Oscars Quiz 2020

The 92nd Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2020 and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California.  As you prepare for the big night, why not challenge yourself and try Number 16's tenth annual Oscars quiz.  There are 10 questions.  Good luck!


NUMBER 16 OSCARS QUIZ

1.  Robert De Niro was snubbed at this year's Academy Awards.  He did not receive an Oscar nomination for Martin Scorsese's gangster epic The Irishman (Joe Pesci and Al Pacino were nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for their performances in the film).  De Niro is the past winner of two Oscars.  For which films did Niro win his Oscars?

De NIro

A.  The Deer Hunter and Raging Bull

B.  Taxi Driver and The Godfather Part II

C.  Raging Bull and The Godfather Part II

D,  The King of Comedy, The Deer Hunter

E.  Once Upon a Time in America, Raging Bull



2.  Who is the only actor to be nominated twice for a Best Actor Oscar.

A,  Montgomery Clift

B.  James Dean

C.  Peter Finch

D.  Jean Harlow

E/   Sal Mineo



3.  How many times have the Academy Awards been postponed?

A.  Once

B.  Twice

C.  Three times

D.  Four times

E.  Never



4.  What year were the Oscars first broadcast in colour?

A.  1967

B.  1965

C.  1964

D.  1966

E.  1968




5.  How much does an Oscar statuette weigh?

A,  7 1/2 pounds (3.4 kilograms)

B.  8 1/2 pounds (3.85 kilograms)

C.  6 1/2 pounds (2.94 kilograms)

D.  5 1/2 pounds  (2.49 kilograms)

E.  7 pounds (3.17 kilograms)



6.  Brad Pitt has been nominated this year for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  In 2012, he received an Oscar for producing the Best Picture - 12 Years a Slave.  Has he ever won an Oscar for an acting role?

A.  No.

B.  Yes, he won a Best Actor in a Leading Role Award for his performance in Moneyball.

C.  Yes, he won a Best Actor in a Leading Role Award for his performance in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

D.  Yes, he won a Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in 12 Monkeys.

E.  Yes, he has won two Oscars - Best Actor in a Lead Role for Moneyball and Best Actor in a Supporting Role for 12 Monkeys.



7.  Kirk Douglas died on February 5, 2020 at the age of 103.  Did he ever receive an Oscar?

A    No, he never received an Oscar.

B.  Yes, he received an Oscar for Lust for Life.

C.  Yes, he received an Oscar for The Bad and the Beautiful.

D.  Yes, he received an Oscar for Champion.

E.   Yes, he received an Academy Honorary Award.



8.  Marilyn Monroe never won an Oscar.  Was she ever nominated for one.

A.  Yes, for her role in Some Like it Hot

B.  Yes, for Niagara

C.  Yes, for The Prince and the Showgirl

D.  No, she was never nominated.

E.  Yes, for Bus Stop



9.  Renée Zellweger has been nominated this year for her performance as Judy Garland in the film Judy.  If she wins, she will garner her second Oscar.  For which film did she win an Oscar?

Renée Zellweger as Judy Garland 

A.  Bridget Jones's Diary

B.  Cold Mountain

C.  Chicago

D.  Nurse Betty

E.  Jerry Maguire



10. Sydney Poitier will turn 93 years old on February 20, 2020.  He is the first black to win an Academy Award for Best Actor.  For which film did he win his Oscar?

Sydney Poitier in 1968

A.  Lilies of the Field

B.  A Patch of Blue

C.  Blackboard Jungle

D.  A Raisin in the Sun

E.  Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?



ANSWERS

1.  C.
Raging Bull and The Godfather Part II

Robert De Niro won the 1975 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Godfather Part II.  He also received the 1981 Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Raging Bull.


2  B.

James Dean

James Dean was won two Best Actor in a Leading Role Oscars posthumously.  He won for his performances in the 1955 film East of Eden and the 1956 film Giant.


On September 30, 1955, James Dean.was killed in a highway crash while driving his Porsche to Salinas, California to compete in an auto race.  East of Eden was released a few weeks before his death.  He died before Giant was edited.  It was released about a year after his passing.


3.  C.

Three times

The Academy Awards were delayed for a week in 1938 due to a flooding in Los Angeles.  In 1968, the Oscars were postponed for two days because of Martin Luther King's funeral.  In 1981, they were pushed back for one day because of an assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan.


4.  D

1966

The Academy Awards were first broadcast in colour on April 18, 1966.  That was 13 years after the Oscars were first televised across the United States and Canada, on March 19, 1953.


5.  B

8 1/2 pounds (3.85 kilograms)


6.  A

No

Brad Pitt has never received an Academy Award for an acting role.  He had been nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and for Moneyball.  He has also been nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for 12 Monkeys.  If he wins for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, he will take home his first acting Oscar.


7.  E

Yes

In 1996, Kirk Douglas received an Academy Honorary Award.  Although he was nominated for three acting performances, he failed to win all three times.  In 1950, Douglas was nominated for Best Actor for Champion.  In 1953, he was nominated for Best Actor for The Bad and the Beautiful.  In 1957, he was nominated for Best Actor for Lust for Life.


8.  D

No.

Marilyn Monroe was never nominated for an Academy Award.


9.  B

Cold Mountain

Zellweger

In 2004, Renée Zellweger won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Cold Mountain.  In 2003, received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her role in Chicago, but did not win.  In 2002, she received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance in Bridget Joness's Diary, but did not win.


10.  A

Lilies of the Field

Poitier in Lilies of the Field

Poitier with Oscar in 1964

In 1964, Sydney Poitier won a Best Actor Oscar for his role as a handyman who helps a group of German-speaking nuns build a chapel in Lilies  of the Field.  He was the only black man to win that award until Denzil Washington won it 38 years later for Training Day.  Coincidentally, Denzil Washington won his Oscar on the same night in 2002 that Sydney Poitier received an Honorary Oscar from the Academy in recognition for "his remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being."


- Joanne

Vocabulary Test #6: Ten words related to birds

Number 16 Vocabulary Quiz #6 
Ten words related to birds

1.  What is the correct term for someone who studies birds?
'
A.  An orthologist

B.  An ornithologist

C.  A paralogist

D.  A homologist

E.   An ophiologist



2.  What is an aviary?
'
A.  A collection of birds' nests

B.  A place for healing injured birds; a kind of hospital for birds

C.  A gathering of bird watchers

D.  A place for keeping birds confined

E.  A special school for those who study birds



3.  What is an avifauna?
'
A.   The birds who can fly

B.   The birds who cannot fly

C.  The birds or the kinds of birds of a region, period, environment

D.  Birds who do not build nests

E.   A bird of prey



4.  What is a talon?
'
A.  The claw of an animal and especially of a bird of prey

B.   The bill or beak of a bird

C.   A baby bird about to leave the nest

D.   An old bird

E.   A female bird



5.  What is oology?
'
A.  The study of birds' feathers

B.   The study of birds' sounds

C.  The collection and study of birds' eggs especially in relation to their shape and coloration

D.  The collection and study of birds' nests especially in relation to their shape and size

E.  The study of the migration of birds



6.  What is a gizzard?
'
A.  A bird's throat

B.  Where the reproductive and urinary ducts of a bird open

C.  Area between eye and bill of a bird

D.  Extension of the foregut of a bird, used to store food

E.  Part of a bird's stomach, grinds food



7.  What is a wattle?
'
A.  A large, colourful bird feather

B.  Fleshy protuberance, usually at the bill of a bird

C.  A kind of bird walk

D.  A baby bird

E.  A group of migrating birds




8.  What is a crest?
'
A.   The loudest sound that a bird makes

B.  Where the nest of a bird is located

C.   A distinctive marking on some birds

D.  Long feathers atop the head of a bird

E.  The highest a bird can fly




9.  What does "to fledge" mean?
'
A.  To leave the nest after acquiring the ability to fly

B.  To spread wings

C.   To fly without the rest of the flock

D.  To search for food

E.  To abandon nest and build another one elsewhere.



10.  What does "to molt" mean?
'
A.  To return after migration

B.  To lose feathers due to aging

C.   To attack another bird

D.  The process by which the colour of a bird's feathers fade

E.  To replace old feather

ANSWERS 
(Note:  The definitions for the correct answers have been taken from the Merriam-Webster dictionary or thesaurus)

1.  B
ornithologist (noun): One who is involved with a branch of zoology dealing with birds


2.  D
aviary (noun): A place for keeping birds confined, as in "The zoo has a new outdoor aviary."


3.  C
avifauna (noun): The birds or he kinds of birds of a region, period, environment


4.  A
talon (noun): The claw of an animal and especially of a bird of prey, as in "The hawk gripped the mouse in its talons."


5.  C
oology (noun): The collection and study of birds' eggs especially in relation to their shape and coloration.  The first known use of the term "oology" was in 1830.

6.  E
gizzard (noun): The muscular enlargement of the digest tract of birds that has usually thick muscular walls and a tough horny lining for grinding the food


7.  B
wattle (noun): A fleshy pendulous process usually about the head or neck (as of a bird), such as the flap of bumpy red skin hanging off a male turkey's face


8.  D
crest (noun): A showy tuft or process on the head of an animal and especially a bird

Blue Jay with crest (long feathers on head)

9.  A
fledge (verb): Of a young bird: to acquire the feathers necessary for flight or independent activity also: to leave the nest after acquiring such feathers


10.  E
molt (verb): To shed hair, feathers, shell, horn, or an outer layer periodically, as in "Birds molt once or twice a year."



- Joanne

The Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump

Let there be light and let it shine on the truth so that America and the world can be saved from the tyranny of the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump.  President Trump insists that he is innocent and that he has not done anything wrong.  Don't believe him, America!  You can see that he is not behaving like an innocent man.  Why doesn't he want the American people and the rest of the world to know the truth?  An innocent man exposes himself to the light, but Donald Trump has cloaked himself in darkness.  If he has nothing to hide, why has the White House been doing  everything in its power to withhold witnesses and documents from Congress.  I challenge every Republican and Trump supporter to provide me with a satisfactory answer to that question.

Donald Trump and his Republican cohorts have insulted the American people.  Why don't they think that Americans are capable of making up their own minds after having access to all the evidence?  Why can't John Bolton and Mick Mulvaney testify?  Witnesses testified at the Senate trials of Andrew Jackson and Bill Clinton.  What kind of trial has no witnesses?

Is Team Trump afraid that given the evidence, Trump's perfidy will be laid out for all to see.
Trump's aim is to continually expand the powers of the presidency, but there is a reason why the founders created two other branches of government.  There is a reason why the Congress is a co-equal branch which cannot be ignored.  There is a reason for the impeachment process.  That reason is to curb presidential power. That reason is to stop a president like Trump from becoming too autocratic.  If Trump wins another four years in office. the United States will be unrecognizable.  Trump might as well be crowned king or emperor.  This cannot and should not be allowed to happen to America and the world.

Trump's trained seals in the Senate are not going to convict him.  Barring some unforeseen circumstances, there is only one way to save America.  He must be defeated in the 2020 election.  I write this because I am alarmed.  I truly believe that Donald J. Trump is not only a threat to America, but a threat to the whole world.  This is the gravest threat to the Republic since the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.

No, Donald Trump!  You can't do anything you want.  You are not above the law.  Contrary to what you say, the president cannot kill someone on Fifth Avenue with impunity.  He or she must be accountable to the people.  The Constitution of the United States says so.


- Joanne

Another Memo to Conservative American Evangelicals

"The president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader (President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine) to harass and discredit one of the president's political opponents (Joe Biden).  This is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral.  

The reason many are not shocked about this is that this president has dumbed down the idea of morality in his administration.  He has hired and fired a number of people who are now convicted criminals (Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen and others).  He himself has admitted to immoral actions in business and his relationship with women, about which he remains proud.  His Twitter feed alone - with its habitual string of mischaracterizations, lies, and slanders - is a perfect example of a human being who is morally lost and confused."

- Mark Galli
"Trump should be removed from office," Christianity Today editorial, December 19, 2019



MEMO TO AMERICAN EVANGELICALS:

Note: This is my second memo to American evangelicals.  I wrote my original memo on September 21, 2018  https://www.joanne16.com/2018/09/memo-to-american-conservative.html

American evangelicals:

Your support was critical to Donald Trump's electoral college victory in 2016.  You are a prime reason why he sits in the Oval Office today.  Donald Trump chose Mike Pence as his vice-presidential running mate in order to attract your votes.  He is depending on your votes in order to win re-election in 2020

I have some questions for you and I trust you will reflect carefully as you answer them privately.  As you well know, the main tenets of Christianity are to love God and to love your neighbour as yourself.  Christ clearly set out those two commandments.  So, I ask you honestly to consider whether Donald Trump has lived up to those commandments in his words and deeds.  No one is perfect, but surely the president of the United States cannot be allowed to behave in a profoundly immoral manner.  His tweets are full of name-calling, insults and bullying.  He belittles anyone who disagrees with him.

Here are some points to consider:

* Prior to the 2016 election, released The Washington Post released a 2005 video in which Donald Trump bragged about molesting women in a conversation with Billy Bush.  Many people were surprised that this video did not immediately put an end to Trump's candidacy for president of the United States.  20 of 30 years ago, he would have had to end his presidential campaign due to that video.

* Donald Trump has called Mexicans "rapists and criminals" and treated them with utter contempt.  Is that an example of loving your neighbour?  Trump has separated innocent Central American migrant children from their parents and placed them in detention camps.  That is unconscionable. It is monstrous and barbaric.  Jesus said, "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not: for such is the kingdom of heaven"  He did not say only some children.  He meant all children.

Children in detention camp

* Trump has removed environmental protections.  He  encourages the use of fossil fuels and he took the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord.  In the Book of Genesis, God grants humans stewardship over the earth.  "Then the Lord God took the man into the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it." Genesis 2:15.

Trump ignores science.  He won't do anything about the climate crisis.  The climate crisis is a moral crisis and it threatens the very survival of our planet.  We are running out of time and the world cannot afford another four years of Donald Trump.

* Donald Trump is not the "chosen one" as some of his followers profess him to be.  God did not grant him the right to be president of the United States.  He is not some kind of king or messiah.  Is he invoking the ancient "divine right of kings," by which kings were chosen by God to rule?  Does he consider himself some kind of messiah? (The thought is sickening).  Yet, Trump behaves like a cult leader and his supporters practically worship him.  They are afraid to cross him.  The First Commandment says "Thou shall no other gods but me."

* Trump has no respect for the Constitution of the United States.  He acts like a dictator.  He wants all power to be vested in the Executive branch of government.  He doesn't like to be reminded that Legislative branch (Congress) is a co-equal branch of government.

* Trump brags that the American economy has never been as good under his administration.  Well that may be, if you are a billionaire or well off enough to invest in the stock market.  The Trump economy does nothing for lower income Americans.  It does nothing for those trapped in low paying jobs.  It does nothing for those who do not have health insurance.  It only increases the widening gap between haves and have nots.  That is not social justice.  That is not Christianity at work, since Christ was a champion of the poor and the marginalized.  Christ did not demonize the poor.  He said, "Blessed are the Poor."

Anyone who claims to be a Christian cannot in good conscious support Donald Trump.  Trump must be held accountable for his behaviour because nobody is above the law.


- Joanne

My 2020 Wish List

Last year I posted my personal wish list for 2019.  I promised to let you know which of my wishes came true and to write another wish list for 2020.  Here's how my 2019 wish list turned out:

* I wished that 2019 would be a bad year for dictatorships and authoritarian leaders around the world, especially Russia's Vladimir Putin.

In fact, it was a rather good year for right-wing male leaders.

Boris Johnson/s Conservatives won a majority in the December 12, 2019 British election, but the honeymoon will soon be over,  The Conservative victory will not put an end to the Brexit agony, as many UK voters surmised.  Getting a deal done will not be so easy and it will not happen as quickly as Boris would like it to.  I'm afraid that there will be tough times ahead for Britain, economically and politically.  Brexit will open up a can of worms with Scotland and Northern Ireland.  Also, the British economy will decline due to Brexit and Johnson will not protect the National Health Service (NHS).

Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu is still hanging on to the leadership of his Likud party, although he has been indicted on charges of breach of trust, bribery and fraud.  As a result of the charges, he is legally required to relinquish all his ministry posts, with the exception of the post of prime minister.  On March 2, 2020, Israeli's will be going to the polls for the third election in one year.

Vladimir Putin continues to rule Russia with an iron hand as does Kim Jong-un in North Korea.  Putin holds the puppet strings that control Donald Trump and the United States of America/

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is in power and he is anything but environmentally friendly.  He thumbs his nose at wildfires in the Amazon.  He bullies and harms indigenous people who are trying to protect the rainforest, known as "the earth's lungs."

The bright spot for democracy is Hong Kong.  It is valued by the people there and they are trying to preserve it.

* I hoped that 2019 would mark the final year of the presidency of Donald Trump.  I wished that he would resign or that he would be impeached and convicted - the sooner, the better.  I said that every day he remains in office causes damage to the United States and to the rest of the world.  I stated that my nightmare would be that Trump would be able to run again in 2020.

Well, 2019 did not mark the final year of the Trump presidency.  He remains in office and he fully intends to be the Republican candidate for president in 2020.  The good news is that he has been impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives and he is awaiting a trial in the Senate.  It is highly unlikely that he will be convicted by the Republican-controlled Senate, but he will be held accountable for his crimes and misdemeanours.  He is not happy about being the third president in American history to be impeached.  He knows that that dubious distinction will be forever attached to his name.

Anything could happen between now and the November election.  There may be a few surprises.

* I wished that the United Kingdom would remain in the European Union.  

Alas, now that Boris Johnson has a majority government, there is little chance that the UK will remain in the European Union.

* I wished that the Toronto Maple Leafs would win the Stanley Cup, their first victory since May 2, 1967.  My dream scenario:  Mitch Marner would score  the winning goal with about 50 seconds left in the third period of the seventh game.  

That didn't happen.  The Leafs were eliminated by the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs.  They got off to a rocky start this season and fired coach Mike Babcock.  The team is playing much better under new coach Sheldon Keefe.

Although the Maple Leafs didn't get past the first round of the playoffs, The Toronto Raptors brought joy to the city when they won the 2019 NBA championship.

* I hoped that 2019 would be a good year for those who are concerned about the environment and that some significant progress will be made in the fight against climate change.  

Greta Thunberg, the teen environmental activist from Sweden, led an inspiring campaign to save the planet for future generations.  She stood up to world leaders and told them in no uncertain terms that they are not doing nearly enough to fight climate change.  Unfortunately, populist right-wing politicians and their followers are preventing necessary measures from being taken.  More people, however, are concerned.  There were many climate change protests in 2019, but the protesters, especially young adults, have to show up and vote for candidates who take a strong stand in support of environmental protection.

Here in Canada, the Conservatives lost the October 21, 2019 federal election partly because they did not have a credible plan for environment.  It hurt them enormously in the highly populated City of Toronto, where the environment mattered to voters.  The Conservatives lost all 25 of Toronto's parliamentary seats.  They are in the process of choosing a new leader who will have to seriously address the climate crisis if the party is to return to power.

* I wished for a really major breakthrough in preventing, curing or controlling one or more of the world's most harmful diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer, Parkinson's etc.

The good news is that several major medical breakthroughs occurred in 2019.  They will benefit those with everything from peanut allergies to prostate cancer.  Biogen, a biotech company, announced in October that it is seeking FDA approval for a new drug called Aducanumab, which is reported to be the first drug to reduce cognitive decline in people with Alzheimer's Disease..


* I  wished for fewer wars and more civility in the world in 2019.  

Unfortunately, I didn't see any improvement there.  I still remain hopeful that the pendulum will swing and that some of the more populist right-wing leaders will be defeated in elections.

Here is my 2020 wish list:

* I fervently hope that Donald Trump resigns from office in 2020 or loses the November election.  He is becoming more and more unstable.  Every day he remains in office, he poses a very real danger to the United States and the world.  It would also be nice if the Republicans lost control of the Senate, so that Mitch McConnell could no longer be the "Grim Reaper."

* I also hope that Benjamin Netanyahu will finally be ousted from power by Israeli voters.

* I will lower my expectations for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2020.  I hope they will go deeper into the playoffs.  If they somehow win the Stanley Cup, I will be thrilled, but I am not counting on it.  If the Leafs fall short, it would be great to see a Canadian-based team win Lord Stanley's Mug.  That hasn't happened since 1993.  It's due.

I hope the Toronto Raptors can repeat their NBA championship victory, but it won't be easy.

I don't have high expectations for the Toronto Blue Jays, but I hope they have a much better record than last year.  I think they will.

* I once again wish for more civility in the world.  It may not happen until Donald Trump leaves the White House.  This is not to say that Trump is the only cause of all the incivility and gracelessness.  However, he is undoubtedly one of the leading causes of the lack of civility in the United States and around the globe.  As president of the world's most powerful country, he has a great deal of influence.

*  I also wish for less war and terrorism.

* I hope that the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan are successful and that Canadian athletes perform well and honourably.

On January 1, 2021, I will write another wish list and I will let you know if any of my wishes came true.


- Joanne

From Mistletoe to Yule: Fun with Christmas words

CHRISTMAS WORDS   

"MISTLETOE is any of several several species of semi-parasitics plant often associated with Christmas" (Ecyclopaedia Brtannica).  It is leathery leaved and grows on such trees as apples and oaks.  In the winter, it bears white gummy berries.  Birds are immune to toxic mistletoe berries and serve as agents to disseminate the seeds.  Misletoe can be poisonous if ingested by humans.  It can cause drowsiness, blurred vision and vomiting.

The word "mistletoe" is derived from the Old English misteltān, from mistel ‘mistletoe’ (of Germanic origin, related to Dutch mistel and Middle High German Mistel ) + Old English tān ‘twig’.

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, mistletoe was once thought to have magic powers and medicinal properties.  A tradition later developed in England and after in the United States of kissing under the mistletoe.  This custom was once believed to lead to wedlock.

NOEL means Christmas, from French Noël (“Christmas season”), may come from the Old French nael, may be derived in turn from Latin natalis, meaning "birth"  It operates in two modes: lower-case (noel) and upper-case (Noel)  The first means "a Christmas carol," while the second smeans "Christmas."  Merry Christmas in French translates to "joyeux Noël "  Santa Clause is known as "Pere Noël" (Father Christmas).

Did you know there are places named Noel?  Noel, Missouri is a city in the United States.  It is located in McDonald County, Missouri, along the Elk River.  Noel, Nova Scotia is a community in Canada,  An Acadian named Noël Doiron settled in the community with his family around 1710 and lived there for forty years.  Thus, the English surveyors who first mapped the village, named it after him.



YULE is an old-fashioned word for Christmas.  It is derived from an ancient 12-day German lunar festival corresponding to the winter solstice.  After Christianity spread through Northern Europe, yule became associated with the Feast of the Nativity. Today in English, "Yule" refers to "Christmas," while Yuletide refers to Christmastime or the Christmas season. Christmas Day itself is not called 'Yuletide."

CHRISTMAS PUNS

* The Christmas alphabet has noel.

* But wait - there's myrrh.

* Yule be sorry.

* I have the final sleigh.

* Rebel without a Claus.



- Joanne

The danger of artificial Christmas trees

My husband and I recently purchased an artificial Christmas tree online.  We live in a condo and we are not permitted to have a real tree, as it is considered to be a fire hazard.  When the package arrived, I received a rude awakening.  There was a label attached to the box warning of toxins and lead poisoning.  Many Canadians and Americans do not have any idea that artificial trees contain lead.  I certainly didn't.  I was only made aware of this because our tree was sent from California, which mandates a lead warning on every box containing an artificial tree.

Here is what the warning label on our package reads:

WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals, including lead, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.  For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

When we purchased our previous artificial tree in a store, there was no such warning label.  This California warning label prompted me to do some research.  Our tree was manufactured in China, as are most artificial trees,.  Most of these "made in China'' trees are made from PVC, a petroleum-based plastic, and lead, used to stabalize PVC.  As a result, lead dust is released into the air.  A 2002 study, conducted by the University of North Carolina at Asheville, found that three out of four artificial trees tested in the United States contained lead.

Artificial trees are particularly hazardous to children, especially those under the age of six, and pregnant women.  In children, lead poisoning can cause serious damage to the brain and nervous system.  Yet, millions of North Americans remain unware that they have a hazard product in their home.  Why is only California issuing a warning about this health risk?  If our tree hadn't been sent from California, we would not have been made aware of the danger.  Why isn't there more publicity about this health hazard?  Unless I've been missing something, the media in Canada, where I live, haven't been giving the matter any attention.

So, what to do about artificial Christmas trees?  Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Asheville have issued the following advice:.

* Keep children and pets away from the tree; do not allow them to touch it.

* If you touch the tree, wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face of handling food.

* Do not vacuum dust from under the tree.  Vacuuming could spread poisonous lead dust through the air.

* Keep gifts away from the tree, to keep lead from coating the wrapping.

All of this doesn't seem worth the effort.  One can't be on guard 24 hours a day and the poisonous lead makes artificial trees a hazard.  That's why our tree remains unopened in its box.  We are between rock and a hard place because we can't use an real tree.  If we want to avoid a heath hazard, it seems that our only choice is to purchase an artificial tree that has not been manufactured in China.


- Joanne

Greta Thunberg versus the alpha males

In naming Swedish environmental activist Geeta Thunberg "Person of the Year," Time magazine wrote:

"Thunberg began a global movement by skipping school: early in August 2018, she spent her days camped out in front of the Swedish Parliament, holding a sign painted in black letters on a white background that read Skolstrejk for klimatet: School Strike for Climate.  In the sixteen months since, she has addressed heads of state at the U.N., met with the Pope, sparred with the President of the United States and inspired 4 million people to join the global climate strike on September 20, 2019, in what was the largest climate demonstration in human history."

Both Greta Thunberg and U.S. President Donald Trump illustrate the "power of one," but the contrast between them could not be starker.  Greta has singularly changed the world for the better, while Trump has done substantial damage to the world.  Trump has used the power of the American presidency to influence

16-year-old Greta speaks not only for her generation, but for all those who are concerned about the future of life on this planet.  She is an inspiration.  She has shown the world's young people that they can make a difference.  On September 23, 2019,  she opened the United Nations Climate Action Summit with a stirring denunciation of world leaders for failing to take strong measures to combat the climate crisis. "People are suffering, people are dying; entire ecosystems are collapsing," Greta said.  "We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth." Then she accused world leaders of stealing her dreams with "their empty words" but added that she considered herself "one of the lucky ones."  When she thundered, "How dare you?" her words echoed powerfully around the world.

Greta's determination and her sense of purpose are truly admirable, especially when you consider that she has been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by difficulty with social skills and nonverbal communication.  Asperger's is one of a group of autism spectrum disorders, but it has not held Greta back.  In fact, she claims to have benefitted from it.  She calls it her "superpower."  So, every autistic person can be inspired by Greta's achievements and her attitude.

As for Donald Trump, he has no concern for the environment.  He has taken steps to exclude the United States from the Paris climate accord and he has actively encouraged the revival of the coal mining industry, Trump has also removed Obama era environmental protections.  His son, Donald Jr., recently shot and killed an endangered sheep during a hunting expedition in Mongolia.  The species is the largest sheep in the world and it is revered for its giant curving horns.

Not surprisingly, Trump Sr. has had the audacity to attack and bully Greta T, a child.  She makes him uncomfortable because she speaks the truth and he lies.  In September, on the same day that Greta delivered her impassioned speech at the United Nations, the president sarcastically referred to her as "a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future."

Greta has never spoken to Trump face to face.  However, when she crossed paths with him at UN headquarters before her speech, she glared at him (Se photo below).

Donald Trump, ever the narcissist, was jealous that Time chose Greta as" Person of the Year."  He dismissed her award with a snarky tweet.  He wrote: "So ridiculous.  Greta must work on her Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with her friends.  Chill Greta, Chill!"  Greta responded to the president's patronizing message by changing her biog on Twitter to "A teenager working on her anger management problem.  Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend."

Donald Trump is not the only right-wing world leader who has also made some patronizing remarks about the Swedish teen.  On October 2, 20919, Vladimir Putin, Russia's authoritarian president, declared that he didn't "share exultation about Greta Thunberg."" He suggested that Greta may have been manipulated by others.  Putin described Greta as "kind and sincere girl" who doesn't understand complex global interests such as the barriers to cleaner energy in developing countries."  He said "it's deplorable when someone is using children and teenagers in their interests."  In response, Greta changed her Twitter bio to read: "A kind but poorly informed teenager."

Putin: Photo Attribution: www.kremlin.ru

Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro labelled Greta Thunberg "a brat" after she denounced violence against indigenous people who were killed in the Amazon.  On Sunday, December 6, 2019, Greta posted a video showing the aftermath of a drive-by shooting leaving two Indigenous leaders dead.  Alongside the video she tweeted: "Indigenous people are literally being murdered for trying to protect the forest from illegal deforestation.  Over and over again, it's shameful that the world remains silent about this."

Outside the presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil's capital, a smirking Bolsonaro reacted to Greta's comments by telling reporters that Greta "has said that the Indians have died because they were defending the Amazon.  It's amazing that the press gives space to this kind of pirralha (a derogatory Portuguese word meaning 'brat')."

Jair Balsonaro

So there you have it.  Three authoritarian world leaders, all who consider themselves alpha males seem threatened by a 16-year-old schoolgirl from Sweden and her many supporters around the globe.  Could it be that this trio of right-wing strongmen are actually afraid of the truth and the light?  Do they fear that their perfidy will be uncovered for all the world to see?

The world needs more Greta Thunberg and less Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin and Jair Bolsonaro.  Since Greta is being criticized by that dastardly troika, she must be doing something right.


- Joanne

All about the word "hopefully"

Hopefully . . .

Definition of hopefully (adverb) 
1.  : in a way that express desire with an expectation of fulfillment :
     in a hopeful manner  // gazed up at us hopefully

2.  : it is hoped : I hope : we hope // hopefully the rain will end soon

- Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Language is fluid.  It is ever-changing, and not always for the better.  The word "hopefully" is an adverb and it originally meant "in a hopeful manner" as in He looked at her hopefully.  In the 1960s, people began using "hopefully" to mean "I hope" or "we hope." If you watch a film from the 1950s or a television show from the early 1960s, you are unlikely to hear anyone say "Hopefully, it should be finished by next year."

It is strange that use of the word "hopefully" has evolved in this way.  Speakers usually prefer shorter  sentences.  "I hope" has  two syllables, while "hopefully" has three syllables.  Yet, English speakers have overwhelmingly chosen to say "Hopefully, the weather will be better tomorrow."rather than "I hope the weather will be better tomorrow."

In a 2012 article for National Public Radio, linguist Geoff Nunberg refers the AP Stylebook's acceptance of  "hopefully" as a floating sentence adverb.  He writes: "There was something anticlimatic to the news that the AP Stylebook will no longer be objecting to the use of "hopefully" as a floating sentence adverb, as in, 'Hopefully, the Giants will win the division.'  It was like seeing an obituary for someone who must have died around the time Hootenanny went off the air."

Nunberg points out that "I hope that" and "hopefully" do not have precisely the same meaning.  "I hope that" expresses a desire, while "hopefully" makes a hopeful prediction.  For example, you may say "I hope that my team wins the championship.for seven years in a row."  It may me be unlikely but you want it to happen.  If you say "Hopefully, my team will win the championship for the next seven years, you are suggesting that it may actually happen.  The nuances are important.

The change in the usage of "hopefully" has had its detractors.  The American poet Phyllis McGinley (1905-1978) once described the current usage of "hopefully" as an abomination.  She said its advocates should be lynched.  The American historian T. Harry Williams (1909-1979) railed against the change in the usage of "hopefully."  He called it "the most horrible usage of our times."

Although I am not thrilled about the current usage of "hopefully," I think that  McGinley and Williams were on the wrong side of history.  "Hopefully" as a floating sentence adverb has been accepted by the general populace and there is no turning back.  The writing has been on the wall for decades now. 

I recently saw the film Harriet, about the life of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who led hundreds of slaves to freedom via "The Underground Railroad."  I smiled to myself when the word "hopefully" was used to mean "I hope" in the dialogue of the movie .  After all, the film takes place in the 19th century, when no one would have spoken in that manner.

The current usage of the word "hopefully" is definitely here to stay.  I grudgingly accept the fact that it is not going away.   What annoys me is that it has become ubiquitous.  It has become a filler like "basically" and "literally."  The word is used so often that it seems to have been devalued.  I'm also dismayed that the original meaning of the word will eventually be lost forever.  If that makes me a language snob, so be it!  I have accepted the current usage of "hopefully," but I don't have to like it.  Yes, it bothers me, but it is not earth shattering.


POEM OF THE DAY

"Hope" is the thing with feathers - 

"Hope" is the thing with feathers - 
That perches in the soul - 
And sings the tunes without words - 
And never stops - at all -

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -
And sore must be the storm -
That could abash that little Bird -
That kept so many warm -

I've heard it in the chilliest land -
And on the strangest Sea -
Yet - never - in Extremity
It asked a crumb of me.

- Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), American poet


- Joanne

What are Kangaroo Words?

KANGAROO WORDS
What are kangaroo words?  If you guessed that they are some form of Australian slang, you're absolutely wrong.  In fact, a kangaroo word is a word that contains the letters of another synonymous word in its correct sequence, the same way that baby kangaroos, known as joeys, are carried in their mother's pouch.  The second word is smaller, but it means the same thing as the first word.  It's a sort of mini-me.

For example, MASCULINE is a kangaroo word because it contains the word MALE, which is a synonym of the first word.  Similarly, the word ALONE contains its synonym, LONE.  It also contains a second synonym, ONE.

BLOSSOM is another kangaroo word because it contains the synonym BLOOM.

MARSUPIAL MADNESS

There are countless kangaroo words.  Here is a list of some of them.

ASTOUND contains the word STUN.

BELATED contains the word LATE.

CHICKEN contains the word HEN.

CONTAMINATE contains the word TAINT.

DECEASED  contains the word DEAD.

ENCOURAGE contains the word URGE.

ENJOYMENT contains the word JOY.

FEAST contains the word EAT.

GIGANTIC contains the word GIANT.

INHUMANE contains the word INHUMAN.

INSIGNIA contains the word SIGN.

MUNICIPALITY contains the word CITY.

PLUSH contains the word LUSH.

RESPITE contains the word REST.

SALVAGE contains the word SAVE.
   
VERACITY contains the word VERITY.



Quote of the Day

"Some birds are not meat to be caged., that's all.  Their feathers are too bright, their songs too sweet and wild.  So you let them go, or when you open the cage to free them they somehow fly out past you.  And the part of you that knows it was wrong to imprison them in the first place rejoices, but still, the place where you live is that much more drab and empty for their 
departure."

- Stephen King (1947- ), American author
From Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: A Story from Different Seasson


- Joanne

Don Cherry and the power of words

"Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me."

The above aphorism is often used in schoolyards as  a response to bullying.  One of the earliest uses of the phrase can be found in the Christian Recorder, an American periodical with a large Black readership.  Here is the citation from March, 1862: "Remember the old adage 'Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me'.  True courage consists in doing what is right, despite the jeers and sneers of our companions."

Since childhood, I have been reminded of those proverbial "sticks and stones."  Yet the old saying has grown shopworn in the 21st century.  It has become outdated in the Age of the Internet and social media.  Not only that, but it is patently false.  Words do hurt.  They may not hurt physically, but they hurt emotionally.  They harm the human psyche.  Words may not break bones, but they certainly break hearts.  Words wield immense power.  Bruises and bones can heal, but the sting of hurtful words can last a lifetime. That's the reason why there is so much verbal bullying.

All of this brings me to the recent controversy in Canada over hockey commentator Don Cherry's firing and his remarks on "Coach's Corner."  Many Canadians have a soft spot for Donald S. Cherry.  They admire him for speaking his mind.  It's also true that the 85-year-old Cherry donates a great deal of his time and money to charitable causes.  For this, he deserves credit.  For his hurtful words, he does not.  He deserves to be fired.  Here's what he said:

"You people . . . you love our way of life, you love our milk and honey, at least you can pay a couple of bucks for a poppy or something like that."

For years, Cherry has had a large audience and a great deal of influence.  The man is as flamboyant and outspoken as his loud suits.  Although I rarely agree with him, he is perfectly entitled to speak his mind.  However, there are limits to free speech and Cherry crossed the line.  He spoke words that are untrue and very hurtful to many people.  He spoke words that sparked resentment toward immigrants and new Canadians. He came close to saying, like another Donald, south of the border, that they should go back to where they came from.

If Don Cherry wants to praise veterans, that's his prerogative.  If he wants to lament the lack of poppies on lapels, that's also his prerogative, although I did not notice that to be true.  (I saw plenty of poppies here in Toronto, where I live).  Cherry and his fans don't seem to realize that free speech cannot be absolute.  Even in a democratic society, there are limits to free speech.  Cherry crossed the line.  He was fired because he went too far.  If only he had ended his rant with his complaint about not enough poppies being sold.  Unfortunately, he did not.

Don Cherry is disingenuous when he denies that he holds bigoted views.  He regards himself as a great patriot. (I also respect veterans, but I find "Grapes" to be too jingoistic)  The issue, however, is not poppies and veterans.  The issue is not whether Don Cherry holds jingoistic views..  The truth is that Mr. Cherry is xenophobic and that he has aimed his criticism directly at immigrants and non-whites.  His devotees know exactly what he meant when he used the ugly expression "you people."  Immigrants and non-WASPS also know exactly what he meant.  How could Cherry identify "you people" except for the colour of their skin or their religious symbols?  When he talked about "you people," he wan't referring to Norwegian immigrants or Scottish immigrants.

The fact is that many non-whites have served in the Canadian military with distinction.  They shouldn't have to be insulted on national television.  Why do people like Don Cherry assume that immigrants do not have a sense of loyalty to Canada?  Why do they assume that if someone does not look Anglo-Saxon or Celtic, that he or she is not a "real Canadian" or that they couldn't have been born in Canada?  Cherry's words hurt.  As someone of non-Anglo-Saxon or Celtic background, Cherry's comments hurt me.  I am the Canadian-born granddaughter of immigrants from Italy.  I describe my self as a Canadian of Italian descent.  Although I am fiercely proud of my Italian heritage, I have never lived in Italy.  I am not fluent in the Italian language and I am not an Italian citizen.  My skin is olive and I look southern European, but I am Canadian to the core.

Don Cherry suggested that immigrants come to this land of milk and hone and don't give back in return.  He accused them of not even shelling out some money for a poppy,  He questioned their loyalty to Canada.  He was dead wrong.  I wonder if he has any idea about how much immigrants have contributed to this nation.?  Can you imagine if all the immigrants in Canada stopped working for one day or one week?   Our country could not function.  Due to his popularity and his huge following, Cherry's egregious remarks have sewn more seeds of division in Canada.

Don Cherry is an anachronism.  The world has changed and Canada has changed, but Cherry has refused to adapt to those changes.  He can't accept a multicultural Canada.  He wants to live in the past where almost everyone was white, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant, women knew their place and boys were boys.

Cherry is a polarizing figure.  Those who like him really like him.  I have heard complaints that "You can't say anything anymore" and that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wore blackface years ago.  Here is my response: Free speech has limits.  It does not consist of hateful untruths. Don Cherry has had plenty of time to express his opinions.  He has had his say for decades on Hockey Night in Canada.  As for the PM, Justin Trudeau has been severely criticized for his lack of judgement and he apologized profusely. He has always been supportive of an inclusive Canada.

Don Cherry's time in the spotlight has come and gone.  He has a vision of a Canada that no longer exists except in small pockets in small towns.  He may have kept his job if he had apologized.  His apology wouldn't have been sincere, though, because he meant what he said.  Like that other Donald south of the border, he doesn't believe he did anything wrong.


- Joanne