Entries by Jaan Pill

When Britain burned the White House

I have an interest in military history including the history of the British empire. My interest in the latter empire stems from the fact that Colonel Samuel Smith, who fought on the British side in the American Revolutionary War, in 1797 built a log cabin a one-minute walk from where I live in Long Branch (Toronto […]

The Organized Mind (2014)

I was very pleased to read an Aug. 24, 2014 Globe and Mail article entitled: “Your brain has limited capacity: Here’s how to maximize it.” The article is based on a book, The Organized Mind (2014) by Daniel Levitin. I’ve posted a couple of recent items about the book: The processing capacity of the conscious […]

“It’s hard to believe that a kid’s 10-cent comic could be worth that much money, but it is Superman.”

An Aug. 25, 2014 Lillooet News article from the Associated Press is entitled: “Rare copy of first comic book featuring Superman fetches $3.2M; NY dealers buy in eBay auction.” The story’s opening paragraphs read: NEW YORK, N.Y. – A rare, nearly flawless copy of Superman’s comic-book debut has sold for a super-powered price: $3.2 million. New […]

Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Regiment (PPCLI) Memorial Baton Relay – Sept. 7, 2014

The following text, which I’m pleased to share with you, was forwarded to me by David Juliusson:   PPCLI Memorial Baton Relay September 7, 2014, 10 am Trinity Church, 26 Stavebank Road N., Mississauga Canada’s famous Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry [that is, the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Regiment] (PPCLI) is celebrating 100 years of service. […]

Fundamentals of Geobiology (2012) offers an overview of plants and animals as geobiological agents

In its opening chapter, Fundamentals of Geobiology (2012) outlines what geobiology is and describes its growth as a discipline. The chapter, which provides a valuable introduction, is authored by Andrew H. Knoll, Donald E. Canfield, and Kurt O. Konhauser, who also serve as editors of the range of overviews, by many authors, that comprise the book. […]

The processing capacity of the conscious mind is limited; this is a result of how the brain’s attentional system evolved

I feel most fortunate that I came across a Twitter link dealing with an Aug. 9, 2014 New York Times article that underlines the fact that the processing capacity of conscious mind is limited, as a result of how the brain’s attentional system evolved. As I’ve noted in a previous post, the article recommends that […]

Grafton is a semi-rural town in east central Massachusetts lying southeast of the City of Worcester

I recently had an online conversation with MCHS alumnus Howard Hight, who remembers all kinds of details about Montreal in the 1950s and 1960s, including the Pizza Pan, which used to be near Orange Julep on Decarie Blvd. Howard, who made a career in publishing, now lives in Grafton, Massachusetts. I mentioned to him: “I hear […]