The Barron Blog

Sunday, 26 September 2010

Our Algonquin Park Mini Vacation

We took a three day vacation to Algonquin Park. It's been five years since we were last there and it was good to see my wife's brother, Joe and his wife, Lawrie. We stayed with them in their fifthwheel RV.
I published some pictures of our trip on Facebook. They can be easily accessed by clicking on the link in the last sentence.
The highlight of the trip was big thunderstorm on Tuesday evening. It was a real thrill to dry dishes outside while lightening flashed and thunder rolled. Storms in Northern Ontario are usually more powerful than those in the cities.
All in all, it was great to discover the beauty and serenity of the great Canadian wilderness again.
Please enjoy some "getting away music" by Christopher Cross.

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Posted by qualteam at 9:53 PM EDT

Updated: Sunday, 26 September 2010 11:04 PM EDT

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Friday, 10 September 2010

Movie Reviews From Newfoundland

I managed to catch up on some movies that I hadn't seen in Ontario(except for Momma Mia). I must tell you that I saw these films on a couple of primitive TV sets of the 1980s. The screen wasn't very big and the color was a little on the darkside. Obviously, a movie would have to be very good to impress me under those circumstances.
Review 135: "The Blind Side" This is by far the best Sandra Bullock movie that I've ever seen. This heartwarming tail is based on a true story of how a poor black lad was adopted by a white family and went on to become a football star. Four stars!!
Review 136: "Hairspray" John Travolta was laugh as the big white mother in this picture. The songs and dances were also well done and indicative of that period of time. All in all, it was lots of fun for people of any weight, gender or race. Three and half stars.
Review 137: "Momma Mia" I enjoyed this picture more on the second viewing than on the first. Meryl Streep's singing emphasized the dramatic situations in the story. While too long in the telling, some scenes were very exciting and moving. Three and half stars.
Review 138: "Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince" This episode is more of murder mystery than the others. Harry becomes like Sherlock Holmes trying to track down Voltmort by putting together all the clues. It was too slow moving for my liking. Three stars.
Review 139: "Click" To begin with, some scenes were just hilarious, but the same jokes were used over and over again and then it got too serious for too long. Two and a half stars.
Review 140: "No Country For Old Men" The story starts well as a drug deal gone wrong. The bad guy chases the good guy who has the drug money to the Mexican border, but the film comes off the rails when the story degenerates into senseless killings of just about everybody. With no strong hero to out smart or out shoot the bad guy, the storyline peeters out with no climax. Two stars.
Review 141: "Angel and Demons" The story should have been about some Illuminati conspiracy to "Control the World" or kill "The Roman Catholic Hierarchy". However, it was about neither. It ended up as "A Man Who Would Be Pope" story. Not real, not good. One and half stars.
We saw most of the movies in one week.

Posted by qualteam at 9:48 PM EDT

Updated: Friday, 10 September 2010 10:47 PM EDT

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Monday, 30 August 2010

Top Ten Jobs In The Afterlife

A top ten list of jobs concerning the afterlife has nothing to do with being "the resident spook" in an old house that turns up on "Most Haunted", "Ghost Hunters" or "Paranormal State". To begin with, most spirits in these TV episodes are either too crazy or too weak to be entertaining. If the producers did find a powerful spirit with some showmanship, the ghost would probably give most of the crew heart attacks. What good would that do???
A few writers have some interesting thoughts on jobs in the afterlife. The funniest is the one on "Would you like to be the Grim Reaper"? Another dwells on "Bad Jobs in the Afterlife". A more middle of the road view is this person's "Vision of Heaven".
My own vision of these afterlife positions are itemized below. I believe in stewardship over the Earth now and in the future. One's responsibilities for this planet don't end with death or a trip to Heaven.
Spiritual Healers: One of the biggest problems in this world is sickness of one kind or the other. This includes cancer, heart disease, MS, Aids. etc. Healing these diseases completely is something only a powerful spiritual being could do. Prayers help, but having dedicated well trained spirits in this field is important.
Enviromental Controllers: When nature is let loose on the environment, it can create devastation in its path. Look at the hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and forest fires of recent history. Millions of lives lost and damages in the mega billion dollar range. It may be a thankless job to be an enviromental controller, but it is necessary for many on this planet.
Global Guardians: There's always the possibility that Earth could experience a nuclear war or get invaded by a high tech civilization. It is important that powerful spiritual guardians exist to make sure that doesn't happen.
Afterlife Therapists: Many spirits have difficulty adapting to another life after their body dies. It's important to properly debrief a soul on his last life and get him/her to differentiate between his/her memories and the physical universe.
Monitors and Trackers:We all know the value of the police in controlling criminal activity. It's also important to assist earthly police in tracking the most wanted in this world. Monitors and Trackers provide this service through advanced telephoto cameras that monitor brain waves.
Artistic Mentors: Wouldn't it be great if all artists had their own personal muse? Encouraging and guiding the artists of tomorrow should be a priority.
Personal Guardian Angels: It's reassuring that someone "out there" is looking after our safety and welfare.
Tour Guides Of The Universe: Recently departed souls need a friendly guide to show them around the new reality that they'll be moving into.
Humane Terminators: The whole business of dying should be as quick and painless as possible.
Communication Engineers: There's no reason that a bridge couldn't be built between this life and the next where different kinds of living beings could communicate with each other. My suggestion is a computer interface that would allow images and thoughts to travel back and forth from the physical world to the spiritual world.
On the right side of this page are the links to "My Cosmic Views of the Universe". It's fortunate that humans are not the only intelligent life form in the cosmos. If you have any thoughts on this topic please e-mail me.

Posted by qualteam at 11:31 AM EDT

Updated: Monday, 30 August 2010 9:02 PM EDT

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Wednesday, 18 August 2010

Newfoundland Is My Cool Change

While people were walking around in the Greater Toronto Area at a temperature near or over 30C, I was seeing Newfoundland at temperates from 14C to 24C. Each morning, I would wake up about 8:00 A.M and go for a walk around Spaniard's Bay or Bay Roberts. Sometimes, I had to wear a jacket because there was a cool breeze off the ocean. The tranquility of being by oneself near a large body of water is something that everyone should experience.
We took many pictures of scenic sites and my wife's family. You can check out those pictures on my Facebook page.
A friend next door to where we were staying gave us a four foot cod which we enjoyed that night. It was delicious.
The fish were most plentiful in Dildo Harbour which produced many codfish for the Noseworthy family.
Other highlights of my trip were playing Wii bowling, tennis and boxing with my grand nephew and niece. At first, they clobbered me in each game until I figured out how to win. I ended up winning three games while losing ten. It was great fun.
I was a little disappointed that I never got to play with the adults in the family.
Some of drawbacks of Newfoundland are the distances one has to go to buy somethings. I had to travel 15 miles to get some Danactive drink and Pomegranate juice (POM) wasn't available anywhere.
Newfies like to play a card game called 120, and this can lead to excessive card playing just like Euchre in Ontario. At least, it doesn't cost you money to play.
We know that we were wanted in Newfoundland. We know that we will be welcomed back.
A couple of days ago, we returned home. Our cool change is over, but not forgotten.

Posted by qualteam at 10:06 PM EDT

Updated: Wednesday, 18 August 2010 11:29 PM EDT

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Monday, 9 August 2010

More Great Pictures Of Newfoundland

Above. is a really great shot of Spaniard's Bay from the top of Montrey Hill. This place whch is also a cemetary has the best view of the bay and its surroundings. I have over 60 photos of our trip and you can view many of them on my Facebood page.
We also took a trip into Newfoundland's past with a trip to Port De Grave and "The Hibbs Hole Museum" where we discovered some of Newfoundland's antiques and history.
It's hard to write about something that is close to Newfies' hearts. The pictures give you a good first impression, but a visit is necessary to experience the unique qualities of Newfoundland.
We'll be home early next week in Brampton.
The weather forecast for Spaniard's Bay.
The weather forecast for Brampton.

Posted by qualteam at 7:19 AM EDT

Updated: Tuesday, 10 August 2010 4:55 PM EDT

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Wednesday, 4 August 2010

Our Trip To Bell Island Newfoundland

I never worked at the mines in Bell Island Newfoundland, but I did work at an Inco mine in Sudbury. This is what I looked like as a miner. It was a good job, but Sudbury and my co-workers sucked.
There are more photos of our Bell Island trip on my Facebook page. Please treat yourself to scenery that you can't find anywhere else. I even got a shot of myself with Newfoundland's provincial bird, "The Puffin".
As well as the mines, we discovered Lance's Cove Beach where German boats sunk three ships carrying iron ore to England.
Near the lighthouse, there's awesome scenery so steep it makes you dizzy looking at them. Check out the island below.
My wife's father worked in a Bell Island mine until it was closed in the 1960s. We actually discovered her grandmother's headstone on the island.
There are many other interesting sights that you can only experience by going there.

Posted by qualteam at 3:36 PM EDT

Updated: Monday, 9 August 2010 7:20 AM EDT

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Tuesday, 27 July 2010

We've Been In Newfoundland For A Week

But the guys above have been there since they were born. The person on my right is my brother-in-law, Clarence Noseworthy and the gentleman on the left is Tom Lawlor his cousin. Tom recently retired from "The Canadian Coast Guard" after 34 years of service.
We went over to Tom's place at North River on July/24. Tom is a very funny guy who's had numerous entertaining experiences in other countries as well as in Newfoundland.
It would be difficult to recreate those stories in this blog without Tom's unique storytelling abilities. These stories also tend to be adult entertainment, so I can't deliver that material here. I asked Tom to put his stuff on a blog, so people can see how much fun Newfies can be.
Over the week, my wife, Irene, and I visited the oldest settlement in Canada and the second oldest settlement in North America. It's call Cupids. Check it out.
We also visited "The Brigus Tunnel" and took in some scenic sites in "Spaniard's Bay". I put the best photos on my Facebook website.
I also did things that I've never done before. This will be the topic of anoher blog.

Posted by qualteam at 9:30 AM EDT

Updated: Monday, 9 August 2010 7:21 AM EDT

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Tuesday, 13 July 2010

We're Going To Newfoundland Next Week

We're going to Spaniard's Bay NFLD exactly. That's where my wife's brother and sister-in-law, Clarence and Winnie Noseworthy live.
This will be the fourth time that I've visited Newfoundland. The first time was in 1998 and I created a webpage for that visit.
Finding out about Newfoundland history and old English settlements like Cupids and Harbour Grace is a lots of fun. You might not know this but for two hundreds years Newfoundland was a haven for English pirates.
I've also been "screeched in" by my wife. This means becoming an honorary Newfy and a member of "The Cod/Pirate/Viking Fraternity". What an honour!
Newfies are probably the friendliest people on Earth. Family, friend or friend of a friend, they love making you feel at home. The song below "Music and Friends" tells it all.

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The weather in the summer is at least five to 10 degrees lower. In the evening, it's about 10C, very good for sleeping.
On the downside, there isn't the choice or closeness to places like malls, recreational centres and entertainment facilities which you have in the Greater Toronto Area.
I may have to go to the library to use the internet unless I find a good "hot spot" for my laptop.
We'll be gone for a month, but I'll try to keep you informed on these unique experiences.

Posted by qualteam at 9:22 PM EDT

Updated: Wednesday, 14 July 2010 10:00 PM EDT

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Sunday, 4 July 2010

Denny Doherty And The Mamas And Papas

Every now and then a biography will come along that really moves me. This was the case of Denny Doherty's biography, "Here I Am".
Denny was a founding member of the 60s folk/pop group, Mamas and Papas. This was the first group to combine folk melodies with rock and roll. For a short while, they set the standards for the hippie lifestyle. As you might know, Denny was having an affair with fellow band member Michelle Phillips who was married to M & P member, John Phillips. The guys were also heavily into drugs and alcohol.
Mamma Cass Elliot was in love with Denny, but he turned her marriage proposal down. She was a star in her own right and unfortunately died of a heart attack in 1974.
I was surprised to find out how varied Denny's career was. He acted in several plays, TV series and wrote a collection of soulful ballads. He was not only influenced by the folk songs of the 1950s, but the Gaelic Music of Nova Scotia. This was presented very well in Denny's filmed biography, "Here I Am". Four Stars!!!

Posted by qualteam at 10:39 PM EDT

Updated: Monday, 5 July 2010 2:43 PM EDT

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Monday, 28 June 2010

The G20 Sideshow

There were many legitimate protests and alternate viewpoints presented at the G20 conference, but I doubt that anyone remembers them.
Instead of an intelligent debate on international issues what we got was a media circus of riot-geared cops, lunatic anarchists and sensation-filled media sound/picture bites. "The G20 summit" was simply an opening act to the big destructive sideshow.
There was "My Summit 2010" which was a collection of workshops by young people around the globe on what they would do to make the Earth a better place. Does anyone remember that event? Like everything else it took fourth or fifth place to the media sideshow above.
All the destruction could have been avoided if the G20 conference was held on an aircraft carrier. It would have been cheaper too.
Cops in riot gear were looking for a riot and surprise surprise, they found one. This was a self-fulling prophecy at its best. Why not just have a wall and let the protestors write on it? Who would the anachists fight then?
Toronto mayor, David Miller, called the anarchists criminals. Perhaps, he should have threatened them with "Miller's Cave" to keep them good.
I'll give "The G20 in Toronto," one star. I see better crap on TV most of the time.

Posted by qualteam at 6:27 PM EDT

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