Around 200 Montrealers of Iranian origin held an anti-regime demonstration Sunday afternoon in the snow, in Côte-des-Neiges.
People are talking about this Twitter thread by Michael McCain of Maple Leaf Foods, who sounds off against the sabre-rattling on both sides that resulted in a passenger plane being shot down. Toula Drimonis also writes about the fates of ordinary people caught in the crossfire when regimes are trying to get a militaristic rise out of each other.
Old-time anglos may remember the name Ralph Lockwood, who was one of those “character” radio guys here back in the 1970s on CKGM. He has died in the U.S. and nothing in this Andy Riga obit says how old he was.
I understand he was 80.
I don’t know, but that sounds about right. I remember when he hit CKGM in 1971 or 72, and he was no kid. I know kids at school mentioned him, at that age it seemed like he was aiming at us, but in retrospect wasn’t.
It’s only 48 years ago, I don’t think that qualifies us as “old time anglos”.
It’s only 48 years ago, I don’t think that qualifies us as “old time anglos”.
I hate to break it to you, Michael…
good ole ralphie, Bar b Barn Bar, Frank Harris … the gang
“old time” –yeah, ouch!
I regularly used to wet my bed to Ralph Lockwood’s CKGM morning show (circa 1972).
He was hilarious – but very shrill and my seven year old psyche I think was a bit freaked out by Ralphie.
As I started to better understand Ralph’s wonderful jokes and humor – I started to appreciate his show – so that by 1974 I was a real fan of the show.
Every yellow school bus in the seventies was treated to Ralph and CKGM. (Did FM even exist?) Back when Montreal was the centre of Canada, the city had leading radio hosts.
Today the best we can muster is a Terry Demonti. Oh how far we have fallen.
The Centre d’histoire piece this weekend looks at Blue Bonnets and the old Decarie strip.
Radio-Canada’s archives look at winter clothing from the 1960s to 1980s, and at the Sulpicians, owners of the island of Montreal for two centuries.
Ice pellets are sifting down onto the city and some suburbs are already in the dark Sunday morning. Roads are treacherous and some flights are cancelled.
Around here, the stuff that’s fallen looks like snow, but is more like densely packed pellets when you try to shovel it.
TVA reports on the city’s Centre de la gestion de mobilité urbain and what it does during a storm. Text and video.
Raymond Lutz 09:17 on 2020-01-13 Permalink
Paul Valéry : « La guerre, un massacre de gens qui ne se connaissent pas, au profit de gens qui se connaissent mais ne se massacrent pas. »
dhomas 09:54 on 2020-01-13 Permalink
The more I read comments on Twitter, the more I think not everyone should be allowed to have their voice heard. The comments back to Michael McCain are just plain sickening.
Ephraim 11:16 on 2020-01-13 Permalink
All I want to remind people of is Iranian Air flight 655…. this isn’t the first, nor the last plane shot down in error. There are a LONG list of them, including one Siberian 1812, Malaysian Air 17. These incidents are few and far between. We will see what kind of compensation Iran will pay, though it is never enough and of course doesn’t replace the person, but at least it’s an attempt to right a wrong. I think with Siberian 1812 they paid out $200K per passenger… that was 2001, so 19 years ago.
This is NOT a reason to go to war. And it’s not upon Canada to get into a war with Iran. It’s not our war. The reason that Iran is on a war footing and this missile was ready and armed is entirely caused by the US. And honestly, I think this is a distraction by the king of distraction… look… you are getting poorer because the rich aren’t paying their fair share of taxes… but we need your money to fight a boogeyman in Western Asia.
Chris 22:52 on 2020-01-13 Permalink
War seems unlikely; messaging from both sides is de-escalating.
Raymond Lutz 09:12 on 2020-01-14 Permalink
@Chris, Les militaires Iraniens ont fait une excellente démonstration de la précision de leurs missiles, tout en ne visant que des bâtiments évacués, épargnant ainsi la vie des soldat américains car ils avaient annoncé leur attaque. Cela a fait réfléchir Israel et les USA (qui sont utilisés comme proxy dans cette guerre contre l’Iran). https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/a30444584/iran-missile-attack/
Chris 09:54 on 2020-01-14 Permalink
Announcing one’s retaliation to avoid actually killing your enemy is *de-escalation*.
Raymond Lutz 11:35 on 2020-01-14 Permalink
Chris, je ne vous contredisais pas… j’ai interprété votre ‘messaging’ comme étant principalement la voie diplomatique et ses canaux de communication mais les actions militaires peuvent être mesurées et contribuer également à un apaisement et ‘de-esacalation’ comme vous dites.