The Great Olympics Quiz 2012

                                                                © Bobbie Jean Peachey 
                                                        http://www.clipartmountain.com


THE GREAT OLYMPICS QUIZ 2012

While you enjoy the London Olympics, you might want to take a break and try Number 16's 2012 Olympics Quiz.  There are 12 questions.  If you answer 14 to 15 questions correctly, award yourself a gold medal.  For 12 to 13 correct answers, you win a silver medal.  For 10 to 11, you receive a bronze.  Less than 10, you don't make the podium.  Are you ready to go for the gold?


!.  The 1940 Summer Olympics were cancelled due to World War II.  Where were they originally scheduled to be held?

A.  Tokyo, Japan

B.  Rome, Italy

C.  New York City, U.S.A.

D.  Helsinki, Finland

E.  Copenhagen, Denmark


2.  Including the London Games of 2012, how many times have the Olympics been held in London, England?

A.  The Olympics have been held in London four times.

B.  They have been held in the British capital two times.

C.  They have been held in London three times.

D.  The 2012 Olympics mark the first time the Olympics have been held in London.

E.  London has hosted the Olympics five times.


3.  Which famous boxer won a gold medal for the United States at the 1960 Olympics in Rome?

A.  Floyd Patterson

B.  Sonny Liston

C.  George Foreman

D.  Muhammad Ali

E.  Joe Frazier


4.  How old was Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci when she scored a perfect ten in a gymnastic event at the Montreal Olympics in 1976?

A. 15 years old

B.  14 years old

C.  16 years old

D.  18 years old

E.  17 years old


5.  The colours of the five rings on the Olympic flag are blue, black, green, red and yellow?  Why were those colours chosen?

A,  A poll was taken among the athletes at the 1920 Summer Olympics and they chose those colours.

B. These colours were chosen because they include primary colours and bright colours.  The colours were meant to be emphatic and to stand out.  Thus, pastel colours were avoided.

C.  They were the favourite colours of the flag's designer.

D.  A French psychologist,, Dr. Marcel Rousseau, was consulted and he advised that those colours would have the most impact and be the most inspiring.

E,  Those colours were chosen because at least one of them appeared on the flag of every country.


6.  Why is a long distance race called a marathon?

A.  It was named after a town in Greece.

B,  The first winner of the Olympic long distance race was Demetrius Marathon.

C.  It is derived from a Greek word meaning "long race."

D.  It was named after Marathon, a Greek god known for endurance and strength.

E.  It was named to honour an ancient Greek politician, Adelphos Marathon, who was instrumental in promoting long distance running.


7.  Switzerland boycotted the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.  Why?

A.  The Swiss were upset with the Australians over a diplomatic incident.

B.  They were angry about the disqualification of a Swiss athlete at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

C.  The Swiss boycotted the 1956 Games to protest the Soviet Union's invasion of Hungary.

D.  They boycotted the 1956 Olympics in response to Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser's nationalization of the Suez Canal on July July 26, 1956.

E.  The Swiss boycotted the Melbourne Olympics in support of Taiwan.. They were  the People's Republic of China decided to boycott the event because of Taiwan had been allowed to compete under the name "Formosa."


8.  When and where were the first Winter Olympics held?

A.  The first Winter Olympics were held in Oslo, Norway in 1920.

B.  Davos, Switzerland played host to the first Winter Olympics in 1928.

C.  They were held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 1924.

D.  They were held in Chamonix, France in 1924.

E.  They took place in St. Tropez, France in 1920.


9.  The great American athlete Jim Thorpe was stripped of  the gold medals he had won in  the decathlon and the pentathlon at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.  Why?

Thorpe in Stockholm in 1912

A.  It was discovered that his U.S. passport was not valid.

B.  It was learned that he had played professional minor league baseball.

C.  Three days after the Olympics, he was arrested for disorderly conduct and disturbing the public.

D.  He was charged with theft.

E.  It was revealed that he had gambled money that he would win both the decathlon and the pentathlon.


10.  No women were allowed to compete in the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896.  At the time, who said that the inclusion of women would be "impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic and incorrect."

A.  Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympics.

B.  Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany.

C.  Grover Cleveland, President of the United States in 1896

D.  Queen Victoria

E.  William Milligan Stone, the American educator and historian who escorted the U.S. Olympic team to the 1896 Olympics.


11.  Which of these statements about the first Winter Olympic is not true.

A.  In hockey, the Canadian team scored 85 times over three games without allowing a goal.  Canada won the tournament by scoring 122 goals on their opponents.  Only three goals were scored against the Canadians.

B.  An American, Charles Jewtraw, became the first champion of the Winter Olympics by winning the first event, 500m speed skating.

C.  Clas Thunberg of Finland earned five medals, including two golds, in the five speed skating events.

D.  The first Winter Olympic were originally known as Winter Sports Week.  It wasn't until 1926, during the 25th Session of the International Olympic Committee in Lisbon, Portugal, that they were recognized as the first Winter Olympic Games.

E.  All of the above statements are true.


12.  Who was Constantin Henriquez de Zubiera?

A.  He was the first athlete from Belgium to win an Olympic medal.

B.  He was the French flag bearer at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.  He won two medals in swimming.

C.  He was the President of the International Olympic Committee from 1950 until 1958.

D.  He was the first athlete to win a medal in diving at the Olympics.

E.  He was the first black athlete to compete in the Olympics.


ANSWERS

1  A.

The 1940 Summer Olympics were originally awarded to Tokyo, Japan.  They were officially known as the Games of the XII Olympiad and were scheduled to take place in the Japanese capital from September 21 to October 6, 1940.  Due to the outbreak of war between Imperial Japan and China, the Japanese renounced the International Olympic Committee's Cairo Conference of  1938.  As a result, the IOC denied Japan its host status..

In July of 1940, the Japanese government withdrew its support for the Games.  The Games were then awarded to Helsinki, Finland, the second place finisher in the original bidding.  Following the outbreak of World War II, however, the Games were suspended.  They did not resume until post-war London hosted them in 1948.

2.  C

The Olympics have been held in London three times - 1908, 1948 and 2012.  They were first held in the British capital in 1908.  Rome, Italy was originally awarded the 1908 Games but had to bow out due to the  huge volcano eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906.  As a result, the '08 Olympics were relocated to London.
In 1948, London hosted the first post-World War II Olympics.  The 2012 Summer Games give London the distinction of being the only city in the world to have hosted the Olympic three times.

3.  D

Ali in Rome in 1960

In the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) won the gold medal for the U.S. in the boxing light heavyweight division.  There is an apocryphal Upon returning home to Louisville, Kentucky, the 18-year-old was refused service at a diner due to his race.  According to the story, his response was to throw Olympic medal in the Ohio.River.  The truth is that the gold medal was simply lost or misplaced.

At the Summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996, Ali was presented with a replacement medal by the late Juan Antonio Samaranch, then President of the International Olympic Committee.  At the Opening Ceremony of those Atlanta Olympics, Ali, trembling from Parkinson's Disease, lit the cauldron to open the game.

To watch a video of Muhammad Ali receiving his replacement gold medal, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9OlmPyjsNU

4.  B

Nadia Comaneci was 14 years old when she won three gold medals and scored a perfect 10 at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.  Nadia is the first female gymnast to be awarded a perfect 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event.  She also won two gold medals at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.  Born November 12, 1961, Nadia is now 50 years old.

5.  E

Those colours were chosen because at least one of them appeared on the flag of every country.  The Olympic flag was created in 1914 by Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games.  It was first flown during the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium.

6.  A.

Marathon is the name of a town in Greece.  According to legend, more than 2,000 years ago a Greek soldier named Pheidippides ran from Athens to Marathon, a distance of about 40.2 km. or 25 miles.  He arrived in Athens tired and bleeding with the news of  Greek victory in a battle with the invading Persians.  After informing the townspeople of the Greek success, he collapsed and fell to the ground dead.  In 1896, at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, a race was held of approximately the same length as Pheidippides' run.

Statue of Pheidippides alongside the Marathon Road

7.  B

Switzerland and two other countries (Spain and Netherlands) boycotted the 1956 Summer Games in response to the Soviet Union's crushing of the Hungarian Revolution.  The 1956 Olympics were affected by
other boycotts too.  Egypt, Iran and Lebanon withdrew from the Games to protest Israel's involvement in the Suez conflict.  Less than two weeks before the November 22nd opening ceremony, The People's Republic of China boycotted the games over the inclusion of a team from Taiwan (Formosa0.

8.  D

The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix, France from January 25,1924 until
February 5, 1924.  The event turned out to be very successful and it attracted 10,004 paying spectators.

9.  B.

Jim Thorpe was stripped of the gold medals that he won in the 1912 Olympics when it was discovered that he had played professional minor league baseball three years earlier.  Thorpe, one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century, was born on May 28, 1888 on Native American territory in what would later become the state of Oklahoma.  He was of mixed ancestry, aboriginal and European.  He had some French and Irish blood but he was mostly of aboriginal heritage, that of of Sac and Fox Nation.

About six months after winning his gold medals, Thorpe admitted that he had been paid to play baseball in North Carolina.  Not long after, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), declared him to be a professional and requested that he return his medals.  His name was deleted from the record books. In solidarity with Thorpe, decathlon silver medalist Hugo Wieslander
of Sweden, rejected the gold medal when it was offered to him.  Jim Thorpe died at the age of 64 on March 28, 1953.  In January of 1983, three decades after his death, the IOC returned Thorpe's gold medals to his children.

10.  A

Pierre de Coubertin, the French historian and pedagogue who founded the modern Olympics, was opposed to female participation in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.

11.  C.

Clas Thunberg of Finland earned five medals, including three golds, not two, in the five speed skating events at the first winter Olympics in Chamonix, France in 1924.

12. E

Constantin Henriquez de Zubiera, who competed for France at the 1900 Olympics in Paris, was the first known black athlete to participate in the Olympic Games.  He was a Haitian-born French rugby union footballer.  He was also the first black Olympic gold medalist as he was a member of the French team that won the Olympic title at the first Rugby Olympic Tournament.  In addition., Henriquez de Zubiera won a silver medal in tug-of-war at the 1900 Olympics.


- Joanne

America is gun crazy!

The NRA's Wayne LaPierre

It is difficult for Canadians to understand America's deadly obsession with guns.  South of the border, devotion to the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.runs so deep that it borders on the sacred.  When some Americans refer to the Second Amendment, they speak with a tone of reverence in their voices.  How dare anyone even question the holy writ of the right to bear arms?  How dare anyone inconvenience God-fearing Americans by placing any regulations on their gun purchases?

The Second Amendment is being used as an instrument to intimidate those who advocate sensible gun regulation.  America is justly proud of its Constitution and the gun lobby brazenly takes advantage of that pride in order to achieve its goals.  Constitutions, however, are not written in stone.  Times change and technology changes.  That is why the U.S. Constitution has been amended 27 times to date.  It has been amended to abolish slavery, to give women the vote and to establish and revoke Prohibition.

The Second Amendment was ratified in 1791, only 15 years after the United States had won its independence from Britain.  It reads as follows:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

In 1791, the young American nation was faced with internal and external threats to its security, especially from England and France.  The right to bear arms was intended to give citizens the power to form militias in order to overthrow  those who would gain control of the United States government by force.  With a considerably smaller population, much of it rural-based, 18th century America bore very little resemblance to urban 21st century America.  In the 18th century, hunting was a necessity for many Americans if they were to have their daily subsistence.  They used shotguns, not semi-automatic weapons, and they had large families to feed.

The Second Amendment is outdated.  It reflects another time and another era.  In the wake of recent events, it's more urgent than ever for Americans to commit constitutional sacrilege.  The latest horror show occurred this past Sunday (August 5th) at a Sikh temple in suburban Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The gunman has been identified as a 40-year-old U.S. Army veteran named Wade Michael Page. Six people were shot dead and three were seriously wounded in the brutal attack.  Page, a neo-Nazi, was killed by police.  Authorities recovered a legally-owned 9 mm semi-automatic pistol at the scene.  Wisconsin, by the way, has some of the most lax gun laws in the U.S.  In 2011, the state passed a law permitting citizens to carry concealed weapons.

The tragedy in Milwaukee comes only two weeks after a shooting rampage at a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado in which a crazed gunman opened fire at a screening of the latest Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises.  The accused gunman, James Holmes, 24,  had little difficulty in assembling a veritable military arsenal.  According to Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates, Holmes possessed  four guns and more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition, all obtained legally.  He had a 100-round drum magazine clipped into his Smith & Wesson semi-automatic.

James Holmes' mental instability was known prior to the theatre rampage.  According to an ABC News report, the psychiatrist who treated Holmes contacted a University of Colorado police officer to express concerns about his patient.  It is also known that Holmes was recently denied membership at a gun range in Byers, Colorado.  The ranges owner found Holmes' voicemail to be "incoherent, just bizarre, really bizarre - slurring words, but he didn't sound drunk, just strange . . ."  Yet this man was able to acquire weapons legally.

On September 13, 1994, the United States Congress passed a ten-year prohibition on the manufacture of certain semi-automatic firearms for civilian use.  This federal ban on assault weapons, however, expired back in 2004.  Although President Barack Obama promised to reinstate the ban during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign, he has yet to deliver on his pledge.

It is also interesting to note that Obama's 2012 Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, signed a permanent assault weapon ban during his tenure as governor of Massachusetts.  When Romney signed the ban on July 1, 2004, he declared, "Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts.  These guns are not made for recreation or self-defence.  They are instruments of destruction with sole purpose of hunting down and killing people."  Romney, of course, doesn't make such statements now because it's not politically expedient.  He's campaigning to be President of the United States and he seeks the endorsement of the powerful National Rifle Association.

How many more tragedies must there be before sanity is restored?  I wish I could be more optimistic, but Americans can't seem to shake their gun frenzy.  Support for gun control in the U.S. has actually been decreasing.  A Gallop Poll, conducted in January of this year, found that 50 per cent of Americans are at least somewhat satisfied with gun control laws.  42 per cent are either very or somewhat dissatisfied.  In 2001, however, 57 per cent indicated that  they were dissatisfied.  Sadly, those are the kind of statistics that delight the National Rife Association, the largest and wealthiest gun rights advocacy group in the U.S.

According to its website, the NRA has 4.3 million members.  If that number is accurate, it translates into an enormous amount of money in membership fees.  Even if the number is lower, the NRA still wields a tremendous amount of power.  Its leader, 64-year-old Wayne LaPierre, receives $970,300 per year in salary.  LaPierre has served as vice president and chief executive officer of the NRA since 1991.

What do we know about this influential and powerful man?  We know that he's never met a gun he didn't like.  For the past 21 years, LaPierre has endeavoured to strong-arm elected officials into opposing any form of gun control.  His organization steadfastly defends the rights of Americans to carry concealed guns and it condones the selling of semi-automatic weapons..  The NRA also provides insurance to its members to pay for the legal costs of shooting someone in "self-defence."  Only three days after the Colorado shooting, it had the audacity to seek donations.

To put it bluntly, the NRA has blood on its hands.  Its actions have strongly aided and abetted gun violence throughout the United States.  It is a malicious organization that equates guns with freedom.  It present itself to Americans as a group of brave patriots, staunchly defending and protecting their constitutional right to bear arms.  Unfortunately, millions of Americans are deceived by the NRA's sophistry.

After the latest gun nightmares, it's high time that prominent American leaders stood up to this gun bully.  One would think Americans had already seen enough after the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007 and the shootings in Arizona that almost took the life of former Rep Gabrielle Giffords and left six others dead.  How free are American citizens if they cannot walk into a movie theatre without worrying that some madman with a semi-automatic weapon is going to gun them down?

It is heartening that Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City has taken both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney to task for their "deafening silence" on gun control after the horrors in Colorado and Wisconsin.  Bloomberg, a long-time advocate for stricter restrictions on firearms, challenged the two presidential candidates to outline their plans for curtailing gun violence.

Michael Bloomberg should be applauded for his leadership and courage in speaking out unequivocally in support of gun control.  On the day after the shootings at the Sikh temple in Wisconsin, he stood on the steps of a Sikh community centre in Queens New York.  "Just two weeks after the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, we've seen another mass shooting," he stated.  "One in which it appears there were some warning signs in the shooter.  And still, the two presidential candidates have not given the American people a plan to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.  Every day, 34 Americans are murdered with guns.  The fact that criminals, terrorists and other mentally ill people have access to guns is a national crisis."

Although I have no interest in target shooting and hunting, I am well aware that many people do.  I also recognize that there are many responsible and law-abiding gun owners.  Those responsible owners should be willing to undergo a waiting period and strict regulations before being allowed to possess a gun.  No civilian, however, should be permitted to purchase a semi-automatic weapon.  No law-abiding civilian requires such lethal arms.  Their only purpose is to take human lives.

If someone is truly responsible and law-abiding, they should be willing to endure some inconvenience for the sake of the public good.  No one enjoys having to go through security checks at airports.  It is tolerated because it serves to protect the safety of air travellers.  For some perspective on the issue of inconveniencing hunting and sporting enthusiasts, here are the words of Sarah Brady, wife of James Brady, the White House  aide who was wounded and left disabled during a 1981 assassination attempt on then-President Ronald Reagan.

The gun lobby finds waiting periods inconvenient.  You have only to ask my husband how inconvenient he finds his wheelchair from time to time.

I am in favour of gun registries.  We in Canada had a long-gun registry until it was ended by our Conservative government which has been foolishly relaxing gun control in this country.  The fact remains that the easier it is to obtain guns, the easier it is for them to fall into the hands of criminals and mentally unbalanced people.  Another factor that can't be ignored is that some criminals obtain guns by robbing the homes of law-abiding gun owners.

America has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world.  According to FBI statistics, there were 12,996 murders in the U.S. in 2010.  Of those homicides, a whopping 8,775 were gun related.  When will this madness end?  James Madison, fourth President of the United States and the author of the Second Amendment, would be appalled by all this carnage.  In 1791, he could not have envisioned semi-automatic assault weapons or dazed gunmen such as James Holmes.

- Joanne

Update on Amelia Earhart disappearance

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012

Yesterday was the 115th anniversary of the birth of the great American aviation pioneer, Amelia Earhart.  She was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas.  Amelia disappeared on July 2. 1937 over the South Pacific while en route to uninhabited Howland Island..  She was accompanied on the flight by her navigator, Fred Noonan.  The duo set forth from Papua, New Guinea in an attempt to circumnavigate the globe along an equatorial route.  They never reached their destination and the wreckage of their twin-engine Electra 10E aircraft is yet to be found.

I am intrigued by the mystery surrounding Amelia's disappearance and I have been following the the most recent attempt to determine her fate.  Earhart was the first women to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and I've long admired her spunk and her adventuresome spirit.  That is why I have written about her in two previous postings on this site: "The Disappearance of Amelia Earhart"  (January 29, 2011) and  "Amelia Earhart and reflections on courage" (February 24, 2011).

On July 3, 2012, a group of scientists set off on a $2.2 million expedition to a remote island in the Pacific.  The group, known as The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), travelled 2,897 km (1,800 miles) by sea from Honolulu, Hawaii to the island of Nikumaroro in the Republic of Kiribati.  Their mission was to find some clues to Amelia's fate and to uncover the  wreckage of her plane in the waters surrounding the island.

The expedition, however, was called off yesterday and the research team returned to Hawaii without locating the missing plane.  It was cut short five days early.  Ric Gillespie, TIGHAR's founder, said that the searchers had faced "nightmare terrain" and that there had been some accidents with equipment.  Gillespie's wife, Tighar president Pat Thrasher, was quoted in a BBC report as saying, "It's not like an Indiana Jones flick where you go through a door and there it is.  It's not like that - it's never like that."

Although the outcome of the expedition was disappointing, the scientists were able to discover some useful information.  They collected video and sonar data which they were expected to begin analyzing during their voyage back to Hawaii.  The research team remains undaunted.  In fact, according to the BBC, they are planning a return trip next year to Nikurmaroro, the remote island where they believe Earhart and Noonan survived for a period.

While many experts subscribe to the theory that Amelia's plane ran out of fuel due to a navigational error, .  Tighar believes that she and Noonan may have been castaways for awhile.   During previous TIGHAR expeditions to Nikmaroro, bottles and other artifacts have been discovered that may have belonged to Earhart and Noonan, including a jar of what is thought to be anti-freckle cream.  Joe Cermiglia, a TIGHAR researcher, has said, "It's well documented that Amelia had freckles and disliked having them."

Broken shards and many glass containers have been recovered from the archaeological site on the southeast end  Nikumoraro.  The partial skeleton of a castaway was found there in 1940, but the bones and artifacts found in 1940, have been lost.  The evidence strongly points to the presence of castaways on the island.  Yet it still has not been proven conclusively that Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan.  The 75-year-old mystery continues.  Stay tuned!


FURTHER UPDATE!

EDITOR'S NOTE  In August, it was reported that TIGHAR researchers may have found Amelia Earhart's plane debris. Due to technical difficulties, they were unable to see high definition images until late July.  When they looked at the high definition images, they discovered what appears to be a wheel and other landing gear off the coast of Nikurmaroro Island.  Click on the link below to watch videos and read ABC news stories about the latest discovery.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/researchers-found-amelia-earharts-plane-debris/story?id=17034766#.UG8Ir5j7K4k 


http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/19309714/researchers-may-have-found-parts-of-amelia-earharts-plane


- Joanne

Whitey Ford: His six consecutive strikeouts

FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2012

On this day, 56 years ago, pitching great Whitey Ford tied an American League record with six consecutive strikeouts.  So why don't we go back in time and enjoy that great moment in baseball history.  I'll be happy to set the stage for you.

It was July 20, 1956 at Yankee Stadium.  On that Friday night, there were 16,103 fans in attendance to watch the Bronx Bombers play host to the Kansas City Athletics.  The Yankees boasted a stellar line-up with an infield that consisted of Bill Skowron at first base, Billy Martin at second base, Andy Carey at third and Gil McDougald at shortstop.  Elston Howard was the catcher.  Future Yankee manager Hank Bauer played right field while 24-year-old Mickey Mantle was the centre fielder and Bob Cerv was in left.  The team was managed by the legendary Casey Stengel.

Whitey Ford's string of six strikeouts began in the top of the second inning when Kansas City catcher Joe Ginsberg was called out on strikes.  In the top half of the third inning, Ford struck out three batters in succession: the A's shortstop, Joe De Maestri; their second baseman, Clete Boyer and their pitcher, Jack McMahan.  He added two more consecutive strikeouts in the top of the fourth inning:: third baseman Hector Lopez  and centre fielder Al Pilarcik.  His streak came to an end when he hit the next batter, left fielder Enos Slaughter, with a pitch.

Ford finished the game with eight strikeouts in a 6-2 Yankee victory over the Athletics.  Mickey Mantle had the game-winning RBI.  The time of that memorable game was 2 hours and 20 minutes.  It is also worth noting that Whitey Ford struck out six consecutive batters for the second time in his career on June 2, 1958 at Yankee Stadium.  He shut out the visiting Chicago White Sox by a score of 3-0.

Born Edward Charles Ford in New York City on October 21, 1928, Whitey is a native of the Astoria neighbourhood of Queens and he graduated from Aviation High School in nearby Sunnyside.  His father, James Ford, worked as a bartender.

The Yankees signed Ford as an amateur free agent in 1947.  While in the minor leagues, he was nicknamed "Whitey" because of his light blond hair.  On July 1, 1950, at the age of 21, the young left-hander played his first game in the major leagues.  He made quite an impression during his rookie year, winning his first nine decisions before being defeated in relief.  Sporting News voted him the American League Rookie of the Year.

Despite his auspicious debut, Whitey Ford chose to put his baseball career on hold in order to serve in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.  After missing the 1951 and 1952 seasons, he rejoined the New York Yankees in 1953.  During his rookie season, Whitey had worn the number 19 on his uniform.  Upon his return to the Yanks in 1953, he began wearing the number 16 (my favourite number).  Ford wore that number as a player from 1953 until 1967 and later as a coach.  His number was retired by the New York Yankees in 1974, the same year that he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown.

Whitey Ford played his entire 16-year career with the Yankees (my number again).  His statistics are truly outstanding.  He won 236 games and lost 106.  In addition, he had an impressive 10 victories in World Series play.  His career earned run average was 2.75.  He accumulated 45 shutouts and struck out 1,956 batters.

During his illustrious career, the southpaw had two twenty game seasons.  He recorded 25 wins and four losses in 1961, the year he won the Cy Young Award.  In 1963, he had 24 wins and seven losses.  When the Yanks won the World Series in 1961, Ford was named World Series MVP.  He was a member of six World Series championship teams (1950, 1953, 1956, 1958, 1961, 1962).

After going 17-6 in 1964 and 16-13 in 1965, Whitey Ford developed health problems.  During the next two seasons, his appearances on the mound became infrequent and he only recorded four wins.  In August of 1966, plagued with circulatory problems in his left shoulder, Ford underwent surgery.  He appeared in his last major league game on May 21, 1967.  He only lasted one inning in his final start and retired at the end of the 1967 season.

During the 1966 season, while still an active player, Whitey became a coach for the New York Yankees.  For a year after his retirement, he remained with Yankee organization as a coach.  He left to engage in business ventures, but returned as a pitching coach in 1974.  He later took a position as a spring training coach with the team.

Whitey Ford pitched in 498 games.  He had a 690 win percentage, the highest of any major league pitcher in modern baseball history with at least 300 career decisions.  He was also a ten-time All-Star..


WHITEY FORD FACTS AND TRIVIA

* Whitey Ford disliked pitching at Fenway Park in Boston..  He seldom did.

* Whitey Ford acquired the nickname "Chairman of the Board" because he was able to remain calm and in control during intense situations. His other nickname, Slick, came about because of a stern lecture manager Casey Stengel gave to his players for drinking too much and not applying themselves.  Stegel said that some of the guys were getting "whisky slick."  After Stengel's lecture, the other players began referring to Whitey and Mickey Mantle as "Slick."  The title of Whitey Fords's 1987 biography with New York sports writer Phil Pepe is Slick: My Life In and Around Baseball.

* There is one huge blemish on Whitey Ford's spectacular career.  He has admitted to cheating, especially during the latter part of his career, to give himself an edge when his skills were declining.  He was caught doctoring baseballs with the assistance of his catcher who made sure the ball landed in the dirt so that the evidence was concealed.  Here's how Ford rationalized his illicit activities.  "I didn't begin cheating until late in my career, when I needed something to help me survive.  I didn't cheat when I won the 25 games in 1961.  I don't want anybody to get any ideas and take my Cy Young Award away.  And I didn't cheat in 1963 when I won 24 games.  Well, maybe a little."

* Ford specialized in the curve.  He was a high percentage winner, a "money pitcher," who excelled at winning when the stakes were high.  He came up big when he need to.  That is why he holds World Series records for victories (10), consecutive shutout innings (33) and strikeouts (94).  That's why Mickey Mantle proclaimed, "If the World Series was on the line and I could pick one pitcher to pitch the game, I'd choose Whitey Ford every time."

*  Whitey married Joan Foran on April 14, 1951 in Long Island City, Queens, New York.  His entire New York Yankees team showed up after playing an exhibition game against the Brooklyn Dodgers.  Joan and Whitey had three children: Sally Ann, Eddie and Tommy.  Son Eddie works as a baseball scout.  Tom Ford, who was a resident of Long Island, died in August of 1999 at the age of  44.  At the time of Tommy's death, Jason Zillo, a spokesman for the New York Yankees, said that Whitey's son had died of a heart condition.

*  In 2000, Whitey Ford missed attending the New York Yankees' spring training camp for the first time in 49 years.  He acknowledged that he had received radiation treatment for cancer, but refused to identify the type of cancer for which he had been treated.

* Ford opened a sports bar and restaurant in 2002.  It is located next to Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, New York and it was called Whitey Ford's Cafe.  Whitey Ford's Cafe shut down after less than a year.


SPECIAL NOTE TO CANADIAN SPORTS FANS

In April of 1977, Whitey Ford was a member of the broadcast team for the very first game in Toronto Blue Jays history.


- Joanne

Joanne's Journal: July 12, 2012

THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2012

JOANNE'S JOURNAL
Edition No. 8

QUOTE OF THE DAY

There are as many kinds of beauty as there are habitual ways of seeking happiness.
- Charles Baudelaire, French poet and critic 
From What is Romanticism?

ON THIS DAY

On this day, 50 years ago, The Rolling Stones played their first gig.  The performance took place on July 12, 1962 at London's Marquee Jazz Club.  On that night, the band consisted of Mick Jagger on vocals, guitarists Keith Richards and Brian Jones and bassist Dick Taylor.  Some fans say that Tony Chapman, The Rolling Stones' early drummer, played the drums  In his 2102 memoir, however, Keith Richards claims that it was Mick Avery, a friend.  Half a century later, only Jagger and Richards remain of the original group.

Brian Jones developed a severe drug abuse problem and left The Rolling Stones in June of 1969.  He was replaced by Mick Taylor.  Less than a month later, Jones drowned in his swimming pool at Cotchford Farm and died at Hartfield, Sussex, England.  He was 27 years old at the time of his death.

Dick Taylor, the original bass guitarist. left the group to become an art student.  He formed a new band, The Pretty Things, in September of 1963.  Dick is now 69 years old and resides on the Isle of Wight, England.  As for Tony Chapman, he formed his own group called The Preachers which included Peter Frampton.  He later played drums in The Herd, also with Frampton, who was only 16 when he joined the group in 1966.  Mick Avery went on to become the drummer for The Kinks.


ROSES AND THORNS

ROSE:
TO: Canadian TV handyman and contractor Mike Holmes for leading the project to rebuild the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground in Toronto's High Park.  The playground was destroyed by arsonists in March.  Take a bow, Mike.  Kudos to the many volunteers who have been helping him.

THORNS:  
TO: The Conservative government of Canada for a 20 per cent cut to the Youth Justice Services Funding Program.  This community-based program diverts young people from the court system by offering much-needed services to youths on probation.  It seems, however, that the Harper government would rather have these youths commit more serious crimes down the line.  Well, at least Stephen Harper will be able to fill all those new prisons on which he's spent so much of our tax dollars.  Why can't conservatives understand that it is more important to be preventive and pro-active than to spend even more money later on.  Repeat after me, conservatives everywhere: AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.  There's a lot of truth in that old adage.

TO:  Mitt Romney, the man who will be the Republican candidate for President of the United States.  In a speech to the NAACP, the oldest and largest civil rights organization in the United States, Romney referred to President Obama's health care initiative as "Obamacare."  He knows quite well that "Obamacare" is a pejorative term.  It is absolutely derogatory and it did not go over well with the audience.  Not surprisingly, they booed him because most African-Americans support the president's health care plan.

The correct term for Obama's health care bill is the Affordable Care Act.  Here are two facts for Mr. Romney and his fellow Republicans to consider:

1.  In 2011, provisions in the Affordable Care Act helped approximately 86 million Americans access free preventive services such as cancer screenings, flu shots and wellness exams.  People have been assisted and money has been saved.  Repeat after me, conservatives everywhere: AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.

2.  President Obama's health care bill is very similar to the one introduced by a certain Mitt Romney when he was governor of Massachusetts.


RIDDLE ME THIS

What kind of case can not be carried?

ANSWER

A staircase



SPORTS

Baseball

Well, the All-Star break is over and the rest of the season begins.  The Toronto Blue Jays have a record of 43-43 at the break.. They are .500 as usual.  I realize they lost three of their starting pitchers to injuries in a short period.  The Blue Jays, however, would not be in this predicament if they had acquired a decent starting picture before the season began.  They insisted that their starting pitching was good enough.  That was the party line.  Yet before the season started, there were far too many questions surrounding the rotation.  The state of  Dustin McGowan's health was uncertain and Kyle Drabek was a gamble.  The hard-luck McGowan has been on the disabled list all season and suffers from right shoulder inflammation.  He is scheduled to visit a doctor in Dallas to determine whether he has a blood clot.  As for Drabek, he underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on June 19th.  Until his injury, his performance had improved, but he was still inconsistent.  The 24-year-old was far from outstanding and could go no further than six innings.

Although the Blue Jays could not have foreseen losing three starters, but they should have expected at least one of them to go down.  The rotation seemed very weak if anything happened to Ricky Romero or Branden Morrow.  Unfortunately, it did happen to Morrow.  General Manager Alex Anthopoulos's failure to acquire a proven starting picture has cost the Blue Jays dearly.  Don't get me wrong.  A.A. has acquired a good number of fine prospects and he has improved the team's scouting.  The Blue Jays have the potential for a great future.  It's about time, however, that Alex focused on the present.  His team needs to contend as soon as possible.  It's been almost 19 years since the Blue Jays have appeared in post season play.  The players and the fans are tired of .500.  As Jose Bautista said, he's not getting any younger.  Make your move, Alex!!!

Here's another reason the Jays have had me scratching my head this season.  Why did Adam Lind bat fourth in the batting order for so long?  He hits poorly against left-handed pitchers.  A clean-up hitter should be able to hit well against both righties and lefties.

Most pleasant surprises of the season so far:

* Catcher Jeff Mathis:   His hitting has been much better than expected.

* The play of Colby Rasmus and Edwin Encarnacion.

Biggest disappointments of the season so far.

The performance of ace Ricky Romero has to be the biggest disappointment so far.  He did not step up when the team needed him most.  Reliever Francisco Cordero's play has been another big disappointment this year.


Basketball

Many people in Toronto and across Canada, including myself, are disappointed that Steve Nash did not choose to sign with the Raptors and play for a team in his home country.  He would have been the toast of the town in T.O.  It's too bad and it's also a Catch-22.  If the Raptors had appeared to be contenders, Nash might have joined them.  If, however, Nash had become a Raptor, he might have led them to the playoffs.


- Joanne

Chicago, Navy Pier and Harry Caray's Bar & Grill

. 

SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2012


Here I am in Chicago.  Yesterday I went to Navy Pier and I would like to share some pictures that I took there and at other places in the city.  As a baseball fan, I just had to have supper at Harry Caray's.  On my arrival here on Friday, the Windy City was engulfed in one of the most severe heat waves I have ever experienced in my life.  It was one gigantic furnace (The current record-breaking heat wave in North America and the flooding in Russia are just more proof of  man-made climate change).

On Friday evening, I went to a baseball game at U.S. Cellular Field (What a terrible corportate name!).  Unfortunately, my beloved Toronto Blue Jays lost to the Chicago White Sox by a score of 4-2.  On Saturday, I went to the museum area.  It was a long ride and traffic was slow due to a Tim McGraw concert at Soldier Field.

I have to say that Chicago really is my kind of town.  It is an amazingly well-planned city and its waterfront is magnificent.  It's a people city too.  There is no problem getting around Chicago without a car.  All the city's major attractions are accessible by public transportation.  An employee of the Chicago Transit Authority informed me that the system is open 24 hours a day. 

Shedd Aquarium

Inside Harry's restaurant

Famous statue of Harry with pictures of celebrities posing beside it 

- Joanne

Help Save Horse Racing in Ontario

Although horse racing is referred to as "the sport of kings," it is not elitist.  It is enjoyed by people from all walks of life and a wide variety of cultures around the world.  Sadly, here in Ontario, the horse racing industry is facing a grave threat to its very existence.  It is not an exaggeration to say that the industry will not survive unless decisive measures are taken immediately.  Even the crown jewel of Canadian racing, the Queen's Plate, faces an uncertain future.

This has all come about because the Ontario government has senselessly and arbitrarily decided to end the slots at-racetrack  program.  It was a senseless and reckless move on the part of the government because the program returns $1.1 billion dollars of yearly revenue to the province with absolutely  no government risk or investment.  The slots agreement is scheduled to end on March 31, 2013, after which Woodbine will be deprived of half of its revenues.  Yes, you read that correctly - 50 per cent of its revenues!

On June 21st, just days before the 153rd running of the historic Queen's Plate, Nick Eaves, president and CEO of the Woodbine Entertainment Group, addressed the seriousness of the crisis.  When questioned, Eaves agreed that the 2012 Queen's Plate had a chance to be the last one.  He said, "It could be,  We hope not."  He then added, "It's going to depend on whether we can find an operating model for the first of April (2013) that allows us to continue in business.  If we can't, then this is the last Queen's Plate."

It would be a tragedy if horse racing goes bankrupt in Ontario as it did in Quebec.  After 137 years of operation, Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal closed down in October of 2009.  The good news for Quebec racing fans, however, is that the Quebec Jockey Club is attempting to revive the sport in the province.  A new racetrack will be opening in Trois-Rivieres (between Montreal and Quebec City.)  The refurbished Hippodrome Tros-Rivieres, will host ten races this fall.  The next goal is to build a racetrack in the Montreal area within five years.

Here in Ontario, horse racing is facing some sobering realities.  The venerable Fort Erie Racetrack will be closing down after this year.  What a blow to the citizens of the town of Fort Erie! How devastating to the people who will lose their jobs.   We have already lost the Greenwood Racetrack.  Woodbine and Mohawk could be next.

Horse racing fans, let your voices be heard!  Don't sit back and be passive about this.  Don't allow our sport to die in the province of Ontario.  Bombard your MPP with emails.  Let Finance Minister Dwight Duncan know where you stand.  Remind them of some undeniable facts:

* According to an economic study prepared by the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) in November of 2011, there are 31, 441 jobs sustained by the horse racing industry in Ontario.  When part-time and casual employment are factored in, the industry employs up to 60,000 jobs in this province.  The government's actions may result in these dedicated people being deprived of  both their livelihood and their participation in the sport they love.

* As Woodbine Sports and Entertainment has pointed out, Ontario's horse racing and breeding industry contributes $4.5 billion to the province's gross domestic product.

To support horse racing in Ontario, click on the link below to go to the Value 4 Money website.  It was launched by the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association and it contains factual information about the OLG Slots at Racetrack Program.  It shares specifics about the industry's economic impact and value to Ontario's rural economy and provides concerned citizens with the tools to engage the Government of Ontario  by email.

Value 4 Money

For additional information, contact Sue Leslie, President, Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association by phone at 416-679-0741 or online at ohria@ohria.com.


- Joanne

Summer Quiz

THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012

For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere, summer has officially arrived.   Yesterday,June 20, we reached the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.  To celebrate, Number 16 presents a ten-question quiz all about summer. Sit back, relax and test your knowledge.   It's summertime and the livin' is easy!

SUMMER QUIZ


1.  What year was the Summer of Love?

A.  1968

B.  1967

C.  1969

D.  1966

E.  1970



2.  Back in 1966, The Lovin' Spoonful had a big hit with a song titled "Summer in the City."  What is the first line of the song?

A.  Hot dogs, summer in the city

B.  Hot days, summer in the city

C.  Hot town, summer in the city

D.  Hot times, summer in the city

E.  Hot sun, summer in the city



3.  Who wrote the beautiful poem Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day?

A.  William Wordsworth

B.  John Donne

C.  Alfred. Lord Tennyson

D.  William Shakespeare

E.  John Keats



4.  What is  known as "The Year Without a Summer?"

A.  "The Year Without a Summer" refers to 1816 in which there were extreme summer climate abnormalities and global temperatures decreased considerably.

B.  The Year Without a Summer is the title of a novel by Sinclair Lewis.

C.  "The Year Without a Summer" is a 1956 song that was sung by Patti Page.

D.  The Year Without a Summer is the title of a film directed by Howard Hawks.

E.  "The Year Without a Summer" refers to 1994, the year of a major league baseball strike which culminated in the cancellation of the World Series.



5.  Who sang the following lyrics?

In the summertime when the weather is hot
You can stretch right up and touch the sky
When the weather's fine
You got women, you got women on your mind

A.  Eric Burden and the Animals

B.  The Hollies

C.  Bertie Higgins

D.  Mungo Jerry

E.  The Kinks


6.  What is the name of the 1955 film in which Katharine Hepburn plays a lonely American woman who finds romance with an Italian man during her summer vacation in Venice?

A.  One Summer in Venice

B.  Summertime

C.  Italian Vacation

D.  Sweet Summer

E.  Summer of Romance



7.  Fill in the blank to complete this quote:

The way to ensure summer in _________ is to have it framed and glazed in a comfortable room.

A.  Russia

B.  Newfoundland

C.  Greenland

D.  Alaska

E.  England



8.  Who had a hit song with "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer" in 1963?

A.  Perry Como

B.  Frank Sinatra

C.  Sam Cooke

D.  Nat "King" Cole

E.  Andy Williams



9.  In the Bryan Adams song, "Summer of '69," what did the singer buy at the five-and-dime?

A.  He bought his first real six-string guitar.

B.  He bought ice cream for his friends.

C.  He didn't have any money to buy anything.

D.  He bought his first baseball glove

E.  He bought some cool shades.



10.  What is the title of a book written by Bette Greene about a 12-year-old American Jewish girl who befriends an escaped German POW during World War II?

A.  Summer Friends

B.  Summer POW

C.  Summer of My German Soldier

D.  A Summer Tale

E.  My Summer Ally


ANSWERS

1.  B

The "Summer of Love" refers to the summer of 1967 when thousands of flower children from around the world flocked to the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco.


2.  C

The first line of  "Summer in the City" is "Hot town, summer in the city."  The song was co-written by Lovin' Spoonful lead vocalist John Sebastian, his younger brother Mark Sebastian, and Lovin' Spoonful guitarist Steve Boone.  It appeared on the album Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in August of 1966.

The lyrics to Summer in the City come from a poem that Mark Sebastian submitted to a literary magazine when he attended Blair Academy, a private secondary boarding school in Warren County, New Jersey.


3.  D

Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day is Sonnet 18 of William Shakespeare's 154 sonnets.  In this sonnet, the speaker compares his beloved to the summer season and reaches the conclusion that his beloved is superior in beauty and loveliness.


4.  A

The year 1816 is known to historians and scientists as the "Year Without a Summer" or "Eighteen Hundred and Froze to Death."  In many parts of the world, there was snow in summer. Crops were destroyed due to a lack of sunlight and there was disease and starvation across the Northern Hemisphere.  Global temperatures fell by about 0.4 - 0.7 degrees C (0.7 - 1.3 F).  In New England, there was snow in early June.  Low temperatures and an abundance of rain resulted in crop failures in Britain.

Thees climatic anomalies were caused by two major factors: a historic low in solar activity and an explosive type of volcanic eruption.  On April 10, 1815, Mount Tambora in Indonesia (then known as the Dutch East Indies) erupted.  This volcanic disaster killed thousands of people and spewing prodigious amounts of ash into the atmosphere.  The dust in the atmosphere blocked sunlight from passing through, creating unseasonably cold temperatures.


5.  D

The British rock band Mungo Jerry had a huge hit with "In the Summertime."  It was their first single and it was released in May of 1970.  The song topped the U.K. Singles Chart for seven weeks and reached number one in over 26 countries worldwide.  Singer-songwriter and guitarist Ray Dorset founded the group.


6.  B

Hepburn and Brazzi in Summertime

The film Summertime, Katharine Hepburn played the role of Jane Hudson, an elementary school teacher from Akron, Ohio.  Jane saves enough money to fulfill her dream of spending her summer vacation in Venice.  During her trip overseas, she meets Renato de Rossi, the owner of an antiques store.  Jane and Renato, played by Italian actor Rossano Brazzi, have a bittersweet romance.


7.  E

Horace Walpole

In a letter to Rev. William Cole, May 28, 1774,  the English writer and statesman, Horace Walpole (1717-1797), wrote:  "The way to ensure summer in England is to have it framed and glazed in a comfortable room."


8.  D

Nat "King" had a hit with "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer" in 1963.  It reached number 6 on the Billboard charts that year.  Here are the lyrics to the first verse.

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy day of summer
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer

To list to Nat "KIng" Cole singing "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer," click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoLogdbVS3U


9. A

Here is the first verse of "Summer of '69."

I got my first real six-string guitar 
Bought it at the five-and-dime
Played it till my fingers bled
Was the summer of '69

Canadian rocker Brian Adams recorded "Summer of '69" on his fourth studio album, Reckless, which was released in 1984.  Adams and his former songwriting partner, fellow British Columbian Jim Vallance, wrote the song.


10.  C

Bette Greene's novel, Summer of My German Soldier, was first published in 1973.  It tells the story of a young Jewish girl, Patty Bergen, who lives in Arkansas during World War II.  Patty befriends an escaped German prisoner of war named Anton.

In 1978, "Summer of My German Solder" was turned into a television movie starring Kristy McNichol in the role of Patty and Bruce Dawson as Anton.


- Joanne

Toronto Confidential: June 11, 2012

                                                  @ http://www.aviewoncities.com

TORONTO CONFIDENTIAL
Issue No. 2

We all claim to be citizens of the world, but you people who live in a city like Toronto, you truly are those citizens.  You have so many ethnic groups here and you know them all so well.  All you have to do is turn the corner to make contact with another part of the universe.  To be able to foster a deep understanding of people and work with that understanding to achieve a common cultural , economic and spiritual good : that is the dream of most people.  And you have that dream here in Toronto. 
- Yo-Yo Ma, famed cellist,
as quoted in the Toronto Star, May 26, 2012


DISASTROUS WEEKEND FOR T.O.
I was away from Toronto for about five days, from May 30th to June 3rd.  During that time, I was visiting relatives in Quebec City.  While I was in that beautiful, historical city, the new from home was very  disconcerting.  First I learned that there was a flood at Union Station.and that the station had to be closed down temporarily.  Then I heard that there was a shooting at the Eaton Centre.  On Saturday, June 2, a man was killed and six people were injured when a man opened fire at the Urban Eatery, a recently-opened food court in the huge downtown mall.  The Urban Eatery is modern and airy.  It made its debut last September after a $48 million renovation.  It contains 24 restaurants and seats 900 people.  I have eaten there a few times myself.

One of the six people wounded in the attack, a 22-year-old man, died of his injuries today.  The accused gunman, Christopher Husbands, was known to police and he gave himself up.  He was targeting the murder victim and he was under house arrest.  Obviously he shouldn't have had a gun in his possession and he shouldn't have had electronic monitoring.

For a city of its size (over 2.6 million people), Toronto is relatively safe.  In 2011, the number of homicides in the City of Toronto was 45, the lowest number since 1986 when there were 37 murders.  In 2010, the city recorded 61 homicides.  The deadliest years were 2007 and 1991. There were 86 homicides during those two years, the most Toronto has ever recorded.

The sad part about the incident, aside from the shootings themselves, is that it's damaging to Toronto's image and to the sense of security of its citizens.  We can't live in fear, however.  We can't lock ourselves up in our homes.

NOTE:  While visiting Quebec City, I rode the buses a few times.  I couldn't help but notice that their buses were much cleaner than our TTC buses.  There were no candy wrappers and newspapers strewn on the seats and on the floor.  I also did not observe people eating on the Quebec City buses.

PLASTIC BAGS BANNED IN TORONTO
Much to the chagrin of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, plastic bags will be banned in Toronto.  The ban, scheduled to  take effect on January 1, 2013, is one of the largest of its kind in North America.  It even includes compostable and biodegradale bags.  Cities such as Portland, Oregon, Seattle, Washington, San Francisco, California and Fort McMurray, Alberts all have similar bans, but none of those municipalities is as populous as Toronto.

What began as a debate at City Hall on abolishing the five-cent fee on plastic bags, backfired on the controversial mayor.  At first, everything appeared to be going Ford's way.  At his urging, Toronto council decided to scrap the nickel fee.  Then something quite unforeseen happened.  Councillor David Shiner, a member of Ford's executive team, unexpectedly put forth a motion prohibiting retailers from distributing or selling any plastic shopping bags.  To the delight of environmentalists, council approved Shiner's motion.by a vote of 24-20.

Mayor Ford said that he expects the ban to undergo a legal challenge and he blamed the city's taxpayers for council's vote to ban plastic bags.  In a radio interview, he told AM 640 host John Oakley that he wants "people to get engaged in municipal politics, and find out who their councillor is and know how they vote."

Neil Young

FEATURED TORONTO-BORN PERSONALITY
Neil Percival Young was born in Toronto General Hospital on November 12, 1945.  The influential singer-songwriter is the son of the late Scott Young, a well known Canadian writer and sports journalist.  Neil began performing solo in Canada in 1960.  He relocated to California in 1966 and co-founded the folk rock band Buffalo Springfield.

In 1969, Neil Young became the fourth member of Crosby, Stills and Nash.  He has also enjoyed a very successful solo career and he has been twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as a solo artist in 1995 and as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997.  On December 30, 2009, Young became an Officer of the Order of Canada.


DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that Ernest Hemingway's first child was born in Toronto.  Between 1920 and 1924, the great  author worked as a correspondent for the Toronto Star newspaper.  While Hemingway was writing for the Star in 1923 and 1924, he and his first wife, Hadley Richardson, lived in an apartment building at 1597-1599 Bathurst.Street. Their son, John Hadley Nicanor "Jack" Hemingway was born at Toronto's Wellesley Hospital on October 10, 1923.

The Bathurst Street building is now known as ''The Hemingway" in honour of Ernest Hemingway.  It is a Forest Hill condominium.   Below is a photo of The Hemingway.

Ernest Hemingway did not say many positive things about Toronto or Canada.  You have put that in the context of the times, however.  During the 1920s, Toronto was very staid and conservative.  It was not an very entertaining city back then.  For an adventurous man like Hemingway, it was rather boring.  If Hemingway were alive today, he'd see a very different place.  An influx of immigration has transformed Toronto into a very lively metropolis.

- Joanne

Tribute to the Everly Brothers

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 2012

The Everly Brothers are the most important duo in rock.  The enduring influence of their close, expressive harmonies is evident in the work of British Invasion bands like the Beatles and the Hollies, and folk-oriented acts such as Simon and Garfunkel, not to mention countless other artists.  

- Rolling Stone Magazine

Don and Phil Everly are known for their unique sound, underscored by their close vocal harmonies and steel-string guitar playing.  Their music can be characterized as an elegant blending of folk/country music with rock 'n' roll.  Art Garfunkel described the Everly Brothers as "Kentucky guys with beautiful, perfect-pitch harmonies  and great diction."  "All those vowel and consonants," he said, "those s's and t's, every one of them killed me."

Isaac Donald Everly was born Muhlenberg County, Kentucky on February 1, 1937.  His brother, Philip Everly, was born in Chicago, Illinois on January 19, 1939.  Their parents, Ike and Margaret Everly, were country/folk musicians.  In 1945, the family moved to Shennadoah, Iowa where Ike found employment at radio station KMA.performing 3 times a week.

Ike Everly, an accomplished guitarist, fostered a love of music in his sons.  He encouraged them to sing and he instructed them in the art of guitar playing.  When they were eight and six years old, young Don and Phil appeared with their parents on Ike's radio show.   KMA listeners knew the boys as "Little Donnie" and "Baby Boy Phil."  Margaret often sang with Ike and the boys to complete a four-part harmony and by 1950, the radio program was titled The Everly Family Show.

In 1952, the Everly family moved their show to another radio staion in Evansville, Indiana.  They only stayed there for a year, however.  Times were changing and radio stations were turning away from live programming because it was less expensive to play recordings.  In order to find work, the Everlys were forced to travel from town to town, performing at county fairs, political gatherings and revivals.   In September of 1953, they packed up their car and settled in Knoxville, Tennessee where a station hired them to sing for $90 a week.

When Don and Phil grew older, they left the family act behind and transformed themselves into a duo.  Guitarist and record producer Chet Atkins was a big fan of the brothers and he provided them with enormous support in the early days of their career.  Atkins, an acquaintance of Ike, secured a six-month contract for Don and Phil with Columbia Records.  In November of 1955, the brothers had their one and only recording session with Columbia.  The two songs they released, "Keep A' Lovin' Me" and "The Sun Keeps Shining" failed miserably and Columbia dropped them from its label. Nevertheless, fame and fortune lay just around the corner for the teenage duo.

Although Columbia lost interest in Don and Phil, Chet Atkins continued to lend his support to the brothers. He got them signed as songwriters with Acuff-Rose Music, the largest publishing company in Nashville.  It   was Wesley Rose (the Rose in Auff-Rose) who introduced them to producer Archie Bleyer of Cadence Records.  Bleyer was seeking country talent and he signed the duo.to a contract.

In 1957, the Everly Brothers released a single on the Cadence label.  The name of the song was "Bye Bye Love," a tune composed by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, a husband and wife team.  "Bye Bye Love" resonated with teenagers and it was a tremendous hit.  It had a 22-week run on the Billboard chart, reaching as high as Number 2.  The song had been rejected by many other music groups but it became the Everly Brothers' first million-seller.

Due to the popularity of "Bye Bye Love," the Everlys were able to taste stardom for the first time. On May 11, 1957, their longtime dream of performing on the Grand Ole Opry came true.  They received a rousing ovation from the crowd in Nashville.and more success lay ahead for the brothers.

Don and Phil reached the top of the pop charts with their next single, also composed by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant.  "Wake Up Little Susie" told the tale of a teenage couple who sneaked home late at night after falling asleep at a drive-in movie.  It was their second million-seller and it remained Number 1 for four weeks.  After recording "Wake Up Little Susie,"  the Everlys embarked on concert tour of 78 cities that ran from September 6 to November 24, 1957.  The blockbuster tour was tagged "The Biggest Show of Stars for '57" and it included such rock 'n' roll luminaries as Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Fats Domino, Paul Anka, The Drifters and Buddy Holly and The Crickets.

From 1957 to 1959, the Everlys churned out hit after hit.  They racked up six top ten hits on the American country charts and seven on the pop charts.  Two other songs written by the Bryants reached the top of the pop charts during those years: "All I Have To Do Is Dream" and "Bird Dog." As the 1960s began, however, a whiff of change was in the air.

The Everly Brothers left Cadence Records in 1960 over a disagreement concerning  royalties. They then signed a lucrative ten-year contract with Warner Brothers Records.  "Cathy's Clown," their first single under their new label, was an overwhelming success. That song, written by Don and Phil,, was their biggest selling single and it sold eight million copies worldwide.  The duo also scored hits with "When Will I Be Loved," (written by Phil Evely)  "Walk Right Back" (written by Sonny Curtis) and "Ebony Eyes." (written by Don and Phil).

In November of 1961, Don and Phil Everly enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve. During their six months in the Corps., they had a hit record with "Crying in the Rain."  Their military obligations, however, prevented them from promoting the song with tours and club dates.  They were released from their service with the Marines on May 24, 1962. and their career began to slow down.  Their final top ten hit was 1962's "That's Old Fashioned."

On February 13, 1962, while in the Marine Corps., Don married his second wife, film and television actress Venetia Stevenson.  The ceremony took place in the chapel at Camp Pendleton, California and the groom wore his Marine dress uniform.  Only five days after the wedding, the Everly Brothers turned up in New York and made an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show wearing their uniforms.  In November of that year, Don collapsed on stage while rehearsing for a tour in Britain and Phil was left to finish the tour on his own.

On January 12, 1963, Phil married Jacqueline Alice Ertel, stepdaughter of Archie Bleyer of Cadence Records and daughter of  Bleyer's wife Janet Ertel.  Janet, who died in 1988, was an original member of The Cordettes, a popular quartet of female singers whose biggest hit was "Mr. Sandman."  Phil's marriage to Jackie Ertel lasted until 1970 and produced three children.

By the time of the British Invasion in 1964,.the Evely Brother's heyday was well over.  Beset by personal problems and a demanding performance schedule, their popularity declined sharply.  Don and Phil were also plagued with drug abuse problems.  They were both addicted to methamphetamine (speed) for a time.  In 1963, a troubled Don suffered a nervous breakdown. During this horribly dark period in his life, he attempted suicide.  He was hospitalized and later underwent electroshock treatments.

Don Everly and Venetia Stevenson divorced in 1970.  They had three children: Erin Invicta (born November 8, 1965), a former actress and model, daughter Stacey, an artist, and son Edan (born 1968), a musician. On April 28, 1990, Erin wed Axl Rose, lead vocalist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, in Las Vegas. Their short-lived marriage was annulled in 1991.  Erin claimed it was a nightmare of physical and emotional abuse.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a growing discord between Don and Phil Everly. Their differences came to a head in 1973.  During a concert at Knott's Berry Farm near Los Angeles, an irate Phil smashed his guitar and stormed off stage.  He was furious because the show had to be stopped midway through the concert, allegedly due to Don's drunkenness.  Don later declared that the Everly Brothers had split and that they had "died ten years ago."  For the next decade, the brothers performed solo and their careers stagnated.

Don and Phil reconciled in September of 1983, after the funeral of their father Ike.  They reunited as a singing duo, toured together.and recorded some albums.  Ten months after their reconciliation, the Everly Brothers gave a highly publicized reunion concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England.  The concert was videotaped and televised on the Home Box Office cable network.  In 2003 and 2004, the Everly Brothers joined Simon and Garfunkel on their "Old Friends reunion tour.  They had previously sung background harmony on the title track of Paul Simon's Graceland album.

Don is now 75 years old and Phil is 73. They perform occasionally although they claim to be retired. Phil owns a musical instrument accessories company called Everly Music Comany.  The company manufactures guitar and bass strings designed by Phil and his eldest son Jason.

To watch a video of the Everly Brothers singing "All I Have to Do is Dream:" and "Cathy's Clown," click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKn6h2x5IcY

END NOTES  

* Phil Everly was a pall bearer at Buddy Holly's funeral in February of 1959.  In September of 2011, Phil attended the ceremonial unveiling of Buddy Holly's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

* Don has been married four times and Phil has been married three times.  Don's first marriage was to Mary Sue Ingraham in 1957.  They had one child and divorced in 1961. His second was to Venetia Stevenson and his third marriage was to Karen Prettyman on May 6, 1975.  Don is currently married to Adela Garza, whom he met in a musician's bar in Nashville, Tennessee.  They wed in 1997.

* Phil's children are Jason (from his first marriage to Jackie Ertel) and Christopher (from his second marriage to Patricia Mickey which ended in divorce in 1978).  Phil has been married to Patrice Arnold since August 23, 1999).

* Axl Rose wrote his 1988 hit "Sweet Child O' Mine" for his then-girlfriend Erin Everly.

* The Beatles used "Cathy's Clown as the framework for the vocal arrangement of "Please Please Me."

* Rolling Stone Magazine ranked the Everly Brothers 33rd on their 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Times.

* Don and Phil Everly are featured on a an  album by Don's son, Edan Everly.  The album, Songs From Bikini Atoll, was released in 2010.

* In 1986, the Every Brothers were included among the first ten artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.


EDITOR'S NOTE (August 30, 2013):  Last evening, I saw Don's son, Edan Everly, on stage with Frankie Avalon at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto.  Edan, a singer and guitarist, and Frankie performed three Everly Brothers songs.  The songs were "Bye Bye Love," All I I Have To Do Is Dream" and "Wake Up Little Susie."

EDITOR'S UPDATE (January 4, 2014):  Phil Everly passed away on January 3, 2014 in Burbank, California due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  He was 74 years old at the time of his death.

EDITOR'S UPDATE (August 22, 2021):  Don Everly died on August 21, 2021 at the age of  84.  


- Joanne

The 2012 Canadian loonies and toonies: What a mess for vending machine users!

MONDAY, MAY 28, 2012

The Royal Canadian Mint is penny wise and pound foolish.  Oops, sorry!  The Canadian penny is on the way out.  That's another story, though.  The focus of this piece is the 2012 one dollar coin (commonly known as the "loonie") and the two dollar coin (commonly known as the "toonie").  With the intention of saving money, the Mint has produced lighter coins.  According to the Canadian government's official newspaper,the Canada Gazette, the new coins will save an estimated $16 million dollars a year. That's not chicken fodder.  It's a sizable sum, but it comes at a tremendous cost to the vending machine industry and a terrible inconvenience to the public.

The 2012 coins are lighter and cheaper to produce because they are composed of multi-ply plated steel.  The problem is that vending machines have to be adjusted to accept this difference in weight because they are sensitive to even the slightest change in a coin.  It will be extremely expensive to reprogram so many machines across the country.  The Canada Gazette estimated that there would be a one-time cost of $40 million to the vending industry. Remember that that is only an estimate.  The real cost could be much greater.  No wonder vending machine operators are so upset!  Welcome to their nightmare!

Expect many vending businesses to lobby the government for compensation.  Who knows how much that will cost taxpayers if the lobbyists are successful!  That's not the end of this mess either.  Contrary to what the Canada Gazette says, it's not really just a one-shot deal for the vending industry.  Vending machines will also have to be adjusted in November when the new $20 polymer bill is introduced and again when new $5 and $10 bills arrive in 2013.

The Canadian public is also paying the price for the government's decision to produce lighter coins,  Canadians were not given fair warning that this was going to happen.  It was just foisted upon them with very little publicity.  Many did not understand why the parking meter was not accepting their coins.  When I tried to purchase a newspaper from a newspaper box, I discovered that all my loonies were of the 2012 variety and could not be used.

Don't get me wrong.  The lightness of the new currency is most welcome.  A surfeit of heavy coinage in a purse or wallet is burdensome.  That was one of the reasons that I was not too pleased when the one dollar bill was replaced by a one dollar coin in 1987 (Yes, folks, it's been 25 years since the introduction of the loonie).

When the loonie made its debut, I argued that it would debase the value of a dollar.  Coins are thrown in drawers and left in pockets, I maintained, while bills, on the other hand, are tucked safely in wallets.  My other concern was that vending machine prices would increase.  Yet I realized that the introduction of a one dollar coin was inevitable because the government needed to save money and coins last longer than bank notes.

A quarter of a century later, my opinion on that matter has not changed.  I do admit, however, to a grudging affection for the loonie.  It's so purely Canadian.  What other country would nickname its one dollar currency a "loonie?"   The loon design, however, happened by accident.  The original design on the one dollar coin was intended to be the traditional Voyageur canoe.  Somehow, on the way to the Mint in Winnipeg, the dies were lost.  To avoid future counterfeiting, the Voyageur dies were discarded and replaced with a loon.

- Joanne

Stress Relief

THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2012

Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy and rewarding life.

- Marilu Henner, (born April 6, 1952, American actress, producer and author)


I also think stress is related to control.  When you're in charge of your life, you tend not to care about losing  control of things that don't really matter like traffic jams.

- Marilu Henner


Are you overworked and dog tired?  Are you feeling stressed from the demands of your job or from family responsibilities and financial burdens?  Need to get out of the rat race - at least temporarily?  Here's a suggestion from Number 16,  It won't solve all your problems but it will provide you with some relief from stress.  It is absolutely free and it has no harmful side effects or undesirable consequences.  Just click the following link.  Then get ready to sit back and relax for two minutes.  Take your hands off your computer keyboard and mouse.  Calm yourself!

http://www.donothingfor2minutes.com/


The Do Nothing For 2 minutes website was created by British entrepreneur Alex Tew and developer Ben Dowling.  Tew, who also created the Million Dollar Homepage, stated his reasons for creating the Do Nothing For 2 Minutes page:

I had been thinking how we spend every waking minute of the day with access to an unlimited supply of information.  I also read somewhere that there is evidence that our brains are being re-wired by the Internet because we get a little dopamine kick every time we check our e-mail or Twitter or Facebook and there's a new update.  So we're all developing a bit of ADD, which is probably not great in terms of being productive.


- Joanne