Candid Conversations - Zoomed In With DC Glenn of Tag Team Fame Whomp Here It Is

Made with Clipchamp. This interview done via Zoom features the man behind the whoomp DC Glenn. The song was a smash in the 90s and still has legs today. Look it up on YouTube and you see that it's gotten tons of views. Tag Team still does shows you can find them on the web at https://www.tagteambackagain.com/.

I spoke with DC about his legacy and where Whoomp has taken him and it's quite a ride that he has had. These days he does some shows but, DC does a whole lot of different things. We discuss the path he has taken to where he is today and how one might get started on their own journey no matter what they want to do in life. The video does not include Whoomp due to copyright but you can search the Googleverse and find lots of ways to enjoy it and learn more about DC Glenn and Tag Team. DC. spoke with me via Zoom from somewhere in the U.S.A If you like this video check out my other video interview with Jodi Krangle. Thanks for dropping by and don't forget to like share and subscribe.

All my videos are on YouTube come by and take a look.

Here is DC / Tag Team doing Whoomp LiVE!

Here is the actual video from YouTube.

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Candid Pick - Tennis Blogs - An Old Mixed Nuts Article

This is an old post from  Mixed Nuts my other blog that I recently merged here.  Interesting side note it ranked number 1 for views on the site.  So I thought why not showcase it here on Candid Conversations.  The post appeared Sept 3 2011.

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To be honest I do not know why I chose to write about tennis blogs.  Maybe it's because I have been speaking with a former colleague of mine as of late.  He is a big sports fan, his passion for tennis was noticeable.  Every chance he got, the TV in the staff lounge would be tuned to TSN and if tennis was on Andrew was glued to the tube.  Andrew is still passionate about tennis but, also likes other sports, this summer he was part of a baseball team here in Montreal.

Anyway back to my thought.  I got to thinking that it might be interesting to see if there are blogs about tennis on the net.  Silly me of course there are blogs about tennis duh.  Below is a list of some that I found interesting.

http://craighickmanontennis.blogspot.com

http://www.tenniscountry.com

http://www.jeffsalzensteintennis.com

These were just three I found in a quick search on Google.  There are lots of others out there for you to explore.

Cliff T.

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Unfortunately none of the blogs listed in the original article are live any more so I had to look for some new ones here are 3 new blogs.

https://mootennis.com/

https://www.nickhorvat.com/

https://www.puretennisblog.com/

Candid Comment - Video Edition - Renting in Ontario

 

Renting in Ontario has become a real chore.  Finding a decent place a nightmare.  Imagine having to pay 3000 dollars when you move in to a home, then paying 1500 each month.  In Ontario landlords are permitted to ask for the first and the last months rent on an apartment, they are also allowed to run credit checks and even ask for deposits in some cases these are non refundable.

In the video below I explore the question do we need to change the way things are currently being done.  I honestly think it is time to overhaul the way renting is done here in Ontario.  It's to aggressive.  The tenant versus the landlord mentality, the ridiculous idea of having to pay 2 months up front when one moves in and the idea that a landlord can say no to a person who has poor credit are all failure points in what should be a system that provides much needed housing for many people here in Ontario and right across Canada.  

Below is my talk on renting in Ontario and how the current system has become outdated.

Candid Comment - Video Edition - Behind the Curtain Look At How Candid Conversations Works

Have you ever wondered about doing your own video or written interview Blog.  13 years ago I started this blog and wow look where it has come.  Over 20K in views.  Now per month the blog is averaging 900 views and there are people who come back and read the blog.  Thanks it really means so much to know that the work put into the blog.

I have created a video that shows how I do research for the blog and how a conversation in written format is done.  Below is the link to the video on my YouTube page.  Take a look and feel free to contact me at candidconversations@hotmail.com if you would like to do a video or written interview.

Candid Comment - Morse Code Relevant or Not

I just realized that this year marks 40 years of playing around with radio. Yep I am still a radio license holder. To be precise I am a holder of an Amateur Radio License. Sometimes referred to Amateur Experimental Service. For the most part we are called hams.

My first call was VE2GOG I held it until I moved to Hamilton in 1986 and then I got VE3TJL fun fact I had wanted TJC but, my bad writing landed me that call. I had it until moving back to Montreal where I grabbed VE2TJL hopped over to Alberta for 3 years and was VE6TJL and then in 2009 I was back in Montreal where I got the cool call VA2UTC. This is a call that is coveted because UTC stands for Universal Time Co-Ordinated. Actually it is UCT. But meh OK I used that call very much especially in contesting. Today and since 2013 I am licensed as VA3UCT. UTC is already taken.

Most of my time on the air has been using what we call phone, speech. In the USB and LSB modes Upper and Lower Side bands. I will explain those in another post but there is one mode that I have sort of dabbled in and that is CW / Morse Code. CW stands for continuous wave. I do not think I need to explain what the code is most people know this already. The question is the relevance of the code in modern times.

Hams still use it and it is still a part of the tests to garner a license to operate here in Canada. Though technically to get on the air Morse Code is NOT required.

Radio Amateurs of Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada speak have information about how to obtain a license and what access the licenses grant.

Just to give you an idea of what a license looks like here is mine.

As you can see it is pretty basic these days LOL. But when I got my first ticket it looked a lot different. Actually you had to have two parts the letter of certification and and the actual license itself displayed. Today all you need to display is the license which doubles as the certificate. To the left is my license and certificate. It shows that I am allowed to use all bands as I am qualified with all 3 levels.

So lets drill down to the why of Morse Code and ask the question is it relevant.

For certain the code has it's place. As noted hams have to have it to operate on the shortwave spectrum this is by design as ultimately frequencies are regulated by the ITU. This UN body sets the rules and determines how radio spectrum is to be used and deemed that hams must know Morse Code to be licensed to operate on the shortwave bands That changed and is no longer the case. Countries like Canada determine what level of skill is needed and offer the band plan as set by the ITU. Now as I mentioned code is not required to get a basic license in Canada, it is if you want to use the shortwave bands. In the U.S. it is not a requirement to gain a license. But in order to use all the bands you do have to have the Extra Class.

Code is still used outside of ham radio. Who uses it?

It is used in Aviation but, pilots do not have to know the code. Mainly used by stations to help guide the aircraft specifically navigation beacons or stations.

The U.S. Navy still trains intelligence specialists the code.

It has been used to help people who can not speak.

But overall it's use is not as widespread as it was once upon a time. That does not make it irrelevant. Morse code sometimes called the Morse Alphabet could still come in handy. During bad weather or in a cave in or in an underwater accident. The code could be tapped out and because it is specific dots and dashes a simple phrase like SOS can be tapped. In Morse .... --- ... can be heard at long distances where a voice not so much and that has been proven time and time again. Just a note please don't try this as an experiment. Sending such a message when there is no emergency is against the law.

Morse Code remains somewhat relevant and is a good backup mode for getting messages across especially in an emergency. It's a good skill to have and a fun way to send a message as well. The Morse Code system is not widely used anymore but, it's not dead. I would encourage learning it as in reality it is not a code it's the Alphabet in another form that can be used as another form of language.

A Candid Pick - Poison Garden? Yes, Really There Is One In England

When I think of a garden I picture beautiful plants, butterflies and other insects buzzing around along with nice big trees.  But, this garden?  It may look beautiful but, the plants in it can KILL YOU!  Why anyone would go there just blows my mind.  But, people do.  Yikes!

Alnwick Gardens features plants that are deadly, not cool deadly but, DEADLY as in you will die if you mess with them.  There are about 100 plants in an area of the gardens that are accessed only by guided tours.  Smelling, tasting, or touching any of the plants in this section can lead to death.  Even the fumes emitted from them have caused guests to faint.  A day ticket to the gardens also allows for access to the poison garden section.  So yes there are the less lethal pretty plants that you can touch and smell and the ones in the other that you just look at from a nice safe distance.  

Below is an explainer video about the poison garden at Alnwick.