Canada Day Reflections

“My dream is for people around the world to look up and to see Canada like a little jewel sitting at the top of the continent.” 

~ Attributed to Tommy Douglas, Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961 and Leader of the New Democratic Party from 1961 to 1971

Canada became a nation on July 1, 1867.  Our country is 156 years old today and we have much to celebrate.  I am proud to call myself a Canadian.  This is not to say, "My country, right or wrong."  It is merely to say that in an imperfect world, with an abundance of war and strife, Canada is one of the best places to live.  To the cynics I say, Canadians try to acknowledge our mistakes.  We try to atone for our errors and the dark moments in our history, just as we celebrate our great achievements. - and there are many

The last few years of the COVID-19 pandemic and the residential school revelations have been difficult and challenging.  This nation may have been bent, but it has never been broken.  The Canadian spirit is very much alive. It is amazing that Confederation ever came about in the first place.  Yet this vast northern land was brought together peacefully.  Against all odds, a new country was formed, eventually stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes.  Canadians found a way to make it happen.  Immigrants from all over the world have made Canada their home.  

This country remains a beacon of hope  It is the land where Terry Fox made his dauntless run for cancer research.  It is the place where Frederick Banting and Charles Best, co-discovers of insulin, brought hope to diabetics around the world.  It is the home of artist Emily Carr of Victoria B.C. and author L.M. Montgomery of Prince Edward Island.  Our 14th prime minister, Lester B. Pearson, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his part in ending the 1956 Suez Crisis.  Our 15th prime minister, Pierre Trudeau, was instrumental in patriating our constitution in 1982 and providing us with our Charter of Rights and Freedom.

In 1967, Canada wowed the world with Expo '67 in Montreal, as the country marked its Centennial.  There was a song that year that celebrated 20 million Canadians.  Our population has doubled to 40 million in the ensuing 56 years.  That is still a small population for a country with the second largest land mass in the world.  It is slightly less than than that of the state of California.  

Canadians have accomplished much, but there is still much more work to be done. Reconciliation with  Indigenous peoples is of the highest priority, as well as welcoming immigrants and refugees.  The meanness and cruelty of Trumpism and the far right must be soundly rejected.  

It is also important to know and understand our history.  As John Diefenbaker, Canada's 13th prime minister stated, There can be no dedication to Canada's future without a knowledge of its past. " I firmly reject the notion that Canadian history isn't interesting or exciting.  It just needs to be presented in a more interesting and exciting manner.  Our history is rife with fascinating stories.  They just haven't been told enough.  

A recent study by Leger found that just one in four Canadians (23%) would pass the Canadian citizenship test. The respondents answered 10 randomly selected question and the average score on the test was only 49%, significantly lower that the 75% required to pass.  That's not good enough.  We have to do better in making Canadians more aware of their history and their form of government.  

No country is above criticism, but Canada Day is a time to praise this nation.  This is a great country and we have the potential to be even greater by moving boldly into the future.

- Joanne

Remembering Canada's deadliest terrorist attack, the bombing of Air India Flight 182

Today is Canada's National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.  It is observed in memory of the victims of acts of terror in Canada and abroad.  The observance takes place every year on June 23, to mark the anniversary of the bombing of Air India Flight 182, the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history.

Today is the 38th anniversary of the June 23, 1985 attack, which took the lives of 329 people. - 280  were Canadian citizens.  The airplane, a Boeing 747, operating on the Montreal- London-Delhi-Mumbai, route, was blown up by a bomb in Irish airspace.  It exploded off the coast of Ireland and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.  second bomb, intended to target another flight, killed two baggage handlers when it exploded at Narita International Airport in Tokyo, increasing the total number of victims of the attack to 331.  The attack was orchestrated by Sikh extremists.

Although flags across Canada are flown a half-mast on June 23, it seems that the majority of Canadians don't know the reason why.  Sadly, the results of an Angus Reid Poll (taken between June 19-21, 2023), are very disturbing.  Nine out of 10 surveyed admitted that they had little or no knowledge of the tragedy.  Only one out of five said they knew the incident was the worst act of terrorism in Canadian history.  Saddest of all, more than half of those below the age of 35, revealed that they had never even heard of the incident.  

The bombing of Air India Flight was Canada's 9/11.  It is disturbing that so little is known about it, especially among a younger demographic. Perhaps it is not really surprising if you recall that then-Prime Minister Brian Mulroney called Indian president Rajiv Gandhi to express his condolences for India's loss.  He wasn't aware that it was Canada's loss and the most of the victims were Canadian citizens.  How embarrassing was that?

The tragedy of Air India Flight 182  will always resonate with me.  It hits home especially because I can put a face to one of the victims.  Her name was Vijaya Thampi, an employee of the Toronto Star.  Back then, I worked in the Star's library and Vijaya worked in Human Resources.  I didn't know her well.  I only spoke to her briefly, but 38 years later, I remember her as a pleasant woman.  I will certainly be thinking of her today, and the other victims of that doomed Air India flight, as will the family and friends of those who lost their lives in that 1985 aviation attack by terrorists.

- Joanne    

Whatever happened to Bridget Fonda?

“I wonder what kind of satisfaction I would have with where I am now if I wasn’t part of a family that has done such phenomenal work. I wonder what it would feel like to know that you’ve made it completely under your own steam. I sometimes wonder if I would be more at peace if I could know I made it by myself, instead of always wondering how many times my name got me in the door.”

- Bridget Fonda, cover story for Movieline, 1993

Bridget Fonda has an amazing acting pedigree.  In fact, one could say she was born into an acting dynasty.  Her grandfather was Hollywood great Henry Fonda.  Her aunt is Academy Award winner Jane Fonda.  Therefore, it is not surprising that Bridget followed in the footsteps of  the members of her famous kin.  At the age of 38, however, Bridget made a decision to step away from her acting career.  She simply disappeared from the spotlight after garnering some 49 film and television credits.

Bridget Jane Fonda was born in Los Angeles, California on January 27, 1964.  She is the daughter of actor Peter Fonda (1940-2019), Henry's son and Jane's younger brother.  Peter wed Susan Jane Brewer, an artist, in 1961.  The couple had two children, Bridget and her younger brother Justin (born July 9, 1966).

Bridget made her film debut at the age of five as an extra in 1969's Easy Rider, her father Peter's most well known movie.  She played the role of a child in the hippie community visited by motorcyclists played by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper during their journey across America.

Bridget attended the exclusive Westlake School for Girls in Los Angeles.  In high school, she landed a role in the school's production of Harvey, a well-known play by American playwright Mary Chase.

Bridget's parents divorced in 1974.  The following year, Pater Fonda married Portia Rebecca Crockett, the former wife of American author Thomas McGuane.  It was Crockett who raised Bridget and Justin, as well as their older stepbrother, Thomas McGuane, Jr.  

At the age of 18, Bridget enrolled at New York University, where she spent four years of her life.  She studied drama at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, the famed method acting school, as part of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts acting program.  Bridget graduated from NYU in 1986.  A few years after leaving NYU, she was cast in her first major film role, portraying Mandy Rice-Davies in the 1989 film Scandal, based on the 1963 Profumo scandal in Britain.  For her performance in Scandal, Bridget was nominated for a Golden Globe Award fir Best Supporting Actress.

Bridget had a breakthrough role as a journalist named Grace Hamilton in The Godfather Part III (1990).  She also appeared in  Frankenstein Unbound (1990), Doc Hollywood (1991) and she had the lead role in Single White Female, a 1992 thriller.  Bridget followed Single White Female with a role in another 1992 film, Cameron Crowe' ensemble comedy Singles, alongside Matt Dillon, Kyra Sedgwick, Campbell Scott, Bill Pullman and others.  Many critics called her Hollywood's new "It" girl.        

       

Bridget starred in Point of No Return, a 1993 an American remake of the 1990 French film Nikita.  In 1997, director Quentin Tarantino offered her the part of Melanie in the crime film Jackie Brown.  She went on to star in Lake Placid, a 1999 comedy horror film and to co-star with Jet Li in the 2001 action thriller Kiss of the Dragon.  She has not appeared in a feature film role since the 2001 romantic American-Canadian romantic comedy The Whole Shebang, co-starring Stanley Tucci and Giancarlo Giannini.

Bridget played the title character in the 2002 made-for-television film Snow Queen, based on the 1844 story The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen.  Snow Queen was Bridget's last acting role before she disappeared from the public eye.

Although Bridget appeared in a number of films in the late 1990s and early 2000s, she was not widely recognized by the public.  In 1992, she told the New York Times that nobody on the street recognized her.  "But I love that," she added, "because it gives you someplace to go."  

On February 27, 2003, Bridget was involved in a serious car crash in Los Angeles.  She suffered a fracture in her vertebra when she flipped and crashed her 1998 Jaguar XK8 sports car, along a Malibu stretch of highway.  That same year, Bridget became engaged to film composer, singer/songwriter Danny Elfman. In the early 1980s, Danny was the frontman for the new wave band Oingo Boingo.

Danny Elfman

Bridget and Danny married on  November 29, 2003.  They had a son, Oliver Henry Milton Elfman (born in Los Angeles on January 21, 2005).

After her engagement to Danny Elfman, Bridget Fonda stepped away from acting to concentrate on family life.  She has never returned to the screen.  These days, Bridget maintains a low profile and prefers to avoid the limelight.  

In January of 2021, Bridget was seen publicly in photographs for the first itime n 12 years (She was last seen in public in 2009 with Danny at the premiere of the film Inglorious Bastards.  On her 58th birthday, Bridget was spotted running errands.  She was barely recognizable without makeup, wearing glasses and  dressed in a black-and-white striped jersey top and black sweatpants.

END NOTES

* Bridget's father, Peter Fonda, passed away on August 16, 2019 at the age of 79.  He died of respiratory failure due to lung cancer.  Bridget's mother, Susan Brewer (born May 12, 1939) did not remarry after her divorce from Peter.

* The late Larry Hagman of Dallas fame was Bridget's godfather.

* From 1990 to 1998, Bridget lived with actor Eric Stoltz.  From 1999 to 2002, she dated country musician Dwight Yoakam.

* According to reports, Bridget was offered the lead role in the television series Ally McBeal 1997) She apparently turned it down because she wanted to focus on her movie career.  The role went to Calista Flockhart instead and the show became a popular and critical hit.    

* In December of 2001, Bridget as a Christmas lingerie model for H&M

* Bridget was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her performance as Anne in the 1997 television film In the Gloaming.  She was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television for her role in the 2001 TV drama No Ordinary Baby (also known as After Amy).

* Bridget is a stepmother as Danny has two adult children, Lola and Mali, from a previous marriage to Geri Eisenmenger.

SOURCES: Newsner, "Why you don't hear from Bridget Fonda anymore," October 15, 2020; New York Post Page Six, "Bridget Fonda seen for first in 12 years on 58th birthday,," by Dana Kennedy, January 27, 2022; Wikipedia; Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

- Joanne

Toronto Blue Jays woefully thin in starting pitching

Alek Manoah

"Toronto’s pitching depth offers no hero, no knight in shining armor to ride in and save the day. Only Manoah can do that, which will take work. Now, it’s a question of where that work happens."

- Keegen Matheson, MLB News

It was bound to happen.  The chickens have come home to roost.  Alek Manoah's struggles have highlighted the Toronto Blue Jays' lack of pitching depth among starters. This problem has been obvious for quite a while and has not been satisfactorily addressed by Blue Jays' General Manage Ross Atkins.  Atkins, as GM, should be held accountable for allowing this to happen.

This season's Blue Jays have proven that the old saw is true.  You can never have enough pitching.  Even if Manoah had played well so far, the Jays would still not have had enough reliable starters.  They have been lucky that there hasn't been any serious injuries among the starters yet.  However, it's only June and there is a long way to go.  It is inevitable that there will be injuries.  What then?  It won't be pretty.

The Jays have been laser focused on building a strong defensive outfield.  They've done so.  However, the outfield hasn't made up for the lack of depth in starting pitching.  It is clear that this approach has not made up for the lack of reliable and consistent starters.

The Jays didn.t expect Alek Manoah to flame out.  They weren't prepared for this to happen, and now they are suffering the consequences.  It seems as if they will have to send Manoah down to Triple-A so that he can straighten himself out. 

Manoah's struggles are difficult for the man himself, who feels like he has let the team down.  He is understandably dejected.  Monday night, he recorded only one out.  He was removed from the game after allowing sis runs on seven hits, including a grand slam, in the Jays' 11-4 loss to the Houston Astros at Rogers Centre.  

Unfortunately, Manoah's struggles do not bode well for the Blue Jays.  There is no one to adequately replace him in the starting rotation.  Hyun-jin-Ryu is expected to return  after undergoing Tommy John surgery, in time for a playoff run - if the Jays even make  it to the post season, which seems less and less likely.  So, Ryu will not solve the problem.  There is simply no one who can  eat up as many innings as Manoah did last season.  This only means more pressure on the bullpen. There are no easy answers.  The rest of the 2022-23 seasons hangs in the balance.

- Joanne

EDITOR'S UPDATE:  On Tuesday, June 6, 2023, the Toronto Blue Jays optioned Alek Manoah to the rookie-level Florida  Complex League.  There is no timeline as to how long he will remain in the minors.

Why has no Canadian-based team won the Stanley Cup since 1993?

Last night the Edmonton Oilers were eliminated from Stanley Cup tournament by the Las Vegas Golden Knights.  The Oilers were the last Canadian-based team still standing.  With the other two Canadian-based teams (Toronto and Winnipeg) already sent packing, Edmonton's defeat ensures that the Cup will not return north for yet another year

There are now 32 teams in the inflated National Hockey League.  These are too many teams.  The regular season drones on for 82 games and the playoffs go on well into June.  However, it's all about money and that's all the NHL seems to care about.  The  integrity of the game is far less important to the league.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup way back in 1967, their victory occurred on May 2nd.  There were only two rounds.  Now there are four rounds.  This season, the Leafs were defeated in the second round by the Florida Panthers.  In both rounds, the Leafs played teams based in balmy Florida.

The Carolina Hurricanes will face the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference final.  The Las Vegas Golden Knights will ;play the winner of the series between the Seattle Kraken and the Dallas Stars for the Western Conference title.  Four of the five teams still alive are based in the southern U.S.  The Hurricanes are based in Raleigh, North Carolina.  The Dallas Stars are based in Texas.  The Las Vegas Golden Knights are based in the Navada desert. The only exception is the Seattle Kracken, which are based in the northwestern U.S.  

The Las Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kracken are recent expansion teams.  They do not have long and storied histories in the NHL.  The Kracken began play in the 2020-21 season, while the Golden Knights first competed in the 2017-2018 season.

Since there are currently 25 American-based teams in the NHL and only seven Canadian-based teams, the law of averages dictates that U.S.-based teams will win Lord Stanley's jug more often.  However, a drought of 30 years is surprising.  You'd think that in three decades, a Canadian-based team would have won the championship.  

To be fair, I am not putting forth any conspiracy theories.  I am not accusing the Gary Bettman and the American NHL owners of deliberately sabotaging the chances of Canadian-based teams.  However, there is no doubt in my mind that Bettman et al prefer an American-based team to win the Cup.  First and foremost, it's a matter of money.  The NHL commissioner and the majority of owners want a team from the larger U.S, market to win the Stanley Cup.  A Canadian-based team produces less TV advertising revenue.

Some hockey fans argue that the Florida Panthers, for example, have many Canadian-born players.  I have been reminded that the best player on the Toronto Maple Leafs, Auston Matthews, is an American from Arizona, although he has failed to impress in the playoffs, when everything is on the line.

Despite the number of Canadians playing on U.S.-based teams, those teams do not represent Canadian cities or regions.  Canadians seldom take part in Stanley Cup celebrations in American cities.  That's the reason why few Torontonians cheer for the Florida Panthers.

What irks me is that a beautiful, state-of-the-art arena in Quebec City is without an NHL franchise. Quebec City is a winter city, ideally suited to hockey.  From 1979 until 1995, the city was home to an NHL team called the Quebec Nordiques.  During those years, the Nordiques developed a provincial rivalry with the Montreal Canadiens.  Although the Nordiques were relocated to Denver, Colorado in 1995, you can still see Nordiques sweaters in shop windows in historic Vieux Quebec.  When the Phoenix Coyotes were on the verge of extinction, every effort was made to save that team. The same effort did not seem to be evident in the case of the Nordiques. While it is true that the Nordiques played in an old arena, such is not the case anymore.  

A new arena, the Vidéotron Centre, with over 18,000 seats. has replaced the old Colisée Pepsi as Quebec City's primary venue for indoor events.  The building opened in 2015 and it is the home of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League(QMJH).

The Pheonix Coyotes did not have an adequate arena either, when their future was in grave doubt.  Now known as the Arizona Coyotes, they are still waiting on a potential new arena in Tempe, Arizona.  In February of 2022, the Coyotes announced that they had reached an agreement with Arizona State University to play all their home games there through the 2024-25 season, with an option for the 2025-26 season.

It's unfortunate that the NHL headquarters did not remain in Montreal.  When the headquarters moved to New York, American's effectively gained control of the league.  Yes, I am well aware that Canadians are not the only skilled  hockey players.  We were really reminded of that as far back at the 1972 Canada-Soviet  Summit Series.  The NHL now includes many fine players from Sweden, Russia, the United States, Finland and other countries.  The same argument applies to baseball, which has always been considered part of American culture.

In the same way as professional hockey is no longer dominated by Canadian players, Major League Baseball is no longer dominated by U.S.-born players.  Just think of the huge number of Latin players from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, South America Puerto Rico.  Then there are also many good players from Japan and South Korea. Shohe Ohtani, arguably the best player in MLB, hails from Japan,

Yet, MLB headquarters will never move away from New York.  Americans will never relinquish control of their "national pastime."  I also doubt that a non-American will ever become MLB commissioner.  By the way, I have no objection to a non-Canadian being NHL Commissioner.

Paul Beeston, former president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays, was president and chief operating officer of Major League Baseball from 1997 until 2002.  He was MLB's second ranking official.  However, Beeston, a Canadian, never became MLB commissioner.  Admittedly, I have no hard evidence that Beeston was never given the top job because of his nationality.  However, I doubt that his citizenship helped his chances.  

Beeston has remained mum on why he decided to step down from his position with Major League Baseball,  although frustration probably played a role in his decision.  By all intents and purposes, Beeston did an admirable job as an MLB executive during a difficult time with labour negotiations.  According to the Washington Post, baseball sources said Beeston's departure was not linked to the state of negotiations with the players union and that Beeston had indicated to associates that he intended to remain in his position until a collective bargaining agreement had been reached. Still, questions linger, as they do as to why a Canadian-based team has not won the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did the trick in 1993.

- Joanne

Beautiful Centennial Park Conservatory Photos

On Saturday, May 6, I spent part of the afternoon at the Conservatory at Centennial Park in Etobicoke, Ontario.  Here are some photos I took in the conservatory and surrounding area.  I'd  like to share them with you and I hope you enjoy them.

- Joanne

 

Florida Panthers unfair to Toronto Maple Leafs and Canadian hockey fans

The Florida Panthers have decided not to sell tickets directly to Canadians for their playoff series with the Toronto Maple Leafs.  This is patently unfair and the NHL should not allow it.  It is mean-spirited and inhospitable.  What do Florida fans fear from Leaf fans in the arena?  Are they concerned that some fights would break out?  Do they worry that the cheers from Leaf fans would be louder than the cheers of Florida fans?  Whatever the reason, this is no way to treat supporters of the visiting team.

Where would the Florida tourist industry be without Canadians?  Indeed, where would the Florida economy be without the Canadian snowbirds who descend on the Sunshine State every year.  In a 2018 Canada-Florida Economic Impact Study, the Canada Trade Commissioner Service estimated that about 500,000 Canadians travel to Florida during the winter months, with some spending up to six months there.  Those snowbirds were estimated to contribute about $6.6 billion to the Florida economy.  That's not chump change and Florida's economy would suffer greatly without it.

Many Canadians visitors are ardent hockey fans.  They spend money to attend the home games of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers when the Leafs, Montreal Canadiens or any other Canadian-based team comes to town, especially in a playoff series.  That is why this action by the Florida Panthers is so disappointing and so downright chintzy.

It is certainly true that many Americans are also avid hockey fans, but Canadians have a passion for hockey that is unmatched.  I do not travel to Florida in the winter, but I will declare my bias.  I'm from Toronto and my 2023 Stanley Cup dream final would be a matchup between the Leafs and the Edmonton Oilers.  It's not that I wouldn't be interested if the Leafs played an American-based team.  It's just that a Cup series between Toronto and Edmonton would be sweeter than wine.  There's still a long way to and a Leafs-Oiler series is a long shot.  However, it's certainly within the realm of possibility.

The fact is that no Canadian-based team has won the Stanley Cup since 1993, when the Montreal Canadiens defeated Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings.  That's a drought of 30 years.  As every devoted Leaf fans knows, the Maple Leafs have not won a Stanley Cup since 1967.  That's a drought of 56 years.  No fans are hungrier for Lord Stanley's jug than the long-suffering fans of the Blue and White.  

Those who love the Toroto Maple Leafs really love them.  How else could they have been so patient all these years?  Those who detest the Leafs really detest them.  There's not much in-between where the Leafs are concerned.  When U.S. President Joe Biden  addressed the Canadian House of Commons back in March, he poked fun at the Leafs, saying that he didn't like them because they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in January and his wife, Jill, is a Philly girl.  Biden received a standing ovation for those remarks.

I can guarantee one thing, though.  If the Leafs ever won the Stanley Cup, you would witness one of the biggest celebrations in the history of Toronto or anywhere else in the hockey world.  There would be more jubilation than in any other NHL city.  With the Leafs already down 2-0 in their series with the Florida Panthers, a parade in downtown Toronto seems increasingly unlikely.  Still, it's not over yet, and Leaf fans can dream, can't they?

- Joanne

EDITIORS UPDATE (May 19, 2023): The future of the Arizona Coyotes is in serious doubt.  On Mary 16th, residents of Tempe, Arizona voted down the organization's proposal to build a $2.1 billion entertainment district, including a new arena.

Vocabulary Quiz #9: Ten words beginning with the letter "Z"

 

Number 16 Vocabulary Quiz #9

Ten words beginning with the letter "Z"

Number 16 presents a multiple choice vocabulary quiz.  Choose the correct definition of each word listed.  There are ten words that begin with the letter "z."

1.  (noun) zither
'
A.  A magic spell

B.  A type of dress worn in Nigeria

C.  A musical instrument

D.  A dog breed

E.  A type of poetry with 10 lines

2.  (adjective) zealous

A,  Description of an eccentric person

B.  Characterized by fervent devotion to a person, a cause or an ideal

C.  Having an extremely jealous nature

D.  Having a cruel and vindictive personality

E.   None of the above

3.  (noun) zircon

A.  A kind of spaceship

B.   A sweet tasting liqueur

C.  A geometric figure

D.  A mineral sometimes used as a gem

E.  A kind of cheese

4.  (noun) zygote

A.  A bird found in Africa

B.  Someone who lives in a remote village

C.  A fertilized egg

D.  A single-celled organism

E.  A rare gene

5.  (noun) zymurgy

A,  A branch of applied chemistry that is concerned with fermentation processes (as in brewing or wine making)

B.  A dark blue mineral, similar to sapphire

C.  The process by which diamonds are mined.

D.  A branch of mathematics that involves geometric shapes

E.   In entomology, a scientific designation of a particular species of insects

6.  (noun) zucchini

A,   A kind of pasta

B.   An Italian soup

C.  A type of Italian sausage

D.  A cheese

E.  A dark green summer squash

7.  (noun) zwieback

A,  A kind of sandwich popular in Sweden

B.  A crisp, sweetened bread,

C.  A type of potato

D.  A tropical cocktail

E.  None of the above

8.  (noun) zenith

A.  A paradise or heaven

B.  A breed of cat

C.  The highest point or stage

D.  A witch in disguise

E.  The eruption of a volcano

9.  (noun) zebu

A.  A domesticated ox

B.  A kind of rifle

C.  A small clutch purse

D.  A newborn zebra

E.  A mountain goat

10.  (adjective) zany

A,  Having a dry sense of humour

B.   Undisciplined

C.  Loudmouthed

D.  Amusingly absurd or eccentric

E.  Quick witted

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

1.  C

zither (noun): A musical instrument consisting of a flat wooden box with numerous strings across it, placed horizontally and played with fingers and a plectrum (pick used for plucking strings of instrument}.  It is used especially in central European folk music.

2.  B

zealous (adjective); Marked by fervent partisanship for a person, a cause, or an ideal.  Filled with or characterized by zeal.  Example: zealous missionaries

3.  D

zircon (noun): A tetragonal mineral consisting of a silicate of zirconium and occurring usually in brown or greyish square prisons or sometimes in transparent forms which are used as gems.  Example: He analyzed the small amounts of uranium contained in the mineral zircon.

4.  C

zygote (noun): A fertilized egg; a cell formed by the union of two gametes (reproductive cells),; Broadly speaking, the developing individual produced from such a cell.

5.  A

zymurgy (noun): A branchy of applied chemistry that deals with fermentation processes (as in wine making or brewing)

6.  E

zucchini (noun): Botanically speaking, fruit; a smooth usually cylindrical dark green summer squash: also a plant that bears zucchini

7.  B

zwieback (noun): A usually sweetened bread enriched with eggs that is baked and then sliced and toasted until dry and crisp

8.  C

 zenith (noun): The highest point or pinnacle  Example: She is at the zenith of her career.

9. A

zebu (noun): Any of various breeds of domestic oxen developed in India, characterized by a large fleshy hump over the shoulders

10.  D.  

zany (adjective): Very eccentric, or absurd, often in an amusing way,  Example :A zany comedy

- Joanne

The real reason Trump and Republicans are focusing on Biden's age

U.S. President Joe Biden was born on November 20, 1942.  Donald Trump was born on June 14, 1946.  Biden is 80 years old,  Trump is 76 years old.  He will turn 77 on June 14, 2023.  There is not that much age difference between these two men.  Yet the former president and his supporters, as well as Republicans such as former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, continue to make an issue of Biden's age.  Haley, a presidential hopeful, has suggested that Americans should not vote for Joe Biden because he may die during his second term, in which case, Vice President Kamala Harris would assume the office of President of the United States.

Here is what Haley said about Biden in an interview with Fox News (of course).  "He's announced that he's running again in 2024, and I think that we can all be very clear and say with a matter of fact that if you vote for Joe Biden you really are counting on a President Harris, because the idea that he would make it until 86 years old is not something that I think is likely."  By the way, Trump would be 78 if he assumed the presidency in January of 2025 and 82 at the end of his term, providing that he left office of his own accord.

Republicans enjoy painting Joe Biden as senile, bumbling and mentally unfit.  The fact that Biden has had to overcome a speech impediment (stuttering), makes it easier for them to criticize him for sometimes stumbling over words.  In fact, Biden is an inspiration to those who have been bullied or held back because of speech impediments such as stuttering.

Biden

President Biden's physician, Dr. Kevin O'Connor, stated in a memorandum released by the White House press office in February that Biden "remains a healthy, vigorous, 80-year-old male, who is fit to execute the duties of the Presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief."

If you think Dr. Connor's assessment of Joe Biden's health is too rosy and too biased, allow me to remind you of the assessment Donald Trump received from his former physician, Ronny Jackson, at a January 2018 press briefing.  Jackson, an ex-U.S. Navy admiral turned Texas Representative, told reporters that Trump could possibly live to 200 years of age as a result of his "good genes."

There are no guarantees regarding longevity.  A person's health or circumstances could change drastically at any time.  No one can control the vicissitudes of fate.  Much of life is unpredictable.  For than reason, it is said that the Vice President of the United States is a heartbeat away from the presidency.  Eight American presidents have died in office, four of them by an assassin's bullet.  Abraham Lincoln was 56 years old when he was killed by John Wilkes Booth in 1865.  John F. Kennedy, the youngest person ever elected president, was only 46 when he was shot in Dallas in 1963.  

In September of 1955, Dwight D, Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, suffered a massive heart attack during a golf trip to Colorado.  Vice President Richard Nixon became acting president at that time, and again in 1956, when Eisenhower had surgery.  Despite his health issues, Eisenhower went on to win re-election in 1956.  He died on March 28, 1969 at the age of 78.

It is ridiculous that Nikki Haley should speculate on how long Joe Biden will live.  He could live to be 100 or he could die tomorrow.  However, there is much more to Haley's comments about Biden's age.  Read her words carefully and you will realize what is really behind her remarks.  The issue goes beyond President Biden's age, or his health.  Donald Trump is not much younger than Joe Biden, and Trump doesn't exactly seem  in the best of health, mentally or physically.  No, folks.  The real issue is the possibility that Kamala Harris could become president.  Republicans are trying to scare Americans with the possibility that a woman of Black and South Asian heritage could sit in the Oval Office.  Imagine that!  Horror of horrors! 

Haley

I must say that Nikki Haley, should know better than to try to scare conservative Republicans with the prospect of Kamala Harris as president.  Haley herself is a woman of colour, the daughter of Sikh parents from India. With that background, she of all people should understand the hurdles Kamala Harris has had to face.  Instead Haley seeks to win the approval of he Republican right wing base by appealing to their racism and misogyny.  She'd be much better off by trying to attract moderate Republican voters.  She doesn't seem to realize that it is futile to try to out-Trump Trump.

Here's what should really frighten Americans and people in other countries around the world.  It's the possibility that Donald Trump, an authoritarian, who admires Vladimir Putin and other dictators, could once again assume the presidency of the United States.  If Trump should become president again, he would change the political and social fabric of America.  He would likely tamper with the Constitution. He would equate loyalty to himself with loyalty to country,.  

Remember that Trump has attacked two of the most fundamental pillars of democracy - a free press and the peaceful transfer of power after an election.  He has called the media "the enemy of the people"  He refused to recognize his defeat in the 2020 election, which by all evidence was fair and free.  At Trump's bidding, a mob of right-wing fanatics and racists stormed the Capitol building in Washington, D.C.  They desecrated that temple of American democracy.  They threatened to hang then-Vice President Mike Pence because he refused to block certification of Biden's win.

I write this to warn Americans.  If Trump attains power again, God help us, he will never relinquish it.  He will never leave the Oval Office until he dies.  American democracy will be lost.  Consider my warning when you vote in November of 2024.  Don't say that you haven't been warned.  

- Joanne

Shame! Canadian banks are world's top fossil fuel funders - Royal Bank the worst offender

What a blight on Canada's reputation!  The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has the dubious distinction of being the Number.1 financier of fossil fuel development around the world.  The other four of Canada's big banks - Bank of Montreal (RBS), Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank), Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and the Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD) - are among the top offenders.  The worst offender by far, however, is the Royal Bank of Canada.

According to the annual Banking on Climate Chaos, a report from a coalition of environmental groups, Canada's five big banks are included among the Top 20 oil and gas funders globally, although  RBC is the biggest culprit.  The report reveals that between 2016 and 2021, the Royal Bank was the fifth largest fossil fuel funder.  Last year was the fist year in which RBC committed the most money to fossil fuel projects around the world, providing over $43 billion US.

The other major Canadian banks are also very adept at damaging the environment.  Scotiabank placed ninth worldwide in 2021with $29.5 billion US in fossil fuel funding.  TD ranked tenth with about $29 billion US, while Bank of Montreal was 15th with $19.3 billion US.  CIBC placed 16th at $17.9 billion.

Keep in mind that we are dealing with billions of dollars of funding to the fossil fuel industry.  Taken collectively, the five largest Canadian banks doled out a whopping $140 billion US in support of oil and gas projects globally.  That, my friends, is not chicken feed.  That is Big Money.  Earth Day is fast approaching.  It falls on Saturday, April 22nd.  The Big Five, especially RBC, should do some serious soul searching about their contribution to climate disaster. They should ask themselves whey they can't seem to divest themselves of their fossil fuel habit.  

This addiction to fossil fuel is not just a Canadian issue.  According to corporate data from 60 of the world's largest commercial banks, many have taken steps in the wrong direction.  Instead of cutting back on fossil fuel funding projects since the 2016 global agreement to limit greenhouse gases, these banks have actually increased that funding by a staggering $3.8 trillion US in the last five years.  How dishonourable!  How reprehensible!  How immoral!

- Joanne

Bravo to Rogers for subway cell phone deal

 "We know safety is top of mind for Torontonians.  Residents and visitors expect wireless connectivity when they're travelling on the TTC's subway system."

- Press release from Ron McKenzie, Rogers' chief technological and information officer 

To be honest, I have my issues with Rogers Communications.  For one thing, it has too much of a monopoly on the media and telecommunications in Canada.  Still, I must give credit where credit is due.  Congratulations and kudos to Rogers for agreeing to a deal that will allow it to take over wireless service on Toronto's subway network.  The deal could finally allow cell phone coverage to the city's entire underground.  The giant telecommunications company has purchased the Canadian operations of BAI Communications Inc, the company that was given the contract back tin 2012.  

Kudos and congratulations also to the Toronto Star for its advocacy of cell phone service on Toronto's subway. I am sure the bad publicity played a role in Rogers' decision.  Big corporations don't want to appear as if that they are putting profit before public safety.  They are mindful of their reputations.

This Rogers deal is good news, but it is still not clear whether it will apply to all subway riders or just Rogers' customers.  Nevertheless, it's s a huge step in the right direction.  I have to admit, I didn't think it would happen so soon/  Clearly, Rogers has stepped up to the plate before Bell and Telus.

- Joanne

Language Corner: Funny words

 

Hello Number 16 Readers

I thought you might enjoy these observations about words from "The Laughing Librarian."  English is a crazy language, isn't it?

- Joanne

Will Bell, Rogers and Telus put public safety before profits?

As Torontonians know all too well, there have random attacks and murders on our public transit system, the TTC.  This surge in public transportation violence should not be tolerated in a civilized society.  It is outrageous that TTC riders should have to fear for their lives.  There have been four homicides in the past year, including the recent stabbing death of a 16-year-old.  This is reprehensible  It should be a major issue in Toronto's upcoming mayoralty election on June 26th.  Our city deserves better.  We must protect human life in our subway stations and aboard TTC buses and trains.

For a start, why isn't there cell phone service on subway trains?  This is where the three big telecommunications companies - Rogers, Bell and Tellus, come into play.  They have an opportunity to make the citizens of Toronto feel more safe and secure while riding public transit.  Will at least one of them strike a deal with BAI Communications Inc., the company that in 2012 was granted exclusive rights the city to set up wireless service in a 20-year, $25 million deal.  To its credit, only Freedom Mobile has signed on.  The Big Three have not.  

This is a cry from the heart.  The ball is in your court, Bell, Rogers and Telus.  Do you care at all about the safety of the people of Toronto, or will you continue to put profit first?  We will soon see if you will do the right thing.  You have no excuse for letting down the citizens of this great city.  You have no excuse for not doing your part to ensure public safety.  Are you listening Rogers, Bell and Telus?  You can save lives.  If you fail to come through, shame on you!

This is issue is not going to go away anytime soon and I will continue to write about it.  No dithering is acceptable.  Action must be taken as soon as possible.  Enough is enough!  

- Joanne

Easter Reflections 2023

 

“Christ is risen: The world below lies desolate. Christ is risen: The spirits of evil are fallen. Christ is risen: The angels of God are rejoicing. Christ is risen: The tombs of the dead are empty. Christ is risen indeed from the dead, the first of the sleepers! Glory and Power are His for ever and ever! Amen.”

- Saint Hippolytus of Rome   

"And not only this, but we also celebrate in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance , proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." - 

- Romans 5:3-5

Christians celebrate Easter Sunday 2023 (April 9), the Jewish people celebrate Passover (April 5-13), while Muslims honour the holy month of Ramadan (March 22-April 20).  All three of the world's great monotheistic religions are expressing their faith in special ways at the same time this year.  They share great commonality.  

What people of all faiths (and no faith) need right now is a heavy dose of hope for the future.  Without hope, all is lost.  After over three years, the pandemic is easing.  COVID-19 may always be with us, and it will always be a threat to the elderly and the vulnerable.  However, it appears that the worst of the pandemic is finally over.  That in itself is cause for hope and celebration.  

We have all been through an international nightmare.  The effects of the pandemic on mental health, especially among young people have been devastating.  That is why I urge messages of hope  to our young people.  They are the future and they must be encouraged that they can make a difference with their lives.  It is important for them to know that their lives have meaning. It is important fo

UPDATE ON THE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL IN PARIS

On April 15th, 2019, just before Easter, there was a disastrous fire at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris).  While the ancient structure was undergoing renovations, its roof caught fire and burned for hours.  The cathedral sustained serious damage.

By November 2020, the job of stabilizing the building from future collapse was completed.

The government of France had hoped that the reconstruction of the cathedral would be finished by the spring of 2024, in time for the 2024 Paris Sumer Olympics. On April 14, 2021, President Emmanuel Macron announced that the cathedral would be officially returned to the church on April 15, 2024, and that the first Mass since the fire would be celebrated in the cathedral that day, even if the reconstruction is not completed.  However, it is expected that the cathedral will remain closed until December.

By Christmas of 2024, I hope to report that the cathedral is opened and fully functional.

- Joanne

Trump and the scales of justice

Donald Trump is not invincible.  He does not have super powers.  The long arm of the law has finally caught up with him.  The indictment of the ex-president is a victory for democracy and the rule of law.  No man or woman, no king, queen, president or prime minister is above the law.  Only dictators and authoritarians place themselves above the law.  In a true democracy, the law applies to everyone.  Everyone is entitled to a fair trial and a day in court, and Donald Trump will certainly have his day in court.  

Trump is no longer president.  He is a former president, a citizen of the United States.  If Trump were still the sitting president, he would still be subject to the law.  If as the U.S. Declaration of Independence states, "all men are created equal," then even a sitting president should be charged with a criminal offense.  

There are Republicans and right-wing zealots who argue that the charges against Trump have been politically motivated.  The evidence shows that this is not true.  The judicial authorities have gone out of their way to be fair to Donald Trump.  They have given him more leeway than any Ordinary Joe would have gotten.  It's time for the former American president to accept responsibility for his actions.  It's time for him to be held accountable.  

Trump will continue to scream and shout that he is the victim of a witch hunt.  He may attempt to incite violence.  What matters most, however, is that democracy is served.  Trump will complain about how unfairly he has been treated.  Poor baby!  The important thing is that he is held accountable.  That's what's needed for democracy to survive in America.

On a personal note, I have argued that the day of reckoning was coming for Trump.  Some friends and acquaintances though it would never happen, that he would continue to evade justice.  I strongly. disagreed,  Trump's indictment was certainly a long time coming.  Thank goodness the day has arrived.

- Joanne

The name Karen has been unfairly tainted

Karen originated as a Danish name.  It is the Danish short form of Katherine, deriving from the Greek word Aikaterine, which is believed to mean "pure."  It became popular in the English-speaking world after the 1930s.  In more recent years, Karen has become a pejorative term for a woman whose behaviour is rude and demanding, especially a privileged white woman.  This meme has become increasingly prevalent in everyday conversation.  It is frequently used in the media,

What is the origin of the use of "Karen" as a pejorative?  Some point the finger at American stand-up comedian Dane Cook because of his 2007 comedy sketch "The Friend Nobody Likes," in which he named that friend "Karen."  Others suggest that it may have originated from the 2004 teenage comedy Mean Girls,.  A character in the film, played by Amanda Seyfried is reprimanded for asking her friend Cady, played by Lindssay Lohan, how can she "be from Africa if she's white?"

My name is not Karen, nor is Karen the name of anyone in my immediate family.  However, I do feel that every woman with that name has been tarnished with the same brush.  The stigma of entitlement has been attached to all women named Karen.  If it were my moniker, I would feel a great injustice for three main reasons.  Firstly, there is no concrete evidence that women named Karen are more racist and privileged than other women?  Secondly, women of all ethnic and racial backgrounds have been named Karen.  There are, of course, Black women named Karen.  How do they feel about being lumped with privileged white women?

Thirdly, I must also point out that there is a sexist aspect to the meme "Karen."  Why is it that women named Karen are tagged with being privileged and demanding?  Do you know any men named Karen?  Are there not men of entitlement?  What is the point of singling out a particular female name such as Karen?  A "Karen" is supposedly the kind of woman who demands to speak to the manager.  Really?  Don't any men demand to speak to the manager?  

Let me be clear.  I am not defending anyone of any race or gender who behaves in a privileged manner.  I just don't think that the name Karen should be labelled in such a way.  It is mean-spirited  and patently unfair.  

A great deal of money is being made off of the "Karen" meme.  There are stickers and poster for sale about the so-called "Karens."  There is even a book by Brad Gosse entitled Meet The Karens: They're Angry and They Demand Attention.

Some may accuse me of being too sensitive, but  stereotypes attached to specific names hurt.  That's why I encourage all women named Karen to be proud of your name.  Don't let an insidious meme get to you.  By the way, I urge any readers named Karen to let me know how you feel about how your name is being used as a meme for a privileged white women.  

- Joanne

My heartfelt warning to America

"There is no federal law prohibiting CURRENT presidents from criminal prosecution. Yet House Republicans want to pass a law prohibiting FORMER presidents — regular citizens — from criminal prosecution. I assume they will call it what it is: the Protect Donald Trump Act."

- Daniel Goldman, U.S. House of Representatives, 10th Congressional District, New York, Democrat

This is a cry from the heart from a deeply concerned Canadian. I am profoundly disturbed by the political landscape in the country next door to mine.  If, God help us all, Donald Trump should become president of the United States again, we will witness the end of democracy in the "land of the free and the home of the brave."  Democracy can be fragile and it must be nurtured.  Sadly, Trump and his spineless Republican colleagues are chipping away at the pillars of democracy every day.  The rise of the far right in the United States has spilled into Canada.  A case in point is the so called "Freedom Convoy" protest in Ottawa that brought that city to a standstill.

What is wrong with America?  What has happened to civility?  Why have mass shootings became a common occurrence in the United States?  How can people claim to be free when they don't feel safe anywhere?  What has happened to American democracy?  Why hasn't a man like  Donald Trump been banned from public office?  Trump behaves like a mob boss.  He is vengeful, mean-spirited and cruel.  His behaviour is erratic and I believe that he is fundamentally unstable and sociopathic.  He incites violence and his most loyal supporters are racist and ant-Semitic.

How can Donald Trump claim that he does not support violence when his actions prove otherwise?  With a possible indictment pending, the Republican former president has ramped up his rhetoric, warning that "potential death & destruction" would accompany any indictment.  He also posted a photograph of himself holding a baseball bat beside a photo of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.  Trump referred to Bragg, Manhattan's first Back D.A., as an "animal."  This was too much even for the New York Post, a conservative tabloid owned by Rupert Murdoch.  The Post published an editorial denouncing Trump.

Trump won the election of 2016, due to the unfair and outdated Electoral College system in the United States.  The Republican Party will not allow the system to be changed.  Its only path to power is via Electoral College and by gerrymandering electoral maps.  Instead of becoming more inclusive,  the party of Abraham Lincoln, has become a party led primarily by white males.  It has not adjusted to the rapidly changing demographics of America.  Instead of making itself more attractive and relevant to Blacks, Latinos, Asians, immigrants and women, it has embraced a far right agenda.  It endavours to suppress votes, rather than encourage participation in the democratic process.

The Republican Party is no longer the Grand Old Party.  It is the  party of right wing extremists, gun lovers, hate mongers and Q-Anon conspiracy believers.  The face of the party now belongs to the likes of Trump supporters Josh Hawley, Margorie Taylor Greene, Jim Jordan, Lauren Boebart and Paul Gosar.  If Ike Eisenhower were alive today, he wouldn't recognize his own party.  He'd be appalled.  These are not traditional conservatives.  They are far right MAGA Republicans.  By the way, "Make America Great Again" is a Trumps dog whistle for "Make America White Again".  Exactly when did America lose its greatness?

In 2016, Hillary Clinton officially won the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million.  Yet, the will of almost 2.9 million Americans was cast aside due to the Electoral College.  Still, Hillary Clinton conceded defeat and did not claim the presidency.  She did not yell and scream, "Stop the Steal." 

Trump is clearly an authoritarian.  He admires Vladimir Putin of Russia, Jim Jong-un of North Korea and Xi Jinping of China.  They are his heroes and they are all brutal dictators.  He aspires to be like them.  He would love to stand before a military parade as a great authoritarian.  The only thing standing in his way, should he become president again, is the United States Constitution.  Authoritarians and dictators can certainly find ways to get around constitutional law.

Donald Trump is the first American president who declined to peacefully hand over the reigns of power after losing an election to Joe Biden.  The peaceful transfer of power after an election is a cornerstone of democracy.  On January 6, 2021, Trump followers stormed Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.  I saw the images with my own ideas.  The picture that Tucker Carlson paints of the angry mob to his Fox News viewers is patently false and deceptive.  I saw what happened with my own eyes, as did countless others.  I am sane and clear-thinking.  That mob was out for blood and they would have killed former Vice President Mike Pence if they had been able to get their hands on him.  Donald Trump could have stopped the insurrection, but he chose not to.  In fact, he hoped it would succeed in preventing the certification of Joe Biden as president.

How can people of faith, particularly Evangelicals and Catholics, support a man whose behaviour is so un-Christian?  His gods are money and power.  He has lied and cheated his whole life.  "What's new about that?" you may say ask "Don't most politicians lie and cheat?"  Yes, many do.  However, Trump has taken lying and cheating to a new level. He makes Richard Nixon seem like a boy scout.  His transgressions are far more serious than Nixon's.  Yet, Nixon was forced to resign.  Meanwhile, Trump is running for president again.

Check out these facts.:

* Just before the 2016 election, Trump bragged about groping women. He dismissed it as "locker room talk."  

* Trump has branded Putin and Xi as "very smart people/"

* During the first 2020 presidential debate, Trump did not condemn white supremacy when asked.to do so.  He told the Proud Boys, a far-right hate group, to "stand back and stand by."  Of course, the Proud Boys considered those words an endorsement of them.

* Trump is the first American president to be indicted twice.  He is facing four criminal investigations: 

The Stormy Daniels hush money investigations (Manhattan District Attorney's Office).

The Georgia 2020 election interference investigation (Fulton County District Attorney's Office)

A pair of investigations into Trump's actions around January 6th and his mishandling of classified documents (the U.S. Department of Justices).

Ah, but poor Donald!  He never does anything wrong.  He never makes a mistake and he never loses.  He is always the victim.  His enemies (not opponents) are out to get him.  He can't get a break from all those "witch hunts."

Fox News is responsible for feeding its viewers a steady diet of lies and false narratives.  The network tells its watchers exactly what they want to hear.  Regardless of Donald Trump's actions, his deluded and brainwashed base will never change  Their support of Trump is not based on facts or on truth.  It is based on emotion.  It is based on fear.  They are afraid of losing their power and influence to non0wwhites and immigrants.

Trump's adherents would kill for him, even though he would throw them under a bus if it would save his own skin.  Their Dear Leader once said that he could murder someone on Fifth Avenue and his supporters would still stand by him.  How true!  That is why I appeal to all conservatives who respect the rule of law to oppose Trump's candidacy for president in the 2024 election.  

In a democracy, country should come before party.  Loyalty should be to country, not to one man such as Donald Trump.  No one is above the law, be that person a president, a prime minister, a king or a queen.  The scales of justice apply to all, including one Donald J. Trump.  For the sake of justice, for the sake of democracy, this disgraced former president must be held accountable before the law. To many, he may seem invincible.  But he is not.  Soon or later, the law will catch up with him.  

- Joanne