In 1958, Philly Lee my first cousin died in a car accident in Upstate New York, on the highway from Montreal to New York City. He was driving his new Volkswagen Bug and was alone in the car. I was eight years old.
It seems he fell asleep and hit a transport truck parked on the shoulder of the road. His mother Mable my mother's sister and her husband had also immigrated to Montreal with my parents, from Newfoundland in 1949, around the same time Newfoundland joined Canada as it's 10th province
Aunt Mable was married to Phil Lee from Petty Harbor, Newfoundland who was a great, man's man and very funny. They had a girl Marie and a boy Philip jr, who we called Philly. He was a air traffic control operator in training at Dorval International Airport in Montreal, after a stint in the Air Force. He was 21.
His death became a great mystery which the extended family of Dwyer and Burke talked about for years after.
It seems Philly had been in Newfoundland visiting family and flew home that fateful day on a plane owned and operated by the Sea fearers International Union. It's infamous president; Hal C. Banks was also on board. He was a reputed tough guy who had arrived from USA in 1949 to bust the Communist controlled Shipping Unions. He built a high profile reputation and was often written up in the Canadian media. In 1964 he skipped the country, just ahead of the RCMP ,who were about to arrest him on a variety of charges. He died in1985.
The RCMP visited Philly's parents after the funeral but it seems they were tight lipped about Philly's activities and told no secrets or tales, if indeed they had any. They told them there was no foul play suspected, even though Philly had phoned his mother from the Dorval airport and said he had landed in Montreal and would be home soon. Uncle Phil and Mable were far too emotionally overcome to press for an answer. Philly was not married but was in a very serious relationship with a pretty young woman I used to see in our church. At the funeral she sat with Philly's family and cried her heart out.
Philly, at 21 was the oldest of my generation of youngsters who were coming fast and furious in those early days. He was handsome and charismatic and used to own a motorcycle before he was persuaded to trade it for the car. All the family men were doing well in their new city, most working in construction. My mother, Gladys Burke had a brother Joe and two sister and my father had two brothers and 3 sisters who had also made Montreal home in the previous five years. It was becoming a real Newfoundland outpost. The family was tight and parties consisted of Newfoundland songs and recitations and chat about how the cod were running at home.
Aunt Mable was destroyed by the tragedy and soon had a shrine to The Blessed Virgin, built outside out little church (which the Dwyer and Burke men had spearheaded building) on the South Shore of Montreal Island.
At the funeral parlor I saw my first dead man. He looked great but Aunt Mable sobbing, took me by the hand and escorted me to the half open coffin and had me put my hand on Philly's forehead to see how cold it was. I could have done without that.
The years ran on and over time many of the family group moved away to Toronto and Boston and a few went home to Newfoundland but the mystery of Philly's death was never solved and his memory faded.
Sometime in the 1990s I visited my Uncle Joe Burke(who since died ) in Montreal and over a chat he told me he had done a renovation at the home of senior RCMP officer and had told him the story of the mystery of; why Philly died in an accident on the road to New York City when he had told his mother he would be home soon. The officer said he would see what he could find. As he was cluing up the job and leaving the officer said he had found and read the file on Philip Lee and his relationship with Hal Banks and would tell him him if really wanted to hear it. Uncle Joe said he thought about it but finally said : "No, he didn't."
Saturday, 20 December 2014
Saturday, 6 December 2014
YOU MAY NOT LIKE CONRAD BLACK BUT YOU HAVE TO RESPECT HIM.
My Wife, Jean O'Byrne Dwyer and I were sitting at the bar in the main floor lounge of the Chateau Laurier Hotel in Ottawa ( One of my favorite bars) a few years ago, enjoying a libation when I noticed a copy of Conrad Black's new book a few feet away. I inquired with the bartender how it came to be there, as he was in a jail in Florida. It seems the evening before a nonfiction book award had been held in the very place and copies of all five of the nominee's books including Mr. Black's were available to the attendees. Some were left behind.
I had been reading his columns in the National Post, which he wrote each Saturday from Jail and was so impressed with his candor that I e-mailed him at his address which was at the foot of the column; cbletters@gmail.com. Not long after he replied, much to my surprise. He thanked me for my comments and encouragement. He could have easily run home to Britain or Canada and down faced the mean American legal system but he remained unbowed and unrepentant. I immediately pulled out my iPhone and emailed Conrad Black; "I am sitting at the Bar in the Chateau Laurier, having a drink with my wife and your new book is on the bar from last nights non-fiction awards presentation, which I am sure you were made aware of." I hoped he found the note comforting from his jail cell, knowing he was still in play in Ottawa. He wrote back shortly and thanked me again for the news.
I felt he had been railroaded, at best, but that's the thing about Conrad Black. He taunted his accusers as they drafted a case around his expenses, which is, as a great friend and lawyer once told me; They always go after the expenses because it's so easy to manipulate. You either like or hate Conrad. And he's not easy to like especially from a distance but you have to respect his honor, toughness and resolve. And if you don't, your sense of fairness needs adjusting.
I followed his trial as closely as possible and was astonished how he had held his ground and maintained his familiar demeanor and dignity. I was waiting for it to falter especially when he was convicted and sentenced but he didn't show it. Oh I think in his quietest moments, late at night, alone in that bunk he asked the question; Lord why have you forsaken me?
From jail, good reports abounded about his kindness, encouragement and the classes he offered his fellow inmates. And he soldiered on, won an important Supreme Court appeal (itself no easy job), was released for a short time until his judge Amy St Eve re-sentenced him for a shorter time, just for good American measure.
On May 4 2012 at 67 years of age Conrad left jail and returned to Canada. He had served 42 months of an original 72 month sentence. The amount of cash he was supposed to have squandered, reduced and made to look almost silly, given his job the size of his company and earning power.
Around that time my sons Patrick and Jon were looking to restart their well liked, private, speaker series; 'Discussions at the Bistro' and as Jon was a friend of the owner and chef of Spendido restaurant in Toronto, Chef Barry they agreed to hold it there and Jon asked me if I could write and ask Conrad Black if he would be the first speaker. After some negotiating he agreed (Spendido is a favorite of his and his wife, Barbara Amiel).
The series featured a fine 3 course dinner with great wines and then, the guest speaker was introduced by Jon. In lieu of a fee, everyone of the 80 diners would get a signed copy of his new book. The evening sold out in a day.
I was excited to finally meet Lord Conrad Black and he was a delight. Friendly, engaging, funny and after a long Q&A and some great food and wine and his talk, he held back and sat down with us for a quiet drink and chat in the empty restaurant. My only disappointment was his famous, smart wife Barbara Amiel was a no show.
I had been reading his columns in the National Post, which he wrote each Saturday from Jail and was so impressed with his candor that I e-mailed him at his address which was at the foot of the column; cbletters@gmail.com. Not long after he replied, much to my surprise. He thanked me for my comments and encouragement. He could have easily run home to Britain or Canada and down faced the mean American legal system but he remained unbowed and unrepentant. I immediately pulled out my iPhone and emailed Conrad Black; "I am sitting at the Bar in the Chateau Laurier, having a drink with my wife and your new book is on the bar from last nights non-fiction awards presentation, which I am sure you were made aware of." I hoped he found the note comforting from his jail cell, knowing he was still in play in Ottawa. He wrote back shortly and thanked me again for the news.
I felt he had been railroaded, at best, but that's the thing about Conrad Black. He taunted his accusers as they drafted a case around his expenses, which is, as a great friend and lawyer once told me; They always go after the expenses because it's so easy to manipulate. You either like or hate Conrad. And he's not easy to like especially from a distance but you have to respect his honor, toughness and resolve. And if you don't, your sense of fairness needs adjusting.
I followed his trial as closely as possible and was astonished how he had held his ground and maintained his familiar demeanor and dignity. I was waiting for it to falter especially when he was convicted and sentenced but he didn't show it. Oh I think in his quietest moments, late at night, alone in that bunk he asked the question; Lord why have you forsaken me?
From jail, good reports abounded about his kindness, encouragement and the classes he offered his fellow inmates. And he soldiered on, won an important Supreme Court appeal (itself no easy job), was released for a short time until his judge Amy St Eve re-sentenced him for a shorter time, just for good American measure.
On May 4 2012 at 67 years of age Conrad left jail and returned to Canada. He had served 42 months of an original 72 month sentence. The amount of cash he was supposed to have squandered, reduced and made to look almost silly, given his job the size of his company and earning power.
Around that time my sons Patrick and Jon were looking to restart their well liked, private, speaker series; 'Discussions at the Bistro' and as Jon was a friend of the owner and chef of Spendido restaurant in Toronto, Chef Barry they agreed to hold it there and Jon asked me if I could write and ask Conrad Black if he would be the first speaker. After some negotiating he agreed (Spendido is a favorite of his and his wife, Barbara Amiel).
The series featured a fine 3 course dinner with great wines and then, the guest speaker was introduced by Jon. In lieu of a fee, everyone of the 80 diners would get a signed copy of his new book. The evening sold out in a day.
Saturday, 29 November 2014
DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES ARE KILLING DEMOCRACY
A few weeks ago the Prime Minister of Hungary,Viktor Orban gave a speech in which he called for his country to abandon Liberal Democracy, in favor of an illeberal state. This is his second elected term and he is very popular and he does not like being told what to do.
Like Vladimir Putin of Russia he believe the flaws in Western democracies like ours warrant electing leaders who distance themselves from of the European Union. He went on to say he would not deny voters the fundamentals of liberal freedom.
He finished by citing Putin and Xi Jining, the Chinese President as fine examples of how democracy should evolve. Strong leaders unquestioned.
Last week Mike Nichols, the great director and writer died. He spoke often of how life is a pendulum and the good times can be long but the pendulum will swing and our live seems to get jumbled for a while.
Our democracies are flawed and the state of progress and cooperation that we have enjoyed for the last 100 odd years seem to be fraying. In the USA congress cannot get past the black president ( A Stranger In The White House, one new book is titled.)and Republicans seem to want to use tactic unheard of heretofore to further their agenda and confound the damn liberal democrats. In Canada Mr. Harper is a bully and cynical of the opposition as do the Conservatives in Britain. We have not evolved our democracies and the bad guys around the world like Orban and Putin and Xi are pointing it out and taking advantage.
Maybe true pure democracies are not the best way to govern. Maybe a little stick and enlightened dictatorship works better? It does not, but a lot of folks worry we are spoiled and too brazen for our own good.
John Ivison, of The Canadian Nation Post, interviewed former Russian PM Kasyanov, who was in Ottawa this week and gave a talk around this world changing phenomenon. He asked; Is Putin Mad? "I am sure he isn't and he is bluffing" He replied." If the West stays strong and gives Putin to understand that there are consequences, he will go no further."
Democracies need to stop fighting among the Left-Right party mentality and work together to keep our system strong and working and evolving to be better.
There are times, as we all know, which are critical and as the world is being gamed by madness and arrogance we need to be aware and act to protectwhat we have. Britain's Nevill Cumberland in 1938 returned from Hitler's Berlin with confidence stating that Hitler was cool and we would have peace in our time. All the while Hitler was building an army and armaments to us against us. We need to stay awake amid all the noise and see evil ambition when it rears it's head. We are not doing that and it's dangerous.
Like Vladimir Putin of Russia he believe the flaws in Western democracies like ours warrant electing leaders who distance themselves from of the European Union. He went on to say he would not deny voters the fundamentals of liberal freedom.
He finished by citing Putin and Xi Jining, the Chinese President as fine examples of how democracy should evolve. Strong leaders unquestioned.
Last week Mike Nichols, the great director and writer died. He spoke often of how life is a pendulum and the good times can be long but the pendulum will swing and our live seems to get jumbled for a while.
Our democracies are flawed and the state of progress and cooperation that we have enjoyed for the last 100 odd years seem to be fraying. In the USA congress cannot get past the black president ( A Stranger In The White House, one new book is titled.)and Republicans seem to want to use tactic unheard of heretofore to further their agenda and confound the damn liberal democrats. In Canada Mr. Harper is a bully and cynical of the opposition as do the Conservatives in Britain. We have not evolved our democracies and the bad guys around the world like Orban and Putin and Xi are pointing it out and taking advantage.
Maybe true pure democracies are not the best way to govern. Maybe a little stick and enlightened dictatorship works better? It does not, but a lot of folks worry we are spoiled and too brazen for our own good.
John Ivison, of The Canadian Nation Post, interviewed former Russian PM Kasyanov, who was in Ottawa this week and gave a talk around this world changing phenomenon. He asked; Is Putin Mad? "I am sure he isn't and he is bluffing" He replied." If the West stays strong and gives Putin to understand that there are consequences, he will go no further."
Democracies need to stop fighting among the Left-Right party mentality and work together to keep our system strong and working and evolving to be better.
There are times, as we all know, which are critical and as the world is being gamed by madness and arrogance we need to be aware and act to protectwhat we have. Britain's Nevill Cumberland in 1938 returned from Hitler's Berlin with confidence stating that Hitler was cool and we would have peace in our time. All the while Hitler was building an army and armaments to us against us. We need to stay awake amid all the noise and see evil ambition when it rears it's head. We are not doing that and it's dangerous.
Saturday, 8 November 2014
I'M SURPRISED.
I am surprised we are not getting more noise and genuine editorial from the USA on the Jian Ghomeshi Mesh. After all he was heard on over 150 American radio stations. I'm also surprised he has not cried out and said something, ( sorry all) but my friend Ed says psychopaths do not have remorse and he might have something there. Even if he did shout out remorse he just might be acting out.
Charles Adler a Calgary based radio talker and Sun news commentator. and CBC's Rex Murphy had the best, insightful and wise responses to Jian's actions. Mr Adler who was born and raised in Montreal around the same time I was,(1950's) always seemed to me to be a tad strident but then again I never really gave his work time and consideration until this week when John Doyle, the Globe And Mail TV columnist and a writer I admire, gave a shout out to Charles as an observer who gets the pulse of politics in Canada.
The truth about Jian, I think is, he is a bully. Probably he came late to that status as he does not strike me as having been a school yard bully but indeed may have been bullied himself as a youth and learned the craft from that experience.
I have not written anything for over two weeks because I couldn't. The two fine Soldiers here in Canada being killed. so cowardly. Obama losing the mid terms, The Justin Trudeau playing politics with the accusations that two of the Liberal MP's were sexually abusive to two female NDP MP's. The women did not want the complaints to be made public but what did they think would happen. One of the women sat down at a chance meeting with the Liberal Leader, Mr Trudeau at one of the soldier memorials and tells him what happened to her earlier this year. And, she thinks he was not going to game this horrible story in his favor by looking, the tough on abuse guy, to all female voters.? So he goes public and suspends his two MP's
Her mistake was misreading Trudeau. This lad is on a mission from Pierre to prove he's as good as dad and don't get in his way.
I am also surprised that Pierre Trudeau did not insist his sons be scholarly, as he was himself and he let them off with that. Neither of the three boys went to post grad school.Knowing your way around the media and being able to give a descent speech does not a wise leader make. To make up for that one needs to be very well read and have lived a few more years than 42. It's how we get mediocre leaders as I predict Justin Trudeau will be. If he becomes PM, the magic of the office will mask some of that for a while.
Heather Comway, a CBC V.P. of English Services says publicly today that Jian is 'egomaniacal and tyrannical.' And that he lied to his bosses about his sex life when it became a source of serious accusations and was brought to their attention. She said, management needs to find out what should or could have been done differently.
I say; someone should have taken Jian by the scruff of his shirt and said,' look here you little shit. I been watching you and how you are fucking up the people who work for this program because you think you are bigger and more important than anyone else and if you don't smarten up, I'm gonna expose you and then I'm gonna fire you. Consider yourself warned.
Charles Adler a Calgary based radio talker and Sun news commentator. and CBC's Rex Murphy had the best, insightful and wise responses to Jian's actions. Mr Adler who was born and raised in Montreal around the same time I was,(1950's) always seemed to me to be a tad strident but then again I never really gave his work time and consideration until this week when John Doyle, the Globe And Mail TV columnist and a writer I admire, gave a shout out to Charles as an observer who gets the pulse of politics in Canada.
The truth about Jian, I think is, he is a bully. Probably he came late to that status as he does not strike me as having been a school yard bully but indeed may have been bullied himself as a youth and learned the craft from that experience.
I have not written anything for over two weeks because I couldn't. The two fine Soldiers here in Canada being killed. so cowardly. Obama losing the mid terms, The Justin Trudeau playing politics with the accusations that two of the Liberal MP's were sexually abusive to two female NDP MP's. The women did not want the complaints to be made public but what did they think would happen. One of the women sat down at a chance meeting with the Liberal Leader, Mr Trudeau at one of the soldier memorials and tells him what happened to her earlier this year. And, she thinks he was not going to game this horrible story in his favor by looking, the tough on abuse guy, to all female voters.? So he goes public and suspends his two MP's
Her mistake was misreading Trudeau. This lad is on a mission from Pierre to prove he's as good as dad and don't get in his way.
I am also surprised that Pierre Trudeau did not insist his sons be scholarly, as he was himself and he let them off with that. Neither of the three boys went to post grad school.Knowing your way around the media and being able to give a descent speech does not a wise leader make. To make up for that one needs to be very well read and have lived a few more years than 42. It's how we get mediocre leaders as I predict Justin Trudeau will be. If he becomes PM, the magic of the office will mask some of that for a while.
Heather Comway, a CBC V.P. of English Services says publicly today that Jian is 'egomaniacal and tyrannical.' And that he lied to his bosses about his sex life when it became a source of serious accusations and was brought to their attention. She said, management needs to find out what should or could have been done differently.
I say; someone should have taken Jian by the scruff of his shirt and said,' look here you little shit. I been watching you and how you are fucking up the people who work for this program because you think you are bigger and more important than anyone else and if you don't smarten up, I'm gonna expose you and then I'm gonna fire you. Consider yourself warned.
Saturday, 18 October 2014
Damnit, That Is Not Fair...
There are many foundational subjects, issues and systems under which we operate, in our society. Many are a big part of our lives like religion but the debate as to whether capitalism or socialism work best, trumps all these debates. Why? Because money and livelihoods are involved and that determines our lifestyle, friends and well, pretty much everything we seem to enjoy and relish.
Over the centuries Socialism seems to have lost the debate and many socialists are converts today, to the great notion that capitalism works best for all, with a little socialism thrown in to keep the poor from rioting and causing a stir...About capitalism's faults.If anyone is going to have a go at telling some truths, you better be a charismatic, very smart and a great speaker.And you might get to first base.
As I wrote in a previous blog, my Irish friend Pat Quinn believes the Irish Good Friday Peace Accord was signed by the Catholics and Protestants because the EU Celtic Tiger was washing gobs and gobs of money across Ireland and the powers that be, even the bitterest of enemies said to themselves and each other; We can't fuck this up. Everyone has a good job and toys and homes, so let's all chill out and sign this God Damn Accord and get on over to the pub.
So, trying to get up the gumption to try and improve our capitalism with some new ideas, criticism, even honest criticism and the evolution of capitalism is a road few are brave enough to journey. The powers that be, are really powerful and much money is at stake. Also a lot of bumps in the rug are nasty realities swept there for a reason. This week Janet Yellen, the USA Fed Chief gave a speech which blew the doors off hinges.
She bravely told the crowd that the top 5 per cent of homes in USA have seen their wealth increase by 63 per cent of national total, while the bottom half are down to 1 per cent and fully 25 per cent of them have no wealth at all. She said that she wanted to provide a factual basis for future discussion. Further she noted that the sub prime mortgage meltdown and great recession had been disproportionally borne by the financially disadvantaged, who were and had been prey for banks and lenders who sold them homes they could not afford and promised they would always go up in value, either way.
She finished by saying the low interest rates in place spurred huge gains for the wealthy in the stock market, since the recession. Banks got bailed out but not the gullible, financially challenged middle class.
Everyone, it seems was at a loss, as to why she would go there. Maybe she is tired of the unfairness of our capitalism and knows it gonna take an FDR spirit to return the system to some semblance of fairness. The truly cynical suggested she wants to run for president. But do not the bankers and rich control that too. Taking big money out of the election system, now that's a blog of a different color.
Martin Wolf a British financial writer has a new book out this week and he says we need to evolve banks and way of doing business especially on loans and mortgages. Since the Banks would not let new checks and balances go in place to curb their predatory nature, then banks should be also responsible for some of the losses and work with homeowner when they fall behind.
Risk Management, that smarty Alec new mantra, needs to factor that loss into some of the mortgages they place. Why should they get all the benefit and hang their share of the fault they do bear, when economies falter, on the homeowner. What's good for the goose is good for the Banks too.
The only way to get big money to care, is to show them how being fair and financially fair, is to show them how it can make them money and enjoy a better image. Thanks to the rebirth of philanthropy by the Bill Gates family, Bill Clinton and Warren Buffett, it seems a lot of rich are jumping on board the giving wagon. And... They get a tax break. LOL
Over the centuries Socialism seems to have lost the debate and many socialists are converts today, to the great notion that capitalism works best for all, with a little socialism thrown in to keep the poor from rioting and causing a stir...About capitalism's faults.If anyone is going to have a go at telling some truths, you better be a charismatic, very smart and a great speaker.And you might get to first base.
As I wrote in a previous blog, my Irish friend Pat Quinn believes the Irish Good Friday Peace Accord was signed by the Catholics and Protestants because the EU Celtic Tiger was washing gobs and gobs of money across Ireland and the powers that be, even the bitterest of enemies said to themselves and each other; We can't fuck this up. Everyone has a good job and toys and homes, so let's all chill out and sign this God Damn Accord and get on over to the pub.
So, trying to get up the gumption to try and improve our capitalism with some new ideas, criticism, even honest criticism and the evolution of capitalism is a road few are brave enough to journey. The powers that be, are really powerful and much money is at stake. Also a lot of bumps in the rug are nasty realities swept there for a reason. This week Janet Yellen, the USA Fed Chief gave a speech which blew the doors off hinges.
She bravely told the crowd that the top 5 per cent of homes in USA have seen their wealth increase by 63 per cent of national total, while the bottom half are down to 1 per cent and fully 25 per cent of them have no wealth at all. She said that she wanted to provide a factual basis for future discussion. Further she noted that the sub prime mortgage meltdown and great recession had been disproportionally borne by the financially disadvantaged, who were and had been prey for banks and lenders who sold them homes they could not afford and promised they would always go up in value, either way.
She finished by saying the low interest rates in place spurred huge gains for the wealthy in the stock market, since the recession. Banks got bailed out but not the gullible, financially challenged middle class.
Everyone, it seems was at a loss, as to why she would go there. Maybe she is tired of the unfairness of our capitalism and knows it gonna take an FDR spirit to return the system to some semblance of fairness. The truly cynical suggested she wants to run for president. But do not the bankers and rich control that too. Taking big money out of the election system, now that's a blog of a different color.
Martin Wolf a British financial writer has a new book out this week and he says we need to evolve banks and way of doing business especially on loans and mortgages. Since the Banks would not let new checks and balances go in place to curb their predatory nature, then banks should be also responsible for some of the losses and work with homeowner when they fall behind.
Risk Management, that smarty Alec new mantra, needs to factor that loss into some of the mortgages they place. Why should they get all the benefit and hang their share of the fault they do bear, when economies falter, on the homeowner. What's good for the goose is good for the Banks too.
The only way to get big money to care, is to show them how being fair and financially fair, is to show them how it can make them money and enjoy a better image. Thanks to the rebirth of philanthropy by the Bill Gates family, Bill Clinton and Warren Buffett, it seems a lot of rich are jumping on board the giving wagon. And... They get a tax break. LOL
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Slightly Crazy Politicians And Our Imperfect Democracies
Retired USA General Wesley Clarke writes in New York Times this week that; China is more confident, assertive and also more closed today, even thought many thought, our efforts at ' Constructive Engagement' and their economic growth and engagement in Capitalism gave us hope they would move toward democracy.
In the USA their government has been under water for much of the last 6 years, unable to get needed legislation passed including money bill that allow it to borrow capital to pay it's bills.
Too much democracy in USA and too little in China? It would seem so. But I have often wondered why we don't reform and evolve our democracies, we the so called free western countries. It seems we are all sure the democratic systems we have, are fine and so for hundreds of years, other than 27 big issue, fine tuning amendments to the USA constitution, nothing in the day to day workings of our systems have been amended or evolved.
Hard questions, like how wealthy individuals control our elected leaders through large donations and advertising,which Canada does not allow but USA allows in spades. How come, unless Canadian Members of Parliament are in the cabinet, they have virtually no say in the running of the government and made to toe whatever line the PM and his smart guys and gals come up with?
But maybe that's ok and how things have to be, to get things done and working. Messy could be a problem? No?
Only last month Great Britain dodged a democratic bullet in the Scotland independence vote.
Mr.Putin in Russia is using the loopholes in it's constitution to shuffle between PM and President because he is not allowed to serve as President for more than 2 terms. Smart fucking guy who is using the so called weakness of President Obama to mess around with Eastern Europe countries like the Ukraine. I think Obama is trying to be enlightened and move war off the table, as a go to action for solving world problems. Like JFK did with the Cuban missile crisis by not invading Cuba and negotiating a settlement with Russians.
I think what we are seeing a lot more of is, what I call small time pathological people entering public life and they seem to have no shame or embarrassment. The Ford brothers in Toronto are like that. Not dangerous but a bit crazy and smart all wrapped together. Putin as well but he is dangerous. They know news disappears within a few weeks so just suck it up; your mistakes, sins and stupidity and move on. Circumstance and the voters will too.
In the USA their government has been under water for much of the last 6 years, unable to get needed legislation passed including money bill that allow it to borrow capital to pay it's bills.
Too much democracy in USA and too little in China? It would seem so. But I have often wondered why we don't reform and evolve our democracies, we the so called free western countries. It seems we are all sure the democratic systems we have, are fine and so for hundreds of years, other than 27 big issue, fine tuning amendments to the USA constitution, nothing in the day to day workings of our systems have been amended or evolved.
Hard questions, like how wealthy individuals control our elected leaders through large donations and advertising,which Canada does not allow but USA allows in spades. How come, unless Canadian Members of Parliament are in the cabinet, they have virtually no say in the running of the government and made to toe whatever line the PM and his smart guys and gals come up with?
But maybe that's ok and how things have to be, to get things done and working. Messy could be a problem? No?
Only last month Great Britain dodged a democratic bullet in the Scotland independence vote.
Mr.Putin in Russia is using the loopholes in it's constitution to shuffle between PM and President because he is not allowed to serve as President for more than 2 terms. Smart fucking guy who is using the so called weakness of President Obama to mess around with Eastern Europe countries like the Ukraine. I think Obama is trying to be enlightened and move war off the table, as a go to action for solving world problems. Like JFK did with the Cuban missile crisis by not invading Cuba and negotiating a settlement with Russians.
I think what we are seeing a lot more of is, what I call small time pathological people entering public life and they seem to have no shame or embarrassment. The Ford brothers in Toronto are like that. Not dangerous but a bit crazy and smart all wrapped together. Putin as well but he is dangerous. They know news disappears within a few weeks so just suck it up; your mistakes, sins and stupidity and move on. Circumstance and the voters will too.
Saturday, 4 October 2014
Stephen Harper, Dead Canadians And Let's Smarten Up.
Not many men or women can claim to be responsible for the death of 158 men and women and not be put in jail, but Stephen Harper the Prime Minister of Canada can. That is the number of soldiers who died on his orders to deploy to the most dangerous part of of Afghanistan over the 20002-2011 years of that war.
A war, and not to be too cynical or backhanded, that was supposed to reorganize and bring a country and it's people, living in a virtual 14th century world, forward into this day and age. And do it in 9 years by killing a lot of bad guys, who it seems don't want to live in the 21st century but like and seem to relish living in the 14th century and determined to continue.
Did we underestimated their stamina, commitment and fearlessness. It seems we were training the Afghan Army, with the best equipment and training available but we could not match the Taliban's zeal and as we all know, zeal and commitment trumps all, in human behaviors.
Now ISIL is the monster and we need to stop him, it, from trying to keep more of the region living in the 14th century. They are the real monsters and as we all know, have torn the norms of war asunder. No rules. So we are bombing them and have no boots on the ground. I think that's good and the pundits who say we have to have some ground troops are blind to the lessons we learned over the last 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Boots on the ground are our problem, not solution. ISIL see us as monsters. Infidels. They behead our citizens and claim to be planning attacks on our soil. So lets keep them over there. In misery they so badly want to see us live in.
Let's keep bombing those bad guys from the air and with Cruise Missiles from our ships and do it for next 2 years or 3. What ever it takes to wear them down. It worked in Belgrade and Bosnia. Bombing like that is scary for those being bombed. It rattles the fighters confidence and zeal and they can't move around and secure more munitions and food and no one gets in or out of the region because we are bombing everything that moves or threatens. We can do that. They can't. It will work. Go with our strengths with least possible suffering to ourselves. When they surrender or are mostly all dead we can go in and help rebuild.
If we put boots on the ground, civilians will die just the same, including our troops in boots, maybe more than from bombing. I mean, is that not why we built these planes and bombs, so we could overpower bad guys without losing our fine boys and gals. And our PM can say he didn't send 158 more Canadians to their deaths. And we killed a lot of bad guys.
I don't know how leaders live with the knowledge that they, in their role and power, as head of the nation are responsible for those deaths. It's a daunting thought and I suppose a damn good rationalization is the only way out of that reality.
The other reality is; thinking back on the week that the USA invaded Iraq with all that firepower and advanced armaments and how their great tanks rolled over the Iraq ones, we have to wonder does the firepower trump human determination and hatred, like the Iraq fighters mustered and instead of rejoicing in their freedom and possibilities for the future, they made monkeys of the occupiers, fought against them, killing and injuring tens of thousands of them, then held an election under American rules and drove the guys, who freed them from murderous Saddam Hussein, and dumped tens of billions of dollars on their revitalization,the USA, out of the country without so much as a thank you.
So BOOTS on the ground? I don't think so.
Since the world of health is so sure that alcohol is responsible for so much sickness and early death; Governments everywhere, like Ontario should get out of the business of managing the sale and distribution of the substance and leave it to the suffering. Why should the governments benefit from our misery.
A war, and not to be too cynical or backhanded, that was supposed to reorganize and bring a country and it's people, living in a virtual 14th century world, forward into this day and age. And do it in 9 years by killing a lot of bad guys, who it seems don't want to live in the 21st century but like and seem to relish living in the 14th century and determined to continue.
Did we underestimated their stamina, commitment and fearlessness. It seems we were training the Afghan Army, with the best equipment and training available but we could not match the Taliban's zeal and as we all know, zeal and commitment trumps all, in human behaviors.
Now ISIL is the monster and we need to stop him, it, from trying to keep more of the region living in the 14th century. They are the real monsters and as we all know, have torn the norms of war asunder. No rules. So we are bombing them and have no boots on the ground. I think that's good and the pundits who say we have to have some ground troops are blind to the lessons we learned over the last 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan. Boots on the ground are our problem, not solution. ISIL see us as monsters. Infidels. They behead our citizens and claim to be planning attacks on our soil. So lets keep them over there. In misery they so badly want to see us live in.
Let's keep bombing those bad guys from the air and with Cruise Missiles from our ships and do it for next 2 years or 3. What ever it takes to wear them down. It worked in Belgrade and Bosnia. Bombing like that is scary for those being bombed. It rattles the fighters confidence and zeal and they can't move around and secure more munitions and food and no one gets in or out of the region because we are bombing everything that moves or threatens. We can do that. They can't. It will work. Go with our strengths with least possible suffering to ourselves. When they surrender or are mostly all dead we can go in and help rebuild.
If we put boots on the ground, civilians will die just the same, including our troops in boots, maybe more than from bombing. I mean, is that not why we built these planes and bombs, so we could overpower bad guys without losing our fine boys and gals. And our PM can say he didn't send 158 more Canadians to their deaths. And we killed a lot of bad guys.
I don't know how leaders live with the knowledge that they, in their role and power, as head of the nation are responsible for those deaths. It's a daunting thought and I suppose a damn good rationalization is the only way out of that reality.
The other reality is; thinking back on the week that the USA invaded Iraq with all that firepower and advanced armaments and how their great tanks rolled over the Iraq ones, we have to wonder does the firepower trump human determination and hatred, like the Iraq fighters mustered and instead of rejoicing in their freedom and possibilities for the future, they made monkeys of the occupiers, fought against them, killing and injuring tens of thousands of them, then held an election under American rules and drove the guys, who freed them from murderous Saddam Hussein, and dumped tens of billions of dollars on their revitalization,the USA, out of the country without so much as a thank you.
So BOOTS on the ground? I don't think so.
Since the world of health is so sure that alcohol is responsible for so much sickness and early death; Governments everywhere, like Ontario should get out of the business of managing the sale and distribution of the substance and leave it to the suffering. Why should the governments benefit from our misery.
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
27 YEARS AGO; AN AMAZING FAMILY REUNION IN MONTREAL JULY 1987
Well, we, my son Patrick and I are excited to be able to post a historic family documentary that my 1st cousin Allan Dwyer , now Dr Allan Dwyer, who arranged with his brothers ; Don, Tim and Brian to film our family reunion in July 1987. A two day event on the Island of Montreal. If
you are not a relative, watch it anyway. It's full of fun and great characters and freezes a day in time 1987. Incredibly beautiful children and parents. Many of them are now highly successful and fine citizens.
Let me begin again. My sister Mary Dwyer came up with the idea that we would have a family reunion of the Burke Dwyer tribe who arrived from Ireland on Fogo Island Newfoundland in the mid- 1700's. and lived there for 200 years and then moved on to USA and parts of Canada. The woman married fellas with names like Dalton, Bauregard, Lee, Cato, Iwaszczenko,Mockler, Jette. gentlemen all. Over 60 people attended.
Mary organized the whole event. Saturday night at Holiday Inn outside of Montreal, because Montreal was the landing point for almost all the families migration. And many Burkes and Dwyers were still living there . Dinner with speeches Saturday night and Sunday on St Helen's Island, in the St Lawrence River all day Sunday. The video of the Saturday dinner is unfortunately too dark to do it justice but the Sunday sunny picnic was a hangover bonanza and funny funny. The children, who were all there as you will see, are all now in their late 20's and 30's and have children of their own. Most are all first cousins.
Many of the older folk are passed on and a few of my generation as well.
Notably; Jack and Steve Hauser, brothers, of Boston. The best looking men God ever put breath in and the sweetest and finest, both died; Jack in 1989 His mother and father Carm and Charlie in 1990, and Steve in 1991. Very tough, sad time for the family. My dear brothers Patrick ( Paddy) left in 2010. The Great Uncles and Aunts; Mable Lee, Aunt Helen Dwyer, Ben Dwyer's wife ( A Saint of a man) and my Mother and father Gladys Burke Dwyer and Frank. Uncle Joe Burke and his great wife Alice Dwyer Burke.
Another sweet, civilized man was Carl Beauregard. Boston. Brother and sister,Joan and Michael Dalton. New jersey. They were children of my mother's sister ,Aunt Kit Burke Dalton and Jim. Finally Our dear Uncle Peter Dwyer, who hosted the Saturday night talks is still going strong at age 87 in Toronto. He has been a beacon.
The first video is dark, as the lighting in the ball room was low but Video 2 is great and all outdoor
you are not a relative, watch it anyway. It's full of fun and great characters and freezes a day in time 1987. Incredibly beautiful children and parents. Many of them are now highly successful and fine citizens.
Let me begin again. My sister Mary Dwyer came up with the idea that we would have a family reunion of the Burke Dwyer tribe who arrived from Ireland on Fogo Island Newfoundland in the mid- 1700's. and lived there for 200 years and then moved on to USA and parts of Canada. The woman married fellas with names like Dalton, Bauregard, Lee, Cato, Iwaszczenko,Mockler, Jette. gentlemen all. Over 60 people attended.
Mary organized the whole event. Saturday night at Holiday Inn outside of Montreal, because Montreal was the landing point for almost all the families migration. And many Burkes and Dwyers were still living there . Dinner with speeches Saturday night and Sunday on St Helen's Island, in the St Lawrence River all day Sunday. The video of the Saturday dinner is unfortunately too dark to do it justice but the Sunday sunny picnic was a hangover bonanza and funny funny. The children, who were all there as you will see, are all now in their late 20's and 30's and have children of their own. Most are all first cousins.
Many of the older folk are passed on and a few of my generation as well.
Notably; Jack and Steve Hauser, brothers, of Boston. The best looking men God ever put breath in and the sweetest and finest, both died; Jack in 1989 His mother and father Carm and Charlie in 1990, and Steve in 1991. Very tough, sad time for the family. My dear brothers Patrick ( Paddy) left in 2010. The Great Uncles and Aunts; Mable Lee, Aunt Helen Dwyer, Ben Dwyer's wife ( A Saint of a man) and my Mother and father Gladys Burke Dwyer and Frank. Uncle Joe Burke and his great wife Alice Dwyer Burke.
Another sweet, civilized man was Carl Beauregard. Boston. Brother and sister,Joan and Michael Dalton. New jersey. They were children of my mother's sister ,Aunt Kit Burke Dalton and Jim. Finally Our dear Uncle Peter Dwyer, who hosted the Saturday night talks is still going strong at age 87 in Toronto. He has been a beacon.
The first video is dark, as the lighting in the ball room was low but Video 2 is great and all outdoor
Saturday, 27 September 2014
General Assembly 2014: Obama U.N. Speech [FULL] Today | The New York Times
THIS COULD BE THE BEST SPEECH OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S LIFE
IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN IT; DO SO, I URGE YOU.
HE HAS BEEN SEEN AS RECLUSIVE LATELY BUT IT HAD MEANING
AND SET HIS TONE FOR A MORE THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO WAR.
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Someone Please Replace The Expression; 'Think Outside The Box.'
I really don't understand why I can't get all in a tizzy over climate change but I can't and never could to date. I think I just could not decide, 100 per cent, that the climate was changing because of our polluting ways. It seemed to me we are living in a country, Canada, which not long ago, in the overall scheme of time, that was covered in ice and it melted and receded leaving a pretty good place to live and work. Our pollution is a problem and we are right to be cleaning up our act. It's smart and good for our health and ya, it's probably responsible for some or maybe a lot of our climate change storms but not all of it.
Now Naomi Klein has a new book out called,'This Changes Everything.' Naomi is another reason why I can't be a dogged anti-pollution guy. She is way too smug and smart.
A lot of smart folks are also saying we need to develop a new kind of Capitalism. I can't say I know a lot about finance but I can say, over the years capitalism has been blamed for a lot of sins and rightly so. The banks behavior during and leading up to the last great failure of the capitalism system, particularly in USA was sinful and venile.
Some say it's like the story of the scorpion and the frog. The frog gives the scorpion a lift across a river on a promise that the scorpion would never bite and poison it, but as they neared the river bank, it did just that. "Why did you do that?" asked the frog. "Because I could not help my nature." The Scorpion replied.
Financial banks are like that too and need to be regulated and even then, they will find new ways to screw the depositors, like derivatives. Over the last 20 years, the banks have sidelined a lot of low income folks by disallowing anyone with poor credit to open an account and access their systems and all that contains. Like debit cards and payroll deposits and so cheque cashing and pay day loan stores have popped up everywhere across North America. In fact there are more pay day loan shops open today than there are McDonalds Restaurants in North America. In fact the pay day loan business has become so lucrative that the banks are buying them; Quietly.
It's also a credit to the Obama administration of justice staff, that the banks in USA have paid hundreds of billions in fine and penalties for their malfeasance in their dealings with the American tax payers, from Mortgage derivative fraud to fraudulent home mortgage repossessions. And this week a USA Federal Jury found The Arab Bank guilty of supporting terrorism from an uprising during early 2000.
Risk Management means ; fuck off we are not lending to you or investing in your company. If we do, we own you...
Finally, I could never understand why companies, particularly public traded companies have to increase sales and profits, year over year. If a company sells one million widgets successfully and pays investors a dividend and pays it's bills and employees, year over year and is healthy, why does it have to grow every year. Why not give itself time to grow more slowly and not make mistakes. Or have to borrow large sums to buy other widget companies, so it can show growth, that way.
The person who can come up with a new, fresh expression to replace; "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX." Will rule the world and be forever, the hero we all need...PS; Will Radcliff, The inventor of the Slush Puppie died ,74. RSP
Now Naomi Klein has a new book out called,'This Changes Everything.' Naomi is another reason why I can't be a dogged anti-pollution guy. She is way too smug and smart.
A lot of smart folks are also saying we need to develop a new kind of Capitalism. I can't say I know a lot about finance but I can say, over the years capitalism has been blamed for a lot of sins and rightly so. The banks behavior during and leading up to the last great failure of the capitalism system, particularly in USA was sinful and venile.
Some say it's like the story of the scorpion and the frog. The frog gives the scorpion a lift across a river on a promise that the scorpion would never bite and poison it, but as they neared the river bank, it did just that. "Why did you do that?" asked the frog. "Because I could not help my nature." The Scorpion replied.
Financial banks are like that too and need to be regulated and even then, they will find new ways to screw the depositors, like derivatives. Over the last 20 years, the banks have sidelined a lot of low income folks by disallowing anyone with poor credit to open an account and access their systems and all that contains. Like debit cards and payroll deposits and so cheque cashing and pay day loan stores have popped up everywhere across North America. In fact there are more pay day loan shops open today than there are McDonalds Restaurants in North America. In fact the pay day loan business has become so lucrative that the banks are buying them; Quietly.
It's also a credit to the Obama administration of justice staff, that the banks in USA have paid hundreds of billions in fine and penalties for their malfeasance in their dealings with the American tax payers, from Mortgage derivative fraud to fraudulent home mortgage repossessions. And this week a USA Federal Jury found The Arab Bank guilty of supporting terrorism from an uprising during early 2000.
Risk Management means ; fuck off we are not lending to you or investing in your company. If we do, we own you...
Finally, I could never understand why companies, particularly public traded companies have to increase sales and profits, year over year. If a company sells one million widgets successfully and pays investors a dividend and pays it's bills and employees, year over year and is healthy, why does it have to grow every year. Why not give itself time to grow more slowly and not make mistakes. Or have to borrow large sums to buy other widget companies, so it can show growth, that way.
The person who can come up with a new, fresh expression to replace; "THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX." Will rule the world and be forever, the hero we all need...PS; Will Radcliff, The inventor of the Slush Puppie died ,74. RSP
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
'We Are A Dream Of God
Dr. Wendy O'Flaherty is a professor of History and Religion at the University of Chicago. Thirty odd years ago she wrote a book where she spoofed (and I am paraphrasing here) that, as the Hindu people say, when we dream it often seems so real that when we wake we almost can't believe it was just a dream we experienced. I was listening to an interview she was giving on CBC radio. It was about her new book where she makes this analogy:
What if this life of ours is just that; a dream of God and when he, or she, wakes, well that's the end of the world. Or the end of our world and we die. Just like when we wake from a dream the story of the dream we were having ends. It's kind of funny, interesting to think about, but it opens our imagination to the what if's of life. Unless of course you believe the story of the Garden of Eden and how God parted the Red Sea for the Israelite's. Or he sent his only son to earth to be tortured and crucified on a cross cause we were so sinful, he needed atonement. That's a scary dad.
Isaac Singer the great Jewish writer and thinker, who lived for a long time in New York City, was asked in an interview with Pierre Burton, also in the 1970's, who was himself an atheist, why he believed in God, and he answered with this story;
There were two men who got stranded on a deserted island, and one day one of them walked down to the beach and eventually returned with this watch. "What's that?" the other asked. The first man explained, "It's a watch and it tells time by going around the dial every 12 hours". "And who made it?" the other asked. "No one", he replied, "it just formed on the beach from all the minerals and stones. "Well that's impossible," the other said.
So Singer continued, "We know a watch is too sophisticated to just make itself. Someone had to make it and if we agree on that, then we have to agree that the human being, which is infinity more complex also had to be made by someone and I call that someone God." Great story. I never forgot it;
I grew up as a Catholic, and my fear of God and his wrath was complete, but as I got older I changed and that fear, I reasoned away. I figure if God is real he would never be mad at me for not believing in him. What reason could he give for that. Other than making the world and all it's glories, he has never shown me a sign clearly that he is watching my every move, and if I don't behave as the Catholic Church ordains, I am somehow going to be punished when I die and punished well. All loving Gods don't behave like that.Basically I decided that God was much nicer and more enlightened than our christian religions tell us he is.
I think when I die he's going to say, "Well Ignatius, or Frank, you scored about 75 per cent on that little test but it was fun right? You got to live your life in one best countries of the world. And you learned a lot. You certainly were human and imperfect and didn't always do the right think, but hey, wanna try it again?" And I'm going to say, "You mean a do over? God, No. I think I'll just hang out here with you guys and watch the show down there. OK?"
What if this life of ours is just that; a dream of God and when he, or she, wakes, well that's the end of the world. Or the end of our world and we die. Just like when we wake from a dream the story of the dream we were having ends. It's kind of funny, interesting to think about, but it opens our imagination to the what if's of life. Unless of course you believe the story of the Garden of Eden and how God parted the Red Sea for the Israelite's. Or he sent his only son to earth to be tortured and crucified on a cross cause we were so sinful, he needed atonement. That's a scary dad.
Isaac Singer the great Jewish writer and thinker, who lived for a long time in New York City, was asked in an interview with Pierre Burton, also in the 1970's, who was himself an atheist, why he believed in God, and he answered with this story;
There were two men who got stranded on a deserted island, and one day one of them walked down to the beach and eventually returned with this watch. "What's that?" the other asked. The first man explained, "It's a watch and it tells time by going around the dial every 12 hours". "And who made it?" the other asked. "No one", he replied, "it just formed on the beach from all the minerals and stones. "Well that's impossible," the other said.
So Singer continued, "We know a watch is too sophisticated to just make itself. Someone had to make it and if we agree on that, then we have to agree that the human being, which is infinity more complex also had to be made by someone and I call that someone God." Great story. I never forgot it;
I grew up as a Catholic, and my fear of God and his wrath was complete, but as I got older I changed and that fear, I reasoned away. I figure if God is real he would never be mad at me for not believing in him. What reason could he give for that. Other than making the world and all it's glories, he has never shown me a sign clearly that he is watching my every move, and if I don't behave as the Catholic Church ordains, I am somehow going to be punished when I die and punished well. All loving Gods don't behave like that.Basically I decided that God was much nicer and more enlightened than our christian religions tell us he is.
I think when I die he's going to say, "Well Ignatius, or Frank, you scored about 75 per cent on that little test but it was fun right? You got to live your life in one best countries of the world. And you learned a lot. You certainly were human and imperfect and didn't always do the right think, but hey, wanna try it again?" And I'm going to say, "You mean a do over? God, No. I think I'll just hang out here with you guys and watch the show down there. OK?"
Saturday, 13 September 2014
Writing Novels And Paddy's Funeral
When I was at college, in Toronto in the late 1960's, I really liked the IDEA of being a writer. I can't say I decided to be a writer
because I really felt I would never be able to write, as I had neither
the talent or anything important to say to the world. I tried and would
start novels with great excitement but rarely got beyond the first
paragraph. Literally. It just didn't come. Twenty five years later I sat down at my new Apple computer one
day and started a story. The first line read;
"When I left the doctors office I had lost all sense of thought and time. I crossed Lawrence Avenue and walked East to the Rouge Go Train Station. As I climbed the stairs to the platform, Lake Ontario came into view, like the opening scene of a movie."
The next morning and every morning for three months after when I sat before the keyboard and typed the story fell out of me like it was per-recorded in my head. It was a somewhat scary and exhilarating and mysterious feeling. Every day I wondered as I began to write, if the magic voice, as I called it was going to appear in my head. I am not saying it was a great story or wonderful prose but it was on paper, it made sense and if one could get beyond my terrible editing, it was ok.
I entitled it, 'Act As If Ye Have faith'. I came to understand that it, the story, had to have formulated in my subconscious over the years of reading and viewing. I decided it was a creative experience that I had heard other writers talk about and it felt great. I didn't talk to anyone really about the experience, except my great supportive wife and reader, Jean. I submitted it to a few literary agents and publishers but they all rejected it. So I let it sit and went back to working and making a living.
A few years later 2006, I tried another story. I sat and wrote the first paragraph. Three months later I had written another 62,000 word novel, I entitled it, 'Canada, The Novel'. I didn't want to struggle with the publishing of it and selling and the rejection so I published it online on a web site I built and offered downloads free. Indeed I am certain I was one of the first to do so and got some attention from TV and because I could track who, and how many folks were downloading it. I know the Privy Council in Ottawa did as did the Prime Minister's office. In fact the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) office did too because, I suppose, they were mentioned in the story. Over 9,000 people downloaded it all over the world. Then the web site Read Toronto serialized it for 30 days. It was great fun. True story. (see the story link for the sample of the news reports I received)
In 2008, I wrote, 'Michael Burke', with my son Jon. It is a 30,000 word novella,we self published and has sold quite well in Newfoundland with the help of Ron Young, my friend and founder of Downhomer Magazine. Recently the book was optioned for movie rights and I was, just this week, a guest at Newfoundland Film Development corp.'s TIFF party (Toronto Film Fest.) The book is a true story of our ancestors life in 1850's, novelized. We shall see what the future holds...
A few years ago my brother Patrick 'Paddy' died in Toronto. He was a sweet man and boy and unfortunately could not control the drink. It killed him. The entire family tried to save him but it was no use. He was never going to quite drinking, he once told me. At his funeral in Pickering, next to my parents grave, we buried his ashes after a small funeral. The priest proceeded to deposit his ash urn which was wrapped in a lovely velvet purple bag. It looked like that great bag you get when you buy Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey and it had a gold braided tie rope at the top.
"Do you want the bag left on?" He asked piously as he was about to lower it. "Yes," I said, "it looks like a Crown Royal Whiskey bag and Paddy would love that."
"Mr. Dwyer," he chastised, "that's not appropriate."
"Oh Father, if you knew my brother, you would not feel that way." A few chuckles made the day lighter. I am sure Paddy would have approved.
Link to the story: Author posts novel online for free
"When I left the doctors office I had lost all sense of thought and time. I crossed Lawrence Avenue and walked East to the Rouge Go Train Station. As I climbed the stairs to the platform, Lake Ontario came into view, like the opening scene of a movie."
The next morning and every morning for three months after when I sat before the keyboard and typed the story fell out of me like it was per-recorded in my head. It was a somewhat scary and exhilarating and mysterious feeling. Every day I wondered as I began to write, if the magic voice, as I called it was going to appear in my head. I am not saying it was a great story or wonderful prose but it was on paper, it made sense and if one could get beyond my terrible editing, it was ok.
I entitled it, 'Act As If Ye Have faith'. I came to understand that it, the story, had to have formulated in my subconscious over the years of reading and viewing. I decided it was a creative experience that I had heard other writers talk about and it felt great. I didn't talk to anyone really about the experience, except my great supportive wife and reader, Jean. I submitted it to a few literary agents and publishers but they all rejected it. So I let it sit and went back to working and making a living.
A few years later 2006, I tried another story. I sat and wrote the first paragraph. Three months later I had written another 62,000 word novel, I entitled it, 'Canada, The Novel'. I didn't want to struggle with the publishing of it and selling and the rejection so I published it online on a web site I built and offered downloads free. Indeed I am certain I was one of the first to do so and got some attention from TV and because I could track who, and how many folks were downloading it. I know the Privy Council in Ottawa did as did the Prime Minister's office. In fact the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) office did too because, I suppose, they were mentioned in the story. Over 9,000 people downloaded it all over the world. Then the web site Read Toronto serialized it for 30 days. It was great fun. True story. (see the story link for the sample of the news reports I received)
In 2008, I wrote, 'Michael Burke', with my son Jon. It is a 30,000 word novella,we self published and has sold quite well in Newfoundland with the help of Ron Young, my friend and founder of Downhomer Magazine. Recently the book was optioned for movie rights and I was, just this week, a guest at Newfoundland Film Development corp.'s TIFF party (Toronto Film Fest.) The book is a true story of our ancestors life in 1850's, novelized. We shall see what the future holds...
A few years ago my brother Patrick 'Paddy' died in Toronto. He was a sweet man and boy and unfortunately could not control the drink. It killed him. The entire family tried to save him but it was no use. He was never going to quite drinking, he once told me. At his funeral in Pickering, next to my parents grave, we buried his ashes after a small funeral. The priest proceeded to deposit his ash urn which was wrapped in a lovely velvet purple bag. It looked like that great bag you get when you buy Crown Royal Canadian Whiskey and it had a gold braided tie rope at the top.
"Do you want the bag left on?" He asked piously as he was about to lower it. "Yes," I said, "it looks like a Crown Royal Whiskey bag and Paddy would love that."
"Mr. Dwyer," he chastised, "that's not appropriate."
"Oh Father, if you knew my brother, you would not feel that way." A few chuckles made the day lighter. I am sure Paddy would have approved.
Link to the story: Author posts novel online for free
Tuesday, 9 September 2014
First Rapper, Robert Service Recitations.
Back in the day, before there was Radio and Television, much less the Internet, poetic recitations were common at parties, as a form of entertainment. In 1904-05 the poet, Robert Service published his 1st book of poems which went viral, 1905 style.
His poems ,The Shooting of Dan McGrew and The Cremation of Sam McGee were the best know poems or recitations in the world, literally. They became known by the Intelligentsia, as; Newspaper poetry. But Mr. Service by 1910, was the richest writer in the world. His books of poetry were selling all over the world and folks were reciting them in every Pub and bar. They were fun, Entertaining, in fact they were the first Rappers of poetry
Robert Service wrote those poems in The Yukon, Canada where he was working as a bank clerk. Canadians claim him as one our own but the fact is, he was born in Scotland in 1874 and came to Canada in 1898. By 1908 he was living in Paris, France and never came back to Canada. Why? Because he was hanging out with the likes of Earnest Hemingway and James Joyce. They did not consider him an Artist like themselves but he was the making a fortune from the sale of his books and everyone knew his name.
I wrote a play with Jon Dwyer my son, based on his life and works; 'Good Evening I'm Robert Service.' We bring him back to life, on stage (He died in 1958) and we work shopped the play before audiences in Toronto last year at the Arts and Letters Club and Dora Keogh's Pub in Toronto with David Ferry as Director and Adam Brazier as Mr. Service. We hope to take it further soon. But it was well received. They are great, busy theater men, both. We were lucky to get them.
My Uncles, Gilbert Dwyer, Peter, Bill and my father Frank were fine performers of Service recitations and others at family parties when we were growing up. (Truth be told; Uncle Gilbert was hands down, the best actor.) And it was not any Tom, Dick or Harriett who could pull this off successfully. They didn't read the poem; They acted them out. Voice, emotion, presence.
Recitations were a true staple of parties thru the 20 Century and early 21st and Service's works were their Shakespeare. They were funny, smart and always had a twist at the end.
If you would like to read the play, e mail me at frank_dwyer@rogers.com. I will forward you a copy.
It has Mr Service telling poignant, funny stories about his life and from time to time he performs a few of his famous recitations.
But there were a few poems which Gilbert and Frank liked but they had no idea where they came from or who wrote them. I offer them here for your entertainment and to help improve your stand up routine;
An Angler's Love Letter
Dear Maggie the Trout are elusive,
In fact, their most frightfully fly,
And though I am seldom abusive,
My stock of expletive is dry;
I've practiced all manner of cunning
with deftness exceeding fine,
And being quite out of the running,
I thought I'd drop you a line;
I am not altogether contented
with matters just now as they stand;
Though gossip no doubt has invented,
The stories my fancy expand;
But this of all horrors is clearest
Some beast with the venom of stealth
Is dangling in front of my dearest,
A hook that is baited with wealth.
Don't rise, take a tip from the fishes
who've crippled my patience at last;
Don't list to the magical swishes,
Of he who maneuvers the cast;
It isn't with love he has baited
The barb on the end of his line,
And if to some hook you are fated...
Oh may it dear Maggie be mine.
Memorize it and recite at your next party, preferably late in the evening when wine has worked it's magic. You'll be famous.
Lastly;
A Pious Parson;
A pious Parson, good and true, went sailing o'er the seas,
When suddenly there fiercely blew, a strong and sweeping breeze
He thought the storm, the ship would wreck, his heart was sore afraid,
So he sought the Captain on the deck and found him undismayed.
The Captain seeing his awful fear;
Led him up to where this preacher of the Lord
Could hear the sailors curse and swear;
Now, you will see the captain said, if danger hovered nigh;
They'd all be on their knees instead and be prepared to die.
The Parson saw these words were true;
And was amazed just how the sailors knew,
Just when to curse and swear.
Later on, another storm, came fiercer than before
The Parson heard with wild alarm the ocean's angry roar;
He sought the deck, in eager dread, to near the Sailors get;
He listened... and he bowed his head;
Thank God they're swearing yet
You're on your own .Go Entertain...
His poems ,The Shooting of Dan McGrew and The Cremation of Sam McGee were the best know poems or recitations in the world, literally. They became known by the Intelligentsia, as; Newspaper poetry. But Mr. Service by 1910, was the richest writer in the world. His books of poetry were selling all over the world and folks were reciting them in every Pub and bar. They were fun, Entertaining, in fact they were the first Rappers of poetry
Robert Service wrote those poems in The Yukon, Canada where he was working as a bank clerk. Canadians claim him as one our own but the fact is, he was born in Scotland in 1874 and came to Canada in 1898. By 1908 he was living in Paris, France and never came back to Canada. Why? Because he was hanging out with the likes of Earnest Hemingway and James Joyce. They did not consider him an Artist like themselves but he was the making a fortune from the sale of his books and everyone knew his name.
I wrote a play with Jon Dwyer my son, based on his life and works; 'Good Evening I'm Robert Service.' We bring him back to life, on stage (He died in 1958) and we work shopped the play before audiences in Toronto last year at the Arts and Letters Club and Dora Keogh's Pub in Toronto with David Ferry as Director and Adam Brazier as Mr. Service. We hope to take it further soon. But it was well received. They are great, busy theater men, both. We were lucky to get them.
My Uncles, Gilbert Dwyer, Peter, Bill and my father Frank were fine performers of Service recitations and others at family parties when we were growing up. (Truth be told; Uncle Gilbert was hands down, the best actor.) And it was not any Tom, Dick or Harriett who could pull this off successfully. They didn't read the poem; They acted them out. Voice, emotion, presence.
Recitations were a true staple of parties thru the 20 Century and early 21st and Service's works were their Shakespeare. They were funny, smart and always had a twist at the end.
If you would like to read the play, e mail me at frank_dwyer@rogers.com. I will forward you a copy.
It has Mr Service telling poignant, funny stories about his life and from time to time he performs a few of his famous recitations.
But there were a few poems which Gilbert and Frank liked but they had no idea where they came from or who wrote them. I offer them here for your entertainment and to help improve your stand up routine;
An Angler's Love Letter
Dear Maggie the Trout are elusive,
In fact, their most frightfully fly,
And though I am seldom abusive,
My stock of expletive is dry;
I've practiced all manner of cunning
with deftness exceeding fine,
And being quite out of the running,
I thought I'd drop you a line;
I am not altogether contented
with matters just now as they stand;
Though gossip no doubt has invented,
The stories my fancy expand;
But this of all horrors is clearest
Some beast with the venom of stealth
Is dangling in front of my dearest,
A hook that is baited with wealth.
Don't rise, take a tip from the fishes
who've crippled my patience at last;
Don't list to the magical swishes,
Of he who maneuvers the cast;
It isn't with love he has baited
The barb on the end of his line,
And if to some hook you are fated...
Oh may it dear Maggie be mine.
Memorize it and recite at your next party, preferably late in the evening when wine has worked it's magic. You'll be famous.
Lastly;
A Pious Parson;
A pious Parson, good and true, went sailing o'er the seas,
When suddenly there fiercely blew, a strong and sweeping breeze
He thought the storm, the ship would wreck, his heart was sore afraid,
So he sought the Captain on the deck and found him undismayed.
The Captain seeing his awful fear;
Led him up to where this preacher of the Lord
Could hear the sailors curse and swear;
Now, you will see the captain said, if danger hovered nigh;
They'd all be on their knees instead and be prepared to die.
The Parson saw these words were true;
And was amazed just how the sailors knew,
Just when to curse and swear.
Later on, another storm, came fiercer than before
The Parson heard with wild alarm the ocean's angry roar;
He sought the deck, in eager dread, to near the Sailors get;
He listened... and he bowed his head;
Thank God they're swearing yet
You're on your own .Go Entertain...
Thursday, 4 September 2014
The Sinking Of The Francis P. Duke, 1947.
On December 17th 1947, The Francis P. Duke, sailed out of Fogo Island Harbour, Newfoundland. The 42 ton Lunenburg style schooner was owned and operated by Skipper Paddy Miller, my great uncle, and his sons, of which there were four. My father, Frank, was 35 that year and was now a 1st officer working for the Miller family business alongside his 1st cousins and uncle Paddy. His mother Mary Miller Dwyer was Skipper Paddy's sister.
Frank loved the sea and had sailed on Miller's many schooners to the Grand Banks fishing, and he told me many a hair raising story about the Great Atlantic. The Millers were renown merchants and had been so since the early 1800's. Skipper Paddy, like his father Paddy Miller Sr., was a hard taskmaster, my Father told me and he tolerated nothing but 100 per cent effort and drive from his sons or crew.
On December 17 1947, my father Frank Dwyer was home in Tilting Harbour (the other side of Fogo Island) with his wife and three children, but knew his cousins Bill and Ignatius (Naish) Miller were heading out with a catch of Cod to deliver to the Fisherman's Union Trading Company at Catalina. Then, maybe on to St John's, but Christmas was near and could not be missed. Bill Miller, 33, was the Captain for the journey and Ignatius, 21, was his 1st mate. (I was named for him when I was born in Montreal in 1950). There was also a crew of 6. All Fogo residents and most were seasoned mariners.
My father told me this story often, and he said he was concerned as a storm was brewing that morning and it looked like it could be big. He said, Bill Miller was a very competent Skipper and had grown up on these great ships and was certainly not afraid of a little rough weather. But Bill was in a hurry.
By morning as the storm raged, Captain Paddy became concerned and went down to the telegraph office and called the operator in Seldom, who told him the Duke had not arrived there. He knew their only hope was that they had rode out the storm and crossed Bonavista Bay and sought shelter.
Everyone on the Island soon knew the news story and were listening to the radio broadcasts and praying for good news of the crew. Two days passed before pieces of wreckage started to wash ashore near Shag Rock, near the town of Valleyfield. Then a couple of bodies. All hands were lost it was soon discovered.
The 1947 Christmas on Fogo was a sad one. Ignatius's body was never recovered. The dead were;
Captain Bill Miller, Ignatius Miller, Donovan Bryan, Wilfred Buckle, Stewart Keefe, Maxwell Payne, Augustus Pickett.
Skipper Paddy and his wife Aunt Agnes were devastated as were the families of all the men. Many had left wives and children. My Father went up to the Miller house in Fogo and the old man was staring out the window as dad arrived. "They're gone, my boys, Frank," was all he could muster.
Two years later my father, having voted in a referendum to join Canada as it's tenth province, left Newfoundland and moved his family to Montreal, now a Canadian citizen. He said he knew he could do better for his children. So after roughly 200 years out of Ireland, and years of fishing and struggling, he moved on.
In 1963 he returned with my mother and I was allowed to tag along. We flew in a Trans-Canada Airline Vanguard. It was exciting and as we left 10 days later for home in Montreal, I was glad of the heritage and history and the people were amazing, but would not miss the; no electricity, no running water, no indoor plumbing. Today Fogo Island is a fully modern and equipped community with a rich rich heritage and the fisherman still thrive with their modern boats and equipment.
The ghost of the Francis P. Duke still lives on as do the many other tragic stories that the Island produced as tough men and women lived and laughed and loved. All too human.
Frank loved the sea and had sailed on Miller's many schooners to the Grand Banks fishing, and he told me many a hair raising story about the Great Atlantic. The Millers were renown merchants and had been so since the early 1800's. Skipper Paddy, like his father Paddy Miller Sr., was a hard taskmaster, my Father told me and he tolerated nothing but 100 per cent effort and drive from his sons or crew.
On December 17 1947, my father Frank Dwyer was home in Tilting Harbour (the other side of Fogo Island) with his wife and three children, but knew his cousins Bill and Ignatius (Naish) Miller were heading out with a catch of Cod to deliver to the Fisherman's Union Trading Company at Catalina. Then, maybe on to St John's, but Christmas was near and could not be missed. Bill Miller, 33, was the Captain for the journey and Ignatius, 21, was his 1st mate. (I was named for him when I was born in Montreal in 1950). There was also a crew of 6. All Fogo residents and most were seasoned mariners.
My father told me this story often, and he said he was concerned as a storm was brewing that morning and it looked like it could be big. He said, Bill Miller was a very competent Skipper and had grown up on these great ships and was certainly not afraid of a little rough weather. But Bill was in a hurry.
By morning as the storm raged, Captain Paddy became concerned and went down to the telegraph office and called the operator in Seldom, who told him the Duke had not arrived there. He knew their only hope was that they had rode out the storm and crossed Bonavista Bay and sought shelter.
Everyone on the Island soon knew the news story and were listening to the radio broadcasts and praying for good news of the crew. Two days passed before pieces of wreckage started to wash ashore near Shag Rock, near the town of Valleyfield. Then a couple of bodies. All hands were lost it was soon discovered.
The 1947 Christmas on Fogo was a sad one. Ignatius's body was never recovered. The dead were;
Captain Bill Miller, Ignatius Miller, Donovan Bryan, Wilfred Buckle, Stewart Keefe, Maxwell Payne, Augustus Pickett.
Skipper Paddy and his wife Aunt Agnes were devastated as were the families of all the men. Many had left wives and children. My Father went up to the Miller house in Fogo and the old man was staring out the window as dad arrived. "They're gone, my boys, Frank," was all he could muster.
Two years later my father, having voted in a referendum to join Canada as it's tenth province, left Newfoundland and moved his family to Montreal, now a Canadian citizen. He said he knew he could do better for his children. So after roughly 200 years out of Ireland, and years of fishing and struggling, he moved on.
In 1963 he returned with my mother and I was allowed to tag along. We flew in a Trans-Canada Airline Vanguard. It was exciting and as we left 10 days later for home in Montreal, I was glad of the heritage and history and the people were amazing, but would not miss the; no electricity, no running water, no indoor plumbing. Today Fogo Island is a fully modern and equipped community with a rich rich heritage and the fisherman still thrive with their modern boats and equipment.
The ghost of the Francis P. Duke still lives on as do the many other tragic stories that the Island produced as tough men and women lived and laughed and loved. All too human.
Monday, 1 September 2014
We Are All In This Together
I was always a loyal listener to CBC Radio. In 1973, I got a job working for KAWASAKI MOTORS as a dealer rep and they moved me to Moncton, New Brunswick. I was making 350 bucks a week and had a great expense account. I was 23, not married or involved and, man, did I have fun.
My job was to get up every Monday and leave my really cool bungalow on the Shediac River, which I bought for 15 thousand dollars, and travel the maritime provinces including Newfoundland and visit our Kawasaki Motorcycle and Snowmobile dealers in the four province's. I had a new Chevy Impala with a great sound system and I listened to the CBC daily, starting with Peter Gzowski's 'This country in the Morning', three hour long, out of Toronto, and broadcast nation wide. When Peter died and the show was no more, it was a great blow to our country, Canada. Truly.
A couple of times a year they flew me to Toronto for sales meeting but I was doing a good job and they were happy with me. My trips to Newfoundland were my happiest. I had first cousins (my father's brother Bill's children .He was a prince) in Grand Falls and they were very kind to me. Clarence was a new lawyer starting a practice and his sister Patricia became a great friends, to this day. She eventually married Frank Fagan who was an excellent businessman and humanitarian and they had two fine sons in St John's, Andrew and Richard. Both became doctors MD's but sadly Richard died a few years ago from cancer in his 20's. Heartbreaking.
Eventually they learned to cope and suddenly, last year Prime Minister Harper offered Frank the post of Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador and they accepted. So now they are Honorable, which is appropriate.
I don't listen to the CBC as much as I used to. But I still miss Peter Gzowski. Luckily for me, on one of my trips to St John's my cousins introduced me to my future wife, Jean O'Byrne. She was a physiotherapist recently recruited from Ireland by the Government of Newfoundland 1975, due to a shortage of physio's in the province. Three months later we married in Toronto and Yamaha transferred me back to Toronto.
My family had arrived in Newfoundland some time around 1750 and settled on Tilting Harbor, Fogo Island, some 15 miles off the north east coast. There they fished cod, which was plentiful and grew a garden of potatoes and some vegetables and practiced the Catholic faith with a fearsome devotion.
Life was harsh and death was a common part of life, whether it was childbirth or disease or even the common flu. The village of Tilting, was the commercial fishing capitol of the island and many a great Lunenburg style sailing vessel was built on it shores. Their history is long and steady, as they rarely left the island except to sell their catch and buy supplies in St John's. I wrote a novella with my son Jon called "Michael Burke", which is available on Amazon Kindle, for a token price. ( it was recently optioned for the movie rights) Michael Burke was an ancestor from my mother's family, the great Burke family of Waterford, Ireland.
When I could, I would visit Fogo Island and stay at my aunt Cecilia's wonderful home. Her children were married and moved away by then, and her husband, Lons Donahue, had died a few years before. Now he was a saint. The feather beds she had were ancient and coma inducing. I never had a better sleep, before or since. She was my mother's eldest sister and she lived late into her 90's, dying, not more than a few years ago.
Through all of these days, the CBC Radio was my companion.
My job was to get up every Monday and leave my really cool bungalow on the Shediac River, which I bought for 15 thousand dollars, and travel the maritime provinces including Newfoundland and visit our Kawasaki Motorcycle and Snowmobile dealers in the four province's. I had a new Chevy Impala with a great sound system and I listened to the CBC daily, starting with Peter Gzowski's 'This country in the Morning', three hour long, out of Toronto, and broadcast nation wide. When Peter died and the show was no more, it was a great blow to our country, Canada. Truly.
A couple of times a year they flew me to Toronto for sales meeting but I was doing a good job and they were happy with me. My trips to Newfoundland were my happiest. I had first cousins (my father's brother Bill's children .He was a prince) in Grand Falls and they were very kind to me. Clarence was a new lawyer starting a practice and his sister Patricia became a great friends, to this day. She eventually married Frank Fagan who was an excellent businessman and humanitarian and they had two fine sons in St John's, Andrew and Richard. Both became doctors MD's but sadly Richard died a few years ago from cancer in his 20's. Heartbreaking.
Eventually they learned to cope and suddenly, last year Prime Minister Harper offered Frank the post of Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador and they accepted. So now they are Honorable, which is appropriate.
I don't listen to the CBC as much as I used to. But I still miss Peter Gzowski. Luckily for me, on one of my trips to St John's my cousins introduced me to my future wife, Jean O'Byrne. She was a physiotherapist recently recruited from Ireland by the Government of Newfoundland 1975, due to a shortage of physio's in the province. Three months later we married in Toronto and Yamaha transferred me back to Toronto.
My family had arrived in Newfoundland some time around 1750 and settled on Tilting Harbor, Fogo Island, some 15 miles off the north east coast. There they fished cod, which was plentiful and grew a garden of potatoes and some vegetables and practiced the Catholic faith with a fearsome devotion.
Life was harsh and death was a common part of life, whether it was childbirth or disease or even the common flu. The village of Tilting, was the commercial fishing capitol of the island and many a great Lunenburg style sailing vessel was built on it shores. Their history is long and steady, as they rarely left the island except to sell their catch and buy supplies in St John's. I wrote a novella with my son Jon called "Michael Burke", which is available on Amazon Kindle, for a token price. ( it was recently optioned for the movie rights) Michael Burke was an ancestor from my mother's family, the great Burke family of Waterford, Ireland.
When I could, I would visit Fogo Island and stay at my aunt Cecilia's wonderful home. Her children were married and moved away by then, and her husband, Lons Donahue, had died a few years before. Now he was a saint. The feather beds she had were ancient and coma inducing. I never had a better sleep, before or since. She was my mother's eldest sister and she lived late into her 90's, dying, not more than a few years ago.
Through all of these days, the CBC Radio was my companion.
Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Random ness in Thought
Chris Rock says comically, but with great insight, "being able to speak to 500 or 1000 people from a stage is freakish. It's more freakish than being able to dunk a basketball or a bend a steel bar with your bare hands." That's how I have always thought about public speaking. I struggled with it through my life and improved but was never great or at ease or even able to act like it I was at ease.
I can say without reservation that watching my son Jon give his Ted talk at the Sony Center in Toronto to a few thousand people a few years ago was a high point of my life. His ease, delivery and content were the icing.
He started by talking about how our family came from Ireland in 1750's to Newfoundland and how his grandfather, Frank Dwyer moved from there to Central Canada in 1949 with his young family and gave us this shot at pretty great life.
I had offered a few ideas but had no idea what he would say. He was funny and smart and insightful, and I think he established himself as his own man and an intellectual.
Last year he was invited to be a guest speaker at the Brick works in Toronto, where he joined Robert Kennedy Jr. talking about the environment and recycling. I got to attend and chatted with Mr. Kennedy. He was great and was impressed with Jon's talk. If you have not seen them yet, you can, you tube: Jon Dwyer Toronto.
I had some thought this week, watching the debate on whether to call an inquiry, on the proliferation of deaths of Native women in Canada and kind of wanted to write about it. In the end I decided I had no business stirring that pot. I will say it is disappointing how poorly our Leaders, Native and Government have handled this massive issue. Somebody make a decision and let's get on making this country greater than it is, and fairer. This is the issue we are going to get burned for and not because we didn't try to fix it but our efforts were so lame and cowardly. They, the Natives, are not on solid ground in their argument and asks and neither are we.
President Obama is now taking a beating from the likes of Maureen Dowd, the New York Times columnist. She always defended him morally and intellectually. Now, not so much. I think he will be viewed as good President. Like the lead Senator from New York said,'unless you are willing to send your son or grandson to Syria or back to Iraq,I don't want to hear from you. Obama gets that. He has to answer for them and sign death notices.
I can say without reservation that watching my son Jon give his Ted talk at the Sony Center in Toronto to a few thousand people a few years ago was a high point of my life. His ease, delivery and content were the icing.
He started by talking about how our family came from Ireland in 1750's to Newfoundland and how his grandfather, Frank Dwyer moved from there to Central Canada in 1949 with his young family and gave us this shot at pretty great life.
I had offered a few ideas but had no idea what he would say. He was funny and smart and insightful, and I think he established himself as his own man and an intellectual.
Last year he was invited to be a guest speaker at the Brick works in Toronto, where he joined Robert Kennedy Jr. talking about the environment and recycling. I got to attend and chatted with Mr. Kennedy. He was great and was impressed with Jon's talk. If you have not seen them yet, you can, you tube: Jon Dwyer Toronto.
I had some thought this week, watching the debate on whether to call an inquiry, on the proliferation of deaths of Native women in Canada and kind of wanted to write about it. In the end I decided I had no business stirring that pot. I will say it is disappointing how poorly our Leaders, Native and Government have handled this massive issue. Somebody make a decision and let's get on making this country greater than it is, and fairer. This is the issue we are going to get burned for and not because we didn't try to fix it but our efforts were so lame and cowardly. They, the Natives, are not on solid ground in their argument and asks and neither are we.
President Obama is now taking a beating from the likes of Maureen Dowd, the New York Times columnist. She always defended him morally and intellectually. Now, not so much. I think he will be viewed as good President. Like the lead Senator from New York said,'unless you are willing to send your son or grandson to Syria or back to Iraq,I don't want to hear from you. Obama gets that. He has to answer for them and sign death notices.
Saturday, 23 August 2014
Ed Fitzgerald, Depression and the Khmer Rouge
I met Ed Fitzgerald in 1979. I was running for Alderman in Cabbagetown, Toronto and didn't have a clue how to do that, except I had the ambition and and was having a good year and was sure I could make City Hall work better. Ed was a noted NDP insider and adviser, and drinking buddy at the Parsons Nose Pub on Parliament St, who felt that city politics should not be controlled by political parties.
So now I had the smartest political guy in Canada running my campaign. The NDP were not impressed and they were really mad at Ed and threw their best at us. We loved it but lost. We remained lifelong friends and he stood Godfather to my son Jon.
Ed went on to Direct the National News re branded as ,The Journal with Barbara From, (Great Broadcast) and then moved to Boston and worked with Peter Kent as his traveling producer doing great news stories around the world.
Finally Ed moved to Cambodia as CNBC Asia man at large, from 1988 to 2000. Today he is semi retired in Ottawa. While in Cambodia, (Ed is a great storyteller and thank God because he has great stories) he recently told me, over a chat about the great problem of depression, that once the UN sent two Psychiatrists from Sweden to Cambodia to report on the mental health of the population given the madness that the Khmer Rouge had rained on the people?
Over a interview dinner with them ,Ed asked if the level of depression and anger was as great as one would expect. "No," one of the Doctors said, "Depression is 1st World luxury. In the Third World folks get up in the morning and have so many challenges, like getting something to eat that they seem to have no time to get depressed. The are focused on survival."
It is an interesting thought. Every culture and society develop and live with many diseases. In the Third World many diseases exist that we have been eradicated here but maybe we made our own unique to our lives and culture. like depression and anxiety.
Don't get me wrong, depression is a serious problem in the developed world, our world. And we need to study it more and take the stigma from it, so more people suffering from it can get treatment and governments need to spend much more on finding fixes and cures. We know that some 8 % of Canadians will suffer major depression in their life time and for most of them, their chemistry is out of whack. I knew depression once, for about 6 months when I was 19. I remember it seemed to just appear, no reason or major occurrence and I was lost. I could not find hope and suffered great anxiety. I took no medication and as soon as it appeared it just faded away and I was better and happy. I could never explain it but it gave me empathy for the illness.
More of the talk Ed and I had about this touched on the fact that we don't understand all of who we are and how we came to be US. Our religions and myths fade in modern life. Our communities have little or no traditions in our cities and our families live around the globe. We are way better educated but we need new myths and stories to sustain ourselves and our minds. Our coping skills and mechanisms need to be overhauled. We have too many choices but no sense of our limitations and I am convinced religion is not the answer. We can't lay this one on God or ask him to fix it.
Ed told the story of when the Cambodians started arresting the Khmer Rouge leaders recently and putting them on trial, he went to interview a few of them in a village, with his interpreter. The homes they lived in were empty so he stopped a fisherman and asked if he knew the men who lived there and that they were to be arrested. The man said he knew them, as they had killed his wife and 4 children back in the Rouge days of terror. Ed asked if he ever thought about revenging them by killing him and the man answered no. He had to get up and make a living for his new wife and children whom he married after the war. Ed said he totally let it go. Not in a selfish, non caring way .He coped and did not allow himself to despair over what he could not control. Ed said that these people had codes and were tribal, in that they knew they had to go on. If they had a bad month of weather and caught no fish or crops were spoiled, there was no Bank on the corner to borrow money from to get by. They had to rely on their families and neighbors for support and strength.
Finally, have you heard the phrase, The magic of the office? It's a known phenomenon observed of people elected to high office, like Prime minister and how they became much more sure footed, successful and confident. Even when they were not known for that image. Joe Clarke Canadian P M and Jimmy Carter, U S President are examples. They rose to the challenge. The opposite of that phenomenon is I think, depression
Lots for us to think and talk about.
So now I had the smartest political guy in Canada running my campaign. The NDP were not impressed and they were really mad at Ed and threw their best at us. We loved it but lost. We remained lifelong friends and he stood Godfather to my son Jon.
Ed went on to Direct the National News re branded as ,The Journal with Barbara From, (Great Broadcast) and then moved to Boston and worked with Peter Kent as his traveling producer doing great news stories around the world.
Finally Ed moved to Cambodia as CNBC Asia man at large, from 1988 to 2000. Today he is semi retired in Ottawa. While in Cambodia, (Ed is a great storyteller and thank God because he has great stories) he recently told me, over a chat about the great problem of depression, that once the UN sent two Psychiatrists from Sweden to Cambodia to report on the mental health of the population given the madness that the Khmer Rouge had rained on the people?
Over a interview dinner with them ,Ed asked if the level of depression and anger was as great as one would expect. "No," one of the Doctors said, "Depression is 1st World luxury. In the Third World folks get up in the morning and have so many challenges, like getting something to eat that they seem to have no time to get depressed. The are focused on survival."
It is an interesting thought. Every culture and society develop and live with many diseases. In the Third World many diseases exist that we have been eradicated here but maybe we made our own unique to our lives and culture. like depression and anxiety.
Don't get me wrong, depression is a serious problem in the developed world, our world. And we need to study it more and take the stigma from it, so more people suffering from it can get treatment and governments need to spend much more on finding fixes and cures. We know that some 8 % of Canadians will suffer major depression in their life time and for most of them, their chemistry is out of whack. I knew depression once, for about 6 months when I was 19. I remember it seemed to just appear, no reason or major occurrence and I was lost. I could not find hope and suffered great anxiety. I took no medication and as soon as it appeared it just faded away and I was better and happy. I could never explain it but it gave me empathy for the illness.
More of the talk Ed and I had about this touched on the fact that we don't understand all of who we are and how we came to be US. Our religions and myths fade in modern life. Our communities have little or no traditions in our cities and our families live around the globe. We are way better educated but we need new myths and stories to sustain ourselves and our minds. Our coping skills and mechanisms need to be overhauled. We have too many choices but no sense of our limitations and I am convinced religion is not the answer. We can't lay this one on God or ask him to fix it.
Ed told the story of when the Cambodians started arresting the Khmer Rouge leaders recently and putting them on trial, he went to interview a few of them in a village, with his interpreter. The homes they lived in were empty so he stopped a fisherman and asked if he knew the men who lived there and that they were to be arrested. The man said he knew them, as they had killed his wife and 4 children back in the Rouge days of terror. Ed asked if he ever thought about revenging them by killing him and the man answered no. He had to get up and make a living for his new wife and children whom he married after the war. Ed said he totally let it go. Not in a selfish, non caring way .He coped and did not allow himself to despair over what he could not control. Ed said that these people had codes and were tribal, in that they knew they had to go on. If they had a bad month of weather and caught no fish or crops were spoiled, there was no Bank on the corner to borrow money from to get by. They had to rely on their families and neighbors for support and strength.
Finally, have you heard the phrase, The magic of the office? It's a known phenomenon observed of people elected to high office, like Prime minister and how they became much more sure footed, successful and confident. Even when they were not known for that image. Joe Clarke Canadian P M and Jimmy Carter, U S President are examples. They rose to the challenge. The opposite of that phenomenon is I think, depression
Lots for us to think and talk about.
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
The Catholic Church, Bicycles and Twitter
This week I watched the new Irish Film Board film, Calvary, by James Michael McDonagh and starring Brendan Gleeson. Yesterday I went back to see it again. It is a Tour de force and well, just a repudiation of the Catholic Church as it existed in Ireland. The fab thing about the film, is the use of the English language and the poetry in the dialogue.
It makes silly, the basic myths and stories that float that religion. As a former alter boy and candidate for the Priesthood, it whacked me to my soul, such as it is. Basically it tackles the sexual abuse that many boys, men and Women suffered.
Now let me say, I was a seminarian for 2 years on Staten Island with the franciscan's and I never was touched or saw any abuse. The only incidence of discomfort was when I and few of my fellow friars got caught drinking the Mass wine one night.
Fr. Kennan the Prefect and a great man, let me stew for two days before calling me in. "If I hear about this again Dwyer," he said "I am going to send a bill to your parents." I left the next year because I knew I was not the man for the job. It was the best two years of my young formative years.
Today, I am amazed at the brazen face of the church as this and other evolutionary issues torture the church to change and it will not relent and mea culpa itself; Allow women to become priests and allow men priests to marry once ordained. And just admit that God isn't going to send us to hell for immoral thoughts anymore than he would invent a hell in the first place. Rule by fear is a terrible tactic. Fear denigrates and shames.
I get up every day and start my day by forgiving myself for whatever damage I did, the day before. Anyway a lot of bad, bad shit was done to many by the clergy and the church handled it just about as badly as they could. Die hard Catholic's will not agree to it's damage.
We had a 50 year reunion this summer on Staten Island. I did not get to go but we all, 100 odd talked on a web site and are all in touch since. I remember the Beautiful setting overlooking Manhattan and the statue of Liberty. I was amazed at the piousness and adherence many of the men still live with, through the emails we exchanged. The beautiful old 3 story building is no longer a happening seminary. In fact today, news comes that it has closed and being sold.
I think I am now a Christopher Hitchens / Bill Maher Catholic. Figure that?
Many of the cities in the world are struggling (the debates are getting heated) with the proliferation of bicycles on our streets and cities are taking over lanes as bike lanes, which impede the cars and trucks that we built them for. I think we should, if we are going to do this and it looks unstoppable, make bicyclists obtain taxed licenses, obey the rules of the road, like vehicle owner and pay an annual fee to be on the road, as a tax to build and maintain bike lanes. Vehicles pay gasoline, toll and a myriad of other taxes to use them. And that is all I have to say about that.
You can tell a lot about someone by studying who they follow on Twitter...
It makes silly, the basic myths and stories that float that religion. As a former alter boy and candidate for the Priesthood, it whacked me to my soul, such as it is. Basically it tackles the sexual abuse that many boys, men and Women suffered.
Now let me say, I was a seminarian for 2 years on Staten Island with the franciscan's and I never was touched or saw any abuse. The only incidence of discomfort was when I and few of my fellow friars got caught drinking the Mass wine one night.
Fr. Kennan the Prefect and a great man, let me stew for two days before calling me in. "If I hear about this again Dwyer," he said "I am going to send a bill to your parents." I left the next year because I knew I was not the man for the job. It was the best two years of my young formative years.
Today, I am amazed at the brazen face of the church as this and other evolutionary issues torture the church to change and it will not relent and mea culpa itself; Allow women to become priests and allow men priests to marry once ordained. And just admit that God isn't going to send us to hell for immoral thoughts anymore than he would invent a hell in the first place. Rule by fear is a terrible tactic. Fear denigrates and shames.
I get up every day and start my day by forgiving myself for whatever damage I did, the day before. Anyway a lot of bad, bad shit was done to many by the clergy and the church handled it just about as badly as they could. Die hard Catholic's will not agree to it's damage.
We had a 50 year reunion this summer on Staten Island. I did not get to go but we all, 100 odd talked on a web site and are all in touch since. I remember the Beautiful setting overlooking Manhattan and the statue of Liberty. I was amazed at the piousness and adherence many of the men still live with, through the emails we exchanged. The beautiful old 3 story building is no longer a happening seminary. In fact today, news comes that it has closed and being sold.
I think I am now a Christopher Hitchens / Bill Maher Catholic. Figure that?
Many of the cities in the world are struggling (the debates are getting heated) with the proliferation of bicycles on our streets and cities are taking over lanes as bike lanes, which impede the cars and trucks that we built them for. I think we should, if we are going to do this and it looks unstoppable, make bicyclists obtain taxed licenses, obey the rules of the road, like vehicle owner and pay an annual fee to be on the road, as a tax to build and maintain bike lanes. Vehicles pay gasoline, toll and a myriad of other taxes to use them. And that is all I have to say about that.
You can tell a lot about someone by studying who they follow on Twitter...
Monday, 18 August 2014
LAZY SHIFTLESS ATHLETES
August 18, 2014
When we were kids, it was often said that a messy room, appearance or desk, was an indication that we were not in the zone, so to speak, for peak performance and were sloppy.
I never fell for the line of thinking myself but as I got older I began to find some wisdom in it.
We have been talking a lot this year in my family about the Blue Jays baseball team team and why they falter so often when they have some of the best talented players in the world.
I have this notion that I have been sprouting of late. Many time over the years I have been in restaurants and bars where professional player from Hockey, Baseball hang out after games. Usually they were expensive places and the player were always accorded special status and service.
Sometimes I had been at the game and noticed that win or lose they were always happy and enjoying the experience. This got me thinking and I remember one game in particular, the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team had just lost 10 to 3 and all the guys were in fine form, which I remarked to my pals. They chuckled at the observation and tossed it off, as they were big Leaf fans, which I never was. Montreal was my home and Team.
Now I am sure there is something going on here. These guys make millions a year. Many make in the $50,000 to $100,000 PER WEEK range. WOW.
So win or lose they get paid.
Also I am now starting to think the way many player groom themselves is telling us more about attitude and it's effect on performance.
In old days pro player earned a little more than a good living but never got rich. Ask Mahovolich or Dick Duff and those guys.And until recently many player got little or no pension. but they were always well groomed and wore a suit to games. Baseball players especially, seem to be allowed to grow all manner of facial hair. Blue Jays, Lind has a God awful long goatee, Bautista has a beard and many others are scruffy looking and not professional on the field but I am told they are supposed to wear a suit to and from games.
I think this belies an attitude of rich men, many of them Nouveau Rich, who are spoiled and often do not put out all they should in games and lose good attitude when challenged with up hill battle to win a game. Maybe if we changed some rules and paid player by the game. And if they lost they only got half their game fee.
Only lately have I begun to look to the money for insight into human behavior. I heard from my son who was studying economics about an English economist Pigov
He authored the term Pigouvian tax, which is a tax often levied on companies and people to get them to change their behavior.
Players get to the big leagues and often seem to lose that God Blessed drive they had to get there.
Think about it pls?
When we were kids, it was often said that a messy room, appearance or desk, was an indication that we were not in the zone, so to speak, for peak performance and were sloppy.
I never fell for the line of thinking myself but as I got older I began to find some wisdom in it.
We have been talking a lot this year in my family about the Blue Jays baseball team team and why they falter so often when they have some of the best talented players in the world.
I have this notion that I have been sprouting of late. Many time over the years I have been in restaurants and bars where professional player from Hockey, Baseball hang out after games. Usually they were expensive places and the player were always accorded special status and service.
Sometimes I had been at the game and noticed that win or lose they were always happy and enjoying the experience. This got me thinking and I remember one game in particular, the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team had just lost 10 to 3 and all the guys were in fine form, which I remarked to my pals. They chuckled at the observation and tossed it off, as they were big Leaf fans, which I never was. Montreal was my home and Team.
Now I am sure there is something going on here. These guys make millions a year. Many make in the $50,000 to $100,000 PER WEEK range. WOW.
So win or lose they get paid.
Also I am now starting to think the way many player groom themselves is telling us more about attitude and it's effect on performance.
In old days pro player earned a little more than a good living but never got rich. Ask Mahovolich or Dick Duff and those guys.And until recently many player got little or no pension. but they were always well groomed and wore a suit to games. Baseball players especially, seem to be allowed to grow all manner of facial hair. Blue Jays, Lind has a God awful long goatee, Bautista has a beard and many others are scruffy looking and not professional on the field but I am told they are supposed to wear a suit to and from games.
I think this belies an attitude of rich men, many of them Nouveau Rich, who are spoiled and often do not put out all they should in games and lose good attitude when challenged with up hill battle to win a game. Maybe if we changed some rules and paid player by the game. And if they lost they only got half their game fee.
Only lately have I begun to look to the money for insight into human behavior. I heard from my son who was studying economics about an English economist Pigov
He authored the term Pigouvian tax, which is a tax often levied on companies and people to get them to change their behavior.
Players get to the big leagues and often seem to lose that God Blessed drive they had to get there.
Think about it pls?
Sunday, 17 August 2014
The Irish And the Jewish People
August 17 2014 Happy Birthday Mary Dwyer
The matter of the Jewish state and Arab potential state is dominating world politics and has for decades, literally. Some folks say they are tired of it all. When you look at what an incredible job the Jews did building that State since the 1940, well you gotta give them credit for a job well done.
As a Irish and Canadian citizen I often wondered why the lessons of the Irish troubles and their cautious, long suffering solutions are not viewed as a good template for the resolution to this conflict. Or at least a good window to view what can happen.
We know the Jews and Irish share a unique respect, for they share a mutual history of persecution at the hands of others for mostly religious reasons.
A little history;
The British were relentless in their hated of the Irish and starved to death, some estimate, between 3 and 5 Million people in the 1845 to 1855 period, commonly called the Irish potato famine when in fact it was not famine but murder and neglect, set brazenly under the noses of all the world.
Indeed the London Times quoted Charles Trevelyan, (who was the British point man for handling of the Blight , as they called it) as saying..."The judgement of God sent the calamity, to teach the Irish a lesson, that calamity must not be too much mitigated... The real evil with which we have to contend is not the physical evil of the famine, but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse,and turbulent character of the people" To add insult to injust the Queen knighted the SOB.
His "Savage Nature" as has been depicted only long after the 1850's, were met with calls to; Forgive and Forget. Which the Irish Catholic majority largely did. But the British persecution continued into the 1900's and finally Ireland got a partitioned free state in 1921. But the British could not fully relent and disallowed those in the Northern portion, run still by British, the right to vote to those who did not own land. And those people of course were most all Catholic. The troubles raged on. Finally after more vicious and violent terror, the Good Friday accord and baby steps to peace which has held.
Forgive and forget was easier for the British than the Irish but we did.
A good friend of mine Pat Quinn jr, once told me he thought the peace came about because the Celtic Tiger had landed in Ireland, thanks to them joining the European Union and billion poured in creating a economy, the likes which few countries had ever experience in such a short time.
The wars and killing and hatred had the potential to kill it all and destroy the party. Everyone had a job. A new car, and new homes. Whatever the reason, peace arrived and has held. Even through the bust whch circled the financial world through 2007.Peace will come to Middle east. Let's do our bit to nudge it along. Let's get the Irish and Jews talking and become better friends.
The matter of the Jewish state and Arab potential state is dominating world politics and has for decades, literally. Some folks say they are tired of it all. When you look at what an incredible job the Jews did building that State since the 1940, well you gotta give them credit for a job well done.
As a Irish and Canadian citizen I often wondered why the lessons of the Irish troubles and their cautious, long suffering solutions are not viewed as a good template for the resolution to this conflict. Or at least a good window to view what can happen.
We know the Jews and Irish share a unique respect, for they share a mutual history of persecution at the hands of others for mostly religious reasons.
A little history;
The British were relentless in their hated of the Irish and starved to death, some estimate, between 3 and 5 Million people in the 1845 to 1855 period, commonly called the Irish potato famine when in fact it was not famine but murder and neglect, set brazenly under the noses of all the world.
Indeed the London Times quoted Charles Trevelyan, (who was the British point man for handling of the Blight , as they called it) as saying..."The judgement of God sent the calamity, to teach the Irish a lesson, that calamity must not be too much mitigated... The real evil with which we have to contend is not the physical evil of the famine, but the moral evil of the selfish, perverse,and turbulent character of the people" To add insult to injust the Queen knighted the SOB.
His "Savage Nature" as has been depicted only long after the 1850's, were met with calls to; Forgive and Forget. Which the Irish Catholic majority largely did. But the British persecution continued into the 1900's and finally Ireland got a partitioned free state in 1921. But the British could not fully relent and disallowed those in the Northern portion, run still by British, the right to vote to those who did not own land. And those people of course were most all Catholic. The troubles raged on. Finally after more vicious and violent terror, the Good Friday accord and baby steps to peace which has held.
Forgive and forget was easier for the British than the Irish but we did.
A good friend of mine Pat Quinn jr, once told me he thought the peace came about because the Celtic Tiger had landed in Ireland, thanks to them joining the European Union and billion poured in creating a economy, the likes which few countries had ever experience in such a short time.
The wars and killing and hatred had the potential to kill it all and destroy the party. Everyone had a job. A new car, and new homes. Whatever the reason, peace arrived and has held. Even through the bust whch circled the financial world through 2007.Peace will come to Middle east. Let's do our bit to nudge it along. Let's get the Irish and Jews talking and become better friends.
Saturday, 16 August 2014
The new Indian Premier Modi said Friday he wants all families to have bank account to access Government programs and funding.
In Canada if you visit any of the big 5 banks to open an account, they will refuse you if you credit is not good and they do checks right there. That is why Money Marts et al do so well, trading on misery and hard luck of others.
I told Minister Jim Flaherty this once in P J O'Brian's and he promise to look into this but he died 3 weeks later, God rest him.
The U S President Obama will visit Estonia in early Sept. WHY? My friend Tom Christanbraun, who was born there and is great soul, (Best restaurant owner in Toronto , (Bistro 990 and Bel Air Cafe, Museum Tavern) will be delighted.
If you are takingVia train to Montreal, especially first class, tip the two attendants in your car when you get on. You will not want to tip them when you leave. Service is tip driven. They stop serving in Cornwall and disappear. Truly
I was in Yankee stadium on Mickey Mantle day 1965. They gave him a Thunderbird Car. I was 15 attending a catholic private school on Staten Island. Best schooling of my life. Great Priests and never was touched.
Rob Ford will lose to John Tory, (maybe Olivia Chow if John Laschinger get's creative, as only he can) Our Norm Kelly deputy Mayor will be deputy mayor again whoever wins.
In Canada if you visit any of the big 5 banks to open an account, they will refuse you if you credit is not good and they do checks right there. That is why Money Marts et al do so well, trading on misery and hard luck of others.
I told Minister Jim Flaherty this once in P J O'Brian's and he promise to look into this but he died 3 weeks later, God rest him.
The U S President Obama will visit Estonia in early Sept. WHY? My friend Tom Christanbraun, who was born there and is great soul, (Best restaurant owner in Toronto , (Bistro 990 and Bel Air Cafe, Museum Tavern) will be delighted.
If you are takingVia train to Montreal, especially first class, tip the two attendants in your car when you get on. You will not want to tip them when you leave. Service is tip driven. They stop serving in Cornwall and disappear. Truly
I was in Yankee stadium on Mickey Mantle day 1965. They gave him a Thunderbird Car. I was 15 attending a catholic private school on Staten Island. Best schooling of my life. Great Priests and never was touched.
Rob Ford will lose to John Tory, (maybe Olivia Chow if John Laschinger get's creative, as only he can) Our Norm Kelly deputy Mayor will be deputy mayor again whoever wins.
Imbroglio; great word; Extremely confusing, embarrassing , confused. ah well We are just rain drops on the windshield, most days.
Seamus O'Regan is a fine fella. I met him few times.and he seems very kind and smart but is he a designer Candidate for St John's Liberal team? These men grew up on Star Wars. and are older Gen X Guys.I guess.
What's this about Steve Pakin running for Ontario Tory leadership . I gotta a lot of time for Steve.He interviewed me several times and was polite but tough. We should run Pamela Wallin and have her say; Fuck it I am not going to be destroyed by a few dollars and petty politics. They told me this was how the Senate game was played and then changed the rules. Fuck them all. I mean Bill Clinton my hero got public fellacio and we all forgave and were envious.
Seamus O'Regan is a fine fella. I met him few times.and he seems very kind and smart but is he a designer Candidate for St John's Liberal team? These men grew up on Star Wars. and are older Gen X Guys.I guess.
What's this about Steve Pakin running for Ontario Tory leadership . I gotta a lot of time for Steve.He interviewed me several times and was polite but tough. We should run Pamela Wallin and have her say; Fuck it I am not going to be destroyed by a few dollars and petty politics. They told me this was how the Senate game was played and then changed the rules. Fuck them all. I mean Bill Clinton my hero got public fellacio and we all forgave and were envious.
August 16 2014...
I do not like to start this on a negative note but I hate the word BLOG. I'm using the word hate here.
Be sure to watch Jerry Seinfeld's new on line program; Comedians in cars getting coffee. Just Google it. It gets my day going. Good funny smart.Modern. He is real guy. You will find material like;
The French leave without saying goodbye. The Irish say goodbye but never leave.
Andrew Graham Dixon great English Historian.Makes fab video docs. See it on TVO Website.
I love punctuation but I am terrible at it's proper usage.
Follow Cranky Pappy on Twitter. Good rule.
When I was a kid growing up in Montreal in the 1950's. Jesus Mary and Joseph, I can't believe I wrote that and it's true. It was a great time and the world including Toronto envied our rep. Now, not so much.
Mary Dwyer will be 6 ty something tomorrow. We shall not speak of this again.
I do not like to start this on a negative note but I hate the word BLOG. I'm using the word hate here.
Be sure to watch Jerry Seinfeld's new on line program; Comedians in cars getting coffee. Just Google it. It gets my day going. Good funny smart.Modern. He is real guy. You will find material like;
The French leave without saying goodbye. The Irish say goodbye but never leave.
Andrew Graham Dixon great English Historian.Makes fab video docs. See it on TVO Website.
I love punctuation but I am terrible at it's proper usage.
Follow Cranky Pappy on Twitter. Good rule.
When I was a kid growing up in Montreal in the 1950's. Jesus Mary and Joseph, I can't believe I wrote that and it's true. It was a great time and the world including Toronto envied our rep. Now, not so much.
Mary Dwyer will be 6 ty something tomorrow. We shall not speak of this again.
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