Roxanne Tellier – Just A Little Respect

The last Monday of May is when America celebrates Memorial Day, a federal holiday which honours and mourns the military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Patriots observe both this holiday, and the other day of note, Remembrance Day, to signify their appreciation and respect for past and present members of the military. These are America’s heroes.

This year, however, that holiday coincides with something that only a tiny percent of a percent of Americans, if any, have ever seen before – the sudden death of nearly 100,000 citizens in just two months, by the novel coronavirus known as COVID 19.

North Americans have been spoiled for the last hundred years. Sure, there were two World Wars, and a Great Depression, but few under the age of 50 even remember those days, let alone recognize the impact these events had on people. As peacekeepers, Canada felt even less of the sting of loss.

JAIMIE VERNON – YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK

My son’s been kicking back and chilling this summer having finished Grade 12. He didn’t want to start a post-secondary education until he could get his bearings, find a job, make some money and attack it without being tens of thousands of dollars in debt at the starting line. Currently, he’s enjoying hanging out with his friends before everyone scatters to the four winds in September. They decided this week to play paintball. The best facility in Toronto is Sgt. Splatter’s near Dufferin & Eglinton.

JAIMIE VERNON – ALL THINGS MUST PASS

I was hoping to go a full week without reporting another celebrity death. But we’ve had half-a-dozen since the passing of The Eagles’ Glenn Frey including actor Abe Vigoda (‘Barney Miller’, ‘The Godfather’) whose website has finally been changed to no longer read the whimsical “still alive” message.

Roxanne Tellier: A Hero is More than Just a Sandwich

“I need a hero. I’m holding out for a hero ’til the morning light. He’s gotta be sure, And it’s gotta be soon, And he’s gotta be larger than life.”  Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford

“Do the right thing at the right moment”… Scouts’ honour.

It seems like today, more than ever, we’re all looking for a hero, someone to swoop in and save us from financial woes, inept and corrupt government, the planet disintegrating before our eyes due to greed and selfishness … a hero to rise above the world’s problems, save us from ruination, and yet     somehow, remain humble, sweet and shy.