Alberta Bans All Public Meetings Due to Spanish Flu - 1918

Today in 1918 the Alberta government stated that it is prohibiting all public meetings of seven people or more due to the outbreak of Spanish Flu. Schools, churches and theaters were all closed to stop the spread. Albertans were also required to wear face masks in public.

Although it was called the Spanish Flu, it's origins came from a U.S. army base in Kansas and between 1918-19 one third of the worlds population was infected.

Over 4,300 Albertans and 50,000 people from across Canada died from the disease.

The 1995 Quebec Referendum

Today in 1995 PQ (Parti Québécois) leader Jacques Parizeau lost the Québec Referendum which was a vote asking the people of Quebec if they wished to separate from Canada.

The ballot read; "Do you agree that Québec should become sovereign, after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new economic and political partnership, within the scope of the Bill respecting the future of Québec and of the agreement signed on 12 June 1995?"

After months of campaigning by both separatists and what was called the "no" camp, those that wanted to remain as a province in Canada, the vote was won by just a slim 50,000 vote margin. This was after over 5 million votes were cast.

Parizeau, in a televised speech later that night, stated; “We are beaten, it is true, but by what, basically? By money and ethnic votes.” He was highly criticized for his remarks about losing to money and the ethnic vote. He resigned from the party shorty after.

The loss was the second for the separatists in fifteen years and no other referendum has been held since.

Book Review - Inside the Inferno: A Firefighter's Story of the Brotherhood that Saved Fort McMurray

Last year I watched the news in fascination. The images of cars driving along highways with flames shooting hundreds of feet in the air behind them while evacuating Fort McMurray are forever imprinted in my mind. I can't imagine leaving everything I know and own behind, especially all those personal pictures and mementos

Inside the Inferno is a story, not only about the brave fight to save Fort McMurray but also the story of the loss that most of the residents suffered.

An action-packed, on-the-ground memoir of the Fort McMurray wildfire and the courage, resilience, and sacrifice of the firefighters who saved the city.

In May 2016, what began as a remote forest fire quickly became a nightmare for the ninety thousand residents of Fort McMurray. A perfect combination of weather, geography and circumstance created a raging wildfire that devoured everything in its path. Winds drove the flames towards the town, forcing the entire population to evacuate. As the fire swept through neighbourhoods, it fell to the men and women of the fire department to protect the city.

Born and raised in Fort McMurray, Damian Asher was a fifteen-year veteran and captain in the city’s fire department. Day after day, Damian and his crew remained on the front lines of the burning city. As embers rained down around them, they barely slept, pushing their minds and bodies to the brink as they struggled to contain the fire. As he led his crew through the smoke and the flames, Damian had little time to worry about whether the house he had built for his family was still standing. With media unable to get into the locked-down city, the world watched in hope and fear, wondering what was happening on the fiery streets.

Finally, after weeks of battling the wildfire, the firefighters managed to regain control. When the smoke cleared, much of the city had been destroyed. Would things ever be the same? How would the city reunite? What would it take to rebuild life in Fort McMurray?

The story of the fire is told very well by firefighter Damian Asher. It is easy to forget how long this blaze burned and threatened the town, but he does an excellent job in not only explaining the exhaustion of the firefighters, but the physical and mental toll it took all those involved. Imagine fighting a wildfire that is threatening your community, while wondering if your own home is still standing or not.

This is a fast paced book that covers the journey of one man through the disaster. It is well worth reading.

Billy Barker Wins Victoria Cross 1918

Today in 1918, while flying alone Major Billy Barker came upon over 60 German Fokkers . He shot down four, despite being wounded three times and passing out on a couple of occasions before he crashed behind British Lines. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions.

Barker took off from a French airfield for the flight to England. Over the Mormal Forest, he shot down a German reconnaissance plane and then suddenly found himself the quarry of a squadron of German fighters. Ground reports claimed there were 60 enemy planes, but evidently 15 broke away from the main formation to attack Barker.

In one of the most dramatic dogfights of the war, Barker’s pilot skills, marksmanship and a good measure of luck enabled him to prevail against seemingly impossible odds. He was wounded several times and his plane was riddled with bullets, but he shot down three attacking aircraft. Twice fainting from loss of blood and slipping in and out of consciousness, Barker guided the Snipe to a crash landing in Allied French territory. He was taken to a military hospital where he survived despite his injuries.

For his incredible feat, Barker received congratulatory letters from King George V, the Prince of Wales and Canadian Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden. He received the Victoria Cross (VC), the British Empire's highest award for military valour. Barker was now credited with 50 confirmed air victories as a fighter pilot.

Barker died in a plane crash outside of Ottawa in 1930 while piloting a demonstration for the department of National Defense.

Montreal Constable Jacinthe Fyfe Killed While on Duty, 1985

Today in 1985, Montreal policewoman Jacinthe Fyfe, who was a 5 year veteran of the force and only 25, became the first female constable in Canada to be killed while on duty.

Constable Fyfe was called to investigate a complaint of a man with a rifle attempting to force his way into a home. As she and her partner drove down the street, a man started shooting from the bushes and the bullets hit the police car. Cst. Fyfe lost control of the car and crashed into a tree. She was found with a bullet wound in the back of the head and had died instantly.

Canadian Alexander Dunn and The Charge of the Light Brigade

Today in 1854 Lt. Alexander Dunn of Toronto took part in The Charge of the Light Brigade. He became the first Canadian win a Victoria Cross for bravery when British and French cavalry charged a Russian Stronghold in Balaklava, Russia.

673 men began their charge at 11:00 am. Just 195 turned out for roll call that evening. 110 cavalrymen of Dunn's 11th Hussars began the charge, but only Dunn and 24 other men survived.

The Charge of the Light Brigade
by Alfred, Lord Tennyson Memorializing Events in the Battle of Balaclava, October 25, 1854
Written 1854

Half a league half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred:
'Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns' he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

'Forward, the Light Brigade!'
Was there a man dismay'd ?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do & die,
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd & thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army while All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack & Russian Reel'd from the sabre-stroke,
Shatter'd & sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse & hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!

Canada Sets Defence Level to Defcon 3 During Cuban Missile Crisis

Today in 1962,  Prime Minister John Diefenbaker set Canada's defence status to Defcon 3 when US took world to brink of nuclear war during Cuban Missile Crisis.

US President Kennedy demanded the removal of Russia nuclear armed missiles from Cuba and threatened to attack. The President was angry with Diefenbaker, whom he didn't get along with, feeling Canada should have raised the status two days earlier in support of the American position in the standoff.

I still remember the testing of the air raid sirens and the nuclear attack drills that went on during the crisis when I was just a primary school kid and how the sirens scared the hell out of me.

The 3rd Springhill Mining Disaster

Today in 1958 a collapse and gas explosion killed 74 coal miners in a mine in Springhill Nova Scotia. 100 survived. It was the third major mining disaster in Springhill to that point and today is still the worst Canadian mining disaster on record.

from 1881 when the first mine opened, 424 miners lost their lives in Springhill. After the disaster the mines are closed for good.

Nova Scotia Schooner Bluenose's First Race

Today in 1921 in her  first race of International Schooner Championships, Nova Scotia fishing schooner Bluenose, defeated US schooner Elsie in the first race of a best two of three series. It will win again in the second race held on October 24 to take the Championship.

My New Fidgets from Fidgetland

The other night Teena and I were watching Shark Tank and Jason Burns the owner of Fidgetland came on to make his pitch. he accepted Shark Barbara Corcoran's offer of 20% for $50,000.

All of our fidgets are made with the same purpose: to improve people’s lives by stimulating their mind and absorbing excess energy. Evidence has shown us that fidgeting is an effective way to decrease anxiety and help maintain focus. Our adult fidgets are designed for larger hands and like all of our fidgets are discreet and durable, making them ideal for meeting and classroom settings.

In addition, our customers have had success using our fidgets to overcome or cope with symptoms associated with: ADD, ADHD, ASD, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Sensory Integration, Trichotillomania, SPD, Nail Biting, Thumb Sucking, Anxiety, Stress, Hair Twirling and many others.

I have a terribly bad habit of biting my nails and thought this would help so I ordered the Noah and Noah Jumbo. It's the first time I have ordered an item that I have seen on this show.

Noah is the ultimate fidget toy and was the first in our line of fidgets. Like most of our products Noah has two interlocking rings, but what makes Noah different is the large silicone band in the center that rolls back and forth like a treadmill for your fingers. Noah was designed to be used in the classroom and in meetings; it's discreet, durable and awesome! Noah is available in regular and Jumbo.

As there was a small confusion with my order they also threw in their Chaney: A small chain that fits in the palm of your hand, great for playing and creating different shapes. Good for the office or studying. It can be a bit noisy so we don't suggest for use in the classroom or meetings. Like all our fidgets, Chaney helps reduce stress and anxiety while increasing focus and attention, can't get better than that!

Oh, my hands aren't usually this wrinkled. I had just finished washing the dishes when the delivery came!

I have already been using them and think they will be a big help to me. The jumbo I'll use while watching TV, the smaller Noah I will carry with me and Chaney is now siting beside my laptop and I have used it a few times while doing up this post.

The customer service was great and the fidgets are very well made and look to be quite durable. I wish Mr. Burns the best of luck with his company.

Book Review - Truth & Honour, The Death of Richard Oland and the Trial of Dennis Oland

I just finished reading Truth & Honour, which examines the investigation into the the murder of Saint John, New Brunswick, businessman Richard Oland (of the Moosehead Brewing Company) in 2011, the arrest of his son Dennis two years later and the subsequent trail.

Oland's trial would be the most publicized in New Brunswick history. What the trial judge called "a family tragedy of Shakespearian proportions," this real-life murder mystery included adultery, family dysfunction, largely circumstantial evidence, allegations of police incompetence, a high-powered legal defense, and a verdict that shocked the community.

Today, the Oland family maintains Dennis Oland's innocence. Author Greg Marquis, a professor of Canadian history at the University of New Brunswick Saint John, leads readers through the case, from the discovery of the crime to the conviction and sentencing of the defendant.

The book is very thorough, although it could be a very dry read in places, which is due to the explanations of some of what seems to be minor facts. It was interesting to note how different our court system is compared to the American one and how much more complicated justice systems are in real life.

I have been interested in this case since I first heard that it happened. A wealthy man murdered with an axe or drywall hammer in his office in early evening with no obvious evidence pointing to the killer right away has all the makings of a good fiction, except it all really occurred.  To me, the fact that Richard Oland was struck repeatedly with the hammer or axe over forty times tells me this is a crime of passion, that the killer had to be somebody very close to Richard. After reading this book, I am now convinced that Dennis did indeed commit the crime.

One note the author continually makes, which is kind of sad, is that after the murder the family kept speaking of poor Dennis not being able to see his family at Christmas or holidays and poor Dennis having to spend time in jail, where Richard, the victim, seems hardly ever thought of.

If you like true crime stories, or stories of murder, this book is for you. Draw your own conclusions as to whether he did it or not.

Live Theater - Flashing Lights at the Theatre Centre

This afternoon Teena and I headed to the Theatre Centre to see their latest production, Flashing Lights.

“In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.”- Andy Warhol?

Flashing Lights tells the tale of Peter, an unremarkable guy who inexplicably becomes famous. His dizzying rise and fall effects everyone around him, in particular his family; his savvy wife Shannon and their child Ter. What starts off as a portrait of contemporary family life quickly unravels into a meditation on the borders between digital and physical existence and the future of this brave new world being created.

Flashing Lights combines a fantastical absurdist narrative with a highly physical theatrical style using technology like smart phones and tablets as puppets, masks, light, and sound sources. Drawing on the ideas of Marshall McLuhan, Sherry Turkle, Jean Baudrillard and other theorists, the play speaks to the growing anxiety about the future and to the vertiginous feeling that time itself is speeding up. Will humankind’s frail, flesh and blood selves be able to keep up?

When you walk into the theatre, you find the stage is shrouded with a see-through netting that can have images projected upon. This is used very effectively throughout the production.

It took me about fifteen minutes of this ninety minute play to grasp exactly what is taking place. I don't want this to scare anybody away from seeing Flashing Lights, as I found it quite interesting to watch.

The starts starts with a very dysfunctional family at breakfast, all caught up in their own worlds of the Internet. Peter just wants to eat his cereal. Shannon, his wife, dreams of creating a new social technology, Omni which puts people inside of technology as she believes bodies have now become useless. Their daughter, Ter, wishes to evolve with the use of the 'net and do so quickly.

Peter becomes famous, though, and we watch him go through his fifteen minutes of fame, then what becomes of him afterwards.

Flashing Lights is an interesting, thought provoking play, and is full of emotion. It is definitely worth seeing.

East Coast Comedy Night 4

Tonight Teena and I went to the East Coast Comedy Night 4 show at the Social Capital Theatre above the Black Swan Tavern.

Our fourth big year! For one night only, we will pack as many comedians from all over The Maritimes and Newfoundland as we can into one show to salute the East Coast! There will be SCREECH! There will be BEER! There will be an ACADIAN!

Hosted by: Marcel St. Pierre
Musical Guests: Wordburglar
Currently scheduled to appear: Tim Steeves(JFL, CBC) Chris Locke (JFL, CBC), Paul Ash (JFL, CBC) Gina Granter (Off-JFL/Zoofest) , Meg MacKay (JFL42, Sirius XM) Ali Hassan (CBC, JFL) and more!

Marcel St. Pierre from New Brunswick did a set and was host for the night. He was fun and kept the show flowing.

Meg MacKay from P.E.I. (flag on the left) was a great choice for an opening act as she was hilarious.

Paul Ash, originally from Halifax (Nova Scotia's flag is on the right of the picture), who now lives in Montreal, and was terrific.

I enjoyed Gina Granter's set, who is originally from Newfoundland (flag hidden behind her).

Chris Locke was a hoot.

During intermission, Teena took the stage for a photo.

Ali Hassan, who will be at the Rose Theatre in Brampton in November and is worth seeing, opened the second half.

Although it's not a contest, my favourite of the night was Tim Steeves from New Brunswick (flag to the left of the picture).

The final act was the Wordburglar (Shaun Jordan), who does comedy rap.

This is the third year in a row we have been to this show and have always enjoyed it. I feel tonight had the best set of comics of the three. The shows are put on by Marcel St. Pierre and I just want him to know that we will be there for East Coast Comedy Night 5.

The Yoga and Wellness Show

Today I went to the Yoga and Wellness Show at the Enercare building on the CNE grounds. I have done yoga from time to time and find it very helpful. I've been meaning to do it more often. Also, I am trying to live a more healthy lifestyle so figured this show might be for me.

The Yoga & Wellness Show features all vendors big and small who have something to contribute to the show in various health conscious categories including yoga studios, gym memberships, healthy nutrition, naturopathy, spiritual well being, food sampling, clothing and jewellery, motivational speaking, meditative arts, aromatherapy, all the shopping you could ask for and so much more!
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Yoga Show goers are encouraged to bring a mat, (or buy one at the show!) and throw your mat down in the Zen Zone to participate in free yoga classes. Hatha, vinyasa, acro, and maybe even a dance or two. All yoga levels are welcome!

In the first aisle was Succuterra. I am a fan of cactus. They take absolutely no work and thrive on neglect. Just the type of plant I need.

See the ones in the back of the picture below. They are lythops, also know as living rocks. I have been looking for these for years.

These are the two that called out to me to bring them home, which I did. I likely will be ordering some more online too.

There were a lot of booths so I'm only going to show those I had an interest in such as Bounce who make health food snacks. The ones I tried were tasty.

The folks at nuPasta made up pesto pasta with their pasta. It was delicious so I bought three different ones.

I sampled some health drinks from Avazera.

Almost, yes, I almost, oh I came so very close to buying a hat from In the Ville.

This fit so perfectly and looked great on me. It was all the willpower I could muster not to buy it.

Pure Leaf Ice Tea were giving out samples. I have bought them many times in the past.

Passport to Prana had an interesting concept. For $30, a person gets one free class per studio, per year at all participating yoga studios in your city.

The schedule for the Zen Zone for free yoga and meditation sessions.

I received some free samples from Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods to eat as a snack or sprinkle on my oatmeal, plus there were already sample from them in the goody bag I received at the door.

The orange drink from BioSteel was tasty.

I finished my day with a 30 minute Thai massage from King Thai Massage. When I watched them work on others, I could not pass that up. It felt fantastic and worked out all my kinks. I was quite sad when it was over.

I enjoyed the show and would not hesitate to go back again next year.