Happy Canada Day!

I prefer when it was still called Dominion Day, but I also prefer "Brewer's Retail" over "The Beer Store".

This is also the 99th anniversary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme, the single biggest military disaster in British history, and thus also the anniversary of the annihilation of the Blue Puttees of Newfoundland. Newfoundland was still a British colony at the time, and Britain was so grateful for their courage and sacrifice that they rid themselves of the colony at the first possible opportunity.

Other memorable anniversaries would include the Battle of the Boyne, or perhaps not, depending on what calendar you use. Drink a toast to Seamus Acaca.

I'm lazy today, so I'll just post a few videos.

Remember this?




Here someone on the American News covers the story of our Highway of Heroes, and gets it right.




If you are a Canadian my age or older, you will remember this guy, even though you may not remember that his name was Roger Doucet:




True story: Sportswriter Paul Zimmerman (Dr. Z.) once wrote that he wishes American singers would sing their anthem the way Roger Doucet sang the Canadian one. Also true: Doucet changed the way we sing the anthem. He either invented or popularized singing the final"for thee!" an octave higher than was originally written.


Lastly, our original anthem:

So, whether you believe we were named from the Algonquin words "ka-na-ta" meaning "collection of huts" or from the Portuguese words "ca nada" meaning "here is nothing", happy Canada Day to you all.