2013/03/17
-
Irish immigrant workers were much involved in the widening of the Lachine Canal starting the mid 19th centuryScènes de Montréal – Montreal Scenes 
Poperies
So it will be a tango-loving White Latino Argentinian of Italian origin and who doesn’t care for glamour. That could destabilize some old farts in the Vatican curia. I’m still wondering what the other cardinals had in mind by choosing him.
Passings I
One of my aunts died last Monday, at 92. She was my father’s sister, who in turn was her favorite among her brothers and sisters. He would turn 90 this year had he not had the misfortune of dying along the way (with a little help from Gordon’s Dry Gin). When I was born, my newly-wed parents were living at her place and maybe because of this, she also became my godmother. She had a store and was very generous with my family. I had promised myself to attend her funeral, especially since I was retired. She still lived in the Acadian Peninsula, back east. The funeral was held only this Saturday because they were waiting for the arrival of the youngest of the family who is a medical doctor now living in Lexington, Kentucky. For obvious health reasons, I could not attend. With my unable arm, I cannot even rent a car for any purpose. But my mother and sister did attend the funeral.
Passings II
I may soon be extinct. Well, sort of. Not me in fact, but my avatar. A nasty little critter called the Asian citrus fruit psylla attacks orange trees, forcing them to be cut. In Florida, orange production passed from 242 million crates in 2004 to 142 million in 2011. Bad weather conditions over the years also didn’t help. What makes things worse is that producers, especially in Florida, then get in a situation where they are forced to sell the vacated orange tree lands to promoters, making it impossible to eventually renew production with new trees. Brazil would be the world’s largest oranges producer (30%) followed by the U.S. Oranges rank fourth as the most cultivated fruit on the planet.
Niet!
Today March 17 is the tenth anniversary of Canada’s historical NO to joining the U.S. in attacking Irak without a previous U.N. resolution to this effect. The then Prime-Minister, Jean Chrétien, regrets nothing, quite to the contrary, saying (my words) that the proof of Iraqi arms of mass destruction would not have convinced even the judge of the municipal court of his hometown, Shawinigan.
Excerpt of a forum entry by yours truly in March 2003, on a now defunct site:
«If military action proceeds without a new resolution of the Security Council, Canada will not participate.»
Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister of Canada, House of Commons, Ottawa, March 17, 2003.I pride myself for being one of the 200 000 Montrealers (and of the 250 000 Quebecers) who marched once again, last Saturday, against this invasion. I would like to think that our sustained efforts were in part responsible for our government, to the surprise of many, not budging to American pressure. But then again, who else did, besides Bulgaria? To my knowledge, the US is the only country in the world (except maybe Kuwait but I’m not even sure) where the majority of the population is in favor of this insane invasion. And the next time Bush insults the rest of the world by saying that France is the only one responsible for his diplomatic disaster, I puke.
My “Bush fatwa” is still in effect.
St Patrick’s Day I
repost from March 17, 2004 (in same previously mentioned deceased forum) :
—————————« Can’t let this day go without wishing all those Irish people out there a very happy St Patrick’s day!
We have a lot of Irish descendants in Québec (it is said that 40% of Quebecers carry Irish blood) and Montreal hosts the longest-running St Patrick’s Day parade in North America. It is an event enjoyed by all Montrealers. «Now in its 180th edition, the parade is the oldest and longest running Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in North America, even rivaling the parade held in Dublin, Ireland. The first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade ever held in Montreal took place in 1824 to the delight of the city’s thriving Irish community. One hundred and seventy-eight years later, the parade is still going strong, attracting thousands of elated onlookers dressed up in green for the occasion. A few things have changed since then, with the Queen of the Parade presiding over the event in the very last float, in a tradition that began in 1956.» from http://english.montrealplus.ca/portal/feature/8114/5.jsp.
In fact, it is hundreds of thousands that line up Ste-Catherine Street each year in a very festive (and wet
) multi-cultural extravaganza. Hey, this year’s Queen of the parade was half-Irish half-Nigerian, and Black! From another site: «She chose McGill University for her international development and economics studies in large part because it has a good lacrosse program – she’s an avid player – and for Montreal, which she calls her favourite city in the world. “I love the fact that it’s really multicultural, which it truly is, and so diverse,” she said. “I find it’s very accepting of people from everywhere.” »Montréal rocks! And Irish Montrealers are a big part of it! »
St Patrick’s Day II
Probably as with the U.S., many of Québec’s Irish came here during the great famine of 1845-1851, when the potato harvests were destroyed by mildew. Potatoes were the basic food of poor Irish people. There’s a long historical story also behind these events, involving Great Britain, but I’m not familiar enough to talk about that.
Musical icing
To end this post, an excerpt from the concert Idir gave at the Paris Olympia this last February 2nd, accompanied by his daughter Tanina. Idir sings in the Kabyle language, his mother tongue. The Kabyle language is a Northern Berber language, part of the Afro-Asiatic family. Kabylie is in Algeria.
The first song is a well-known song in the anglo world, with Kabyle lyrics. The second is sung in French by Idir’s daughter. The fourth and last song is an event all by itself: the two pairs of mothers and daughters dancing on stage, that weird and typical sound women make with their hand flapping in front of their mouth, and the general festive atmosphere in the hall, all combine to make one wanting to have been there. Full screen much recommended for this one.
By the way, Berbers are not Arabs.
Comments (9)
I’m sorry to hear you couldn’t make it to your aunt’s funeral—I can relate. There was one speculation about the new pope that part of his attraction to the Romans was, his age makes it less likely he’ll have lots of time to push through changes in the curia.
@n_e_i_l -
Then again, John Paul XXIII had enough time to pull a mighty big trick on them.
My condolences for the loss of your aunt.
There was so much propaganda about Iraq that I understand why so many Americans supported the invasion. Most Americans don’t do much research on their own, they just go along with the flow. I still feel ashamed of my country for attacking Iraq. Really unforgivable. I can’t watch Bush or Cheney speak on TV without feeling sick.
I do recognize the first song.
Excellent version. It looks like someone in the audience got a little too excited during the last song and had to be plucked off of the stage.
Florida oranges may be having problems but California oranges are doing OK.
Condoéaances pour ta tante .
j ‘ ai aimé la vieille photo en noir et blanc des grands travaux du canal..
Merci pour l’ explication de la différence entre pelle et gratte ? Il y avait tellemnt de neige, glacée au fond ,que j’ en ai écorné les coins de la” grate ”. Pelleter et pelter n’ont évidemment pas grand’chose à voir parce qu’ à première vue pelletter signifie décharger, déblayer ou ceuser avec une pelle tandis que si mes souvenirs sont bons pelter aurait plutôt un rapport avec le travail des peaux .
Amitiés
michel
That’s right. Jean Chretien did not agree with the war on Iraq, and that is something to be proud of. Thank goodness for that Prime Minister. He had guts. I saw the interview where he said that he never regret not sending troops.
Sorry about the loss of your aunt.
War on Irak was a shameful act of the Bush administration and someone should have been brought to trial.
Francesco did have a good start. I like him a lot. I don t know what can he do to change things.I have the idea that he is very isolated and surrounded by opus dei people. Forza Francesco.
So long that grapes are the most produced fruit. i am okay. I do,prefer grape juice(fermented) to orange juice.
@n_e_i_l - Oops, I meant John XXIII. I’m a little rusty in religious matters.
sorry about your Aunt, and your not being able to attend her funeral. It seems she had a good life. I wish the new Pope well, I think people in such high places must be somewhat lonely. My sister lives in the middle of orange country in Florida, there are so many orange groves occupied by cattle now, it is sad. 100 million crates is a lot of oranges! I’ll have to come back while I’m at work to listen to the music, my home machine is just too slow. I don’t think the majority of U.S. citizens were for the war against Iraq,, I do think that the majority here are too lazy to protest, we are a selfish bunch…Hope your St.Patrick’s day was pleasant !
To my mother’s dismay, I recently discovered that we have a wee bit of Irish blood in us. My great great great great grandmother (Mary Lindsley) was born in Ireland in 1810, married a Scottish fellow and by 1832 was living in Brantford, Ontario, Canada where my great great great grandfather was born. That side of my family eventually made it to Michigan, then to the San Juan Islands in Washington and my mom was born in Bellingham, Washington. My mom’s objection to the Irish I believe stems from their over zealous, in-your-face, drunken brand of patriotism and pride in their heritage. She has a similar, odd dislike for the Dutch, many of whom had a similar pride in their heritage, often at the expense of others. There was an historically Dutch town near Bellingham where my mom grew up that would hold celebrations each year and the Dutch folk there would have bumper stickers that read, “If you ain’t Dutch, you ain’t much”, or something to that effect. My mom always was more interested in her mom’s side of the family, which was from Sweden.
And 10 years ago, I just remember being really confused as to why we were invading Iraq. The whole “war on terror” and weapons of mass destruction thing didn’t seem to hold much water and there were (are) plenty of other countries with “dangerous”, “evil” leaders. The money to be made by certain corporations? Finishing the job that Bush’s father started? Oil? All of the above? I guess I’m still confused.