The New York Post, with the third-largest readership in the United States, is a working man’s paper. It’s a provocative, lean-to-the-right, tabloid. No surprise that it embraces all things Trump. And so, the comment section attached to its stories gives you a pretty good idea what the ‘man-in-the-street’ is thinking, or not thinking.
So it was with its story on the outbreak of U.S. national anthem booing at sports event in Canada.
Within a couple of hours of the story being posted online, 280 comments were registered, and counting.
A few samples, some showing how many Americans are ignorant about their northern neighbour:
– Canada has an euthanasia program to kill off its seniors so that they can be replaced by immigrants.
– How about getting our pro sports teams (and players) out of Canada.
– Fact is, their president is doing nothing to stop illegal crossings into the U.S.
– They (Canadians) aren’t our friends.
– That’s not very respectful of the residents of the 51st state.
– Long as we give Canada billions (dollars) and provide it with military protection they love us. Ask them to be equal partners and they act like toddlers. Boo hoo!
– Canada never fought for its freedom.
– They’ve never had our back.
– Let them boo all they want. They’re no longer going to take advantage of the U.S.
– Canada should stop pretending it’s a real country.
– We should get (aka kick) Canadian retirees out of Florida.
– Will Canadians play even slower on golf courses here (Florida)? They never let faster (American) players through.
– Close the border for a year.
– Governor Gretzky better straighten them out.
– They’re parasites sucking us dry.
– How do Canadians get a reputation for being polite. I live in Buffalo. Canadians are rude and awful people.
– A pathetic military made up of losers. Trump had to get rid of their prime minister for them.
– Listen up Canada, don’t mess with us.
As somebody once said, Americans, for the most part, are benevolently ignorant of all things Canadian. Not so sure about the benevolent thing in the Trump era.
FEBRUARY 1948: Cornwall became the first city in Canada to have its entire transit fleet made up of electric trolley buses. Cornwall Light and Power Co. replaced its street cars (aka trams). The conversion, that included purchasing 15 coaches, cost $500,000. … The Department of Public Works dismantled five army huts erected in the city during the Second World War and moved them to the new Burritt’s Rapids farm prison. Inmates from the prison farm were used to take down the huts that included a drill hall and field hospital. Three other huts were donated to the city. They were set up at city parks as club houses. … Despite three weeks of below zero (Fahrenheit) temperatures, the Longue Sault Rapids were not frozen over. The only time area resident Bill Barker could recall the rapids harnessed by ice was in 1915. … Margaret Jodoin was crowned Our Citizens of Tomorrow (OCOT) winter carnival queen. The team of Harry Laplante and Jerry DiCola won the soap box race on ice. … Four leap day babies were born in the city. … Mayor Lloyd Gallinger rapped the knuckles of members of council who didn’t have a perfect attendance record. He reminded them that they had a duty to the residents to attend council and committee meetings. … Despite a plea by defence lawyer J. A. McMahon for mercy, a 28-year-old city man was sentenced to five years in prison and 10 strokes of the lash for attempted rape. The lawyer noted that his client had little education and low intelligence and there was no evidence of a rape attempt. He argued it was more a case of physical assault. The judge called the attempted assault a “merciless, brutal and barbaric’ attack. The jury took one hour to reach a guilty verdict. … The police commission – made up of two judges and the mayor – refused to sign a work agreement with members of the police force but did boost annual salaries that provided an annual range of $1,600 (probation) to $2,200 (first class). The chief’s salary was increased to $3,500. Calvin Scott was hired as a probationary officer. Members were give five stat holidays and two weeks annual vacation. … The revived Cornwall Curling Club was enjoying a membership boost. The club, using the Cornwall Community Arena for a second season, had 115 male members and 65 female members. … Hard to believe, but the Alexandria Maroons goaltender actually made some saves in a 35-0 loss to Cornwall Calumets in a Cornwall and District Intermediate Hockey League game. Rheal Savard led the assault with seven goals. A few weeks earlier, the Maroons were trounced 28-3 by the Cals. (On
Feb. 10, 1966 the Royals blasted Hawkesbury Meteors 43-0 in a Central Junior Hockey League mismatch). … In St. John’s, Nfld., 34 bed-ridden residents of a three-storey, frame ‘old people’s’ home died in a horrific fire. Only six residents escaped.
TRIVIA: He is the only Independent member of Parliament to represent a riding that included Cornwall.
TRIVIA ANSWER: Former U.S. President Harry Truman toured in the St. Lawrence Power Project on April 26, 1958 and attended a civic luncheon at the Cornwallis Hotel.
QUOTED: “In Hollywood, all the marriages are happy. It’s trying to live together afterwards that causes all the problems.” – Shelly Winters
ONE FINAL THING: Ten lashes with a wet noodle for the scribbler. Last week we mistakenly said Dick Butkus played the lead role in Blazing Saddles. It was Alex Karras. It was a laugh-a-minute flick with that great scene when Mongo (Karras) dropped a horse with one punch. Of course, it was staged. He never touched the horse who was trained to take the fall when the trainer/rider pulled on the strap. Nevertheless, the horse deserved an Oscar and bag of oats.
