- Joanne
The Ultimate Floor Cleaning Guide by The Rug Seller by The Rug Seller
Thursday, June 29, 2017
The Ultimate Floor Cleaning Guide: Tips For Removing Stains
Do you want to keep your carets and rugs or your hardwood floor looking great for years to come? The following infographic provides advice on everyday care for all kinds of flooring. It also contains tips for removing stains from candle wax, wine and coffee grains. This guide dispels some myths about stain removing and I hope that you will find it useful to you. Keep it handy because you never know when you may need to refer to it.
- Joanne
The Ultimate Floor Cleaning Guide by The Rug Seller by The Rug Seller
- Joanne
The Ultimate Floor Cleaning Guide by The Rug Seller by The Rug Seller
Sunday, June 25, 2017
A Saturday in Stratford, Ontario and dinner at Fellini's Italian restaurant
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| Gazebo in Shakespearean Gardens in Stratford |
Yesterday (June 24, 2017), I attended the induction ceremonies at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Mary's Ontario. I try to get there every June. It's a must for Canadian baseball fans. Since Vladimir Guerrero was one of the inductees this year, there were many Montrealers there. Afterward I visited Stratford, Ontario, located in Perth County in southwestern Ontario. Stratford is the home of the popular Stratford Festival, an annual celebration of theatre.
I dined at Fellini's Italian restaurant, a well-known eatery in the city. There were many festivities going on in Stratford that day, including a rib fest. I also took a stroll through the Shakespearean Gardens along the Avon River. The only disappointment was that the river was rather muddy, I assume from all the rain this spring.
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The interior of Fellini's (above) is filled with posters of Fellini's films
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| war memorial |
People enjoying the rib fest can be seen in the photos above and below.
- Joanne
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
The Science of Peer Pressure
The following infographic defines and illustrates both the negative and positive aspects of peer pressure. It provides you with tips on how to help your child deal with the demands of these everyday pressures. It serves as a guide on how to recognize these situations and it demonstrates how making the best decisions for you and your child is a skill that can be learned. The purpose of this infographic is to make you feel more comfortable when peer pressure occurs. I hope you find it useful and informative.
- Joanne
The Science of Peer Pressure by Wooden Toy Shop
- Joanne
The Science of Peer Pressure by Wooden Toy Shop
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Phyllis Gates: The Woman Who Married Rock Hudson
In the multitude of misused Hollywood women, Phyllis Gates, who has died aged 80, must rank among the saddest. She never made a film, or even auditioned for one. But she married Rock Hudson, one of the movie industry's biggest stars. Unknown to Gates, their union, in 1955, was fixed. She always said the marriage was for love but - like most of the world - she did not know the truth about her husband: that he was gay and risked possible exposure in a scandal magazine.
- Christopher Reed
The Guardian, March 16, 2006
However, there was much more to Henry Wilson. He was largely responsible for the "beefcake" craze of the 1950s and presided over a stable of attractive male clients with stage names such as Tab Hunter, Rory Calhoun, Troy Donahue and Guy Madison. Wilson was homosexual and many, but not all, of his clients were also gay or bisexual. They were expected to keep this aspect of their life hidden from the public. One of Wilson's most prominent clients was a Chicago-born truck driver named Roy Fitzgerald. Wilson changed the truck driver's name to Rock Hudson and transformed him into a Hollywood leading man.
After his first leading role in 1954's Magnificent Obsession, Rock Hudson's popularity began to soar. However, he was hiding a secret that would most certainly have put an end to his career back then. Unknown to his film-going fans, Hudson was gay. Confidential magazine, a widely-read scandal tabloid, had threatened to expose his covert homosexual life at a time when such a revelation would have ruined the Hollywood heartthrob's success (By 1955, Confidential had a circulation of five million copies per issue).
According to Robert Hofler, author of The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deeds of Henry Wilson, Wilson managed to stave off the tabloid by disclosing information about Rory Calhoun's years in prison and Tab Hunter's arrest at a gay party in 1950. It wasn't long after the Confidential incident that the talent agent began promoting a romance between Phyllis Gates and Rock Hudson. Wilson invited the pair to join him for drinks and dinner and with her boss's encouragement, Phyllis eventually found herself dating the handsome film star. She lived with Rock for a while and then he suddenly proposed marriage to her in Wilson's office. His proposal was immediately accepted.
In October, 1955, Life magazine published a cover story about Rock Hudson entitled "Hollywood's most eligible bachelor." The article proclaimed that "Fans are urging 29-year-old Hudson to get married - or explain why.not." With so much pressure on Rock to tie the knot, Henry Wilson soon organized a private wedding for him and Phyllis, Wilson, of course, took care of all the arrangements.
On November 9, 1955, Phyllis and Rock were married in a private ceremony in Santa Barbara, California. Only a few friends and Henry Wilson were in attendance. At Phyllis' behest, a Lutheran minister was called in at the last minute to perform the ceremony. Immediately after the ceremony, Wilson called Hollywood gossip columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons.
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| Phyllis and Rock Hudson on their wedding day |
Phyllis always denied that she married Hudson to cover up his homosexuality. “I was very much in love,” she told Sara Davidson, co-author of the autobiography Rock Hudson: His Story, “I thought he would be a wonderful husband. He was charming, his career was red hot, he was gorgeous. How many women would have said no?”
The nuptials occurred soon after the Hudson had finished filming Giant with Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. Giant, George Stevens' sweeping epic about wealthy Texas cattle rancher Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr. (Hudson), was released in 1956. It was a smash hit at the box office and received ten Academy Award nominations, Hudson and co-star James Dean were both nominated in the category of Best Actor Actor in a Leading Role.
The newlyweds had a brief honeymoon in Jamaica, after which their marriage began to deteriorate. Phyllis claimed in her biography that the breakup occurred due to Hudson's moodiness, sudden depression and childish tantrums. She also claimed that he struck her when she referred to a friend of his as a "fruitcake." In addition, she blamed Henry Wilson's scheming for the failure of her marriage.
In April of 1958, Phyllis filed for divorced, citing mental cruelty. Hudson did not contest the divorce and Phyllis received $250 a week in alimony for a decade. She never remarried, but remained in Los Angeles and became a successful interior designer.
After the 1960s, Rock Hudson's popularity on the big screen declined. However, he did find success on television. He starred in a number of TV movies and in the hit detective series McMillan & Wife (1971-1977), alongside Susan Saint James. He also starred in the short-lived drama series The Devlin Connection, which aired in 1982.
From December 1985 until April 1985, Hudson played the role of Daniel Reece, a wealthy horse breeder, on the hit prime time soap opera Dynasty. Television viewers were shocked at his frail and gaunt appearance. It was evident that he was very ill. The nature of his illness, however, stunned his fans at a time when AIDS was first coming into public consciousness. Only Hudson's business manager and a few of his closest friends and companions, including Doris Day and Elizabeth Taylor, knew of his diagnosis.
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| Rock Hudson during his illness |
On October 2, 1985, Rock Hudson died of AIDS-related complications.at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He was 59 years of age at the time of his passing. Hudson was the first internationally known star to fall victim of a disease that people knew little about at the time.
In 1986, after,Hudson's death, Phyllis published a memoir entitled My Husband, Rock Hudson. In her autobiography, she asserted that the was in love with Hudson when they married, and that she was unaware of his homosexuality. She also denied any involvement in his deception.
In 2003, Phyllis agreed to appear on CNN's Larry King Live. Larry asked her to describe the first time she set eyes on Rock Hudson. Here's her exchange with King about their first meeting in Henry Wilson's office:
PHYLLIS: Rock walked in and he said, "Is Henry here?" And I looked up and up and up and I said, "Yes. Rock, he is." ]"Okay, I'm gonna go in and see him," he said. "Okay," I said. He walked through the door. I was in love!"
LARRY KING: But you had an immediate attraction.
PHYLLIS: Well, who wouldn't?
LARRY KING: Yeah, who? You're not kidding.
PHYLLIS: You bet I did!
On Larry King's show, Phyllis revealed that Rock Husdon's nickname for her was "Bunting." When King asked her when things started to go wrong in her marriage, she said the problem was Hudson's disinterest. He would leave home in the middle of the night with friends and he spent months in Europe without her.
Phyllis told King that Rock wanted children and that he gifted her with a great deal of jewellery. She also told King that she had no inkling of Rock Hudson being gay until after their divorce. After their divorce, friends told Gates about his homosexuality. According to Phyllis, Hudson never contacted her after their union was dissolved.
At the time of the Larry King interview, Phyllis had been diagnosed with cancer but felt good and thought she had beaten the disease. On January 4, 2006, however, Phyllis Gates succumbed to lung cancer at her home in Marina del Rey, California. She was 80 years old at the time of her passing.
END NOTE
* Henry Wilson passed away on November 2, 1978 at the age of 67. After he was "outed," many of his clients, both gay and straight had abandoned him for fear of being labelled homosexual. Wilson died of cirrhosis of the liver after struggling with alcoholism and paranoia. He lived his final days at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital and was so destitute that there was not enough money to pay for the cost of his gravestone.
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| Henry Wilson |
- Joanne
Monday, May 15, 2017
Is the dinner party dead?
DINNER PARTY SURVEY
There once was a time when a small side plate for your bread roll at the dinner table was considered very chic. It was a time when white napkins and prawn cocktails were classic and hostess trolleys an essential home item. Ahhh yes, do you remember the dinner party? With numerous articles on its demise in recent years, you could be forgiven for thinking it something from a more elegant era and that it only exists in your great aunt’s memories. Is the classic dinner party really really dead, though? Terry's Fabrics, a British company, conducted a survey of 1,500 women and has happily revealed that the dinner party is definitely not extinct. The results of the survey appear in the graphic below.
- Joanne
by Terrys Fabrics.
There once was a time when a small side plate for your bread roll at the dinner table was considered very chic. It was a time when white napkins and prawn cocktails were classic and hostess trolleys an essential home item. Ahhh yes, do you remember the dinner party? With numerous articles on its demise in recent years, you could be forgiven for thinking it something from a more elegant era and that it only exists in your great aunt’s memories. Is the classic dinner party really really dead, though? Terry's Fabrics, a British company, conducted a survey of 1,500 women and has happily revealed that the dinner party is definitely not extinct. The results of the survey appear in the graphic below.
- Joanne
by Terrys Fabrics.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
How to Build a Lego Bedroom
Here is an infographic that will highlight some bedrooms with a Lego design. Included are a number of creative ideas for beds, wall art, customized items, and accessories. I hope you find them interesting and useful.
- Joanne
Lego Bedrooms by Terrys Fabrics.
- Joanne
Lego Bedrooms by Terrys Fabrics.
Friday, April 21, 2017
Feds abolish tax credit on transit passes
In Toronto, where I live, the cost of a TTC Metropass is currently $146.25 per month. Residents of Canada's largest city must pay $1,755.00.for 12 monthly passes a year. That's a hefty sum for low income earners. It is simply not affordable for many. The tax rebate, introduced in 1996 (ironically by a conservative government) has been of much benefit to frequent transit users. It means a saving of $21,94 for one pass and a saving of $263.25 annually. Why then. has a more progressive government decided to abolish it?
The fact is that fare increases discourage people from using public transit. The removal of the tax credit will discourage them further. So, what is the government trying to achieve with this unexpected and unwelcome measure? Why is it penalizing transit users when it ought to be rewarding them?
The federal government must rethink and reverse this egregious measure. Its budget allotted money for affordable housing and child care. Yet, it dealt a blow to frequent transit riders, particularly in Canada's two most populous cities, Toronto and Montreal, whose combined metro populations account for over 10.4 million of Canada's 36 million people.
More than 6.4 people live in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Our federal government's decision will affect public transit agencies across the GTA, not just in the City of Toronto. It's important to to remember that the large number of transit riders who reside in the region surrounding Toronto will also be ineligible for the tax rebate on the passes they purchase.
Along with the GTA, the population of Metropolitan Montreal is also expanding and has surpassed the four million mark. Monthly STM passes cost $82 dollars and weekly passes sell for $25.50, significantly less than Toronto's Metropass. Public transit patrons in Ontario pay an inordinate amount of the cost of operating their transit services. Now the government is taking away their much-needed tax credit. Instead of abolishing the public transit tax rebate, it should be increasing it
to 20%.
For low income Canadians, many of whom are job seekers, the cost of a public transit pass is already unaffordable. The federal government is making it more difficult for middle class transit users by cancelling their transit tax break.
As a Toronto resident and a strong supporter of public transportation, I am extremely disappointed in the TTC. Its standard of service is unacceptable. It does not deliver on two of the most important criteria of a public transportation. The TTC is not reliable and it is not affordable. There are constant delays and service disruptions and fares are exorbitant. In addition, there are not enough stations with washrooms. I am a Metropass holder and use the system quite often. I'd like to invite some Members of Parliament, especially cabinet ministers, to join me on a ride on the TTC, the Prime Minister too. Hey Justin, want to ride the subway with me (incognito of course)? Then you'd catch a glimpse of how ordinary Canadians live. I'll even show you the homeless people in the subway stairwells. You can wait for a shuttle bus with me when service is shut down at several stations.
- Joanne
Monday, April 17, 2017
Top Homes in Movies
Here is an infographic on some of the most prominent homes in
films The Tara Plantation from Gone With the Wind. is just one example
of the iconic movie houses profiled in this graphic. The homes are
profiled according to their outstanding features, their worth and the success
of the film. I hope you find this informative and entertaining.
- Joanne
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Some Easter musings and quotations
“We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.” (Romans 6:9)
Today is Easter Sunday, a much-needed day of joy and renewal.and hope. It is also a time of of joy and hope for those of the Jewish faith as they celebrate the feast of the Passover. The divisions in the world today are of grave concern. The rise of far-right movements that spread hate and bigotry is deeply troubling. The very future of our planet is at stake. Climate change deniers must be challenged, as must politicians who build fences, not bridges. These are serious moral issues not just for Christians, but for those of every religious persuasion, and for non-believers too.
Just as winter gives way to spring, death must give way to new life. That is why Easter and Passover are spring feasts.
Easter is…
Joining in a birdsong,
Eying an early sunrise,
Smelling yellow daffodils,
Unbolting windows and doors,
Skipping through meadows,
Cuddling newborns,
Hoping, believing,
Reviving spent life,
Inhaling fresh air,
Sprinkling seeds along furrows,
Tracking in the mud.
Easter is the soul’s first taste of spring.
- Richelle E. Goodrich, American author
From Making Wishes: Quotes, Thoughts & a Little Poetry for Every Day of the Year
Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.
- Doug Larson (1926 - ), American journalist
Then came the healing time, hearts started to shine, soul felt so fine, oh what a freeing time it was.”
- Aberjhani (1957 - ), American-born author. poet, novelist and historian
From Songs from the Black Skylark zedPed Music Player
The joyful news that He is risen does not change the contemporary world. Still before us lie work, discipline, sacrifice. But the fact of Easter gives us the spiritual power to do the work, accept the discipline, and make the sacrifice.
~Henry Knox Sherrill (1890-1980), American Episcopalian clergyman
If Easter says anything to us today, it says this: You can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there. You can nail it to a cross, wrap in winding sheets and shut it up in a tomb, but it will rise!
- Clarence W. Hall, Christian author
Every parting is a foretaste of death, a every reunion a foretaste of resurrection.
- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), German philosopher
I think of the garden after the rain;
And hope that my heart comes singing.
"At morn the cherry-blossoms will be white,
And the Easter bells be ringing!"
- Edna Dean Proctor (died 1923), American poet
From the poem Easter Bells
Happy Easter from Number 16 and a Happy Passover to those of the Jewish faith.
- Joanne
Monday, April 10, 2017
Easter Quiz
How much do you know about people, things and events associated with the great feast of Easter. Test your knowledge by completing the 11-question quiz below. Good luck.
EASTER QUIZ
1. What date does Easter Sunday fall on in Western Christianity?
A. Easter falls on the same day every year.
B. Easter falls on the second Sunday of April.
C. Easter falls three days after the Jewish Passover.
D. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21st, and no later than April 25th.
E. Easter falls on even numbered dates between March 21st and April 25th; that is March 22, March 24, March 26th etc. After April 24th, it reverts to March 21st.
2. Where is Easter Island?
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| Easter Island |
A. New Zealand
B. Mozambique in Southeast Africa
C. Southeastern Pacific Ocean
D. Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, South America
E. The Philippines
3. According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for what price?
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| Judas Iscariot |
B. 30 pieces of silver
C. 50 pieces of gold
D. 50 pieces of silver
E. A gold ring and a piece of land
4. What prisoner was released instead of Jesus?
A. Bartholomew
B. Matthias
C. Barnabas
D. Barabbas
E. Malchus
5. Who starred in the in the 1948 film Easter Parade?
A. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
B. Fred Astaire and Judy Garland
C. Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland
D. Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney
E. Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds
6. Who wrote the song Easter Parade?
A. Irving Berlin
B. Cole Porter
C. George Gershwin
D. George M. Cohon
E. Richard Rodgers
7. According to the Gospels of the New Testament, which one of the twelve Apostles denied Jesus three times?
A. Andrew
B. Judas
C. John
D. Thomas
E. Peter
8. What was the name of the hill where Jesus was crucified?
A. Golgotha
B. Gethsemane
C. Gideon
D. Ararat
9. What is a hot cross bun?
A. A special pastry roll that is traditionally eaten on Good Friday. It has little crosses etched into it.
B. A thick pretzel in the shape of a cross that is eaten during Lent.
C. A spiced sweet bun, traditionally eaten on Good Friday.
D. The term is used in a riddle. The answer to the riddle is "an angry Easter bunny."
E. None of the above
10. What is the name of the Charlie Brown Easter television special?
A. Happy Easter, Charlie Brown!
B. It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown
C. Charlie Brown's Great Easter Egg Hunt
D. A Charlie Brown Easter
E. Charlie Brown's Easter Parade
11. Who wrote the Easter hymn "Christ the Lord is Risen Today."
A. Martin Luther
B. John Calvin
C. Charles Wesley
D. John Knox
E. John Wesley
ANSWERS
1. D
Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox (March 21st.) Easter is delayed by one week if the full moon is on Sunday, which lessens the chances of it falling on the same day as the Jewish Passover. According to the Bible, Jesus’ death and resurrection occurred around the time of the Passover festival, which was celebrated on the first full moon following the vernal equinox.
The earliest date that Easter can occur is March 22nd and the latest is April 25th. Easter last occurred on April 25th in 1943 and will next occur on April 25th in the year 2038.
2. C
Easter Island is a remote island in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean. It is a territory of Chile and is inhabited by a population of 5,800 (2012 Chilean Census), The 2016 projected population was 6,600). It was named Easter Island by Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen. Roggeveen landed there on Easter Sunday, April 5, 1722
The majority of Easter Island's inhabitants are descendants of the Aboriginal Rapa Nui. The island is famous for its monumental statues, called moai. The statues were created by the early Rapa Nui people. Easter Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
3. B.
According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas accepted a bribe of 30 pieces of silver.
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?" And they paid him 30 pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26: 14-16)
4. D.
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| "Give us Barabbas!", from The Bible and its Story Taught by One Thousand Picture Lessons, 1910 |
Barabbas was freed rather than Jesus. According to the New Testament gospels (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 18), it was a Jewish custom to release a prisoner at Passover time. Given the choice of freeing Barrabbas, a convicted criminal, or Jesus, the Jerusalem mob chose to release Barrabbas. Mark writes that Barabbas "had been guilty of murder during the rebellion." Luke says that "Barabbas was a man who had been thrown into prison for raising a revolt in the city." John refers to Barabbas as "a robber."
5. B.
Fred Astaire and Judy Garland starred in the 1948 MGM musical Easter Parade. The highly successful film won the 1948 Academy Award for Best Original Music Score.
6. A
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| Irving Berlin |
The great Irving Berlin (1888-1989) composed the music for Easter Parade. Berlin also composed God Bless America and White Christmas.
7. E
Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus had predicted that Peter would betray him three times before the rooster crowed.
8. A
According to the Bible, Jesus was crucified at a mount called Golgotha, just outside of Jerusalem's walls. Golgotha is an Aramaic word meaning "the skull." The Latin form of the word is Calvary.
9. C.
10. B
It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown is a Peanuts TV special that first aired on April 9, 1974 on the CBS Network. In the story, Linus informs the Peanuts Gang that they do not have to get ready for Easter. He claims that the Easter Beagle will take care of everything.
11. C
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| Charles Wesley |
- Joanne
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