Music Video: Rush YYZ

Rush rocks!

One day in the late 1970s, Rush member Alex Lifeson flew his bandmates, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart, into Toronto International Airport. The airport's IATA (International Air Transport Association) identification code of "YYZ", broadcast by the airport's VHF omnidirectional range system as Morse code, greeted the music crew as they approached. The repeating rhythm called like a siren... inspiring the band to write a piece to exploit the sequence.

(Y)  - . - -   (Y)  - . - -   (Z)  - - . .

Beauty, eh?

I love this instrumental piece.

Toronto rocks!

Postscript: YYZ is pronounced as, "why why zed". Say it properly or don't waste my time.

* * *

(The video embedded above I shared from the super Canadian band's YouTube channel.)

A Story: The UFO Researcher and My UFO Story

A few years ago I met a gentleman who was a UFO researcher. The discipline of ufology is interesting to me whether I believe in extraterrestrial visitors or think they are, with all due respects to Archie Bunker, pigments of our imaginations. The gent briefed me on some of his cases: "plasma" was a big one. During our conversation I remembered my own personal story....

Early 1980s.

It was evening and the winter sky was dark — with the exception of a sky field flicked with thousands of stars. I was walking along the street in a small city here in Ontario where the above is fresher and clearer than it is here in the big city, Toronto. Something made me look up. Above, way up, streaked a tiny burning bright. Immediately I discounted it being a satellite or meteorite: the speedy light zigged and zagged as if undertaking evasive maneuvers. The star-field relief gave my eyes some 'registration'; a reference point for the non-static light to play against, confirming to me that what I was seeing might have been piloted by an indecisive, albeit quick-thinking, navigator.

The ufologist nodded. He looked as though he believed that I had seen something not of this Earth. I'm not sure I believe it. But that's my UFO story.

"Believe it, or not."

* * *

Hopefully it's not one of these....

Picturing: A Curious Kitty on Sentry Duty

What could it be? A butterfly? A bug? A fly? It might be a pigeon.

Picturing: Barista Michelle of Starbucks Toronto

Athot for the Day: What Is Humour? Anyone?

If you don't find The Three Stooges funny I certainly don't want to know about your other problems.

Picturing: Two Eastern Bloc Books on the Table

Two books to read, indeed. Given my interest in the former Eastern Bloc, "The Soviet Space Race with Apollo" deserves an essential reread, and "Stasi: The Untold Story of The East German Secret Police" earns a much-warranted first ply through.

My ongoing fascination, in particular, with the GDR (German Democratic Republic, "East Germany") seems to have no limits. I don't eat cold breakfast cereals, but if someone marketed a cereal promising to satiate such an appetite, I would consume ravenously... with milk and (too much) sugar, of course. And with it enjoy a fine cup of "Erichs Krönung".

Funny story: after reading "Soviet Space Race" about ten years ago I contacted the author to pass on my admiration for his great document (of which this book is actually a Part Two). He responded, and my reaction was: "Exactly how an academic would articulate 'much appreciated'." Smart guy!

The Soviet Space Race with Apollo (by Asif A. Siddiqi)

Stasi: The Untold Story of The East German Secret Police (by John O. Koehler)

Sunday Fun: Carnivorous Seaweed?! What the?....

Floating through Wikipedia, as I'm prone to do once I'm on a rolling wave, I went from "shipping" to "Bermuda Triangle" to "Sargasso Sea" and ended up on "The Lost Continent (1968 film)". That entertaining motion picture, produced by Hammer Films — wonderful Hammer Films — and Seven Arts Productions, captured me when I first saw it in my early teens.

I read its Wiki entry....

Basic plot details took me back to fantastic imagery: wrecked ships (it is the Sargasso Sea, after all); conquistadors; people sporting "buoyancy balloons" (fantastic!); pirates; priests; and Spanish ladies (marketing, my boys!).

I decided right there that I had to see this film again.

Then I read further:

"... adrift in a morass of large sentient carnivorous seaweed...."

Carnivorous seaweed?!

(Sentient carnivorous seaweed?!!)

(Large sentient carnivorous seaweed?!!!)

What the?....

Should I even click on that?

With my cursor, and some trepidation, I touched the link.

Oh, it's two separate words, links: "carnivorous"; "seaweed".

That makes more sense... and makes me feel a lot better about swimming in the ocean. (Regular seaweed doesn't bother me. Key word: "bother.")

I'll probably avoid the Sargasso Sea. But I won't avoid The Lost Continent.

Postscript: True to my words, I rewatched the fantastical flick after grabbing the Blu-ray. Great stuff. I was a little surprised by how languid the pacing was in the first act. That editorial choice, however, worked in the picture's favour, setting up nicely what strange things were to come....

A Kodak Moment: Watching a Parade in Germany

I'm guessing I took this picture in Hügelsheim, which is just down the road from Iffezheim, the town my family was living in at the time. Perhaps this is Iffezheim. I can't remember, exactly.

One thing I am sure about is how much I love those Fanfarenzug ("fanfare band") costumes. I loved living in Germany... actually West Germany at that time. East Germany, the GDR (German Democratic Republic), was something different.

My parents bought me a Kodak "Instamatic" 133 camera for my seventh birthday. They started me at a young age on my road to photography. That colourful parade scene would have been captured in the summer of 1969 or 1970.

Flukey the Flower's Odd Petal in an Odd World

We hear you, Fluke. We're living in a... special time.

Metropolis is One of the Greatest Pictures

Late last night I was reminded that the German (post-expressionist) science fiction feature film Metropolis was first screened for the public on January 10, 1927, in Berlin. To me, it is a prime example of the possibilities of the motion picture form. All production departments are front and centre, including Gottfried Huppertz's magnificent original score.

This fan of UFA, the classic flick's producing studio, and of director Fritz Lang, should not have missed that special birthday: 99 years ago... vor neunundneunzig Jahren.

A plaqued Metropolis mini-poster hangs proudly on my wall....

... it replaced a plaqued mini-poster of Klimt's "The Kiss". With that move did I unwittingly pull some symbolism? I must find a certain kiss and give it its well-deserved place on my wall: re-place it.

Postscript: I labelled Metropolis as being "post-expressionist", which is what it was. Too often it's slotted into "German Expressionist Cinema". The picture certainly has many touches fitting comfortably within that film form, but overall it is "post".

Something I Read Minutes Ago... Something Brilliant

"One key difference between 1930s Germany and 2020s USA is that 1930s Germany didn't have 90 years of books, movies and documentaries warning it about 1930s Germany."

It really resonated with this student of history... especially that history.

Picturing: Bloor Street at Dalton Road, Toronto

While running a few errands early this afternoon, I snapped a few pictures. While walking east along the north side of Bloor Street, I stopped at Dalton Road, raised my Canon 'mirrorless', and fired away. It was relatively mild today, about 6 Celsius (43 Fahrenheit).

The above pic has a pleasant subtext, I think.

Environment Canada is calling for Toronto temps of 10 Celsius (50 Fahrenheit) tomorrow.

Before I go: In my best Mark Daley voice....

"From the corner of Bloor and Dalton, this is CityTV. Everywhere!"

Picturing: Many of Us Would Just Love to See This

With what's going on in the world right now, the above machine, the fictional Starship Enterprise, would be most welcome: not so much for her phaser banks, but for her "transporter room"....

"Locked onto Mister Trump and Mister Putin, sir. Ready to beam them up."

Quote: Paramahansa Yogananda on Positivity

"Never give up on the things that make you smile. Learn to be calm and you will always be happy."

Indeed! 

A Discussion on BBC Radio 2 Re: Trump's Invasion

I'm listening to BBC Radio 2 right now, "Jeremy Vine" (with Tina Daheley sitting in). The discussion is about Donald Trump's invasion of Venezuela, the kidnapping of ruthless dictator Nicolás Maduro, and the obvious driving motivation for this intrusion... access to rich oil deposits.

A big concern expressed is that it may well set a dangerous precedent: China has been threatening for years to reclaim Taiwan; Trump and his corrupt cronies have their sights on resource-rich Greenland; Russian president Vladimir Putin won't stop with Ukraine....

For about a decade now I've been saying something that some people find troubling, concerned about my sanity, and my twisted "sense of humour", while others just laugh it off:

"The human race will be done by twenty sixty [2060]... plus or minus a few years."

Picturing: My Canon DSLR From My Canon Mirrorless

... Or, it might be: My Canon Mirrorless From My Canon DSLR

Picturing: Photo Shoot With Model Lisa

NHL Gum Card: Rene Robert (and the Buffalo Sabres)

During my preteen years, like many young men, the National Hockey League (NHL) was the most important thing. Ice hockey ruled our world, its players, our sports heroes. O-Pee-Chee marketed player trading cards, and these would appear in our corner stores. For ten cents, one got a few cards and a stick of 'gum'. The convenience store on the "South Side" of CFB Borden was my go-to place for these little packets of goodness — yes, I actually liked that gum.

The above card is from the 1972 - 1973 season.

René Robert was upper deck.

While the speedily-talented winger wore four different team uniforms, including that of the lowly Toronto Maple Leafs, during his NHL career, René Robert (1948 - 2021) hit his peak when he played for the Buffalo Sabres. With "French Connection" teammates Gilbert Perreault and Richard Martin, he was a playmaking and scoring force, especially during the NHL's 1974/75 season when the Sabres eliminated my beloved Habs (Montreal Canadiens) from further playoff participation.

Quote: Aristotle on Man

"At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst."

Given the latest news, does that remind you of anyone?

Quote: Alfred Lord Tennyson on The New Year

"Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come, whispering, 'It will be happier'."

I had intended to upload that quote at the very end of last year. However, before I pressed the upload button, sobriety mush have taken a hold on me... Or was it the wine?