Feb 18 2023 - The Wiggly Border

 

Today's Bing has the Eben Ice Caves in Upper Michigan and as I looked at the map I noice a lot of wiggling in the border line at Rainy River.  See it below.    It is fine to be straight in the water, but what about on land.  Isn't that messy for the inhabitants? The current shape came about on April 11, 1908 with the Treaty of 1908.  You can imagine all the disputes along the way.  These have been between Great Britain (U.K.) and the U.S.   There has been so much surveying since then that I guess all these wiggles are well marked.   Things seem to me to be clear in terms of borders. There is one land dispute active today.  It is over Machias Seal Island (off the coast of Maine).  There are four maritime disputes in the Arctic and Pacific.   The current disputes are listed HERE. The Alaskan Panhandle dispute still causes grief today with nearly 800,000 sockeye salmon caught in Alaskan territory, but of Canadian origin. And then there are pink salmon, steelhead, and chum, and so on.  Canadian fisheries were shut down to protect the diminishing number of salmon and steelhead returning to Canada.  So it seems that boundary disputes that are resolved politically - which is the acknowledged case in the Alaska Boundary case - can have long and lingering issues.   But what about that wiggly part of the border at Rainy River?  I haven't found any issues identified there.  That's because the border is the Rainy River. I guess paddling there could be an international experience.   Today's picture is a little Millie moment.   Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Feb 15 2023 - Don't Touch the Polar Bears

 

Libraries have special collections where rare and valuable books are kept, where  collections on "special subjects" are kept together and so on.  I thought of this when I tried to read a National Post story - "Canada is a dangerous, racist and cold place to travel" - a compelling headline, but very circuitous to find how to open up and read. That's what got me thinking about access to special collections.  The internet as open access is over, and we've entered the pay to play age.  Not like public libraries at all.  You don't pay to access a special collection.  You show your intent and credentials to care for the collection. Back to our "Top Story"   Last week, Russia’s Ambassador to Canada issued a travel advisory to fellow Russians, warning them that Canada is a “dangerous,” racism-filled hellscape that is best avoided. “Canada today is a very dangerous country for Russian citizens,” Oleg Stepanov told the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti on Friday. He added that Russians are frequently the target of racism on Canadian streets. “I would not recommend it for tourism, education or business,” he said. The comments add to the official Russian government travel advisory for Canada, which warns of roving street gangs and a “rather harsh climate.” The latter warning being particularly strange given that much of Russia, on balance, is actually colder than Canada." You can read more on the story HERE.  It is considered retaliation for Canada's sanctions against Russian businesses and aid to Ukraine.  We remember the 2019 Meng Wanzhou incident that prompted the retaliatory Chinese detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor.  At that time the Beijing government issued a travel advisory warning that Canada was now arbitrarily detaining foreign nationals.  But the article points out that many countries give stern official travel warnings. “Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Canada,” reads the official U.K. guidelines on travel to Canada. “Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners.”  British citizens are warned that “severe snow storms are a regular occurrence during winter.” The Australian government tells travellers to Canada to steer clear of “dangerous wildlife” and to exercise caution on ski hills. “Winter sports can be dangerous, even fatal”  France, in its Canadian travel advisory, takes special care to warns its citizens of the dangers of snowmobiling. “Given the high number of snowmobile accidents, including several fatal incidents each year, extreme vigilance should be exercised when using them. And what about the U.S.? Wouldn't they get the same warnings and additional ones about gun violence?  Here is the CNN article on what 9 countries warn about the U.S.  So I've checked out our warnings and we're just as cautious as the rest.  Fraud, cybercrime, terrorism, parked vehicles, residential break-ins.  All these things are the stuff of advisories. Isn't this a fantastically coloured flower?  Jade Vine with the latin name Strongylodon macrobotrys.  This one was at Longwood Gardens blooming in early spring.   Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Oct 29 2022 - Step up anti-federalists

 

Quebec has developed the reputation of being superior in cuisine and culture, and more associated with European traditions than the rest of Canada.  With the tradition of descendants of the 17th century French settlers, they have resisted pressure to assimilate into Anglo society.  They have enacted laws to strengthen their cultural and language dominance.   They want to be independent and "separate."  The sovereignty movement has been active for a long time.  The 1995 referendum was won by the no side on the narrow margin of 50.6% to 49.4%.   Now in 2022 there is another sovereignist province:  Alberta.  This is the province that has always had the most prosperity with rich oil and gas reserves. It has the highest incomes in Canada, lowest taxes.  The new premier Danielle Smith wants to challenge the relationship with the federal government with a 'sovereignty act'.  She doesn't want to separate - she wants to dominate - officially.  Probably Alberta has been dominate for decades.   The question is being asked:  Is Canadian federalism unravelling?  This is from the Montreal Gazette HERE.  In 1996 Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan published a seminal study on the conditions under which democracies become consolidated, or safe from reversal back to some form of autocratic or authoritarian rule. In their succinct formulation, democracy is consolidated when it is “the only game in town.” Ultimately, they argue, a broad psychological commitment to the rules of the democratic game is required, such that powerful political actors no longer see any benefit in seeking to overturn the regime. They instead commit to trying to achieve their goals within the existing political framework of democracy. Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt write in their book How Democracies Die about the importance of elite political actors maintaining certain key democratic norms as models of “good behaviour” from which the citizenry can take their cues. In particular, they discuss the importance of those in political office maintaining forbearance, i.e. resisting the urge to utilize certain powers that are technically at their disposal but would be corrosive to the wider political culture. Is this a foretelling of how Canada's democracy might die.     Here's Autumn on my street. Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

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Oct 7 - Curious Hockey Circumstances

 

We are all on Hockey Canada and its scandal.  The Prime Minister and the Minister of Sport, the news media, especially the Globe and Mail, the sponsors, the provincial hockey associations and the public. We want something to happen with the executives who created funds to "handle" sexual assault cases to they didn't become public.  The headline today with CBC?  Is the game over for the Hockey Canada brand? Another headline today has an expert baffled by Hockey Canada response to scandals - "Never seen anything like this" in governance.  He's particularly worried about the board. How is it so many people are calling for action and no responsible action is taking place?  This has been ongoing  since the spring.  It points to how corporate organizations have a lot power and can do what they want.    Makes me worry about capitalism as a system.  What leverage does the PM have?  The PM has a $14 million investment over the last 2 years.  That's 6% of the organization's funding .  The PM froze the funding in June.  Not much impact, given an asset worth reported to be in excess of $153 million.   The major revenue streams then would be  sponsors and player fees.  The sponsors who have pulled out - like Esso, Time Hortons, Scotiabank, Canadian Tire are in the top tiers. One article says that "Hockey Canada has several tiers of sponsors, including four premier partners – Esso, Nike, Tim Hortons and Telus – who pay as much as $2 million per year for the association, a source said."  That's good funding, but the real source has to be player fees. Player fees are  just under $50 a year.  They are collected by the provincial organizations and transferred to Hockey Canada.  How many players are there?  There are 630,000 registered players under the age of 18 in Canada.  Who collects the fees?  The provincial organizations. Some of the provincial hockey organizations have started to pull out and others have been sly - withholding the insurance amount only.    What will and can parents do?  There is a Parents Canada organization and canadianhockeymoms.ca  but there appears to be nothing/no one with power.  On the canadianhockeymoms website there is nothing there to see on the scandal - it is about getting your kids into hockey - fundraising and recipes.  That looks like quite a gap to me.   So we will be following the money trail.  Will Hockey Canada melt like the wicked witch of the west?   Today we have the Jordan trail leading to the valley where Jordan Pond and Jordan Harbour are.  Only once have I seen this since moving here - skaters playing hockey i Jordan Harour. No fees involved there.

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Sep 19 2022 - Regimental Colours

 

Is Imperial red on display today?  Imperial red is a representation of the red color of the Imperial Standard of Napoleon I.   It turns out to be scarlet.  That is what is in the Regulation Colours - the standard colours used in the armed forces of the countries falling under the Commonwealth of Nations.  United Kingdom military units usually carry two Regulation Colours: the Regulation King's Colour and Regulation Regimental Colour. These are often referred to as the standard or ensign. Scarlet is a bright red with a slightly orange tinge. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, scarlet and other bright shades of red are the colors most associated with courage, force, passion, heat, and joy. In the Roman Catholic Church, scarlet is the color worn by cardinals, and is associated with the blood of Christ and the Christian martyrs, and with sacrifice. The Canadian flag's colour of red is Gules.  But our Royal Canadian Mounted Police uniform is consistent with British regimental red and is scarlet.  When it comes to the funeral procession from Westminster Abbey to Wellington Arch today,  Mounties from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police will lead the procession, with members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and servicemen and women from the Armed Forces of the Commonwealth joining NHS workers in the procession. They will wear the Red Serge  jacket of the dress uniform of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It consists of a scarlet British-style military pattern tunic, complete with a high-neck collar and blue breeches with yellow stripe identifying a cavalry history. And that's our look at Military red today.

This amazing display happened in  2011 on University Avenue.  Thousands of mourners packed downtown Toronto streets and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Tuesday, Jan. 18 to show their respect for fallen Toronto Police officer Sgt. Ryan Russell.   I wonder if this size of gathering will ever happen again.   Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

April 9 2022 - Canada and the US

 

Today we take a look at how Canada and the US compare.  There are places where we are similar and others where we are different.  Canadians have a keen sense of comparison whereas Americans hardly notice the country and citizens to the north of them. There are  many arenas and avenues that this comparison plays out as competition.  Some are formal - such as hockey.  Others make their way into jokes and sayings.    Here is an example: After digging to a depth of 10 feet last year outside Buffalo New York,  scientists found traces of copper cable dating back 100 years. They came to the conclusion that their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 100 years ago. Not to be outdone by the New Yorkers, in the weeks that followed, a Los Angeles California archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet just outside Oceanside . Shortly afterward, a story in the LA Times read,  "California archaeologists report a finding of 200 year old copper cable, concluding that their ancestors already had an advanced high-tech communications network a hundred years earlier than the New Yorkers."   One week later, a local newspaper in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan reported, "After digging 30 feet deep in his pasture near the community of Kindersley, Saskatchewan, Ole Olson, a heck of an engineer and a self-taught archaeologist, reported that he found absolutely nothing. Ole has therefore concluded that 300 years ago, Saskatchewan had already gone wireless."   This wonderful meadow of blue was taken at Winterthur nearly 10 years ago in April.  Winterthur is the largest naturalistic garden in the US, filled with spring blooms: "Beginning in March, the first early spring flowers awaken along the March Bank, which dazzles us with three phases of color—white, yellow, and blue. To walk along the March Bank during those still-chilly early spring days feels like a gift, a promise of what’s to come. As March gives way to April, the 500,000 blooming sunny daffodils, purposefully laid in clusters of various cultivars, begin to take over the landscape with their bright yellow and white blooms." Today is Winterthur's Daffodil Day and Daffodil Dash - a family-friendly parade through the garden.

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June 26 2021 - Writing History

 

History is always written wrong and needs to be rewritten ~George Santayana What do you imagine Canada's history timeline should be?  I found the timeline taught when I was in school at dummies.com. By Will Ferguson Part of  Canadian History For Dummies Cheat Sheet  Canadian history is a lot of fun. There are heroes and villains, tragedies and triumphs, great battles and sudden betrayals, loyal refugees and long struggles for social justice. The interpretation of Canadian history may vary – radically, at times – but there are still core events from our past that every Canadian should know. Brush up on your Canadian history with the following timeline of important events. 30,000–10,000 BC Prehistoric hunters cross over into Canada from Asia circa 1000 AD Leif Ericsson leads a Viking expedition to the New World 1451 The Iroquois Confederacy is formed (aka Haudenosaunee) and so on for lots of rows and row of colonist events. Yes - Ferguson's history is about the colonization and then confederation of Canada.  It is so selective that the question immediately arises:  What are  all the events that took place and who are all the people that lived here? So I found a Canadian history timeline about Indigenous peoples HERE.  The Canadian Encyclopedia presents a storyline that covers the indigenous peoples and events. Here are samples: NOVEMBER 30, -1 ARCHEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES  Evidence of Human Occupation in North America Irrefutable archeological evidence of human occupation in the northern half of North America, including in the Tanana River Valley (Alaska), Haida Gwaii (British Columbia), Vermilion Lakes (Alberta), and Debert (Nova Scotia).   JANUARY 01, 1450 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES  Haudenosaunee Confederacy Try Resolving Disputes in Lower Great Lakes Region The Haudenosaunee Confederacy (Iroquois League), organized by Dekanahwideh (the Peacemaker) and Hiawatha, tries to provide a peaceful and equitable means to resolve disputes among member nations in the lower Great Lakes region JANUARY 01, 1493 LAW  “Doctrine of Discovery” is Decreed The papal bull Inter Caetera — the “Doctrine of Discovery” — is decreed a year after Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to America. Made without consulting Indigenous populations nor with any recognition of their rights, it is the means by which Europeans claim legal title to the “new world.” What draws me in is the Iroquois or Haudenosaunee Confederacy referenced in both history timelines.  I looked it up in Wikipedia - it has an extensive entry on the Iroquois Confederacy.  But I can see that there are two different storylines about Canada's events of the past.  And who writes these? Is the Wikipedia entry on the Iroquois another storyline from the colonist point of view? What might be the story from the Indigenous point of view?   I guess it is time to start somewhere  - at Raven Reads with Canadian History Books by Indigenous Authors.  It is HERE. It is time to find out what the Canadian storyline is.   Lilycrest Gardens blossom period has begun.  Here are two from the field yesterday.

May 25 2021 - how Dangerous is Niagara?

 

What an interesting question pops up in Google:  Is Niagara dangerous?  And the answer? Niagara Falls is in the 9th percentile for safety, meaning 91% of cities are safer and 9% of cities are more dangerous.  The rate of crime in Niagara Falls is 65.71 per 1,000 residents during a standard year.  People who live in Niagara Falls generally consider the southeast part of the city to be the safest. Is that New York or Ontario's Niagara's Falls?  It turns out to be Yew York:  Niagara Falls, N.Y. has a D- overall crime grade.  Violent crime grade F, Property crime grade A+ and Other Crime grade D-.  The overall crime rate is 83.33 - very high.  This number comes from numbeo.com - the world's largest cost of living database.   How about Niagara Falls, Ontario?  The retrieved answer is:  there is virtually no crime in this area.   The crime index says 36.95 and safety index 63.05.  Level of crime is rated as low, but crime increasing in the past 3 years is rated high.  These numbers come from numbeo.com too. The overall quality of life index says very high.  That is higher than Hamilton at high, and Toronto at very high.  And if you compare Niagara Falls, N.Y. with Buffalo, it has more crime there too.  The overall crime index for Bufalo is 44.36, and the safety index 55.65. It's level of crime is considered moderate. When we were children, it was our understanding that Niagara Falls, Canada with its tourist industry was considered a city with more organized crime than in St. Catharines or other nearby towns.  I don't know how we as children got this sense.  Maybe it was the newspapers reporting on criminals who vanished in the area.  That was the case with Peter Mitchell in 1959. Or other reports such as MacLeans article on organized crime's grip on Ontario.  Maybe someone can tell me how we got these ideas. Here's what is interesting.  Canada is generally so safe that I hadn't considered looking at these numbers, or asking the Google pop up question. Here's my most frequent view of Niagara - the greenhouses.

Jan - 17 2021 - Country Name Mistake? Canada

 

I wonder how country names come about?  That's easy to find out.  This answer was at Kwintessential.co.uk A listing of countries is HERE.   "Most of the time, a country got its English name like this: settlers or traders arrive and either name it after the tribe they encounter or use the name the tribe already have for it. If the new visitors have conquest on their minds, they’ll name a newly discovered land after their leader, the local geography or something reminiscent of their own land. Some are named for people – some are even named by mistake. St Lucia This is one of the only examples of a country named after a woman – St Lucy. Columbus named several of the Caribbean islands he found after saints he was fond of. St Kitts is named for Saint Christopher, his own namesake. Canada “Kanata” means village. It was mistakenly assumed to be the name of the country by 16th century explorer Jacques Cartier, when he encountered the native people. There’s a fascinating trend in country names – countries are almost always named after one of four things: a directional description of the country, a feature of the land, a tribe name or an important person, usually male." And then there's Canada - the mistake!   Here is yesterday's progress on the multiple exposure technique.  What is the field of white sticks?  These are stakes for keeping small trees straight in a nursery crop field.  The ones in the picture are oak trees and are near Brian's Lilycrest Gardens field where Bakker's has a lot of growing fields.. These fields change often -  the rose crop goes to the nursery trade for sale at the end of the first year.  It seems like oak trees might take a bit longer than roses - we'll find out.  Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Jan 16 2021 - Surname Canada

 

I wonder how many surnames there are that are the same as country names?   The last name Canada derives from the Middle English "cane", a development of the Old French "cane", meaning cane, reed. Secondly, it may be a Norman locational name from the town of Caen, in Calvados, Normandy, named with the Gaulish elements "catu", battle, plus "magos" meaning field, plain. The last name Ireland actually refers to "of Irish origins" and was an ethnic name for an immigrant from Ireland.  The last name France was an ethnic name for someone from France.  The Surname DB says that the country was named from the Franks - the free men, a confederacy of German tribes. The last name Cuba? Portuguese, Asturian-Leonese, Galician, and Spanish: habitational name from any of the places in Portugal (in the provinces of Alentejo and Beira Baixa) or Spain (in Aragon, Asturies, and Galicia) named Cuba, from cuba 'barrel' (from Latin cupa). Variant spelling of Kuba. The last name America?  This is not a happy retrieval - the retrievals want to list the common surnames in America.  The Surname DB has no entry at all.  But ancestry.com has an answer: You can see how America families moved over time by selecting different census years. The America family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1840 and 1920. The most America families were found in the USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 America family living in Illinois. This was about 33% of all the recorded America's in the USA. Illinois and 1 other state had the highest population of America families in 1840. Then to compare with how countries got their names. Here is yesterday's progress on the multiple exposure technique.  Purchase at: FAA - marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

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