Reflections on Idealism

TUDESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2010

On this October day, I present to you, for your edification, some thoughts and reflections on the subject of idealism. 

QUOTES OF THE DAY

Ideals are like the stars; you will not succeed in touching them with your hands.  But like the seafaring man on the desert of waters, you choose them as your guides, and following them you will reach your destiny.

- Carl Schurz
Address, Faneuil Hall, Boston (April 18, 1859)


When they come downstairs from their Ivory Towers, idealists are apt to walk straight into the gutter.

- Logan Pearsall Smith
From Afterthoughts {1931}


An idealist is one who, on noticing that a rose smells better than a cabbage, concludes that it is also more nourishing.

- H. L. Mencken
From A Little Book in C Major, page 19 (1916)

It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet, I keep them, because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can't build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever-approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.

- Anne Frank
From her diary


An idealist believes the short run doesn't count.  A cynic believes the long run doesn't matter.  A realist believes that what is done or left undone in the short run determines the long run.

- Sidney J. Harris, in his column Thoughts at Large for the Chicago Sun-Times

ON THIS DAY

This is the anniversary of “Black Monday.” October 19, 1987 was a nightmarish day for stock markets around the world as they plunged to record losses. It can be described as one of the most infamous days in recent financial history. The Dow Jones dropped a record 508 points, a 22.6% decline.  That 22.6% far surpassed the 12.8% drop of October 28, 1929 which ushered in the Great Depression. In fact, the 1987 “Black Monday” decline was the largest one-day percentage decline in stock market history.

That stock market crash of 23 years ago put an end to the great years of prosperity in the 1980s.  It marked the end of a five-year bull market and was a prelude to the terrible recession of the early 1990s.  Click on the link below to watch a video of a CBC news report on “Black Monday.”

http://archives.cbc.ca/on_this_day/10/19/


ON THIS DAY IN SPORTS

On October 19, 1981, Rick Monday of the Los Angeles Dodgers broke the hearts of Montreal Expos fans and Canadian baseball fans everywhere. Monday hit a ninth-inning home run to give the Dodgers to a 2-1 victory over the Expos and the National League pennant. I remember watching that home run and sharing in the disappointment with my co-workers at the Toronto Star.

The now-defunct Expos never came closer to an appearance in the World Series although they had a really good team in 1994 and could have won it all that year. Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker, Moises Alou and Marquis Grissom were on that 1994 team. Not a bad collection of talent, eh? Fate intervened, however, in the form of a Major League Baseball strike. There was no World Series that year and we’ll never know what would have happened. Regrettably, the Expos never seemed to recover and departed from Montreal after the 2004 season.


SPORTS

Baseball

The New York Yankees didn’t play like champions last night. Much to the dismay of the patrons of the Bronx Zoo, the Yanks were walloped by the upstart Texas Rangers in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series. The score was 8-0 for Texas who had their ace, Cliff Lee, on the mound. As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t want the Yanks to win the World Series again, so I’m quite happy with that result.

Texas has a 2-1 lead in the series. However, I won’t count the Pinstripes out just yet.  It's too early for that, even though I think they had a better team last year.  Tonight they will send former Blue Jay A.J. Burnett to the mound.

Hockey

After four straight wins, The Toronto Maple Leafs tasted defeat for the first time this season. They were defeated by the gritty New York Islanders at the Air Canada Centre last night. It was an overtime loss, so they still picked up a point. In the third period, Phil Kessel of the Leafs tied the game 1-1. It went into overtime. The Leafs were penalized for goaltender interference and John Tavares scored a power play goal for the Islanders. The Leafs lost 2-1 in overtime.

- Joanne

Pierre Elliott Trudeau: His style and his just society

MONDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2010

Canada must be unified. Canada must be one, Canada must be progressive and Canada must be a just society.

- Pierre Elliott Trudeau
(Speech after winning the Liberal Party leadership in April of 1968.)

Pierre Elliott Trudeau was born on October 18, 1919 in Montreal.  If he were alive today, he would be celebrating his 91st birthday. There has never been a Canadian prime minister quite like him. To this day, his name evokes a variety of emotions and a strong, passionate response. During his lifetime, Canada’s 15th Prime Minister was strongly admired and intensely disliked. Many Western Canadians cannot forgive him for the National Energy Policy. He has been criticized for invoking the War Measures Act forty years ago. Others say it was his finest moment.

From the heady days of Trudeaumania to his famous 1984 walk in the snow (in which he decided to resign as prime minister), the man captivated this nation. He was our own philosopher king and had more world-wide recognition than any other Canadian prime minister. Yes, he could be infuriating and arrogant. He also had style, wit and a vision for this country.

Pierre Trudeau was also very quotable. Many of his remarks will long be remembered. How many of Stephen Harper’s or Michael Ignatieff’s words will be quoted for years to come?


To view a video of Pierre Trudeau’s “just society” speech, click on the link below.

http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/prime_ministers/topics/2192/

Here’s another short video about Trudeaumania.

http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/parties_leaders/topics/73/


Although he eventually married, Pierre Trudeau was a bachelor when he became prime minister in 1968. So here’s some trivia about bachelor prime ministers and presidents. Two other Canadian prime ministers were bachelors – R.B. Bennett and William Lyon Mackenzie King never married.

James Buchanan, 15th President of the United States was a life-long bachelor and is the only American president who never wed.  His niece Harriet Lane acted as First Lady.


REAL NAMES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE

George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair. Blair was a British journalist, political author and novelist. He was the author of Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) and Animal Farm (1945),

Comedian Jack Benny was born Benjamin Kubelsky in Chicago, Illinois on February 14, 1894. When he was a young vaudeville performer, a lawyer for famous Czech violinist Jan Kubelík pressured him to change his name, claiming that the similar name would damage his client’s reputation. So Benjamin Kubelsky became Ben K. Benny. When a band leader and fiddler named Ben Bernie threatened to sue him, he adopted the name “Jack,” a nickname associated with sailors. And that is how Benjamin Kubelsky became Jack Benny.

Singer Tom Jones was born Thomas John Woodward in Wales, U.K. on June 7, 1940. He is now 70 years old. Jones performed as Tommy Scott early in his career. In 1963, he became the frontman for a band called Tommy Scott and the Senators. a Welsh beat group. Tommy Scott and the Senators eventually became Tom Jones and the Squires. Remember that Tom Jones is also the name of the roguish protagonist of the classic Henry Fielding novel published in 1749. Given his stage persona, it is not surprising that the Welsh singer took the name of the amorous main character of Fielding’s novel.

Oprah Winfrey, born in Mississippi on January 29, 1954, was originally named Orpah after a biblical character in the Book of Ruth. The “r” and the “p” were reversed due to problems in spelling and pronouncing Orpah.


FOCUS ON HISTORY

On October 18, 1685, Louis XIV, France’s “Sun King,” revoked the Edict of Nantes which granted rights to France’s minority Protestants (known as Huguenots). Louis renounced the Edict and declared Protestantism illegal. As a result, there was an exodus of Protestants from France. Some immigrated to Great Britain and Prussia. Others settled in the more tolerant Dutch Republic and in Switzerland. Still others found their way to the new French colonies in North America.


SPORTS

Baseball

The Philadelphia Phillies won Game 2 of their National League Championship Series against the San Francisco Giants. Led by the superb pitching of that other Roy – Roy Oswalt – the Phillies enjoyed a 6-1 triumph over the Giants. I still think the Phillies have the best team and I think they will win the World Series.

- Joanne

Arthur Miller

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2010

Willy was a salesman. And for a salesman, there is no rock bottom to the life. He don’t put a bolt to a nut, he don’t tell you the law or give you medicine. He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back – that’s an earthquake. And then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory.

          - Arthur Miller
          From Death of a Salesman, Requiem

Playwright Arthur Miller was born in New York City on October 17, 1915. His notable works include All My Sons (1947), Death of a Salesman (1949), The Crucible (1953), A View from the Bridge (1955) and After the Fall (1964). His most celebrated play and his masterpiece is Death of a Salesman which deals with a character named Willy Loman and the failure of his American Dream. I studied Death of a Salesman in high school. The references in the play to Ebbets Field were the first time I learned about the long ago home of the defunct Brooklyn Dodgers. Several years ago I saw Death of a Salsman on stage with Dustin Hoffman playing the role of Willy Loman.

After the Fall is considered to be a thinly disguised reflection of Miller’s marriage to Marilyn Monroe from 1956 to 1961. He was her third and final husband. Arthur Miller died on February 10, 2005 at the age of 89.


RIDDLE ME THIS

What do get when you cross a detective with a skeleton?

Answer: Sherlock Bones

Note to readers: I invite you to send me some riddles and I will publish them on my blog.


BURTON CUMMINGS

My favourite Canadian band of all time is the Guess Who. On Friday night, I attended a Burton Cummings concert at Massey Hall. I’ve got to say that Burton really had the place rocking. The Winnipeg native really connected with the audience and made a point of expressing appreciation for his fan support. Backed by the Toronto-based Carpet Frogs, he played many of the old Guess Who standards. Cummings also performed a great version of Louie Louie, the 1960s hit by the Kinks. He ended the concert with Share the Land, which he described as “a song of optimism.”


REST IN PEACE, JUNE CLEAVER

Barbara Billingsley, the actress who played the ideal mother of the 1950s and early 60s on Leave it to Beaver, died yesterday at her home in Santa Monica, California. She was 94 years old. From 1957 until 1963, Barbara played June Cleaver, the mother of two sons, Wally and Beaver. Hugh Beaumont, who portrayed Barbara’s television husband Ward Cleaver, passed away on May 14, 1982. He died of a heart attack at the age of 73 while visiting his son in Munich, Germany.

To watch a video of the 50th anniversary reunion of Leave it to Beaver, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBWO1vWZXGY&NR=1


SPORTS

Hockey

How about those Leafs? They did it again. That’s four in a row, folks. On Saturday night, the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Rangers in overtime by a score of 4-3. Phil Kessel led the Leaf attack with two goals.

Baseball

It seems that Roy Halladay is human after all. He and his Philadelphia Phillies lost Game One of the National League Championship Series to the San Francisco Giants yesterday by a score of 4-3.

Football (CFL)

Well, the Toronto Argonauts were crushed 30-3 by the ferocious Hamilton Tiger-Cats at the dome on Friday night. Hamilton clinched a playoff berth.

- Joanne

Hurricane Hazel

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2010

. . . it was a gigantic flood with smashed houses and uprooted trees bobbing like corks, everything going down the river so fast.  Houses crashing into the sides of other houses, people everywhere screaming.

- Volunteer firefighter Bryan Mitchell describing the impact of Hurricane Hazel in the Toronto Star, October 14, 1984

1954 was quite a year for Toronto. It was the year that 16-year-old Marilyn Bell became the first person to swim across Lake Ontario. It was also the year that the most famous hurricane in Canadian history shattered Southern Ontario. I’m referring to Hurricane Hazel which struck on October 15, 1954.

According to the Canadian Encyclopedia, when the storm hit Toronto “its winds had waned to 120 k/hr (75 m/hr), but its warm, tropical air collided with a cold front moving eastward; the ensuing rains swelled creeks and rivers and inundated the watershed of the Humber and Credit rivers.” When it was over, 81 people had lost their lives in Ontario.

Hurricanes are rare in Southern Ontario, especially in the Toronto area. A hurricane of the magnitude and ferocity of Hazel is most definitely a historical occurrence for this city. 56 years have passed since Hazel wreaked its havoc, but it will never be forgotten.


ON THS DAY

One of the most beloved television shows of all time debuted on October 15, 1951. I Love Lucy premiered on the CBS network 59 year ago.  It ran from 1951 until 1957.  After that, there were a number of of full-hour specials which included much travel and well known celebrities of the day.  The hour specials ran under the title The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.

I Love Lucy was based on Lucille Ball's radio show, My Favorite Husband. CBS honchos were quite enthusiastic about bringing the show to television, but they weren't too thrilled with the idea of Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz playing the part of Lucy's husband.  They did not think that viewers would find him believable as her husband, even though the two were married in real life. 

In the early 1950s, an American situation comedy co-starring a Cuban with a heavy Spanish accent was a radical concept.  Lucy, however, was determined that she and Desi would spend more time together and that he would play the role of her husband.  She also insisted that the show be filmed in Hollywood and not done live from New York like most other early television comedies.  Lucy had no desire to commute from Hollywood to New York to perform the show live.

Using $5,000 of their own money, Lucy and Desi produced a pilot for the series and finally persuaded CBS to give them a place on the fall schedule of 1951.  Lucy and Desi's instincts turned out to be right on the mark.  The show was a smash hit and delighted television audiences.  As for filming the show, that was a boon.  It meant that high quality prints of every episode were available for countless reruns and syndication to independent stations.  Until I Love Lucy paved the way, poor-quality kinescopes of live shows had been used.

Here are a few bits of trivia regarding I Love Lucy.

1. Lucy and Ricky Ricardo were originally called Lucy and Larry Lopez.

2.  The name of the actor who played Little Ricky from 1956 to 1957 never appeared on the show's credits.  His name was Richard Keith. 

3. On January 19, 1953, the same night that Lucy Ricardo gave birth to Ricky Ricardo, Jr. on television, Lucille Ball gave birth to her second child, Desi Arnaz, Jr.  More people watched the episode of Little Ricky's birth than the inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower the next day.

4. A 1956 Christmas episode was never shown in reruns. It was not included due to its Christmas theme and because it contained a series of flashbacks to previous episodes. On  December 18, 1989, CBS aired a colourized version of it.

5. There were 181 episodes of the series (including the "lost" Christmas episode and the pilot).

6.  To watch a video of a scene from the Lucy meets Superman episode, click the link below.

http://www.spike.com/video/i-love-lucy-meets/2693048

- Joanne

Margaret Trudeau at Indigo Book Store

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2010

Last evening I visited the Indigo book store at Bloor and Bay Streets to see Margaret Trudeau promote her new book Changing My Mind.  She was interviewed by Indigo CEO Heather Reisman and they discussed Margaret’s struggle with bipolar disorder. They talked about the nightmare she endured, especially after the death of her son Michel. She lost a great deal of weight and was committed to a hospital for psychiatric treatment.

I have always been fascinated with the story of Pierre Trudeau, the intellectual Prime Minister of Canada and Margaret Sinclair, the eternal flower child from Vancouver. That is why I could not resist going to see her. Margaret is 62 now, and a grandmother. She has coloured her hair blonde and is as feisty and animated as ever. I found her to be very personable.

Here are some of the things Margaret Trudeau told the audience at her Indigo book-signing session.

1. She was so consumed by guilt that a doctor asked her what she had done that was so terrible. It wasn’t as if she were an axe murderer, he told her.

2. She played cards with the Rolling Stones.

3. She described Pierre as a wonderful man and a good father, although she claimed he was not generous to her with his money.

4. One of the reasons she separated from Pierre was that she felt she was a detriment to his position as prime minister.

5. She will always be a flower child.

6. Although the pressed has dubbed her “Maggie T.,” she prefers to be called Margaret, not Maggie.

7. She praised Trudeau’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Canada’s public health care system.

Here are some photos of Margaret Trudeau at Indigo.

SPORTS

Hockey

All right, Leaf fans, contain yourself. Don’t get too excited yet. If you’re like this now, what are you going to be like if they actually win a playoff game? I know, I know. The Blue and White won their third game in a row last night. With Jonas Gustavsson in goal, they defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 at the new arena in Pittsburgh. The Pens have yet to win a game at their new digs with the ugly corporate name, the Consol Energy Center. Perhaps the fans will just call it The Igloo.

- Joanne

The Great Secretariat

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Secretariat, he had the looks, he had the charm, he had it all.

- Ron Turcotte (as quoted in Associated Press)

A new movie on 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat is being shown on the silver screen. Secretariat’s jockey, Ron Turcotte viewed the film for the first time last week and “thought it to be a very good movie.” He did concede, however, that the filmmakers took some dramatic liberties with the story. I have not seen the film yet, but I certainly intend to. It stars Diane Lane as Secretariat’s owner Penny Chenery (also known as Penny Tweedy) and John Malkovich as the great horse’s trainer, Lucien Laurin. Former jockey Otto Thorwarth plays the role of Turcotte.

Ron Turcotte, a native of New Brunswick, started out as a hot walker in Toronto for E.P. Taylor’s Windfields Farms. He went on to win 3,032 races during his 18 seasons as a jockey, including back-to-back Kentucky Derby victories in 1972 and 1973.  Turcotte is 69 years old now. His riding career ended in 1978 following a tumble from his horse (named Flag of Leyte Gulf) at the start of a race at Belmont Park in New York State. The accident left him a paraplegic and he is confined to a wheelchair. The former jockey has since become a strong advocate for the disabled.

Secretariat’s trainer, Lucien Laurin, passed away in the year 2000 at the age of 88. Laurin was born in Joliette, Quebec and was originally a jockey. He began his riding career in 1929 at Blue Bonnets Racetrack in Montreal. He won 161 races but quit due to a weight problem. He eventually went to work as a trainer in the New England circuit in 1942.

I was at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto when Secretariat ran his final race in the Canadian International Stakes on October 28, 1973. I recall how cold and windy it was. Secretariat’s jockey that day was not Ron Turcotte, but Eddie Maple. Turcotte was under a 5-day riding suspension and could not be in the saddle for Big Red’s swan song. Replacement Eddie Maple rode the horse to an easy victory. Many Woodbine patrons did not even bother to cash their winning tickets on Secretariat, preferring to keep them as souvenirs.

To watch a video of Secretariat’s final race at Woodbine Racetrack, click below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1xW9YqPKS8


COMPARISION BETWEEN SECRETARIAT AND MAN ‘O WAR

Hold your strength till the barriers fly,
then close with the leaders eye to eye.
Thundering hooves and the mad jammed race,
blood in the nostrils, sweat in the face.
And children, remember wherever you are,
you carry the blood of Man o' War.

- Anonymous

The recent buzz about the Secretariat movie has caused me to dig up trivia and make some comparisons between him and another great thoroughbred racehorse, Man o’ War. Here is what I have discovered.

1. Both Secretariat and Man o’ War were affectionately nicknamed Big Red.

2. Neither horse ran as a 4 year-old.

3. Both horses had 21 races.  Man o’ War raced in 1919 and 1920 and was only beaten once in his illustrious career.  On August 13, 1919, he finished second  in the Sanford Memorial Stakes at Saratoga to a horse called Upset. Secretariat raced in 1972 and 1973.and won 16 of his 21 races.

4. Secretariat won the Triple Crown as a three-year-old in 1973 and was the first horse to accomplish that feat in 25 years (Citation did it in 1948).  Man o’ War won the Preakness and the Belmont in 1920, but did not run in the Kentucky Derby.

5. Both horses ran their final races in Canada and won easily. Secretariat raced for the last time in Toronto and Man o’War in Windsor, Ontario. Man o’ War’s final race was a match race on October 12, 1920 against 1919 Triple Crown winner Sir Barton. Man o’ War won handily by 7 lengths over Sir Barton at Kenilworth Park in Windsor. Secretariat won his last race, the Canadian International Stakes, by 6 ½ lengths.

6. Man o’ War was retired from stud duty on March 11, 1943 after siring 350 foals that won over $3 million. He died in 1947 at the age of 30. Secretariat sired as many as 600 foals and died in 1989 at the age of 19.

CANADA AND THE UNITED NATIONS

Yesterday I wrote about Lester Pearson and his Nobel Peace Prize.  How sad that exactly 53 years later, Canada has failed to win a seat on the United Nations Security Council.  Oh, for some Pearsonian diplomacy again!  Under our present government, we are losing respect in the world.


SPORTS

Baseball

The Texas Rangers eliminated the Tampa Bay Rays from postseason play last night. Texas ace Cliff Lee was too much for the Rays. He allowed six hits over nine innings as the Rangers won a 5-1 victory in Game 5 of the American League division series. I was cheering for the Rays, but it was not to be.
 
- Joanne

Lester Pearson and the Nobel Peace Prize

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2010    

I realize also that I share this honour with many friends and colleagues who have worked with me for the promotion of peace and good understanding between peoples. I am grateful for the opportunities I have been given to participate in that work as a representative of my country, Canada, whose people have, I think, shown their devotion to peace.

(From Lester Bowles Pearson's Acceptance Speech, on the occasion of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, Norway, December 10, 1957)

ON THIS DAY

On October 12, 1957, Lester B. Pearson (Prime Minister of Canada from 1963 to 1968) brought honour and pride to this country. 53 years ago today, Pearson was informed that he had won the Nobel Peace Prize and remains the only Canadian to have done so.  Pearson earned the prize for creating the United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) to help bring peace in Egypt following the Suez Crisis.

The Suez conflict arose In July of 1956 when Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser took control of the Suez Canal which connects the Mediterranean and Red seas. This was a setback for Western pride and commerce. As a result, Britain, France and Israel secretly agreed to take action against Egypt. Israel attacked in late October and Britain and France ordered Israel and Egypt to retreat from the immediate area of the canal. When Nasser refused, Britain and France bombed the Canal Zone. To solve the crisis, Lester Pearson proposed the world’s first ever peacekeeping force at the UN General Assembly. Using his network of connections and his years of diplomatic experience, he succeeded in persuading the world assembly to create this UN peacekeeping force.

During his tenure as prime minister, Lester Pearson never presided over a majority government. He led two successive minority governments. Yet, Parliament worked and much was achieved. During the Pearson years, his minority governments introduced universal health care, student loans, the Canada Pension Plan, the Order of Canada and the current Canadian Maple Leaf flag. Person also convened over the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism. That’s not too shabby a list of accomplishments for two minority governments, is it? (Take note, Stephen Harper) Minority government can work quite effectively, albeit with the right prime minister. 

To listen to Lester Pearson speak about his Nobel Peace Prize, click the link below.

http://archives.cbc.ca/on_this_day/10/12/


RIDDLE ME THIS

What kind of audience will you find in a prison?

Answer: A captive audience


FORKS OF THE CREDIT

I spent yesterday afternoon enjoying the fall colours at the Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, near Caledon, Ontario.  If you have an opportunity to go there, especially in the autumn, I highly recommend it.  Here is a photo I took there.

- Joanne

Thanksgiving

MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2010

Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot

From the song Big Yellow Taxi
Lyrics by Joni Mitchell

Today is the second Monday in October and it is Canadian Thanksgiving

In my mind, Alberta-born Joni Mitchell’s words are very appropriate for Thanksgiving. We all, myself included, take so many things for granted. On this Thanksgiving Day, I want to express my appreciation for all I have.

I am fortunate to live in a country such as Canada. When I think of all the countries in the world that are experiencing war and extreme poverty, I feel so grateful to live here. Canada is not perfect, but compared to conditions in many nations, this is a virtual paradise – at least for the majority of us. Too many Canadians are marginalized. Too many live in poverty and squalour in this land of plenty.

I am fortunate that I have family and friends. Unlike I have never experienced the horrors and devastations of war. My human rights have never been violated and I have never lived in a refugee camp. For all of this, I am thankful.

Finally, I wish to thank all the followers and supporters of Number 16. I want you to know that I appreciate you and that I do this for you.

Happy Thanksgiving and God bless. I’d also like to wish my friends in the United States a happy Columbus Day

Note : I invite you to read my Thanksgiving short story. Just click the tab that reads “Fiction.”


ON THIS DAY

Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884. I consider her to be one of the greatest women of the 20th century and the greatest First Lady the United States has ever known. She was born Anna Eleanor Roosevelt in New York City to a family of wealth and privilege. Her uncle, Theodore Roosevelt, was the 26th President of the United States.  Her husband, Franklin, was a distant cousin and they shared the same last name.

As First Lady from 1933 to1945, she established a separate and distinct identity from that of her husband, Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1940, she became the first American First Lady to address a U.S. political convention when she addressed the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Mrs. Roosevelt wrote a six-day-a-week newspaper column called My Day from December 30, 1935, until September 26, 1962. Illness forced her to cease writing the column and she passed away at her Manhattan home on November 7, 1962 at the age of 78.

Throughout her life, Eleanor Roosevelt was a tireless fighter for social justice and human rights. She was strongly committed to the success of the United Nations and was a leader in the drafting and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. She served as the President and Chair of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and was also United States Delegate the United Nations General Assembly.

To watch a video of Eleanor Roosevelt addressing the United Nations, click the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rDoS7XErcw


ON THIS DAY IN SPORTS

137 years ago, on October 11, 1873, the Toronto Argonaut Football Club played the very first game in its history, losing to the University of Toronto. Now that’s a team with a history!


SPORTS

Baseball

The Philadelphia Phillies will be playing in the National League Championship Series for the third straight year. They eliminated the Cincinnati Reds from postseason play by defeating them 2-0 yesterday in Cincinnati. Philadelphia swept the series 3 -0. Philly seems unbeatable right now, especially with great starting pitching and Roy Halladay. It’s difficult to imagine that this team won’t go all the way.

In the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays forced a deciding game five against Texas with a 5-2.victory over the Texas Rangers. I’m pleased because I want Tampa Bay to win represent the American League in the World Series.

- Joanne

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2010

This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada.  Unlike Thanksgiving Day in the United States, Canadian Thanksgiving does not usher in the Christmas season.  It is celebrated on the second Monday in October.

As a Thanksgiving gift to readers of Number 16, I have written a short story. To read the story, just click on the tab above, the one that reads "Fiction." I hope you enjoy it because I have written it in appreciation of you.


TODAY'S DATE

Today’s date is special. It is the tenth day of the tenth month of 2010. That means it is 10/10/10.  Another century will pass before 10/10/10 comes up again – October 10, 2110.


SPORTS

It was a good night for Toronto sports fans. Both the Leafs and Argonauts came up winners

FOOTBALL (CFL)

The Toronto Argonauts are back on the right track as they battle for a playoff spot in the East Division. Last night they defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina by a score of 24-19. The Green Riders had already clinched a playoff spot in the West Division, but the Argos spoiled their attempt to clinch a home playoff game.

HOCKEY

The Toronto Maple Leafs won their second straight game of this young NHL season. They outscored and outplayed the Ottawa Senators 5-1 at the Air Canada Centre. That’s a good start to the season, but Leaf fans shouldn’t get too excited yet.

Congratulations to the Vancouver Canucks for celebrating their 40th year in the National Hockey League.

BASEBALL

The New York Yankees have eliminated the Minnesota Twins from postseason play,  The Bronx Bombers won yesterday’s game by a score of 6-1 and swept their series with the Twins in three games straight. The Yankees advance to the American League Division Championship. I’m hoping they won’t advance any further.

- Joanne

Tribute to John Lennon on the 70th anniversary of his birth

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2010

Bless you wherever you are
Windswept child on a shooting star
Restless Spirits depart
Still we're deep in each other's hearts

- From the song Bless You
Lyrics by John Lennon

John Winston Lennon was born on October 9, 1940 in Liverpool, England. He was only 40 years old when he was assassinated on December 8, 1980 in New York City. If he were alive today, he would be celebrating his 70th birthday and protesting American involvement in Afghanistan.

John Lennon was certainly a complex man and very controversial. He was the most political and outspoken of the four members of the band and was definitely the one who stirred things up. He was always the most quotable.

To me, Lennon was a musical genius and decidedly the most talented of the Fab Four. He was the heart and soul of the Beatles, their foundation and their leader. John and Yoko Ono are often blamed for the break-up of the group. Yet, it had to happen sometime. It was inevitable because they were all moving in different directions.

One of the saddest aspects of John Lennon’s premature death is that the world has been deprived of some great music. Almost 30 years have passed since Lennon’s assassination. He could have composed so many great songs during those years. What a pity!

To watch a video tribute to John Lennon as he performs the song Bless You, click on the link below.

http://www.last.fm/music/John+Lennon/_/Bless+You


ON THIS DAY IN SPORTS

On October 9, 1915, Woodrow Wilson became the first President of the United States to attend a World Series game. He attended Game 2 of the Series between the Boston Red Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies. The game took place at the Baker Bowl in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.and the Red Sox won it by a score of 2-1.  Boston went on to win the 1915 World Series 4 games to 1.

It is interesting to note that a young left-handed pitcher made his postseason debut in that 1915 October Classic. His name was George Herman “Babe” Ruth. The 20-year-old Ruth was not used on the mound in that Series and made a single pinch-hitting appearance in which he grounded out.

- Joanne

The Chicago Fire of 1871

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2010

The great Chicago Fire, friends,
Will never be forgot;
In the history of Chicago
It will remain a darken spot.
It was a dreadful horrid sight
To see that City in flames;
But no human aid could save it,
For all skill was tried in vain.

In the year of 1871,
In October on the 8th,
The people in that City, then
Was full of life, and great.
Less than four days it lay in ruins,
That garden City, so great
Lay smouldering in ashes,
In a sad and pitiful state.

- Julia A. Moore
From The Great Chicago Fire

Today is the anniversary of the start of the Great Chicago Fire. The fire began on the evening of October 8, 1871 and caused at least 200 deaths and much homelessness. It was also responsible for the destruction of thousands of buildings and millions of dollars in property damage. There is a widespread myth about the origin of the fire. According to legend, the blaze was started by a cow kicking over a lantern in the barn owned by Irish immigrant farmers Patrick and Catherine O’Leary.  Michael Ahern, a Chicago Republican reporter, and others admitted to fabricating the story of Mrs. O’Leary’s cow.  The unfortunate O'Learys must have had a terrible guilt complex.


SPORTS

Last night was a busy night for sports fans in Toronto and elsewhere. The NHL season is underway and so is the Major League Baseball’s postseason.

HOCKEY

The Toronto Maple Leafs opened their 2010-11 season with a 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at the Air Canada Centre. Note to Leaf fans: That’s a good start, but it’s a little premature to start planning a parade on Yonge Street.

BASEBALL

Roy Halladay is incredible. There is no better pitcher in the game today. Doc pitched a no-hitter in his first playoff game ever. He led the Philadelphia Phillies to victory in the first game of their series against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. It was the first no-hitter in postseason play since Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series.

The New York Yankees have taken a 2-0 lead in their American League series with the Minnesota Twins. It looks pretty grim for the Twins now. They have to enter the Bronx Zoo two games behind. I’m not too happy about the Twinkies losing to the Pinstripes. I do not want the Yanks to repeat as World Series champs.

- Joanne

The Gregorian Calendar; High Park Photos

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

A man is not idle because he is absorbed in thought.  There is a visible labour and there is an invisible labour.

- Victor Hugo
From Les Miserables, bk. VII, chapter 8

ON THIS DAY

On October 5, 1582, our current calendar (the Gregorian calendar) was introduced in Catholic countries such as Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. These countries immediately observed the calendar change introduced by Pope Gregory XIII. Pope Gregory intended to reform the old Julian calendar to match the solar year so that Easter would fall on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. In order to do this, ten days were removed from the calendar. This was decreed In February of 1582 when Gregory put forth a papal bull proclaiming that the day following Thursday, October 4, 1582 would be Friday, October 15, 1582 and from then on the Gregorian calendar would come into effect. For many years, Protestant countries refused to follow suit. Great Britain and its colonies did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until September of 1752 and The Greek Orthodox countries took even longer. They did not make the change until the early years of the 20th century.

Here’s a quirky bit of trivia for you regarding the Gregorian calendar. Alaska did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1867. 1867 was the year that the United States purchased Alaska from Russia. Russia was a Greek Orthodox country and as a Russian territory, Alaska was compelled to use the Julian calendar.


FOCUS ON HISTORY

Forty years ago today, Canada was thrown into a crisis. On October 5, 1970, British trade commissioner James Cross was kidnapped by members of an organization of radical Quebec separatists known as Front de libération du Québec (FLQ). The abduction of Cross led to a series of events known as the October Crisis or the FLQ crisis. It culminated in the invocation of the War Measures Act by then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and the brutal murder of Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laporte.

HIGH PARK PHOTOS

Here are some more photographs that I took in High Park last Sunday. I hope you enjoy them.

SPORTS

Hockey

The 2010-11 NHL season is about to begin.  The Toronto Maple Leafs play the Montreal Canadiens at the Air Canada Centre on Thursday night.  I wish I could say I'm optimistic about the Leafs this year, but I can't.  It's no secret that I'm not a fan of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment or of Leaf management and coaching.  The Leafs have a great history and I will always remain a fan of the team and its proud tradition..  I just don't think the present owners and management care enough about the fans.  I think they take them for granted and treat them shabbily.  They are arrogant to the core.

By the way, my favourite Leaf team is the 1967 edition.  As every Leaf fan knows, that was the last Leaf squad to hoist Lord Stanley's cup.  Back then, I cheered for Mike Walton who just happened to wear #16 on his sweater. It all started when I read a headline in the Globe and Mail that said Walton leads Leafs to victory.  I took the article to school to show my class for current events.

- Joanne

Alvin Toffler and Future Shock; High Park Photos

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2010

Future shock is the shattering stress and disorientation that we induce in individuals by subjecting them to too much change in too short a time.

          Alvin Toffler
          [from Future Shock, 1970]

Alvin Toffler, author, sociologist and futurist, was born on October 4, 1928 in New York City. Toffler, who turns 81 today, has written such groundbreaking books as Future Shock and The Third Wave. Forty years ago, when Future Shock was published, there were no personal computers, no Internet, no iPhones, iPads and iPods. It took years for the horse and carriage to give way to the automobile. In the late 20th century and early 21st century, the changes in technology and in society have all come so rapidly that many people can’t keep up with the pace. Alvin Toffler has proven to be a prophet.


ON THIS DAY

I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away

Lyrics by Don McLean
From the song American Pie

The “girl who sang the blues” was Janis Joplin and today marks the 40th anniversary of her death. No one could belt out a song like the raspy-voiced Joplin. A native of Port Arthur, Texas, she rose to fame with such hits as Me and Bobby McGee, Piece Of My Heart and Cry Baby.

Sadly, Janis Joplin was only 27 years old when she died of a heroin overdose in a Los Angeles motel room on Oct. 4, 1970. Jimi Hendrix also died at the age of 27 in September of that same year. Other notable musicians who died at 27 include Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones (1969), Jim Morrison of The Doors(1971) and Kurt Cobain, lead singer and guitarist of the grunge band Nirvana (1994).

To watch a video of Janis Joplin singing Piece Of My Heart, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7JVxE2SYxo


SUNDAY IN HIGH PARK

I spent a relaxing Sunday afternoon at High Park, one of my favourite places in Toronto. Here are some photos I took on a beautiful autumn day.

SPORTS

Baseball

The Blue Jays ended their season on a winning note. They defeated the Minnesota Twins by a score of 2-1 at Target Field in Minneapolis. A seventh inning homer by Adam Lind made the difference. Jose Bautista finished the 2010 campaign with 54 home runs. What an achievement for him!

The Jays finish the season with an 85-77 record, much better than most pundits predicted. They will, however, have to win at least 96 games to win the American League East. That is the number of games the division-winning Tampa Bay Rays won this season.

The future seems brighter for the Jays. However, it has been 17 years since they have reached post-season play. They have to start contending soon.


Hockey

I see that Quebec City wants to return to the NHL. I hope they succeed. It would be great to see the return of the Nordiques. Quebec is a real hockey town. According to reports in the Montreal Gazette and the Toronto Star, tens of thousands jammed the Grand Allee, the city’s main thoroughfare, to support Mayor Regis Lebeaume’s crusade to construct a new arena for a National League team and a possible bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The Gazette estimated the size of the crowd at 50,000. That’s support! That tells you something.

- Joanne

All About October

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

October is the month for painted leaves. Their rich glow now flashes round the world. As fruits and leaves and the day itself acquire a bright tint just before they fall, so the year near its setting. October is its sunset sky; November the later twilight.

         - Henry David Thoreau
         From Excursions

October is here. The tenth month of the year has arrived. October is not my favourite month, but I have to say there is much I like about it. Here is a list of some of the things I enjoy about October.

1. The splendour of the leaves changing colour.

2. Thanksgiving Day in Canada – the second Monday in October

3. The October Classic – It is World Series time.

4. Halloween, pumpkins and pumpkin pie

5. The hunter’s moon – the first full moon after the harvest moon


What do I dislike about October?

I dislike the fact that there is less daylight in the evening.

Julia Roberts, Alfred Nobel, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Bill Gates and Julie Andrews were all born in the month of October. However, it is Julie Andrews who celebrates a birthday today. She was was born Julia Elizabeth Wells on October 1, 1935 at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England. Yes folks, Mary Poppins is 75 years old.

Note : If you were born in October, your birthstone is opal.


FOCUS ON CANADA

Statistics Canada reports that Canada’s population has surpassed 34 million.

” As of July 1, Canada's population was estimated at 34,108,800, up 120,800 or 0.36% from April 1, 2010. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba posted the highest rates of population growth among the provinces.”


RIDDLE ME THIS

When is a door not a door?

Answer : When it is ajar.


SPORTS

Baseball

What a night for the Toronto Blue Jays! They trounced the Minnesota Twins by a score of 13-2. Jose Bautista broke out of his five-game slump. Boy, did he ever! Bautista hit 2 home runs – a grand slam and a solo homer. He now has 54 home runs this season.

- Joanne

The Death of James Dean

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010

I find myself being very cautious on the highway.  I don't have the urge to speed on the highway.  People say racing is dangerous, but I'll take my chances on the track any day than on a highway.

- James Dean

ON THIS DAY

An American cultural icon died on September 30, 1955.  James Dean was a mere 24 years of age when he lost his life in a car crash. The car racing enthusiast was driving a Porsche 550 Spyder on U.S. Route 466 (later State Route 46) near Cholame, Califormia when the accident occurred.

Jimmy Dean's most famous movie is Rebel Without a Cause in which his character, Jim Stark, is the embodiment of youthful angst. Perhaps the rebelliousness that Dean represented in the 1950s was a harbinger of what was to come in the 1960s as the post-war generation began to reach young adulthood.

However, James Dean was far more than just a poster boy for a restless generation. He was more than just a symbol for angry young men. First and foremost, he was a talented actor. In fact, he received two posthumous Academy Award nominations for Best Actor. The first was East of Eden (1955) and the second was for Giant (1956).

Click on the link below to watch a video of a James Dean interview with fellow actor Gig Young.  The interview was made while Dean was filming Giant, his final movie. It was filmed for an episode of Warner Brothers Presents on the ABC network. Given what happened on that fateful day in 1955, my eyes nearly popped out when I watched it.  It's certainly quite eerie, especially since the two actors discuss car racing and driving safely on the highways. As it comes to an end, Gig Young asks Dean if he has any advice for young people who drive. His parting words are “Take it easy driving. The life you might save might be mine.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7u8bA_L6yU


SPORTS

Baseball

What a great night for Blue Jays fans! Manager Cito Gason was honoured and the Jays defeated the Yankees by a score of 8-3. It was the last home game of the season for the Jays and it ended on a happy note. The Jays have one more series on the road against the Minnesota Twins before the 2010 season comes to an end.

I was at the game and had a great time. There was a party atmosphere at the dome and Cito received the credit he so richly deserves.

- Joanne

W.H. Auden

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 29, 2010

Our researchers into Public Opinion are content
That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;
When there was peace he was for peace; when there was war he went.
He was married and added five children to the population,
Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation,
And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education.
Was he free? Was he Happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.

- W.H. Auden
From the poem The Unknown Citizen
 

The renowned 20th century poet W.H. Auden died on this day in 1973. Born Wystan Hugh Auden in York, England, he immigrated to the United States in 1939 and became an American citizen in 1946. He was found dead at the age of 66 in his hotel room in Vienna. Austria on September 29, 1973 after having given a poetry reading at the Palais Palffy.

To listen to a reading of The Unknown Citizen, click the following link.
http://www.videosurf.com/video/w-h-auden-the-unknown-citizen-59040576


LANGUAGE CORNER

What is the correct usage of the words “immigrate” and “emigrate”? The way to remember is that you immigrate to a destination:

My grandfather immigrated to Canada in search of a better life.

Emigrate is used in relation to the point of departure. It is used to describe when you leave a place. The way to remember is that you emigrate from a destination:

They emigrated from Germany when the Nazis came to power.

So, it’s immigrate to and emigrate from.

Well now, what about the word “migrate”? A migrant lacks permanent settlement and stays somewhere temporarily. “Immigrate” and “emigrate” imply a more permanent move.


MICHAELMAS

September 29th is known as Michaelmas in the Western Christian calendar. It is the feast of St. Michael the Archangel. In various academic institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland, Michaelmas is used as the name of the first term of the academic year, which begins at this time.


SPORTS

Baseball

The New York Yankees romped to a 6-1 victory over the Blue Jays last night at the dome. The Yanks clinched a playoff berh (ho hum) and the Boston Red Sox are eliminated.

Tonight the Blue Jays honour manager Cito Gason. I will be there.

- Joanne

Henderson's Goal

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2010

Henderson made a wild stab for it and fell. Here’s another shot! Right in front! They score! Henderson has scored for Canada! Henderson - right in front of the net! And the players and the team are going wild!

- Foster Hewitt describing Paul Henderson’s goal

Today marks a very special anniversary for every red-blooded Canadian. On September 28, 1972, Paul Henderson scored THE GOAL. With a mere 34 seconds left in the game, Henderson scored the most famous goal in Canadian hockey history. Sidney Crosby’s goal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics this year was certainly special and will be long remembered. However, no goal will ever again have the impact and the drama of Paul Henderson’s goal that September day in Moscow. Thirty-eight years later, my skin still tingles when I hear Foster Hewitt’s voice describing that event. Foster came out of retirement to broadcast that Soviet-Canada summit series and I’m sure glad he did.

I was in high school on the day Henderson performed his heroics. We students were sent into a room to watch the game on a black and white television. Classes ended for day before Henderson scored his momentous goal. The television was turned off and I had to rush home to watch the remainder of the game.   As I hopped on the bus, my heart was heavy. There wasn’t much time left for Canada to win the game.

Unfortunately, I did not get home in time to watch Paul Henderson’s goal live on television. That was my only disappointment, but I got over it quickly and joined in the celebration with great gusto. There was jubilation across the land. It was Canada’s greatest hockey triumph and it can never be replicated. Back in 1972, the Russian hockey was unknown and mysterious. Canada’s hockey supremacy was being challenged by these Slavic upstarts. Our hockey pride was on the line and Paul Henderson restored it for us.

As I write this, I am looking at a painting of Henderson’s goal above my computer. The painting is based on the well-known Toronto Star photo of Henderson and Yvan Cournoyer celebrating the victory over the Soviets. Whenever I look at it, I am reminded that French-speaking and English-speaking Canadians can work well together.

To watch a video of Paul Henderson’s goal, click on the following link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMf2fAXPS1Q&feature=related

SPORTS

Baseball

The Blue Jays continued their winning way as the season nears its end.  They defeated the New York Yankees by a score of 7-5 last night. The Jays prevented the Yankees from clinching a playoff spot. The Pinstripes will just have to wait.

Roy Halladay won his 21st game of the season and the Philadelphia Phillies are the National League East champions. Halladay is going to pitch in the playoffs for the first time in his career. We could see Doc in the World Series this year.

Hockey

The Toronto Maple Leafs won an exhibition game 5-4 over the Buffalo Sabres. Phil Kessel and Nikolai Kulemin scored two goals each.

- Joanne

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.

          - Mark Twain

From The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson {1894}
Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar, Chapter 7


ORIGINAL NAMES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE

Singer Engelbert Humperdinck was born Arnold George Dorsey to British parents in India. He later changed his name to Gerry Dorsey, but it wasn’t until he adopted the name of a German-born composer named Engelbert Humperdinck that he became famous. Audiences did not forget that name.

Humperdinck, the composer, is best known for his opera Hansel and Gretel. He died on September 27, 1921, exactly 89 years ago today.

Actor Rock Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer, Jr. in Illinois on November 17, 1925. When his stepfather Wallace "Wally" Fitzgerald adopted him, he changed his last name to Fitzgerald. According to Hollywood lore, his agent, Henry Wilson, came up with the name “Rock Hudson” by combining the Rock of Gibraltar and the Hudson River.

Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta on March 28, 1986 in New York City.  According to her official website, she took the stage name Lady Gaga from the song Radio Ga Ga by Queen.


LANGUAGE CORNER

The words “convince” and “persuade” are not interchangeable. A way to remember the correct usage of this word is to memorize the following little ditty.

Convince of a fact
Persuade to act

Here are some examples.

1. Peter was convinced that he had a great singing voice.

2. Laura’s friends persuaded her to go back to work.


ON THIS DAY IN SPORTS

On this day in 1950, Ezzard Charles defeated Joe Louis in 15 rounds for the heavyweight boxing title at Yankee Stadium in New York.  A year after his retirement in 1949, Louis returned to the ring to fight Charles. The bout lasted 15 rounds and Louis lost the decision.


The Troy Trojans were a long ago Major League Baseball team. They played in the National League for four seasons from 1879 to 1882. On September 27, 1881, the Trojans lost to the champion Chicago White Stockings 10-8 in a heavy rain storm in front of a paltry 12 spectators at Haymakers' Grounds on Center Island in upstate New York.


SPORTS

The Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles at the dome yesterday by a score of 5-2. Shaun Marcum went 7 innings to earn his 13th victory of the season as the Jays swept their final series of the year against the O’s. Slugger Jose Bautista was hit twice by pitches in the game. The Jays took exception to that, but the bottom line is that the Jays won 15 out of 18 games against Baltimore this season. The Orioles can sign themselves “Winless in Toronto” as they did not taste a single victory in the dome in 2010.


After a week of Grey Cup-like activities called Touchdown Atlantic, the Toronto Argonauts were beaten soundly by the lowly Edmonton Eskimos in front of 20,725 fans in Moncton, New Brunswick. The final score was 24-6 for Edmonton.

- Joanne

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Impress upon children the truth that the exercise of the elective franchise is a social duty of as solemn a nature as man can be called to perform; that a man may not innocently trifle with his vote; that every elector is a trustee as well for others as himself and that every measure he supports has an important bearing on the interests of others as well as on his own.

- Daniel Webster
From The Works of Daniel Webster (Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1853), Vol. II, p. 108


Exactly one month from today, on October 25th, there will be municipal elections in the province of Ontario. Here in the City of Toronto, we are going to elect a mayor to lead the 2.5 million people who live in Canada’s most populous city. Voter turnout for municipal elections is notoriously low. Yet these elections affect our daily lives significantly. Our municipal leaders make decisions on such matters as property taxes, public transportation and garbage pick-up. So, why the apathy? I suppose these issues aren’t too exiting to some people. Nevertheless, they are bread and butter issues and they are important.

I have to admit that I am not particularly impressed by any of the major candidates for mayor of our fair metropolis. In fact, I am extremely disappointed with the choices.  However, I do not consider that a valid excuse for not voting. Neither do I consider other excuses valid, particularly the ones about not having the time to read up about the candidates or to become informed about the issues. For something that affects our lives so strongly, we should be able to find the time to educate ourselves about the candidates in our area. It is our civic duty.

I urge every eligible voter to exercise your franchise. If you don’t bother to vote, don’t bother to complain about poor government. Our municipal elections used to be held every two years. Now they are held every four years. That means we can’t vote a disastrous mayor out of office until he or she has done four years worth of damage to this city. Please keep that in mind if you have not yet decided whether you are going to vote on October 25th.

NOTE:  If this blog entry persuades even one person to inform themselves and vote, I will be absolutely delighted.  If iit's someone between the ages of 18 and 30, I will be even more delighted.


SPORTS

Congratulations to home run king Jose Bautista. He hit his 50th home run of the season on Wednesday. He is only the 26th player in major league baseball to achieve that feat. His home run made the difference as the Blue Jays edged the Seattle Mariners 1-0. There was another milestone in that game. Ichiro of the Mariners reached the 200-hit mark for the 10th consecutive season. Last night, the Jayss defeated the Baltimore Orioles by a score of 6-4 and Jose belted two more homers to bring his total to 52. Wow!

I also have to congratulate former Blue Jay Roy Halladay for earning his 20th win of the season.  Is there is a more intense competor than Doc Halladay?  I don't think so.  The man is dedicated to his craft.  He will probably win the National League Cy Young Award for this season.


They are quite excited about the Argos in Moncton, New Brunswick. Yes, Atlantic football fans are going wild for the Toronto Argonauts who will be the home team in a CFL game there on Sunday against the Edmonton Eskimos. The city hopes to have a football team in the league someday. Wouldn’t a team in Martiimes be great? It would be fantastic see the Canadian Football League go coast to coast.

- Joanne

Harvest Moon

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

Come a little bit closer
Hear what I have to say
Just like children sleepin'
We could dream this night away.

But there's a full moon risin'
Let's go dancin' in the light
We know where the music's playin'
Let's go out and feel the night.

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon.

From the song Harvest Moon
- Lyrics by Neil Young

To see a video of Neil singing Harvest Moon, click the following link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADUC4l6t3Bk

I am a moon watcher. The different phases of the moon have always fascinated me and right now I am in the midst of lunar madness. This is the time of the harvest moon, the best full moon of the year. It is the full moon closest to September 21st and the autumn equinox. Last night, I went to the boardwalk at Sunnyside to take a look. It’s a great spot for moon gazing because it’s by the lake and there is a wonderful view of Toronto’s skyline there. The show should be even better tonight. It happens only once a year. Don’t miss it.

Here is a photo I took of the full moon last night at Sunnyside.

By the way, if you scroll down my web page, you will see various items including one that keeps you up to date with the different phases of the moon. Check it out.


RIDDLE ME THIS

Name a place where love means nothing.

ANSWER : A tennis court


SPORTS

The Blue Jays were defeated yesterday by the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners won by a score of 6-3. Kyle Drabek was the starting pitcher for the Jays and had difficulty throwing strikes. He’s still looking for his first major league win and needs some seasoning. The Mariners have a week offence but they managed to hit two home runs off Drabek.

The Toronto Maple Leafs won their second preseason game against the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4-1 at the Air Canada Centre. The Leafs lost their first exhibition game to these same Senators on Tuesday. It was a 5-1- loss and they were booed off the ice at the ACC. I’ll be writing more about the Leafs in future blog entries. For now, suffice to say, I am not a fan of the Brian Burke/Ron Wilson/Don Cherry style of hockey.

- Joanne

Tribute to Irving Berlin

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010

Irving Berlin has no place in American music. He is American music.

- Songwriter Jerome Kern (as quoted in The Story of Irving Berlin, Alexander Woollcott's 1925 biography of Irving Berlin)          


ON THIS DAY

The great composer Irving Berlin died on September 22, 1989 at the ripe old age of 101. Berlin was born Israel Isidore Baline in Russia in 1888. There is some confusion as to his actual birth date because the Julian calendar was still in use in czarist Russia, but he celebrated his birthday on May 11. There is also confusion surrounding Irving Berlin’s place of birth. According to most sources, he was born in Mogilev, Russia (now Belarus). Other sources contend that he was born in Tyumen in Sibera.

In 1893, the young Israel and his family immigrated to New York City where he was to launch an exceptional career as Irving Berlin. This son of a Jewish cantor wrote the music and lyrics for White Christmas and Easter Parade. He also composed the patriotic anthem God Bless America and such enduring songs as There’s No Business Like Show Business, Alexander’s Ragtime Band and Blue Skies. A prolific songwriter, he wrote the scores for many Broadway shows including Annie Get Your Gun. He also composed the music for several Hollywood films including White Christmas and Holiday Inn.

To watch a video of Irving Berlin singing God Bless America on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1968, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4x4uRUQF9bo&feature=related


ORIGINAL NAMES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE

Michael J. Fox was born Michael Andrew Fox.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s original name was William Jefferson Blythe III,

Actor Tom Cruise was born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV

The late crooner Dean Martin came into this world as Dino Paul Crocetti

Madonna’s real name is Madonna. Although she just doesn’t use her last name, she was born Madonna Louise Ciccone. I remember once overhearing a man saying to his companion, “You don’t think Madonna is her real name, do you? I felt like shouting out, “Yes it is.” I held my tongue, though.


RIDDLE ME THIS

Why did the elephant quit his job?

Answer: Because he was working for peanuts


SPORTS

The Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners by a score of 5-3 at the dome yesterday. The Jays crushed three home runs on their way to victory. Vernon Wells, Edwin Encarnacion and Travis Snider hit the homers. Jose Bautista did not get one, so we are still awaiting his 50th of the season.

- Joanne

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Well, Sixteeners, how was your weekend? I attended two movies at the Toronto Film Festival on Saturday and I enjoyed them immensely. The first one was West is West. It is the story of Sajid, a young teen in the 1970s who resides in England. Sajid is taunted and bullied because his father is an immigrant from rural Pakistan. It turns out that Sajid’s father has abandoned a wife and daughters in his Pakistani village and has taken a second wife in England. Sajid’s father, known as George Khan in his adopted country, decides to take his troubled son for a visit to his village in the Punjab. That visit changes the lives of both father and son with results that are both comic and poignant.

I met Leslee Udwin, the producer of West is West. She answered questions and was very personable. She seemed quite proud of her film and told us she had devoted four years of her life to it. I haven’t yet seen the prequel, East is East, but I intend to. A third film in the series may be in the works. Leslee Udwin stated in a Reuters interview that "In my head and heart, there have always been three films. Whether and when we actually make a third one I cannot tell you, though the writer and I have started discussing the prospect. It will, like West is West have to grow organically and in its own time out of a passion to tell a further story.” At Saturday’s screening of West is West, some people even offered prospective names for a third film to Leslee.

I also saw the Bruce Springsteen documentary, The Promise: The Making of Darkness On The Edge of Town. I gained some insight into how the Boss operates. His perfectionism and his intensity are astounding. The film is a must for Springsteen fans.

TIFF just seems to be getting better and better. I have yet to see a film at the Bell Lightbox Theatre. Esteemed movie critic Roger Ebert was in town for the festival and he is very fond of the Bell Lightbox. He described it as “one swell place to see a move.” He said that he can see someone like himself “retiring to a condo in the TIFF Bell Lighthouse and just going to the movies.”

Ebert, however, did not shy away from criticism of our fair city. He expressed his distaste for the large number of chain stores in Toronto. He said that they "descend into living neighbourhoods and suck the blood from their busy streets." Amen to that. I couldn’t agree more.

Yesterday was just a beautiful September day here in Toronto. I watched a tennis match in the sunshine at York University. Canada’s Frank Danecvic competed against a Dominican opponent as part of a preliminary to the Davis Cup. It was a one-sided affair and Dancevic won easily.


RIDDLE ME THIS

Why couldn’t the sailor play cards?

ANSWER : Because someone was sitting on the deck


SPORTS

The Toronto Argonauts earned a much-needed win yesterday. They defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers by a score of 17-13.

The Blue Jays were trounced by a score of 6-0 in the final game of their series with the Boston Red Sox The Jays, however, won the series 2 games to 1. Jose Bautista hasn’t hit his 50th homer of the season yet. It will happen soon, I hope.

- Joanne

John Diefenbaker's Vision

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Where there is no vision, the people perish.

          Proverbs 29:18


John George Diefenbaker, Canada’s 13th prime minister, was born on this day in 1895, exactly 115 years ago. Diefenbaker’s birthplace was Neustadt, Ontario. His family moved to the Northwest Territories in 1903 and then to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1910. He eventually settled in Prince Albert and became known as “the man from Prince Albert”.  His last name is German and he described himself as "the first prime minister of this country of neither altogether English or French origin."

I don’t agree with everything Diefenbaker said. I certainly don’t like everything about him. However, the man was a leader and he had a vision. He is responsible for several achievements that Canadians should never take for granted. That is why I wish to pay tribute to him today.

An ardent civil libertarian, John Diefenbaker gave Canada a Bill of Rights in 1960. Thanks to him, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Bill of Rights this year. Diefenbaker also appointed the first woman federal cabinet minister in Canadian history (Ellen Fairclough in 1957).

John Diefenbaker was prime minister from June 22, 1957 until the defeat of his government in the electon of 1963.  It was he who granted the federal franchise to Canada's native peoples.  As a a tireless advocate for increased public awareness of Canada’s Arctic, .it was he who proposed a "Northern Vision" for this country and called for a bold strategy to develop the natural resources of the Far North.  A man with a strong sense of social justice, it was also Diefenbaker who played a significant role in the 1961 anti apartheid statement that let to South Africa’s withdrawal from the Commonwealth.

John George Diefenbaker revered and respected parliament. He served as a member of the House of Commons until his death in Ottawa on August 16, 1979 at the age of 83.  As prime minister, he never put ideology over the interests of Canada (take note, Stephen Harper). Diefenbaker was a conservative, but he was not by any means a neoconservative. A defence lawyer for many years in Saskatchewan, Diefenbaker opposed capital punishment. To hear him speak about capital punishment the Stephen Truscott case, click the link below.

http://archives.cbc.ca/society/crime_justice/clips/3339/

In a previous blog entry (see May 18, 2010), I lamented the lack of leadership in Canada. As I stated then, I can’t think of one single Canadian politician who strongly inspires me. That, my friends, is a sad state of affairs.

Here’s to you, Dief. We could sure use you in the House of Commons today.


ON THIS DAY

Can it really be 40 years since the death of Jimi Hendrix? Yes, it can. Hendrix died on this day in 1970. He died at the Samarkand Hotel in the Notting Hill area of London, England. He was only 27 years of age at the time of his death and many consider him to be the greatest electric guitarist in rock and roll history. Click below to view a video of the news broadcast of Hendrix’s death.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcG7KoOI744


SPORTS

The Blue Jays managed to win the first game of their series against the Boston Red Sox last night at Fenway Park by a score of 11-9. Although the Jays had 17 hits in the game, they were still in danger of losing it. They almost let a 10-2 lead slip away from them.

Congratulations to slugger Jose Bautista for breaking a Blue Jays club record. He hit his 48th home run of the season last night to surpass George Bell’s 47 homers. It’s too bad Bautista broke his record in Boston and not at home in Toronto. Most of the crowd at Fenway had no idea of the significance of that home run, including the fan who retrieved it. Next stop for Jose – 50 homers.

- Joanne

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

I believe that man will not merely endure: he will prevail. He is immortal, not because he alone among creatures has an inexhaustible voice, but because he has a soul, a spirit capable of compassion and sacrifice and endurance. The poet’s, the writer’s duty is to write about these things.  It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honour and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past.

        - William Faulkner 
          Speech of Acceptance, 1949 Nobel Prize for Literature
          Nobel Banquet at the City Hall in Stockholm, Sweden
          December 10, 1950  


To hear the sound of William Faulkner's voice accepting the Nobel Prize for Literature, click the following link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxM0C7zjoAc


FOCUS ON HISTORY

Today is Constitution Day in the United States.  It was on this day that the Constitution of the United States was adopted by the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention of 1787. Constitutional talk makes some Canadians squirm or yawn with boredom. It’s a very touchy subject in this county, especially with regard to Quebec.

Our American cousins revere and respect their constitution - almost too rigidly. Some regard it as being written in stone and it is extremely difficult to amend. 1787 was 283 years ago and some aspects of the American constitution reflect the sensibilities of a newly independent country in the late 18th century. I am referring to such items as the Second Amendment which is glorified by opponents of gun control.

It is true that there have been 27 amendments to the U.S. constitution – including the Nineteenth Amendment (ratified in 1920) which gave American women the right to vote. However, the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) failed to pass. It was intended to guarantee that under any federal, state, or local law, equal rights could not be denied women. I also believe that the U.S. constitution is behind the times in that it denies the presidency to those not born in the United States.

Most North Americans would agree that freedoms should be cherished and not taken for granted. Yet, one never understands this fully until those rights and freedoms are lost. When I visited China in the summer of 2008, I watched censored news reports delivered by human robots. I felt really fortunate to be able to return to Canada and watch our newscasts.


RIDDLE ME THIS

Why did the pony have difficulty singing?

Answer: Because he was a little hoarse


SPORTS

The Blue Jays had the day off today. Toronto begins a series with the Boston Red Sox today. It should be interesting because Boston need to win in order to challenge the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay. I hope Tampa Bay wins it all.

Yesterday, the Jays lost the final game of their series with the vastly improved Baltimore Orioles. The O’s won by a score of 3-1 and swept the series. The good news is that Kyle Drabek pitched well in his major league debut and Jose Bautista blasted his 47th home run of the year. Bautista tied fellow Dominican George Bell for the most home runs in a season by a Toronto Blue Jay. Congratulations Jose and I will be following very closely as you try to hit as many homes as you can before your dream season comes to an end.

I see that Roy Halladay had his 19th win for the Philadelphia Phillies. It looks as if Doc is going to have a 20 wins this season, maybe more.

- Joanne

What's in a Name? Orignial Names of Famous People

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2010

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.

- William Shakespeare
  From Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

Those words are spoken by Juliet in the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet.  I have to disagree somewhat with Juliet’s opinion on the importance of names. Although names are not the be-all and end-all, they have great significance in a person’s life. Your name is an integral part of your identity. In a very real sense, your name defines you. You hear it spoken to you all the time.

The subject of names has always fascinated me. I always enjoy hearing the story behind someone’s name – if there is one. I usually ask expectant mothers if they have chosen a name for their baby. I always advise them not to pick an obviously trendy name. It can be difficult to determine, but certain names never seem to go out of vogue.

I was called Josephine after my paternal grandmother whose name was Giuseppina. The name on my birth certificate reads “Josephine Ann”. Joanne is simply a combination of Josephine and Ann. For some unknown reason my second name is spelled without an “e” on my birth certificate.  My mother, however,  taught me to spell it with the “e.".  Since reading Anne of Green Gables, I have always preferred Anne with the “e”.

Nobody calls me Josephine, but that is my legal name and I have to use it on my passport and on my Ontario Health Card.

Note : Today I am introducing a new feature on my blog. It will appear from time to time and will provide the original names of well known people, living and dead. Here is the first instalment.


ORIGINAL NAMES OF FAMOUS PEOPLE

Bob Hope was born Leslie Townes Hope.

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxhe Bojaxhiu.

Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States, was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr.

Actor Tony Curtis was originally named Bernard Schwartz.


LANGUAGE CORNER

Word of the Day

Ophidiophobia – An abnormal fear of snakes


RIDDLE ME THIS

Why did the chicken cross the playground?

ANSWER : To get to the other slide


SPORTS

Last night was not a good night for the Toronto Blue Jays. The Baltimore Orioles trounced the Jays 11-3 in the second of their three-game set at Camden Yards. This is definitely not the same Baltimore team that Jays have dominated all season.

- Joanne