Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Edward Brain

As this is the second Monday in October, I would like to wish everyone in Canada a Happy Thanksgiving.

Let’s discuss the history of Thanksgiving in Canada: Continue reading →

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Peter Grimes at the C.O.C.

Posted on October 12, 2013 by Edward Brain

I attended the October 11th performance of Peter Grimes by the Canadian Opera Company (C.O.C.)  The production is directed by Neil Armfield starring Ben Heppner (Peter Grimes), Ileana Montalbetti (Ellen Orford), Alan Held (Captain Balstrode), Jill Grove (Auntie), and Thomas Hauff (Dr. Crabbe.)  C.O.C. Music Director Johannes Debus conducted the C.O.C. orchestra.

The entire production takes place inside a community centre with a stage in the background, with the exception of the scene in Grimes’ hut (the back of the set, containing the stage, moves up in order to become the hut.)  This certainly works considering that the community has such a strong impact over the events in the opera. Continue reading →

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League Championship Series

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Edward Brain

Now that the Detroit Tigers have eliminated the Oakland Athletics in five games, we can talk about the League Championship Series:

American League Championship Series (A.L.C.S)

In the American League, the Detroit Tigers take on the Boston Red Sox.  Detroit won the regular season series four games to three.  Detroit is the defending American League Pennant winners while this is Boston’s first trip to the A.L.C.S. since 2008. Continue reading →

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The Battle of Ontario

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Edward Brain

With the Toronto Maple Leafs set for the play their home opener against the Ottawa Senators, another year of the ‘Battle of Ontario’ is set to start.  Let’s take a look at the history of the Battle:

  • The Battle of Ontario, as we know it, started in 1992 when the Ottawa Senators entered the National Hockey League (N.H.L.) Continue reading →
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Condominium Must Respect Human Rights Act

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Edward Brain

I’d like to discuss Gerry Hyman’s latest article. The first question is as follows:

QUESTION:  I am renting my townhouse condominium to a person with a visual disability. I put up an orange mailbox so that the tenant would be able to more easily distinguish his condo from neighbouring condos. I have been advised that the mailbox, under the rules, is to be brown, white or black and must be changed. Must I comply? Continue reading →

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Baseball Divisional Series

Posted on October 3, 2013 by Edward Brain

The wild card games are in the bag for 2013.  Now we can move onto the divisional series (first round) of the Major League Baseball (M.L.B.) playoffs.

American League Divisional Series (A.L.D.S.)

In the A.L., the Eastern Division Champion Boston Red Sox take on the high flying Tampa Bay Rays who had to win three straight games to get here (the final game of the regular season vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, the tie breaker against the Texas Rangers, and then the wild card game in Cleveland, and all three games on the road.) Continue reading →

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Are the St. Louis Cardinals the Best Team of the 21st Century?

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Edward Brain

Despite their failure to capture the World Series this year, there is a question we need to discuss: are the St. Louis Cardinals the best in the 21st Century?  I would certainly say they are.

Let’s just look at their success – since 2000, they have won two World Series (2006, 2011), four National League (N.L.) Pennants (2004, 2006, 2011, 2013), won the Central Division Title eight times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2013) and have won the wild card three times (2001, 2011, 2012.)  In 2001, the Cardinals were tied with the Houstan Astros for first place in the N.L. Central Division.  Major League Baseball (M.L.B.) awarded both teams the division title, but as the Astros beat the Cardinals in their season series, the Cardinals were award the wild card spot.  That means over the span 14 seasons, the Cardinals have only missed the playoffs four times. Continue reading →

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Leafs vs. Habs: The Greatest Rivalry

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Edward Brain

With the Maple Leafs 4-3 win last night in the NHL opener last night, and the injury to George Parros, let review the greatest rivalry of all time.

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It’s now the end of the National Hockey League (NHL) 2012-2013 regular season, with the Toronto Maple Leafs playing host to their arch rivals the  Montreal Canadiens.  The Canadiens would win 4-1, to finish the regular season with 29 wins, 14 losses, and five overtime losses, good enough for first place in the Northeast Division and second place overall in the Eastern Conference.  The Maple Leafs finished with a record of 26 wins, 17 losses, and five overtime losses for 57 points, good for third place in the Northeast Divsion and fifth place overall in the Eastern Conference.

Let’s look at the greatest rivalry in sports:

The Maple Leafs and Habs have met 15 times in the post season, the last time being in 1979.  Of those meetings, five have been for the Stanley Cup (1947, 1951, 1959, 1960, 1967) with the Leafs winning three of those finals.  The two…

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M.L.B. Wild Card Match-ups

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Edward Brain

Now that the Tampa Bay Rays have defeated the Texas Rangers to secure the second wild card in the American League (A.L.), let’s look at the wild card match-ups:

In the National League (N.L.), the Cincinnati Reds visit the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Pirates are soaring high this year.  This year is the first year that the Pirates have ended the season with a winning season, or made the playoffs, since 1992.  Because of this, my opinion is that the Pirates will take the wild card game over Cincinnati. Continue reading →

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Munenori Kawasaki Deserves Another Year in Toronto

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Edward Brain

Blue Jays player Munenori Kawasaki has earned a spot on the 25 man roster for Toronto in 2014.  He certainly has Blue Jays fans behind him – even when he grounds out, the crowds in Toronto applaud him for his efforts.

Let’s review what Kawasaki has done to deserve a spot on the 25 man roster next year: Continue reading →

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