I saw this on the news on TV...
Apparently, the man only suffered minor injuries. How bizarre is that?
Saturday, 7 March 2009
Friday, 6 March 2009
Happy Birthday!
Actually, it's my city's birthday. The place I've called home for over half a century is 175 years old, today. In terms of other major cities, Toronto is just a toddler. Yet, this city is one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan (yet never forgetting its meagre beginnings), culturally diverse cities in the world. I'm not sure which I am more proud of--Toronto or Canada. To me, each represents the epitome of what a city or country should be. Mayor David Miller points to the city's public services, strong work ethic, frugality, and sense of social justice as keys to Toronto's success. I would agree with that sentiment.
The city has come a long way from it's Puritan roots. I've heard stories that up until the 50's, city playgrounds were "locked" on the Lord's day so that children could not use them. Personally, I recall that you'd be hard-pressed to find any business open on a Sunday, including gas stations and stores. When I took my first vacation in Florida around 1979, arriving on a Sunday, I couldn't believe my eyes when we found a supermarket open. "Heathen!", I thought. ;)
Even on week days, Toronto bars could not open until noon and could not serve alcoholic beverages until hours later unless it was accompanied by a meal. Pubs had to close at 1 a.m. Since then, Toronto has joined the ranks of the un-anointed with bars staying open until 2 a.m. and most shops opening on Sundays and those with tourist attraction designation are even open on statutory holidays.
I used to have personal photos from the 50's but my ex- was too vindictive to let me have them after the divorce. So, instead I'll post a few of Toronto landmarks then and now from the web with commentary about my connection to them.
Old City Hall: This is a relatively new photo of relatively old building (1899) still in use, today. I believe they still use courtrooms here and it boasts a jail in the basement for unruly "guests". I hate to admit that in my troubled youth, I was indeed a guest here once.
New City Hall: Built in 1965 to a tremendous positive reaction for it's unique architectural design, the taller tower is 27 floors and the "flying saucer" in the middle is the city council chamber. My school took us here on a field trip shortly after it opened.
Maple Leaf Stadium: It was built in 1926, but the team was already playing at another stadium since 1886. The team was part of the International League. I used to hear that names like Willie Mays, Sparky Anderson, etc. played here. When I was a kid in the early 60's, my friends and I used to regularly walk about thirty minutes to the stadium to collect discarded pop bottles to refund for candy money. Toronto would not get an MLB team until I believe, 1977, playing out of Exhibition Stadium, which by the way, played through a snowy day its very first opening day. Some question whether we have a major league team, today. Americans don't seem to have noticed that the Toronto Blue Jays won back to back World Series championships in '92 and '93.
Rogers Centre: Current home of the Blue Jays and Canadian Football League Argonauts. I was lucky enough to have been invited to watch a MLB game by a client who had a private box. When the stadium was first built, luxury boxes were going for $1 million for a ten-year commitment. Ouch. And that did not include the price of tickets, food, drinks or gratuities!
Maple Leaf Gardens: Built in 1926, it is regarded as the holy shrine of hockey. The Toronto Maple Leafs won four cups in five years here in the early 60's. Haven't won one since. Ouch. Cheap seats then were $2. When I was in my teens, I paid a scalper $20 for a $4 ticket. Ouch.
Air Canada Centre: Today's home of both the Maple Leafs and the NBA Toronto Raptors. Due to poor performance of the leafs, I haven't attended a single game here. Due to the poor performance of the Raps, I attended only one game here because I got a free ticket.
Downtown Toronto: Then.
Downtown Toronto: Now.
Toronto skyline: This shot was taken from Toronto island. Prominent is the CN Tower, built in 1974, at 1815 feet tall, it remained the tallest, free-standing structure in the world until 2008. Those "tiny" buildings to the right are as much as 90 stories tall. My brother-in-law, who is a welder, has his name permanently etched into one of the tower's steel girders. Around 1980, I had dinner in the revolving restaurant. What do you think?--Does $22 for lamb chops sound expensive for 1980? Ouch. I still have the two glasses shaped like the tower that our drinks were served in.
I left out a number of venues deserving mention. Maybe I'll feature others in future postings.
New City Hall: Built in 1965 to a tremendous positive reaction for it's unique architectural design, the taller tower is 27 floors and the "flying saucer" in the middle is the city council chamber. My school took us here on a field trip shortly after it opened.
Maple Leaf Stadium: It was built in 1926, but the team was already playing at another stadium since 1886. The team was part of the International League. I used to hear that names like Willie Mays, Sparky Anderson, etc. played here. When I was a kid in the early 60's, my friends and I used to regularly walk about thirty minutes to the stadium to collect discarded pop bottles to refund for candy money. Toronto would not get an MLB team until I believe, 1977, playing out of Exhibition Stadium, which by the way, played through a snowy day its very first opening day. Some question whether we have a major league team, today. Americans don't seem to have noticed that the Toronto Blue Jays won back to back World Series championships in '92 and '93.
Rogers Centre: Current home of the Blue Jays and Canadian Football League Argonauts. I was lucky enough to have been invited to watch a MLB game by a client who had a private box. When the stadium was first built, luxury boxes were going for $1 million for a ten-year commitment. Ouch. And that did not include the price of tickets, food, drinks or gratuities!
Maple Leaf Gardens: Built in 1926, it is regarded as the holy shrine of hockey. The Toronto Maple Leafs won four cups in five years here in the early 60's. Haven't won one since. Ouch. Cheap seats then were $2. When I was in my teens, I paid a scalper $20 for a $4 ticket. Ouch.
Air Canada Centre: Today's home of both the Maple Leafs and the NBA Toronto Raptors. Due to poor performance of the leafs, I haven't attended a single game here. Due to the poor performance of the Raps, I attended only one game here because I got a free ticket.
Downtown Toronto: Then.
Downtown Toronto: Now.
Toronto skyline: This shot was taken from Toronto island. Prominent is the CN Tower, built in 1974, at 1815 feet tall, it remained the tallest, free-standing structure in the world until 2008. Those "tiny" buildings to the right are as much as 90 stories tall. My brother-in-law, who is a welder, has his name permanently etched into one of the tower's steel girders. Around 1980, I had dinner in the revolving restaurant. What do you think?--Does $22 for lamb chops sound expensive for 1980? Ouch. I still have the two glasses shaped like the tower that our drinks were served in.
I left out a number of venues deserving mention. Maybe I'll feature others in future postings.
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Love and the City
A couple of evenings ago, I had just turned on the TV and was hunting, when I stopped on a news story about volunteers teaching adolescents to cook. The story returned to Susan Hay, well-known Global TV weather girl and charity worker. The camera was close in on her face and in that moment it struck me what a truly rare young lady this is.
With bigtime looks and small town personality, she could take the world by the tail if she wanted. But what does she do, instead?
From 2001-2003, she hosted a news segment titled "Heart of the City" about community involvement. In 2003, Hay went to Africa with World Vision to help children orphaned by AIDS. She went to Africa two more times to transform lives. As if that isn't enough, Susan is a spokesperson for four charitable and research foundations, runs marathons to raise money for leukemia research, and is currently hosting "Making a Difference" seen bi-weekly on Global.
Ok, back to that instant in time I mentioned earlier. Just then, they flashed Susan Hay's e-mail address on the screen, and I jumed up and wrote her a short note commending her for all the good work she does. Despite being at the TV studio at the end of a very long and arduos day, this lovely woman took the time right there and then to respond to my e-mail within fifteen minutes of my having sent it.
The world could use a few more Susan Hays.
With bigtime looks and small town personality, she could take the world by the tail if she wanted. But what does she do, instead?From 2001-2003, she hosted a news segment titled "Heart of the City" about community involvement. In 2003, Hay went to Africa with World Vision to help children orphaned by AIDS. She went to Africa two more times to transform lives. As if that isn't enough, Susan is a spokesperson for four charitable and research foundations, runs marathons to raise money for leukemia research, and is currently hosting "Making a Difference" seen bi-weekly on Global.
Ok, back to that instant in time I mentioned earlier. Just then, they flashed Susan Hay's e-mail address on the screen, and I jumed up and wrote her a short note commending her for all the good work she does. Despite being at the TV studio at the end of a very long and arduos day, this lovely woman took the time right there and then to respond to my e-mail within fifteen minutes of my having sent it.
The world could use a few more Susan Hays.
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Woo Hoo!
The good news: I just finished an online poker tourny where I finished eleventh out of 2,382 entrants!
The bad news: It was only a freeroll (free to enter with very small prize money put up by the poker site), so all I won for my three hours of "work" was two dollars. Yes, you read it right.
The bad news: It was only a freeroll (free to enter with very small prize money put up by the poker site), so all I won for my three hours of "work" was two dollars. Yes, you read it right.
What's in your wallet?
For a Massachusetts man, the answer is "ten human teeth". A Wal-Mart shopper who was about to purchase a new wallet, opened up a compartment and to his horror made the grisly discovery. Police were called but with no blood or gum tissue, no D.N.A. identification could be made. A spokesperson for the world's largest department store said she believes it is "an isolated incident".
"believes"? As in she's not sure? Was she covering up the fact that several times a week Wal-Mart customers find teeth in the wallets they purchase?
How appropriate that this story came from Falmouth, Mass.
The Story.
"believes"? As in she's not sure? Was she covering up the fact that several times a week Wal-Mart customers find teeth in the wallets they purchase?
How appropriate that this story came from Falmouth, Mass.
The Story.
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