ABOUT JOHN CHUCKMAN

John Chuckman is former chief economist for a large Canadian oil company. He has many interests and is a lifelong student of history. He writes with a passionate desire for honesty, the rule of reason, and concern for human decency. John regards it as a badge of honor to have left the United States as a poor young man from the South Side of Chicago when the country embarked on the pointless murder of something like 3 million Vietnamese in their own land because they embraced the wrong economic loyalties. He lives in Canada, which he is fond of calling “the peaceable kingdom.”

John’s writing appears regularly on many Internet sites. He has been translated into at least ten languages and has been regularly translated into Italian and Spanish. Several of his essays have been published in book collections, including two college texts. He has published a book, The Decline of the American Empire and the Rise of China as a Global Power, published by Constable and Robinson, London. John also writes book reviews.

Apart from his writing since retiring from the oil industry, John has taught university courses in economics, done a good deal of private tutoring, served as a professional newspaper restaurant reviewer (he likes cooking), followed his favorite hobby of photography, and created a popular family of image blogs on the Internet.

John may be reached directly at:  formersouthsideboy@gmail.com

SOME INTERNET SITES FROM JOHN CHUCKMAN:


CHUCKMAN'S PORT STANLEY
    http://chuckmanportstanley.wordpress.com/
CHUCKMAN'S MONTREAL
     http://chuckmanmontreal.wordpress.com/
CHUCKMAN'S ILES DE LA MADELEINE (MAGDALEN ISLANDS)
     http://chuckmanmagdalenislands.wordpress.com/
CHUCKMAN'S GODERICH

     http://chuckmangoderich.wordpress.com/

CHUCKMAN PHOTOS ON WORDPRESS: CHICAGO NOSTALGIA AND MEMORABLIA (SELECTED POSTCARDS AND RESTAURANT ITEMS)

      http://chuckmanchicagonostalgia.wordpress.com/

 CHUCKMAN’S PLACES ON WORDPRESS

      http://chuckmanplaces.wordpress.com/

 CHUCKMAN’S PHOTOS ON WORDPRESS: TORONTO NOSTALGIA AND MEMORABLIA

      http://chuckmantorontonostalgia.wordpress.com/

 CHUCKMAN' S NON-SPORTS TRADING CARDS OF THE 1950s VOL.1/4

      http://chuckmannon-sporttradingcards1950s.blogspot.com

 CHUCKMAN’S ROBOTS

      http://chuckmanrobots.blogspot.com/

 CHUCKMAN’S ART

      http://chuckmanart.blogspot.com/

 CHUCKMAN’S GALLERY OF GROTESQUES

      http://chuckmangrotesques.blogspot.com/

 CHUCKMAN’S CARTOON COMMENTS   

      http://chuckmancartoons.blogspot.com/

 CHUCKMAN'S MISCELLANEA OF WORDS

      http://chuckmanmiscellanea.blogspot.com

CHUCKMAN'S COMMENTS FROM THE WORLD PRESS

      http://chuckmanwordsincomments.wordpress.com/

CHUCKMAN'S POLITICAL ESSAYS

      http://chuckmanwords.wordpress.com/
CHUCKMAN'S BAYFIELD
      https://chuckmanbayfield.wordpress.com/

ME, ROUGHLY: THE DECLINE IS RAPID NOW

PHOTO – TORONTO – THE DELL RESTAURANT – SIMCOE AT ELM – OPENED 1948 – AT ITS CLOSING IN 1986 - OWNER BILL DE LAURENTIS WITH WAITRESSES JEAN RAMSDELL AND CHRISTAL SHAMBROOK - THIS WAS A FAVORITE PLACE OF MY MOM'S HUSBAND, DEAR OLD WAYNE - WE WENT THERE MANY TIMES - A COZY UNPRETENTIOUS PLACE WITH GOOD FOOD - SURE BRINGS BACK MEMORIES - THE ONLY PHOTO I HAVE EVER FOUND SHOWING THE FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT - EDITED FROM AN UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER

POSTCARD - TORONTO - KING STREET - LOOKING E FROM YONGE - ALMOST GROUND LEVEL - STREETCAR - CARS - TRAFFIC COP IN LONG WHITE COAT OR SMOCK - REALLY NICE VERSION - TINTED - LATER 1910s

POSTCARD - TORONTO - EXHIBITION LOOP - TTC PCC STREETCAR - NIGHT - NOTE TEMPORARY STOP TTC SIGN USED GENERALLY IN THE SYSTEM - AN IMAGE WHICH STRONGLY EVOKES ITS TIME - NICE VERSION - 1966

POSTCARD - TORONTO - CN TOWER AT SUNRISE - CN AD FOR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH SERVICE AT THE TOP - LATE 1970s

POSTCARD - TORONTO - TRAYMORE SAVARIN - BAY AT ADELAIDE - THE WINDSOR ROOM INTERIOR - TINTED

POSTCARD - TORONTO - SKYLINE PANORAMA FROM HARBOR - AERIAL - TORONTO-DOMINION CENTRE ORIGINAL MIES VAN DER ROHE BUILDINGS COMPLETED IN 1967

PHOTO - TORONTO - NIKKO GARDEN RESTAURANT (LOCATION) - DUNDAS W NEAR HURON - ON THE SECOND FLOOR - THIS IS WHERE TORONTO'S JAPANESE POPULATION WENT AND WHERE I FIRST TASTED JAPANESE FOOD - I FELL IN LOVE WITH BEEF SUKIYAKI AND LATER LEARNED HOW TO MAKE IT WHICH I'VE DONE MANY TIMES - THE FOOD WAS SERVED BY WOMEN IN KIMONOS WHO COOKED THE INGREDIENTS IN A LARGE ELECTRIC SKILLET BY YOUR TABLE IN THE TRADITIONAL JAPANESE STYLE - DATE OF PHOTO UNKNOWN BUT I THINK IT IS LATER THAN WHEN I WENT TO THE RESTAURANT IN THE LATE 1960s

MENU - TORONTO - RATHSKELLER RESTAURANT - 121 FRONT W - OLD WALKER HOUSE HOTEL - 1966 - WHAT A HAPPY DISCOVERY THIS IS - FROM THE DATE I MIGHT HAVE HELD THIS VERY COPY - I SIMPLY ADORED THE RATHSKELLER - THE SAUERBRATEN WAS UNBELIEVABLY GOOD - IT'S A DISH I'VE HAD IN SO MANY PLACES OVER THE YEARS AND NONE CAME CLOSE - THE ATMOSPHERE WAS EXTREMELY PLEASANT WITH A FRIENDLY HOST, A LIVE ZITHER PLAYER, WOOD PANELLING AND SUBDUED LIGHT - I AM A BIT SURPRISED BY SOME OF THE DISHES I SEE HERE BUT ALL I EVER ORDERED WAS SAUERBRATEN WITH DUMPLING AND RED CABBAGE FOLLOWED BY APPLE STRUDEL AND COFFEE - ALWAYS TOO THE VICHYSSOISE WHICH WAS TRULY WONDERFUL AND SERVED WITH CHOPPED CHIVES - A NICE RHINE WINE TOO OF COURSE - I USED TO HAVE AN AUTHENTIC RECIPE FOR SAUERBRATEN AND I DID MAKE IT ONCE FOR A CHRISTMAS DINNER BUT IT IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF TROUBLE WITH THE MEAT MARINATING FOR DAYS

PHOTO - TORONTO - FRONT STREET W - LOOKING E GROUND LEVEL - RATHSKELLER RESTAURANT AND FRANZ JOSEPH RESTAURANT AT 121 FRONT W - CORNER OF UNIVERSITY - 1975 - EDITED FROM UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTO - TORONTO - LAKESHORE ROAD - PORT CREDIT - THE DUTCH KITCHEN RESTAURANT - 1963 - IT WASN'T MUCH TO LOOK AT INSIDE OR OUTSIDE BUT IT WAS A COMFORTABLE PLACE RUN BY A DUTCH FAMILY WHO MADE AUTHENTIC INDONESIAN FOOD - IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER TASTED SOME (LATE 1960s) AND I WAS CAPTIVATED BY IT IMMEDIATELY - THEIR "COMPLETE INDONESIAN DINNER" WAS FABULOUS - LATER LIVING IN A DIFFERENT PLACE I LEARNED TO MAKE THE SAME ITEMS AND HAD THEM AT HOME

PHOTO - TORONTO - DUTCH KITCHEN TAVERN - 71 LAKESHORE RD E - PORT CREDIT - LATER LOCATION FROM A RENOVATED OLD BUILDING MADE TO LOOK VERY DUTCH

PHOTO - TORONTO - UNDERGROUND RAILROAD RESTAURANT - 225 KING E - OWNER HOWARD MATTHEWS - 1978 - I NEVER SAW THIS LOCATION BUT THE FRONT APPEARS THE SAME AS THE EARLIER LOCATION ON BLOOR SOMEWHAT EAST OF YONGE - THE FOOD WAS DELICIOUS - I ALWAYS HAD RIBS WITH CANDIED YAMS AND BLACK-EYED PEAS AND PLENTY OF CORNBREAD - AND OVER YEARS LATER I DEVELOPED OR DISCOVERED RECIPES FOR ALL THESE DISHES AND SERVED MY OWN SOUL FOOD DINNER MANY TIMES

AD - TORONTO - UNDERGROUND RAILROAD RESTAURANT - 9 CHURCH STREET - NEW YEAR GALA - 1989 - THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN ITS LAST YEAR - THE AD SUGGESTS SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE BASIC PLACE I KNEW ON BLOOR IN THE LATE 1960s - I SEE IT IS HERE LOCATED ON CHURCH - IT STARTED ON BLOOR THEN WENT TO KING AND FINALLY CHURCH

PHOTO - TORONTO - THE PORTS OF CALL RESTAURANTS - 1145 YONGE AT SHAFTSBURY AVE - IT INCLUDED SEVERAL RESTAURANTS AND BARS - THE BALI HAI ROOM WAS MY FAVORITE - ALTHOUGH KIND OF KITSCHY CORPORATE TIKI PLACE IT WAS FUN WITH DRINKS SERVED IN PINEAPPLES AND SUCH - AND IT HAD THAT WONDERFUL AMERICAN-CHINESE DISH I DISCOVERED IN CHICAGO THAT NO ONE ELSE IN TORONTO MADE, PRESSED DUCK - YEARS LATER I MADE IT FROM A RECIPE I DISCOVERED AND IT IS A LOT OF EFFORT BUT SIMPLY DELICIOUS - GRANDPA LIKED THE DICKENS ROOM AT THE PORTS AND I DID TOO - 1960s

POSTCARD - TORONTO - TRAYMORE SAVARIN RESTAURANT - 336 BAY AT ADELAIDE - CAPACITY 600 - TINTED

PHOTO - TORONTO - UNIVERSITY AVE N OF QUEEN LOOKING S - 1972

PHOTO - TORONTO - YONGE STREET - LOOKING S FROM GERRARD - EARLY EVENING - LOTS OF PEDESTRIANS AND TRAFFIC - DENSE STRIP OF COMMERCIAL LIGHTING - 1960s - EDITED FROM AN IMAGE IN ORIENTALREVIEW.ORG - UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTO - TORONTO - TORONTO STAR BUILDING - 80 KING STREET W - DEMOLISHED 1970 - NOTE STOODLEIGH RESTAURANT - 1960s - EDITED FROM UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER

POSTCARD - TORONTO - LOOKING N ON UNIVERSITY AVE BEFORE IT WAS WIDENED - AERIAL - TINTED - NICE VERSION - 1937

POSTCARD - TORONTO - BALMY BEACH - A FEW SWIMMERS - THIS BECAME PART OF LATER BEACHES - TINTED - NICE VERSION - c1910

POSTCARD - TORONTO - ELLIOT HOUSE AND SHUTER STREET - GROUND LEVEL - TINTED - c1910

POSTCARD - TORONTO - EXHIBITION - GRAND STAND - BIG CROWD VIEWING SHOW - TINTED - NICE VERSION - 1930s

POSTCARD - TORONTO - EXHIBITION - THE MIDWAY - AERIAL - HUGE CROWD - TINTED -1923

POSTCARD - TORONTO - GLIMPSE THROUGH ROSEDALE - ALMOST DOESN'T LOOK URBAN - TINTED - 1907

POSTCARD - TORONTO - HANLANS POINT - FERRY BLUEBELL DISCHARGING PASSENGERS - ELEVATED VIEW - NICE VERSION - TINTED - 1907

POSTCARD - TORONTO - KING EDWARD HOTEL LOBBY - TINTED - 1928

POSTCARD - TORONTO - RAINBOW MOTEL - HUMBER BAY - THE AREA ALONG LAKE SHORE WAS DOTTED WITH THIS KIND OF MOM-AND-POP MOTEL - TINTED - c1950

POSTCARD - TORONTO - ST PAUL'S CATHOLIC CHURCH - QUEEN STREET E - WAGONS IN STREET - TINTED - c1910

POSTCARD - TORONTO - WATERFRONT AND PANORAMA - AERIAL LOOKING N - NOTE NO GARDINER EXPRESSWAY - NICE VERSION - c1960

POSTCARD - TORONTO - YONGE STREET - GROUND LEVEL LOOKING N FROM DUNDAS - MAYBE 1980s

PRINT - TORONTO - YONGE STREET - AERIAL LOOKING N - STREETCARS - 1925

POSTCARD - TORONTO - NEW CITY HALL AND SURROUNDINGS - AERIAL FROM NEW T-D CENTRE - NICE VERSION - LATE 1960s

PHOTO - TORONTO - DAVENPORT AT ELMWOOD - SNOW - TTC PCC STREETCAR - TOASTMASTER BREAD TRUCK - 1965

PHOTO - TORONTO - GLEN MANOR NEAR QUEEN - PCC STREETCAR BY PARK - 1966 - EDITED FROM AN UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER

PHOTO - TORONTO - KING AND RONCESVALLES - PCC STREETCAR - NIGHT - 1964

PHOTO - TORONTO - QUEEN STREET - NEAR YONGE - PCC STREETCAR - NIGHT - 1964

PHOTO - TORONTO - TTC PCC STREETCAR - WYCHWOOD BARN - WASHER - 1970 - EDITED FROM AN UNKNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER

POSTCARD - TORONTO - KING STREET - LOOKING W FROM YONGE - STREETCAR - CROWDS - SIGNS - TINTED - c1910

POSTCARD - TORONTO - SHERBOURNE STREET - CHURCH STREETCAR WAGON - TINTED - 1910s

POSTCARD - TORONTO - YONGE STREET - LOOKING N - CROWDS AWNINGS BICYCLES SIGNS - c1910

POSTCARD - TORONTO - YONGE STREET - LOOKING N AERIAL - TINTED - 1907

POSTCARD - TORONTO - YONGE STREET - LOOKING N FROM KING AND YONGE - TINTED - 1910s

POSTCARD - TORONTO - YONGE STREET - LOOKING N FROM NEAR SAM'S RECORDS - TRAFFIC CROWDS SIGNS - c1970

POSTCARD - TORONTO - YONGE STREET - NIGHT - LOOKING S FROM NEAR EDISON HOTEL - 1960s

POSTCARD - TORONTO - YONGE STREET AND QUEEN - STREET LEVEL - LOOKING N - BIG CROWD WAITING FOR STREETCAR - c1910

POSTCARD - TORONTO - YONGE STREET AT BLOOR - TINTED - c1920

PHOTO - TORONTO - BLOOR AND BEDFORD ROAD - PCC STREETCAR TURNING - LOOKING E - VARSITY STADIUM - SHOPS ON BLOOR - 1965

PHOTO - TORONTO - BLOOR STREET JUST E OF YONGE - LOOKING NW - TANDEM PCC STREETCAR AT FORMER ISLAND STATION - 1965

PHOTO -TORONTO - QUEEN STREET NEAR NEW CITY HALL LOOKING W - PCC STREETCARS IN TANDEM - 1968