Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper' Album

Photo by Luiz Fernando Reis (Bealtes cor 36 on Flickr) 

Creative Commons License -https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Image courtesy of niteprowl3r Flickr page -  beatles: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sreichenbach/3025971406/in/photolist-5BoTSN-6Kp6DG-9oQPyZ-6Kp8vw-6Kp9oJ-6KjXm4-6KoV2S-6KjVca-eC4tTE-6Kp3Qm-6Kp3hq-6KoWdy-6KjLZg-6Kp5yf-6KjUgt-6Kp6TN-6KjXdM-6Kp45N-6Kp1WY-6KoUGs-6KoVYG-6KoUx9-6Kp153-6KoX3q-6KoZUu-6KjLoH-6KoVv9-6KoXvh-4vA8mP-6Kp4SW-6KjWq6-6Kp4xm-6KjVXZ-6Kp4hS-6Kk1G6-6KkdtD-6KjMRH-6KoVS5-r1ZqRn-6KjZfx-6KjMrx-6KjZue-6KjYzt-6Kp7D9-bCr2k3-aWjPYX-6KvxqP-6Kp7R7-aUXW5n-6KjZW8

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

The Beatles made history with their music. In fact, they made history with almost everything that they did in the 1960's. That is why their music, and their legacy, has endured far longer and far stronger than that of any other band that was around during that era. Even bands that can be said to have had comparably large popularity and/or influence - and it is a select few like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Who and the Rolling Stones, maybe - cannot be said to have laid the groundwork for all of rock and roll, and indeed, pop culture, for many years to come after, like the Beatles did. 

Think about it. The Beatles reached levels of popularity in the early 1960's in Britain on a level that no one had seen before. Then, they were the first of the British Invasion bands to make it big in America, and the cameras and radios followed their every move when they visited in early 1964. Their performances on the Ed Sullivan Show revealed the extent of their popularity to the entire nation, as throngs of screaming teenage girls virtually drowned the music out. It was like that for several years, too. When they did the first outdoor concert, which happened to be the first stadium concert, at Shea Stadium in New York City, the crowd actually did effectively drown them out. Yet, everyone had a good time, and outdoor concerts would become a thing. 

Indeed, the Beatles produced more hits than anyone else, and many of these now are classics that have withstood the test of time. 'Yesterday' is the most covered song in history, and 'Hey Jude' is often considered the greatest rock song in history. Those are only two of their most memorable songs, and they have an enormous library of popular songs to choose from in their repertoire, and that is just as The Beatles. Their solo careers also were tremendously successful, as well. None of them ever had to deal with serious obscurity, or anything, for their legend was secured by simply being a part of the most legendary rock band in history.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Beatles was that they were able to completely change styles, and did so seamlessly. It was not viewed as some kind of cop out or sell out. When you think of the Beatles, you might think of their mop top days, when they were singing before those throngs of teenagers at the Ed Sullivan Show, or before the assembled crowd at Shea Stadium. Or, you might think of a few years after that, when they were doing all of those movies, and just beginning to experiment a bit more with their music, yet while still retaining that older influence and feel. Or, you might think of the later Beatles, with longer hair and facial hair, and clearly experimenting with drugs. They were kind of the first band to include guitar distortions, although the first one seems quite mild by way of comparison to what was to come just a couple of years later. They started to push the boundaries a bit with Revolver, an album that began to sound quite different than anything that they, or anyone else, had done before. And they experimented more and more over time, adding influences from India, and growing ever freakier still.

When you think about them performing 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' during their first visit to America in February of 1964, and then you think about their image and their songs in their last albums, such as the White album or 'Abbey Road,' the changes are quite remarkable. Really, it both looks and sounds like two different, probably even radically different, bands altogether. That is what was arguably most amazing about this particular band, their seemingly effortless ability to transform themselves and their image successfully. Tons of bands have tried the same things, with considerably less success.

Of course, most people point to the 'Sgt. Pepper' album as the major breakthrough of this transition. The last vestiges of those earlier, seemingly more innocent Beatles that they had been before were essentially broken with this album. It tested the bounds of their abilities in terms of musicianship, experimentation, lyrics, etc.. Even the cover art was unique, unlike anything that had come before! And frankly, it was a great album, destined to be a huge influence on pretty much all the rock 'n roll music to come, and that point in the 1960's was ripe for an explosion of creative new music, and new sounds. 

We are now celebrating the 50th anniversary of this legendary album! That's right, it has been fully half a century since it was released, and made such an indelible mark on many musicians, and perhaps even on popular culture in general. The Beatles were experimenting on almost every level (yes, with drugs as well), and they slowly but surely were growing more activist, as well. This was perhaps necessary, as the 1960's were obviously a famously turbulent time, particularly in the United States, but really around the world. The Civil Rights movement was going full swing, JFK was the first and biggest of a strong of political assassinations that more or less tapered off with JFK's younger brother, RFK. Students were holding peace rallies and sit-ins. In France, in Czechoslovakia, and other countries, there were near revolutions. And, of course, there was the scourge of the Vietnam War, casting a shadow over all of this, on many levels.

Music, and art in general, was an outlet for the frustrations and fears and hopes and dreams of people back then, especially young people. And the Beatles were probably the biggest of these activists musicians, learning their lesson from Bob Dylan. Before long, John Lennon was having bed ins and came up with the anthem, 'Give Peace a Chance.' It was a new day, and the Beatles stepped up and not only lived up to their times, but indeed, rose above it, to give people of all political and social stripes not only hope, but some great music to enjoy now for well over half a century!

Here's to the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest rock albums of all time - 'Sgt. Pepper!"

Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper' at 50: John Lennon's Accidental 'Getting Better' Acid Trip by Jordan Runtagh, May 19, 2017:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/sgt-pepper-john-lennons-getting-better-acid-trip-w482067

The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper' 50th Anniversary: The Story of the Real Runaway Who Inspired 'She's Leaving Home'

Photo by Luiz Fernando Reis (Bealtes cor 36 on Flickr) 

Creative Commons License -https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Image courtesy of niteprowl3r Flickr page -  beatles: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sreichenbach/3025971406/in/photolist-5BoTSN-6Kp6DG-9oQPyZ-6Kp8vw-6Kp9oJ-6KjXm4-6KoV2S-6KjVca-eC4tTE-6Kp3Qm-6Kp3hq-6KoWdy-6KjLZg-6Kp5yf-6KjUgt-6Kp6TN-6KjXdM-6Kp45N-6Kp1WY-6KoUGs-6KoVYG-6KoUx9-6Kp153-6KoX3q-6KoZUu-6KjLoH-6KoVv9-6KoXvh-4vA8mP-6Kp4SW-6KjWq6-6Kp4xm-6KjVXZ-6Kp4hS-6Kk1G6-6KkdtD-6KjMRH-6KoVS5-r1ZqRn-6KjZfx-6KjMrx-6KjZue-6KjYzt-6Kp7D9-bCr2k3-aWjPYX-6KvxqP-6Kp7R7-aUXW5n-6KjZW8

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

When you are familiar with something from childhood, you might not give much thought to it for a long, long time.

And then, suddenly one day, you might notice something a little bit differently.

That happened to me one time while listening to "She's Leaving Home" by the Beatles, from their legendary Sgt. Pepper's album. I listened to it differently than I ever had before, suddenly beholding - for the first time - the power of their story telling abilities, rendered all the more remarkable given that these were lyrics to a song, and seemed to go perfectly with the music.

Of course, that is what makes the Beatles so special, and also is why they are remembered now so reverently, half a century after they were at the peak of their power.

It was around this time, half a century ago, that the Beatles released their landmark 'Sgt. Pepper' album, which basically assured that they would be immortalized musically, and that it transcended simply the styles and sounds of one particular time. Some believe it to be the greatest rock album of all time, although not everyone is in agreement there. Hell, Ringo Starr, himself a former member of the Beatles, does not even think that it was the best Beatles album!

Still, it was a huge album that changed the course of music history, particularly rock 'n roll. And so now, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the great rock albums of all time! Here is a link to the story behind that song, "She's leaving Home," that I was just talking about, and which shows just how capable they were, incorporating a moving story into brilliant lyrics, with some great music. It fits in perfectly with the whole 'Sgt. Pepper' album. It might not be their best known song from this album, yet in an understated way, serves as a perfect example of why it stood head and shoulders above so many other albums from so many other artists!

Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper' at 50: Meet the Runaway Who Inspired 'She's Leaving Home' by Jordan Runtagh, May 24, 2017:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/meet-the-runaway-who-inspired-beatles-shes-leaving-home-w482360

Democratic Party is as Complicit as Republicans For America's Failing Schools

It seems to me that things keep getting more complex over time, and that the older I get, and the more knowledge acquired, the less sure of things I actually seem to be.

When younger, there seemed to be some things that were clear cut. Issues where there was one right side, and one wrong side. Back when I was a kid and basically throughout my high school years, apartheid was just such an issue. It was a morally corrupt, even evil system, and there was no real defense of it that could be made. When it finally came to an end, most of the world rejoiced, as the last officially racist nation finally let go of it's colonial past, and a new day dawned. 

Perhaps the same could be argued with the events of late 1989 in eastern Europe, when most of the countries there enjoyed largely peaceful revolutions. The Berlin Wall fell, and it was a time of rejoicing. Everyone marveled at this event, and the fact that it had happened seemingly from out of nowhere, with little forewarning, was perhaps the most remarkable aspect about it. Again, much of the world seemed to take heart in these events, which were generally seen as good. The Soviet Union, under Gorbachev, was trying to reform, with the key words of glastnost and perestroika, and the world seemed a little bit better than it had been. There was reason to be a bit more optimistic, to look to the future with a bit of a more hopeful outlook than what had been available prior.

Now, I have mentioned here that there were two issues back then that I felt the United States was getting wrong, and needed to get right in order to be a better nation. Those two issues were climate change, which seemed to me a no-brainer, and installing some form of a universal, affordable healthcare system, what we now commonly would refer to as a single-payer healthcare system. It seemed to my young mind that the country would just be so much better right off the bat if it got these two critical areas right. But a quarter of a century has passed since I graduated from high school, and the United States is still getting those two issues wrong.

Back then, as I was graduating high school, I was also excited about the presidential election. It was going to be the first election that I was going to participate in, and it felt different than watching it from the sidelines before. At that point, my rather unsophisticated outlook on politics had it that Democrats were basically good and right on the issues, Republicans were devious and generally untrustworthy and wrong on the issues, and that the country would be just so much better off if they voted Democratic. 

Initially, my support went for Tom Harkin, from Iowa. He seemed to have integrity, wisdom, and was down to earth, in a midwestern kind of a way. He did not win the nomination, and indeed, did not even come close. The man who eventually did win was one that I was less than thrilled with, Bill Clinton. At that point, he had received the nickname "Slick Willie," and it was with good reason.

Truth be told, I do not remember having heard of Bill Clinton before his 1992 presidential run, and did not know much about him. But the little that I did know made about him made me skeptical. He was a little too perfect in terms of having every word and every hair in place. He spoke with sotto voce, and Saturday Night Live's portrayal of him as a womanizing phony was pretty much spot on. Suddenly, everyone was speaking in that phony, soft, sensitive tone and saying, "I feel your pain." This was a guy who had earned the nickname "Slick Willie," for God's sake! How trustworthy could be?

However, he was a Democrat. And even though I was less than thrilled when he secured the nomination, I identified as a Democrat, and so threw my enthusiastic support behind him. His acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention was really incredible and inspiring, and was the first real glimpse that I got of how powerful a public speaker he could be. What better ending to a speech could there be then when he assured us that he still believed in a place called Hope?

Still, the Democrats had lost three presidential elections in a row, which essentially spanned all of my own formative years as a child. I grew not knowing anyone in charge but President Ronald Reagan. Being so young, four years, let alone eight years, seemed like an eternity. And it had felt like Reagan was there forever, and also as if he was untouchable. Whatever that guy did was quickly forgiven and forgotten by the American people, who clearly adored him. Those eight years were followed by four years of George H. W. Bush, who's own popularity soared following the first Gulf war. It seemed that he was as untouchable as Reagan was.

Which is why it came as a surprise that Clinton seemed so much more effective than the preceding Democrats had been. His campaign came up with the slogan, "It's the economy, stupid." At times, he seemed to toy with Bush, and he put him to shame during the debates. I remember one point, where Clinton addressed Bush specifically, and he essentially stared him down while making whatever point he was making, and I was hooked! This guy could really win! He actually had a shot! And he was a Democrat! Will wonders never cease?

Low and behold, Clinton defeated Bush, and was elected to be the 42nd President of the United States. It felt like a new age had begun, and Democrats were not only at the table, but in the highest places of power. They had won the presidency and Congress that election year of 1992. Plus, I was in college, and meeting all new and interesting people from the world over. The music scene was exploding. To my young mind, it felt like anything was possible!

When he was inaugurated, he once again delivered a wonderful speech. It felt like "We force the spring" was my generation's answer to "Let the word go forth." I was less than thrilled that Tipper Gore, the founder of the Parents Music Resource Center, was in such a prominent position, but at least her husband, Vice-President Al Gore was an environmentalist, so surely things would finally get done.  And Clinton would begin to set things straight. He sounded strong on serious healthcare reform, and it seemed that the nation was finally going in a new and more hopeful direction.

Then came the scandals and the failures and the letdowns. Clinton began to back down from fights on important issues, time and time again. Nothing was getting done on the environment, and Clinton was no longer such a new president. The economy started getting better, but by 1994, it was clear that the Republicans had wrestled momentum away from the Democrats. Clinton seemed to know what to do politically, and he grew more conservative. In fact, he had seemed surprisingly, even alarmingly, conservative, especially for a Democrat. Once again, I began to view him with skepticism, and it had nothing to do with his alleged affairs or, later on, getting a blowjob from Monica Lewinsky.

Clinton was sometimes referred to as "Republican lite," and that was less than thrilling to me. He backed down on key issues, especially healthcare reform, and his inaction on the environment was depressing. Sure, he could still talk the good talk, but he could not back that up with substance. Almost everything that he spoke of, in terms of his achievements, he made to sound like a glowing report, as if America was going through some kind of a renaissance. In reality, things were a lot less sparkly, and Clinton was not as remarkably accomplished as he tried to get everyone to believe. Indeed, we are finding out more and more as time passes just how much his politics resembled those of a neocon. This was the guy who started the for profit prison system, that is such a mess these days. This guy cast doubts upon both immigrants and welfare recipients. He bombed countries that most Americans could not find on a map, or pronounce correctly. Again, he backed down on significant healthcare reform and climate change action. And, as you can read about by clicking the link below, he helped to set up the climate of skepticism towards teachers and helped to prepare the way for the uniform standardized tests that have become all the rage, yet which are failing to give our kids adequate education, let alone exceptional education.

Unfortunately, Clinton was perceived by Democrats as a winner. This was understandable to some degree, as Democrats had grown rather used to being the whipping boys of the Republicans since the days of Reagan. No Democrat since the days of FDR and Truman had served two straight terms (remember, Johnson was in for a little more than a year of what had been Kennedy's term in office before the assassination). And so, Democrats felt that the "Republican lite" approach by Clinton was the correct one, the one that could get them in power, and keep them there, even though it compromised their more traditionally progressive beliefs. More and more Democrats seemed to join the Clinton camp. Even President Obama, who had seemed quite progressive during the campaign, seemed to become another version of Bill Clinton once he was actually in office.

And, of course, we had another Clinton running last year, and the perception among mainstream Democrats was that only she offered the Democrats a real chance at winning a third straight presidential term, even though, in fact, polls strongly suggested exactly the opposite. So, you get her starting to be in trouble, then asking the Democratic leadership for help that everyone knew they were not free to give her, but they gave it to her, anyway. Sanders warned everyone that she was a weak candidate, and quickly losing steam, but they thought he was a quack for suggesting that. But, of course, they all acted shocked - Shocked! - when the inevitable happened, and Trump defeated Clinton, just as the polls had suggested he would when she first secured the nomination.

Frankly, it brings to mind that famous quote from Harry Truman, spoken over half a century ago, yet perhaps even more relevant not than ever:

"If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time..."

Democrats never seem to learn. And they compromised their to win elections, which also meant that they sold themselves to special interests in order to either get elected or to stay in power and compete with Republicans. Only now, sometimes, the differences between the two seem negligible, and the two parties too often feel like two wings of the same party, because they agree with each on way too much stuff!

Perhaps the saddest thing about all of this is that our kids, our future generations, are already being adversely affected, as the quality of their education is being compromised, time and time and time again. To better understand how this came about, and how we got to the point now of having Betsy DeVos in charge, please click on the link below and read this fascinating article:

Don’t Like Betsy DeVos? Blame the Democrats.  BY DIANE RAVITCH May 23, 2017:


https://newrepublic.com/article/142364/dont-like-betsy-devos-blame-democrats?utm_source=social&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=sharebtn

Today Marks the 40th Anniversary of the Release of Star Wars

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU...

Picture courtesy of Global Panorama's Flickr Page - Star Wars Logo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121483302@N02/14137284401

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

It was on this day forty years ago that the original Star Wars movie, then known simply as "Star Wars" but now better known as "Episode IV: A New Hope," was first released in theaters.

Obviously, it changed the course of movie history. The special effects were like nothing seen before, and it began right with the opening scene. 

Did you know that the space vessel being pursued by the Imperial Star Destroyed in that very first scene was supposed to be the original Millenium Falcon, or that the Star Wars epic was George Lucas' answer to Flash Gordon, which was the movie he really had his eyes on following American Graffiti, only to see it go to someone else?

In any case, Star Wars has been a big part of my life for almost as long as that, as it has for so many other people of my generation and younger.

Here's to another forty years (at least!) of Star Wars!

Spencer Wright's Flickr Page - Star Wars Darth Maul/Savage Opress Pumpkin: https://www.flickr.com/photos/spencer77/6295994505
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

The 40th Anniversary of Star War!!

Pope Francis Gives Trump a Pointed Present

The more I hear about Pope Francis I, the more I like and respect the man.

Here is a Pope that actually makes me almost scratch my head about Catholicism, which was the faith for much of my family, including my father, who had a very traditional Catholic upbringing when growing up in France. You see, traditionally, I took quite a skeptical view of the Catholic church, and especially the Vatican, with it's gilded halls and priceless art, exclusive archives, enormous wealth and it's own private bank. It seemed to me a paradox that the Vatican claimed to represent the true message of Jesus and Catholicism, while simultaneously clinging to every aspect of privilege that it has obtained during it's long history, and much of it was ill gotten goods. All of that, of course, is coupled with a rather frightening history in which the Church heavily taxed the poor, and where it went to extraordinary lengths to fight any scientific progress, particularly when the findings of then new scientific research felt threatening to their established worldview. When you consider yourself infallible, and your world view is based on one strict interpretation of the world, any and all evidence that would appear to either contradict, or perhaps even outright negate, that world view will clearly not be welcomed.

Still, the extremes to which the Church fought certain things from the idea that the Earth was not the center of the Earth, to the Inquisition, to the still ongoing denial of evolution and the Big Bang theory, and even climate change. They forced Galileo to deny what he knew to be true, and which logic dictated was true, and he got off lightly. Many others were tortured, even burned at the stake, as heretics. Or basically setting up a division of New World territories between Spain and Portugal, while trying to force native peoples in the Americans and elsewhere to And of course, going still further back in history, you cannot simply pretend that the Church did not hold non-believers in contempt, and destined to the fires of Hell for all eternity, while some official believers who were almost monsters were forgiven some incredible, staggering sins.

Clearly, the Church saw many of these things as a threat to it's established order, and specifically to it's privileges.

However, Pope Francis I has also criticized this excessive focus on exclusivity and privilege by members of his church, and seems to be trying to bring the message of the church back to the original teaching of Jesus, which were all about acceptance, forgiveness, not judging, treating each other like we would like ourselves to be treated, and helping out the poor.

Yet, Pope Francis I has gone further than Popes before him went in trying to modernize the Church's viewpoint on many other things, as well. This Pope has a background in science, and so he also will be remembered as the Pope that suggested that the Big Bang theory, and even evolution, are real, and compatible with Church teachings. He has called out the elitism of many high-ranking Church officials, and has even attacked gossip.

Still, perhaps the most impressive thing that this Pope has done is to completely reverse the Vatican's position on climate change. Whereas before, there was some serious skepticism, this Pope has not only acknowledged that climate change is real, but has championed the cause and urged action to people around the world. He understands that the science behind it is real, which means the threat is real, and that there is no time to waste. Something needs to be done, and done now.

Surely, that must make a meeting with President Trump difficult, if not maddening. After all, Trump is everything that the Church, and especially this Pope, rails against. He is a man with no sense of control, with an obscenely enormous ego, and who is personally guilty of more of the Seven Deadly Sins than not, and generally, on an epic scale. Trump is the ultimate narcissist, and he has been guilty of fostering hatred towards numerous minorities, including women, Mexicans, and Muslims. In the wake of his election to the White House, there has been a spike in hate crimes in the United States. And through it all, Trump assures us that he knows better than any and all of us, put together.

Clearly, Trump is a difficult man to accept and like for a variety of reasons. When he is so dismissive of any and all viewpoints that do not match his own, you know that other world leaders are going to have a difficult and unpleasant time dealing with him. And this is perhaps especially true of that ultimate crisis in our time: climate change. Trump made up his mind that climate change is not real, that it is just one big, gigantic hoax invented by the Chinese to hurt the American economy. To that end, he has tried to stifle dissent by literally silencing federal employees who he feared would advocate the position that climate change is real and man-made, and that urgent action is required to combat it. In very typical fashion, Trump suggests that he knows better than these scientists, who studied for years, and who make a career out of studying this field, especially.

Pope Francis wanted to get across the seriousness of this dilemma, and he did it in a rather coy manner with Trump. He gave the president a personally signed copy of the Laudato Si’, his climate change encyclical, as a parting gift. Perhaps it was a shot at the president's stubborn climate change denial stance. Or, perhaps it was a sincere attempt to try and wake him up to this reality, and make him understand just how important it is for the United States - still the world's leading superpower - to take action to try and combat it.

However way you want to interpret it, as a shot, or as a real, heartfelt attempt to get the president to see another viewpoint other than the one he has entrenched himself in, it shows character and resolve, which seems to me to be what you would want from a moral authority figure.

And once again, we have the president embarrassing himself and disgracing his nation with his arrogance and false sense of entitlement, meeting with a world leader who has shown real courage, true resolve, and responsible leadership to try and do his part to make this world a better place in as many ways as he can. It really is a striking contrast in styles.

I cannot say that I am proud of President Trump with really anything that he has done thus far, but the actions of Pope Francis I can serve as a reminder that there are people - yes, powerful people - who can show Americans, and indeed the world, a shining example of what Abraham Lincoln described as the "better angels of our nature."

Below are some of the pictures from when my son and I went to see Pope Francis I during his visit to America in September of 2015, where we saw him in Philadelphia:

Pope Francis politely shades Trump’s climate ignorance with a parting gift by Jack Jenkins, May 24, 2017:

https://thinkprogress.org/francis-trump-meet-c9c5a61617e8

The Pope Just Called Out Trump’s Cowardice With The PERFECT Gift  BY SHEILA NORTON    PUBLISHED ON MAY 24, 2017

http://occupydemocrats.com/2017/05/24/pope-just-called-trumps-cowardice-perfect-gift/

The American Dream is More Possible in Canada Than the United States These Days

Would you look at that! Canada has been doing it very differently than the United States, and they long ago implemented the single-payer healthcare system that so many Americans are deathly afraid of. Yet, there was no Hitler or Stalin that took over, and in fact, Canada looks and feels a lot freer than the United States. Plus, their standard of living not only caught that once enjoyed by Americans, but has surpassed it. And their leaders - all of the recent ones, to my knowledge - can speak two languages eloquently, while ours can barely put one coherent sentence together. This is definitely a sign of the times!

I have felt that this was true since at least the 1990's, if not earlier.

That is why I felt driven to try and make the move to Canada, although it never actually happened. But to me, especially given my French background, Canada always seemed like the ideal place. It blended the best that North America had to offer, with much of the most pleasant aspects of Europe - particularly Quebec province. There is a joie de vivre that exists there that seems largely absent here in the United States. 

A lot of Americans tend to be dismissive of Canada, and Canadians. The stereotype is that Canadians are incredibly polite. They do tend to be more polite than many Americans, especially those from large urban areas, and perhaps especially from the greater New York/New Jersey metropolitan area that I have lived in for most of my life. 

Other than that, Americans tend not to know much about Canada. Many think it is cold there, even all year round. I would tell them that summer is warm there, just like most other places. 

Most Americans dismissed it, assuming it was a cultural wasteland. But nothing could be farther from the truth! Canada is very rich and diverse, culturally. Toronto was considered the most ethically diverse city in the world by no less an authority than the United Nations years ago, and the fact that French and English are both official languages should tip many Americans off that there was a lot more to Canada than many Americans seemed to believe. And the third language there - unofficial, of course - is from Asia, due to the great number of Asian immigrants there. 

For many years now, I made a point of going on trips to Canada in general, and especially to Quebec province. Being French, it is a much closer and cheaper alternative than going to France, which takes time and money, of course. Quebec City is absolutely stunningly beautiful, with a very distinctly Old World feel, making it among the most unique cities in North America. There is also a section of Montreal that has the old town, and has a European feel that is quite distinct from the United States, and even the rest of Canada, for that matter. And even in small towns throughout French Canada, there seems to be richer nightlife, particularly with outdoor cafes and musical festivals during the warm summer months.

But Canada as a whole feels different than the United States, and often times, in a better way. Parks seem cleaner and more well-tended to. The healthcare system is better and more affordable, as is childcare and other essential facts of life. And one big thing that Canadians have which I noticed, as both an American and a Frenchman, is that sense of their own self-importance. The weight of that can be crushing, and I truly think that is why Donald Trump, of all people, became president. No one precisely like Trump could have won in any other country but the United States, where people are  far too often preoccupied with their own greatness.

Yet, Canada is an enormous country in it's own right, and like the United States, it enjoys an abundance and rich diversity of natural beauty, as well. From the soaring mountain peaks of the Cascades and the Rockies out west, to the plains of the middle provinces, to the gentler mountains and foothills to the east, and the pleasant countryside of the Maritime Provinces, to the rich and fertile farmland scattered throughout, and even the difficult to access Far North, Canada is a country of immense, almost boundless, natural beauty and plenty of open spaces.

Beyond that, however, there are certain realities about everyday life in Canada that Americans might just want to pay attention to. Healthcare is cheaper, even far cheaper, and many Americans nowadays get their medical needs from Canada. Canadians enjoy more vacation time (although not nearly as much as their counterparts in Europe), and there are government programs there that make certain other things, like childcare, more affordable, as well.

Americans have long held dismissive stereotypes towards there norther neighbors, frankly to the point of being shameful. Canadians themselves make jokes about the ignorance most Americans exhibit towards their neighbors. The truth of the matter is that Canada is a country in many respects quite similar to the United States, yet the differences that exist between the two countries have begun to be more pronounced over the course of years now. And while Americans of every political persuasion are wondering what happened to the great country that they knew, Canadians are feeling more proud than ever of what they managed to build there together.

Also, it is a nation that presently enjoys a higher standard of living than the United States, and has for a couple of decades now. If Americans are smart and, frankly, patriotic enough to do what is difficult and actually give the reasons why some serious thought, they might do well to examine what Canadians did to get to where they are today, and specifically, to look at where Canadians and Americans parted, as the Canadian standard of living rose, while the American one fell.

If you are wondering why, then it might be a good idea to take a look at the article below, where the greater opportunities for upward mobility in Canada are examined, and why the "American Dream" seems more realistic these days on the other side of the northern border:

The American Dream has moved to Canada By every measure, Canada is the true place to find ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ Let’s stop squandering our good fortune. Scott Gilmore February 28, 2017

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/the-american-dream-moved-to-canada/

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer

Image courtesy of wcm1111's Flickr page -  Star-Wars-VII-The-Force-Awakens-New-Trailer_0: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrismoody1111/23597814155/in/photolist-BXfY1K-2Zd8S-piZcye-sUdMh9-tbMSwv-zMmQLB-seYgqp-xXjhB4-tbQoNz-tbxj5G-wHdKAG-pYSY5q-AFWPnN-sUckc3-tbxjtY-xXsfMg-tbxjwJ-sUkhgD-seYfWP-sUdMjd-seYgvz-t9sZfG-zMdy3o-seMoLu-xBVa5q-ArCvQs-zMmDX2-AH41EA-wHna8e-ArCKwW-A8A8gF-sUkhSP-xnCcps-sUdLK7-wHnadz-seYghP-sUkhB8-A6h6Wx-sUkhsv-sUdM6s-tbQpic-tbQoYp-wHnaeX-sUkhYF-tbQpb8-seYgzT-tbMSBa-tbMSFi-seMoPL-BUXx2J

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Image courtesy of wcm1111's Flickr page - @._V1__SX1234_SY1203_: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrismoody1111/22882772696/in/photolist-AS5c6J-Agpdbc-saDZ7W-nqJWhJ-sgNcgt-sgFPi3-rXwP4g-rZfqE9-rZoCwR-rk43Mr-rZpjxc-sexMNS-rZfvYL-rXvM6a-rXw1Hv-sgRtBH-rjRFXo-rZffVj-seyu5o-rk2VbB-rZgpuy-rk2Wo6-rZgnTC-CdChhd-BNNHgQ-CdDH6Q-eb6Bep-55jYqQ-CgLVGe-rZgGAf-rZouTe-rk47xc-rZgG6C-rjRvPh-rjRxH7-rjRsD9-rZgGA7-rZoD3a-seyCCq-sgGXmf-sgNU8Z-seyKj1-sgQSS2-seyYZN-rjRuj3-rXvAuk-sgQJrp-sgGLP3-sgS1Ee-rjRzJb

Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

Image courtesy of wcm1111's Flickr page - tfa_poster_wide_header_adb92fa0: https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrismoody1111/23597813165/in/photolist-BXfXHF-BV336G-sexzRL-sgNKNc-sgGGUQ-rZhkTo-rZpgZr-pYHT41-sgRuSi-rjRdoq-rZpFgX-aNZxZ2-rZfACf-rZhJh1-rjRwvN-rjQQas-zXkGrd-AUnjFB-AS5c6J-Agpdbc-saDZ7W-nqJWhJ-sgNcgt-sgFPi3-rXwP4g-rZfqE9-rZoCwR-rk43Mr-rZpjxc-sexMNS-rZfvYL-rXvM6a-rXw1Hv-sgRtBH-rjRFXo-rZffVj-seyu5o-rk2VbB-rZgpuy-rk2Wo6-rZgnTC-CdChhd-BNNHgQ-CdDH6Q-eb6Bep-55jYqQ-CgLVGe-rZgGAf-rZouTe-rk47xc
Creative Commons License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/

So, I am not entirely sure how I missed this one.

Was it perhaps because of preoccupation with the daily idiocies coming out of the White House, with an unbelievable narcissist now at the helm, and proving to one and all, as if proof were needed, that he was never, ever qualified to be the Commander-in-Chief? Was it something else that distracted me?

Well, whatever it was, apparently this trailer release came out without my quite noticing. Come to think of it, I think there is a memory of hearing about it, and thinking that I should watch it and review it here, and then, somehow, it just never happened. I never did actually go online and search for the trailer, and then, presumably, just forgot about it.

Yet, this trailer eventually did come to my attention, and so it feels necessary to write something about it. The release of the next Star Wars movie is getting much closer, now.

There are certain things that I noticed immediately. In particular, it was hard not to notice the continuity in terms of running themes with past movies. Since this is the second installment of this particular trilogy, the fact that an old Jedi is training a younger one without much experience is hard to miss. Also, Finn is recovering medically, inside of some kind of a tube, which recalls Luke Skywalker's recovery from an injury in Hoth right at the beginning of the movie.

Just a couple of things that seemed immediately apparent right away. But don't take my word for it, take a look for yourself by watching the video clip below.

Looking forward to finally seeing it!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Teaser Trailer Breakdown Created by Randolph Ramsay on April 14, 2017

https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/star-wars-the-last-jedi-teaser-trailer-breakdown/2900-1200/?ftag=ACQa2186e3&vndid=1860201417&nan_pid=1860201417&ad_id=5949312