Harada Data Productions

The Canadian government lifts the $50 million cap on donations to Haiti after a successful fundraising TV show Friday night… Brad and Angie are splitting up… got last night’s SAG winners and men don’t ask for help when shopping. Lots more harada-data and more in today’s killer show prep !

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These are pics from this past summer’s Kidney Foundation of South Western Ontario Walk held in Waterloo,  Ontario, Canada which I was honoured to host.

Kudos to the volunteers and walkers !

I remember it like it was yesterday.

I was doing middays at CJCH AM, Halifax, the Powerhouse of Atlantic Canada when John Lennon was murdered.

The former Beatle was gunned down in front of his wife, Yoko Ono the evening of Dec. 8, 1980 outside his Dakota apartment building in Manhattan. It was 10:50pm when Mark David Chapman, with a copy of Catch In The Rye in hand called out “Mr. Lennon,” then proceeded to shoot him 5 times in the neck and back.

He’d been stalking him for days…even got his autograph earlier that day. He’d actually flown in from Honolulu in October when he’d plan to murder him then but couldn’t find him that visit.

Wow- can’t believe it’s been 29 years since he left his world !

All I remember is when I first heard the news on my car radio driving into the radio station the next morning, I heard Jim Goldrich doing the news headlines…lead story…

” A former Beatle’s dead…”  My 1st thoughts were John Lennon….perhaps from a drug overdose or in a car crash but murdered ?

I thought I was going to drive off the road at that moment !

The mood was sad, dark and very sullen that day and for days to follow.

My buddy Bob Powers who was PM Drive and Music Director for our sister station C-100 FM was crying…it was an incredibly difficult day for everyone.

Man- doing a shift on-air was a huge challenge putting aside my personal sadness, grief, sorrow, shock, anger…doing everything I could not to scream out loud on air what a dick Chapman was for taking away one of our heroes for a moment’s glory…what a sick %$#@ !

I often wonder what the world would be like if John Lennon were still alive- pretty awesome, I bet.

We would have grown with him like we did with George and continue to do so with Paul and Ringo.

All I can say is I still really miss him today and thank him for making the world a better place for his short life on earth.

John Lennon- God bless you !

He’s always been one of my favourites…a true world class leader and great musician to boot.

I’m talking about Paul McCartney- former Beatle and champion for animals rights.

His activitism as a vegan’s been unstoppable and now he’s narrated “Glass Walls,” a 13-minute video about slaughterhouses for animal rights activists, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to raise awareness about how animals and workers are treated in slaughterhouses.

In the video, McCartney also explains how cows, pigs and chickens “endure almost unimaginable suffering.” While he talks, images of the animals being killed are shown. 

The footage’s pretty gross and quite nauseating and really makes you think twice about eating meat.

It kinda rocked me a bit but honestly, I don’t know if it convinces me to become a vegetarian.

I’ll eat regular meat like chicken, beef, fish…rarely pork and usually never lamb…and definitely never game.

You’ve got to hand it to him- he really makes his point in this video… he may convince you to switch !

Check it out…www.meat.org.

( AP photo)

In October of 2008, The Universe lost one of the most incredible, bravest people I’ve ever met in my life.

5 year old Alison Postma of Waterloo, a big Nickelback fan died from DIPG (inoperable brain stem tumour)
2 weeks to the day after I met her.

Her moving spirit and love for life…”living the moment” touched me beyond words.

The following is a blog on the Caring Bridge website
I wrote just after she passed away.

I was very honoured when this was read at her funeral.

In memory of Alison Postma…God Bless her !

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 09, 2008 10:08 PM, CDT

To the Postmas…
A few times in our lives, we’re blessed with extraordinary people… Some extremely special ones who bring us gifts. 

One of these people is Alison. 

I could see from our short meeting 2 weeks ago, she was a very special angel.

Her happiness, her white aura, her white light and her eternal gratitude for just being alive that moment said it all.

 It blew me away to see a child of just 5 years old with a wealth and lifetime of knowledge of being able to live the moment and appreciate every little thing she had in life… Most importantly, the powerful love of her family and friends … and souvenirs from her favourite group Nickelback.

All this coming from a child who was suffering from more pain than most of us will experience in a lifetime but yet she was so grateful to just be surrounded by love.

I’m so honoured and thankful you allowed me to share a couple of hours with Alison that night and ever so much more grateful for the gift she gave me … of just being thankful for what I have … despite the outcome.

 Alison has changed my life and I will honour that gift.

 I will also miss her… My heart goes out to her and to your entire family and closest friends.

 God bless you all and God bless Alison, a beautiful, little angel… Thank you, Alison… Mission accomplished!

With much love,
John Harada