In 1966, I was planning a trip to the United States during the summer break from college. As it happened, the UK and parts of Europe suddenly had a spike in smallpox cases.
America demanded that all visitors to the country must have been vaccinated against smallpox and had to show proof of such vaccination.
I went to my GP and requested a smallpox vaccination and asked what was the proof of vaccination. He gave me the vaccination and a small book that was acceptable to the authorities. I am assuming to both the US and WHO standards. In it he wrote the name of the vaccine, and the date and his signature.
Then, I had to take the little book to Wembley Town Hall where the county medical health office was located. There, a charming bureaucratic lady took out a book of all the doctors in the county, with an example of their signature. She compared my GP's signature in the little book, agreed it was the same thing, and took out a little bureaucratic rubber stamp and proceeded to place the requisite stamp into my little book. It verified that everything was above board. I truly was vaccinated against smallpox. I had to show that little document when I arrived at passport control at JFK that summer.
Whenever they finally sort out COVID-19, I envisage a similar kind of document for travelers proving that:
a) they have tested negative for COVID-19 within the last 14 days, or,
b) if a vaccine is available, we will have to be vaccinated and the signatures authenticated.
This process is in place, has been used for decades, but if a Covid-19 vaccine becomes available, I am sure there will be people claiming infringement of all manner of liberties!!
Saturday, 27 June 2020
Saturday, 20 June 2020
I had a talk with my man
It is amazing how some friendships start and what it is that holds them together for nearly 6 decades.
It was my first month of attending Regent St., Polytechnic in 1964. The daily lecture schedule always began with an economics lecture in the main auditorium and then after 90 minutes or so we had a break.
Almost everybody would go to the cafeteria and have a cuppa tea. As one would expect from impoverished students, we had nothing more than a "round of toast." Do you know what a round of toast is? A peculiar English phrase meaning two slices of bread toasted, lightly buttered and then cut into a triangle; at least that is my memory of it.
The cafeteria had long tables with seats all around. We usually just plonked down without regard to who we were sitting next to. As it was our first month, friendships had not really been cemented yet. However, there I was sitting at a table, when a guy at the adjoining table leaned, over tapped me on the shoulder, and said:
“ heard a song on radio Luxemburg last night, a really great song by a female singer about her boyfriend. Do you know what it is?”
No, hello, my name is... or, who are you, whatever. Simply a question about music.
His name was Paul, as I found out later. I had never spoken to him before and I have never known why he picked on me. But he made a good choice because I was mad on music, particularly, as it turns out, the same kind of R&B and female group singers that he liked. I answered:
“ I bet it was I had a talk with my Man by Mitty Collier on Chess.”
“ yes yes, that’s the one. Do you want to go buy it at lunchtime?”
“OK, I replied.”
And so began the friendship that has lasted 56 years and counting.
There was no introduction it was straight into a question with a Stranger that happened to hit the mark. The quirkiness of that introduction was replicated in our relationship over the following decades. No one understood Paul the way I did, not even his beautiful wife, that I am pleased to say remains one of my friends to this day.
That simple music question led to a friendship that resulted in the three of us emigrating to Canada in 1970.
It was my first month of attending Regent St., Polytechnic in 1964. The daily lecture schedule always began with an economics lecture in the main auditorium and then after 90 minutes or so we had a break.
Almost everybody would go to the cafeteria and have a cuppa tea. As one would expect from impoverished students, we had nothing more than a "round of toast." Do you know what a round of toast is? A peculiar English phrase meaning two slices of bread toasted, lightly buttered and then cut into a triangle; at least that is my memory of it.
The cafeteria had long tables with seats all around. We usually just plonked down without regard to who we were sitting next to. As it was our first month, friendships had not really been cemented yet. However, there I was sitting at a table, when a guy at the adjoining table leaned, over tapped me on the shoulder, and said:
“ heard a song on radio Luxemburg last night, a really great song by a female singer about her boyfriend. Do you know what it is?”
No, hello, my name is... or, who are you, whatever. Simply a question about music.
His name was Paul, as I found out later. I had never spoken to him before and I have never known why he picked on me. But he made a good choice because I was mad on music, particularly, as it turns out, the same kind of R&B and female group singers that he liked. I answered:
“ I bet it was I had a talk with my Man by Mitty Collier on Chess.”
“ yes yes, that’s the one. Do you want to go buy it at lunchtime?”
“OK, I replied.”
And so began the friendship that has lasted 56 years and counting.
There was no introduction it was straight into a question with a Stranger that happened to hit the mark. The quirkiness of that introduction was replicated in our relationship over the following decades. No one understood Paul the way I did, not even his beautiful wife, that I am pleased to say remains one of my friends to this day.
That simple music question led to a friendship that resulted in the three of us emigrating to Canada in 1970.
Wednesday, 17 June 2020
Libraries
Most people know that I lived in Kingsbury, NW London during my school years and early adulthood.
However the suburban area our house was located within a little area everybody just called the "Village". I never thought much of it at the time but I have come to learn that it was a reference to Roe Green Village, and its adjoining open space just called Roe Green. It is in fact, a 1000 year old village and it is referenced in the Domesday book of 1086. There was nothing that old in the village; However, there was a quaint setting of small cottages with beautiful thatched roofs. In the same location as those cottages was a small library, an offshoot of the main library in Wembley town hall. This little library on Stag Lane in the village served me well all my growing up years.
I had a library card almost as soon as we arrived and when my Nana joined us she too was an avid reader. I remember many occasions that she and I would walk from 16 Princess Avenue to that little library on Stag Lane to take out the three books that you were allowed at one time.
Whoever ran the library was culturally aware and a very astute person. The little reading room for newspapers not only had the obvious The Times, Daily Mail, The Daily Express, The Manchester Guardian (as it was known back then, now, simply The Guardian.) Our local paper naturally, but also many magazines. I went regularly every week to read the latest copy of Autocar, Motor, National Geographic, Scientific American and as I look back on it now I realize they did not stock any of the tabloid magazines. Something that would be unheard of in the modern world.
What was especially interesting as you walked in there was the check out and return desk facing you, but right in front of that, was a table displaying the new additions. The librarian must have particularly liked to read the Sunday Times and The Observer for their book reviews; because what had just been reviewed was prominently displayed. As those were two of the six newspapers we got every Sunday at No.16, I and my friends looked over the new books for the ones that might interest us. It was great to be able to walk around the corner and borrow them as soon as they were published. It may not seem like much in today's world of clicking on your computer or iPad and having access to millions of books and journals, but it was pretty rare back in the fifties and sixties to live in a little suburban enclave and have such ready access to current books. It was especially significant as the library often had the books before they made the bestseller list or became controversial and then everybody wanted to borrow them!
As I said it was a small library, it did not have tens of thousands of books but a very eclectic collection. It focused on fiction and then in one corner, it had a non-fiction stack of shelves full of science books.
Starting from the time I was about 12 until I emigrated to Canada in 1970, I can proudly claim that I read every science book in the library; regardless of which science discipline it was featuring. So began a lifelong love of science.
However the suburban area our house was located within a little area everybody just called the "Village". I never thought much of it at the time but I have come to learn that it was a reference to Roe Green Village, and its adjoining open space just called Roe Green. It is in fact, a 1000 year old village and it is referenced in the Domesday book of 1086. There was nothing that old in the village; However, there was a quaint setting of small cottages with beautiful thatched roofs. In the same location as those cottages was a small library, an offshoot of the main library in Wembley town hall. This little library on Stag Lane in the village served me well all my growing up years.
I had a library card almost as soon as we arrived and when my Nana joined us she too was an avid reader. I remember many occasions that she and I would walk from 16 Princess Avenue to that little library on Stag Lane to take out the three books that you were allowed at one time.
Whoever ran the library was culturally aware and a very astute person. The little reading room for newspapers not only had the obvious The Times, Daily Mail, The Daily Express, The Manchester Guardian (as it was known back then, now, simply The Guardian.) Our local paper naturally, but also many magazines. I went regularly every week to read the latest copy of Autocar, Motor, National Geographic, Scientific American and as I look back on it now I realize they did not stock any of the tabloid magazines. Something that would be unheard of in the modern world.
What was especially interesting as you walked in there was the check out and return desk facing you, but right in front of that, was a table displaying the new additions. The librarian must have particularly liked to read the Sunday Times and The Observer for their book reviews; because what had just been reviewed was prominently displayed. As those were two of the six newspapers we got every Sunday at No.16, I and my friends looked over the new books for the ones that might interest us. It was great to be able to walk around the corner and borrow them as soon as they were published. It may not seem like much in today's world of clicking on your computer or iPad and having access to millions of books and journals, but it was pretty rare back in the fifties and sixties to live in a little suburban enclave and have such ready access to current books. It was especially significant as the library often had the books before they made the bestseller list or became controversial and then everybody wanted to borrow them!
As I said it was a small library, it did not have tens of thousands of books but a very eclectic collection. It focused on fiction and then in one corner, it had a non-fiction stack of shelves full of science books.
Starting from the time I was about 12 until I emigrated to Canada in 1970, I can proudly claim that I read every science book in the library; regardless of which science discipline it was featuring. So began a lifelong love of science.
I am a staunch supporter of libraries and how empowering they are for all people in the community.
Support Your Library !
Monday, 1 June 2020
Albums that influenced me
I, like many others on Facebook, were given a task to choose ten albums that greatly influenced my taste in music. One album per day for ten consecutive days. It was supposed to be just album covers. However, I could not resist a few comments.
* Billy Joel’s brilliant The Stranger. 26 million and counting copies have been sold worldwide.
The vivid story telling of Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) is brilliant. One never tires of the description of Italian American Brooklyn. Only one of the great songs that are featured.
The vivid story telling of Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) is brilliant. One never tires of the description of Italian American Brooklyn. Only one of the great songs that are featured.
“Anthony works in the grocery store
"Savin' his pennies for someday”
"Savin' his pennies for someday”
* One of the great English artists riding the wave of the British Invasion of the Sixties was Joe Cocker. He made his mark by redefining the Beatles ‘With a Little Help from my Friends'. However, this album, simply called Joe Cocker pointed the way for the rest of his career. A major interpreter of other writers’ songs. Listen to Delta Lady on this LP (Leon Russel’s song) and John Sebastian’s Masterpiece, Darling, Be Home Soon. A love song I wish I had written.
* My introduction to Fusion Rock was this next album, The Mahavishnu Orchestra with The Inner Mounting Flame.
Amazing sound. I saw them in Toronto, the opening act was Weather Report. What a line up.
Listen to this with headphones... it will fill your brain.
Amazing sound. I saw them in Toronto, the opening act was Weather Report. What a line up.
Listen to this with headphones... it will fill your brain.
* The amazing Rolling Stones Let it Bleed. Christmas 1969 I played this constantly as I prepared to emigrate. You can’t always get what you want. At that juncture, I had little clue as to what I really wanted. A change; seemed simple enough, do not know why I had to move continents!
Never regretted that decision, nor have I tired of this album.
Never regretted that decision, nor have I tired of this album.
* The amazing Joni Mitchell and Blue. Also on many other friends’ top 10 list.
What can I say.. Universal emotions yet something very Canadian for me to relate to.
What can I say.. Universal emotions yet something very Canadian for me to relate to.
* Here is THE ultimate Otis Redding album, Otis Blue. Recorded in less than 48 hours straight, between shows. Backed by the amazing Booker T & the MG's plus Memphis horns. What soul and RnB was all about in the Sixties. I have never stopped playing it.
* THE album that turned everyone on to psychedelic rock was Surrealistic Pillow. At first I did not “get” it. Now, it remains on my everyday playlist. Jefferson Airplane’s 2nd LP but first with Grace Slick. The instrumental Embryonic Journey from this LP was used in the closing scene of the last 'Friends' episode..
* Here is THE album that lead me to be a life-long devotee of this group & each member within.
At school, we all wondered how an instrumental could ooze so much soulfulness... no words, just an aching bluesy organ line then a wicked guitar break. Green Onions by Booker T & the MG's.
At school, we all wondered how an instrumental could ooze so much soulfulness... no words, just an aching bluesy organ line then a wicked guitar break. Green Onions by Booker T & the MG's.
* Now THE album that lead me to begin a 60 year admiration for Bob Dylan, Freewheelin'. It captivated me back in 1963, won over my friends- - and a whole generation.
* Here is one of the first vinyls I acquired. A birthday present for a 12 year old boy. Benny Goodman and his Orchestra, Trio and Quartet Live Radio Performances. I loved big band music.
(I still have this LP down in the locker room in the Condo.)
(I still have this LP down in the locker room in the Condo.)
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