SideOne Magazine Volume 1, Issue 10 - Summer 2021

SUMMER 2021 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 10

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Covid shutdown and the impact on children

LEARNING TO FLY

The pilot, his sister and the plane that took off on its own – almost

THE PHOTO ESSAY

NYC – pictures and a story that could only be from New York

INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS

CRYPTOCURRENCY Confused? You should be

ISSN 2563-9005

Harder than they should be, even today

IN THIS ISSUE...

WELCOME TO SIDEONE. PG.03

An introduction and an explanation.

A MILLENNIAL’S POV. PG.04

Having a third boy and that’s OK.

NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS… PG.37

Laura Secord, Michael J. Fox, Josephine Baker and more in this month’s edition.

SENSIBLE DOLLARS. PG.40

Confused about cryptocurrency? Read on.

PEER PRESSURE. PG.08

Doing things you wouldn’t normally do – why?

COMING UP. PG.45

See you in September.

LEARNING TO FLY. PG.12

The time the plane almost left without a pilot.

THE PHOTO ESSAY. PG.16

NYC – Pictures and experiences from the one and only.

NEW MUSIC FROM NEW PLACES. PG.25 Some easygoing, breezy vibes that are just right for the days of summer.

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT. PG.30

Reduced socialization and the impact on children.

INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS. PG.33 More complicated than they need to be.

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SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

FOR THE GENERATION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING. Editor and publisher: Kevin Gilligan Contact Email: sideone@gilligangroup.net Mail: PO Box 43503 Leaside Toronto, ON M4G 3B0 Phone: 416-489-9257 SideOne Magazine is published monthly online @ www.sideonemagazine.ca SideOne Magazine is a division of The Gilligan Group Inc.

WELCOME TO ISSUE #10

FOR THE GENERATION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING Kevin Gilligan is the editor and publisher of SideOne Magazine.

After years in marketing and advertising, he decided to do something he truly loves.

Welcome to SideOne and welcome to our summer edition. We’re taking a break over the summer but will be back in September to celebrate our first anniversary! Need more to read? Catch up on some past issues @ https://issuu.com/sideonemagazine If you’re new to reading SideOne, it was an idea that came from a simple observation. Magazines I used

FLYING WITH YOUR SISTER AND STAYIN’ ALIVE, STAYIN’ ALIVE. A young pilot takes his sister for her first flight on one of his first flights as a pilot.

MORE GREAT NEW MUSIC. Summer and song go together like gin and tonic – if

to read no longer held my interest or that of my

you like gin and tonic. Grab a lawn chair, the Spotify

friends. The magazines had moved on to younger

playlist and enjoy this month’s New Music from New

readers. With that in mind, my goal was to create a

Places.

magazine with stories of interest to our generation retirement or aging.

THAT TRIP TO NEW YORK, OH WHAT A TRIP.

Here are a few highlights that I hope you’ll find of

and read the story of a young man’s journey to the

interest.

city that never sleeps. It’s almost too incredible to

– a human interest magazine that wasn’t about

Enjoy the sites of NYC in this month’s photo essay

believe!

A THIRD BOY AND THAT’S OK. Our intrepid millennial returns, this time to give us

BITCOIN, CRYPTOCURRENCY…

her perspective as a young mom expecting a third

Confused? That’s a reasonable reaction. Find out

boy. It’s amazing hearing the reactions to having a

more in this month’s Sensible Dollars.

third boy.

And again, the answer to the question of “Why

NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS…

SideOne?” Side one is where the hits were. See you in September.

Laura Secord, Peter the Great and Josephine Baker, oh my! This monthly feature is a favourite of our readers and this month’s edition won’t let any of its faithful fans down.

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A MILLENNIAL’S POV

WE’RE HAVING A THIRD BOY

By Kimberly Elliot Kimberly Elliot is an associate with a Toronto-based marketing agency.

When my husband and I decided to have a third

fact having our third boy, people assume that I am

child, it was because we wanted a third child. Not,

somehow disappointed about this. “Oh, poor Mom!”

after two boys, because we wanted to “try” for a girl.

is the most common response I receive today when I

This was the assumption many people made when

happily announce that we are expecting a third baby

they discovered we are having our third. “Going

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boy.

for the girl?!” or “hoping for a girl?” were common

This really bothers me. To assume that my little

responses we got when we first announced our

Mommy heart could only be made whole by a

pregnancy. Now, after discovering that we are in

daughter is ridiculous. To assume that only a

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

AND THAT’S OK baby girl could bring a more unique experience in

we want a girl. Often these assumptions are made

motherhood than the one I am already living with

lightheartedly mostly because the conversation

two boys is also ridiculous. To assume that this

seems to naturally transition to the topic of gender

third baby boy is just a ”three-peat,” without any

the moment a new baby is mentioned. It is no

real uniqueness or individual joy to offer of his own

less annoying, however. Especially when these

that hasn’t already been experienced with his older

conversations take place around my two older sons.

brothers, is downright sad.

I get it; people don’t mean any harm in assuming

“Why did she say poor Mom?” my eldest asked me recently after a neighbour expressed sympathy

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“Oh, poor Mom!” is the most common response I receive today when I happily announce that we are expecting a third baby boy.

Don’t get me wrong. I know that daughters are every bit as wonderful as sons. Therein lies my point – whether it’s one, two or 10 of the same gender, a baby is a baby is a baby. And regardless of the baby’s gender, I am simply blessed and privileged to be able to say that I am having a third child. But it all makes me wonder – what is our obsession with gender?

rather than excitement for us upon learning baby

People assume that in having our third child we

boy No. 3 was on the way. I had no good explanation

would want a girl after two boys because of the

for him. I told him, “She’s just making a joke. She

expectations we as a society have developed for the

thinks I want the baby to be a girl simply because I

two genders. They think that with three boys things

am a girl. Isn’t that silly?” He laughed it off, luckily,

will be “crazy” or “hectic.” They think that the house

and made a confused face – because essentially, this

will have holes in the walls or that we’ll spend our

is a confusing notion.

life savings on rep hockey for all three and that our

fridge will be perpetually empty by the time the boys reach teenagehood. These are just a few anecdotes from conversations with a wide range of friends, neighbours and even strangers – all prompted by this little belly lump whose identity is slowly being shaped for him before he even arrives.

What can I do with a daughter that I can’t do with a son? Play princesses, tea party or dress up? Braid their hair or paint their nails? Take them shopping or for a mani/pedi when they’re older? Talk about boys and heartbreak? Be a best friend? Think about that.

The only thing I think I’ll miss out on is giving an empathetic look during those first menstrual cycles.

The truth is, we are having a baby whose biological sex currently presents as male. That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? It would make for a great sign at a

Regardless of the baby’s gender, I am simply blessed and privileged to be able to say that I am having a third child. But it all makes me wonder – what is our obsession with gender? standards we perceive to be fundamental to whom someone is and how they should act. These constructs give those around me moral licence to make assumptions about which sex I’d prefer for my baby or how my children might exist in the world.

The fact that I felt the need to know my baby’s gender in the first place is evidence that I have a

gender reveal party. Jokes aside, if that statement

long way to go on the subject myself. Deconstructing

makes you roll your eyes at the notion, that’s a

30-odd years of social programming can’t be done

“you” problem. The gender binary is a damaging

overnight. But hopefully it can be done over the

social construct. As evidenced by my conversations

course of a generation and my three children will

over the last eight months, it is a set of archaic

be better for it. I hope they will see things in a full

stereotypes, expectations, characteristics and

spectrum of colour and not so black and white.

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PEER PRESSURE

Doing the things you wouldn’t normally do

By Elizabeth MacGregor Elizabeth MacGregor is a former educator and a regular contributor to SideOne. What if you made an appointment with a professional and, upon arrival, notice almost none of the typical pandemic precautions are evident – other than mask wearing? You saunter in, confident in the safety of the office since you have been a patient for a long time. Then it dawns on you that something is not right. You are whisked into the professional’s

GRAD PRANKS An example of this phenomenon occurred in a school where I worked. When June arrived, so did grad pranks. Having caused physical damage to the building in the past, these pranks were discouraged by the school administration.

tiny office and succumb to an examination – the

One sunny June morning, we arrived to discover

optometrist’s face very close to yours, wearing an

crickets chirping throughout our offices, and

ill-fitting mask.

windows covered in goop and nasty sayings. The

We know it’s not right, yet we stay. Why would we put ourselves at risk even when we are not inclined to take chances?

principal tried to speak to the seniors, but was met with a sit-in. The group was rude, dismissive and refused to budge. As their young faces looked up at us, I was stunned that this group who had been so

In society, there are many occasions when we

privileged in our school – star athletes, kids lauded

participate because we have always done so, or

with scholarships, trips and other perks – would

because to refuse centres you out as the “other.”

cause this chaos in their school. They wanted free

Human beings prefer to go along with the majority.

rein to do what they wished.

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We know it’s not right, yet we stay. Why would we put ourselves at risk even when we are not inclined to take chances?

Looking over the group, I was surprised at who was taking part. Yes, the ringleaders were predictable, but many others were school leaders, seemingly caught up in this activity, not wanting to be left out.

late-in-the-year school suspension would affect their entrance to university.

“Boys will be boys” was a refrain I heard too often, to excuse bullying, to excuse participation in meanspirited activities.

The above examples show the ways people change their behaviour because of the presence of others.

This is what scientists call social influence. “We are finely tuned to the people around us, relying on each other for cues about how to behave so that we can efficiently navigate our social environments.

THE LIVE CHICKEN

The influence of others is so pervasive that we can

When a live chicken, hidden in a backpack, was

there; we’ll adjust our behaviour in response to an

discovered, the day took a turn. Those responsible were brought into the principal’s office and parents were called. The poor chicken lived, but after spending a long time being passed from one student to the other in the backpack, no light, no water, on an extremely hot day, it was distressed.

experience it even when there is no real person implied presence.” according to exploratorium.edu, an exploration project delving into human social interactions.

OTHERS INFORM OUR BEHAVIOUR We seek social proof and look at how others are

As the guidance counsellor to some of these students,

behaving to inform our own behaviour. Psychology

my phone started ringing. Parents were furious that

Today, May 24, 2017, cites an experiment in which

their child had been disciplined – worried that a

participants from France held a tentative consensus

“The influence of others is so pervasive that we can experience it even when there is no real person there; we’ll adjust our behaviour in response to an implied presence.” are paid well because they can control the buying habits of their followers and cause shelves to empty quickly. The victims of influencer online bullying are made to feel sidelined, belittled and encouraged to either change their opinion or leave the group. on a topic. Participants “became more extreme in their opinions after a group discussion. Group consensus seems to induce a change of attitude in which subjects are likely to adopt more extreme positions. When we see our uncertain opinions

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others are popular because of social influence. We post and then we await the opinions of others. In the journal Psychological Science, a 2016 study found that “viewing photos with many likes was connected to greater activity in parts of the brain associated with

reflected back to us, our beliefs strengthen.”

imitation. We are being influenced at a level that’s

Perhaps this phenomenon was partly responsible for

beyond our conscious awareness.”

the group attack on the Capitol building in the United States. Extreme views can gain credibility if enough of our peers agree with us. The Trump years showed how nonsensical, supposed facts could get traction in their society and create hatred, increase racial tension and divide the country into them and us.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND PEER PRESSURE Social media is rife with peer pressure and bullying.

For example, cosmetic companies use influencers to increase sales. Simply expressing a positive opinion about a product can cause it to sell out immediately, and if anyone should then question the quality of it in their online comments, scorn and abuse is heaped on the honest consumer.

Group opinion shifts, based on the strength of the social influence of the person posting. Influencers

Sharing positivity can help us with our social media experiences, as can logging off every so often. If we find ourselves in a group setting, be it in an office, a school, or online, and we are not comfortable with how the group is behaving, a few deep breaths, time out to explore how this is making us feel, and the courage to stand up for our own opinions should allow us to walk out of a situation that could put us in a compromised and potentially life-threatening situation.

LEARNING TO FLY

MY SISTER’S FIRST FLIGHT WAS ALMOST HER LAST –

By Lloyd Walton Lloyd Walton is a multi-award-winning Canadian director and cinematographer. His historiography, Chasing the Muse: Canada, is available on Amazon, Kindle, Chapters, Indigo, and Barnes and Noble.

AND I WAS THE PILOT. In public school, the silence of the classroom was

FLYING TO FREEDOM AND ADVENTURE

often shattered by an overhead roar. It was the

From my desk in high school, I had an even better

thumping pistons of the float planes as they climbed

view of the Lands and Forests air base. Beaver

with their heavy loads to service ranger bases across

and Otter aircraft were constantly taking off and

the north of Ontario. Our school was perched on a

landing down below, on the river. They were flying

hill directly under their flight path. From my desk, I

to freedom and adventure, and so was my mind. My

could watch the yellow bush planes disappear into

pencil flew, too, sketching airplanes in my notebooks.

the vast horizon of the distant hills.

To me, flying represented the ultimate freedom. I sketched myself, hands on the controls, floating through the puffy clouds into the deep blue northern skies. When my Grade 8 teacher asked me what my ambition was, I told him I wanted to fly with the Snowbirds. He bent down over me and said, “You of all people should learn to never set your sights too high. A pilot has to have excellent skills in arithmetic.

Through diligence, dedication, and good teachers, I won a flying scholarship from the Sault Air Cadet Squadron. At age 17, I boarded a train for Windsor, where I would learn to fly. At ground school and in the cockpit, I learned that the freedom of flight comes with a great deal of preparation, planning, concentration, and practice. Two weeks after my arrival in Windsor, on a hot July evening, I got the nod for my first solo.

You would really have to pull up your socks in that

“OK, Lloyd, you’re ready. Take her up yourself.”

department.”

Those few words led to immense exhilaration.

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I obtained a float endorsement to fly seaplanes.

One windy autumn day, I took my little sister Brenda for her first airplane ride in a rented, underpowered Aeronca Champion float plane.

As the wheels left the ground, I kept glancing at the empty seat beside me. If only my Grade 8 teacher could see me now, scoring the championship goal, winning the lottery, falling in love, flying a plane. I practised a few steep turns, looking straight down over my left shoulder at the freighters heading

counting aircraft, to slip in line behind Number 6, a twin-engine Piper. This was on-the-spot learning of another very valuable life skill: situational awareness.

Off my right wingtip appeared a Canadian Pacific DC-8 passenger airliner in a wider circuit, inbound from Mexico City. When he radioed, acknowledging my presence, I blushed.

A year later, at home at the flying club on the river, I obtained a float endorsement to fly seaplanes. One windy autumn day, I took my little sister Brenda for her first airplane ride in a rented, underpowered Aeronca Champion float plane. It was the kind of aircraft you had to start by hand. To start the engine, you stand on the float and flip the propeller by hand.

I hated doing that -- it scared me out of my wits.

up Lake St. Clair, then turned toward Detroit and

This particular time, after Brenda and I were

radioed the Windsor tower that I was coming in.

strapped in, to my relief, a dockhand flipped the

LANDING WHILE BLUSHING

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airplanes in the sky!) I began searching the sky,

prop to fire up the engine for us. We pulled away from the dock, headed upstream and, after control

To enter the landing zone, my first instruction from

and engine checks, lifted off. I took her up and

Windsor Air Traffic Control was to begin my descent

around the city, circling our house a few times,

to 1,000 feet. Next, I was assigned the Number 7

then turned back downriver toward base. A strong

spot in the landing pattern. (Wow, I had to find six

tailwind brought us back to base very quickly.

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

HITTING WHITECAPS The landing spot, where the river narrows by the air base, was very short. Due to a strong crosswind, I decided to try a test landing on a larger open body of water, and began my descent. The Aeronca hit the whitecaps, clipping wave tops with a bang, bang, bang on the pontoons before settling down in a heaving, rowdy, rocking motion.

When I re-applied throttle, the engine sputtered and stalled. For the dreaded restart, I had to go out into the wind and walk along the wave-washed floats to flip the propeller. I opened the door and a blast of cold spray filled the cabin. Moving forward, hand

The sudden, more violent prop wash blew me out backward over the water, arms up over my head. open side door and into my seat.

I turned the aircraft into the wind, took off, circled the base, and slid a picture-perfect landing on a small patch of calm water. While I was tying the pontoon to the dock, a stranger came down and said, “Nice landing.”

over hand, heaving up and down, and carefully

To this day I wonder why and how I was snatched

gripping all the handholds, I made it to the solid

from oblivion. Was it the lightning reflexes practised

handle on the engine cowling and braced my feet.

as a goaltender by snapping 90-mile-an-hour pucks

With my free arm, I gave the prop my best shot, and

out of the air? The acrobatics from performing a toe

the engine fired up.

save at the top corner of the net? A life-and-death

The wind from the prop wash sped my way back.

Just as I buckled in, the engine stalled again with a clack, clack, clack, and hiss. Alarmingly, we were

lesson from hockey? Was there an angel guiding me to a greater purpose?

being blown closer to the looming rocky shore.

THE PURPOSE

I reset the throttle to high so it wouldn’t stall out,

Air Force. I applied for a military career, but my math

and quickly climbed back out into the wind and the

scores were too low for supersonic flight school. I

waves. I grabbed the prop and flung it. The engine

was stunned for about a week.

fired up with a full-throttled, furious WHAAAAA!

Inside, it was still satisfying to know that I had

The sudden, more violent prop wash blew me out backward over the water, arms up over my head.

In an airborne zeptosecond, the first thing I saw was a flash of white sky. I watched sister Brenda take

That purpose would not be with the Royal Canadian

done it. I can still say, “I’m a pilot.” Re-evaluating my future career, I would learn to adapt the skills of preparation, planning, concentration, practice, and situational awareness to another field: art.

off in a plane with no pilot, while I hurtled into the abyss.

FLUNG LIKE AN ACROBAT Wham! My outreached hands caught the oncoming wing strut as though it was a trapeze swinging up from behind to meet me. Instinctively my body continued the movement, using the rotational momentum like an acrobat to fling me through the

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THE PHOTO ESSAY

THE $85 WEEKEND:

By Michael Doherty Michael Doherty is a film and television editor based in Toronto. He is also an avid traveller with a keen eye and some amazing experiences.

SOMETIMES LIFE JUST STEERS YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

NEW YORK CITY – SEPTEMBER 1978 Friday dawned bright and sunny, a beautiful early September day. I took a $7 cab ride across the Champlain Bridge in Montreal to the South Shore, stuck out my thumb and began my first trip to New York City. The plan was to see the progressive rock band Yes the following night at Madison Square Garden. They were playing Friday and Saturday nights. A friend at my university had arranged for two tickets; I was to pick them up Saturday at his friend’s place in Long Branch, New Jersey. I had hoped to go to New York with my ex-girlfriend, but she changed her mind at the last minute, so I had an extra ticket, which I intended to scalp.

WALKING ACROSS THE BORDER I got a ride almost immediately in a pickup truck

nap? Sure you do. Come up to the front, dear (to the

and made it to the border in about 20 minutes. The

12-year-old). Let Michael lie down for a while.” I slept

driver was heading for a town on the Quebec side, so

for two hours. A perfect ride. They treated me like a

I hopped out and walked into the U.S. The customs

son.

guys appeared interested in my little trip. “Hey, Chuck, it seems there’s a big concert at the Garden tomorrow,” he yelled to his buddy across the room.

He was checking my reaction. The officer searched my bag and wished me luck. I clearly looked young, and was clean-cut – obviously different from most of the “transients” who came through the border.

It took about half an hour before I got my next ride. In a nice van going all the way to Peekskill, a bedroom

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tuna fish sandwiches. You must be hungry. Feel like a

It was raining slightly when they let me off at the train station in Peekskill. “You’re better off here than on the road hitchhiking,” the woman said. She was right. I took the commuter train for the 30-minute trip into Grand Central Station, staring out the window all the way in. A few of the folks were obviously going to the Friday night Yes concert, as there was voracious consumption of beer and loud talk about the band.

community north of NYC, I joined a husband, wife,

I arrived in New York at 6:30 p.m. and phoned the

and their 12-year-old daughter, who was sleeping in

couple in New Jersey to confirm they had the tickets.

the back. The woman made me feel completely at

I was hoping they might invite me over to spend the

home. “Here, Mike, have some lunch. I made some

night, as I had nowhere to stay. But no one answered.

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

THE STRANGER WITH A PLACE TO STAY A man noticed me hanging up and sauntered over.

“How ya doing?” he said. I answered, “OK.” (I don’t mind talking to strangers. You never know what good might happen.) “What are you doing in New York?” he asked. I explained the concert and the unanswered call to New Jersey. “Listen, why don’t I show you my place? Here’s my number, and you can stay with me.” I said sure (keeping all options open) and followed him out into Manhattan, down a couple of streets and over toward his apartment. He pointed out an anonymous high-rise and I already knew I’d never find it again.

He told me I could leave my bag. I had a generic soccer bag, trying to create the impression I could be returning from a tennis game, rather than being a new tourist in town. I was feeling a little suspicious and said I’d rather hold on to it – “Man, I just met you five minutes into my first trip to New York. I’m not about to leave my bag with a stranger. And can I ask you a question? Are you gay?” I’d been approached in bus terminals in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, so I knew the game.

My question threw him a bit. “C’mon, man. What difference does it make? I’m trying to do you a favour, offer you a nice place. You’re new in town, I can see that. Why is everyone so paranoid? That’s why things are so fucked up, man!” He was off to choir practice and said he’d meet me at 11:15 p.m. at the same place in Grand Central if I still needed a place to sleep.

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EVERYONE WAS SELLING SOMETHING I put my bag in a locker at the train station and took the subway to Madison Square Garden. The subway was like everything I’d heard: aggressive, noisy, dirty, exciting. I watched a very wasted, loud guy get on, all big arms and legs; he crashed down into the seat opposite me, looking around and talking loudly to no one in particular. I chose to watch and keep my mouth shut. I made it to Penn Station, and walked out into the street area in front of the Garden; it was crowded with concert-goers and, it appeared, thousands of scalpers. Everyone was selling something: T-shirts, black beauties, hashish, cocaine, tickets. I really got into it as I stood around and watched the mayhem, listened, moved 100 feet, stood, listened, watched some more, smiled, moved another 100 feet, and smiled again.

I started to get hungry, so I crossed the street, looking for a restaurant. The first one I tried was closed – a Friday night across from a full house at the Garden and it was closed. So odd. I turned around and saw two women, each about 18 years old, standing on the corner. I asked them if they knew where I could find an open restaurant; it turned out they had just tried the same restaurant and had decided to go to Beefsteak Charlie’s in Times Square.

“Want to join us?” A no-brainer. I was feeling great, the rain had stopped, the streets were wet and I was running, hopping between cars and laughing with two strange girls on our way to dinner.

TWO GIRLS AND A $6.95 STEAK Beefsteak Charlie’s charged $6.95 for a steak and all the beer or wine you could drink -- a gold mine.

We sucked back seven carafes of wine between mouthfuls of meat and explanations of who we were.

We then poured out onto the street and wandered over to Rockefeller Center, looked around, hired a hansom cab, and rode around the streets of midtown for I don’t remember how long. We smoked joints,

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SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

laughed, talked it up with the driver, all of us really drunk and high. It was magical. There was no rain, yet a very low cloud ceiling hung over everything.

The skyscrapers rose around us, disappearing into the sky, their lights fading away into the ambient orange of the mist – itself lit by the many lights from all the building windows. The huge spotlights at Rockefeller Center were particularly beautiful against the low clouds. I loved it.

We found our way to the top of some building, all alone, and smoked another joint while continuing to talk about everything. It was well past my 11:15 p.m. meet-up back at Grand Central. In fact, it was near 3 a.m., and the women were convinced I was crazy to stay with the man I’d met earlier. “Christ, don’t be a fool. You can stay with one of us! You don’t know anything about the guy!” So we went back to Grand Central, picked up my bag, and drove (they had a car!) to a small town outside Dover, New Jersey, about 50 miles west of Manhattan. By then we were sobering up; we made it there safely.

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SLEEPING ON HER PARENTS’ FLOOR I slept on the floor in the living room of a fairly nice suburban house; the parents were asleep upstairs.

I got about three hours’ sleep, as the woman I stayed with had to be at work at a local café at 7:30 a.m. We walked over in time for her shift. She gave me a coffee; I nursed it while watching her work, then asked for directions to the train station, said goodbye, and left.

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house owned by the couple who had bought the Yes tickets for me. They offered me a beer and lunch, which I accepted gracefully and gratefully. After a couple of hours, the husband drove me back to the train station for the ride back to Manhattan.

I got back into the city at 3:30 p.m. and went to the Empire State Building observation deck. It was a bright, clear day and the view was, of course, fabulous. When I was 6 years old, I had held a picture

I hitchhiked the five miles or so to the station. It was

of the Empire State Building in my hand and swore I

another beautiful day, warm and sunny. I got a ride

would get to the top one day. Part of the reason for

in a pickup truck with a middle-aged construction

this trip, 16 years later, was to do just that. I had

worker on his way to work – Thermos, brown bag,

also said I would become an architect, so I could

checked shirt, red cap. I took a train to Newark and

build something as spectacular. I have yet to

then another to Long Branch. I walked up to a small

accomplish that.

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NEW FRIEND HELPED SCALP EXTRA TICKET I left at 4:30 and went over to Madison Square Garden to see if I might scalp my second Yes ticket. I hung around, watching and listening to people, getting a feel for what price I might get. After a few minutes, I started talking to a man my age. We chatted for quite a while, then went across the street for a hot dog and beer. He said he’d help me scalp my ticket and, after 20 minutes, found a man who paid $25 for it, $3 more than I’d spent for both. We shook hands, said goodbye, and I entered the Garden at 8 p.m.

The man I’d sold the ticket to showed up and gave me a wry grin. Perhaps he thought of me as one of the many who make a living as a scalper. He lit joint after joint after joint, passing them my way for the whole show. I got wasted. The music was good, although the dope had me spending most of the time thinking about my life, its direction – basically, everything.

I was really high and not particularly interested in talking to anybody. In fact, I avoided talking to anyone. What a difference from the night before. The dope interfered with my ability to settle in and listen to the music, to have a good time. I left the show and walked out into the cold air, stoned, with no idea what to do, no idea where to stay, and in no mood to blast around Manhattan hoping to luck into a bed for the night. The energy for that attitude was gone. I decided it was all the proof I needed that it was time to stop smoking dope. I quit for good that night.

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23

had sent me over. I thanked him and did exactly that.

It worked. I got a room by myself with a sink, bed, and shower down the hall, for $8! With the room now secured, I considered heading back out into the city. I had second thoughts, and decided to just get a good night’s sleep. Down the hall, I ran into a tour guide from Quebec City who was showing a group around.

He offered me a lift back to Montreal in the morning if I needed it. I said I’d think about it, thanked him, and went to bed.

GIVING UP A FREE RIDE HOME Sunday dawned beautiful and sunny, so I passed on the free ride. I went up Broadway, had breakfast at the Howard Johnson’s, bought a Sunday New York Times and watched a softball game in Central Park.

I strolled back down Broadway, checking out the shops, looking at all the people, and being greeted with “Hi, man,” as I wandered about. I was also trying to decide how to get back to Montreal.

I contemplated hitchhiking, but had to cross the George Washington Bridge up at the tip of Manhattan. Not really wanting to figure out how to do that, I stopped thinking about it and went into

CALLING THE STRANGER WITH A PLACE TO STAY

Odyssey in 70mm Super Panavision. It was stunning.

I wandered over to Penn Station and tried sleeping

It had always been one of my favourite movies, and

on the floor with the local homeless people. It was

the huge curved screen really did it justice. At times,

no good – the site too noisy, the floor too hard. I

it felt like I was watching in 3D. It was one of the

walked to a phone booth and called the fellow from

key films that influenced my decision to go back to

my arrival at Grand Central, waking him up. “No,

school and get a second degree, in film production, a

man. Not a good night to come over.” I figured he had

few years later.

company. Probably just as well, I thought.

24

a theatre to see Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space

Leaving the theatre, I decided to bus it up to

I went back out and studied a tourist map on one

Montreal. I walked over to the Port Authority to

of the billboards. I noticed an ad for the YMCA and

catch the bus, past a sex worker and her pimp on the

figured I’d give it a shot. I walked to the West Side Y

corner. I politely said no, thanks, as she grabbed my

and, as I was going in, a leather-clad guy on his way

shoulder. “See me in three years,” I joked, and paid

out stopped me and said that after midnight (it was 1

my $28 for the ticket home. It was an $85 weekend in

a.m.), I wouldn’t get a room unless I said the other Y

total. Not bad at all.

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

NEW MUSIC FROM NEW PLACES Dolls, books, television shows – these were just

some of the cultural artifacts that were missing or

YOUR SOUNDTRACK TO SUMMER STARTS HERE difficult to find 30 years ago, when my children were

small, so hardly anything had changed since my own childhood.

THEIR OWN STORIES

As my girls grew up, I made a decision to surround our family with black images in our home, despite

the challenges in acquiring these items. I knew the

majority culture existed just beyond our front door and my children would absorb it by osmosis, so my duty as a black parent was clear: Teach, guide,

seek out, and listen to information on black culture.

Present my kids with their own racial stories.

I became even more intent on supplying my girls with positive role models to reinforce their racial identity.

Now that my children are adults, the task of finding black culture in the wider society is no longer

By Terry Paquet Terry Paquet is an award-winning copywriter with more than 20 years’ experience. He is a regular contributor to SideOne. Tan lines. Long necks. Flip flops. And BBQs. The dog

It’s the easygoing, breezy vibes that will make every

days are finally here. To help you plunge in, here’s

drink a little colder, every day a little brighter and

this month’s selection of artists specifically curated

everything irie. So, break out the Hawaiian shirts,

to bring the sunshine. Because after the last year

crack open a cold one, and dig in.

and a half, who couldn’t use a little more of that?

TO LISTEN WHILE YOU READ, CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S SIDEONE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XOfM9wFeOzDNfO5WuvHPU?si=ca42b60e7fa04bf7 SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

25

NIKO MOON

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

To call Niko Moon a country artist is a bit of a

• Good Time from Campfire Sessions (2020)

stretch. His music is a catchy mash-up of genres that pull from traditional back porch country, reggae and hip-hop. It’s an unusual mix that sounds a hell of a lot better than it reads on paper.

This cross-pollination makes sense when you consider his upbringing. Moon was raised in Douglasville, Georgia, a town that sat in the middle of two very distinct musical sounds. On one side (30 miles away) you had artists like OutKast, T.I. and The Ying-Yang Twins. On the other side (and 30 miles in the opposite direction), Alan Jackson had “Gone Country.” Only seems right that Moon absorbed both styles to create his own thing.

“We were listening to country and hip-hop all at the same time and we were constantly flipping back and forth. I really wanted to figure out how to mix those two worlds together in a way that felt really authentic and genuine to who I am.”

Lyrically, the man is no slouch, having co-written five No. 1 hits for Zac Brown including Loving You Easy, Homegrown and Heavy is the Head, featuring the almighty vocals of Chris Cornell.

Moon’s first EP (Campfire Sessions), an intriguing mix of hooky melodies, clever lyrics and edgy electro beats is a solid debut. Although his solo career is just getting started, from the looks of things, he’s going to be around for a long, long while.

26

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

• Drunk Over You from Campfire Sessions (2020) • Dance With Me from Campfire Sessions (2020) • Paradise To Me from Campfire Sessions (2020) • No Sad Songs Single (2020)

ETANA

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

Etana’s first foray into the music industry was in

• I Rise from I Rise (2014)

Florida where she joined Gift, an all-girl band that required her to wear skimpy outfits and flaunt her sexuality. Definitely not for her, she walked away and went back to her birthplace, Kingston, Jamaica, to rethink her career. There, she earned a spot singing background vocals on tours throughout Europe and North America for legendary reggae singer Richie Spice. That’s when her soulful voice got noticed by Spice’s management who encouraged her to record a solo album. “I always knew that a solo career was in my future,” says Etana.“I needed to deliver music that was straight

• Reggae from Better Tomorrow (2013) • My Man from Reggae Forever (2018) • Little Thing Called Love Single (2018) • I Am Not Afraid from The Strong One (2009) • Lover Boy w/Paille Single (2020)

from the heart, straight from the soul and straight from the people.”

Her debut CD, The Strong One, spawned the international hit Wrong Address, a neo-soul, acoustic reggae number about the perils of living on the wrong side of the tracks.

Since that first effort, she has released six more albums, each one better than the last. Her voice is undeniably powerful, and her lyrics are empowering. Her music borrows heavily from the Rastafarian lifestyle which glorifies all things natural and positive – two words that best describe her music.

In a genre that is largely defined by masculine artists and negative viewpoints, Etana is not just a presence, she’s a force to be reckoned with.

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STEPHEN MARLEY One of Bob Marley’s legacies is not just the music he left us, but the offspring he produced. Ziggy is by far the most popular, but Stephen is no less talented and def worthy of your attention. He’s Bob’s second oldest child and, of all the siblings, his voice is, by far, closest to the legend. Check out Break Us Apart from his CD, Revelation Part 1: The Roots of Life or watch his live performance on Bob Marley 75th Celebration on YouTube for ample proof. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJfk4fs5Us His reverence for vintage roots reggae sounds is clear throughout his discography, but he excels when he purposely veers into a more contemporary concoction of hip hop and dancehall. Like his father, his lyrics are super conscious, often political and deep.

In the studio he’s a powerhouse, producing most of his sibling’s work and seminal CDs for The Fugees, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.

His first CD, 2007’s Mind Control, pushed the boundaries of what reggae music could be, mixing traditional reggae rhythms with an urban vibe to deliver an ear-pleasing mix of rebellious viewpoints and spiritual messages. It was a solid debut and a precursor of his immense talent that broke barriers for newer artists like Protoje and Chronixx.

Bottom line is, when your last name is Marley you have big sandals to fill. But the eight-time Grammy award winner does the family name proud.

28

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT • Hey Baby from Mind Control (2007) • So Strong from Revelation Part 2: The Fruits of Life (2016) • Medication from Indigo (2018) • Break Us Apart from Revelation Part 1: The Roots of Life (2011) • Small Axe from One Take: Acoustic Jams (2018)

DONAVON FRANKENREITER Before Donavon cut his first CD in 2004, he was a pro surfer. In his teen years, he scored a sponsorship with Billabong and moved to Hawaii.

Serendipitously, he met Jack Johnson, also a surfer. The duo instantly became friends, jamming in between surf sessions. When Johnson’s music career took off and he started his Brushfire label,

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT • Day Dreamer from Donavon Frankenreiter (2004) • Shine from Start Livin’ (2012) • The Way You Catch The Light from The Heart (2015)

Frankenreiter was a shoo-in on the talent roster.

• That’s Too Bad (Byron’s Jam) from Move By Yourself (2006)

His first CD featured a collection of laid-back,

• Boom Boom from Single (2019)

breezy beach tunes built around acoustic guitar, bass and drums with hooky choruses that were hard to deny. His second CD amped up the production values and veered into more a funky, vibey territory and for my money, is his best to date. Tracks like Move By Yourself and That’s Too Bad have a retro feel to them that hit all the soulful notes.

What I love about Frankenreiter is that his creativity veers into unexpected territories that include a live recording at Abbey Studios and a whole CD devoted to bass and drum tracks so fans can jam along. He also released two cover albums with a varied collection of interpretations including Elvis Costello’s (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding and Bruce Cockburn’s Wondering Where The Lions Are. Where he misfires is in his penchant for rearranging previous hits repeatedly. But it’s a trivial gripe for an artist who isn’t afraid to look back even when he’s moving forward.

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

29

COVID SHUTDOWNS

By Dr. Robbie Babins-Wagner Dr. Robbie Babins-Wagner is CEO of the Calgary Counselling Centre. She is also an Adjunct Professor and Sessional Instructor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary.

Reduced Socialization and the impact on kids The concept of a play date, where children and their

in person. Online communication misses a lot of

parents or caregivers get together in someone’s

body language, spontaneous creativity and, of

home or a neighbourhood park or playground, has

course, physical exercise that occurs when children

largely gone away during the Covid-19 pandemic.

play together in person. Further, parents often limit

Once a staple of most young children’s (and their

kids’ screen time (depending on their ages), so

parents’) social lives, the in-person play date has

classroom time likely trumps online playtime with

become yet another victim of the coronavirus.

friends.

Since March 2020, restrictions on gatherings, schools

... this is the first time in our collective memory that entire schools and sports leagues have been shuttered and our interactions outside our families and small cohort severely limited.

and sports have yo-yo’d across the country, and most families with small children have experienced seemingly endless ups and downs along with the ever-changing rules. Children need routine for clarity, consistency and structure. Their daily routines, like those of their parents, have been wholly upended by the pandemic.

RUNNING AROUND WITH FRIENDS Opportunities for kids to run around with their friends at recess, in daycare or on play dates have

SOCIAL BEINGS

jumped around, interrupting millions of young

Kids can be incredibly social beings, and their

social lives across Canada. While constructive and

friends, sports groups, daycares, childcares and

loving family time is an important part of any child’s

classrooms are crucial opportunities for social

development, children also need face time with their

contact -- contact that’s vital for brain development,

little peers. Children and youth lacking social contact

especially in the early years. Hanging around

with other kids may become withdrawn and develop

together helps children learn to interact with others

symptoms of depression and anxiety.

and get along in the larger world.

The Internet has allowed for school and some social

As public health guidelines remain (and continue

connections to continue for kids whose families have

to change), it is important for parents to follow

the necessary devices and bandwidth, but Zoom and

these rules to the best of their ability and provide

other online platforms simply do not provide the

structure and routine for their children. Parents can

same level of socialization that children experience

also help kids understand that the fluctuating public

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

31

health guidelines, while significantly disrupting

We are all figuring this out together. The mass

their lives, are essential and helpful to the entire

interruptions to socialization are new for this

community — to people they know and love, and to

generation. In the recent past, individual children,

others they’ve never met.

parents and teachers have had to deal with isolation

Children need routine for clarity, consistency and structure. Their daily routines, like those of their parents, have been wholly upended by the pandemic.

DIGGING DEEP FOR IDEAS

due to health or other issues. But this is the first time in our collective memory that entire schools and sports leagues have been shuttered and our interactions outside our families and small cohort severely limited.

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT Every child will react differently to attending school online and missing social contact with friends and classmates. The good news is that short-term social isolation due to social distancing requirements will

While in isolation during (one hopes) these last few

probably have little, if any, impact on most children

months of the pandemic, families are digging deeper

and youth. They are remarkable, resilient beings, and

for ideas and activities for their children. Now that

most children will recover quickly once restrictions

summer is here, perhaps kids can get outside and

end. As we get back to being among people again,

pull weeds on a neighbour’s lawn, or offer to assist

and enjoying those noisy play dates with our kids,

with other small, safe chores that help someone out

we know the social isolation due to the pandemic

and allow the youngsters to feel they are a part of

is unlikely to leave any long-lasting effects on our

something.

young children.

INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS

More complicated than they need be – even today

By Sonia Huggins Sonia Huggins is an educator who recently gave up her distinguished career as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. She is a regular contributor to SideOne.

In those years, interracial dating was not new but it was not common.

The first time he brought me home, his father was delighted and let me know it. His mother was a kind and gentle woman who embraced me like I was one of her daughters. I was thrilled. Family acceptance

this was demonstrated in so many ways, like when I was invited by his parents to attend their 25th anniversary party. After some discussion with his parents, all my fears were put to rest. They were confident that their friends and family would readily accept me. I would not be made to feel uncomfortable due to the colour of my skin but be judged on the content of my character!

was and is an important key to successful interracial

In those years, interracial dating was not new but it

relationships. His sisters never wavered in their

was not common.

affection for me throughout our two-year courtship.

His father and mother were extremely proud that their son’s girlfriend was Black and always treated me like one of their family.

Their values screamed equality and justice and

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SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

DATING OUTSIDE YOUR CULTURE My family, Jamaican immigrants who lived in both England and Canada, were comfortable with the idea of me and my sister dating outside of our culture. So,

I was never afraid of their reactions to a non-black

I was in my early twenties when I met him. His

boyfriend.

parents were wonderful and incredibly accepting of

In fact, back in the ‘60s when I was young and before we immigrated to Montreal, my sister and I were the flower girls at our auntie’s wedding when she married a Welshman. There was disapproval from

us. And based on the experience of their other sons and their relationships, this relationship would not appear to be a problem, until…

certain family members that she had married a white

THE LOOKS

man, but my parents were a beacon of light, even

I began to notice the looks people gave us when

back then – not only by accepting this Welshman into the family, but by displaying a completely nonjudgmental attitude. Again, family acceptance played a role in this successful interracial relationship.

we were together on the street or the underhanded comments that slipped from their mouths as we boarded a bus or the Metro. Comments from complete strangers were so stereotypical, it made us cringe. It became imperative to grow a tough skin

Having seen this scenario play out a few times in my

and ignore the vile racist speech. Living downtown,

own family with other uncles and aunts, I thought I

it was hard to escape this racial negativity unless it

was ready for what came next … an Asian boyfriend.

was just the two of us, alone with no one around.

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

35

sure to provide a safe place so that whatever choices they made they would feel secure, loved and above all free to choose whom they loved.

I stipulated that any person they were interested in would have to meet the rigorous standards of our family – kindness, family first, be protective, selfless, of strong character and most of all love you to pieces.

If the man or woman came in a different colour it was of no consequence to me as long as our family values were upheld and love would always be the common denominator.

My firstborn daughter just got married to a man who espoused all the values we expected from him. As

As parents, we recognized that we would have to guide and encourage them as they encountered negative comments about their relationship just because it was interracial.

While we both loved him at first sight, we were

Those days were hard. I was now more aware of

relationship just because it was interracial.

racism and it just simply hurt.

When my sister decided to marry, she chose what would be the most extraordinary man. He chased her from Mexico to Ottawa and finally asked for her hand in marriage with the approval of the entire family! Luckily, my sister said yes and 20 years later they are still very much in love. He is white and a French Canadian who was born and bred in Northern Quebec, where they created a family and live to this day.

FREEDOM OF CHOICE All through my life, I have met interracial couples who have been together for one simple fact …love.

So when it came to raising my own children, I made

36

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

parents it’s so rewarding to know that we had a say!

He is kind and gentle and loves our girl fiercely and she loves him. We are so proud to welcome him into our family and yes, he is white.

cognizant of the challenges, a.k.a. racism, that would confront this young couple as they navigated the world together. As parents, we recognized that we would have to guide and encourage them as they encountered negative comments about their

Even in these raciallly turbulent times, folks can be ignorant and cruel. However, we must all wake up to the fact that what makes us different is inconsequential to what makes us the same. The overwhelming truth is that love is the light that guides our way.

NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS…

By John Chaput John Chaput, born and raised in Montreal, eventually morphed into a Westerner. A retired writer and editor. he occupies much of his time as president of the Regina Little Theatre.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY KATE JOHANSEN

JUNE 17, 1631

JUNE 9, 1672

Mumtaz Mahal, second wife and chief consort of

Peter the Great, destined to be the most illustrious

Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, dies at the age of

of all Russian tsars, is born. Ascending to the throne

38. Shah Jahan – ruler of an empire encompassing

shortly before his 10th birthday, Peter’s 42-year

much of present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh

reign will concentrate on bringing his country out

and Afghanistan – is so grief-stricken that he has

of its deep-rooted feudalism and catching up to

a grand mausoleum built that takes 22 years to

Western scientific, industrial and cultural progress.

complete. This, of course, is the Taj Mahal, perhaps

Not everyone knows this, but among Peter’s reforms

the grandest tomb ever constructed. Not everyone

in this regard is a beard tax that he initiates in 1698

knows this, but Taj Mahal translates as “crown of

to bring Russia in step with prevailing European

the palace.” Shah Jahan’s wife was born Arjumand

fashion. Many of those who prefer long whiskers do

Banu but he renamed her Mumtaz Mahal, “exalted

so for religious or traditional reasons; regardless

one of the palace.” Not everyone knows this, either:

of motivations, those who keep their beards have

The cause of her death was a hemorrhage incurred

to carry a token to indicate they have paid the tax.

after being in labour for 30 hours while delivering

Those who don’t are subject to being publicly and

the last of their 14 children, half of whom died at

forcibly shaved. Luckily for those enforcing the

birth or in infancy. So the Taj Mahal is constructed of

decree, masks are not a common accessory. The

approximately equal amounts of marble and guilt.

decree is kept in force until 1772.

(This item sponsored by Plato Your Strength, the self-

(Brought to you by Chai Kovsky, tea blends imported

help course grounded in Greek philosophy.)

from Russia’s Swan Lake region.)

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

37

JUNE 22, 1813

38

JUNE 3, 1906

Laura Secord walks some 20 miles to inform

Legendary cabaret performer Josephine Baker

Commander James FitzGibbon of her discovery

is born in St. Louis, Missouri. She will rocket to

of an imminent American attack on FitzGibbon’s

European fame in 1927 for her singing, dancing, and

troops near St. Davids, Ontario. Despite being

revealing costumes while performing in Paris. Baker

heavily outnumbered, the British withstand the

could not duplicate her success in her home country

attack and the entire American force of more than

and renounced her American citizenship in 1937.

500 men are made casualties or taken prisoner. Not

During the Second World War she used her fame to

everyone knows this, but Secord – who was 37 at

hobnob with Axis dignitaries as a spy and relay the

the time – received scant recognition for her exploit

information she garnered to Free French authorities,

in her lifetime. FitzGibbon did not mention her role,

actions for which she would receive numerous

ostensibly to protect her from reprisals, until long

decorations and full military honours at her funeral

after the War of 1812 was finished. She lived a meagre

in 1975. Not everyone knows this, but Baker adopted

existence until her death in 1868 at the age of 93.

and raised 12 children of varying races from 10

The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), hearing

different countries and raised each according to their

of her deed on a royal visit in 1860, granted Secord

religion at birth. Although her fame in Europe was

a gift of 100 pounds, and in the ensuing decades

undiminished right through her final days, she never

her notoriety grew. In 1913, a century after her

achieved such celebrity in America despite several

derring-do, a confectioner named his new brand of

performing tours – although she did, on one trip in

chocolates after her and Laura Secord’s name has

the 1950s, manage to get denied reservations at 36

endured ever since.

different hotels because of her race.

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

JUNE 27, 2002 John Entwistle, bass guitarist of The Who, passes

JUNE 9, 1960

away. We could say “sadly,” but when a 57-yearold guy with heart disease is smoking a pack of

Actor Michael J. Fox begins life in Edmonton. Not

cigarettes a day and snorting cocaine, what can

everyone knows this, but Fox’s middle name is ...

you expect? Fortunately, Entwistle leaves a legacy

come on, give it a guess ... we’ll wait ... no, not John

of great performances, like his inexhaustible work

... or Joseph or Jason or James ... OK, it’s Andrew.

on Won’t Get Fooled Again and the catchy intro

He had already established himself as teenage actor

to Happy Jack, but his signature moment is his

“Michael Fox” in Canada but when he moved to

solo after the first chorus of My Generation, which

Los Angeles, he found that the Screen Actors Guild

took forever to record. Nicknamed both “Ox” and

already had an actor by that name in its ranks.

“Thunderfingers,” Entwistle broke his strings on

Among the reasons the younger Fox didn’t use his

take after take until he switched to another bass and

own initial was that, being Canadian, he thought it

simplified the arrangement. Entwistle was a savvy

sounded too much like Michael “Eh” Fox. In fact, he

performer who pioneered the use of sophisticated

chose the initial J as a tribute to actor Michael J.

amplifying equipment so he could hear his own

Pollard (best known for the movie Bonnie and Clyde

playing over Keith Moon’s drumming. And not

and the Star Trek episode “Miri”), who at 5-foot-6 was

everyone knows this, but early in The Who’s history,

actually two inches taller than Michael J. (or A.) Fox.

the band decided their lead singer needed more

(This segment sponsored by Our Hummin’ Native

emphasis, so Entwistle dyed his own light brown hair

Land, the collection of Canadian songs where you can

a jet black to let Roger Daltrey’s curly blonde locks

fake the lyrics all you want.)

stand out.

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

39

SENSIBLE DOLLARS

CONFUSED ABOUT CRYPTOCURRENCY?

ME, TOO!

By Allan Kunigis Allan Kunigis is a Canadian-born freelance financial writer based in Shelburne, Vermont. He has written about personal finance for more than two decades. He is the author of A Kid’s Activity Book on Money and Finance: Teach Children About Saving, Borrowing, and Planning for the Future, published in September 2020.

One clue to a person’s age is how he or she feels about cryptocurrency. If, like me, you’re older than 60, you probably don’t understand crypto and can’t fathom why someone would invest in it or use it. Frankly, cryptocurrency scares me a bit, and I wouldn’t mind if it just, well, disappeared.

But because cryptocurrency seems to be growing in acceptance, I have resolved to try to keep an open mind and learn what I can about “the future of money.”

ANTI-FAD, AH! I’ll be frank about why I don’t like cryptocurrency.

First, I have a knee-jerk response against fads, hype, and especially financial speculation (A.K.A. gambling). Cryptocurrency reeks of all of that.

The price of a Bitcoin skyrocketed in late 2017, then plummeted. In late 2020, it soared again and continued to climb to lofty heights from October 2020 through March 2021, before tumbling once more.

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41

If Elon Musk can make a joke on Saturday Night Live that causes the price of Dogecoin to fall 30%, as he did on May 8, 2021, that’s all you need to know.

I imagine many crypto enthusiasts find that “Awesome!” or “Dope!” I find it troubling. Unless the laws of financial physics have been rewritten, what goes up does eventually come down – and the faster anything rises, the harder it can crash. Most people discover they were in a bubble only after it pops.

Remember the dot-com bubble? How about the real estate bubble and the great financial crisis of 2008?

THEY STARTED A JOKE How do you price something with no intrinsic value?

Month

Price on the first day of the following month

October 2020

$13,730 (price had been $10,626 on October 1st)

+29%

November

$18,981

+38%

December

$29,334

+55%

January 2021

$33,613

+15%

The New York Times reported: “Dogecoin is a digital

February

$49,249

+47%

currency started in 2013 by a pair of programmers

Monthly gain

What is the price based on, other than what the next person is willing to pay for it? If Elon Musk can make a joke on Saturday Night Live that causes the price of Dogecoin to fall 30%, as he did on May 8, 2021, that’s all you need to know.

Ironically, Dogecoin was actually created as a joke.

who decided to spoof the cryptocurrency craze by March

$58,985

+20%

creating their own virtual money, based on a meme

April

$57,678

- 2%

about Doge, a talking Shiba Inu puppy.”

May

$36,795

-36%

That joke was worth less than a penny in late

(Bitcoin monthly price increases based on its price on the first day of the following month. Prices in U.S. dollars. Source: https://www.coindesk.com/ price/bitcoin)

January 2021. It peaked at more than 71 cents on May 8, 2021, with $27 billion in trades in a 24-hour period.

(Source: https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/ dogecoin/)

But enough with the jokes. Let’s learn a “bit” about cryptocurrency.

WHAT IS CRYPTOCURRENCY?

one of more than 6,700 cryptocurrencies.

2. As you probably know, the value of Bitcoin is extremely volatile. In early October 2020, a unit of Bitcoin was valued at less than $11,000. It peaked

I’ll quote a good, succinct description and

at more than $63,000 in mid-April 2021 and ended

explanation of Bitcoin from a BBC article dated

May at roughly $37,000. But that’s all millions of

February 5, 2021: “Guide: What is Bitcoin and how

times higher than its humble beginning in May

does it work?”

2010, when it was worth less than a penny. No one

“Each Bitcoin is basically a computer file that is stored in a ‘digital wallet’ app on a smartphone or computer. People can send Bitcoins (or part of one)

knows how much its value might rise or fall in the next day, month, year, or decade.

3. Is cryptocurrency a currency or a commodity?

to your digital wallet, and you can send Bitcoins to

Like gold, it can be both. For now, its main

other people. Every single transaction is recorded in

role in the financial markets is as a magnet for

a public list called the blockchain.”

speculators, who seek to make a fortune by buying it before it rises in value. Of course, they

NINE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CRYPTO

could also lose a fortune if it drops sharply.

1. Although Bitcoin dominates cryptocurrency in

In case it isn’t obvious, this is the Oxford English

hype and total value, making up roughly 60% of

Dictionary’s definition of the word “gamble”: To

cryptocurrency’s entire $1.5-trillion value, it’s just

take risky action in the hope of a desired result.

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As you probably know, the value of Bitcoin is extremely volatile. In early October 2020, a unit of Bitcoin was valued at less than $11,000. It peaked at more than $63,000 in mid-April 2021 and ended May at roughly $37,000.

4. Cryptocurrency is secure but not necessarily

an estimated 75% of the Bitcoin mining network.

Coal is by far the largest source of electrical energy in China, making up 57.7% of that country’s energy use.

7. Cryptocurrency is extremely difficult to trace and almost impossible to regulate, making it highly popular for illegal uses like drug or firearm sales, extortion, and terrorism. The ransom recently paid by Colonial Pipelines after its fuel-pipeline network was hacked was reportedly sent to the ransomware cybercriminals with cryptocurrency.

safe. The cryptography on which its transactions

8. Cryptocurrency is ideal for e-commerce and

are based establishes highly secure transactions.

could facilitate international transactions,

If you lose your private key/password, however,

including legal ones. It requires no middleman

cryptocurrency is so secure that you’ll be locked

or intermediary, like a bank, which simplifies

out. That means you will lose the entire value of

operations, and you can bypass foreign exchange.

your Bitcoin.

Its avoidance of banks makes it more accessible

As a comparison, your Canadian bank deposits are insured up to $100,000 per account by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation. In the United

for many people in Third World countries, where opening a bank account can be a challenge.

9. The mysterious inventor of Bitcoin, reported to

States, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

be Satoshi Nakamoto, is rumoured to be fictitious.

insures your bank deposits up to $250,000 per

Interestingly, the name appears to include parts

person per insured bank.

of these four Asian electronics firms: Samsung,

5. Bitcoins are “mined” by solving complex

Toshiba, Nakamichi, and Motorola.

computational math problems to add a block of

So, there you have it: the good, the bad, the ugly,

transactions to the blockchain. That process uses

and the scary of cryptocurrency. After my deep

an enormous amount of computing power and

dive, I’m shaking my head even more. But I’m just

energy, which makes it extremely harmful to the

a middle-aged guy, kind of set in my ways. I like to

environment.

hold actual dollars occasionally. I have faith in large

The annual power consumption of the Bitcoin network is estimated at 129 terawatt-hours. That’s more electricity than Norway uses in a year. A terawatt-hour is one trillion watts of electricity sustained for an hour. A single Bitcoin transaction has the same carbon footprint as 680,000 creditcard transactions, according to the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index.

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6. China is the largest miner of Bitcoin, maintaining

SIDEONE SUMMER 2021

financial institutions. I have nothing to hide from the government. I prefer knowing that if I should forget a password, I won’t lose a fortune. And I’m not fond of gambling or supporting terrorists!

COMING UP:

See you in September.

Looking for more to read this summer?

Check out our back issues at https://issuu.com/sideonemagazine And we’ll see you again in September.

SUMMER 2021