Moms by Bari Demers

Photo Credit : Tianndra Demers

My Mom, like your mom, is the strength leading you forward, preparing us for the highs and lows.  Giving us courage to head into the stormy sea of life, attending to our wounds when we fail.  

On the way, we will make mistakes!

But Mom's are there to encourage you to learn from your mistakes and move on to more challenging adventures.  

This is how I best explain my Mom : 

She was a loving person taking ever caution to protect me, but at the same time, not to baby me.  Moulding me into a respectable man with a loving heart (passed down by the loving care of my mom) who treats everyone as an equal, no matter their race, colour or beliefs.   

My Mom would say," Always treat others like you would like to be treated, respecting each on the strength of their merit."

I remember saying," Merit? I don't understand." 

My Mom told me to always look for the good in people by their actions, good deeds and thoughts.  In short, their merit.

And - 

At the same time, pay close attention to those who may hurt or trick you.  

The world is full of surprises, good and bad.  Take care to find the good in people and dismiss those who are out for personal or financial gain. Become well educated because it's the stepping stone to success, and never be afraid to ask questions, no matter how silly they may seem. 

Growing up, like most boys, I wasn't a little angel.  

In her soothing voice, she would shower me with love, taking the time and effort to explain what I did wrong and why it was wrong.  She would scolded me when I was bad and praise me, when I was good.  Good or bad, her loving hugs would make me into a better person I am today, one step at a time.

Her love and praise carried me throughout my life, appreciating each important lesson along the way.

And now, today, I am plagued with the deepest sorrow, having to say good-bye to my Mom who loved me so much, cared for me so much and hugged me so much. 

The Mom I loved so much was taken from me, from her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.   

Death is inevitable to us all, no matter our status.  It's impartial and far from being personal, even though it's very personal to us. 

Is there life after death ?  

I'm uncertain to know the real truth.   

All I can say for now - Miss you Mom and Love you with all my heart.

Love & by

Bari Demers

Acknowledgement :  June 2015 -  In lovely memory of my Mom, Betty Watts.  Her life was rich and full, dying at 83 years old.  Love you Mom.  Her beginnings were modest, born in a small farm community north of Fort Assiniboine, Alberta, Canada.

Fort Assiniboine originally was a Hudson Bay trading post, marked as a stopping point during the Klondike Gold Rush from 1897 - 1899.

Her mom and dad came to the Great White North to homestead, raising nine children on a parcel of land.  Curiously, her father, Mr. Coley came to Canada from Alabama by train. He left behind the riches in favour for the adventures of homesteading.  Mr. Coley's dad and brother were both doctors, but even though Jim Coley finished university, he had other plans.

The adventures of the Canadian Outdoors and the promise of gold lured him north, seeking to make it on his own, looking for the simplistic outdoor life.  

Raising a family, building a log cabin, tending to the land and livestock may sound romantic, but it was hard work.  

My Mom was the youngest of the siblings, helping out the best she could. At an early age she understood the hardships of homesteading, from tending to the chickens and helping her mom bake homemade bread on an old cast iron stove, fetching the wood to heat the oven.  She said, her mom had a knack of placing in the right amount of wood to get the exact temperature for baking. 

During her school years, she went to a small community log-fashioned schoolhouse, with one teacher looking after 30 students from grade one to nine.  For extra money at pennies a day, Mom would gather firewood and stoke the potbelly stove before the rest of the students arrived for their daily classes. Her routine would start at 4:00 am tending to her chores at home, once again, helping her mom get breakfast ready for the men.  After breakfast, she would walk to school, tending to her paid job. She said it helped the family buy the little extras they couldn't make or afford.

Even though she loved the farm, her sights were set on the big city of Edmonton, Alberta.  Like most women, shopping and the idea of running water and the luxury of flushed toilets, lured her to the city life. 

It wasn't long before our family moved to the Sunny Okanagan, nestled in the small town of Vernon, B.C.  My Mom raised just enough money to purchase the Spudnut Shop ( Spudnut's are like donuts, but made with potato flour) featuring a glass display of fresh Spudnut's that would melt in your mouth.  All the locals would make their daily stop for the illusive Spudnut and coffee for only $0.25.  It wasn't long before my Mom and the famous Spudnut Shop was known throughout the small town of Vernon. 

During this time, she met her soul mate, Peter Watts, who was a regular customer at the Spudnut Shop.  Working for B.C. Hydro, Peter would encourage his team to meet for breakfast, but I think he had alternative reasons.  

Why, my Mom of course 😎

Both fell madly in love with wedding bells ringing there after.  

Throughout my Mom's life, she was adored by others, just because she spent that extra mile to always care for her family and friends, helping out any way she could. 

Her life was full of up and downs, but in the end, it was pure happiness.

When they say Mothers Day is everyday - it's true.

By  Bari Demers / screenwriter & writer 

http://jrobbmontana.com 

Steve Harper Stealing from Poor Canadians

by J. Robb Montana

I never thought I would see the day when the Government of Canada would decide to steal from poor Canadians.

On his lavish trip to Davos, Switzerland, Steve Harper’s speech this past week at the World Economic Forum, told the Forum of rich business elite and world politicians Canada will be going through some drastic changes to Retirement Pension System, targeting poor Canadians.

Steve Harper has decided to spend most of his energy destroying the lives of Canadians with low income, setting his sights on changing the structure of the Old Age Security. Our Prime Minister is pushing to rise the age of eligibility for Old Age Security to 67 from 65.

It is obvious our Canadian government is concerned about the baby boomers passing their goal life expectancy from 68 to 78 for men with no change with women at 82.7.

But, what Statistics Canada isn’t telling Canadians, there has been an increase of people dying, with a staggering total of 230,132 in 2005 with an increase of 1.8 per cent by 2014.

In fact, most men will not even see their Old Age Security due to the statistics, with the average man living to 67.  It’s not by chance our Canadian government picked 67; Prime Minister Steve Harper Government already knows the outcome of most Canadians.

To add insult to injury, Steve Harper’s government targeting poor Canadians will only result in a homeless aging community. Old Age Security only kicks in if you are in the low income bracket. With income inequality the rich are leaping ahead, dragging the middle class back down to the poor. Canadian middle-class are not only slaves to a riches treadmill system, but it’s expected most middle-class will be penniless by the time they reach 65.  With inflation housing prices and increasing debt, Canadians will become the poor of the future.

The rich have already argued most Canadians put themselves in their own predicament by over spending.

But who is responsible for placing them there?  

You guessed it; it’s the rich corporations who want you to buy that nice home or car with little or no money down. The credit card companies want you to over spend on your credit, they love collecting the high interest. Their goal is making the average Canadian dirt poor while becoming slaves to the system.

In Alberta, the younger generation are pleased with Steve Harper's decision thinking he is extending the life of the program. The reality is exactly what the insurance companies have been doing for years, promising an insurance where statistically a small portion of Canadians will ever collect on.

And this is just the beginning, Pension Plans will be next.   

Our Canadian government’s bottom line is to keep the Canadian economy flourishing while Canadians end up slaves, working until the day they die.

This is the first time I agree with the opposition NDP and Liberals, as quoted with the Montreal Gazette,” The opposition NDP and Liberals said that such a move would financially cripple millions of Canadians, and that at a time when world leaders were talking about addressing income inequality, the prime minister’s words indicate the opposite may happen in Canada...”

Going after poor Canadians is a disgrace to the Steve Harper’s government, Shame on You!

J. Robb Montana is a Canadian freelance screenwriter presently working on a science-fiction script, Angels on Fire and book, Robotics on Mars. 

 

 

Grizzlies in Canadian Parks

Credits : Jeremy Mendes and Leanne Allison
Writer: JB McLaughlin
Editor : Jennifer Moss
Executive Producers : Loc Dao, Rob McLaughin, David Christensen.
Check out more Credits and Storyline at : http://bear71.nfb.ca/#/bear71

There's an old saying that goes like this : A pine needle fell in the forest. The eagle saw it fall. The deer heard it. The Bear smelled it.

A Human can't smell a baby elk, because a baby elk has hardly any smell at all. But a Grizzly can smell a baby elk about as well as humans can hear a pin drop.

After the Pine Needle hits the ground, Google made the information instantly available worldwide. The valley of Canmore, Alberta has 35 cell phone towers transmitting 3G data, voice over IP and text messages around the Clock.
You can drive the entire Lake Minnewanka Scenic Loop in Street View on your laptop.

Most birds can see ultraviolet light. Some frogs can hears sound nearly twice what humans can hear and a Platypus, which lives in Australia can basically smell electricity miles away.

Within the Valley of Canmore, Alberta, the Trans Canada Freeway splits down the middle with CPR Railway passing through to Vancouver,British Columbia. 18,000 cars a Day Pass by the Freeway, which just so happens to be one Car every 5 seconds. And a Freight Train every Hour.

Fortunately, you have 44 different ways to cross the highway without being killed due to 38 underpasses and 6 Large Overpasses, complete with natural landscape. A Grizzly will use these passes everyday without using the road. It's called an improvement.

Which it is...but the railroad is an increasing problem because of grain leaking from the train cars. Last year alone 112,000 Kg of grain was lost on the tracks just in the Park, never mind the rest of the trip to Vancouver. That's like leaving 300,000 loaves of Bread along the railway. By the time the Train reaches Vancouver, several grain cars are totally empty.

Why Should You Care? 

This Grain attracts wildlife onto the tracks, making it a slaughterhouse courtesy of the Railway System. 17 Grizzly Bears have been killed in the Bow Valley due to railway fatalities. That's counting 6 cubs who couldn't survive on their own after the mother was killed. It was a death sentence to the cubs. Statistically, that is one dead Bear for every 5 km of track, in Bow Valley alone.

The Forest Rangers kept track of us Grizzlies by attaching a GPS Collar on us. We are constantly monitored, which means, every time we get too close to the town of Canmore or Banff, we are chased away by what they call " Aversive Conditioning" We call it Rubber Bullets traveling at over 650 km an hour, hitting either our backs, heads or belly's at such an impact, it hurts for weeks. And all we wanted, was that patch of Buffalo Berries our mom showed us when we were kids. All we wanted was the food that nature offered us. It's not our fault someone builds a home just behind on berry patch!

Good Bears Verses Bad Bears 
Credits : J. Robb Montana 

A Good Bear won't eat their Children, but the Mountain Boar Grizzlies high up along the range are extremely dangerous! They will kill anything in its path, including humans. They are said to be the "Devils Package" and will even eat their own young. Boar Grizzlies will shred apart a Black Bear and leaves it head in plain site to mark its territory and...to warn others that Boar Grizzlies mean business!

When we smell, hear or unfortunately come to close a Boar Grizzly, I hide my Cubs as quickly as I can. If I have to, I must fight to the death hoping that I will survive this savage conflict.

So, not only do I have to keep my cubs safe from humans, I must also be aware of Boar Grizzlies.

Human Stories - Encounters with Bears

Credit : J. Robb Montana

The Mountain Bikers

A couple of years ago, I heard of three female humans taking a cross-country mountain biking expedition high in the Rocky Mountain Range. Unfortunately they met one of these Boar Grizzlies. Two of the humans got away but one was torn apart as she tried to climb a small evergreen tree. She had no chance to getting away. Of course, humans were outraged by this attack. It wasn't long before a specialized team of hunters and Wildlife Officers cased the area with Helicopters overhead. You see, Bears don't realize they did anything wrong. If anything in our sites runs, its considered food. We are so hungry most of the time, it drives us crazy. It drives a Boar Grizzly over the edge. And just so you know, Bears can run up to 35 miles per hour in short spirits. Most humans aren't aware of our speed, realizing it when its too late.

The Grandparents Encounter with a Grizzly

Last Summer, two human grandparents were on a stroll up in the Terrace Region of B.C. reminisce his time as a Hydro employee. They left their fully equip motor home to begin a leisurely hike along a logging road, ( since most logging roads are radio-monitored during the week and off limits to any other vehicle).
 They were having a great time, taking in the forest air, enjoying a carefree walk. It wasn't long before they noticed something large up ahead had join them.
 To their surprise, it was a Boar Grizzly sniffing the air. Unfortunately the grandparents were downwind to this enormous Grizzly Bear. Even though his eye sight couldn't really make out what was down the road, he sure could smell them.

The humans thought they had enough of a stretch in between them and the Grizzly to make it back safely to their RV. After all the Bear was a good mile up ahead. So, they slowly headed back down the road, carefully looking over their shoulders,but then they noticed the Grizzly was in a full run. Frighten, they instinctively began to run as fast as they could towards their motor home. Believe it or not, they did make it to their motor home, but it wasn't long before the Grizzly was upon them. The Grizzly hit the 23 ft motor home with such force it raised off the ground. But, with luck they were still able to make it out of there before the Grizzly attacked again. They were the lucky ones able to tell their story with tall-tell signs of massive damage to their RV.


Hunters Last Encounter

Last year we heard from one of our Alaskan Bear Cousins. She said a group of hunters were hiking near Soldotna, Alaska in the Kenia National Wildlife Refuge. They had split apart figuring it was best to hunt alone. Unfortunately, that was a mistake. One of the poor fellows had managed to fire off a few rounds before being killed by a Grizzly.

What Kind of Rifle Do Hunters Use?

Human Hunters will usually bring along high power rifles, like a 30-06 ( pronounced thirty odd six) or a .308 Winchester. These type of rifles are considered reliable with the right bullet. A bullet best for the job of killing bear would be around the 200 grain class, but for a Griz, you better go for the .300 Remington Ultra Mag or Ruger Model M77. Don't even think of using a shotgun on a Grizzly, all it will do is go for the kill.

The Bottom- Line

The point here, it's very tragic to hear of humans being killed. Not only does it effect the lives of others, Grizzlies, Black Bears and Polar Bears are hunted and killed because of their encounter with man.
No one wins, in 1812 Alberta had over 7000 Grizzlies, but now in 2012 there are barely 700 Grizzlies left.

I understand the concept of protecting your species, I'll do anything in my power to protect my young, just like any mother would. So, why don't you respect my territory? After all, you are the one invading my home. I didn't ask you to come to my home, you just came...Uninvited.

Next time you are in my home, please respect all the wildlife, take time to learn more about us. Be aware and educate yourself, so we don't become first page news on your little newspapers.

We want to co-exist but we need your help. I understand you have officials named MP's and apparently their your voice to the Government. Well, speak up and let them know you're not happy. Tell your government that something should be done about the waste of food along the train tracks. One thing is for sure, if the Train went off the tracks because of the grain left behind, they would certainly do something about it.

You see, I don't understand? You waste food for what reason? Why don't they care? And so, when us Bears come across some free food, we don't hesitate to eat it. After all, you left it behind.


Bottom Line : If you Don't Want Me on The Tracks Maybe You Humans Shouldn't Drop 112,000 kg of Grain Along the Tracks!
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Do You Realize You Are Wasting 300,000 Loafs of Bread!




Join in on J. Robb Montana's short stories and his on-line Robotics on Mars...

Black Angels of Sirus 5 -  Screenwriter J. Robb Montana explores mankind's historical past over 100,000 years ago,where Ancient Alien Astronauts changed the evolution of mankind to become who we are today. 

Here's are an example of short stories and Traveling Blogs:

• Great Stories
• Night of the White Bear
• Don Martin and Mad Magazine
• Travel Blogs- Vegas
• Robotics on Mars - Chapter One
• Robotics on Mars - Chapter Two
• Robotics on Mars - Chapter Three

The Meaning of Beatlemania by J. Robb Montana

(Fictitious disclaimer :all persons portrayed in it are fictitious Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.) All rights reserved. No part of this manuscript may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical,photocopy, recording or otherwise without the written prior permission by J. Robb Montana.


As an artist, its best to describe us as a block of stone, where life shapes you, forms you and makes you what you are today. Life throws everything at us, craving us out from hard edges. Then there are times where life can smooth us out, sand us down or puts holes in the center of our life.

                                                              Here Comes the Sun

I remember it as if it was yesterday, a ten year old boy waiting to hear the Beatles for the first time on
the TV tube in 1964. Excitement was in the air, Beatlemania had already hit North America with vengeance when Ed Sullivan introduce them on his variety entertainment show. It was very hard to hear the Beatles due to the screaming crowd of teenage girls, but the one song I do remember is " I want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You...ya ya ya..."

It's still itched in my mind when Ed Sullivan yelled out to the hysterical girls to,"Shut UP!"

The beginning of my  Beatles journey unconsciously started shaping my life spiritually. It's like being transformed, forming my life through hard times and good times. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." [A Tale of Two Cities (1859) is a novel by Charles Dickens]

Beatles Music like " A Hard Day's Night [United Artist (Us) Released June 26 1964] to "Yesterday" from the Album "Yesterday and Today"  1966 issued only in the United States and Canada. And not long behind was the legendary Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band release in June 1967.

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts was my first Album record I purchased. From that time on I was hooked with my next and probably the most important one in my life, Abbey Road [ released September 26 1969]. "Here comes the Sun" on Abbey Road is only one of the most powerful songs written by George Harrison.

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

The first single from the Beatles record label Apple Records, "Hey Jude" written by Paul McCartney in August of 1968 made me take notice of the works of Paul McCartney leading me into an long journey that took a more profound effect on me when my daughter, Jenni died.

Little at the time did I know that the Beatles were going to break-up, not long after the death of their manager and friend,Brian Epstein. With the lack of managerial leadership the Apple Corporation went into a stressful chaotic time in the lives of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.

It was Paul McCartney that made the break-up public with the release of his Album, McCartney in 1970.That is when I made a conscience decision to become a strong fan of Paul McCartney's, running out to buy his first album.That was the first time I was introduced to his song, " The Lovely Linda" realizing that Paul was married to a very special and talented girl, Linda McCartney. The cover on the McCartney Album really took me to notice his child peaking through his leather jacket.

Ever since then I have bought and re bought Beatles music including Paul McCartney's Albums to John Lennon's,from records to eight-tracks to Cd's to iTunes tracks.

The Meaning of Beatlemania meant a complete transformation of my life-style leaving a great after taste of life as a whole. I most probably will never meet Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr but the four,( John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney) of the Beatles made a lasting impression on my life.

My artistic career in visionary arts and movie screenplays are inspired by the Beatles.

Thank you to Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and John Lennon...

by J. Robb Montana

The Great Spudnut Story

(Fictitious disclaimer :all persons portrayed in it are fictitious Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.) All rights reserved. No part of this manuscript may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical,photocopy, recording or otherwise without the written prior permission by J. Robb Montana.



The Great Spudnut Story

I’m not sure of the exact year that I started to attend The Church of the Immaculate Spudnut, but I remember the day like it was yesterday. To this day I remember the smells and tastes with a crystal clarity that I have been able to recall, on demand, for near fifty years.

I was 10 or 11 years old, on my way home from doing my paper route I think, as I had money in my pocket. I was walking down the main street of Vernon B.C., without having any knowledge of what was about to happen to me. I stepped into the exhaust air vent of the Spudnut Shop Portal. The effect was instantaneous, my entire body became weak from the effect of the smell. I believe that it was the spirit of the Great Spudnut that grabbed my shirt and pulled me through the front door and set me down in front of the cash register, at the feet of the spudnut wizard. The spudnut wizard was disguised as a old man with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his lips. He turned to me and said the words that would change my destiny. “What can I do for you young man?” I replied hesitantly,”I-I-I wooould liike a dooonut please.” He looked me in the eye with a gaze that was as steady as an old oak, then he looked sideways over his right shoulder. That’s when I noticed two other old men sitting on stools at the counter, the old chrome stools with the padded vinyl top. They both had half smiles and also had some of the same twinkle in their eyes.

The wizard then turned his full attention on me and in a very serious voice said, “We don’t have any doughnuts here, son.”

I could see the fryer, the glazing pan and the racks full of glazed doughnuts, so I replied, “There’s doughnuts everywhere.”

“Oh, you mean these”, he said sweeping his hand to indicate the wall behind him that seemed to me to be entirely covered with doughnuts. “These are not doughnuts, son, These are SPUDNUTS. If you want DOUGHnuts there are other places in this town that make very DOUGHYnuts. I would be happy to tell you where they are. But since it is obvious that you have never had a spudnut, I will give your first one free. This is a very good business move on my part, because after you have had your first one, you will be coming back here to give me all the rest of the money you can get your hands on.” Having said that, with a great flourish he, with one smooth motion whirled around and had a plate in his hand with a spudnut neatly in the middle. He set it on the counter in front of an empty stool and said “Hop up son and try your first spudnut. You’ll never eat a doughnut again.” He then went to the cooler and got me a milk, plopped it on the counter in front of me and said, “Nothing like a milk to wash down a spudnut.”

Then the spudnut wizard and his two apprentice wizards that he referred to as his “regulars” sat and watched me with great intensity as I contemplated the orb of beauty on the plate in front of me. One of his ‘regulars’ said ” might as well not put it off. One bite and you are part of this club for the rest of your life.”

The lifetime commitment sounded a little scary, but the spudnut could not be resisted. I picked it up and cautiously took the first bite. Very quickly I ate the rest. I had barely swallowed the last bite when the prophecy fulfilling words came out of my mouth, “How many more of these will fifty cents buy?”

http://jrobbmontana.com/

Don Martin and Mad Magazine

Art Magazines are along with all the popular comics; you might say they are in full "competitive edge" mode. All the artist are pumped with adreline to show-off their skills. Just the slightest mistake or concentration can leave an artist empty-handed.
Gold medal give you world class standing and if it were such a thing as Gold medals when it comes to Artist or Cartoonist, then it would have to be Don Martin.

Don Martin was a very popular American cartoon artist known best with his most remarkable cartoons in MAD Magazine from 1956 to 1988. His art work lead to edge of expression in a good way. It was called many things in those earlier days, from bizarre to outrageously funny. His work may have lead to our now berserk style of humour with South Park, Family Guy and The Simpsons. Don Martin's cartoons would lead your imagination into the most awkward positions, with his cartoons leaving a very distinct message that will make you laugh and think about for years later.

Don Martin was born on May 18 1931, a time of conservative thinking. Mad Magazine knew exactly what they were doing when they hired Don Martin as one of their cartoonist - Mad Magazine wanted out of the ordinary and on the edge of controversy. The founder of Mad Magazine was Harvey Kurtzman, a well known cartoon artist himself. Can you imagine a typical day at the office of Mad Magazine? Pumping out zany outrageous tears of laughter cartoons on a daily basis – Talk about Fun – how could you call that work?

Don Martin was in the frontline of cartoons, such as The MAD Adventures of Captain Klutz in 1967. His favorite copyright sounds came out like : ''GLUP! GLIK! SPLORP! SLOOPLE! CHOMPLE! GARK! SKLORSH! GLUK! KLOONG! KAPLAM! SPMAM! POONG! BOONG! KLOON! I just love the sound effect - croaking frog or "FAGROON klubble klubble".

If you don’t know Don Martin, you have missed out on the most comical comics distributed with Mad Magazine. Mad Magazine changed hands a few times throughout its career, but it has lasted since 1952 and still going strong in 2010. The Politics may have changed but so has Mad Magazine – along with the Politics.

I’m sure Mad Magazine is missing Don Martin because his cartoon’s “touching the hearts” of his followers. My first Mad Magazine was in 1967 – I saved enough money from my paper route in Vernon, British Columbia to buy that year’s full edition. I remember taking the magazines and folding it to receive a “hidden cartoon message” within the fold.

As an avid cartoon follower I would cut out Don Martins Cartoons and paste them up on my wall, which helps me during exams. A laugh or two or three made exam studies go quick. I’m really not sure how much Mad Magazine realized how their magazine touched so many kids. Each magazine I picked up I would be scrambled to see Don Martin’s comics...laughing and thinking how great it would be to be a cartoon artist.

Boy – I wish I was smart enough to keep them...can you imagine the collection price on those magazines today? But, then again, you had to keep them in the plastic cover to be worth anything. It was well worth the time dissecting the Mad Magazine.

Check out more stories with James Montana Scripts by Bari Demers 



To me Don Martin made Mad Magazine - the bizarre and outrageous.

If you were to give out Gold Medals to Artists, I would think Don Martin would have collected a world record of Gold Medals for his zany superhero characters like Fester Bestertester and Captain Klutz that was adored by all of America, Canada, and then, came the World.

Unfortunately Don Martin passed away in January 6 2000, but his cartoon art works will agelessly be passed on from generation to generation.

If anything, Don Martins cartoon style will come back with a vengeance as new comic followers and artists catch eye of his humorous timeless cartoons.

I can just see it now in heaven, Don Martin is making God laugh over and over and over. Looks like God knows what he was doing – placing Don Martin in heaven.

Here is to you Don Martin, Congratulations to the best in cartoons.

By Bari Demers - screenwriter 

http://jrobbmontana.com/

Night of The White Spirit Bear

Purchase Print by Judi Wild
(Fictitious disclaimer :all persons portrayed in it are fictitious Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.) All rights reserved. No part of this manuscript may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical,photocopy, recording or otherwise without the written prior permission by J. Robb Montana.


Night of The White Spirit Bear known as Kermode

It has been said, 5000 years ago,in a small village named Yuquot their lived the first people - the Muchalaht off the coast of British Columbia.
The story of the great white Spirit bear, known today as the Kermode, was handed down to their children.

The Legend of the white spirit bear has been said that mother earth was once covered in a white snow and glacier ice until the creator Raven came and changed the land green of rain forest full of life.

Raven, the great creator, wanted his people to remember that the land was once a great white blanket.

And so, Raven went to the black bear people and told them that from now on they would be blessed with every tenth black bear turning into a White Spirit Bear bringing them special spiritual powers. The Great White Spirit Bear's powers would help the people of the great rain forest find food with magical powers of diving into the deep ocean, bringing the people salmon and magical powers of "Peace" to the People.

Raven gave The White Spirit Bear a home deep in the elusive rain forests where he would be safe from the demons and would live forever in peace and harmony.
But the Legend doesn't end there. The creator Raven had promised its people peace by the magical powers of the Great White Spiritual Bear. It was put to the test one day long ago in year 1790.

The rain forest people were tending to their fishing off the shores of Land of Rainforest's.
Suddenly in the horizon they were met by strange pale white people from a land called Great Britain.
Other people of the rain forest were also greeted by another pale white people from the land called Spain.
They both had funny looking canoes with high walls and blankets made to control the wind. They wore hard shelled clothing that sparkled in the sun; they walked rigid, reminding them of the Grizzly People.

The Spain People fought with the Britain People over a place called Nootka Sound and to these rain forest people it was funny to them.

To the rain forest people the name Nootka in their language meant "Go Around". It has been said that a great Chief of one of the Britain people who was named Captain Cook misunderstood the Muchalaht Rainforest People when they had shouted out the words" Itchme nutka, Itchme nutka!"
The Great Chief of the Britain People,Captain Cook, had thought that this was the Muchalaht peoples name and therefore they became known as the Nootka People.

The Nootka People watched along the shores as the Spain people and the Britain people fought over land that wasn't even theirs.
This is how the Legend of the White Spirit Bear stepped in to bring peace amongst these people.
This great Chief Captain Cook assigned one of his people,named George Vancouver to meet with the Great White Spirit Bear one night in the deep rain forest to discuss peace with the Spain People.

The Great White Spirit Bear had magical powers that made the Britain People and the Spain People feel the spirit come through their bodies.A warm feeling of peace came over them.

And to this very day, it has been said that a great war had been averted between the two tribal people and it was named the Nootka Conventions of 1790.

In the history books today, it has been said, that a man named George Vancouver and his Spanish counterpart Juan Franciso de la Bodega y Quadra ,were given a special gift of "peace' from the Great White Spirit Bear.
by J. Robb Montana (copyright 2012)

Check out Bloodwolf - enjoy more art pieces by Bari at Fine Art America