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  • Affordable Hearing Aids: Financing and Assistance

    Affordable Hearing Aids: Financing and Assistance

    If you or somebody in your family need hearing aids, there is a good chance you will need help paying for them. That’s because the price of behind-the-ear hearing aids or even the best cheap hearing aids can easily cost anywhere from $2000-$6000. In this article we will discuss hearing aid financial programs, hearing aid companies that provide financing, hearing aid financing options for people with bad credit, and other programs to help you pay for and enjoy the benefits of having hearing aids. 

    Many Americans have less than $2000 in the bank, and neither Medicare nor Medicaid typically offer any financial assistance for hearing aids. Medicare states it rather bluntly: “You pay 100% of the cost for hearing aids and exams.” In other words, there is a real need for hearing aid financing programs. 

    So why doesn’t Medicare offer financial assistance for hearing aids?

    Well, when Medicare came into being in 1965, hearing aids were excluded from coverage because people believed Americans didn’t live long enough to need them and because hearing aids were cheap.

    Well, times certainly changed. These days hearing aids are expensive, and millions of Americans could benefit from quality hearing aids, especially if they are tuned and fitted by an audiologist. And quite frankly, it is always a good idea to visit an audiologist if you have experienced hearing damage. That’s because even if your audiologist determines that you do not need hearing aids, they can diagnose and treat hearing and ear conditions. Your audiologist can diagnose and treat everything from something minor such as wax buildup to something more serious, such as ear infections or balance disorders.

    There is some good news though. Currently states such as Arkansas, Illinois, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut mandate hearing aid insurance for adults, and some other states mandate coverage for children. But in general, if you need hearing aids chances are pretty good that you will need financing or some other form of assistance to cover their costs.

    Hearing aid financing programs

    When it comes to hearing aid financial programs, there is more bad news. in addition to Medicare and Medicaid not offering help with hearing aid costs, neither do most private medical insurance companies. However, many offer optional hearing aid plans, so be sure to check with your health insurance provider before visiting an audiologist.

    However, there is some good news. While your health insurance may not cover hearing aids directly, you might be able to use any funds you have in your Health Savings Account (HAS) or Flexible Savings Account (FSA) to help pay for your hearing aids. Once again, check with your health insurance provider before visiting your audiologist to know where you stand in terms of your hearing aid financing.

    There are also other hearing aid financial programs available. These include credit cards that offer lower interest rates for hearing aids than standard credit cards. Some even offer 0% financing if you pay off your hearing aids within 6 months, so it pays to shop around. Your audiologist will be up to date with the best hearing financing programs for your situation, so be sure to ask for their advice when you have your hearing checked or are fitted for hearing aids. Some of these include:

    • Wells Fargo Health Advantage

    At the time of writing this article this credit card offered 12.99% APR and is accepted by not just audiologists, but also by dentists, optometrists, and veterinarians across the country.

    • CareCredit credit card
      Similar to the Wells Fargo Health Advantage card, the CareCredit credit card offers flexible payment structures and can be used for hearing aid financing, hearing exams, tinnitus care, hearing tests, and implants. You can apply online and there is an online payment calculator that can provide peace of mind and reduce any stress you feel from your hearing aid financing program.
    • Veterans Administration benefits
      If you are one of the 16.5 million veterans in the United States and registered at the health Administration/enrollment section of the VA Medical Center of your choice you may qualify for help with your hearing aid cost. If you are VA eligible and an audiologist determines that you require hearings aids, you may qualify to have your hearing aids, repairs, and batteries provided to you at no cost.

      Also, according to VHA Directive 1034, your hearing aids will be replaced if they become ineffective or damaged or if your hearing condition changes. Your hearing aids may also be replaced if they are lost or damaged through no fault of your own.

    Hearing aid companies who provide financing

    One of the newer developments in terms of hearing aid financing and eliminating the financial barrier that prohibits many from getting hearing aids is hearing aid leasing programs. Hearing aid leasing allows you get a hearing aid for little or no down payment. Simply pay a monthly payment and you will be able to enjoy the benefits of having hearing aids. Leasing plans also cover remote support, cleanings, annual screenings, and coverage for lost, stolen, or damaged hearing aids.

    If you have a school-aged son or daughter who suffers from hearing difficulties, but you don’t have $2000 or more on hand to pay for their hearing aids, leasing can be an excellent option for providing them with hearing aids. And once they are fitted for hearing aids at an audiologist, you are likely to notice improved grades at school, better social interaction, and more smiles. Down the road that can mean greater success throughout their lives, whether in school, college, or in the working world. Who wouldn’t pay $100 a month for something like that?

    Phonak Freedom subscription-based program

    Phonak has been at the forefront of hearing aid technology for decades. Their hearing aids are chock full of features, offer great voice recognition, and appear on numerous best-of lists. Phonak is also the biggest hearing aid brand in the world by market share, accounting for 24% of all hearing aid sales.

    Phonak has also recently emerged as a leader in terms of hearing aid companies that provide financing. Their innovative Phonak Freedom subscription-based program allows you to enjoy the benefits of wearing hearing aids for around $100 to $175 a month. That can be comparable to your monthly credit card payments if you finance your hearing aids through that method. However, choosing the Phonak Freedom subscription program through your audiologist offers benefits that buying your hearing aids outright through financing does not, such as:

    • Ability to enjoy the best current hearing aid technology available by replacing your hearing aids with new ones every 3 years
    • Easy follow-up services such as tunings and cleanings
    • Full warranty against loss, theft, and damage
    • Knowledge of what your monthly payments will be

    The Phonak Freedom subscription program is a bit like your cell phone or internet plan and a bit like leasing a car. It can be a great option for those who like stability, the ability to have routine maintenance easily provided by your audiologist, and who like having the latest technology. The con of the Phonak Freedom subscription program is that you don’t really get to enjoy the pride of ownership, but for many people who wear hearing aids, this isn’t an issue at all.

    Hearing aid financing option with bad credit

    If choose to finance your hearing aids and have a bad credit score you may wind up paying higher interest rates or even be declined credit. If you check your credit score online and it is low, you can take steps to improve it. Paying down your revolving credit balances is always an excellent idea. That will not only save you money in the long run but also improve your credit score. You can also ask your credit card company to increase your credit limit. Another way to improve your credit score is to have negative entries that have been paid removed from your report.

    If you have a bad credit score, have no options for improving it, and still hope to get hearing aids for yourself or a family member, there are still options. Organizations and services such as Kiwanis Club, Knights of Columbus, Optimists Clubs, and Easter Seals are sometimes able to offer assistance. There are also charities geared toward pediatric services such as Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

    Again, it is best to check with your audiologist. They will the best up-to-date information for hearing aid financing options for people with bad credit. They can direct you to organizations and charities that may be able to help with getting your hearing aids and enjoying a better quality of life.

    Help with hearing aid costs conclusion

    It pays to talk to an audiologist not just to make sure that you get the best hearing aid for your situation, but also so that you choose the hearing aid financing program that is right for you as well.Many audiologists offer financing for your hearing aids that have much lower interest rates than credit cards.

    In many cases, interest-free financing is available if you can pay off the full amount of your hearing aids in a relatively short term, such as 6 months. Financing your hearing aids through your audiologist for 36 months at 19.9% instead of 29.9% could amount to significant savings, possibly as much as almost $2000.

    Your audiologist can help you navigate the many options that are available for financing your hearing aids. Whether it is a subscription service, a credit card with lower interest rates, help with navigating your private health insurance or VA benefits, or even guiding you to charities that may offer free hearing aids, they are on your side and there to help you.

    FAQ

    Q: Are there programs other than credit cards that offer help with hearing aid costs?

    A: Yes! Companies such as Phonak offer subscription services for hearing aids. These allow you to obtain hearing aids for a monthly fee. Having a subscription for your hearing aids is a bit like a utility bill or leasing a car. You pay a determined amount every month, and in return, you get to enjoy the benefits of better hearing thanks to your hearing aids. Subscription plans generally cover all repairs and tunings, allow you to trade in your hearing aids every three years for new models, and have warranties against damage or theft.

    Q: Does Medicare cover the cost of hearing aids or offer financial assistance for them?

    A: Unfortunately not. When Medicare was created in the 1960s hearing aids were relatively inexpensive. Also, it was believed that Americans didn’t live long enough to need hearing aids. Medicare still doesn’t cover the cost of hearing aids or even hearing exams.

    Q: What hearing aid financing programs are available?

    A: If your health insurance doesn’t offer assistance with the cost of your hearing aids, your audiologist can likely suggest other options. There are credit cards intended for healthcare spending on things like hearing aids that offer lower interest rates than standard credit cards.

    Q: Will my private insurance cover the costs of my hearing aids?

    A: If you have private insurance or insurance from work, it is best to check with them to see if your health plan offers any help with hearing aid costs. You might be able to use any money you have in your Health Savings Account (HAS) or Flexible Savings Account (FSA) to help pay for your hearing aids.

    Q: Does the Veterans Administration offer help with hearing aid costs?

    A: The Veterans Administration (VA) will often cover the cost of hearing aids, hearing exams, batteries, and repairs for veterans. To qualify, you must be VA eligible, and an audiologist must have determined that you require hearing aids. If your hearing changes, your hearing aids become damaged, or are lost through no fault of your own, there is also a good chance that they will be replaced at no charge to you.

  • Billy Bragg’s Unforgettable Toronto Concert in 1991

    Billy Bragg’s Unforgettable Toronto Concert in 1991

    In this post I will talk about a Billy Bragg concert I attended, discuss the opening act which was fronted by Michael Franti, and discuss the circle of music, in terms of giving something back to the younger generation and paying homage to the ones that came before us.

    Table of Contents:

    1. The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions
    2. The Internationale
    3. Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy opened
    4. Keep on Billy Bragging, Billy Bragg!
    5. You Might Also Like:

    I was at a Billy Bragg gig at The Concert Hall in Toronto in Nov. 1991. It was 27 years to the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Billy interacts with his fans and each concert is unique. He never mails it in, and often changes lyrics to incorporate what is going on in the world.

    Billy Bragg

    Billy Bragg is an English singer-songwriter who has been making music and supporting workers’ rights for decades. He is an activist and strong supporter of labour unions. He is often a fixture on picket lines. Billy Bragg is a fine human being.

    You might know Kirsty MacColl11 who had a top 10 hit in the UK covering Bragg’s song A New England. Kirsty is also the female voice on the Pogues’ iconic song Fairytale of NY.


    Oliver Stone’s movie JFK was just out, and Billy had a great rant about how The Beatles killed Kennedy. Some people say America lost their innocence when JFK was killed, and of course The Beatles changed rock and roll forever, while also becoming the biggest cultural influence in Western culture of all time.

    In Billy’s rant, The Beatles killed JFK to make America NEED joy and happiness, and only The Beatles could bring that. Killing Kennedy paved the road for Beatlemania and global domination. It was all a conspiracy by the mop tops, just like the dozens of conspiracy theories that Stone brought to light in his movie.

    “I’m pretty sure it was George, too. It’s always the quiet one.“ – Billy Bragg

    Did George Harrison kill JFK?

    The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions

    Billy Bragg also changed the line “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to sell, and if you want narcotics, we can get you those as well” in The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions to 

    “…and if you want Wayne Gretzky, we can get him as well!” – Billy Bragg

    (former) Canadian God Wayne Gretzky.

    This drew a tremendous response from the Canadians, who were still grieving from Wayne Gretzky being sold from a hockey club in Edmonton known as the Oilers to one in Los Angeles known as the Kings.

    Gretzky, also known as “the Great One”, is of course one of the Gods of hockey, and in Canada, hockey truly is a religion.

    The Marching Song of the Covert Battalions is from Billy Bragg’s fine album The Internationale. The album is mostly cover versions and rewrites of left-wing protest songs. It needs to be noted, though, that Bragg also writes “tactile” songs that people feel and can identify with, such as “The Milkman of Human Kindness”. He had a US hit with his song “Sexuality” which he co-wrote with Johnny Marr of The Smiths. It is described at a funny, anti-homophobia and generally sex-positive song.

    Jello Biafra, most famous for being the frontman of Dead Kennedys, successfully did the same thing with the Phil Ochs’ song “Love Me, I’m a Liberal.” It is from an album Jello did with Mojo Nixon called Prairie Home Invasion, also a favourite of mine. In an interview, Jello said: “The scary thing is that it was so easy to rewrite the song using modern examples!”

    Prairie Home Invasion, an album by Jello Biafra and Mojo Nixon.

    The Internationale

    The Internationale also holds a special place in my heart because I got to lend it to a colleague I was working with who was still in college. He told me he was taking a class about Russian history, so I gave him my copy and told him: “You gotta listen to this!” Pay it forward, as the Hollywood actors say. 

    Billy Bragg’s album The Internationale

    Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy opened

    Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy opened the show. I didn’t know who they were at the time, except I did, but didn’t know it. DHOH was formed by Michael Franti and Rono Tse, both of The Beatnigs. Franti later went on to a very successful career with Spearhead.

    DHOH had all their instruments and some band members held up at the Canada/US border, so they played a minimalist set. They transformed a concert venue in Toronto into a street corner in NYC, or more accurately, San Francisco.

    I recall singing along with DHOH as they played their song Television. As I did, people around me had strange looks on their faces and asked how on earth I knew that song.

    Keep on Billy Bragging, Billy Bragg!

    *The above is my submission to an upcoming book entitled Billy Bragg – A People’s History. I think it is a brilliant concept, and here is a one sentence description of the project:

    “To be published in October 2025 by Spenwood Books of Manchester, UK, Billy Bragg – A People’s History will be a paperback book containing over 400 fan memories of seeing Billy in concert, on a demonstration or on a TV show.”

    https://spenwoodbooks.com/billy-bragg-a-peoples-history/

    You Might Also Like:

    • Exploring NYC’s Smalls Jazz Club: A Lifeline for Artists
      Smalls Jazz Club in NYC is a lifeline for jazz enthusiasts during the pandemic. A personal account praises the club’s vibrant atmosphere and its transformative impact on music lovers. Through live streams, Smalls introduced a diverse array of exceptional artists. The club’s influence extends beyond NYC, resonating with music lovers worldwide, making it a must-visit destination.

    • Dick Valentine Takes Tracy Chapman’s Fast Car for a Spin
      Dick Valentine, frontman for Electric Six, offers a unique take on Tracy Chapman’s iconic song “Fast Car.” Both versions deliver heartfelt intensity and transport listeners, contributing to their widespread acclaim. Valentine’s authentic rendition brings new appreciation to Chapman’s timeless blues hit. Additionally, his cover reflects on the significance of the original song and its enduring impact.

    • Killdozer Cover Songs: A Unique Musical Experience
      Killdozer, an independent rock band from Wisconsin, covered a diverse range of songs, adding their unique touch. The band’s covers are a result of extensive “fact-checking” and restoration, making history authentic again. Their noteworthy covers include songs by artists like Neil Young, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Neil Diamond. These covers shed new light on the original songs, revealing hidden depths and creating a compelling listening experience.
    1. Kirsty MacColl is the daughter of Ewan MacColl, a legendary UK folk singer. He was affililiated with the Communist Party of Great Britain. He wrote Dirty Old Town which The Pogues covered and still brings a tear to my eyes every time i hear it. ↩︎

  • Review of His Three Daughters: A Must-See Film

    Review of His Three Daughters: A Must-See Film

    I loved the first two-thirds of the movie His Three Daughters. I decided to watch it because it made a lot of “Best of 2024” lists. I also decided to check it out because Carrie Coon is in it.

    I loved Carrie Coon in Lake George, and I also love her in His Three Daughters. She’s become my current favourite actor – sorry Aubrey Plaza! The character Coon plays in Daughters IS my late wife’s sister – a Mega Bitch that has to be experienced to be believed – at least for the first 2/3 of the movie.

    His Three Daughters has incredible acting all around. Natasha Lyonne of Russian Doll fame plays one of the daughters. Lyonne has received an armful of awards for her work in this movie, and she deserves them, too.

    His Three Daughters is more like a play than a movie. The emphasis is on storytelling and acting. The plot involves three sisters holed up in a small NYC apartment. It is NOT Christmas material, but it will make you laugh and cry. But maybe this movie is suitable for Christmas viewing, if laughing and crying your way through a box of tissues happens to be your thing.

    The fine acting goes far beyond the three leads. There is no weak link in this cast. Jovan Adepo plays the boyfriend of Lyonne’s character, and he might have stolen the show if his role had been bigger.

    His Three Daughters might be the ONLY thing produced by Netflix that I like!

    The last third of His Three Daughters was a gear shift that the movie did not need, but it is still a solid watch.

    Your takeaway from this review: Check out Lake George!

  • Let ChatGPT write your Christmas Cards!

    Let ChatGPT write your Christmas Cards!

    Of all the Christmas scams out there, greeting cards are well, one of them. I’ve heard that Santa Claus was invented by Coca-Cola, and part of me believes that. I know Santa is real though, and I just put that down to “haters gonna hate”.

    The Christmas Card Origin Story

    Madonna may have been Jesus’ mom, but necessity is the mother of invention, and Christmas Cards were indeed an invention. Englishman Henry Cole had an overflowing inbox and no time to write the required correspondence to the cats in the upper class that he swung with. Ye olde quill pen wasn’t going to cut it. Hank wanted to express himself to everyone, but he needed a timesaver – a hack in modern parlance.

    Madonna – expressing herself since the 80s

    Cole’s solution to being swamped with work was to “drain the swamp”. His hack, his time saver, was to print 1000 cards with the same image (seen above) and send them to everyone on his Nice List. Everyone gets the same – Seasons McGreetings.

    Wouldn’t you know it, Christmas Cards went viral, and Henry Cole’s “time savers” are still around to this day. Three cheers for Hank!

    Henry Cole – his Christmas Cards have been trending for 150 years (it is unclear if long-time hockey broadcaster Bob Cole was related, eh)

    Protecting our kids from social media – and Christmas Cards!

    Some people thought that the image used on Hank’s image depicted kids chucking back wine as if they were members of The Pogues. Naturally there was an uproar.

    In today’s world, Australia would ban Hank’s creation for kids under 16, and Justin Trudeau would ban them and create a tax trying to make Hank give money to hockey players.

    Maybe all of that is why Christmas Cards didn’t become popular in the United States until about 30 years later. And of course it was an immigrant in a “sanctuary city” who unleashed Hank’s invention on the good people of Boston in 1875.

    Christmas Cards were invented as a timesaver – ChatGPT is a timesaver. Talk about peanut butter and jelly!

    A lot of people fear AI and things like ChatGPT. I love ChatGPT and consider it a massive timesaver, much like Henry Cole considered Christmas Cards to be a timesaver.

    Finding the right Christmas Card can be expensive and time consuming. They now do the opposite of what Henry Cole intended. People who receive Christmas Cards spend about the same amount of time with them as ChatGPT spends responding to your prompts.

    I say Make Hank’s Cards Great Again!
    Write them with ChatGPT!

    I forgot to pickup a Christmas Card for a friend, and had no time to rectify the matter. An epiphany struck – have ChatGPT create it! It was a Christmas Miracle, not unlike Carol Brady getting her voice back just in time for the Christmas pageant.

    My first attempt at writing a Christmas Card with AI

    I didn’t expect much, but the results were stunning. ChatGPT has a sense of humour, and really expanded on my very minimal prompt. I approved of the results, and I think old Hank Cole would too!

    First Prompt:

    I was surprised that the results were pretty good, maybe excellent when you consider that I was ‘last minute shopping” for a Christmas Card. I asked ChatGPT to tweak the results with this prompt:

    The Results – my first ChatGPT Christmas Card!

    Front of the Card:
    🎄 “Happy Holidays… or should we say, ‘Politically Correct Non-Denominational Festive Season Greetings’?” 🎄

    Inside the Card:
    This year, we’re keeping things inclusive, so let’s not assume it’s Christmas! You might be celebrating:

    • 🎅 Clause-mas (Respecting Santa’s individuality)
    • 🎄 Tree-lighting Day (Let’s not make it religious!)
    • ❄️ Frosty Appreciation Week (Snowfolk have feelings too, eh?)

    As for us, we’re declaring our holiday pronouns as: Ho/Ho/Ho
    (That’s “Ho-Ho-Ho” in the traditional holiday spirit, not Trudeau’s spin. 🎤 Mic drop!)

    Speaking of Justin, we hear he’s busy this season wrapping himself in his favorite gift of all—carbon tax proposals.

    Meanwhile, Doug Ford’s holiday agenda is a little different. He’s apparently dressing up as the Grinch to steal your healthcare, but don’t worry—he promised to leave the donuts and Tim Hortons gift cards untouched.

    So whether you’re sipping sustainable almond nog, dodging Doug’s budget cuts, or decorating consent-given ornaments, we wish you:

    🎉 A season as festive as the PM’s latest socks and as laid-back as Ford at a backyard barbecue!

    Love and laughter,
    [Your Name Here]

    Here are some of the key advantages of having ChatGPT write your Christmas cards:

    1. Customization and Personalization

    • ChatGPT can tailor messages to suit your unique voice, humor, or sentimental style.
    • It can include specific references (e.g., hobbies, inside jokes, professions) to make each card feel personal.

    2. Creativity Boost

    • It brings fresh, creative ideas, from witty jokes to heartfelt sentiments, ensuring your cards stand out.
    • If you want themed cards—whether for jazz lovers, punk rock icons, or politicians—ChatGPT can adapt to any concept.

    3. Saves Time and Effort

    • No more staring at blank cards wondering what to write! ChatGPT generates thoughtful messages quickly.
    • It handles the mental load, letting you focus on the fun parts like picking out designs or addressing envelopes.

    4. Polished and Professional Wording

    • Say goodbye to awkward phrasing or spelling mistakes—ChatGPT delivers clear, polished messages.
    • If you’re writing to colleagues, friends, or family, it balances tone to suit the recipient.

    5. Humor on Demand

    • It can craft witty or playful messages, perfect for adding some lighthearted fun to your cards.
    • Whether poking fun at trends or adding clever wordplay, ChatGPT ensures the laughs keep rolling.

    6. Versatility

    • From formal corporate greetings to quirky family updates, ChatGPT can shift its tone and style effortlessly.
    • Got a mix of recipients? It creates unique messages for each one.

    7. Inspiration for Unique Themes

    • If you’re stuck on a theme or concept, ChatGPT can help brainstorm creative ideas for your cards.
    • It’s perfect for coming up with memorable taglines, holiday puns, or even song lyric-inspired messages.

    8. Always Available

    • Last-minute card writing? ChatGPT is here 24/7, ready to help whenever inspiration (or time) is running low.

    Using ChatGPT ensures your Christmas cards feel thoughtful, engaging, and uniquely you, without the stress of coming up with the perfect wording!

    Merry Christmas, my friends!

    *Image and information from The Smithsonian Magazine article The History of the Christmas Card.

  • Deja Voodoo all over again! Gerard Van Herk at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto Sept. 28, 2024

    Deja Voodoo all over again! Gerard Van Herk at The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto Sept. 28, 2024

    Deja Voodoo was a two-piece Canadian band from Montreal. Gerard van Herk played 4-string guitar and sang, while Tony Dewald played a minimal drum kit that excluded cymbals.

    Being a minimalist two-piece sludgeabilly band, Deja Voodoo could pack all their gear into a couple of hockey bags. That helped to make it financially feasible to play locations that didn’t see many touring acts in those days, including weirdo backwoods places like St. Catharines, Ontario.

    Deja Voodoo were active in the 80s and wrote short and deceptively simple songs. Deja Voodoo albums would have about 24 songs, whereas a typical album had 12. I suspect that Deja Voodoo might have been winking at the James Last 28 Hits Für Ihre Party records that could be found in every house in the world in those days.

    Deja Voodoo and OG Records were pillars of Canadian garage music

    Tony and Gerard also started OG Records. OG released dozens of albums by Canadian bands who likely would have never released any music otherwise.

    In the US, labels would put out “samplers” that would have a couple dozen songs from a couple dozen bands. OG had an It Came from Canada (ICFC) series that was similar. ICFC records would include a dozen bands from Ontario and Quebec that wouldn’t have a record otherwise. Cowboy Junkies who would become a platinum selling band appeared on It Came from Canada Vol. 4.

    In the pre-internet days, being on a record meant that radio stations could play those records, and kids could listen to them in their parents’ basements.

    Looking back, Tony and Gerard were kind of the CBGB of Canada. They did more for CANCON than any bought-off politician. They deserve a star on Yonge Street AND Canada’s Walk of Fame!

    When Deja Voodoo split up, they SPLIT UP

    When Deja Voodoo split up, they really split up. Drummer Tony Dewald became a brewmaster of note on the West Coast. Gerard Van Herk became a linguistic professor at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador. Sadly, Tony passed away earlier this year.

    In M*A*S*H terms, that is a bit like B.J. going to Marin County, California after the Korean War and Hawkeye returning to Crabapple Cove, Maine.  

    Professor Gerard Van Herk now

    The Gerard Van Herk gig at The Horseshoe in Toronto

    Inside The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, people wore Toronto Blue Jays hats and jerseys. There was a Bo Bichette standing next to a Vladdy Guerrero Jr. at the back bar. When I saw that nonsense, I became ashamed for not wearing my Detroit Tigers 1968 World Series Champions commemorative jersey.

    We only got to see the last 2 songs of The Wabi Sabis, which was a letdown. Next up was Bloodshot Bill, a unique one-man band you might expect to run into in an alley in New Orleans.

    I say that because seeing Bill perform reminded me of walking down Frenchman Street in Nawlins and witnessing a man playing music in the window of a bar. The man was sitting down, playing a guitar with his hands. Nothing unusual about that, but the artist on display also had bare feet and he was playing a bass guitar lying on the floor with them.

    Musician Gerard Van Herk then

    The iconic Gerard Van Herk joined Bloodshot Bill and spread a whole lot of bliss by playing a bunch of Deja Voodoo favourites including:

    Gerard’s stage banter and sense of humour are still in fine form. He joked about seeing a Depend® ad behind the urinals in the men’s room “Wow they really know their crowd here.” He also mentioned that he now plays with 6 strings on his guitar instead of 4 and that it was the 10th gig he has played in 35 years.

    It was also wonderful to “make some noise” for the recently passed Tony Dewald.

    THANK YOU, Gerard.
    RIP Tony.

    Tony Dewald

  • Unexpected Encounter: A Harpist on the 11 Bus in Toronto

    Unexpected Encounter: A Harpist on the 11 Bus in Toronto

    Today I took the 11 bus up Bayview to take advantage of advance voting in the by-election in my ward in Toronto. It was a sunny Sunday, and the Buffalo Bills game didn’t start until 4:00 PM, so why not?

    Voting took less than 5 minutes, much less. It took longer to walk across the street to catch the southbound bus back home.

    Some guy mildly annoyed me as I boarded the bus as I scanned for an empty seat because he was half blocking the aisle.

    Busking on the Bayview Bus

    Once we started moving, I noticed that the front half of “Mr. Aisle Blocker’s” pants were covered in sequins. Snazzy!

    Slowly raising my eyes, I noticed that he had a harp on his lap. It was about 3 feet in height and looked brand new. The harp wasn’t fancy, and I thought that it may have been built from a “harp kit” picked up at IKEA or something.

    A person who looks like Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs sitting on a bus with a homemade harp.
    A real image of “Harpeux”

    The next thing I know, the harpist plays the first 12 notes or so of Amazing Grace. And it didn’t sound half bad!

    That was when I noticed that his hands were like a mechanics – they looked dirty/greasy, and it was clear he had been doing some manual labour. Maybe those are what harpist hands look like?

    Was that “Buffalo Bill” on the Bayview Bus?

    “Harpeux” was also wearing what looked like stage makeup. I kinda thought he looked like a different Buffalo Bill than one who plays football in Orchard Park, NY – Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs!

    Buffalo Bill from The Silience of the Lambs.
    Simon Northwood who played Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs

    Before long Harpeux started speaking French. Not a monologue, but like he was having a conversation with someone. I couldn’t tell if he had an earpiece or not, so the person on the other end of the conversation could have been real or imagined.

    Was the harp player on his way to entertain the troops?

    He’d point out and describe buildings that we were going by. When he started talking about Sunnybrook Veterans Centre, I thought “Maybe he is on his way to entertain those who we owe so much?”

    Nope, Harpeux stayed on the bus and told whoever was on the other end of his conversation (and the entire bus) about how he helped install the railing at CNIB as we went by.

    Every once in a while, his conversation would be accentuated with those same 12 notes of Amazing Grace.

    Was it political performance art?

    At one point Harpeux seemed to be agitated. I think he was discussing politics briefly and he may have mentioned Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.  

    I dunno! Harpeux could have been on his way to a Halloween party, but on a Sunday? Maybe he was just another homeless person with mental health issues. Where was he coming from, where was he going to? He continued on the Bayview bus after I got off at Eglinton, so I assume he continued on and got on the subway going downtown. Who knows?

      Amazing grace, indeed!

    *The Buffalo Bills would defeat the Seattle Seahawks 31-10 on this day.

  • Jason Stevens: Grassroots Democracy in Toronto

    Jason Stevens: Grassroots Democracy in Toronto

    I was walking down Bayview Avenue in Toronto recently when I saw a sign for Jason Stevens who is running for councillor in a By-Election in Ward 15, Don Valley West.

    The sign put a smile on my face (no small feat, especially in 2024) and I shared it on social media with a sarcastic comment “Austerity candidate, I guess.” I intended to share a chuckle with friends.

    I thought that would be the end of it, but over the last few days, I have been thinking about that sign a lot. And I have actually been communicating with the candidate. Again, no small feat in 2024, when most candidates want nothing to do with voters once “the cheque clears”.

    Stevens reminds me of Jello Biafra in some ways

    As you can see from the photo above, the sign is pretty much the epitome of DIY/grassroots politics, something I have been on board with since being introduced to the esteemed teaching of Jello Biafra.

    Biafra, most famous as the frontman for seminal rock band Dead Kennedys, ran for mayor of San Francisco and finished a respectable 4th.

    Jello took on ‘the Big Business Corporate Dictatorship’. He was one man, alone, fighting against that “deep dark night”, but he inspired millions around the world. He looked the devil (Dianne Feinstein) in the eye and raged. “this is not America”.

    Biafra continues to rage, and we continue to appreciate the fierce defender of America that is Jello Biafra.

    Why Jason Stevens’ sign represents Democracy

    Democracy, by definition, means by and for the peoplei. Democracy is NOT “by people with enough money to hire marketing and design firms to serve Bay Street and Corporate Interests.

    When I first saw the sign, I smiled because I thought “Here is somebody who cares enough to make their voice heard.” I imagined them creating the sign and many others like it, then travelling throughout the ward, pinning them to telephone polls.

    It struck me as a labour of love. So many people have a hard time just getting out of bed these days. Worse yet, some people don’t even have beds to get out of! Here is someone, I thought, of meagre financial means, willing to devote their limited time and resources to the greater good.

    In short, we are very fortunate to have a candidate who cares enough to campaign on a shoestring budget.

    Is Jason Stevens embracing The Butterfly Effect?

    The butterfly effect basically says that everything is related, no matter how small. For example, a butterfly flapping it’s wings in China may eventually alter the weather patterns in Toronto.

    Stevens probably realizes that his odds of winning the race are non-existent, but by running and engaging they might make the world, at least Ward 15, Don Valley West, a better place. It seems like an example of “the butterfly effect” – the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.

    To see a sign created with human hands, instead of a slick, glossy product made by an expensive downtown marketing firm was life-affirming.

    Stevens running for councillor in By-Election in Ward 15, Don Valley West will likely have very little effect on the election. However, being a by-election, the entire city of Toronto will be watching, and his inspired, shoestring campaign will inspire others to become more engaged in politics on a municipal level. More people will vote and pay attention to local politics as a result of him running for office.

    Let me contrast Stevens’ DIY signs with failed mayoral candidate Josh Matlow

    Josh Matlow ran for Mayor of Toronto in the last election. He lost, and he lost “hugely” as they say in some political circles. That is a shame, too, because I had hoped he would become mayor and be excellent in the position. Instead, we have someone serving as mayor who was elected by saying “We can all afford to pay a little more.”

    Instead of a serious person with real plans, ideas, and solutions, we have a 67-year-old “party girl” with a dress for every occasion, begging the provincial and federal governments for more money. *SIGH*

    As soon as I saw Matlow’s signs, I knew it was over for him.

    If you “read” the image: the words flow down, and it looks like “TO” (Toronto) is going over Niagara Falls.

    What were they thinking!

    Also, one of the most famous political soundbites of recent years was issued by Michelle Obama, who proclaimed “When they go low, we go high!”

    Matlow was telling everyone he was going LOW with his signs.

    Again, what on earth were they thinking?!

    Big Matlow money, Big Matlow loss

    Matlow’s signs cost a lot of money and were created by an expensive consulting firm. Matlow’s signs also put a frown on my face. Some of the things I thought were:

    • Matlow was, and is an excellent councillor. How could he run such a flawed campaign for mayor of Toronto?
    • How could Matlow have possibly approved this?
    • How bad were the signs he said no to?

    By contrast, small Stevens money, big Stevens win!

    Jason Stevens’ signs say All you need is imagination, drive, some art supplies, and maybe a clean driving record

    Stevens’ signs send a different message. It is a positive message of “You DO matter, and you CAN make a difference.” All you need is imagination, drive, and some art supplies!

    You don’t need Rogers’ money to run for office in Toronto. You don’t need to be endorsed by a disgraced person who was run out of office for having an extramarital affair to run for office, either.

    On October 16, 2012, Bailão was charged with impaired driving. As per Bailão, she was driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.130%, over the legal limit of 0.08%. The charge of impaired driving was dropped. 

    Of course I am referring to failed mayoral candidate Ana Bailão, a woman who was charged with impaired driving yet saw the charges dropped. If this sounds similar to the Michael Bryant incident, it is because it is similar.

    Michael Bryant, a Liberal MP in the same government as Kathleen Wynne, was also charged with impaired driving after killing a cyclist. His charges were also dropped.

    The difference between Bryant and Bailão is that somebody died in the Michael Bryant incident.

    As far as I know, Jason Stevens has never been charged with driving drunk. Even Justin Trudeau’s late brother, Michel, was charged with pot possession and “beat the rap” because his old man was a former PM.

    Speaking of welfare for politicians and Don Valley West, let’s talk about Kathleen Wynne, former MPP for Don Valley West

    Yes, THAT Kathleen Wynne, the former Premier of Ontario. The same Kathleen Wynne that the Angus Reid Institute reported to have a job approval rating of 12 per cent, the lowest ever recorded for a Premier of Ontario.

    Wynne “represented” the provincial riding of Don Valley West, which has the same geographic boundaries as By-Election in Ward 15, Don Valley West, from 2003-2022.

    Kathleen Wynne “won” Don Valley West by less than 200 votes in 2018, and the Liberal Party of Ontario, the party she lead, was wiped off of the political map of Ontario.

    Think about that – the Premier of Ontario “won” her riding by less than 200 votes.

    Think your vote doesn’t matter? Think voting for Jason Stevens means throwing your vote away?

    As an elected official representing Don Valley West, Kathleen Wynne received over $500K in Welfare for Politicians after being soundly defeated by Rob Ford’s brother in 2018.

    Kathleen Wynne fleeced Don Valley West. Jason West works for your vote.

    Instead of being a decent human being, Kathleen Wynne stayed on as MPP for Don Valley West, collecting over $100K/year for 4 years. Even worse, she bragged to the media about moving out of the city to Alliston.

    In effect, Don Valley West had zero representation at Queen’s Park for 4 years because of Kathleen Wynne’s vanity.

    Now Kathleen Wynne is suddenly concerned with Don Valley West because Anthony Furey is the frontrunner in the By-Election in Ward 15, Don Valley West. This is probably the first time that Wynne has ever paid attention to Don Valley West.

    Don Valley West has seen your work, Kathleen, and we don’t like it.

    Oh yeah, The Liberal Party of Ontario is still largely irrelevant. And it deserves to be. Justin Trudeau is doing the same thing to the Liberal Party of Canada as you read, and they deserve it too!

    Maybe Jason Stevens is doing something that nobody thought possible for a long time – getting voters somewhat interested in politics again after Kathleen Wynne. Perhaps not engaged, but maybe not so dismissive and nauseous as we have been since Kathleen Wynne was our MPP.

    Behind the signs, Jason Stevens is a caring, intelligent person

    As I mentioned earlier, Stevens actually engages with voters and constituents. Most of the time, one is lucky to get an auto-reply when bringing a serious concern to the attention of an elected official. Here is something he posted in response to me sharing a picture of his sign on Bayview:

    “On the serious side, I think we live in a culture that convolutes leadership or quality with wealth. Well, PM Trudeau has $100 million so certainly he is richer than I am.

    Nevertheless, most baristas I’ve met would have over the last nine years probably served Canadians better than Justin.” – Jason Stevens

    Police and Thieves and John Tory and Rogers and the World Cup

    On a municipal level, Olivia Chow raised property taxes by double digits, and caved in a massive campaign by the Toronto Police, giving them all the money they wanted. On top of this, 1/3 of the $380 million (and growing) budget for the soccer games Toronto will be hosting as part of World Cup 2026 will be going towards “policing and security”.

    So, in addition to more money in the budget, Toronto Police will be getting $100+ million to chaperone a couple of soccer games. Nice work if a Cop can get it.

    Furthermore, another big beneficiary of the soccer games will be Rogers. The previous Mayor of Toronto, John Tory, made almost $700K from Rogers while mayor while also serving as mayor, and Tory was the one who pushed through the World Cup deal.

    Anthony Furey, one of the people Jason Stevens is running against in the By-Election in Ward 15, Don Valley West, wrote the story about the former mayor of Toronto, John Tory, double-dipping that I linked above.

    In conclusion, Thank you for running for Councillor, Jason Stevens. Thank you for reading. Now vote!

    You will not win, Jason Stevens, but your intestinal fortitude keeps my faith in humanity alive in these difficult times.

    I respect and encourage all people running in elections who are doing so for altruistic reasons, and not simply to further entrench themselves in The Corporate machine.

    Both John Tory and Kathleen Wynne have come out strongly against frontrunner Anthony Furey. Wynne doing so is the most she has paid attention to Don Valley West ever.

    I do not know anything about Mr. Furey, but if he is someone who rattles the cages of the tiny group of inbred people who control Toronto and Canadian politics, that is reason enough for me to vote for him.

    Stay thirsty my friends. And Vote wisely.

    [i] (from Ancient Greek: δημοκρατία, romanized: dēmokratía, dēmos ‘people’ and kratos ‘rule’).

  • Comparing Google Gemini and ChatGPT Image Creation: A Fun Exploration

    Comparing Google Gemini and ChatGPT Image Creation: A Fun Exploration

    In this post, I will compare results for the same prompt I entered in Google Gemini and ChatGPT. It will be FUN, trust me!

    Background:

    On Friday evening I hung out with an old friend and he mentioned that he had been playing with Google Gemini.

    On Sunday I woke up with an idea for a one-panel comic. It being Sunday, I decided to try to make my idea a reality, using Google Gemini.

    The Prompt I entered in Gemini:

    Please draw a one panel carton of a superhero sitting at a bar having a drink with another person. He is sad and complaining.

    The caption should be “I moved out of Gotham years ago, and now they want to charge me congestion pricing for flying back in. The real criminals are at city hall if you ask me.“

    After using Gemini, I entered the same prompt in ChatGPT. Interestingly, neither used my words exactly in their suggestion. Gemini left my words out completely, and ChatGPT just kind of mangled them.

    I suspect to avoid copyright infringement/plagiarism issues. 

    Gemini Results:

    Images created by Google Gemini from a prompt the author entered.
    Angry and Aggressive
    Despondent and Defeated

    What I find most interesting is the very different emotions and connotations that Gemini created from the same prompt. (I added the captions here.)

    Secondly, I think these images are highly effective but could have been even better by simply swapping the drinks. Angry and aggressive seems more in line with downing a bottle of whiskey than sipping a craft cocktail.

    Lastly, I find it interesting that Gemini used Batman without me specifying which Superhero to use.

    ChatGPT Results:

    one image of Superman and one of Batman. Both are at a having a drink, complaining about the high cost of living and taxes in NYC .
    Superman makes an appearance!
    Batman 3, Superman 1

    ChatGPT came up with something much closer to what I had in mind – I had envisioned a New Yorker Daily Cartoon I suppose.

    Adding that to the prompt might be a way to finesse the results and get something closer to what I had in mind.

    I wonder if ChatGPT produced something closer to what I wanted because I have been using it for a while and it sort of “knows me”.

    I encourage you to play with AI and learn about it

    At the end of every episode of Joseph Rosendo’s Travelscope, Joseph reminds us of the words of Mark Twain:

    “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”

    Mark Twain

    I truly believe that that philosophy is the best way to deal with AI. Yes, there are some very real risks and concerns. However, being blindly afraid of what, at this point, are mostly very good tools, and avoiding AI like the plague is doing nobody any favors.

    In other words, play with AI and break down your prejudices about it!

    Besides, playing with tools like Google Gemini and ChatGPT is FUN, and humans learn from playing. Playing is not quite on the same level as physical travelling, but it is related.

    So go have some fun with AI, but avoid Angry and Aggressive Batman if you see him sulking in a bar in the New York City area.

    Disclaimer: The featured image was created by WordPress. AI created it in color. I changed it to greyscale, finding it more fitting with the post.

    What WordPress AI said about this post: “The comparison between the results from Google Gemini and ChatGPT is intriguing. The feedback about the emotions conveyed and the suggested improvements for the images created by Gemini is insightful. Adding a reference to the New Yorker Daily Cartoon in the prompt for ChatGPT is a useful suggestion. Additionally, the encouragement to embrace AI and explore its potential, alongside the reference to Mark Twain’s philosophy on travel, is a compelling way to address any apprehensions about AI. Overall, the post provides a thought-provoking analysis and a positive attitude towards engaging with AI tools.”

  • Detroit’s Renaissance: Unveiling Michigan Central Station and Corktown Charm

    Detroit’s Renaissance: Unveiling Michigan Central Station and Corktown Charm

    Visiting Michigan Central Station (MCS) wasn’t the primary reason for my trip to Detroit. Still, the opportunity to do so was certainly a lucky coincidence. That is because MCS is open to the public for the first time in 36 years. Initial visitation hours were limited and only ran from June 21 until Labo(u)r Day, 2024.

    My friends picked me up at the train station in Windsor, Ontario, and we made a beeline for the recently reopened Michigan Central Station. It is a short trip, even if it includes driving under the Detroit River and crossing from Canada into the United States of America.

    Tailgating in Detroit’s Corktown before visiting Michigan Central

    The weather in Detroit that day was 85 degrees (30C), sunny, and humid when we arrived. We arrived before visiting hours began, so we retreated across the street to the cozy confines of one of the top bars in the world – Sugar House.

    I enjoyed a couple of gin rickeys. Gin and lime on a hot day after a long train ride seemed like a good recipe for getting me to Relaxville, USA.

    I forget what my hosts enjoyed. One of their drinks arrived with a burning piece of cinnamon attached to the glass.

    Sugar House in Detroit’s Corktown is a can’t-miss destination.

    The heartbreaking history of Michigan Central Station

    Michigan Central Station was owned for decades by a family that can only be described as “kooks.” They also owned the Ambassador Bridge, an international link between the United States and Canada. Over 40K people use the Ambassador daily, and a couple billion dollars worth of trade crosses the Detroit River every week thanks to this bridge.

    The Ambassador Bridge in many ways IS the Canadian economy. It represents so much trade that it even matters to the United States. Protestors shut it down during the pandemic/lockdown, but they too were soon shut down.

    The same family left the glorious train station to rot for decades. No windows, no love, no anything. Just imagine being outdoors in the Michigan climate for 30 years or so.

    So for decades, the once glamorous building sat there aging and slowly crumbling. To make matters worse, there were no other tall buildings in the immediate area, so Michigan Central Station stood there, almost giving the middle finger to anyone who could see it. This included much of Detroit and part of Canada.

    Michigan Central Station looked like the cover of Who’s Next, and was pretty much a real-life version of the monolith scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey.

    Bill Ford sits inside Michigan Central Station prior to renovations.

    At the same time, the owners of MCS were seeing their massive asset decline in value. Fortunately, Ford Motor Company acquired ownership of Michigan Central Station in 2018, and the “socialist” government of Canada is building a bridge that will be an alternative to the Ambassador, linking Ontario and Michigan. The new bridge, The Gordie Howe, will be a massive improvement for people on both sides of the Detroit River and throughout the Great Lakes States. The Rust Belt is getting a new lease on life, in other words.

    MCS is in Corktown – Detroit’s oldest neighbourhood

    Michigan Central Station is just down the street from where Tiger Stadium (aka Heaven on Earth) was located, so there are a lot of great old-time sports bars. It is also Corktown, one of the many places in Detroit currently enjoying a renaissance. Corktown itself is a destination, check it out.

    Speaking of Tiger Stadium…

    Tiger Stadium was located at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull and was often called “The Corner”. Tiger’s first Opening Day happened on the same weekend that the Titanic sunk, and the last MLB pitch was tossed there on September 27, 1999. (The Tigers lost to the KC Royals, 8-2.)

    Attending a game at Tiger Stadium was heavenly for me. I can hear Hall of Fame announcer Ernie Harwell saying “Welcome back to The Corner” as I type.

    While Tiger is “long gone”, on that same piece of real estate is The Corner Ballpark. It is a facility operated by the Detroit Police Athletic League, and it hosts a plethora of events, most of them sporting. It is a great endeavour, building trust between the public and the police, getting kids active, and keeping them off drugs and away from crime.

    Also, the playing field is now ringed by affordable housing instead of grandstands.

    Superstars of tomorrow overlook The Corner Ballpark, formerly Tiger Stadium.

    Entering Michigan Central Station

    Roosevelt Park in front of Michigan Central has also been restored. It is 13 ages in size and gorgeous. This is just a small corner.

    Properly lubricated and refreshed, we walked back across the street to get in line, which was now moving. Hell, you can’t tell me that Howard Carter didn’t have a couple of Pimm’s Cups before cracking open the boy king’s bachelor apartment in Egypt 100 years ago.

    Slabs of limestone covered with graffiti, on display inside Michigan Central Station in Detroit, not unlike artefacts at King Tut’s tomb..

    And once inside, I had a thought – when they first started renovating Michigan Central Station, the inside must have looked a lot like King Tut’s tomb when that was first discovered.

    I mentioned that to my friend, and he said

    “Yeah, but instead of mummies, they found hobos.”

    A look inside Michigan Central Station and some technical background

    First look inside Michigan Central Station is a great video produced by WDIV in Detroit. It includes interviews with the CEO of Michigan Central Josh Sirefman and Head of Place Michigan Central Melissa Dittmer. It is a fantastic look inside the renovated MCS, a heartfelt telling of the project.

    There is also a great article in The Windsor Star entitled Rescued relics, restored grandeur: Detroit’s Michigan Central Station lives again after six-year renovation that includes fantastic pictures and background plans for MCS.

    The “Big 4” comebacks that shook history!

    My experience strolling through Michigan Central Station

    Entering Michigan Central Station is like stepping back in time and entering the future all at once. The building has the grandeur of times long gone, but everything is immaculate and restored to perfection.

    Rich wood walls in places, beautiful flooring, and gorgeous windows that are several stories high let natural light flood in. It all works to perfection. Restored Michigan Central reminded me of Union Station’s Great Hall in Toronto. Words like opulent and welcoming all sprung to mind as I wondrously strolled through MCS. I was amazed at every turn, full of wonderment and optimism.

    Accidental picture of a Herringbone wooden floor at Michigan Central Station in Detroit.

    Small portions of a wall remain unrestored, covered in graffiti. It is a fascinating and successful choice. The wall pays homage to the less glorious decades of Michigan Central Station, reminding us that “Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it”.

    Graffiti inside Michigan Central Station that wasn’t removed.

    Limestone for MCS resto sourced from the same quarry used 100 years ago

    The inside of Michigan Central Station looks phenomenal, and there are all kinds of interesting photos, plaques, artifacts, and things to see. A 2-minute video played on repeat on a giant video cube.

    Michigan Central Station closed in 1988 and was left to the elements, vandals, thieves, critters, scavengers and who knows what else for 30 years. That means that a lot of things had to be recreated. What is really cool is that Ford was able to source limestone for the recreations from the original quarry in Indiana used over 100 years ago. Dark Hollow Quarry had been closed for 30 years, so trees had to be cut down and an access road built to facilitate the procurement of Limestone.

    Check out this great video produced by Michigan Central showing Dark Hollow Quarry and limestone being extracted. The video is only 2 minutes long, so give it a click.

    The Spirit of Detroit is alive and well at Michigan Central Station

    Probably what struck me the most was the positive vibe. From the friendly and knowledgeable people working there, to the visitors, to Ford, who spent a Billion dollars revitalizing Michigan Central Station, everyone was hopeful and on the same page.

    That’s The Spirit of Detroit that I first experienced nearly 40 years ago and have loved ever since.

    The innovativeness and creativity of Detroit is on display at Michigan Central

    Great care and love have gone into the restoration of Michigan Central Station, both inside and out. Roosevelt Park, the “front lawn” of MCS, has also been restored and is ready for picnics, football tossing, games of frisbee, and hell, smoking dope since it is legal now.

    Detroit’s artists tend to use materials that are a little unusual. Tyree Guyton uses abandoned houses to create The Heidelberg Project. Jewelers use removed graffiti and Fordite to make broaches, earrings, and cufflinks.

    And Michigan Central? Oh, they use old railway tracks to make stunning fences that are on par with the wrought iron balconies one sees down in New Orleans.

    Closeup of a fence at Michigan Central made from rail tracks.

    Cinder blocks and Blade Runner – dinner at TAKOI

    After our “immersive experience” at Michigan Central, my hosts scored us a table at a Thai restaurant across the street called TAKOI.

    They sold it to me as “Blade Runner inside a transmission shop”, and that was fairly accurate. In Michigan, or at least Detroit, there are a lot of establishments made from cinder blocks. That is pretty much a no-brainer – cinder blocks don’t burn, and they offer some protection.

    TAKOI also has a very inviting patio with an incredibly tall chain link fence protecting it. Those suffering from arthritis in their neck might not be able to look up to see the top of it. Inside is jam-packed with happy, cool people, and the food and service are great. In other words, primo Detroit.

    The bar inside TAKOI in Detroit, and one of their delicious Thai dishes.

    TAKOI exemplifies Detroit

    The story of TAKOI is quintessentially Detroit, too. TAKOI (originally KATOI) started as a food truck, got popular enough to become a pop-up in Ann Arbor, then a brick-and-mortar (literally) place in Corktown. Shortly after opening, KATOI was the victim of arson but sprung up again at the same location six months later. (bamboo grows quick).

    Not only has TAKOI been a Corktown staple since reopening in 2017, but they also source a lot of their produce from a Detroit farm located about a mile away.

    Nemo’s – an old-time sports bar in Detroit’s Corktown

    Opened in 1965, Nemo’s is about the same distance as a punt return for a touchdown from where Tiger Stadium stood.It is also about a mile east of Michigan Central Station, right on Michigan Avenue. Along the way, you will pass Slows Bar BQ, a destination restaurant that has been featured on national TV shows. They also have a patio and an impressive collection of craft beers. They are most definitely worth a visit.

    But back to Nemo’s. This Corktown sports bar has been in the same family since day one. Many people thought that Nemo’s days were number when Tiger Stadium closed, but it has been thriving for over 20 years now sans Tigers. Part of the continued success is the fleet of shuttle buses they run over to Woodward Avenue for Lions, Tigers, and Red Wings games. When Nemo’s bought the buses, they spent more on painting them than the school buses.

    Nemo’s and one of their shuttle buses in Detroit’s Corktown.

    At least 2 Lincolns have ended up inside of Nemo’s. In 1975 the Lincoln belonging to a Teamsters official was blown up in the parking lot. Another time William Clay Ford Sr.’s driver forgot to put his Lincoln in park, and it rolled through the front windows.

    And yes, William Clay Ford Sr., son of Edsel Ford, was the father of Bill Ford, the man responsible for purchasing Michigan Central Station and restoring it.  

    Babe Ruth enjoyed Detroit speakeasies, and Nemo’s in Corktown remembers

    Back in the Babe Ruth era of baseball, the New York Yankees would arrive at Michigan Central Station in Detroit for baseball games against the Tigers. The Bambino was famous for having fun off the field as well as on, and he was known to frequent many speakeasies for “extra innings” since it was also the era of prohibition!

    Babe Ruth hit the longest-recorded home run in MLB history while playing in Detroit, jolting a ball 575 feet at Tiger Stadium. Ruth almost became the manager of the Tigers, but a trip to Hawaii kiboshed the plans of Tigers owner Frank Navin. Incidentally, Tiger Stadium was known as Navin Field in those days.

    Nemo’s on Michigan Avenue remembers Babe Ruth’s on- and off-field heroics in Detroit by hosting a birthday party for him every year in February. Peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and Baby Ruth candy bars are served. There is a cake and Coney Dogs, and the annual event has been happening for almost 40 years.

    All of this, my dear friends, is what Detroit and Corktown are all about.

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  • A 20 oz. pint for yourself or 20 Meals for the Hungry? – Give $10 to the Kitchener-Waterloo Food Bank

    A 20 oz. pint for yourself or 20 Meals for the Hungry? – Give $10 to the Kitchener-Waterloo Food Bank

    For the last couple of years, I have spent a decent part of most holiday Mondays listening to an all-request radio program on CKWR. The format of CKWR is “adult alternative”, which means music from my teenage years that I mostly like and can mostly tolerate.

    CKWR bills itself as “real community radio”, and that is true. Weekdays between 6AM and 6PM is indie/alternative music from the ‘80s. Being a Canadian station, CKWR plays a lot of cool Canadian music from the 80s that most people have forgotten or never heard.

    Most of what CKWR plays is good, and an even vaster majority never gets played on commercial radio. However, the playlist does seem to be computer generated, so the songs repeat a bit, and the diversity of genres could be wider.

    However, on holiday Mondays, CKWR goes all-request between 10AM and 2PM.

    The algorithm goes out the window, and the music explodes.

    Legendary DJ Pete Fowler hosts, and he generally has someone on the air with him from the Kitchener-Waterloo community. Pete also gently encourages listeners to act by donating to a charity or supporting a local event. Usually, it is both.

    Fowler shared sobering stats from the Kitchener-Waterloo food bank

    Throughout the show, there were reminders about how more and more people are relying upon food shelters these days. He reminded us of hunger statistics supplied by The Food Bank of Waterloo Region, including:

    • In 2023, two million Canadians used a food bank. That works out to about 1 in 20 Cannucks.
    • In Toronto and the Waterloo region, 1 in 10 people now rely upon food banks. That is up from 1 in 14 in Waterloo last year.

    In the Waterloo region, of the people who relied upon the Food Bank:

    • 14,074 children were between 0 and 17 years old, a 19% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
    • 1,467 seniors 65 and older, a 13% increase over the same quarter in 2023.
    • 20,269 adults 18 and older, an 11% increase over the same quarter in 2023.

    “If you sent in a request and we played it, why not think about donating $5 to the Food Bank?”

    Fowler also said that at the end of his radio show, and it got to me. Radio still has the power to do that, to connect people as if they were across the table instead of across town, or across the world. It is the “warm medium” after all.

    “I played like 60 requests. Imagine if everyone who got a song played gave $5.” – Fowler

    “Imagine if everyone playing the office lottery donated the same money to the Food Bank instead.”     – me

    I hadn’t made a request, but listening to great music meant that I was in a great mood. Without Fowler’s all-request show, I would have sunk into depression. Also, I had heard two great songs that I hadn’t heard in ages:

    • Micro Chip League (MCL) – New York
      In my little corner of the world, this song was everywhere when it was new. It was so omnipresent that it would be playing in the principal’s office if you got sent in for skipping hockey practice. I was indifferent at the time, but now I think I kind of like it. The computer saying “Bro-dway” alone is worth the price of admission.
    • New Fast Automatic Daffodils – Stockholm
      This gem was all over the place when it was new as well. Poutine parlours, skate-sharpening centres, lacrosse pro shops… …they all had it on 24/7. Fowler mentioned that , New FADS played with Consolidated somewhere in Kitchener-Waterloo. There’s a show!

      The singer for New Fast Automatic Daffodils was even on Coronation Street. That’s bigger than Banksy, mate!

    To sum up: Pete Fowler challenged listeners to donate $5 to the Kitchener-Waterloo food bank, and I accepted the challenge. I gave $10.90.

    Why I donated more than $5 to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region

    1. Upon clicking the Donate button, you see a message that says, “For every $1 you give, we can provide 2 meals to those in need.”

    I did the math, and ten bucks will buy 20 meals. Ten dollars will also buy a pint of beer. In other words, 20 meals or 20 ounces. The choice is clear. I doubled my $5 to $10. The $0.90 comes in because it is a processing fee that the Fintech company charges to process the donation. You can either pay it or have it taken out of your gift.

    2. Your Employer may match your donation – double your impact!

    Here’s your chance to make the uber-rich pay their fair share! Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation! Don’t worry about their financial well-being, they’ll get a tax receipt. And so will you!

    3. Dedicate your donation!

    Your donation to the Food Bank of Waterloo Region can be dedicated to anyone you wish. The person you specify will receive an e-card via email alerting them to your kind actions.

    Here is another opportunity to make the uber-rich pay, or at least send them a message.

    I encourage you to get creative with your Honouree’s name, especially since you can give to the Food Bank anonymously.

    My suggestions for honourees of your donation to the Food Bank include:

    Be a caregiver – put food on someone’s table!

    By taking up Pete Fowler’s challenge, I felt empowered. I wasn’t helpless to help. I contributed to the well-being of people and the well-being of the community of Kitchener-Waterloo.

    As The Style Council said many years ago:

    “You don’t have to take this crap
    You don’t have to sit back and relax
    You can actually try changing things”

    Paul Weller

    Good night. I hope you aren’t going to sleep hungry.