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A Twinkle in your Wrinkle

Never look down on anybody, unless you're helping them up. Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special. Remember... Hold on tight to the ones you love!

Can you answer this riddle?

Here is a pretty neat little thing. See if you can guess the riddle at the end.

** We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boygirl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hannukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

Written with a pen. Sealed with a kiss. I'm here for you. And if I die before you do, I'll go to heaven and wait for you.

RIDDLE:

When asked this riddle, 80% of kindergarten kids got the answer, compared to 17% of Stanford University seniors.

What is greater than God, More evil than the devil, The poor have it, The rich need it, And if you eat it, you'll die?

Click here for the answer.

Zellers is coming back to Canada

HBC is bringing back Zellers in response to the trademark infringement in Quebec. The "store" will be inside Hudson Bay Stores. They are going to have to play in the field of Costcos and other discount  stores. 

Do you remember the slogan "The lowest price is the law?"

Multiple news outlets are reporting that the Hudson's Bay Co. is bringing back the iconic store it shut down a decade ago.

Zellers is remembered as the store with the affordable prices and it was my go-to store for small housewares, children's clothing and toys.

Now multiple retailers have entered the marketplace offering reasonable prices, including popular dollar stores, while the thrift behemoth Value Village has expanded in Canada. 

Zellers will start as an online retailer with brick and mortar stores coming next year. 

R.I.P Darius Campbell Danesh (1980 - 2022)

Darius Campbell Danesh, who rose to fame as a contestant on the British music competition series Pop Idol two decades ago and went on to star in multiple productions on London's West End, has died. He was 41.

The Scottish singer was found dead in his Rochester, Minnesota, apartment on Aug. 11, according to a statement from his family given to Deadline. His cause of death is currently unknown.

The Incomparable Mr. Bean

 

We do things differently in Canada, eh?

 

The Funniest Joke In The World...

This one will make you die laughing...

Wenn ist das Nunstück git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!

And one not so funny:

Der ver zwei peanuts, valking down der strasse, and von vas assaulted! ... peanut.

Bet you don't get this...

Omar Sachedina to take over helm as Chief News Anchor of CTV National News

Lisa LaFlamme Forced Out as Chief News Anchor 

at Canada’s CTV Network: 

“I Was Blindsided”

Omar Sachedina and Lisa LaFlamme

LaFlamme announced on her Twitter account that Bell Media had made a "business decision" to replace her with Omar Sachedina as host of CTV National News.

Lisa LaFlamme, chief news anchor at Canadian broadcaster CTV, has taken to Twitter to announce she has been forced out as host of CTV National News, the country’s top-rated newscast.

“On June 29, I was informed that [CTV parent] Bell Media made a ‘business decision’ to end my contract, bringing to a sudden close my long career with CTV News. I was blindsided and I’m still shocked and saddened by Bell Media’s decision,” LaFlamme announced Monday.

Since 2011, LaFlamme anchored CTV National News, and before that she worked for 10 years as CTV News’ national affairs correspondent. Bell Media issued a statement Monday explaining the decision to replace LaFlamme with Omar Sachedina. 

--Hollywood Reporter

Wizard's Note: It appears she is being replaced due to changing opinions of viewers. (read ratings and perceptions that the quality of the news has been going down, and that LaFlamme is the cause).

In my opinion, Omar Saachedina is by far a better anchor for the CTV National News. He has subbed in many times for LaFlamme, and I think he is the better choice. Lisa LaFlamme is stiff and portrays herself as uncaring, even when covering seriously bad news stories. Omar is affected or at least is percieved as being affected and overall a more human face for the CTV National News. This is a geat change for the news program and to ell you the truth, he's certainly not hard on the eyes. In the past my partner and I truly enjoyed Sachedina's newscasts when he was subbing for LaFlamme. 

Welcome to my living room, Omar, you deserve it and I wish you great success in taking over as Chief News Anchor of The CTV National News. 

Background on Omar Sachedina: (Wikipedia)

Omar Sachedina (born August 21, 1982) is a Canadian television journalist. He is to assume the role of chief news anchor and senior editor of CTV National News, effective September 5, 2022.

Omar Sachedina was born and raised in greater Vancouver in an Ismaili Muslim household. His family emmigrated from Uganda, as Indians from there they traced their roots to Gujarat in India. He speaks Kutchi, Gujarati and French fluently. Sachedina once mentioned that he was first bitten by the journalism bug at the early age of 12 after writing a letter to the editor of a local newspaper.

Curious about his parents' East African homeland, Sachedina travelled there in 2005 to report and produce a PBS Frontline Fellowship feature documentary titled Uganda: The Return, exploring the return of Asians to Uganda after the 1972 expulsion. He has also reported on the HIV/AIDS crisis in Kenya for CBC.ca.

Sachedina completed the International Baccalaureate Program while attending Port Moody Secondary School in Port Moody, British Columbia. He has a degree in Political Science and Philosophy from McGill University in Montreal, a Master's in Journalism from Columbia University in New York, and is a graduate of The Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida. 

Sachedina's work has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, and CBC Radio. While a student, Sachedina was an intern at Global News in Vancouver and Montreal, as well as CNN International in London, England. He later worked as a reporter for CTV Northern Ontario. He joined Citytv in July 2006, working on newscasts for both CityNews and CP24, where he remained until 2008.

While at CP24, Sachedina covered the 2009 Federal Budget from Ottawa, anchored the 2008 Canadian Federal Election night coverage, anchored the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election Night, and President Barack Obama's inauguration.

Omar Sachedina joined CTV National News as a correspondent in September, 2009, and has reported from the United States, Jordan, Israel, France, Mexico and South Africa. He also travelled to London, England to cover the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011. Later that year, Sachedina went to Oslo, Norway, to report on the murder of 77 people at a youth camp. In 2012, Sachedina reported breaking international news when he travelled to Newtown, Connecticut to cover the second deadliest school shooting in United States history, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Sachedina announced on Twitter on March 22, 2013, that he would be moving to Ottawa to assume the role of Parliamentary Correspondent. Sachedina previously resided in Toronto, Ontario. He is now based in Ottawa, working at CTV National News ' Ottawa Bureau.

Sachedina is a frequent guest host on Canada AM, and contributes to CTVNews.ca and CTV's W5. In March 2012, Sachedina delivered an investigative documentary with CTV's W5, entitled, Cold Comfort. He also serves frequently as a substitute anchor on CTV National News for Lisa LaFlamme and Sandie Rinaldo.

In 2020, Omar was nominated for Best National Reporter in the Canadian Screen Awards, but he was not the winner. In 2011, The National Post listed Sachedina on their Worthy 30 list, honouring the top successful men in Toronto.

Sachedina is the recipient of the 2010 RTNDA Canada President's Fellowship.

In 2020, Omar was nominated for Best National Reporter in the Canadian Screen Awards, but he was not the winner. In 2011, The National Post listed Sachedina on their Worthy 30 list, honouring the top successful men in Toronto.

Sachedina is the recipient of the 2010 RTNDA Canada President's Fellowship.

Female vs. Male Dictionary - Simplified!

 

SHARE and W-I-N!

 

Yes, that's right... The Wizard of 'OZ' is having a 

"SHARE and WIN" contest! 

 

All you have to do is share a POST from 'OZ' that you like (any post, any date!) Take a screenshot of where you shared the post, such as facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more, as long as it it is by social media* and not just emailed to a person. Then email the screenshot to The_Wizard@othersideoz.ca - please put "$50 Gift Card Contest" in the subject. I will not share your email address and will delete all information at the end of the contest.

  $50.00 Gift Card

 

A random draw will be made for one $50.00 (fifty dollar) Gift Card of your choice (provided the gift card is available for purchase in Canada). Contest open to anyone 16 years old or older and a resident of Canada (Void in Quebec) or The USA at the time of the random draw. 

 

The final winner will be declared on Sept 1st 2022 at 9PM (CST). The random drawing will be made by The Wizard of 'OZ' and the contest will be deemed to be over by 9PM (CST) on September 1st. 

 

Contest runs from July 2nd to September 1st 2022. Winner will be notified by the same email as the entry was submitted with. Contest may be extended past September 1, 2022 - If there are no entries during the contest period (The Wizard's prerogative.)

No purchase necessary.

*The fine print: Prize is in CDN dollars. The draw will be made September 1, 2022 by The Wizard of 'OZ', from all entries received up to and including September 1, 2022 at 9PM CST. There will be only one (1) winner chosen out of all entries received by the closing date and time. 1 gift card is available. The Wizard of 'OZ's decision will be final. Social media includes facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blogger (or other web log page), Linked in. Contest available only in Canada and The United States of America. Odds of winning is dependent upon the number of entries received. Winner's name will be published on 'OZ' (last name can be withheld by request). In the event that no one enters the contest, The Wizard reserves the right to extend the contest to a point in the future that The Wizard decides.  Contest void where prohibited by law. The Wizard of 'OZ' and the blog 'OZ' - The 'Other' Side of the Rainbow make no money from this contest nor from the blog as a whole. The purpose of this contest is to increase visitors to my blog. Again, I make no money from the blog and 'OZ' - The 'Other' Side of the Rainbow is 100% Paid ad free.

From The Emerald City

   

My Dear 'OZ'ians,

As you know, The Wizard makes no money from 'OZ' - The 'Other' Side of the Rainbow. I have strived to keep those annoying ads off my blog. I do qualify for Google Ads but they are too visible and mess up my blog design.  I do promote things from time to time, but those are my endorsements, and again, I am not being paid to post them.

I am seeking donations to help me offset the costs of hosting web pages, pictures and other costs associated with my blog. It costs me about $800/ year to support 'OZ'. If you feel that 'OZ' - The 'Other' Side of the Rainbow is worth it, I would appreciate if you could donate some money to help me offset the costs and continue to post on the blog. Every dollar helps!

You can send your donation via e-transfer to my email address:

The_Wizard@othersideoz.ca

I have also setup a fundraiser on PayPal. Click here to go to PayPal and make a donation.

I have also setup a GoFundMe page if you would like to donate there. Click here.

Thanks so much for considering a donation!

If you decide not to donate, let me know if you would like your web page link posted on 'OZ'. If I post a link for you, I would appreciate you linking to my blog. Beneficial for both of us!

Send your questions to The Wizard of 'OZ' by clicking here.

The Wizard

Can you find the hidden SpongeBob?

 

Click here for help

A great way to recycle!

 

I'll never 'tire' of the crocodiles

Things I wish I had known..

 

Click here.

A Daily Affirmation

With open heart and opened mind, 

I embrace the world. 

In perfect love and perfect trust, 

I embrace the world. 

Let all who I encounter 

Grant me the same accord. 

May we see only friends 

In the faces that we pass. 

Cast off dark thoughts 

And walk into the light. 

This is my will.

So mote it be.

"AnkhIwiEmHotep"  

Life and Peace be with You 

--Cinosam

What does this random wallpaper mean?

I have a program that downloads random wallpapers (Variety). This one displayed today but I don't get it. Any ideas?

Canadian Slang Quiz

Can you guess the correct definition of the following terms? Answers are below.

1. Bunny hug

A: Chocolate Easter egg

B: Fuzzy slippers

C: Hooded sweatshirt

2. Miskeen

A: Petty thief

B: Patchwork quilt

C: Pathetic

3. Dep

A: Corner store

B: Mason jar

C: Certainly

4. Nuisance grounds

A: Garbage dump

B: Schoolyard

C: Legion branch

5. Skoden

A: Snowmobile tracks

B: Let’s go, then

C: Family picnic

6. Jambuster

A: Jam-filled doughnut

B: Kitchen party

C: Tugboat sent to break up logjams

7. Scribbler

A: Notebook

B: Leaky boat engine

C: Defensive hockey player

8. Huck

A: Eat quickly

B: Hitchhike

C: Throw

9. Donnybrook

A: Brawl

B: Good-looking boy

C: Swimming hole

10. Skookum

A: In the sky

B: Strong or brave

C: Grandmother

11. Windrows

A: Hedges planted to shelter crops

B: Depressed mood

C: Snow left blocking a driveway after a snowplow passes

12. Mamaqtuq

A: Delicious

B: Town gossip

C: Beautiful morning

13. Guichet

A: Tacky

B: Bank machine

C: Cotton undershirt

14. Ahlie

A: Skateboard trick

B: Am I right?

C: Go away!

15. Right good

A: Excellent

B: Poor quality

C: Lucky thrift-store find

1. Answer: C—Hooded sweatshirt (Saskatchewan)

2. Answer: C—Pathetic (Ontario, from Arabic)

3. Answer: A—Corner store (Quebec, from French)

4. Answer: A—Garbage dump (West)

5. Answer: B—Let’s go, then (multiple First Nations)

6. Answer: A—Jam-filled doughnut

7. Answer: A—Notebook (mainly the Maritimes)

8. Answer: C—Throw (West)

9. Answer: A—Brawl (hockey commentary)

10. Answer: B—Strong or brave (West)

11. Answer: C—Snow left blocking a driveway after a snowplow passes (mainly the Prairies)

12. Answer: A—Delicious (North, Inuktitut)

13. Answer: B—Bank machine (Quebec, from French)

14. Answer: B—Am I right? (Ontario, from Jamaican patois)

15. Answer: A—Excellent (Atlantic)

100 Ways To Live To 100

 

I know that you have seen this before. Another reminder. Click here.

The Significance Of The Rainbow Flag

Many people out there don't even recognize it, but to the queer community, it represents a great importance. There is also Stonewall. The bear at the top left corner of my blog is a called 'Stoney', after the Stonewall Inn Riots in New York. My best friend brought it back from San Francisco for me. (I took a picture of it).

In the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, the police raided the Stonewall Inn, a dingy, Mafia-run "private club" on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village with a predominantly gay clientele. The event is still a hot topic of debate in gay circles, with much disagreement about what actually precipitated the violence and who took part in it.

One legend holds that Judy Garland's funeral, held June 27, 1969, in Manhattan, fanned the flames of gay rage. Other versions of the story claim that dozens of sequined drag queens and a mysterious, unidentified butch lesbian were at the forefront of the street rebellion. But a few facts seem certain.

The inverted Pink triangle is also a symbol for the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and trans-gendered). The inverted pink triangle (rosa Winkel) was a symbol used by the Nazis during the Holocaust to identify male homosexual prisoners.

It was often larger than the other identifying triangles so as to allow homosexuals to be avoided and singled out at a distance. Between 10,000 and 600,000 gay men and women died in the Holocaust. In the 1970s, gay liberation groups resurrected the pink triangle as a popular symbol for the gay rights movement.

Not only is the symbol easily recognized, but it draws attention to oppression and persecution -- then and now. Today, for many the pink triangle represents pride, solidarity, and a promise to never allow another Holocaust to happen again.

Click on the flag above to find the reasons behind the rainbow colours.