SideOne Magazine Volume 2, Issue 1 Sept./Oct. 2021

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1

THE AVRO ARROW Canada’s great failure in understanding potential NEW MUSIC FROM NEW PLACES

The last gasp of September has some great tunes

THE SIDEONE PHOTO ESSAY

Budapest – a glimpse of one of Europe’s great beauties

CRAFT BEER

A personal journey through America’s craft beer world

A DOG’S TALE

ISSN 2563-9005

Talking with Fido (the dog, not the cellphone)

IN THIS ISSUE...

WELCOME TO SIDEONE. PG.03

TIMES ARE CHANGING. PG.36

A PERSONAL JOURNEY. PG.04

COMING UP. PG.41

An introduction, an explanation and an anniversary.

Travelling through the American frontier of craft beer.

Where do unions go from here?

Highlights from the next issue of SideOne.

A LIFE RENEWED. PG.08

What happened after Covid ended a much loved career.

IGNORING THE POSSIBILITIES. PG.12 The Avro Arrow – A missed opportunity of giant proportions.

THE PHOTO ESSAY. PG.16

Budapest – One of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

Editor and publisher: Kevin Gilligan

NEW MUSIC FROM NEW PLACES. PG.23

Contact Email: sideone@gilligangroup.net Mail: PO Box 43503 Leaside Toronto, ON M4G 3B0 Phone: 416-489-9257

MORE THAN A DOG’S TALE. PG.28

SideOne Magazine is published every two months online @ www.sideonemagazine.ca

The last gasp of September never sounded better.

Your best friend has something to say.

NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS… PG.33

The Battle of Marathon, penicillin, an act of great sportsmanship, the Queen and more in this month’s edition.

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FOR THE GENERATION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.

SIDEONE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

SideOne Magazine is a division of The Gilligan Group Inc.

SideOne. YearOne.

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 if you’re a new reader and welcome back if you’re one of our regulars. We took a break over the summer but we’re back now on the occasion of our first anniversary.

SideOne started as a passion project while Covid was starting to ramp up and business was ramping down. The idea was simple. Create a magazine for baby boomers that was for them and not about them. And certainly not about retirement or aging.

Just a good read covering human interest stories that fellow boomers would be interested in.

So here we are – one year later and still going. I’m proud of what we achieved and so fortunate to work with a great bunch of contributors. To them, I must say a huge thank you.

Here are a few highlights from this issue that I hope you’ll find of interest.

A TERRIBLE FAILURE TO EMBRACE THE FUTURE.

The story of the Avro Arrow is one that has grabbed the interest and imagination of Canadians across generations. It was an incredible achievement that was squashed by a government with a limited view of the country’s potential.

COME ALONG ON A PERSONAL JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY.

NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS…

A favourite among our readers, NEKT, as we call it, is back with another round of fascinating bits and pieces from days gone by. Marathon (the place not the race), Ben Johnson (the man and the race), Queen Elizabeth and Magellan, all grace this issue’s edition of NEKT.

MORE GREAT NEW MUSIC.

Septembers are warmer than they used to be. So are this month’s collection of tunes and artists.

They’ll help ease you out of summer and into a pretty cool place.

BUDAPEST – A CITY OF GREAT BEAUTY.

In normal times, the best time to visit Budapest is Christmas time. Take a look in this month’s SideOne photo essay!

WHAT DID HE WANT?

Can Rover be a bit more specific? He just might with a little help from science and some technology.

And again, the answer to the question of “Why SideOne?” Side one is where the hits were. Oh, I forgot to mention. SideOne is going to publish every two months from now on. See you in November.

America led the craft beer obsession. Join the exploration of one of our regulars who has explored some of America’s leading markets and brewers.

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A PERSONAL JOURNEY

TRAVELING THROUGH AMERICA’S WORLD OF CRAFT BREW

By Allan Kunigis Allan Kunigis is a Canadian-born freelance financial writer based in Shelburne, Vermont. 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. He also really likes beer.

A revolution has taken place.

Sure, the MolsonCoors and AB InBevs still dominate sales, but their market share is shrinking.

Can you document your personal beer journey?

I’m not referring to a vacation or staycation brewery tour. I’m talking about when and how and where and why you went from drinking the same old mass-produced, undistinguishable ales or lagers to today’s endless choice of delicious and distinct craft-

from Montreal to small-town Vermont in the early 1990s. The craft beer scene was nothing like it is today, when it seems that every town has its own small brewery and they all tend to brew really good beer.

A SKI OF BEER I recall sitting at Stowe, Vermont’s warm and inviting The Shed restaurant/brewery and sampling a “ski of beer” right around that time. How cool: Trying and sharing tastes of four-ounce pours of five different beers, served in an old wooden ski with holes for the taste glasses.

brewed beers.

They had everything from a blonde or golden ale to

An aside: I have to confess that I have never read E.F.

palate and now tastes quite tame, the Shed Mountain

Schumacher’s classic, Small is Beautiful: Economics

Ale, a big 7.4% alcohol English strong ale, medium

as if People Mattered, but I’m pretty sure it’s in my

to full-bodied with caramel and toffee notes and

book collection in paperback form. A brief synopsis:

moderate hoppiness. They also had a rich stout, too

“Named one of the Times Literary Supplement’s 100 Most Influential Books Since World War II, Small Is Beautiful presents eminently logical arguments for building our economies around the needs of

an amber to what then seemed bold to my tender

much for me then, but a few years later, it or a sister beer would have hit the spot!

Today, any beer lover is in for a treat just about

communities, not corporations.”

anywhere they travel on vacation or business. You

Ironically, I copied that off the website of a rather

House, with its encyclopedic, multi-page beer menu,

large corporation, Amazon.com. But that doesn’t

listing a seemingly endless variety of beers on tap.

negate the point, most relevant to the beer world of

Paralysis by analysis: I just want one good beer!

the past two decades or so. A revolution has taken place. Sure, the MolsonCoors and AB InBevs still dominate sales, but their market share is shrinking.

don’t need to walk into a place like Denver’s Yard

VERMONT IS RICH WITH BEER AND BEER LORE Before I take you out west to Utah and California, I have to share some nuggets that are classic “only in

HONEY, I SHRANK THE CORPORATION

Vermont.” I have heard it said that contrary to much

Craft beer share of retail beer in the U.S. was roughly

of the rest of the world, where there are six degrees

10% in 2012 and represents about 25% today. And it’s

of separation, in Vermont, it’s more like one and

happened for good reason. This article is about my

a half. I don’t need to try hard to drop names like

personal journey. It involves anecdotes and personal

Bernie and Ben and Jerry. There are way too many

stories and recollections. To me, that’s a lot of what

good and funny stories involving those and other

beer is about. Excuse the bad dad-pun but it’s about

household names and the multiple paths and long

“exbeerience.”

For me, the beer evolution began soon after I moved

lists of connections.

When it comes to beer, I have heard and shared

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You don’t need to be a beer geek to appreciate the freshness and love that goes into the craft beer industry, barrel by barrel, recipe by recipe, brewer by brewer. great stories about some of the legendary characters behind the fabulous beers that have put Vermont on the map. In one case, I both embarrassed myself and immediately gained great respect for one of the famed beer entrepreneurs, John Kimmich of The

No. 1-rated brewery in the world, according to ratebeer.com, Hill Farmstead, located in Greensboro, Vermont, where I was married a good number of years earlier by the uncle of Shawn Hill, the owner and master brewer. Hill Farmstead is noted for naming many of its beers after Hill family elders, including grandfathers and great-uncles and greataunts, emblematic of Shawn’s devotion to the land and its history.

On my visit, I lucked out and was served by none other than Shawn Hill. I will never forget his response when I informed him that his uncle Lewis Hill, a justice of the peace, had married me.

Alchemist.

“Was the wedding in a river?”

Before Hurricane Irene flooded the appropriately-

Apparently, a lot of hippies liked getting married in

named Waterbury in 2011, The Alchemist originally

rivers in Vermont’s remote Northeast Kingdom back

was a restaurant/brewery in downtown Waterbury. I

in the day and Lewis had had some good stories to

happened to be sitting at the bar on a quiet Sunday

share.

afternoon, naively chatting with Kimmich. I can still recall how insulted he was when I dared to compare the taste of Vermont’s Magic Hat Brewery’s Number 9 beer with one of The Alchemist’s. Kimmich informed me that unlike Magic Hat, he didn’t use apricot flavour. Put in my place, I appreciated his passion and devotion to the purity of his craft.

On another occasion, I made a pilgrimage to the

POLYGAMY PORTER: BRING SOME HOME TO THE WIVES Speaking of marriage, but moving from small-town Vermont to a small town in Utah years ago, I found a gem that made me take notice and buy not only the beer but some beer merch as well. The beer: Polygamy Porter, with its too-good-not-to-mention tagline, “Why Have Just One? Bring Some Home to the Wives.”

That was in 2007, while I was freshly inspired in my fairly new entry into beer geekdom. I had begun to brew my own beer, and I recall spending a fair bit of time researching beers online and of course, in person.

I recall that a search for smoked porter recipes and brands led me to both Alaska and San Diego. In San Diego (traveling online at the time), I came across and fell in love with the spunk, playful character and attitude behind Stone Brewery’s Arrogant Bastard Ale.

ARROGANT BASTARDS UNITE! I can’t recall the exact tongue-in-cheeky arrogance

These were epic beers I had seen online and read about. Pliny the Elder, an Imperial IPA, is rated 100 on

portrayed unsubtly on their welcome page, but

beeradvocate.com.

it was a statement of war, basically, against all

Scott was late for dinner by a few minutes. I

the tasteless, pissy, lousy beer, and if you agreed,

challenged him to look at the list of beers on tap and

welcome to being an Arrogant Bastard. The website

guess which one I had ordered. He sized it up and

featured photos of people proudly displaying

guessed right, just knowing that that had to be the

their photos of bottles of Arrogant Bastard Ale on

one beer I was so excited to see and try. One beer

mountain tops and beaches, and who knows where

geek to another.

else, literally around the world.

You don’t need to be a beer geek to appreciate the

There’s a club for me, I thought. And I revered Stone

freshness and love that goes into the craft beer

Brewery. So, it was a real treat visiting their beautiful

industry, barrel by barrel, recipe by recipe, brewer

brewery in Escondido, California, with a niece and

by brewer. You don’t need to be anti-corporate

her super beer geek hubby, Scott, a decade later.

America to appreciate how beautiful small can be

I SPEAK FLUENT BEER GEEK I also recall going to dinner with them at San Diego’s Blind Lady Ale House, where I was absolutely thrilled to find Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger on tap.

and how wonderful it can taste.

Just keep an open mind and an open palate and have fun.

Cheers!

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A LIFE RENEWED

Life a year after Covid ended a much loved career

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

As the popular phrase goes, “ I left it all in the classroom.”

Everything I had wanted to do, I did.

I never believed that I could separate my identity as a teacher from myself as a person – nor that it would be so easy to leave it all behind. But I did. At first it was devastating, scary and sometimes filled with regret and what-ifs.

THAT WAS THE FIRST MONTH. I realized I was grieving for my lost career and all that it had been for me ... that it was part of the grieving process I had to go through. In subsequent months, especially as fall and winter approached, I was sad at times but I also began to feel a sense of freedom. I had more time to get things done, more time to talk to my adult children, more time for them to talk to me. My husband, who continued to work, felt that he had more of my time unencumbered by the stress of my teaching job and all its responsibilities. And … I would be more available for my aging mom. It was turning out to be a really good situation.

I WAS DONE I became aware that although I had absolutely loved my career as an educator and had been totally immersed in the process, that surprisingly, I didn’t have the urge to continue – not even as a retired substitute teacher like so many of my colleagues.

I didn’t want to teach at all. I was done.

As the popular phrase goes, “ I left it all in the classroom.” Everything I had wanted to do, I did.

The giving, the caring, the nurturing, the educating – everything that I had given would live on in my students.

What next? Grow old? Get sick and die? These were

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a voiceover artist/actress. She began talking to

the thoughts whirling around my head. I spoke to

me about voice work and acting. I said I might be

some friends who were newly retired who said you

interested and a new journey began.

had to have a schedule every day, do yoga every

This new/old friend began to mentor me and for the

morning, walk/jog by the lake in the evening, garden

first time in a long time, instead of being the mentor

a lot, try new hobbies ...

I was being mentored – and it felt good! I had always

So I did the exact opposite. I had no schedule, I disliked yoga, and never gardened. I rode my bike instead of walking, decided to restart some long lost

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A NEW BEGINNING

I had no schedule, I disliked yoga, and never gardened.

I reconnected with a friend who is my age and

loved words, in reading and speaking. She said my voice was a natural. I believed her and took my first course in voiceover work in April.

knitting projects, took aqua fit and caught up on

I realized I had a knack for voice work and in May

some great shows. Life was good except I realized

I discovered I had a real passion for it and began

something was missing … purpose.

to pursue other classes in voice, and added acting.

SIDEONE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

In June, I posted some of my voice demos on my Facebook page and suddenly I had an agent – someone who wanted to represent me as an artist. I was thrilled!

Instead of being the teacher, I was now the student and I could barely contain my excitement for learning!

My journey has also led me to writing for this magazine when I never thought I could. I was uncomfortable with it and never thought I would become a journalist of sorts, yet here I am after decades of teaching English doing the very thing I used to teach.

SURPRISING REWARDS This year has been rewarding and eye-opening to the possibilities of life after teaching. All the skills I

crowded out by all the work stuff that needed to be done when I was in and out of the classroom.

Relationships are so much easier when you have time, period.

Instead of being the teacher, I was now the student and I could barely contain my excitement for learning!

Constructing my day can sometimes be a challenge but it’s so amazing and rewarding that I can create my day.

I used to miss out on a lot. I missed out by not having enough time to work on something and having to short-cut it. I missed out on really good friendships because I had no time to nurture them. I missed out

learned over my 30-year career have come in very

being my true authentic self.

handy. My ability to work with others, read the

Now I have the time to pursue anything I want to do.

room, listen and articulate my point of view has been essential to my new state of being.

I love the space created in my head to think, reflect and do. It is really amazing to not have my thoughts

The time to dig deeper into the meaning of my life.

The time to be as lazy as I want to be and the time to just celebrate these moments.

RISE AND FALL OF THE AVRO ARROW

The killing of a great Canadian achievement

Black Friday, February 20, 1959 – I remember it well.

There was something different about my father when he came up the back steps and into the kitchen after work.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, back in the Fifties, was a bustling town with more than 40 seaplanes operating out of the Ontario Provincial Air Service base.

Whenever a plane would fly over our house, my dad would drop whatever he was doing and run out to have a look and I’d be right behind him.

He subscribed to flight magazines, several of which had glowing stories of a new long-range supersonic Canadian interceptor being built in Malton, Ontario by the Avro Aircraft Corporation. It was called the Arrow.

The first prototypes of the Arrow were exceeding expectations in speed and performance with highlyadvanced features, and at the time was superior to any contemporary all-weather fighter. The Arrow put Canada in the forefront of the aviation world for the high standards of technological achievement and the development of the Canadian aircraft industry employing roughly 15,000 people.

Beyond that, the engineers and designers from Avro had their sights on the moon.

AN INSTANT HERO

By Lloyd Walton Parts of this story appear in Lloyd Walton’s historiography, Chasing the Muse: Canada. Lloyd is a multi-award-winning director-cinematographer, painter, and writer. His book is available everywhere.

The Arrow’s chief test pilot, Jan Zurakowski, became an instant Canadian hero. They called him Zura.

One evening there was an impromptu hush-hush VIP demo flight arranged by Crawford Gordon Jr., president of Avro Aircraft. The VIP was Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery (“Monty”) of England.

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A witness to that evening, Crawford Gordon III, (Crawford Jr’s son) told me…

“Zura had it screaming down the runway flipped on its side with the wingtip merely feet off the ground. He passed us, levelled off, then shot straight up. After he landed, my dad headed straight for Zura.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to wreck my plane? That is MY plane!”

OUR BLACK FRIDAY Black Friday, February 20, 1959, I remember well.

There was something different about my father when he came up the back steps and into the kitchen after work. He headed straight for the radio and turned up the five o’clock CBC news and sat down with his head in his hands.

That’s when I first heard of the cancellation of the Avro Arrow. To make things worse, orders were to

“Zura replied, ‘With all due respect, Mr Gordon. You

cut up, crush, and take to the dump five completed

are the boss on the ground. I am the boss in the air.’ ”

Arrows, those nearly completed on the assembly line, and all of the parts and components for the

I was just a kid in 1959, imagining myself being on high alert in my RCAF flight suit at a remote Royal Canadian Air Force fighter base on Hudson Bay. This was during the Cold War, and I sat poised for an invasion of Russian bombers. Red lights flashed, the siren wailed, and the scramble was on. While still climbing into the cockpit, my Avro Arrow was

37 aircraft awaiting final assembly. Roughly 14,000 employees were given their termination notice. A brain-drain of engineers left Canada to the U.S.A. to work on NASA’s Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions and to England to design and build the Concorde.

firing up and automatically moving along a track to

Many books and articles have been written

its launch position. By the time I was strapped in,

speculating about the reasons for the shattering

helmet secured and canopy locked, I was unhooked

of our aviation supremacy. I suspect that the real

at the end of the runway and released to go.

names and issues lie deep in the files at a secure

Two minutes later, with the snowy night 65,000 feet far below, I was heading for the stars in my Arrow, accelerating to three times the speed of sound. My radar officer in the back seat was locking on to the target. It was the new Mark 5 version. I could have gone to 100,000 feet doing Mach 5 with an operational radius of 1,000 miles.

location both here and in the United States.

THE AMERICAN DECEPTION The Arrow with its many advances could have cut into the burgeoning fighter aircraft industry on the American West Coast. Canadian government and RCAF brass, convinced by experts south of the border that the age of the jet fighter-interceptor was over, opted for purchasing and installing the American BOMARC missile defense system.

I was just a kid in 1959, imagining myself being on high alert in my RCAF flight suit at a remote Royal Canadian Air Force fighter base on Hudson Bay.

was hosting a group of 100 pilots on a stopover from a cross-Canada fly-in. I gave a speech to the pilots as I was donating two of my paintings, titled The Rise and Fall of the Arrow, to the museum.

TEARS THAT NEVER END One man stood up and spoke after my speech. He said, “It was the most wonderful job I ever had. All of my fellow workers would get up in the morning and rush

President John F. Kennedy later told a good friend,

to work with a big grin. Then they told us to put down

Ted Sorenson, “At a Pentagon meeting today, I

our tools immediately and go home.” His wife told me

learned that we sold the BOMARC Missile Defense

that occasionally he still weeps over the decision.

system to the Canadians knowing that it was completely useless.” Prime Minister John Diefenbaker later blamed that blunder on the previous Liberal government, but it was he who delivered the message in the House of Commons that the Arrow program would be terminated.

Fifty years later the Arrow was back in the news. Jim Floyd, the chief engineer on the Arrow, had been in the news in conjunction with the anniversary of the first man on the moon. He said, “It could have been us first.”

The vast hangar of the Ontario Provincial Air Service in Sault Ste. Marie was later transformed into the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Museum. The museum

Since that time, I have met many workers that helped forge that great aircraft. I have been privileged to see classified footage of it in its attack mode. There is something quintessentially Canadian about the Arrow. When you look at its sleek outward appearance it looks slick and peaceful. But when push comes to shove, and when that weapons bay dropped, it turned into a very nasty vicious adversary. As Canadians, we too tend to keep that side of us hidden.

The mystique of the Avro Arrow continues to haunt and ignite the souls of aviation enthusiasts across the country.

Lest we forget.

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THE PHOTO ESSAY

BUDAPEST:

A CHRISTMAS VISIT TO ONE OF EUROPE’S MOST BEAUTIFUL CI TIES

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.

The Christmas season in Budapest is magical. Bring your mittens and a hat, then explore one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. In 2017, I spent the last five weeks before Christmas in the city centre while working on a TV series. I stayed close to the Danube River just off Vaci utca, a popular pedestrian street.

November and December are good months to visit as the hordes of summer tourists have left and the city is in a pre-Christmas rhythm. There are a number of beautiful Christmas markets filled with stalls and outdoor cafes, selling arts and crafts, hot chocolate and palinka, the local spirit. All of them sell a version of a very tasty mulled wine, a delight on a crisp, cool day or evening. Known as forralt bor in the local lingo, it is a warmed red wine that’s spiced with cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg.

Having one on the way home from work became a tradition for me.

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Many of the beautiful Budapest buildings are festooned with lights, in celebration of the Christmas period. The architecture in Budapest is stunning – the Vajdahunyad Castle in City Park, the massive Parliament building along the River, the Buda Castle on the north side of the river, and the Széchenyi Chain Bridge – just a few of the gorgeous buildings seen everywhere in the city.

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Budapest is famous for its spas and visiting one is a definite must. I went to the Széchenyi Baths, Budapest’s largest, on a sunny, zero-Celsius day.

To get there, I took the Line 1 subway, which was completed in 1896 and is the second oldest in the world. It is an official World Heritage Site and the cars are as they were in 1896. The spa was built in the Neo-Baroque style and the waters are warm and inviting. On cool days, like the day I visited, steam rises up, enveloping the bathers. It is a surreal experience.

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A must-do for many who visit Budapest is a visit to one of the ruin bars. The most famous is Szimpla, which was set up in an abandoned building and is filled with eclectic and mismatched furniture.

The chaos of the place is its selling feature.

Budapest is a very walkable city, even in the winter.

I highly recommend a visit.

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SIDEONE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

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

some of the cultural artifacts that were missing or

difficult to find 30 years ago, when my children were

THE LAST GASP OF SUMMER NEVER SOUNDED BETTER

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.

September isn’t what it used to be. It’s less the

If you hate the heat waves and long for cooler days,

sweater weather of your youth and more often about

then sit tight. They’re on the way. In either case,

tees and tank tops. Of course, the leaves still turn

this month’s selection of artists is curated to ease

and the days do get shorter, but the month can

you into the new season before us – whether you

be subtropical at times. If you’re like me and love

have a preference for sandals and salads or boots

summer, then enjoy this last blast of warm temps.

and stews.

TO LISTEN WHILE YOU READ, CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S SEPTEMBER’S SIDEONE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/58P1Q9Fl2mCmN8qCTT3sQp?si=744881945a664489 SIDEONE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

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STEVE LACY

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

Steve Lacy was born in Compton, California – the

• Dark Red Single (2017)

same place that was immortalized in song by N.W.A, a city that at one time in the 1970s had the highest crime rate in the state. To be fair, it’s gotten better over the years, but the fact that the city’s Wikipedia page has a whole section devoted to crime says much. The ways in which it has influenced Lacy’s music is a jigsaw puzzle for the ages. Rather than the angry rebelliousness you’d expect, Lacy’s music is, to a remarkable degree, quite positive. What’s more, it’s appealingly experimental, crossing genres and styles in ways that wouldn’t make sense on paper. And therein lies his charm as an artist. This is like Beck meets Outkast meets Sly and the Family Stone.

Lacy’s catalogue is not large (two albums) but it is impressive and is adorned with a plethora of collabs that are each strong in their own right.

There’s a throwback, offbeat, quirky appeal to his music, making the old seem new and vice versa.

Songs often run under two minutes, which harkens back to the radio hits from the ‘60s, but makes total sense given the average attention span of today’s millennial target market. With touches of rap, [‘70s] soul, pop, gospel and funk, this music definitely deserves to be on your radar.

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• N Side Apollo XXI (2019) • Ryd Steve Lacy’s Demo (2017) • Candy Grapes (feat. Steve Lacy) Time Machine (2021) • Out of Me Head The Lo-Fis (2020)

FREE NATIONALS

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT

Pool season is coming to a close, but you may just

• Eternal Light (feat. Chronixx) Self-titled album (2019)

want to hold off on emptying it out so you can properly immerse yourself in the sunny, sensual vibes of the Free Nationals. Their main gig is backing band for neo-soul/hip hop artist Anderson .Paak, but based on the strength of their first album, that job may soon be relegated to historical footnote.

On their self-titled debut, an army of formidable artists like Benny Sings, Chronixx, and Kali Uchis

• Beauty & Essex Self-titled album (2019) • On Sight (with JID, Kadjha Bonet) Single (2019) • Time (with Mac Miller, Kali Uchis) Single (2019) • Gidget (with Anderson .Paak, T.Nava) Self-titled album (2019)

take turns at the mic. The result is a collection of chill, easy-going tunes buttressed with chunky basslines and catchy melodies that won’t quit.

Influenced by the likes of Stevie Wonder, Snoop Dogg and Erykha Badu, these masters of smooth, breezy, feel-good music from California are churning out the retro funk we all need right now.

And it’s not by accident. To infuse the album with the harmonic warmth and depth of analog that was so prevalent in the seventies, guitarist Jose Rios, keyboardist Ron “T.Nava” Avant, bassist Kelsey Gonzales, and drummer Callum Connor ran the final mixes through a cassette recorder. It is the musical equivalent of CBD gummies with a measured dose of caffeine.

When so many of today’s bands make music with laptops and effect apps, void of any real musical talent, this deliberate step back into the old ways is what makes me hopeful for the way music is heading.

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TEDDY SWIMS If you never spend any time surfing YouTube, Teddy Swims (a.k.a. Jaten Dimsdale) just might be the biggest star you’ve never heard of. If you do, you may have stumbled upon one of his videos – most of which are soulful interpretations of a very diverse range of pop hits. Shania Twain’s You’re Still the One, The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights, Al Green’s Love And Happiness… whatever he sings, this heavily-tattooed Georgia native sings it well. No wonder he’s earned more than 200 million views, close to 2 million subscribers and a tidy profit of more than $600,000 (allegedly) from his videos so far. There’s no denying that the man has a legion of fans that love him.

A big part of his appeal is his voice – rich, smooth, and raspy at times. On some songs he’s reminiscent of a less phlegmy, more coherent Joe Cocker. That vocal dexterity earned him an opening gig on Zac Brown band’s tour this summer and brought him to a point where more popular stars are interested in leveraging some of that Swims magic. Country music superstar Thomas Rhett was happy to duet on a song Swims originally recorded alone called Broke. The newer version is still a rousing rags-toritches ditty, but takes the Motown-y vibes of the original and adds a playful touch of country twang.

Last year, Swims signed with Warner records and is working on new material with some of the top writers and producers in the industry. Which means he’s being primed for the big leagues. If his past success as an indie artist is any indication, he’ll definitely come out swinging.

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SIDEONE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT • Broke (feat. Thomas Rhett) Unlearning (2021) • My Bad Single (2021) • Blowin’ Smoke Unlearning (2021) • Bed On Fire Unlearning (2021) • What’s Going On Single (2020)

CELESTE I first heard Celeste watching Apple TV’s hit show Ted Lasso and instantly knew I had to know more. Her song Strange elevated that one scene of heartbreak into a different stratosphere. It was raw, haunting, melancholy and cut to the core of what makes love so complicated.

“Isn’t it strange, how people can change. From strangers to friends, friends into lovers, and strangers again?”

TRACKS TO CHECK OUT • Strange Not Your Muse (2021) • Tell Me Something I Don’t Know Not Your Muse (2021) • Not Your Muse Not Your Muse (2021) • Love Is Back Single (2020) • Both Sides Of The Moon Compilation 1.1 (2019)

Her rendition of that song on the 2020 Brit Awards was one of those rare performances that people still talk about – like the first time Michael Jackson moonwalked on camera, or the time Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake rocked the CMA awards.

It was void of any gimmickry but filled with that proverbial lightning in a bottle every artist hopes to catch.

Born in Los Angeles but raised in Brighton, Celeste has already been awarded BBC’s Sound of 2020, a Brits Rising Star, and NME 100 alumni and she’s still had only two albums and a handful of singles in her career.

Her music is a laid-back fusion of jazz, pop and neo soul. Her voice is hypnotic, expertly controlled, emotionally driven and hits every note in the sweetest way. It’s no coincidence her biggest influence growing up was Aretha Franklin.

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MORE THAN A DOG’S TALE

MAN’S BEST FRIEND HAS SOMETHING TO SAY

By Elizabeth MacGregor Elizabeth MacGregor is a former educator and a regular contributor to SideOne.

Newest research, using an MRI machine and several dogs, indicates that dogs understand speech the same way that we do, separating tone from meaning.

Now eight years old, he’s managed to accumulate a solid understanding of at least a dozen phrases that we utter with some regularity. Shorthand for “come here to get your teeth brushed” is “chicken toothpaste.” He hears the phrase, furiously wags his tail, sidles up, and jumps into a lap to have his teeth brushed. In the evening, when we go downstairs to watch TV, a quick “do you want to go downstairs?” will have him running ahead of us. A “stay” order

I returned from work, excited to greet our new dog

keeps him from charging the front door and glued

at the end of a long day. As I entered the house, I saw

to the landing as we open it to delivery people or

the big brown eyes staring at me and said hello. He

visitors.

threw back his head and howled hello back. What a surprise from this rescue who had not barked or vocalized at all since he had arrived two weeks before.

This one-year-old Shih Tzu poodle, Davey Jones, was named by his previous owner, either for the rock star or the pirate, due to his black colour with just a dash of white on his chest and a white beard that did give him a pirate look. The reason for his name

WHAT DOES HE WANT? If he is thirsty, he sits in front of his water bowl and stares into my eyes. What does he want? His water is there. Ah, it isn’t cold or fresh enough. He has convinced us to give him filtered water out of the fridge and won’t drink at all if he deems it warm or stale. He will sniff it and then turn away. Davey tries to communicate, and I try to understand.

will always remain a mystery. He was rescued from

Canine research indicates that when your dog looks

a crate in a motel room in Niagara Falls when he

into your eyes and you look at them, oxytocin,

was ordered to leave by management because of his

known as the “cuddle hormone,” is released in both

loud howls. He came to us, from an organization that

the animal and their human. Dogs often relieve

stepped in to help, with his vet records indicating a

loneliness in their owners and if we can understand

stubborn streak. He apparently had a period of two

each other better it will improve our relationship

weeks where he refused to eat anything because he

with them. There currently is another form of

didn’t like his food.

communication between the two that is being explored and is driving researchers to explore the

A FRIGHTENED GAZE His frightened gaze, and a terror of retrieving toys that touched against furniture, told us he was a little wary of humans. Inexplicably, he also would try to catch dust particles suspended in beams of sunlight and couldn’t understand his or our reflections in windows or mirrors. Once settled in, he started to greet us with a semblance of hello. The howls also

brains of our pets.

Taking the subway home after a brain MRI, I happened to read a book about Callie, the first dog to willingly enter an MRI machine. Callie was trained by using treats and rewards, not coercion. I was impressed, having just experienced the machine myself.

came when he wasn’t being understood or wanted us

Callie’s owner, the primary researcher, wanted to

to play with him and his new toys.

explore her brain, her reactions to words spoken,

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29

and her emotional reactions to the people she lives

research regulations. The concerns around hygiene

with. Reading about her piqued my interest. Why

were countered. Then, the worry commenced about

would such an expensive machine be used on a dog,

how to make Callie enter the machine willingly and

and how? I had to work hard to stay still and not run

sit still while the machine made all its horribly loud

out of the room.

noises around her.

THE DOG PROJECT

“Willingly” was key. As much as Gregory wanted to

The quest was called The Dog Project. It commenced

explore his dog’s emotional intelligence, he was

when researcher Gregory Berns decided he wanted

bound by university protocol and simple humane

to understand more of what his dogs thought about,

practice. Ear muffs would need to be designed and

and if their perceived emotional connection to him

worn, a special neck coil would be created to help

was a real one.

her lie completely still while awake, and the dog

He was lucky enough to teach at a university with

would have to be gradually introduced to the sounds

machines that went unused at night, so he was able

of the MRI without being repeatedly exposed to its

to submit a proposal for his project. He had a mentor

radiation. Finally, a high value treat would need to be

who helped him stickhandle through all the animal

offered to encourage her participation.

Dogs have close relationships to their humans but rely on us to interpret their needs. If we don’t notice their clues, we may not act on their requirements.

THEY CARE, THEY REALLY CARE… The book Berns wrote about his adventure is How Dogs Love Us. He proved the emotional connection he feels to his dogs is felt by them as well and can be seen in their brain activity. They do care and are indeed attached to us. Newest research, using an MRI machine and several dogs, indicates that dogs understand speech the same way that we do, separating tone from meaning. They listen for the emotion behind our words. Emotional cues were found to be processed on the right side of the brain, while words were processed on the left, just like in humans. I read this book several years ago and it set the stage for embarking on my own experiment.

The book How Dogs Love Us and posts from a

speech therapist on Instagram, Christina Hunger, encouraged me to find out what Davey can learn.

Christina employed principles she uses to teach nonverbal children to teach her canine companion, Stella, how to communicate with her. Using recordable answer buttons that have commonlyused words recorded on them in Christina’s voice, she has been able to teach words to Stella, so that Stella can communicate her needs by stepping on the appropriate button or buttons.

UNLOCKING COMMUNICATION She employs techniques from Augmentative and Alternative Communication theory. When children cannot verbally express themselves, a therapist must find a different way to allow them to communicate. It

Since we have decided to share our worlds with these creatures, why not see if our communication with them can improve? some agency, and a way to communicate with his people and ask for his needs to be met. If he can learn this, we will then add more nouns and verbs on buttons so he can widen his vocabulary.

At this point, he listens for the correct button to be pressed as a confirmation that we both know what he wants. He has started to try harder to let us know Davey Jones is not that they do not have a need to communicate with others, they just can’t find the way to do so.

Tools to help them unlock communication pave the way for a richer life experience.

We use AAC when we gesture, when we use facial expressions to share our feelings, when we write down a note and pass it to someone. Dogs have close relationships to their humans but rely on us to interpret their needs. If we don’t notice their clues, we may not act on their requirements.

food to tell us that a need is not being met. He never attempted to let us know before. Whether he wanted to go outside, have food or water, or hope for a treat, he did not tell or show us and we had to guess.

I imagine living in a crate with other cats and dogs in crates beside him, in a motel room, left him feeling there was no point in communicating with humans. I feel that even if he does not step on the buttons due to his long-term fear of touching “furniture,” he at least has managed to make us understand some of his needs. Our communication is much improved by this experiment.

DAVEY’S TURN

Dogs are such wonderful companions and after

When Davey wants fresh water, he will stick out his

reading about the Dog Project, and then seeing

tongue. However, he also sticks out his tongue when

Hunger for Words on Instagram, I am left feeling that

hungry. The answer buttons allow a dog to press a

we can get to know our furry friends much better

button to tell their owner exactly what they want. So,

and can enrich their lives and ours.

if he presses “water,” I know that a dog biscuit is not the solution to the outstretched tongue.

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what he needs, sitting close to either his water or

Since we have decided to share our worlds with these creatures, why not see if our communication

Starting with buttons that have my prerecorded

with them can improve? Dogs have been

voice saying “walk,” another “water,” and one that

domesticated for many years and are programmed to

says “food,” we hope Davey will one day step on the

please us. Now we can potentially engage with them

buttons himself, just as Stella does, and thus have

with a bit more accuracy.

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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

SEPTEMBER 12, 490 BCE Since the 19th century, this has been accepted as

SEPTEMBER 20, 1519

the most probable date of the Battle of Marathon,

Portuguese commander Ferdinand Magellan

in which a thoroughly outnumbered force of 10,000

sets out with a fleet of five ships and 270 men

Athenians drove away an invading Persian army.

westward across the Atlantic Ocean on a hitherto

The battle would also bring forth the legend of

unexplored route to the Spice Islands (now part

Pheidippides, the courier who ran 240 kilometres

of Indonesia). Not everyone knew this at the time,

in two days to Sparta to seek military help for the

but the problem with the route is this little thing

Athenians, then ran back to Marathon, was sent

called South America that gets in the way. Well, no

on another 40-kilometre jaunt to deliver news of

matter; they had two years’ worth of provisions. So,

the victory to Athens, and promptly dropped dead

reaching Brazil, Magellan spent five months trying

when he announced the result. Not everyone knows

to find a way around this mysterious land mass,

this, but the earliest known telling of the story of

hunkering down for winter, and quelling a mutiny.

Pheidippides (by Plutarch) doesn’t appear until five

Finally the fleet made its way to the Pacific Ocean

centuries after the battle. And the story is probably

and the Philippines, where Magellan thought that

hooey. Think about it: If you were desperate for

converting the natives to Christianity would be a

reinforcements or eager to announce a triumph,

good idea. It wasn’t; they killed him. The expedition

wouldn’t you send somebody on horseback? Even in

carried on without Magellan and in September of

490 BCE, there was such a thing as cavalry.

1522 made it back to Spain and achieved the first

(This segment sponsored by Carbon Dating, the service

circumnavigation of the globe. Of the original 270

for couples who want to explore coal mines.)

participants, fewer than 20 completed the voyage.

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33

SEPTEMBER 15, 1928 Scottish microbiologist Alexander Fleming returns to his laboratory at London’s St. Mary’s Hospital after

34

a two-week vacation, looks over some Staphylococci

SEPTEMBER 14, 1956

cultures he had left sitting around, and says, “That’s

IBM introduces the RAMAC 305, the first commercial

funny.” Some mold had grown on one dish, but

computer to employ magnetic-disk hard drive. It

the peculiarity was that the bacteria immediately

weighs a freakin’ ton – literally. It needs its own

surrounding it had died while bacteria further

room. It can store the volume of information

away was unaffected. “That’s how you discovered

equivalent to 64,000 punch cards on its 50 two-

lysozyme,” remarks a colleague who saw the sample,

foot-wide disks. (You see, in the early decades of

referring to an enzyme in tears and nasal mucus that

computing, punch cards were ... oh, forget it.) That

Fleming had isolated six years earlier. By chance,

is equal to about five megabytes of data. Five. (5.)

Fleming had now discovered the first antibiotic; he

F-i-v-e. Megabytes. Not gigabytes, megabytes. Not

eventually names it after the Staph germ in which

everyone knows this, but as I am writing, Best Buy

it grew: Penicillium. Not everyone knows this, but

has a sale on 128-gibabyte flash drives that can hold

penicillin didn’t become a wonder treatment right

about 250,000 times more data than the RAMAC

away. It took years to refine the drug, which achieved

305, at less than 1/250,000th the weight and maybe

widespread acceptance in the Second World War

1/25,000,000th the space. $49.99 Cdn, plus tax, on

as it minimized infections among wounded Allied

sale from $59.99. Holds the equivalent of more than

soldiers. Fleming and the duo of Ernst Chain and

16 billion punch cards. Think of the trees you’ll save.

Edward Abraham, who were instrumental in refining

(Brought to you by App-ology, the cell phone software

the drug, were honoured with the Nobel Prize in

that automatically sends an “I’m sorry” text to

medicine in 1945.

someone you just butt-dialed.)

SIDEONE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

SEPTEMBER 27, 1988 It’s a big day for Canada at the Summer Olympics in Seoul. Ben Johnson, who had won the men’s 100

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

metres three days earlier, is disqualified for using

Queen Elizabeth II surpasses Queen Victoria’s record

anabolic steroids. Meanwhile, Lawrence Lemieux

for longest reign by a British monarch. Victoria sat

of Edmonton is competing in the Finn class of the

on the throne – figuratively, not literally – for 63

sailing competition. Halfway through the fifth of the

years, seven months and two days. Fast-forwarding

seven-race series, sudden winds cause the

to today, Elizabeth has been at it now for 69 years

Singapore boat carrying two men to capsize. Lemieux

and seven months. Coincidentally, both queens had

veers off course to rescue them, keeps them aboard

eldest sons who waited for a personal eternity to

until a rescue boat arrives, and finally returns to

get their turn at ruling. The future Edward VII was

the race to finish in 22nd place. The governing body

59 before Victoria passed on, and the current Prince

elevates him to the second-place position he held

Charles is 72 and still on hold. Both men who were/

at the time of his selfless act. Lemieux will finish

are the Prince of Wales engaged in romantic affairs

the series in 11th place but is awarded the Pierre

that generated scandal and caused their mothers no

de Coubertin Medal for sportsmanship. Although

end of embarrassment. Not everyone knows this, but

the medal had been instituted in 1964, Lemieux is

the third-longest reign for a British monarch belongs

only the second athlete to spontaneously receive

to George III at 59 years and three months. Victoria

it for actions during competition. Not everyone

and Elizabeth II had sons who drove them crazy;

knows this, but for every Canadian who remembers

George just went a little cuckoo on his own.

Lemeiux’s heroism, thousands remember Johnson’s

(Brought to you by Yukon Have Your Cake, the best

shame. Oh, Canada ...

dessert bar in Whitehorse.)

SIDEONE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

35

PARTNERS OR ADVESARIES

WHERE DO UNIONS GO FROM HERE?

By Alain Lajoie Alain Lajoie was a teacher for 28 years. During that time, he was part of the negotiating team for the renewal of three collective agreements.

The growth of the service sector and the gig economy are challenges that unions will need to face and counter in innovative ways.

When considering the future of the labour movement, we first need to recognize who tends to be unionized and who isn’t. In Canada, most public workers, whether they be nurses or teachers, municipal employees or provincial inspectors, are members of unions, as are employees in the industrial sectors and in telecommunications.

Employees of small businesses are rarely unionized, nor are employees of family businesses. According to Statistics Canada, 31% of employees in Canada are unionized and, while 78% of public sector employees are covered by a collective agreement, only 16% of private industry workers are. While almost 75% of workers in educational services are unionized, only 3% of agricultural workers pay union dues.

Unions grow their membership in two ways, either by unionizing new groups or by marauding the membership of other unions. The rules for raiding are complex, differ from region to region and between industries, and raiding often leads to tension between union members. While raiding falls out of favour, unions must look to new groups to unionize and to new ways of reaching potential members.

THE GIG ECONOMY The growth of the service sector and the gig economy are challenges that unions will need to face and counter in innovative ways.

The negotiation of a collective agreement is the foundation of the labour movement. Collective agreements have become more complex to reflect the changes in society and the need of the members; 40

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37

years ago, the concept of parental leave or of policies

ongoing legal battle over the last five years, Uber

to counter harassment in the workforce were not

fighting tooth and nail to avoid responsibility for all

discussed. And while equity between workers was

the customary benefits that employees expect from

written into pay scales, the concept of equal pay for

their employer.

equal work between work categories was not to be found until the turn of the 20th century; work that

Uber has been kicked out of many jurisdictions

was mainly done by women was underpaid when

because of its business practices and has been wiped

compared to similar work done in fields where most

out of most of Southeast Asia by Grab, a company

workers were men.

that offers many of the same services but that has

But four events that have taken place this summer give us an idea of elements of the future of the labour

been willing to co-operate with the local actors and governments.

movement; two involve unions, while the other two

I would expect that if Uber’s drivers win their class-

are taking place because of an alliance of employees,

action lawsuit, unionizing for better conditions may

often the circumstance from which unions evolve.

well be their next step. A double-may, but it would

In mid-August, Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice certified a class-action lawsuit against Uber that was brought forward by drivers and couriers that want to be recognized as employees. This has been an

have been unthinkable before the court’s decision.

Precedent of a form already exists; home day-care workers in Québec, who provide 40% of child-care services and who are self-employed, have unionized and after a short strike in 2020 negotiated a collective agreement.

HELPING TO BUILD A BUSINESS The employees of La Cordée, two outdoor sports and recreation stores in Montréal, had been in negotiations for their first collective agreement for two years. During that time, the company went into receivership, the pandemic hit and the stores were

part in outdoor activities with the material they sell,

In mid-August, Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice certified a class-action lawsuit against Uber that was brought forward by drivers and couriers that want to be recognized as employees.

as well as a discount on the price or the possibility

If you have any interest in electronic gaming, you

sold. They have just signed their first collective agreement. What makes this an interesting case is that, while there was a small wage increase, the employees were mainly interested in making sure that the equipment they were selling was of high quality and that they would have the use of it to grow their expertise to help their customers.

Their collective agreement now includes clauses that allow them to take unpaid time off to plan and take

of borrowing the required equipment. They also participate in a joint committee with management to consider what new items should be sold.

There has been little turnover in staff in recent years, and their priority was to ensure the best service for their customers while working with the employer to achieve this. You get the union you deserve.

AGRICULTURE – A GROWTH AREA

may have heard about what is happening with Activision Blizzard in California. The company has been sued by a California state agency over accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination.

At first, the company denied that there were any issues. Employees revolted. The upper management went into crisis mode. Some heads rolled.

Activision hired famously anti-union consultants to “investigate.” Employees signed letters to the

The growth of greenhouse and vertical farming

company telling them to stuff it and made their own

opens the door for greater unionization in the

demands. Five hundred employees staged a walkout,

industrial farming sector. The employees of three

others working remotely did the same, and players

Sagami-Savoura greenhouses voted to unionize

supported them by logging-out of World of Warcraft

in August. This is part of 13 greenhouses where

in a co-ordinated fashion.

workers in production, warehousing and packaging are unionized. What makes this more interesting is that most of the new union members come from Guatemala and stay for a limited time in Canada; they have the same working conditions as Canadian workers.

SEEKING FAIRNESS More management heads have rolled. Workers at other gaming companies have been supporting the Blizzard employees, including 1,000 employees of

Ubisoft. The employees’ main demands are an end

Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver are all important

to mandatory arbitration clauses in their contracts,

gaming centres. What is happening in California

clauses that are beloved by some employers

today will have repercussions on the gaming

because they force the employee to work with an

industry on this side of the border.

independent arbiter, paid by the employer, instead of before a judge and jury in cases of discrimination.

The employees also want to have access to the compensation records, to be able to fight for fair pay, and to be able to vet human resources and management staff. At this time, there are no discussions about unionizing, but unless Activision reacts positively to their employees’ demands, the sheer volume of complaints about racism, harassment, sexism and lack of pay equity means

GETTING THE UNION YOU DESERVE

that could very well change.

You get the union you deserve; well-paid employees

Like the employees at La Cordée, Blizzard’s employee care about the quality of their work; however, they feel that they are victims of poor decisions of a management that protects harassers and racists, and that doesn’t pay employees fairly. At the very least, the employees have organized, stated their demands

40

40 years ago, the concept of parental leave or of policies to counter harassment in the workforce were not discussed.

who toil in a workplace free of harassment and discrimination will have few reasons to unionize or, when unionized, will have good labour relations with their employer. Employers who pay poorly, discriminate and abuse their staff, will get their comeuppance, sooner or later.

and are ready for more actions; the employer is now

Heck, even Canada Post management has seen

confronted by a proto-union.

the light.

SIDEONE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021

COMING UP:

A sampling of next month’s stories PUTTING IT IN WRITING

The first-hand experience of writing that first novel.

NEW MUSIC FROM NEW PLACES Discover some great music that might otherwise go unnoticed.

OVER HILLS AND DALES

The passion of an avid cyclist and some crazy long distance rides.

CONSPIRACY THEORIES

Our intrepid investigator returns to explore and expose a well known conspiracy.

THE PHOTO ESSAY - PRAGUE Another breathtaking exploration of one of Europe’s most beautiful places.

NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS…

You know, he always amazes us with new facts and finds. Stay tuned, folks.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1