Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Speaks at the University of Western Ontario

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke in Alumni Hall at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Wednesday evening.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lost his battle with laryngitis Wednesday night at the University of Western Ontario. With his voice fading, Kennedy said, "I don't think I can talk anymore." For the full story see my take in Digital Journal. 


left: University of Western Ontario political science student Tiffany Santos stands beside Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who posed for pictures with students at a book signing after the question and answer session was cut short by his laryngitis.

English Bulldog

It's an English bulldog. Somewhat squat and quite muscular, this is a dog with an intimidating appearance. And when it walked by me the first time, I gave it lots of room. And yet, I felt guilty, that dog seemed friendly, approachable.

The route I take for my daily stroll is a loop and it didn't take long for the English bulldog and me to cross paths again. This time I chatted with the owner and got permission to try for a picture. This dog was clearly affectionate, curious, and gentle.

Since taking this picture, I did some research and sure enough English bulldogs love people and bask in the attention caring owners gives them. Still, I wouldn't want to pull this particular fellow's tail.

Uh, they do have pullable tails, don't they?

Ann Coulter Spoke in London

When signing books for admirers, Ann Coulter can be downright charming.

The right-wing American firebrand Ann Coulter is making a three-stop Canadian tour and Monday night she spoke in London, Ontario.

For more information on the evening, see the Digital Journal: Ann Coulter claims she's the victim of a hate crime.

More pictures of doomed dome east of London

The geodesic-dome like ceiling above the main dining room still looks cool.

Yesterday I posted pictures from the open house held to celebrate the '60s domed Woodstock service centre on 401 east. Personally, I find it sad that this building, and the others like it, are all going to be razed --- there were a number built beside 401 back in the early '60s.

The men's washroom has a gently curved wall.

They were well built with geodesic-like domes and solid stone walls. I like to think that if buildings like this were maintained, added to and modified with care and imagination, they could continue to function in the present. Then, in a hundred years we'd have a few cool heritage buildings giving architectural witness to a time long past.

But no, we tear them down before they even hit 40. In a hundred years no one will know a thing about them. They will be truly and completely gone and a bit of our heritage will have died.

Check out the stone wall curving behind this lady enjoying a Tim's and a cigarette. I wonder what happens to the stones after the building is demolished.

At one time civilizations reused building materials. My guess is that this stone is destined for a dump.

The old Scott's Chicken Villa rest stop on 401 near Woodstock wasn't built with the look of a building to be demolished within four decades.

Doomed Dome

It was very futuristic, the look of tomorrow, when it opened in 1962. Today it is the dated look of yesterday.

The well known domed Woodstock service centre on 401 east is slated for closure. Saturday an open house was held, and some of the staff from the early years attended. One woman, Eunice Moore was 91. Another lady was much younger, but then she was only 17 when she worked for the colonel back in 1963. For the full story and more pictures see: Digital Journal - Doomed Domes.

It is hard to see the original Scott's Chicken Villa in the present building. The dome is still prominent, but the tall, antenna-like structure is gone.

A great place to visit but . . .

Toronto-born Frank Gehry, has done his first building in Canada, the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. The famous architect put a long expanse of slanted, reflective glass above the Dundas St. W. entrance to reflect the townhouses across the street.

Gehry used a lot of warm wood inside the AGO.

Many of us living in Southwestern Ontario have a love/hate relationship with Toronto. We love visiting the big city but we don't want to live there. Toronto has great theatres, athletic events, restaurants. The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) are wonderful places to spend a day.

Right now King Tut: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs is at the AGO.

King Tut is two hours from London.

The tickets are available online. Buy in advance online and when you walk in the door, you can immediately line-up for entry at the time on your ticket. It's pretty slick.

To go home, one gets on the Gardner Expressway or maybe the 401, and if it is rush hour you just about park your car on the expressway. The going is slow. It gives one a lot of time to consider why, "Toronto is a great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there."

Art Gallery of Ontario

It's location, location, location --- or is it?

I always thought with real estate it was location, location, location. Well, this is the location of the upscale apartments featured yesterday.

On the right edge of the picture is the Men's Mission and in the foreground is a complex of storage units. I'll bet folk who live in the apartments rent space here as it's handy.

Between the storage buildings and the apartments run the Canadian National Railway tracks. This is the CNR mainline through London and it is heavily travelled.

And behind the Men's Mission at the CNR tracks, both men and women often gather to chum about. The London police seem to think of this more as loitering, or something, and are often there breaking it up and moving it on.

When my wife worked in the area I always had to pick her up after work because she was afraid to walk to her car. She feared the fellows who, when moved on from party-hardy-city, loitered in front of the door to her building.

This is not a criticism but an observation. I personally found the wording of the sign fastened to the side of the apartment building odd, but hey that's probably just me.

Cheers,
Rockinon