Month: September 2017

John’s Believe It Or Not… September 30th

In 1907 – Alexander Graham Bell and wife Mabel found the Aerial Experiment Association. In 1954 USS Nautilus commissioned. In 1955 James Dean dies in car accident. In 1962 Riots over desegregation of Ole Miss. In 1868 First volume of Little Women is published.

It’s Saturday! Did you know…

* 1907 – Alexander Graham Bell and wife Mabel found the Aerial Experiment Association.

The Aerial Experiment Association (AEA) was a Canadian-American aeronautical research group formed on 30 September 1907, under the leadership of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. The AEA produced several different aircraft in quick succession, with each member acting as principal designer for at least one. The group introduced key technical innovations, notably wingtip ailerons and the tricycle landing gear. Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… September 30th”

John’s Believe It Or Not… September 29th

In 1668 – Groseilliers reaches Rupert River on Nonsuch – the success of trade leads to HBC founding. In 1567 War of Religion breaks out in France. In 1953 Russians want the American dream. In 1982 Cyanide-laced Tylenol kills six. In 1941 Babi Yar massacre begins.

It’s Friday! TGIF! Did you know…

* 1668 – Groseilliers reaches Rupert River on Nonsuch – the success of trade leads to HBC founding.

In 1610, a syndicate of English courtiers commissioned Henry Hudson to try and chart the Northwest Passage. During the course of this voyage, he would discover the great saltwater sea now known as Hudson Bay. But the rigors of a long hard winter stranded in the ice were too much for his crew, who staged a mutiny. They set Hudson adrift with his young son and some faithful crew members, never to be seen again. Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… September 29th”

John’s Believe It Or Not… September 28th

In 1972 – Henderson scores on Tretiak with 34 seconds left giving Team Canada a 6-5 victory over USSR. In 48 B.C. Pompey the Great assassinated. In 1066 William the Conqueror invades England. In 1901 TV host Ed Sullivan born. In 1542 Cabrillo discovers San Diego Bay.

It’s Therapeutic Thursday! Did you know…

* 1972 – Henderson scores on Tretiak with 34 seconds left giving Team Canada a 6-5 victory over USSR.

The Summit Series, or Super Series, known at the time simply as the Canada–USSR Series, was an eight-game series of ice hockey between the Soviet Union and Canada, held in September 1972. It was the first competition between the Soviet national team and a Canadian team represented by professional players of the National Hockey League (NHL), known as Team Canada. It was the first international ice hockey competition for Canada after Canada had withdrawn from international ice hockey competitions in a dispute with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The series was organized with the intention to create a true best-on-best competition in the sport of ice hockey. The Soviets had become the dominant team in international competitions, which disallowed the professional players of Canada. Canada had had a long history of dominance of the sport prior to the Soviets’ rise. Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… September 28th”

Let’s Talk About Taking a Knee

Tim Baker has gifted us with a dispassionate and eloquent reflection about the current issue of pro athletes “taking a knee.” Baker strips away the nonsense being spewed in social media and reminds us of the real issue at stake. Please, read on…

blindoggbooks

One thing I’ve never been accused of is shying away from an argument – and judging by my six siblings (four brothers and two sisters) it’s a family trait.

However, I got some advice from a fellow author a few years back about engaging in hot-button arguments on social media. His tip was simple, and it made perfect sense…

To paraphrase; If you argue something really controversial you run the risk of alienating potential readers.

This was (is) good advice for an author trying really hard to increase his fan base – so I heeded his advice. Regardless of the topic (and let’s face it…there have been some whoppers on social media in the past few years) I kept my distance. I posted cute pictures of puppies, funny memes, useless trivia and the occasional “save the shark” comment – but I steered clear of the big three – religion, sex…

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Hope… Is It Enough?

“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” ~ Michelle Obama, 2011

“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”

~ Michelle Obama

It may be an understatement that we live in very troubled times. I know from my study of history and my daily history blog, “John’s Believe It Or Not,” that every era has had its troubles, yet the present seems especially fearful. The fact that the leader of the free world exacerbates the issues plaguing humanity gives one pause. How can there be hope for progress and a better future when a narcissistic megalomaniac has been allowed to run amok in the White House? Continue reading “Hope… Is It Enough?”

John’s Believe It Or Not… September 27th

In 1806 – Isaac Brock appointed to command British forces in Upper Canada. In 1854 Ships collide off Newfoundland. In 1540 Jesuit order established. In 1999 Placido Domingo breaks Caruso’s opening-night record at the Metropolitan Opera. In 1869 Sheriff Wild Bill Hickok proves too wild for Kansas.

It’s Hump Day Wednesday! Did you know…

* 1806 – Isaac Brock appointed to command British forces in Upper Canada.

Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB (6 October 1769 – 13 October 1812) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Guernsey. Brock was assigned to Lower Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada (present-day Ontario) successfully for many years. He was promoted to major general and became responsible for defending Upper Canada against the United States. While many in Canada and Britain believed war could be averted, Brock began to ready the army and militia for what was to come. When the War of 1812 broke out, the populace was prepared, and quick victories at Fort Mackinac and Detroit defeated American invasion efforts. Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… September 27th”

John’s Believe It Or Not… September 26th

In 1848 – Responsible Government is born as Baldwin & LaFontaine are asked by Lord Elgin to form Cabinet. In 1960 First Kennedy-Nixon debate. In 1580 Drake circumnavigates the globe. In 1957 Bernstein’s West Side Story opens. In 1969 The Brady Bunch premieres.

It’s Tuesday! Did you know…

* 1848 – Responsible Government is born as Baldwin & LaFontaine are asked by Lord Elgin to form Cabinet.

In 1775-1776, the American Thirteen Colonies rose up in rebellion to throw off the yoke of British aristocratic control to establish themselves as sovereign and self-governed by way of democracy. In 1837 the twin colonies of Upper Canada (Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) rose up in rebellion over similar issues. After having lost their precious American colonies, the British decided to nip things in the bud and appointed Lord Durham as the Governor General of the Canadas. His famous report urged Britain to establish a responsible government. Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… September 26th”

John’s Believe It Or Not… September 25th

In 1996 – Québec singer Céline Dion reaches #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for record sales. In 1957 Central High School integrated. In 1959 Eisenhower and Khrushchev meet for talks. In 1897 William Faulkner is born. In 1894 Grover Cleveland pardons bigamists, adulterers, polygamists and unlawful cohabitants.

Oh-Oh… It’s Monday! Did you know…

* 1996 – Québec singer Céline Dion reaches #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for record sales.

Celine Dion, (born Céline Marie Claudette Dion; 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer and businesswoman. Born into a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record. Dion first gained international recognition in the 1980s by winning both the 1982 Yamaha World Popular Song Festival and the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest where she represented Switzerland. Following a series of French albums during the 1980s, she signed on to Epic Records in the United States. In 1990, Dion released her debut English-language album, Unison, establishing herself as a viable pop artist in North America and other English-speaking areas of the world. Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… September 25th”

John’s Believe It Or Not… September 24th

In 1897 – Whirlpool Rapids Bridge opens for traffic across the Niagara Gorge. In 1950 “Operation Magic Carpet” sees all Jews from Yemen move to Israel. In 1789 The First Supreme Court. In 622 Muhammad completes Hegira. In 1988 Ben Johnson wins gold – temporarily.

It’s Sunday! Did you know…

* 1897 – Whirlpool Rapids Bridge opens for traffic across the Niagara Gorge.

The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge commonly called the Whirlpool Bridge, and until 1937, known as the Lower Steel Arch Bridge, is a spandrel braced, riveted two-hinged arch bridge. It crosses the international border between Canada and the United States, connecting the commercial downtown districts of Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York. This bridge is located approximately 1.5 kilometers (0.9 mi) north of the Rainbow Bridge and about 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) from the Falls. This bridge was acquired by the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission in January 1959. Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… September 24th”

John’s Believe It Or Not… September 23rd

In 1912 – Canadian Mack Sennett releases 1st Keystone Comedy movie. In 1933 Standard Oil geologists arrive in Saudi Arabia. In 1972 Mac Davis earns one of the 1970s’ most head-scratching #1 hits with “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me”. In 1862 Leo Tolstoy marries Sophie Andreyevna Behrs. In 1779 John Paul Jones victorious.

It’s Saturday! Did you know…

* 1912 – Canadian Mack Sennett releases 1st Keystone Comedy movie.

 

More than a century ago, Quebec-born Mack Sennett became the first filmmaker on this continent to specialize in creating full-length comedies. In 1908, “full length” meant one reel, about 10 to 12 minutes; no one believed an audience could tolerate anything longer. The great D.W. Griffith, under whom Sennett was then apprenticing at the famed Biograph studio, was not alone in thinking the lowly genre of comedy could not be endured for more than a “split reel” of about five minutes.
Continue reading “John’s Believe It Or Not… September 23rd”

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