Sunday Sundries

Miscellaneous items I found of interest during the week.

The Wreck of HMS Speedy

Author Dan Buchanan will speak on his book The Wreck of HMS Speedy: The Tragedy That Shook Upper Canada to. Kingston and District Branch, United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada on Saturday, February 22. Zoom access (starting 12:30 p.m.). via www.uelac.org/Kingston-Branch.

Ancestry adds Ballymena, Antrim, Northern Ireland, Internments, 1875-1934. 

Information on these 9,599 transcriptions is at the source at http://www.thebraid.com/explore-your-roots-page.aspx?title=further-genealogical-resources.

The Genealogists’ Best Friends

With the huge collections at the major genealogy websites, it’s easy to overlook smaller collections — ones that are more focused on a locality and too small to attract the attention of the behemoths. Local libraries,  record centres and museums are where you’ll find these sometime quirky, highly pertinent collections.
I’ve been researching in Lancashire recently. Take a look at the top level collections of the Liverpool Record Office and Archives and local history from the Manchester Central Library. As what’s online is often just a morsel of what’s in the collection it’s good advice to ask the librarian or archivist for advice by email. If you can conveniently do so in person so much the better.
In Ottawa on Tuesday, 18 February, starting at noon, there’s an opportunity when many local heritage institutions will be at Jean Pigott Place, City Hall for a celebration of Heritage Day.

I Am the Very Model of a Nincompoop President

(To the tune of “I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General”) With a lot of help from ChatGPT.

I am the very model of a nincompoop  president,
I slap on tariffs left and right, my trade wars are magnificent.
I call NAFTA the worst deal and I tore it up quite readily,
Then forced them all to sign again and claimed a massive victory.

I tax the steel, I tax the cars, I tax the dairy heavily,
And Canada’s so nice, you see, they barely even yell at me.
Their leaders try diplomacy, they think that we’re the best of friends,
But I’ll attack them anyway if Fox News says that it offends!

(But he’ll attack them anyway if Fox News says that it offends!)

I threaten Europe, scold the French, and tell the Brits to stand alone,
I praise strongmen in Hungary but call Trudeau a lightweight clone.
In short, in matters trivial, financial, or belligerent,
I am the very model of a nincompoop president!

(He’s short, in matters trivial, financial, or belligerent,
He is the very model of a nincompoop president!)

I claim that trade deficits mean other nations rob us blind,
Though how it really works is something I don’t seem to have in mind.
I pull out of agreements that my allies all find sensible,
Then blame them when relations start to look incomprehensible.

I call the Germans freeloaders, I say NATO is obsolete,
I cozy up to autocrats but tell my neighbours they must cheat.
I levy tariffs randomly and call it economic skill,
And when they counter back, I claim that proves they’re out to steal!

(And when they counter back, he claims that proves they’re out to steal!)

I slap new taxes just for fun, then tweet the markets into fright,
Then take credit when they rebound, for clearly I was always right.
In short, in matters trivial, financial, or belligerent,
I am the very model of a nincompoop president!

(He’s short, in matters trivial, financial, or belligerent,
He is the very model of a nincompoop president!)

 

Thanks to Ann Burns, Anonymous, Laurie Lloyd, Teresa, and Unknown for this week’s contributions.