Quote from William Hazlitt

 The chain of habit coils itself around the heart like a serpent to gnaw and stifle it.-William Hazlitt

Quote from Michael Schmicker

 You have to gnaw the bone that's thrown you.-Michael Schmicker

Quote from Charlie Waite

 Well,you may not know this,but there's things that gnaw at a man worse than dying.-Charlie Waite

Evaporative dry eye becoming more common

Whether at work or scrolling on social media many of us are spending too much time staring at screens in 2022.Excessive screen time is making eye disorders more common around the world these days. 

                                Evaporative dry eye is caused by damage to glans that produce the tear film that protects the eyes.One of the reasons tear glands clog or dry up is lack of blinking.Whenever we are staring at a screen our blink rate goes down about 10% of normal;that means we are blinking about once instead of ten times. 

                                The eyelids are like little windshield wipers that have oil glands in them that smooth the oily tears,moisturising tears over the eyeball.Staring too long at screens can atrophy these glands and accelerate near-sightedness.Myopia is a condition where the eye grows too quickly and too long and that leads to focus power on the eyeball.The more time kids spend on screens the more likely they are to develop myopia.It is good to look away when staring at screens every 20 minutes,interrupt the close focus and blink more normally.

                                  It is a good idea to take time off from screens every now and then,spend more time outdoors in nature and blink more.

 

Great quote on elections

 Elections decide which horde of rats gets to gnaw at the bones.-Lyndsay Faye

Quote from Brander Matthews

 When I have no idea,I gnaw my nails and invoke the aid of Providence.-Brander Matthews

Another quote from David Letterman

 The worst-tempered people I have ever met were those who knew they were wrong.-David Letterman

Quote on genius

 There is no off position on the genius switch.-David Letterman

Quote from David Letterman

 Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.-David Letterman

Quote on traffic signals

 Traffic signals in New York are just rough guidelines.-David Letterman

An instrumental song from 1959 that I love

 Joy Ride(1959)-song by Johnny and The Hurricanes.

An obscure song from 1958 that I love

 Satellite(1958)-song by Teresa Brewer.

Women and the marathon

 In 1966,the Boston Marathon was only allowed for males.A woman Bobbi Gibb sneaked in and dressed like a man and covered her head with a hoodie.

                         When the race was over she came in 3rd out of 15,000 plus participants but sadly was disqualified (and not recognized as coming in 3rd) by the committee once they found out she was not allowed to be in the event.

                                  The very next year(1967),women were allowed to compete.

A song from 1958 that I love

 The One Rose(That's Left In My Heart)(1958)-song by Teresa Brewer.

The Jerry Springer show

 People lined up to spill dirty secrets on The Jerry Springer Show.The Jerry Springer Show on Tv was jaw-droppingly real,brutally salacious and gobsmackingly successful.

The benefits of house plants

 House plants can make a house feel like a home;they can also make a small space seem bigger.Going green indoors can also make you healthier and happier.Watching a plant grow can be really beneficial;bringing nature indoors can give a big boost to your mental health.Numerous studies over the years have shown that seeing plants can reduce stress and improve focus.Research has shown that touching and smelling plants can affect our mood in a positive way.

                                     Plants can also be good for your body.With decreased stress hormones your vasal constrictors come slowly undone and that can reduce your blood pressure and make you feel physically healthier.

                                     In the past decade multiple varieties of house plants have been lauded as air cleaners including varieties of palm,rubber plant,Draceana,English Ivy,Ficus,Boston Fern and peace lilies.

                                       Whether it's indoors or outdoors interacting with nature can be good for you.

Woman with chemical sensitivities gets assisted death after failing to find appropriate housing-What a horrible injustice and abuse of assisted dying.

 

Woman with chemical sensitivities chose medically-assisted death after failed bid to get better housing

• Avis Favaro
• CTV National News Medical Correspondent
• Follow | Contact

Updated Aug. 24, 2022 1:07 p.m. EDT

Published April 13, 2022 1:14 p.m. EDT

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A 51-year-old Ontario woman with severe sensitivities to chemicals chose medically-assisted death after her desperate search for affordable housing free of cigarette smoke and chemical cleaners failed, advocates say.

The woman’s assisted death appears to be a first in the world for someone diagnosed with multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), a chronic condition also referred to as an environmental illness or environmental allergies, say patient support groups and doctors familiar with her case.

“The government sees me as expendable trash, a complainer, useless and a pain in the a**," 'Sophia' said in a video filmed on Feb. 14, eight days before her death, and shared with CTV News by one of her friends.

She died after a frantic effort by friends, supporters and even her doctors to get her safe and affordable housing in Toronto. She also left behind letters showing a desperate two-year search for help, in which she begs local, provincial and federal officials for assistance in finding a home away from the smoke and chemicals wafting through her apartment.

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Sophia asked a supporter to share her correspondence with the media, but asked that her real name not be used to protect her family. She also did not want media attention prior to her death, say friends, fearing eviction and a delay of her medically-assisted death.

“This person begged for help for years, two years, wrote everywhere, called everywhere, asking for healthy housing,” said Rohini Peris, President of the Environmental Health Association of Québec (ASEQ-EHAQ).

Peris said she spoke to Sophia daily after finding out the woman had applied for and been approved for a medically-assisted death. The Quebec group was assisting Ontario patients with MCS after a similar Ontario organization shut down years ago due to a lack of funding.

“It’s not that she didn’t want to live,” Peris said from her home in Saint Sauveur, Que. “She couldn’t live that way.”

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Research shows that many symptoms of MCS dissipate when chemicals are removed from a person’s environment. But, like Canadians across the country, Sophia had to spend a lot of time at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

Letters she wrote said that indoor cigarette and pot smoking increased, sending fumes through her Scarborough apartment building’s ventilation system. More chemical cleaners were used in the hallways that worsened her symptoms. She confined herself to her bedroom -- or “dungeon,” as she called it -- for most of the pandemic, sealing the vents to keep cigarette and pot smoke from wafting into her unit.

Sophia’s apartment was run by the Salvation Army of Canada. According to letters Sophia wrote to officials in all levels of government, the apartment was renovated to allow her to live in her bedroom, with the vents sealed to keep smoke from coming in. However, she said the landlord refused other accommodations to supplement the room with heating and air-conditioning.

“My landlord does not believe anything is wrong with me, and refuses to do anything else to help me with regards (to) making this apartment safe for me to live. I have given up hope and have applied for — and now qualify for — MAID,” she wrote.

In an email to CTV News, the Salvation Army said it was “deeply saddened upon hearing of the passing of a former resident at one of our Grace Communities residential apartments. We send our heartfelt condolences and prayers to the family, friends and loved ones at this time.”

When asked about specific allegations Sophia made about her living situation and lack of accommodations, Salvation Army spokesperson Caroline Knight responded: "Thank you for the opportunity to comment – we have nothing further to add."

CTV News also contacted the environmental health clinic at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, where Sophia was a patient, but the hospital physicians were not available to comment.

Four Toronto doctors were aware of Sophia’s case and they also wrote to federal housing and disability government officials on her behalf. In that letter the doctors confirmed that her symptoms improved in cleaner air environments and asked for help to find or build a chemical-free residence.

“We physicians find it UNCONSCIONABLE that no other solution is proposed to this situation other than medical assistance in dying,” they wrote.

The letter was signed by Dr. Lynn Marshall, an environmental physician, Dr. Chantal Perrot, a family physician and MAID provider, Dr. Justine Dembo, a psychiatrist, and Dr. James Whyte, a family doctor and psychotherapist. The physicians who wrote the letter all either declined to speak to CTV News or did not respond to a request for comment.

“It was an easy fix,” said Dr. Riina Bray, a Toronto physician who treats those with environmental sensitivities. “She just needed to be helped to find a suitable place to live, where there wasn't smoke wafting and through the vents.”

“If people have to go and kill themselves, that would be a very pathetic thing and it will be heard by the rest of the world because it's not acceptable,” said Bray.

The underlying problem is that there is no government agency that is assigned to help people with environmental sensitivities get housing free from chemicals.

Peris said that Sophia’s letters and the one written by the physicians did not generate responses from any of the officials they were addressed to.

In one email to friends, Sophia suggested that her death was, in a way, a show of protest against the lack of response to her and her physicians’ pleas. “If my death helps to show the government that those of us with MCS will keep on having MAID if they don't act soon, then I'm glad I could help someone else not have to suffer the way I have,” she wrote.

WHAT IS MCS?

Environmental allergies are a condition clouded by controversy and disbelief, even in the medical community. MCS can occur either through a single exposure to high levels of chemicals or constant low-level proximity to them. Some people become hypersensitive to common chemicals used in perfumes, cleaners, pesticides and smokes.

A 2014 survey found that about 2.4 per cent of Canadians, or more than 770,000, have been diagnosed by a health-care provider with MCS.

Some people affected have minor symptoms. Others become fully disabled and are unable to work.

MCS is also considered by the Ontario and Canadian Human Rights Commissions to be a disability. However, there is controversy as some researchers think some of the symptoms are linked to anxiety and depression.

Still, there are three dedicated hospital-based clinics in Canada treating MCS, in Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax.

Bonnie Brayton, a disabled rights advocate in Montreal, says she has a sticker with Sophia’s name over her computer, having desperately worked with her to find accommodations and a solution, to no avail.

“She felt desperate to try and do something and she self-advocated harder than anybody I've seen,” Brayton told CTV News.

"She wasn't given choice,” said Brayton, adding that Sophia was living off disability supports and had no means to find a better apartment herself. “Sophia’s death is a tragedy and a shameful mark on this country…It’s less effort to die.”

Friends set up a fundraiser and collected approximately $12,000 to try to help Sophia get better housing, away from chemicals and smoke. But by then Sophia had an appointment to have a medically-assisted death.

“If nothing turns up before FEB 22 please know that it is ok,” wrote Sophia in an email in early 2022. " I already have a way out. I don’t have the energy to fight anymore.”

CASE GETTING INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION

“I find it unbelievable that that happened,” Dr. Claudia Miller, a professor emerita in the department of allergy/immunology and environmental health at the University of Texas, said of Sophie’s death.

Her research is finding biological causes make the immune system overreact in people with environmental sensitivities. The theory is that either one brief exposure to chemicals or repeated low-level contact with them can trigger an allergic reaction that may alter how some immune cells function.

The solutions, she said, are cleaning up the environments to prevent new cases, and making homes and apartments smoke and chemical free. She’s never heard of a patient being granted an assisted death instead of proper housing.

“It's a sad statement. …people are so desperate they do want to die,” Miller said from her home in San Antonio in an interview with CTV News. “I think that's completely an indication of a huge failure…a societal failure. It’s …..such a bad statement about not just Canadian government, but any government that allows that to occur,” she said.

On March 17, 2021, revised MAID legislation came into force that expanded who could ask for assisted death. Before, only those whose natural death was reasonably foreseeable -- called Track One patients -- were considered. These are typically patients with terminal cancer and other fatal diseases. The new law allows those whose natural death “is NOT reasonably foreseeable” to request and be approved for MAID. These are called Track Two cases.

Sophia was in this category. Two doctors must approve the patient’s request and “must consult with a clinician who has such ‘expertise’ in the illness suffered by the patient.”

There is a 90-day waiting period to determine “whether some treatments or services could help to reduce their suffering, such as counselling services, mental health and disability support services, community services.”

"This is a concerning case,” said Trudo Lemmens, a professor of health law at the University of Toronto who is studying MAID expansion in Canada. “I think it highlights the concerns some us have had in expanding medically assisted death.”

These Track Two cases are proving to be very complex for some MAID providers, said Dr. Scott Anderson, an ICU physician in London, Ont., who also provides assisted death. He said he is seeing more patients with chronic conditions asking for assisted death because they can’t get services to live well.

“A lot of times people act out of those things, frustration….despair. They don't know what else to do. So, they take a dramatic step of saying that. What they're really saying is: ‘I need someone to listen to me,” said Anderson. After the required services are provided, he said patients tell him: “let’s put this (assisted death) off for a bit.”

Since word of Sophia’s death has started filtering out to the community of people with chemical sensitivities, more people with MCS are calling Rohini Peris, inquiring about medically-assisted death for themselves. One woman, who is disabled by MCS and is not able to find appropriate housing like Sophia, she says, is in the midst of a MAID application.

“I’m terrified,” said Peris. “I don’t believe this is the answer. I think the answer is to get together and fight the government that they will do the right thing,” said Peris, who is advocating for a national program to build chemical-free homes.

Sophia’s case has prompted Peris’ group to launch a national campaign and fundraiser to get housing for those with multiple chemical sensitivites across Canada.

Edited by CTVNews.ca producer Sonja Puzic

Quote from Robert M.Pirsig

 We're in such a hurry most of the time we never get much chance to talk.The result is a kind of endless day-to-day shallowness,a monotony that leaves a person wondering years later where all the time went and sorry that it's all gone.-Robert M.Pirsig

Quote from psychoanalysis

 Psychoanalysis is about what two people can say to each other if they agree not to have sex.-Adam Phillips

Quote from Jerry Springer

 We are all born as empty vessels which can be shaped by moral values.-Jerry Springer(1944-2023)

An obscure song from The McGuire Sisters that I love

 Open Up Your Heart(And Let The Sunshine In)-song by The McGuire Sisters.

A song from Soul II Soul that I love

 Back To Life(However Do You Want Me)-song by Soul II Soul.

A song by Teresa Brewer that I like

 Side by Side-song by Teresa Brewer.

Turkish refugees in Syria

 An influx of Syrian refugees in Turkey in 2020,2021 and 2022 willing to work for lower salaries has made it hard for Turks to compete.

          As Turkish elections near,the fate of Syrian refugees hangs in the balance.

             Both main candidates in Turkey's upcoming presidential election have promised to send hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugeesback to Syria.Human rights observers warn that Syria is not safe for returnees,but Turkish voters are largely in support.For 3.6 million Syrians living in Turkey,their fate may lie in an election they cannot participate in.-PRI,THE WORLD,March 31,2023.

Singapore executes a 46 year-old man for attempted marijuana smuggling

 Singapore has executed 46 year-old Tangaraju Suppiah in April 2023 after he was found guilty in 2018 of attempting to smuggle more than 1 kg(2.2 pounds) of cannabis.He was hanged despite last-minute appeals for clemency from his family and activiists.Richard Branson appealed for clemency in his case on his behalf too,but to no avail.

                       Singapore carried out 11 death sentences in 2021.

                           Hanging someone for trafficking in marijuana is draconian and inhumane.(Marijuana is totally legal and legally available for consumption in Canada since October  2018).Singapore must be pressured to scrap the death penalty and join the progressive world.

Cockwomble

 Cockwomble(noun)-A person,usually male,prone to making outrageously stupid statements and/or inappropriate behaviour  while generally having a very high opinion of their own wisdom and importance.

Health benefits of celery salt

 Is celery salt good for health?

A.Celery salt is high in polysaccharides and other antioxidants and polysaccharides that have anti-inflammatory properties.This salt has been shown to be useful in lowering cholesterol levels.It contains active anti-hypertensive effects that can help lower blood pressure.

A subsitute for confetti

 Instead of confetti,punch holes in leaves.

Bananas

 Bananas are not trees.There's no wood in them.They are actually giant herbs and banana is its berry.

Jerry Springer

 Jerry Springer died of cancer at the age of 79 in April 2023 in Chicago;he had been diagnosed with cancer a few months before his death.

                           Jerry Springer's famous talk show ran on television for 27 years between 1991 and 2018.Jerry Springer had always been the mayor of Cincinnati in 2017.

Cuba's ties with Canada

 Canadians have a unique relationship with Cuba;they are its economic lifeline and its biggest source of tourism dollars in 2022.It is a relationship Cuba's communist government is trying hard to protect in  April 2023.

         Tourism revenue is the mainstay of Cuba's budget in 2022.

A marathon

 A marathon is three times longer than a 10,000 meter race.

Retinitis pigmentosa

 Retinitis pigmentosa is a degenerative eye disease;it gets progressively worse as you age.

                  There are 20,000 Canadians living with an inherited retinal disease in 2022.

A song from 1961 that I like

 Milord(1961)-song by Teresa Brewer.

                      This song is an English version of the 1959 hit French song  'MILORD' by Edith Piaf.

A song from Judy Garland that I like

 The Man That Got Away-song by Judy Garland.

                         This song starts with the lines 'The night is bitter/The stars have lost their glitter '

Do cheekbones sink with age?

 As we get older,collagen,elastin and facial fat pads break down,resulting in some changes that can cause the appearance of a sunken face.The effect is even more pronounced when the fat pads begin to drift south,which can exacerbate sunken cheeks and undereye hollows.

A reggae tune from 1985 that I love

 Ring The Alarm(1985)-song by Tenor Saw.

Motorbikes

 Adeline and Augusta Van Buren were the first women to travel across the United States on two solo motor bikes in 1916.They made it despite getting imprisoned often for wearing trousers.

A song from Teresa Brewer that I love

 Au Revoir-song by Teresa Brewer.

Abusive partners

 When someone thinks it is appropriate to behave abusively towards their partner that is in of itself an indication they are not an ideal parent.

                        Sometimes a partner won't leave an abusive relationship over concerns their abuser will be given child custody.They believe that if they stay in their relationship they can protect the child from being alone with the abuser.

A song from Mario Lanza that I like

 I'll Walk With God-song by Mario Lanza

A song from a Montreal band that I like

 Driven-song by Foxtrott.

               Foxtrott is a relatively new Montreal band.

A song from 2005 that I love

 Fly Me Away(2005)-song by Goldfrapp

A song from 1959 that I love

Bye Bye Baby Goodbye(1959)-song by Teresa Brewer.

A song from Connie Francis that I like

 Come Rain Or Come Shine-song by Connie Francis.

Russell Johnson

 Before Russell Johnson was an actor best known for his role as The Professor in 'Gilligan's Island',he served as a bombardier in a B-25 Mitchell over the Pacific from 1942-1945,he flew 44 combat missions against the Japanese.

Doohickey

 Doohickey-An object or thing whose name you do not know or have forgotten.Other variations include whatchamacallit and thingamajig.

Quote from Gary Hamel

 The real damper on employee engagement is the soggy,cold blanket of centralized authority.In most companies,power cascades downwards from the CEO.Not only are employees disenfranchised from most policy decisions,they lack even the power to rebel against egocentric and tyrannical supervisors.-Gary Hamel

Delicious salad I made on April 18,2023

 On Tuesday,April 18,2023,I made a delicious salad with cocktail tomatoes,green grapes,Brie cheese,salt,onion powder,olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Quote on novelists

 Novelists are people who have discovered that they can dampen their neuroses by writing make-believe.We will keep on doing that no matter what,while offering loftier expectations.-Kurt Vonnegut

Quote on religion

 Religion is not a melancholy,the spirit of God is not a damper.-John Donne

Quote from Nassim Nicholas Taleb

 In France,in the 1980s,the socialists took over the banks.In the United States in the 200s,the banks took over the government.-Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Quote from Nina Garcia

 Taking stock of what you own,when done correctly and thoroughly,helps dampen the urge to shop frivolously.-Nina Garcia

More acronyms

 1.RL-Real life,as opposed to the internet.

2.ROFL-Rolling on the floor laughing.

3.TBH-To be honest

4.TTYL-Talk to you later.

5.IMHO-In My humble opinion.

6.IMNSHO-In my not so humble opinion.

7.IMO-In my opinion.

Great quote from Mary Quant

 Good taste is death.Vulgarity is life.-Mary Quant,fashion designer.

Great quote from Aldous Huxley

 Unrest and insecurity lead to more control by central governments and an increase in their power.-Aldous Huxley

Quote from Anne Lamott

 And if you are meant to write,and you don't,it hurts your heart.-Anne Lamott

Great quote on rules

 Rules are invented for lazy people who don't want to think for themselves.-Mary Quant(1930-2023),fashion designer.

Acronyms

 1.AFAIC-As Far As I'm concerned.

2.AFAIK-As Far as I Know

3.BTDT-Been There Done That

4.EOM-End of Message

5.FWIW-For What It's Worth

6.HTH-Hope this helps

7.IIRC-If I recall correctly

8.IOW-In other words

9.NG-News group

10.OTOH-On The Other Hand

Quote on paper flowers

 Only paper flowers are afraid of the rain.-Mary Quant,fashion designer.

Great quote on boredom

 Please,a little boredom-boredom is so healthy in small doses.-Hannah Arendt

Quote from Tito Puente

 The percussion is what really makes the music interesting.-Tito Puente

Inflation in Argentina

 While high inflation has long haunted the Argentine economy,it is reaching excruciating levels in March 2023.The annual inflation rate  has soared past 100%,the highest in 30 years,meaning the price of many goods has more than doubled in a year.-PRI,The World,March 31,2023.

Argentina

 Not being able to afford meat is one of the worst things that could happen to an Argentine;a weekend barbecue with friends and family is a national institution.

Inflation

 Inflation is the fever of a sick economy,and the fever gets worse sometimes.

BTW

 BTW-Acronym for By The Way.

Quote from Ursula K.LeGuin

 If a book told you something when you were fifteen,it will tell you it again when you're fifty,though you may understand it so differently that it  seems you're reading a whole new book.-Ursula K.LeGuin

Quote from Assata Shakur

 Nobody in the world,nobody in history,has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them.-Assata Shakur

Seen on a signpost

 ALL GODS MUST BE KEPT ON A LEASH.-Seen on a signpost on the Facebook page of Robert Kaplan,April 18,2023.

Quote from Kathy Acker

 If you ask me what I want,I'll tell you.I want everything.-Kathy Acker

Quote on sex

 Sex means nothing -just the moment of ecstasy,that flares and dies in minutes.-Philip Larkin

Quote from Craig D.Lounsbrough

 Too often I'm the slumlord of my own heart.-Craig D.Lounsbrough

Quote from George Orwell

 We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.-George Orwell(1903-1950)

Quote from Richard Dawkins

 Nature is not cruel,only pitilessly indifferent.-Richard Dawkins

Quote from Denzel Washington

 With so many things coming back in style,I can't wait until morals,respect and intelligence become a trend again.-Denzel Washington

Are red grapes nore nutritious than green grapes?

 In general,dark red and purple grapes are higher in antioxidants than green or whiter grapes.The antioxidants found in grapes can help protect your cells from free radicals,which are a natural byproduct of your body's biological processes.

Quote from Brene Brown

 It takes courage to say yes to rest and play,in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol.-Brene Brown

A song from 1954 that I like

 I Can't Tell A Waltz From A Tango(1954)-song by Patti Page.

A song from 1960 that I like

 Two Long Years(1960)-song by Dick Caruso.

A song from 1954 that I like

 The Mama Doll Song(1954)-song by Patti Page

Another old instrumental song that I love

 Love And Fury(1962)-song by The Tornados.

An obscure instrumental song from The Tornados that I love

 Lullaby For Gulia-song by The Tornados.

A song from Crystal Gayle that I like

 Counterfeit Love-song by Crystal Gayle

An instrumental song from The Tornados that I love

 Hymn For Teenagers-song by The Tornados.

A song from Crystal Gale that I love

 This Is My Year For Mexico-song by Crystal Gale

A song from Bobby Vinton that I love

 My Heart Belongs To Only You-song by Bobby Vinton

A song from 1959 that I like

 Margie(1959)-song by Fats Domino.

An instrumental song from Al Hirt that I like

 A Night In Tunisia-song by Al Hirt

An obscure song from 1959 that I like

 Blue Denim(1959)-song by Dick Caruso

A song from The Arrogant Worms that I like

 Proud To Be Canadian-song by The Arrogant Worms.

A song from 1952 that I love

 Put Your Shoes On,Lucy(1952)-song by Anne Shelton.

9

Quote from Chip Brown

 Like dogs,bicycles are social catalysts that attract a superior category of people.-Chip Brown

Quote from Elizabeth Gilbert

 I've never seen any life transformation that didn't begin with the person finally getting tired of their own bullshit.-Elizabeth Gilbert

Quote from Saul D.Alinsky

 No issue can be negotiated unless you first have the clout to compel negotiation.-Saul D.Alinsky

Quote on faith

 It is a sad fact of life that power and fear are the fountainheads of faith.-Saul D.Alinsky

Quote from Saul D.Alinsky

 If people don't think they have the power to solve their problems,they won't even think about how to solve them.-Saul D.Alinsky

Quote from Melanie White

 One advantage reading books has over TV is you can't read books and do homework at the same time.-Melanie White

Quote on the establishment

 The establishment can accept being screwed,but not being laughed at.-Saul D.Alinsky

Quote on mankind

 Mankind has been and is divided into three parts:the Haves,the Have-Nots,and the Have-a -Little,Want Mores.-Saul Alinsky

Quote on consumer banking

 Consumer banking: selling debt to middle class families has been a goldmine.-Elizabeth Warren

Quote on human beings

Human beings do not like to look squarely into the face of tragedy.Gloom is unpopular.-Saul D.Alinsky

Quote from Saul D.Alinsky

 The fact that people are poor or discriminated against doesn't necessarily endow them with any special qualities of justice,nobility,charity or compassion.-Saul D.Alinsky

Quote from Saul D.Alinsky

 Our world has always had two kinds of changers-the social changers and the money changers.-Saul D.Alinsky

REMEMBER

 REMEMBER:When you bury a body,cover it with endangered plants so it's illegal to dig it up.

                         Follow me for more gardening tips.-From Facebook

Poignant message

 IF I DIE IN A SCHOOL SHOOTING LEAVE MY BODY ON THE STEPS OF CONGRESS.-Message on a cardboard cutout,FACEBOOK post ,Dotty Still,March 27,2023.

Quote on credit cards

 Credit cards are like snakes:Handle 'em long enough,and one will bite you.-Elizabeth Warren

Quote from Saul D.Alinsky

 You cannot meet today's crisis tomorrow.-Saul D.Alinsky

Two more songs from Bob Manning that I like

 1.P.S. I Love You-Bob Manning

2.My Love Song To You-Bob Manning

Quote from Joseph Campbell

 People forget facts,but they remember stories.-Joseph Campbell

Three obscure old songs by Linda Laurie that I like

 1.Soupin' Up Your Motor-Linda Laurie

2.Prince Charming-Linda Laurie

3.All Winter Long-Linda Laurie

An obscure song from 1959 that I like

 Playing The Field(1959)-song by Dick Caruso.

A song from Bob Manning that I love

 The Very Thought Of You-song by Bob Manning,

Two superb ,underrated old songs that I simply love

 1.Blam Blam Fever-The Valentines

2.Stop The Violence-The Valentines.

Quote on power

 Power is not only what you have but what the enemy thinks you have.-Saul Alinsky

Quote on history

 History is a relay of revolutions.-Saul Alinsky

Quote from Geoff Dyer

 You need to retain a certain confidence in order to keep working.-Geoff Dyer

An old song from Bob Manning that I like

 You Call It Madness,But I Call It Love-song by Bob Manning.

An obscure song from Vic Dana that I love

 Frenchy-song by Vic Dana.

A song from 1953 that I like

 The Nearness of You(1953)-song by Bob Manning.

Quote on last guys

 Last guys don't finish nice.-Saul Alinsky

Rabbits hiding

 Q.How do rabbits hide from coyotes?

Answer.Brushpiles.Brushpiles provide a hiding place from ground predators(dogs,foxes,coyotes,mink and weasels),and give rabbits thermal protection during cold weather.

Quote from Saul Alinsky

 Pick the target,freeze it,personalize it,and polarize it.-Saul Alinsky(1909-1972)

Quote from Margaret Atwood

 I wanted to forget the past,but it refused to forget me;it waited for sleep,then cornered me.-Margaret Atwood

Quote on crisis

 Never let a crisis go to waste.-Saul D.Alinsky

Quote from Saul D.Alinsky

 The only nonpartisan people are those who are dead.-Saul D.Alinsky

A song from 1959 that I like

 French Foreign Legion(1959)-song by Frank Sinatra

Quote from Jack Nicholson

 This town needs an enema.-Jack Nicholson

Quote from Saul Alinsky

 Asking a sociologist to solve a problem is like prescribing an enema for diarrhea.-Saul Alinsky

Quote from Mason Cooley

 The world needs an enema.-Mason Cooley

Two lesser known songs from Eddie Cochran that I like

 1.One Kiss-Eddie Cochran with The Johnny Mann Singers

2.Mean When I'm Mad-Eddie Cochran with The Johnny Mann Singers.

A lesser-known song from Bobby Vee that I like

 In My Baby's Eyes-song by Bobby Vee with The Johnny Mann Singers.

An obscure song from 1962 that I like

 Not Like A Sister(1962)-song by Teresa Brewer.

Four other songs from The Fontane Sisters that I like

 1.Got You On My Mind-The Fontane Sisters

2.Rollin' Stone-The Fontane Sisters

3.Bless Your Heart(1954)-The Fontane Sisters

4.Lonesome Lover Blues(1956)-The Fontane Sisters featuring Billy Vaughn's Orchestra.

A positive thought

Somewhere in the dark corners of the Internet,the left is planning universal healthcare and community gardens.-from The Facebook page of Robert Kaplan,April 7,2023.

Quote from Robert Greene

 It is a curse to have everything go right on your first attempt.-Robert Greene

Quote from Louise Kaufmann

 You should make it a habit to exchange kind words with yourself more oftené-Louise Kaufmann

Quote from Matt Haig

 You don't need to be busy.

         You don't need to justify your existence in terms of productivity.-Matt Haig,THE COMFORT BOOK.

Great quote from Richard Bach

 I do not exist to impress the world.

     I exist to live my life in a way that will make me happy.-Richard Bach,ILLUSIONS.

Quote from Marlon James

 All the people I believe in believe in books.-Marlon James

Quote from Mary Ruefle

 Although all poets aspire to be birds,no bird aspires to be a poet.-Mary Ruefle,THE MOST OF IT.

Quote from Terence McKenna

 Nature is alive and talking to us.This is not a metaphor.-Terence Mckenna

Quote from William Eggleston

 I am at war with the obvious.-William Eggleston

Ian Fleming,the creator of James Bond

 Novelist Ian Fleming grew up in a wealthy family in England.His father died while fighting in World War I.

       In the early 1930s Ian Fleming was a journalist for Reuters where he perfected the art of writing quickly.Ian Fleming was a bird watcher;he also loved cars,as evidenced in his book CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG.

                      He fell in love with Jamaica while on a trip there and bought a beautiful piece of land there.Ian Fleming's home in Jamaica was called Goldeneye.He wrote all of his novels in Golden eye.

                                Ian Fleming died of a heart attack in England in 1964 at the young age of 56;he had been a heavy smoker and drinker for most of his life.

                                      His son Caspar Fleming was found dead in 1975 at the age of  only 22.Very sad!

Funny signpost I saw in Villeray

 MAFIA PARKING ONLY

-<-

ALL OTHERS WILL BE WHACKED.

                -Signpost in front of a home on Henri Julien street between Jarry Avenue and Guizot street in Villeray,Montreal that I saw on Tuesday, April 4,2023

Quote from Steve Albini

 In heaven,after antipasti,the first course will be pasta.-Steve Albini

Quote from Steve Albini

 In heaven,after antipasti,the first course will be pasta.-Steve Albini

A song from The Fontane Sisters that I like

 Playmates-song by The Fontane Sisters.

Quote from Steve Albini

 Doubt the conventional wisdom unless you can verify it with reason and experiment.-Steve Albini

Quote from Maya Angelou

History,despite its wrenching pain,cannot be lived again,and if faced with courage,Need not be lived again.-Maya Angelou

Quote on pension

 A pension is nothing more than deferred compensation.-Elizabeth Warren

Quote from Ron Kaufman

 The shelter of excuses has a leaky roof.-Ron Kaufman

Quote from Steve Albini

 When people are absurdly tall,they command everyone's attention when they walk into a room.Nobody's ever dismissive of somebody for being too tall.-Steve Albini

A song from 1955 that I love

 Still(1955)-song by The Fontane Sisters with the Billy Vaughn Orchestra.

A song from 1954 that I like

  I Can't Tell A Waltz From A Tango(1954)-song by Alma Cogan

A song from 1955 that I love

 Voices(1955)-song by The Fontane Sisters with Pat Boone

A song from The Fontane Sisters with the Billy Vaughn Orchestra that I love

 Willow Weep For Me-song by The Fontane Sisters with The Billy Vaughn Orchestra.

A song from The Fontane Sisters that I love

 I'm Stickin' With You-song by The Fontane Sisters.

A song from 1952 with vocals that I love

 Blue Tango(1952)-song by Alma Cogan

A song from 1951 with chorus that I love

 Longing For You(1951)-song by Vic Damone and His Chorus

Some songs from The Fontane Sisters that I like

 1.Rock Love-The Fontane Sisters

2.Adorable-The Fontane Sisters

3.Happy Days And Lonely Nights-The Fontane Sisters

4.Please Don't Leave Me-The Fontane Sisters.

Some songs from Vic Damone that I like

 1.Pretty Butterfly-Vic Damone

2.Flamingo-Vic Damone

3.The Lively Ones-Vic Damone

4.Nina Never Knew-Vic Damone

5.Perfidia-Vic Damone

6.Room Full Of Roses-Vic Damone

7.My Bolero(1949)-Vic Damone

8.Cincinnati Dancing Pig-Vic Damone

9.Let's Face The Music And Dance-Vic Damone

10.In My Own Quiet Way-Vic Damone

Another song from 1949 that I like

 A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes(1949)-song by Perry Como.

A song from 1958 that I like

 Gigi(1958)-song by Vic Damone with Percy Faith and His Orchestra.

A song from 1949 that I like

 A Dreamer's Holiday(1949)-song by Perry Como with The Fontane Sisters.

Quote from Jay Woodman

 There is no excuse for being derogatory or dismissive  about other's beliefs,paths,choices.Everyone is where they need to be at the right time to learn the right things for them and their personal journey through life.-Jay Woodman

Quote from Jackie Joyner-Kersee

 Mistakes are avoidable with good planning.-Jackie Joyner Kersee

Quote from Grace Kelly

 I avoid looking back.I prefer good memories to regrets.-Grace Kelly

Quote from Albert Camus

 There is so much stubborn hope in the human heart.-Albert Camus,THE MYTH OF SISYPHUS.

Quote from W.Somerset Maugham

 You see,money to you means freedom;to me it means bondage.-W.Somerset Maugham,THE RAZOR'S EDGE.

Quote from Jean-Paul Sartre

 The only thing the Bolsheviks did wrong was give Ayn Rand an education.-Jean Paul Sartre

Angst

 Public angst over a crumbling economy often lands on a scapegoat.

A new wave song from 1982 that I love

 Nova Heart(1982)-song by Spoons.

Japanese wisdom-?

 The Japanese say you have three faces.

The first face,you show to the world.

The second face,you show to your close friends,and your family.

The third face,you never show anyone.It is the truest reflection of who you are.-Unknown,www.facebook.com/CHOICEANDTRUTH

A song from Incubus that I like

 Drive-song by Incubus

Two more songs from Vic Damone that I like

 1.Eternally(1953)-Vic Damone

2.The Pleasure of Her Company-Vic Damone

Canadian music composer dies at only 53

 Canadian music composer Jocelyn Moorlock died in March 2023 at the age of only 53 in Vancouver.She was genius.She died of suicide.So sad.

Two songs from Vic Damone that I like

 1.A Quiet Tear-Vic Damone

2.Separate Tables-Vic Damone

A song from 1958 that I love

 The Only Man On The Island(1958)-song by Vic Damone

Two songs from Vic Damone that I like

 1.Farewell To Paradise-Vic Damone

2.April In Portugal(1952)-Vic Damone

A song from 1954 that I like

 The Sparrow Sings(1954)-song by Vic Damone

An obscure song from 1953 that I love

 A Village In Peru(1953)-song by Vic Damone.

Quote from Pearl Bailey

 There's a period of life when we swallow a knowledge of ourselves and it becomes either good or sour inside.-Pearl Bailey

Insightful quote from R.D.Laing

 Pain in this life is not avoidable,but the pain we create avoiding pain is avoidable.-R.D.Laing

A song from Omi that I love

 Cheerleader-song by Omi

A song from 2002 that I like

 Beautiful(2002)-song by Christina Aguilera.

                                 (This song contains the line ---'I am beautiful no matter what they say.')

A song from 1998 that I love

Closing Time(1998)-song by Semisonic

A song from Vic Damone that I love

 Arrivederci Roma-song by Vic Damone

Quote from Pearl Bailey

 To talk to someone who does not listen is enough to tense the devil.-Pearl Bailey(1918-1990)

Quote from Hunter S.Thompson

 You can't hoard fun.It has no shelf life.-Hunter S.Thompson

Quote on the young

 When you're young,the silliest notions seem the greatest achievements.-Pearl Bailey

Quote on mirrors

 We look into mirrors but we only see the effects of our times on us-not our effects on others.-Pearl Bailey

Quote on self-worth

 Self-worth comes from one thing-thinking that you are worthy.-Wayne Dyer