A Day in Canada - September 9, 2026

I always find it pleasant to pay a visit to Canada. Even if it is a brief visit.

And so, my brother and I visited Canada on Wednesday. It is about a two-hour drive, give or take, from my mom's place, which I have been staying at during my current vacation. We got there around lunchtime, and stayed until almost dark.

This was my first visit to Canada in over three years. The last time had been with my son while on vacation in the Midwest and the beginnings of the West. While I had been meaning to go - I always assume that I will make it to Canada at least once a year - it rarely seems to pan out in recent years. While I used to go several times each year, it seems to have gotten a bit more difficult to make these kinds of trips.

However, given all that is happening between the two countries currently, I was determined to go this time around. Canadians should know that not everybody in the United States is on board with King Con Don and his Mindless MAGA Moron Cult. 

Let's face it: it's always nice to visit a country where Trump is not the leader or not even seen in a remotely positive light. Right now, it feels like common sense prevails far more in Canada than in the United States. That was refreshing. 

Of course, I go and visit Canada for other reasons. This was English Canada, so we did not get to enjoy French all that much. There was one French-language Canadian station, but it was uninteresting talk for most of it, so we turned it off. 

However, we stopped at A&W, a restaurant change that brings us back to our childhood, but which seems to have largely disappeared in the States. At least our part of the country, anyway. And I had a couple of orders of poutine, because I love poutine and take advantage when I can on these visits to Canada. 

Of course, we did not just go there for poutine. We stopped relatively briefly at Niagara Falls. Wanted to stop for maybe half an hour or so, just to take in the Falls, as well as to exchange currency. But the parking was $40 flat rate, and that seemed excessive. So since he had gone longer without seeing them, I stopped and waited in the car off to the side while he went and took some pictures. All of the pictures of Niagara Falls (save for one of the gardens) were taken by him.

Later, we visited Hamilton, driving alongside Lake Ontario, which is now apparently officially known as "Lake America" south of the border. 

Ridiculous.

Anyway, we visited the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton. That will be covered in a future blog entry, likely to be published tomorrow. 

After that, we visited the centreville of Hamilton. However, it was later than we wanted it to be and everything seemed closed. 

By that point, anyway, we were both tired and so headed back to my mom's place. 

Again, it was not a long visit. Yet, it sure was nice to be back in Canada, if only for eight or so hours.

Below are the pictures from the trip. Again, most of them were taken by my brother (albeit using my phone). The only one from Niagara Falls which I took on this trip were of the yellow flowers with the water fountain sprouting up above them. However, all of the pictures not of Niagara Falls, specifically, were taken by me.

Enjoy.

 

Post Labor Day Weekend Humor: Trump Supporters Wearing White After Labor Day

Saw this post, and it made me laugh.

If you are offended by this, then most likely it is because you are part of what has gone terribly wrong with the United States in recent years.

This is meant as a joke, an exaggeration. Yet sometimes, you have to wonder if it really is that much of an exaggeration, or if there is some truth to it.

Here is a post I found on Facebook suggesting that Trump supporters were debating the merits of wearing white after Labor Day. But the picture is of a really by the Ku Klux Klan.

Hey, if the shoe fits....

Vilma T. Fox 4Facebook, September 8, 2026:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1430438178944387&set=a.101717571816461

Facebook

2026 NFL Season Opener Review: Seahawks Come Back From 10 Points & Beat Patriots

Alright, so the first game of the new 2026 NFL season is already in the books. 

Let me get into that in a minute.

Before that, however, there is one little thing in the news regarding one NFL team that seemed worth posting.

The Buffalo Bills will start their season opener in Buffalo later this month by playing the Canadian national anthem. Indeed, "O Canada" will be performed by the Canadian rock band, The Barenaked Ladies.

Personally, I thought that was a noble gesture, given the sudden rising tensions between the two nations as a result of the Trump presidency. Guessing that it means that the franchise may open themselves up to some mean-spirited tweets, and they probably knew that was a risk. Yet, they did it anyway.

I applaud the Buffalo Bills for making such a gesture. And it makes sense, given that this franchise likely attracts more Canadian fans than any other NFL franchise. That said, maybe the Detroit Lions could extend the same courtesy.

Below is the link to this story:

🏈🏈🏈🏈

Canadian anthem to be performed at Buffalo Bills home opener amid trade war tensions By Joshua McGinnis, Published: September 09, 2026:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/canadian-anthem-to-be-performed-at-buffalo-bills-home-opener-amid-trade-war-tensions/

Buffalo Bills: Canadian anthem to be performed at home opener

Okay, so back to the opening game.

Here is how my prediction for last night's game panned out:

Seattle 13, New England 10 - The Super Bowl rematch to start the season was a different game. Indeed, while it took the Pats until the fourth quarter to finally score last February in the big game, they scored early and actually built an impressive 10-0 lead in last night's game. However, the Seahawks proved something as well, coming back to tie it and then take a late lead. It came down to New England's final drive, and they looked like they were at least going to tie it, if not take the lead themselves (likely for the win). Then Drake May threw a costly and ill-advised throw that wound up being intercepted in the end zone. And that was ball game. Statistically, the two teams were relatively even in many respects last night. Seattle had a slight edge in overall yards earned, 285 to 277. Yet the Pats held onto the ball for over 34 minutes, with their offense producing 67 plays, to just 48 for the Seahawks. Still, Seattle pulls it out, albeit narrowly, to start off 1-0..  My pick: Accurate

Now here is my prediction for tonight's game:

San Francisco vs. LA Rams at Melbourne, Australia - This game will feature the other two hot teams from the league's best division, the NFC West. One of these teams will rise to victory and keep even with the Seahawks who of course won last night. The other will fall behind. Both teams are good but I believe that the Rams will come in with an intensity that should lift them past the 49ers in this one, which is being played Down Under.  My pick: LA Rams

September 10th: This Day in History

  

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

It was on this day that the video for Nirvana's  "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was released. I remember hearing the song well before I ever saw the video, and having it impacted me, being as impressed as I was with the song. So my memories of the video already took a backseat to the actual song, although for most young people like myself at the time, who had cable, perhaps their first impressions of the song actually came from MTV airing the video. In any case, their is no denying just how huge the song, and the video, became, and how much it changed the music world (at least for a little while). It went from typical, long-standing dominance by artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Whitney Houston, and Prince, to suddenly, an explosion of a more radical and raw form of music. It was the age of "grunge". Suddenly, stage diving and mosh pits in overcrowded venues were all the rage. And the early nineties music scene seemed, at least to me, so much more real than that which had preceded it. Stupidly, I had assumed (and hoped) that it was a permanent shift, that people would not go back to popular bands like the Backstreet Boys. But boys bands would be back in fashion before too long.

Still, I find myself marveling sometimes at just how incredible the music scene of the early nineties really was. U2 had just released Achtung Baby, which I think I personally would place as the album of the nineties. The Red Hot Chili Peppers released Blood Sugar Sex Magic, which again, if I can be so bold as to put forth a slice of my own opinion, probably ranks a very respectable second on the album of the decade list. Metallica changed their image, donning all black attire and with a new, "Black" album to boot - easily their most popular effort to that point, catapulting to widespread prominence and instant name recognition they had ever before known, outside of metal circles. Guns 'N Roses, who had enjoyed popularity on a ridiculous scale with Appetite for Destruction, released Use Your Illusion I & II in 1992. Of course, the so-called Seattle scene was just about to explode with national and, yes,. international, fame. Alice in Chains released Dirt, and saw their previous albums rise in popularity. Soundgarden released Badmotorfinger, and enjoyed their meteoric rise in popularity. Pearl Jam had released their debut album, Ten, the year before, and were quickly rising in popularity throughout 1992. They would grow to become phenomenally popular, probably the biggest band in the world before long. But before they did, Nirvana had their turn on top of the music world, with their second album, Nevermind, and of course, Smells Like Teen Spirit, the song that not only propelled them to the top, but seemed to lift a whole alternative music scene along with it.

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

• On this day in 422, St Celestine I began his reign as Catholic Pope. In 506 on this day, the bishops of Visigothic Gaul met in the Council of Agde. On this day in 918, Arnulf I the Old became Landsheer of Flanders. 

• Jews who survived a massacre in Constance, Germany, were burned to death on this day in 1349. 

• In 1510 on this day, Bishop Frederik of Bathe recaptured Oldenzaal. The Battle at Pinkie, Midlothian, was fought on this day in 1547, with the English ultimately defeating the Scots. On this day in 1547, the English had demand that Edward VI, aged 10, wed Mary Queen of Scots, aged 5. John Smith was elected president of Jamestown ColonyCouncil, Virginia, on this day in 1608. 

Early version of the American flag used during the Revolutionary War for Independence

Equestrian statue of George Washington near his headquarters at Morristown, New Jersey.

• On this day in 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, George Washington asked for a spy volunteer, and Nathan Hale volunteered. 

• Prussia signed a trade agreement with the United States on this day in 1785. 

• British Honduras defeated Spain in the Battle of St George on this day in 1798. 

• In 1813 on this day, Commodore Oliver H Perry defeated British in the Battle of Lake Erie.

The state of Simón Bolívar near Central Park, New York City

• On this day in 1823, "The Liberator," or "El Libertador" in Spanish Simon Bolivar was named president of Peru. 

• Hector Berlioz' opera "Benvenuto Cellini," premiered in Paris on this day in 1838. King Willem II opened the Amsterdam Stock Exchange on this day in 1845. 

• Elias Howe patented the sewing machine on this day in 1846. 

• In 1847 on this day, the first theater opened in Hawaii.

1849 - 1st performance by US actor Edwin Booth (Richard III)

1858 - John Holden hits 1st recorded HR (Bkln vs NY)

Military and Political Leader Simon BolivarMilitary and Political Leader Simon Bolivar 1858 - George Mary Searle discovers the asteroid 55 Pandora.

1861 - -15] Battle at Cheat Mountain, Elkwater West Virginia

1861 - Battle of Carnifex Ferry VA, 170 casualities

• 1863 - George Bizet's opera "Les Pêcheurs de Perles," premieres in Paris

• 1869 - Baptist minister supposedly invents rickshaw in Yokohama, Japan

1870 - Dutch Jurist Cooperation forms

1872 - Karl Marx speaks in Amsterdam

• 1880 - Pierre de Brazza signs treaty with King Makoko of Congo

• 1882 - 1st international conference to promote anti-semitism meets Dresden Germany (Congress for Safeguarding of Non-Jewish Interests)

1884 - Congressman John R Lynch presides over Republican National Convention

1894 - London taxi driver George Smith is first fined for drunk driving

1897 - Lattimer Massacre - a sheriff's posse kills twenty unarmed immigrant miners in Pennsylvania, United States.

1898 - Lord Kitchener's ships sails from Kartoum to Fashoda

1898 - Empress Elizabeth of Austria is assassinated by Luigi Lucheni.

1899 - 2nd quake in 7 days (8.6) hits Yakutat Bay Alaska

Communist Philosopher Karl MarxCommunist Philosopher Karl Marx 1900 - 20.3 cm rainfall at Elk Point, South Dakota (state record)

1902 - Utrecht soccer team UVV forms

1905 - Japanese battleship Mikasa explodes

1910 - Great Idaho Fire destroys 3 million acres of timber

1913 - Cleveland Call & Post forms

1913 - George W Buckner, named minister to Liberia

1913 - Lincoln Highway opens as 1st paved coast-to-coast highway

1918 - Players on both sides threaten to strike the World Series unless they are guaranteed $2,500 to the winners & $1,000 each for the losers

1919 - Indian's Ray Caldwell no-hits Yankees 3-0

1919 - NYC welcomes home Gen John J Pershing & 25,000 WW I soldiers

1919 - Treaty of St Germain: Austria ends incorporation with Germany

1922 - Largest Polo Grounds crowd see Meusel, Ruth & Gehrig consecutive HRs

1923 - Irish Free state joins League of Nations

1924 - Giants rip Braves 22-1, Frisch goes 6-for-6 before grounding out

1924 - Leopold & Loeb found guilty of murder

US WW1 Commander John J. PershingUS WW1 Commander John J. Pershing 1926 - Allies-German treaty of Koblenz drawn

1926 - Germany joins League of Nations

1927 - 22nd Davis Cup: France beats USA in Philadelphia (3-2)

1927 - France had its first Davis Cup win, though it had competed since 1905.

1930 - Charles E Mitchell, named minister to Liberia

1931 - Lord Cecil of British government says War was never so improbable

1932 - 52nd US Mens Tennis: Henry E Vines beats Henri Cochet (64 64 64)

1932 - Dodgers Johnny Frederick hits record 6th pinch-hit HR of the season

1932 - Independent City Owned Rapid Transit Railroad (IND) opens in NYC

1933 - 1st Negro League All-Star Game, West beats East 11-7 (Comiskey Park)

1933 - 53rd US Mens Tennis: Fred Perry beats J H Crawford (63 11-13 46 60 61)

1937 - 2nd American Football League plays 1st game (LA 21, Pittsburgh 0)

1937 - Cleveland (Los Angeles) Rams plays their 1st NFL game, lose 28-0

• 1939 - Canada declares war on Germany

Buckingham Palace, London 

• 1940 - Buckingham Palace hit by German bomb

1942 - British troops lands on Madagascar

1942 - RAF drops 100,000 bombs on Dusseldorf

1943 - British 8th army occupies Tarente

• 1943 - German troops occupied Rome & took over the protection of Vatican City

1943 - Italian fleet anchors at Malta

1943 - Lt-Gen Bradley arrives in Prestwick/London

• 1944 - Lt-gen Frederick Browning against Montgomery "But, sir, I think we might be going a bridge too far"

1945 - KLS-AM in Oakland Ca changes call letters to KWBR (now KDIA)

1945 - Vidkun Quisling sentenced to death for collaborating with Nazis

1945 - Mike the Headless Chicken is decapitated; he survives for another 18 months before choking to death.

1948 - Bijz Criminal division sentences war criminal Jacob Folks to life

1948 - Bradman scores 153 in his last 1st-class cricket innings in England

1949 - "Cabatgata (A Night in Spain)" closes at Broadway NYC after 76 perfs

Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggioYankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio 1950 - Joe DiMaggio becomes 1st to hit 3 HR in a game at Griffith Stadium

1951 - British begin economic boycott of Iran

1954 - 12 second shock kills 1,460 in Orleansville Algeria

1954 - WLUK TV channel 11 in Green Bay, WI (NBC/ABC) begins broadcasting

1954 - Attempting to handle Hoyt Wilhelm's knuckleball catcher Ray Katt of Giants sets a major league record with 4 passed balls

1955 - "Gunsmoke" premieres on CBS TV

1956 - Great Britain performs nuclear test at Maralinga, Australia

1956 - Louisville Ky public schools integrates

1956 - WSYE (now WETM) TV chan 18 in Elmira-Corning, NY (NBC) 1st broadcast

1957 - "Mask & Gown" opens at John Golden Theater NYC for 39 performances

1958 - WJCT TV channel 7 in Jacksonville, FL (PBS) begins broadcasting

1960 - Abebe Bikila runs Olympic/World record marathon (2:15:16.2)

1960 - NY Yankee Mickey Mantle hits 643' HR over right field roof in Detroit

1961 - 75th US Womens Tennis: Darlene R Hard beats Ann Haydon Jones (63 64)

1961 - 81st US Mens Tennis: Roy Emerson beats Rodney G Laver (75 63 62)

1961 - Mickey Mantle becomes 7th to hit HR # 400

1961 - USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya USSR

1961 - Italian Grand Prix, a crash causes the death of German driver Wolfgang von Trips and 13 spectators hit by his Ferrari.

1962 - 82nd US Mens Tennis: Rodney G Laver beats Roy Emerson (62 64 57 64)

1962 - KLRN TV channel 9 in San Antonio, TX (PBS) begins broadcasting

1962 - WDCN TV channel 8 in Nashville, TN (PBS) begins broadcasting

1963 - 20 black students entered public schools in Alabama

1963 - Phillies beat Houston Colt .45s, 16-0

1963 - Stan Musial hits a HR in his 1st at bat as a grandfather

• 1964 - Palestinian Liberation Army (PLA) forms

1964 - Rod Steward records his 1st single "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"

1965 - Great Britain performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1965 - Phillies 10,000th game to a decision since 1900, Phils beat Cards

1965 - WUND TV channel 2 in Columbia, NC (PBS) begins broadcasting

1966 - Beatles' "Revolver," album goes #1 & stays #1 for 6 weeks

1966 - Muhammad Ali TKOs Karl Mildenberger in 12 for heavyweight boxing title

1966 - Neal Diamond's 1st chart song (Cherry Cherry)

1967 - 81st US Womens Tennis: Billie Jean M King beats Ann H Jones (119 64)

1967 - 87th US Mens Tennis: John Newcombe beats Clark Graebner (64 64 86)

1967 - Chicago White Sox Joel Horlen no-hits Det Tigers, 6-0

1967 - Clifford Ann Creed wins LPGA Pacific Golf Classic

• 1967 - Gibraltar votes 12,138 to 44 to remain British & not Spanish

1967 - Joel Horlen revives Chicago's pennant hopes with a 5-0 no-hit win

1967 - KVVU TV channel 5 in Henderson-Las Vegas, NV (IND) begins broadcasting

1969 - NY Mets sweep Montreal Expos putting them in 1st place for 1st time

1969 - US performs nuclear test at Grand Valley Colorado

1971 - KVUE TV channel 24 in Austin, TX (ABC) begins broadcasting

1972 - 20th Olympic games close at Munich, German FR

1972 - 92nd US Mens Tennis: Ilie Nastase beats Arthur Ashe (36 63 67 64 63)

1972 - Emerson Fittipaldi is youngest to win an auto race World Championship

1972 - Frank Shorter wins 17th Olympic marathon (2:12:19.8)

1972 - Jane Blalock wins LPGA Dallas Civitan Golf Open

1972 - US Men's olympic basketball teams 1st lose, 51-50 to USSR (disputed)

1972 - WKAR TV channel 23 in East Lansing, MI (PBS) begins broadcasting

Heavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad AliHeavyweight Boxing Champion Muhammad Ali 1973 - Muhammad Ali defeats Ken Norton

1973 - NY Jets trade pro footballs leading receiver Don Maynard to St Louis

1974 - Lou Brock ties (104) & then sets (105) baseball stolen base mark

1974 - NY Dolls disband

• 1974 - Portugal recognizes independence of Rep of Guinea-Bissau

1974 - Teuvo Louhivouri sets cycling distance record of 515.8 mi in 24 hrs

1976 - 2 airliners collide over Yugoslavia, kills all 176 aboard

1976 - 5 Croatian terrorists capture TWA-plane at La Guardia Airport, NY

1977 - Christa Vahlensieck runs female world record marathon (2:34:47.5)

1977 - Emmy Creative Arts Award presentation

1977 - Emmy News & Documentaries Award presentation

1977 - Susan Perkins (Ohio), crowned 50th Miss America 1978

1977 - Hamida Djandoubi, convicted for torture and murder, is the last person to be executed by Guillotine in France.

1978 - "Timbuktu!" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 243 perfs

1978 - 4th game of Boston Massacre; Yanks beat Red Sox 7-4. This ties them for 1st place. Yanks out hit 'em 67-21; score 42-9

• 1979 - 3 Puerto Rican nationalists who attempted to kill Truman are freed

1980 - Expos Bill Gullickson, sets rookie record of striking out 18

1980 - Peter Comita replaces Tom Peterson of Cheap Trick

1981 - "Guernica" by Pablo Picasso returns to Spain

1982 - Decca releases Beatle audition "Complete Silver Beatles" album

1983 - 97th US Womens Tennis: M Navratilova beats Chris Evert L Mills (61 63)

1983 - Larry Holmes TKOs Scott Frank in 5 for heavyweight boxing title

1984 - Discovery returns to Kennedy Space Center via Altus AFB, Okla

1984 - Sean O'Keefe (11) is youngest to cycle across US (24 days)

1986 - Bryan O'Connor named chairman of Space Flight Safety Panel

1988 - -18] Hurricane Gilbert, kills 300 in Jamaica, Texas& amp; Yucatan

Tennis Player Steffi GrafTennis Player Steffi Graf 1988 - 102nd US Womens Tennis: Steffi Graf beats Gabriela Sabatini (63 36 61)

1988 - Gretchen Elizabeth Carlson (Minn), 22, crowned 62nd Miss America 1989

1989 - 109th US Mens Tennis: Boris Becker beats Ivan Lendl (76 16 63 76)

1989 - 5 days after hitting a HR for Yankees in a 12-2 win over the Mariners

1989 - Browns allow Pittsburgh only 53 net yards, a team defensive record

Flag of East Germany

• 1989 - East Germans begin their flight to west (via Hungary and Czechoslovakia)

1989 - Muffin Spencer-Devlin wins LPGA Cellular One-Ping Golf Championship

1989 - Deion Sanders returns a punt 68 yards for a touchdown

1990 - 19 year old Pete Sampras beats Andre Agassi to win US Open

1990 - 1st time since 1966 that all 8 grand slam tennis champs are different

Ellis Island Historical Site

• 1990 - Ellis Island reopens as a museum

1990 - Hard Rock Cafe opens in Las Vegas Nevada

1990 - Iran agrees to resume diplomatic ties with Iraq

1990 - Mariner Matt Young becomes 21st AL'er to strike out 4 in 1 inning

1990 - 1st time in NY Yankee history they are completely swept season series, Oakland A's beat them 12 games to 0

Tennis Player Pete SamprasTennis Player Pete Sampras 

• 1991 - Senate Committee begins hearings on Clarence Thomas' nomination

1991 - Yolanda Gail Devers runs US female record 100m hurdles (12.48 secs)

1992 - Bud Selig becomes interm commissioner of baseball

1992 - Lucy in Peanuts comics raises her Pyschiatric Help from 5 cents to 47 cents

1993 - 1,000 Boeing 747 jumbo plane produced

• 1993 - Israel & PLO sign joint recognition statements

1994 - 108th US Womens Tennis: Aranxta S Vicario beats Steffi Graf (16 76 64)

1994 - Chong Hey swims female record 400m medley (4:01.67)/100m backstroke

1995 - 115th US Mens Tennis: Pete Sampras beats Andre Agassi (64 63 46 75)

1995 - 35th Walker Cup: Britain-Ireland beats US, 14-10

1995 - 47th Emmy Awards: NYPD Blue, ER, Fraiser & Candice Bergen wins

1995 - Alison Nicholas wins PING-Cellular One LPGA Golf Championship

1995 - Browns & Indians, play simultaneous regular season games in Cleve for only time, Browns 22-6 over Tampa, Indians 5-3 over Orioles

1997 - Discovery buys Travel Channel for $20 million

1997 - Emmy News & Documentaries Award presentation

1997 - Mark McGwire joins Babe as only players to hit 50 HRs in 2 consec yrs

2000 - The musical Cats closes on Broadway.

Flag of the United Nations

• 2002 - Switzerland became the 190th member of the United Nations. 

2002 - Switzerland, traditionally a neutral country, joins the United Nations.

2007 - Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif returns to Pakistan after seven years in exile, following a military coup in October 1999.

2008 - The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, described as the biggest scientific experiment in the history of mankind is powered up in Geneva, Switzerland.

2012 - 16 people are killed by a suicide bombing n Kunduz, Afghanistan

2012 - Teachers in Chicago strike effecting 350,000 students

• 

• 2012 - 10,000 miners demonstrate at Lonmin mines in Marikana, South Africa

• 2012 - 29 people are killed by floods and heavy rain in Vietnam

• 2012 - A left over bazooka grenade in Cambodia explodes and kills three children

1608 - John Smith was elected president of the Jamestown, VA colony council.   1794 - America's first non-denominational college was charted. Blount College later became the University of Tennessee.   1813 - The first defeat of British naval squadron occurred in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. The leader of the U.S. fleet sent the famous message "We have met the enemy, and they are ours" to U.S. General William Henry Harrison.   1845 - King Willem II opened Amsterdam Stock exchange.   1846 - Elias Howe received a patent for his sewing machine.   1847 - The first theater opened in Hawaii.   1862 - Rabbi Jacob Frankel became the first Jewish Army chaplain.   1897 - British police arrest George Smith for drunken driving. It was the first DWI.   1899 - A second quake in seven days hit Yakutat Bay, AK. It measured 8.6.   1913 - The Lincoln Highway opened. It was the first paved coast-to-coast highway in the U.S.   1919 - New York City welcomed home 25,000 soldiers and General John J. Pershing who had served in the First Division during World War I.   1919 - Austria and the Allies signed the Treaty of St.-Germain-en-Laye. Austria recognized the independence of Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.   1921 - The Ayus Autobahn in Germany opened near Berlin. The road is known for its nonexistent speed limit.   1923 - The Irish Free state joined the League of Nations.   1926 - Germany joined the League of Nations.   1935 - "Popeye" was heard on NBC radio for the first time.   1939 - Canada declared war on Germany.   1940 - In Britain, Buckingham Palace was hit by German bomb.   1942 - U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt mandated gasoline rationing as part of the U.S. wartime effort.   1943 - German forces began their occupation of Rome during World War II.   1948 - Mildred "Axis Sally" Gillars was indicted for treason in Washington, DC. Gillars was a Nazi radio propagandist during World War II. She was convicted and spent 12 years in prison.   1950 - Eddie Cantor began working on TV on the "Colgate Comedy Hour" on NBC.   1951 - Britain began an economic boycott of Iran.   1953 - Swanson began selling its first "TV dinner."   1955 - "Gunsmoke" premiered on CBS.   1955 - Bert Parks began a 25-year career as host of the "Miss America Pageant" on NBC.   1956 - Great Britain performed a nuclear test at Maralinga, Australia.   1961 - Mickey Mantle tied a major league baseball record for home runs when he hit the 400th of his career.   1963 - Twenty black students entered public schools in Alabama at the end of a standoff between federal authorities and Alabama governor George C. Wallace.   1972 - Gayle Sayers (Chicago Bears) retired from the National Football League (NFL).   1974 - Lou Brock (St. Louis Cardinals) set a new major league baseball record when he stole his 105th base of the season.   1977 - "Mickey Finn" appeared in the comic pages for the last time.   1979 - U.S. President Carter granted clemency to four Puerto Rican nationalists who had been imprisoned for an attack on the U.S. House of Representatives in 1954 and an attempted assassination of U.S. President Truman in 1950.   1981 - Pablo Picasso's mural Guernica was received in the town of Guernica.   1984 - The Federal Communications Commission changed a rule to allow broadcasters to own 12 AM and 12 FM radio stations. The previous limit was 7 of each.   1989 - Hungary gave permission to thousands of East German refugees and visitors to immigrate to West Germany.   1990 - Iran agreed to resume full diplomatic ties with past enemy Iraq.   1990 - Iraq's Saddam Hussein offered free oil to developing nations in an attempt to win their support during the Gulf War Crisis.   1992 - In Minneapolis, MN, a federal jury struck down professional football's limited free agency system.   1998 - Mac Davis received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.   1998 - U.S. President Clinton met with members of his Cabinet to apologize, ask forgiveness and promise to improve as a person in the wake of the scandal involving Monica Lewinsky.   1998 - Northwest Airlines announced an agreement with pilots, ending a nearly two-week walkout.   1999 - A bronze sculpture of a war horse just over 24 feet high was dedicated in Milan, Italy.   2002 - Florida tested its new elections system. The test resulted in polling stations opening late and problems occurred with the touch screen voting machines.   2002 - The "September 11: Bearing Witness to History" exhibit opened at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.   2002 - Switzerland became the 190th member of the United Nations. 

1813 Oliver H. Perry sent his famous message, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours," after defeating the British in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. 1846 Elias Howe of Massachusetts received a patent for his sewing machine. 1939 Canada declared war on Germany, entering WWII. 1963 Twenty black students entered public schools in Birmingham, Mobile, and Tuskegee, Alabama, after President John F. Kennedy sent National Guardsman to end the standoff with Alabama Governor George Wallace. 1988 Steffi Graf achieved tennis' first Grand Slam since Margaret Court in 1970 by winning the U.S. Open women's final. 2002 Switzerland became the 190th member of the United Nations.

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/sep10.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

Star Trek & Fans Celebrated 60th Anniversary of the Historical Franchise Yesterday

Missed this important anniversary yesterday. But it felt like something which I should acknowledge and post about.

Star Trek enjoyed it's historical 60th anniversary yesterday. Surely, the actors and producers who created it could not have known the loyal fan base which would follow for literally decades now.

And while I admittedly was never the biggest Trekkie, I admired the focus on teamwork and the hopeful message for a better future based on cooperation. Seems to me like we could use more Star Trek providing hope for a better future in this day and age in particular. 

As 'Star Trek' turns 60, its idealistic vision for the future is more vital than ever  8:49 0:10 8:49 Nothing stops William Shatner from reaching the stars ByChristopher Watson September 8, 2026:

https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/star-trek-turns-60-idealistic-vision-future-vital/story?id=136261818

As 'Star Trek' turns 60, its idealistic vision for the future is more vital than ever - ABC News

2026 NFL Season Preview

Alright, so it's that time again.

The nights are growing shorter and cooler. Kids are about to go back to school, or already have in much of the country. Pumpkin Spice is back. 

And a new NFL season is about to begin. Tonight, the season kicks off when the New England Patriots visit the Seattle Seahawks in a rematch of Super Bowl LX played last February.

Last year, two teams met in the Super Bowl who came as a surprise for most. Certainly, I was not expecting either the Seahawks or the Patriots to play in the big game, let alone against each other. Yet, it goes to show how unpredictable the NFL - and sports more generally - can be.

So now, a new season is upon us. And that means that it is also time for me to make my traditional picks for the coming NFL season, including how I suspect the playoffs will shape up (in a future post).

Here goes:

Okay, first of all, two franchises are returning to versions of their uniforms which were similar to other times in their history. The Washington Commanders are going back to the uniforms they used to have before their franchise name change some years ago. And the Tennessee Titans are going back to a uniform similar to what they had when they were still the Houston Oilers, before the move to Tennessee, which ultimately came with a name change and uniforms that never quite fit. In both cases, these "new" old uniforms feel like an improvement, and I applaud that. It feels a little bit like the Jets returning to the uniforms they had in the eighties, or the Bills and 49ers returning to the uniforms they had in the early eighties, as well. 

If we could only get the Giants to return to the uniforms that they had in the 1980's and 1990's, especially those white uniforms with the navy-blue helmets, the NFL might feel closer to being the league that I loved as a kid. 

Now, here are my predictions for the upcoming NFL season. I will break it down by conference and division. Then there will be predictions for the playoffs and, ultimately, the two teams who I will predict to make the coming Super Bowl, and which of those two teams will win it all.

Ready?

Since the Seahawks won it all last season, let's start with the NFC, particularly out West:

NFC West

This was far and away the best division in the league last year, with three legitimate contenders. Remember, the division title came down to the final weekend with a showdown between the Seahawks and the 49ers, which of course Seattle won. Two weeks later, they met again, and this time Seattle won in a romp, then beat the Rams to reach the Super Bowl, where they won again. This season, it feels like all three of those teams are again legitimate contenders, with only the Cardinals being left behind. While I feel that Seattle is a very good team, history tells us that they will likely struggle adjusting with the defending champion label. The 49ers are still solid, but I feel like the Rams are looking like the team with everything lined up in their favor. Here is my prediction for the NFC West

1. LA Rams

2. San Francisco

3. Seattle

4. Arizona

NFC North

While this was not the best division in the league last season, it feels like it still has some of the best teams and potential this year. And if the NFC West slips, maybe the NFC North will be the best division. Seriously, I feel like all four teams would have a chance at qualifying for the postseason in their best-case scenario. The Bears emerged with a very strong season last year, winning the division and then beating the Packers in the playoffs.  My guess is that they will struggle as favorite a bit this season. The Lions missed the playoffs last season, but a new offense and a still talented roster should allow them to be contenders yet again. The Packers tend to win more than they lose but it feels like this is a team that will be either 10-7 or 9-8, and likely squeak into the playoffs. And the unpredictable Vikings feel like the wildcard in the bunch, a team that could stun with a great season and even win the division title, or which could struggle to another losing season. Here are my picks for the NFC North:

1. Detroit

2. Chicago

3. Green Bay

4. Minnesota

NFC South

Absolutely nobody felt that this division was close to the best division last year, and nobody predicts this to be the best division this year, either. In fact, they are closer to being on the opposite end, as the worst division in the league. Carolina won the NFC South last season, but it felt almost like a technicality. They were able to win the division largely because of Tampa Bay's complete collapse. It was hardly even like the Panthers got hot themselves late in the season, as they also lost three of their final four regular season games. They sneaked past Tampa Bay because the Bucs lost seven of eight games in the second half of the season, knocking themselves out of contention. This year, they could bounce back although they are getting older. The Saints look like a team emerging to possibly contend, and the Falcons are unpredictable, although they do not quite feel like a serious contender. In truth, this division is so bad that any team can struggle, which also makes it feel like any team can win it just by not being quite as bad as the other teams. Still, somebody will emerge, right? Here are my predictions for the NFC South:

1. New Orleans

2. Tampa Bay

3. Carolina

4. Atlanta

NFC East

Despite some problems and an early exit from the postseason last season, the Eagles remain the cream of the crop here. Remember, they were the defending Super Bowl champs just one year ago, and the core of that team still exists. Expect them to have a strong season and to take the division. Dallas is talented, but too inconsistent. They may qualify for the playoffs, although they just as easily may fail to get anywhere near them. If they go, they likely will take the first exit on the road to the Super Bowl. The G-Men are improving and could make some noise, although I am not as confident as other fans that this year will mean a playoff spot. As for Washington, they were in the NFC Championship Game around 18 months ago, but do not look or feel like the same team. Then again, they took a lot of people - myself included, admittedly - by surprise then so maybe they can do it again. Here are my picks for the NFC East:

1. Philadelphia 

2. Dallas 

3. Washington

4. NY Giants

AFC West

Kansas City absolutely owned this division for nine straight seasons before it all came crashing down last year. They had been the model of consistency for the league, and it was looking decent last year, too, when the team was 5-3 after three straight wins. Maybe they would catch fire and go back to the playoffs, perhaps win another division title. Maybe even the Super Bowl? Then they lost a tough showdown at Buffalo, followed by a loss to the AFC West leading Broncos. KC won a game after that to reach 6-5, but that proved to be their last gas. They lost out the rest of the way. Mahomes was gone with an injury, and their once mighty offense looked, frankly, inept, scoring a total of 57 in their final five games combined. Yikes. Fortunately for them, the Raiders are in the same division, and even more inept, so the Silver & Black took their familiar last place in the division yet again. Last year was about Denver surprising everyone with a dominant run to be the top seed in the AFC, and the Chargers also showing a strong run into the playoffs. And while the Chargers got bounced right away by the Pats, it still felt like a promising sign. As for the Broncos, they felt like the new powerhouse team in the division. They went 14-3 last year, tied with the Seahawks and Broncos for best overall regular season record in the league. So how does this year look? A lot of it defends on how well Mahomes recovered, and that is not a certainty. It remains to be seen if he can recover and be the force he was until last season, or if this is the point where he begins to decline. Let's take a look at the AFC West:

1. Denver

2. Los Angeles Chargers

3. Kansas City

4. Las Vegas

AFC North

Pittsburgh managed to win a seriously weakened AFC North division last year. However, they had felt strictly like a middle of the road team on both offense and defense, and played like that once they reached the playoffs. Remember, they got bounced in a blowout right away to Houston. Now, they return with a new head coach. And while Aaron Rodgers, 42 and turning 43 in December, insists that the Steelers are legitimate Super Bowl contenders, it is difficult to imagine that they can really compete on that level. Especially if the Ravens bounce back, as I expect them to do. Also if Joe Burrow comes back for Cincinnati, they could be a force. As for the Browns, well, I hope that they enjoy success. But I wouldn't put money on it. Here are my picks for the AFC North:

1. Baltimore

2. Pittsburgh

3. Cincinnati

4. Cleveland

AFC South

This was a very strange division last season. The Texans and the Jaguars both had solid defenses, but neither advanced too far in the playoffs. The Colts absolutely raced out to an impressive 8-2 start and looked like an NFL powerhouse, then never won another game the rest of the year. The Titans were more predictable, remaining in the cellar from start to finish last season. So, how will the AFC South shape up this season? Well, I expect that Houston will be better right from the gates this time. Remember, they got off to a disastrous start last year and never fully recovered. This season, I expect them to be strong early and to keep that up. Let's take a look at my predictions for the AFC South:

1. Houston

2. Jacksonville

3. Indianapolis

4. Tennessee

AFC East

New England kind of took everybody by storm last year, didn't they? Almost nobody expected them to return to elite status as quickly and as completely as they wound up doing. Yet there they were, taking the division with an impressive 14-3 record. Then winning out in the AFC playoffs before being brought to hell in the Super Bowl against Seattle. This year, expect them to struggle a bit more as favorites, because they certainly should not take anybody by surprise anymore. I expect the Bills to return to the top of the AFC East, and to make another serious run at the Super Bowl. The Dolphins are in transition and will probably play like that. As for the Jets, well, they might be better than expected. But I wouldn't put any money on that. Here are my predictions for the AFC East:

1. Buffalo

2. New England

3. Miami

4. NY Jets 

Predictions for the NFL Playoffs for the 2026-27 season will come shortly.

Prediction for tonight's game:

New England at Seattle - The Pats never really got anything going in the Super Bowl meeting between these two teams. At least not until it was much too late and the outcome had long before been decided. Clearly, they will want revenge. But Seattle is a tough place to play, and the Seahawks will want to play at their best for their home fans, especially for such a huge showdown played immediately to kick off the entire season. Expect a better performance from the Pats, and a close game. However, I still feel like the Seahawks should win this one.  My pick: Seattle