November 25 - December 1, 2024 | |
In this issue...
• New Brunswick Indigenous community seeks to ensure the survival of traditional basket making
• Do tenants have the right to charge their electric vehicles on the landlord's dime?
• By the numbers X 10 + 1
• This cartoon character may be too young to retire, but the actress who voices him isn't
• Give the gift of delicious recipes this Christmas! Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
• The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night will be held on Monday, November 25!
• Christmas will be here on Wednesday, December 25!
• Before you go: 7 things you may have missed in the news
• Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
... and trivia, quotes and more!
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New Brunswick Indigenous community seeks to ensure the survival of traditional basket making
Making baskets has long been a tradition in Indigenous communities, but the skill has been disappearing among younger members of communities. Elsipogtog First Nation in New Brunswick, however, is seeking to change that by ensuring the art's survival.
The community has organized an in-depth course led by master basket maker Sandra Racine (see one of her exquisite baskets pictured above) where seven students have been put through their paces to learn all aspects of the tradition.
Article excerpt: "The class was created to spark interest and create skills in a traditional craft with a long history in Indigenous culture both for personal use and as a provider of income for artisans. Seven students have been attending classes since October 7. The course will end on December 13, 2024.
'Baskets are a very popular item in our Artisan Gift Shop,' says Lynn Francis, Director of Economic Development for Elsipogtog First Nation. 'Unfortunately, we were losing our talented craftspeople due to a number of factors, including death, age and other life circumstances. We recognized the need to properly educate other members of our community on the traditional ways of making baskets. We are very happy with the results and are confident that this class – and possible future ones – will create economic opportunities and save this important cultural tradition for years to come.'
'Basket-making is a very important part of our Mi’kmaq culture,' says Sandra Racine, an award-winning and renowned artist and master basket-maker who has instructed the class of seven students over the past several weeks. Her exquisite baskets are available in some galleries and through herself personally. 'For generations, basket-making was an important part of our culture. Not only did we use baskets for our own personal use, but members of our community sold them in order to make an income. Years ago, people from our community would travel to other areas – such as Moncton – on a regular basis to sell their baskets. This was how they fed their families.'"
The community anticipates that course graduates will produce baskets for their Artisan Gift Shop to sell, in addition to perhaps creating their own individual thriving personal basket-making businesses. The Elsipogtog Mi’kmaq Cultural Centre and Artisan Gift Shop is open to the public Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 29 Big Cove Road in Elsipogtog First Nation.
Photo: One of course instructor Sandra Racine's intricate baskets from her Facebook page.
Read: Elsipogtog First Nation seeks to ensure survival of traditional Mi'kmaq basket making skills through training and mentoring.
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Do tenants have the right to charge their electric vehicles on the landlord's dime?
Would you expect your landlord to pay for the gas in your car on a regular basis? Of course not. So the question is rightfully arising among landlords as to why they should be expected to provide "free" electricity to tenants who own electric vehicles (EVs), even if the cost is in included in their rent. It's definitely a dicey situation, but one that needs a resolution because both sides make sense.
Even though an EV is relatively cheap to charge, it adds an extra burden to landlords who include electricity in rents - or to landlords who have outdoor plugs as a courtesy to tenants for occasional use. Although just any old plug can't be used to charge an EV, I'm sure you understand the growing dilemma caused by this trend toward EVs.
Article excerpt: "An Ottawa man feels it's his right to charge his car overnight at his apartment building since electricity is included in his rent, but his landlord disagrees.
Joel Mac Neil says he has been charging his electric vehicle (EV) at his apartment building, the Park West, with no issues for three years, until now.
'I should be allowed to do this and I don't have to hide,' Joel Mac Neil said. 'I have every right to do this and charge here.'
On Oct. 7, he says the property owner saw the charger at his assigned parking spot and disabled the outlets in his row, saying they wouldn't pay for his drive to work.
Mac Neil counters that he asked his rental agent when he bought the car if he could charge at the building, and she gave him the green light.
He's been forced to make other arrangements to charge his vehicle, something he says is a violation of his tenants' rights.
Mac Neil thinks his situation is emblematic of a problem more Canadians will find themselves in, as Canada encourages its citizens to buy EVs."
My suggestion: Owners of EVs should be able to charge their vehicles based on a reasonable fee set by building owners, which may be higher than what owners can be charged elsewhere. The convenience would be worth it, no? I tend to sympathize with the landlords here. Obviously, in the case described in the above article, there was definitely a lack of communication and understanding.
Whatever the case, this issue will come up a thousand times more over the next few years. You can bet on that! It will be interesting to see how it evolves, but a solution will definitely need to be found.
Read: Is it a tenant's right to charge an EV at their rental?
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This cartoon character may be too young to retire, but the actress who voices him isn't
Poor Milhouse Van Houten. He's always played second fiddle to Bart Simpson, and now his voice is leaving after 35 years on the job. Voice actress Pamela Hayden is retiring after nearly four decades on the job.
Article excerpt: "Pamela Hayden, the actor behind beloved Simpsons character Milhouse, has announced her retirement from the show after 35 years and almost 700 episodes.
“The time has come for me to hang up my microphone,' Hayden, 70, said in a statement on Wednesday. 'It’s been an honour and a joy to have worked on such a funny, witty, and groundbreaking show… I’ll always have a special place in my heart for that blue-haired 10-year-old boy with glasses.'
Hayden has been a mainstay on The Simpsons since it premiered in 1989, playing Bart’s best friend Milhouse Van Houten as well as school bully Jimbo Jones, Ned Flanders’ sons Rod and Todd, Chief Wiggum’s wife Sarah and Lisa’s friend Janey Powell. But as she said in a video tribute shared by the show, Milhouse was her 'main guy'.
He was also a fan favourite: 'People would come up to me and they quote Milhouse lines,' Hayden said in the video, which included clips of the character over the years."
According to producers of The Simpons, the voices of Milhouse, Jimbo and the others will be recast. I wish them the best of luck. I still wince when I hear the "modern" Kermit the Frog talk after his original voice - Muppets creator Jim Hensen - passed away in 1990. It was just never the same. Surely with technology, though, the match can be made very closely. And really, how many more years does The Simpsons have after 35 years on the air? Well, I'm not so sure it will ever go off the air, much like Saturday Night Live (SNL), which is celebrating its 50th season this year.
Read: The Simpsons: Milhouse voice actor Pamela Hayden retires from show after 35 years.
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Give the gift of delicious recipes this Christmas! Buy them now! Acadian Recipes and More - Volumes 1, 2 & 3, and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1
My three volumes of Acadian recipe books (English and French) and Forgotten Recipes - Volume 1 are out now and make a great Christmas gift. They are available on Amazon Canada, Amazon USA and in some local retail outlets. (Click on the photo for a larger version.)
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The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Trivia Night will be held on Monday, November 25!
The next Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club Trivia Night of the 2024-2025 season will be held at St. Louis Bar & Grill, 1405 Mountain Road, Moncton, on Monday, November 25, beginning at 6:30 p.m. $10 per person (cash only). (Facebook event listing: bit.ly/3UxdHZj)
Participants may play as teams or individuals. The winning team gets 50% of the door receipts as their prize.
It is strongly suggested that participants arrive by 5:15-5:30 p.m. for a seat. Trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. sharp and is usually over by 8 p.m. Everyone welcome!
Please note that restaurant reservations are NOT available for this event. First come, first served. Limited seating of approximately 50 guests.
Participants may bring an optional non-perishable food item (box of granola bars, Kraft Dinner, cereal, etc.) for distribution at Krista Richard's Community Sports Program events, of which the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club is a sponsor. Any donations will be gratefully received and provided to Krista for distribution to her program participants (school-aged children from Moncton-area schools).
Since Rotary Trivia Nights began in 2016, the Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club has donated more than $20,000 to Atlantic Wellness, Karing Kitchen, Ray of Hope Kitchen, Salvus Clinic, The Humanity Project, BGC Moncton (Moncton Boys & Girls Club), Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Project Linus - Moncton Chapter, Habitat for Humanity, Junior Achievement New Brunswick, Children's Wish Canada and Krista Richard's Community Sports Program, among others.
The Greater Moncton Sunrise Rotary Club gratefully acknowledges the kind and generous sponsorship of our restaurant partner, St. Louis Bar & Grill.
PLEASE NOTE: There is a no telephone rule at these events. The answers cannot be researched except among discussion with your team members.
The remaining Trivia Night schedule for 2024-2025 is as follows:
• Monday, November. 25, 2024
• Monday, January 27, 2025
• Monday, February 24, 2025
• Monday, March 24, 2025
• Monday, April 28, 2025
• Monday, May 26, 2025
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Trivia: Did you know?
In the animal kingdom, the fingerprints that most resemble those of humans don't belong to apes, they actually belong to koala bears! In fact, experts often can't tell them apart!
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Quotes of note
• 1. "We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims."
- R. Buckminster Fuller(1895-1983), architect, writer, philosopher, inventor (see photo)
• 2. "If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep."
- Dale Carnegie
• 3. "If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves."
- Thomas A. Edison
• 4. "If we all worked on the assumption that what is accepted as true is really true, there would be little hope of advance."
- Orville Wright
• 5. "Elegance is inferior to virtue."
- Mary Shelley
• 6. "Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing."
- Abraham Lincoln
• 7. "I think somebody ought to do a survey as to how many great, important men have quit to spend time with their families who spent any more time with their family."
- Walter Cronkhite
• 8. "Nothing ever seems too bad, too hard or too sad when you've got a Christmas tree in the living room."
- Nora Roberts
• 9. "An optimist is someone who gets treed by a lion but enjoys the scenery."
- Walter Winchell
• 10. "If any of you cry at my funeral, I’ll never speak to you again!"
- Stan Laurel
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Enjoy the outdoors with the Greater Moncton Walking Group
In November, the group is walking in Irishtown Nature Park on Elmwood Drive until Thursday, November 28. Meet-up is in the parking lot.
In December, the group will be walking on the Humphrey Brook Trail in the Lewisville area of Moncton from Tuesday, December 3, until Tuesday, December 31. Meet-up is at the bottom of Martin Street. (Participants may park on the street.)
The group meets for walks every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30 a.m. New participants are always welcome! For more information, please contact Wayne Harrigan at 506-386-2187 or via email.
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About this newsletter
Brian Cormier's Weekly Update is distributed weekly from September to June. If you're reading this newsletter online and want to subscribe, please email me, fill out the subscription form on my website, or subscribe via the "Join Our Email List" button at the top of the newsletter (if you're viewing this in a browser.) This newsletter is not published in July and August and on holidays.
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