Humour: Unfortunately

She dumped me.

"I'm leaving you for another man."

I was crushed.

"Just kidding!"

I felt much better.

"I'm leaving you for another woman."

Website Stats: From the Last Two Hours

Statistics bore many people. But while I was taking in some website traffic data minutes ago, I noticed the spread of hits; as in what countries the traffic is coming from... from the last two hours, that is. Boring, perhaps, but interesting:

1)  United States: 186

2)  Singapore: 108

3)  United Kingdom: 40

4)  India: 25

5)  Hong Kong: 24

6)  Canada: 13

7)  France: 8

8)  Vietnam: 8

9)  Romania: 7

10) Poland: 6

The hits are constant, so whatever I key-in above will be dated by the time I post it.

Question: What Movie Did I See?

After taking in a movie matinee at Toronto's "Bloor Cinema" (now the "Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema") one beautifully sunny day in April of 2000, I called my brother:

"I just saw the best f*cking movie ever made!"

"What did you see?"

Yes, what did I see?

A clue, although it would function more as trivia since it wouldn't mean a lot to the reader: I first saw it when I was a kid living in (West) Germany. The screening took place at CFB Baden-Soellingen's "Astra" theatre, a few years after the flick in question was first released. My Grade-3 schoolmates and I enjoyed our day at the movies. (From a seat behind me: "He won't shoot him.") Little did I know my rating would fly sky-high years later, and involve a modicum of essential profanity.

Athot for the Day: That Certain Contest

I think I fell on prosperity's lap.

A Happy 95th Birthday to William Shatner!

Canadian actor William Shatner is, quite simply, the coolest man in this galaxy. Happy Birthday to a fellow Montrealer. Leonard Nimoy was right when he said that "Jeff" Hunter was a fine actor, which he did show somewhat as Captain Christopher Pike in the pilot "The Cage", but when Shatner came on board as captain of the Starship Enterprise, Star Trek really came to life. Did it ever!

Star Trek's second pilot episode, "Where No Man Has Gone Before".

Images of Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk in "The Man Trap", the first Star Trek episode aired: September 8, 1966, NBC; but broadcast two days earlier on Canada's CTV network....

* * *

Editorial: I'm not the first person to say this, but there's something "interesting" about a Canadian, and a proud one at that, illustrating, and in the best William Shatner way, what the Constitution of the United States really means; at least, what it should mean, to 'Americans'. Today such words should carry extra meaning.

From "The Omega Glory"....

"This was not written for chiefs. Hear me! Hear this! Among my people, we carry many such words as this from many lands, many worlds. Many are equally good and are as well respected, but wherever we have gone, no words have said this thing of importance in quite this way. Look at these three words written larger than the rest, with a special pride never written before or since. Tall words proudly saying 'We the People'."

"That which you call Ee'd Plebnista was not written for the chiefs or the kings or the warriors or the rich and powerful, but for all the people!"

"Down the centuries, you have slurred the meaning of the words, 'We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution'."

"These words and the words that follow were not written only for the Yangs, but for the Kohms as well!...."

"... They must apply to everyone or they mean nothing! Do you understand?"

Athot for the Day: The Fur Will Fly!

I just realized that George Lucas adapted "Jedi Mind Trick" from "Kitty Mind Trick".

The Perfect Gift for a Conservative: a Globe (Globus)

TOPGLOBE

20 cm ("8") Globe

EXERZ

UK No.1 Educational Globe Supplier

www.topglobe.co.uk

* * *

Darn: I just realized that the word "educational" is on the box.

Oh well, at least my heart was in the right place.

Quote: George Mikes on the Cat/Human Dynamic

"You can keep a dog; but it is the cat who keeps people, because cats find humans useful domestic animals."

No doubt cats call us "useful idiots". Actually, they probably call us "useless idiots".

Flyer Card: Dr Danielle Martin of University-Rosedale

Here in Canada we have three upcoming by-elections for ridings that have to be re-determined. They are: my own riding of "University-Rosedale" (Toronto, Ontario), "Terrabonne" (Quebec), which I've been to; and "Scarborough Southwest" (Toronto, Ontario).

Slipped inside my door yesterday was the above card. Dr Danielle Martin will be looking for a win in this Liberal fortress. Longtime Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland stepped down from her firm position after accepting a voluntary role advising Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ms Martin will maintain the Liberal brand in "University-Rosedale". She has my full support.

These by-elections will all take place on Monday, April 13th. I will so be there!

Prime Minister Mark Carney rocks.

Postscript: The Liberal Party of Canada has to win just two of these ridings to cement a (thin) "majority" government. The two Toronto ridings are a pretty safe bet for the LPC, while "Terrabonne", no doubt, will be a very close contest.

Quote: Raymond Carver on Relaxing and Reading

“Woke up this morning with a terrific urge to lie in bed all day and read.”

I hear you, brother. While I couldn't lie in bed all day, I'd have to get up and at it, your greater point sits well with me.

RCAF Aircraft: CF-104 Starfighter

In March of last year I posted a piece on the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) Canadair CC-106 "Yukon" transport aircraft. Here are a few memories regarding my "brat" past; memories about RCAF Station/CFB Baden-Soellingen (4 Wing), in then West Germany, that might be of interest to former, or current, military brats, and perhaps a few "civilians"....

In those days, the mid-late 1960s and early 1970s, the RCAF's main front-line jet fighter/interceptor was the CF-104 "Starfighter". Built under license (from Lockheed) by Canadair at its Cartierville Airport plant in the Montreal suburb of Saint-Laurent, the "one-o-four" went on to enjoy a long life with Canada's Finest Service; eventually being replaced by the CF-18.

With such a high-performance aircraft, especially one originally designed for high-altitude interception but re-geared for a low-level strike and reconnaissance role, there were bound to be more than a few accidents. During the years I lived in Iffezheim, West Germany, 'we' lost several 104s from 4 Wing. The most memorable incident happened in July of 1969 when two collided over the countryside. I remember vividly my father darting off for two weeks as part of the recovery/investigation team and, upon his returning, with redundant bags of sugar and other such foodstuffs, him recounting the commotion at the crash scene when they arrived: "It (a farmer's field) was crawling with Polizei." Apparently the two jets "locked wings" which sealed their fate; one pilot managed to eject while the other went down with his machine — some of what my dad described about the impact site was pretty gruesome.

There was another: Soon after I got to school one morning my teacher told the class that a Starfighter had crashed not long after we had been bused in. (My family and I lived off-base, and not in the local "PMQs" [Private Married Quarters]. I have long been thankful that my parents wanted to live with the Germans, and not in a semi-sheltered environment called "Kleinkanada". There were lots of Canadian kids in my neighbourhood — offspring of other smart parents.) If I remember correctly, that pilot managed to eject safely from his aircraft, despite the fact that he was in "take-off" mode... a dangerous time to try to eject.

Perhaps my fondest memory regarding the CF-104 Starfighter is of the machine's sound; that sound. One would hear the roar of jets in formation, and look up to see whether they were Canadian or German — the Luftwaffe, too, operated the Starfighter. One beautifully sunny day my Grade 2 school teacher walked us out to the airfield; why exactly I did not know — I'm sure Mrs. Gunnery said something, but I could not have been paying attention (surprise?). Upon taking position at our stations my school mates and I looked off over the flatness of the strip to the horizon. Suddenly there were several descending trails of black smoke which, of course, I was familiar with; moments later I noticed a series of landing lights seemingly suspended over the field. Suffice to say the 104s were flying very low, just over the deck, as they raced past us: What a noise! I love jets, and the racket they make, but really!

Quote: Me on Conservatives

"A Conservative is an oar looking for a rowboat."

Picturing: Alan Outside the Spadina Subway Entrance

Before ducking into that (TTC) station's west-side entrance, Al decided to take in some city art.

Sunday Fun: Strolling Bloor Street West of Spadina

Late this morning I met an old friend, and former Film Effects coworker, for lunch: beer and food at Paupers Pub; good ol' "Paupers". I had not visited that venerable "Annex" hotspot since before the Covid lockdown... that long ago. While Al and I chatted for a few minutes it suddenly occurred to me that all the seating has been reupholstered, freshened up. It looks great!

The above pic is my "tourist photo". It's a beautiful day here in Toronto. The temperature currently sits at 10 Celsius (50). Tomorrow's forecast is calling for 16 (61).

Picturing: JD Rouette Peaceful in Toronto on Sunday

I've known Jean-Denis Rouette since the summer of 1991. He had been sent my way by mutual Montrealer friends. He's a talented editor, a "working editor", and a collector of physical video media: DVDs and BDs (Blu-ray Discs). I have a few Criterion titles, but my collection would pale.

What makes "JD" so cool to me: he believes that Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957) is not the worst film ever made. That, beyond its own filmic and production shortcomings, it has something vital to say. (I agree, as would "Cult Movies" author Danny Peary.)

Perhaps my favourite story regarding my old friend: Jean-Denis is a big Orson Welles fan. We once got into a discussion about Citizen Kane (1941). Effortlessly we transitioned to The Six Million Dollar Man, a 1970s television series we both watched in our youth: from Welles' greatest picture to ABC's bionic man, specifically the "Bigfoot" episodes. When JD mentioned "Good Bigfoot", and we addressed it with the same reverence as we would Charles Foster Kane, I knew I had met an intelligent lover of the motion picture form.

Postscript: We dined at Peaceful Restaurant last Sunday. It gets a five-star review from me. JD was familiar with the small chain from when he lived in Vancouver. It figures that an out-of-towner introduces me to an establishment that's but a few minutes from where I live.

Peaceful Restaurant

515 Bloor St W

Toronto

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Canon SX720 HS camera data:

ISO speed: 1000

F-stop: f/3.3

Exposure time: 1/200

Flash Poem: The Cat's But

My cat asked for
my homage

But

If I failed to
comply
He would pay
homage to
me and my

___

2017

Simon St. Laurent

Picturing: Early Evening Full Moon Burning Bright

A view from Toronto, but seen elsewhere.

Picturing: A Powerful Canadian Button Message

When I boarded a TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) subway train car this afternoon and took my seat, I found I had a seat partner. One of my cameras boarded the transportation machine with me, and the natural thing to do was pose the "I Love Canada" button and snap away.

I too love Canada... more and more, with each passing day.

* * *

Canon SX720 HS camera data:

ISO speed: 1600

F-stop: f/3.5

Exposure time: 1/100

Fun Fact: A Matter of Feline Linguistics

A Chinese cat knows more Mandarin/Cantonese than I do.

Picturing: A Special Gift from a Valued Client

Late this afternoon one of my lovely clients surprised me with a box of a half dozen delicious Jamaican patties. How did this come to be? Last week I joked with him and his wife that one can get extra customer service from me if I'm fed.

"As a matter of fact, I sometimes prefer food over money."

I also mentioned that I love Jamaican colas.

Guess what I got: that's right, two bottles of Jamaican cola... two different flavours.

Immediately I devoured two patties. My oh my were they good. I could have easily gone for more.

The point of this post, believe it or not, was not to impress my readers with how amazing my life is, but to shout-out the patties' source....

George's Tastee Bread Ltd.

600 Denison Street,

Markham, Ontario

* * *

George's Tastee Patties: 

A half moon of flakey pastry filled with ground grade "A" beef, and a perfect blend of Caribbean hot peppers and exotic spices.

Okay, okay, okay! I get it!

I'll take a case....