The death of Whitney Houston - so many questions

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

On the eve of the Grammy Awards, fans around the world are mourning the death of singer Whitney Houston.  I was at a movie theatre last night when I heard the sad news.  Given Houston's struggle with substance abuse, my first thought was that she had died of a drug overdose.  The circumstances of her death, however, remain unclear pending a coroner's investigation.  An autopsy has been scheduled.

All we know for certain is that Whitney was found unconscious in a bathtub in her room on the fourth floor of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.  Paramedics were called to the scene, but efforts to revive her failed.  She was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. on February 11, 2012.  Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen declared that there "were no obvious signs of criminal intent." 

Until more information comes to light, the star's tragic demise will be shrouded in mystery.  There are just too many questions.  On the surface, things were looking brighter for the troubled songstress.  She was in the midst of a comeback and she had an ABC television movie in the works.  CNN reported that a music executive who was staying on the floor above Houston's suite had seen Whitney swimming in the hotel pool with her 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown.  The music exec said that mother and daughter looked very happy.  Other news sources, however, tell a different story.  They report that two days prior to her death Whitney appeared dishevelled and confused.  She was sweating profusely and she smelt of alcohol. 

Whitney Houston was only 48 years old and she will be missed.  Born in Newark, New Jersey on August 9, 1963, she was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.  What a pedigree!  No wonder she had such a magnificent voice.  Imagine being able to say that your godmother is "Lady Soul" herself. 

After learning of Whitney's passing, a distraught Aretha said in a brief statement, "It's so stunning and unbelievable.  I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen."  Many others are shocked and saddened.  Through the years, we watched the painful decline of a great talent.  It was a decline that began with her disastrous involvement and abusive marriage to Bobby Brown.  She was swept into the whirlwind of his drug-addled world and she could not escape from it.

I went to a Whitney Houston concert here in Toronto back in the 1980s when she was in her prime.  It was at the old CNE stadium and I will never forget it.  What a voice!  How beautiful she was!  It's a shame that someone with so much talent had to end up in such a terrible state!  Rest in peace, Whitney.  You'll be singing with the angels.

- Joanne

Mitt Romney and The Donald

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2012

Real estate tycoon Donald Trump is supporting Mitt Romey in his bid to win the Republican nomination for president.  I've tried to imagine a phone conversation between the two men,  Maybe it would sound something like this . . .

TRUMP:  Hey, Mitt, how are you doing?  Donald Trump here.  I called to congratulate you on your win in the Maine caucuses yesterday.

ROMNEY: Thanks, Donald.  That was a much-needed win.  Santorum was gaining momentum.  Last Tuesday, he won in Missouri, Minnesota and Colorado.

TRUMP:  Don't worry, my friend. You're gonna be the next president.  With me on your side, you can't miss.  I'm backing you one hundred per cent, Mitt, and Donald Trump doesn't put his money on a loser.  That's not how I became a billionaire.  Santorum's having his moment right now, just as Gingrich had his.  He'll fade away.  You'll be the one still standing when it's all over.

ROMNEY:  I sure hope so!  Thanks for the words of encouragement, Donald.

TRUMP:  My pleasure.  Just think of me as your Trump card.  Now let's repeat our favourite phrase again!

ROMNEY:  Oh, I'm so excited!  I just love repeating that phrase.  It makes me tingle all over.

TRUMP:  Okay, then.  Together now. (Romney joins in) YOU'RE FIRED!  YOUR FIRED!  YOU'RE FIRED1)

ROMNEY (sighs contentedly): Aren't those the most beautiful words in the English language?  Boy, I really feel good now.  I'm pumped!  I can't wait to take on Obama!

TRUMP:  That's what I like to hear - enthusiasm.  So what is your first priority, Mitt?  The economy?  Making war on Iran?  More tax breaks for the wealthy?  What are you thinking about?

ROMNEY:  My first priority is making sure Barack Obama doesn't get a second term.  My chances of defeating him are better if the economy doesn't do so well.  He'll get blamed and I won't.  Once I'm president, of course, my policies will improve America's economy.  I'll cut jobs in order to create jobs.  That's what I'll do!  No pain, no gain.  That's what I always say.

TRUMP:  Good for you!  This is war!  That pinko is ruining this country.  We have to return to free enterprise and fiscal restraint.

ROMNEY:  That's for sure!  The free market always works best.  We shouldn't let anything interfere with it.  That's why we have to stop Obama.  He even stole one of my ideas (ahem) - that is - before I realized how wrong I was.  I'm afraid it was a lapse in judgement on my part.

TRUMP:  Oh, you must mean the health care law you enacted when you were governor of Massachusetts.  I'm glad you've seen the light. 

ROMNEY:  Don't worry, Donald.  Once I'm president, ObamaCare will be history!  Pronto!  The sooner the better!

TRUMP:  Now you're talking!   That's the spirit!  Well, I have to go now.  I've got another business deal to work on.  But before I go, I have to make a comment about your hair.  You are so lucky to have such a full head of hair and that touch of grey on your temples looks so distinguished and presidential.  But if you start to develop some bald spots, I'll be happy to send you to my personal hair stylist.  He'll give you a great comb over.

ROMNEY:  Well, my hair is still pretty thick, Donald.  If I should start losing it, I may take you up on your offer.

TRUMP:  All right, then, Mitt.  Goodbye.

ROMNEY:  Oh Donald, one more thing before you go.

TRUMP:  What's that?

ROMNEY:  Can we say "you're fired" together one more time?

TRUMP AND ROMNEY:  YOU'RE FIRED!  YOU'RE FIRED!  YOU'RE FIRED!


- Joanne

Let's talk about mental illness

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2012

It isn’t easy to talk about mental illness. It’s a subject many people feel uncomfortable discussing and prefer to avoid. Talking about it reminds us of our vulnerabilities and evokes some of our deepest fears and prejudices. Frankly, it makes us squirm. We would like to sweep the problem under the rug and pretend it doesn’t exit – but we can’t!

The mentally ill are with us every day, suffering a torment that is just as real and just as painful as physical illness. The difference is that it is not as visible as a physical disease or a disability. Although you can clearly see a cane or a wheelchair or a prosthetic device, you cannot see the anguish that goes on inside someone’s head. This is the brutal reality that the mentally ill and their families have to live with constantly. This is why mental illness is the cruellest of illnesses and extremely stressful for all concerned.

The late Christopher Reeve was a passionate champion for those suffering with spinal cord injuries and Michael J. Fox is a tireless advocate on behalf of the victims of Parkinson’s disease. Although these two actors have been courageous and outspoken, it must be remembered that non-celebrities have also stepped up to the plate. Think of Canada’s Terry Fox and his run for cancer research or Canada’s Rick Hansen and his support of spinal cord injury research.  The aforementioned heroes have all raised awareness and collected funds to combat debilitating physical illnesses, but what about mental illnesses? Who will be the champion of the mentally ill?

Yes, we’ve come a long way, baby, when it comes to mental illness. We have better medication to control mental disease and better facilities for the mentally ill. Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go and the main obstacle remains society’s attitude toward mental disease. Just as the physically disabled continue to face prejudice and misunderstanding, so do the mentally disabled. There is still a stigma attached to both illnesses.

Nevertheless, public attitudes have improved, particularly toward the physically disabled. Gone are the days of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States. When Roosevelt became paralyzed after contracting polio in 1921, his disability was considered an embarrassment, a sign of weakness. Photographs of FDR in his wheelchair are rare because he was careful not to appear publicly in it. In fact, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Library has only three photos of the former president in a wheelchair.




Rare photo of FDR in wheelchair with his granddaughter and dog Fala



In public, Roosevelt wore heavy leg braces and supported himself with a cane. Many people were unaware during his lifetime that FDR used a wheelchair in private. Such deception would not be necessary if Roosevelt were alive today. On the surface, we are much more enlightened. Prejudice and unenlightened attitudes toward the physically disabled still exist, of course, but they are far more subtle and more insidious. In the case of mental illness, great deal of fear and misconception remains. For example, some people erroneously believe that schizophrenics have a Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde split personality.

It is easier to cheer for someone with a physical disability. You can visualize it. You can see a valiant Terry Fox limping bravely with one leg. You can see Michael J. Fox speaking out about Parkinson’s disease as his body shakes. Their struggle is clearly and overtly visible. The mentally ill face a constant inner struggle that is often nightmarish and tortuous.  It must be emphasized, however, that mental illness is different from the usual stress and difficulties that everyone encounters for time to time.

Some celebrities and well-known personalities have been open about their struggles with mental illness. Actress Patty Duke and Margaret Trudeau, ex-wife of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, come to mind. Catherine Zeta-Jones has also revealed that she is battling bipolar disorder.

Yet when was last time you saw a mentally ill person portrayed in a positive way on a television program or in a film? At the moment, I cannot think of an example. That is why I have written this. I want to raise awareness to the plight of the mentally ill because 20% of Canadians will experience mental illness during their lifetime - regardless of ethnic background, education and socioeconomic status.  It's time we talked about it and this is my way of stepping up to the plate. 

- Joanne

Fighting has no place in hockey

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

David Johnston

"Hockey I think is a wonderful ... tribute to Canada. It's a game that's vigorous, it is our outdoors, we take advantage of winter.

"I call it the beautiful game because it is the fastest game in the world."

"The intricacy of the play ... combines both a virtuosity of individual efforts but always as part of a team."

David Johnston
Governor General of Canada
CBC interview with Evan Solomon


Three cheers for David Johnston, the Governor General of Canada.  He isn't afraid to challenge the good old boys and their precious "code."  Although he didn't  mention any names, Johnston publicly disagreed with the neanderthal views of Don Cherry, Brian Burke, Mike Milbury and their ilk.  He dared to say that fighting, like headshots, shouldn't be part of the game.  What a breath of fresh air!  

The Governor General can not be accused of a lack of hockey knowledge and experience.  Born in Sudbury, Ontario, Johnston was an accomplished player during his youth.  As a teenager, he played on a 17-and-under team in Sault Ste. Marie with future NHL stars, Phil and Tony Esposito.  After suffering three concussions by the age of 16, he was persuaded to wear a helmet by his doctor.  Wearing a helmet was not a popular choice in those days.  It took courage and Johnston must have endured a great deal of criticism for it.  He was probably called a lot of derogatory names and his masculinity must have been severely questioned.

In the mid-1960s, David Johnston attended Harvard University and was an outstanding player for the Harvard team.  In fact, he was elected twice to the all-American Hockey Team and is a member of Harvard's Atheletic Hall of Fame.  During his university days, Johnston became a friend and jogging partner of  future best-selling novelist, Erich Segal.  When Segal wrote Love Story, he based a minor character named "Davey Johnson," a player on the Harvard hockey team, after his colleague.

I am pleased that our Governor General spoke his mind.  It's about time someone challenged Donald S. Cherry and the other good old boys.  It's about time someone refuted their oft-cited argument that fighting is part of the game.  Even The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, towed the "good old boy" party line when asked about fighting in hockey.  David Johnston refused to do so.  In his interview with the CBC's Evan Solomon, Johnson made the following statement.

What other sports say (fighting) is a part of the game?  Least of all in this game, because the essence of this game is the speed and the skill and the playmaking.

Yes indeed!  What other professional team sport tolerates fighting?  The NBA certainly doesn't.  Major League Baseball doesn't.  The NFL doesn't.  As for football (soccer), forget it !  Any of that nonsense and you get a red card.  That means you're out of the game and your team is one player short for the remainder of the match.

Why should the NHL accept fighting when the other sports don't?  I don't believe it should, but whenever I express my opinion on hockey violence, some males roll their eyes in a patronizing fashion as if to say, "What does a girl know about it?"  Then they invariably ask me whether I stand up with great excitement and interest when there is a fight.  They hope that I will admit that I do, but the  truth is that I never stand up and cheer a hockey fight.  I sit down because hockey fights are boring and a waste of time and energy.

Let's make one thing clear.  I am not advocating non-contact hockey.  I'm just saying there is no room for fights, headshots and high sticks.  Does the NHL need to risk losing any more skilled players such as Sidney Crosby?  Make no mistake, Sid the Kid's future in hockey is in terrible jeopardy.  There's a strong chance that his career may be over at the age of 24.  If he plays again, it is doubtful that he can ever play as effectively with the possibility of another concussion hanging over his head.

As for the so-called enforcers, they should be come as extinct as the dinosaurs.  "Enforcer" is just a euphemism for goon.  The hockey world has seen ample proof that being a goon causes scrambled brains and premature death.  Perhaps some misguided men are willing to sacrifice their health and welfare for large sums of money, but that does not mean we should allow them to do it?  Being a goon is a dishonourable and shameful way to earn a living.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to make any progress in reforming the game when one is up against the mindset of people such as Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brian Burke.  Burke recently whined and lamented having to send goon Colton Orr down to minors in order to maintain a more skilled lineup.  The way Burke carried on, you'd have thought he had lost his most productive scorer for the season.  You'd have thought he had made the most painful decision of his life.

I much prefer the mindset of Governor General David Johnston who commented that a number of things can be done to minimize the risk of concussions to star players like Sidney Crosby.  Let me end with Johnston's statement about the steps that need to be taken.

Those steps include redesigning hard-plastic equipment so it is less dangerous, eliminating head shots and high-sticking and fourthly, I think fighting is just . . . it should not be part of the game.

Amen to that and thank you, Your Excellency.


- Joanne

Tim Thomas snubs Obama. Not classy!

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2012

Tim Thomas is the 37-year-old goaltender for the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.  Last season, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the NHL's outstanding player in postseason play.  Thomas is also a two-time Vezina Trophy winner for his superior net minding.  He has spent his entire NHLhockey career in Boston and he was a member of the U.S. men's hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Born in Flint, Michigan, Thomas is one of two American players on the Bruins.  Recently he found himself embroiled in controversy when he refused to attend a celebration of Boston's Stanley Cup victory at the White House with U.S. President Barack Obama.  The event took place on January 23rd and Thomas was the only member of the team who was not present.

Boston Bruins President Cam Neeley stated that the organization was "disappointed" in its veteran goalie.  Neeley cited Thomas's "own opinions and political beliefs" as the reason for his failure to attend the White House event and General Manager Peter Chiarelli said that Thomas would not face disciplinary actions.  Thomas himself provided an explanation for his behaviour on his official Facebook page where he wrote the following message.

I believe the Federal government has grown out of control, threatening the Rights, Liberties, and Property of the People.

This is being done at the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial level. This is in direct opposition to the Constitution and the Founding Fathers vision for the Federal government.

Because I believe this, today I exercised my right as a Free Citizen, and did not visit the White House. This was not about politics or party, as in my opinion both parties are responsible for the situation we are in as a country. This was about a choice I had to make as an INDIVIDUAL.
"This is the only public statement I will be making on this topic. TT

Tim Thomas, of course, has every right to his political beliefs, although I believe them to be severely misguided.  As an American citizen, he can show his disagreement with Barack Obama by voting against the president on November 6.  He has the freedom to protest and to express his opinions in so many ways.  Why he chose to boycott a good-natured and innocuous celebration of his team's Stanley Cup championship is unfathomable to me.  It was not the time or the place to express political dissent.

As regular readers of Number 16 know, I do not agree with the policies of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.  If, however, I were invited to a charitable or celebratory event in Ottawa hosted by our prime minister, I would not hesitate to attend.

In his Facebook statement, Tim Thomas said his absence at the White House celebration was "not about people or politics or party."  Yet I think he was being disingenuous.  If a conservative Republic had been in the White House, I believe he would have attended the event.  His Facebook remarks reveal Thomas to be a radical right winger, a Tea Party type.  Thomas have different political views than President Obama, but he should respect the office of the presidency.

As a Canadian, I am bewildered why so many Americans are afraid of government per se.  Barack Obama simply believes that government can be a force for good.  That does not make him a revolutionary communist.  In his State of the Union speech, Obama came out swinging.  Remember how he pointed out that if it were not for government, the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge would not have been built during the Great Depression.

In his Facebook comments, Tim Thomas capitalized the word individual.  Conservatives certainly have a great fondness for the word "individual."  While it is true that individual liberty and individual responsibility are important to a healthy society, citizens also have to work together for a purpose.  The problem with conservatives is that they tend to forget about the word "community."  The best societies are a combination of both individuality and a sense of community.  A society with only one and not the other is destined to be severely flawed.

I say thumbs down to Tim Thomas on this issue.  His behaviour was not classy at all.  It was petty and small-minded.  That's why Deval Patrick, the Governor of Massachusetts, described Thomas's conduct as an example of America's lack of  "basic courtesy and grace."  Tim may have a good goaltending record, but he needs to learn some manners.

- Joanne

U.S. Presidents and First Ladies Quiz #2

FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012


Number 16 presents its second U.S. Presidents and First Ladies Quiz (the first one was posted on July 11, 2011 and you can find it by pressing the QUIZ tab above).  Are you ready to test your knowledge?  Then, let's go!

U.S. PRESIDENTS AND FIRST LADIES QUIZ #2 

1.  What is the name of the only film that Ronald and Nancy Reagan appeared in together during their acting careers?

A.  Bedtime for Bonzo

B.  Storm Warning

C.  Hellcats of the Navy

D.  The Girl from Jones Beach

E.  This is the Army



2.  Who was the first American First Lady to vote in a presidential election?

A.  Florence Harding

B.  Edith Wilson

C.  Grace Coolidge

D.  Lou Hoover

E.  Helen Taft



3.  Which U.S. President was an accidental bigamist?

A.  William Henry Harrison

B.  James Monroe

C.  Grover Cleveland

D.  Andrew Jackson

E.  John Tyler



4. Who was the last president to own slaves.?

A. Thomas Jefferson

B. Franklin Pierce

C. Zachary Taylor

D.  James Buchanan

E. Millard Fillmore



5.  Mary Todd Lincoln had an accident in 1863. What kind of accident did she have?

A.  She slipped on some ice on a cold day in Washington, D.C.

B.  She suffered some burns when a lamp fell over.

C.  She fell down some stairs at the White House and hit her head.

D.  She was thrown from her carriage and knocked unconscious.

E.  Her hands were caught in a drawer and she broke some bones.



6.  Was Theodore Roosevelt related to Eleanor Roosevelt.

A.  Yes, he was Eleanor's grandfather.

B.  Yes, he was Eleanor's uncle.

C.  No, they were not related.

D.  Yes, he was her older half-brother.

E.  Yes, he was Eleanor's cousin.



7.  Which U.S. President had the reputation of being a man of few words?

A,  Abraham Lincoln

B.  James Knox Polk

C.  Benjamin Harrison

D.  William Howard Taft

E.  Calvin Coolidge



8.  What was President Franklin Roosevelt's hobby?

A.  Stamp collecting

B.  Photography

C.  Building model ships and airplanes

D.  Numismatics (collecting coins and paper money)

E.  Playing bridge



9.  Which statement is true about Dolley Madison, wife of James Madison, the 4th President of the United States?

A.  Dolley Madison was born in Virginia.

B.  Dolley Madison was raised in the Quaker faith.

C.  Dolley Madison was a renowned pastry maker.

D.  Dolley Madison was known for her beautiful singing voice.

E.  Dolley Madison was 20 years old when she married James Madison.



10.  Which First Lady was declared insane and sent to a sanitarium?

A.  Elizabeth Monroe

B.  Louisa Adams

C.  Sarah Polk

D.  Letitia Christian Tyler

E.  Mary Todd Lincoln



ANSWERS

1.  C

Ronald and Nancy Reagan appeared in Hellcats of the Navy, a 1957 World War II submarine film.  It was released in 1957 and Reagan's wife billed as Nancy Davis, her professional name.


2.  A

In 1920, Florence Harding, wife of Warren G. Harding, became the first American First Lady to cast a vote for President of the United States.  The 19th Amendment of the United States Constitution, which guaranteed American women the vote, was ratified on August 18, 1920,




Florence Harding


3.  D

Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States, unwittingly became a bigamist.  In 1791, many years before his election to the presidency, Jackson married a young woman named Rachel Robards.  They lived together as husband and wife for two years before discovering that Rachel's first husband, Lewis Robards, had never actually completed their divorce.  This meant that Rachel's marriage to Andrew Jackson was invalid and that she was still technically married to Lewis Robards.  Robards finally obtained a divorce in 1793 and Andrew and Rachel wed in Nashville in 1794.

Andrew Jackson

Rachel Jackson

4.  C

Zachary Taylor, the 12th President of the United States (1849-1850), was the last president to own slaves.  Nevertheless, many Southerners were upset with Taylor's moderate position on the expansion of slavery and his opposition to Southern sectionalism.


5.  D

On July 2, 1863, Mary Todd Lincoln was injured in a carriage accident just outside of Washington, D.C.   She was thrown to the ground and her head hit a rock.


6.  B

Theodore Roosevelt was Eleanor Roosevelt's uncle.  He was the older brother of Eleanor's father, Elliott Roosevelt.  Eleanor's maiden name was the same as her married name because she and her husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, were distant cousins.  When Eleanor married Franklin, on March 17, 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt gave her away in place of her deceased father.


7.  E

Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States, was a man of few words and his nickname was Silent Cal.  There is a story that columnist Dorothy Parker once approached then-Vice President Coolidge at a dinner party.  She told him that she had bet against someone who said it was impossible to get more than two words out of the Vice President.  Coolidge is said to have famously replied, "You lose."


8.  A

FDR was an avid stamp collector and he had an extensive collection.


9.  B

Dolley Madison was born into the Quaker faith.  She was expelled after marrying James Madison because he was an Episcopalian.  She attended Episcopalian services with her husband and was confirmed in the faith on July 15, 1845 at St. John's Church in Washington, D.C.


10.  E

On May 20, 1875, a decade after her husband's assassination, Mary Todd Lincoln was committed by trial (on the petition of her son, Robert) to Bellevue Place, a psychiatric hospital in Batavia, Illinois.  Mrs. Lincoln was eventually released into the custody of her sister, Elizabeth Edwards.


- Joanne

Dr. Banting and insulin: Canada's gift to the world

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2012

Dr. Frederick Banting

Insulin is not a cure for diabetes; it is a treatment.  It enables the diabetic to burn sufficient carbohydrates, so that proteins and fats may be added to the diet in sufficient quantities to provide energy for the economic burdens of life.

- Dr. Frederick G. Banting
'Diabetes and Insulin', Nobel Lecture, September 15, 1925, in Nobel Lectures: Physiology or Medicine 1922-1941 (1965), p. 68

Ninety years ago today, on January 11, 1922, insulin was injected into a human being for the first time during a clinical test at the University of Toronto.  Dr. Banting, a 30-year-old Canadian endocrinologist, administered bovine insulin to a 14-year-old boy named Leonard Thompson.  The boy initially suffered an allergic reaction.  Two weeks later at Toronto General Hospital, the boy was given a second injection of a more purified extract  (made by trained biochemist Dr. James Collip).  This time the result proved successful.

The scientists injected other diabetic children with their extract.  They were delighted as previously comatose children awakened from their comas.  The extract was continually improved and enough insulin was produced to meet the hospital's demand.  It wasn't until pharmaceutical maker Eli Lilly came to Banting's assistance, however, that insulin was made readily available to the public..  A deal was struck with the drug company and pure refined insulin was mass produced.

Banting  and his three colleagues agreed not to patent their discovery.  Instead, they sold the rights to the University of Toronto for $1 in order to ensure its accessibility to the greatest number of people at the lowest cost.  In so doing, the group forfeited a great deal of personal wealth but helped to save the lives of millions of diabetics.

Frederick Grant Banting was born on November 14, 1891 in a farm house in Alliston, Ontario.  He was the youngest of the five children of William Thompson Banting, a well-established farmer, and his wife, Margaret Grant Banting, who had immigrated to Canada from Ireland.  Young Fred attended the University of Toronto and graduated from medical school in 1916.  During World War I, Banting served as a medical officer in France where he was wounded and decorated for valour (he won the Military Cross for heroism under fire in 1919).  After the war, he completed his training as an orthopedic surgeon and set up a medical practice in London, Ontario.

In October of 1920, after reading a paper on diabetes in a medical journal, Banting became intrigued.  The article indicated that diabetes was caused by a the lack of a protein hormone (insulin) secreted in the pancreas (the jelly-like gland that secrets digestive fluids).  At the time, the only identified treatment for the disease's blood sugar imbalance was diet and exercise.  Diabetics faced amputation of limbs, blindness and premature death.  Banting formulated an idea for research to help fight the disease.

Banting's hypothesis involved isolating the internal secretion of the pancreas.  He recalled from his medical school lectures that this secretion regulated sugar in the bloodstream.  Isolating the secretion, he surmised, might lead to successful treatment of diabetes.

Determined to investigate his theory, Banting approached Dr. John J. Richard. McLeod, Professor of Physiology at the University of Toronto and an authority on diabetes.  In May of 1921, the University of Toronto gave Dr.Banting permission to go ahead with his experimentation under the supervision of Dr. McLeod.  McLeod provided laboratory space for Banting's research and he appointed Charles Best, a medical student, to be his assistant. 

Banting and Best began their work in the dingy little lab on the top floor of the university's medical building.  They first tested insulin on animals. The two doctors managed to isolate insulin in the pancreas of diabetic dogs and were pleased to observe that their extract had lowered the blood level of several of the dogs.  These favourable results were a boon to further research.

In December of 1921, Dr. McLeod invited biochemist James Collip to join Banting and Best's team. With Collip's assistance, the researchers conceived of a method of extracting and purifying insulin from the pancreas of cattle.  Then to determine its safety for humans, Banting and Best injected fluid into their own veins.  After experiencing no ill effects, they proceeded to administer the pancreatic extract to the diabetic Leonard Thompson.

Leonard was at death's door when he came to Banting and Best.  His ravaged body was skin and bones and he was about to slip into a coma.  After the second injection of insulin, the teenager's blood sugar returned to normal and he appeared brighter.  Thompson lived another 13 years with the help of insulin and died in 1935 at the age of 27 due to complications from diabetes.

It is interesting to note that Elizabeth Hughes, daughter of American politician Charles Evans Hughes, was one of the first persons to be treated with insulin.  She regained her health and lived to the age of 73.  Elizabeth gave birth to three children (two daughters and a son) and enjoyed time with her grandchildren before dying in 1981.

Frederick Banting and his colleagues won great acclaim for their achievement.  The 32-year-old Banting and his collaborator, Dr. J.J.R. McLeod, received the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Believing that Charles Best should also receive credit, Banting shared his half of the prize with his assistant.  McLeod felt the same way about James Collip and rewarded the biochemist with half of his endowment.

Banting continued his medical research relentlessly and the Canadian government gifted him with a lifetime annuity for his work. He studied problems associated with silicosis (a form of respiratory disease).  He participated in cancer research and was active in devising a method to counteract the mechanism of drowning.

In 1924, Dr. Banting married Marion Robertson and they had one son, William, born in 1928.  The marriage ended in divorce in 1932 and Banting then wed Henrietta Ball in 1937.  In June of 1934, King George V bestowed knighthood on Frederick Banting.  Below is the certificate (signed by George V) granting F.G. Banting the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Banting had a strong interest in aviation and developed a workable G-suit to protect pilots during high-speed flights.  During World War II, Banting worked as a liaison officer between British and North American medical services.  He became extremely involved in aviation medicine, particularly with problems associated with flying such as blackout. 

Sadly, Frederick Banting's life was cut short on February 21, 1941 when he was killed in a plane crash near Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland.  He was on his way to England to conduct tests on a flying suit developed by a colleague named Wilbur Franks.  At the time of his death, Banting was 49 years old.  Dr. Charles Best passed away in Toronto on May 31, 1978.  He was 79 years old.

Diabetics everywhere owe a debt of thanks to Dr. Banting, Dr. Best, Dr. McLeod and Dr. Collip for their medical research, their know how and their dedication.  Insulin users are forever linked to Canada and to my hometown, Toronto.

- Joanne

Remembering Dino, Desi and Billy

MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2012

Dino, Desi and Billy were three privileged teenagers from Beverly Hills who formed a band back in 1964: The trio consisted of Dino Martin (later known as Dean Paul Martin), son of famed singer/comedian Dean Martin and his second wife, Jeanne Biegger; Desi Arnaz, Jr., son of show business legends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz; Billy Hinsche, son of a successful real estate developer.  Dino and Billy were classmates in grammar school (Good Shepherd of Beverly Hills) along with Lucie Arnaz, Desi's older sister.  Desi Jr. was in a younger class at the same school.

Here's how Billy Hinsche described the formation of the band to Forgotten Hits, an Oldies Music Newsletter:

Dino and I were longtime best friends and classmates in grammar school and started out as a duo - just me and Dino, following the lead of Chad and Jeremy and Peter and Gordon, and both of us just playing 6 string acoustic guitars. 

It wasn't long before we realized that having a drummer would be a good idea and we should "go electric" and proceed as a trio.  We knew that Desi Arnaz, Jr. could play drums and so we asked him if he wanted to start a group with us - we asked him during lunch break out by the basketball court.  He was happy to accept the role of our drummer.

The newly formed trio performed at local neighbourhood parties.  At first they rehearsed at an outdoor playroom at the home of Lucille Ball and later at Dean Martin's home.  Dean's wife, Jeanne, was quite impressed with their music and asked Frank Sinatra to hear them play.  As Billy put it, the band "auditioned for Mr. Sinatra as he and Dean listened to us perform a few songs in the bar area of the Martin home - perfect, right?"  After the audition, Sinatra offered the boys a contract on his label, Reprise Records and they gladly accepted.

Due to their show business connections, Dino, Desi and Billy were able to obtain material from some of the top songwriters and promoters of their era such as Lee Hazelwood and Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart.  They had two hit songs to their credit before any of the three had reached the age of 15. 

In 1965, the band made the Top 40 charts with "I'm a Fool."  Later that same year, they enjoyed their second and final Top 40 success with "Not the Lovin' Kind."  On September 19, 1965, they performed on The Ed Sullivan Show.  Their appearance on that particular Sullivan show was noteworthy for two reasons.  It was the first colour broadcast of The Ed Sullivan Show and it took place at the CBS studios in Los Angeles, not in the studio in New York.

Dino, Desi and Billy continued to record until the end of the decade, but they never scored another Top 40 hit.  They released several cover songs including ones by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Dean Martin ("Memories Are Made of This")  Although their music has been dismissed as "bubblegum," the band did manage to carved a small niche in the musical history of The Sixties.  Desi, who was only 12 when "I'm a Fool" became a hit, remarked in 1992, "We tasted the world at an early age." "People still remember us," he said.  It all came to an end, however, in 1970 when the group dissolved and the three young men went on to pursue other interests. 

Dino Martin, born in Santa Monica, California on November 17, 1951, began referring to himself as Dean Paul Martin.  An excellent athlete and Hollywood man-about-town, Dean Paul became involved in auto racing and had a tryout with the old World Football League.  He was also quite an accomplished tennis player who played for awhile on the professional tennis circuit.  His foray into acting did not fare quite as well.

The junior Dean Martin co-starred with Ali MacGraw in the 1979 tennis film Players.  It was his big screen debut and the reviews were less than enthusiastic.  From 1985 to 1986, he had a leading role as Dr. Billy Hayes on Misfits of Science, a short-lived superhero fantasy television series. 

Dean Paul was only 19 years old when he wed actress Olivia Hussey (Romeo and Juliet) on April 17, 1971.  Their son, Alexander Gunther Martin, was born on February 12, 1973 and they divorced in 1978.  The dashing young Martin then romanced an American skating sweetheart.  Not long after her victory at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Desi Arnaz, Jr. introduced Dean Paul to Olympic gold medalist figure skater Dorothy Hamill.  The storybook couple wed in January of 1982 in a traditional church ceremony at All Saints Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills and the guest list included such celebrities as Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Connors.  Barely 21 months later, however, Dean Paul moved out of their home and he and Dorothy divorced in 1984.

An aviation enthusiast, Martin received his pilot's licence as a teenager. In 1981, he was made an officer in the California Air National Guard and eventually became a Captain.  Sadly, his life was cut short when his Air National jet plane crashed in the San Bernardino Mountains of California during a snowstorm on March 21, 1987.  Martin, 35, and his Weapons Systems Officer, Captain Ramon Ortiz, died in the accident.  Dean Paul Martin was laid to rest at the Los Angeles National Cemetery (a U.S. Veterans Affairs cemetery in L.A.).

Desi (Desi Arnaz, Jr.) was born on January 19, 1953, the exact same day that his mother gave birth to Little Ricky Ricardo on I Love Lucy.  His full name is Desiderio Arnaz IV.  From 1968 until 1971, Desi appeared appeared with his mother, Lucille Ball, and his sister, Lucie, on Here's  Lucy.  He portrayed Lucy's television son, Craig Carter. In the 1992 film Mambo Kings, Desi played the part of his own father, Desi Sr.

Desi Jr. had some well-publicized relationships with Patty Duke and Liza Minnelli and he has been married twice.  His brief first marriage to actress Linda Purl lasted from 1980 to 1981.  On October 8, 1987, he wed Amy Bargiel in Nevada.  He and Amy have an adopted daughter, Haley Arnaz (born December 17, 1976).  They reside in Boulder City, Nevada and are the owners of the Boulder Theatre, where the Boulder City Ballet Company performs.  On January 19, 2012, Desi Arnaz, Jr. will celebrate his 59th birthday.

The third member of the group, William "Billy" Hinsche, was born in Manila, Philippines on June 29, 1951.  His sister, Annie Hinsche, was the first wife of Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys.  In fact, the group's final single, "Lady Love," was co-written by Billy Hinsche and Carl's brother, Brian Wilson, The Beach Boys' leader and chief songwriter.  Hinsche has provided background vocals for Warren Zevon and toured as a keyboardist with The Beach Boys.  He met his second wife, Juliette, at a Beach Boys concert.

To watch a 2009 interview with Billy Hinsche, click on the link below.

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

There has been a configuration of Dino Desi and Billy called Ricci, Desi and Billy.  It features Desi Arnaz, Jr. Billy Hinsche and Ricci Martin, youngest son of Dean Martin, Sr.  They perform the band's orignial songs along with other material.  In 1996, Sundazed released a compilation of Dino, Desi and Billy's recordings titled Rebel Kind: The Best of Dino, Desi & Billy. To watch a video clip of Dino, Desi and Billy performing "I'm a Fool," click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrJJYug1fSg

- Joanne

EDITOR'S UPDATE:  Billy Hinsche died of cancer on November 20, 2021.  He was 70 years old at the time of his passing.

Joanne's Journal: December 31, 2011

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2011

JOANNE'S JOURNAL
Edition No. 5

QUOTE OF THE DAY

There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.

- William Shakespeare
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar


REFLECTIONS AT THE END OF THE YEAR

This will be my last posting in 2011.  It's time to ring out the old and ring in the new.  Before we say farewell to 2011, however, let's reflect on the year that has passed.  It's been one of unrest and turmoil, but the slate is going to be rubbed clean at midnight.  We'll have a fresh start, a tabula rasa.

Apple founder Steve Jobs, who died this year, exhorted us to "make a dent in the universe."  There are, of course, certain times when we should take a risk,  If we miss the tide "taken at the flood," as Shakespeare put it, we may never have the same opportunity again.  The problem is determining whether the tide is actually at the flood.


CANADA

I firmly believe that Prime Minister Stephen Harper is taking this country in the wrong direction.  I am strongly opposed to his polices vis-a-vis the environment, the economy, gun control et cetera.  It is my belief that this government has lowered Canada's stature in the world, particularly with its withdrawing of Canada from the Kyoto Protocol.  To put it mildly, the environment is very very low on the Tories' list of priorities.  It's not even on the radar screen. 

As regular readers know, I support strong gun control measures and I was extremely dismayed by the Conservatives' abolition of the Long Gun Registry.  The Conservative government has also brought shame upon this country by continuing to allow Canada to export deadly asbestos to other countries.  This is appalling and is worthy of absolute disdain.

We have a democracy, nevertheless, and some people do not agree with me.  They voted Conservative last on May 2, 2011 and the Harperites formed a majority government.  Nevertheless, the combined popular vote of all the other parties surpasses that of the Conservatives.  The 60 per cent of Canadians who didn't vote Tory are actually in the majority.  We have a "first past the post" system, however, and the Conservatives won the most seats in Parliament.  As long as they hold the confidence of Parliament, they are entitled to govern.  It's we thought about some form of proportional representation.  The problem is getting agreement on any one formula.  To those who argue it would create a pizza Parliament with too many splinter parties, I say a party should have to get at least 10% of the popular vote in order to gain a seat through proportional representation.

My hope is for a strong leader to take Canada out of the wilderness and to undo the damage done by the Conservatives.  This wonderful country deserves better.


THE UNITED STATES

There are still about 10 months to go before Americans go to the polls.  Unless something unforeseen happens, it appears that Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee for president.  Romney is not as bad as the other far-right candidate such as Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann and libertarian Ron Paul.  Indeed, Gingrich has referred to him as a "Massachusetts moderate."  With this bunch of Republicans, it's unacceptable to be moderate.  Romney had to flip-flop after being criticized by conservatives for introducing a health care bill  in Massachusetts in 2006 that was the blueprint President Obama health care reform.  Instead, it seems, Romney’s opponents have been more focused on painting him as the author of a health care bill that was the road map for President Obama’s health care reform. 

Then, of course, there is Bain Capital, the private equity firm that Romney and partners co-founded in 1984.  Romney left the Boston-based company in 1999 to become President and CEO of the Salt Lake City Olympics.  As he campaigns for the Republican nomination, Bain Capital has come back to haunt the former Massachusetts governor.  On December 19, 2011, the New York Times reported that Romney is still cashing in on the sweet deal he made with the firm shortly before his departure.  According to the Times report, the Republican candidate still earns seven figures a year from his share of the company's profits from leveraged buyouts.  LBOs are acquisitions mainly funded by debt and they are frequently used by private equity firms to make investments they would not otherwise be able to afford.
The fact is that Romney's equity firm caused corporate bankruptcies and many layoffs.

Politico revealed how Bain Capital bought ailing companies, slashed them to pieces and sold them, creating job losses.  Some of the companies destroyed by Bain include American Pad & Paper, LIVE Entertainment and DDI Corp. and it must be emphasized that Mitt Romney was with the firm when this happened.  Yet he claims that he knows how to create jobs.  Well, if his record in the private sector is any indication, Romney is a man who knows how to destroy jobs for his own profit.

My wish for America in 2012 is economic recovery, more employment and the re-election of President Barack Obama.

THE WORLD

The world's population reached 7 billion this year.  That is a significant milestone and we should reflect upon its ramifications and significance.  Japan experienced a nightmare earthquake and a nuclear crisis.  It wasn't a good year for terrorist leaders and dictators.  Osama bin Laden and Muammar Gaddafi were killed.  Egypt's Hosni Mubarak was overthrown and The Dear Leader, Kim Jong-il died, leaving North Korea's future in a state of uncertainty.  His country remains one of the most miserable and impoverished places on the planet.  Yet it flaunts its considerable military power.

Goodbye 2011!  You'll soon be history, but your legacy will linger on.


SOME SIGNIFICANT EVENTS AND ANNIVERSARIES IN 2012

* The 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic (April 15, 1912)

* The London Olympics (Opening Ceremonies will take place on July 27, 2012.

*  Britain's Queen Elizabeth will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee (60 years on the throne).

* February 7, 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great English novelist, Charles Dickens.

*  The United State presidential electon will occur on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.

*  A presidential election in France is scheduled for April 22, 2012.  A runoff will be held on May 6, 2012 if necessary.

*  The 2012 Euro Cup (UEFA Eupopean Football Championship) will be held in Poland and Ukraine from June 8 until July 1st.


RIDDLE ME THIS

What kind of school do you have a drop out of to graduate?

Answer

Parachuting school


NOTE TO READERS

On a personal note, I want to tell you, the readers of Number 16,  how much I enjoy writing this blog.  I appreciate your support and I hope my postings are informative and entertaining to you.  I encourage you to give me your feedback.  Happy New Year to all!

P.S.  I don't make firm New Year's resolutions, but I try to improve myself generally. Every little bit helps.

- Joanne

Boxing Day: All about the day after Christmas

MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2011

My mother and my nephew were both born on the day after Christmas.  It is, therefore, a very special day in my family.  The British and people of many other nations, including we Canadians, refer to it as "Boxing Day."   In old England, it was a custom for servants and the lower classes to approach employees and patrons with a Christmas box on December 26th in order to solicit money.  In modern times, Boxing Day has become a day of frenzied shopping for bargains for many.

December 26th is also know as the Feast of Stephen.  It commemorates St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, who was stoned to death.  In the Eastern Church, the Feast of Stephen is celebrated on December 27.

St. Stephen

Today is the birth anniversary of Mao Zedong, also known as Chairman Mao.  The Chinese Communist revolutionary was born on December 26, 1893.  In 1949, he established  the People's Republic of China and was appointed its Chairman.  Mao ruled the nation for over 33 years until his death on September 9, 1976 at the age of 82.

Mao

Popular American wrestler Gorgeous George died on December 26. 1963 at the age of 48.  His real name was George Raymond Wagner and he was known for his flamboyance.  In 1962 he retired from wrestling on the advice of his doctors.  He had been diagnosed with a serious liver condition brought on by alcohol abuse.  The following year, on Christmas Eve, Gorgeous George suffered a heart attack.  He passed away two days later.

Gorgeous George

Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States passed away on December 26, 1972.  Truman, who served as President from 1945 until 1953, died in Kansas City, Missouri at the age of 88.  He had been admitted to hospital with pneumonia and later developed multiple organ failure.

Harry S. Truman

Comedian Jack Benny passed away on December 26, 1974 in Beverly Hills, California.  He was 80 years old and had been diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer.

Jack Benny

December 26th is a significant day for java lovers.  On December 26, 1865, the first United States patent for a coffee percolator was issued to inventor James Mason of Franklin, Massachusetts.  Mason's percolator, however, still used a downflow method without rising steam.  It should also be noted that the percolating coffee pot was invented by British scientist and solder Sir Benjamin Thompson (Count Rumford) who lived from 1753 until 1814.


- Joanne

Christmas Trivia

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2011

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

- John 1:1


ON THIS CHRISTMAS DAY, NUMBER 16 PRESENTS SOME CHRISTMAS TRIVIA


Did you know that Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, was born on Christmas Day in North Oxford, Massachusetts in 1821.

Clara Barton

Did you know that the poinsettia originated in Mexico.  It was named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Minister to Mexico.  Poinsett introduced the plant into the United States in the 1820s. In Mexico, it is called "Flor de Noche Buena" (Christmas Eve flower).

Did you know that a cyclone devastated Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia on Christmas Day, 1974.  Known as Cyclone Tracy, it killed 71 people and destroyed over 70 per cent of Darwin's buildings.

Did you know that Christmas Island is a territory of Australia?  It is located in the Indian Ocean, 2,600 kilometres (1,600 miles) northwest of the Western Australian city of Perth.  It's closest neighbour, however, is the Indonesian island, Java, which is 360 km. (223 miles) away.  It was named Christmas Island because it was discovered on Christmas Day in 1643.  Its discoverer was Captain Willaim Mynors of the Royal Mary, a ship of the British East India Company.  The island has a tropical equatorial climate.

Did you know that the turkey is native to the forests of North America?


Did you know that in the middle ages the traditional Christmas dinner in England was a pig's head prepared with mustard sauce?


Did you know that the abbreviation Xmas is religious?  The letter X is actually the Greek abbreviation for Christ.


Did you know that the correct name of the famous Christmas poem by Clement C. Moore is not Twas the Night Before Christmas?  The correct title is A Visit from St. Nicholas.


MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT FROM NUMBER 16.


- Joanne

Joanne's Journal: December 21, 2011

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011

JOANNE'S JOURNAL
Edition No. 4

QUOTE OF THE DAY

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

- Irving Berlin (1888 - 1989)
From the 1942 song "White Christmas"

Well, it's December 21st and we still haven't had any snow to speak of here in Toronto.  I've lived in this city my entire life and I've never experienced a milder, wetter December.  I glance out the window as I write this and it's dull and grey outside.  Now I don't mean to whine and complain about the weather.  There's nothing much one can do about it and I'm not in a bad mood.  It's just that I can't help dreaming of a white Christmas.  A pretty winter wonderland snowfall would be magnificent.  Let's face it, no one dreams of a wet Christmas.

Due to climate change, the winters here seem to be getting warmer every year.  Thanks for pulling out of Kyoto, Stephen Harper, and disgracing Canada.  By the way, I don't accept the argument that we shouldn't be part of Kyoto because the Americans aren't.  Our two nations are certainly allies, but that doesn't mean we have to do everything they do.  What about our independence?  What about taking our own principled stands on issues?  Do we have to be twiddle-dum to America's twiddle-dee?  Oh yes, and what about the environment?

December 21st marks the Winter Solstice.  From now on, the evenings will become brighter and brighter.  That makes me very happy.  If I had my druthers, there would be Daylight Saving Time all year round.


IS SARAH PALIN IN THE RACE?

I see that Sarah Palin is reconsidering her decision not to run for the presidency of the United States.  She'd certainly liven up the Republican race. but what a nightmare if she should ever win the White House.  God bless America if Palin or Newt Gingrich or Rick Perry becomes President.  America will need all the prayers it can get.  The Republicans are no longer a party of moderate views.  More and more, their candidates are espousing extreme anti-government right-wing positions.


RIDDLE ME THIS

How do we know that Santa Claus enjoys gardening?


Answer: 

Because he likes to HO HO HO

Baseball

Am I disappointed that the Toronto Blue Jays were outbid by the Texas Rangers for star Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish?  Well, I have mixed feelings.  It would have been exciting to have him play in Toronto.  He's still unproven, though, and maybe the money could be better spent.  The Jays still need to make improvements for the 2012 season.  I'd like them to acquire another decent starting pitcher.  I also hope that they can lure Joey Votto home to T.O. in about two years time. 

2012 is a crucial year for the Bluebirds.  They really need to make the postseason play this year.  There are no more excuses for Beeston and the Boy Wonder.  Another .500 season will not do.  It's not acceptable if they want to attract fans and sign talented free agents.

Blue Jay fans are fair weather fans.  In the glory days of the franchise, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, 50,000 people filled the dome here almost every night.   The Blue Jays were trendy.  It was cool to be seen at the dome, even if you weren't really a baseball fan.  The Toronto Maple Leafs rule in this town.  Leaf fans support the Blue and White no matter how bad the team is or how expensive the tickets are.

Speaking of the Leafs, what's happening with them?  Are they going into their usual swoon again?  That usually happens in November.  It seems as if it's happening a little later this year.  There is also talk about extending Ron Wilson's contract.  I realize that the team needs stability, but I don't think Wilson should be rewarded until the Leafs make the playoffs.  Unless something is done (and soon) about their egregious penalty killing, they are headed for another season of futility.

- Joanne

The Ace Bailey - Eddie Shore Incident

MONDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2011

Boston's Eddie Shore shaking hands with Ace Bailey (left).

As the Sidney Crosby saga continues, let's remind ourselves that head injuries and concussions are nothing new to professional hockey.  Let's go back to the Dirty Thirties, to a time when Conn Smythe ruled the Toronto Maple Leafs and they played at Maple Leaf Gardens, the massive arena he built in 1931 during the Great Depression.  Let's remember the day Toronto Maple Leaf star Ace Bailey's career ended.

Irvine Wallace "Ace" Bailey played in the NHL from 1926 until 1933.  Born in Bracebridge Ontario on July 3, 1903, Bailey was raised in Toronto.  He played two seasons of junior hockey for St. Mary's in the Ontario Hockey Association.  In 1924-25, Bailey joined the Peterborough Seniors where he spent two successful seasons and celebrated an Allan Cup victory.  

Ace caught the eye of the NHL's Toronto St. Patrick's.  The St. Pat's convinced him to try out with them and, on November 3, 1926, he signed with the team as a free agent.  During Bailey's rookie season, the financially ailing franchise was purchased by a consortium headed by Conn Smythe and renamed the Maple Leafs.  The team's green and white colours were changed to the familiar blue and white.

Ace Bailey became a star with the Toronto Maple Leafs.  During the 1928-29 season, he was the NHL's scoring leader with 22 goals and 10 assists in 44 games.  His life changed irrevocably, however, on December, 12, 1933.  It was on that day, exactly 78 years ago, that Bailey's hockey career ended cruelly and abruptly.  During the second period of a game between the Leafs and the Boston Bruins at the Boston Garden, Ace was hit from behind by defenceman Eddie Shore of the Bruins.  His head hit the ice, fracturing his skull. 

Shore's attack on Bailey was in retaliation for a hipcheck from Leaf defenceman Red Horner.  Here's how Horner described the incident.

Eddie Shore was having a very frustrating night.  He was playing a great game but it wasn't getting him or the Bruins anywhere.  They couldn't scare us.  (Coach) Dick Irvin sent out King Clancy and myself and Ace Bailey up front to kill off (two) penalties.  Bailey was a very expert stickhandler, and he ragged the stick for awhile.  Eventually, Shore got his stick on the puck and made a nice rush deep into our end and I gave him a very good hipcheck. 

Shore was stunned by that hard check from Red Horner and skated wildly toward Ace Bailey, likely confusing Bailey with Red Horner.  According to Horner, Eddie Shore "wanted to get even for the check I'd just put on him.  He thought Bailey was me.  He charged into Bailey on an angle from the side.  He hit Bailey and flipped him in the air, just like a rag doll.  Bailey landed on his head just a few feet from where I was standing.  Bailey hit the ice and went into some kind of convulsion.  I thought to myself, 'That's the end of Ace.'"

An unconscious Bailey began bleeding from the wound to his head.  Red Horner, upset by the injury to his teammate, knocked Eddie Shore to the ice.  Horner felt that "Shore skated away in a very nonchalant fashion.  I wasn't going to let him get away with it, so I went after him."

Eddie Shore suffered a deep gash to his head.  Both Bailey and Shore were carried off the ice by teammates.  While being attended to by Boston doctors in the Bruins' dressing room, Ace regained consciousness.  Shore approached him to apologize.  "It's all part of the game," Bailey uttered before losing consciousness again.  (Hmmmm.  I wonder if any hockey player has ever said it shouldn't be part of the game?)

By the next morning, Ace's condition was very grave.  The 30-year-old hovered between life and death.  His temperature surpassed 106 degrees Fahrenheit and it was feared that he would not survive his injury.  Bailey underwent two operations to relieve the pressure on his brain and Dr. Donald Munro, a brain specialist, declared that his chances of living were "very slim." With death seemingly imminent, a priest was summoned to give Ace the last rites. 

Boston homicide detectives interviewed Shore and other players about the altercation.  If Bailey had died, Eddie Shore would have been charged with manslaughter.  When Ace's father was informed of his son's condition, he became so incensed that he armed himself with a handgun and took the train to Boston. to seek revenge on Eddie Shore.  Conn Smythe and his top assistant, Frank Selke, got word of the elder Bailey's plans and alerted the Boston police.  They located the distraught dad in the bar of the Leafs' hotel and sent him on a train back to Toronto without the weapon.

Ace Bailey began to recover.  By Christmas, and it was evident that he was going to survive, although he would never be able to play hockey again.  Boston manager Art Ross visited Bailey in the hospital and Ace told him that he did not believe that Eddie Shore willfully meant to hurt him.  The Leafs star then went to Bermuda to recuperate.

NHL president Frank Calder suspended Eddie Shore indefinitely and Red Horner was prohibited from playing until January 1, 1934.  It was not until Bailey's survival was assured that the NHL announced that Shore would be permitted to return to action on January 28, 1934.  He missed a total of 16 games.

An all-star benefit game was held in Ace Bailey's honour at Toronto's Maple Leaf Gardens on February 14, 1934.  The game featured the Leafs versus the best in the league.  Before the game, the All-Stars skated onto the ice in their regular team sweaters and a group photograph was taken.  Frank Calder then handed them their All-Star sweaters.  A hushed crowd at Maple Leaf Gardens looked on as Ace Bailey forgave Eddie Shore and shook his hand at centre ice. 

The crowd cheered loudly as Bailey, dressed in street clothes, presented Eddie Shore with his Number 2 All-Star sweater.  Ace later stated, "I hold no grudge.  I see Eddie when he comes to Toronto for the games.  It was one of those things that happens."  Shore once said there was no bad feeling between them and that the incident was "purely accidental."

Before the opening face off of the Ace Bailey benefit game, Ace's Number 6 was retired, marking the first time in NHL history that a sweater number had been removed from use.  The fans roared their hearty approval when Conn Smythe announced that no Maple Leaf would ever wear the Number 6 sweater again.

The primary purpose of the benefit game, however, was to raise funds for Ace Bailey.  In this, it was highly successful.  Ace and his family received $20,909.40 in gate receipts from the game (a princely sum in Depression days).  As for the outcome of game, the hometown Maple Leafs defeated the All-Stars by a score of 7-3.  It should also be noted that the NHL All-Star Game took place more regularly after that 1934 event.

During his NHL career, Ace Bailey accumulated 111 goals and 82 assists in 313 games.  He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975.  From 1938 until 1984, Bailey served as a penalty timekeeper at Maple Leaf Gardens, a position he enjoyed very much.  In 1984, when Ace was 81, Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard dismissed him from his job.  The penny-pinching Ballard callously fired Bailey in order to save money.

Prior to the 1968-1969 season, Ace Bailey requested that Leaf forward Ron Ellis wear his retired number 6 sweater.  Ace admired Ellis' effective but clean style of play.  "Wearing No. 6 was my greatest honour ever as a Maple Leaf," said Ellis proudly.  "Ace Bailey personally asked me if I would consider wearing his number.  He had followed me for years and considered our styles of play comparable."  There was one stipulation, however.  Bailey told Ellis that once he left the game, the number would be retired again.  It was.

Eddie Shore died on March 16, 1985 in Springfield, Massachusetts.  He was 82 years old at the time of his passing.  On April 1, 1992, Ace Bailey suffered a stroke.  He passed away in Toronto on April 7, 1992 at the age of 88.  Sadly, Ace died without getting to see his sweater raised to the rafters at Maple Leaf Gardens.  The Leafs had planned to honour both him and Bill Barilko in a pregame ceremony on April 1, 1992, the very day of Ace's stroke.  The ceremony was delayed anyway because of a players' strike which shut down the league for ten days beginning on March 30.

Ace Bailey's Number 6 and Bill Barilko's Number 5 were finally hoisted to the rafters at Maple Leaf Gardens in a poignant display on October 17, 1992.  Ron Ellis and Ace's daughter Joyce were in attendance.

- Joanne

The Great Christmas Song Quiz

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2011

How much do you know about Christmas music?  Try this Yuletide quiz and find out.


NUMBER 16 CHRISTMAS SONG QUIZ

1.  Where did the hymn "Silent Night" originate?

A.  England

B.  France

C.  Austria

D.  Germany

E.  United States



2.  Name the first film in which Bing Crosby sang "White Christmas."

A.  The Country Girl

B.  High Society

C.  White Christmas

D.  Holiday Inn

E.  Going My Way



3.  In The Twelve Days of Christmas, what do the lords do?

A.  They laugh.

B.  They lift.

C.  They leap.

D.  They leave.

E.  They lilt.



4.  The Beach Boys had a hit Christmas song.  What was it called?

A.  Little Saint Nick

B.  California Christmas

C.  I Want a Surfboard for Christmas

D.  Surfin' Santa

E.  Under the Mistletoe



5.  In the song "Little Drummer Boy," which two animals "kept time" with the drum music?

A,  The donkey and lamb

B.  The cow and lamb

C.  The ox and camel

D.  The ox and lamb

E.  The cow and camel



6.  Who had a hit song with "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree?"

A.  Leslie Gore

B.  Brenda Lee

C.  Annette Funicello

D.  Sandra Dee

E.  Connie Francis



7.  They looked up and saw a star
      Shining in the East beyond them far
      And to the earth it gave great light
      And so it continued both day and night

This is the second verse of which Christmas carol?

A,  Hark the Harald Angels Sing

B.  It Came Upon the Midnight Clear

C.  Angels from the Realms of Glory

D.  While Shepherd's Watch

E.  The First Noel



8.  In the song "We wish you a Merry Christmas," what kind of pudding is requested.

A.  Plum pudding

B.  Toffee pudding

C.  Figgy pudding

D.  Bread and butter pudding

E.  Yorkshire pudding



9.  Who first recorded the Christmas novelty song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus?

A.  A 13-year-old American boy

B.  An 11-year-old English girl

C.  A 10-year-old Canadian girl

D.  A 12-year-old Canadian boy

E.  A 7-year-old American girl



10.  Bruce Springsteen recorded a version of this popular Christmas song.

A.  Jingle Bell Rock

B.  Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

C.  Jingle Bells

D.  Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

E.  Santa Claus is Coming to Town



11.  In the popular Christmas carol "Good King Wenceslas," when does the king gives alms to a poor peasant?

A.  On Christmas Eve

B.  On the Feast of Stephen

C.  On Christmas morn

D.  On the 10th day of Christmas

E.  On Christmas Day at noon


ANSWERS

1.  C   Austria

The original words to "Silent Night" come from a poem written in German by a priest named Father Joseph Mohr.  Father Mohr was the assistant pastor at St. Nicholas Church in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria.  Mohr asked his friend, schoolmaster Franz Xaver Gruber, to write some  music for his poem "Stille Nacht"   Gruber, the choirmaster and organist at St. Nicholas, composed the melody for "Silent Night" on Christmas Eve in 1818.

Fr. Joseph Mohr

2.  D  Holiday Inn

Bing Crosby sang "White Christmas" in the 1942 movie Holiday Inn in which he starred with Fred Astaire.  The film White Christmas was released 12 years later, in 1954.  To watch a clip of Bingo singing White Christmas in a duet with Marjorie Reynolds in Holiday Inn, click on the link below.  By the way, Marjorie Reynolds' voice was dubbed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXcNfA4qebQ


3.  C.  leaping

In the "Twelve Day of Christmas," the lords are a-leaping.


4.  A.  Little Saint Nick

"Little Saint Nick," originally performed by The Beach Boys, was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love.  It was first released as a single in December of 1963.  Christmas celebrations were rather subdued that year due to the recent assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  "Little Saint Nick," however, reacher Number 3 on the Billboard Christmas charts.


5.  D  The ox and lamb

It comes from the following line in "Little Drummer Boy."

The ox and lamb kept time
Pa rum pum pum pum


6.  B   Brenda Lee

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" was written by Johnny Marx.  It was recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958.  I did not become a hit until 1960 when Brenda Lee's popularity had increased.

To listen to Brenda Lee singing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xNuUEnh2g


7.  E.  It is the second verse of "The First Noel."


8.  C  Figgy pudding

In the song "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," figgy pudding is requested.  Figgy pudding is a traditional English pudding with a history going back to the 16th century.  It is a custard-like dish made with figs or raisins, often at Christmas and can be steamed in the oven, baked, boiled or fried.

9.  A   A 13-year-old American boy named Jimmy Boyd first recorded "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."  The song was composed by British songwriter Tommie Connor and reached the top of the charts in 1952.  Jimmy Boyd, who died of cancer in 1970, married Yvonne Craig of Batgirl fame in 1960.  The couple divorced in 1962.

A young Jimmy Boyd

10.  E.  Santa Claus is Coming to Town

To watch a video of Bruce Springsteen performing Santa Claus is Coming to Town, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7ZOK7H8VGQ


11.  B  On the Feast of Stephen

The song begins with the words "Good King Wencelas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen."  The Feast of Stephen or St. Stephen's Day is celebrated on December 26th, the second day of Christmas, in the Western Church and on December 27th in the Eastern Church.  It commemorates St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Good King Wencelas biscuit tin

- Joanne