SUMMER 2021 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 10
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
Covid shutdown and the impact on children
LEARNING TO FLY
The pilot, his sister and the plane that took off on its own – almost
THE PHOTO ESSAY
NYC – pictures and a story that could only be from New York
INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS
CRYPTOCURRENCY Confused? You should be
ISSN 2563-9005
Harder than they should be, even today
IN THIS ISSUE... WELCOME TO SIDEONE. PG.03
An introduction and an explanation.
A MILLENNIAL’S POV. PG.04
Having a third boy and that’s OK.
NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS… PG.37
Laura Secord, Michael J. Fox, Josephine Baker and more in this month’s edition.
SENSIBLE DOLLARS. PG.40
Confused about cryptocurrency? Read on.
PEER PRESSURE. PG.08
Doing things you wouldn’t normally do – why?
COMING UP. PG.45
See you in September.
LEARNING TO FLY. PG.12
The time the plane almost left without a pilot.
THE PHOTO ESSAY. PG.16
NYC – Pictures and experiences from the one and only.
NEW MUSIC FROM NEW PLACES. PG.25 Some easygoing, breezy vibes that are just right for the days of summer.
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT. PG.30
Reduced socialization and the impact on children.
INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS. PG.33 More complicated than they need to be.
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SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
FOR THE GENERATION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING. Editor and publisher: Kevin Gilligan Contact Email: sideone@gilligangroup.net Mail: PO Box 43503 Leaside Toronto, ON M4G 3B0 Phone: 416-489-9257 SideOne Magazine is published monthly online @ www.sideonemagazine.ca SideOne Magazine is a division of The Gilligan Group Inc.
WELCOME TO ISSUE #10
FOR THE GENERATION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING Kevin Gilligan is the editor and publisher of SideOne Magazine. After years in marketing and advertising, he decided to do something he truly loves. Welcome to SideOne and welcome to our summer edition. We’re taking a break over the summer but will be back in September to celebrate our first anniversary! Need more to read? Catch up on some past issues @ https://issuu.com/sideonemagazine If you’re new to reading SideOne, it was an idea that came from a simple observation. Magazines I used
FLYING WITH YOUR SISTER AND STAYIN’ ALIVE, STAYIN’ ALIVE. A young pilot takes his sister for her first flight on one of his first flights as a pilot.
MORE GREAT NEW MUSIC. Summer and song go together like gin and tonic – if
to read no longer held my interest or that of my
you like gin and tonic. Grab a lawn chair, the Spotify
friends. The magazines had moved on to younger
playlist and enjoy this month’s New Music from New
readers. With that in mind, my goal was to create a
Places.
magazine with stories of interest to our generation retirement or aging.
THAT TRIP TO NEW YORK, OH WHAT A TRIP.
Here are a few highlights that I hope you’ll find of
and read the story of a young man’s journey to the
interest.
city that never sleeps. It’s almost too incredible to
– a human interest magazine that wasn’t about
Enjoy the sites of NYC in this month’s photo essay
believe!
A THIRD BOY AND THAT’S OK. Our intrepid millennial returns, this time to give us
BITCOIN, CRYPTOCURRENCY…
her perspective as a young mom expecting a third
Confused? That’s a reasonable reaction. Find out
boy. It’s amazing hearing the reactions to having a
more in this month’s Sensible Dollars.
third boy.
And again, the answer to the question of “Why
NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS…
SideOne?” Side one is where the hits were. See you in September.
Laura Secord, Peter the Great and Josephine Baker, oh my! This monthly feature is a favourite of our readers and this month’s edition won’t let any of its faithful fans down.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
03
A MILLENNIAL’S POV
WE’RE HAVING A THIRD BOY By Kimberly Elliot Kimberly Elliot is an associate with a Toronto-based marketing agency.
When my husband and I decided to have a third
fact having our third boy, people assume that I am
child, it was because we wanted a third child. Not,
somehow disappointed about this. “Oh, poor Mom!”
after two boys, because we wanted to “try” for a girl.
is the most common response I receive today when I
This was the assumption many people made when
happily announce that we are expecting a third baby
they discovered we are having our third. “Going
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boy.
for the girl?!” or “hoping for a girl?” were common
This really bothers me. To assume that my little
responses we got when we first announced our
Mommy heart could only be made whole by a
pregnancy. Now, after discovering that we are in
daughter is ridiculous. To assume that only a
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
AND THAT’S OK baby girl could bring a more unique experience in
we want a girl. Often these assumptions are made
motherhood than the one I am already living with
lightheartedly mostly because the conversation
two boys is also ridiculous. To assume that this
seems to naturally transition to the topic of gender
third baby boy is just a ”three-peat,” without any
the moment a new baby is mentioned. It is no
real uniqueness or individual joy to offer of his own
less annoying, however. Especially when these
that hasn’t already been experienced with his older
conversations take place around my two older sons.
brothers, is downright sad. I get it; people don’t mean any harm in assuming
“Why did she say poor Mom?” my eldest asked me recently after a neighbour expressed sympathy
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05
“Oh, poor Mom!” is the most common response I receive today when I happily announce that we are expecting a third baby boy.
Don’t get me wrong. I know that daughters are every bit as wonderful as sons. Therein lies my point – whether it’s one, two or 10 of the same gender, a baby is a baby is a baby. And regardless of the baby’s gender, I am simply blessed and privileged to be able to say that I am having a third child. But it all makes me wonder – what is our obsession with gender?
rather than excitement for us upon learning baby
People assume that in having our third child we
boy No. 3 was on the way. I had no good explanation
would want a girl after two boys because of the
for him. I told him, “She’s just making a joke. She
expectations we as a society have developed for the
thinks I want the baby to be a girl simply because I
two genders. They think that with three boys things
am a girl. Isn’t that silly?” He laughed it off, luckily,
will be “crazy” or “hectic.” They think that the house
and made a confused face – because essentially, this
will have holes in the walls or that we’ll spend our
is a confusing notion.
life savings on rep hockey for all three and that our
fridge will be perpetually empty by the time the boys reach teenagehood. These are just a few anecdotes from conversations with a wide range of friends, neighbours and even strangers – all prompted by this little belly lump whose identity is slowly being shaped for him before he even arrives. What can I do with a daughter that I can’t do with a son? Play princesses, tea party or dress up? Braid their hair or paint their nails? Take them shopping or for a mani/pedi when they’re older? Talk about boys and heartbreak? Be a best friend? Think about that. The only thing I think I’ll miss out on is giving an empathetic look during those first menstrual cycles. The truth is, we are having a baby whose biological sex currently presents as male. That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? It would make for a great sign at a
Regardless of the baby’s gender, I am simply blessed and privileged to be able to say that I am having a third child. But it all makes me wonder – what is our obsession with gender? standards we perceive to be fundamental to whom someone is and how they should act. These constructs give those around me moral licence to make assumptions about which sex I’d prefer for my baby or how my children might exist in the world. The fact that I felt the need to know my baby’s gender in the first place is evidence that I have a
gender reveal party. Jokes aside, if that statement
long way to go on the subject myself. Deconstructing
makes you roll your eyes at the notion, that’s a
30-odd years of social programming can’t be done
“you” problem. The gender binary is a damaging
overnight. But hopefully it can be done over the
social construct. As evidenced by my conversations
course of a generation and my three children will
over the last eight months, it is a set of archaic
be better for it. I hope they will see things in a full
stereotypes, expectations, characteristics and
spectrum of colour and not so black and white.
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PEER PRESSURE
Doing the things you wouldn’t normally do By Elizabeth MacGregor Elizabeth MacGregor is a former educator and a regular contributor to SideOne. What if you made an appointment with a professional and, upon arrival, notice almost none of the typical pandemic precautions are evident – other than mask wearing? You saunter in, confident in the safety of the office since you have been a patient for a long time. Then it dawns on you that something is not right. You are whisked into the professional’s
GRAD PRANKS An example of this phenomenon occurred in a school where I worked. When June arrived, so did grad pranks. Having caused physical damage to the building in the past, these pranks were discouraged by the school administration.
tiny office and succumb to an examination – the
One sunny June morning, we arrived to discover
optometrist’s face very close to yours, wearing an
crickets chirping throughout our offices, and
ill-fitting mask.
windows covered in goop and nasty sayings. The
We know it’s not right, yet we stay. Why would we put ourselves at risk even when we are not inclined to take chances?
principal tried to speak to the seniors, but was met with a sit-in. The group was rude, dismissive and refused to budge. As their young faces looked up at us, I was stunned that this group who had been so
In society, there are many occasions when we
privileged in our school – star athletes, kids lauded
participate because we have always done so, or
with scholarships, trips and other perks – would
because to refuse centres you out as the “other.”
cause this chaos in their school. They wanted free
Human beings prefer to go along with the majority.
rein to do what they wished.
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We know it’s not right, yet we stay. Why would we put ourselves at risk even when we are not inclined to take chances? Looking over the group, I was surprised at who was taking part. Yes, the ringleaders were predictable, but many others were school leaders, seemingly caught up in this activity, not wanting to be left out.
late-in-the-year school suspension would affect their entrance to university. “Boys will be boys” was a refrain I heard too often, to excuse bullying, to excuse participation in meanspirited activities. The above examples show the ways people change their behaviour because of the presence of others. This is what scientists call social influence. “We are finely tuned to the people around us, relying on each other for cues about how to behave so that we can efficiently navigate our social environments.
THE LIVE CHICKEN
The influence of others is so pervasive that we can
When a live chicken, hidden in a backpack, was
there; we’ll adjust our behaviour in response to an
discovered, the day took a turn. Those responsible were brought into the principal’s office and parents were called. The poor chicken lived, but after spending a long time being passed from one student to the other in the backpack, no light, no water, on an extremely hot day, it was distressed.
experience it even when there is no real person implied presence.” according to exploratorium.edu, an exploration project delving into human social interactions.
OTHERS INFORM OUR BEHAVIOUR We seek social proof and look at how others are
As the guidance counsellor to some of these students,
behaving to inform our own behaviour. Psychology
my phone started ringing. Parents were furious that
Today, May 24, 2017, cites an experiment in which
their child had been disciplined – worried that a
participants from France held a tentative consensus
“The influence of others is so pervasive that we can experience it even when there is no real person there; we’ll adjust our behaviour in response to an implied presence.” are paid well because they can control the buying habits of their followers and cause shelves to empty quickly. The victims of influencer online bullying are made to feel sidelined, belittled and encouraged to either change their opinion or leave the group. on a topic. Participants “became more extreme in their opinions after a group discussion. Group consensus seems to induce a change of attitude in which subjects are likely to adopt more extreme positions. When we see our uncertain opinions
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and others are popular because of social influence. We post and then we await the opinions of others. In the journal Psychological Science, a 2016 study found that “viewing photos with many likes was connected to greater activity in parts of the brain associated with
reflected back to us, our beliefs strengthen.”
imitation. We are being influenced at a level that’s
Perhaps this phenomenon was partly responsible for
beyond our conscious awareness.”
the group attack on the Capitol building in the United States. Extreme views can gain credibility if enough of our peers agree with us. The Trump years showed how nonsensical, supposed facts could get traction in their society and create hatred, increase racial tension and divide the country into them and us.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND PEER PRESSURE Social media is rife with peer pressure and bullying. For example, cosmetic companies use influencers to increase sales. Simply expressing a positive opinion about a product can cause it to sell out immediately, and if anyone should then question the quality of it in their online comments, scorn and abuse is heaped on the honest consumer. Group opinion shifts, based on the strength of the social influence of the person posting. Influencers
Sharing positivity can help us with our social media experiences, as can logging off every so often. If we find ourselves in a group setting, be it in an office, a school, or online, and we are not comfortable with how the group is behaving, a few deep breaths, time out to explore how this is making us feel, and the courage to stand up for our own opinions should allow us to walk out of a situation that could put us in a compromised and potentially life-threatening situation.
LEARNING TO FLY
MY SISTER’S FIRST FLIGHT WAS ALMOST HER LAST –
By Lloyd Walton Lloyd Walton is a multi-award-winning Canadian director and cinematographer. His historiography, Chasing the Muse: Canada, is available on Amazon, Kindle, Chapters, Indigo, and Barnes and Noble.
AND I WAS THE PILOT. In public school, the silence of the classroom was
FLYING TO FREEDOM AND ADVENTURE
often shattered by an overhead roar. It was the
From my desk in high school, I had an even better
thumping pistons of the float planes as they climbed
view of the Lands and Forests air base. Beaver
with their heavy loads to service ranger bases across
and Otter aircraft were constantly taking off and
the north of Ontario. Our school was perched on a
landing down below, on the river. They were flying
hill directly under their flight path. From my desk, I
to freedom and adventure, and so was my mind. My
could watch the yellow bush planes disappear into
pencil flew, too, sketching airplanes in my notebooks.
the vast horizon of the distant hills. To me, flying represented the ultimate freedom. I sketched myself, hands on the controls, floating through the puffy clouds into the deep blue northern skies. When my Grade 8 teacher asked me what my ambition was, I told him I wanted to fly with the Snowbirds. He bent down over me and said, “You of all people should learn to never set your sights too high. A pilot has to have excellent skills in arithmetic.
Through diligence, dedication, and good teachers, I won a flying scholarship from the Sault Air Cadet Squadron. At age 17, I boarded a train for Windsor, where I would learn to fly. At ground school and in the cockpit, I learned that the freedom of flight comes with a great deal of preparation, planning, concentration, and practice. Two weeks after my arrival in Windsor, on a hot July evening, I got the nod for my first solo.
You would really have to pull up your socks in that
“OK, Lloyd, you’re ready. Take her up yourself.”
department.”
Those few words led to immense exhilaration.
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I obtained a float endorsement to fly seaplanes. One windy autumn day, I took my little sister Brenda for her first airplane ride in a rented, underpowered Aeronca Champion float plane. As the wheels left the ground, I kept glancing at the empty seat beside me. If only my Grade 8 teacher could see me now, scoring the championship goal, winning the lottery, falling in love, flying a plane. I practised a few steep turns, looking straight down over my left shoulder at the freighters heading
counting aircraft, to slip in line behind Number 6, a twin-engine Piper. This was on-the-spot learning of another very valuable life skill: situational awareness. Off my right wingtip appeared a Canadian Pacific DC-8 passenger airliner in a wider circuit, inbound from Mexico City. When he radioed, acknowledging my presence, I blushed. A year later, at home at the flying club on the river, I obtained a float endorsement to fly seaplanes. One windy autumn day, I took my little sister Brenda for her first airplane ride in a rented, underpowered Aeronca Champion float plane. It was the kind of aircraft you had to start by hand. To start the engine, you stand on the float and flip the propeller by hand. I hated doing that -- it scared me out of my wits.
up Lake St. Clair, then turned toward Detroit and
This particular time, after Brenda and I were
radioed the Windsor tower that I was coming in.
strapped in, to my relief, a dockhand flipped the
LANDING WHILE BLUSHING
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airplanes in the sky!) I began searching the sky,
prop to fire up the engine for us. We pulled away from the dock, headed upstream and, after control
To enter the landing zone, my first instruction from
and engine checks, lifted off. I took her up and
Windsor Air Traffic Control was to begin my descent
around the city, circling our house a few times,
to 1,000 feet. Next, I was assigned the Number 7
then turned back downriver toward base. A strong
spot in the landing pattern. (Wow, I had to find six
tailwind brought us back to base very quickly.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
HITTING WHITECAPS The landing spot, where the river narrows by the air base, was very short. Due to a strong crosswind, I decided to try a test landing on a larger open body of water, and began my descent. The Aeronca hit the whitecaps, clipping wave tops with a bang, bang, bang on the pontoons before settling down in a heaving, rowdy, rocking motion. When I re-applied throttle, the engine sputtered and stalled. For the dreaded restart, I had to go out into the wind and walk along the wave-washed floats to flip the propeller. I opened the door and a blast of cold spray filled the cabin. Moving forward, hand
The sudden, more violent prop wash blew me out backward over the water, arms up over my head. open side door and into my seat. I turned the aircraft into the wind, took off, circled the base, and slid a picture-perfect landing on a small patch of calm water. While I was tying the pontoon to the dock, a stranger came down and said, “Nice landing.”
over hand, heaving up and down, and carefully
To this day I wonder why and how I was snatched
gripping all the handholds, I made it to the solid
from oblivion. Was it the lightning reflexes practised
handle on the engine cowling and braced my feet.
as a goaltender by snapping 90-mile-an-hour pucks
With my free arm, I gave the prop my best shot, and
out of the air? The acrobatics from performing a toe
the engine fired up.
save at the top corner of the net? A life-and-death
The wind from the prop wash sped my way back. Just as I buckled in, the engine stalled again with a clack, clack, clack, and hiss. Alarmingly, we were
lesson from hockey? Was there an angel guiding me to a greater purpose?
being blown closer to the looming rocky shore.
THE PURPOSE
I reset the throttle to high so it wouldn’t stall out,
Air Force. I applied for a military career, but my math
and quickly climbed back out into the wind and the
scores were too low for supersonic flight school. I
waves. I grabbed the prop and flung it. The engine
was stunned for about a week.
fired up with a full-throttled, furious WHAAAAA!
Inside, it was still satisfying to know that I had
The sudden, more violent prop wash blew me out backward over the water, arms up over my head. In an airborne zeptosecond, the first thing I saw was a flash of white sky. I watched sister Brenda take
That purpose would not be with the Royal Canadian
done it. I can still say, “I’m a pilot.” Re-evaluating my future career, I would learn to adapt the skills of preparation, planning, concentration, practice, and situational awareness to another field: art.
off in a plane with no pilot, while I hurtled into the abyss.
FLUNG LIKE AN ACROBAT Wham! My outreached hands caught the oncoming wing strut as though it was a trapeze swinging up from behind to meet me. Instinctively my body continued the movement, using the rotational momentum like an acrobat to fling me through the
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THE PHOTO ESSAY
THE $85 WEEKEND:
By Michael Doherty Michael Doherty is a film and television editor based in Toronto. He is also an avid traveller with a keen eye and some amazing experiences.
SOMETIMES LIFE JUST STEERS YOU IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
NEW YORK CITY – SEPTEMBER 1978 Friday dawned bright and sunny, a beautiful early September day. I took a $7 cab ride across the Champlain Bridge in Montreal to the South Shore, stuck out my thumb and began my first trip to New York City. The plan was to see the progressive rock band Yes the following night at Madison Square Garden. They were playing Friday and Saturday nights. A friend at my university had arranged for two tickets; I was to pick them up Saturday at his friend’s place in Long Branch, New Jersey. I had hoped to go to New York with my ex-girlfriend, but she changed her mind at the last minute, so I had an extra ticket, which I intended to scalp.
WALKING ACROSS THE BORDER I got a ride almost immediately in a pickup truck
nap? Sure you do. Come up to the front, dear (to the
and made it to the border in about 20 minutes. The
12-year-old). Let Michael lie down for a while.” I slept
driver was heading for a town on the Quebec side, so
for two hours. A perfect ride. They treated me like a
I hopped out and walked into the U.S. The customs
son.
guys appeared interested in my little trip. “Hey, Chuck, it seems there’s a big concert at the Garden tomorrow,” he yelled to his buddy across the room. He was checking my reaction. The officer searched my bag and wished me luck. I clearly looked young, and was clean-cut – obviously different from most of the “transients” who came through the border. It took about half an hour before I got my next ride. In a nice van going all the way to Peekskill, a bedroom
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tuna fish sandwiches. You must be hungry. Feel like a
It was raining slightly when they let me off at the train station in Peekskill. “You’re better off here than on the road hitchhiking,” the woman said. She was right. I took the commuter train for the 30-minute trip into Grand Central Station, staring out the window all the way in. A few of the folks were obviously going to the Friday night Yes concert, as there was voracious consumption of beer and loud talk about the band.
community north of NYC, I joined a husband, wife,
I arrived in New York at 6:30 p.m. and phoned the
and their 12-year-old daughter, who was sleeping in
couple in New Jersey to confirm they had the tickets.
the back. The woman made me feel completely at
I was hoping they might invite me over to spend the
home. “Here, Mike, have some lunch. I made some
night, as I had nowhere to stay. But no one answered.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
THE STRANGER WITH A PLACE TO STAY A man noticed me hanging up and sauntered over. “How ya doing?” he said. I answered, “OK.” (I don’t mind talking to strangers. You never know what good might happen.) “What are you doing in New York?” he asked. I explained the concert and the unanswered call to New Jersey. “Listen, why don’t I show you my place? Here’s my number, and you can stay with me.” I said sure (keeping all options open) and followed him out into Manhattan, down a couple of streets and over toward his apartment. He pointed out an anonymous high-rise and I already knew I’d never find it again. He told me I could leave my bag. I had a generic soccer bag, trying to create the impression I could be returning from a tennis game, rather than being a new tourist in town. I was feeling a little suspicious and said I’d rather hold on to it – “Man, I just met you five minutes into my first trip to New York. I’m not about to leave my bag with a stranger. And can I ask you a question? Are you gay?” I’d been approached in bus terminals in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, so I knew the game. My question threw him a bit. “C’mon, man. What difference does it make? I’m trying to do you a favour, offer you a nice place. You’re new in town, I can see that. Why is everyone so paranoid? That’s why things are so fucked up, man!” He was off to choir practice and said he’d meet me at 11:15 p.m. at the same place in Grand Central if I still needed a place to sleep.
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EVERYONE WAS SELLING SOMETHING I put my bag in a locker at the train station and took the subway to Madison Square Garden. The subway was like everything I’d heard: aggressive, noisy, dirty, exciting. I watched a very wasted, loud guy get on, all big arms and legs; he crashed down into the seat opposite me, looking around and talking loudly to no one in particular. I chose to watch and keep my mouth shut. I made it to Penn Station, and walked out into the street area in front of the Garden; it was crowded with concert-goers and, it appeared, thousands of scalpers. Everyone was selling something: T-shirts, black beauties, hashish, cocaine, tickets. I really got into it as I stood around and watched the mayhem, listened, moved 100 feet, stood, listened, watched some more, smiled, moved another 100 feet, and smiled again. I started to get hungry, so I crossed the street, looking for a restaurant. The first one I tried was closed – a Friday night across from a full house at the Garden and it was closed. So odd. I turned around and saw two women, each about 18 years old, standing on the corner. I asked them if they knew where I could find an open restaurant; it turned out they had just tried the same restaurant and had decided to go to Beefsteak Charlie’s in Times Square. “Want to join us?” A no-brainer. I was feeling great, the rain had stopped, the streets were wet and I was running, hopping between cars and laughing with two strange girls on our way to dinner.
TWO GIRLS AND A $6.95 STEAK Beefsteak Charlie’s charged $6.95 for a steak and all the beer or wine you could drink -- a gold mine. We sucked back seven carafes of wine between mouthfuls of meat and explanations of who we were. We then poured out onto the street and wandered over to Rockefeller Center, looked around, hired a hansom cab, and rode around the streets of midtown for I don’t remember how long. We smoked joints,
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laughed, talked it up with the driver, all of us really drunk and high. It was magical. There was no rain, yet a very low cloud ceiling hung over everything. The skyscrapers rose around us, disappearing into the sky, their lights fading away into the ambient orange of the mist – itself lit by the many lights from all the building windows. The huge spotlights at Rockefeller Center were particularly beautiful against the low clouds. I loved it. We found our way to the top of some building, all alone, and smoked another joint while continuing to talk about everything. It was well past my 11:15 p.m. meet-up back at Grand Central. In fact, it was near 3 a.m., and the women were convinced I was crazy to stay with the man I’d met earlier. “Christ, don’t be a fool. You can stay with one of us! You don’t know anything about the guy!” So we went back to Grand Central, picked up my bag, and drove (they had a car!) to a small town outside Dover, New Jersey, about 50 miles west of Manhattan. By then we were sobering up; we made it there safely.
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SLEEPING ON HER PARENTS’ FLOOR I slept on the floor in the living room of a fairly nice suburban house; the parents were asleep upstairs. I got about three hours’ sleep, as the woman I stayed with had to be at work at a local café at 7:30 a.m. We walked over in time for her shift. She gave me a coffee; I nursed it while watching her work, then asked for directions to the train station, said goodbye, and left.
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house owned by the couple who had bought the Yes tickets for me. They offered me a beer and lunch, which I accepted gracefully and gratefully. After a couple of hours, the husband drove me back to the train station for the ride back to Manhattan. I got back into the city at 3:30 p.m. and went to the Empire State Building observation deck. It was a bright, clear day and the view was, of course, fabulous. When I was 6 years old, I had held a picture
I hitchhiked the five miles or so to the station. It was
of the Empire State Building in my hand and swore I
another beautiful day, warm and sunny. I got a ride
would get to the top one day. Part of the reason for
in a pickup truck with a middle-aged construction
this trip, 16 years later, was to do just that. I had
worker on his way to work – Thermos, brown bag,
also said I would become an architect, so I could
checked shirt, red cap. I took a train to Newark and
build something as spectacular. I have yet to
then another to Long Branch. I walked up to a small
accomplish that.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
NEW FRIEND HELPED SCALP EXTRA TICKET I left at 4:30 and went over to Madison Square Garden to see if I might scalp my second Yes ticket. I hung around, watching and listening to people, getting a feel for what price I might get. After a few minutes, I started talking to a man my age. We chatted for quite a while, then went across the street for a hot dog and beer. He said he’d help me scalp my ticket and, after 20 minutes, found a man who paid $25 for it, $3 more than I’d spent for both. We shook hands, said goodbye, and I entered the Garden at 8 p.m. The man I’d sold the ticket to showed up and gave me a wry grin. Perhaps he thought of me as one of the many who make a living as a scalper. He lit joint after joint after joint, passing them my way for the whole show. I got wasted. The music was good, although the dope had me spending most of the time thinking about my life, its direction – basically, everything. I was really high and not particularly interested in talking to anybody. In fact, I avoided talking to anyone. What a difference from the night before. The dope interfered with my ability to settle in and listen to the music, to have a good time. I left the show and walked out into the cold air, stoned, with no idea what to do, no idea where to stay, and in no mood to blast around Manhattan hoping to luck into a bed for the night. The energy for that attitude was gone. I decided it was all the proof I needed that it was time to stop smoking dope. I quit for good that night.
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23
had sent me over. I thanked him and did exactly that. It worked. I got a room by myself with a sink, bed, and shower down the hall, for $8! With the room now secured, I considered heading back out into the city. I had second thoughts, and decided to just get a good night’s sleep. Down the hall, I ran into a tour guide from Quebec City who was showing a group around. He offered me a lift back to Montreal in the morning if I needed it. I said I’d think about it, thanked him, and went to bed.
GIVING UP A FREE RIDE HOME Sunday dawned beautiful and sunny, so I passed on the free ride. I went up Broadway, had breakfast at the Howard Johnson’s, bought a Sunday New York Times and watched a softball game in Central Park. I strolled back down Broadway, checking out the shops, looking at all the people, and being greeted with “Hi, man,” as I wandered about. I was also trying to decide how to get back to Montreal. I contemplated hitchhiking, but had to cross the George Washington Bridge up at the tip of Manhattan. Not really wanting to figure out how to do that, I stopped thinking about it and went into
CALLING THE STRANGER WITH A PLACE TO STAY
Odyssey in 70mm Super Panavision. It was stunning.
I wandered over to Penn Station and tried sleeping
It had always been one of my favourite movies, and
on the floor with the local homeless people. It was
the huge curved screen really did it justice. At times,
no good – the site too noisy, the floor too hard. I
it felt like I was watching in 3D. It was one of the
walked to a phone booth and called the fellow from
key films that influenced my decision to go back to
my arrival at Grand Central, waking him up. “No,
school and get a second degree, in film production, a
man. Not a good night to come over.” I figured he had
few years later.
company. Probably just as well, I thought.
24
a theatre to see Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space
Leaving the theatre, I decided to bus it up to
I went back out and studied a tourist map on one
Montreal. I walked over to the Port Authority to
of the billboards. I noticed an ad for the YMCA and
catch the bus, past a sex worker and her pimp on the
figured I’d give it a shot. I walked to the West Side Y
corner. I politely said no, thanks, as she grabbed my
and, as I was going in, a leather-clad guy on his way
shoulder. “See me in three years,” I joked, and paid
out stopped me and said that after midnight (it was 1
my $28 for the ticket home. It was an $85 weekend in
a.m.), I wouldn’t get a room unless I said the other Y
total. Not bad at all.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
NEW MUSIC FROM NEW PLACES Dolls, books, television shows – these were just
some of the cultural artifacts that were missing or
YOUR SOUNDTRACK TO SUMMER STARTS HERE difficult to find 30 years ago, when my children were
small, so hardly anything had changed since my own childhood.
THEIR OWN STORIES
As my girls grew up, I made a decision to surround our family with black images in our home, despite
the challenges in acquiring these items. I knew the
majority culture existed just beyond our front door and my children would absorb it by osmosis, so my duty as a black parent was clear: Teach, guide,
seek out, and listen to information on black culture. Present my kids with their own racial stories.
I became even more intent on supplying my girls with positive role models to reinforce their racial identity. Now that my children are adults, the task of finding black culture in the wider society is no longer
By Terry Paquet Terry Paquet is an award-winning copywriter with more than 20 years’ experience. He is a regular contributor to SideOne. Tan lines. Long necks. Flip flops. And BBQs. The dog
It’s the easygoing, breezy vibes that will make every
days are finally here. To help you plunge in, here’s
drink a little colder, every day a little brighter and
this month’s selection of artists specifically curated
everything irie. So, break out the Hawaiian shirts,
to bring the sunshine. Because after the last year
crack open a cold one, and dig in.
and a half, who couldn’t use a little more of that?
TO LISTEN WHILE YOU READ, CHECK OUT THIS MONTH’S SIDEONE SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3XOfM9wFeOzDNfO5WuvHPU?si=ca42b60e7fa04bf7 SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
25
NIKO MOON
TRACKS TO CHECK OUT
To call Niko Moon a country artist is a bit of a
• Good Time from Campfire Sessions (2020)
stretch. His music is a catchy mash-up of genres that pull from traditional back porch country, reggae and hip-hop. It’s an unusual mix that sounds a hell of a lot better than it reads on paper. This cross-pollination makes sense when you consider his upbringing. Moon was raised in Douglasville, Georgia, a town that sat in the middle of two very distinct musical sounds. On one side (30 miles away) you had artists like OutKast, T.I. and The Ying-Yang Twins. On the other side (and 30 miles in the opposite direction), Alan Jackson had “Gone Country.” Only seems right that Moon absorbed both styles to create his own thing. “We were listening to country and hip-hop all at the same time and we were constantly flipping back and forth. I really wanted to figure out how to mix those two worlds together in a way that felt really authentic and genuine to who I am.” Lyrically, the man is no slouch, having co-written five No. 1 hits for Zac Brown including Loving You Easy, Homegrown and Heavy is the Head, featuring the almighty vocals of Chris Cornell. Moon’s first EP (Campfire Sessions), an intriguing mix of hooky melodies, clever lyrics and edgy electro beats is a solid debut. Although his solo career is just getting started, from the looks of things, he’s going to be around for a long, long while.
26
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
• Drunk Over You from Campfire Sessions (2020) • Dance With Me from Campfire Sessions (2020) • Paradise To Me from Campfire Sessions (2020) • No Sad Songs Single (2020)
ETANA
TRACKS TO CHECK OUT
Etana’s first foray into the music industry was in
• I Rise from I Rise (2014)
Florida where she joined Gift, an all-girl band that required her to wear skimpy outfits and flaunt her sexuality. Definitely not for her, she walked away and went back to her birthplace, Kingston, Jamaica, to rethink her career. There, she earned a spot singing background vocals on tours throughout Europe and North America for legendary reggae singer Richie Spice. That’s when her soulful voice got noticed by Spice’s management who encouraged her to record a solo album. “I always knew that a solo career was in my future,” says Etana.“I needed to deliver music that was straight
• Reggae from Better Tomorrow (2013) • My Man from Reggae Forever (2018) • Little Thing Called Love Single (2018) • I Am Not Afraid from The Strong One (2009) • Lover Boy w/Paille Single (2020)
from the heart, straight from the soul and straight from the people.” Her debut CD, The Strong One, spawned the international hit Wrong Address, a neo-soul, acoustic reggae number about the perils of living on the wrong side of the tracks. Since that first effort, she has released six more albums, each one better than the last. Her voice is undeniably powerful, and her lyrics are empowering. Her music borrows heavily from the Rastafarian lifestyle which glorifies all things natural and positive – two words that best describe her music. In a genre that is largely defined by masculine artists and negative viewpoints, Etana is not just a presence, she’s a force to be reckoned with.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
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STEPHEN MARLEY One of Bob Marley’s legacies is not just the music he left us, but the offspring he produced. Ziggy is by far the most popular, but Stephen is no less talented and def worthy of your attention. He’s Bob’s second oldest child and, of all the siblings, his voice is, by far, closest to the legend. Check out Break Us Apart from his CD, Revelation Part 1: The Roots of Life or watch his live performance on Bob Marley 75th Celebration on YouTube for ample proof. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJfk4fs5Us His reverence for vintage roots reggae sounds is clear throughout his discography, but he excels when he purposely veers into a more contemporary concoction of hip hop and dancehall. Like his father, his lyrics are super conscious, often political and deep. In the studio he’s a powerhouse, producing most of his sibling’s work and seminal CDs for The Fugees, Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill. His first CD, 2007’s Mind Control, pushed the boundaries of what reggae music could be, mixing traditional reggae rhythms with an urban vibe to deliver an ear-pleasing mix of rebellious viewpoints and spiritual messages. It was a solid debut and a precursor of his immense talent that broke barriers for newer artists like Protoje and Chronixx. Bottom line is, when your last name is Marley you have big sandals to fill. But the eight-time Grammy award winner does the family name proud.
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TRACKS TO CHECK OUT • Hey Baby from Mind Control (2007) • So Strong from Revelation Part 2: The Fruits of Life (2016) • Medication from Indigo (2018) • Break Us Apart from Revelation Part 1: The Roots of Life (2011) • Small Axe from One Take: Acoustic Jams (2018)
DONAVON FRANKENREITER Before Donavon cut his first CD in 2004, he was a pro surfer. In his teen years, he scored a sponsorship with Billabong and moved to Hawaii. Serendipitously, he met Jack Johnson, also a surfer. The duo instantly became friends, jamming in between surf sessions. When Johnson’s music career took off and he started his Brushfire label,
TRACKS TO CHECK OUT • Day Dreamer from Donavon Frankenreiter (2004) • Shine from Start Livin’ (2012) • The Way You Catch The Light from The Heart (2015)
Frankenreiter was a shoo-in on the talent roster.
• That’s Too Bad (Byron’s Jam) from Move By Yourself (2006)
His first CD featured a collection of laid-back,
• Boom Boom from Single (2019)
breezy beach tunes built around acoustic guitar, bass and drums with hooky choruses that were hard to deny. His second CD amped up the production values and veered into more a funky, vibey territory and for my money, is his best to date. Tracks like Move By Yourself and That’s Too Bad have a retro feel to them that hit all the soulful notes. What I love about Frankenreiter is that his creativity veers into unexpected territories that include a live recording at Abbey Studios and a whole CD devoted to bass and drum tracks so fans can jam along. He also released two cover albums with a varied collection of interpretations including Elvis Costello’s (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding and Bruce Cockburn’s Wondering Where The Lions Are. Where he misfires is in his penchant for rearranging previous hits repeatedly. But it’s a trivial gripe for an artist who isn’t afraid to look back even when he’s moving forward.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
29
COVID SHUTDOWNS
By Dr. Robbie Babins-Wagner Dr. Robbie Babins-Wagner is CEO of the Calgary Counselling Centre. She is also an Adjunct Professor and Sessional Instructor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary.
Reduced Socialization and the impact on kids The concept of a play date, where children and their
in person. Online communication misses a lot of
parents or caregivers get together in someone’s
body language, spontaneous creativity and, of
home or a neighbourhood park or playground, has
course, physical exercise that occurs when children
largely gone away during the Covid-19 pandemic.
play together in person. Further, parents often limit
Once a staple of most young children’s (and their
kids’ screen time (depending on their ages), so
parents’) social lives, the in-person play date has
classroom time likely trumps online playtime with
become yet another victim of the coronavirus.
friends.
Since March 2020, restrictions on gatherings, schools
... this is the first time in our collective memory that entire schools and sports leagues have been shuttered and our interactions outside our families and small cohort severely limited.
and sports have yo-yo’d across the country, and most families with small children have experienced seemingly endless ups and downs along with the ever-changing rules. Children need routine for clarity, consistency and structure. Their daily routines, like those of their parents, have been wholly upended by the pandemic.
RUNNING AROUND WITH FRIENDS Opportunities for kids to run around with their friends at recess, in daycare or on play dates have
SOCIAL BEINGS
jumped around, interrupting millions of young
Kids can be incredibly social beings, and their
social lives across Canada. While constructive and
friends, sports groups, daycares, childcares and
loving family time is an important part of any child’s
classrooms are crucial opportunities for social
development, children also need face time with their
contact -- contact that’s vital for brain development,
little peers. Children and youth lacking social contact
especially in the early years. Hanging around
with other kids may become withdrawn and develop
together helps children learn to interact with others
symptoms of depression and anxiety.
and get along in the larger world.
The Internet has allowed for school and some social
As public health guidelines remain (and continue
connections to continue for kids whose families have
to change), it is important for parents to follow
the necessary devices and bandwidth, but Zoom and
these rules to the best of their ability and provide
other online platforms simply do not provide the
structure and routine for their children. Parents can
same level of socialization that children experience
also help kids understand that the fluctuating public
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
31
health guidelines, while significantly disrupting
We are all figuring this out together. The mass
their lives, are essential and helpful to the entire
interruptions to socialization are new for this
community — to people they know and love, and to
generation. In the recent past, individual children,
others they’ve never met.
parents and teachers have had to deal with isolation
Children need routine for clarity, consistency and structure. Their daily routines, like those of their parents, have been wholly upended by the pandemic. DIGGING DEEP FOR IDEAS
due to health or other issues. But this is the first time in our collective memory that entire schools and sports leagues have been shuttered and our interactions outside our families and small cohort severely limited.
THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT Every child will react differently to attending school online and missing social contact with friends and classmates. The good news is that short-term social isolation due to social distancing requirements will
While in isolation during (one hopes) these last few
probably have little, if any, impact on most children
months of the pandemic, families are digging deeper
and youth. They are remarkable, resilient beings, and
for ideas and activities for their children. Now that
most children will recover quickly once restrictions
summer is here, perhaps kids can get outside and
end. As we get back to being among people again,
pull weeds on a neighbour’s lawn, or offer to assist
and enjoying those noisy play dates with our kids,
with other small, safe chores that help someone out
we know the social isolation due to the pandemic
and allow the youngsters to feel they are a part of
is unlikely to leave any long-lasting effects on our
something.
young children.
INTERRACIAL RELATIONSHIPS
More complicated than they need be – even today
By Sonia Huggins Sonia Huggins is an educator who recently gave up her distinguished career as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. She is a regular contributor to SideOne.
In those years, interracial dating was not new but it was not common. The first time he brought me home, his father was delighted and let me know it. His mother was a kind and gentle woman who embraced me like I was one of her daughters. I was thrilled. Family acceptance
this was demonstrated in so many ways, like when I was invited by his parents to attend their 25th anniversary party. After some discussion with his parents, all my fears were put to rest. They were confident that their friends and family would readily accept me. I would not be made to feel uncomfortable due to the colour of my skin but be judged on the content of my character!
was and is an important key to successful interracial
In those years, interracial dating was not new but it
relationships. His sisters never wavered in their
was not common.
affection for me throughout our two-year courtship. His father and mother were extremely proud that their son’s girlfriend was Black and always treated me like one of their family. Their values screamed equality and justice and
34
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
DATING OUTSIDE YOUR CULTURE My family, Jamaican immigrants who lived in both England and Canada, were comfortable with the idea of me and my sister dating outside of our culture. So,
I was never afraid of their reactions to a non-black
I was in my early twenties when I met him. His
boyfriend.
parents were wonderful and incredibly accepting of
In fact, back in the ‘60s when I was young and before we immigrated to Montreal, my sister and I were the flower girls at our auntie’s wedding when she married a Welshman. There was disapproval from
us. And based on the experience of their other sons and their relationships, this relationship would not appear to be a problem, until…
certain family members that she had married a white
THE LOOKS
man, but my parents were a beacon of light, even
I began to notice the looks people gave us when
back then – not only by accepting this Welshman into the family, but by displaying a completely nonjudgmental attitude. Again, family acceptance played a role in this successful interracial relationship.
we were together on the street or the underhanded comments that slipped from their mouths as we boarded a bus or the Metro. Comments from complete strangers were so stereotypical, it made us cringe. It became imperative to grow a tough skin
Having seen this scenario play out a few times in my
and ignore the vile racist speech. Living downtown,
own family with other uncles and aunts, I thought I
it was hard to escape this racial negativity unless it
was ready for what came next … an Asian boyfriend.
was just the two of us, alone with no one around.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
35
sure to provide a safe place so that whatever choices they made they would feel secure, loved and above all free to choose whom they loved. I stipulated that any person they were interested in would have to meet the rigorous standards of our family – kindness, family first, be protective, selfless, of strong character and most of all love you to pieces. If the man or woman came in a different colour it was of no consequence to me as long as our family values were upheld and love would always be the common denominator. My firstborn daughter just got married to a man who espoused all the values we expected from him. As
As parents, we recognized that we would have to guide and encourage them as they encountered negative comments about their relationship just because it was interracial.
While we both loved him at first sight, we were
Those days were hard. I was now more aware of
relationship just because it was interracial.
racism and it just simply hurt. When my sister decided to marry, she chose what would be the most extraordinary man. He chased her from Mexico to Ottawa and finally asked for her hand in marriage with the approval of the entire family! Luckily, my sister said yes and 20 years later they are still very much in love. He is white and a French Canadian who was born and bred in Northern Quebec, where they created a family and live to this day.
FREEDOM OF CHOICE All through my life, I have met interracial couples who have been together for one simple fact …love. So when it came to raising my own children, I made
36
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
parents it’s so rewarding to know that we had a say! He is kind and gentle and loves our girl fiercely and she loves him. We are so proud to welcome him into our family and yes, he is white.
cognizant of the challenges, a.k.a. racism, that would confront this young couple as they navigated the world together. As parents, we recognized that we would have to guide and encourage them as they encountered negative comments about their
Even in these raciallly turbulent times, folks can be ignorant and cruel. However, we must all wake up to the fact that what makes us different is inconsequential to what makes us the same. The overwhelming truth is that love is the light that guides our way.
NOT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS…
By John Chaput John Chaput, born and raised in Montreal, eventually morphed into a Westerner. A retired writer and editor. he occupies much of his time as president of the Regina Little Theatre.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY KATE JOHANSEN
JUNE 17, 1631
JUNE 9, 1672
Mumtaz Mahal, second wife and chief consort of
Peter the Great, destined to be the most illustrious
Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, dies at the age of
of all Russian tsars, is born. Ascending to the throne
38. Shah Jahan – ruler of an empire encompassing
shortly before his 10th birthday, Peter’s 42-year
much of present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh
reign will concentrate on bringing his country out
and Afghanistan – is so grief-stricken that he has
of its deep-rooted feudalism and catching up to
a grand mausoleum built that takes 22 years to
Western scientific, industrial and cultural progress.
complete. This, of course, is the Taj Mahal, perhaps
Not everyone knows this, but among Peter’s reforms
the grandest tomb ever constructed. Not everyone
in this regard is a beard tax that he initiates in 1698
knows this, but Taj Mahal translates as “crown of
to bring Russia in step with prevailing European
the palace.” Shah Jahan’s wife was born Arjumand
fashion. Many of those who prefer long whiskers do
Banu but he renamed her Mumtaz Mahal, “exalted
so for religious or traditional reasons; regardless
one of the palace.” Not everyone knows this, either:
of motivations, those who keep their beards have
The cause of her death was a hemorrhage incurred
to carry a token to indicate they have paid the tax.
after being in labour for 30 hours while delivering
Those who don’t are subject to being publicly and
the last of their 14 children, half of whom died at
forcibly shaved. Luckily for those enforcing the
birth or in infancy. So the Taj Mahal is constructed of
decree, masks are not a common accessory. The
approximately equal amounts of marble and guilt.
decree is kept in force until 1772.
(This item sponsored by Plato Your Strength, the self-
(Brought to you by Chai Kovsky, tea blends imported
help course grounded in Greek philosophy.)
from Russia’s Swan Lake region.)
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
37
JUNE 22, 1813
38
JUNE 3, 1906
Laura Secord walks some 20 miles to inform
Legendary cabaret performer Josephine Baker
Commander James FitzGibbon of her discovery
is born in St. Louis, Missouri. She will rocket to
of an imminent American attack on FitzGibbon’s
European fame in 1927 for her singing, dancing, and
troops near St. Davids, Ontario. Despite being
revealing costumes while performing in Paris. Baker
heavily outnumbered, the British withstand the
could not duplicate her success in her home country
attack and the entire American force of more than
and renounced her American citizenship in 1937.
500 men are made casualties or taken prisoner. Not
During the Second World War she used her fame to
everyone knows this, but Secord – who was 37 at
hobnob with Axis dignitaries as a spy and relay the
the time – received scant recognition for her exploit
information she garnered to Free French authorities,
in her lifetime. FitzGibbon did not mention her role,
actions for which she would receive numerous
ostensibly to protect her from reprisals, until long
decorations and full military honours at her funeral
after the War of 1812 was finished. She lived a meagre
in 1975. Not everyone knows this, but Baker adopted
existence until her death in 1868 at the age of 93.
and raised 12 children of varying races from 10
The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), hearing
different countries and raised each according to their
of her deed on a royal visit in 1860, granted Secord
religion at birth. Although her fame in Europe was
a gift of 100 pounds, and in the ensuing decades
undiminished right through her final days, she never
her notoriety grew. In 1913, a century after her
achieved such celebrity in America despite several
derring-do, a confectioner named his new brand of
performing tours – although she did, on one trip in
chocolates after her and Laura Secord’s name has
the 1950s, manage to get denied reservations at 36
endured ever since.
different hotels because of her race.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
JUNE 27, 2002 John Entwistle, bass guitarist of The Who, passes
JUNE 9, 1960
away. We could say “sadly,” but when a 57-yearold guy with heart disease is smoking a pack of
Actor Michael J. Fox begins life in Edmonton. Not
cigarettes a day and snorting cocaine, what can
everyone knows this, but Fox’s middle name is ...
you expect? Fortunately, Entwistle leaves a legacy
come on, give it a guess ... we’ll wait ... no, not John
of great performances, like his inexhaustible work
... or Joseph or Jason or James ... OK, it’s Andrew.
on Won’t Get Fooled Again and the catchy intro
He had already established himself as teenage actor
to Happy Jack, but his signature moment is his
“Michael Fox” in Canada but when he moved to
solo after the first chorus of My Generation, which
Los Angeles, he found that the Screen Actors Guild
took forever to record. Nicknamed both “Ox” and
already had an actor by that name in its ranks.
“Thunderfingers,” Entwistle broke his strings on
Among the reasons the younger Fox didn’t use his
take after take until he switched to another bass and
own initial was that, being Canadian, he thought it
simplified the arrangement. Entwistle was a savvy
sounded too much like Michael “Eh” Fox. In fact, he
performer who pioneered the use of sophisticated
chose the initial J as a tribute to actor Michael J.
amplifying equipment so he could hear his own
Pollard (best known for the movie Bonnie and Clyde
playing over Keith Moon’s drumming. And not
and the Star Trek episode “Miri”), who at 5-foot-6 was
everyone knows this, but early in The Who’s history,
actually two inches taller than Michael J. (or A.) Fox.
the band decided their lead singer needed more
(This segment sponsored by Our Hummin’ Native
emphasis, so Entwistle dyed his own light brown hair
Land, the collection of Canadian songs where you can
a jet black to let Roger Daltrey’s curly blonde locks
fake the lyrics all you want.)
stand out.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
39
SENSIBLE DOLLARS
CONFUSED ABOUT CRYPTOCURRENCY?
ME, TOO! By Allan Kunigis Allan Kunigis is a Canadian-born freelance financial writer based in Shelburne, Vermont. He has written about personal finance for more than two decades. He is the author of A Kid’s Activity Book on Money and Finance: Teach Children About Saving, Borrowing, and Planning for the Future, published in September 2020. One clue to a person’s age is how he or she feels about cryptocurrency. If, like me, you’re older than 60, you probably don’t understand crypto and can’t fathom why someone would invest in it or use it. Frankly, cryptocurrency scares me a bit, and I wouldn’t mind if it just, well, disappeared. But because cryptocurrency seems to be growing in acceptance, I have resolved to try to keep an open mind and learn what I can about “the future of money.”
ANTI-FAD, AH! I’ll be frank about why I don’t like cryptocurrency. First, I have a knee-jerk response against fads, hype, and especially financial speculation (A.K.A. gambling). Cryptocurrency reeks of all of that. The price of a Bitcoin skyrocketed in late 2017, then plummeted. In late 2020, it soared again and continued to climb to lofty heights from October 2020 through March 2021, before tumbling once more.
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
41
If Elon Musk can make a joke on Saturday Night Live that causes the price of Dogecoin to fall 30%, as he did on May 8, 2021, that’s all you need to know.
I imagine many crypto enthusiasts find that “Awesome!” or “Dope!” I find it troubling. Unless the laws of financial physics have been rewritten, what goes up does eventually come down – and the faster anything rises, the harder it can crash. Most people discover they were in a bubble only after it pops. Remember the dot-com bubble? How about the real estate bubble and the great financial crisis of 2008?
THEY STARTED A JOKE How do you price something with no intrinsic value?
Month
Price on the first day of the following month
October 2020
$13,730 (price had been $10,626 on October 1st)
+29%
November
$18,981
+38%
December
$29,334
+55%
January 2021
$33,613
+15%
The New York Times reported: “Dogecoin is a digital
February
$49,249
+47%
currency started in 2013 by a pair of programmers
Monthly gain
What is the price based on, other than what the next person is willing to pay for it? If Elon Musk can make a joke on Saturday Night Live that causes the price of Dogecoin to fall 30%, as he did on May 8, 2021, that’s all you need to know. Ironically, Dogecoin was actually created as a joke.
who decided to spoof the cryptocurrency craze by March
$58,985
+20%
creating their own virtual money, based on a meme
April
$57,678
- 2%
about Doge, a talking Shiba Inu puppy.”
May
$36,795
-36%
That joke was worth less than a penny in late
(Bitcoin monthly price increases based on its price on the first day of the following month. Prices in U.S. dollars. Source: https://www.coindesk.com/ price/bitcoin)
January 2021. It peaked at more than 71 cents on May 8, 2021, with $27 billion in trades in a 24-hour period. (Source: https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/ dogecoin/)
But enough with the jokes. Let’s learn a “bit” about cryptocurrency.
WHAT IS CRYPTOCURRENCY?
one of more than 6,700 cryptocurrencies. 2. As you probably know, the value of Bitcoin is extremely volatile. In early October 2020, a unit of Bitcoin was valued at less than $11,000. It peaked
I’ll quote a good, succinct description and
at more than $63,000 in mid-April 2021 and ended
explanation of Bitcoin from a BBC article dated
May at roughly $37,000. But that’s all millions of
February 5, 2021: “Guide: What is Bitcoin and how
times higher than its humble beginning in May
does it work?”
2010, when it was worth less than a penny. No one
“Each Bitcoin is basically a computer file that is stored in a ‘digital wallet’ app on a smartphone or computer. People can send Bitcoins (or part of one)
knows how much its value might rise or fall in the next day, month, year, or decade. 3. Is cryptocurrency a currency or a commodity?
to your digital wallet, and you can send Bitcoins to
Like gold, it can be both. For now, its main
other people. Every single transaction is recorded in
role in the financial markets is as a magnet for
a public list called the blockchain.”
speculators, who seek to make a fortune by buying it before it rises in value. Of course, they
NINE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CRYPTO
could also lose a fortune if it drops sharply.
1. Although Bitcoin dominates cryptocurrency in
In case it isn’t obvious, this is the Oxford English
hype and total value, making up roughly 60% of
Dictionary’s definition of the word “gamble”: To
cryptocurrency’s entire $1.5-trillion value, it’s just
take risky action in the hope of a desired result.
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As you probably know, the value of Bitcoin is extremely volatile. In early October 2020, a unit of Bitcoin was valued at less than $11,000. It peaked at more than $63,000 in mid-April 2021 and ended May at roughly $37,000. 4. Cryptocurrency is secure but not necessarily
an estimated 75% of the Bitcoin mining network. Coal is by far the largest source of electrical energy in China, making up 57.7% of that country’s energy use. 7. Cryptocurrency is extremely difficult to trace and almost impossible to regulate, making it highly popular for illegal uses like drug or firearm sales, extortion, and terrorism. The ransom recently paid by Colonial Pipelines after its fuel-pipeline network was hacked was reportedly sent to the ransomware cybercriminals with cryptocurrency.
safe. The cryptography on which its transactions
8. Cryptocurrency is ideal for e-commerce and
are based establishes highly secure transactions.
could facilitate international transactions,
If you lose your private key/password, however,
including legal ones. It requires no middleman
cryptocurrency is so secure that you’ll be locked
or intermediary, like a bank, which simplifies
out. That means you will lose the entire value of
operations, and you can bypass foreign exchange.
your Bitcoin.
Its avoidance of banks makes it more accessible
As a comparison, your Canadian bank deposits are insured up to $100,000 per account by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation. In the United
for many people in Third World countries, where opening a bank account can be a challenge. 9. The mysterious inventor of Bitcoin, reported to
States, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
be Satoshi Nakamoto, is rumoured to be fictitious.
insures your bank deposits up to $250,000 per
Interestingly, the name appears to include parts
person per insured bank.
of these four Asian electronics firms: Samsung,
5. Bitcoins are “mined” by solving complex
Toshiba, Nakamichi, and Motorola.
computational math problems to add a block of
So, there you have it: the good, the bad, the ugly,
transactions to the blockchain. That process uses
and the scary of cryptocurrency. After my deep
an enormous amount of computing power and
dive, I’m shaking my head even more. But I’m just
energy, which makes it extremely harmful to the
a middle-aged guy, kind of set in my ways. I like to
environment.
hold actual dollars occasionally. I have faith in large
The annual power consumption of the Bitcoin network is estimated at 129 terawatt-hours. That’s more electricity than Norway uses in a year. A terawatt-hour is one trillion watts of electricity sustained for an hour. A single Bitcoin transaction has the same carbon footprint as 680,000 creditcard transactions, according to the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index.
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6. China is the largest miner of Bitcoin, maintaining
SIDEONE SUMMER 2021
financial institutions. I have nothing to hide from the government. I prefer knowing that if I should forget a password, I won’t lose a fortune. And I’m not fond of gambling or supporting terrorists!
COMING UP:
See you in September.
Looking for more to read this summer? Check out our back issues at https://issuu.com/sideonemagazine And we’ll see you again in September.
SUMMER 2021
