Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time

Stephen Hawking is known to dislike this film as there was too much personal information.  The film was based on his book.  Meant to explain complicated science theories to help ordinary people to understand.  This blog is affected by a special feature to the DVD and also a children's book that had other information.

He was sympathetic to the disabled.  He died in 2018, but had been involved with the 2012 Paralympics and was quoted "We are all different there is no such thing as a standard or run of the mill human being, but we share the same human spirit.  Look up at the stars and not down at your feet."...."However difficult life may seem there is always something you can do and succeed at."  Check http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/03/2018-winter-paralympics-triumph-for-all.html

There was discussion about black holes and the big bang.  Stephen felt that big question was whether or not there was a beginning to the universe or not.  If there was, there was a possibility of a creator, but also there would be an end.  If there was no beginning there was no creator and no end. He joked that he would not be alive to be disproved.   

There was discussion about time travel, but Stephen seemed sceptical.  I read that he once held a party and a week later invited people to attend and as nobody had he felt that disproved time travel.

Errol Morris director argued with Hawking about biographical issues, but Stephen helped complete film with access to his voice synthesizer.  Errol made one edit change that caught Stephen off guard, but okayed.  Filmed just as Stephen formally split with wife and and moved in with Elaine Mason, one of his nurses.  This spooked many of the prospective interviewees, some of whom refused to co-operate.  Would ask Stephen's contacts questions and when not given the answer he wanted would sit in silence with camera rolling and usually got a more interesting response.

Steven Spielberg was an uncredited executive producer.  He has been a producer, writer, and director.winning 3 Oscars. His film credits include "E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982), "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (1988) "Schindler's List" (1993), "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), "Lincoln" (2012) and "West Side Story" (2021).      

Philip Glass provided the music.  He once transcribed music from Ravi Shankar for a French film.  He has 180 composing credits including  "The Hours" (2003), "Elena" (2011), "When the Dragon Swallowed the Sin" (2014), "Leviathan"(2014) and "Jane" (2017).

John Bailey was a cinematographer.  He is credited with the development of two zoom lenses.  He once expressed the sentiment that cinematographers needed to focus on script and characters as much as camera techniques and style.  With 86 credits including "Ordinary People" (1980), "Groundhog Day" (1993), "Nobody's Fool" (1994), "The Greatest" (2009), "The Big Miracle" (2012) "The Way, Way Back" (2013) and "A Walk in the Woods" (2015).

Brad Fuller did the editing.  He has 25 credits including "He Called Me Malala" (2015).  I actually met her father at a book talk (and bought the book) in Hamilton.  Check  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2019/06/let-her-fly.html

The action was really a series of Stephen's acquaintances being interviewed by Errol Morris and some graphics.

Isobel Hawking Hawking, Stephen's mother talked about his childhood.  She paraphrased a quote from Samuel Johnson that originally went "Depend upon it sir when a man knows he is to hanged in a fortnight it concentrates the mind wonderfully" recognizing that because Stephen had been diagnosed as having only a short time to live he was able to direct his intelligent mind to understand some big questions.  Stephen thanked Erroll Morris for making his mother a star.  Errol believed she played a critical role with Stephen. One must add that his wife Jane Wilde took care of him and their children so that he didn't have to worry about such things.

I would note that the ability to communicate was what allowed us to learn about his thinking.  I had thought the inventions that allowed him to choose words (very slowly and carefully) and to use a synthesizer  to voice his words had been invented originally for him.  A computer expert with a mother-in-law with the same debilitating disease had developed a system so she could talk. 

Stephen Hawking did "talk" to us using the original voice synthesizer.  He did not want the film to be bogged down with complicated scientific explanations so simplified his explanations.

Roger Penrose and John Wheeler were among several scientists who had worked with Stephen.  All the dialogue (except Stephen himself) was unscripted.

I watched this (a second time) from a DVD picked up from local library.  As usual I have bolded the first mention of a film I have seen.

MEMORIES FROM 2018

2018 has come and gone.  Some more memories to capture before they slip away.

The easiest in some ways to forget are those who are no longer with us.  Some left some good memories.  There are of course many others who could have been mentioned.

Lisa De Macio married to Sam with two great kids, Nicole and Gregory and one grand-daughter Chloe.  At one time she taught English as a second language, the same as my sister Rebecca.  Lisa went on to help people with disabilities.  She didn't want people to cry over her death so she planned her own memorial down to a lot of thoughtful details.  Some high school friends from Havergal College were instructed to make sure humor was added to the memorial and they did.   Sam gave a speech part of which I remember,  "When you leave here, her love will go with you."  I remember her father in law Peter (who married my mother in law) liked to take her out to a favorite Greek restaurant in Burlington--we all came to love.   She had degrees from the University of Toronto and Ryerson.  One small detail given by a friend of hers was she recommended the book by Viktor Frankl--"Man's Search for Meaning"--one that left a deep impression on me.  Sam was right--she left her mark and the rest of us are better off for it.

Sridevi was a Bollywood actress, well regarded in her sphere, but probably not well known among western movie goers.  During a vacation in New Zealand I went to an Indian restaurant, Shiraz in Whangerei and noticed they had sweets including ladoo.  I had never tasted them before, but remembered them from a wonderful movie, "English Vinglish"  in which Srivevi played a woman whose husband and children mocked her for not speaking English.  The movie set up circumstances where she learned to speak English secretly, but all the way through her pride and joy was a business making ladoos which I indulged in during my New Zealand vacation.  I went on to see her in her earlier days when she played romantic leads and a more recent memorable movie "Mom" that is well worth seeing.  I was looking forward to new movies, but will have to content myself with her older films.

Stephen Hawking died during the Paralympics.  From an earlier speech  just before the 2012 Paralympics I would like to.quote:  "We are all different there is no such thing as a standard or run of the mill human being, but we share the same human spirit.  Look up at the stars and not down at your feet."  Another quote, "However difficult life may seem there is always something you can do and succeed at."  Not only gave us science understanding, but also contributed to humanity.

Anthony Bourdain.  I love eating, but my attraction to him was his bringing new cultural experiences.  It was upsetting that he committed suicide, possibly due to addiction problems.  We did learn of exotic food items, but more importantly learned about different cultures and how we all have a lot in common starting with a love of communal eating.  In the first video I saw of him he was participating in a hangi which eventually became a bucket list item for me that I finally indulged in on my recent trip to New Zealand.  See below.

Kofi Anan, former secretary General of the U.N.  A voice of reason in a turbulent world.  After retiring Kofi still had words worth listening to:  https://www.facebook.com/Channel4News/videos/2188262544720258/UzpfSTEwMDAwMjk4Mjc2OTIzMzoxNzA3ODI0MDA5MzI3MDA4/

Aretha Franklin left behind a lot of good songs. The one I most remember is RESPECT and I was surprised to learn the original Otis Redding version was a male demand for a woman to be his servant.  She made it an anthem with a different theme.  I have come to appreciate she had other songs, many of which were written by her, but many were covers that were appreciated by the originators including Carole King and Simon and Garfunkle.

John McCain someone we all have to respect.  He was labeled Republican, but in fact he was more free of labels than just about any politician.  More than for others he made decisions based on what he thought was right.  This link is something to remember:  https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1033524441752457216?s=12



David and Krista presented us with Calder to join his older sister Hannah.  Apparently Calder is already a Toronto Maple Leaf fan.












We finished off 2017 and started 2018 in New Zealand with a memorable holiday.  One of my bucket list items was a Maori ceremony coupled with a hangi.  A Christmas gift from Michael we enjoyed was the best view of Auckland with one of the best meals at Orbit 360, atop Sky City.  Perhaps adding to our enjoyment is that we escaped a bad storm and cold spell back in Ontario. For more details check:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/01/starting-2018-in-new-zealand.html

The Winter Olympics are always something that draws my attention.  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/02/winter-olympics-2018.html

Paralympics a few weeks later is something I have come to appreciate what men and women can accomplish despite life's sometimes unfairness:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/03/2018-winter-paralympics-triumph-for-all.html

After three years of tests and wondering, Heather was diagnosed with MS, the progressive kind.  She actually was relieved as she thought her problem might be a brain tumor.  Heather is still mobile, but needs a cane and tires more easily and even falls on occasion.  When the parking lot where she works was tied up with renovations a drive to work campaign had a number of people involved.  We became involved in the MS Mandarin walk campaign and accumulated 9 walkers and cheerleaders--one under one and another close to 90.  We raised over $2,000, but the struggles carries on.  In  a separate fundraising Heather raised enough money for an Alinker ($2800) in a few days.  It boosts her mobility while retaining some muscle use and also allows her to see people eye to eye.

Doors Open Hamilton always seems to fall on the weekend the weather is finally good enough to start getting our yard ready for the summer.  Still I try to keep the tradition alive.  Cannon Knitting Mills has been an empty building I walk by on my way to the dentist, but they have big plans for it.

As Heather reached the age of 40 we decided to have a big party.  It happened that a distant cousin from Atlanta, Lana Wachniak and her husband Bill were in town and wanted to surprise my mother in law.  Heather had friends and co-workers visit.  A lot of baking and cooking was appreciated by the guests.  Heather emulated her birthday photo from age one.

We live within walking distance of a tour boat and this year were able to take advantage of a free community tour.  Hamilton is known as an industrial city and we were able to appreciate the steel plants along the shore of Hamilton Harbour.  But there is also a little bit of nature and art along the way.

A memorable moment for Sharon came when Heather took her to a Blue Jay game as a birthday present.  After the game they encountered a big problem.  The underground parking was flooded and they were delayed for over an hour.  But during  that time Heather spotted Buck Martinez, now broadcaster for the Jays and encouraged Sharon to get his autograph and then a photo.

Another once every four year event was the World Cup.  As usual there were a lot of good games.  The winning French team was mostly made of immigrants or the sons of immigrants.  Croatia provided the other finalist.

40th wedding anniversary of Frank and Connie.  We attended the wedding and were surprised to learn that Sharon is related to her school friend Connie.  Frank came to Canada as an infant with his parents leaving Hungary during the 1956 Revolution.  Family and friends gathered to share memories.






Supercrawl celebrated its 10th anniversary.   It is amazing such a big event is just down the street.  More details:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/09/supercrawl-on-its-tenth-anniversary.html 


I attended an event that would have been on my bucket list if it had been conceivable.  A Bollywood backup singer, Arijit Singh has become my favorite male singer, but he was based in far off India and even though he did tours they were to big cities.  Out of the blue an announcement was made he was performing in Hamilton at the First Ontario Centre within walking distance.  I had not been to any arena type concert in decades, but wanted to see this.  As it turned out it was billed as a Toronto event as I suppose it was more suitable for marketing.  It was a bit of a shock because it was too loud for my ears and an arena doesn't have the right acoustics.  He is a very nuanced singer.  Still I was impressed with the level of musicians backing him and I was also impressed at how long he performed.  He was on stage for over three hours with only a five minute break.  I still love his music, but will stick to a quieter atmosphere.  I suspect most of my readers have not even heard of him.  Nonetheless he has a massive world wide audience and is well worth finding and listening to. 

The Art Gallery of Hamilton BMO International Film Fest was in October.  I always attend the Trailers and Teasers show as you learn about a wide number of movies.  We went to see "Puzzle" starring Kelly MacDonald and Irrfan Khan.

Each year I get to go to the Royal Winter Fair on behalf of The Rider and I get to meet some interesting people.  Jessica Phoenix is a very likeable person who has overcome adversity to win gold medals for Canada had her story written up by Julie Fitz-Gerald.  Here they are at the Ontario Equestrian booth.





This past fall was another gathering of friends from M M Robinson high school plus spouses, friends and some offspring plus Chef Luther..  A few more hit the 65 mark with three cakes from Sharon.

We returned to our traditional New Years' Eve party for food, drink and conversation with close friends.  Sharon outdid herself and my sister Rebecca helped out.




Restaurants eat up money and time, but I love them and consider them a form of art with a lot of potential for beauty. Some memorable  visits in Canada were to Bangkok Spoon, Loaded Pierogis ,Gate of India,  and Mesa.

Looking back to New Zealand restaurants fond memories of  in Whangerei found an Indian dessert, ladoo at Shiraz; Newmarket Sun World Chinese Restaurant, Orbit  360 way up  inSky City;  Pakuranga mall has a weekly market--enjoyed Char Kuey Teow, a Malaysian booth with long lineup, difficult t find a seat, but worth the effort.

Read over 30 books and would like to remember a few:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/12/my-favorite-books-of-2018.html 

Saw over 300 movies and here is what I want to remember: bit.ly/2R505Gh

top 3 blogs of 2018

Starting the year in New Zealand: http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/01/starting-2018-in-new-zealand.html

my favorite book of the year  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/12/21-lessons-for-21st-century.html

animals after vegans:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/01/what-happens-to-farm-animals-when.html

To read  about 2017 check:  http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2018/01/2017-another-year-to-remember.html

2018 Winter Paralympics a triumph for all people

Stephen Hawking died during the Paralympics (March 14, 2018), but left us with some inspiring words he spoke during the 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony held in London.  "We are all different there is no such thing as a standard or run of the mill human being, but we share the same human spirit.  Look up at the stars and not down at your feet."  Another quote, "However difficult life may seem there is always something you can do and succeed at"

Hawking was given a devastating diagnosis, as a young man, but he persisted and with modern adaptations was able to give greater understanding to our universe.  Given a chance and modern technology many people have adapted to a wide variety of disabilities.

I watched the Paramerican games when held in Ontario.   Snow and ice  add an increment of difficulty that those who live in northern climates have to make adjustments to (and enjoy).  Maintaining balance under slippery conditions requires skill and initially courage.

The sight of amputated limbs makes one uncomfortable, but one can get used to it.  Prosthetic limbs are becoming more normal.  Mankind has gradually and unevenly accepted  different races, both sexes and even sexual orientation.  The disabled are also humans with untapped potential waiting to make a greater contribution.

To make for a competitive contest requires classifications.   There can be endless discussions about how one amputation is more of a handicap than another, but international authorities have settled on criteria.  Even a sleight disability needs to be given an opportunity.  In some activities the visually impaired are given an opportunity to compete with the aid of guides.  They have categories for standing and sitting skiing.  In the future there are apt to be more classifications and opportunities for everyone to compete.

The American flag bearer, for the Opening Ceremony, Mike Schultz was a champion snowmobile racer until an accident took off one of his legs above the knee.  On a radio interview he recalled walking without a prosthetic device with his daughter and tripping.  He was forced to throw her to a nearby couch, but realized he needed to do more.  He ended up engineering his own prosthetic leg and set up a business.  One of his customers suggested he try snowboarding which he did, becoming a major champion.  He not only made a difficult adjustment for himself, but also for other people making them not only more independent, but also more productive.

The American flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony, Oksana Mastters also has an interesting story. She was born in Ukraine after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and suffered several birth defects that resulted in amputation on both legs and surgery on one of her hands to give her a thumb.  She had been abandoned in an orphanage and was adopted by an American woman who bought her to States.  Oksana got involved in rowing, cycling and later skiing.  She won medals in all sports, but finally got her gold in skiing.

Canadian ambitions always come back to hockey.  The final gold medal game was as exciting as any with the Canadians on top for most of the game, but banging the goal post on an empty net as the Americans desperately tried to tie up the game.  In the losing seconds of regulation time they did tie the game and won in overtime.  It has been hard for Canadians to accept that we aren't always the best in our chosen sport, but it shows our gift to the world

Wondering where the women were scheduled for sledge hockey I learned that there was no program for women, but that the organizing committee had decided to eliminate women and change to a mixed, but apparently no women took part.  Likely this boils down to numbers in that there weren't enough women who were qualified and desired to participate.  Maybe that is not altogether a bad thing, but likely the problem was not that there were enough disabled women, but that there wasn't enough interest.  The Paralympic movement has encouraged many disabled people to get more physically (and socially) active and will undoubtedly with the increasing success of their events the situation will improve for the disabled including more opportunities for women.

The original Olympics were also about the arts.  The Koreans have used their economic success to help spread their culture and have their culture contribute to their success.  For a few years I have enjoyed a few Korean cultural gifts--food, music and movies.   (see http://www.therealjohndavidson.com/2014/04/a-slice-of-korean-cinema.html ). The Paralympics brought us all some music and dance.  The deaf have their own interaction games, but the Paralympics gave a platform for some hearing impaired to demonstrate a dance.   Highlighted a performance of Bae Hui Gwan Band which included several members with different forms of disability.  Their leader was invited by major Korean pop star Ailee to take a spotlight and perform a duet.

Adam Hall from New Zealand and Sini Pyy from Finland were celebrated for best exemplifying the Paralympic value and spirit.

The Paralympics isn't just about the athletes, it is for all of us.  You can find old fashioned competitive fun, but you can also find inspiration that you too can overcome difficulties.  I remember a boss who sometimes steered me to view someone severely handicapped and asked me if I had any problems.  It made my problems seem pretty petty.  The Olympic movement for all its critics offers the world a platform to express international goodwill, the pursuit of excellence and a chance to display the humanity of us all.