Well it was a wonderful ambush the forces of Chretien launched upon the Gomery Inquriy on Tuesday. The former Prime Minister taking his place, opening with a fascinating defence of his unity moves that lead to the eventual sponsorship scandal, then moving on to showing boredom, indifference and occasional subtle jabs at the proceedings of the day. Oh and don't forget the twist of the knife on the next man to testify, the current Prime Minister, Mr. Chretien suggesting to the assembled crowd that of course Mr. Martin must have known about the program.
The presentation was vintage Chretien, one part folksy politician, balanced by one part of that arrogant leader of days gone by. With a posse of hangers on including trusted aides Eddie Goldenberg, Senator Jim Munson and featuring Darth Vader Kinsella in the wings, the former Prime Minister strode in like a rap star, ready to lay down his unity vibe and dismiss this silly notion that he oversaw some kind of money laundering scam to benefit chosen Liberals in Quebec.
For as he said if anyone benefited improperly from the sponsorship program then they should be prosecuted. Using his well know "love of Canada" as a defence for the program, Chretien played the protect the legacy card with gusto in the day long testimony.
But by far his best lines and the crushing blow to the Justice Gomery was the set up provided by lawyer David Scott, who brought up the topic of golf balls, the same golf balls that Justice Gomery described as "small town cheap" in an unguarded and public moment.
It was a comment that has irked Chretien since it was made back in December, and on Tuesday it was payback time. Chretien bided his time and used selected golf balls from George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Al Gore, small town guys as Chretien described them. But then the final ball was dropped, a golf ball from the Montreal law firm Ogilvy Renault, which ahem, is the home law firm of Inquiry Lead Counsel Bernard Roy and also counts among its members a guy named Brian Mulroney and one Sally Gomery, the esteemed Justice's own daughter! As Mr. Chretien said no doubt with a chuckle in his throat, definitely not a small town cheap item coming from an Old Montreal Westmount law firm!
In golf this may have been a hole in one or at least beating par on every hole,
in tennis it would be Game, Set, Match.
Wonderful theatre for the media who love a good line, a worrisome stage setter for the current Prime Minister and a masterful sleight of hand from the master of teflon.
The set up of Gomery came a few weeks ago when Mr. Chretien's lawyer Mr. Scott called for the Justice to be removed from the hearing due to his outspoken comments. No need to remove him, not only was he silent for most of the testimony he was embarrassed on national television. Part of the set up phase included suggestions that the Justice was spending too much money, not getting to the point and dragging things on too long. No doubt he probably wishes he could have missed out on today's festivities.
We may be no closer to the truth which perhaps was the intention all along, but we were sure entertained while they played the ole shell game today. As a courtesy though, he should have led off his testimony by yelling Fore, before he drove those golf balls right down the middle of the Gomery course!
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Having fouled our own nests, we now move on to the neighbours
Found this little item while surfing the seanincognito site, sean offering up a link to an astronomy picture of the day.
Seems that Earthling's leave traces wherever we go, one wonders what the fine on Mars for littering is?
No wonder most of our space movies suggest a Martian attack, if your neighbour kept dumping his trash over your fence you'd be a tad annoyed as well!
Seems that Earthling's leave traces wherever we go, one wonders what the fine on Mars for littering is?
No wonder most of our space movies suggest a Martian attack, if your neighbour kept dumping his trash over your fence you'd be a tad annoyed as well!
More of a habit than a passion?
Has Ken Dryden hit upon a secret that the NHL may not want to know. That many Canadians may be finding that this unrequited love affair with hockey can easily be replaced?
That may be the bottom line as the NHL/NHLPA stumbles on to its fifth month with little in the way of negotiating let alone hockey playing taking place. Dryden who it seems has been named minister of hockey affairs in the Paul Martin cabinet, gave a well thought out answer to the question of whether Canadians will survive without their hockey fix.
The cabinet minister and much respected thinker on all things hockey was offering his opinions on the state of the game, after advising that it was doubtful that the Federal Government of Canada would become embroiled in the increasingly bitter and fruitless discussions of late.
Dryden suggests that NHL owners may rue the day that they deprived the Canadian public with it's all encompassing fixture of hockey. The backlash against the misadventures of both union and ownership may be felt in future gate receipts and television ratings. Many fans may find that they get along just fine without a six hour marathon on Saturday night or a meaningless midweek game in January. For both sides in this dispute it may soon be a case of reaping what they have sewn!
The above item first appeared in my HockeyNation blog, for more items on hockey check it out!
That may be the bottom line as the NHL/NHLPA stumbles on to its fifth month with little in the way of negotiating let alone hockey playing taking place. Dryden who it seems has been named minister of hockey affairs in the Paul Martin cabinet, gave a well thought out answer to the question of whether Canadians will survive without their hockey fix.
The cabinet minister and much respected thinker on all things hockey was offering his opinions on the state of the game, after advising that it was doubtful that the Federal Government of Canada would become embroiled in the increasingly bitter and fruitless discussions of late.
Dryden suggests that NHL owners may rue the day that they deprived the Canadian public with it's all encompassing fixture of hockey. The backlash against the misadventures of both union and ownership may be felt in future gate receipts and television ratings. Many fans may find that they get along just fine without a six hour marathon on Saturday night or a meaningless midweek game in January. For both sides in this dispute it may soon be a case of reaping what they have sewn!
The above item first appeared in my HockeyNation blog, for more items on hockey check it out!
Monday, February 07, 2005
The Essentials of January 31-February 6, 2005.
Another compilation of the weekly essentials..
31-Jan-05 Will he stay or will he go?
31-Jan-05 Backpeddaling Pierre!
31-Jan-05 The student salutes his professor
31-Jan-05 Not safe to fly on, Not safe to eat on!
31-Jan-05 Did Belinda want some lovin'?
1-Feb-05 Flu sends Pope to the Hospital
1-Feb-05 An error in judgement, not a pre-judgement
1-Feb-05 Pizza man to make no more deliveries
1-Feb-05 Grinding out a jury award
1-Feb-05 Get a trim, just like Kim!
2-Feb-05 Libs suggest a bout of Legislation flu
2-Feb-05 The State of George's union
2-Feb-05 Need a computer? Buy a Focus!
2-Feb-05 "No cause for alarm"
2-Feb-05 Before they were famous
3-Feb-05 No posts today, took the day off!
4-Feb-05 A General to follow into battle
4-Feb-05 And a General you wouldn't stay too close to!
4-Feb-05 A phony trail and a ruined career?
4-Feb-05 Fellow travellers in the propoganda game?
4-Feb-05 This Diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore
5-Feb-05 No posts today, took the day off!
6-Feb-05 No posts today, took the day off!
31-Jan-05 Will he stay or will he go?
31-Jan-05 Backpeddaling Pierre!
31-Jan-05 The student salutes his professor
31-Jan-05 Not safe to fly on, Not safe to eat on!
31-Jan-05 Did Belinda want some lovin'?
1-Feb-05 Flu sends Pope to the Hospital
1-Feb-05 An error in judgement, not a pre-judgement
1-Feb-05 Pizza man to make no more deliveries
1-Feb-05 Grinding out a jury award
1-Feb-05 Get a trim, just like Kim!
2-Feb-05 Libs suggest a bout of Legislation flu
2-Feb-05 The State of George's union
2-Feb-05 Need a computer? Buy a Focus!
2-Feb-05 "No cause for alarm"
2-Feb-05 Before they were famous
3-Feb-05 No posts today, took the day off!
4-Feb-05 A General to follow into battle
4-Feb-05 And a General you wouldn't stay too close to!
4-Feb-05 A phony trail and a ruined career?
4-Feb-05 Fellow travellers in the propoganda game?
4-Feb-05 This Diamond ring doesn't shine for me anymore
5-Feb-05 No posts today, took the day off!
6-Feb-05 No posts today, took the day off!
Super Sunday Sell-a-bration!
Super Bowl Sunday it's the day given over to American excess done in the grandest, loudest most garish of scale. In the midst of the never ending pre game shows, the patriotic marching of the colours and in case we didn't get the patriotic tones of the day, there was the combined service glee club with the national anthem. There was the player introductions, ceremonial coin tossing, countless close ups of intense looking football players on the sideline and non stop nattering about the importance of the winner take all game, eventually they actually get around to playing a football game.
This years Super Bowl for the most part was at least close, but entertaining it wasn't I'm afraid. Sure the last six minutes had their excitement and certainly provided a lesson to grade school students everywhere to study their math, especially how to count time. But the first half was a sloppy affair, made up of many miscues on both sides of the field and on both sides of the ball.
The Ameriquest Half Time Show (everything at Super Bowl seems to be sponsored by somebody) gave both teams the opportunity to take an extended break in the dressing room, think things over and groove to the tunes that perhaps brought them into this world. Yep in order to avoid another bout of nippledom, we had the safest of all possible insects trotted out to centrefield. Paul McCartney, picked up a guitar did a few Beatle songs and a Wings effort and most importantly managed to keep his clothes on to boot. There would be no controversy this year, during the sell-a-bration of all things pure and patriotic.
The only possible whiff of controversy would have aired 2 and half hours prior to kick off, sandwiched into the pre game show was a short set by John Fogerty who played Fortunate Son, one wonders how many Senators sons, the fortunate ones were in attendance in Jacksonville on this Super Sunday. The visuals of the many US servicemen and women serving and sacrificing around the world, mixed with those of the platoons of expense account America bunkered down in Jacksonville was a tad ironic. At any rate Fogerty was not seen again in the actual game time broadcast, FOX execs no doubt in a hurry to get that kind of thing off the air.
The second half of football provided a few more thrills than the first, the two teams managing to move the ball a little more effectively giving the many thousands of fans in the stadium a chance to get up and stand and cheer, if only to pass the beer down the aisle. For the most part the game was non descript, a defensive battle which boiled down to the last six minutes of action. The Super Bowl must be the only major sporting event where those in the stands are at a definitive dis-advantage to those of us watching on the tube. Because when your in the stands you can't enjoy the one fact about Super Bowl Sunday that is indisputable, the broadcast is always better than the live event.
And what is it that makes the TV viewing of Super Bowl superior to a butt in the seat at the great spectacle? Is it the witty play by play discussions? No! How about the special camera angles utilized by Fox this year, including a pylon camera for the first time? No, nice if useless touch but that's not it. Maybe the Super, Duper Sloooooooo Moooooootion camera byplay, letting you watch that agonizing foot step just out of bounds, or that ball just go sloooooowly out of the reach of a wide receiver. No not even that makes the broadcast.
No, none of the special effects matters a hoot, it's the commercials that make a Super Bowl, yes the banquet of new ads for familiar and newly launched products(view them all here) keeps even the most bored viewer stuck to the TV screen. Over the years we've been treated to football player Clydesdales and smart talking chihauhas exhorting us to "drop the chalupa". Fortunes are paid to be on the show and made from the exposure. It's no wonder that major American ad agencies can bank their entire future on one hit ad.
And while tamer (and with the amount of control exerted by the NFL no wonder) than in past Super Bowls, this years crop once again had a few major hits and some rather disappointing efforts by surprising clients. The Big winner again this year apparently were the folks at Budweiser who found their ads receiving the best response, the funniest was the efforts of Cedric the entertainer and his revised wish list of beer, BBQ's and dogs over nagging women, the most poignant and the one to bring the tear to America's eye was the "homecoming ad" featuring returning American troops in an airport arrival lounge receiving the accolades of a grateful nation. Beer and patriotism, tis a heady elixir.
The newcomer of the year that wins big bang for their bucks was Ameriquest, not only were they presenter of the McCartney Magical Mystery tour of Half time, but they had two spots that were just plain brilliant in their content and appeal. The best of the two the moron on the hands free cel phone, telling his partner in telephonic convergence that they were getting "robbed", the Mom and Pop operators of the store mistake that for a robbery attempt and our cel phone carrying idiot met his just reward. Now some Americans may not need a mortgage but if they ever want to score some cash I guess they'll remember Ameriquest first.
The strangest campaign was McDonald's Lincoln Fries, a French fry in the shape of Abraham Lincoln's profile. It had the appeal of a box of fries left under the heat lamp for over an hour, it was limp, pour on some poutine and we could call it cheesy. Not suprisingly it did not fare very well in the post super bowl boxscore of ads, I suspect the vice president of advertising won't fare so well either.
The ratings for the actual broadcast were down from past efforts, perhaps a symbol of malaise at the same team in the Patriots returning for the third time in four years or signs of a backlash to the extravagance of excess showcased. The fact that most people can recount most of the ads, over the highlights of the game may tell us more about the presentation than anything else. In fact the NFL even includes a link to vote for the best Super Bowl commercials of all time, go figure!
The Super Bowl Experience lends itself wonderfully to the blog universe, I found this wonderful recap of the entire day (and truth be told, I couldn't remember half the events listed, I believe this is a good thing for me, but kudo's to the author for his dedication) If more people can tell you the order of the Diet Pepsi commercials over the scoring plays in the second half, we'll know that perhaps the game is starting to take a back seat to the event. But then at least the NFL knows they're watching I guess, good for marketing and profits, not necessarily a good thing for the sport in general.
This years Super Bowl for the most part was at least close, but entertaining it wasn't I'm afraid. Sure the last six minutes had their excitement and certainly provided a lesson to grade school students everywhere to study their math, especially how to count time. But the first half was a sloppy affair, made up of many miscues on both sides of the field and on both sides of the ball.
The Ameriquest Half Time Show (everything at Super Bowl seems to be sponsored by somebody) gave both teams the opportunity to take an extended break in the dressing room, think things over and groove to the tunes that perhaps brought them into this world. Yep in order to avoid another bout of nippledom, we had the safest of all possible insects trotted out to centrefield. Paul McCartney, picked up a guitar did a few Beatle songs and a Wings effort and most importantly managed to keep his clothes on to boot. There would be no controversy this year, during the sell-a-bration of all things pure and patriotic.
The only possible whiff of controversy would have aired 2 and half hours prior to kick off, sandwiched into the pre game show was a short set by John Fogerty who played Fortunate Son, one wonders how many Senators sons, the fortunate ones were in attendance in Jacksonville on this Super Sunday. The visuals of the many US servicemen and women serving and sacrificing around the world, mixed with those of the platoons of expense account America bunkered down in Jacksonville was a tad ironic. At any rate Fogerty was not seen again in the actual game time broadcast, FOX execs no doubt in a hurry to get that kind of thing off the air.
The second half of football provided a few more thrills than the first, the two teams managing to move the ball a little more effectively giving the many thousands of fans in the stadium a chance to get up and stand and cheer, if only to pass the beer down the aisle. For the most part the game was non descript, a defensive battle which boiled down to the last six minutes of action. The Super Bowl must be the only major sporting event where those in the stands are at a definitive dis-advantage to those of us watching on the tube. Because when your in the stands you can't enjoy the one fact about Super Bowl Sunday that is indisputable, the broadcast is always better than the live event.
And what is it that makes the TV viewing of Super Bowl superior to a butt in the seat at the great spectacle? Is it the witty play by play discussions? No! How about the special camera angles utilized by Fox this year, including a pylon camera for the first time? No, nice if useless touch but that's not it. Maybe the Super, Duper Sloooooooo Moooooootion camera byplay, letting you watch that agonizing foot step just out of bounds, or that ball just go sloooooowly out of the reach of a wide receiver. No not even that makes the broadcast.
No, none of the special effects matters a hoot, it's the commercials that make a Super Bowl, yes the banquet of new ads for familiar and newly launched products(view them all here) keeps even the most bored viewer stuck to the TV screen. Over the years we've been treated to football player Clydesdales and smart talking chihauhas exhorting us to "drop the chalupa". Fortunes are paid to be on the show and made from the exposure. It's no wonder that major American ad agencies can bank their entire future on one hit ad.
And while tamer (and with the amount of control exerted by the NFL no wonder) than in past Super Bowls, this years crop once again had a few major hits and some rather disappointing efforts by surprising clients. The Big winner again this year apparently were the folks at Budweiser who found their ads receiving the best response, the funniest was the efforts of Cedric the entertainer and his revised wish list of beer, BBQ's and dogs over nagging women, the most poignant and the one to bring the tear to America's eye was the "homecoming ad" featuring returning American troops in an airport arrival lounge receiving the accolades of a grateful nation. Beer and patriotism, tis a heady elixir.
The newcomer of the year that wins big bang for their bucks was Ameriquest, not only were they presenter of the McCartney Magical Mystery tour of Half time, but they had two spots that were just plain brilliant in their content and appeal. The best of the two the moron on the hands free cel phone, telling his partner in telephonic convergence that they were getting "robbed", the Mom and Pop operators of the store mistake that for a robbery attempt and our cel phone carrying idiot met his just reward. Now some Americans may not need a mortgage but if they ever want to score some cash I guess they'll remember Ameriquest first.
The strangest campaign was McDonald's Lincoln Fries, a French fry in the shape of Abraham Lincoln's profile. It had the appeal of a box of fries left under the heat lamp for over an hour, it was limp, pour on some poutine and we could call it cheesy. Not suprisingly it did not fare very well in the post super bowl boxscore of ads, I suspect the vice president of advertising won't fare so well either.
The ratings for the actual broadcast were down from past efforts, perhaps a symbol of malaise at the same team in the Patriots returning for the third time in four years or signs of a backlash to the extravagance of excess showcased. The fact that most people can recount most of the ads, over the highlights of the game may tell us more about the presentation than anything else. In fact the NFL even includes a link to vote for the best Super Bowl commercials of all time, go figure!
The Super Bowl Experience lends itself wonderfully to the blog universe, I found this wonderful recap of the entire day (and truth be told, I couldn't remember half the events listed, I believe this is a good thing for me, but kudo's to the author for his dedication) If more people can tell you the order of the Diet Pepsi commercials over the scoring plays in the second half, we'll know that perhaps the game is starting to take a back seat to the event. But then at least the NFL knows they're watching I guess, good for marketing and profits, not necessarily a good thing for the sport in general.
Mild amusements for BC Voters!
Courtesy of an email from a friend of mine (thanks Norm), comes this little bit of computer humour to help the voting class through the day.
This one is of the anti-Liberal vein and designed for BC voters, but hey it's public domain, feel free to insert the politician of your choice.
How to start each day with a positive outlook:
1. Open a new file in your PC.
2. Name it "Gordon Campbell."
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your PC will ask you, "do you really want to get rid of "Gordon
Campbell?"
6. Answer calmly, "Yes," and press the mouse button firmly
7. Feel better.....
In my case, Gordon gets to go to the recycle bin (which would truly make him a federal Libearl one suspects), but the effect is the same.
Just think you can vote over and over again, until these politicians get the message!
This one is of the anti-Liberal vein and designed for BC voters, but hey it's public domain, feel free to insert the politician of your choice.
How to start each day with a positive outlook:
1. Open a new file in your PC.
2. Name it "Gordon Campbell."
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your PC will ask you, "do you really want to get rid of "Gordon
Campbell?"
6. Answer calmly, "Yes," and press the mouse button firmly
7. Feel better.....
In my case, Gordon gets to go to the recycle bin (which would truly make him a federal Libearl one suspects), but the effect is the same.
Just think you can vote over and over again, until these politicians get the message!
The GG's ouija board.
Canada's representative of Queen Elizabeth, the much discussed, Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, has once again attracted the lightning as only her rod of office seems to be able to do.
Stand In Queen Adrienne, apparently can add channeler to the dead to her Curriculum Vitae, in a recent entry to the National Post, (read it yourself if you want to pony up the cash to the Asper empire!), the GG explained some of the important work that she has done on the behalf of Queen and country.
Expressing pride in her Canadianess, her stand in-ness dropped a few names of International renown whilst showing the flag on our behalf. Among those she apparently had the pleasure of a chat with was Queen Julianna of the Netherlands, which if proven true would be quite a remarkable occurrence, as the much beloved Queen left our mortal coil in 2004.
This could be a worthwhile talent that the GG has and should be utilized to its utmost potential. Perhaps Paul Martin could channel up the visages of great Liberals of the past, Pearson, Trudeau and what should be an instant connection for the GG, MacKenzie King.
Likewise Stephen Harper could summon up the spirit of John Diefenbaker or even Sir John A himself and Smilin' Jack Layton could ask for some advice from Tommy Douglas, J. S. Woodsworth or David Lewis.
For this GG, even the simple things seem to cause controversy, she says a few nice things about Canadians in the world and her observations send the ungrateful proletariat to the barricades. However, even her Excellency has her backers!
Sondra Gotlieb (again you have to pay if you want to read, better to just take my word on this) issued a wonderful tribute to tradition in the Saturday Post portion of the paper and bulletin boards mocking the GG's faux pas are finding a few defenders for her crown as well as the more humourous and vocal detractors. So as they say any press is obviously good press.
There's so much potential for the GG now though, her newfound skills finally revealed. Indeed if harnessed properly her office may actually become relevant for a bit of time, as she plays out the string as Royal representative to the common folk.
And hey in retirement, she could always take over the moribund psychic hotline alliance from that other famous Canadian, Jo-Jo Savard, seer to the high and mighty (and a few lesser lights). For Adrienne, a whole new career could just be one seance away!
Stand In Queen Adrienne, apparently can add channeler to the dead to her Curriculum Vitae, in a recent entry to the National Post, (read it yourself if you want to pony up the cash to the Asper empire!), the GG explained some of the important work that she has done on the behalf of Queen and country.
Expressing pride in her Canadianess, her stand in-ness dropped a few names of International renown whilst showing the flag on our behalf. Among those she apparently had the pleasure of a chat with was Queen Julianna of the Netherlands, which if proven true would be quite a remarkable occurrence, as the much beloved Queen left our mortal coil in 2004.
This could be a worthwhile talent that the GG has and should be utilized to its utmost potential. Perhaps Paul Martin could channel up the visages of great Liberals of the past, Pearson, Trudeau and what should be an instant connection for the GG, MacKenzie King.
Likewise Stephen Harper could summon up the spirit of John Diefenbaker or even Sir John A himself and Smilin' Jack Layton could ask for some advice from Tommy Douglas, J. S. Woodsworth or David Lewis.
For this GG, even the simple things seem to cause controversy, she says a few nice things about Canadians in the world and her observations send the ungrateful proletariat to the barricades. However, even her Excellency has her backers!
Sondra Gotlieb (again you have to pay if you want to read, better to just take my word on this) issued a wonderful tribute to tradition in the Saturday Post portion of the paper and bulletin boards mocking the GG's faux pas are finding a few defenders for her crown as well as the more humourous and vocal detractors. So as they say any press is obviously good press.
There's so much potential for the GG now though, her newfound skills finally revealed. Indeed if harnessed properly her office may actually become relevant for a bit of time, as she plays out the string as Royal representative to the common folk.
And hey in retirement, she could always take over the moribund psychic hotline alliance from that other famous Canadian, Jo-Jo Savard, seer to the high and mighty (and a few lesser lights). For Adrienne, a whole new career could just be one seance away!
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Some will take a salary cap, Just not Gary's!
Chris Chelios, Derian Hatcher and Kris Draper are getting the blades back out and are ready to hit the ice. But you won't be seeing them in Red Wing or Black Hawk colours this year, instead the trio will take to the ice on behalf of the Motor City Mechanics, a struggling UHL team based in a Detroit suburb.
Chelios and his pals Hatcher and Draper signed contracts with the Mechanics yesterday, with Hatcher the first on the ice on Tuesday as the Motor City boys took on the Flint Generals. And while the three get their skating legs back, there are rumblings about a bit of hypocrisy in their decision to get back to playing hockey.
The three ex-NHLers move to a league a tad far down the evolutionary chain of pro hockey. The UHL is one of those worker, lunch bucket types of leagues, made up mostly of career minor leaguers who on the best month probably only pull in about 700 bucks a week, 2800 a month or 36,400 a year. A far cry from the multi million dollar salaries that the newest Mechanics might be used to receiving.
The UHL operates under a pretty strict salary cap, one in place because frankly the league doesn't make much in the way of money, has no tv deals, no merchandising monies to speak of and a rather low profile at the best of times.
How Chelios and his buddies can reconcile taking jobs away from guys that may actually be depending on the UHL for a livelihood is best left to them to sort out. But more than one observer has pointed out the irony of the trio signing on with a league that not only has a salary cap, but depends on it for its very survival.
For the three it might have been a better choice to follow the rest of the exiles to Europe, there at least its a case of out of sight, out of mind. Better yet they should have bought the Mechanics, given everyone a raise and tested out running a hockey team on their own. It might have given them a different perspective on things, instead they're sending three journeymen to the showers while they play a bit of shinny.
If they really just wanted to get back on the ice, wouldn't it have been wiser just to go and rent some ice time and organize a little NHL pick up action. Instead they've put a spotlight on their actions and given their union brothers an unnecessary item to have to defend. Maybe Gary will mention the irony to Bob in Thursday's final gasp NHL/NHLPA meetings. If nothing else it will help them to fill the time before they break off talks and most likely end the season. Leaving us to wait for those Motor City mechanic highlights to come up on Sports Centre!
The above item first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!
Chelios and his pals Hatcher and Draper signed contracts with the Mechanics yesterday, with Hatcher the first on the ice on Tuesday as the Motor City boys took on the Flint Generals. And while the three get their skating legs back, there are rumblings about a bit of hypocrisy in their decision to get back to playing hockey.
The three ex-NHLers move to a league a tad far down the evolutionary chain of pro hockey. The UHL is one of those worker, lunch bucket types of leagues, made up mostly of career minor leaguers who on the best month probably only pull in about 700 bucks a week, 2800 a month or 36,400 a year. A far cry from the multi million dollar salaries that the newest Mechanics might be used to receiving.
The UHL operates under a pretty strict salary cap, one in place because frankly the league doesn't make much in the way of money, has no tv deals, no merchandising monies to speak of and a rather low profile at the best of times.
How Chelios and his buddies can reconcile taking jobs away from guys that may actually be depending on the UHL for a livelihood is best left to them to sort out. But more than one observer has pointed out the irony of the trio signing on with a league that not only has a salary cap, but depends on it for its very survival.
For the three it might have been a better choice to follow the rest of the exiles to Europe, there at least its a case of out of sight, out of mind. Better yet they should have bought the Mechanics, given everyone a raise and tested out running a hockey team on their own. It might have given them a different perspective on things, instead they're sending three journeymen to the showers while they play a bit of shinny.
If they really just wanted to get back on the ice, wouldn't it have been wiser just to go and rent some ice time and organize a little NHL pick up action. Instead they've put a spotlight on their actions and given their union brothers an unnecessary item to have to defend. Maybe Gary will mention the irony to Bob in Thursday's final gasp NHL/NHLPA meetings. If nothing else it will help them to fill the time before they break off talks and most likely end the season. Leaving us to wait for those Motor City mechanic highlights to come up on Sports Centre!
The above item first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
Christy Clark's in motion and we should be too!
Christy Clark sits on the back bench of the Government side of the BC Legislature, a place far removed from her days as a major power broker in the Gordon Campbell cabinet. But the Liberal MLA for Port Moody-Westwood is starting to stir again, showing that her final months in the Legislature won't at least be lost in the shuffle. She has launched an interesting trial balloon for her fellow government members to ponder, while she waits out the session of parliament and then heads off to spend more time with her family.
And her idea is one that should appeal to tax cutters, parents and educators alike as she tackles the growing problem of child hood obesity.
Clark has come up with an idea to offer tax credits to parents that enroll their children in after school sport and arts programs. In effect giving parents a bit of cash back for those various sporting activities that seem to be spiraling out of control.
She plans to submit the idea as a private members bill in the next two weeks or so, giving hockey parents, basketball families and Soccer and Dance Moms and Dads a little bit of ca ching, ca ching in their wallets and purses at the end of the season. The side benefit a healthier group of young people, more physically active and participating in positive group activities, I believe in politics this is called the win/win scenario.
It's a novel attempt to get children to become more fit and could provide the added bonus of getting more parents involved in their children's after school activities as well. Which is always a good thing. It could also prove to be a positive development for the various sporting groups across the province looking for more participants and volunteers.
While private member's bills traditionally die a lonely death, hers might have a shot heading into an election campaign, what politician can resist the opportunity to promise more money to a voter. And while Clark won't be there to reap the applause of thankful parents, she'll have on her political resume a final entry as that of a campaigner for families and fitness. Which should help to counteract those controversial years in Education and Family Services, those dark cost cutting years of the Campbell era, now apparently long forgotten with each successive government spending program.
Should she decide to return to politics (and the rumours are that she will once Gordon Campbell takes his leave from the political scene) she'll be able to build on the base of being a Liberal in the traditional sense of the title and not the politically expedient variant that seems to populate the current "Liberal's" of British Columbia. With many of the more socially conscious Liberals making plans to "sit out" the next election, her chance to return to politics may only be a few years away.
At any rate, for a back bencher she's showing the flag again, just enough to remind people that she's around and still has a few ideas to offer up. Her website offers viewers a chance to sign an on line petition to get the ball rolling, so to speak. It will be interesting to see how many people take to her idea, which for the most part should cross all party boundaries.
UPDATE: Ms. Clark's motion is certainly attracting a lot of attention. As the featured item in the first half hour of the Bill Good gabfest on CKNW on Thursday morning (8:30-9 am), reaction was split among those not busy dropping their kids off at school. Some welcomed the opportunity to receive a bit of money back after putting their children through the many after school activities, others bemoaned the idea as another perk for the middle and upper classes.
Many callers expressed the opinion that those of the working poor or marginalized can't afford to send their children to after school programs anyways, so really it's just more rewards for the Liberal's base. Which is a valid point, however perhaps there is room to expand this idea even further to enable all to become involved. While I normally view some of the machinations of the provincial Liberals with a suspicious eye, I think anything that helps families get their kids out of the house and taking part in a positive activity is a good thing.
The nay sayers may have it right, but perhaps they can push the idea forward rather than just letting the debate degenerate into the typical left/right BC split. For those that want to learn more about the program and the reaction, Ms. Clark will be on Nightline BC , Thursday night at 7 on CKNW, if you miss that just click on their audio vault icon and listen in at any time.
And her idea is one that should appeal to tax cutters, parents and educators alike as she tackles the growing problem of child hood obesity.
Clark has come up with an idea to offer tax credits to parents that enroll their children in after school sport and arts programs. In effect giving parents a bit of cash back for those various sporting activities that seem to be spiraling out of control.
She plans to submit the idea as a private members bill in the next two weeks or so, giving hockey parents, basketball families and Soccer and Dance Moms and Dads a little bit of ca ching, ca ching in their wallets and purses at the end of the season. The side benefit a healthier group of young people, more physically active and participating in positive group activities, I believe in politics this is called the win/win scenario.
It's a novel attempt to get children to become more fit and could provide the added bonus of getting more parents involved in their children's after school activities as well. Which is always a good thing. It could also prove to be a positive development for the various sporting groups across the province looking for more participants and volunteers.
While private member's bills traditionally die a lonely death, hers might have a shot heading into an election campaign, what politician can resist the opportunity to promise more money to a voter. And while Clark won't be there to reap the applause of thankful parents, she'll have on her political resume a final entry as that of a campaigner for families and fitness. Which should help to counteract those controversial years in Education and Family Services, those dark cost cutting years of the Campbell era, now apparently long forgotten with each successive government spending program.
Should she decide to return to politics (and the rumours are that she will once Gordon Campbell takes his leave from the political scene) she'll be able to build on the base of being a Liberal in the traditional sense of the title and not the politically expedient variant that seems to populate the current "Liberal's" of British Columbia. With many of the more socially conscious Liberals making plans to "sit out" the next election, her chance to return to politics may only be a few years away.
At any rate, for a back bencher she's showing the flag again, just enough to remind people that she's around and still has a few ideas to offer up. Her website offers viewers a chance to sign an on line petition to get the ball rolling, so to speak. It will be interesting to see how many people take to her idea, which for the most part should cross all party boundaries.
UPDATE: Ms. Clark's motion is certainly attracting a lot of attention. As the featured item in the first half hour of the Bill Good gabfest on CKNW on Thursday morning (8:30-9 am), reaction was split among those not busy dropping their kids off at school. Some welcomed the opportunity to receive a bit of money back after putting their children through the many after school activities, others bemoaned the idea as another perk for the middle and upper classes.
Many callers expressed the opinion that those of the working poor or marginalized can't afford to send their children to after school programs anyways, so really it's just more rewards for the Liberal's base. Which is a valid point, however perhaps there is room to expand this idea even further to enable all to become involved. While I normally view some of the machinations of the provincial Liberals with a suspicious eye, I think anything that helps families get their kids out of the house and taking part in a positive activity is a good thing.
The nay sayers may have it right, but perhaps they can push the idea forward rather than just letting the debate degenerate into the typical left/right BC split. For those that want to learn more about the program and the reaction, Ms. Clark will be on Nightline BC , Thursday night at 7 on CKNW, if you miss that just click on their audio vault icon and listen in at any time.
Aspers to kill more trees!
The pulp and paper industry should prepare a thank you card for the CanWest empire out of Winnipeg. Word is leaking out that the Asper run newspaper chain (and all encompassing media conglomerate) is making plans to create yet another newspaper for the masses.
This one called the Dose, will be one of those commuter newspapers currently the rage in Toronto, The Dose will apparently be distributed for free in five Canadian cities including Toronto and Vancouver. Expected circulation will be 300,000.
The free newspaper will add to the growing concentration of print media controlled by the Aspers and no doubt will renew calls for a media watchdog to determine if this much control is healthy for a competitive and free press.
Described as a "hip" (a term I thought went out of vogue with groovy!) publication it will apparently be aimed at younger readers, who may be exploring the alternative press outlets, such as the Georgia Straight from which this tidbit has come.
Since they've gone from the old fogeys (hello) to the young hipsters, whatever could be the next Asperation for the Canwest crew. Perhaps a daily newsletter for the pre-school set, get them young before they can spell and perhaps they won't spot the errors when they get older!
One wonders if the Asper family go to sleep at night whispering R-O-S-E-B-U-D, before they nod off to sleep!
This one called the Dose, will be one of those commuter newspapers currently the rage in Toronto, The Dose will apparently be distributed for free in five Canadian cities including Toronto and Vancouver. Expected circulation will be 300,000.
The free newspaper will add to the growing concentration of print media controlled by the Aspers and no doubt will renew calls for a media watchdog to determine if this much control is healthy for a competitive and free press.
Described as a "hip" (a term I thought went out of vogue with groovy!) publication it will apparently be aimed at younger readers, who may be exploring the alternative press outlets, such as the Georgia Straight from which this tidbit has come.
Since they've gone from the old fogeys (hello) to the young hipsters, whatever could be the next Asperation for the Canwest crew. Perhaps a daily newsletter for the pre-school set, get them young before they can spell and perhaps they won't spot the errors when they get older!
One wonders if the Asper family go to sleep at night whispering R-O-S-E-B-U-D, before they nod off to sleep!
The Essentials of January 24-30, 2005
Another week's worth of essentials!
24-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
25-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
26-Jan-05 Dr.Dobson turns from SpongeBob to Big Paulie
26-Jan-05 Did So, Did Not!
26-Jan-05 Put your life on the line, but pay for your own meals
26-Jan-05 We Quit!
26-Jan-05 And the nominees are
27-Jan-05 When evil roamed at will
27-Jan-05 Gomery to go to court?
27-Jan-05 Call off the undertaker
27-Jan-05 Nothing more to say
27-Jan-05 In this corner from the Colonel Sanders Boxing Club
28-Jan-05 Bullets, Bombs and Ballots
28-Jan-05 It takes two bay, It takes two baby, just me and you!
28-Jan-05 Warren Buffet takes his cut from Gillette
28-Jan-05 Danny and Paulie sing from the same songsheet
28-Jan-05 When you gotta go, you gotta go!
29-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
30-Jan-05 And then comes the counting
30-Jan-05 Up to a deadly dozen
30-Jan-05 Showdown at Gomery
30-Jan-05 O'Reilly takes on the CBC
30-Jan-05 50,000 reasons for Granny to sit down
24-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
25-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
26-Jan-05 Dr.Dobson turns from SpongeBob to Big Paulie
26-Jan-05 Did So, Did Not!
26-Jan-05 Put your life on the line, but pay for your own meals
26-Jan-05 We Quit!
26-Jan-05 And the nominees are
27-Jan-05 When evil roamed at will
27-Jan-05 Gomery to go to court?
27-Jan-05 Call off the undertaker
27-Jan-05 Nothing more to say
27-Jan-05 In this corner from the Colonel Sanders Boxing Club
28-Jan-05 Bullets, Bombs and Ballots
28-Jan-05 It takes two bay, It takes two baby, just me and you!
28-Jan-05 Warren Buffet takes his cut from Gillette
28-Jan-05 Danny and Paulie sing from the same songsheet
28-Jan-05 When you gotta go, you gotta go!
29-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
30-Jan-05 And then comes the counting
30-Jan-05 Up to a deadly dozen
30-Jan-05 Showdown at Gomery
30-Jan-05 O'Reilly takes on the CBC
30-Jan-05 50,000 reasons for Granny to sit down
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Gary's Anniversay Day!
One suspects that flowers and candy are out, all packages no doubt to be scanned as they arrive at the NHL Head Office in New York Tuesday. February 1st is the 12th anniversary of the reign of Gary Bettman over the empire that once was the NHL. And while the NHL execs hang around the office to eat some cake and maybe answer a phone, others are taking a look back at how the league has fared in the last twelve years.
Ah those heady days when Gary took over and the NHL was a bona fide major league sport, touted as one of the Big Four, Hot where basketball had become oh so cold. Gary who joined the league from the NBA oversaw an expansion to points south and west, an increase to thirty teams and for a while there, some actual media interest on the Big Networks. Even Fox, the hotshot new network on the block, took the time to test drive the sport, bringing the flashing puck to the game, before abandoning hockey and tossing the timeslot over the Nascar aficionados. But for a bit of time there, Hockey was the coolest game, the tickets were selling, the branding was hot and the players for the most part willing to play for the millions shoveled their way by spendthrift owners, unaware of the damage they were committing to their own industry.
But twelve years is a long time to rule an empire, players come and players go, many of the European arrivals had less interest in the almost religious aura of the game and just wanted the big money, if they could earn it without having to play in a brutal playoff tournament so much the better. The North American lads developed a greed gene as well, jumping from small team to the lure of the big cities and their huge contracts, endorsement deals and again early summers.
Along the way though Gary seemed to lose control of his employers, they began to outbid each other for players offering ridiculous sums of money for stars and slugs alike. The bell curve of financial expenditures rose fast under Gary's watch, leading to the state we are in at the moment. Unable to control his owners, Gary hopes to control the players. For the moment though the players are not coming onside to the plan. And so we sit and without games to watch, instead we have time to do some reading.
The reviews of Gary's years in the the retrospective pieces are not kind. A top five list of blunders here or a season killed due to stubborn commissioner story there, it all floods in as the last gasps of what would have been the 2004-05 season play out. Of course his reputation took a bit of a hit just after Christmas, with some blistering reviews from Business week and Sporting News. There are the calls for his head from the media and not to be outdone Bettman, is being haunted from the grave, hockey fan Archie Bennitz blasting both Bettman and Goodenow from his obituary, not exactly the way one would want to celebrate the 12th anniversary now is it!
Calls for full public disclosure are beginning to surface, hockey fans wondering just who really does have hockey's best interests at heart. The New York Post calling for a public vote on an NHLPA proposal. Allowing all owners to publicly stand up and say why they are against the plan. As any good emperor might realize, letting democracy rule is the beginning of the end to the empire!
Helpful players remind the owners that Gary promised them a salary cap and at the moment they are nowhere near that idea. Suggesting that Gary is on thin ice with his employer due to his inability to deliver the Holy Grail of a cap! The suspense continues with each successive meeting that takes place without him or Bob Goodenow being present. They apparently to the point of being more of a distraction to events, than a force for postitive development.
We now wait for the emperor to give us the sign, when the season will end or God forbid it now begin. And while the hockey peasantry await the announcement we notice the other trends. There are almost half (if not over half) of the players from NHL rosters with signed contracts in Europe, casting their votes with their feet. A testimony that Hockey is an ever changing business now, affiliations and loyalties last no longer than a contract and a dollar value.
But perhaps there is a more appropriate sign that all is not well; Jean Beliveau, Le Gros Bill, has decided to put his many valued items up for auction. While no doubt a personal decision by he and his family, the symbolism of it all though speaks volumes. Memories of seasons gone by are now up for auction, Monsieur Beliveau will probably reap a healthy reward for his treasures and deservedly so, but one hopes that somehow they stay close to hockey. But the sale tells a story for hockey fans on of a longing for a simpler time, one when the games were played on the ice and not in boardrooms and on telephones.
The above posting first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out.
Ah those heady days when Gary took over and the NHL was a bona fide major league sport, touted as one of the Big Four, Hot where basketball had become oh so cold. Gary who joined the league from the NBA oversaw an expansion to points south and west, an increase to thirty teams and for a while there, some actual media interest on the Big Networks. Even Fox, the hotshot new network on the block, took the time to test drive the sport, bringing the flashing puck to the game, before abandoning hockey and tossing the timeslot over the Nascar aficionados. But for a bit of time there, Hockey was the coolest game, the tickets were selling, the branding was hot and the players for the most part willing to play for the millions shoveled their way by spendthrift owners, unaware of the damage they were committing to their own industry.
But twelve years is a long time to rule an empire, players come and players go, many of the European arrivals had less interest in the almost religious aura of the game and just wanted the big money, if they could earn it without having to play in a brutal playoff tournament so much the better. The North American lads developed a greed gene as well, jumping from small team to the lure of the big cities and their huge contracts, endorsement deals and again early summers.
Along the way though Gary seemed to lose control of his employers, they began to outbid each other for players offering ridiculous sums of money for stars and slugs alike. The bell curve of financial expenditures rose fast under Gary's watch, leading to the state we are in at the moment. Unable to control his owners, Gary hopes to control the players. For the moment though the players are not coming onside to the plan. And so we sit and without games to watch, instead we have time to do some reading.
The reviews of Gary's years in the the retrospective pieces are not kind. A top five list of blunders here or a season killed due to stubborn commissioner story there, it all floods in as the last gasps of what would have been the 2004-05 season play out. Of course his reputation took a bit of a hit just after Christmas, with some blistering reviews from Business week and Sporting News. There are the calls for his head from the media and not to be outdone Bettman, is being haunted from the grave, hockey fan Archie Bennitz blasting both Bettman and Goodenow from his obituary, not exactly the way one would want to celebrate the 12th anniversary now is it!
Calls for full public disclosure are beginning to surface, hockey fans wondering just who really does have hockey's best interests at heart. The New York Post calling for a public vote on an NHLPA proposal. Allowing all owners to publicly stand up and say why they are against the plan. As any good emperor might realize, letting democracy rule is the beginning of the end to the empire!
Helpful players remind the owners that Gary promised them a salary cap and at the moment they are nowhere near that idea. Suggesting that Gary is on thin ice with his employer due to his inability to deliver the Holy Grail of a cap! The suspense continues with each successive meeting that takes place without him or Bob Goodenow being present. They apparently to the point of being more of a distraction to events, than a force for postitive development.
We now wait for the emperor to give us the sign, when the season will end or God forbid it now begin. And while the hockey peasantry await the announcement we notice the other trends. There are almost half (if not over half) of the players from NHL rosters with signed contracts in Europe, casting their votes with their feet. A testimony that Hockey is an ever changing business now, affiliations and loyalties last no longer than a contract and a dollar value.
But perhaps there is a more appropriate sign that all is not well; Jean Beliveau, Le Gros Bill, has decided to put his many valued items up for auction. While no doubt a personal decision by he and his family, the symbolism of it all though speaks volumes. Memories of seasons gone by are now up for auction, Monsieur Beliveau will probably reap a healthy reward for his treasures and deservedly so, but one hopes that somehow they stay close to hockey. But the sale tells a story for hockey fans on of a longing for a simpler time, one when the games were played on the ice and not in boardrooms and on telephones.
The above posting first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out.
Saturday, January 29, 2005
A little blog surfing is a good thing
Spent a bit of time tonight checking out a few of the sites I've bookmarked over the last six months or so. Learned tonight that our friend Sean at seanincognito could benefit from the safe knife handling course that the Cub pack which my son is in recently held (we can arrange a correspondence course Sean if you wish).
The Daily KOS kept me up to speed on developments in the States and what the upcoming Iraqi election may bring. The blog always provides an interesting snapshot as to what is on the mind of Americans.
Pangs of envy washed over me when I checked out the All things Canadian blogsite, they've left for Florida, no plans to come back til sometime in February. Sunshine? Man what is that?
The BlogsCanada E group provided a nugget of info I wasn't aware of, Bob McKeown of the Fifth estate met up with Fox News' Ann Coulter and apparently bested the young lass from Fox. Ms. Coulter wondered aloud why, if Canada sent troops to Vietnam to help the USA, they did not do so in the current Iraq situation. McKeown advised her that Canadians were not in Vietnam with the US, which Coulter stated was wrong. We of course were not involved in that war, though there were many Canadians who did cross the line and join the US military, and for a time we did spend some time in a peacekeeping role there. Of course at times factual research seems to be the lowest on the checklist at Fox News. It tends to get in the way of the boosterism that runs rampant there.
And finally I also traveled over to Bound by Gravity, where Andrew provided a link to a wonderful archive of photo's from the First World War, courtesy of firstworldwar.com the pictures set the scene for the war to end all wars (sadly over the years we have failed those valiant men in that declaration) . The site provides a terrific overview of one of the definitive eras of our times.
A few clicks and you find a gem, it's a wonder of our times this little hobby of ours. Every once and a while I get weary of the grind of churning out my own material, but when I do I check out sites like Sean's or Andrew's and before I know it, I've found something interesting or valuable to check out.
Could be a lot worse ways to spend a few hours I suspect!
The Daily KOS kept me up to speed on developments in the States and what the upcoming Iraqi election may bring. The blog always provides an interesting snapshot as to what is on the mind of Americans.
Pangs of envy washed over me when I checked out the All things Canadian blogsite, they've left for Florida, no plans to come back til sometime in February. Sunshine? Man what is that?
The BlogsCanada E group provided a nugget of info I wasn't aware of, Bob McKeown of the Fifth estate met up with Fox News' Ann Coulter and apparently bested the young lass from Fox. Ms. Coulter wondered aloud why, if Canada sent troops to Vietnam to help the USA, they did not do so in the current Iraq situation. McKeown advised her that Canadians were not in Vietnam with the US, which Coulter stated was wrong. We of course were not involved in that war, though there were many Canadians who did cross the line and join the US military, and for a time we did spend some time in a peacekeeping role there. Of course at times factual research seems to be the lowest on the checklist at Fox News. It tends to get in the way of the boosterism that runs rampant there.
And finally I also traveled over to Bound by Gravity, where Andrew provided a link to a wonderful archive of photo's from the First World War, courtesy of firstworldwar.com the pictures set the scene for the war to end all wars (sadly over the years we have failed those valiant men in that declaration) . The site provides a terrific overview of one of the definitive eras of our times.
A few clicks and you find a gem, it's a wonder of our times this little hobby of ours. Every once and a while I get weary of the grind of churning out my own material, but when I do I check out sites like Sean's or Andrew's and before I know it, I've found something interesting or valuable to check out.
Could be a lot worse ways to spend a few hours I suspect!
"what I know for certain is that owners cannot restrain themselves"
Ken Dryden, the current MP for York-Centre, but previously an NHL executive, lawyer and of course pretty damn good goaltender offers a bit of interesting insight into the current mindset of the NHL ownership group. Dryden offers up some vital topics for discussion in an article from Friday editions with the Sun newspaper's Robert Tychkowski.
It would seem that history is forever repeating itself in the Groundhog Day world of the NHL, Dryden recounts how he was supremely annoyed when Eddie Giacomin was offered 175,000 by the Rangers (funny how the main culprits never change eh!), setting the scale of goaltending off the rails in the early 70's. Dryden knowing that he was a better goaltender than Giacomin, chose to sit out a season to press his case for more deserving remuneration. Putting his idle time to work, he worked on his law degree and then in the next season signed a better deal than that which Giacomin worked under. A lesson to be learned that eventually the players get their value, because the owners can't help themselves.
Of course Dryden himself would contribute to that spiral of insanity that has become the NHL, with his big money offer to Mats Sundin in the nineties. More recently the Leafs have accumulated high profile players at big budget prices, sending the salary structure ever upward while their less financially blessed brothers have auctioned off their players, traded them away or just let them wander off onto free agency boulevard.
His comments were given an interesting echo today from the world of baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates ownership group, expressed complete mystification at the self destructive tendencies of their own collection of owners. Kevin McClatchy, the managing general partner for the Pirates warned that baseball was turning into a two tiered kind of league, one where the rich teams get richer and load up on the names of baseball, while others in the smaller markets try to get by on a low payroll and of course lesser known players. Now doesn't that sound awfully familiar? McClatchy said that far too many teams were spending themselves into bankruptcy, he went on to wonder how teams that only a few weeks ago were claiming financial distress, were now signing these free agents at ridiculous wage levels. Echoing the comments of Dryden, McClatchy says he guesses that "these guys just can't control themselves."
Dryden who is one of our more scholarly ex athletes, has of course written a number of books about our game and been involved in numerous think tank like sessions on how to improve the game. He's given much study to the question of what ails hockey so when he speaks we should probably cock and ear and give a listen.
As for the current impasse he simply states that the current situation is just plain embarrassing, as the possibility of a completely cancelled season becomes a very real possibility. His comments to the Sun paper are quite succinct as he says, "someday the lockout is going to end, so it may as well be sooner than later."
Wise words! Too bad it seems that nobody seems inclined to listen. Maybe he should be in the room with the players and owners, a nice third party with a voice of reason certainly could find a use right about now, don't ya think?
The above article first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about Hockey check it out!
It would seem that history is forever repeating itself in the Groundhog Day world of the NHL, Dryden recounts how he was supremely annoyed when Eddie Giacomin was offered 175,000 by the Rangers (funny how the main culprits never change eh!), setting the scale of goaltending off the rails in the early 70's. Dryden knowing that he was a better goaltender than Giacomin, chose to sit out a season to press his case for more deserving remuneration. Putting his idle time to work, he worked on his law degree and then in the next season signed a better deal than that which Giacomin worked under. A lesson to be learned that eventually the players get their value, because the owners can't help themselves.
Of course Dryden himself would contribute to that spiral of insanity that has become the NHL, with his big money offer to Mats Sundin in the nineties. More recently the Leafs have accumulated high profile players at big budget prices, sending the salary structure ever upward while their less financially blessed brothers have auctioned off their players, traded them away or just let them wander off onto free agency boulevard.
His comments were given an interesting echo today from the world of baseball, the Pittsburgh Pirates ownership group, expressed complete mystification at the self destructive tendencies of their own collection of owners. Kevin McClatchy, the managing general partner for the Pirates warned that baseball was turning into a two tiered kind of league, one where the rich teams get richer and load up on the names of baseball, while others in the smaller markets try to get by on a low payroll and of course lesser known players. Now doesn't that sound awfully familiar? McClatchy said that far too many teams were spending themselves into bankruptcy, he went on to wonder how teams that only a few weeks ago were claiming financial distress, were now signing these free agents at ridiculous wage levels. Echoing the comments of Dryden, McClatchy says he guesses that "these guys just can't control themselves."
Dryden who is one of our more scholarly ex athletes, has of course written a number of books about our game and been involved in numerous think tank like sessions on how to improve the game. He's given much study to the question of what ails hockey so when he speaks we should probably cock and ear and give a listen.
As for the current impasse he simply states that the current situation is just plain embarrassing, as the possibility of a completely cancelled season becomes a very real possibility. His comments to the Sun paper are quite succinct as he says, "someday the lockout is going to end, so it may as well be sooner than later."
Wise words! Too bad it seems that nobody seems inclined to listen. Maybe he should be in the room with the players and owners, a nice third party with a voice of reason certainly could find a use right about now, don't ya think?
The above article first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about Hockey check it out!
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Salivating sycophant on line six!
The rough and tumble world of BC talk shows has claimed another victim today. As a Liberal party appointee has "decided" to resign his position, after being called out over disguising his identity as he lobbed a soft ball question to Premier Campbell on M Television.
Prem Vinning, who was supposed to start work as an aide to the Premier for Asian trade, instead found himself at the centre of a bit of a tempest, after he called up and identified himself as Peter from Surrey, he with a kind comment and a set up question on trucking for Campbell.
Peter, er Prem lauded the government on it's transportation policy and set the table for Campbell to happily rattle on about his current transportation plans. But Peter, er Prem apparently has a very distinctive voice and is a well known player in the political scene of Vancouver, so it didn't take long for folks to connect the dots.
Joy McPhail confronted him later that evening at a social function, but he never fessed up to the ruse until the numbers of those with suspicions began to grow. Realizing that he'd been outed if you will, he decided (perhaps with a bit of assistance!) that the only honourable thing to do would be to turn down the Premier's job offer. The Premier expressed the usual words of surprise at the situation, said he regretted Vinnings error and believe he took the proper action by resigning. He did say he didn't recognize Vinnings voice (perhaps making him the only in BC politics who didn't, but blamed technical problems at the time claiming it was hard to hear any of the callers, though the situation didn't stop him from launching into a selling job of his policies.
And so another political hack learns a valuable law of survival in BC Politics. Take on the airwaves at your own peril. British Columbians love their talk radio and television, it's almost an art form in the province. From the days of Jack Cullen to Jack Webster, through Rafe Mair and Bill Good, talk talk, and more talk makes the province go round.
Say a wrong thing, or get found out in a lie on a talk show and for all intents and purposes your career is over. That could be why both Liberals and NDPers use folks at an arms distance, to stack their calls and flood the lines with comments congratulatory or caustic.
Peter, er Prem's mistake was a simple one, he forgot to delegate. Perhaps he felt he could get away with the ruse by calling up the show on M, a step above your run of the mill cable TV local content but light years away from the big leagues of Good or Mair. But as we said BC residents love their talk shows, even the ratings cellar dwellers have their fanatics, who of course all are close to a telephone. Word spreads fast, ask Peter, er Prem he now knows firsthand what fate awaits those who dare to fabricate over the air!
Prem Vinning, who was supposed to start work as an aide to the Premier for Asian trade, instead found himself at the centre of a bit of a tempest, after he called up and identified himself as Peter from Surrey, he with a kind comment and a set up question on trucking for Campbell.
Peter, er Prem lauded the government on it's transportation policy and set the table for Campbell to happily rattle on about his current transportation plans. But Peter, er Prem apparently has a very distinctive voice and is a well known player in the political scene of Vancouver, so it didn't take long for folks to connect the dots.
Joy McPhail confronted him later that evening at a social function, but he never fessed up to the ruse until the numbers of those with suspicions began to grow. Realizing that he'd been outed if you will, he decided (perhaps with a bit of assistance!) that the only honourable thing to do would be to turn down the Premier's job offer. The Premier expressed the usual words of surprise at the situation, said he regretted Vinnings error and believe he took the proper action by resigning. He did say he didn't recognize Vinnings voice (perhaps making him the only in BC politics who didn't, but blamed technical problems at the time claiming it was hard to hear any of the callers, though the situation didn't stop him from launching into a selling job of his policies.
And so another political hack learns a valuable law of survival in BC Politics. Take on the airwaves at your own peril. British Columbians love their talk radio and television, it's almost an art form in the province. From the days of Jack Cullen to Jack Webster, through Rafe Mair and Bill Good, talk talk, and more talk makes the province go round.
Say a wrong thing, or get found out in a lie on a talk show and for all intents and purposes your career is over. That could be why both Liberals and NDPers use folks at an arms distance, to stack their calls and flood the lines with comments congratulatory or caustic.
Peter, er Prem's mistake was a simple one, he forgot to delegate. Perhaps he felt he could get away with the ruse by calling up the show on M, a step above your run of the mill cable TV local content but light years away from the big leagues of Good or Mair. But as we said BC residents love their talk shows, even the ratings cellar dwellers have their fanatics, who of course all are close to a telephone. Word spreads fast, ask Peter, er Prem he now knows firsthand what fate awaits those who dare to fabricate over the air!
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Mad as hell and we're not going to take it any more!
If all our stars would align, or perhaps our numbers would come in, 46 % of those of us currently employed would walk away from their jobs for something else. Such is the state of our employment happiness these days.
A survey called "Work Canada" by consulting firm Watson Wyatt, has been conducted over the last few years and the picture of an increasingly frustrated workforce is being painted for us. Only 43% stated that they thought that their place of employment was a good one, a 12% decline since the survey was last taken two years ago. No growth and no advancement in the workplace are making us a rather surly lot of worker drones.
There is serious disenchantment with working conditions and prospects as workers feel under appreciated and over worked. Not surprisingly money talks, as many workers don't believe that they are being compensated properly for the amount of work they are expected to perform.
The Work Canada study of the disgruntled comes out at the same time as a Statistics Canada survey comes out showing that the much ballyhooed jobs explosion, trumpeted by many a politician may not be all that it seems. Many of the "new" jobs are temporary, part time or casual jobs, with little or no benefits.
The Survey called "Are Good Jobs disappearing in Canada", takes a look at the restructuring and downsizing of the last twenty years and how it has impacted on Canadian Society. The most talked about finding is the fact that wages over the last twenty years are not on any kind of an upward trend, in fact for new hires there is a decided decline in the salary structure. With the increased use of temporary workers comes a problem for the future, many of the temps are not covered by pension plans setting up a potential problem come the golden years.
Not included in these studies, but a personal bug a boo of mine is the increasingly meaningless Unemployment Rate statitstics that the government trots out every month. Since they track only those on an active Employment Insurance claim, l've always wondered what happens to all those people that exhaust their claims. Do they just disappear into the night, never to be reported on again? My suspicion (and a non scientific one I admit) is that there is a vast underlying unemployment rate, that goes unreported. The people that have exhausted their claims may find work, most likely part time or underground, may end up on social assistance or most likely will siphon off their RRSP and Mutual fund monies until things turn around. But they go unreported for as long as they and their money can hold out.
Next time you read of the Unemployment rate in your home town, just take a moment to wonder how many more are really unemployed or underemployed. And then wonder just how we're going to finance a livable wage for folks let alone pensions for everyone, if many are not working or at least not making enough to contribute to their own long term security. Then ask yourself if our politicians truly have any idea as to what is going on in this country!
When the only real financial planning left is to buy tickets for the ever increasing 6/49 and Super Seven jackpots, then perhaps we need to take a look at how things are working, or in many cases not working!
A survey called "Work Canada" by consulting firm Watson Wyatt, has been conducted over the last few years and the picture of an increasingly frustrated workforce is being painted for us. Only 43% stated that they thought that their place of employment was a good one, a 12% decline since the survey was last taken two years ago. No growth and no advancement in the workplace are making us a rather surly lot of worker drones.
There is serious disenchantment with working conditions and prospects as workers feel under appreciated and over worked. Not surprisingly money talks, as many workers don't believe that they are being compensated properly for the amount of work they are expected to perform.
The Work Canada study of the disgruntled comes out at the same time as a Statistics Canada survey comes out showing that the much ballyhooed jobs explosion, trumpeted by many a politician may not be all that it seems. Many of the "new" jobs are temporary, part time or casual jobs, with little or no benefits.
The Survey called "Are Good Jobs disappearing in Canada", takes a look at the restructuring and downsizing of the last twenty years and how it has impacted on Canadian Society. The most talked about finding is the fact that wages over the last twenty years are not on any kind of an upward trend, in fact for new hires there is a decided decline in the salary structure. With the increased use of temporary workers comes a problem for the future, many of the temps are not covered by pension plans setting up a potential problem come the golden years.
Not included in these studies, but a personal bug a boo of mine is the increasingly meaningless Unemployment Rate statitstics that the government trots out every month. Since they track only those on an active Employment Insurance claim, l've always wondered what happens to all those people that exhaust their claims. Do they just disappear into the night, never to be reported on again? My suspicion (and a non scientific one I admit) is that there is a vast underlying unemployment rate, that goes unreported. The people that have exhausted their claims may find work, most likely part time or underground, may end up on social assistance or most likely will siphon off their RRSP and Mutual fund monies until things turn around. But they go unreported for as long as they and their money can hold out.
Next time you read of the Unemployment rate in your home town, just take a moment to wonder how many more are really unemployed or underemployed. And then wonder just how we're going to finance a livable wage for folks let alone pensions for everyone, if many are not working or at least not making enough to contribute to their own long term security. Then ask yourself if our politicians truly have any idea as to what is going on in this country!
When the only real financial planning left is to buy tickets for the ever increasing 6/49 and Super Seven jackpots, then perhaps we need to take a look at how things are working, or in many cases not working!
That's a lot of doughnuts!
Time to put some coffee on and get to work! Stephen F. Cooper has been tapped to turn around the declining fates of Krispy Kreme donuts. Cooper who most recently took over the duties of the much reviled Enron, will split his time between energy and donuts for the next little while.
Krispy Kreme which is considered by some to be the gold standard of Donut shops (But not in Canada, eh! Where Tim's will always rule!!!) has suffered some drastic stock reversals in the last few years. Combined with an SEC investigation and a bit of corporate reporting shenanigans and the situation at Krispy Kreme is about as appetizing as a three day old cruller.
They've tossed former CEO Scott Livengood out like some three hour coffee and brought in Cooper to perk things up at the donut shops. Joining Cooper will be Stephen Panagos who is his partner at their turnaround company Kroll, Zolfo, Cooper. They hope to put their thirty years of taking over troubled companies to use in the land of coffee and donuts.
But turnarounds don't come cheap! Panagos will make 695 an hour to solve the chain's problems, Cooper himself will earn 760 dollars an hour, plus expenses to make the bottom line as black as an their darkest boldest offering.
If things don't go too well, they could always pay them in donuts I guess. Cooper's 760 an hour, if paid in donuts at 50 cents a donut (if he's taking the original glazed donut), translates into 1520 donuts an hour. They get a little less if they choose one of the wide varieties available at a Krispy Kreme counter for 65 cents a donut. Cream and sugar for the coffee would be a perk one suspects!
Krispy Kreme which is considered by some to be the gold standard of Donut shops (But not in Canada, eh! Where Tim's will always rule!!!) has suffered some drastic stock reversals in the last few years. Combined with an SEC investigation and a bit of corporate reporting shenanigans and the situation at Krispy Kreme is about as appetizing as a three day old cruller.
They've tossed former CEO Scott Livengood out like some three hour coffee and brought in Cooper to perk things up at the donut shops. Joining Cooper will be Stephen Panagos who is his partner at their turnaround company Kroll, Zolfo, Cooper. They hope to put their thirty years of taking over troubled companies to use in the land of coffee and donuts.
But turnarounds don't come cheap! Panagos will make 695 an hour to solve the chain's problems, Cooper himself will earn 760 dollars an hour, plus expenses to make the bottom line as black as an their darkest boldest offering.
If things don't go too well, they could always pay them in donuts I guess. Cooper's 760 an hour, if paid in donuts at 50 cents a donut (if he's taking the original glazed donut), translates into 1520 donuts an hour. They get a little less if they choose one of the wide varieties available at a Krispy Kreme counter for 65 cents a donut. Cream and sugar for the coffee would be a perk one suspects!
The Essentials of Jan 17-23, 2005
A look back at our essentials of the week past!
16-Jan-05 Seymour spills the beans?
16-Jan-05 Danny's anger a money making proposition
16-Jan-05 Video didn't kill the radio star
16-Jan-05 The Princess of Panhandling
16-Jan-05 "and I’m never going back to my old school"
17-Jan-05 He could just buy his own space program
17-Jan-05 One toke too many over the line
17-Jan-05 It's a lousy start to the year
17-Jan-05 A long way from the Wright Brothers
17-Jan-05 Terrible ten of snack foods
18-Jan-05 Associate status in the axis of evil
18-Jan-05 Stay away from the phising hole
18-Jan-05 Solar spectacular
18-Jan-05 Get a little mud on the tires
18-Jan-05 Johnny still tells a good joke
19-Jan-05 And the rain came down
19-Jan-05 A speech to remember? History says NO!
19-Jan-05 The blogger's guide to wide acceptance
19-Jan-05 Titanic Revisited
19-Jan-05 Too Rebellious for Rolling Stone!
20-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
21-Jan-05 Paging reality, please check in at Dr. Dobson's office
21-Jan-05 The slow, long extinction
21-Jan-05 Bird Flu spreads in Vietnam
21-Jan-05 Breakfast the key to your heart
21-Jan-05 Now here's a Holy roller
22-Jan-05 A Day to stay in Bed!
22-Jan-05 The Rain on the Titan plain is made up mainly of methane
22-Jan-05 Rumsfeld's secret Army
22-Jan-05 Osama your book advance is ready
22-Jan-05 You're married, again!
23-Jan-05 Farewell to Johnny!
23-Jan-05 A couch eight miles long
23-Jan-05 Hardball on the Rideau River?
23-Jan-05 The loyal secretary takes her leave
23-Jan-05 Picasso in aisle five
16-Jan-05 Seymour spills the beans?
16-Jan-05 Danny's anger a money making proposition
16-Jan-05 Video didn't kill the radio star
16-Jan-05 The Princess of Panhandling
16-Jan-05 "and I’m never going back to my old school"
17-Jan-05 He could just buy his own space program
17-Jan-05 One toke too many over the line
17-Jan-05 It's a lousy start to the year
17-Jan-05 A long way from the Wright Brothers
17-Jan-05 Terrible ten of snack foods
18-Jan-05 Associate status in the axis of evil
18-Jan-05 Stay away from the phising hole
18-Jan-05 Solar spectacular
18-Jan-05 Get a little mud on the tires
18-Jan-05 Johnny still tells a good joke
19-Jan-05 And the rain came down
19-Jan-05 A speech to remember? History says NO!
19-Jan-05 The blogger's guide to wide acceptance
19-Jan-05 Titanic Revisited
19-Jan-05 Too Rebellious for Rolling Stone!
20-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
21-Jan-05 Paging reality, please check in at Dr. Dobson's office
21-Jan-05 The slow, long extinction
21-Jan-05 Bird Flu spreads in Vietnam
21-Jan-05 Breakfast the key to your heart
21-Jan-05 Now here's a Holy roller
22-Jan-05 A Day to stay in Bed!
22-Jan-05 The Rain on the Titan plain is made up mainly of methane
22-Jan-05 Rumsfeld's secret Army
22-Jan-05 Osama your book advance is ready
22-Jan-05 You're married, again!
23-Jan-05 Farewell to Johnny!
23-Jan-05 A couch eight miles long
23-Jan-05 Hardball on the Rideau River?
23-Jan-05 The loyal secretary takes her leave
23-Jan-05 Picasso in aisle five
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Fare-wellllllll Johnny!
One of television's Kings was eulogized on the blue cathode ray machine today, as word spread of the passing of Johnny Carson. Larry King rolled in for a Sunday shift, pulling in Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, Dick Cavett, Mike Douglas, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers and a cast of Hollywoods past and present comedians to mourn the man that made their careers.
Having been out of the public eye for years now and rumoured to be sick for a while, it didn't come as a huge shock to hear of his passing, but yet surprised the many who spoke out in respect of the former late night Czar.
Carson's Tonight Show was the definition of "must see" television in the sixties, seventies and eighties, with the ever present Ed McMahon by his side and Doc Severinsen with the band, they ruled American television for over thirty years. The must not miss moment of any Carson show was his monologue, the three or four minute recap of what had happened in America on any given day. Through Vietnam and a seismic change in the US social structure, from moon landings, streakers and Presidents named Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush would find their programs under a comedic microscope, a daft plan by any of them would be fair game and would suffer mercilessly either in a monologue or a skit. But like a good general purpose everyman, Carson was much more than that.
His show would mix politicians with actors, singers with animals, the serious and the slightly insane could find themselves on the same show on any given night. A young unknown politician named Bill Clinton would begin to build his quest for the White House on the Carson show. Taking Carson's jibes in stride while finding a vehicle to place his name on the average American voters mind.
At times his show could be incredibly politically incorrect by today's standards, double entendres and close but not quite risque material was greeted with glee by an audience that never abandoned the master of late night television. An unwritten rule in show business is never work with animals or children, yet for Carson some of the best and funniest moments on the show came from some precocious six or seven year old seeming to get the best of Carson, likewise a chimp, bird, bear or any other member of the Animal Kingdom seemed to produce the best ad lib moments on the shows.
But by far the real winners on a Carson telecast would be the stand up comics, his show was the lab for many of our most popular comics past and present. An invitation to appear on the Carson show was akin to an audience with the Pope or a session with Royalty. Careers would zoom overnight if success was found on the Tonigh Show stage. Through the years young talents such as Jerry Seinfeld, Andy Kaufman, Freddie Prinze, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Jonathan Winters, Joan Rivers to name only a few would be the recipients of career success from a stint on the Tonight Show stage.
Carson seemed to have a special spot for the stand up comics, the lone gunslingers of the entertainment industry. He would set them up, let them do their stuff and if they made the best of the opportunity they would soon be on the set chatting with Carson. If you track the ones that have had the longest careers and made the most impact on the entertainment industry, you'll find a path back to the Burbank studios.
When Carson retired many had challenged but none had toppled his throne. He went out on the top with the road littered with the efforts of a Sajack, Thicke, Bishop, Cavett or Rivers along the way. His show became a template for television programming on all networks, any show with a host and a sidekick can trace it's DNA to Johnny Carson, who took what Jack Paar had started and turned it into an American cultural institution.
When you watch the clips over the next few days as the ET's, Inside Hollywood and such put forward their Carson specials you'll see a lot of corny material. Stuff that many of today's audience may find quaint, reflective of a different time and certainly of a different era of entertainment. But an era that built the blocks of the industry today.
But if you listen to the monologues, the timing of his bits and the by play with Ed McMahon as well as the nightly guest list, you'll find a timeless quality that lives on today on many of today's show both daytime and nighttime. In fact as his days apparently were declining this week, word leaked out that he still kept in touch with comedy providing a joke or two once and a while for the David Letterman show! It was one stop shopping for what was current in America's Day, an escape from troubled times for an hour a night, guaranteed to give you something to laugh about when perhaps a laugh was hard to come by. In short it was what Entertainment was supposed to be, a barometer of our times and entertaining as well!
His longevity and much respected status a testimony to his and his show's importance through the years. Long time fans of which I am one, said goodbye in 1992 now they do it again, this time for a final time!
Having been out of the public eye for years now and rumoured to be sick for a while, it didn't come as a huge shock to hear of his passing, but yet surprised the many who spoke out in respect of the former late night Czar.
Carson's Tonight Show was the definition of "must see" television in the sixties, seventies and eighties, with the ever present Ed McMahon by his side and Doc Severinsen with the band, they ruled American television for over thirty years. The must not miss moment of any Carson show was his monologue, the three or four minute recap of what had happened in America on any given day. Through Vietnam and a seismic change in the US social structure, from moon landings, streakers and Presidents named Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush would find their programs under a comedic microscope, a daft plan by any of them would be fair game and would suffer mercilessly either in a monologue or a skit. But like a good general purpose everyman, Carson was much more than that.
His show would mix politicians with actors, singers with animals, the serious and the slightly insane could find themselves on the same show on any given night. A young unknown politician named Bill Clinton would begin to build his quest for the White House on the Carson show. Taking Carson's jibes in stride while finding a vehicle to place his name on the average American voters mind.
At times his show could be incredibly politically incorrect by today's standards, double entendres and close but not quite risque material was greeted with glee by an audience that never abandoned the master of late night television. An unwritten rule in show business is never work with animals or children, yet for Carson some of the best and funniest moments on the show came from some precocious six or seven year old seeming to get the best of Carson, likewise a chimp, bird, bear or any other member of the Animal Kingdom seemed to produce the best ad lib moments on the shows.
But by far the real winners on a Carson telecast would be the stand up comics, his show was the lab for many of our most popular comics past and present. An invitation to appear on the Carson show was akin to an audience with the Pope or a session with Royalty. Careers would zoom overnight if success was found on the Tonigh Show stage. Through the years young talents such as Jerry Seinfeld, Andy Kaufman, Freddie Prinze, Don Rickles, Bob Newhart, Jonathan Winters, Joan Rivers to name only a few would be the recipients of career success from a stint on the Tonight Show stage.
Carson seemed to have a special spot for the stand up comics, the lone gunslingers of the entertainment industry. He would set them up, let them do their stuff and if they made the best of the opportunity they would soon be on the set chatting with Carson. If you track the ones that have had the longest careers and made the most impact on the entertainment industry, you'll find a path back to the Burbank studios.
When Carson retired many had challenged but none had toppled his throne. He went out on the top with the road littered with the efforts of a Sajack, Thicke, Bishop, Cavett or Rivers along the way. His show became a template for television programming on all networks, any show with a host and a sidekick can trace it's DNA to Johnny Carson, who took what Jack Paar had started and turned it into an American cultural institution.
When you watch the clips over the next few days as the ET's, Inside Hollywood and such put forward their Carson specials you'll see a lot of corny material. Stuff that many of today's audience may find quaint, reflective of a different time and certainly of a different era of entertainment. But an era that built the blocks of the industry today.
But if you listen to the monologues, the timing of his bits and the by play with Ed McMahon as well as the nightly guest list, you'll find a timeless quality that lives on today on many of today's show both daytime and nighttime. In fact as his days apparently were declining this week, word leaked out that he still kept in touch with comedy providing a joke or two once and a while for the David Letterman show! It was one stop shopping for what was current in America's Day, an escape from troubled times for an hour a night, guaranteed to give you something to laugh about when perhaps a laugh was hard to come by. In short it was what Entertainment was supposed to be, a barometer of our times and entertaining as well!
His longevity and much respected status a testimony to his and his show's importance through the years. Long time fans of which I am one, said goodbye in 1992 now they do it again, this time for a final time!
Saturday, January 22, 2005
You've Got Mail, Dr. Dobson!
One can't help but think of how many SpongeBob fans might wish to send the Good Doctor a SpongeBob card, a simple click on an E mail link is all it takes!
Get A Grip Doctor, For Gods Sake Get A Grip!
With so many souls requiring saving one would think the gang at Focus on the Family, led by the increasingly off the wall Dr. James Dobson would "focus" on the Bigger picture of the human spirit. Why do we have racism? Why do we have wars? Why do we let our differences divide us? How about some answers for hunger, earthquakes and tsunami's to name a few of the major perils of our age.
For reasons known only to the inhabitants of the loopier side of the Christian right, all of those issues can wait, because Spongebob Square pants is our main concern, apparently the major threat to all that we hold dear (well more to the point all that the Good Doctor holds dear).
Following in the footsteps of those other instruments of heathenism, Tinky Winky and Barney the Purple Dinosaur! We are apparently being led down the road to ruin by the Sponge! Who apparently is so devious, so conniving, that he has somehow lured the likes of Winnie the Pooh, Bob the Builder and The Rugrats to follow his plans!
It's to make you want to laugh, if only they apparently weren't so damn serious about their beliefs, these nutty little folks that seem to find hidden meanings everywhere and seem pre-occupied with controlling the minds our little ones, filling them instead with the contents of their little minds.
In a world filled with hate and hurt, it seems that the real question of the day is the status of a sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea! What possibly can go through the minds of people who take a seemingly innocent children's television program and find things that just aren't there.
I'm not a huge devotee to the SpongeBob brigades (I sadly waste my morning watching the bad things we do to each other courtesy of the news programs) , but I have seen the Sponge Bob Squarepants show. It seems like your typical kids cartoon, the gang have some adventures and everyone learns something positive by the time the credits roll. I believe if Mr. Dobson is looking for a reference the tone for the show would be "Love thy Neighbour", perhaps he's read that somewhere!
Mr. Square pants is a hit with the kids in my boys class and from the shows I've watched, exhibits a pretty basic code of life, treat everyone as an equal, with tolerance and love.
Obviously a scary message that must be stopped before it gets too widespread.
As Doctor Dobson no doubt realizes if we begin to realize that we aren't so different after all and accept each without judgment, then whoa baby, maybe we've learned a few things from a guy named Jesus. Surely we can't allow that to happen, whatever would we need the middlemen like the Doctor for!
There are days when you wonder if the followers of Doctor Dobson and his organization have actually read the teachings of Christ and introduced themselves to a Bible. There's much important work to do on an earth that seems oh so very troubled, railing on about the cartoon happenings under the sea with a sponge in short pants and his pals seems like a daft way of doing the Lord's work!
Spongebob Square Pants may be living in a pineapple under the sea, but if anyone is all wet, it's the folks taking the ravings of Doctor Dobson seriously.
One just imagines God shaking his head in wonder at what passes for intelligence down on the ole third planet from the Sun!
For reasons known only to the inhabitants of the loopier side of the Christian right, all of those issues can wait, because Spongebob Square pants is our main concern, apparently the major threat to all that we hold dear (well more to the point all that the Good Doctor holds dear).
Following in the footsteps of those other instruments of heathenism, Tinky Winky and Barney the Purple Dinosaur! We are apparently being led down the road to ruin by the Sponge! Who apparently is so devious, so conniving, that he has somehow lured the likes of Winnie the Pooh, Bob the Builder and The Rugrats to follow his plans!
It's to make you want to laugh, if only they apparently weren't so damn serious about their beliefs, these nutty little folks that seem to find hidden meanings everywhere and seem pre-occupied with controlling the minds our little ones, filling them instead with the contents of their little minds.
In a world filled with hate and hurt, it seems that the real question of the day is the status of a sponge that lives in a pineapple under the sea! What possibly can go through the minds of people who take a seemingly innocent children's television program and find things that just aren't there.
I'm not a huge devotee to the SpongeBob brigades (I sadly waste my morning watching the bad things we do to each other courtesy of the news programs) , but I have seen the Sponge Bob Squarepants show. It seems like your typical kids cartoon, the gang have some adventures and everyone learns something positive by the time the credits roll. I believe if Mr. Dobson is looking for a reference the tone for the show would be "Love thy Neighbour", perhaps he's read that somewhere!
Mr. Square pants is a hit with the kids in my boys class and from the shows I've watched, exhibits a pretty basic code of life, treat everyone as an equal, with tolerance and love.
Obviously a scary message that must be stopped before it gets too widespread.
As Doctor Dobson no doubt realizes if we begin to realize that we aren't so different after all and accept each without judgment, then whoa baby, maybe we've learned a few things from a guy named Jesus. Surely we can't allow that to happen, whatever would we need the middlemen like the Doctor for!
There are days when you wonder if the followers of Doctor Dobson and his organization have actually read the teachings of Christ and introduced themselves to a Bible. There's much important work to do on an earth that seems oh so very troubled, railing on about the cartoon happenings under the sea with a sponge in short pants and his pals seems like a daft way of doing the Lord's work!
Spongebob Square Pants may be living in a pineapple under the sea, but if anyone is all wet, it's the folks taking the ravings of Doctor Dobson seriously.
One just imagines God shaking his head in wonder at what passes for intelligence down on the ole third planet from the Sun!
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Inauguration Day
When George W. Bush takes his oath of office at Noon Washington time today he will set in motion the final four years of the Bush Presidency. While Democrats bemoan the idea that it coulda, woulda, shoulda been their guy, the Republicans will claim hold over Washington for four more years. And possibly set the stage for continued dominance over the American political landscape for years to come.
Following the oath of office, the Bush Inaugural speech is expected to touch on the theme of freedom and liberty, both in America and around the world. The speech which apparently went through twenty one re-writes before being delivered to the President, follows in a long line of inaugural speeches. Most of which were quickly forgotten, banished to the dumpster of history due to boredom, lack of message or just plain bad writing and even worse delivery.
Over the years there really haven't been many speeches given on the 20th of January following an election, that have caught the fancy of the American public. George Washington's second speech in 1793 probably did, being the shortest one ever made at 135 words, he no doubt won over many a disgruntled voter with his brevity of message.
More recently John F. Kennedy's certainly fired up the imagination back in 1961, daring American's to dream along with him, bear any burden and meet any hardship To a degree, Ronald Reagan recaptured some of that oratorical magic with his debut speech in 1981, when he called for the government to serve the people and not the other way around. But for the most part these political agenda setters, tend to be tedious and hardly provide a glimpse into any great dreams or missions planned.
The concept of Inauguration day itself has also taken on a life of its own, from simple beginnings it now runs over three days, features everything from rock bands to marching bands, gala dinners to fireworks and seems to cost more to organize than some countries have for a national budget.
This years celebration of the constitutional evolution of power will be the most expensive ever on record, ca ching, ca chinging in, at 40 million dollars, plus 17 million for security to ensure that the concepts of freedom and liberty don't get interrupted by any terrorist mischief.
There's much to be learned from the past speeches and events surrounding Inauguration day, but if there is one thing that George Walker Bush should learn from history it's this: Make your speech short and dress warmly, use the unfortunate William H. Harrison as your barometer of bad!
Harrison arrived in Washington for his Inaugural speech in 1841, gave the longest speech in Inaugural history, clocking in at 90 minutes and then went on a walk of the parade route, without benefit of hat or warm clothing on the bitterest of cold days. His walk into the driving ice storm would prove costly. One month later Harrison succumbed to pneumonia ending his presidency.
The speech can bore or it can soar, it all depends on the President, his writers and his material. But for George Bush there is a hard act to follow, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan, all touched the right points, defining their presidency and developing their legacies. George Bush gets one more chance to define his and it begins at noon!
Following the oath of office, the Bush Inaugural speech is expected to touch on the theme of freedom and liberty, both in America and around the world. The speech which apparently went through twenty one re-writes before being delivered to the President, follows in a long line of inaugural speeches. Most of which were quickly forgotten, banished to the dumpster of history due to boredom, lack of message or just plain bad writing and even worse delivery.
Over the years there really haven't been many speeches given on the 20th of January following an election, that have caught the fancy of the American public. George Washington's second speech in 1793 probably did, being the shortest one ever made at 135 words, he no doubt won over many a disgruntled voter with his brevity of message.
More recently John F. Kennedy's certainly fired up the imagination back in 1961, daring American's to dream along with him, bear any burden and meet any hardship To a degree, Ronald Reagan recaptured some of that oratorical magic with his debut speech in 1981, when he called for the government to serve the people and not the other way around. But for the most part these political agenda setters, tend to be tedious and hardly provide a glimpse into any great dreams or missions planned.
The concept of Inauguration day itself has also taken on a life of its own, from simple beginnings it now runs over three days, features everything from rock bands to marching bands, gala dinners to fireworks and seems to cost more to organize than some countries have for a national budget.
This years celebration of the constitutional evolution of power will be the most expensive ever on record, ca ching, ca chinging in, at 40 million dollars, plus 17 million for security to ensure that the concepts of freedom and liberty don't get interrupted by any terrorist mischief.
There's much to be learned from the past speeches and events surrounding Inauguration day, but if there is one thing that George Walker Bush should learn from history it's this: Make your speech short and dress warmly, use the unfortunate William H. Harrison as your barometer of bad!
Harrison arrived in Washington for his Inaugural speech in 1841, gave the longest speech in Inaugural history, clocking in at 90 minutes and then went on a walk of the parade route, without benefit of hat or warm clothing on the bitterest of cold days. His walk into the driving ice storm would prove costly. One month later Harrison succumbed to pneumonia ending his presidency.
The speech can bore or it can soar, it all depends on the President, his writers and his material. But for George Bush there is a hard act to follow, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan, all touched the right points, defining their presidency and developing their legacies. George Bush gets one more chance to define his and it begins at noon!
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Hell of a banjo player!
It seems that there are many things we just don't know about George W. Bush, as the president begins his second term, the folks at Jib Jab continue to find his Presidency to be a gold mine of satirical fun.
The internet website that found great success in the last year with their cartoonish look at political life, is back with a salute to the President's second term in Washington.
The third installment of the Spiridellis' brothers wacky sense of humour, follows on the heels of the internet server clogging efforts of This Land and It's good to be in DC. Both of which quickly found wide acceptance through word of mouth, bloggers and flash e mails from far and near.
You can view them all at the Jib Jab website, a banjo playing president backed by a band that makes you think Deliverance! One gets the feeling the next four years are going to be very profitable for the folks at Jib Jab!
The internet website that found great success in the last year with their cartoonish look at political life, is back with a salute to the President's second term in Washington.
The third installment of the Spiridellis' brothers wacky sense of humour, follows on the heels of the internet server clogging efforts of This Land and It's good to be in DC. Both of which quickly found wide acceptance through word of mouth, bloggers and flash e mails from far and near.
You can view them all at the Jib Jab website, a banjo playing president backed by a band that makes you think Deliverance! One gets the feeling the next four years are going to be very profitable for the folks at Jib Jab!
Nepotism, a Bush family value?
As George W. Bush prepares to take office for his second term, we take a look at the hiring practices of his administration and that of his Papa's.
It seems that the Bush's like to keep power within the bloodline.
An interesting search courtesy of Ancestry.com brings up some fascinating results for Bush choices for those selected to be close to power.
For instance do a little search on the current President, and see which White House official is a relation!
Go back to the days of President G. H. W. Bush and do another search and voila, you'll see that lineage gains one more mileage!
With Jeb waiting in the wings ready to carry on the family business, distant relatives of the Bush's should be polishing off their name tags in readiness for the Vice-Presidency!
It seems that the Bush's like to keep power within the bloodline.
An interesting search courtesy of Ancestry.com brings up some fascinating results for Bush choices for those selected to be close to power.
For instance do a little search on the current President, and see which White House official is a relation!
Go back to the days of President G. H. W. Bush and do another search and voila, you'll see that lineage gains one more mileage!
With Jeb waiting in the wings ready to carry on the family business, distant relatives of the Bush's should be polishing off their name tags in readiness for the Vice-Presidency!
Monday, January 17, 2005
The kids are alright, but the parents............
Another in a spate of ugly experiences surrounding Minor Hockey in Canada. This time out of Toronto where the father of a nine year old minor hockey player, found himself in court this morning after an incident over the weekend.
Dad it seems found himself in disagreement with a coach's decision to bench his son for a couple of shifts, due to a missed practice (apparently a common coaching practice). Instead of discussing his concerns away from the game, the father instead jumped the glass at the bench and choked the coach to the point of blacking out. Eventually other parents pulled the man off of the coach, who regained consciousness and then continued on with the game, so as not to cause more distress to his players.
After the game he discussed the situation with his players, trying to reassure them that the world had not really gone mad. While he was providing a positive role model for the nine year olds, the man who choked him spent the night in a Toronto police lock up, pending his appearance in court today.
Greater Toronto Hockey League officials called it one of the most shocking events that they've had to contend with, but it's certainly not the first time a parent has gotten out of control. Just last December a hockey Mom shocked an arena by lifting her top and exposing her breasts to parents and players of an 11 year old match up. There have also been scattered incidents of parents duking it out in the stands over controversial plays and situations, much to the distress of the players on the ice and officials in minor hockey.
Mind you it's not just hockey, pretty well any sport or activity involving kids can bring out the worst in parents, somehow there is a disconnect between the child's enjoyment and the adults expectations.
At the moment Hockey Canada is running commercials reminding parents that "It's Only a game". Go back a few years and there used to be a commercial on TV when I played minor hockey that urged parents to stick around and watch the games.
Sadly, we seem to approaching the point where we'll see commercials suggesting that parents just drop the kids off and come on back after the game!
The above posting first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!
Dad it seems found himself in disagreement with a coach's decision to bench his son for a couple of shifts, due to a missed practice (apparently a common coaching practice). Instead of discussing his concerns away from the game, the father instead jumped the glass at the bench and choked the coach to the point of blacking out. Eventually other parents pulled the man off of the coach, who regained consciousness and then continued on with the game, so as not to cause more distress to his players.
After the game he discussed the situation with his players, trying to reassure them that the world had not really gone mad. While he was providing a positive role model for the nine year olds, the man who choked him spent the night in a Toronto police lock up, pending his appearance in court today.
Greater Toronto Hockey League officials called it one of the most shocking events that they've had to contend with, but it's certainly not the first time a parent has gotten out of control. Just last December a hockey Mom shocked an arena by lifting her top and exposing her breasts to parents and players of an 11 year old match up. There have also been scattered incidents of parents duking it out in the stands over controversial plays and situations, much to the distress of the players on the ice and officials in minor hockey.
Mind you it's not just hockey, pretty well any sport or activity involving kids can bring out the worst in parents, somehow there is a disconnect between the child's enjoyment and the adults expectations.
At the moment Hockey Canada is running commercials reminding parents that "It's Only a game". Go back a few years and there used to be a commercial on TV when I played minor hockey that urged parents to stick around and watch the games.
Sadly, we seem to approaching the point where we'll see commercials suggesting that parents just drop the kids off and come on back after the game!
The above posting first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about hockey check it out!
Essentials of January 10-16, 2005
We look back at the essentials of the week just past.
10-Jan-05 The Soprano Squadron
10-Jan-05 Long Knife Day at CBS
10-Jan-05 The best excuses when calling in sick
10-Jan-05 Drug Dealers dumping the dollar standard
10-Jan-05 MacWorld Rumours
11-Jan-05 More Mad Cows appear
11-Jan-05 Hockey Day in Canada canned by the CBC
11-Jan-05 Judge Gomery feels some heat
11-Jan-05 Rushing for the Donation deadline
11-Jan-05 Polishing the Professionals
12-Jan-05 No No's at Nortel
12-Jan-05 Harry's Sorry, So Sorry!
12-Jan-05 Ca ching, ca ching with Li Ka-shing
12-Jan-05 The search is over
12-Jan-05 Did you hear the one about the lawyer with no sense of humour?
13-Jan-05 It's a good life in the foregin service
13-Jan-05 The Love bomb?
13-Jan-05 Maybe you'll see Burt Reynolds along the way
13-Jan-05 How Ted Turner helped to buy the Calgary Stampeders
13-Jan-05 Dave Barry takes his leave
14-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
15-Jan-05 Pizza, Peelers and political pitfalls
15-Jan-05 Hey somebody made money blogging!!
15-Jan-05 It was all in the genes
15-Jan-05 Uh, does this mean no ride to the polls?
15-Jan-05 Bests and Busts of the Detroit Auto show
16-Jan-05 Seymour spills the beans?
16-Jan-05 Danny's anger a money making proposition
16-Jan-05 Video didn't kill the radio star
16-Jan-05 The Princess of Panhandling
16-Jan-05 "and I’m never going back to my old school"
10-Jan-05 The Soprano Squadron
10-Jan-05 Long Knife Day at CBS
10-Jan-05 The best excuses when calling in sick
10-Jan-05 Drug Dealers dumping the dollar standard
10-Jan-05 MacWorld Rumours
11-Jan-05 More Mad Cows appear
11-Jan-05 Hockey Day in Canada canned by the CBC
11-Jan-05 Judge Gomery feels some heat
11-Jan-05 Rushing for the Donation deadline
11-Jan-05 Polishing the Professionals
12-Jan-05 No No's at Nortel
12-Jan-05 Harry's Sorry, So Sorry!
12-Jan-05 Ca ching, ca ching with Li Ka-shing
12-Jan-05 The search is over
12-Jan-05 Did you hear the one about the lawyer with no sense of humour?
13-Jan-05 It's a good life in the foregin service
13-Jan-05 The Love bomb?
13-Jan-05 Maybe you'll see Burt Reynolds along the way
13-Jan-05 How Ted Turner helped to buy the Calgary Stampeders
13-Jan-05 Dave Barry takes his leave
14-Jan-05 No posts today, took the day off!
15-Jan-05 Pizza, Peelers and political pitfalls
15-Jan-05 Hey somebody made money blogging!!
15-Jan-05 It was all in the genes
15-Jan-05 Uh, does this mean no ride to the polls?
15-Jan-05 Bests and Busts of the Detroit Auto show
16-Jan-05 Seymour spills the beans?
16-Jan-05 Danny's anger a money making proposition
16-Jan-05 Video didn't kill the radio star
16-Jan-05 The Princess of Panhandling
16-Jan-05 "and I’m never going back to my old school"
Really stupid people, get real results!
Ok, so I'm not one in the loop when it comes to smuggling drugs, illegal or Simpson like pharmaceuticals. But having read one or two newspapers in the last year or so, watched a bit of TV news, listened to talk radio and of course surfed the internet, I'm aware of one thing, our American neighbours are rather intent on watching their borders these days.
With the inauguration of George Bush for his second term this week, one would just assume that this would be a pretty heavily guarded week.
The border crossing between Canada and the USA in the Detroit/Windsor corridor, consisting of the Ambassador Bridge and of the course the tunnel, is the highest profile crossing and thus probably the most secure of the bunch. With the inauguration of George Bush for his second term this week, one would just assume that this would be an even more secure location than ever.
So to read that some would be entrepreneurs decided that this was the week to make their score and Detroit was the place to make the landing just makes one shake a head back and forth in amazement.
With the eyes of Homeland Security, US Customs, DEA and any other alphabet agency focused on the 49th parallel, our intrepid exporters chose Detroit as their gateway to the pot smokers of America. Needless to say, the operation didn't go as planned.
As Forrest Gump might put it, Stupid is, as stupid does!
With the inauguration of George Bush for his second term this week, one would just assume that this would be a pretty heavily guarded week.
The border crossing between Canada and the USA in the Detroit/Windsor corridor, consisting of the Ambassador Bridge and of the course the tunnel, is the highest profile crossing and thus probably the most secure of the bunch. With the inauguration of George Bush for his second term this week, one would just assume that this would be an even more secure location than ever.
So to read that some would be entrepreneurs decided that this was the week to make their score and Detroit was the place to make the landing just makes one shake a head back and forth in amazement.
With the eyes of Homeland Security, US Customs, DEA and any other alphabet agency focused on the 49th parallel, our intrepid exporters chose Detroit as their gateway to the pot smokers of America. Needless to say, the operation didn't go as planned.
As Forrest Gump might put it, Stupid is, as stupid does!
Sidney takes a pass!
First it was Junior sensation Sidney Crosby's sweater that went missing, now its the actual person who will be missing in action! Crosby's Quebec Junior team the Rimouski Oceanic announced today that Crosby, the number one attraction in Junior hockey at the moment, will not take part in Wednesday nights Top Prospects game from Vancouver.
Crosby's junior handlers claim that the Junior phenom is suffering from some sort of a back injury sustained in the World Junior Championships and thus won't be available for the nationally televised Hockey showcase from Vancouver. This despite the fact that he recently completed four of five games for the Oceanic in the Quebec League.
The decision of course is feeding a slew of rumours about the situation, the feeling by some commentators (mainly based in the West see the CKNW audio vault for the 8 am sportscast on Monday for a sample) that Crosby and his agents, handlers and hangers on are using the back problems as a convenient way to avoid the Prospects game. The theory being, that as the number one pick in the upcoming draft (if one actually takes place) Crosby would have everything to lose and nothing to gain by taking part in the extremely competitve game.
Instead the suggestion is that he would be better off taking a pass on the game, preserving his status as the definitive number one choice and all the rewards that it would provide. Such is the state of hockey these days, Junior players are skipping showcase games and off ice commentators are finding conspiracy theories with every breath. And injuries may or may not be what they seem.
My How we long for the days of an actual game to watch!
The above item first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about Hockey check it out!
Crosby's junior handlers claim that the Junior phenom is suffering from some sort of a back injury sustained in the World Junior Championships and thus won't be available for the nationally televised Hockey showcase from Vancouver. This despite the fact that he recently completed four of five games for the Oceanic in the Quebec League.
The decision of course is feeding a slew of rumours about the situation, the feeling by some commentators (mainly based in the West see the CKNW audio vault for the 8 am sportscast on Monday for a sample) that Crosby and his agents, handlers and hangers on are using the back problems as a convenient way to avoid the Prospects game. The theory being, that as the number one pick in the upcoming draft (if one actually takes place) Crosby would have everything to lose and nothing to gain by taking part in the extremely competitve game.
Instead the suggestion is that he would be better off taking a pass on the game, preserving his status as the definitive number one choice and all the rewards that it would provide. Such is the state of hockey these days, Junior players are skipping showcase games and off ice commentators are finding conspiracy theories with every breath. And injuries may or may not be what they seem.
My How we long for the days of an actual game to watch!
The above item first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more items about Hockey check it out!
Waiting for Pictures!
Podunkians of the world wide web anxiously await the arrival of some photos from our friend at seanincognito. For his home base is now famous across North America and wherever satellite signals are available!
After Sunday night's episode of The Simpson's we are sure that the incognito film crew will be busy scouring the Perogie city in search of that now famous Winnipeg landmark, the Welcome to Winnipeg sign: "Welcome to Winnipeg, we were born here! What's your excuse!"
We also hope to see visuals of that Manitoba pharmacy chain Dudley Do Drugs.
We're sure that once the thaw comes sean will busy taking pics galore, we anticipate our first photo what June or July?
After Sunday night's episode of The Simpson's we are sure that the incognito film crew will be busy scouring the Perogie city in search of that now famous Winnipeg landmark, the Welcome to Winnipeg sign: "Welcome to Winnipeg, we were born here! What's your excuse!"
We also hope to see visuals of that Manitoba pharmacy chain Dudley Do Drugs.
We're sure that once the thaw comes sean will busy taking pics galore, we anticipate our first photo what June or July?
Sunday, January 16, 2005
Michael Moore's class dismissal
Sure he's been honoured with European awards as well as an Oscar for his films. Not to mention the fact that he's a Best Selling author. He's the darling of the media elites in New York and Los Angeles, has a large following in the Liberal Left, and is Internationally acclaimed, but for Michael Moore home town acceptance is getting harder and harder to come by.
The pride and joy (then again maybe not) of Flint, Michigan has once again been nominated for his High School Hall of Fame, and again it seems he's going to come up short of the necessary votes.
The Creator of Roger and Me, Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 (as well as Canadian Bacon and TV Nation, to name a few of his projects) has always had kind of a love/hate relationship with the old home town. Obviously the establishment types haven't taken kindly to his portrayal of Flint as an industrial wasteland, abandoned by the corporations and left to the working poor to struggle on alone. But to many of the working class he's a true hero, who shines the light on parts of Flint that most would prefer not be known.
But with controversy comes backlash and Moore is suffering in a bid to have him placed in the Davison High School Hall of Fame. Four times he's been nominated and four times denied, Oscar or not! It seems that the voting public of Davison High consider him to be a bit of an embarrassment, not the role model the Hall of Fame people are looking for.
Moore's next opportunity for enshrinement was to come up on February 11th when the nominations closed and the committee made their decision. However due to all the controversy, all nominations have been suspended until further notice. Possibly good news for Moore, presently his fan base have only accumulated 300 signed nominations, and were hoping to have 1700 more names by February 1st, now they have all sorts of time to get the vote in.
All these years out of High School and still there are struggles for class popularity, somehow one thinks there should be a movie in there somewhere for Michael. And I have just the opening theme for him, From Steely Dan How about "My Old School"
The pride and joy (then again maybe not) of Flint, Michigan has once again been nominated for his High School Hall of Fame, and again it seems he's going to come up short of the necessary votes.
The Creator of Roger and Me, Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 (as well as Canadian Bacon and TV Nation, to name a few of his projects) has always had kind of a love/hate relationship with the old home town. Obviously the establishment types haven't taken kindly to his portrayal of Flint as an industrial wasteland, abandoned by the corporations and left to the working poor to struggle on alone. But to many of the working class he's a true hero, who shines the light on parts of Flint that most would prefer not be known.
But with controversy comes backlash and Moore is suffering in a bid to have him placed in the Davison High School Hall of Fame. Four times he's been nominated and four times denied, Oscar or not! It seems that the voting public of Davison High consider him to be a bit of an embarrassment, not the role model the Hall of Fame people are looking for.
Moore's next opportunity for enshrinement was to come up on February 11th when the nominations closed and the committee made their decision. However due to all the controversy, all nominations have been suspended until further notice. Possibly good news for Moore, presently his fan base have only accumulated 300 signed nominations, and were hoping to have 1700 more names by February 1st, now they have all sorts of time to get the vote in.
All these years out of High School and still there are struggles for class popularity, somehow one thinks there should be a movie in there somewhere for Michael. And I have just the opening theme for him, From Steely Dan How about "My Old School"
Get a Job!
Despite rumours of "secret" meetings this weekend between Gary Bettman and Bob Goodenow, the NHLPA leader issued seem advice to his membership, a brutal and cold delcaration of misery to hockey fans across North America.
Goodenow advised his players to go to Europe as soon as possible and find work and be prepared to sign on for next year as well. It's unclear if he issued his edict before, after or during these "secret" meetings which may or may not have taken place. But the omens are not particularly good for anything resembling NHL quality hockey in the short term.
Interestingly enough the announcement was made in audio form on the Union website The Source, accessible only to union it members. One wonders about the audio only message, perhaps Bob likes the sound of his own voice. Jokes about athletes not being able to read will not be snickered at on HockeyNation thank you very much! At any rate, one assumes we can now say the players heard the news from the horses mouth. Though I'm thinking that Messrs, Bettman and Daly have a different body part in mind!
Regardless, its just one more nail into the coffin of the year that would have been 2004-05. Secret meetings or not, the prospect of a season of less than fourty games, followed by a playoff run of almost equal length seems rather pointless now.
Both sides have made their contribution to the mess, so we'll leave it to them to figure out whenever they can fit the game back into their schedule. Just don't be surprised if the paying customers take some time to think over their options. Life has gone on, the game while missed is certainly not draining us of our energies. We find other things to do, best you hope that we don't start to enjoy those other things at your expense later on. You can make your changes, but we may make some of our own!
The above article first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more articles about hockey check it out!
Goodenow advised his players to go to Europe as soon as possible and find work and be prepared to sign on for next year as well. It's unclear if he issued his edict before, after or during these "secret" meetings which may or may not have taken place. But the omens are not particularly good for anything resembling NHL quality hockey in the short term.
Interestingly enough the announcement was made in audio form on the Union website The Source, accessible only to union it members. One wonders about the audio only message, perhaps Bob likes the sound of his own voice. Jokes about athletes not being able to read will not be snickered at on HockeyNation thank you very much! At any rate, one assumes we can now say the players heard the news from the horses mouth. Though I'm thinking that Messrs, Bettman and Daly have a different body part in mind!
Regardless, its just one more nail into the coffin of the year that would have been 2004-05. Secret meetings or not, the prospect of a season of less than fourty games, followed by a playoff run of almost equal length seems rather pointless now.
Both sides have made their contribution to the mess, so we'll leave it to them to figure out whenever they can fit the game back into their schedule. Just don't be surprised if the paying customers take some time to think over their options. Life has gone on, the game while missed is certainly not draining us of our energies. We find other things to do, best you hope that we don't start to enjoy those other things at your expense later on. You can make your changes, but we may make some of our own!
The above article first appeared on my HockeyNation blog, for more articles about hockey check it out!
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