Sir Wilfred & Freedom

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1958 Was Very Weird In Cobourg

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Richard May was 63 years old. So what is the deal here? Was he trying to steal eggs? Was he unemployed and starving? Was it just to find a place to sleep? This is all that the Cobourg Sentinel-Star published on the issue. It's 1958 and there's a hen house in Cobourg. Was it the rooster that ratted out Mr May to Ms McCool. But get a load of the sentence: 30 days in the cooler for entering a hen house without permission.

Now this is an interesting story.

Fairfax M. Gifford, touted as being a "good shot" generously provided from his own gun collection a Riot Gun to the Cobourg Police Dept. Why? Because he "felt it was a good idea for the police to have a riot gun."

Town Councillor, Tom Jones, asks the most pertinent question of all, "Why? What is it for?"

The Mayor of the day quickly replied, "In case of emergency."

[Well, gosh, one can never know when Cobourg citizens might rise up in revolution and run amok, setting fire to businesses, overturning cars, that sort of thing]

Deputy-Reeve Erskine, as chair of the Police Committee and ever helpful to explain things, told the Town Council, "A riot gun is a sawed off shotgun."

The Mayor was quick to correct this misapprehension, exclaiming, "Not this one. It's got a long barrel, but it has a pump action."

So where is the gun now? That was 51 years ago and there have not been any recorded riots in Cobourg, a drunken brawl now and then, but a riot? C'mon.

Hi, my name's Wally Keeler. I'd like a Junkyard Licence.

You'll have to take a test.

What, like a driver's licence?

Yes. You need to know your junk.

How about junk laws?

You just failed Mr Keeler.

WARNING: If you're hitching, it is legal to be a stand-up guy about it. If you lay down on the job to take a rest it'll cost ya. Just ask James A. Harris, who did time in the local gaol. Tsk, Tsk. Lesson learned.

Victoria Park was a cow pasture. Now we know why those elm trees grew so magnificently.

Stumped for Creativity: Call for Ideas

The Town of Cobourg, Committee for Art in Public Spaces issued a Call for Submissions last July 3 to "all interested wood carvers, wood artists and sculptors ... to submit proposals to carve" the tree trunk/stump in Victoria Park. Below is the picture the town took to illiustrate its call.

The deadline for Expressions of Interest is Monday, July 20 at 4pm. Questions can be addressed to Renee Champagne rchampagne@cobourg.ca or call 905-372-4555

This is the same tree I illustrated as DOUBLE PLUS PEACE BABE with a Tree Poem. The thinking of Cobourg remained within the box when the call went only to wood carvers, wood artists, sculptors. I guess poets and other elements of the Creative Class might not have ideas.

I do hope the submissions will be exhibited to the public. It's a participatory thing. It is not that I recognize the public has any insight into what art is or isn't and what art is better than... If the art is going to be in the public domain, it stands to reason that their input be considered. The result is likely to be safe, bland and mediocre, but alas ... that's democrazy.

The Heeby-Jeeby Hijabberwocky

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Djavann especially condemns the veiling of little girls, calling it abuse because it makes them internalize at an early age that they should be ashamed: "Don't we hide what we are ashamed of?... Since childhood, these veiled girls feel guilty… From childhood, little girls are aware that they are a threat to boys and men…" In addition, the girls are a "constant threat to Islamic morals: a girl could bring about a crime, be slaughtered by her father or brothers to cleanse their sullied honor. Indeed, the honor of men is cleansed with girls' blood!"

The blog, Cobourg Atheist has a highly astute article concerning the hijab, the veil and its overall negative effects on women, girls and society. The critique was written by a Muslim woman, so that should shut the mouths of Western feminists and their knee-jerk accusation of that cannard, islamaphobia. It is most definitely worth a read. Canadian-Muslim, Tarek Fatah, author of Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State weighs in on the hijab in today's National Post.

Below is an example of how ludicrous western news media has become in prostating itself to the uber-sensitivities of a retrograde culture. I present this photo published in the Toronto Star to illustrate an article on Visions Of Mohammed, along with my disdainful response. This is how to read and respond to a news picture:

1957 Cobourg: Negroes, Spinsters, High Heeled Front Page & Union Shakedown

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It was front page headlines in the Cobourg Sentinel Star.

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Miss Maggie McIntosh just wanted to live a private life.

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Gorgeous Babe Busts a Heel right on the Main Street in full view of children. She legged it to Victoria Hall where she encountered The Mayor. This was published front page centre above the fold. Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

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Drama in the Public Utilities Commission office. Someone coulda been a contendah.

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COBOURG FEELS GOOD

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