Will Bell, Rogers and Telus put public safety before profits?

As Torontonians know all too well, there have random attacks and murders on our public transit system, the TTC.  This surge in public transportation violence should not be tolerated in a civilized society.  It is outrageous that TTC riders should have to fear for their lives.  There have been four homicides in the past year, including the recent stabbing death of a 16-year-old.  This is reprehensible  It should be a major issue in Toronto's upcoming mayoralty election on June 26th.  Our city deserves better.  We must protect human life in our subway stations and aboard TTC buses and trains.

For a start, why isn't there cell phone service on subway trains?  This is where the three big telecommunications companies - Rogers, Bell and Tellus, come into play.  They have an opportunity to make the citizens of Toronto feel more safe and secure while riding public transit.  Will at least one of them strike a deal with BAI Communications Inc., the company that in 2012 was granted exclusive rights the city to set up wireless service in a 20-year, $25 million deal.  To its credit, only Freedom Mobile has signed on.  The Big Three have not.  

This is a cry from the heart.  The ball is in your court, Bell, Rogers and Telus.  Do you care at all about the safety of the people of Toronto, or will you continue to put profit first?  We will soon see if you will do the right thing.  You have no excuse for letting down the citizens of this great city.  You have no excuse for not doing your part to ensure public safety.  Are you listening Rogers, Bell and Telus?  You can save lives.  If you fail to come through, shame on you!

This is issue is not going to go away anytime soon and I will continue to write about it.  No dithering is acceptable.  Action must be taken as soon as possible.  Enough is enough!  

- Joanne

Easter Reflections 2023

 

“Christ is risen: The world below lies desolate. Christ is risen: The spirits of evil are fallen. Christ is risen: The angels of God are rejoicing. Christ is risen: The tombs of the dead are empty. Christ is risen indeed from the dead, the first of the sleepers! Glory and Power are His for ever and ever! Amen.”

- Saint Hippolytus of Rome   

"And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance , proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." - 

- Romans 5:3-5

Christians celebrate Easter Sunday 2023 (April 9), the Jewish people celebrate Passover (April 5-13), while Muslims honour the holy month of Ramadan (March 22-April 20).  All three of the world's great monotheistic religions are expressing their faith in special ways at the same time this year.  They share great commonality.  

What people of all faiths (and no faith) need right now is a heavy dose of hope for the future.  Without hope, all is lost.  After over three years, the pandemic is easing.  COVID-19 may always be with us, and it will always be a threat to the elderly and the vulnerable.  However, it appears that the worst of the pandemic is finally over.  That in itself is cause for hope and celebration.  

We have all been through an international nightmare.  The effects of the pandemic on mental health, especially among young people have been devastating.  That is why I urge messages of hope  to our young people.  They are the future and they must be encouraged that they can make a difference with their lives.  It is important for them to know that their lives have meaning. It is important fo

UPDATE ON THE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL IN PARIS

On April 15th, 2019, just before Easter, there was a disastrous fire at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris).  While the ancient structure was undergoing renovations, its roof caught fire and burned for hours.  The cathedral sustained serious damage.

By November 2020, the job of stabilizing the building from future collapse was completed.

The government of France had hoped that the reconstruction of the cathedral would be finished by the spring of 2024, in time for the 2024 Paris Sumer Olympics. On April 14, 2021, President Emmanuel Macron announced that the cathedral would be officially returned to the church on April 15, 2024, and that the first Mass since the fire would be celebrated in the cathedral that day, even if the reconstruction is not completed.  However, it is expected that the cathedral will remain closed until December.

By Christmas of 2024, I hope to report that the cathedral is opened and fully functional.

- Joanne

Trump and the scales of justice

Donald Trump is not invincible.  He does not have super powers.  The long arm of the law has finally caught up with him.  The indictment of the ex-president is a victory for democracy and the rule of law.  No man or woman, no king, queen, president or prime minister is above the law.  Only dictators and authoritarians place themselves above the law.  In a true democracy, the law applies to everyone.  Everyone is entitled to a fair trial and a day in court, and Donald Trump will certainly have his day in court.  

Trump is no longer president.  He is a former president, a citizen of the United States.  If Trump were still the sitting president, he would still be subject to the law.  If as the U.S. Declaration of Independence states, "all men are created equal," then even a sitting president should be charged with a criminal offense.  

There are Republicans and right-wing zealots who argue that the charges against Trump have been politically motivated.  The evidence shows that this is not true.  The judicial authorities have gone out of their way to be fair to Donald Trump.  They have given him more leeway than any Ordinary Joe would have gotten.  It's time for the former American president to accept responsibility for his actions.  It's time for him to be held accountable.  

Trump will continue to scream and shout that he is the victim of a witch hunt.  He may attempt to incite violence.  What matters most, however, is that democracy is served.  Trump will complain about how unfairly he has been treated.  Poor baby!  The important thing is that he is held accountable.  That's what's needed for democracy to survive in America.

On a personal note, I have argued that the day of reckoning was coming for Trump.  Some friends and acquaintances though it would never happen, that he would continue to evade justice.  I strongly. disagreed,  Trump's indictment was certainly a long time coming.  Thank goodness the day has arrived.

- Joanne

The name Karen has been unfairly tainted

Karen originated as a Danish name.  It is the Danish short form of Katherine, deriving from the Greek word Aikaterine, which is believed to mean "pure."  It became popular in the English-speaking world after the 1930s.  In more recent years, Karen has become a pejorative term for a woman whose behaviour is rude and demanding, especially a privileged white woman.  This meme has become increasingly prevalent in everyday conversation.  It is frequently used in the media,

What is the origin of the use of "Karen" as a pejorative?  Some point the finger at American stand-up comedian Dane Cook because of his 2007 comedy sketch "The Friend Nobody Likes," in which he named that friend "Karen."  Others suggest that it may have originated from the 2004 teenage comedy Mean Girls,.  A character in the film, played by Amanda Seyfried is reprimanded for asking her friend Cady, played by Lindssay Lohan, how can she "be from Africa if she's white?"

My name is not Karen, nor is Karen the name of anyone in my immediate family.  However, I do feel that every woman with that name has been tarnished with the same brush.  The stigma of entitlement has been attached to all women named Karen.  If it were my moniker, I would feel a great injustice for three main reasons.  Firstly, there is no concrete evidence that women named Karen are more racist and privileged than other women?  Secondly, women of all ethnic and racial backgrounds have been named Karen.  There are, of course, Black women named Karen.  How do they feel about being lumped with privileged white women?

Thirdly, I must also point out that there is a sexist aspect to the meme "Karen."  Why is it that women named Karen are tagged with being privileged and demanding?  Do you know any men named Karen?  Are there not men of entitlement?  What is the point of singling out a particular female name such as Karen?  A "Karen" is supposedly the kind of woman who demands to speak to the manager.  Really?  Don't any men demand to speak to the manager?  

Let me be clear.  I am not defending anyone of any race or gender who behaves in a privileged manner.  I just don't think that the name Karen should be labelled in such a way.  It is mean-spirited  and patently unfair.  

A great deal of money is being made off of the "Karen" meme.  There are stickers and poster for sale about the so-called "Karens."  There is even a book by Brad Gosse entitled Meet The Karens: They're Angry and They Demand Attention.

Some may accuse me of being too sensitive, but  stereotypes attached to specific names hurt.  That's why I encourage all women named Karen to be proud of your name.  Don't let an insidious meme get to you.  By the way, I urge any readers named Karen to let me know how you feel about how your name is being used as a meme for a privileged white women.  

- Joanne

My heartfelt warning to America

"There is no federal law prohibiting CURRENT presidents from criminal prosecution. Yet House Republicans want to pass a law prohibiting FORMER presidents — regular citizens — from criminal prosecution. I assume they will call it what it is: the Protect Donald Trump Act."

- Daniel Goldman, U.S. House of Representatives, 10th Congressional District, New York, Democrat

This is a cry from the heart from a deeply concerned Canadian. I am profoundly disturbed by the political landscape in the country next door to mine.  If, God help us all, Donald Trump should become president of the United States again, we will witness the end of democracy in the "land of the free and the home of the brave."  Democracy can be fragile and it must be nurtured.  Sadly, Trump and his spineless Republican colleagues are chipping away at the pillars of democracy every day.  The rise of the far right in the United States has spilled into Canada.  A case in point is the so called "Freedom Convoy" protest in Ottawa that brought that city to a standstill.

What is wrong with America?  What has happened to civility?  Why have mass shootings became a common occurrence in the United States?  How can people claim to be free when they don't feel safe anywhere?  What has happened to American democracy?  Why hasn't a man like  Donald Trump been banned from public office?  Trump behaves like a mob boss.  He is vengeful, mean-spirited and cruel.  His behaviour is erratic and I believe that he is fundamentally unstable and sociopathic.  He incites violence and his most loyal supporters are racist and ant-Semitic.

How can Donald Trump claim that he does not support violence when his actions prove otherwise?  With a possible indictment pending, the Republican former president has ramped up his rhetoric, warning that "potential death & destruction" would accompany any indictment.  He also posted a photograph of himself holding a baseball bat beside a photo of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.  Trump referred to Bragg, Manhattan's first Back D.A., as an "animal."  This was too much even for the New York Post, a conservative tabloid owned by Rupert Murdoch.  The Post published an editorial denouncing Trump.

Trump won the election of 2016, due to the unfair and outdated Electoral College system in the United States.  The Republican Party will not allow the system to be changed.  Its only path to power is via Electoral College and by gerrymandering electoral maps.  Instead of becoming more inclusive,  the party of Abraham Lincoln, has become a party led primarily by white males.  It has not adjusted to the rapidly changing demographics of America.  Instead of making itself more attractive and relevant to Blacks, Latinos, Asians, immigrants and women, it has embraced a far right agenda.  It endavours to suppress votes, rather than encourage participation in the democratic process.

The Republican Party is no longer the Grand Old Party.  It is the  party of right wing extremists, gun lovers, hate mongers and Q-Anon conspiracy believers.  The face of the party now belongs to the likes of Trump supporters Josh Hawley, Margorie Taylor Greene, Jim Jordan, Lauren Boebart and Paul Gosar.  If Ike Eisenhower were alive today, he wouldn't recognize his own party.  He'd be appalled.  These are not traditional conservatives.  They are far right MAGA Republicans.  By the way, "Make America Great Again" is a Trumps dog whistle for "Make America White Again".  Exactly when did America lose its greatness?

In 2016, Hillary Clinton officially won the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million.  Yet, the will of almost 2.9 million Americans was cast aside due to the Electoral College.  Still, Hillary Clinton conceded defeat and did not claim the presidency.  She did not yell and scream, "Stop the Steal." 

Trump is clearly an authoritarian.  He admires Vladimir Putin of Russia, Jim Jong-un of North Korea and Xi Jinping of China.  They are his heroes and they are all brutal dictators.  He aspires to be like them.  He would love to stand before a military parade as a great authoritarian.  The only thing standing in his way, should he become president again, is the United States Constitution.  Authoritarians and dictators can certainly find ways to get around constitutional law.

Donald Trump is the first American president who declined to peacefully hand over the reigns of power after losing an election to Joe Biden.  The peaceful transfer of power after an election is a cornerstone of democracy.  On January 6, 2021, Trump followers stormed Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.  I saw the images with my own ideas.  The picture that Tucker Carlson paints of the angry mob to his Fox News viewers is patently false and deceptive.  I saw what happened with my own eyes, as did countless others.  I am sane and clear-thinking.  That mob was out for blood and they would have killed former Vice President Mike Pence if they had been able to get their hands on him.  Donald Trump could have stopped the insurrection, but he chose not to.  In fact, he hoped it would succeed in preventing the certification of Joe Biden as president.

How can people of faith, particularly Evangelicals and Catholics, support a man whose behaviour is so un-Christian?  His gods are money and power.  He has lied and cheated his whole life.  "What's new about that?" you may say ask "Don't most politicians lie and cheat?"  Yes, many do.  However, Trump has taken lying and cheating to a new level. He makes Richard Nixon seem like a boy scout.  His transgressions are far more serious than Nixon's.  Yet, Nixon was forced to resign.  Meanwhile, Trump is running for president again.

Check out these facts.:

* Just before the 2016 election, Trump bragged about groping women. He dismissed it as "locker room talk."  

* Trump has branded Putin and Xi as "very smart people/"

* During the first 2020 presidential debate, Trump did not condemn white supremacy when asked.to do so.  He told the Proud Boys, a far-right hate group, to "stand back and stand by."  Of course, the Proud Boys considered those words an endorsement of them.

* Trump is the first American president to be indicted twice.  He is facing four criminal investigations: 

The Stormy Daniels hush money investigations (Manhattan District Attorney's Office).

The Georgia 2020 election interference investigation (Fulton County District Attorney's Office)

A pair of investigations into Trump's actions around January 6th and his mishandling of classified documents (the U.S. Department of Justices).

Ah, but poor Donald!  He never does anything wrong.  He never makes a mistake and he never loses.  He is always the victim.  His enemies (not opponents) are out to get him.  He can't get a break from all those "witch hunts."

Fox News is responsible for feeding its viewers a steady diet of lies and false narratives.  The network tells its watchers exactly what they want to hear.  Regardless of Donald Trump's actions, his deluded and brainwashed base will never change  Their support of Trump is not based on facts or on truth.  It is based on emotion.  It is based on fear.  They are afraid of losing their power and influence to non0wwhites and immigrants.

Trump's adherents would kill for him, even though he would throw them under a bus if it would save his own skin.  Their Dear Leader once said that he could murder someone on Fifth Avenue and his supporters would still stand by him.  How true!  That is why I appeal to all conservatives who respect the rule of law to oppose Trump's candidacy for president in the 2024 election.  

In a democracy, country should come before party.  Loyalty should be to country, not to one man such as Donald Trump.  No one is above the law, be that person a president, a prime minister, a king or a queen.  The scales of justice apply to all, including one Donald J. Trump.  For the sake of justice, for the sake of democracy, this disgraced former president must be held accountable before the law. To many, he may seem invincible.  But he is not.  Soon or later, the law will catch up with him.  

- Joanne

The link between mental health and homelessness

Earlier this week, I had lunch with some friends and acquaintances at a local restaurant.  The subject of homelessness came up during a conversation about some of the issues facing the city of Toronto as the June 26th byelection for mayor draws closer.  Two of my lunch companions immediately slammed the homeless. They claimed that the homeless preferred to be without shelter, that they chose to live that way.  I begged to differ and I tried to point out to them that most are not homeless by choice, but by circumstance,  Unfortunately, my companions had bought into a false narrative about the homeless.

I do not dispute that many homeless people prefer living on the street rather than in a shelter.  They can't stomach the conditions in a shelter and the lack of privacy.  However, the majority do not wish to live in abject poverty.  Who really enjoys being hungry?  Who really enjoys freezing outside in cold winter weather or in a sweltering during a summer heat wave?  People become homeless for a variety of reasons.  Every homeless person has a different story.  So, why are they all lumped together.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada estimates that between 25 percent and 50 percent of homeless people in Canada suffer from mental illness.  Out of those with severe mental illness, up to 70 percent struggle with substance abuse. Sadly, those with mental illness experience homelessness for longer periods of time and have less contact with family and friends.  

With the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the high cost of food and rent, is it any wonder that homelessness is so prevalent, especially among the mentally ill?  In the city of Toronto, where I live, there have been calls to declare homelessness a public health crisis.  The Ontario Human Rights Commission has expressed concern about the "significant lack of cold weather services in Toronto." 

South of the border, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration estimates that 20 to 25 percent of homeless population of the United States suffer rom some form of severe mental illness.  The National Coalition for the Homeless has found that 38 percent of the homeless are dependent on alcohol and 26 percent are dependent on chemical substances.  Addiction is frequently the result of homelessness.  Mental illness, alcohol and drug addiction are not crimes or moral failings.  They are illnesses.  They are diseases.

Although little more than one percent of the U.S. population suffers from schizophrenia, the estimates go as high as high as 20 percent of the homeless population.  There is definitely a correlation between schizophrenia and homeless, especially since many, for a number of reasons, do not take anti-psychotic medication.

Dealing with mental illness is deeply personal for me as I have a close family member who suffers from mental illness.  He is unable to work and is often filled with anxiety.  If it weren't for the support of his family, he would probably be homeless and living on the street.  Not every mentally ill person is fortunate enough to have the support of a family.  Not every mentally ill person has access to medical care.  Many youths end up on the street to escape an abusive home life.

More and better services and safe, affordable housing are needed for the mentally ill.  A clearer  understanding of the nature and causes of homelessness is urgently required.  Our society must deal with the link between mental illness and homelessness.

- Joanne

The Pebble Art of Erzsébet {Elizabeth) Furman

I am very impressed by the "pebble art" of  Erzsébet {Elizabeth) Furman. That is why I wish to share it with Number 16 readers. It is so beautiful that I want others to enjoy the work of this talented Hungarian artist. Check out her Facebook page. (20+) Kavicsművészet, Kavicsképek - Pebble Art by Erzsébet Furmen | Facebook

Elizabeth Furman combines art with storytelling.  To enjoy more of her work, click on the following link.

An Artist Turns Pebbles Into Works of Art That Seem to Have Stories Behind Them (25 Pics) / Bright Side

- Joanne

Language Corner: What does the prefix "ortho" mean?

 

What does the prefix "ortho" mean?

The prefix ortho is derived from the Greek word orthos, meaning "right, true, straight, upright."

Examples include:

Orthodontics (noun): The branch of dentistry concerned with the treatment of irregularities of the teeth or jaws.

Orthondontic (adjective): Serving to correct or straighten the teeth.  

Orthodontist (noun): An orthodontics specialist.  A dentists who is qualified to treat irregularities of the teeth or jaws.  The orthodontist informed you that you needed braces.

Orthopedics (noun):  The branch of medicine dealing with the correction of deformities of bones or muscles.

Orthopedic (adjective) is derived from the Greek roots ortho and pedo, meaning child.  The word was coined by French physician Nicolas Andry do Bois Regard (also known as Nicholas Andry), a professor of medicine at the University of Paris.  Originally the term meant the correcting of bones or muscles of a child.  

Orthotic (nonun): An artificial support or brace for the limbs or spine, especially a supportive device inserted into a shoe, most commonly to stabilize the foot, correct alignment and provide cushioning

Orthodoxy (noun) is derived from the Greek term orthodoxia, meaning righteous/correct opinion.  It is the adherence to strict or accepted creeds, especially with regards to religious beliefs.  Hence, the Russian Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church or Orthodox Judaism.

Orthodox (adjective): Of a person or their views, especially religious or political ones, or other beliefs or practices} conforming to what is conventionally or traditionally accepted as right, true, established and approved

- Joanne

Number 16's Oscars Quiz 2023

The 95hh Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 12, 2023.  The live show will start at 8 p.m. on ABC and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.  It will also be live-streamed on the ABC app.  This year's Oscars will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.  As you prepare for the big night, why not challenge yourself and try Number 16's 11th annual Oscars quiz. There are 10 questions. Good luck!

NUMBER 16 OSCARS QUIZ

1.  Brad Pitt did not receive an Oscar nomination this year for his performance in the film Babylon.  Has he ever been awarded an Academy Award.  If so, how many Oscars has Brad Pitt won?

A.  Three

B.  One

C.  Two

D.  Four

E.  None

2.  Jimmy Kimmel will host the Academy Awards this year.  He has hosted the Oscars twice before.  When was the last time he hosted the ceremonies?

Jimmy Kimmel

A.  2017

B.  2018

C.  2016

D.  2021

E.  2015

3.  What was the first film to win an Academy Award for Best Makeup?

A.  The Wizard of Oz

B.  Planet of the Apes

C.  Amadeus

D.  An American Werewolf in London

E.   The Fly

4.  Who took a tumble on her way up the stairs at the Academy Awards in 2013?

A.  Jennifer Lawrence

B.  Anne Hathaway

C.  Jennifer Aniston

D.  Tina Fey

E.  Natalie Portman

5.  For which film was Lauren Bacall nominated for an Oscar?

A.  Key Largo

B.  To Have and Have Not

C.  The Mirror Has Two Faces

D.  How to Marry a Millionaire

E.  The Big Sleep

6.  Who received the longest standing ovation at the Academy Awards?

A.  Sidney Poitier

B.  Judy Garland

C.  Shirley Temple

D.  Alfred Hitchcock

E.  Charlie Chaplin

7.  What is the name of of the 1944 film for which Bing Crosby won the Best Actor Oscar? 

Bing with Oscar

A.  Holiday Inn

B.  Gong My Way

C.  White Christmas

D.  The Bells of St. Mary's

E.   High Society

8.  Which was the first film version of a Shakespeare play to win an Academy Award for Best Picture?

A.  Julius Caesar

B.  Romeo and Juliet

C.  Macbeth

D.  Hamlet

E.  Antony and Cleopatra

9  Which film  had a production budget estimated to be about $280 million.  It was nominated for nine Academy Awards.  It won three.

A.  Avatar

B.  Titanic

C.  Spider-Man 3

D.  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

E.   Avengers: Age of Ultron

10.  In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Oscar for Best Director.  What is the name of the film that earned her an Academy Award?

Bigelow with Oscar 2010

A.  Lyndon

B.  Nomadland

C  The Hurt Locker

D  The Matrix

E.  Selma.  

ANSWERS

1.  C

Two

Brad Pitt with 2020 Oscar

Brad Pitt has won two Oscars.  In 2014, he won a shared Best Picture Oscar as one of the producers of  12 Years a Slave.  In 2020, he received another Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as stuntman Cliff Booth in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

2.  B

2018

On March 12th Jimmy Kimmel will  host the Academy Awards for the third time.  He has previously hosted the Oscars in 2017 and 2018.  The first time he hosted, the awards featured the famous Best Picture mix-up.  Presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway accidentally announced that La La Land  had win the Oscar for Best Picture, when the the actual winner was Moonlight.

3.  D

An American Werewolf in London

Special Achievement Oscars were awarded twice to makeup artists for 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964) and Plant of the Apes (1968).  However, the Academy Award for Best Makeup was first given out in 1981, thanks to the film Elephant Man.  There were complaints when the makeup achievements of Elephant Man were unacknowledged the year before.

Beginning in 1993, the name of the award was changed to Best Makeup and Hairstyling.  It was to be shared with hairstylists if hair effects "contribute greatly to the appearance and effect of the characters."

4.  A

Jennifer Lawrence

There was an awkward moment at the 2013 Academy Awards when Jennifer Lawrence took a slight tumble on the steps on her way up to receive her award for Best Actress.  The moment went viral and Jennifer, of course, just laughed it off.

5.  C

The Mirror Has Two Faces

Bacall in The Mirror . . .

In 1997, Lauren Bacall received her first Oscar nomination at the age of 72.  She was nominated in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her role as Hannah, the vain, overbearing mother of Barbra Streisand's character in The Mirror Has Two Faces.  Bacall was widely expected to win, but the Best Supporting Actress went to Juliette Binoche for her performance in The English Patient.  The English Patient, a tragic World War II-era romance, dominated the awards that year, winning nine out of 12 nominations, including Best Picture.

In 2010, Lauren Bacall received an Academy Honorary Award.  She died in 2014 at the age of 89.

6.  E

Charlie Champlin

Charlie Chaplin with Oscar

Charlie Chaplin received a 12-minute standing ovation at the Oscars in 1972 when he was given the honourary award.

7.  B

Going My Way

Crosby (Left) and Fitzgerald}in Going My Way

In 1945, Bing Crosby received an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the 1944 film Going My Way.  Crosby won for his portrayal of  Father Chuck O'Malley, a young priest who is assigned to a church in New York.  The paster, played by Barry Fitzgerald, takes a dislike to O'Malley's casual style, and the younger priest tries to win him over.

In 1946, Crosby was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in the 1945 film The Bells  of St. Mary's.  He once again portrayed Father O'Malley, becoming the firs actor to be twice nominated for an Oscar for portraying the same character. However, the winner that year was Ray Milland for his performance in The Lost Weekend.

In 1955, Bing Crosby was nominated for Best Actor in a Lead Role for his performance opposite Grace Kelly and William Holden in the 1954 film The Country Girl.  Marlon Brando won the Oscar for On The Waterfront.

8.  D

Hamlet

Olivier as Hamlet

The 1948 British film adaptation of Hamlet, directed by and starring Laurence Olivier, won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and Olivier won for Best Actor.  Olivier was not present at the 1949 awards ceremony and Robert Montgomery accepted the award on his behalf.  Hamlet was the first British film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.

9,  A

Avatar

Scene from Avatar

Avatar, a 2009 science fiction epic was officially budgeted at $237 million, due to its groundbreaking, dazzling special effects.  Oher estimates, however, put the cost of the James Cameron film at between $280 million  and $310 million, and at $150 million for promotion.  Although Avatar did not win an Oscar for Best Picture or for Best Director, it did receive Academy Awards for Art Direction, Cinematography and Visual Effects.

10.  C 

The Hurt Locker

Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director in 2010 for her Iraqi war thriller, The Hurt Locker.  She was only the fourth woman to receive a Best Director nomination - the others being Sofia Coppola for Lost in Translation (2004), Jane Campion for The Piano (1994) and Lina Wertmüller for Pasqualino Settebellezze "Seven Beauties" (1977)

Kathryn Bigelow beat out her ex-husband, James Cameron who was also nominated that year Best Director for his 3-D epic, Avatar.  The Hurt Locker won six Oscars, including Best Picture, out of a total of nine nominations.  However, it did not do as well at the box office, It is estimated to have earned $21 million at the box office, less than two per cent of what Avatar earned in tick sales in the same year.

- Joanne

Inflation, politicians and climate change

It's not hard to understand why so many Canadians are frustrated and frightened.  They are concerned about kitchen table issues.  After all, they have to put food on the table.  They have to feed their families.  So, imagine that you are a low income worker.  You don't earn much more than minimum wage and you are living from paycheque to paycheque.  Your rent has increased or you have fallen behind on your mortgage payments.  Inflation has eaten away at your income and you haven't gotten a significant raise for quite a while.  Although inflation has eased as of late, the cost of food is still rising.  That's the most important item for you and your family. 

When you check the morning news, you read the following headline: "Loblaw Companies reports $529 M Q4 profit, revenue up nearly 10 per cent."  You read the first paragraph.  It says that Loblaws Companies Ltd. has announced that it earned a profit available to common shareholders of $529 million in its latest quarter as its revenue rose nearly 10 per cent compared to  a year ago.  You can't help but feel angry.  Certainly, it's not all Loblaw's fault and the pandemic has a great deal to do with it.  Yet, you can't help feeling the unfairness of it all.  You can't help feeling that companies such as Loblaw's are making excessive profits at your expense.  

Most of our politicians have not faced a situation like that - certainly not Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or Ontario Premier Doug Ford - but it's very real for many people in this country and in this province.  This should not be happening in a country as rich in resources as Canada or a province as industrious as Ontario.  South of the border, former U.S. president Donald Trump was born with a siler spoon in his mouth and has shown no empathy for lower income Americans.  Current American president, Joe Biden, grew up in a family that struggled financially.  His father had to move his brood from Pennsylvania, where Joe was born, to Delaware, in order to find employment.  

This is certainly not to say that people who are well off don't have any empathy for those who are struggling financially.  It's just easier to identify with the less wealthy if you've been there.  There are obvious exceptions such as former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.  She was a grocer's daughter, not a child of privilege.  Yet, she never showed much empathy for lower income Brits.

Sadly, kitchen table issues have put environmental issues on the backburner for many people.  However, climate change is not going to disappear anytime soon.  It has to be dealt with sooner rather than later.  For example, Premier Ford's proposed Highway 413 has to be stopped.  If it goes through it will be an environmental disaster for Ontario's precious Greenbelt.

This year, the Rideau Canal Skateway, the world's largest skating rink, did not open for the first time in the history of Ottawa's Winterlude festival, due to fluctuating weather patterns and warm temperatures.

This winter, instead of flooding, a long stretch of low tides has left the ancient city of Venice with low water and dry canals.  Many of its waterways are unnavigable for gondolas and other boats.  Some canals have been reduced to muddy pits.

Although Venice's problems have been attributed on a high pressure weather system that has lingered for weeks over Western Europe, environmental groups have warned that the Alps have received half their usual snowfall this winter.  This has caused concern that Italy could face another summer of dry rivers.

This is why, despite inflation and the pandemic, climate change can't be left on the backburner. 

- Joanne

The Life and Times of Bobby Rydell

 "I can't complain at all about my career. You know, it's had its ups and downs, it peaks and valleys, so on, so forth. But I've survived through all of that, and I'm continuing to do what I really enjoy doing."

- Bobby Rydell

Interview with the Philadelphia Sun Sentinel, July 21, 2016

In the 1960s, "Bobby" was a popular name among singers and teen idols.  There was Bobby Darin, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Curtola, Bobby Vee and Bobby Rydell.  Sadly, except for 87-year-old Bobby Vinton, they have all passed away.: Bobby Darin in 1973, Bobby Curtola in 2016, Bobby Vee in 2016 and Bobby Rydell just last year.  

Bobby Rydell was born Robert Louis Ridarelli in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 26, 1942.  He was the son of Jennie Ridarelli (nee Sapienza), a homemaker, and, Aldo "Al"  Ridarelli, a foreman in a machine shop.  Both of his parents were of Italian descent. and Bobby grew up in the Lower Moyamensing neighbourhood of South Philadelphia. 

Bobby and his mother, Jeannie

Bobby was a teen idol and part of the Philly music scene which also produced Frankie Avalon and Fabian Forte.  He was known for songs such as "Wild One" and "Volare," and for his portrayal of Hugo Peabody in the 1963 film adaption of the musical comedy Bye Bye Birdie in which he co-starred with Dick Van Dyke, Ann-Margret and Janet Leigh.

Bobby's father, Al, sparked his musical interest by bringing him to see the jazz bands of Arte Shaw and Benny Goodman.  At the age of seven, Bobby began playing the drums and singing in nightclubs in Philadelphia and New Jersey.

As a pre-adolescent, Bobby won a talent contest on the TV series Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club.  The nine-year-old won a spot in the cast, where he remained for several years.  Whiteman, a bandleader, had difficulty pronouncing "Ridarelli"  and Bobby's last name was anglicized to "Rydell."

As a teen, Bobby played in several bands in the Philadelphia area, such as Rocco and the Saints, for which he was the drummer.  Frankie Avalon was also a member of Rocco and the Saints and he played trumpet for the group.  

Bobby eventually signed a recording contract, and in1959, at the age of 16, his first hit, "Kissin' Time," appeared on the Billboard 100 .  According to a statement by his representatives at the time of his death, Bobby 34 Top 100 hits and over 25 million album sales during his career.

Bobby frequently appeared on television as a singer and an actor.  By the age of 17, the kid from South Philly with the high pompadour was a fixture on Dick Clark's American Bandstand.  

Below is a photo of Bobby with Dick Clark and fellow teen idols: From left: Fabian, Dick, Clark, Bobby and Frankie Avalon

Bobby appeared in a 1960 episode of The Danny Thomas Show entitled "The Singing Delinquent" (Season 7, Episode 29, Air Date: April 18, 1960).  He portrayed a talented young singer with a bad attitude, whom Danny tries to help.

Below is a photo of Bobby in a scene from The Danny Thomas Show in which he sings "All of Me."

During the golden age of the television variety show, Bobby was a guest on shows hosted by Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Perry Como and George Burns.  Bobby also appeared in a 1964 episode of Combat!, an hour-long World War II drama series.  He portrayed Mickey Shay in an episode entitled "The Duel."

The British Invasion of 1964 had a negative impact on Bobby's career as a teen idol.  The arrival of The Beatles and their British counterparts changed the pop scene dramatically.  However, Bobby did have some modest success on the charts with his cover of the Peter and Gordon hit "World Without Love" (Please lock me away) (1964).  In 1976, he recorded "Sway" with a disco flavour.  "Sway" is an English language version of a 1953 mambo instrumental song by Mexican composers.  Dean Martin recorded the most well known English rendition of the song in 1954.

In 1985, Bobby formed a trio called The Golden Boys with former teen idols Frankie Avalon and Fabian.  For years, The Golden Boys performed nostalgia concerts all over the world and delighted fans.

Below is a photo of the Golden Boys (Left to Right): Bobby Rydell, Fabian and Frankie Avalon.  

   

In 1987, Bobby guest-starred in an episode of the TV comedy The Facts of Life episode entitled 62 Pick Up (Season 8, Episode 18, Air Date: February 21, 1987.  He played himself in a flashback to the early 1960s.

Bobby was married twice.  He was married to his first wife, Camille Quattrone Ridarelli for 35 years, until her death of breast cancer on September 15, 2003.  The couple wed on October 5, 1968 and they had two children, a daughter, Jennifer Ridarelli Dulin and a son, Robert Ridarelli.

Bobby and Camille 1967

In 2009, Bobby wed Linda J. Hoffman (born Linda Ferrino) , a cardiac sonographer from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.  Bobby first met met Linda in 1964 when he appeared on The Mike Douglas Show. At the time, Linda had just been appointed Bobby Rydell's National Fan Club President.  

Linda went on to marry Jake Hoffman and Bobby wed his South Philly high school sweetheart, Camille Quattrone.  Bobby and Linda met again after Camille's death.  In October 2007 and they were married in Las Vegas.

Bobby and Linda in 2014

CORRECTION 

I received the following email on July 18, 2026.

"I am Linda Ferrino Hoffman that you mentioned in the article.  I was NEVER married to Bobby Rydell!!!!!!   I was, indeed, his longtime National Fan Club President that you detailed in the article.  Coincidentially (or some say not so coincidentially) he met and married someone ELSE by the name of "Linda J. Hoffman" - THAT WAS NOT ME.  It was reported, at the time of their wedding (which my husband "Jake Hoffman" and I both attended - you even mentioned my husband by name but you made it sound like he was out of the picture - he is NOT - we are married now for 54 years~!)"

On July 9, 2012, Bobby underwent a double organ transplant (liver and kidney) at which was detailed in his 2016 autobiography Teen Idol on the Rocks: A Tale of Second Chances, a collaboration with award-winning author Allan Slutsky.  Bobby became a promoter of organ donations and a supporter of The Gift of Life, a nonprofit organization that assists families affected by organ transplants.

In January of 2013, only six months after his double transplant surgery, Bobby returned to the stage in Las Vegas.  He performed for three night to a sold out audience.  On April 5, 2022, Bobby Rydell died of complications from pneumonia  at Jefferson Abington Hospital in Abington Township, Pennsylvania, a a suburb of Philadelphia.  He was 79 years old at the time of his passing.  He was survived by his wife, Linda, his son and daughter, and five grandchildren.

END NOTES

* Bobby Rydell grew up on South 11th St. in Philadelphia.  In 1995, the street was renamed Bobby Rydell Boulevard in his honour.  In Wildwood, New Jersey, there is a mural of Bobby on the boardwalk of the beach resort that that inspired his 1963 hit "Wildwood Days."

* In 1961, Bobby's success as an entertainer prompted his father, Aldo, to resign from his job as a foreman at the Electro-Nite Carbon Company in Philadelphia after 22 years.  Aldo then became Bobby's road manager.

According to Bobby's official website, he was the youngest performer, at the age of 19, to ever headline the Copacobana Club in New York City.

* Bobby writes about his struggles with alcoholism in his autobiography Teen Idol on the Rocks: A Tale of Second Chances.  The book tells of his deep depression after the death of his first wife, Camille, and how it contributed to his alcoholism, jeopardized his career and led to his liver and kidney transplant.

* In his autobiography Bobby also discusses his relationship with his controlling mother, Jeannie, whom he describes as "high strung, bipolar, schizophrenic, manic depressive - anything you want."

* Frank Sinatra ranked Bobby as his favourite pop singer of the early 1960s.      

* Fittingly, Bobby's name was chosen for "Rydall High School" in Grease, the Broadway musical and later 1978 hit film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.  The musical depicts American teenage life in the late 1950s.

SOURCES: The Guardian, "Bobby Rydell obituary," April 7, 2022; CNN Entertainment, "Bobby Rydell 'Wild One" singer dead at 79." by Sandra Gonzalez, April 5, 2022; Parade (parade.com), "Rydelll High School Inspiration, 'Volare" Singer and Bye Bye Birdie Star Bobby Rydell Dies at 79," by Jeryl Brunner, April 6, 2022;  Philadelphia Sun Sentinel, "Philadelphia's former teen idol Bobby Rydell tells of life on the rocks in new book," by John J, Moser, July 21, 2016; Unexpected Philadelphia, The Great Photo Album Adventure: Linda Hoffman and Bobby Rydell," May 31, 2016; Wikipedia; IMDb (Internet Movie Database)

- Joanne       

Keeping up with Gino Vannelli

[For your love]

[For your love]

When I think about those nights in Montreal

I get the sweetest thoughts of you and me

Memories of love above the city lights . . .

That mane of thick, black, curly hair!  Those rich vocals!  I wonder if Gino Vannelli still thinks about those nights in Montreal?  Do you remember the lyrics to his smash hit "I Just Wanna to Stop?"  The song was released as a single in August of 1978 and it remains Gino's biggest hit to date, his signature song.

"I Just Wanna Stop" climbed to Number 1 on the charts in his native Canada and reached Number 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  Gino produced the recording, along with his older brother Joe Vannelli,  and his younger brother Ross Vannelli.  The song was composed by Ross and earned Gino a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male Pop Performance.

Gino Vannelli was born on June 16, 1952 in Montreal, Quebec to a family of Italian background .His father, (Joseph) Russ Vannelli, was a cabaret singer who performed with Montreal dance bands.  Gino originally had dreams of becoming a drummer.  His idols were Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich.  As a high school student, he became the drummer for The Cobras, an East-End Montreal band.  

In 1969, before his 17th birthday, Gino signed his first recording contract with RCA Records of Canada, using the pseudonym "Van-Elli."   He released a single entitled "Gina Bold."  Determined to make his mark in the music industry, Gino lived on and off in New York City, knocking on the doors of record companies and publishers.

In 1972, Gino and Joe headed for Los Angeles.  The brothers were desperate and broke.  They made one last stop at  the studios of A&M Records in Hollywood, before having to head back to Montreal.  The brothers waited patiently for Herb Alpert, co-owner of A&M to emerge from the building.  Gino handed Alpert a demo tape before being chased away by a security guard.  A&M signed a record deal with Gino, and released his debut album, Crazy Life, in the summer of 1973.  

It was not until 1974 that Gino had his first hit, "People Gotta Move." for A&M.  In 1974, Gino became one of the first Caucasians to appear on the television dance program Soul Train.  He was invited to tour with Stevie Wonder.

Gino Vannelli reached the height of his creative and commercial success in the 1970s.  In 1975, he  began touring in Canada and the United States.  In 1978, he moved to Los Angeles.  After his 1979 tour, he kept a low profile until 1990.  After the success of "I Just Wanna Stop," Gino signed with Arista Records,, headed by legendary record producer Clive Davis.  Gino's next album, Nightwalker, contained his second top-10 hit, "Living Inside Myself," which was released as a single in 1981.  However, executives at Arista were not pleased with the singer's plan to release an edgier album.  A year-long conflict followed, a time in which Gino felt blacklisted from recording.  During that time, he immersed him self in the study of philosophy, world religions and poetry.

Although Gino's 1985 singles "Black Cars" and "Hurts to Be in Love," as well as 1987's "Wild Horses," were well-received, Gino made a few appearances during the 1980s, after his 1979 LIVE "Brother to Brother' World Tour.  Gino never again sold as many recordings, but his artistic zig zags various musical genres, including jazz, blues and classical, gained him many fans around the world.  

Gino's music was enjoyed by Pope John Paul II.  In the year 2000, he was commissioned by the Vatican to perform "Parole Per Mio Padre" (A Word to My Father) for the pope. (The song was written as a tribute to Gino's deceased father). 

The papal event was televised in Europe and was noticed by the head of BMG Records, who requested that Gino  record a contemporary classical recording in a similar style to "Parole Per Mio Padre."  In 2003,  BMG released Canto, which, a multilingual disc -English, Italian. Spanish and French - which many fans, and Gino himself, regard as one of his most treasured musical achievements.

In 2013, Gino headlined two concerts at the Rialto Theatre in Montreal.  At that time, he told Pop Tart   that it felt good to be be back home.  "It's nice to visit Mount Royal again, and it's nice to see my mom," he said at the time.

Gino's album Wilderness Road was released by an independent label in 2019.  It was his first studio album of original material in over a decade.

At the age of 70,  Gino Vannelli may not be in the spotlight, but he continues to record and perform. H He toured in 2022 and, according to his official website, he will be performing in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on March 1st, 2023 and Clearwater, Florida on March 3rd.  Gino has a following around the world.  He is an accomplished musician and songwriter.

“I grew up in a more singer-songwriter generation. People want instant success today. They are fed that kind of diet. There’s a little less substance and a lot more bling. But I’m not a cynic. Every decade has its strong points and its weak points. The strong points today are people know how to present themselves, they’re more accomplished, more precocious. You see a lot of younger singers who are better singers than there used to be 30 years ago. The weaker side of it is they’re not as well-rounded and don’t understand the humanities as well. They’re not interior-oriented like [performers] were in the 1960s and 70s, like [Bob] Dylan.”

- Gino Vannelli, Montreal Gazette, 2013

END NOTES

* Gino Vannelli studied music theory at Montreal's McGill University,

* Gino has received seven Juno Awards (to honour Canadian artists for their achievements in all aspects of music).  He won for Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year (1975) and Male Vocalist of the Year (1976, 1979).  In 1979, Gino and his brother, Joe, shared a Juno for Best Production for the1978 album Brother to Brother, which included "I Just Wanna Stop."  In 1986, 1987 and 1991, Gino and Joe also won Junos for Best Production.

* Gino is married.  He and his wife, Patricia, wed in the 1980s and had a son named Anton.  The couple first met in Portland, Oregon.  According to The Oregonian, Gino arrived in Portland to perform as the opening act at a concert, in the early 1970s.  The show was cancelled due to a lack of ticket sales, so Gino had some time to walk around the city and met Patricia, who was working in a jewellery store.

When the couple tired of Los Angeles, Patricia's Northwest Pacific Roots led to them to move to Oregon in 1992.  They resided in Portland's Mount Tabor neighbourhood  four eight years before settling in the Columbia River Gorge, near Troutdale, Oregon, where. Gino teaches music in his studio.  Troutdale has a population of about 16,000 people and Gino avoids the spotlight there.  He enjoys relative anonymity and seldom performs in the city, choosing to have his concerts elsewhere.

* Gino's mother, Delia Vannelli, died of COVID-19 in 2020.  She passed away in a Montreal nursing home just shy of her 93rd birthday.  Gino and his brothers could not see their mother in her final days due to the pandemic.

* Gino's published an autobiographical book is called Stardust in the Sand.  He spent a few years in the Netherlands seeking new inspiration for his music before returning to Oregon.  While away, he assembled a band of local musicians.  The result was a recording entitled The Best and Beyond  Released in 2009, the album features new interpretations of Gino's most well-known songs.  The linear notes from that album eventually became Stardust in the Sand.

SOURCES: Montreal Gazette, "All Those Nights in Montreal with Gino Vannelli," by News Desk, November 1, 2013; The Oregonian (www.oregonlive.com,), "Gino Vannelli avoids spotlight in Oregon where he lives, but draws crowds elsewhere," by Eric Apalate, August 28, 2013; Gino Vannelli Official Website; iHeart Radio. "Canadian singer Gino Vannelli Loses Mother to COVID-19,:" by John R. Kennedy, May 8, 2020, Wikipedia.

- Joanne