WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2010
Today is the first day of September and for many the summer seems to be drawing to a close. Officially it is not over until September 21st and I can tell you that I plan to bask in every remaining second of the season. Here in Toronto, we are certainly experiencing hot and humid weather as we head into the Labour Day weekend..
LANGUAGE CORNER
In my blog entry for August 30th, I provided you with a little challenge. I told you that to my knowledge, there are only four words in the English language that end in “dous” and that one of them is “tremendous”. Were you able to think of the other three? If not, as promised, here is the list of words that end in “dous”.
1. horrendous
2. stupendous
3. hazardous
4. tremendous
If you can come up with any more, please email me and let me know or comment below this entry.
ON THIS DAY
On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland setting off World War II in Europe. In August of 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union had signed a 10-year nonaggression pact. This German-Soviet Pact, is also known as the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact after the two foreign ministers who negotiated the agreement. The signatories of the agreement promised not to attack each other and this allowed Germany to invade Poland without fear of Soviet intervention.
SPORTS
Last night the Toronto Blue Jays trounced the Tampa Bay Rays by a score by a score of 13-5. Slugger Jose Bautista hit home run Number 43. It will be fascinating to see what his final tally of homers for the season will be. I will certainly be following.
I see that pitcher Brandon Morrow will have one more start for the season and then he will rest his arm. I applaud the Jays for choosing to do that. They are not in a pennant race this year and too many young pitchers are becoming worn out too soon. A prime example is Stephen Strasburg of the Washington Nationals.
Columnist Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star estimates that the Blue Jays are set to contend in 2012. All I know is that the Jays are on the way up. They have the aura of a team on the rise about them. When they do challenge, I will not have to jump back on the bandwagon because I have never jumped off.
ON THIS DAY IN SPORTS
On September 1, 1990 the Toronto Argonauts defeated the B.C. Lions 68-43, a combined score of 111 - the highest scoring game in Canadian Football League history.
- Joanne
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Ted Williams, the Splendid Splinter
MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 2010
Hey Sixteeners, I have a little challenge for you today. Check out the Language Corner below.
LANGUAGE CORNER
To my knowledge, there are four words in the English language that end in “dous". One of those words is “tremendous". Do you know the other three? I will publish the answer in my next blog entry.
BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
Baseball great Ted Williams was born on this day, 92 years ago. The “Splendid Splinter” was born in San Diego, California on August 30, 1918. It is interesting to note that his team, the Boston Red Sox, won the World Series the same year as his birth, particularly since they failed to win another World Series until 2004.
Ted Williams enjoyed a lengthy career. He played for the Boston Red Sox from 1939-42 and from 1946-60. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy. The magical 1941 season was a special one for Williams and it was one for the ages for baseball fans everywhere. That year, Ted finished the season with a batting average of .406 and Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees thrilled fans with a 56-game hitting streak. The accomplishments of those two players live on. Ted Williams is the last major leaguer to have batted .400 or more and no player has equalled DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak.
Ted Williams ended his playing career with a bang, literally and figuratively. He hit a home run in his last at-bat at Boston’s Fenway Park. He died in July 5, 2002 at the age of 83.
Click the link below to watch Ted Williams’ appearance on the old game show What’s My Line? in 1954.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UxjbBFtS50
SPORTS
Yesterday was Dave Stieb day at the dome as the Blue Jays celebrated the 20th anniversary of Stieb’s no-hitter against Cleveland on September 2, 1990. Unfortunately, the Jays lost 10-4 to split a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers.
Stieb looked well and fit. I noticed the moustache is gone.
- Joanne
Hey Sixteeners, I have a little challenge for you today. Check out the Language Corner below.
LANGUAGE CORNER
To my knowledge, there are four words in the English language that end in “dous". One of those words is “tremendous". Do you know the other three? I will publish the answer in my next blog entry.
BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
Baseball great Ted Williams was born on this day, 92 years ago. The “Splendid Splinter” was born in San Diego, California on August 30, 1918. It is interesting to note that his team, the Boston Red Sox, won the World Series the same year as his birth, particularly since they failed to win another World Series until 2004.
Ted Williams enjoyed a lengthy career. He played for the Boston Red Sox from 1939-42 and from 1946-60. During World War II, he served in the United States Navy. The magical 1941 season was a special one for Williams and it was one for the ages for baseball fans everywhere. That year, Ted finished the season with a batting average of .406 and Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio of the New York Yankees thrilled fans with a 56-game hitting streak. The accomplishments of those two players live on. Ted Williams is the last major leaguer to have batted .400 or more and no player has equalled DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak.
Ted Williams ended his playing career with a bang, literally and figuratively. He hit a home run in his last at-bat at Boston’s Fenway Park. He died in July 5, 2002 at the age of 83.
Click the link below to watch Ted Williams’ appearance on the old game show What’s My Line? in 1954.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UxjbBFtS50
SPORTS
Yesterday was Dave Stieb day at the dome as the Blue Jays celebrated the 20th anniversary of Stieb’s no-hitter against Cleveland on September 2, 1990. Unfortunately, the Jays lost 10-4 to split a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers.
Stieb looked well and fit. I noticed the moustache is gone.
- Joanne
Saturday, August 28, 2010
SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2010
QUOTES OF THE DAY
From Spruche in Prosa
From Gotz von Berlichingen (1773)
Today I have presented you with two quotes from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The great German author, playwright and poet was born on August 28, 1749.
ON THIS DAY
It was on this day in 1963 that Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his immortal “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Forty-seven years have passed since Dr. King made that speech. It ranks with Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and John F. Kennedy's inauguration address as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, orations in American history.
President Barack Obama, a keen student of Lincoln's political strategies, also delivered a speech at the Lincoln Memorial on January 18, 2009, two days before his inauguration. Obama was just a two-year-old toddler when King spoke so eloquently and masterfully about his dream.
BIRTHDAYS
Singer Shania Twain was born on August 28, 1965 in Windsor, Ontario. She shares the same birthday with Paul Martin, the 21st Prime Minister of Canada from 2003 to 2006. Martin was also born in Windsor, Ontario on August 28, 1938.
Actor Charles Boyer was born on August 28, 1899 in Figeac, Lot, Midi-Pyrénées, France. The romantic Frenchman’s most famous film role was opposite Ingrid Bergman in the 1944 suspense/thriller Gaslight. Boyer died in Phoenix, Arizona on August 26, 1978, two days before his 79th birthday.
SPORTS
It’s good to see the Detroit Tigers in town. The Jays and the Tigers had a tremendous rivalry before Detroit moved out of the American League East. I’ll never forget the 1987 pennant race between those two teams. It was heartbreaking for fans of the Jays but it certainly was exciting. I also recall how one reporter at the Toronto Star wore a Tigers cap in the news room just to create a stir.
The Blue Jays won the second game of their home series against the Detroit Tigers. The Jays prevailed in extra innings. Aaron Hill’ hit a RBI single in the 11th inning and the Jays won by a score of 3-2. Jose Bautista hit another home run in the game. That’s 42 and counting.
- Joanne
QUOTES OF THE DAY
We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves.- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
From Spruche in Prosa
There is strong shadow where there is much light.- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
From Gotz von Berlichingen (1773)
Today I have presented you with two quotes from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The great German author, playwright and poet was born on August 28, 1749.
ON THIS DAY
It was on this day in 1963 that Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his immortal “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Forty-seven years have passed since Dr. King made that speech. It ranks with Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and John F. Kennedy's inauguration address as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, orations in American history.
President Barack Obama, a keen student of Lincoln's political strategies, also delivered a speech at the Lincoln Memorial on January 18, 2009, two days before his inauguration. Obama was just a two-year-old toddler when King spoke so eloquently and masterfully about his dream.
BIRTHDAYS
Singer Shania Twain was born on August 28, 1965 in Windsor, Ontario. She shares the same birthday with Paul Martin, the 21st Prime Minister of Canada from 2003 to 2006. Martin was also born in Windsor, Ontario on August 28, 1938.
Actor Charles Boyer was born on August 28, 1899 in Figeac, Lot, Midi-Pyrénées, France. The romantic Frenchman’s most famous film role was opposite Ingrid Bergman in the 1944 suspense/thriller Gaslight. Boyer died in Phoenix, Arizona on August 26, 1978, two days before his 79th birthday.
SPORTS
It’s good to see the Detroit Tigers in town. The Jays and the Tigers had a tremendous rivalry before Detroit moved out of the American League East. I’ll never forget the 1987 pennant race between those two teams. It was heartbreaking for fans of the Jays but it certainly was exciting. I also recall how one reporter at the Toronto Star wore a Tigers cap in the news room just to create a stir.
The Blue Jays won the second game of their home series against the Detroit Tigers. The Jays prevailed in extra innings. Aaron Hill’ hit a RBI single in the 11th inning and the Jays won by a score of 3-2. Jose Bautista hit another home run in the game. That’s 42 and counting.
- Joanne
Friday, August 27, 2010
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
From Sand and Foam (1926)
ON THIS DAY
Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, was born in a farmhouse near Stonewall, Texas on this day in 1908. Although LBJ became mired in the unpopular Vietnam War, he can be credited with some impressive achievements. He had a vision of making America a “Great Society” and it was he who put his signature to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The war in Vietnam led to Johnson’s political downfall and his decision not to seek re-election to the presidency in 1968. The earthy Texan died on January 22, 1973. He was 64 years old.
SPORTS
Ricky Romero had a poor start yesterday as the Jays were beaten at the dome by the Detroit Tigers. The final score was 7-1. The good news is that Jose Bautista hit his league-leading 41st home run.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.- Kahlil Gibran
From Sand and Foam (1926)
ON THIS DAY
Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, was born in a farmhouse near Stonewall, Texas on this day in 1908. Although LBJ became mired in the unpopular Vietnam War, he can be credited with some impressive achievements. He had a vision of making America a “Great Society” and it was he who put his signature to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The war in Vietnam led to Johnson’s political downfall and his decision not to seek re-election to the presidency in 1968. The earthy Texan died on January 22, 1973. He was 64 years old.
SPORTS
Ricky Romero had a poor start yesterday as the Jays were beaten at the dome by the Detroit Tigers. The final score was 7-1. The good news is that Jose Bautista hit his league-leading 41st home run.
- Joanne
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
SPACE ALIENS AND LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010
The subject of space aliens has been in the news of late. This month, a scientist in the United States declared that proof of extraterrestrials could come within 25 years. Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute in Mountain View, California, said, “I actually think the chances that we’ll find ET are pretty good.” He told the young people in the audience at a SETI convention that there was a “really good chance you’re going to see this happen.”
I have several questions for Mr. Shostak. What is we find a creature that is nothing like ET? What if this extraterrestrial life is hostile to us? What if it is too weird for us to understand? What if its intelligence is so far above ours that we can’t relate to it or communicate with it at all? Then what?
Here’s another item I came across. There were reports of an unidentified flying object hovering over Cultus Lake in Chilliwack, British Columbia on the night of Tuesday, August 17th. A Vancouver radio station, The Fox 99.3, broke the story. During the following morning’s Open Phones segment on The Fox with host Jeff O’Neil, a man called to say that his girlfriend noticed some lights flooding the pitch-black sky over the lake. The radio show also received a text from 'Wally' in Chilliwack, saying he also saw the lights on that Tuesday night.
For human beings, the existence of intelligent life on other planet is both an intriguing and frightening proposition. When we think of extraterrestrial beings, we conjure up images of bald little green people with flying saucers or we visualize a friendly, benevolent creature such as ET. We tend to anthropomorphize space aliens. On television and in films, we portray them as quasi-human beings. They have mouths and eyes and they walk upright. In some Hollywood movies or in cartoons, they even speak English and ask us to take them to our leader. They understand us when we tell them to “phone home.”
Humans tend to portray extraterrestrials as either very menacing or very cute. Without a frame of reference, we have to use our imaginations. When something is beyond the scope of our comprehension, we tend to conceptualize it in human terms. Yet, if we are not alone in the universe, if there are beings on other planets, it seems doubtful to me that they would resemble us at all. They may be radically and entirely different from human beings in every shape and form. Their character and their external appearance may be beyond human comprehension and who knows how they would communicate with each other and with other species. I’m not sure I’d ever want to meet an extraterrestrial. Still, there is still a certain fascination about the idea.
NOTE : On the right side of this blog page, you will notice a poll asking your opinion on the existence of intelligent life on other planets. I invite you to express your opinion and let me know what you think. Just click on your mouse. I have to say I would vote “Maybe. It’s a possibility.”
SPORTS
The Blue Jays were clobbered by the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium last night. The score was 11-5. Starting pitcher Mark Rzepczynski had a bad night. He just didn't have it.
- Joanne
The subject of space aliens has been in the news of late. This month, a scientist in the United States declared that proof of extraterrestrials could come within 25 years. Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute in Mountain View, California, said, “I actually think the chances that we’ll find ET are pretty good.” He told the young people in the audience at a SETI convention that there was a “really good chance you’re going to see this happen.”
I have several questions for Mr. Shostak. What is we find a creature that is nothing like ET? What if this extraterrestrial life is hostile to us? What if it is too weird for us to understand? What if its intelligence is so far above ours that we can’t relate to it or communicate with it at all? Then what?
Here’s another item I came across. There were reports of an unidentified flying object hovering over Cultus Lake in Chilliwack, British Columbia on the night of Tuesday, August 17th. A Vancouver radio station, The Fox 99.3, broke the story. During the following morning’s Open Phones segment on The Fox with host Jeff O’Neil, a man called to say that his girlfriend noticed some lights flooding the pitch-black sky over the lake. The radio show also received a text from 'Wally' in Chilliwack, saying he also saw the lights on that Tuesday night.
For human beings, the existence of intelligent life on other planet is both an intriguing and frightening proposition. When we think of extraterrestrial beings, we conjure up images of bald little green people with flying saucers or we visualize a friendly, benevolent creature such as ET. We tend to anthropomorphize space aliens. On television and in films, we portray them as quasi-human beings. They have mouths and eyes and they walk upright. In some Hollywood movies or in cartoons, they even speak English and ask us to take them to our leader. They understand us when we tell them to “phone home.”
Humans tend to portray extraterrestrials as either very menacing or very cute. Without a frame of reference, we have to use our imaginations. When something is beyond the scope of our comprehension, we tend to conceptualize it in human terms. Yet, if we are not alone in the universe, if there are beings on other planets, it seems doubtful to me that they would resemble us at all. They may be radically and entirely different from human beings in every shape and form. Their character and their external appearance may be beyond human comprehension and who knows how they would communicate with each other and with other species. I’m not sure I’d ever want to meet an extraterrestrial. Still, there is still a certain fascination about the idea.
NOTE : On the right side of this blog page, you will notice a poll asking your opinion on the existence of intelligent life on other planets. I invite you to express your opinion and let me know what you think. Just click on your mouse. I have to say I would vote “Maybe. It’s a possibility.”
SPORTS
The Blue Jays were clobbered by the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium last night. The score was 11-5. Starting pitcher Mark Rzepczynski had a bad night. He just didn't have it.
- Joanne
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
The Internet and False Information
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2010
There is a week left in the month of August. Before it draws to a close, I'd like to share with you some quirky trivia about August 2010. Take a look at your calendar. August of 2010 has 5 SUNDAYS, 5 MONDAYS and 5 TUESDAYS, all in the same month. I'd like to point out that there is some incorrect information circulating on the Internet that this occurs every 823 years. That simply is not true. It's not such a rare occurrence. In fact, the next time we get five Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays in August will be August 2021. Your intrepid researcher has checked and double checked. If you want to see for yourself, look at the perpetual calendar for the year 2021. Just click on the following link.
http://www.accuracyproject.org/2010calendar.html
I want all you Sixteeners to know that I will continue my battle against false or misleading information on the Internet. This is a reminder that inaccurate information does not just appear on one particular site on the web. Don't believe something just because it appears on hundreds of Internet sites.
FOCUS ON HISTORY
On this day in 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted. The Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum (near modern day Naples) were destroyed. These flourishing towns were buried in ashes and never rebuilt. Thousands died. I visited the ruins of Pompeii in 1996 and was struck by the expressions on the faces of the mummified victims.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays are back in the win column again. The defeated the Yankees at the Bronx Zoo last night by a score of 3-2. It's great to win those games by one run, especially against the Yanks. The best news of all is that Jose Bautista hit his 39th and 40th home runs of the season. This guy is having a season to remember.
- Joanne
There is a week left in the month of August. Before it draws to a close, I'd like to share with you some quirky trivia about August 2010. Take a look at your calendar. August of 2010 has 5 SUNDAYS, 5 MONDAYS and 5 TUESDAYS, all in the same month. I'd like to point out that there is some incorrect information circulating on the Internet that this occurs every 823 years. That simply is not true. It's not such a rare occurrence. In fact, the next time we get five Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays in August will be August 2021. Your intrepid researcher has checked and double checked. If you want to see for yourself, look at the perpetual calendar for the year 2021. Just click on the following link.
http://www.accuracyproject.org/2010calendar.html
I want all you Sixteeners to know that I will continue my battle against false or misleading information on the Internet. This is a reminder that inaccurate information does not just appear on one particular site on the web. Don't believe something just because it appears on hundreds of Internet sites.
FOCUS ON HISTORY
On this day in 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted. The Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum (near modern day Naples) were destroyed. These flourishing towns were buried in ashes and never rebuilt. Thousands died. I visited the ruins of Pompeii in 1996 and was struck by the expressions on the faces of the mummified victims.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays are back in the win column again. The defeated the Yankees at the Bronx Zoo last night by a score of 3-2. It's great to win those games by one run, especially against the Yanks. The best news of all is that Jose Bautista hit his 39th and 40th home runs of the season. This guy is having a season to remember.
- Joanne
Monday, August 23, 2010
Photos of Presque Ile State Park in Pennsylvania
MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2010
I'm back from Erie, Pennsylvania. On Friday, I took a water taxi to Presque Ilse State Park. It is quite picturesque as there is a wooded area and a beach there. The park is located on a sandy peninsula that juts into Lake Erie.
I did some shopping at Macy's on Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening was cool and rainy. We went to the ractrack/casino in Erie. It is called Presque Ilse Downs. On our return home on Sunday, we had a very easy time crossing over the border. The customs officer just asked everyone on the bus to hold up their passports. Then he inquired if anyone in our group wasn't Canadian. Finally, he wanted to know if anyone was carrrying an illegal weapon. That was it.
Here are some photos from Presque Isle Park.
SPORTS
To my absolute delight, the Blue Jays trounced the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday night. The lopsided score was 16-2 in favour of the Jays. Did I crow about that one. You bet I dud. By the way, Jose Bautista hit his 38th home run. Saturday It wasn't a perfect night for Toronto teams. The Argos lost to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats by a score of 16-12.
On Sunday, the Jays lost 5-0 to the Red Sox. The game was delayed twice due to the rainy weather in Beantown.
- Joanne
I'm back from Erie, Pennsylvania. On Friday, I took a water taxi to Presque Ilse State Park. It is quite picturesque as there is a wooded area and a beach there. The park is located on a sandy peninsula that juts into Lake Erie.
I did some shopping at Macy's on Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening was cool and rainy. We went to the ractrack/casino in Erie. It is called Presque Ilse Downs. On our return home on Sunday, we had a very easy time crossing over the border. The customs officer just asked everyone on the bus to hold up their passports. Then he inquired if anyone in our group wasn't Canadian. Finally, he wanted to know if anyone was carrrying an illegal weapon. That was it.
Here are some photos from Presque Isle Park.
SPORTS
To my absolute delight, the Blue Jays trounced the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday night. The lopsided score was 16-2 in favour of the Jays. Did I crow about that one. You bet I dud. By the way, Jose Bautista hit his 38th home run. Saturday It wasn't a perfect night for Toronto teams. The Argos lost to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats by a score of 16-12.
On Sunday, the Jays lost 5-0 to the Red Sox. The game was delayed twice due to the rainy weather in Beantown.
- Joanne
Friday, August 20, 2010
More Greetings from Erie Pennsylvania
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010
Greetings again from Erie, Pennsylvania. Here is a picture of the boat we went on yesterday for a luncheon buffet. It is called "Victorian Princess." I have also included photos taken from the boat.
- Joanne
Greetings again from Erie, Pennsylvania. Here is a picture of the boat we went on yesterday for a luncheon buffet. It is called "Victorian Princess." I have also included photos taken from the boat.
- Joanne
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Hello from Erie, Pennsylvania
THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2010
Hello from Erie, Pennsylvania. I am here with a thoroughbred racing fan club. There was a welcome party for us at the hotel last night and we are going on a boat ride this afternoon. The temperature here is comfortable 20-25 degrees Celsius.
We arrived by bus yesterday afternoon in time for a late lunch at the Cracker Barrel, a nostalgic country style restaurant/store. It has all kinds of trinkets and games and toys from the past.
Pennsylvania is known as the "Keystone State." It has great historical importance to Americans because it is the birthplace of American independence and the United States Constitution. Its origin goes back to 1681 when King Charles II of England granted William Penn, a Quaker, a large area of land that includes modern Pennsylvania . Penn and his fellow Quakers sought to escape religious persecution by moving to the New World. In exchange for the land, they were required to send the English king two beaver pelts a year. That was a pretty good deal for Penn, don’t you think?
One explanation as to how Pennsylvania acquired the moniker "Keystone State" is its geographic location. It is located right in the centre of the original thirteen colonies of the United States.
LANGUAGE CORNER
The name "Pennsylvania" was specified in the land charter given to William Penn by Charles II. The Latin word "Sylvania," meaning "woodlands," was added to Penn's name. Therefore, Pennsylvania means "Penn's forest" or "Penn's woods."
SPORTS
The Blue Jays lost to the Oakland Athletics yesterday afternoon by a score of 5-4. They rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning but it wasn't enough. They have a day off today and they head to Boston where they play a series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
- Joanne
Hello from Erie, Pennsylvania. I am here with a thoroughbred racing fan club. There was a welcome party for us at the hotel last night and we are going on a boat ride this afternoon. The temperature here is comfortable 20-25 degrees Celsius.
We arrived by bus yesterday afternoon in time for a late lunch at the Cracker Barrel, a nostalgic country style restaurant/store. It has all kinds of trinkets and games and toys from the past.
Pennsylvania is known as the "Keystone State." It has great historical importance to Americans because it is the birthplace of American independence and the United States Constitution. Its origin goes back to 1681 when King Charles II of England granted William Penn, a Quaker, a large area of land that includes modern Pennsylvania . Penn and his fellow Quakers sought to escape religious persecution by moving to the New World. In exchange for the land, they were required to send the English king two beaver pelts a year. That was a pretty good deal for Penn, don’t you think?
One explanation as to how Pennsylvania acquired the moniker "Keystone State" is its geographic location. It is located right in the centre of the original thirteen colonies of the United States.
LANGUAGE CORNER
The name "Pennsylvania" was specified in the land charter given to William Penn by Charles II. The Latin word "Sylvania," meaning "woodlands," was added to Penn's name. Therefore, Pennsylvania means "Penn's forest" or "Penn's woods."
SPORTS
The Blue Jays lost to the Oakland Athletics yesterday afternoon by a score of 5-4. They rallied for three runs in the top of the ninth inning but it wasn't enough. They have a day off today and they head to Boston where they play a series with the Red Sox at Fenway Park.
- Joanne
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
By the time we got to Woodstock
TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2010
From WoodstockLyrics by Joni Mitchell
On this day in 1969, the Woodstock music festival was in full swing and the Age of Aquarius had reached its apex. The festival was billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music.” It was held at Max Yasgur's dairy farm near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969. Bethel is 69 km (43 miles) southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York.
During this somewhat rainy August weekend, Yasgur’s 600-acre farm became a hippie’s paradise and a rock and roll heaven. Thirty-two acts performed outdoors and entertained 500,000 concert-goers. The Woodstock festival was one of the defining events of the 1960s and Rolling Stone listed it as one of the "50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll."
Joni Mitchell's song "Woodstock" commemorated the event and became a major hit for Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Whatever happened to Max Yasgur? Well, In 1971 Yasgur sold his farm and moved to Florida. A year and a half later, on February 9, 1973, he died there of a heart attack at the age of 53.
Forty-one years have passed since Woodstock and I was reminded of this fact by a Six Chix cartoon that I read this past weekend. In the comic, two bespectacled older women are standing on the site of Yasgur’s farm. One of the women looks at a sign and informs the other woman that this year’s Woodstock Reunion will be held on Facebook. The other woman replies, “Bummer.”
SPORTS
The Blue Jays keep rolling along. Last night, they defeated the Oakland A's and Shaun Marcum pitched a gem of a game. He had a one-hitter. Jose Bautista hit his 37th home run, but he didn't slug it over the fence. It was an inside-the-park homer.
NOTE : Tomorrow I will head to Erie Pennsylvania where I will stay until Sunday. I'll report to you from there.
- Joanne
By the time we got to Woodstock
We were half a million strong
And everywhere was a song
And a celebration
And I dreamed I saw the bomber death planes
Riding shotgun in the sky
Turning into butterflies
Above our nation.
From WoodstockLyrics by Joni Mitchell
On this day in 1969, the Woodstock music festival was in full swing and the Age of Aquarius had reached its apex. The festival was billed as "An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music.” It was held at Max Yasgur's dairy farm near the hamlet of White Lake in the town of Bethel, New York, from August 15 to August 18, 1969. Bethel is 69 km (43 miles) southwest of the town of Woodstock, New York.
During this somewhat rainy August weekend, Yasgur’s 600-acre farm became a hippie’s paradise and a rock and roll heaven. Thirty-two acts performed outdoors and entertained 500,000 concert-goers. The Woodstock festival was one of the defining events of the 1960s and Rolling Stone listed it as one of the "50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock and Roll."
Joni Mitchell's song "Woodstock" commemorated the event and became a major hit for Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. Whatever happened to Max Yasgur? Well, In 1971 Yasgur sold his farm and moved to Florida. A year and a half later, on February 9, 1973, he died there of a heart attack at the age of 53.
Forty-one years have passed since Woodstock and I was reminded of this fact by a Six Chix cartoon that I read this past weekend. In the comic, two bespectacled older women are standing on the site of Yasgur’s farm. One of the women looks at a sign and informs the other woman that this year’s Woodstock Reunion will be held on Facebook. The other woman replies, “Bummer.”
SPORTS
The Blue Jays keep rolling along. Last night, they defeated the Oakland A's and Shaun Marcum pitched a gem of a game. He had a one-hitter. Jose Bautista hit his 37th home run, but he didn't slug it over the fence. It was an inside-the-park homer.
NOTE : Tomorrow I will head to Erie Pennsylvania where I will stay until Sunday. I'll report to you from there.
- Joanne
Monday, August 16, 2010
The Dog Days of Summer and Elvis Presley's Concerts in Canada in 1957
MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010
THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER AND SIRIUS
How are you enjoying these “dog days” of summer? For me, however, they are truly the “dog days” of August because I associate the expression with the month of August rather than July.
Webster’s dictionary defines “dog days” as
1 : the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere
2 : a period of stagnation or inactivity
What is the origin of the term “dog days?” The answer lies in the stars, dear Sixteeners. It’s a celestial matter involving the brightest star in the night sky - Sirius of the constellation Canis Major (the big dog). The ancient Romans believed that the earth received heat from Siruis. In the summer, Sirius, the “dog star,” rises and sets with the sun. The ancients thought that its heat, in tandem with the heat of the sun, was responsible for a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They called this period of time, (20 days before and after the conjunction of Sirius with the sun) the “dog days” after the “dog star.”
The Old Farmer's Almanac lists the traditional timing of the "dog days" as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11, coinciding with the rising of Sirius at sunrise. The 1552 edition of the Book of Common Prayer cites "Dog Daies" beginning on July 6 and ending on August. 17. The Romans extended their "dog days" further into August and I'm with the Romans on that.
ON THIS DAY
The Death of Elvis Presley
On this day in 1977, Elvis Presley was found dead at his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee. The "King of Rock and Roll" was only 42 years old. Not long before his death, I recall my cousins mentioning to me that Elvis hadn’t looked very well lately, that he seemed bloated in his most recent photos. On the day Elvis passed away, I went bowling with another cousin and I remember listening to Elvis music on the radio on the way to the bowling alley.
Elvis' Concerts in Canada
Here’s some Elvis trivia. In 1957, Elvis Presley performed in three Canadian cities. On April 2, he did two shows at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The next day, April 3, 1957, he did another two shows in Ottawa. On August 31, Elvis put on a concert in Vancouver. These five concerts in Canada were the only ones he performed outside of the United States.
Graceland's origins
The Graceland property was originally established as a farm during the American Civil War by Memphis newspaper owner and publisher Stephen C. Toof. Toof named it after his daughter, Grace. Elvis Presley purchased the property in March of 1957 for $102,500.
The Anniversary of Babe Ruth's Death
Baseball legend George Herman “Babe” Ruth died in New York City of cancer on August 16, 1948. The Bambino was 53 years old. And no, I don’t remember the day Babe Ruth died (ha ha). The Babe was born in Baltimore, Maryland on February 6, 1895.
SPORTS
It wasn’t a bad sports weekend for Toronto fans. The Toronto Argonauts defeated the Montreal Alouettes decisively by a score of 37-22. The Argos are now tied for first place with the Als in the CFL East.
In Anaheim, the Angels romped over the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 7-2 on Saturday. However, the Jays came back to beat the Halos 4-1 yesterday. Ricky Romero was the starter and he pitched seven solid innings to lead the Jays to victory in the finale of the three-game series. Speaking of Romero, the Jays have him locked up for the future. He accepted a five-year, $30.1 million deal with the team.
I’m not as big a tennis fan as I am of hockey, baseball and football. However, I was hoping that Roger Federer would defeat Andy Murray in the Rogers Cup here in Toronto. It was not to be. The Swiss master lost to the dour Scot.
- Joanne
THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER AND SIRIUS
How are you enjoying these “dog days” of summer? For me, however, they are truly the “dog days” of August because I associate the expression with the month of August rather than July.
Webster’s dictionary defines “dog days” as
1 : the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere
2 : a period of stagnation or inactivity
What is the origin of the term “dog days?” The answer lies in the stars, dear Sixteeners. It’s a celestial matter involving the brightest star in the night sky - Sirius of the constellation Canis Major (the big dog). The ancient Romans believed that the earth received heat from Siruis. In the summer, Sirius, the “dog star,” rises and sets with the sun. The ancients thought that its heat, in tandem with the heat of the sun, was responsible for a stretch of hot and sultry weather. They called this period of time, (20 days before and after the conjunction of Sirius with the sun) the “dog days” after the “dog star.”
The Old Farmer's Almanac lists the traditional timing of the "dog days" as the 40 days beginning July 3 and ending August 11, coinciding with the rising of Sirius at sunrise. The 1552 edition of the Book of Common Prayer cites "Dog Daies" beginning on July 6 and ending on August. 17. The Romans extended their "dog days" further into August and I'm with the Romans on that.
ON THIS DAY
The Death of Elvis Presley
On this day in 1977, Elvis Presley was found dead at his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee. The "King of Rock and Roll" was only 42 years old. Not long before his death, I recall my cousins mentioning to me that Elvis hadn’t looked very well lately, that he seemed bloated in his most recent photos. On the day Elvis passed away, I went bowling with another cousin and I remember listening to Elvis music on the radio on the way to the bowling alley.
Elvis' Concerts in Canada
Here’s some Elvis trivia. In 1957, Elvis Presley performed in three Canadian cities. On April 2, he did two shows at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. The next day, April 3, 1957, he did another two shows in Ottawa. On August 31, Elvis put on a concert in Vancouver. These five concerts in Canada were the only ones he performed outside of the United States.
Graceland's origins
The Graceland property was originally established as a farm during the American Civil War by Memphis newspaper owner and publisher Stephen C. Toof. Toof named it after his daughter, Grace. Elvis Presley purchased the property in March of 1957 for $102,500.
The Anniversary of Babe Ruth's Death
Baseball legend George Herman “Babe” Ruth died in New York City of cancer on August 16, 1948. The Bambino was 53 years old. And no, I don’t remember the day Babe Ruth died (ha ha). The Babe was born in Baltimore, Maryland on February 6, 1895.
SPORTS
It wasn’t a bad sports weekend for Toronto fans. The Toronto Argonauts defeated the Montreal Alouettes decisively by a score of 37-22. The Argos are now tied for first place with the Als in the CFL East.
In Anaheim, the Angels romped over the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 7-2 on Saturday. However, the Jays came back to beat the Halos 4-1 yesterday. Ricky Romero was the starter and he pitched seven solid innings to lead the Jays to victory in the finale of the three-game series. Speaking of Romero, the Jays have him locked up for the future. He accepted a five-year, $30.1 million deal with the team.
I’m not as big a tennis fan as I am of hockey, baseball and football. However, I was hoping that Roger Federer would defeat Andy Murray in the Rogers Cup here in Toronto. It was not to be. The Swiss master lost to the dour Scot.
- Joanne
Friday, August 13, 2010
Fear, Superstition and the Number 13
FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish (1950)
How superstitious are you? I ask this question because today is Friday, August 13th. It is a day associated with the lore of black cats and broken mirrors, a day that superstitious people absolutely dread. We like to think of ourselves as enlightened and knowledgeable. Yet many of us carry good luck charms and many buildings do not have a thirteenth floor. According to London’s Daily Mirror, more than 60 million people worldwide claim to be affected by a fear of Friday the 13th and some will refuse to drive or go to their jobs on that day.
Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky? One theory finds its roots in the Christian Bible. There were 13 people at the Last Supper and Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, is considered to be the thirteenth guest. Jesus was then crucified on a Friday. Another theory is that the phobia originated when King Philip IV of France arrested and tortured the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307.
The sports world is rife with superstition. Here are a few examples. As a pitcher gets closer to pitching a no-hitter or a perfect game, some fans and broadcasters are reluctant to mention the possibility for fear of jinxing the pitcher. Former baseball manager Sparky Anderson would never step on the white lines when he walked onto the field. Relatively few professional athletes have worn the number 13, although that has changed somewhat in recent years.
Here is a short list of some well known pro athletes who did not shun the number 13.
* Basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain wore number 13.
* The great NFL quarterback Dan Marino sported number 13 on his Miami Dolphins uniform.
* Former Toronto Maple Leaf captain Mats Sundin wasn’t afraid to wear 13 on his hockey sweater.
* New York Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez has number 13 on his pinstriped jersey.
Only one bad incident has occurred in my life on Friday the 13th. On Friday, August 13, 2004, I stood across from my husband as he was robbed of his wallet and passport on a subway escalator in Barcelona, Spain.
LANGUAGE CORNER
Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.
There are a couple of notable birth anniversaries today:
Acclaimed film director Alfred Hitchcock was born in London, England on this day in 1899. I am a big fan of Hitchcock’s films. Leave it to the “Master of Suspense” to be born on the 13th.
Cuban leader Fidel Castro was born on this day in 1926. Castro turns 84 years old today.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays won the last game of their series against the troublesome Boston Red Sox. They defeated the Red Sox by a score of 6-5 and Jose Bautista socked his league-leading 36th homer. The Jays rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to overcome a 5-2 Red Sox lead. Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon blew his first save ever against the Blue Jays.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.- Bertrand Russell
An Outline of Intellectual Rubbish (1950)
How superstitious are you? I ask this question because today is Friday, August 13th. It is a day associated with the lore of black cats and broken mirrors, a day that superstitious people absolutely dread. We like to think of ourselves as enlightened and knowledgeable. Yet many of us carry good luck charms and many buildings do not have a thirteenth floor. According to London’s Daily Mirror, more than 60 million people worldwide claim to be affected by a fear of Friday the 13th and some will refuse to drive or go to their jobs on that day.
Why is Friday the 13th considered unlucky? One theory finds its roots in the Christian Bible. There were 13 people at the Last Supper and Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, is considered to be the thirteenth guest. Jesus was then crucified on a Friday. Another theory is that the phobia originated when King Philip IV of France arrested and tortured the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307.
The sports world is rife with superstition. Here are a few examples. As a pitcher gets closer to pitching a no-hitter or a perfect game, some fans and broadcasters are reluctant to mention the possibility for fear of jinxing the pitcher. Former baseball manager Sparky Anderson would never step on the white lines when he walked onto the field. Relatively few professional athletes have worn the number 13, although that has changed somewhat in recent years.
Here is a short list of some well known pro athletes who did not shun the number 13.
* Basketball Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain wore number 13.
* The great NFL quarterback Dan Marino sported number 13 on his Miami Dolphins uniform.
* Former Toronto Maple Leaf captain Mats Sundin wasn’t afraid to wear 13 on his hockey sweater.
* New York Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez has number 13 on his pinstriped jersey.
Only one bad incident has occurred in my life on Friday the 13th. On Friday, August 13, 2004, I stood across from my husband as he was robbed of his wallet and passport on a subway escalator in Barcelona, Spain.
LANGUAGE CORNER
Fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskavedekatriaphobia.
There are a couple of notable birth anniversaries today:
Acclaimed film director Alfred Hitchcock was born in London, England on this day in 1899. I am a big fan of Hitchcock’s films. Leave it to the “Master of Suspense” to be born on the 13th.
Cuban leader Fidel Castro was born on this day in 1926. Castro turns 84 years old today.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays won the last game of their series against the troublesome Boston Red Sox. They defeated the Red Sox by a score of 6-5 and Jose Bautista socked his league-leading 36th homer. The Jays rallied for four runs in the ninth inning to overcome a 5-2 Red Sox lead. Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon blew his first save ever against the Blue Jays.
- Joanne
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile
THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 2010
- William Shakespeare
From Antony and Cleopatra
I wonder how the historical Cleopatra measured up to Shakespeare's vision of an endlessly fascinating woman, a woman of great allure. The romantic in me likes to think the real Cleopatra was an ageless woman of "infinite variety." We know that Mark Antony was certainly enthralled by this "Queen of the Nile." We also know that on this day in 30 B.C., Cleopatra VII Philopator took her own life.
"Cleopatra" is Greek for "father's glory," and her full name, "Cleopatra Thea Philopator," means "the Goddess Cleopatra, Beloved of Her Father." Cleopatra VII was co-ruler of Egypt with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes, her brother/husband Ptolemy XIV, and later her son Caesarion (by Julius Caesar). After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., Cleopatra formed an alliance with Mark Antony.
In 30 B.C., Antony and Cleopatra faced military defeat at the hands of Octavian (Antony's rival and Julius Caesar's legal heir) whose forces were poised to invade Egypt. As Octavian approached Alexandria, Antony's armies deserted to the enemy and a distraught Antony and Cleopatra both committed suicide. According to legend, Cleopatra used an asp to kill herself. The New World Encyclopedia says that the term "asp" actually pertains to a variety of poisonous snakes, but in the case of Cleopatra, it "refers to the Egyptian Cobra, which was sometimes used to execute criminals."
Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar, Caesarion, was killed by Octavian. The three children of Cleopatra and Antony were spared and returnd to Rome where they were raised by Antony's wife, Octavia. Mark Antoy's rival, Octavian, later became known as Caesar Augustus, the first ruler of the Roman Empire. The month of August is named after him.
It is also noteworthy that Cleopatra was a rare female ruler in a thoroughly male-dominated world. In fact, I can't think of another woman who held such a position of power and influence in ancient history. Can you?
SPORTS
The Blue Jays certainly have had their problems with the Boston Red Sox this season. They were thumped yesterday by a score of 10-1 in their second game of a series with the Red Sox here in T.O. It was a game that starting pitcher Shaun Marcum would like to forget. For that matter, so would I.
- Joanne
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety: other women cloy
The appetites they feed: but she makes hungry
Where most she satisfies; for vilest things
Become themselves in her: that the holy priests
Bless her when she is riggish.
- William Shakespeare
From Antony and Cleopatra
I wonder how the historical Cleopatra measured up to Shakespeare's vision of an endlessly fascinating woman, a woman of great allure. The romantic in me likes to think the real Cleopatra was an ageless woman of "infinite variety." We know that Mark Antony was certainly enthralled by this "Queen of the Nile." We also know that on this day in 30 B.C., Cleopatra VII Philopator took her own life.
"Cleopatra" is Greek for "father's glory," and her full name, "Cleopatra Thea Philopator," means "the Goddess Cleopatra, Beloved of Her Father." Cleopatra VII was co-ruler of Egypt with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes, her brother/husband Ptolemy XIV, and later her son Caesarion (by Julius Caesar). After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., Cleopatra formed an alliance with Mark Antony.
In 30 B.C., Antony and Cleopatra faced military defeat at the hands of Octavian (Antony's rival and Julius Caesar's legal heir) whose forces were poised to invade Egypt. As Octavian approached Alexandria, Antony's armies deserted to the enemy and a distraught Antony and Cleopatra both committed suicide. According to legend, Cleopatra used an asp to kill herself. The New World Encyclopedia says that the term "asp" actually pertains to a variety of poisonous snakes, but in the case of Cleopatra, it "refers to the Egyptian Cobra, which was sometimes used to execute criminals."
Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar, Caesarion, was killed by Octavian. The three children of Cleopatra and Antony were spared and returnd to Rome where they were raised by Antony's wife, Octavia. Mark Antoy's rival, Octavian, later became known as Caesar Augustus, the first ruler of the Roman Empire. The month of August is named after him.
It is also noteworthy that Cleopatra was a rare female ruler in a thoroughly male-dominated world. In fact, I can't think of another woman who held such a position of power and influence in ancient history. Can you?
SPORTS
The Blue Jays certainly have had their problems with the Boston Red Sox this season. They were thumped yesterday by a score of 10-1 in their second game of a series with the Red Sox here in T.O. It was a game that starting pitcher Shaun Marcum would like to forget. For that matter, so would I.
- Joanne
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2010
NOTE TO SIXTEENERS
Regular readers will notice that Number 16 has been redesigned. I have tried to give it a fresh look and more vitality. My hope is that you find the new design bright, lively, and above all, easy on the eye. Number 16 has also introduced a new feature. I will be polling you on various topics and on your preferences. The first poll appears on the right side of your screen and its subject is musical taste. As always, your feedback is most welcome and strongly encouraged. I would also like to point out that this blog now has a search box. If you are wondering what I have written on any topic, you can find out easily.
LANGUAGE CORNER
Are there some words and expressions that especially annoy you? Do you cringe when you hear them? Would you like them banished from the English language? You're not alone. Here are a few words and expressions that annoy me. They are used far too often and as fillers in speech.
"Like I said" is an expression I would banish. In addition to being used far too often, especially by athletes, it is incorrect. The correct expression is "As I said."
A word I would banish is "hopefully" - but only when it is used in place of "I hope." Unfortunately, I will never get my wish. It has entered the language and some people use it incessantly and in every second sentence. "Hopefully" is an adjective and should only be used to mean "with hope" (e.g. I looked at him hopefully as he handed me the results of my test). Yes, language is constantly evolving, but there should be boundaries and limitations or else words lose their meaning.
If there are any words or expressions that annoy you, write me about it and I will publish your thoughts on my blog.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays began began a series with the Boston Red Sox last night. They lost by a score of 7-5. Starting pitcher Ricky Romero was not at his best, but he left the game when the score was tied 5-5. Reliever Shawn Camp could not hold back the Red Sox. When closer Jonathan Papelbon stepped on to the mound, it was game over. He is a fantastic closer. His performance made me more convinced than ever that the Jays should really focus on acquiring a good closer. They need to find the type of closer that they could send confidently to the mound in a playoff series. Kevin Gregg does not fit that description.
There's quite a fiasco going on in Hamilton over the location of the new stadium. Bob Young, owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats is threatening to move the team to Quebec City. Hamilton's mayor, Fred Eisenberger, and its city council favour a downtown east harbour site, a much more central location than Tiger-Cats and their owner prefer.
I agree with the mayor. I favour a downtown or central location for large sports facilities. The alternative usually results in urban sprawl. A downtown stadium can revitalize the city's core.
As for a team in Queabec City, I hope it happens some day. The Canadian Football League needs another team in the East Division - but not at the expense of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Tiger-Cats belong in Hamilton.
- Joanne
NOTE TO SIXTEENERS
Regular readers will notice that Number 16 has been redesigned. I have tried to give it a fresh look and more vitality. My hope is that you find the new design bright, lively, and above all, easy on the eye. Number 16 has also introduced a new feature. I will be polling you on various topics and on your preferences. The first poll appears on the right side of your screen and its subject is musical taste. As always, your feedback is most welcome and strongly encouraged. I would also like to point out that this blog now has a search box. If you are wondering what I have written on any topic, you can find out easily.
LANGUAGE CORNER
Are there some words and expressions that especially annoy you? Do you cringe when you hear them? Would you like them banished from the English language? You're not alone. Here are a few words and expressions that annoy me. They are used far too often and as fillers in speech.
"Like I said" is an expression I would banish. In addition to being used far too often, especially by athletes, it is incorrect. The correct expression is "As I said."
A word I would banish is "hopefully" - but only when it is used in place of "I hope." Unfortunately, I will never get my wish. It has entered the language and some people use it incessantly and in every second sentence. "Hopefully" is an adjective and should only be used to mean "with hope" (e.g. I looked at him hopefully as he handed me the results of my test). Yes, language is constantly evolving, but there should be boundaries and limitations or else words lose their meaning.
If there are any words or expressions that annoy you, write me about it and I will publish your thoughts on my blog.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays began began a series with the Boston Red Sox last night. They lost by a score of 7-5. Starting pitcher Ricky Romero was not at his best, but he left the game when the score was tied 5-5. Reliever Shawn Camp could not hold back the Red Sox. When closer Jonathan Papelbon stepped on to the mound, it was game over. He is a fantastic closer. His performance made me more convinced than ever that the Jays should really focus on acquiring a good closer. They need to find the type of closer that they could send confidently to the mound in a playoff series. Kevin Gregg does not fit that description.
There's quite a fiasco going on in Hamilton over the location of the new stadium. Bob Young, owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats is threatening to move the team to Quebec City. Hamilton's mayor, Fred Eisenberger, and its city council favour a downtown east harbour site, a much more central location than Tiger-Cats and their owner prefer.
I agree with the mayor. I favour a downtown or central location for large sports facilities. The alternative usually results in urban sprawl. A downtown stadium can revitalize the city's core.
As for a team in Queabec City, I hope it happens some day. The Canadian Football League needs another team in the East Division - but not at the expense of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Tiger-Cats belong in Hamilton.
- Joanne
Monday, August 9, 2010
The Gretzky Trade
MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2010
"Never, though, has there been a sports transaction of this magnitude. The Great Gretzky, 27, is just at the peak of his almighty powers. Handshakes all around and the Los Angeles Kings are made a championship contender in the National Hockey League, complete with a personality who'll give them a high profile in a metropolis of celebrities and star-worshippers. The Oilers, in return, get playing talent that'll keep them strong for years to come, plus (and this was critical) a staggering sum of money."
- Jim Proudfoot
Toronto Star, August 10, 1988
My former colleague at the Star, the late Jim Proudfoot, wrote those words about one of the most unforgettable days in Canadian sports history. For many Canadians, it was one of the saddest. It certainly was a day of broken hearts in Edmonton.
On August 9, 1988, the Edmonton Oilers traded superstar Wayne Gretzky, Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski to the Los Angeles Kings in return for a rising American star named Jimmy Carson, Martin Gélinas, three first round draft picks and an enourmous amount of money. Peter Pocklington, the cash-strapped owner of the Oilers received $15 million (U.S.) in the deal. Many disgruntled Edmonton fans considered it blood money. Pocklington and Gretzky's new American bride Janet Jones were cast in the role of villains in this sporting drama.
With tears welling in his eyes, The Great One bid farewell to the city of Edmonton at a press conference. I'll never forget how he looked that day. His locks were bleached blond and he was wearing a striped shirt. This Canadian hockey icon, this native of Brantford, Ontario, was already transforming himself into a California surfer.
Twenty-one years have passed since that fateful day. Wayne Gretzky certainly succeeded in making hockey trendy in L.A. during his time there. Although he spent many years playing in Los Angeles, he never brought a Stanley Cup to the city. After twenty seasons in the NHL, Number 99 finished his career in a New York Rangers' uniform. He retired as a player in 1999 (how appropriate) and has kept active in the game until recently. Gretzky, now 49 years old, was Executive Director for the champion Canadian national men's hockey team during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2000, he became part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes franchise of the NHL and later spent several frustrating years coaching that struggling team.
The Edmonton Oilers, after winning four Stanley Cups during the Gretzky era, won a fifth with Mark Messier as captain in 1990. Last season the Oilers finished at the bottom of the NHL standings. However, their future looks more promising since they obtained Calgary-native Taylor Hall as their first round draft pick. The star of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League is expected to be a good one.
MORE SPORTS
How about those Blue Jays! What a memorable weeked it was for Toronto's baseball franchise! On Saturday, they went on a home run rampage and defeated the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 17-11. The Jays slammed 8 home runs, but the talk of the town was rookie catcher J.P. Arencibia. In his major league debut, Arencibia homered on the first pitch delivered to him. He then went 4-5 in the game, adding another home run and two doubles.
Yesterday, young Brandon Morrow pitched a gem of a game and almost had himself a no-hitter. He lost the no-hitter in the 9th inning, but the Jays went on to a 1-0 victory. Morrow posted 17 strikeouts in the game. The only fly in the ointment waa Vernon Wells' injury during a spectacular catch. In his valiant attempt to preserve the no-hitter for Morrow, Wells dislocated his toe.
SPECIAL NOTE
My niece turns 14 years old today. Happy birthday, Victoria!
- Joanne
"Never, though, has there been a sports transaction of this magnitude. The Great Gretzky, 27, is just at the peak of his almighty powers. Handshakes all around and the Los Angeles Kings are made a championship contender in the National Hockey League, complete with a personality who'll give them a high profile in a metropolis of celebrities and star-worshippers. The Oilers, in return, get playing talent that'll keep them strong for years to come, plus (and this was critical) a staggering sum of money."
- Jim Proudfoot
Toronto Star, August 10, 1988
My former colleague at the Star, the late Jim Proudfoot, wrote those words about one of the most unforgettable days in Canadian sports history. For many Canadians, it was one of the saddest. It certainly was a day of broken hearts in Edmonton.
On August 9, 1988, the Edmonton Oilers traded superstar Wayne Gretzky, Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski to the Los Angeles Kings in return for a rising American star named Jimmy Carson, Martin Gélinas, three first round draft picks and an enourmous amount of money. Peter Pocklington, the cash-strapped owner of the Oilers received $15 million (U.S.) in the deal. Many disgruntled Edmonton fans considered it blood money. Pocklington and Gretzky's new American bride Janet Jones were cast in the role of villains in this sporting drama.
With tears welling in his eyes, The Great One bid farewell to the city of Edmonton at a press conference. I'll never forget how he looked that day. His locks were bleached blond and he was wearing a striped shirt. This Canadian hockey icon, this native of Brantford, Ontario, was already transforming himself into a California surfer.
Twenty-one years have passed since that fateful day. Wayne Gretzky certainly succeeded in making hockey trendy in L.A. during his time there. Although he spent many years playing in Los Angeles, he never brought a Stanley Cup to the city. After twenty seasons in the NHL, Number 99 finished his career in a New York Rangers' uniform. He retired as a player in 1999 (how appropriate) and has kept active in the game until recently. Gretzky, now 49 years old, was Executive Director for the champion Canadian national men's hockey team during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2000, he became part-owner of the Phoenix Coyotes franchise of the NHL and later spent several frustrating years coaching that struggling team.
The Edmonton Oilers, after winning four Stanley Cups during the Gretzky era, won a fifth with Mark Messier as captain in 1990. Last season the Oilers finished at the bottom of the NHL standings. However, their future looks more promising since they obtained Calgary-native Taylor Hall as their first round draft pick. The star of the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League is expected to be a good one.
MORE SPORTS
How about those Blue Jays! What a memorable weeked it was for Toronto's baseball franchise! On Saturday, they went on a home run rampage and defeated the Tampa Bay Rays by a score of 17-11. The Jays slammed 8 home runs, but the talk of the town was rookie catcher J.P. Arencibia. In his major league debut, Arencibia homered on the first pitch delivered to him. He then went 4-5 in the game, adding another home run and two doubles.
Yesterday, young Brandon Morrow pitched a gem of a game and almost had himself a no-hitter. He lost the no-hitter in the 9th inning, but the Jays went on to a 1-0 victory. Morrow posted 17 strikeouts in the game. The only fly in the ointment waa Vernon Wells' injury during a spectacular catch. In his valiant attempt to preserve the no-hitter for Morrow, Wells dislocated his toe.
SPECIAL NOTE
My niece turns 14 years old today. Happy birthday, Victoria!
- Joanne
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Lewis Carroll, words and Sarah Palin
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."
- Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, Chapter 6
LANGUAGE CORNER
Sarah Palin coined a word recently. At least, she claims that she coined the word "refudiate." The truth is she confused the word "refute" with "repudiate" and ended up with "refudiate." The former Alaska governor asserts that the English language is always evolving and changing. She certainly won’t get any argument from me on that. Language is fluid and it does constantly change. I fully agree that neologisms are a necessary and inevitable part of the evolution of language. However, "refudiate" is one non-word I can do without. It will never enjoy popular usage. I don’t anticipate anyone other than Sarah Palin using that word.
While we are on the subject of neologisms, allow me to mention a delightful word that was coined by Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Carroll was a master of linguistic wit and he coined the word "chortle," a combination of "chuckle" and "snort." The word "chortle" appears in Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It has entered the English language and can be found in dictionaries. Sarah Palin, you’re no Lewis Carroll.
SPORTS
Last night was a great night for Toronto sports fans. The Blue Jays defeated Tampa Bay at the dome by a score of 2-1. Brett Cecil pitched seven innings and only allowed four hits.
The Argos defeated Edmonton by a score of 29-28 for their fourth victory of the season. Given that they only had three wins last season, that's progress.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in a rather scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."
- Lewis Carroll
Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, Chapter 6
LANGUAGE CORNER
Sarah Palin coined a word recently. At least, she claims that she coined the word "refudiate." The truth is she confused the word "refute" with "repudiate" and ended up with "refudiate." The former Alaska governor asserts that the English language is always evolving and changing. She certainly won’t get any argument from me on that. Language is fluid and it does constantly change. I fully agree that neologisms are a necessary and inevitable part of the evolution of language. However, "refudiate" is one non-word I can do without. It will never enjoy popular usage. I don’t anticipate anyone other than Sarah Palin using that word.
While we are on the subject of neologisms, allow me to mention a delightful word that was coined by Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Carroll was a master of linguistic wit and he coined the word "chortle," a combination of "chuckle" and "snort." The word "chortle" appears in Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, the sequel to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. It has entered the English language and can be found in dictionaries. Sarah Palin, you’re no Lewis Carroll.
SPORTS
Last night was a great night for Toronto sports fans. The Blue Jays defeated Tampa Bay at the dome by a score of 2-1. Brett Cecil pitched seven innings and only allowed four hits.
The Argos defeated Edmonton by a score of 29-28 for their fourth victory of the season. Given that they only had three wins last season, that's progress.
- Joanne
Friday, August 6, 2010
The Horror of Hiroshima
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2010
Today marks a sombre day in the annals of human history. On August 6, 1945, an atom bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. For the first time, a nuclear weapon was used to wage war. Three days later, on August 9, a second atom bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki, Japan.
Apologists for the use of nuclear force against Japan argue that it ended the war sooner and that more lives would have been lost if Japan had been invaded by land. Dissenters counter that the war had already been won and that Japan was prepared to surrender. Some dissenters even argue that the military-industrial complex of the United States was determined to use the atomic bomb at some point because of the large amount of money spent on its development.
In defence of his decision to use a nuclear weapon on Japan, President Harry Truman stated, “We faced half a million casualties trying to take Japan by land. It was either that or the atom bomb, and I didn’t hesitate a minute, and I’ve never lost any sleep over it since.” I find Truman’s words difficult to believe. He must have done some tossing and turning in his sleep. It's not that I doubt Harry Truman's conviction that he made the correct choice. It's just that he was faced with such a heart-wrenching decision and he knew that innocent human lives would be lost. I have to question how anyone with a conscience could make such a momentous decision so easily and remain so unfazed by it.
Sixty-five years have passed since the atom bomb was unleashed on humanity. Whether one agrees with Harry Truman’s decision or not, it is indisputable that a terrible force was unleashed on that August day so many years ago. The United States remains the only country to have used the atom bomb as a weapon of war. The atomic bomb has never been used since. Nevertheless, a genie was let out of a bottle that day. The world has never been the same since. Once can only hope and pray that it never happens again.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays had a day off yesterday. On Wednesday, they lost the final game of their series at Yankee Stadium to the Bronx Bombers. The score was 5-1. A-Rod hit his 600th home room. It had to come sometime, but it's too bad it happened during a game with the Jays. Tonight the Blue Jays begin a new series against the Tampa Bay Rays at the dome. I still prefer to call it "SkyDome" rather than its bland, corporate moniker - Rogers Centre. If they had to use the Rogers name, at least they could have named the stadium "Rogers Field" or "Rogers Dome." "Rogers Centre" sounds like the name of a shopping mall or a hockey arena. Wait a minute! That's not too far off the mark. It is a shopping centre for Rogers products.
The Toronto Argonauts play Edmonton tonight in the Alberta capital. The Argos need to recover from their loss in Montreal and get back on track. Coach Jim Barker is intent on defending the play of quarterback Cleo Lemon. Okay, Jim, but he had better get that offence going soon. One more thing, Jim. It's not the smartest move to knock the media so overtly and so strongly.
- Joanne
Today marks a sombre day in the annals of human history. On August 6, 1945, an atom bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. For the first time, a nuclear weapon was used to wage war. Three days later, on August 9, a second atom bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki, Japan.
Apologists for the use of nuclear force against Japan argue that it ended the war sooner and that more lives would have been lost if Japan had been invaded by land. Dissenters counter that the war had already been won and that Japan was prepared to surrender. Some dissenters even argue that the military-industrial complex of the United States was determined to use the atomic bomb at some point because of the large amount of money spent on its development.
In defence of his decision to use a nuclear weapon on Japan, President Harry Truman stated, “We faced half a million casualties trying to take Japan by land. It was either that or the atom bomb, and I didn’t hesitate a minute, and I’ve never lost any sleep over it since.” I find Truman’s words difficult to believe. He must have done some tossing and turning in his sleep. It's not that I doubt Harry Truman's conviction that he made the correct choice. It's just that he was faced with such a heart-wrenching decision and he knew that innocent human lives would be lost. I have to question how anyone with a conscience could make such a momentous decision so easily and remain so unfazed by it.
Sixty-five years have passed since the atom bomb was unleashed on humanity. Whether one agrees with Harry Truman’s decision or not, it is indisputable that a terrible force was unleashed on that August day so many years ago. The United States remains the only country to have used the atom bomb as a weapon of war. The atomic bomb has never been used since. Nevertheless, a genie was let out of a bottle that day. The world has never been the same since. Once can only hope and pray that it never happens again.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays had a day off yesterday. On Wednesday, they lost the final game of their series at Yankee Stadium to the Bronx Bombers. The score was 5-1. A-Rod hit his 600th home room. It had to come sometime, but it's too bad it happened during a game with the Jays. Tonight the Blue Jays begin a new series against the Tampa Bay Rays at the dome. I still prefer to call it "SkyDome" rather than its bland, corporate moniker - Rogers Centre. If they had to use the Rogers name, at least they could have named the stadium "Rogers Field" or "Rogers Dome." "Rogers Centre" sounds like the name of a shopping mall or a hockey arena. Wait a minute! That's not too far off the mark. It is a shopping centre for Rogers products.
The Toronto Argonauts play Edmonton tonight in the Alberta capital. The Argos need to recover from their loss in Montreal and get back on track. Coach Jim Barker is intent on defending the play of quarterback Cleo Lemon. Okay, Jim, but he had better get that offence going soon. One more thing, Jim. It's not the smartest move to knock the media so overtly and so strongly.
- Joanne
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Barack Obama and Tea Party Xenophobia
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2010
U.S. President Barack Obama turns 49 years old today. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii (YES, HAWAII, the fiftieth state to enter the union) on August 4, 1961. I can not believe all the paranoia and the xenophobia among extreme right-wing Republicans and Tea Party types regarding the president's birthplace. They don't like the president and want to label him an illegal alien or a foreigner. It's just ridiculous! John McCain was born on a military base in Panama and nobody questions his patriotism or his credentials as an American. Nor should they, solely on his place of birth.
Had the Tea Party gang lived during the 15th or 16th centuries, they would have argued that the Earth is flat or that it is the centre of the universe. Instead, these 21st century Flat Earthers deny the reality of global warming and climate change.
Anyway, Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
LANGUAGE CORNER
I have always had an aversion to the term "alien" with regard to legal or illegal immigrants. This is not an unconditional defence of illegal immigration. It is merely to state that whatever one thinks of illegal immigrants, they are human beings - not aliens from outer space. By the strict definition of the word "alien," the usage of the term "illegal alien" technically correct. The Oxford Dictionary defines "alien" as "from another country or society; foreign." In brackets, Oxford points out that the word is "often disapproving." I would like to emphasize that Oxford, also defines "alien" as "strange and frightening; different from what you are used too."
It's the connotation of the word "alien" which I find objectionable. It sounds as if immigrants and illegal immigrants are of another species or from another planet. When someone is not considered human, it is easier to be hostile and cruel to them. That is why it is a good thing that the term "alien" with regard to immigrants is not used as frequently in Canada as it is in the United States.
SPORTS
Oh Happy Day! The Toronto Blue Jays entered the Bronx Zoo and they won two games in a row from the New York Yankees. Last night they defeated the Pinstripes by a score of 8-2. Ricky Romero pitched a coplete game (shades of Roy Halladay) and Jose Bautista bashed his 33rd homer.
A-Rod still hasn't hit his 600th home run. That can wait until the Blue Jays leave town, thank you very much.
- Joanne
U.S. President Barack Obama turns 49 years old today. He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii (YES, HAWAII, the fiftieth state to enter the union) on August 4, 1961. I can not believe all the paranoia and the xenophobia among extreme right-wing Republicans and Tea Party types regarding the president's birthplace. They don't like the president and want to label him an illegal alien or a foreigner. It's just ridiculous! John McCain was born on a military base in Panama and nobody questions his patriotism or his credentials as an American. Nor should they, solely on his place of birth.
Had the Tea Party gang lived during the 15th or 16th centuries, they would have argued that the Earth is flat or that it is the centre of the universe. Instead, these 21st century Flat Earthers deny the reality of global warming and climate change.
Anyway, Happy Birthday, Mr. President!
LANGUAGE CORNER
I have always had an aversion to the term "alien" with regard to legal or illegal immigrants. This is not an unconditional defence of illegal immigration. It is merely to state that whatever one thinks of illegal immigrants, they are human beings - not aliens from outer space. By the strict definition of the word "alien," the usage of the term "illegal alien" technically correct. The Oxford Dictionary defines "alien" as "from another country or society; foreign." In brackets, Oxford points out that the word is "often disapproving." I would like to emphasize that Oxford, also defines "alien" as "strange and frightening; different from what you are used too."
It's the connotation of the word "alien" which I find objectionable. It sounds as if immigrants and illegal immigrants are of another species or from another planet. When someone is not considered human, it is easier to be hostile and cruel to them. That is why it is a good thing that the term "alien" with regard to immigrants is not used as frequently in Canada as it is in the United States.
SPORTS
Oh Happy Day! The Toronto Blue Jays entered the Bronx Zoo and they won two games in a row from the New York Yankees. Last night they defeated the Pinstripes by a score of 8-2. Ricky Romero pitched a coplete game (shades of Roy Halladay) and Jose Bautista bashed his 33rd homer.
A-Rod still hasn't hit his 600th home run. That can wait until the Blue Jays leave town, thank you very much.
- Joanne
Monday, August 2, 2010
John Graves Simcoe and the abolition of slavery in Upper Canada
MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 2010
Today is a civic holiday in the province of Ontario. In Toronto, this day is officially called "Simcoe Day" in honour of John Graves Simcoe who in 1791 beame the first lieutenant-governor of the newly created province of Upper Canada, now modern day Ontario. Although Simcoe was instrumental in the shaping of Ontario and Canada, I doubt many school children can identify the man or his achievements.
John Graves Simcoe was the founder of Toronto. It was his decision to move the capital of Upper Canada from Niagara to Toronto (then known as York). He also established Yonge and Dundas Streets as major north/south and east/west thoroughfares and named Dundas Street after his friend Henry Dundas. Furthermore, he was responsible for introducing English common law to Upper Canada.
Perhaps Simxoe's greatest accomplishment was banning the importation of slaves to the province. Prior to assuming office as lieutenant-governor, Simcoe codemned the practice of slavery and called for its abolition. He said, ""The principles of the British Constitution do not admit of that slavery which Christianity condemns. The moment I assume the Government of Upper Canada under no modification will I assent to a law that discriminates by dishonest policy between natives of Africa, America or Europe."
Although Simcoe proposed to abolish slavery outright, he was opposed by the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. As a compromise, Simcoe passed legislation allowing for the gradual abolition of slavery in the province. The Anti-Slavery Act of 1793 forbid any new slaves to be brought into Upper Canada and children born to female slaves were to be freed at the age of 25. As both an Ontarian and a Canadian, I am proud to say that this act was the first act to limit slavery in the British Empire. It remained in effect until 1833 when the Emancipation Act abolished slavery in all British holdings, including Ontario. From the perspective of the 21st century, this may not seen like much, but given the temperament of the times, this was very progressive legislation.
Enjoy this holiday Monday and spare a thought for John Graves Simcoe.
Alexander Graham Bell, the great inventor, scientist and aviation enthusiast died on this day in 1922 at the age of 75. Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 3, 1847. In July of 1870, he immigrated to Canada with his parents and settled in Brantford, Ontario. His wife Mabel, the daughter of a Boston lawyer, was born at Cambridge, Massachussets. Bell died an American citizen, but loved Canada. He died at his estate in Victoria Country, Nova Scotia. The name of the estate is Beinn Breagh which means "beautiful mountain" in Scottish Gaelic. In the summer of 1994, I visited the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck, Nova Scotia but did not get an opportunity to see Beinn Breagh. The property is privately owned and there is no public access to it.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays did zilch, absolutely nothing. They made no moves before the July 31st trade deadline. As the 4:10 p.m. deadline approached, I listend attentively to the car radio on the way to Walkerton on Saturday, There was no news. General Manager Alex Anthopoulos stated that he didn't want to make a trade just for the sake of making a trade. The right deal did not come along. Meanwhile, the Jays lost the rubber match of their 3-game series with Cleveland by a score of 5-4. Now they have to enter the Bronx Zoo for a date with the New York Yankees.
- Joanne
Today is a civic holiday in the province of Ontario. In Toronto, this day is officially called "Simcoe Day" in honour of John Graves Simcoe who in 1791 beame the first lieutenant-governor of the newly created province of Upper Canada, now modern day Ontario. Although Simcoe was instrumental in the shaping of Ontario and Canada, I doubt many school children can identify the man or his achievements.
John Graves Simcoe was the founder of Toronto. It was his decision to move the capital of Upper Canada from Niagara to Toronto (then known as York). He also established Yonge and Dundas Streets as major north/south and east/west thoroughfares and named Dundas Street after his friend Henry Dundas. Furthermore, he was responsible for introducing English common law to Upper Canada.
Perhaps Simxoe's greatest accomplishment was banning the importation of slaves to the province. Prior to assuming office as lieutenant-governor, Simcoe codemned the practice of slavery and called for its abolition. He said, ""The principles of the British Constitution do not admit of that slavery which Christianity condemns. The moment I assume the Government of Upper Canada under no modification will I assent to a law that discriminates by dishonest policy between natives of Africa, America or Europe."
Although Simcoe proposed to abolish slavery outright, he was opposed by the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. As a compromise, Simcoe passed legislation allowing for the gradual abolition of slavery in the province. The Anti-Slavery Act of 1793 forbid any new slaves to be brought into Upper Canada and children born to female slaves were to be freed at the age of 25. As both an Ontarian and a Canadian, I am proud to say that this act was the first act to limit slavery in the British Empire. It remained in effect until 1833 when the Emancipation Act abolished slavery in all British holdings, including Ontario. From the perspective of the 21st century, this may not seen like much, but given the temperament of the times, this was very progressive legislation.
Enjoy this holiday Monday and spare a thought for John Graves Simcoe.
Alexander Graham Bell, the great inventor, scientist and aviation enthusiast died on this day in 1922 at the age of 75. Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland on March 3, 1847. In July of 1870, he immigrated to Canada with his parents and settled in Brantford, Ontario. His wife Mabel, the daughter of a Boston lawyer, was born at Cambridge, Massachussets. Bell died an American citizen, but loved Canada. He died at his estate in Victoria Country, Nova Scotia. The name of the estate is Beinn Breagh which means "beautiful mountain" in Scottish Gaelic. In the summer of 1994, I visited the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in Baddeck, Nova Scotia but did not get an opportunity to see Beinn Breagh. The property is privately owned and there is no public access to it.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays did zilch, absolutely nothing. They made no moves before the July 31st trade deadline. As the 4:10 p.m. deadline approached, I listend attentively to the car radio on the way to Walkerton on Saturday, There was no news. General Manager Alex Anthopoulos stated that he didn't want to make a trade just for the sake of making a trade. The right deal did not come along. Meanwhile, the Jays lost the rubber match of their 3-game series with Cleveland by a score of 5-4. Now they have to enter the Bronx Zoo for a date with the New York Yankees.
- Joanne
Friday, July 30, 2010
Casey Stengel
FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010
“It's wonderful to meet so many friends that I didn't used to like.”
- Attributed to Casey Stengel
“The trick is growing up without growing old.”
- Attributed to Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel was born in Kansas City, Missouri on this day in 1890. The nickname "Casey" originated from the initials of his hometown of Kansas City (K.C.). The press affectionately dubbed him “the Old Perfesser" and he was one of baseball's wittiest personalities. After a 14-year professional career as a player, Stengel went on to manage the New York Yankees to ten American League pennants and seven World Series victories (1949-53, 1956, 1958). However, Casey also managed a struggling New York Mets club during the team's early years as an expansion franchise in the early 1960s. Frustrated with his team after an exasperating loss, Stengel complained despairingly, "Can't anybody play this here game?" The expression became the title of Jimmy Breslin's best-selling book about the first-year New York Mets, Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?.
As a researcher, I have a soft spot for Casey because he often said, "You can look it up." He certainly had a way with words and his unique brand of English has been called "Stengelese". Casey Stengel died at the age of 85 in Glendale, California on September 29,1975. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966.
NOTE : I am going to visit friends in Walkerton, Onario and surrounding area tomorrow. Although I am a city person, I enjoy occasional forays into small towns and rural areas. It's been over ten years now since the water contamination disaster in Walkerton. In the year 2000, the town suffered through Canada's worst-ever outbreak of E. coli contamination. I am curious to see how the people there are doing and I would like to find out about the lingering effects of this tragedy.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays did not play yesterday, but they sure stirred things up. General Manager Alex Anthopoulous is proving himself to be quite a creative wheeler dealer. If he were a pitcher, his specialty would be throwing curve balls. He certainly does the unexpected. Yesterday, the Blue Jays sent Brett Wallace, their widely-tauted first baseman of the future, to the Houston Astros. In return, the Jays received another prospect, centre fielder Anthony Gose. Gose is only 19 years old and could have a great future with the Jays.
After a three-game wining streak, The Toronto Argonauts fell down to earth with a thud last night. They were soundly beaten 41-10 by the Montreal Alouettes at Molson Stadium before a capacity crowd of over 25,000 people. An outstanding quarterback makes all the difference and the Als certainly have one in Anthony Calvillo.
- Joanne
“It's wonderful to meet so many friends that I didn't used to like.”
- Attributed to Casey Stengel
“The trick is growing up without growing old.”
- Attributed to Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel was born in Kansas City, Missouri on this day in 1890. The nickname "Casey" originated from the initials of his hometown of Kansas City (K.C.). The press affectionately dubbed him “the Old Perfesser" and he was one of baseball's wittiest personalities. After a 14-year professional career as a player, Stengel went on to manage the New York Yankees to ten American League pennants and seven World Series victories (1949-53, 1956, 1958). However, Casey also managed a struggling New York Mets club during the team's early years as an expansion franchise in the early 1960s. Frustrated with his team after an exasperating loss, Stengel complained despairingly, "Can't anybody play this here game?" The expression became the title of Jimmy Breslin's best-selling book about the first-year New York Mets, Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?.
As a researcher, I have a soft spot for Casey because he often said, "You can look it up." He certainly had a way with words and his unique brand of English has been called "Stengelese". Casey Stengel died at the age of 85 in Glendale, California on September 29,1975. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966.
NOTE : I am going to visit friends in Walkerton, Onario and surrounding area tomorrow. Although I am a city person, I enjoy occasional forays into small towns and rural areas. It's been over ten years now since the water contamination disaster in Walkerton. In the year 2000, the town suffered through Canada's worst-ever outbreak of E. coli contamination. I am curious to see how the people there are doing and I would like to find out about the lingering effects of this tragedy.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays did not play yesterday, but they sure stirred things up. General Manager Alex Anthopoulous is proving himself to be quite a creative wheeler dealer. If he were a pitcher, his specialty would be throwing curve balls. He certainly does the unexpected. Yesterday, the Blue Jays sent Brett Wallace, their widely-tauted first baseman of the future, to the Houston Astros. In return, the Jays received another prospect, centre fielder Anthony Gose. Gose is only 19 years old and could have a great future with the Jays.
After a three-game wining streak, The Toronto Argonauts fell down to earth with a thud last night. They were soundly beaten 41-10 by the Montreal Alouettes at Molson Stadium before a capacity crowd of over 25,000 people. An outstanding quarterback makes all the difference and the Als certainly have one in Anthony Calvillo.
- Joanne
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
The Inspiraton of Terry Fox
WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 2010
“I don’t feel that this is unfair. That’s the thing about cancer. I’m not the only one, it happens all the time to people. I’m not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It’ll inspire more people. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try."
- Terry Fox
Today is the anniversary of the birth of a great Canadian and a great humanitarian. Terrance Stanley Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July, 28, 1958 and was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. If Terry Fox were alive today, he would be 52 years old.
I had just started my job at the Toronto Star library during the summer of Terry's Marathon of Hope in 1980. I remember reading a tiny blurb about a young British Columbian dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean as he set out to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. I had no idea how big this story would become and that this determined young man would make history.
I'll never forget the heartbreak of that September day when Terry was forced to end his run at Thunder Bay, Ontario. Canadians everywhere were overwhelmed with sadness upon hearing the news that Terry's cancer had returned. On September 9, 1980, the Terry Fox telethon was held on the CTV network to help Terry reach his goaL of raising $23 million - one million for every Canadian. The telethon lasted five hours and raised $10 million.
Although Terry Fox died at the age of 23 on June 28, 1981, his dream and his memory have been kept alive by the annual Terry Fox Run every September. I wish I had one iota of the strength and courage that Terry Fox displayed during his brief lifetime. Here's to you, Terry!
And to those who say there are no Canadian heroes, I say balderdash. Terry Fox is one of many and arguably the greatest.
SPORTS
Jose Bautista hit his 29th and 30th home runs of the season as the Toronto Blue Jays overpowered the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 8-2. What a season Bautista is enjoying!
The Jays have now won 11 straight games this season against the hapless Orioles. They play the final game of their current home series with Baltimore tonight. Then they begin a series with Cleveland as the homestand continues.
- Joanne
“I don’t feel that this is unfair. That’s the thing about cancer. I’m not the only one, it happens all the time to people. I’m not special. This just intensifies what I did. It gives it more meaning. It’ll inspire more people. I just wish people would realize that anything’s possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try."
- Terry Fox
Today is the anniversary of the birth of a great Canadian and a great humanitarian. Terrance Stanley Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on July, 28, 1958 and was raised in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. If Terry Fox were alive today, he would be 52 years old.
I had just started my job at the Toronto Star library during the summer of Terry's Marathon of Hope in 1980. I remember reading a tiny blurb about a young British Columbian dipping his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean as he set out to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. I had no idea how big this story would become and that this determined young man would make history.
I'll never forget the heartbreak of that September day when Terry was forced to end his run at Thunder Bay, Ontario. Canadians everywhere were overwhelmed with sadness upon hearing the news that Terry's cancer had returned. On September 9, 1980, the Terry Fox telethon was held on the CTV network to help Terry reach his goaL of raising $23 million - one million for every Canadian. The telethon lasted five hours and raised $10 million.
Although Terry Fox died at the age of 23 on June 28, 1981, his dream and his memory have been kept alive by the annual Terry Fox Run every September. I wish I had one iota of the strength and courage that Terry Fox displayed during his brief lifetime. Here's to you, Terry!
And to those who say there are no Canadian heroes, I say balderdash. Terry Fox is one of many and arguably the greatest.
SPORTS
Jose Bautista hit his 29th and 30th home runs of the season as the Toronto Blue Jays overpowered the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 8-2. What a season Bautista is enjoying!
The Jays have now won 11 straight games this season against the hapless Orioles. They play the final game of their current home series with Baltimore tonight. Then they begin a series with Cleveland as the homestand continues.
- Joanne
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Witty definitions
TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2010
On this lazy summer day, I present some more witty definitions. Enjoy!
WITTY DEFINITIONS
Gold prospectors: People who mine their own business.
- Milton Doane
Last will and testament: A dead giveaway.
A chicken crossing the road: Poultry in motion.
Fishing rod: A stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
- Samuel Johnson
NOTE : For other witty definitions, please see my blog entries for July 9th and July 12th.
SPORTS
Well, the Blue Jays defeated the sad sack Baltimore Orioles last night by a score of 9-5. As the trade deadline approaches, it will be interesting to see what moves the Jays will make. I have to say, I've been disappointed in the bullpen in recent games, particularly Kevin Gregg, Scott Downs and Jason Frasor. I don't think Gregg has been playing with the command, discipline and authority necessary in a really good closer. We will see what General Manager Anthopoulos comes up with.
If the Jays trade Jose Bautista, I will be disappointed. He is such a versatile player and has been a home run king this season.
- Joanne
On this lazy summer day, I present some more witty definitions. Enjoy!
WITTY DEFINITIONS
Gold prospectors: People who mine their own business.
- Milton Doane
Last will and testament: A dead giveaway.
A chicken crossing the road: Poultry in motion.
Fishing rod: A stick with a hook at one end and a fool at the other.
- Samuel Johnson
NOTE : For other witty definitions, please see my blog entries for July 9th and July 12th.
SPORTS
Well, the Blue Jays defeated the sad sack Baltimore Orioles last night by a score of 9-5. As the trade deadline approaches, it will be interesting to see what moves the Jays will make. I have to say, I've been disappointed in the bullpen in recent games, particularly Kevin Gregg, Scott Downs and Jason Frasor. I don't think Gregg has been playing with the command, discipline and authority necessary in a really good closer. We will see what General Manager Anthopoulos comes up with.
If the Jays trade Jose Bautista, I will be disappointed. He is such a versatile player and has been a home run king this season.
- Joanne
Monday, July 26, 2010
July 26th Birthdays - George Bernard Shaw and others
MONDAY, JULY 26, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“There are no secrets better kept then than the secrets that everybody guesses.”
- George Bernard Shaw
From Mrs. Warren’s Profession
The great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, was born in Dublin on this day in 1856. Shaw lived to a ripe old age and died on November 2, 1950. He was 94 years old. George Bernard Shaw is one of my favourites because his work is so witty and provocative. As regular readers of Number 16 know, I am a great admirer of wit.
While doing my research, I couldn’t help but notice that in addition to Shaw, many people of renown were born on July 26th. The list is quite impressive. Here it is.
JULY 26TH BIRTHDAYS
Mick Jagger once stated that he’d rather be dead than singing Satisfaction when he’s 45 years old. I’d be willing to bet Sir Mick regrets that statement. The lead singer for the Rolling Stones is 67 years of age today. He was born Michael Philip Jagger at Dartford, Kent, England on July 26, 1943.
“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases ... “
- Carl Jung
From Modern Man in Search of a Soul, 1933,
Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung was born on this day in 1875. Jung can be described as the father of analytical psychology and a trailblazer in the field of dream analysis. He died on June 6, 1961 in Zurich, Switzerland at the age of 85.
”After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”
- Aldous Huxley
From Music at Night, 1931
Aldous Huxley, the English critic and novelist was born on this day in 1894. Huxley is best known as the author of Brave New World. Born at Godalming, Surrey, England, he moved to the United States in 1937 and settled in California. It is interesting to note that Aldous Huxley died in Los Angeles on November 22, 1963, the same day as the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Famed movie director Stanley Kubrick was born in New York City on this day in 1928. His most aclaimed films are 2001: A Space Odyssey, Sparticus, A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and Full Metal Jacket. The Oscar winner was a huge fan of the New York Yankees, but I won’t hold that against him. Stanley Kubrick died at Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England on March 7, 1999.
Lucille Ball’s sidekick, Vivian Vance was born on this day in 1909 in Cherryvale, Kansas. I am a great fan of I Love Lucy and I have always felt that Vivian Vance and Lucy had superb comedic chemistry. Although Vivian’s character, Ethel Mertz, was meant to be several years older than Lucy Ricardo, Vivian was only slightly older than Lucille Ball who was born in 1911. Lucy and Desi Arnaz originally chose Bea Benaderet for the role of Ethel. (Benaderet later became the voice of Betty Rubble on the Flinstones and she starred in Petticoat Junction.)
Vivian Vance was reluctant to take the part of Ethel Mertz, because at age 42, she was not thrilled about playing the part of 64-year-old William Frawley’s frumpy wife. Fortunately, she decided to take the role that won her an Emmy Award in 1954. Vivian Vance died of cancer on August 17, 1979 in Belvedere, California.
I would also like to point out that Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren, was born on this day in England in 1945. Another Oscar-winning actress – Sandra Bullock – was born on June 26, 1964. American figure skater Dorothy Hamill also celebrates a birthday today. The 1976 Olympic champion was born in 1956. Actor Kevin Spacey will also be celebrating. He was born in 1959.
MORE ON THE CENSUS
I wish to commend Munir Sheikh who resigned last week as head of Statistics Canada. Mr. Sheikh resigned in protest over the government’s plans to axe the mandatory long form of the census. He has shown himself to be an honourable man, a man of principle. By the way, if you agree with me about the census (see my blog entry for July 9th), I urge you to sign the petition on the web. The address is http://www.nupge.ca/content/3412/petition-opposes-changing-canadas-census
SPORTS
The Argos are 3-1 for the season as they defeated the B.C. Lions 24-20 on Friday night. I only wish their victories would put more fans in the seats. The announced crowd was only 19,709.
The Blue Jays split a double header against the Detroit Tigers yesterday. They begin a home series against the woeful Baltimore Orioles tonight.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“There are no secrets better kept then than the secrets that everybody guesses.”
- George Bernard Shaw
From Mrs. Warren’s Profession
The great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, was born in Dublin on this day in 1856. Shaw lived to a ripe old age and died on November 2, 1950. He was 94 years old. George Bernard Shaw is one of my favourites because his work is so witty and provocative. As regular readers of Number 16 know, I am a great admirer of wit.
While doing my research, I couldn’t help but notice that in addition to Shaw, many people of renown were born on July 26th. The list is quite impressive. Here it is.
JULY 26TH BIRTHDAYS
Mick Jagger once stated that he’d rather be dead than singing Satisfaction when he’s 45 years old. I’d be willing to bet Sir Mick regrets that statement. The lead singer for the Rolling Stones is 67 years of age today. He was born Michael Philip Jagger at Dartford, Kent, England on July 26, 1943.
“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases ... “
- Carl Jung
From Modern Man in Search of a Soul, 1933,
Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung was born on this day in 1875. Jung can be described as the father of analytical psychology and a trailblazer in the field of dream analysis. He died on June 6, 1961 in Zurich, Switzerland at the age of 85.
”After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”
- Aldous Huxley
From Music at Night, 1931
Aldous Huxley, the English critic and novelist was born on this day in 1894. Huxley is best known as the author of Brave New World. Born at Godalming, Surrey, England, he moved to the United States in 1937 and settled in California. It is interesting to note that Aldous Huxley died in Los Angeles on November 22, 1963, the same day as the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Famed movie director Stanley Kubrick was born in New York City on this day in 1928. His most aclaimed films are 2001: A Space Odyssey, Sparticus, A Clockwork Orange, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb and Full Metal Jacket. The Oscar winner was a huge fan of the New York Yankees, but I won’t hold that against him. Stanley Kubrick died at Harpenden, Hertfordshire, England on March 7, 1999.
Lucille Ball’s sidekick, Vivian Vance was born on this day in 1909 in Cherryvale, Kansas. I am a great fan of I Love Lucy and I have always felt that Vivian Vance and Lucy had superb comedic chemistry. Although Vivian’s character, Ethel Mertz, was meant to be several years older than Lucy Ricardo, Vivian was only slightly older than Lucille Ball who was born in 1911. Lucy and Desi Arnaz originally chose Bea Benaderet for the role of Ethel. (Benaderet later became the voice of Betty Rubble on the Flinstones and she starred in Petticoat Junction.)
Vivian Vance was reluctant to take the part of Ethel Mertz, because at age 42, she was not thrilled about playing the part of 64-year-old William Frawley’s frumpy wife. Fortunately, she decided to take the role that won her an Emmy Award in 1954. Vivian Vance died of cancer on August 17, 1979 in Belvedere, California.
I would also like to point out that Academy Award-winning actress Helen Mirren, was born on this day in England in 1945. Another Oscar-winning actress – Sandra Bullock – was born on June 26, 1964. American figure skater Dorothy Hamill also celebrates a birthday today. The 1976 Olympic champion was born in 1956. Actor Kevin Spacey will also be celebrating. He was born in 1959.
MORE ON THE CENSUS
I wish to commend Munir Sheikh who resigned last week as head of Statistics Canada. Mr. Sheikh resigned in protest over the government’s plans to axe the mandatory long form of the census. He has shown himself to be an honourable man, a man of principle. By the way, if you agree with me about the census (see my blog entry for July 9th), I urge you to sign the petition on the web. The address is http://www.nupge.ca/content/3412/petition-opposes-changing-canadas-census
SPORTS
The Argos are 3-1 for the season as they defeated the B.C. Lions 24-20 on Friday night. I only wish their victories would put more fans in the seats. The announced crowd was only 19,709.
The Blue Jays split a double header against the Detroit Tigers yesterday. They begin a home series against the woeful Baltimore Orioles tonight.
- Joanne
Friday, July 23, 2010
Toronto Talk
FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010
TORONTO TALK
Today’s topic is close to my heart. I am going to ruminate about the future of Toronto, Ontario, my hometown and the city of my birth.
On October 25th, Torontonians will go to the polls and elect a new mayor for this growing metropolis. The City of Toronto has a population of about 2.6 million people, which means that the new mayor will preside over a city with more people than six of Canada’s ten provinces. According to Statistics Canada’s 2009 estimates, only Ontario (12.7 million) Quebec (7.6 million), British Columbia (4.2 million) and Alberta (3.2 million) have larger populations than the City of Toronto.
The new mayor will have a four-year term. These will be crucial years in the development of our city. It would be disastrous to be stuck with a poorly performing mayor for the next four year. To be brutally frank, I am not impressed with any of the current candidates. I’m not sure whom to vote for. I want to like at least one of the candidates. I really do. Alas, I am dismayed. None of them inspires me. None of them seems to have a vision, a passion for this city. I am fervently hoping for another candidate to make a late entry into the race, but I realize that might not happen. What we see may be what we get.
Toronto is a city of so much potential. It is vibrant and diverse and there are so many cultural activities. All the street festivals, sporting events, museums and restaurants make this city come alive. People from all corners of the world bring energy and excitement to T.O. That is why The Huffington Post recently dubbed Toronto “the new capital of cool.”
Yes, this city is a wonderful place to live, but it could be even better. For one thing, it could be cleaner. Job number one is to remove the litter from our streets and from the TTC. I take public transit frequently and I am sorry to say that our buses and subways are filthy. I also regret that our waterfront is hidden by a concrete jungle of ugly condos. We never should have let that happen. In 1987, Peter Ustinov described Toronto as “New York run by the Swiss.” I wonder if he would be able to make that same statement today.
The good denizens of Hogtown deserve better. We’ve gone through some terrible ordeals these past few years. In 2003, we had an outbreak of SARS and a massive power outage. Last summer, our city employees went on lengthy strike. Toronto resembled a pigpen and smelled like one too. Garbage was strewn everywhere and city services were closed down. This summer, we held a G20 summit we didn’t want or need. There was rioting and vandalism. The downtown core was fenced in. It was an armed camp with police everywhere. We learned what it felt like to be under martial law. To top it all off, taxpayers have to foot the bill for the over $1 billion in security costs for the summit.
We in the Big Smoke have survived all of this. Although we have thrived, we can have an even brighter future with better leadership. WANTED : A good mayor for the largest city in Canada. Time is running out. Where have you gone, David Crombie? An anxious city needs someone just like you.
SPORTS
Don’t get me going on Toronto’s sports teams. I’ll leave that for another day. Today I’ll just discuss the Jays ongoing road trip and the Argos’ season thus far.
After a promising start after the All-Star break, the Blue Jays have slipped back again. Their road trip began well with a sweep of the feckless Baltimore Orioles. Then they dropped two out of three games in Kansas City against the Royals. They began a new series in Detroit yesterday by losing to the Tigers by a score of 5-2.
I am a CFL fan. I follow it more than the NFL. The Argonauts are off to a decent start under head coach Jim Barker with a respectable record of 2-1. They have a home game today against the B.C. Lions. Both teams are owned by Senator David Braley. I can’t help thinking that Braley would certainly be in an awkward situation if the Lions were to play the Argos in the Grey Cup.
- Joanne
TORONTO TALK
Today’s topic is close to my heart. I am going to ruminate about the future of Toronto, Ontario, my hometown and the city of my birth.
On October 25th, Torontonians will go to the polls and elect a new mayor for this growing metropolis. The City of Toronto has a population of about 2.6 million people, which means that the new mayor will preside over a city with more people than six of Canada’s ten provinces. According to Statistics Canada’s 2009 estimates, only Ontario (12.7 million) Quebec (7.6 million), British Columbia (4.2 million) and Alberta (3.2 million) have larger populations than the City of Toronto.
The new mayor will have a four-year term. These will be crucial years in the development of our city. It would be disastrous to be stuck with a poorly performing mayor for the next four year. To be brutally frank, I am not impressed with any of the current candidates. I’m not sure whom to vote for. I want to like at least one of the candidates. I really do. Alas, I am dismayed. None of them inspires me. None of them seems to have a vision, a passion for this city. I am fervently hoping for another candidate to make a late entry into the race, but I realize that might not happen. What we see may be what we get.
Toronto is a city of so much potential. It is vibrant and diverse and there are so many cultural activities. All the street festivals, sporting events, museums and restaurants make this city come alive. People from all corners of the world bring energy and excitement to T.O. That is why The Huffington Post recently dubbed Toronto “the new capital of cool.”
Yes, this city is a wonderful place to live, but it could be even better. For one thing, it could be cleaner. Job number one is to remove the litter from our streets and from the TTC. I take public transit frequently and I am sorry to say that our buses and subways are filthy. I also regret that our waterfront is hidden by a concrete jungle of ugly condos. We never should have let that happen. In 1987, Peter Ustinov described Toronto as “New York run by the Swiss.” I wonder if he would be able to make that same statement today.
The good denizens of Hogtown deserve better. We’ve gone through some terrible ordeals these past few years. In 2003, we had an outbreak of SARS and a massive power outage. Last summer, our city employees went on lengthy strike. Toronto resembled a pigpen and smelled like one too. Garbage was strewn everywhere and city services were closed down. This summer, we held a G20 summit we didn’t want or need. There was rioting and vandalism. The downtown core was fenced in. It was an armed camp with police everywhere. We learned what it felt like to be under martial law. To top it all off, taxpayers have to foot the bill for the over $1 billion in security costs for the summit.
We in the Big Smoke have survived all of this. Although we have thrived, we can have an even brighter future with better leadership. WANTED : A good mayor for the largest city in Canada. Time is running out. Where have you gone, David Crombie? An anxious city needs someone just like you.
SPORTS
Don’t get me going on Toronto’s sports teams. I’ll leave that for another day. Today I’ll just discuss the Jays ongoing road trip and the Argos’ season thus far.
After a promising start after the All-Star break, the Blue Jays have slipped back again. Their road trip began well with a sweep of the feckless Baltimore Orioles. Then they dropped two out of three games in Kansas City against the Royals. They began a new series in Detroit yesterday by losing to the Tigers by a score of 5-2.
I am a CFL fan. I follow it more than the NFL. The Argonauts are off to a decent start under head coach Jim Barker with a respectable record of 2-1. They have a home game today against the B.C. Lions. Both teams are owned by Senator David Braley. I can’t help thinking that Braley would certainly be in an awkward situation if the Lions were to play the Argos in the Grey Cup.
- Joanne
Thursday, July 22, 2010
William Spooner and Spoonerisms
THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010
Do you know what a "spoonerism" is? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a spoonerism is "a transposition of usually initial sounds of two or more words." An exapmple is "toin coss" instead of "coin toss."
The term "Spoonerism" derives its name from William Archibald Spooner, a classical scholar and Anglican priest who was prone to such errors in speech. Spooner was born in London, England on this day in 1844, the son of a Staffordshire county court judge. At the age of 18, he won a scholarship to New College, Oxford and maintained a 60-year association with the institution. He became a fellow of New College in 1867, lecturer in 1868, a tutor in 1869, dean 1876-1889 and Warden of New College from 1903. That same year he obtained his Doctor of Divinity degree.
During his many years at New College, the Reverend Spooner gained a reputation for making verbal slips of the tongue. His students even began devising transpositional puns, and attributing them to him.
I was intrigued to learn that Dr. Spooner was an albino. As a result. he suffered from defective eyesight. Spooner had a pinkish face, very pale blue eyes and white hair tinged with yellow. His physique was poor, his head was too large for his body and he stammered. In an article entitled Will Someone Please Hiccup My Pat, Wiliam Spooner Donald (Spooner’s nephew), says that “nature compensated the weakling by blessing him with a brilliant intellect.” He describes his uncle as a "caricaturist’s dream with freakish looks, nervous manner and peculiar mental kink that caused him – in his own words – ‘to make occasional felicities in verbal diction.’”
William A. Spooner overcame his drawbacks, lived a successful life and was very popular with his students. This master of malapropism died in 1930 at the age of 86.
Hare are some examples of Spoonerism that have been attributed to William Spooner.
"Blushing crow" for "crushing blow"
•A well-boiled icicle" for "well-oiled bicycle."
"I have in my bosom a half-warmed fish" (for half-formed wish)
Spooner is said to have raised this toast to Queen Victoria: "Three cheers for our queer old dean!"
Upon dropping his hat: "Will nobody pat my hiccup?"
Officiating at a wedding, Rev. Spooner prompted a hesitant bridegroom, "Son, it is now kisstomary to cuss the bride."
Paying a visit to a college official: "Is the bean dizzy?"
Addressing farmers as "ye noble tons of soil"
Visiting a friend's country cottage: "You have a nosey little crook here."
He castigated one student for "fighting a liar in the quadrangle"
Another severe reprimand to a misbehaving student:- "You have hissed all my mystery lectures. You have tasted two worms. Pack up your rags and bugs, and leave immediately by the town drain!"
"Mardon me padom, you are occupewing my pie. May I sew you to another sheet?"
Some of these are apocryphal, likely devised by Spooner's students. They sure are fun, though.
- Joanne
 |
| Willam A. Spooner |
Do you know what a "spoonerism" is? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a spoonerism is "a transposition of usually initial sounds of two or more words." An exapmple is "toin coss" instead of "coin toss."
The term "Spoonerism" derives its name from William Archibald Spooner, a classical scholar and Anglican priest who was prone to such errors in speech. Spooner was born in London, England on this day in 1844, the son of a Staffordshire county court judge. At the age of 18, he won a scholarship to New College, Oxford and maintained a 60-year association with the institution. He became a fellow of New College in 1867, lecturer in 1868, a tutor in 1869, dean 1876-1889 and Warden of New College from 1903. That same year he obtained his Doctor of Divinity degree.
During his many years at New College, the Reverend Spooner gained a reputation for making verbal slips of the tongue. His students even began devising transpositional puns, and attributing them to him.
I was intrigued to learn that Dr. Spooner was an albino. As a result. he suffered from defective eyesight. Spooner had a pinkish face, very pale blue eyes and white hair tinged with yellow. His physique was poor, his head was too large for his body and he stammered. In an article entitled Will Someone Please Hiccup My Pat, Wiliam Spooner Donald (Spooner’s nephew), says that “nature compensated the weakling by blessing him with a brilliant intellect.” He describes his uncle as a "caricaturist’s dream with freakish looks, nervous manner and peculiar mental kink that caused him – in his own words – ‘to make occasional felicities in verbal diction.’”
William A. Spooner overcame his drawbacks, lived a successful life and was very popular with his students. This master of malapropism died in 1930 at the age of 86.
Hare are some examples of Spoonerism that have been attributed to William Spooner.
"Blushing crow" for "crushing blow"
•A well-boiled icicle" for "well-oiled bicycle."
"I have in my bosom a half-warmed fish" (for half-formed wish)
Spooner is said to have raised this toast to Queen Victoria: "Three cheers for our queer old dean!"
Upon dropping his hat: "Will nobody pat my hiccup?"
Officiating at a wedding, Rev. Spooner prompted a hesitant bridegroom, "Son, it is now kisstomary to cuss the bride."
Paying a visit to a college official: "Is the bean dizzy?"
Addressing farmers as "ye noble tons of soil"
Visiting a friend's country cottage: "You have a nosey little crook here."
He castigated one student for "fighting a liar in the quadrangle"
Another severe reprimand to a misbehaving student:- "You have hissed all my mystery lectures. You have tasted two worms. Pack up your rags and bugs, and leave immediately by the town drain!"
"Mardon me padom, you are occupewing my pie. May I sew you to another sheet?"
Some of these are apocryphal, likely devised by Spooner's students. They sure are fun, though.
- Joanne
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Reflections on the anniversary of the moon landing
TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die.”
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson
From "Ulysses"
I have chosen this quote because I think it is very appropriate to mark the anniversary of the day that a man walked on the moon. It embodies the sense of adventure and curiosity that is so noble in human beings.
It has been 41 years since Neil Armstrong took that historic step onto the lunar surface. I had just completed elementary school and I can vividly recall the sense of wonder and excitement of that day in the summer of 1969. Younger generations are perhaps baffled by the grainy black and white footage of Armstrong stepping down that ladder and bouncing around the moon. It probably seems so old hat to them, no big deal. There appears to be a lack of interest in space travel among today’s youth. In the 1950s and 1960s, children pretended they were astronauts and wore space helmets. Space was an exciting new frontier. Of course, there was the political motivation of the Cold War. There was the incentive for the Americans to reach the moon before the Soviets and to plant the Stars and Stripes there before the Hammer and the Sickle.
To this day, my adrenalin flows, when I watch footage of that walk on the moon and I hear Armstrong’s famous “That’s one small step . . . But did Neil Armstrong actually flub his monumental line? Did the first person to walk on the moon mistakenly utter the words “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”? That immortal phrase has been the subject of debate among academics and aficionados of space travel for years. Armstrong himself has vehemently claimed that he said "for a man" rather than "for man,” but the tapes of the event aren't clear enough to be absolutely certain. With the technology of the 1960s, the worldwide television audience at the time definitely did not hear the crucial “a”.
It is not a trivial matter. The omission of the article “a” makes a tremendous difference in the literal meaning of the phrase. Armstrong obviously meant to link the small action of one man with a monumental achievement for humanity. Instead, he wound up uttering a phrase that that equated a small step by the human race with an epic accomplishment for humankind. The phrase sounded good without the ‘a’ and it was quoted that way around the world. It is unfortunate, however, that the true meaning of Armstrong’s words has become clouded and confused.
In recent years, evidence has emerged demonstrating that the “a” is present on the recording but is too indistinct to hear.” According to an October 3, 2006 article by Mark Carreau in the Houston Chronicle, the missing “a” was discovered as a result of the software analysis of Peter Shann Ford, a Sydney, Australia-based computer programmer. In his research, Ford found that Armstrong spoke, "One small step for a man ... “with the "a" lasting a total of 35 milliseconds, 10 times too quickly to be heard." Nevertheless, Ford insisted that the "a" was indeed transmitted and that this can be proven in an analysis using Canadian sound-editing software called GoldWave,
The last manned lunar mission was Apollo 17 in December of 1972. The United States remains the only country to have a human being to the moon. However, recent plans to return to the moon were cancelled due to U.S. government cutbacks.
Some argue that money should be spent to improve life on earth, not on space travel. While I firmly believe that there should be restraint on government spending on space travel, I do not agree that it should be abandoned. Human beings are natural explorers. We need to learn about the universe and our place in it. Space exploration leads to the development of technology and provides information that is beneficial to humanity and improves life on this planet. That is why I am convinced that a human being will walk on the surface of Mars one day. I fervently hope to be alive to see that day. The Red Planet beckons and we will answer the call.
FOCUS ON CANADA
On this day in 1871, British Columbia became Canada’s sixth province. With plans for a railway to be built linking the new province to the East, Sir John A. Macdonald’s vision of a country from sea to sea moved one huge step closer to reality.
Congratulations to all British Columbians. This Torontonian is of the opinion that your province has some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. It is a natural wonder with its mountains and forests and the Pacific Ocean. Geographically speaking, you have the most beautiful province in Canada. Here’s to you, B.C.! Happy 139th anniversary.
SPORTS
It appears that Toronto Blue Jays have an exciting new shortstop in Yunel Escobar. They were looking to the future when they acquired the talented Escobar from the Atlanta Braves for the veteran Alex Gonzalez. The move seems to be seems to be paying off. On Sunday, the 27-year-old Cuban hit the Jays’ first grand slam of 2010 as the Jays swept their three game series against the hapless Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Escobar led the Blue Jays in a 10-1 rout against the Orioles.
The Jays were on a roll as they began a new series against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City last night. Struggling closer Kevin Gregg handed the game to the Royals in the 10th inning. Gregg surrendered the walk and the single that drove home the winning run in Toronto’s 5-4 loss. His days as Jays’ closer could be numbered.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die.”
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson
From "Ulysses"
I have chosen this quote because I think it is very appropriate to mark the anniversary of the day that a man walked on the moon. It embodies the sense of adventure and curiosity that is so noble in human beings.
It has been 41 years since Neil Armstrong took that historic step onto the lunar surface. I had just completed elementary school and I can vividly recall the sense of wonder and excitement of that day in the summer of 1969. Younger generations are perhaps baffled by the grainy black and white footage of Armstrong stepping down that ladder and bouncing around the moon. It probably seems so old hat to them, no big deal. There appears to be a lack of interest in space travel among today’s youth. In the 1950s and 1960s, children pretended they were astronauts and wore space helmets. Space was an exciting new frontier. Of course, there was the political motivation of the Cold War. There was the incentive for the Americans to reach the moon before the Soviets and to plant the Stars and Stripes there before the Hammer and the Sickle.
To this day, my adrenalin flows, when I watch footage of that walk on the moon and I hear Armstrong’s famous “That’s one small step . . . But did Neil Armstrong actually flub his monumental line? Did the first person to walk on the moon mistakenly utter the words “That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”? That immortal phrase has been the subject of debate among academics and aficionados of space travel for years. Armstrong himself has vehemently claimed that he said "for a man" rather than "for man,” but the tapes of the event aren't clear enough to be absolutely certain. With the technology of the 1960s, the worldwide television audience at the time definitely did not hear the crucial “a”.
It is not a trivial matter. The omission of the article “a” makes a tremendous difference in the literal meaning of the phrase. Armstrong obviously meant to link the small action of one man with a monumental achievement for humanity. Instead, he wound up uttering a phrase that that equated a small step by the human race with an epic accomplishment for humankind. The phrase sounded good without the ‘a’ and it was quoted that way around the world. It is unfortunate, however, that the true meaning of Armstrong’s words has become clouded and confused.
In recent years, evidence has emerged demonstrating that the “a” is present on the recording but is too indistinct to hear.” According to an October 3, 2006 article by Mark Carreau in the Houston Chronicle, the missing “a” was discovered as a result of the software analysis of Peter Shann Ford, a Sydney, Australia-based computer programmer. In his research, Ford found that Armstrong spoke, "One small step for a man ... “with the "a" lasting a total of 35 milliseconds, 10 times too quickly to be heard." Nevertheless, Ford insisted that the "a" was indeed transmitted and that this can be proven in an analysis using Canadian sound-editing software called GoldWave,
The last manned lunar mission was Apollo 17 in December of 1972. The United States remains the only country to have a human being to the moon. However, recent plans to return to the moon were cancelled due to U.S. government cutbacks.
Some argue that money should be spent to improve life on earth, not on space travel. While I firmly believe that there should be restraint on government spending on space travel, I do not agree that it should be abandoned. Human beings are natural explorers. We need to learn about the universe and our place in it. Space exploration leads to the development of technology and provides information that is beneficial to humanity and improves life on this planet. That is why I am convinced that a human being will walk on the surface of Mars one day. I fervently hope to be alive to see that day. The Red Planet beckons and we will answer the call.
FOCUS ON CANADA
On this day in 1871, British Columbia became Canada’s sixth province. With plans for a railway to be built linking the new province to the East, Sir John A. Macdonald’s vision of a country from sea to sea moved one huge step closer to reality.
Congratulations to all British Columbians. This Torontonian is of the opinion that your province has some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. It is a natural wonder with its mountains and forests and the Pacific Ocean. Geographically speaking, you have the most beautiful province in Canada. Here’s to you, B.C.! Happy 139th anniversary.
SPORTS
It appears that Toronto Blue Jays have an exciting new shortstop in Yunel Escobar. They were looking to the future when they acquired the talented Escobar from the Atlanta Braves for the veteran Alex Gonzalez. The move seems to be seems to be paying off. On Sunday, the 27-year-old Cuban hit the Jays’ first grand slam of 2010 as the Jays swept their three game series against the hapless Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Escobar led the Blue Jays in a 10-1 rout against the Orioles.
The Jays were on a roll as they began a new series against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City last night. Struggling closer Kevin Gregg handed the game to the Royals in the 10th inning. Gregg surrendered the walk and the single that drove home the winning run in Toronto’s 5-4 loss. His days as Jays’ closer could be numbered.
- Joanne
Monday, July 19, 2010
Photos of Cleveland
MONDAY, JULY 19. 2010
Here are some photos of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that I took during my recent visit to Cleveland. There was a featured exhibit on Bruce Springsteen. (See my blog posting for June 30th) Also included are some pictures of Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians.
- Joanne
Here are some photos of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that I took during my recent visit to Cleveland. There was a featured exhibit on Bruce Springsteen. (See my blog posting for June 30th) Also included are some pictures of Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians.
- Joanne
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Reflections on Happiness
SATURDAY, JULY 17, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is never attained. Follow some other object, and very possibly we may find that we have caught happiness without dreaming of it."
— Nathaniel Hawthorne
Okay Sixteeners, the subject for today is happiness. It is on my mind because I read the results of a Gallup World Poll ranking the world's countries by happiness. The results wre released recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Looking at data collected across 132 countries, the Gallup Organization based their marks on representative samples of more than 136,000 people in each country. Respondents were asked how they would rate their lives on a scale from zero (worst possible) to 10 (best possible). They were also required to reply to a series of questions on positive or negative emotions. In addition, the poll asked respondents whether they felt respected, whether they had family and friends they could count on in an emergency, and how free they felt to choose their daily activities, learn new things or do "what one does best."
As in previous studies, this recent analysis found that life evaluation, or life satisfaction, increases with personal and national income. It also found that positive feelings, which also increase somewhat as income rises, are much more strongly associated with other factors, such as feeling respected, having autonomy and social support, and working at a fulfilling job.
According Gallup, the happiest country was ..... a little drum role please ..... Denmark.
Here is Gallup's list of the top 15 happiest countries, each with a mean score between 7.0 and 7.7.
1. Denmark: 7.7
2. Finland: 7.7
3. Norway: 7.6
4. The Netherlands: 7.6
5. Costa Rica: 7.6
6. Canada: 7.5
7. Switzerland: 7.5
8. New Zealand: 7.4
9. Sweden: 7.3
10. Austria: 7.3
11. Australia: 7.3
12. The United States: 7.2
13. Belgium: 7.1
14. Brazil: 7.0
15. Panama: 7.0
It is interesting that northern European and Scandinavian countries always score so well on these types of polls. The top ranking country in the Americas was Costa Rica. Costa Rica finished fifth in the happiness derby. Canada was the second ranking country in the Americas and the sixth overall. Hmmmm . . . sixth out of 132 countries is not too shabby.
The percentage of respondents who said they were "thriving" ranges from a high of 82% in Denmark to a low of 1% in the African country of Togo. 62% of the Canadians surveyed said they were thriving.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Happiness in this world, when it comes, comes incidentally. Make it the object of pursuit, and it leads us a wild-goose chase, and is never attained. Follow some other object, and very possibly we may find that we have caught happiness without dreaming of it."
— Nathaniel Hawthorne
Okay Sixteeners, the subject for today is happiness. It is on my mind because I read the results of a Gallup World Poll ranking the world's countries by happiness. The results wre released recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Looking at data collected across 132 countries, the Gallup Organization based their marks on representative samples of more than 136,000 people in each country. Respondents were asked how they would rate their lives on a scale from zero (worst possible) to 10 (best possible). They were also required to reply to a series of questions on positive or negative emotions. In addition, the poll asked respondents whether they felt respected, whether they had family and friends they could count on in an emergency, and how free they felt to choose their daily activities, learn new things or do "what one does best."
As in previous studies, this recent analysis found that life evaluation, or life satisfaction, increases with personal and national income. It also found that positive feelings, which also increase somewhat as income rises, are much more strongly associated with other factors, such as feeling respected, having autonomy and social support, and working at a fulfilling job.
According Gallup, the happiest country was ..... a little drum role please ..... Denmark.
Here is Gallup's list of the top 15 happiest countries, each with a mean score between 7.0 and 7.7.
1. Denmark: 7.7
2. Finland: 7.7
3. Norway: 7.6
4. The Netherlands: 7.6
5. Costa Rica: 7.6
6. Canada: 7.5
7. Switzerland: 7.5
8. New Zealand: 7.4
9. Sweden: 7.3
10. Austria: 7.3
11. Australia: 7.3
12. The United States: 7.2
13. Belgium: 7.1
14. Brazil: 7.0
15. Panama: 7.0
It is interesting that northern European and Scandinavian countries always score so well on these types of polls. The top ranking country in the Americas was Costa Rica. Costa Rica finished fifth in the happiness derby. Canada was the second ranking country in the Americas and the sixth overall. Hmmmm . . . sixth out of 132 countries is not too shabby.
The percentage of respondents who said they were "thriving" ranges from a high of 82% in Denmark to a low of 1% in the African country of Togo. 62% of the Canadians surveyed said they were thriving.
- Joanne
Friday, July 16, 2010
July 16th birthdays
FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010
My birthday is today, July 16th. That is one of the many reasons why I am so partial to the number sixteen. On this July 16th, I hearby present a list to you of some renowned persons who share my birthday.
St. Clare of Assisi was born on this day in 1194. In Italian, her name is “Santa Chiara.” She was born and died at Assisi and was a follower and protégé of St. Francis. On February 17, 1958, the Vatican designated her as the patron saint of television. There is a story that St. Clare was ill and bed-ridden one Christmas Eve in 1252. She was disappointed that she was not well enough to attend Mass in the new Basilica of St. Francis in town, but had a vision of the Mass, both hearing and seeing it from several miles away. It is for this reason she was pronounced the patron saint of television. Clare is also the patron saint of sore eyes. In 1996, while on a tour of Italy, I visited the Basilica of Saint Clare in Assisi.
The great dancer and actress, Ginger Rogers was born on this day in 1911. She’ll always be remembered as the legendary Fred Astaire’s dancing partner, although she was an accomplished actress in her own right. Together they were magical and I sometimes imagine what it must have been like to glide so effortlessly and graciously with Astaire. Ginger Rogers was born Virginia McMath in Independence Missouri. She died in at her home in Rancho Mirage, California on April 25, 1995 at the age of 83.
Movie and television actress Barbara Stanwyck was born on July 16, 1907 in Brooklyn, New York. Her birth name was Ruby Stevens. Fans of the Big Valley (1965-1969) will remember her primarily for her role as Victoria Barkley, the matriarch of that television western. However, she had a long and successful film career and was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Although she never won an Oscar, Stanwyck received four Academy Award nominations, the first for 1937’s Stella Dallas. Her film career ended in 1964 and she moved on to an Emmy-winning television career. Barabara Stanwyck retired in 1986 after appearing on the primetime television soaps Dynasty and The Colbys. She died on January 20, 1990 in Santa Monica, California at the age of 82.
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science movement, was born on July 16th, 1821 in Bow, New Hampshire. She spent much of her life in ill health. Her health improved dramatically after she became a patient of the New England healer Phineas Pankhurst Quimby in 1862. Dr. Quimby and his "medicine-free" healing techniques influenced her greatly. Her health quickly improved and she discovered a sense of comfort and well-being. In 1875, Mary Baker Eddy published a book called "Science and Health” in which was set forth a philosophy of Christian faith and spiritual healing. She formed the Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston in 1879, a church that often faced controversy for its beliefs and techniques. In 1908, at the age of 87, Mrs. Eddy founded the Christian Science Monitor, a well-respected and successful newspaper. She died on December 3, 1910 at her home in Newton. Massachusetts. In 1995, Mary Baker Eddy was elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame as the only American woman to found a worldwide religion.
Baseball’s "Shoeless" Joe Jackson was born Joseph Jefferson Jackson in Brandon Mills, South Carolina on July 16, 1887. According to his official web site, he received the nickname “Shoeless” after playing a minor league game in his stockings. A new pair of spikes had caused him to have blisters on his feet. As a member of the Chicago White Sox, Jackson became embroiled in baseball’s infamous “Black Sox” scandal. In 1920, the left fielder was suspended from playing baseball after allegations that he was involved in the throwing of the 1919 World Series. The following year, a jury acquitted Shoeless Joe of conspiring to fix the World Series. Despite the court’s decision, Jackson and seven other Chicago players were banned from baseball for life. Shoeless Joe cannot be inducted into the baseball's Hall of Fame unless and until he is reinstated by Major League Baseball. Joe's supporters point out that he had a .375 batting average and recorded 12 hits in the 1919 World Series. His detractors counter that he failed to hit in the clutch during that series. Although the debate rages on all these years later, Jackson's hitting ability has never been disputed. Shoeless Joe Jackson died in Greenville, South Carolina on December 5, 1951 at the age of 64. He is sometimes reported to appear in Iowa cornfields (just kidding about that).
Orville Redenbacher of popcorn fame was born on the 16th of July in 1907 on a farm near Brazil, Indiana. In 1951, he purchased the George F. Chester and Son dent seed corn plant with partner Charlie Bowmannear Valparaiso, Indiana, and experimented with tens of thousands of hybrid strands of popcorn before achieving success. In 1970, he marketed Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn. Renenbacher sold the company to Hunt-Wesson Foods, a division of Norton Simon, Inc., in 1976. On September 19, 1995, he suffered a heart attack and drowned while in the whirlpool tub of his condominium in Coronado, California. The popcorn king was 88 years old.
Happy Birthday to all those born on July 16th.
- Joanne
My birthday is today, July 16th. That is one of the many reasons why I am so partial to the number sixteen. On this July 16th, I hearby present a list to you of some renowned persons who share my birthday.
St. Clare of Assisi was born on this day in 1194. In Italian, her name is “Santa Chiara.” She was born and died at Assisi and was a follower and protégé of St. Francis. On February 17, 1958, the Vatican designated her as the patron saint of television. There is a story that St. Clare was ill and bed-ridden one Christmas Eve in 1252. She was disappointed that she was not well enough to attend Mass in the new Basilica of St. Francis in town, but had a vision of the Mass, both hearing and seeing it from several miles away. It is for this reason she was pronounced the patron saint of television. Clare is also the patron saint of sore eyes. In 1996, while on a tour of Italy, I visited the Basilica of Saint Clare in Assisi.
The great dancer and actress, Ginger Rogers was born on this day in 1911. She’ll always be remembered as the legendary Fred Astaire’s dancing partner, although she was an accomplished actress in her own right. Together they were magical and I sometimes imagine what it must have been like to glide so effortlessly and graciously with Astaire. Ginger Rogers was born Virginia McMath in Independence Missouri. She died in at her home in Rancho Mirage, California on April 25, 1995 at the age of 83.
Movie and television actress Barbara Stanwyck was born on July 16, 1907 in Brooklyn, New York. Her birth name was Ruby Stevens. Fans of the Big Valley (1965-1969) will remember her primarily for her role as Victoria Barkley, the matriarch of that television western. However, she had a long and successful film career and was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Although she never won an Oscar, Stanwyck received four Academy Award nominations, the first for 1937’s Stella Dallas. Her film career ended in 1964 and she moved on to an Emmy-winning television career. Barabara Stanwyck retired in 1986 after appearing on the primetime television soaps Dynasty and The Colbys. She died on January 20, 1990 in Santa Monica, California at the age of 82.
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Christian Science movement, was born on July 16th, 1821 in Bow, New Hampshire. She spent much of her life in ill health. Her health improved dramatically after she became a patient of the New England healer Phineas Pankhurst Quimby in 1862. Dr. Quimby and his "medicine-free" healing techniques influenced her greatly. Her health quickly improved and she discovered a sense of comfort and well-being. In 1875, Mary Baker Eddy published a book called "Science and Health” in which was set forth a philosophy of Christian faith and spiritual healing. She formed the Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston in 1879, a church that often faced controversy for its beliefs and techniques. In 1908, at the age of 87, Mrs. Eddy founded the Christian Science Monitor, a well-respected and successful newspaper. She died on December 3, 1910 at her home in Newton. Massachusetts. In 1995, Mary Baker Eddy was elected to the National Women's Hall of Fame as the only American woman to found a worldwide religion.
Baseball’s "Shoeless" Joe Jackson was born Joseph Jefferson Jackson in Brandon Mills, South Carolina on July 16, 1887. According to his official web site, he received the nickname “Shoeless” after playing a minor league game in his stockings. A new pair of spikes had caused him to have blisters on his feet. As a member of the Chicago White Sox, Jackson became embroiled in baseball’s infamous “Black Sox” scandal. In 1920, the left fielder was suspended from playing baseball after allegations that he was involved in the throwing of the 1919 World Series. The following year, a jury acquitted Shoeless Joe of conspiring to fix the World Series. Despite the court’s decision, Jackson and seven other Chicago players were banned from baseball for life. Shoeless Joe cannot be inducted into the baseball's Hall of Fame unless and until he is reinstated by Major League Baseball. Joe's supporters point out that he had a .375 batting average and recorded 12 hits in the 1919 World Series. His detractors counter that he failed to hit in the clutch during that series. Although the debate rages on all these years later, Jackson's hitting ability has never been disputed. Shoeless Joe Jackson died in Greenville, South Carolina on December 5, 1951 at the age of 64. He is sometimes reported to appear in Iowa cornfields (just kidding about that).
Orville Redenbacher of popcorn fame was born on the 16th of July in 1907 on a farm near Brazil, Indiana. In 1951, he purchased the George F. Chester and Son dent seed corn plant with partner Charlie Bowmannear Valparaiso, Indiana, and experimented with tens of thousands of hybrid strands of popcorn before achieving success. In 1970, he marketed Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn. Renenbacher sold the company to Hunt-Wesson Foods, a division of Norton Simon, Inc., in 1976. On September 19, 1995, he suffered a heart attack and drowned while in the whirlpool tub of his condominium in Coronado, California. The popcorn king was 88 years old.
Happy Birthday to all those born on July 16th.
- Joanne
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Bastille Day and all things French
WEDSNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010
Today is Bastille Day, he national holiday of France. On this day, the French commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1759 and the beginning of the French Revolution. For your edification and enjoyment, here are a few quotations about France and the French.
"How can anyone govern a nation that has 240 different kinds of cheese?"
- Charles de Gaulle, former French president, 1962
"Everything ends this way in France - everything. Weddings, christenings, duels, burials, swindlings, diplomatic affairs - everything is a pretext for a good dinner."
- Jean Anouilh
"Paris is the city in which one loves to live. Sometimes I think this is because it is the only city in the world where you can step out of a railway station—the Gare D’Orsay—and see, simultaneously, the chief enchantments: the Seine with its bridges and bookstalls, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Tuileries Gardens, the Place de la Concorde, the beginning of the Champs Elysees—nearly everything except the Luxembourg Gardens and the Palais Royal. But what other city offers as much as you leave a train?"
- Margaret Anderson
SPORTS
The National League won its first All-Star game since 1996. The NL defeated the American League by a scre of 3-1 in Anaheim. I am more of an American Leaguer as I follow the Blue Jays. However, it's about time the National League won the ALL-Star game.
Today is Bastille Day, he national holiday of France. On this day, the French commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1759 and the beginning of the French Revolution. For your edification and enjoyment, here are a few quotations about France and the French.
"How can anyone govern a nation that has 240 different kinds of cheese?"
- Charles de Gaulle, former French president, 1962
"Everything ends this way in France - everything. Weddings, christenings, duels, burials, swindlings, diplomatic affairs - everything is a pretext for a good dinner."
- Jean Anouilh
"Paris is the city in which one loves to live. Sometimes I think this is because it is the only city in the world where you can step out of a railway station—the Gare D’Orsay—and see, simultaneously, the chief enchantments: the Seine with its bridges and bookstalls, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Tuileries Gardens, the Place de la Concorde, the beginning of the Champs Elysees—nearly everything except the Luxembourg Gardens and the Palais Royal. But what other city offers as much as you leave a train?"
- Margaret Anderson
SPORTS
The National League won its first All-Star game since 1996. The NL defeated the American League by a scre of 3-1 in Anaheim. I am more of an American Leaguer as I follow the Blue Jays. However, it's about time the National League won the ALL-Star game.
Monday, July 12, 2010
MONDAY, JULY 12, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. What a man thinks of himself, that is which determines or rather, indicates , his fate."
- Henry David Thoroeau
From "Walden"
Henry David Thoreau, the great writer, naturalist and philospher, was born in Concord, Massachusetts on this day in 1817.
WITTY DEFINITIONS
As promised in my blog of July 9th, here are some more witty definitions.
Sneeze: Much achoo about nothing.
- Oscar Brinkman
Plumber: Drain surgeon
- Merry Browne
Eraser: A corrector's item.
- From Boys' Life
Hypochondriac: A person who loves sham pain.
Apology: The pause that redresses
- Bert Murray
I can't resist wit. If you would like to contribute any witty definitions to Number 16, please send them to me. I will publish them in this space.
SPORTS
Congratulations to Spain for winning the FIFA World Cup. Congratulations to South Africa for proving that such an event could be held successfully on the African continent.
The Blue Jays lost the final game of their series with Boston yesterday by a score of 3-2. Unfortunately, they head to the All-Star break on a losing note. Sigh.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Public opinion is a weak tyrant compared with our own private opinion. What a man thinks of himself, that is which determines or rather, indicates , his fate."
- Henry David Thoroeau
From "Walden"
Henry David Thoreau, the great writer, naturalist and philospher, was born in Concord, Massachusetts on this day in 1817.
WITTY DEFINITIONS
As promised in my blog of July 9th, here are some more witty definitions.
Sneeze: Much achoo about nothing.
- Oscar Brinkman
Plumber: Drain surgeon
- Merry Browne
Eraser: A corrector's item.
- From Boys' Life
Hypochondriac: A person who loves sham pain.
Apology: The pause that redresses
- Bert Murray
I can't resist wit. If you would like to contribute any witty definitions to Number 16, please send them to me. I will publish them in this space.
SPORTS
Congratulations to Spain for winning the FIFA World Cup. Congratulations to South Africa for proving that such an event could be held successfully on the African continent.
The Blue Jays lost the final game of their series with Boston yesterday by a score of 3-2. Unfortunately, they head to the All-Star break on a losing note. Sigh.
- Joanne
Sunday, July 11, 2010
John Quincy Adams : The president and his "foreign" wife
SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2010
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The end cannot justify the means, for the simple and obvious reason that the means employed determine the nature of the ends produced."
- Aldous Huxley
From "Ends and Means"
FOCUS ON HISTORY
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was born on this day in 1767. Adams was born in in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. He was the eldest son of John Adams, the second president of the United States. They were the only father and son combination to hold the office of president until George W. Bush and his father equalled the accomplishment in 2001.
John Quincy Adams was a career diplomat. He was a well-travelled man of the world who spoke French fluently. While on a mission abroad, he was charmed by London-born Louisa Catherine Johnson, the daughter of an American diplomat and his English wife. Louisa’s father, Joshua Johnson of Maryland, served as United States consul in London.
The futre president married Louisa in 1797, the same year that his father became president. They had four children, one of whom died in infancy. By the time she became First Lady, Louisa suffered from health problems and was not fit to undertake the social duties expected of her.
It is interesting to note that Louisa Catherine Adams remains the only American First Lady born outside the United States. Political enemies sometimes referred to her as being English.
If John Kerry had won the presidency in 2004, his wife would have become only the second foreign-born First Lady of the U.S. Teresa Heinz Kerry was born to Portuguese parents in Mozambique.
LANGUAGE CORNER
Why do we still say "dial a number" when telephones haven`t had dials for years? In fact, the majority of young people have never even seen a rotary phone, except on television or in a photograph. I guess we still say "dial" for lack of a better word. What else can we say? We can't say ``push button`` a phone. If anyone out there has any ideas, let me know. I`d be happy to publish your thoughts on my blog. I won`t use your name if you don`t want me to. So, what do you think, Sixteeners? I`m quite stumped on this one.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays lost the first game of their series with the Boston Red Sox by a score of 14-3. They were clobbered and it was not pretty. I attended that game, and for a Blue Jays fan, it was an unmitigated disaster. There were many Red Sox fans in attendance. I have to say that Red Sox fans are very loyal and follow their team around to different cities. Yesterday, the Jays redeemed themselves and won by a score of 9-5.
- Joanne
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The end cannot justify the means, for the simple and obvious reason that the means employed determine the nature of the ends produced."
- Aldous Huxley
From "Ends and Means"
FOCUS ON HISTORY
John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was born on this day in 1767. Adams was born in in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. He was the eldest son of John Adams, the second president of the United States. They were the only father and son combination to hold the office of president until George W. Bush and his father equalled the accomplishment in 2001.
John Quincy Adams was a career diplomat. He was a well-travelled man of the world who spoke French fluently. While on a mission abroad, he was charmed by London-born Louisa Catherine Johnson, the daughter of an American diplomat and his English wife. Louisa’s father, Joshua Johnson of Maryland, served as United States consul in London.
The futre president married Louisa in 1797, the same year that his father became president. They had four children, one of whom died in infancy. By the time she became First Lady, Louisa suffered from health problems and was not fit to undertake the social duties expected of her.
It is interesting to note that Louisa Catherine Adams remains the only American First Lady born outside the United States. Political enemies sometimes referred to her as being English.
If John Kerry had won the presidency in 2004, his wife would have become only the second foreign-born First Lady of the U.S. Teresa Heinz Kerry was born to Portuguese parents in Mozambique.
LANGUAGE CORNER
Why do we still say "dial a number" when telephones haven`t had dials for years? In fact, the majority of young people have never even seen a rotary phone, except on television or in a photograph. I guess we still say "dial" for lack of a better word. What else can we say? We can't say ``push button`` a phone. If anyone out there has any ideas, let me know. I`d be happy to publish your thoughts on my blog. I won`t use your name if you don`t want me to. So, what do you think, Sixteeners? I`m quite stumped on this one.
SPORTS
The Blue Jays lost the first game of their series with the Boston Red Sox by a score of 14-3. They were clobbered and it was not pretty. I attended that game, and for a Blue Jays fan, it was an unmitigated disaster. There were many Red Sox fans in attendance. I have to say that Red Sox fans are very loyal and follow their team around to different cities. Yesterday, the Jays redeemed themselves and won by a score of 9-5.
- Joanne
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