2016: The Year Ahead: Events and Anniversaries

ANNIVERSARIES IN 2016

400th Anniversary of the Death of William Shakespeare

The celebrated English playwright and poet, William Shakespeare, died on April 23, 1616 at Stratford-upon-Avon, England.  He was 52 years old at the time of his passing.  The exact cause of Shakespeare's death remains a mystery, although there have been several theories, including that of a cerebral hemorrhage.

350th Anniversary of the Great Fire of London (1666)

Painting of The Great Fire of London (thought to be from 17th century)

The Great Fire of London swept through the centre of London, England from September 2 to September 5, 1666.  The conflagration destroyed thousands of houses and many churches, including St. Paul's Cathedral.  It gutted the medieval City of London within the ancient Roman wall.  Although there was much destruction of property, deaths are considered to have been few.  The fire is believed to have stared at a bakery on Pudding Lane.  Only six fatalities were officially recorded, but there were undoubtedly more.

The fire occurred under the reign of King Charles II and is considered one of the most famous incidents in Stuart England.  It was the second tragedy to befall England's largest city within a period of a year.  When the disaster struck, London was just recovering from the Great Plague of 1665 in which an estimated 15 per cent of its populated died from a major outbreak of the bubonic plague.

100th Anniversary of the Chicago Cubs' first game at Weeghman Park (Wrigley Field)

Weeghman Park in 1916

Built in 1914 as Weeghman Park, Wrigley Field was originally the home of of the Chicago Whales of the Federal League (a short-lived "third major league").  The Chicago Cubs played their first game there on April 20, 1916 and defeated the Cincinnati Reds by a score of 7-6 in eleven innings.  By 1921 chewing gum tycoon William Wrigley, Jr. had gained possession of the team. From 1920 until 1926, the stadium, located on Chicago's North Side, was known as Cubs Park.  In 1927, its name was officially changed to Wrigley Field.

100th Anniversary of the Easter Rebellion in Ireland

2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rebellion against British rule in Ireland.  The Rebellion began in Dublin on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916 and lasted for six days. It was an armed uprising by Irish republicans to establish an independent Irish republic at a time when the United Kingdom was deeply engaged in World War I.  However, the British army quickly suppressed the insurrection.

Below is the Proclamation of the Republic, 1916, a document issued by the Irish republicans.  In the document, the Military Council of the Irish Republican Brotherhood refers to itself as "the provisional government of the Irish Republic" and proclaims Irish independence from Great Britain.

                                                                                                             

100th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme

British soldiers waiting to attack during Battle of the Somme

The Battle of the Somme was a battle of the First World War.  It took place between July 1 and November 18, 1916 on both sides of the River Somme in France and was one of the bloodiest confrontations in human history.  All together more than 1,000,000 combatants were wounded and killed.  The British alone suffered more than 57,000 casualties.

60th Anniversary of the Wedding of Grace Kelly to Price Rainier of Monaco

American movie star Grace Kelly married Prince Rainier III of Monaco.  At the time, it was dubbed "The Wedding of the Century."  As necessitated by the Napoleonic Code of France and the laws of the Room Catholic Church, there were two ceremonies.  The civil ceremony took place in the Palace Throne Room of Monaco on April 18, 1956, while the religious ceremony was held the next day (August 19th) at Monaco's Saint Nicholas Cathedral.  Grace's wedding dress was designed by MGM's Academy Award-winning Helen Rose.

50th Anniversary of Muhammad Ali versus George Chuvalo

On March 29, 1966 Muhammad Ali faced Canadian Heavyweight Champion George Chuvalo at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.  The bout took place in Canada due to Ali's opposition to the Vietnam War. On February 17, 1966, the outspoken pugilist, originally known as Cassius Clay, had stated that he had "no quarrel with them Vietcong."  As a result, he was banned from fighting in Chicago and in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.  It soon became apparent that he would have to engage in matches outside the United States.

On that chilly spring evening in Toronto, the gritty Chuvalo went the distance with Ali in his prime, the first to do since Ali had won the championship title.  After 15 hard fought rounds, Ali was awarded the decision, but Chuvalo won a great deal of respect for his performance in the ring that night.

50 Years Since the Speck Murders in Chicago

On July 14, 2014, Richard Speck brutally murdered eight student nurses in Chicago, Illinois.  After 25 years of incarceration,at the Stateville Correctional Center, a maximum security prison in Crest Hill, Illinois, Speck died of a heart attack on December 5, 1991.  He was 49 years old.

50th Anniversary of the Beatles' Final Public Concert

In August of 1966, the Beatles went on tour in the United States and Canada.  They performed 19 shows, with 17 concerts in American locales and two in Toronto, Canada.  It was to be the group's last commercial tour.  On August 29th, 1966, they staged their final public concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California, which was then the home of baseball's San Francisco Giants. The Park seated over 40,000 people, but only about 25,000 were sold.  Ticket prices ranged from $4.50 to $6.50.

On January 30, 1969, the Beatles made a surprise live appearance on the rooftop of the Apple building in London.   Although the rooftop concert was the band's final public performance, the Candlestick Park concert was really their last "commercial" concert.

HOLIDAYS, FESTIVALS AND OBSERVANCES, RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR 2016 (Canada and the United States)

JANUARY


NEW YEAR'S DAY (Gregorian Calendar): Friday, January 1, 2016

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY:  Wednesday, January 6, 2016

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY (United States):  Monday, January 18, 2016

FEBRUARY

CHINESE NEW YEAR

2016 is The Year of the Monkey.  The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, in determined according to the Chinese lunar calendar.  This year the festival begins on Monday, February 8, 2016, the first day of the lunar calendar.

MARDI GRAS (SHROVE TUESDAY):  Tuesday, February 9, 2016

ASH WEDNESDAY:  Lent begins February 10, 2016

VALENTINE'S DAY:  Sunday, February 14, 2016

PRESIDENTS' DAY (United States): Monday, February 15, 2016

LEAP YEAR DAY:  Monday, February 29, 2016

MARCH


INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY: Tuesday, March 8, 2016

ST. PATRICK'S DAY:  Thursday, March 17, 2016

GOOD FRIDAY:  Friday, March 25, 2016

EASTER SUNDAY:  Sunday, March 27, 2016

APRIL


PASSOVER:  Begins the evening of Friday, April 22, 2016 and ends the evening of Saturday, April 30 , 2016

EARTH DAY:  Friday, April 22, 2016

MAY


MOTHER'S DAY:  Monday, May 8, 2016

VICTORIA DAY (Canada):  Monday, May 23, 2016

MEMORIAL DAY (United States): Monday, May 30, 2016

JUNE


RAMADAN:  Dates vary with country - Begins Tuesday, June 7, 2016 in Canada 

FATHER'S DAY:  Sunday, June 19, 2016

JULY


CANADA DAY (Canada):  Friday, July 1, 2016

INDEPENDENCE DAY (United States):  Monday, July 4, 2016

EID-AL-FITR (End of Ramadan):  Thursday, July 7, 2016

AUGUST



SEPTEMBER


LABOUR DAY (Canada), LABOR DAY (United States):  Monday, September 5, 2016

OCTOBER



ROSH HASHANA (Jewish New Year):  Begins the evening of Sunday, October 2, 2016 and ends the evening of Tuesday, October 4, 2016

THANKSGIVING DAY (Canada):  Monday, October 10, 2016

YOM KIPPUR (Jewish Day of Atonement):  Begins the evening of Tuesday, October 11, 2016 and ends Wednesday, October 12, 2016.

DIWALI (Hindu Festival of Lights, beginning of Hindu New Year): Begins on Sunday October 30, 2016 and ends Thursday, November 3, 2016

HALLOWEEN:  Monday, October 31, 2016

NOVEMBER


ALL SAINTS DAY:  Tuesday, November 1, 2016

REMEMBRANCE DAY (Canada), VETERAN'S DAY (United States):  Friday, November 11, 2016

THANKSGIVING DAY (United States):  Thursday, November 25, 2016

DECEMBER


HANUKKAH:  Begins the evening of Saturday, December 24, 2016 and ends the evening of Sunday, January 1, 2017

CHRISTMAS DAY:  Sunday, December 25, 2016

BOXING DAY (Canada): Monday, December 26, 2016

AROUND THE WORLD IN 2016

AUSTRALIA

Census 2016

2016 is a census year Down Under and the census is really going digital.  The 2016 Census will be Australia's first census in which two thirds of the country's population (more than 15 million people) are expected to complete the Census online.  Census day is scheduled for Tuesday, August 9, 2016. Leading up to that date, households will receive a letter from the Australian Bureau of Statistics containing a login and instructions on how to complete the Census online. Paper forms are available by request if needed.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics expects to count close to 10 million dwellings and a population of about 24 million.

AUSTRIA

The next Austrian presidential election is scheduled for April 2016.  The incumbent president, Heniz Fischer. has already served two terms and is not eligible to serve a third term in succession.

CANADA

The Quebec Winter Carnival (Carnaval de Québec) will be held in held in Quebec City, Quebec from January 29, 2016 to February 14, 2016.  Below is a drawing of Bonhomme Carnaval, the festival's mascot.

Census 2016

This is a census year in Canada.  The next Census of Population and Census of Agriculture will occur in May.  Starting on May 2, 2016, Statistics Canada will send census letters and packages to all Canadian households. The questionnaire can be completed online or on paper (It first appeared online in 2006).  Statistics Canada has identified Tuesday, May 10, 2016 as the official census day.  The long-form census will be mandatory again.  In 2011, respondents could choose to complete a short form version instead.

The Calgary Stampede with take place in Calgary, Alberta from July 8, 2016 to July 17, 2016.

The 138th Canadian National Exhibition (also known as the CNE or The Ex) will be held from August 19, 2016 to September 5, 2016 at Exhibition Place in Toronto, Ontario.

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the leading public film festival in the world, will take
place in Toronto, Ontario from Thursday, September 8, 2016 to Sunday, September 18, 2016.

FRANCE

The 69th Cannes Film Festival {Festival de Cannes) will be held in Cannes, France from May 11, 2016 until May 22, 2016.

NEW ZEALAND

Is this flag still the people's choice or is it on its way out?

flag of New Zealand

Will this become the flag of New Zealand?

New Zealand will hold a referendum from March 3 to March 24, 2016.  Voters will be asked to choose between its current flag and the preferred alternative design selected in a previous referendum.  The proposed flag for New Zealand was designed by Kyle Lockwood.  It is  a black, white and blue silver fern flag with four red stars in the shape of the Southern Cross constellation.

The result of the referendum will be binding and the flag with the most votes will be the official flag of New Zealand.

SLOVAKIA

Parliamentary elections will take place in Slovakia on March 5, 2016.  150 members will be elected to the National Council by proportional representation.

UNITED KINGDOM

Queen Elizabeth II will turn 90 years old on April 21, 2016.  There will be huge celebrations, featuring 900 horses and 1,500 performers, on the grounds of Windsor Castle from May 12, 2016 to May 15, 2016.  On June 12, 2016, there will be a mega street party on The Mall in St. James Park, London, England.

UNITED STATES

The Republican National Convention will be held at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio from July 18, 2016 to July 21, 2016.  The delegates will select the Republican nominees for President and Vice President of the United States.

The Democratic National Convention will be held from July 25, 2016 to July 28, 2016 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with some events at the Philadelphia Convention Center. The delegates will choose the Democratic Party's nominees for President and Vice President of the United States.

The United States will hold a presidential election on Tuesday, November 8, 2016.  It will be the 58th quadrennial presidential election in U.S. history.

 

SPORTING EVENTS IN 2016

AUSTRALIA

TENNIS:  The Australian Open will take place from January 18, 2016  to January 31, 2016 at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia.

BRAZIL

SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES:  The 2016 Summer Olympics (the 31st Summer Olympic Games) will be hosted by Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from August 5, 2016 to August 21, 2016.

CANADA

BASKETBALL:  The 65th edition of the NBA All-Star Game will take place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario (home of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association) on February 14, 2016.  This will mark the first occasion that the All-Star game will be played outside of the United States.

HORSE RACING:  The 157th running of the Queen's Plate, the first jewel of Canada's Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Horse Racing, will take place on Sunday, July 3, 2016 at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario.  The Queen's Plate is the longest continuously run stakes race in North America.

GOLF:  The Canadian Open will be played at the Glen Abbey Golf  Club in Oakville, Ontario.  The tournament will be take place from July 18 to July 24, 2016.

INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY:  The World Cup of Hockey will take place at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario from September 17, 2016 to October 1, 2016.

CANADIAN FOOTBALL:  The 104th Grey Cup will be held on Sunday, November 27, 2016 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario.

FRANCE

TENNIS:  The French Open (also known as the Roland Garros) will take place at Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France from May 22, 2016 to June 5, 2016.

FOOTBALL (SOCCER):  France will play host to the UEFA 2016 European Championship (commonly known as Euro 2016), the men's football (soccer) championship of Europe.The tournament will take place from June 10, 2016 to July 10, 2016.

UNITED KINGDOM

TENNIS:  The prestigious Wimbledon tournament will run from Monday, June 27, 2016 until Sunday, July 10, 2016.  It will take place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbleton, London, England.

GOLF:  The 145th British Open Championship will be held at Royal Troon Golf Club in Ayrhire, Scotland from July 14, 2016 to July 17, 2016.

UNITED STATES

NFL FOOTBALL:  Super Bowl 50 (the 50th edition of the Super Bowl) will take place on Sunday, February 7, 2016 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.  Levi's Stadium is the home of the San Francisco 49's of the National Football League (NFL).

AUTO RACING:  The 100th Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May, 29, 2016 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

GOLF:  The 80th edition of the Masters Tournament will be held from April 7, 2016 to April 10, 2016 at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

HORSE RACING:  The 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby, known as "The Run for the Roses," will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2016 (the first Saturday in May) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.

GOLF:  The 116th United States Open Championship (U.S. Open) will be played from June 16, 2016 to June 19, 2016  at the Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.

BASEBALL:  The 87th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be hosted by the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, California.  The game between the stars of the American League and the National League will take place on Tuesday, July 12, 2016.

TENNIS:  The U.S. Open will be held from Monday, August 29, 2016 through Sunday, September 11, 2016. at the USTA Billie Jean King Center in New York, New York.

ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS IN 2016

The 73rd Golden Globe Awards ceremonies, presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, will be held on Sunday, January 10, 2016. at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. These awards recognize excellence in film and television, both American and foreign.

The 58th annual Grammy Awards, honouring the best of the music industry, will be held on Monday, February 15, 2016 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

The 88th Academy Awards ceremonies will take place on Sunday, February 28, 2016 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

The city of Calgary, Alberta will host the 45th Juno Awards, honouring the best in Canadian music. The ceremony will be broadcast from the Scotiabank Saddledome on Sunday, April 3, 2016.

The 70th  Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, better known as the Tony Awards, will be held at the Beacon Theatre  in New York City on Sunday, June 12, 2016.

WHO TURNS 50 IN 2016?

J.J. Abrams, American director, actor, producer, born June 27, 1966 in New York City, New York. United States

Justine Bateman, American writer, producer, actress, born February 19, 1966 in Rye, New York, United States

Halle Berry, American actress, born August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Helena Bonham Carter, English actress, born May 26, 1966 in Islington, London, England, United Kingdom

David Cameron, current British prime minister, born October 9, 1966 in London, England, United Kingdom

Cindy Crawford, American model, born February 20, 1966 in DeKalb, Illinois, United States

John Cusack, American actor, born June 28, 1966 in Evanston, Illinois, United States

Patrick Dempsey, American actor, born January 13, 1966 in Lewiston, Maine, United States

Salma, Hayek, Mexican-American actress, born September 2, 1966 in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico

Janet Jackson, American singer, born May 16, 1966 in Gary, Indiana, United States

Nancy McKeon, American actress, born April 4, 1966 in Westbury, New York, United States

Sinead O'Connor, Irish singer-songwriter, born December 8, 1966 in Dublin, Ireland.

Enrique Peña Nieto, current President of Mexico, born July 20, 1966 in Atlacomulco, Mexico

Gordon Ramsay, British chef, restaurateur and television personality, born November 8, 1966 in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom

Adam Sandler, American actor, comedian, musician, born September 9, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York, United States

Curt Schilling, retired American baseball pitcher, born November, 14, 1966, Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Mike Tyson, retired American boxer, born June 30, 1966 in Brooklyn, New York, United States

Jimmy Wales, American Internet entrepreneur and founder of Wikipedia, born August 7, 1966 in Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Robin Wright: American actress, born April 8, 1966 in Dallas, Texas, United States

 - Joanne

A Christmas message 2015

And the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which shall be to all the people: For today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; who is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign to you: You will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people of good will."

Luke 2:10-14

Today is Christmas Day and in these turbulent times, we are in desperate need of some good news. As we approach the end of 2015, it seems increasingly difficult to find peace on earth.  With constant news of terrorism, especially after the horrific attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, many people are on edge.  They are worried and confused about the future.  They feel insecure and frightened.  These are definitely challenging times.and peace on earth often resembles a distant and elusive dream.  In the early 21st century, humanity is suffering from many scourges, terrorism and climate change among the most serious of them.

Thankfully, Christmas provides us with an opportunity to look beyond all the bleakness in the world. The Star of Bethlehem radiates light in the midst of all this darkness, as do the candles on a Hanukkah menorah.  It offsets the savagery of ISIS and the ravages of climate change.

It's no coincidence that so many classic Christmas songs were composed during World War II when the greatest scourge was Nazism.  During those dark days, there was a longing for home and hearth during the Christmas season.  "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "White Christmas." for example, were both written during the war years.  The lyrics to those songs are sentimental for very good reason.  Who wouldn't be hungering to be with family and friends while in a faraway war zone, never knowing whether you would return home alive or in one piece.

Despite all the suffering, poverty, war and degradation in the world, Christmas offers good news and hope. The word "gospel" is the Old English word for "good news" or "glad tidings.  It is derived from the Greek word euangelion (eu- "good", -angelion "message").  Nothing is gained, however, by wearing rose-coloured glasses.  The problems of this world will not disappear easily or overnight.  It takes hard work and a unity of purpose.  At Christmas, though, anything seems possible.

On December 12, 2015, the world was blessed with a wonderful Yuletide gift.  The good news came from Paris, France, the same city that was targeted by terrorists almost a month earlier, on November 13th,  At a crucial United Nations climate change conference in Paris, nearly 200 countries adopted he first global pact to reduce greenhouse gases and to avoid the most severe effects of global warming.  The sheer scope of the landmark agreement is historic and unprecedented.  That alone is cause for rejoicing. To have so many nations in agreement to anything is utterly remarkable.   It's truly a Christmas miracle.

U.S. President Barack Obama praised the climate initiative, describing it as "the best chance we have to save the one planet that we've got." while United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon hailed the agreement as "a health insurance policy for the planet."  Although the Paris accord has been criticized for falling short on specifics, the agreement still stands as a  major triumph in a worldwide effort to protect our environment.  There is always room for improvement and much work still needs to be done, but the basic agreement is a tremendous achievement, a huge step in the right direction. Of course, it will never satisfy everyone, especially the Flat Earth Society of climate change deniers. Christmas, however, is not a time for unnecessary nay saying.  It is a time for joy.

Climate change agreement in Paris

Christmas full moon for first time since 1977

This year, for the first time since 1977, there will be a full moon at Christmas.  The last full moon of 2015 will be at its fullest at 6:11 a.m. Eastern Time on Christmas Day.  As a habitual moon gazer, I am looking forward to it.  After all, the next Christmas full moon is not expected until the year 2034.
Note:  There will be a full moon on December 26th (Boxing Day) in 2017.


A joyful holiday season to you and your family.  Merry Christmas from Number 16.



- Joanne

Should we have Daylight Saving Time all year long?

Everyone appreciates the long light evenings. Everyone laments their shrinkage as the days grow shorter, and nearly everyone has given utterance to a regret that the clear bright light of early mornings, during Spring and Summer months, is so seldom seen or used.

- William Willett
From The Waste of Daylight, pamphlet, Sloane Square, London, 1907


As I write this, it is late November.  The "Death Month" is upon us.  The trees are bare and the ground is awash in brown leaves. By moving the clocks back an hour, we have made a gloomy month even gloomier.  We have deprived ourselves of some precious evening light - and for what good reason?  It doesn't have to be this way.  Why not retain Daylight Saving Time all year on a permanent basis?

One of the delights of summer is that one can enjoy some brightness later in the day.  It's a joy to lounge out on a patio or a veranda in the evening.  That's one of the reasons I sit here wistfully yearning for DST all year long.  Permanent Daylight Saving Time makes sense.  Evidence has shown that it is conducive to human health and safety, as well as environmentally friendly.

Daylight Saving Time is not a new concept.  Ancient civilizations, such as the Romans, coordinated their daily schedules with the sun.  In 1784, American statesman, inventor and author Benjamin Franklin composed an essay called "An Economic Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light."  The essay, published in The Journal of Paris, suggested, albeit  tongue-in-cheek, that Parisian citizens could save money on candles by awakening earlier in the morning and making use of natural sunlight instead.  It should be remembered, however, that Franklin merely proposed a change in sleeping habits and not a time shift.

It wasn't until 1895 that a British-born New Zealand scientist named George Vernon Hudson (1867 -1946) actually proposed Daylight Saving Time.  Hudson was an entomologist who authored illustrated books on New Zealand insects.  His shift work at the Wellington Post Office allowed him the leisure to collect and study the insects.  Since he valued evening sunlight, he became frustrated when early summer twilight interfered with his pursuit of bugs.

In 1895, Hudson  presented a paper to the Wellington Philosophical Society in which he advocated moving clocks two hours ahead in the summer and then two hours back in the winter. His idea was ridiculed by many members of the society.  Eventually, however, T. K. Sidey, a parliamentarian, won support for "one hour summer time" which was tried in 1927.

George Hudson 

Another DST pioneer was William Willett (1856-1915), a British designer and builder of homes.  In 1905, Willett proposed the implementation of Daylight Saving Time.  He suggested that clocks should be set ahead 20 minutes on each Sunday in April and turned back by the same amount on each Sunday in September.

Willett, who was an avid golfer, desired more time on the links during evening hours.  He also wanted people to enjoy the morning sunlight.  It is said that Willett, who was also a keen horse rider, had a revelation while riding on the outskirts of London one morning in 1905.  The idea apparently came to him that the United Kingdom should move its clocks forward between April and October so that more Britons could bask in the abundant sunlight.  He was dismayed that so many Londoners were sleeping in rather than using the morning hours for leisure activities.  In 1907, at his own expense, he published a pamphlet entitled The Waste of Daylight in which he argued the case for summer daylight saving. Here is an except from his brochure.

The effect of this alteration would be to advance all the day's operations in summer two hours compared with the present system. In this way the early-morning daylight would be utilised, and a long period of daylight leisure would be made available in the evening for cricket, gardening, cycling, or any other outdoor pursuit desired.

Willett's plan attracted the attention of a Member of Parliament named Robert Pearce.  Pearce introduced a bill to the House of Commons in February of 1908 and the first Daylight Saving Bill was drafted in 1909.  The bill was put before the British Parliament several times and examined by a select committee, but it still did not pass.  It was opposed by many, particularly farmers.

Although William Willett failed in his attempt to persuade his fellow Britons to adopt DST, his efforts had real significance.  Pearce's 1909 DST bill never became British law, but it was the first attempt at a national level to adopt Daylight Savings Time.  Willett died in 1915 at the age of 58 without getting the opportunity to see his proposal come to fruition.  It wasn't until Britain's World War One enemy, Germany, adopted Daylight Saving Time, that Britain implemented "Summer Time."

William Willett 

Germany introduced Daylight Saving Time in order to save fuel by minimizing the use of artificial lighting. German clocks were turned forward on April 30, 1916.  Weeks later, Great Britain and many other countries did the same.  In 1918, DST was introduced in the United States largely due to the efforts of a man named Robert Garland. Garland, a Pittsburgh industrialist, had been so impressed by DST while in the United Kingdom that he became an ardent supporter of the idea.

On March 31,1918, Daylight Saving Time for came into effect in the United State to conserving vital energy resources and to allow workers more hours of functional daylight during the summer. Despite the war effort, DST was met with great public resistance.  In his book Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time, author Michael Downing wrote, "When the Congress poked its finger into the face of every clock in the country, millions of Americans winced."  "United by a determination to beat back the big hand of government," said Downing, opponents of Daylight Saving Time "raised holy hell, vowing to return the nation to real time, normal time, farm time, sun time - the time they liked to think of as "God's time.""

In spite of public disenchantment, President Woodrow Wilson signed DST into law to support the war effort.  Below is a 1918 poster in which United Cigar Stores welcomes the Daylight Saving bill passed by the United States Congress.

Here in Canada, five cities used DST before 1918: Brandon, Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Hamilton, Ontario, and Montreal, Quebec.  St. John's, Newfoundland used DST prior to 1918 as well, but Newfoundland did not join Canada until 1949.

After World War I, many countries reverted to Standard Time.  In the United States, Daylight Saving Time was only observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919.  It was quickly repealed by the U.S. Congress which, under pressure from agrarian interests, overrode President Wilson's veto.  Farmers fiercely opposed DST and were anxious to return to standard time as soon as possible.  In 1919, Daylight Saving Time became a local option.

World War II, however, sparked the return of Daylight Saving Time.  During the Second World War, year-round Daylight Saving Time was in effect in the U.S. from February 9, 1942 until September 30, 1945.  In Britain, "Double Summer Time" was applied during the war.  Clocks were turned two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) during the summer and one hour ahead during the winter.

From 1945 until 1966 there was no federal law with regard to Daylight Saving Time in the United States. After the war, the decision on whether to use DST was left to the discretion of individual states.  This created a great deal of confusion because millions of Americans were observing DST based on their own laws and customs. The broadcasting industry, as well as the transportation industry were adversely affected.  Something had to be done.

In 1966, the United States Congress approved Uniform Daylight Time Act to end the confusion.  It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on April 12th of that year. The new legislation stipulated that DST was to begin on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October. throughout the United States and its possessions.  Any state that wished to opt out could do so by passing a state law.

The energy crisis of the 1970s brought further changes.  In the wake of the 1973 oil embargo, the United States Congress extended Daylight Saving Time to a length of 10 months in 1974 and eight months in 1975.  In 2007, the Energy Policy Act of 2005  came into effect and DST was extended one month by the United States.  As a result, Daylight Saving Time currently begins on the second Sunday in March and lasts until the final Sunday of October in most of the U.S (Hawaii and Arizona exclued).  Canada has followed suit due to its economic social ties to its southern neighbour (one notable exception being he province of Saskatchewan which observes Central Standard Time all year).  The European Union currently follows the "Summer Time" period that was used in Britain for many years and DST begins on the last Sunday in March and finishes on the last Sunday in October.

Daylight Saving Time is now used in over 70 countries around the world, with beginning and end dates varying in each country.  Would it be such a stretch to implement all-year DST in those countries?  Does it have to take a major war effort or an energy crises to do so?

Here's why all-year Daylight Saving Time makes so much sense:

* All-year DST would allow us to do away with the dangerous practice of changing clocks.

Changing clocks is disruptive.  It interferes with sleep patterns and its ill effects can range from insomnia to moodiness.  It is extremely difficult for those suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in which people suffer depression during specific times of the year. There has been a great deal of statistical evidence suggesting that time change is detrimental to human health and safety. Here are some examples:

Putting the clocks ahead and losing an hour's sleep has been shown to contribute to a greater number of car crashes and traffic deaths.  A study by Austin C. Smith at the University of Colorado at Boulder ("Spring Forward at Your Own Risk: Daylight Saving Time and Vehicle Crashes") examined detailed records in fatal traffic accidents in the United States, the change from DST to standard time and the effects of extending DST in 2007.  It found that during the first six days of Daylight Saving Time there were 302 deaths at a cost of $2.75 billion over a ten-year period. According to The Fatal Accident Reporting System, there was a 17 per cent spike in traffic fatalities on the Monday after the time shift.

Between 1968 and 1971, the United Kingdom experimented with all-year Daylight Saving Time. The practice was abandoned, apparently due to its unpopularity, particularly in the northern regions where farmers raise cattle and sheep.  Nevertheless, during that time, according to an October 25, 2015 article by Lauren Davidson in the Daily Telegraph, winter daylight made the roads safer. There was an 11 per cent reduction in traffic fatalities in England and Wales during the hours affected by the time change, as well as a 17 per cent reduction in Scotland.

Those who work at physically demanding jobs, such as miners, are more at risk when clocks are changed.  According to a March 10, 2014 article in The Atlantic magazine by Rebecca J. Rosen, "the Monday following the switch to Daylight Saving Time ranks among the days when Americans are the most under-rested: On average, Americans sleep 40 minutes less the Sunday night following "springing forward.""  That affects workplace safety.  Rosen cites a 2009 study in the Journal of Applied Psychology in which 576,292 mining injuries from 1983 to 2006 were examined.  Here is what the results of the study by Christopher M. Barnes and David T. Wagner of Michigan State University revealed:  On the Monday after the switch to DST, the number of on-the-job injuries increased by 5.7 per cent over an average Monday.  In addition, Barnes and Wagner found that the injuries were more severe.  The number of work days missed due to a post-DST Monday increased by 67.6 per cent compared to injuries sustained on other Mondays.

There is also evidence that changing the time on our clocks results in a higher percentage of heart attacks.  According to research released by the American College of Cardiology in in March of 2014 (based on information from Michigan hospitals between between 2010 and 2013, the number of patients admitted for heart attacks increased by 10 per cent on the Monday following the changing of clocks to DST.

In 2008, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a 20-year Swedish study that indicated a higher rate of heart attack (a seven per cent increase) in the first three workdays after clocks were moved ahead in the spring.  Researchers attributed this to the loss of one hour of sleep. They also noted a similar decrease in the number of heart attacks when clocks were turned back in the fall.

*  All-year DST would reduce energy use.

Daylight Saving Time reduces the use of artificial lighting in he evening.  People are much more likely to shop or dine at a restaurant


* All-yer DST would reduce crime.

When Daylight Saving Time ends in the autumn, criminals take advantage of the extra hour of evening darkness to commit robberies.  According to a study published on October 20, 2015 in The Review of Economics and Statistics, robberies increase by 7 per cent over the whole day, with a 27 per cent increase n the hours during and immediately after sunset.  There was, however, no evidence of a corresponding increase in morning thefts.


* All-year DST would help retail businesses.

It's no secret that most retail businesses favour daylight saving time.  People are more inclined to shop or dine at a restaurants when there is light in the early evening.

* Under year-round DST, farmers wouldn’t have to subject cows to an arbitrary change in milking schedule, although they would have to awaken really early to collect their milk and eggs.

Farmers and rural residents are more likely to oppose year-round DST.  Their voices should be heard and, as much as possible, reasonable accommodations should be made to meet their needs. Although the world is becoming increasingly urbanized, that doesn't mean that inconveniences to farmers should be ignored or that their grievances should be given little consideration.

There is also a valid concern about students leaving for school in the dark (assuming school hours would remain the same under all-year Daylight Saving Time).  However, greater safety measures and other solutions could be found to alleviate this problem.  Remember too, that when there is an hour less daylight in the evening, many workers must return home from their places of employment in the dark.

There is no perfect solution to the problem of Daylight Saving Time.  I am well aware that many people would be dissatisfied and inconvenienced if DST were implemented all year long.  I admit to my own biases.  Although I am a night hawk, I realize that many enjoy the sun in the morning.  There is absolutely no way of pleasing everyone, though, and the benefits of all-year Daylight Saving Time outweigh the disadvantages.

One thing is certain. Moving clocks forward or backward is a hazardous practice and should be abolished.  Enough evidence has been compiled to show that it is not in the best interests of the populace. The real choice is between all-year Standard Time and all-year DST.  Some of DST's most ardent detractors are more upset about having to adjust  to the one hour time change rather than DST itself.  After carefully weighing all the pros and cons, it is reasonable to conclude that all-year Daylight Saving Time is more beneficial than all-year standard time and far better than the present system of changing our clocks twice yearly. Permanent Daylight Saving Time is not a perfect solution, but it's the best solution.


- Joanne

Twiggy: Then and Now

The story of Twiggy is the story of a girl who became a top model very quickly.  It’s also the story of the London pop scene - a scene set, in the beginning, by the Beatles . . .

- Vogue Magazine 

At sixteen, I was a funny, skinny little thing, all eyelashes and legs.  And then, suddenly people told me it was gorgeous.  I thought they had gone mad.

- Twiggy

Twiggy is called Twiggy because she looks as though a strong gale would snap her in two and dash her to the ground.

- Vogue Magazine, 1967

In 1965, U.S. country singer Roger Miller scored a hit with the song "England Swings (Like a pendulum do)"  Those sentiments fit the mood of the times because England was definitely swinging in the mid-1960s.  This, of course, was the height of the "British Invasion" with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Who and other British bands taking the music world by storm.

Britain didn't only dominate the music scene, though.  It was also a fashion leader, and stylish Carnaby Street in London's Soho district set the trends.  With its funky shops and courtyard restaurants, Carnaby Street was a hot spot for the ultra chic and increasingly influential younger generation.

No one personified the youthful image of the mid-1960s more than a rail-thin, doe-eyed teenager with the unlikely nickname of Twiggy.  She was a perfect fit for the age of flower power, mini-skirts and go-go girls.  With her short, blond hair and her triple-lashed eyes, Twiggy was the "it girl' of her generation.  The "Twiggy look" was all the rage in the psychedelic 1960s.

This waif-like teen from working class London was right for the times and the times were right for her.  As Encyclopaedia Britammoca put it, "Twiggy’s adolescent physique was ideal for the rising hemlines and unisex patterns that were then in vogue, and her overall look distinguished her from the curvaceous, glamorous top models of the era."   "Her face" wrote journalist Polly Devlin in Vogue magazine, "might have been conceived by a computer to match the requirements of a face of the sixties,”

Teens on Carnaby Street circa 1966

Twiggy was born Lesley Hornby on September 19, 1949 in a area of northwest London known as Neasdon.  She was the third and youngest daughter of William Norman Hornby, a carpenter from Lancashire, and his wife, Nellie Lydia (née Reeman), a factory worker for a printing firm who worked a Woolworth's counter to earn some extra income.  Twiggy's parents were married in Willesden, North London in 1933.  Her sister Shirley was born in 1934 and Vivien in 1942.

As a 15-year-old student at the Kilburn High School for Girls, young Lesley had a Saturday job at Mr. Vincent's, a local hair salon. While working as an assistant at the salon in 1965, she met hairdresser Nigel Davies (later known as Justin de Villeneuve).  Justin, ten years her senior, became her boyfriend, advisor and eventual manager.  It was he who referred to Lesley as "Twigs," because of her slight frame. When she decided to quit school to pursue a career in modelling, he helped her find her way.

In January of 1966, Twiggy made an appointment to have her hair cut and coloured at House of Leonard, a posh salon located in Mayfair, an area of West London (Leonard Lewis, born 1938, is one of the most prominent hairstylists in Britain).  "I had long hair at the time," she told Vogue magazine, "and those drawn-on lashes I became famous for which I wore on non-school days. I mean, I was a mod back then.  Leonard saw me and he said: 'I'd like to do a new haircut on you, would you be up for that?'"

Twiggy was given a whole new look as her hair was cropped into a short, boyish style. Renowned photographer Barry Lategan was then called upon to to take some shots of Leonard's creation. At the Focus on Imaging Ad Shoot in 2010, here's how Lategan described his first encounters with Twiggy:

In 1966, in London, I was based in a studio in Chelsea, Flood Street.  I received a call from a hairdresser, whom I worked with, who said a friend of his had found a girl in a hairdressing salon, whose a shampoo girl and would like to be a model.  This young lady came to my studio accompanied by Justin de Villeneuve.  And as we sat, he talked me into an interest in her. She was walking around the studio looking at all my work and he turned to her and said, "Stop biting your nails, Twigs."  I said, What did you call her?" He said "'Twiggy', because she's so skinny.    The next day she came to my studio with her hair short in a boyish cut.  Her eyelashes were painted on her face.  And she sat in front of my camera and I was absolutely dazzled.  She looked straight into me. It's hard to describe what photogenic is.  She was.

Lategan's portraits of Twiggy with her bobbed hairdo was displayed in the salon.  They immediately caught the eye of a fashion journalist for the Daily Express newspaper who interviewed the aspiring model and featured her in an article that named her "The Face of 1966." With de Villeneuve as her manager, Twiggy soon accepted bookings as a model in London.  At 5 feet, 6 inches or 1.68 metres (short for a model) and weighing just 91 pounds (41.3 kilograms), she exploded on the fashion scene. Her popularity grew enormously and within months, she found herself in Paris where she was featured on covers and in layouts of fashion magazines such as Elle, Vogue and Paris Match.

Twiggy and Justin de Villeneuve

1967 was a banner year for Twiggy.  She jetted around the world and her image was everywhere, from lunch boxes and sweaters to false eyelashes, tote bags and tights.  She became one of the first international supermodels and her face graced he cover of the U.S. edition of Vogue (April  '67). She also embarked on a singing career that year, releasing her first single, "Beautiful Dreams."  She was so popular that Mattel even issued a plastic Twiggy doll.and Milton Bradley designed a game board based on her.

The 17-year-old British sensation visited the United States for the first time in March of 1967.  When she arrived at Kennedy Airport in New York, she was greeted by a throng of  enthusiastic fans, mostly teenagers.  Twiggy spent seven weeks touring America and posing before cameras. According to Historical Dictionary of the 1960s, upon her arrival in New York, she "charged $120 an hour to be photographed, but the rate soon doubled to $240."

Twiggy arriving in New York in 1967

Despite her popularity, Twiggy was not immune from criticism.  Her detractors accused her of promoting an unhealthy body image. "It was debated when I hit the headlines and I always came out and said that I was very healthy, which I was, and always ate, which I do. I love my food. I just come from a lineage. My dad was very slim, so it's kind of in the genes really," she was quoted as saying in a March 29, 2010 Associated Press article by Leanne Italie.

In 1970, after an exhilarating four year ride to fame, Twiggy formerly retired from modelling, "You can't be a clothes hanger for your entire life," she quipped at the time.  Barely into her twenties, she decided to pursue a career in acting.  It was a risk but it paid off handsomely.  Film director Ken Russell cast her in the the role of Polly Browne, the leading lady of a travelling theatrical troupe, in his film adaptation of Sandy Wilson's 1950s musical The Boy Friend.  

The Boy Friend was released in 1971.  For her performance as Polly, Twiggy received two Golden Globe awards, one for best newcomer and the other for best actress in a musical.  She also earned enormous respect.  In 2007, Russell told the Biography Channel that "Twiggy will be an icon until her dying day and beyond,"

Twiggy as Polly in a scene from The Boy Friend

According to a July 30, 2006 article in The Telegraph by Roya Nikkhah, soon after her successful film debut in The Boy Friend, Twiggy broke up with Justin de Villeneuve and moved to the United States.  He remained her manager until 1973 when she severed all ties with him.  In recent years, she has given less weight to his part in her rise to stardom.  According to the Roya Nikkham article, Twiggy has denied that Justin was her Svengali, declaring "he didn't form or mould me." "So, obviously I don't credit him with making me… what happened to me, happened because of the press and circumstance."

De Villeneuve took issue with those remarks.  "We were a double act, and the fact that she now denies this is farcical," he said.  "She has been very hostile and unpleasant about me, but the things she has said are completely untrue."

Through the years, Twiggy has found success performing in film, television and on stage.  She starred in her own variety show for the BBC and portrayed Eliza Doolittle in Yorkshire TV's 1981 production of Pygmalian.  From 1983 to 1984, she appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning Gershwin musical My One and Only and was nominated for a Tony award for her performance.

Twiggy has performed in film and television in both the United States and the U.K.  She had roles in films such as The Blues Brothers (1980), The Doctor and the Devils (1985), Club Paradise, (1986), a TV movie entitled Little Match Girl (1986) and in a three-part TV series called Young Charlie Chaplin (1989)

In 1998, Twiggy hosted a talk show, Twiggy's People, on the ITV network in Britain.  She interviewed celebrities such as Dustin Hoffman, Tom Jones and Lauren Bacall.  In 2001, she hosted another show for ITV called Take Time With Twiggy.  From 2005 to 2007, she served as a judge on the American reality show America's Top Model alongside Tyra Banks, the creator of the series.

In 2005, Twiggy returned to modelling as part of the Marks & Spencer advertising blitz.  She appeared in a major press and billboard campaign for the U.S. department store chain.  In January of 2015, at the age of 65, Twiggy was named an ambassador for L'Oreal, the French cosmetics giant.

Twiggy's Marks & Spencer ad

Twiggy has been married twice.  Her first husband was American actor Michael Witney.  They starred together in a 1974 thriller called W and wed in 1977. Their daughter Carly was born in December of 1978,  Sadly, Witney suffered from alcoholism and died suddenly of a heart attack in New York City on November 30, 1983.  He was 52 years old at the time of his passing.

Twiggy and Michael Witney

Twiggy's second husband is British actor/director Leigh Lawson, the former partner of Hayley Millss (Lawson and Mills have a son named Jason Lawson).  In 1988, Twiggy and Lawson starred with Shirley MacLaine in the film Madame Sousatzka, a British drama directed by John Schlesinger.  That same year, they wed in Sag Harbor, Long Island, New York.  Lawson adopted Carly, who took on her stepfather's last name.

Twiggy and Leigh Lawson

Twiggy recently celebrated her 66th birthday and appears to be quite content with herself.  Earlier this year, in an interview with the  Daily Mirror,  she said, "When I was growing up, I never got dates at the dances, because I was this funny, skinny little kid. Then in my 20s I was always worried about not doing the right thing. I had a daughter when I was 29 and I started growing up then, but it was only in my late 30s and 40s when I finally became comfortable with myself."

So how did all that fame at such a young age affect Twiggy?  In a 2009 interview with Jess Cartner-Morley for The Guardian. she stated, "The thing is, when you're 16, you don't feel young. At the time you think you're quite grown up. It wasn't until much later, when I had a daughter and she got to be 16, that I looked at her and thought, 'Oh my God, I was that young when it happened.' It's amazing, really, that I didn't go stark raving bonkers."

In the 2010 Associated Pres article, Twiggy credited her father with keeping her on an even keel. She said, "My dad was always a very strong presence in my life. He instilled a kind of being down to earth, being sensible, especially when this whole thing happened to me," she told Leanne Italie.


END NOTES

*  Twiggy is an animal rights activist and anti-fur campaigner.

*  Twiggy has written two autobiographies.  The first one, entitled simply Twiggy was published in 1975.  The second, entitled Twiggy in Black and White. was published in 1998,  She is also the author of a 2008 book on healthy living called A Guide to Looking and Feeling Fabulous over Forty.

*  In 2005, Twiggy and Leigh Lawson both appeared in an episode of the American TV comedy series The Nanny entitled "Stop the Wedding, I Want to Get Off"  (Season 1, Episode 16, Air Date: March 16, 1994).  Twiggy played Jocelyn Sheffield, the sister of Maxwell Sheffield (played by British-born Charles Shaughnessy).

*  On November 21, 2011, Twiggy released an album entitled "Romantically Yours."

* Twiggy and Leigh Lawson reside in London.  She is now formerly known as Lesley Lawson or Twiggy Lawson.

*  Twiggy's daughter, Carly Lawson, studied animation at Edinburgh University and is is currently a print designer for English fashion designer Stella McCartney, the daughter of former Beatle, Paul. Twiggy and Carly recorded a mellower version of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" for the "Romantically Yours" album.

Twiggy and daughter Carly

*  Justin de Villeneuve lives in the Chelsea area of  London.  He has been married twice.  His first wife was model Jan de Villeneuve.  They had daughters.  Their daughter Poppy is a photography and their daughter Daisy is an illustrator.  In 2007, de Vileneuve wed Sue Timney, a British interior and textile designer, at Chelsea Town Hall.

* Twiggy has her own clothing line called Twiggy London.  It is available on the Home Shopping Network (HSN).

- Joanne

Bloomberg Poll: 41% of Americans want to build wall along Canadian border

News Item (September 25, 2005): Four in ten Americans now agree erecting a wall along the 8,850 kilometres (5,499.13 miles) between the otherwise friendly nations is a good idea, according to the latest Bloomberg Politics Poll.

Yes, you read that right.  According to that Bloomberg poll, 41 per cent of respondents agreed with the statement that, "There should be a brick-and-mortar wall between the U.S. and Mexico."
Forty-one per cent also agreed with the statement, "If a wall is good for the Mexico border, it is good for the Canada border as well."

It's unbelievable, isn't it.  It would be amusing, if it weren't so sad.  Okay, okay, it's just one poll and I believe most Americans have much more sense than that.  Still, it's a worrisome reflection on the state of America today, especially the right wing of the Republican Party and its supporters.

Americans of that mindset, not only want to build a wall around their southern neighbour, Mexico, but also around those dangerous Canadians to the north.  You know, those same Canadian who saved the lives of six American hostages in Iran back in 1979.  Those same Canadians who opened up their homes and hearts to American travellers who were stranded during the 9/11 crisis.

How any reasonable American could conceive of Canada as a threat is beyond me!  Indeed, reasonable people tend to build bridges, not walls. That's why it is disturbing that Americans of this mindset are becoming more pervasive and bold.  Just like the so-called "birthers" who are convinced that U.S. President Barack Obama was born in Kenya or Indonesia, they falsely believe that the 9/11 terrorists entered the United States via the Canadian border.

The truth is that Obama was born in Hawaii and all 19 of  the 9/11 hijackers had visas for entry into the United States.  According to FactCheck.Org., "only one came to the U.S. on a student visa,"  The others arrived in America "on tourist or business visas."

Although both of the aforementioned theories are myths and have been thoroughly debunked, they still have credence among some ill-informed and ideologically deluded Americans. In October 2004, even Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, then a New York senator, was quoted as saying the terrorists had crossed into New York from Canada. Her office disputed the quotes, but they provoked outrage and there were demands in Canada for an apology.

The idea of building walls along borders has not only been endorsed by some stereotypical red-neck truck drivers, but by two "serious" candidates for the office of  U.S. president. In a discussion with NBC host Chuck Todd, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who recently exited from the Republican race for president (Thank goodness!), seemed to agree that the idea of erecting a wall along the Canadian border should be considered.  Donald Trump, another Republican candidate, told a rally in Dallas, Texas, that "walls work."  For Trump, who is a staunchly anti-Mexican, that was par for the course.

How can someone like "The Donald" even be considered suitable for the office of President of the United States?  What public office has he ever held?  He has never been a governor, a senator, a mayor or anything else of that nature?  He has absolutely no diplomatic skills,.  He says almost anything that comes to his mind and has made numerous offensive and ill-considered remarks, especially regarding women and Mexican immigrants.  His tactlessness hasn't prevented him from making billions of dollars or being entertaining.  He's certainly adept at those two things and that's why the media are enjoying his candidacy.  Yet it is essential for an American president to have sound diplomatic abilities.  In 2016, the United States will be electing a new leader, not a reality show host or a stand-up comedian.

Then there's the conservative media.  Sean Haanity, a conservative Fox News host, was asked, "You're going to do it at the border with Mexico, but how about the 5,000 miles between the U.S. and Canada.  Hannity replied, "I would do it up there, too  I would do it up there, too."  Nice, Hannity, nice!

On May 17th, 1961, then-President John F. Kennedy addressed the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa.  In his remarks, he described the relationship between Canada and the United States.  He said,
"Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies. Those whom nature hath so joined together, let no man put asunder."  He added, "What unites us is far greater than what divides us. The issues and irritants that inevitably affect all neighbours are small deed in comparison with the issues that we face together -above all the sombre threat now posed to the whole neighbourhood of this continent - in fact, to the whole community of nations. But our alliance is born, not of fear, but of hope. It is an alliance that advances what we are for, as well as opposes what we are against,"

Kenndey's address to the Parliament of Canada took place 54 years ago, at the height of the Cold War. Times, of course have changed.  Today the world is threatened by the scourge of terrorism, but Kennedy's sentiments still ring true.  The United States and Canada must face our problems by working together and with other countries.

In August of 1961, about three months after President Kennedy's visit to Canada, the Berlin Wall was constructed, cutting off West Berlin from surrounding West Germany.  It was regarded as a symbol of oppression by the free and democratic world.   On June 26, 1963, about 22 months after the wall was erected, JFK delivered a famous speech in West Berlin in which he declared, "... All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin, and therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner! (I am a Berliner)."

There was great celebration when the Berlin Wall came tumbling down in 1989.  Although that wall was built primarily to keep people from leaving East Germany, it  seems to me that freedom-loving people should be wary of all those who advocate the building of border walls, regardless of whether their intention is to prevent people from entering or from leaving.


- Joanne