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Wednesday, December 06, 2017

#20 - Top 25 Christmas Songs (According To Me!)

I hope you're ready to step back into the POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR!

If memory serves me, we're already at Day #6 - which means that I will be posting my twentieth favourite song of the holiday season!

Now, if you've been keeping track of my list so far, quite a few of the songs I've selected have been happy, carefree songs that you can dance to.  And that is purely intentional.  I believe that Christmas Day should be as much fun as possible.  While the more traditional tunes do appear on my list as well, I think Christmas should be more of a celebration, and having fun with your family members and friends.

Well, okay, maybe on the drama series EastEnders, it's anything but.  But one song that I am sure that you might hear playing in the background of some Christmas themed episodes of British soaps is this one at #20.



Ah, yes.  "Step Into Christmas" by Elton John.  I mean, as the years have passed by, we all knew Elton John could belt out a tune.  He's had the many #1 hits and top selling albums to prove it.



But what is interesting about "Step Into Christmas" was that it was released right around the time that Elton was beginning to make a name for himself as a musical artist.  Remember, by this time he had already scored hits with "Crocodile Rock", "Daniel", and "Rocket Man".  So, the fact that this song became a huge hit in the UK at that time really speaks volumes.

In fact, not only did the single reach the Top 30 in the UK, but it also became a #1 single on the Billboard Christmas charts just in time for Christmas 1973!  And did you know that it's the ninth most played Christmas tune in the United Kingdom forty-four years after it was originally released?  Talk about staying power!



Now, for years, the only way you could get a copy of this single was by actually buying the album single (of which the B-side was an amusing tune called "Ho, Ho, Ho (Who'd Be a Turkey on Christmas?)".  But in 1995, the track was finally released on CD format on a remastered version of his 1974 album "Caribou".  It also appears on Elton's Christmas album "Elton John's Christmas Party".  And I seriously recommend that you do pick up this single and give it a spin because it really does make you get in the mood of having a very merry Christmas!

Oh yeah, Bernie Taupin appears in the music video of "Step Into Christmas".  See if you can spot him!



And that wraps up the twenties of this list.  Stay tuned for song #19 tomorrow, where the tale is bittersweet, and the setting is...the frozen foods section?

Tuesday, December 05, 2017

#21 - Top 25 Christmas Songs (According To Me!)

Hello, everyone!  And welcome to Day #5 of the POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR

In case you're just joining us, I'm counting down what I believe to be the best 25 Christmas tunes ever released.  Of course, that is strictly my own opinion.  Feel free to agree or disagree with me all you like.  But try to do it respectfully.  We are twenty days until Christmas and Santa Claus is still watching and judging you.

Watching and judging.

Oh...ahem.  That's right.  It's time to have a look at
song #21, isn't it?

Before I post it, I will say this as a bit of a disclaimer.  In Canada, we tend to have a listen to songs from the United Kingdom a lot sooner than the people of the United States do.  So as a result, I don't know if a whole lot of you will know who this artist is - or even what the song is.  But this song has always been a part of my Christmases from the time I was growing up, and on the rare occasion that the radio did play this song during the month of December, I loved it.

So, here's the song I have picked for #21



Born Michael Barratt in Cardiff, Wales, he changed his stage name to Shakin' Stevens when he was starting out in the music business.  Though his career in the UK began in the 1960s, it wasn't until he was in his thirties that his career really took off in the UK.

And, I suppose it's needless to say that in the United States and Canada, his career didn't seem to take off at all.  I have to admit, I didn't know that it was him who sang my twenty-first favourite Christmas tune until four years ago!



But in 1985, Shakin' Stevens released the tune "Merry Christmas Everyone" in the UK, where it topped the charts that Christmas.  You see, in the UK, it's not uncommon for a Christmas tune to reach the #1 spot, and not only did the song chart at the top of the pops in 1985, but over the last ten years, the song has re-charted - going as high as #17 in 2016!

The song is sort of arranged in a way that makes it sound as it was released at the beginning of the rock and roll era.  This was quite common with a lot of Shakin' Stevens' early works.  He was likely one reason for the brief period in the early 1980s when everything 1950s was hot again.  



The music video is quite nicely done as well, with somewhat decent production values for its time period.  And it does just what the song intends to do - makes everyone feel happy and excited that the holiday is here and celebrating it the best way they can.  From snowman building to sleigh rides to that incredibly ugly Christmas sweater Stevens is wearing - this video just screams Christmas!

They didn't have to look hard to cast some of the children in the video - two of them were played by his own children!



The final footnote I have to offer regarding this tune is that it was re-recorded and re-released in 2015 in an effort to raise money for the Salvation Army.  Only instead of the rock influenced tune that the original was flavoured with, Stevens decided to transform it into a country tinged tune complete with a banjo for emphasis.



So, why do I like this song so much?  Well, it's been a part of my holiday experience since I was a kid.  It also reminds me of a much simpler time, when the only thing you had to worry about was making sure Santa had the right cookies, or trying to fall asleep on Christmas Eve night when the anticipation of opening gifts was too hard to handle.  Those are the days that I cherish the most, and while I can't quite go back in time to experience them again, I can think about them each time I hear this song.

We'll be closing out the twenties with another holiday favourite from the UK - this time, it's from a British chap...and I doubt you'll see any crocodiles in this one.

Monday, December 04, 2017

#22 - Top 25 Christmas Songs (According To Me!)

Certainly when I think of the holidays, I think of traditions.  And on Day #4 of the POP CULTURE ADDICT'S GUIDE TO LIFE, tradition is definitely the name of the game as we check and see what song is at #22 on the list of Top 25 Christmas Songs (According to Me).

In case you've missed the last three days, here's a recap of the ones heard so far.  I'll be doing this periodically the closer we get to Christmas.

25.  Here We Come A-wassailing Medley
24.  Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
23.  Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

As you can tell, there's a little bit of tradition blended with a modern twist.  Much like the selection that I have for song #22.



Ah, Darlene Love.  What a set of pipes on that lady.  Can you believe that at 76 years old, she is still going strong with her musical chops?  Though she has built a career with several albums and singles to her credit (as well as taking a turn at acting on the side), she's probably best known for her work on holiday albums.  I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with a Christmas song she hasn't sang.



Her first major Christmas tune was Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - a song that has been covered by such artists as U2, Mariah Carey, and Cher.  It first appeared on the holiday album "A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector", and that album also contained hits from the Crystals, Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, and a certain group that (SPOILER ALERT) you will hear a little later in this Christmas countdown.

And what a song it was too!  She belted out those words in such a brilliant way that at the time I don't think anyone else could have done it the same way.  And that song would become an annual tradition in every sense of the word.

Particularly for one late night talk show host.



It's hard to believe that David Letterman's show has been off the air for nearly three years now.  And it's especially hard to believe that in those three years, Letterman has somehow grown an epic Santa Claus beard!  But back when he was clean-shaven and one of the kings of late night television, he and Paul Shaffer would entertain audiences year round - well, at least until the Christmas holidays began.

You see, David Letterman had his own set of traditions that he honoured on the last show before the Christmas hiatus.  Those traditions usually included at least one visit with Rupert at Hello Deli, a holiday themed Top 10 list, and Jay Thomas attempting to knock off the meatball at the top of his Christmas tree.




(R.I.P. Jay Thomas.)

At at the end of the holiday themed spectacular, Paul Shaffer and the CBS Orchestra would invite singer Darlene Love to perform "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) every single year since 1986.  And she made it to every single performance for the rest of the time David Letterman hosted the show.

(Well, okay, due to the 2007/2008 writer's strike, she had to sit that one out - but the 2006 performance was broadcast instead.)

I suppose really that's what the holidays are all about in the long run.  Yes, the holidays have gotten more modernized with online shopping and phone apps that let you track Santa around the world on Christmas Eve.  But at the root of it all, there's traditions that have lasted centuries.  Darlene Love has certainly been a part of holiday traditions for a few years at least! 




So, that's four out of twenty-five songs complete.  What do I have next at #21?  How about a song that sounds like it was released in the 1950s, actually came out in the 1980s, and was a huge hit for a guy whose stage name sounds like something you might do to James Bond's martini!

Sunday, December 03, 2017

#23 - Top 25 Christmas Songs (According To Me!)

We are continuing the countdown of the Top 25 Christmas songs according to my own personal opinion.  And as we kick off Day #3 of the POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR, we will actually be having a look at song #23 on my list.

Yep.  This year, I'm counting down backwards.

It's actually been a lot of fun doing this so far.  All year long on my Facebook page, I've been counting down my list of my top 750 songs of all time, and let's just say that when I post my Boxing Day entry, I will be sharing that list with all of you to analyze and break down however you see fit.

Now, as the late Casey Kasem would say - on with the countdown!



Have you ever seen the 1944 film "Meet Me in St. Louis"?  To be perfectly honest with you, that is one movie that I have never seen.  I know, I call myself a pop culture addict, yet there are a few movies that I have not yet seen!  I suppose that I can be forgiven though.  It was released thirty-seven years before I was born.

However, the film starred a standout performer in her own right.  Actress Judy Garland had already made a name for herself five years earlier when she took on the role of Dorothy Gale in "The Wizard of Oz".  The film was an instant success worldwide (and admittedly was one of my favourite movies growing up and is still held in high regard for me personally), and catapulted her to success.

Of course, we all know that Judy Garland's star burned out prematurely.  By the time the 1960s rolled around, she had a serious drug and alcohol problem which was a factor behind her death in 1969 at the age of 47.  But back in her prime, she was as beautiful as she was talented. 

What was interesting about Judy Garland's voice was that she sang almost every song with a mixture of happiness, hope, and heartbreak.  I mean, if you listen to her song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz", it was as beautiful as it was melancholic.  You could hear the sadness in her voice as she sang about how she longed to be over the rainbow, but you could also hear the resolve that one day she would get there.

(And she eventually did in all of her technicolor glory.)



I suppose that my choice for song #23 - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is also a song that brings about those conflicting emotions.  Granted, the song is one of my favourites anyway no matter who sings it (and honestly, I almost picked the Pretenders' version from 1987 as Chrissie Hynde rocked that song quite well).  But there's something about Judy Garland's version that makes it stand out more.

The song itself could be interpreted as a happy song, as the genuine wish for someone to have a merry Christmas is a good one.  But the way that Judy sang it, there's that added depth of despair - almost as if something is missing from Judy's life that would make it a merry little Christmas.  I think that a lot of people out there are feeling that way.  Sometimes I feel as though I should be happy during the holidays, but there's something missing that would make it perfect, which leads to seasonal depression, and so on and so forth.



I think it's because of the emotion that Judy Garland used to sing the song that cemented it at #23 on this list.  I knew it had to be included somewhere, but I also knew that there are others that I liked more.

Such as the song that I have listed at #22.  Although the song was first released in the 1960s, it became an annual tradition at one late night host's talk show - well, at least until 2014 anyway. 

Saturday, December 02, 2017

#24 - Top 25 Christmas Songs (According To Me!)

Welcome to Day #2 of the POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR!  Also, this is the first time in what seems like months that I've done two blog entries in a row!  I'm telling you, 2017 has been a challenging year to say the least.

Now, in case you're just joining us, I'm counting down my Top 25 Christmas tunes of all time - well, at least in my opinion anyway.  As of right now, I've only got one listed so far.

25.  Here We Come A-Wassailing Medley

By the time Christmas comes though, we will be adding twenty-four other songs ranging from the classic to contemporary.  In the case of some songs, I will be selecting what is my favourite version.  Believe me, in some cases, the choice was incredibly tough as there are so many wonderful interpretations of the same song.  But in other cases, it's pretty obvious that I will choose one version over the others.

Such as this song that is at #24 on my list.



Ah, Brenda Lee.  She started in the music industry so young.  Would you believe that when she recorded "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", she was just thirteen years old?

Of course, the screenshot that I took to make the image above clearly shows her to be older...unless thirteen year olds really dressed dowdy in 1958.  But it's no wonder that her nickname in the music industry was "Little Miss Dynamite".  Imagine having such a husky controlled voice as a teenager.  No matter whether you liked her style of music or not, she truly was gifted.



And I have to admit that "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" will always be a favourite of mine.  I can remember the first time I heard the song playing in my life.

I want to say that I was five years old at the time, and I was in the car going to see Santa Claus at the mall.  It was a simpler time where cars were as enormous as spaceships, cassette tapes were the format of choice for music consumers, and the top holiday toy was the Teddy Ruxpin doll.  And yes, I am totally dating myself.

But I do distinctly remember that the song was playing just before we pulled up to the mall, and it was a song that I really liked.  I mean, I liked it so much that I actually refused to go inside the mall until the song was over.  And let me tell you, as a four year old who was just getting into music at the time, this was a huge deal.

I also remember being sad that it only played once a year every December.  But then the song was used in a scene in the film "Home Alone", and I realized that I could listen to that song whenever I wanted every time I popped the movie in the VCR (well, okay, now it would be the Blu-Ray Player).  And yes, I just dated myself again.

Since the first time I heard the song, I admit that it has become a holiday necessity for me.  I have to hear the song played at least once.  And only by Brenda Lee.  That being said, I don't think that it would be appropriate to post a video of myself singing along to that tune while decorating my own tree.  Your ears do not deserve that punishment.

But they do deserve to hear Brenda's version below!  Enjoy!




Do pop in for #23 tomorrow.  There may be no place like home for this singer, but only she can sing a song with a mixture of happiness and heartbreak.

Friday, December 01, 2017

#25 - Top 25 Christmas Songs (According to Me!)

I'm back!!!  Didya miss me?  I know I sure missed all of you!

To say that the last couple of months have been challenging would be the biggest understatement of the year.  I know I've missed a lot...such as half of the people I've written blogs about have now been fired for sexual harassment.  And good on those who spoke out against it, as that sort of stuff has no place in this world. 

But for now, it's time to do what I have done every December for the last few years.  It is time for...

...THE POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR!!!

And welcome to
Day #1 of the calendar at that. 

So the theme of the advent calendar is music.  In particular, we'll be taking a look at some of the holiday music that has made me smile over every Christmas I have experienced.

But we're going to be doing things a little bit differently this year.  We're actually going to start off with number 25 and go backwards to #1.  Hey, I figure if Rick Dees and Ryan Seacrest can do it, why can't I?

Because this year, I'm going to be sharing (in my opinion, of course), my
Top 25 Songs of Christmas Past.  After listening to Christmas music for the last three weeks (seriously, working in retail, I have literally no choice), I've compiled my list of 25 favourite songs.  Some are contemporary, some are classic, and some are really obscure.  But the one thing that these songs have in common is that at some point, they've made an impact on my enjoyment of the holiday season, and Christmas to me wouldn't quite be the same without these tunes.

But I will say this.  There will be no Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, or Madonna's "Santa Baby" on this list.  That much I can promise.  And the list of songs that I have is quite eclectic.  The newest song is from five years ago, and the oldest song is from the 1800s! 

So, let's kick it all off with song #25!




Now, this song is actually a medley that was performed in one of my favourite Christmas specials of all time.  Will Vinton's "A Claymation Christmas" was first shown on television in 1987, and it has since become a bit of a forgotten show.  I haven't seen it air in at least twenty years.  Luckily, I bought the DVD of it so I can watch it whenever I want - even in June if I choose to!

Anyway, in between the special performances by ice skating walruses, bells that hammer themselves in the head, and raisins singing about red-nosed reindeers, there were news reports hosted by a pair of dinosaurs.  And they were trying to talk about the Christmas carol "Here We Come A-wassailing", but neither one of them knew what the word wassailing meant.  And every time they tried to explain the meaning, they were always interrupted by groups of people who misinterpreted the meaning.



First we had a group of dogs singing about how they were going a waffling!  Of course, we had the dogs giving the dino hosts free waffles.



Then we had a group of beautiful geese warbling about how they were going a waddling.  And while I think they would have been more appropriate for Easter, they were handing out eggs to share.  



And then we had the group of pigs who sang about how they loved to go a wallowing.  And yes, they too brought lots of goodies and treats to share.



It actually wasn't until the end of the show that we learned what wassailing was from a group of tiny elves...or maybe they were leprechauns.  It was really hard to tell as a six-year-old.  Anyway, they explained that wassailing was when you went around the neighbourhood greeting your neighbours, wishing them well, giving them treats and singing Christmas carols. 

It was a great way for us kids to learn about the meaning of a Christmas tune (and it was cool to learn what wassailing really was).  And as a result, I'm starting the countdown with this tune.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a video of the medley...but I did find a link to the whole Claymation Christmas special.  Click HERE to watch it.  And I'll tell you right now, this is not the only song you will hear on my list from that special.

Coming up tomorrow - song #24 is a tune that was belted out by a thirteen year old that was dubbed "Little Miss Dynamite!"

Sunday, November 19, 2017

The Reason Behind My Absence...Sort Of

I think it's been a while since I last wrote in this blog.  Well over a month, in fact.  This has actually been the first time I've actually had time to sit down and compose something after the last month of pure hell.

Yes, that's the reason why I have been staying away for so long.  Sometimes life has a way of smacking you in the face, kicking you in the stomach, and stealing all of the money in your wallet.  That's kind of what happened to me this past month.

(Well, not LITERALLY, of course.)

Now, I can't quite go into specifics about what happened too much because it's still somewhat of a private matter within my family.  The only thing that I can say at this time is that not long after my last entry (which was October 9th), one of my family members was involved in a major accident, and they were hurt really badly.  At that point, my priority became less about the blog and more about helping them get through the ordeal.  It was quite the traumatic experience for all involved, but I am happy to report that despite some setbacks, they are well on their way to recovery. 

Sometimes it takes an event like that to make one really re-evaluate their priorities in life.  And that's essentially where I have been the last month.  I have had to step up and help take care of things while my family member recovers from their injuries.  Most of my free time in the earliest part of this ordeal has gone towards trying to keep things together.  Balancing that with a full-time job makes it even more challenging.

The one thing I can definitely say though is that this experience has really shown me what true friendship and loyalty really is.  From people sending their well-wishes, and to the family pitching in to support each other, to random acts of kindness from acquaintances to make sure that we were all taken care of.  Given that we're getting into the holiday season, it's something that we can all really appreciate.

Besides, I think some of you can understand that lately I've felt a little bit of writer's block, and that I have been having a creative lull.  I guess it's something that all writers go through at some point, but it was a source of frustration for me.  It was like, I love to write, but have I run out of stories to tell?

I suppose that as much as I didn't want it to be like this, and that I wish that my family member didn't get hurt, in some weird way, it was the catalyst to figuring things out.  I needed to take some time away from the blog to really figure out what I want out of it...what I want to tell people.  How to make A POP CULTURE ADDICT'S GUIDE TO LIFE entertaining again.  2017 has definitely been my biggest year of self-reflection yet, and while I could definitely use a do-over of everything after October of this year, it has helped me understand that sometimes it is okay to take some time away to help others get through tough times.

Fortunately, I have come up with a way that I can end the year on a good note.  While this may be my only post for the month of November, I've already got plans for the 2017 POP CULTURE ADDICT'S ADVENT CALENDAR.  I won't spoil too much, but it will have to do with music. 



Thank you all for reading this post.  Believe me when I say that while I needed this break away, I did miss all of you.

Take care, and I will see you in December...or maybe earlier than that.  I haven't decided yet.

Monday, October 09, 2017

Remembering Tom Petty

I can still remember the first time I ever heard a Tom Petty song...and it traumatized me at first!

I think the year was 1988 or 1989...it was right around the time that my parents got a brand new television for the living room.  Not only that, but it was the first time that our household had cable television!

(Okay, granted, my parents could only afford the basic cable package which meant that we couldn't see any channels past Channel 37, but still...two dozen more choices to choose from!  Yay!)

Anyway, one of the channels that we were blessed with was MuchMusic (Canada's version of MTV), and at least back in 1988, the channel was airing music videos approximately twenty-one hours of the day.  So, back then, you were guaranteed to see your favourite artists and their contributions to the music video world at some point in the day.



And that's where I came across the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers video for "Don't Come Around Here No More".

Now, keep in mind, I was probably around seven when I first watched this video, and keep in mind that my television viewing didn't include a lot of violent shows.  So the scene in which Tom Petty was slicing Alice from Alice in Wonderland with a cutting knife was really disturbing and I think I grabbed the remote with enough force to probably snap it in half in order to switch the channel.

(Though, keep in mind that the part of the music video for Phil Collins' "Don't Lose My Number" where the guy activates a capsule of fake blood traumatized me enough to swear off MuchMusic for six months!  Yeah, I was a weird child.  No apologies.  No regrets.)

But once I got over the initial shock of the video and really listened to the song, I dug it.  I mean, I really dug it.



And it wasn't too long after I saw that video for the first time that Tom Petty released the album "Full Moon Fever".  



It was a massive success all over the world and gave us hits like "Free Fallin'"



And, "I Won't Back Down".



And, "Runnin' Down a Dream".

From that moment on, I became a fan of Tom Petty's music.  I sought out that album and became acquainted with many more of his older releases.  Songs such as "Refugee", "You Got Lucky", "American Girl", and "Even The Losers" all earned a spot in my music collection, and as time passed, I grew to respect the man even more.

I loved him when he was a part of the supergroup "The Traveling Wilburys" - a group which also included Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Roy Orbison.  His 90s hits were just as polished and fresh as his stuff from the 1970s and 1980s (though I must say that the music video for "Mary Jane's Last Dance" creeped me out even more than "Don't Come Around Here No More" - the song is kick-ass, but the video is major disturbing).  And as time passed, we all believed that Tom Petty would continue to rock our worlds with his classic rock tunes, his incredible work ethic, and his down-to-earth personality for decades to come.

Sadly, as we all well know, Tom Petty passed away on October 2, 2017 - just days before his 67th birthday.  The cause of death was cardiac arrest - and for a while, it was unknown as to whether or not he actually passed on.  With the Las Vegas tragedy still fresh on everybody's minds at the time, I suppose it was easy to have a misunderstanding over what was really going on.

But once the news was confirmed, I have to say it really bummed me out.  I'll never get the chance to see him in concert.  All I really have are the songs that he sang - songs that defined many people's childhoods and songs that sent a message.  His death really hit a lot of people hard - myself included.  It was a similar feeling to how I felt when I heard that Michael Jackson died, or Robin Williams, or David Bowie.  Even though the only time you ever interacted with them was by watching them on television or listening to them on the radio, hearing that they had passed on is very much like losing an old friend.  They were always there with you when you were feeling happy or feeling sad.  And while the memories will remain via all of the work they released, there will still be that void in a sense.

But I have a feeling that if there is a heaven in this world, Tom Petty is probably giving one of the greatest performances ever.  




I'd like to think that he learned to fly...because he got his wings.

Thursday, October 05, 2017

October 5, 1970

This has certainly been a sad week in the world this week.  October 2017 hasn't been the most positive month so far with the mass shooting in Las Vegas and the death of Tom Petty (which I will be doing a special blog on once I get the time to do so).  I think that for this week's Throwback Thursday post, I wanted to feature a positive post.  I think we can all agree that there has been too much sadness this week.

Before we get to the topic that I have chosen for this week, let's see what other events took place on October 5.

1582 - As a direct result of the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, October 5 actually doesn't exist in Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain

1789 - Women of Paris march to Versailles to confront Louis XVI of France about his refusal to promulgate the decrees on the abolition of feudalism

1813 - Shawnee leader Tecumseh is killed during the Battle of the Thames in Canada

1857 - Anaheim, California is founded

1864 - A cyclone nearly destroys the city of Calcutta, killing over 60,000

1869 - The Bay of Fundy region in Maritime Canada is devastated by the Saxby Gale

1902 - McDonald's founder Ray Kroc (d. 1984) is born in Oak Park, Illinois

1905 - Wilbur Wright pilots Wright Flyer III in a flight of 24 miles in 39 minutes

1917 - Game show host Allen Ludden (d. 1981) is born in Mineral Point, Wisconsin

1921 - The 1921 World Series becomes the first to be broadcast on radio

1922 - "The Family Circus" cartoonist Bil Keane (d. 2011) is born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

1943 - Ninety-eight American POW's are executed by Japanese forces on Wake Island

1945 - A riot erupts at the gates of Warner Brothers studios in an event that would come to be known as "Hollywood Black Friday"

1947 - The first televised White House address is given by Harry S. Truman

1950 - Actor Jeff Conaway (d. 2011) is born in New York City

1955 - Disneyland Hotel opens to the public three months after the park officially opens

1957 - Comedian/actor Bernie Mac (d. 2008) is born in Chicago, Illinois

1962 - The first James Bond movie "Dr. No" premieres; also on this date the Beatles release their debut single "Love Me Do"

1968 - Police baton civil rights demonstrators in Derry, Northern Island - the incident that many believe sparked the beginning of The Troubles

1982 - Johnson and Johnson issues a mandatory recall of all Tylenol products after several people die after taking Tylenol laced with cyanide

1983 - Earl Tupper - the founder of Tupperware - dies at the age of 76

1984 - Marc Garneau becomes the first Canadian to go into space

1999 - Thirty-one people are killed in the Ladbroke Grove rail crash in West London

2001 - Barry Bonds breaks a record previously set by Mark McGwire by scoring his 71st and 72nd home runs within a single season

2004 - Comedian/actor Rodney Dangerfield dies at the age of 82

2011 - Apple co-founder Steve Jobs passes away from cancer at the age of 56; also on this date actor Charles Napier dies at the age of 75

And celebrating a birthday on October 5 are the following famous people; Dean Prentice, Roy Book Binder, Stephanie Cole, Steve Miller, Heather MacRae, Brian Johnson, "Fast" Eddie Clarke, Karen Allen, Bob Geldof, Clive Barker, Harold Faltermeyer, Lee Thompson, Kelly Joe PhelpsNeil DeGrasse Tyson,  Daniel Baldwin, David Bryson, Dave Dederer, Mario Lemieux, Patrick Roy, Guy Pearce, Josie Bissett, Grant Hill, Parminder Nagra, Scott Weinger, Kate Winslet, Vinnie Paz, Jesse Palmer, James Valentine, Jesse Eisenberg, Naima Adedapo, Nicola Roberts, and Tim Ream.

All right, so what year will we be going back in time to this week?  I wonder...



...hmmm...how about October 5, 1970?  That sounds like a great date to flash back to.  Granted, I wasn't around then...but what happened on that date had a definite effect on not only my life, but the lives of millions of people.

When I think back to one lesson in life that I always hold true to my heart, it is the idea of being never too old or too young to learn new things.  I'm always wanting to figure out ways to become a better writer, or to learn about subjects that I may not have known a lot about, or discovering new skills that I never really knew I had.  Life is all about learning new skills, be it at the age of four, forty, or 104.



Therefore it may not seem all that surprising that some of my favourite television shows as a kid were shows that inspired all of us to learn more about the world, and were educational in nature.  I can recall my geography knowledge widening just by watching "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego".  I recall "Square One Television" getting me through math class with ease.  "Ghost Writer" helped me understand the complexities of writing and made me a better writer as a result.  "3-2-1 Contact" broke down the science of things as well as offered brand new perspectives on the world.  And of course if it wasn't for "Sesame Street", many of us probably wouldn't have known how to count to twenty or learned our ABC's.

Well, at least the "Sesame Street" that predated Elmo, that is.

Now, all of these television shows, in addition to being shows that celebrated education and learning, all had one other thing in common. 



Did you know that all of these shows aired on the Public Broadcasting Service?  Or PBS, as most of us know it as.  And it was on this date in 1970 that PBS made its official launch as a television network.  Neat, huh?

Now as most of us know by now, PBS differs quite substantially from other networks on your television dial such as ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and the CW.  Whereas the other networks compensate affiliate stations to carry their programs, PBS provides television content and related services to its member stations.  And nearly all of the programming that is aired on PBS is aired with the support of viewers like you.  Thank you!



Seriously!  Why do you think PBS has like eight different pledge drives every year?  It's not just so you can spend $300 and get a Downton Abbey baseball cap, an EastEnders tote bag, and a sew-on Mister Rogers Neighbourhood patch that you can put on your leather jacket!  All the money and memberships help keep certain programs on the air for you to enjoy without the hassle of commercial breaks.

As mentioned above, PBS was founded by Hartford N. Gunn Jr. in June of 1970, but it would not be until October 5 that the first programs would air on television.

And what an assortment of programs there were to choose from!



Now, I've already shared with you some of the shows that I remember watching on PBS when I was a kid.  And granted, most of these were shows for children.  But the programs that kept me entertained and informed back then were just a smidgen of the children's shows that were on the air.  I missed out on quite a few of the older shows that aired before I was born.  I grew up never watching the original series of "Zoom" or "The Electric Company".  Both shows no longer aired on my PBS affiliate by the time I came around.

(It sort of explains why I was kind of confused in that one episode of the rebooted "One Day at a Time" where Rita Moreno's character screams "Hey, you guys!" - I totally thought she was re-enacting that scene from "The Goonies".  Who knew she did that on "The Electric Company" too?)



And of course the children's programming that aired after I became too old for kids shows.  Shows like "Cyberchase", "Liberty's Kids", and "Clifford the Big Red Dog" were known kid pleasers and also taught kids how to do a lot of things and helped them learn about math and history.

Though not all PBS shows were winners.  I have a hard time trying to figure out the educational value of "Teletubbies" and "Caillou".  And I'm sure I'm not alone in that regard.



But don't think that PBS is just for the children to enjoy.  There's plenty of programming for adults to enjoy.  I mean, let's get this out of the way first.  All of those memes starring Bob Ross and his little trees of happiness wouldn't be possible if PBS didn't air any of his painting shows.  Truth be told, as dry and dull as Bob Ross shows could be, they were strangely captivating and informative at the same time. 



PBS also aired classic and modern British television.  It was the prime network where viewers could watch the hit series "Downton Abbey".  It was the network that first got me hooked on Rowan Atkinson and his delightful comedic talents in both "Mr. Bean" and "Blackadder".  It was the network that introduced me to British sitcoms such as "Keeping Up Appearances" and "Are You Being Served?".

Oh, and my parents wouldn't have anything to watch on Monday nights were it not for "The Antiques Road Show".  PBS has saved them from boredom!



And I have to admit that PBS was the main reason why I got so addicted to the British drama "EastEnders".  They used to air two episodes every Sunday night, and I watched faithfully and continue to do so online.  Of course, my niece and nephews refer to the show as the "angry British people show". 

Anyway, that's my love letter to PBS - a network that started airing 47 years ago today!

Tuesday, October 03, 2017

After Vegas: What Now?



It has been a couple of nights since the streets of Las Vegas were filled with panic and fear.  Two nights since fifty-nine people were gunned down and over five hundred more were wounded as they were celebrating the end of a three-day country music festival.  A couple of days since the worst mass shooting in modern American history.

And it's taken me a couple of days to actually try and compose some thoughts on the whole thing.

At this point, we may never know what possessed the perpetrator to check into the Mandalay Bay resort, smash some of the windows in his thirty-second floor suite and just randomly shoot at the crowd that was trying to enjoy the Jason Aldean concert.  And considering that this coward pulled the trigger on himself after the fact, we may never know.  At this point it is speculation as to what made him do such a despicable act.  But one thing you can't deny was that this attack was planned.  And yes, contrary to what people might argue otherwise, it is absolutely an act of terrorism.

Just as the case with the knife attack in Marseilles, France earlier this week.  Or the stabbing incident involving a police officer and four other people on the streets of Edmonton during a football game.  All acts of terrorism as far as I am concerned.

The shootings in Las Vegas was definitely a wake-up call.  The question is, will anyone do anything about it?

I'm being serious.  Back in 1999, two students entered a high school armed with guns and shot a teacher and twelve innocent students in Colorado.  There was a huge debate about gun control back then with lots of divide.  Many wanted stricter laws on the sale and distribution of guns and other weapons, but people also argued that it was within their rights to carry a gun as per the Second Amendment.  The Columbine school shootings were eighteen years ago.  Everyone knew that something had to be done so that this never happened again, but nothing really came of it.

Flash forward a few years, and you had a man shooting people inside of a movie theatre in the same state.  But, no, we didn't need to reopen the gun control debate.

Five months later, a man wreaked havoc on an elementary school, killing several students under the age of eight years old.  Again, the debate was opened up, but once again nobody seemed to want to do anything about it.


Or, how about the shootings at Pulse nightclub in Orlando?  Was anything done then to stop the violence?

And yet here we are.  Fifty-nine people are now dead, with the casualty list expected to climb.  Fifty-nine families forever broken and damaged.  Fifty-nine funerals planned over the course of the next few days.  All because of a man who stockpiled a bunch of weapons and ammunition for the sole purpose of inflicting as much damage as possible.

Still want to put this on the backburner, America?

Look, I get that there are some of you who will fight to the death to have the right to bear arms.  It's the right of the Second Amendment, you say.

Know what I say?  The Second Amendment needs to be amended.  It needed to be amended YEARS ago.

I have no problem with people who want to have a rifle for hunting purposes.  Granted, I don't think hunting is a sport I would enjoy (and I am definitely against hunting endangered species), but that's just my thought.  I also have no problem with people who want to keep a small pistol in their homes for protection.  Again, I probably wouldn't have one in my house because I don't like guns, but the Second Amendment does state that people have the right to bear arms.

That said, it is absolutely ridiculous for one man to want to have an entire arsenal of guns at his disposal.  On top of that, as far as assault rifles or bazookas or any high powered machine gun, I don't think that any civilian should even have the power to purchase one of these guns in the first place.  Unless you are a soldier in the military, or even a high-ranked police official, there is NO reason why anyone should even have this on their person.  As far as I am concerned, I don't have an issue with people having the right to bear arms...I do have an issue with people who stockpile weapons for the sole purpose of causing terrorist attacks, and I think that there needs to be better screening, better record keeping, and for sporting goods and weapon shops to have the right to refuse sales to people who are unfit to carry weapons via psychological issues or past criminal convictions.

Of course, the amendment of the Second Amendment has to be government approved - and frankly, I've got little confidence in #45 to make the necessary amendment happen.  Apparently he's too busy making a mockery of democracy one tweet at a time to even think about that right now.  And yes, I did go there.  No apologies.  No regrets. 

The time is now to say enough is enough.  The time has come to face the issue of gun control head on.  The time has come to realize that by putting it off, the bigger chance of more lives being lost senselessly.  Do the right thing and amend the second amendment.  The fact that in 2017, there's now an average of one mass shooting per day - that is way too high of a number.  This is officially a crisis. 

My heart breaks for the people of Las Vegas...in fact, it breaks for people all over the world.  In fact, a couple from the next town over from where I live got caught in the crossfire.  Though both of them managed to survive to tell the tale, not everybody was so fortunate.

However, to close this off, I do want to state that I've heard people say that they won't be going to another concert after this, or that they will be staying away from public gatherings.  While I can understand how in shock they are, I want to also state that this should not deter anybody from living their lives to the fullest.  If anything, this tragedy makes all of us realize just how fragile life is.  We shouldn't live our lives in fear just because of the chance that something bad could happen.

Yes, the lights of the strip have dulled a little and the Gulch may have temporarily lost its Glitter.  But the people of Las Vegas are tough and I am sure that one day they will bounce back louder and prouder than ever and show the world that they are not afraid.  In fact, we saw quite a lot of that present in the minutes after the shootings.  People using wire fences as makeshift stretchers to place wounded victims on.  The paramedics and police officers who worked all hours of the night to treat the wounded.  The concert goers who stayed together and protected each other in the darkest hours.  Everyday people who became heroes.  People who became the light along the neon streets of Las Vegas in the city's darkest hour.

Those are the people who will hopefully help the rest of the world see the way.  At least, the optimist in me says so.