Every January, America takes a moment to dust off Martin Luther King Jr., aggressively smooth his razor-sharp edges, only to put him back on the shelf by dinner. We do this and congratulate ourselves for it.  We quote the dream speech because it’s soothing and comforting. However, we skip over the demands as if they never existed; we do this partly because they don’t fit the narrative we prefer. Mostly, though, it is that fairness is still being sold to the public as being too costly.  We remember the great orator and his tone, but the substance is criminally discarded. Martin Luther King Jr. is presented today as a passive, gentle unifier, a moral mascot for civility, a man who asked us to be kind and then carry on with business as usual. That sterile version of King is safe. He fits neatly into corporate emails, school assemblies, and social media platitudes. He asks for nothing. He is no threat to the status quo. This version allows people to avoid confronting themselves or...

Happy Martin Luther King Day, music sloots, and welcome to another kicky edition of Manor Music Monday. Today, we'll be chatting about a winning jazz songstress whom time has unjustly forgotten, though in her day, she delighted top jazz musicians and composers who scrambled to work with her. You can hear her tonight at "Sportin' a Semi!" the Manor's 24-hour club and creperie where DJ L'il Scratch will be laying down her irresistible tunes.  Yes, it's Patricia "Pat" Thomas. Just look at her: coquettish beauty and adorableness incarnate. Born in The City Of Big Shoulders - that's Chicago to you pesky rubes - she was an in-demand performer by nearly every jazz band in the late 1950s and early 60s, and hit the big-time, if briefly, with her 1963 LP, "Desafinado," the title track being a Bossa Nova-flavored triumph which rocketed up the charts.  It was her rich, caramel-toned voice which made her stand out, even in her early days. Her fi...

  Whitfield Crane - American singer-songwriter, founding member of Ugly Kid Joe - 58 Shawn Johnson - American former artistic gymnast - 34 Logan Lerman - American actor - 34 Erin Sanders - American actress - 35 Damien Chazelle - French-American film director, screenwriter and producer - 41 Lil Scrappy - American rapper - 42 Hikaru Utada - Japanese-American singer-songwriter and producer - 43 Jodie Sweetin - American actress and tv personality - 44 Luke Macfarlane - Canadian actor and former singer - 46 Coral Smith - American former reality tv personality - 47 Alexis Bellino - American reality tv personality - 49 Rob Delaney - American comedian, actor, writer and activist - 49 Marsha Thomason - English actress - 50 Drea de Matteo - American actress - 54 Shawn Wayans - American actor, comedian, screenwriter and producer - 55 Trey Lorenz - American singer-songwriter and record producer - 56 Antoine Fuqua - American film director - 61 Caron Wheeler - British singer-songwriter and r...

  Every pup we have comes with a special story of how we found each other. You know it when you meet the one who belongs in your life. You can't part from them. They snuggled into your heart almost immediately. I have never regretted adopting any of our animals. Not for one minute. Our pets are our family, our babies, and my world would be a lot less vibrant without them.  How did you know yours was the one for you? Do you have your own happy ending?

Leonhard Seppala and Togo.  Togo was born in 1913 in Alaska and seemed, from the start, like he wasn't destined for a career as a useful sled dog, or even a beloved pet. He was undersized, sickly, sharp-tempered, and relentlessly defiant. As a puppy, he chewed through harnesses, constantly bullied other dogs, routinely escaped confinement, and refused even basic obedience commands. Togo seemed like a lost cause. He exhibited none of the behaviors or traits that the best sled dogs normally possess.   Leonhard Seppala, one of the most respected sled dog trainers of his time, deemed him untrainable and gave him away. Togo responded by doing what he would do repeatedly as a youngster: he escaped and found his way back home to Seppala and his wife. The dog was nothing short of a juvenile delinquent with a host of ongoing problem behaviors. And he wasn't anything special in the looks department either; some even said he looked perpetually dirty. As Togo matured, his "flaws"...

Tom Bailey - English singer-songwriter, musician, composer and record producer - 70 Ashleigh Murray - American actress and singer - 38 Becca Tobin - American actress, singer and dancer - 40 Benji Schwimmer - American professional dancer, choreographer, actor and director - 42 Samantha Mumba - Irish singer-songwriter, dancer, actress, model and tv presenter - 43 Joanna Newsom - American singer-songwriter and actress - 44 Estelle - British rapper, singer-songwriter and actress - 46 Jason Segel - American actor - 46 Jay Chou - Taiwanese singer and musician - 47 Burnie Burns - American actor, writer, producer, comedian, host and director - 53 Jonathan Davis - American musician, singer-songwriter, member of Korn - 55 DJ Quik - American rapper and producer - 56 Dave Bautista - American actor and retired professional wrestler - 57 Jesse L. Martin - American actor and singer - 57 Dave Attell - American stand-up comedian, actor and writer - 61 Jane Horrocks - British actress - 62 Shelly Mis...

  I believe in this idea. When I fostered, I closely monitored the interactions between potential adopters and the animals. Animals have superior instincts when it comes to people, and I trust their discernment. Our farm cats find their way here and stay because they know they are safe, cared for, loved, and have their needs taken care of responsibly. We microchip them, not only because it is UK law, but because we want them to be able to come home. They are vetted, fed, given cozy shelter, and most of all, a safe harbor. If we find that one is friendly enough to be adoptable, then they go to a rescue, or we try to find a home. Some are friendly to us but require freedom, and are wary of strangers, so they are lifers, and we are lucky to have them.  This brings me to: How did you find your kitty? Who chose who?

Credit: Ottawa Tourism Since Peckerwood Manor is a multi-faceted community, wintertime looks very different for many of us. Some of us never get snow, some of us get way too much, and others fall somewhere happily in the middle. While the winter season is usually a time of hunkering down, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the beautiful season: skating, skiing, après-skiing, cooking and enjoying hearty foods, etc. Do you have a favourite winter activity, Peckers? Or did you get to enjoy a special moment during the wintertime that warms your memories? Share below!

 

  Ryuichi Sakamoto - Japanese musician, composer, singer and actor - (1952-2023) Jake Paul - American professional boxer - 29 Indya Moore - American actor and model - 31 Lucy Boynton - British actress - 32 Frankie Cocozza - British singer - 33 Willa Fitzgerald - American actress - 35 Kelly Marie Tran - American actress - 38 Max Adler - American actor - 40 Calvin Harris - Scottish DJ, record producer, singer-songwriter - 42 Dwayne Wade - American former professional basketball player - 44 Ray J - American rapper and singer - 45 Zooey Deschanel - American actress and musician - 46 Maksim Chmerkovskiy - Ukrainian-American dancer, choreographer and instructor - 46 Freddy Rodriguez - American actor - 51 Lil Jon - American rapper, record producer - 55 Bart Freundlich - American director, screenwriter and film producer - 56 Naveen William Sidney Andrews - British-American actor - 57 Tiësto - Dutch DJ and record producer - 57 Shabba Ranks - Jamaican musician - 60 Michelle Obama - Am...

Reception, 1910 Faragó Géza

  Jill Sobule - American singer-songwriter - (1959-2025) Jennie Kim - South Korean singer, rapper and actress - 30 Yvonne Zima - American actress - 37 FKA twigs - English singer- songwriter and dancer - 38 Mason Gamble - American former actor - 40 Renée Felice Smith - American actress - 41 Joe Flacco - American professional football player - 41 Max Joseph - American filmmaker and tv game show host - 44 Nick Valensi - American musician, singer-songwriter, member of The Strokes - 45 Alyssa Edwards - American drag performer, choreographer and businessperson - 46 Lin-Manuel Miranda - American singer-songwriter, actor, filmmaker, rapper and librettist - 46 Albert Pujols - Dominican-American baseball manager - 46 Vijay Sthupathi - Indian actor and film producer - 48 Eva Habermann - German actress - 50 Kate Moss - British model - 52 Josie Davis - American actress, screenwriter and producer - 53 Richard T. Jones - American actor - 54 Roy Jones Jr - American professional boxer - 57 Da...

    

  Ronnie Van Zant - American singer, member of Lynyrd Skynyrd - (1948-1977) Grace VanderWaal - American singer-songwriter and actress - 22 Dove Cameron - American singer and actress - 30 Hyungwon - South Korean singer-songwriter, dancer, actor, model, DJ and producer - 32 Caroline Arapoglou - American actress - 35 Chris Warren, Jr. - American actor - 36 Skrillex - American DJ and music producer - 38 Barbie Blank - American retired professional wrestler and model - 39 Michael Seater - Canadian actor, director, screenwriter and producer - 39 Jessy Schram - American actress, model and singer - 40 Howie Day - American singer-songwriter - 45 Pitbull - American rapper and singer-songwriter - 45 Drew Brees - American former football player - 47 Trent Ford - American-born English actor and model - 47 Young Dro - American rapper - 47 Eddie Cahill - American actor - 48 Dorian Missick - American actor - 50 Rachel Roy - American fashion designer - 52 Regina King - American actress and di...