Milton Weise 1932-2009

Yesterday morning I received the sad news that Milton Weise, a close friend in Kingston, Jamaica had died Monday when his car was in a collision. I did a quick search on the 'net and the only reference to the accident was on radiojamaica.com:

"Wednesday, 29 July 2009
The local business community is mourning the death of former Director of Cable and Wireless Jamaica Milton Weise. Mr. Weise, who was also the Chairman of National Environment Planning Agency and a consulting engineer, died on Monday night when the vehicle he was driving crashed in Cherry Gardens, St. Andrew."

This was Milton, as described in the discoverjamaica.com Personalities Directory:

"WEISE, Milton Ludlow, C. Eng., M.S.E., M.J.I.E., F.I.STruct. E., F.R.S.A., Dip. M.S.; Consulting Engineer. Principal and Chief Engineer Milton Weise & Associates, Consulting Engineers since 1963. Born: Kingston, Jamaica, April 17, 1932, son of the late Cladius M. Weise, Tailor, and Violet Shaw-Weise. Educated: Calabar Elementary School, Kingston Technical High School, South London Polytechnic. Career: Structural Designer Messrs. F. J. Samuely and Partners (London, England). Senior Engineer Messrs. Leonard & Grant (London, England), Deputy Chief Engineer Firth Cleveland Ltd. (Jamaica). Denomination: Baptist. Married: December 17, 1954 (divorced) ; 2 sons, 2 daughters. Interests: Tennis, Gardening. Club: Liguanea."

Milton Weise, April 20, 1997
Kingston Harbour, Jamaica

I met Milton on July 2, 1988 when I went to Kingston, Jamaica for a three week stint teaching computer courses (DOS, WordPerfect, dBASE, Lotus 123) to engineers belonging to the Jamaica Institution of Engineers. Milton and I hit it off right from the get-go. After returning to Ottawa I kept in touch with a number of the engineers I had met that summer. When I returned to Jamaica with my wife, Helen, in October 1989 to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary at the Liguanea Club in Kingston, Milton sponsored our stay there. And when we decided to take out a membership in the Club, Milton sponsored our membership request. From then until 2001 we normally connected with Milton at least twice a year when we would be in Kingston on holidays. Usually, on those 2 to 3 week excursions, we'd see Milton two, three or more times per week. Over the years we enjoyed spending many hours with Milton and Rosanne Lee, his long-time partner.

Unfortunately, family commitments have kept us from Jamaica for the last 8 years but we have continued to keep in contact with friends via email and telephone. We would usually visit with Milton by telephone once or twice a year. I last spoke with Milton a couple months ago. I had called using Skype-to-landline to see how he was doing following the death of Rosanne who had succumbed after a long battle with cancer. We must have chatted for about half an hour. Last week, I thought I should give him another call, but as usual I was just heading out somewhere when I thought of it and decided to wait until later. Now I'll never get to make that call.

I wonder how many time that sort of thing happens. You think of someone you should contact, but because you hesitate or postpone it you then never get the chance to have that talk. I think from now on, when I feel the urge to touch base with a friend I'll do it immediately just in case the chance slips away from me forever.

At least, that's the way I see it from Between Keyboard and Chair.

A Link To The Past

Years and years ago, it seems like half a century, I played in a country dance band called the Mississippi River Boys. We played the dance hall circuit throughout Lanark County as well as the surrounding counties. During the 1970s I penned a number of songs that we used by the band on a regular basis. We still include a couple of these in the Grateful We're Not Dead repertoire as well.

Yesterday I was cleaning out some boxes and came across a couple unlabelled cassette tapes. Out of curiosity I decide to see what was on them and too my surprise I came across one of the songs which I had recorded at home using multi-tracking and over-dubbing on a Dokorder 4-track open reel tape recorder. I guess I had mixed the tracks down to the cassette as a test mix. So I present here with all its glitches and warts, a link to my past. Any messups you hear are wholly attributable to me seeing as I played all parts - guitar, bass, harmonica, vocal, and backup vocal. Just click on the play button to hear it.

I hope that wasn't too painful.

Don

Children's Peace Plan - Evelyn Voigt

Today from Between Keyboard and Chair, I'm going to introduce you to one of my friends, Evelyn Voigt.

Evelyn happens to be my favourite Ottawa poet and a very dear friend. Evelyn was born a German prisoner of war in Norton, located close to Harare in what is now Zimbabwe. As a child she ran free on a farm in Tanzania, and later travelled widely. She chose Canada as her multi-cultural base; however, her work often takes her "home" to Africa. Evelyn has recorded a couple CDs of her poetry which are available via her web site.

Now some of you may think I'm a bit biased, and I agree I am, because Grateful We're Not Dead work with Evelyn quite frequently at peace related events. My all-time favourite poem of Evelyn's is The Children's Peace Plan and I always enjoy hearing her perform it. She did it recently at the Southminster United Church during the protest against the 2009 CANSEC Arms Show and it was caught on video. So for your listening pleasure and without further ado, here is Evelyn:

The Children's Peace Plan
(©Evelyn Voigt 2001)

Squeezing through a moon beam
she sat upon a star,
and looked down at the earth below
so very, very far.
She looked at all those children
Caught in the wars of man.
She heard their frightened voices
and came up with a plan.

In moments she was down there,
Whispering to each their name:

In China and in Germany,
in Azerbaijan and Spain;
In Russia and in Canada,
in Kenya and Peru;
Guyana and America,
Tibet and Timbuktu;
In Gaza and Jerusalem;
In Cairo and in Rome;
In Serbia and Croatia,
Burundi and at home.

The children's eyes grew wider,
as she told them of her plan.
Then solemnly they joined her.
Some walked. Some limped. Some ran.

She welcomed them with radiance.
She armed them with her smile.
She looked towards the cannons,
stacked mile, on mile, on mile.
She found herself a blossom,
a single blossom white,
Before she chose her cannon,
and sat on it, upright.

Above the cannon's mouth she sat,
Her smile as soft as dew;
And when the soldiers came to fire,
She said, "I welcome you".

And the children all took measure.
And the children chose their gun.
And the children smiled their magic smiles.
And the soldiers came undone.

They talked about their troubles.
They talked about their dreams.
The more they heard,
the more it seems:
Their problems weren’t that different.
Their hopes were much the same.
And, somehow, guns and warfare
seemed silly, tragic, lame.

Instead they chose to listen,
to plan, to heal, to please.
And the guns stood ever silent.
And the world was bathed in peace.

Squeezing through the moon beam,
she sat upon a star
and looked down at the earth below,
so very, very far.
She looked at all those children,
who sang and laughed and ran.
She thought about past battles,
and blessed her joyful plan.

So from Between Keyboard and Chair, I wish you peace.

Don

Win a Subscription to Linux Journal

Are you a Linux user? Are you considering migrating your computer(s) over to Linux? Are you going to set up a dual-boot system with Linux and that other OS? If so, you might want to consider a subscription to Linux Journal, one of the top resources for the Linux user. And if you feel lucky you can participate in the contest Linux Journal announced last Friday:

Houston, TX - March 5, 2009 - Linux Journal, the original magazine of the Linux community, announces a contest for viewers of LinuxJournal.com Tech Tip videos. During the week of March 9 - March 13, 2009 the daily Tech Tip videos will feature hosts Shawn Powers and Mitch Frazier announcing a few secret letters of the day. Viewers will need to collect the letters from each video that week (videos will be released daily) and come Friday March 13, unscramble the letters to reveal the secret word(s).

Contest rules: Participants must e-mail the correct secret word to contest@linuxjournal.com by 11:59:59PM U.S. Eastern Standard Time on Friday of March the 13th, 2009. In addition to the secret word participants must provide us with their full name, postal mailing address and e-mail address (none of which will be shared with anyone outside of Linux Journal at any time).

Prizes: Every participant who responds with the correct information by or before the 11:59:59PM U.S. Eastern Standard Time March, Friday 13th, 2009 deadline (03:59:59 GMT March 14, 2009) will receive a free 1 year digital subscription to Linux Journal -- one entry allowed per e-mail address. For those who already subscribe to Linux Journal, a free digital subscription will be appended to their current subscription.

You can check out the contest rules or if you feel lucky, just hop on over to this first article at Linux Journal and give it a whirl. Who knows, you may just be one of the winners of a free subscription to Linux Journal.

That's how I see it from Between Keyboard and Chair.

Don

Guest Commentary On The Auto Industry Bailout

Today, Between Keyboard and Chair is pleased to present a satirical commentary on the automobile industry bailout by guest 1st time blogger Aislyn Ireton, a student at Perth and District Collegiate Institute. Take it away, Aislyn.

As the North-American economy slowly slips into a recession, it is timely that the top three American auto makers would see fit to approach Congress to ask for funding to pay off debts and cover "operating" expenses. All three are asking for paltry amounts. GM needs US$12-billion, Ford is looking for US$9-billion, and Chrysler, who clearly are more thrifty, only requires US$7-billion. These economic woes snuck up on their accounting departments and became an immediate crisis so the money is needed sooner than later. More specifically, by December 31st, 2008.

Canada’s federal industry minister, Tony Clement and Ontario Premier, Dalton McGuinty, can expect to receive the companies’ requests for assistance that will be proportional to the assistance requested of the US government.

If our government should indeed come through with the money, there are some ways that the auto makers could thank the Canadian tax payers. Each Canadian household could receive a voucher via cheap, third class, bulk mail, a for a free vehicle of their choice from one the three main corporations.

I strongly agree with this reparation because it has many perks that will boost the Canadian confidence and economy.

• If every Canadian was to drive a brand new vehicle of their choice there should be no problem with passing emissions tests. The government could save a lot of money by shutting down the branch of government responsible for monitoring emissions testing. This would free up some money to offset the funds that they will be giving to the auto makers from the public coffers.


• Since there will be more cars on the road, more gas will be pumped at the stations and therefore the government’s tax share from the sale of fuel should increase dramatically.


• As travel increases the need for more drive-ins and drive-thrus will increase. Heart clinics and Tim Horton will enjoy an increase in business. With sales at an all time high, surely the need for increased staff will follow and the unemployment rates should plummet.


• Turmoil created by the OC Transpo strike will be demolished because citizens will all have cars to get themselves to the malls. The loss of green space that will be required to expand existing parking lots to accommodate all the cars is a small price to pay.


• This is a time in our society where family life is busy and often chaotic. Being stuck in the endless lines of traffic and daily hold-ups as a result of all the extra cars on the road, will create opportunities for the family time that used to be spent around the dinner table.


• Canadians will appear healthier than ever. Overwhelming amounts of CO² will be released, depleting the ozone layer and thus allowing UV rays to enter the atmosphere. We will all be sporting Coppertone tans and will easily absorb more than adequate amounts of the daily recommended levels of vitamin D.


• One of the most pressing socio-economic issues in urban areas will be resolved. No one will be homeless.

So while we are all busy enjoying the euphoria caused by the "new car" smells, the top execs can be busy dipping into the Canadian government funding to offset their astronomically high annual bonuses and making unnecessary upgrades to their "one seater" private jets. With any money left over after these expenses, they can make a last ditch attempt at saving their plants.

I Was Tagged

On checking my private Plurks last week I found that Between Keyboard and Chair had been tagged by a Plurk friend, Rantz, in Australia. Now according to the rules of tagging, you have to do three things:

1. Shout the tagger's blog
2. Write 5 interesting facts about yourself
3. Tag six more blogs

So the first task at hand is to shout Rantz's blog: rantz, the content of which he describes in the header as "blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah". Actually, the blog covers a variety of topics and is worth dropping by for a read and a look at his pondcam.

Now to come up with five facts about myself. You'll have to decide if they're interesting.

1. As anyone who reads this blog knows, I've met my wife 50 years ago and have been married to her for 44 years.


2. I'm a Linux junkie and have been running openSUSE Linux almost exclusively on my 5 home systems since 2000. I keep Windows on a partition on one laptop in order to do my taxes each year.


3. If you're familiar with the Grateful We're Not Dead blog here's another tidbit. After I finished playing in the Mississippi River Boys in 1985, I put my guitars away and didn't pick them up for another 13 years. In May, 1998 I started attending a monthly Music Night held at the home of Gord Breedyk and Evelyn Voigt. This was a sing-along event and I played guitar to accompany the singers. Common interests with Gord Breedyk and Bruce Penniston discovered at Music Night led to the formation of Grateful We're Not Dead.


4. I started Carleton University in 1962, dropped out in 1964 and didn't complete my BSc in Chemistry until 1976.


5. In July 1988 I took a contract in Kingston, Jamaica for 3 weeks to teach basic computer skills to Civil Engineers. I fell in love with the country and the people and from 1989 until 2001 my wife and I used to spend 3 to 4 weeks in Kingston, Jamaica each year on holiday.

And finally, the last task: tag six other blogs. Some of these may have already been tagged, but here goes in no particular order:

• rudy10 Copingwithdisability.com
• RenegadeScribe Renegade Sanctuary
• th13rteen WebRampage!
• spotrick Letters from Adelaide
• rah LRKane.com
• randomnicole Randomly Nicole

So with this final task completed I'll go back to sleep until inspiration hits me with an idea for the next article. At least that's how I see it from Between Keyboard and Chair.

60 Years In East Africa

60 Years in East Africa: Life of a Settler 1926 to 1986.

This book is the autobiography of Werner Voigt (1905 - 1997). It is written in a flowing conversational style and is an easy read.

Werner writes at the beginning of the book:

This story is written as I remember the different episodes; a bit embroidered, perhaps. I make no claims to the historical accuracy of my account. In many cases, the names have been changed.

As a young boy, Werner Voigt dreamed of reliving the adventures of Robinson Crusoe. In 1926, soon after completing a diploma in "Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture" at the German Colonial College he found himself on his way to Bagamoyo, Tanganyika (now Tanzania) in East Africa on a three year contract with a plantation. That three year contract turned into a sixty year affair with East Africa.

On arriving in Africa, Werner worked as a plantation Manager, running and constructing plantations until the funds dried up during the Great Depression. Fortunately, he had saved sufficient money to purchase land at Mufindi in the southwestern highlands in the Iringa District. Through his story he shares the hardships, rewards, jubilation and disappointments he and his family experienced: the building of his first house; the arrival from Germany of Helga, his teenage bride-to-be; their 1000 Km honeymoon and gold prospecting trek; the disappointment of the coffee growing failure and the success of their Pyrethrum crop; the eight years of internment in British camps during the Second World War; starting from scratch again as "Tenants at Will" on what had been their own property prior to the War and having to accumulate sufficient funds to repurchase the property; the death of their eldest son, Werner; the success of their tea plantation; and finally, their decision to sell the farm and leave Tanzania in 1986.

Werner's autobiography is filled with many anecdotes containing interesting details about East Africa and the people he knew and loved.

Werner sums up his lifetime in East Africa as follows:

When I arrived in Bagamoyo in 1926, I was called "Bwana mdogo" (little Mister). Later, I was simply, "Bwana". When we got our own plantation, I became "Bwana mkubwa" (big Mister). When Tanzania became independent, we were all just simple "ndugu" (comrades). Later, I became the "Bwana mzee" (old Mister) and in the last years, I was called "Babu" (grandfather). These were the symbols of a lifetime in East Africa.

This book is an interesting read and reveals details of life over the decades in East Africa that you will not encounter in history books.

60 Years in East Africa is available from:

General Store Publishing House
499 O'Brien Rd
Box 415
Renfrew, Ontario K7V 4A6
1-800-465-6072

and can be ordered online as well.

A worthwhile read. At least that's how I see it from Between Keyboard and Chair.

Addendum (2008-11-10):
I am not the only one who found this to be a fascinating story. One of the author's daughters forwarded me reviews that appeared after the book was published in the mid 90s.

• Betty Kilgour, Author and Columnist, A number of Betty Kilgour's books have been about her experiences in Africa

"On reading Werner Voigt's magnificent book, 60 Years in East Africa, I was blown away. I found myself embarked on such a magical journey of adventure, joy, sadness and love, I was unable to lay the book down.

Told in a simple, direct, quietly elegant manner, it conveys not only the Voigt's amazing true story of their years in East Africa, but also the love and respect they feel for the African people.

A book as grand as 60 Years in East Africa belongs in the company of such sweeping epics as ... Out of Africa - what a movie this book would make!"



• Dave Brown, Columnist, The Ottawa Citizen. (comments in an Ottawa Citizen column about Werner and Helga Voigt)

"Like most uncommonly competent people, Werner Voigt saw disasters as minor setbacks. The solution to a failed crop was to try another crop. When locusts arrived by the millions, one avoided invitations to barbecues from staff members, who would be offering locusts as a delicacy. They replanted and started again."



• Mora Johnson, Columnist, West End Flyer, Ottawa

"Sixty Years in East Africa is a fascinating autobiography of a person who has chosen an unusual and interesting life. I found the book difficult to put down."



• DRB, Editor of Tanzania Affairs, Issued by the Britain-Tanzania Society, 1997

"This book is a rare gem ... this book is not to be missed ...

It is the adventure-packed, gentle and moving personal story of the 60 years the author spent in Africa ...

Do not start reading it when you are expecting visitors - you might resent the intrusion. Do not start reading it late at night (as I did) - you will miss a night's sleep! And watch out for the film that will surely follow."

Need A New Body Part? Just Grow It!

It appears that we're rapidly approaching medical procedures previously only encountered in science fiction. In April 2008 the US Defence Department announced the establishment of the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) and the US government budgeted $250 million of private and public money over 5 years . The key component of this Army-led collaborative initiative was to "harness stem cell research and technology in finding innovative ways to use a patient's natural cellular structure to reconstruct new skin, muscles and tendons, and even ears, noses and fingers".

Well things have progressed quickly, and as reported in the Ottawa Citizen via Canwest News Services:

American military researchers say they have unlocked the secret to regrowing limbs and recreating organs in humans who have sustained major injuries.

Using "nanoscaffolding", the researchers have regrown a man's fingertip and the internal organs of several test subjects.

The technology works by placing a very fine apparatus called a scaffold, which is made of polymer fibres hundreds of times finer than a human hair, in place of a missing limb or damaged organ. The scaffold acts as a guide for cells to grab onto so they can begin to rebuild missing bones and tissue. The tissue grows through tiny holes in the scaffold, in the same way a vine snakes its way up a trellis.

After the body part has regenerated, the scaffold breaks down, is absorbed into the person's body and disappears entirely.

The military plans to announce the breakthrough at the 26th Army Science Conference in Florida next month.

Previous research in England (2006) had shown that nanoscaffolding could be used to grow skin for grafting in severe burn cases. And in Australia in February, a PhD student released research papers showing how nanoscaffolding can be used to repair nerve damage.

The next question is, how soon will these types of procedures be readily available to the general public?

It never ceases to amaze me, the scientific advances I've seen over my 65 years and I expect to see many more before I shuffle off this mortal coil. At least, that's how I see it from Between Keyboard and Chair.

Bloggeries: Next Year's New Word In the English Language?

Bloggeries is a synonym for articles posted in a blog. Presumably, a bloggery would be a single blog article. The term is being promoted on the Bloggeries Blog forum. If the term is used frequently enough and starts to be used in written and oral communication without an explanation required as to its meaning then the chances of it being accepted into English dictionaries becomes very likely.

When Merriam-Webster released its list of new words for 2008, Peter Sokolowski, an editor-at-large for Merriam-Webster, was quoted in a San Francisco Chronicle article in July 7, 2008:

"As soon as we see the word used without explanation or translation or gloss, we consider it a naturalized citizen of the English language. If somebody is using it to convey a specific idea and that idea is successfully conveyed in that word, it's ready to go in the dictionary."

John Morse, Merriam-Webster's president and publisher, said the cleverness of many Web-related terms makes them easy to grasp and gives them staying power.

"There's a kind of collective genius on the part of the people developing this technology, using vocabulary that is immediately accessible to all of us. It's sometimes absolutely poetic."

So here's your chance to help promote a new word for the English language and to assist in getting it officially recognized. Start using the words bloggery and bloggeries to refer to blog postings. Use it in your written material and use it when you're speaking to people. With enough usage it will gain wide acceptance and you will have done your part in adding this term into the world's English vocabulary.

Anyway, that's how I see it from Between Keyboard and Chair.

How Queen Elizabeth Changed Our Wedding Date

On July 2, 1964 I proposed marriage to Helen Ireton of Drummond Center and the proposal was accepted. Helen worked at the Royal Bank in Perth, Ontario and I was working in the darkroom at Defence Research Board (DRB) in Ottawa. In August I started a full-time position with DRB at the princely salary of $3220/year. Our plan was to relocate to Ottawa after Helen received a transfer to the city. We decided that we would be married on Thanksgiving weekend: Saturday, October 10, 1964 at St. John's Anglican Church, Innisville. Planning for the wedding commenced. In those days it didn't take a year to plan a wedding. Helen's transfer was arranged very quickly and she was to start work at the Royal Bank, 90 Sparks Street, Ottawa on October 13. We located a new apartment in early September with occupancy on October 1. Seeing as I was in a new job I hadn't accumulated any leave credits so our honeymoon would consist of Sunday and Monday at our new apartment.

My father, Ed White, worked in Ottawa at Rideau Hall, the residence of the Governor-General, as a greenhouse man and floral designer. Shortly after planning for the wedding started he found out that the Queen and Prince Philip would be staying at Rideau Hall on Thanksgiving weekend and he would be required to work. What to do? We could either postpone the wedding or move it to Friday, October 9. Seeing as our only honeymoon would be a long weekend, we decided on Friday.

Now I've never been much of a church goer but Helen and I had to attend for three Sundays in September for the reading of the banns. It was a bit of a chuckle to hear ourselves referred to as Donald Edward White, bachelor and Helen Isobel Ireton, spinster. Once that was out of the way with no objections raised, everything was a go.

A week before the wedding, I requested the Friday off without pay. As soon as my manager found out I wanted the day off to get married, he readily agreed and then recommended that I be paid for the day as well.

My father, being a floral designer, prepared all the flowers for the wedding. All the food for the reception was prepared at our parents and family friends. Helen's mother baked the wedding cake. A friend from my High School days, Bob Drader, agreed to photograph the wedding if I would return the favour when he was married. My long time friend and bass player for the Mississippi River Boys, Walter Cameron, was best man and his wife, Betty Cameron, matron-of-honour.

The guests at the wedding were all the aunts and uncles as well as a cousin of mine, Dave McCarthy, from Toronto whom I'd met while attending Carleton University. Following the wedding, the wedding dinner was held in the basement of the United Church in Boyd's Settlement and catered by the Anglican Church Womens' Guild. Following the dinner we visited with Helen's 84 year old grandmother in Scotch Corners who had been bed-ridden for four years. We then returned to the Ireton family farm for the remainder of the afternoon and early evening. Well the chores had to be done, eh! Cows to milk, pigs and chickens to feed, horses to care for.

After the chores were completed we headed off to the hall in Ferguson Falls for a country-style wedding reception. Because I played with the Mississippi River Boys throughout the surrounding counties, the invitation to the wedding reception was open to anyone. Needless to say, the hall was swamped. The music for the reception was provided by a family friend, Milton Symington and his orchestra, from Arnprior. The first dance of the evening was a square dance, something that I'm sure you'd never see at a wedding now.

To make a long story short, this was the start to what has been an interesting, entertaining and loving 58 years. (Updated for October 9, 2022)

And as a final note, as I now repose Between Keyboard and Chair, I'd like to offer my thanks to Queen Elizabeth for her role in making our married life one day longer than we expected.