Radio . . . and Me - 28

On the right side of the radio dial (past all the big rock stations), Halifax boasts a different kind of radio station. Some people are calling it: ‘The Little Station That CAN.’
Here’s how it came to be:
About 20 years ago a radio announcer-wannabe named Wayne Harnett started a radio station in his home in Eastern Passage.

He called it ‘Seaside FM.’
It ran a number of ‘special’ programs around the Christmas season and local summer festival time, at various spots up and down the dial, depending on which frequency the CRTC deemed available on that date. Nothing big; just a few veteran radio announcers

A Very Busy Month!

The month of March has always been busy in our family for as long as I can remember.
When we were teaching, of course, we would look forward — longingly, during many dreary winter weeks — to ‘March Break,’ the time for getting out of the classroom and doing some travel!
Easter or the preparation for it, usually took place during the month, and it was always a busy time.
This year, it has been busy for a host of other reasons:
— On the home front, our nephew, his wife and their 10-month-old daughter, Amelie (a.k.a., La niña), arrived at our home in Bedford, to begin a new life in a new country.

The family ‘Welcome to Canada’ program could've been a little bit .. ah, warmer, as we awoke the first morning to no heat (which was quickly fixed by a team of excellent service technicians), and then a day-long early spring blizzard! This weather feature was quite the adventure,

The ‘Francis Effect’

One year ago today, Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis, and the Catholic Church has been swept along by his wave of popularity.
And, what a year it has been!

He has made a hit with Catholics, Jews, Protestants, atheists, and gays and lesbians, throughout the world.
He gathered more than three million people to an open-air Mass last summer at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janiero; the crowds attending his audiences in St. Peter’s Square have tripled, and, last month … he made the cover of ‘Rolling Stone.’
Along with ‘Dr. Hook,’ of course!
He lives in a small apartment, wears simple robes at liturgies, and often declines the papal limo,

Olympian Spirit - 2

Don’t let anyone tell you, Dear Reader, that Canadians don’t take hockey seriously!
Beginning at 8 a.m. Atlantic (4 a.m. Pacific) last Sunday, we gathered in our homes, pubs, community halls, mosques, arenas and public squares to watch the Olympics Mens hockey final game.
On Monday, CBC News showed a Tweet with a photo from Highway 401 in Toronto, taken during that game: there were NO VEHICLES on that stretch of Canada’s busiest route!

That hockey game was described as ’tense’, along with the semi-final win over a strong Team Latvia.
But they could not match the drama of the womens hockey final with Team Canada against Team U-S-A!
Team USA was leading 2-0 with less than 3 minutes left in the 3rd period, and it looked like they would capture the gold medal. I was listening to the excellent CBC Radio call by Steve Armitage, and the situation seemed hopeless.
But Team Canada scored a goal on a deflection, and later another goal while they had 6 attackers,

Olympian Spirit - 1

The CBC is providing extensive coverage of the Olympic Winter Games now underway in Sochi, Russia: on TV, radio and the Internet. And they can be proud of their work!

The Games are presented throughout the morning and early afternoons (because of the 8-hour time difference), and highlight packages are available during the evenings. Of course, all Canadian team hockey games men's and women's, are shown live.
In our society, we often hear of some negative behaviours expected or shown by the younger generation. During these games, however, we have witnessed many members of our team who have made us proud by their performances in the games, as well as with the media.
I am particularly impressed by these young people (and they ARE young, aren't they!!) for their excellent poise and sporting behaviour when they are interviewed.

The Wonder of Reading

The solution to yesterday's newspaper ‘Cryptoquote’ said it well:
There are many little ways to enlarge your child's world. Love of books is the best of all. — Jackie Kennedy.
Reading has always been a special part of my life. I cannot remember not having books. My wife and I, both former teachers, still read a lot and have always ‘adopted’ books over our house.

During my early years, my Mom, as well as just about any visitor to our house, often took time to read to me. For example, we would look through ‘The Three Little Pigs,’ while she told the story and sang the famous ditty: “Who's afraid of the big bad Wolf?” Of course, I followed the excellent illustrations.
My reading career was launched in a variety of Walt Disney books,

How Cold Was It?*

That question has been on everybody's lips for the last month, as the northern half of the globe has seen a ‘roller coaster’ of temperatures.

First, there was a continent-wide cold snap in December, near the date of the official start of winter. On Monday, the 23rd, a blizzard with lots of snow and freezing rain swept across the American Mid-West, as well as Ontario, Québec and New Brunswick. Many of the folks in these areas — especially 250,000 in Greater Toronto and 40,000 in Montréal — had no power throughout the entire Christmas week.
(Photo: fotosearch.com)
There was deep cold throughout the Prairie provinces, with temperature readings as low as -50, taking into account the wind chill. In the U-S, colder temperatures made it all the way down to Atlanta, and as far west has Dallas, and even San Diego.