partners who believed “he was not serious or that they could exert a moderating influence on him.”

The parallels between Hitler and Trump are frightening.  I write this with great concern about the future of America and the rest of the world.  I don't expect the brainwashed MAGA crowd to pay any attention to my concerns.  My hope is that I can reach Republicans or independents who are sitting on the fence.  

Donald Trump has shown nothing but admiration for brutal dictators.  He has praised Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un.  If he becomes president again, Trump will not hesitate to support his buddy Putin.  He will allow the Russian despot to completely overrun Ukraine, and Putin will not stop there. He will attempt to invade other countries.  This cold-hearted dictator has visions of grandeur.  He views himself as the Peter the Great of the 21st century.

Americans, stand up for democracy!  Let your voices be heard on election day, November 5, 2024.

Sincerely, 

Your concerned Canadian friend and neighbour,

Joanne

The Toronto Blue Jays are better off without Ohtani

Sorry, fellow Blue Jays fans, but I'm not upset that Shohei Ohtani has opted not join our team.  On the contrary, I'm rather pleased.  Don't get me wrong.  Ohtani is an international superstar.  The thought of him playing for the Jays was both exciting and enticing.  However, when I scratched below the surface, I couldn't help but notice some liabilities where Ohtani is concerned.  I was left with some strong reservations about him playing in Toronto.  They were reservations which I could not ignore.  Now that he has signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the ungodly sum of $700 million over ten years, I am relieved.  

I am not questioning Ohtani's talent.  There is no doubt that he is a unique athlete.  His claim to fame is that he is both a pitcher and a position player. - a designated hitter, and a good one.  He is one of baseball's more dominant sluggers, with 171 home runs, 437 RBI, 86 stolen basses and a career batting average of .274 over 2,871 plate appearances.  He's also been an outstanding pitcher.

Due to an injury, however, the Japanese phenomenon will be less effective this season.  In late August of 2023, he was shut down due to an elbow issue in his throwing arm.  Shohei Ohani was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament and he underwent surgery on September 19, 2023.  In a press release, his agent, Nez Balelo, stated that the procedure was done in Los Angeles by Dr. Neal ElAttache.  Dt. ElAttache has performed surgery on such star athletes as, pitcher Chris Sale, as well as basketball's Kobe Bryant and football's Aaron Rodgers.

According to Ohtani's press agent, "the ultimate plan after deliberation with Shohei was to repair the issue at hand and to reinforce the healthy ligament in place while adding viable tissue for the longevity of the elbow.  I expect a full recovery and he'll be ready to hit without any restrictions come opening day of 2024 and do both (hit and pitch) come 2025."

The bottom line, however, is that Ohtani is not expected to return to the mound until spring training 2025.  The two-way star will be unavailable as a pitcher for the Dodgers in 2025.  As with any injury, there is no guarantee as to whether he will be able to pitch as effectively once he fully recovers.  

Ohtani has never played in a post season game in Major League Baseball since he signed with the Los Angeles Angels on December 8, 2017.  He ended his time with the  Angels without taking part in a single playoff game.  It must be pointed out to Blue Jays fans, that despite having arguably the two best  MLB players in Ohtani and Mike Trout, the Angels were unable to produce a winning team.  The Angels couldn't make the playoffs even with Ohtani both hitting and pitching.  

Ohtani desperately wants to player on a winning team.  He has more of a chance of doing so with the LA Dodgers.  The Blue Jays' disastrous playoff record in 2023 and 2022 did not help their attempt to acquire his services. Perhaps Ohtani never really intended to come to Canada.  Perhaps he and his agent used the Jays as a bargaining chip to gain more from the Dodgers.

Ohtani is not a particularly young player.  He is 29 years old and will turn 30 on July 5, 2024.  By the end of his ten-year contract with the Dodgers, he'll be pushing 40.  A 40-year-old can still be a designated hitter. Ohtani is very careful about his conditioning, so that shouldn't be a problem when he reaches his mid to late 30s.  

Rogers Communications, owner of the Blue Jays, Rogers Centre and Sportsnet, the network which broadcasts Jays games, pursued him relentlessly.  Their number one consideration was to boost sales of Rogers products.   His face on advertisements for Rogers would have increased the sales of their cell phones dramatically.  Building a good team and contending for a World Series was a factor, but not the determining factor for Edward Rogers and company.

The Blue Jays have a lot of holes to fill in their lineup.  Many of their players have become free agents.  Rather than spend all that money on Ohtani, the Jays have a golden opportunity to put a more balanced team on the field.  They have not placed their hopes in one player.  Yes, Shohei Ohtani is a generational superstar, and an extraordinarily talented ball player.  Yet I would rather have the Jays contend for a World Series.  It's a matter of looking beyond the hype.

  

- Joanne

Shame on Rogers for firing Ben Wagner

In firing Ben Wagner, Rogers Communications has shown utter disdain for radio broadcasting and for the  legions of  Toronto Blue Jay fans who grew up listening to the Jays on radio.  In a statement yesterday, Rogers confirmed that the company had declined to renew Ben Wagner's contract.  How disappointing!

The Blue Jays were built on radio.  Fans will never forget the easy on-air banter and the chemistry between the late great Tom Cheek and his partner Jerry Howarth.  In February 2018, Jerry retired from broadcasting for health reasons after 36 years of calling games for the team.  Jerry has strongly criticized Rogers' decision to dismiss Ben, which he described as "embarrassing."

Ben has been the voice of the Blue Jays since Jerry's retirement, including during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Like all broadcasters at the time, he had to deal with COVID restrictions.  Sportsnet said that the decision to streamline production was made to minimize travel during the pandemic, and to follow league and government protocols.

Ben remined with the broadcast team during this difficult time by providing live hits from the Blue Jays' temporary home at TD Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida.  He also served as a live contributor to radio and television segments.  Unfortunately, Sportsnet continued to scale back the radio coverage of the Blue Jays, even after the pandemic eased.  Frankly, Ben has not been treated fairly, or with much respect.  Rogers has never given  him a real chance.  The writing has been on the wall for some time now.

In 2022, Sportsnet covered road games remotely.  Ben Wagner called the games from a a screen at the the studio in Toronto, before returning to traditional in-person broadcasts for the second half of the season.

In 2023, however, remote coverage returned,  Sportsnet was one of  only two MLB franchises to not send radio personnel to road games. - the other being the Los Angles Angels.  Jerry Howarth was "very disappointed" with that decision.  He stated, "You don't get any kind of picture of what's happening regarding a ripple effect of a play, a call, emotions, people that are involved in the call one way or another because you are not there.  You can't see that.  So you can't fully appreciate what is happening at that very moment."

During the 2023 season, Ben  usually worked Toronto games solo, without being accompanied by a regular colour commentator, as is customary across the major league. A rapport between announcer and colour commentator is a necessary ingredient for baseball broadcasting.  Rogers did not allowed that to happen for Ben Wagner.

We don't yet know what is being planned for the radio broadcast.  Sportsnet does not intend  to announce its plans until "prior to the start of the 2024 season," according to an email from a network spokesman.  However, I wouldn't be the least surprised if the games are simulcast with the feed on television. 

Baseball is made for radio description.  Doesn't Roges understand that the television feed is not the same.  Dan Shulman describes what viewers can see on their TV screen .  Radio requires a different type of description because the visuals aren't there.

It seems to me that Rogers has too much of a monopoly on ownership.  According to Adam Seaborn, head of partnerships at the Toronto-based media company Playmaker Capital, having a team owner that also owns the TV and radio network and the stadium "creates a culture of cost-cutting as opposed to competition."  Seaborn went on to say that "if the team was owned by a random billionaire, the radio rights would go up for bid every five to ten years, and the highest bidder would be forced to put a guy on the road and put together a top-notch broadcast."

Rogers has made some cruel, bonehead moves in recent years.  The corporation is penny wise and pound foolish.  In September of 2022, they sent popular TV commentator and former Blue Jay Pat Tabler packing.  He is now a colour commentator for selected Cleveland Guardians games.  Back in 2020, Sportsnet suddenly cut ties with longtime radio personality Mike Wilner, a Toronto native.  Mike is now a baseball columnist with the Toronto Star.

Then there was the Roger's messy handling of former Blue Jays president Paul Beaston at the end of his tenure with the club.  He never complained, but he also deserved better,  Ben Wagner also deserved better.  I wish him well.  I hope he finds another broadcasting job soon, where is appreciated by his employees.

- Joanne

Language Corner: What happened to the Latin language?

"In an importance sense, Latin never died. So learning Latin today is less like resurrecting the dead and more like looking at an old photo of modern Indo-European languages."

- Blake Adams, author, editor, educator, Latin tutor, and a scholar of Early Christian Studies - From the Ancient Language Institute website

I have always wondered why Latin "died" as a spoken language.  After all, the Roman Empire was so pervasive and far-reaching. So, what happened?  After doing some research, I learned that it is more accurate to say that Latin evolved, rather than to say it died.  

Latin was originally spoken by small groups who lived along the lower Tiber River.  The language spread along with the growth of Roman political power.  It spread throughout most of western and southern Europe, as well as the Mediterranean coastal regions of Africa.

The language of the ancient Romans began to decline in the 6th century, shortly after the fall of Rome in 676 A.D.  The fall of Rome led to the fragmentation of the empire, causing distinct Latin dialects to develop across the Western Empire, which  eventually transformed into the five Romance languages - Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Romanian.  

According to Adams, you could still find writers who wrote classical Latin.  However this changed gradually as writing the language became less common.  Latin schools slowly disappeared except in a few Italian towns .This was another factor in the decline of classical Latin. "Putting a language to writing, and consulting prior works in the same language, tends to slow a language's rate of change," points out Blake Adams in his article "When Did Latin Die?"  For example, modern English speakers use many world that would have been understood in Shakespeare's day.  However, the English language would have changed a great deal more if students didn't study Shakespeare in high school.  

Classical Latin, the language of great Roman writers such ss Cicero  and Virgil, became "dead/" after its form became fixed.  Vulgar Latin, the language ordinarily used by Romans, continued to evolve as the Roman Empire spread.  During medieval times, however, Latin was still the most widely used language among scholars and writers.  

It is important to note that languages don't die like organisms.  Latin is still studied and it is the official language of the Holy See, the central governing body of the Roman Catholic Church (Italian is the official language of Vatican City and is used in all official matters).  Until the changes brought about by Vatican II in the 1960s,, Latin was required in the liturgy of the Church.

SOURCES: Encyclpaedia Britannica; Ancient Language Institute website (amcoemtlanguage.com), "When Did Latin Die?" Blake Adams, Wikipedia

- Joanne

A Tale of Two American Thanksgiving Day Messages

 

Bidens ask Americans to 'stop the rancor' and treat each other with 'decency' in Thanksgiving message

Trump's mug shot

Trump knocks prosecutor, ‘Radical Left Lunatics’ in Thanksgiving message

Ask yourself this, America!  Who is more presidential and more stable, Joe Biden or Donald Trump?  If your answer isn't Joe Biden, you are truly missing something.  

There is nothing amusing about Donald Trump.  As The Economist pointed out, he is the most dangerous person in the world.  He is poised to make America a fascist state.

Trump is full of hate and vengeance.  His rhetoric is violent.  He behaves like a mob boss.  Is that who you want leading the United States?  Is that who you want as commander-in-chief of your armed forces?  Think about it.

Trump has made no secret of the fact that he admires dictators such as Vladimir Putin of Russia and Kim Jong Un of North Korea.  Is that who you want leading the United States?  Think about it.

You have the power to stop Donald Trump with your vote on November 5, 2024.  If he is returned to power, you may never be able to vote in a free election again.  He may never leave office once his term is over.  By the election of 2028, Trump may be an unhinged 82-year-old dictator.  Think about it.

Your loyalty should be to your country and to the Constitution.  Trump wants you to be loyal only to him.  As an authoritarian, he believes that he alone represents America.  Anyone who disagrees with him or criticizes him is an enemy.  He has referred to his opponents as "vermin," using the language of Hitler and Mussolini.

Donald Trump doesn't represent America and you should let him know that next November, if he is allowed to be the Republican nominee for president.  He shouldn't be the nominee after his actions on January 6, 2021.

- Joanne