Last March, I posted some photos of some sculptures by talented Quebec City snow sculptor Denis Gravel. Here are some more photos of his sculptures. They were taken a few weeks ago. He is a very talented artist and I hope you enjoy his work. Merci Denis
What has happened to the Republican Party of the United States is sad and tragic. The party of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower no longer exists in its current form. In fact, the Republican Party has strayed so far to the right and away from the rule of law that it isn't even the party of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush anymore. Unfortunately, the party is now controlled by Donald Trump and his cult followers. It has been hijacked. It no longer stands for any true ideals. It has abandoned any real principles and has become whatever Trump wants it to be. Like a mob boss, he rules the rules the roost and demands absolute loyalty.
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| Lincoln |
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| T. Roosevelt |
First, a little history about the Republican Party. According to Christopher Klein, a frequent contributor to History.com, it was formed in 1854 by former Whig Party members to prevent the expansion of slavery into western territories. It acquired the "nickname GOP" (Grand Old Party).around 1870, when newspapers began referring to the Republican Party as both "the grand old party" and the "gallant old party" in recognition of its contribution in preserving the Union during the Civil War. In 1874, the Republican Party of Minnesota endorsed a platform that it said "guarantees that the grand old party that saved the country is still true to the principles that gave it birth."
Alas, if Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt could see what has become of their party, they would weep bitterly. It is anything but true to the principle that gave it birth. Lincoln and Roosevelt could never have envisioned that their party would be controlled by a twice-impeached 74 year-old white supremacist, misogynist and pathological liar. They could never have imagined that an American president would encourage an insurrection to prevent the certification of a presidential election. On January 6, 2021, Trump and his band of far right domestic terrorists, white supremacists and neo-Nazis almost succeeded in overturning the legitimate outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
Donald Trump will never acknowledge that he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden. As his estranged niece, Mary Trump, has pointed out, losing means death to him. He continues to peddle his conspiracy theories and lies, and millions of American believe him. He acts as if he is a viable candidate for president in 2024, although it is doubtful that he will ever run again. Still, many of the former president's followers will be duped into donating their hard-earned money to him.
Let's be clear. Donald Trump should not be permitted to run for office in the United States ever again. He will spend years in court, facing multiple criminal and civil charges. Sooner of later, he will be held accountable for his actions. He is not above the law and he no longer has the protection of the American presidency. He is Citizen Donald J. Trump and he must be held accountable for his actions. Otherwise other authoritarian leaders will attempt to get away with destroying American democracy. Trump is not invincible. Keep in mind that mobster Al Capon was finally convicted of tax evasion and that Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of Waterloo.
Donald Trump and his sycophants, such as Ted Cruz, Lindsey Graham and the woeful Josh Hawley, should take note of what has just happened to the former president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. Sarkozy, who served as president from May 2007 to May 2012, has just been convicted of corruption. He was sentenced to a year in prison.
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| Sarkozy |
The Trump Party is out of touch with modern America. History and demographics are not on its side. The population of the United States is becoming increasingly urban and more diversified. The environment matters. Coal, oil and other fossil fuels are dying industries. They will be replaced by renewable energy, green jobs and electric cars. The lily white world of Leave it to Beaver is long gone and the South will never rise again.
This is not to say that the concerns of rural, white voters don't matter and should not be addressed. It simply means that the world has changed and that a conservative movement, if it is to succeed, has to become more inclusive, more concerned about the environment and more appealing to racial minorities, immigrants and younger voters.
As it is presently constituted, the "Republican" Party cannot win the popular vote in a presidential election. It can only depend on an archaic electoral college system to elect a "Republican" president. It has to attract voters, not prevent them from voting. The Trump Party has been reduced to voter suppression and gerrymandering in order to win elections. It is determined to prevent Blacks and Latinos from exercising their franchise.
The party of Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt has been lost. It hasn't been "grand" for a while. It is just old and out-of-step. That is why moderate conservatives who believe in democracy and the rule of law should start a new party. It should be a party that is more open and more internationalist. It should be willing to work side by side with America's traditional allies and support the United Nations and its agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Remember that Wendell Wilkie, a corporate executive and Republican candidate for president in 1940, published a manifesto in 1943.called One World, which advocates an end to colonialism and supports World Federalism and equality for non-whites in the United States.
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| Wilkie |
The American conservative movement needs to be refreshed and rebuilt. Like the Whig Party, the "Republican Party" of Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell should be confined to the dust bin of history. Otherwise, Trumpism and domestic terrorism will continue to threaten democracy in the United States.
SOURCE: History.com, "Why Is the Republican Party Known as the GOP?" by Christopher Klein
- Joanne
- Joanne
Here in Toronto, Canada's largest city, we have been in lockdown since the day after Christmas. The Ontario government's stay-at-home order has been extended until at least until March 8th, due to fears about the spread of variants of the COVID-19 virus. This didn't have to happen and its consequences are tragic. Every day that the vaccines are delayed means that more people will become infected and more people will die. It means that variants of the virus will spread more rapidly. As I write this, two vulnerable members of my family have still not been vaccinated. One is 92 years old and the other resides in a group home. Millions of Canadians find themselves in similar situations. I do not buy the excuse, however, that we have to wait for other countries to deliver the vaccines to us. Why, for heaven's sake, haven't we been able to produce our own vaccine? Why have we been left in the dust as countries such as Germany, the U.K. and the United States receive the coronavirus vaccine before us?
Canada's COVID-19 response should have been swifter much more efficient. It certainly would have helped if we had produced own vaccine. After all, Canada is the country that gave the world a wonderful gift about a century ago. Two Canadian doctors, Frederick Banting and Charles Best, discovered insulin at the University of Toronto. Insulin was purified and used in the successful treatment of diabetes.
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| F. Banting (r) and C. Best circa 1924 |
Canada is not a Third World country. It is not poor nation, bereft of resources. There was no reason why the True North couldn't have produced its own vaccine much sooner. So, why did it not happen in time to combat this horrid COVID-19 pandemic? Why are we in a situation in which we have to depend on other countries for vaccines? I am angry and profoundly disappointed that this has occurred. It's not good enough to say that the vaccines will soon get rolling, that we have to be patient a bit longer. People are suffering and dying in the meantime. Their lives could have been spared. The delay has given the variants of the disease more time to spread.
Prime Minister Trudeau has promised that all Canadians will be vaccinated by the end of September. I can only hope his calculation is accurate. Remember that Canada has a relatively small population. It's not as if we have over a billion people to vaccinate like India or over 330 million like the United States. We have a population of about 38 million people. According to COVID-19 Tracker Canada, as of today, more than 1,055,288 have received received at least one dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine. Only 468,510 Canadians have been fully vaccinated. Unfortunately, the vaccinations have been moving at a snail's pace. Let's get rolling! Let's get it done!
- Joanne
"Love is the expansion of two natures in such fashion that each includes the other, each is enriched by the other. Love is an echo in the feelings of a unity subsisting between two persons which is founded both on likeness and on complementary differences. Without the likeness there would be no attraction; without the challenge of the complementary differences there could not be the closer interweaving and the inextinguishable mutual interest which is the characteristic of all deeper relationships."
- Felix Adler, From Life and Destiny (1913), Section 5: Love and Marriage
Yesterday was Valentine's Day and I compiled some Valentine trivia for you.
- Joanne
VALENTINE'S DAY BIRTHDAYS
DREW BLEDSOE, retired American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL), was born on February 14, 1972 in Ellensburg, Washington, USA.
Photo Attribution: Simon Pegg, Alice Braga & Like Hemsworth at the LA Premier… | Flickr
SUNG HOON, South Korean actor and voice actor, was born in Nam District, Daegu, South Korea on February 14, 1983.
Photo Attribution: tenasia10
VALENTINE'S DAY DEATHS
EVENTS OF INTEREST FEBRUARY 14TH
Circa 270 A.D. Saint Valentine is martyred in Rome.
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| Al Capone |
FEBRUARY 14TH TRIVIA
Hefty Smurf has a heart tattooed on both arms. Hefty is the son of Muscles Smurf and the twin brother of Handy Smurf.
As we all know, words matter. Some words in the English language display a subtle or not-so-subtle anti-female bias.
Kieran Snyder is the CEO and co-founder of Textio, an augmented writing platform that predicts the response one will receive based on the language of a particular piece of writing. Snyder is a linguist and a writer. She holds a PhD in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania and her work has been published in Fortune, Re/Code, Slate and The Washington Post.
In a 2014 study for Fortune.com, entitled "The Abrasiveness Trap: High-achieving men and women are described differently in reviews," Snyder examined 248 job performance reviews from 180 people (105 men and 75 women). The reviews were taken from 28 different tech companies of a variety of organizational sizes.
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| Kieran Snyder |
Snyder found a common occurrence in her study. One particular word appeared 17 times in reviews of women, and not once in any of the reviews of men. That word was "abrasive." Other words, such as "bossy " "aggressive," "strident," "emotional" and "irrational" were applied unequally to describe women.
The word "aggressive" did appear in two reviews of male employees, but only in the context of them being encouraged to be more aggressive. Reviews of women, on the other hand, only ever used the term "aggressive" as a means of criticism.
Although dictionaries such as Meriam Webster does not explicitly define a nag as a female, the implication is clear. The word is subtly sexist. One often hears reference to a "nagging wife," such as in the cartoon above. How often does one hear the term "nagging husband?" Some terms that are similar to nag include "fishwife," "hen-pecked," "shrew" and "harridan." We hear of a "hen-pecked husband." When do we hear of a "hen-pecked husband?" One of William Shakespeare's most well=known plays is titled The Taming of the Shrew.
SPINSTER and OLD MAID: There are no similar terms for older unmarried men. They are simply described as a "confirmed bachelor" or a "lifelong bachelor." The words spinster and old maid are pejoratives. They conger up an image of a shy, unattractive or vey ugly woman. Think of the card game "Old Maid." The picture on the "Old Maid" card is that of a very hideous looking woman.
EFFETTE: According to Merriam Webster, the word effette is derived from the word Latin word "effetus," meaning "no longer fruitful." For a time it was used to describe an animal no longer capable of producing offspring. As an adjective, it now means "lacking strength, courage or spirit; resembling a woman."
WORKING MOM: Have you ever head of a "working dad?"
SOCCER MOM: Have you ever heard of a "soccer dad?"
STRIDENT: How many times does one hear female leaders or politicians described as being "strident" or having a "strident voice." That's exactly what happened to Hillary Clinton. Let me know when you hear a male described as "strident" or "having a strident voice."
There are many more words I could include on this list. There is clearly an anti-female bias in the language we speak.
- Joanne
Here is something for car lovers. The UK's Bristol Street Motors has recreated six of the most iconic car movie posters. They feature cars that could have been famous, but didn't quite make the cut. I hope you find it entertaining and informative, even if you are not an automobile enthusiast.
- Joanne
Alternative Pop Culture Cars
Bristol
Street Motors have uncovered that iconic movie cars of the past weren’t always
the original plan and have reimagined what the movie posters would have looked
like if their alternatives were used.
Goldfinger
(1964)
007 could have easily been driving a 1931 Blower Bentley instead of the now-iconic Aston Martin DB5 in the Goldfinger movie. Bristol Street Motors found that in the novels, Bond was something of a car nut and counted his treasured Blower Bentley as his own personal hobby.
As revealed by Top Gear’s 50 Years of Bond Cars special, author Ian Fleming received a letter from a fan one day encouraging the author to “have the decency to fix him up with a decent bit of machinery”, as the Blower Bentley was dated and over 20 years old.
Fleming gave Bond an
Aston Martin DB3 for the Goldfinger novel, which updated to the classic DB5
when the movie was released 5 years later.
It was by pure chance that The Lincoln Futura made it into the Bond film, looking extremely futuristic back in 1966.
Lincoln Futura v Cadillac Series 62
Batman
(1966)
It was originally planned that the Batmobile was to be a 1959 Cadillac, but 20th Century Fox announced they needed something faster for Batman to drive. Hollywood car designer George Barris was hired but with just three short weeks until filming started, he bought the Futura and dawned it with Batman-esque features and fail fins, and the rest is history.
Volkswagen Beetle v Volvo P1800
The Love
Bug (1968)
The Volkswagen Beetle, known as Herbie, found fame in The Love Bug but was close to never making it to the big screen at all.
During
the audition, the Volkswagen Beetle was the only car to elicit an emotional
reaction from the crew, with many of them reaching out to pet it. VW was
offered the chance to feature their Beetle in the film as a result of this.
Mini Cooper v Fiat 500
Italian Job (1969)
The Italian Job is known as one of the most iconic movies ever made. The movie was considered to be totally original upon its release. However, what people don’t know about is how close the Mini Coopers were to being replaced with Fiat 500s. The two cars have a close rivalry now due to their similar size and target audience, and back in 1969 it was similar.
According
to Michael Deeley, the British Motor Cooperation sold the production three Mini
Coopers at cost price but they had to buy an additional 30 for action scenes.
Alternatively, Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli offered an unlimited supply of
top-of-the-range Fait 500s for free. He also offered Deeley a Ferrari and
$50,000 towards the picture. Upon consideration, Deeley couldn’t make sense of
British Crooks driving Italian-produced cars in Italy, so decided to stick with
Mini Coopers.
Ferrari 308 GTS v Porsche 928
Magnum PI
(1978)
Originally, the 6 foot 4 actor Tom Selleck, who played the character of Thomas Sullivan Magnum lll, was supposed to be driving a Porsche 928. Unfortunately, Porsche refused to allow their car to be specially altered for the tall actor, and producers were forced to look for alternatives. Step forward Ferarri with their 308 GTS – they were happy to modify their car to house Selleck and the car became an icon.
Delorean DMC 12 v A Refrigerator
Back To
The Future (1985)
A firm favourite from our childhoods, fans will be surprised to know that the famous scene of Doc and Marty’s time-travelling Delorean disappearing in a line of smoke and fire almost never happened. Bristol Street discovered that in the first two drafts of the movie, a lead lined refrigerator took the role of the time machine. However, when mobility became an issue, co-author Bob Zemeckis dared to ask, “Wouldn’t it make more sense to build the time machine into a car?”
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| Officer Brian Sicknick |
It's heard to swallow what happened in Washington, D.C. on January 6, 2021. On that fateful day, the U.S. Capitol was invaded for the first time since the War of 1812. This time, however, the invasion did not come from an outside enemy. Oh no. This time, it was domestic. It came from within and it came at the bidding of a man who swore to uphold, defend and protect the Constitution of the United States.
Donald J. Trump,, the 45th President of the Republic, actively encouraged violence and sedition. He incited his extreme, right-wing, neo-Nazi followers to march on the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The president aided and abetted this insurrection and he should be held accountable for this heinous crime and for the other criminal acts he has committed during his presidency..
Millions of Americans and people around the world witnessed the horrifying events in Washington on their television screens. Right before their eyes, live and in colour, they saw the desecration of the most sacred temple of American democracy. They watched in stunned disbelief as the Capitol building was vandalized and violated by an unruly mob. For several hours, parts of the building were occupied and ransacked, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office. It was all very surreal. Yet, it really happened, thanks to Donald Trump, his spineless sycophants in the Republican Party and his cult-like adherents.
Unfortunately, far too few Americans hold the president responsible for what happened in Washington. According to a new YouGov poll, a majority of Republican voters named President-elect Joe Biden as the culprit rather than Donald Trump. 1,450 eligible voters were surveyed and 52 percent of Republicans blamed Biden rather than Trump. In comparison, only 28 percent of Republicans pointed the finger at the president for inciting the violence, while 26 percent blamed congressional Republicans for attempting to block the final tally of Biden's Electoral College win.
This should not be a partisan issue. It is a matter of upholding democracy and the rule of law. Yes, Donald Trump received over 74 million votes, but Joe Biden received over 81 million votes. The Electoral College confirmed Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election with 306 to 232 the final count. . Biden was the clear winner and accusations of electoral fraud were proven baseless and were rejected by numerous courts.
Sadly, fascism has come to America in the form of right-wing extremists who believe they are patriots and who wrap themselves in the American flag. The distressing fact is that so many Republican voters still support Donald Trump's delusional conspiracy theories. They contend that the election was rigged and that it was stolen from Trump. They believe this without any credible proof. In fact, the evidence shows that the election was free and fair.
Are these Republican voters so brainwashed, their minds so addled that they cannot see the truth - or is it that they prefer to ignore the facts? On January 6th, the day that lawmakers were to meet to make Joe Biden's Electoral College victory official. Donald Trump held a rally and urged his supporters to march on Capitol Hill. Trump told the crowd: "You'll never take back your country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong." It was Donald Trump, not Joe Biden, who egged on his followers and caused them to wreak havoc. He gave them his blessing and the green light to act as they did.
Since media have posed some hard questions about the storming of Capitol. Reporters and broadcasters have demanded to know why there was such poor security around Capitol Hill. Why were the insurgents allowed to stand on the steps of the Capitol, break windows and vandalize offices.? Why were police so ill-prepared for what happened? For weeks Donald Trump exhorted his followers to to go to Washington on January 6th. It was no secret. It was no surprise when his ardent supporters obeyed him. What was surprising and terribly shocking was that law enforcers were so ill-prepared for what happened. Why were Trumps band of thugs, anti-Semites and white supremacists able to breach security so easily? Would the situation have been different if a majority of the Capitol invaders had been black? These questions cannot be ignored. They cannot be brushed away.
Make no mistake. What has taken root in the United States is not conservatism, but Trumpism, and it's this Trumpism that must be soundly defeated if the U.S. is to remain a viable democracy. For the safety of the American people and for the sake of the free world, Donald Trump must be removed from the White House as soon as possible. This president is not fit for office. He is clearly unstable, unhinged and very dangerous. Donald Trump is a cornered man. He is desperate and desperate people take desperate measures.
This president must be held accountable for his actions and for his high crimes and misdemeanours. He should do the right thing and resign. Failing that, the 25th Amendment should be invoked. If that does not happen, Donald Trump must be impeached for a second time, whether he is convicted or not. This must be done so that no president can be allowed to undermine democracy the way he has. Donald Trump is not above the law and he must never be allowed to hold office in the United States again. Every day he remains in the White House, America is in peril.
I am so glad that Twitter permanently banned Donald Trump. He does not deserve any forum to spew his hatred, his venom and his lies. He should not be permitted to incite violence. Enough is enough is enough Donald Trump has got to go before he causes further damage to the democratic fabric of the Republic. Five people, including a police officer, died in Wednesday's attempted coup. Trump's term in office ends on January 20th. Does the U.S. need more violence and more deaths during that time:?
- Joanne
Last year I posted my personal wish list for 2020. I promised to let you know which of my wishes came true and to write another wish list for 2021. Here's how my 2020 wish list turned out:
I urge you to read this statement from Mitt Romney, a Republican, and the junior United States senator from Utah. Thoughtful Republicans will realize that the issue of the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election goes far beyond partisanship. It's a matter of preserving American democracy for future generations.
- Joanne
Romney
Statement On Certification of Presidential Election Results
Sunday,
January 3, 2021
SALT LAKE
CITY– U.S.
Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) released the following statement in response to an
announcement that several Republican senators plan to oppose certification of
the presidential election results:
“The egregious ploy to reject electors may enhance the political ambition of
some, but dangerously threatens our Democratic Republic. The congressional
power to reject electors is reserved for the most extreme and unusual
circumstances. These are far from it. More Americans participated in this
election than ever before, and they made their choice. President Trump’s
lawyers made their case before scores of courts; in every instance, they
failed. The Justice Department found no evidence of irregularity sufficient to
overturn the election. The Presidential Voter Fraud Commission disbanded
without finding such evidence.
“My fellow Senator Ted Cruz and the co-signers of his statement argue that
rejection of electors or an election audit directed by Congress would restore
trust in the election. Nonsense. This argument ignores the widely perceived
reality that Congress is an overwhelmingly partisan body; the American people
wisely place greater trust in the federal courts where judges serve for life.
Members of Congress who would substitute their own partisan judgement for that
of the courts do not enhance public trust, they imperil it.
“Were Congress to actually reject state electors, partisans would inevitably
demand the same any time their candidate had lost. Congress, not voters in the
respective states, would choose our presidents.
“Adding to this ill-conceived endeavor by some in Congress is the President’s
call for his supporters to come to the Capitol on the day when this matter is
to be debated and decided. This has the predictable potential to lead to
disruption, and worse.
“I could never have imagined seeing these things in the greatest democracy in
the world. Has ambition so eclipsed principle?”
EDITOR'S UPDATE (January 4, 2021): On Sunday, January 3, 2021, Former House Speaker, Paul Ryan, a Republican who represented Wisconsin in Congress from 1999 to 2019. He spoke out against members of his own party who were planning to reject congressional certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
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| Paul Ryan |
"All our basic rights and freedoms flow from a fidelity to the Constitution and the rule of law. This principle is not only fundamentally American but a central tenet of conservatism. Under our system, voters determine the president, and this self-governance cannot sustain itself if the whims of Congress replace the will of the people."
I don't usually agree with Paul Ryan, but in this case, he's absolutely correct about the rule of law. I wish more conservatives felt this way.
- Joanne
I realize that January 1, 2021 is an arbitrary date on a calendar. It's just one day after December 31, 2020. All the problems of the world won't be solved overnight. However, I still look forward to the changing of that calendar. It represents a clean slate and a fresh start to me. Of course, the calendar effect is strictly psychological. I know that there are no guarantees about 2021. I just hope it's a better year than 2020 and that the virus is brought under control. The vaccines will help, but enough people have get inoculated for them to be effective. It will also help that the four lost years of the Trump presidency will come to a merciful end on January 20, 2021. That's an added bonus.
There is a great deal of uncertainty in the world, but we can only hope for some better days ahead. These tough times have given us some true heroes - health care workers on the frontlines. For years, they have been undervalued and underpaid. Due to COVID crisis, they are finally receiving some much-deserved praise and gratitude. They have put their lives on the line for the sick and the elderly. When the worst is finally over, will they still receive as much recognition? The least we can do is pay our health care workers more. They deserve it.
Unfortunately, in contrast to our health care workers, some people have shown themselves to be selfish and uncaring. I am referring to those who refuse to wear masks because they believe they should have the freedom to infect others. I am also referring to those who have gone on unnecessary vacations. I was dismayed to see so many travellers at airports during this holiday season. Why can't people sacrifice one time so that we can all have a better Christmas and New Year next year?
The hypocrisy is mind-boggling. The finance minister of my home province of Ontario, Rod Phillips, took a Caribbean vacation during this time - with the knowledge of Premier Doug Ford. Phillips apoIogized, but only because his hand was caught in the cookie jar. If politicians want to be respected, they have to lead by example.
This pandemic has really highlighted the gross inequalities in our society. Lower income people are finding themselves unemployed and facing eviction. Large companies such as Amazon are having a field day because of all the online purchases. It's boom time for them. Small businesses and restaurants, however, are struggling. It's bust time for them.
After this pandemic subsides, I hope that there will be more focus on the environment. Thank goodness U.S. President Joe Biden has pledged to return his country to the Paris Climate Accord. After the Trump years, there is no more time to waste.
File 2020 into the dustbin of history. It will be gone but certainly not forgotten. Some day we will look at it with 2020 hindsight. We'll talk about how we lived through the Great Pandemic. For now, I'm just grateful that I haven't contracted COVID-19.
So, I welcome 2021 not with unrealistic expectations, not with false optimism, but with hope. Happy New Year to you and your family.
- Joanne
I am pleased to announce that my first novel, Children of Dieppe, is now available as an ebook on Smashwords.(smashwords.com).
Children of Dieppe is the story of Denise Nair, whose father, Jim Nair, died during the tragic raid on the French port of Dieppe in 1942. The repercussions of that raid are life-changing for Denise's family, friends and acquaintances, They are forced to come to terms with Jim's past on the Isle of Wight, where he trained for the Dieppe invasion. Denise is determined to uncover what happened there. Along the way she must deal with her best friend, the Rosemary Tillis' infatuation with hockey goalie Mark Steeles, to whom she is also attracted. Denise's friendship with the troubled Rosemary is chronicled in the novel, as well as her encounters with the mysterious Gordon Sloane, a childhood friend of her father. Children of Dieppe is a sweeping drama that spans a time period from World War II until the 21st century.
I completed Children of Dieppe while at home during the pandemic of 2020. It was my way of being creative and productive during these difficult days. My hope that those who choose to read it will really enjoy it. I believe it is a thoughtful but easy read. If you have any questions about the novel for me, I would be pleased to answer them. Just email me at jmadden16@yahoo.ca
For those who are interested in checking out my novel, here is the link.
-Smashwords – Children of Dieppe – a book by Joanne Madden
Thank you Number 16 readers. Stay safe and have a Merry Christmas / Happy Holiday.
- Joanne
So, you think you know your Christmas music. Well then, why not test your knowledge and try Number 16's Songs of Christmas Quiz.
SONGS OF CHRISTMAS QUIZ
1. Complete this lyric from "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
"On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me . . ."
A. three calling birds
B. three French hens
C. three golden rings
D. three geese a-laying
E. three ladies dancing
2. What Christmas song did Judy Garland sing in the film Meet Me in St. Louis?
A. "The Christmas Song"
B. "Silver Bells"
C. "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"
D. "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
E. "There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays"
3. What is the name of the Beach Boys' Christmas song?
A. "California Christmas"
B. ""Sufin' Santa Claus"
C. "Under the Mistletoe"
D. " Little Saint Nick"
E. "Christmas USA"
4. Which well-known Christmas hymn has the following line?
"Radiant beams from they holy face / With the dawn of redeeming grace."
A. "Silent Night"
B. "The First Noel"
C. "Hark! The Harold, Angels Sing"
D. "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
E. "O Holy Night"
5. What was the first film in which Bing Crosby sang "White Christmas?"
A. White Christmas
B. The Bells of Saint Mary
C. Holiday Inn
D. Going My Way
E. Blue Skies
6. Which Christmas song has the following lyric?
"Christmas Eve will find me where the love light gleams."
A. "White Christmas"
B. "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
C. "Walking in a Winter Wonderland"
D. "The Christmas Song"
E. "l'll Be Home for Christmas"
7. In which country did the song "O Christmas Tree" originate?
A. England
B. Germany
C. Wales
D. Austria
E. France
8. In what year did Brenda Lee record "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree?"
A. 1956
B. 1960
C. 1956
D. 1958
E. 1961
9. The song "A Holly Jolly Christmas" is from which classic television Christmas special?
A. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
B. Frosty the Snowman
C. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
D. A Charlie Brown Christmas
E. None of the above
10. Name the Christmas song which contains the following words:
"In the air there's a feeling of Christmas / Children laughing people passing / Meeting smile after smile"
A. "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas"
B. "The Christmas Song"
C. "Silver Bells"
D. "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
E. "Christmas in Kilarney"
11. What year was the calypso Christmas song "Mary's Boy Child" recorded?
A. 1960
B. 1952
C. 1956
D. 1925
E. 1935
12. Who first released "Jingle Bell Rock??"
A. Elvis Presley
B. Buddy Holly
C. Billy Haley and His Comets
D. Chuck Berry
E. Bobby Helms
ANSWERS
1. B.
2. C
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| Judy singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" |
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" was originally sung by Judy Garland in the 1944 film Meet Me in St. Louis.
3. D
The Beach Boys "Little Saint Nick." is a Christmas-themed hot rod song about Santa and his sleigh. It It was composed by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and was released as a single on December 9, 1963. In 1964, it was the opening track on The Beach Boys' Christmas Album.
4. A.
Those lines come from the Christmas hymn "Silent Night." The words to "Silent Night" were originally written in German by an Austrian Roman Catholic priest, Father Joseph Mohr. On Christmas Eve 1818, , Father Mohr needed a carol for Midnight Masst. He took his poem, "Stille Nacht," to his friend Franz Xaver Gruber. Within hours, Gruber composed the melody to "Stille Nacht."
5. C
Below is a photo of Bing Crosby and Marjorie Reynolds singing "White Christmas" in the 1942 film Holiday Inn.
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Bing Crosby first recorded "White Christmas" in October of 1942. It was played often during the 1942 wartime Christmas season, on the Armed Forces Network and on commercial radio. Crosby introduced the song to the public on The Kraft Music Hall radio show on December 25, 1941. The first movie in which Bing sang "White Christmas" was the 1942 musical Holiday Inn. The film also starred Fred Astaire, Marjorie Reynolds and Virginia Dale. Composer Irving Berlin wrote 12 songs specifically for Holiday Inn.
Bing Crosby's other Christmas-themed movies were released after Holiday Inn. Going My Way, starring Bing and Barry Fitzgerald was released in 1944. The Bell's of St. Mary, starring Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman was released in 1945. The film White Christmas, starring Bing, Danny Kaye Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen was released in 1954. White Christmas was not a sequel to Holiday Inn, but it too featured songs by Irving Berlin. Bing also sang "White Christmas" as part of a medley in the 1946 comedy Blue Skies, another Irving Berlin musical in which he co-starred with Fred Astaire and Joan Caulfield.
According to Guinness World Records, "White Christmas," as performed by Bing Crosby, is the best-selling single worldwide.
6. E
The lyric "Christmas Eve will find me where the love light gleams." comes from the song "l'll Be Home for Christmas." "I'll Be Home for Christmas" was originally released in 1943 by Bing Crosby with John Scott Trapper and His Orchestra on Decca Records. The song was written by lyricist Kim Gannon to honour World War II overseas soldiers who yearned to be home for Christmas.
7. B
"O Christmas Tree" is a Christmas carol based on a traditional German folk song called "O Tannenbaum." A "tannenbaum" is a fir tree.
8. D
Brenda Lee recorded "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" in 1958, when she was only 13 years old. (She was born December 11, 1944). The song was written by Johnny Marks. the man who also wrote Rudoph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas." "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" did not catch on until it was re-leased after Brenda's 1960 hit "I'm Sorry." After that, it became a Christmas standard. It was featured in the 1990 film Home Alone.
9. A
Burl Ives provided the voice for the song "A Holly Jolly Christmas" in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the 1964 Christmas special.
10. C
"Silver Bells" is the song that contains those words
"In the air there's a feeling of Christmas / Children laughing people passing / Meeting smile after smile"
"Silver Bells" was composed by the songwriting duo of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. It was written for the 1951 film The Lemon Drop Kid, starring Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell.
11. C
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| Jester Hairston |
"Mary's Boy Child," is a 1956 Christmas song written by American composer songwriter Jester Hairston. It is often performed as a Christmas carol. Hairston composed "Mary's Boy Child" after a friend asked him to write a song for a birthday party. He wrote it with a calypso rhythm because the people at the party would be mainly West Indians. Singer Harry Belafonte heard the song performed by Schumann's Hollywood Choir and recorded it in 1956.
12. E
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| Bobby Helms |
Bobby Helms first released "Jingle Bell Rock" in 1957. Helm's version is the best known. The song's title, of course, comes from the old Christmas standard "Jingle Bells." "Jingle Bell Rock" also includes 1950s references to "Rock Around the Clock" and "Jingle hop."
- Joanne
