To the seasons of life
Charm
I’m, what promise do you need?
Merritt’s Cenotaph was well observed today.11,11,11.
A captain wearing 39th a brigade patch. Laid a wreath for the military.
Local army cadets as in the picture above. Commanded or guarded the cenotaph. Merritt Centennial’s hockey team was there.They formed a presence in the rear and laid a wreath.
In a tender thought, the girl guides of Canada were called upon at least a half a dozen times to lay wreaths.
Old time passed on veterans were ackowledged.
And Agreement for “We will remember them” was garnered and
observed.
The 39 Brigade group was recently raised (Spruced up) because of tensions in the world. Tom Newel the Honorary Colonel of the Rocky Mountain Rangers was at the historic start site of the World War Two ” Battan Death March” exploring an old resentment today. Tom has been active of late.
Reserves ( three pips a captain) one ear turned to listen a Prince. photo KDG
The formation you are referring to is likely the 39th Canadian Brigade Group (39 CBG). While it is structured out of historical units with deep-rooted traditions dating back well over a century, the modern brigade-group structure as it exists today was officially formed in 1997 (with various subordinate units undergoing modern reorganizations and amalgamations since, such as the 39 Service Battalion in 2010).Based in the province of British Columbia (with headquarters in Vancouver), 39 CBG is a formation of the Canadian Army Reserve (Primary Reserve) under the 3rd Canadian Division.An overview of how it was raised, its purpose, and its construction includes:
The 39th Canadian Brigade Group was established in 1997 as part of a restructuring of the Canadian Forces Land Force Command to streamline reserve forces into cohesive, regional brigade groups under the control of area commands.Rather than being raised from scratch as a completely brand-new entity, the brigade was formed by grouping together pre-existing historical militia and reserve regiments scattered across British Columbia—many of which trace their lineage back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries (such as local infantry and artillery units formed during the Victorian era and World Wars).
The primary purposes of the 39th Canadian Brigade Group are:
* Force Generation: To recruit, train, and maintain combat-ready part-time soldiers (reservists) who can augment the Regular Force. * International Deployments: To provide individual volunteers and sub-units for international United Nations (UN) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operations. Hundreds of its members have deployed to major missions, including those in Afghanistan. * Domestic Operations & Humanitarian Aid: To support civilian authorities during domestic emergencies within British Columbia—such as responding to natural disasters, severe flooding, and catastrophic wildfire relief efforts. * Community Connection: To act as the tangible military presence in communities across British Columbia, fostering a bridge between the civilian public and the Canadian Armed Forces.
The brigade is comprised of roughly 1,500 reserve soldiers distributed across 11 primary units stationed in armories throughout Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops, Chilliwack, and other BC communities.Its organizational makeup covers a broad spectrum of combat arms and support services:
Located in Vancouver (Major-General B.M. Hoffmeister Building). * Infantry (Light Infantry): * The Rocky Mountain Rangers (Headquarters in Kamloops, with companies in Prince George) * The Royal Westminster Regiment (New Westminster and Chilliwack) * The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada (Vancouver) * The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s) (Victoria and Nanaimo) * Armoured (Reconnaissance): * The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own) (Vancouver) * The British Columbia Dragoons (Kelowna and Vernon) * Artillery: * 5th (British Columbia) Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Victoria and Nanaimo) * 15th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA (Vancouver) * Combat Engineers: * 39 Combat Engineer Regiment (Vancouver, Chilliwack, and Trail) * Signals & Communications: * 39 Signal Regiment (Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, and Kelowna) * Combat Service Support: * 39 Service Battalion (Richmond and Victoria) — handles logistics, transport, supply, and maintenance.Additionally, the brigade works alongside specialized supporting units in the region, such as field ambulances (medical services), military police platoons, and intelligence detachments.
The Merritt crown bicycle race held in June. It is on the (12th this year). Registration opened on November 9th, if you want to be part of a group that enjoys outdoor physical activity. A bit of mild competition and a sense of belonging.
Photo Generated KDG
An ongoing exploration…
The next test is the charm…
For SpaceX’s Starship—the fully reusable spacecraft being developed for NASA’s Artemis lunar missions and future human missions to Mars—Flight 15 (Integrated Flight Test 15) is targeting a launch around November 13, 2026 from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.
SpaceX is attempting to catch the Starship upper stage (Ship 42) using the launch tower’s massive mechanical “chopstick” arms at Pad 2. Up until now, upper-stage ships have performed controlled re-entries and water splashdowns in the ocean. * The Booster Catch: Simultaneously, the first stage Super Heavy (Booster 22) will attempt a catch back at the Starbase launch tower. If successful, this will mark the first time both stages are caught and recovered at the launch site on the same mission.
Flight 15 is planned to begin early-stage testing of mechanisms critical for in-space propellant transfer—a vital technology needed to refuel Starship in low Earth orbit before it can travel to the Moon or Mars. This includes testing docking and hatch alignment mechanisms.
Flight 15 utilizes the newer Block 3 vehicle architecture (Booster 22 and Ship 42) designed for improved performance, higher thrust, and increased payload capabilities into orbit.
Both Booster 22 and Ship 42 have completed their cryogenic proof testing and static fires at the Starbase test site. * Regulatory Approval: Final licensing from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and airspace hazard notices are being finalized ahead of the target launch date.
Or it’s more often noted.
In Concert this Friday
https://www.facebook.com/share/14zzyrRNqnC
Culture is remembered and expressed in concert classics.
Feelings are resonated by tones pauses and construct.
It’s so nice to have such a accomplished namesake.
A transitional requiem in classical concerts functions as a profound structural and emotional bridge, capturing the liminal space between grief and acceptance, or mortal existence and the afterlife. Its core value lies in its psychological depth, transforming the traditional fixed liturgy of the Mass for the Dead into a dynamic exploration of human change. The musical storyline typically mirrors a spiritual and emotional migration—beginning with the heavy, fractured despair of the Introitus and Dies Irae, moving through the harrowing confrontation of loss, and resolving into the ethereal, suspended textures of the Lux Aeterna or In Paradisum. This deliberate evolution generates complex, contradictory feelings in the audience: a heavy sense of haunting exposure and sorrow gives way to visceral awe, eventually clearing into a profound, cathartic release of peace and existential reconciliation.
Transient (featuring Resin Moon)This video provides an immersive auditory and visual example of how contemporary transitional themes and ambient pacing echo the liminal, shifting moods found in transitional classical movements.
Not an ad:
We welcome your comments and observations.
Economic development summit. Merritt Civic center. breakfast and lunch available
Merritt has a future…
100 riders,June 12th 2027, 120,60 kilometers or relay.
Merritt BC Canada.
Good exercise great time..
The weekend rain forecast across British Columbia is defined by a heavy, unsettled pacific storm cycle driven by an atmospheric river pattern impacting the province.
Regional Breakdown
* Coastal B.C. & South Coast (Metro Vancouver, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island):
* Conditions: Persistent, widespread rainfall and strong winds dominate the region. Vancouver Island and coastal mountains are bearing the heaviest downpours, leading to localized pooling on roads and elevated risks of localized flooding.
* Temperatures: Mild daytime highs hovering around 9°C to 12°C.
* Southern Interior (Okanagan, Thompson-Nicola):
* Conditions: Wet and cloudy with periodic light to moderate rainfall. Temperatures remain relatively mild during the day (6°C to 9°C range).
* High-Elevation Mountain Passes (Coquihalla, Sea to Sky, Kootenay Pass):
* Conditions: Heavy precipitation transitions to heavy alpine snowfall at higher elevations. High-elevation mountain passes are seeing mixed rain and snow, creating slippery conditions and reduced visibility for drivers.
* Northern B.C. (North Coast & Northern Interior):
* Conditions: Cool and wet, with rain along coastal areas transitioning into a mix of rain showers and flurries for inland northern communities.
Summary
It is a classic wet November weekend across most of B.C. The heaviest rainfall remains concentrated along coastal areas and Vancouver Island, while interior routes face persistent showers and mountain passes experience snow/slush mix. Travelers should account for wet roads, high-elevation winter driving conditions, and potential ferry or transit delays due to accompanying winds.
Be aware of freezing temperatures at the higher level that are above highways often as it’s rained and it freezes acts as contractions and rocks will start to move. This is just information. Don’t consider it as advice.
Always drive defensively.
So, as FDR once said we have nothing to fear but fear itself.
we we have become adept at turning fear into entertainment, so let’s keep it that way. Remember when you go to bed at night. You’ve just been entertained. And keep you rationale now for actual danger.
Ai synopsis
Mercury in retrograde is an optical illusion where the planet Mercury appears to move backward in the night sky from our view on Earth. [1] (https://www.almanac.com/content/mercury-retrograde-dates), [2] (https://www.sagegoddess.com/what-is-mercury-retrograde/)The Science Behind It• Orbit Speed: Mercury orbits the Sun much faster (every 88 days) than Earth (365 days).• The Passing Effect: Several times a year, Earth overtakes Mercury in its orbit.• Visual Illusion: Just like a faster car passing a slower car on a highway makes the slower car look like it is moving in reverse, Mercury temporarily appears to travel backward. [1] (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zq3tdnb), [2] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZatYlEPob8), [3] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NL2m3Uac_o), [4] (https://www.sagegoddess.com/what-is-mercury-retrograde/)2026 Mercury Retrograde Dates• First Retrograde: February 26 – March 20 (in Pisces)• Second Retrograde: June 29 – July 23 (in Cancer)• Third Retrograde: October 24 – November 13 (in Scorpio) [1] (https://www.farmersalmanac.com/mercury-retrograde), [2] (https://www.almanac.com/content/mercury-retrograde-dates)You can track full planetary calendars and guides via the Farmers’ Almanac or check details on Astrology Zone. [1] (https://www.astrologyzone.com/updated-mercury-retrograde-dates/), [2] (https://www.farmersalmanac.com/mercury-retrograde)Astrology and Popular Belief• What It Governs: In astrology, Mercury rules communication, technology, travel, and contracts. [1] (https://www.today.com/life/astrology/mercury-retrograde-tips-thrive-astrologer-rcna606105), [2] (https://www.farmersalmanac.com/mercury-retrograde)• Common Beliefs: Astrologers and followers associate this window with miscommunications, delayed flights, and glitching gadgets. It is often treated as a time for “re-” words: reviewing, revising, repairing, and reflecting. [1] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf1D9Kmz1qc), [2] (https://spiritualgangster.com/blogs/news/your-mercury-retrograde-survival-guide), [3] (https://www.today.com/life/astrology/mercury-retrograde-tips-thrive-astrologer-rcna606105), [4] (https://www.sagegoddess.com/what-is-mercury-retrograde/), [5] (https://www.farmersalmanac.com/mercury-retrograde)• Scientific Reality: Astronomers and scientists note that there is no physical mechanism or evidence showing that Mercury’s orbital position influences human behavior, psychology, or electronics. [1] (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/8r5PHKJMfw0), [2] (https://sunflowercounseling.com/mercury-is-in-retrograde-but-is-that-really-why-you-feel-anxious/), [3] (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zq3tdnb)Would you like to know about upcoming shadow periods, or how a specific zodiac sign is affected during these dates?
Merritt meets Grand Forks at the Nicola Valley arena at 7:00 PM Friday. Action continues on Sunday with Revelstoke 2:PM in Merritt.
Schedule
Junior A Hockey continuing the Merritt Centennials tenure in Merritt BC. Now with the British Columbia Hockey Conference. (More that half a century!)
Make a deal…
It’s a wicked old world if it’s the underworld.
Most all cultures over time came up with an underworld understanding if that’s the right word. I remember the Boatman that would be on the river Sticks for the Greeks and Roman Warriors. I guess it was. And if you didn’t have somebody to put coins in your eyes, you’d be blind in eternity. All these moral things that lend themselves to Pertain Natural images.
So, be resolved that you will take the burden off somebody instead of putting it on. No big heavy trips. Certain endings. Give who you come across today. The blessing of self-determination. And you be a supportive member of it?. How about that??
The grief that we experience is always wanting explanation and rational purpose to win happiness back.
We Pray You,( or wish you, suggest you) / an action that will mitigate your loss. These activities are mostly delusion as it is a given that denial of loss is staking and invites you ” what did I do to deserve this”.
You did nothing unless it materialisticly led directly to your loss.
Even luck bows to that. However someone else’s bad luck can depending on where you’re positioned lead into your good luck.
Anyway, when you’re dealing with grief it is okay to be unsure. And for a Time release your questions to the all in all.
Dont be hard on yourself and others…
What’s a song that changed your life?
Most listened to, motivating songs. That’s been my experience. One that barred repeating and humming was:
“Big Bad John” is a landmark country narrative ballad written and recorded by Jimmy Dean. Released in September 1961, it became a massive crossover hit, spending five weeks at #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot C&W Sides charts, and earning Dean a Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording.
Key Highlights & Narrative
* The Narrative Arc: The song tells the story of a quiet, towering stranger named John who arrives in a mining town carrying a mysterious, potentially dark past (“…a hell-of-a-fellow from New Orleans”). When a timber gives way during a mine collapse, John holds up the collapsing cave-in with his bare back long enough for twenty men to escape to safety, sacrificing his own life in the process.
* Minimalist Production: The track features spoken-word verses punctuated by a heavy, rhythmic “clank-clank” sound effect simulating a pickaxe striking steel—achieved in the studio by striking a piece of iron with a hammer—accompanied by deep backing vocals chanting “Big John.”
* Censorship & Lyric Change: Columbia Records was concerned about the original final line, “At the bottom of this mine lies a big-headed hell-of-a-man,” fearing radio stations would deem “hell” inappropriate. Dean re-recorded the line to “At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man,” which became the famous broadcast release.
* Cultural Impact: The track sparked a folk-pop wave of “heroic worker” ballads in the early 1960s, spawned several parody songs (such as Allan Sherman’s “Skin King”), and inspired Dean to write follow-up sequel tracks, including “The Cajun Queen” and “Little Bitty Big John.”
For me it had many dimensions to it ranging from a stay in school philosophy for a lifestyle. A sense that heroism in captivity of a labor lifestyle isn’t as heroic as one that is completely on your own volition and will.
To be sure:
Here is a short dramatic play script based on Jimmy Dean’s famous performance of “Big Bad John” on The Ed Sullivan Show (November 5, 1961), capturing Ed Sullivan’s introduction, the famous studio sound effects, and the narrative of the ballad without reproducing the full song lyrics.
TITLE: BIG BAD JOHN ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW
CHARACTERS:
* ED SULLIVAN: Host of The Ed Sullivan Show, formal, arms crossed or gesturing, speaks in his signature dry, punctuated cadence.
* JIMMY DEAN: Charismatic country singer, tall, wearing a clean suit, holding an acoustic guitar.
* PERCUSSIONIST: Offstage studio musician.
[SCENE START]
SETTING:
The CBS Studio 50 stage in New York City. Bright television studio lighting. A sleek microphone on a stand center stage.
(The applause dies down as ED SULLIVAN steps out to the microphone, folding his hands together.)
ED SULLIVAN
(Looking into the camera, gesturing warmly)
Thank you… thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we have a real treat for you. A young man from Olton, Texas, who has taken the country by storm with the number one record in America today. It’s a powerful story about courage, a deep mine, and a giant of a man who made the ultimate sacrifice.
(Ed turns toward the wings)
Here he is… Jimmy Dean singing his smash hit, “Big Bad John”!
(The audience applauds enthusiastically. ED steps aside as JIMMY DEAN walks out with his guitar, smiling and waving to the audience before stepping up to the microphone.)
(OFFSTAGE PERCUSSION: A heavy metallic CLANK-CLANK! sounds out, mimicking a miner’s pickaxe striking steel.)
BACKING VOCALS (OFFSTAGE)
(Deep, rhythmic chant)
Big John… Big John…
(JIMMY DEAN leans into the microphone and begins reciting the dramatic spoken-word ballad with a rhythmic, measured cadence.)
JIMMY DEAN
(Spoken with dramatic weight)
He was a giant of a guy—six-foot-six and two hundred and forty-five pounds—who quietly rolled into town one day. Nobody knew much about him or where he came from, except for a rumor about a fatal barroom fight back down in New Orleans over a Cajun Queen. People kept their distance and learned pretty quick not to cross him.
(PERCUSSION: CLANK-CLANK!)
BACKING VOCALS
Big Bad John…
JIMMY DEAN
(Voice shifting to high tension)
Then came that fateful morning deep inside the mine. A timber snapped overhead, and the shaft started to collapse. Dust and smoke filled the tunnel, and twenty miners thought they’d breathed their last. But John stepped up through the chaos, grabbed that sagging timber with his bare hands, and held back the weight of the mountain all by himself.
(PERCUSSION: CLANK-CLANK!)
JIMMY DEAN
(Earnest, rhythmic)
He gave a mighty heave, giving those twenty men just enough time to scramble out to the light above. But before the rescue team could make it back down with jacks and supports, the mine gave out with a thunderous rumble, sealing the pit forever.
(The studio lights dim slightly, focusing a tight spotlight on JIMMY DEAN’s face.)
JIMMY DEAN
(Softly, with deep solemnity)
They never did reopen that pit. Instead, they placed a marble marker right at the entrance to honor the giant who gave everything so others could live.
(Jimmy looks directly into the camera, leaning into the final line)
And those few words on the marker simply read… at the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man.
(PERCUSSION: Final heavy CLANK!)
BACKING VOCALS
Big John…
(JIMMY DEAN strikes a final chord on his guitar as the studio audience erupts into thunderous applause. ED SULLIVAN walks back out to shake Jimmy’s hand.)
ED SULLIVAN
(Shaking Jimmy’s hand, smiling)
Wonderful, Jimmy! Absolutely wonderful! A big hand for Jimmy Dean, folks!
[SCENE END]
About the Song & Lyrics
Written by Jimmy Dean on a plane trip to Nashville, “Big Bad John” tells the story of a mysterious, heroic miner who sacrifices his life to hold up a collapsing shaft so twenty fellow miners can escape.
* Line Quote: The song concludes with the famous epitaph line:
> “At the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man.” — Jimmy Dean
>
* Full Lyrics: Because song lyrics are protected under copyright, you can read the complete, official lyrics by searching for “Jimmy Dean Big Bad John lyrics” on Google or visiting licensed lyric sites like Genius or AZLyrics.
This was so hot the little I ate gave me the hiccups. The AI told me about the interaction of the acid in the peppers 🌶️🌶️🌶️ and the throat/esophagus, being prone to reject it. Don’t drink water. Cuz it just washes off. It’s an oil, eat a little ice cream or drink a little milk if this happens to you when you eat these hot.
I haven’t had any problems since. Some love these things but they must have developed a strategy for that. Even when I laid down the gravity forced the stuff back up into my esophagus and my hiccups came back. It abated overnight.
The ice cream worked I believe.
.
Hey Merit what do you say?
Kevin Griffiths
percypaschal
