Brutalism's moment
Jeffrey Simpson should be careful of what he wants for the National Arts Centre (When Shaping The Capital, Do So With Care – Jan. 2).
The proposed alterations cover Fred Lebensold's original with a repetitive, forced scrim of glass. The concrete original, a National Historic Site (is it even legal to disturb it?), is a dark, noble presence looming over the Rideau Canal, giving ballast to the National War Memorial opposite. Its replacement will be just another sparkly bauble.
Brutalism is not "hideous." It reflects the strength of postwar design, using postwar materials. Oddly, it's having a moment right now. As time begins to wear away at its monuments, they attract renewed appreciation and protection.
Architects are often downcast to encounter fine old buildings that have been "improved" in the chase for fickle fashion.
Mr. Simpson should revisit the NAC in another hundred years, and see whether a national treasure was in fact defaced.
Peter Ferguson, architect, Kimberley, Ont.
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At a minimum, $80-million will be wasted on refurbishing a dated, uninspired rectangle of a Canada Science and Technology Museum in the "backofnowhere."
Further millions will be spent on a monolithic memorial to the Victims of Communism on the only prime land left on Parliament Hill, land that was earmarked for a new Federal Court building. Even if a memorial were the way to go, why would we opt for one that wags a self-righteous finger at others instead of one that celebrates our own historical achievements?
If allowed to proceed, these monuments will come to represent a shrunken vision of Canada, and a lost opportunity in building a world-class capital.
Stella Deacon, Ottawa
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Sporting chance(s)
Re What Are The Odds of That In 2015? (Jan. 2): Your editorial board did a fine job of predicting events for 2015. However, you left out various events regularly reported on and commented on in a whole section of your newspaper. Without pontificating on how you could omit such an important area of life, let me suggest the answers:
Probability of the Toronto Raptors winning the NBA title: 80 per cent;
Probability of the Toronto Blue Jays winning the World Series: 20 per cent;
Probability of the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the Stanley Cup (and sending a very large city and many other Canadians into a bigger celebration than any of your predictions): 5 per cent.
Probability of the Toronto Argonauts winning the Grey Cup (again): Unable to answer. What Cup is that? Who are they?
Bruce Hutchison, Ottawa
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2015's first killing
Re Police Appeal To Public After Shooting (Jan. 2); Suspected Killer Is 53-Year-Old (Jan. 1): I remember when the big news on New Year's morning was to announce the first baby born in the new year. Now, it's to announce the first murder.
Lynne Collins, Surrey, B.C.
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Talkin' 'bout my …
One of earliest boomers writes: "It's my view that if you were too young to attend the defining moment of the generation – Woodstock – in August, 1969, then you are no boomer" (All Over At 50? – letters, Jan. 2). Why not say only those who attended the defining moment of the generation – John and Yoko's Bed-In in Montreal in 1969 – were real boomers?
The peak of the postwar birth rate, and therefore the largest boomer cohort, actually happened in the last half of the 1950s. I guess we were just some kind of very early Gen-Xers. What was it I remember Pete Townsend saying?
Blair Langmuir, Waterloo, Ont.
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Language of death
I am in complete agreement with Sandra Martin about stopping the use of euphemisms for death and dying (Let's Talk About Death – Jan. 2).
But I take exception to: "And while you are at it, please give a thought to replacing language that is confusing or complicated, such as Do Not Resuscitate, with clear directions, such as Allow Natural Death." The opposite is the case.
For too long, Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) has been interpreted as Do Nothing At All – bad palliative care. It means, very clearly, if the heart stops there must be no attempt to restart it.
Allow Natural Death (AND) scares me. Years of experience in hospitals and long-term care leads me to believe that Allow Natural Death is even more open to misinterpretation by medical personnel. What does it actually mean? Where are the guidelines? What are the criteria?
It's been suggested that DNAR is clearer: Do Not Attempt Resuscitation, a phrase that to medical personnel means Do Not Call A Code if the heart stops.
As a doctor, I am hard put to work out what Allow Natural Death means in practice; experience tells me that it is interpreted in multiple ways. I recently read an autopsy report on a man who was near death when admitted. He had an AND order, yet CPR was started and achieved nothing other than seven broken ribs.
I would stick with DNAR.
Irene Campbell-Taylor, clinical neuroscientist, New Waterford, N.S.
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Stopped for trains
Re The Railways' 2015 Challenge: More To Ship, Limited Track (Jan. 1): Let's not forget that while longer and longer freight trains have improved rail efficiencies and reduced operating costs, these 200-car-plus trains drifting through cities and towns at slow speeds (blocking several ground-level crossings at one time) are causing major traffic congestion, and in some cases hampering the speedy movement of emergency vehicles.
Most cities and towns expanded out from the railway main line, with further congestion caused by branch lines radiating from the main line – for example, passenger trains needed to get to the central station.
It seems about time that the railways, along with the federal, provincial and municipal governments, moved from a rail system designed for the 20th century to one designed for the 22nd century. The first step should be to reduce the railways' urban footprint.
John R. McClement, Regina
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Words evolve
Letter-writer Andrzej Derkowski has an issue with the use of the word "issue" to mean "problem" (Words On The Street – Jan. 2).
Language evolves. I used to say I had problems. Then I said I had issues. Now I say I have challenges and opportunities.
Manuel Matas, Winnipeg
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My hackles rise when The Globe (et al) report the "perks" attached to a job. The correct term is "perqs," short for perquisites. Even my spell check has it wrong. Is there no justice?
Will the paper change?
Not a chance.
J. Kirby Inwood, London, Ont.