An open letter to Mayor John Tory
Our relationship goes back a way John, but in a nutshell I can thank you for severing my ties with Rogers after once upon a time receiving a form letter from you in response to my letter addressed to Ted. I never thought of it as your idea, as such, I'm one of many Torontonians who have supported you in every one of your runs for public office. Truth is you are in the place where I've always felt you could affect the most change.
I understand that your job sucks in a way. There is no way to tackle all we need tackled, there are no budgets to support all that needs money, there is no way to please almost 3 million electoral residents either. But I keep hearing how much you love your job. I admire you for that.
Obviously this isn't a letter to praise you for everything you've done, in fact it's a letter to vent my frustrations with some recent decisions that you've supported. One in particular, the raid on the pot dispenseries doesn't sit well for me.
Understand this, I fully support that these operations were illegally operating, flaunting themselves if you will. My issue is not about their legality or proximity to schools as I heard you mention. My issue is the waste of time and resources spent in fighting this battle.
I, like so many, spend a couple of hours each day in my car, slogging back and forth to my job in another part of the city. Every day on the QEW, Gardiner, DVP, 401 or any other artery, street or lane, I am cut off or made to make a move in my vehicle in order to avoid one of the thousands of texting drivers.
I shop in a number of neighborhoods where it's hard not to notice the prevelance of grey plastic bags with cartons of smokes in them, rarely brands we associate with legal tax paid cigarettes.
Recently I have been appalled at the number of vehicular accidents on our roads involving drunk drivers (in broad daylight half the time), a crime that I honestly believed would go away like the Mumps, but lately has been revived to magnanimous heights.
The city is doing a pathetic job of caring for its Hard drug users, 16 detox beds in the entire city John, 16 - 3 million residents, 16 beds?
Finally John, there are fewer days where my local news isn't kicking off the 6 O'clock news with another story of a shooting in our fair city. That 680 News is reporting on a cat in Riverdale being the latest victim of gun violence after being shot inside it's own home by someone shooting through the house's front door almost gave me pause for laughter, but it didn't.
Again, I support that these Pot operations are illegal. All but the detox beds that I mentioned above are illegal as well and quite honestly far more dangerous to the public's well being than an illegal pot dispensery. If I thought for one moment that your support of this was because you were told that busting the dispenseries would remove guns from the street, rid us of drunk drivers, stop people from texting while driving or prevent one opiate addict from going into withdrawal, I'd bow and call you a genius. But right now, I am not seeing it this way, I'm seeing you and the police chief using low lying fruit to appear as a united force in the battle on "drugs".
The war on drugs is far greater than a pot store on Kennedy Road John, the manufacturing, importing and distribution of Crystal Meth, date rape drugs, HGH, Cocaine, Heroin and many others are the problem John, Hell's Angels and the other undergrounds control that trade, add human trafficking for a laugh and you've got the idea. Pot? Pot is as available as just about anything, and it's not coming from these groups, it's coming from Canada Post and FedEx.
Again I get its illegal, but dear God John, we all know we are moving away from that illegality and instead of being Toronto the Staid, maybe we should look at Vancouver, a city dealing with these dispenseries far longer that the Six. Their response? Let them operate and keep a close eye on their businesses, explain that under 21 clients are not allowed and failure to comply will shut them down, threatening them actually works and now the city is embracing and licensing them. John I implore you as a human, a politician and a friend, stop wasting our resources on this "victim-less" crime and implore the Chief to explore the more serious problems this city is facing, I suspect they are far harder to solve, but that's why we hired him into his role isn't it?
What's over the top in an election?
Have been getting
overly sensitive around elections of late.
I am not someone who considers themselves a Liberal, a Conservative or
an NDP’r. I rarely if ever miss a chance
to vote, and feel passionately about politics, but I vote based on the current
issues and opportunities and what I believe is the best and most promising in
candidates, no parties to blur my thinking.
It`s a little backwards in ways, to not support a party is to not truly
have a belief is some people`s thinking.
I believe that the parties have blurred their own lines and are no
longer clinging to party lines as they did in the past making my decision a lot
easier to manage. On Thursday we will
head to the polls, voter turnout will be horrendously low and we will once
again be left holding the bag in this province, the only true bonus of this race
is the likelihood of a minority government.
Last week a lot
(almost an inordinate number actually) of folks on FB took offence to a cartoon
printed in the Toronto Sun, created by Andy Donato. Everyone was screaming that this was
disgusting and completely offensive. The
cartoon did NOT show anyone’s face, body, sex or sexual preference, just teeth,
glasses and stuff, based on the previous night’s debate, the assumption was
clearly that it was Wynne. I have seen
the same carton a million times, in so many forms and never has it created
controversy. The last time FYI, was Andy
Donato’s doing as well, but the last time it showed Hudak bloodied at the hands
of McGuinty in 2011.
Political races are a
competition, a race as it were, but not a race afoot, rather a race of words
and tactics. To win as a politician you
must be intelligent (Unless electing a leader if you are a Republican), you
must be calm and you must have balls.
Not getting into the other part, you must lie well, you enjoy deception
and like to abuse your power and money, that’s a different discussion.
In a race you are in a
dogfight. You have to have thick skin
and you must be prepared to bare all to everyone. It’s a war (the current Ontario election
should be known as the Lame War mind you), last man standing kind of
stuff.
Back to the
cartoon. In 2011 when that cartoon was
used with Hudak as the victim, no one said boo, he got knocked around by both
Andrea and Dalton in the debate, he earned his punches and got them and
everyone agreed. Fast forward to today,
I personally thought she was awful in the debate, but so were the other two
nevertheless Wynne was the cartoon victim this time. Same cartoon, same theme, AND yet everyone is
up in arms, because its gay bashing or showing violence towards women, both of
which are heinous acts. I failed then
and continue to fail to see the connection between the cartoon and Wynne’s sex
and sexuality. She’s a warrior in the
battle of her life and she was knocked down somewhat (according to Andy Donato
at least) in a public debate. Big deal
really, at least as far as I see it, big deal.
I am by no means
saying that women’s rights and LGBT rights have no place in this election, they
do in fact, but not where the leaders are concerned. Wynne is a candidate, nothing less and
nothing more, her private life makes for nice fodder and a wonderful screenplay,
but is hardly an issue we are voting on, nor an issue the Donato saw in
creating his cartoon.
It would be the same
if a black man were running against a white man and they showed either of their
likenesses having been beating, the political do-gooders of this politically
correct society would scream racism, or profiling or gang or drug related
crime, whatever, you know that based on this outcry there would have been in
that case too – RELAX folks, and try NOT to put issues into this election that
don’t already exist.
On another note, a
good friend on FB posted an abusive personal attack on Hudak the other night,
based solely on the mole on his cheek. I
would ask you, which attack is worse?
There’s no place for that kind of personal shit in any election, because
honestly, once we go there, we are opening this up to the kind of personal attacks
that will challenge Wynne’s openness and move us 30 years back as a civilization.
Avoidance
Most of us are really good at it. My wife, my brothers, my kids, my friends, my
colleagues, yet all will agree that they avoid things, but none as well as I.
For me it’s laziness mostly.
But in one instance in my life it’s been an unknown feeling that never
made me happy. Until a few days ago, I
managed to avoid every single high school reunion/party I could. I even avoided College ones for a while too,
but that wasn’t the same.
Since finishing HS, I have been invited to about 10
different HS related events, the school’s 75th and 100th
birthday, a ten year, 20 year and 30th reunion amongst them. Facebook has made reunions a little easier to
both organize and stomach for me.
Why the avoidance?
Fear mostly, inner fear, none different than anyone else’s fear I
suspect.
As time rolls forward, I look more to the past for guidance,
and as I watch my own kids evolve into adults I see so much of my life
reflected in theirs, in particular, the shitty stuff. I was about as awkward a teen as there
was. 25% acne coated nerd, 25%
know-it-all, 25% obnoxious, and 25% well adjusted, mature and evolving
teenager. Once again, not a whole lot
different from the rest of you I suspect.
Add to that severely lacking in self-confidence and somewhat alone and
boy oh boy, what a prize I was. Truth be
known, I am quite proud of who I was then, I was smart, funny, athletic,
mature, well-mannered and actually a really nice guy. For some reason in the company of others I
have this need to impress and to try too hard.
Again, no difference from oh so many.
Back to the avoidance, I was or at least had always been
afraid of what others thought of me back then.
I didn’t ever feel the need to confront that fear, it was always
optional.
Not sure why I chose this weekend, but I did. And to prove I
wasn’t quite over my fears yet, I left the house 30 minutes later than planned,
and when I arrived, I walked back and forth in front of the venue 5 times
before inhaling deeply and going in. A
man hug from an old buddy, a hug from a woman from 34 years ago and most of the
fear was gone. I had a blast, and
wondered what the big deal was. In all
there were 40-50 folks in all, I managed to say hello to many of them, we
shared laughs, smiles and stories, we shared first crushes, first dumps, I even
found out that I asked a really popular and attractive girl to a grade 9 dance
and she accepted, no memory of that, of course no memory of her ditching me for
a “grandmother’s funeral” either.
Funny how you think of yourself though really isn’t it?
HS was a shitty 5 ½ year journey in so many ways for
me. Memories of loneliness, sadness and
awkwardness easily outweighing the happiness and joy that so many enjoyed.
Saturday I was reminded by an old friend, 30 ought years
later that I wasn’t such a dork, only at times, and that this person actually
really did like my company and hanging with me and being my friend and I was
reminded of the great quote that if you have more than one true friend in your
lifetime you are blessed, Saturday I found out how blessed I was.
Big Q for me is whether or not I would or will do it again,
put myself out there for another reunion and the answer is unequivocally maybe!
Other than religion, what to talk about?
Been a long time since I wrote and
whined....
Living in Toronto nowadays is like
being in the world's largest political maelstrom ever.
Not sure the exact order, but we got a
Fed scandal, a Provincial scandal and of course the City's own little
ditty all in the span of a few months. I could be wrong, but the fed
scandal was the first, with Duellin' Dalton cancelling the gas plants
prior to the last election, saying publicly that the cost of doing
so was negligible, even tho opposition claimed it to be in the
“hundreds of millions” later to be found to have cost something
in the area of $580 million dollars.
Vanished – poof –
now-u-see-it-now-you-don't kinda stuff. $580 million!
What can be done with that amount of
money – that doesn't involve throwing it away?
- Pay for about a fifth of the
Toronto Subway expansion
- Fund approximately 100 schools in
Ontario for one year
- Pay down Provincial debt
- Build approximately 2300 low cost
family houses across the province
- Pay for two fucking political
riding's
Of course, Squinty McGuinty seeing the
house of cards crumbling, shocks everyone last fall by announcing
that he's stepping down almost a year to the day after winning the
election – leaving us in a no-Wynn situation, different look,
different voice, same rhetoric. As a result of his Holyless'
resignation, Onatarian's, hot on the heels of the $580 million dollar
flush, will now see an election called two years or more before it's
supposed to happen...chalk those expenses up to the mighty Fiberals.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Ottawa...
The Rotund one, former political
commentator-turned politician, Mike Duffy (Never to be mistaken with
Jared, the Subway diet dude), expects us to believe that the Prime
Minister of Canada's top Aide cutting him a personal cheque for
$90,000.00 to re-pay the senator's expenses isn't an odd-sounding
thing? Mike, in all your years hosting Sunday Mornings on CTV, did
you ever hear of this happening? Of course not Mike – Bribes are
SUPPOSED TO BE KEPT OFF THE RECORD ya dumb-ass.
Of course, former CTV team mate Pammy
Wallin is now under the gun on her expenses as is at least one other
senator. It's not $580 million folks, but heinous? You bet your
sweet bippy it is – it's as smelly as it gets, and these derelicts
are likely to walk away unscathed – or at least unscathed
criminally, I do suspect however that they'll lose that cushy Senator
role and the pension that goes with it.
Prime Minister Little Steven, for his
part denies any knowledge of this affair, and defends that fact.
There is something about the bulk of the email trail being destroyed
– that's not a problem however – That's good governance!
Then of course, there is home, the
wonderful haven of Toronto where our Mayor, Mayor McCheeseburger, is
doing his best to ensure that Toronto is mentioned in every newspaper
in the world. Ford believes that this is a much cheaper and more
effective method of promoting tourism for our great city.
Toronto, the little city that grew up &
along the way might have dabbled in illegal pharmaceuticals ....more
than once.
Actually for me, the least heinous of
all of these events is the one in Toronto, the one that can't stop
stealing headlines worldwide. Dare I say that it becomes a helluva
lot more heinous when the video appears, assuming of course that
there is one. But Ford, for all his lunacy and desperate stupidity
hasn't really cost us a whole lot of money. Hasn't really done
anything actually – which is definitely a problem, but I wasn't
trying to focus of the political abilities of any of these people,
just that they are all fucked.
Complete morons and thieves are running
our cities, our provinces and the country, and we as Canadians are
sitting here, leaning towards giving all of these parties another
shot (Okay Maybe Lumpy won't have a shot in Toronto again, but
whatever) at another 4 or 5 years?
Anyone (yes Verm you too!) who is
planning on voting for either the Provincial Liberals or the Federal
PC's (yea or the Ford Twins for that matter) should really look
themselves in the mirror and ask if that is the best way to use or
misuse your hard earned tax dollars.
Personally, I don't think it is.
Knapsacks and Paddywacks!!!!
Been a
meaning to write something for ages, just haven’t found time or
energy to put anything to paper.
What brings
me back is a rant of course.
Posted
earlier this week on my FB status: Biggest advertising lie
in the world today: These Knapsacks are so slim-line you
can wear them on a crowded bus and no one will notice.
So for those
of you who, like me, spend their three dollars every morning for the
privilege of squeezing your newly showered and cleaned body onto the
ride of the great unwashed, this rant’s for you.
I remember
years ago, riding the red rocket and at the time there was no or at
least very little advertising on those old rickety subway cars. The
advertising came later, but the plastic placards were
still on board, just used only by the TTC to show station maps etc.
One TTC
billboard stood out. A picture of a teen and an adult on a
crowded subway with their Adidas bags at their feet and a tagline
that read something to the effect of “be kind to other passengers
and place your bags under your seat or at your feet.”
We all saw
it, and maybe because it was the 70’s, and civil disobedience was
becoming a thing of the past, but we all followed it as a rule.
Fast forward
30 plus years and the bag thing has become a huge inconvenience in
subways and buses.
Now here’s
where I get mean and spiteful
I am one of
the Knapsack carrying Transit denizens, and I have NEVER worn my
knapsack past the point where I pay, sadly that can’t be said of
that minority of about 10% of riders who put their bags on as they
leave their offices and take them off when they get home. On
Monday, standing quietly against a wall on a subway, on walked a man
and a woman, both with knapsacks on and they both backed up to me and
stood motionless with their bags about 1 inch away from me – no
problem.
As the train
started to move, so too did the passengers and sure enough as we left
the station I got bumped by the corner of a laptop right in the hand
which was bandaged at the time, now casted, but we ain't going
there! I actually audibly “ouched” and the woman
turned around and scoffed at me. I then tested the waters.
“Would
you mind removing your knapsack, it’s banging into me?” I asked
She turned,
looked me in the eyes and said: “then you should move”
Stunned and
quite pissed off, I returned my eyes to my phone, responded to an
email and carried on my business. Of course buddy’s turn
was next. He (probably on purpose) backed into me, when
the train was running smoothly, hard enough to piss me off. I
asked him the same question. At this point a growing
number of passengers are watching this happen and I know from facial
expressions, none were siding with Dick and Jane. He of
course said no, turned to her and said “what a jerk”
Now I am an
angry man at times. My bark is far worse than my bite, but
I’m also a fairly intelligent man as well. Fighting
these two morons with words and politeness was no longer an option –
this was going to take originality.
The third
time I was bumped, the hardest bump to date, oh and there’s never
an apology because their nerve endings don’t extend 3 feet out of
their backs to the back of the packs. At this point I
tapped them both on the shoulder gently, interrupting their Starbucks
moment together, and told them that they were rude and pompous
assholes. Then, knowing that the gloves were off, I opened
all of the zippers on their knapsacks and pretended that I was
putting stuff in the pockets.
Her reply to
me was “what the fuck do you think you’re doing”
My response
was “it’s on my lap, I figured it was my bag.”
Well, there
it is folks. Want someone to remove their knapsacks? Open
the pockets and pretend to place something in it, or if your balls
are bigger than mine, pretend to take something out.
The knapsacks
were off within 5 seconds and the laughter began. It was
my laughter at first. But within 10 seconds, it was a few
nearby passengers laughing the hardest, when they realized I had
placed NOTHING in these bags.
Next time –
try it – you will be shocked at how much space you get.
High School Reunions
Last weekend I missed a high school reunion thingy and it got me to thinking.
First of all the reunion thingy was part of a 100th anniversary of the school not a class reunion, not sure why I am clarifying that part, but I am. My excuse for missing was a little slanted and certainly wasn't that good, but being 90 miles down the QEW with 5 kids under my guardianship and carting said children from town to berg and hamlet to village from 10 that morning until 8 that night was enough for me to say no.
Of course in this world where instant coffee has been replaced with instant gratification, it wasn't long past midnight that photos and stories started sailing across the lake, and those smiles and quotes did nothing but make me realize that I would regret missing this reunion for years to come.
Funny thing about reunions, and I've been thru a lot of school ones as I went to a lot of schools (read into that what you will, but my father was not an army man, read into again, it should make more sense this go round, after all, this is me we're talking about!).
I missed my 10 year college one because of my wedding, they held a 15 which coincided with a family reunion to celebrate my mom's life, yup, missed that one too...the school one that is. 20th? Away on business. 25th - wife away, Mr. Mom can't play.
High school seemed easier to miss for me. At college I felt like someone. In high school, I was that awkward guy who went from class clown to class moron to village idiot three times a day, more if Dr. Kumra was teaching.
I didn't leave high school with the greatest of memories, nor did I feel that I was the worst of guys, I was, however, one of the most awkward of all.
To go to a reunion from those days seemed almost surrealistic to me. Without Facebook, I would have likely plodded through life not knowing anything about 99% of the people I went to school with. Funny thing is, I would have been fine with that. Facebook was once presented to me as “that website where everyone you knew and figured you didn’t want to know will get to know you.” That’s the new world – and I’ve embraced it thoroughly.
I’ve re-connected with a lot of friends from yore, and we’ve exchanged hi’s, how are ya’s, whatcha been upto’s and many other pleasantries, and for whatever reason I really get a kick out of it. Voyeuristic as it may appear, there’s something intriguing about peering into other’s lives undetected and seeing what’s become of them years or decades later. Then again, it’s only what they want you to see, they have, after all, invited you, and really they don’t care. Well at least we can suppose it’s more legit because of that.
Back to the reunion, all week long I’ve seen photos of people that I would love to catch up with, and it’s made me a little sad that I didn’t go, but I can’t change that, so I will continue to live my high school life vicariously through Mark Zuckerberg’s greatest contribution - or theft, depending on what you’ve read.
Again with those thoughts I was trying to remember my greatest memory from high school, and my love of high school runs so deep that I couldn’t remember a single great thing that happened to me in those hallowed halls on Roehampton.
My favourite memory of that era was a game of golf with Geoff Browne, Telfer Hanson and Jamie Fike – the man who made the Bronco famous when OJ was still a Buffalo Bill! I have no idea how we shot – four guys with probably one full set of clubs, a mickey of Southern Comfort each and other stuff that we shouldn’t have had, realistically the golf wasn’t the point. On the other hand, renting carts that day wasn’t possibly the best idea that the club ever had. When I leaned to the right, as Fike swerved the cart to the left, well, ummm, gravity had it’s own agenda and we flipped the cart, the roof of which dipped it’s frilly canvas sunguard into a nearby water hazard. Scared shitless, we couldn’t stop laughing, and when Fike emerged from over the back of the cart, with a wry smile and a “hey guys, I think we should go now”, we left that golf course running at speeds that the aforementioned OJ could have only dreamt of.
The four of us caused shit and had a blast, but I still don’t know how much of high school I would ever want to re-live. Then again, it’s probably time to suck it up and face off against these demons, if that’s what they are.
Wasting a life
I guess I am just a jaded old fart.
I don’t think I am really old in age, but I tend to be a funny blend of old and new in mind. I took from my dad that pragmatic old school grumpy bastard attitude of his, I got his grumpy old fart mood as well. I cherish it every day, while Catherine and the kids duck and cover. The new must be Nancy’s, but I don’t remember her being much of a futurist.
Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a blog about discovering my inner grumpy bastard at the ripe age of 48. This is about my tolerance – or lack of it.
I watched a You Tube clip moments ago as I seem to do more and more often these days. This was a clip posted by a friend on Facebook – again the world is changing when you go to the internet to find the news clips you have yet to find in your online newspaper. I digress however, as this blog has absolutely nothing to do with anything I have written so far.
There in front of me was Kevin Costner saying a tearful and emotional good bye to his friend and costar Whitney Houston.
Enter jaded old me.
Listening to a conversation the other day between a group of women regarding the funeral for Whitney, I realized that I couldn’t care for Whitney. I couldn’t care for Amy either and Lyndsay Lohan isn’t a favourite either these days. Cold and heartless isn’t it?
Don’t get me wrong, before there was an Amy or a Whitney, there was a Jim, a Jimi, a Keith and a Janis of course. Sad, life consuming musicians who’s artistry and psychoses’ were overwrought with depressions and anxieties that could only be soothed by living a life in a make-believe world of purple clouds and flying elephants. These artists were failed by their handlers, their agents, their families, their fans and their enemies.
These people are just that. They are people.
I can’t believe I would ever do this in a blog, but to quote Barbra, they are people who need people.
The people seemingly failed them. Be it A friend or a Bobby Brown, they are dead because they were failed and because they failed.
Death by drugs and alcohol for these people is their legacy and with everything that is around them, with all the interventions, with all the money and all the help available to them, they snubbed their noses at it and were allowed to carry on.
We can blame ourselves too. We placed and continue to place these people on these pedestals, and when their world crashes around them, we seek solace in the fact that we’re not like them and that their fairytale styling’s will allow them to get better with a wave of their wands; as such we buy more of their works and deepen their pockets so that they can enjoy their riches so much more.
Yes – they are human and in this humanity we know that to err is human.
To worship these people is what I can’t really get my head around. These people were given chances and opportunities that none of us will ever be given. They have talents that we can only dream of and they quickly wash it away with the snort of a line or the pop of a pill. Because they can.
They live a surreal life of mansions, parties and limousines. Their reality is blurred by the flash of a camera or the signing of a fan’s hand in a restaurant. Their reality is blurred by drugs and alcohol and in their corner of the world, that’s okay.
Well it’s not okay. Drugs? No, that’s not what I meant. Drugs are, well drugs are a part of life in this 21st century world in which we live. Marijuana is here to stay, coke, heroin, pain killers, heroin, alcohol, all drugs, all here to stay.
Eradicate drugs and the problem goes away? Good luck with that one.
Drugs are the ends to the problem for these people, the beginning of the problem is them. The middle sadly is us. We are those friends, those families, those fans. We seek them, we buy them, we support them, we ostracize them before we tell them we love them. But most sad of us is that we elevate them in their deaths.
Whats the difference between Whitney and some street person in Detroit who both died last week of drug overdoses? Whitney had a chance. She had a chance to win a battle, she was given everything she needed and yet she failed. The street person, had nothing, was given nothing and had no chance. Today, both dead and who does society turn their support and love to? The one who needed it the least.
Sad for me. Very sad.
So you’ll have to understand that for me, there are no tears for Whitney. My sympathy is not there. Another life wasted in its prime, despite the help and support? Pretty much that’s it – what a waste.
Testosterone – Myth or real?
My house says it’s real. In the words of Jackie Childs, the famed and stupendous attorney for Cosmo Kramer, it’s real and it’s spectacular Jerry!I told my big bro about this a while ago. The lovely, talented and vivacious one and I actually laughed many years ago at my brother and his wife, who didn’t really seem too comfortable with the constant fighting between their two elder boys, at the time aged 10+12. They simply had to separate them at all times, for the two of them couldn’t be in the same room or hell would break loose.We laughed, we stood in amazement (okay we didn’t really laugh or shake our heads or stand in amazement, but it makes a far better story doesn’t it?) at their inability. Catherine, for her part, offered that you need to lay down the law – you are in charge, make them stop. I nodded in agreement.Fast forward 7 years, our own children are no longer angelic in nature. They are no longer in awe of the fat man in the red suit. The Easter bunny is but a mere thought and the tooth fairy isn’t happy or gay let alone real. Life changed a bit on us while we were napping.I fathered two boys. My offspring as it were will always be the apples of my eyes. They will get from life what they deserve as do we all, but in the meantime, I think that Cath and I could just as easily throw them both through a plate glass window most nights.The simple statement “stop” has no meaning in our house anymore. Two boys; two agendas.Constant nattering is the only thing that seems constant in our home today. Whether it’s the older one being the tough guy and pushing around his much younger brother. Whether it’s the younger one who walks into the basement where big bro is playing video games or working on the computer and just randomly starts to play his drums? Forget that our house is replete with 7 or 8 rooms and that each of them has their own. This is all about who can piss off the other first and most. I stopped getting involved a few days ago – my parents let my brothers torture me, why should my guys have it any other way. The youngest won the first post-referee battle – a swift and hard knee into the small of the larger one’s back assured his victory, however dirty and malicious the hit was. In tears, I told the older one that he brought it on. That was apparently not the right answer.The venom is literally spewing these days, from both of them, and no matter how hard I try to stay out, I can’t. Someone’s going to get hurt here and as a responsible parent I think it’s my job to stop it lest I be taken away by the local Children’s Aid. As hard as I tried to stay out last night, I couldn’t, I got involved and literally the only thing I proved capable of doing was delaying the inevitable. So again tonight, I will do my best to stay put. I will resist all temptations to referee this battle and hopefully one days the two will realize that no matter what they do today and over the next few years as their testosterone takes over their lives, when the dust finally settles there is a better than naught chance that the two of them will become BFF’s.
miss me?
Sorry...Been remiss in not writing....combination of writer's block and too much to do and little time to recant...will try again now....okay maybe not.
Cherry Poppins
I consider myself as Canadian as the next person. Five and six generations of my family born before me in this country, I am as Canadian as most who share this great land.
This is the time of the year when about a third of the population of this country return to their TV sets on a Saturday night. It’s the time when the leaves fall from the trees and the Leafs fall in the standings. Young men ply their trade on ice surfaces from sea to shining sea. It is the start of the next 8 months of hockey for all who care.
And so it was last night as I sat down with my older son Jake, my wife, my visiting mother in law, a neighbour or two and I am pretty sure there was a mouse in the corner peeking out from time to time to catch a glimpse of the score.
This isn’t hockey in my house, this is our equivalent of the Family Feud. We don’t have anyone who carries the charisma of a Richard Dawson – in fact we don’t even have anyone who can pull off a Sargeant Shultz. We do, however have a mad Leafs fan and three equally mad Habs fans sharing the same roof. The neighbours are always quick to arrive to help poor Jake’s cheering section grow, and last night, their cheers out muscled our groans as the two teams kicked off 2011 with a murky version of the game.
This article is not about the game in our house. This isn’t about a family divided in hockey and united on the X Factor. This is about the quality of the broadcast on our national channel. Last night, as I have for more years than I care to admit, I stared in amazement and awe after the first period, watching awful commercials and good commercials, and waiting. Waiting is what we do in between periods. It’s where the TV broadcasters make their money and we as viewers sit through 10 minutes of commercials to finally get to see 2 minutes of a man in a bad suit.
I will admit that I have never really been a fan of Don Cherry. As Canadian as I am, it almost sounds sacrilegious to admit this openly.
Canadian’s love him. Polls suggest in most elections that if he were running he would beat out the Harpers and McGuinty’s of this country. He’s as Canadian as Stompin’ Tom, Pierre Trudeau, Wayne Gretzky or Terry Fox and I love all those people for various and sundry reasons, but Cherry has always been the train wreck of my life. Awful and painful to watch, yet weekly or more often, I find myself tuned into him waiting on bated breath to hear what absurdities will be spewed forth from his gob every week.
Rarely if ever do I walk away from the TV thinking, hey that Don Cherry is right. Oh it happens, but it’s seemingly as rare as a Leaf Stanley Cup appearance.
Game one of 2011 and there was Don, nattily attired in his shower curtain-come-suit as big as life sitting alongside his confrere, Ron McLean and within seconds my blood pressure was dangerously high. Taking the NHL to task, Cherry spewed over and again about how the NHL has gone too far in its battle against the headshot and the new rules are going to make a mockery of the game. Following his “outing” of hald the fighters in the NHL, he basically undressed the league as being too soft.
To him, the game is about the violence not the sport.
When was the last time that Cherry stood in front of his millions of viewers and spouted off about the talented goals being scored from sea to sea? I don’t remember it ever. I know he has, but likely that was a comment he would eventually taint by adding a stupid comment about the nationality of the scorer.
News? Well no, this isn’t news. This is one man’s rant about a man who’s days have passed him by.
At 77 it’s time for Don to step down. Not because he’s 77, but rather because he’s no longer representing the majority of Canadians with his opinions. His days of Rock ‘em Sock ‘em hockey are no longer relevant. Hockey is and always will be a very rough and tumble sport. Be it under the watchful eye of Colin Campbell, Brendan Shanahan or Buffy St. Marie for that matter, the violence in the game is not being questioned. What is being addressed is the violence that is slowly removing the talent from the game – the head shots. Cherry is apparently opposed to this – or if not opposed, he’s simply not in favour.
I know that Cherry is a figure head and little else. He’s probably the CBC’s top paid on-air personality – money that comes from you and I of course. His controversial comments are merely fodder for viewership and honestly, are unlikely to be his real beliefs. At least that’s what I’ve always thought. I no longer think or believe that. Cherry is no longer capable of sounding logical. His years of rant and rave have finally taken over his brain and he now seems to believe in his own words.
For me that’s sad. Sad for the CBC and sad for hockey and sad for those of you who live and breathe by his stupid utterances.
Passing the blame
Tweets abound over the death of Wade Belak. One in particular caught my eye.
Tyson Nash, formerly with the Phoenix Coyotes tweeted: "Ur entire life is dedicated to hockey and then one day it's all over and ur kicked to the curb! And the NHLPA does nothing to prepare u”
That’s a pretty powerful statement on it’s own. It is, of course, tied to the death of Wade Belak, but obviously hits home with Nash who left the NHL in 2007 after 7 seasons in the league.
Wade Belak played 14 seasons in the NHL. Kicked to the curb? Well 8 goals and 25 assists is a not-so-bad season for an enforcer in the league. The problem is that Belak produced those 33 points over those 14 seasons. Nash, for his part, produced 64 points over his 7 seasons. Neither of these players were exactly top line players. I am not trying to sound harsh by belittling these players and their stats, Belak hanged himself, and that’s a horrible thing, not for him as much as his wife and kids. But kicked to the curb?
If your entire life is dedicated to music, finance, engineering, sports, gardening or anything, one day it will come to an end. Life is about beginnings and endings. I have worked for wll over 30 years of my life at various and sundry positions, some being pastimes, some being careers, others being jobs. Realistically, while my bank manager has told me to prepare for when it’s all over, but I am not prepared.
My employer has in the past and will in the future tell me my services are no longer needed. And they will provide me with little if anything to prepare me for the days that lie ahead. Never having been in a union, I don’t really have an association to turn to either. When it happens (and it has) I am completely out there on my own. My curb, as it were, is but a pink-slip away. It’s no one else’s responsibility, it’s mine and mine alone.
We always hear about pro athletes, hard on their luck. Selling a Rolls Royce to pay the rent, selling a championship ring to pay alimony or even sleeping in a cardboard box under an overpass. These poor men and women, given nothing but fame and fortune in their prime, end up with nothing. People like Nash blame the system and I guess in some way I do too. The system I am blaming is the one that drafts and hires these athletes, who, in my opinion, are not smart enough to manage their own lives.
Gretzky? Richard? Belliveau? Sittler? Magic? Elway? Marino? The Big O? Staubach? Did the system let these men down? They all ended up on the curb at some point – but they were all able to figure it out. The PA’s of their respective leagues were no different than the NHLPA – It’s just that these men took it upon themselves to be smart. They thought about the what’s and wherefores and made changes or did things to affect change so they could live happily ever after.
The difference between Nash, Belak and me?
Tyson Nash – whom I don’t really think I had ever heard of prior to his tweet, made over $5 million in his 7 years, Belak made closer to $9 million. Since those two started be paid to play hockey, I have earned about one tenth of Nash’s money.
I love sports. I love that athletes do what they do. I can’t say I love that they make as much as they do – however we, as fans, pay them to do so. As long as someone pays, they are worth what they are paid is the rule.
But to be paid what they are and to place blame on the system for being kicked to the curb? To me that’s a very very poor expectation, if you ask me.
Sadly, Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak were not failed by the system of which Nash speaks.
They were failed by the system that says that fighting is illegal in the game and those that fight are punished by having to spend 2-10 minutes in solitary while their friends get to continue playing. Those fights affected their brains.
The only way the PA let them down was by not regulating the agents. Tyson Nash paid someone over $500,000.00 to represent him – perhaps that person could have been on the curb awaiting his arrival – or better yet, could have better prepared Nash and his brethren for their fall from grace.
Maybe these three men, now dead, already had depression running through those brains, and maybe not – either way, it’s apparently that some form of depression weighed heavily on them and reality wasn’t what they really wanted to deal with. No one will ever know the whole truth, but it’s a seemingly well substantiated claim that their bare knuckle fisticuffs at least played some part in creating or promoting that depression.
Steve and Jacko - Stately men
Not sure if I am alone, certainly an impulsive survey last night after a few beers, a few vodkas and of course a few plus one glasses of red wine, indicate that I am in the minority.
Yesterday we, as Torontonians, Ontarians and Canadians said our final goodbyes to Jack Layton. Taken far too early in his life, but Jack as always, put up a fight to end all fights.
Inevitably, as with so many, cancer took his life, quickly and quietly.
I won’t get into Jack’s achievements, but suffice it to say they were many. City Council, runs for mayor, runs for Federal politics, and eventually taking the NDP to levels it had never reached in it’s long-storied history.
Jack worked hard and achieved much in life.
Jack worked hard and some might say achieved less than he should have.
Certainly I am in the latter camp. Jack Layton was someone I didn’t like as a politician. Certainly he was an individual I admired as a human being, hard working and stubborn as hell, but his politics were not mine.
I harken back however, Jack achieved less than he should have.
And therein lies the proverbial rub for me. Jack was celebrated in a state funeral yesterday, something that is typically reserved for royals, heads of state and heads of military. Albeit that Canada has precedence in delivering publicly funded state funerals to people who were not Governor Generals, Prime Ministers and Kings and Queens, it still strikes me as wrong.
We as Canadian’s paid for Jack’s funeral this weekend, the motorcades, the trip to Ottawa and back, Roy Thompson Hall and the security to shut down the downtown core, all paid by we, the taxpayers.
And what bothers me is that my personal belief is that it’s not right. I could, would and should call it a politically motivated decision by our PM, little Stevie Harpoon, because it appears to be nothing more than this. Steve-o is looking to find ways to smooth over the voters in this country following his most recent decisive election victory last fall. His biggest win ever did not come without residual effects. Jack was never a Mayor, a Premier or a Prime Minister. He in fact tried to be all of them and never succeeded. A great man he was, a political icon in Toronto as well, but to be only the second man in Canadian history to recieve a State Funeral (who wasn't a Minister, Prime Minister or Governor General), I am not sure it was justified.
Again, I loved Jack as much as anyone who is tied to centre-right politics could love Jack.
Steve-o’s no longer has to worry about the Liberals and the Bloc, his only worry seems to be the NDP. No other Prime Minister in Canada has had this as a problem. When the NDP’s leader dies, let’s make his a hero, a king amongst his people. This softened stance is to me, nothing more than a grandstanding of political grandeur.
So Steverino doesn’t change or alter taxes, doesn’t fund anything artistic, doesn’t lower gas prices, doesn’t send the largest city in his realm any more money for it’s weakening transit system, but still, in Toronto, Steve-o nailed it and won over the hearts and minds of the majority left populace.
Sadly, that’s how I see it anyway, and trust me, with the exception of Stephen Paige’s Hallelujah, it was a terrific ceremony, a fantastic send off to a fantastic man, but for me it was a misuse of public funds, something that the government’s of this country of becoming more and more famous for doing.
Maybe if Nostradamus had predicted it, we’d have considered the fact that Amy Winehouse killed herself at the age of 27 polific.
After all, 27 is the same age as a number of sad stories of alcohol, drugs, fame and genius.
Brian Jones, Rolling Stones original drummer was the founding member 42 years ago.
Shortly after it’s foundation, Jimi, Janis and the Lizard King, Jim Morrison, all within two years of each other joined Jones.
Kurt Cobain was the latest until now, enter Amy Winehouse.
I loved Amy’s singing style, and knew that she had a gift, but before you could utter the word gift you would always know she was struggling with reality. Sadly, no one could help, albeit it does sound like many attempted to do so.
My sympathy and sadness is there, but I can’t really find the energy to show it. Sadly, as we mourn the loss of a sick person, 90+ healthy ones saw their lives taken away without warning at the hands of another sick individual.
The details may someday be cleared up, but somehow one man tried unsuccessfully to kill the Prime Minister of Norway instead killing 7 non-elected officials. Moments later, some 90 miles away, the same man, now dressed as a military or police officer, managed to lure a group of children at a camp towards him, before opening fire on them and somehow managing to kill over 80 campers.
There are details emerging about his motives, which were apparently to fight the growing multicultural internationalism in Norway.
Every year I sit in wait to find out which country is the best to live in on this planet.
Canada always seems to lose out to Norway as the greatest country in the world in which to live. While this isn’t about the finest country, it’s part of the reason we are shocked by something like this.
Norway.
Over 80 dead at the hands of one man. This is a reason to mourn, to be saddened, to questions one’s higher authority. 80 people.
Virginia Tech – 32 people
Columbine – 12
Montreal – 9
Dunblane – 17
Four of the worst mass-shooting sprees in recent history.
The four don’t really even add up to equal the sum total of the worst four.
80 people, mostly children, are dead. That’s what makes me sad, makes me want to mourn, and most certainly makes me question God in a strange and cold way. Amy is just sad.
The Political Rag...or stuff you should never say aloud
I know I shouldn’t write this….There are subjects that are taboo and should not be spoken about in public, especially in a bar, so for God’s sake (ooops, religion is one) put down your beer so I can rant about this stupid Canadian election for a minute or five. Why on earth do I often feel alone in my dislike and distrust of our Prime Minister Stevie Harper? Polls suggest that while he’s losing ground, he’s still the front runner in what is a two horse race, but for which we have 4 ½ horses running. After 5 years of this buffoon running our country, why are we, the smartest country in the world still clamouring to the hope that things will get better? Seeking his third term in 5 years (that alone is why our political system is in dire need of re-tooling), Harper has taken two minority governments through roller coaster rides of shame, lies and moronic maneuvers fit for a king…errrr….Prime Minister….errrr….well at least he thinks he’s a king! Yesterday on the campaign trail in London, Harper’s handlers (the Harpoons?) denied access to a woman to see the Prime Minister speak, because the woman (A UWO Political Science Major) had a photo of herself and a friend posing with Michael Ignatieff at a Liberal engagement. The woman, for her part, wanted nothing more than to see Harper, Iggy and at some point, Layton speak so that she could further her education and make an informed decision as a voter. God knows (sorry religious comment #2) we wouldn’t want the youth of this country to take an interest in politics. Bruce Carson – A man that Harper placed as a top Aide to his party, had 5 criminal convictions and had been disbarred as a lawyer. In 2009 it became public that this man used his political connections to his own advantage, and would have gotten away with it, if not for more bungling in Ottawa. Harper’s stand on this; I didn’t know anything.
How convenient is that? By the way, Carson for his parts claims through his lawyer that Harper was made fully aware of his past. Hmmmm G20 – Fake Lake, military state, rioting, police corruption, and police cover up….and Harper was in no way accountable for this? The democratic and economic hub of this country closed for business so that Harper could hold a meeting that more resembled a WWE Cage Match than a political rally. Dining on caviar and Canadian wine, Maple Syrup and farm raised Salmon, Elk and Raccoon while we, the workers in the core, were wrongfully displaced??? Hey Obama, I dare you to hold your next G20 in Manhattan!!! Military jets – Unopposed, we are expected to spend upwards of $30 Billion bucks to buy F35A fighter jets….This for a country that doesn’t support military spending, military policing and peacekeeping? The majority of Canadians want our troops pulled from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya or anywhere that they are currently deployed.
We’re all for protecting our North, yet all we’re doing is sending canoes to patrol the Arctic Ocean, because all of our resources are in the Middle East, keeping oil prices from getting out of control…and meanwhile I am paying $1.30 per liter for gas – gee thanks Steve. BTW for my friends in the US – that’s $4.92 a gallon! While it’s not significant, the difference to the government in tax revenues between a dollar/litre and $1.30/litre is approximately $1 billion dollars per year. So every time Harper or any government adds social services to a budget or relieves your tax duties, and leaves gas alone – well you know they are expecting to make up their shortfall through rising fuel prices. Just out of interest – How is it that Petro Canada, Esso and Shell (and any other major gas retailer) all raise their prices at midnight and to the same number every single day and yet this is considered fair trade under the competition act? This was brought up in Parliament once, and Harper answered that he would look into it…Suspect it’s a fairly big answer, and for the record we are still waiting Steve-0! I suppose I wouldn’t care nearly as much if Steve and his band of bandits would campaign on a book that isn’t built on lies and deceit, but once again, we as Canadians seem to want to embrace this government, for whom we’ll undoubtedly spend the next 18-60 months complaining about the lies and deceit for which they have so lovingly built their reputation.
Peeve's be we, part three...minus one
It’s kinda hard to whine and gripe today, considering the events that took place this past week in Japan.
However…in keeping with the “Pet Peeve” topic of my most recent posting and my penchant for pointing out the shortcoming of of inhabitants of this planet I present the following.
Is it not time for the TTC to resurrect the campaign that they ran in the 70’s and early 80’s encouraging their riders to place their bag neatly at their feet or under their seat?
I can’t believe the lack of consideration given by the new quasi-moto’s of Toronto who wear their knapsacks onto a bus or subway and walk around like there’s nothing to it – and by the way morons, you don’t actually have senses in your fricking knapsacks, the same way you do in your ass or elbows – when your ass or elbow knocks some unsuspecting guy named Geoff in the head, you actually know it, and if you are nice and well heeled, you’ll turn to me…errrr….that guy and apologize. When your bulging knapsack filled with hard edged laptops, binders, lunch boxes, shoes and maybe the odd barbell smacks the same head, you feel nothing and continue as if your add-on hunch back isn’t a part of you. You take up the space of 1.5 people now, and when I nudge you because I am pissed off that your knapsack is impeding on my space, you turn and leer at me because I, all of a sudden, am pissing you off.
Okay this rant is far more angry than originally intended, but I am tired of it. The TTC ran their campaigns in the 70’s and 80’s when we all hauled our Adidas gym bags to and fro, but now that everyone has moved to the Heys pack-du-jour, I am coming home nightly with bumps, bruises and generally a foul mood in tail, because of the insensitivity of these masses. Funny enough, it does seem to be those born in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s who are the culprits, generally (but not always) those of us old enough to remember the TTC campaign.
While we’re at it – I have to say the average TTC driver is really nice and fun to ride with. Sadly the not-so-average driver’s ruin it for the good ones – but we’ll save that one for a rainy day!
Peeve's be we
A pet peeve is slowly developing in my craw.
Sadly I know that I am guilty of it as well, but nonetheless I will be more aware of it because I wrote this piece.
Lately through work and also even in my personal life I have been getting called “buddy” and “dude” a lot – which on it’s own is fine – if you are reading this then likely you know me well enough to finish a conversation by saying “all right, have a good one dude” or some parallel comment. It’s the first time callers that get to me. Just today I took three calls this AM and heard the caller on the other end complete the call by saying “alright buddy, have a good one”. My dad rolled over three times in his grave I can assure you. These are cold callers vying to get my firms business, the service they are provided is entitled “professional services”. I am fairly certain that calling someone on the phone, someone you’ve never met, “buddy” or “dude” is not quite professional in most circles.
Quite scary really.
I think the whole text-speak is starting to take hold and old fuddy-duddy’s like me are being proven right in our thoughts that text speak, computers and in general technology will obviously be changing the world, but less obvious is that it will be altering future generations views of Miss Manners world.
I have heard people on buses and subways say the letters “L” “O” “L” when they have been amused by something. I constantly hear people utter “O” “M” G” instead of Oh My God, as if it’s common every day lingo – which I suppose it now is.
Webster’s dictionary is famous for adding new words annually to their dictionary, the fame more for the fact that they often incorporate trendy colloquialisms much earlier than the others. In 2006 they added Unibrow, 2009 saw the addition of Staycation, 2010? Well let’s see, BFF was added and with that, I would say we’re now complete as a society.
BFF isn’t even a freaking word – yet the dictionary has it in there, well to Webster’s I offer a big heart-felt ROFLMAO, can’t wait for 2011!
Back to the matter at hand, please feel free to call me dude or buddy (please don’t call me Buddi – with the “i” because that’s already taken), because by knowing me you’ve earned the right. But if you happen upon this blog and want to get to know me, I can assure you that calling me Buddy or Dude or even Man is probably not the best thing to start the conversation with – unless you are trying to sell me illegal contraband, at which time I will need to re-assess my thought patterns….LMAO
1.1 Seconds (Head Injuries Part II)
Recently, I returned to work from almost a week off work. This is the second week in less than a month that I have missed some or a good chunk of working time in order to attempt to properly re-cover from my fall on the ice. A simple “mistake” I will never make again, but a mistake I wish more than anything I had the power to reverse. Simply put, I’ve got a good old concussion. For me this concussion is life-changing and in my heart of hearts I hope to make it multi-life changing.
In case you hadn't seen my previous writings, I was clipped on the ice at an single 'A' practice. Standing there, looking one way when unbeknownst to me a child behind me had lost an edge and ended up taking me out at the feet from behind, I was launched into the air, my helmet now off my head, and my head then hitting the ice first (with my less-than svelte frame, I imagine that’s a bit of massive thud!). This was a Saturday morning, and now some four weeks later I am starting to feel a little bit better, but far from normal.
I remember those days in high school playing football, basketball or hockey, and colliding with someone else or a puck, ball or wall and getting my “head rung”, once in my early twenties, under the influence of alcohol at a baseball tourney, launching myself in the air head first at a backstop upright pole – the lingering ringing in my ears lasted two weeks. The doctor at Sunnybrook, who looked at me at 6 in the morning (after lying on a gurney for the night “sobering up” told me I got my bell rung, but there was “no cause for concern, if it was a concussion I would have gone into convulsions by now”.
Flash forward twenty plus years and a lot has changed. Sadly a lot has stayed the same as well. Sport is the primary area of concern for concussions, as it the area in which the head is most vulnerable and the area where the head sees the most action. I leave the world of “big buck” sport out of the equation, because realistically there is little or nothing that I can say or do that will make a Coach or General Manager, a Sports Director or even a trainer change their ways and potentially sit a highly paid or highly-integral-to-their-success athlete out for a game, a week or a month. They are “paid to play” and play they must do. In the NHL, you are seeing more and more men missing games with concussions, but generally they miss one or two games and go back. Marc Savard is the most recent and obvious exception there. Lindros was chastised by Bobby Clarke for missing games for God's sake. In the NFL, there have been a string of head injuries this year whereby the player is mysteriously able to return to work inside of a week.
As a coach I have always had a rule on the bench, if a player is hit in the head or complains of anything to do with the head, they are out of the game. I then explain to the parents what happened and what I believe they should do. Again, emphasize that this is lower tiered competitive sports, not highly competitive, where the impact of missing a game is or can be different.
In my weeks since falling, I have been limited in my ability to attend my kid’s games, but in the few, I have seen, I have become “Captain Cautious”, and am often doing what I hated others doing, which is preaching to a coach or player about doing up this that or the other. Most of the comments I make are met with glares from coaches or volunteers with that look of “chuck you Farley, I know how to skate”. A few “thank you’s” have been given, but more the exception than the norm. Sadly though I can report that at every single practice I have witnessed since falling a minimum of one person on the ice has been wearing equipment improperly, leaving themselves open to the same type of accident I had or worse.
Why?
Why as human beings are we ignorant enough to challenge consequences as if they didn’t exist? It takes 1.1 seconds to do up a helmet properly. 1.1 seconds! And despite the popular belief of most hockey pucks out there, if you ask ANYONE you want to ask, a done up helmet looks no less cool than an undone one – in fact I would argue that most mom’s and dad’s and even kids looking on would tell you it looks way better done up properly – Tonight at a local arena – 6 coaches, one with helmet done up properly, another with a helmet and four others with nothing. Ignorant – In my opinion at least - yet not one of those coaches would listen to me when I asked them to stop after coming off the ice – Not one.
I really don’t want to be a preacher here – I’m further from perfect than most of these coaches, let alone society, but guys (and ladies too) you are being a complete and utter ass by not wearing the lid properly – and I guarantee each and every one of you that living in the post concussion syndrome world I am currently embroiled in, is, while better than the death alternative, one of the worst times in my life.
You are likely 1.1 seconds away from not having to put up with sleepless nights due to dizziness, the inability at age 46 to remember what was told to you by a colleague at work 30 seconds ago, headaches that last for days on end, and most importantly to me, the inability to see your own kids games because being upright for an hour make you nauseous.
I can’t single-handedly get the message out to everyone, especially given that my current condition requires lots of rest and relaxation, but I would appreciate it if you passed along this link to anyone you know who might benefit from reading it. I don’t want to become a preacher, nor do I really have it in me to set up some sort of on-line help line, but to date my warning and writings has made one person vow to change his ways and I am hoping that this letter makes at least one more change theirs.
Only an idiot could get hurt....
A not-so-funny thing happened to me on Saturday, something that has made me want to write about a couple of things; one being my own arrogance, stupidity and ignorance, the other being the head.
On Saturday morning at or around 7:45, standing on the ice with a group of 10 yr olds, I was helping to instruct a pair of goalies, my back facing ¾ of the ice. As an “adult” with average or above-average skating skills, I had my helmet on my head, but not securely fastened, like a lot of coaches I see on the ice with kids. As is the case, a child (funny enough the smallest on the ice) slipped behind me, and in an instant I was knocked off my skates from behind and crashed to the ice without time to react, my loosely adorned helmet likely no longer even on my head. Half a day later, Catherine picked me up at the hospital and took me home, freshly stitched up, with a monstrosity of a headache, aches a pains all over and feeling sorry for my own stupidity.
It’s been 60 hours now. I failed in my attempt to go to work this morning, the dizziness, nausea and pain too much to bear.
What prompts me to write this is how stupid some of us are. I know that the majority of my friends are saying tsk tsk, they being the ones that know better. But time and time again I walk into arenas and see coaches about on the ice without helmets on – last season I fought with another coach, with whom I was working, to wear a helmet, something he resisted – I, of course being the smarter one Not heeding my own advice, and due to nothing but laziness I am now rebounding from a concussion, minor as it is, however I wouldn’t wish this feeling upon anyone.
Recently, some friends lost their 20 year old child after he sustained a head injury while long board skateboarding, and yet there I stood on the ice with helmet on, but not fastened, and as the doctor said to me, an unfastened helmet is as good as a toque.
I don’t really have a point to this story, but if you’ve read this far and care to know, the same doctor who I quoted above told me that I was lucky to be alive, and having heard that a number if times in my life, this is the one time that I really and truly believe the doctor, and with my experience, not one I would call near-death, but too close for me to argue, I know I will change my ways, and hope that if you know anyone who dares tempt fate on ice, you will share this with them – trust me, a coach with a helmet on looks a lot cooler than a man spurting blood out of his head, or worse a corpse.
Ford isn't the Edsel some think he is...
A lot has been written about the mayoral race in Toronto of late. Rob Ford scares ¾ of Toronto to death with his cut, chop, slice mentality, and yet he’s enjoying a huge lead in the polls. Outside of Ford, we have four “mainstream” choices….of which I can’t tell you one single platform agenda.
So why are we so scared about a dope smoking, bully from Etobicoke who apparently isn’t liked by his colleagues at City Hall? Well, I suppose he represents everything that we aren’t looking for to lead the city. I know there are holes in it, but isn’t his M.O. to cut unnecessary spending at City Hall, eliminate waste and then re-build? Rob Ford is hated by other people at City Hall – Simply put he has very few friends there. This is possibly the single greatest reason that he should be our next mayor.
The arguments I hear are often “this is when the city should be spending”. And while I agree that Toronto is falling apart at the seams, I think that this city does need to be cautious about it’s spending. The past 8 years under left leaning David Miller have not been my style of governing. In 8 years our taxes have risen to their highest levels in history, services have been cut to their lowest levels, and crime has gotten out of control (Although reported crime rates are down, because of apathy to report and have nothing happen), and while this has been going on, the ¾ that are opposed to Ford, have droned on about mis-management, mis-appropriation, lack of vision and terrible leadership from our current Mayor.
Isn’t Ford doing (or proposing to do) what we want? Isn’t he proposing change?
And what of George Smitherman, Rocco Rossi, Joe Pantalone and Sarah Thompson; Ford’s main competitors?
Smitherman is getting support from Dalton McGuinty – yet another politician who is being slammed for his autocratic style and quite frankly is doing nothing for the city of Toronto as leader of the province. Electing Smitherman is paramount to saying that we’re down with the city funding the province and that we expect nothing in return.
Joe Pantalone – David Miller part deux?
Rocco Rossi – He was fine, until someone told him he had to speak – that was his unraveling.
And finally Sarah Thompson; If I wanted someone from the Hammer to run Toronto, I would ask Sheila Copps! Her only experience in the political ring being a failed attempt to become a City Councilor in Hamilton, where she came 4th in a 4 person race, and her math skills were very questionable in that election.
Honestly, there is not a name here that appeals to me. Rob Ford just seems to make as much sense as anyone. If you hate your politicians as much as we seem to hate them in Toronto, doesn’t it make sense then to elect the ones who represent the greatest potential change?
The city is wrought with scandals – none of which are mega-deals. Giambrone and his infidelities, Kyle Rae, and even Rob Ford. MFP, OLG, failed subway expansion and of course the requirement to pay for garbage pick up that isn’t covered by your property taxes which cover your garbage pickup! Personally I would love to see every single Councilor lose their seat and give way to new blood. It’s time for change Toronto.
I heard a phone in show on talk radio the other day “who would you vote for in David Miller was to re-enter the race?” I was appalled that one caller, in fact a number of callers said they would support Miller. This man has turned this city into a cataclysmic cesspool that is crumbling in front of out eyes. His lack of focus and integrity will leave us with nothing more that debt and a failing infrastructure. Turns out that new polls suggest that if Miller ran today, he would be re-elected. Wow, doesn’t anyone watch the news anymore?
David Miller’s campaign promises were rarely kept, his view to a subway expansion to the airport, the waterfront revitalization and of course spending are all gone – Spending for Miller’s part has risen 43% since he took over and that includes three years of managing through a recession. We can’t operate this way in the future, and the only guy that I actually trust who will cut spending and cut it drastically: Rob Ford.
okay...so this is politically awkward!
Well this rant might as well paint racist/bigot across my forehead. But I am actually no where near that. If you are reading this, you understand me, I am neither a racist, sexist or bigot. I am actually a peace-nic, my religious beliefs are foggy, yet I believe in God, Allah, Jesus and Buddah. I have no beliefs, and yet I have so many. Christianity is flawed, Judaism, Islam, Shinto and many others are as well, Muslim faith is often misconstrued, yet all on their own or mixed together form the basis for most religious foundations. There are more I know, but that’s not what this is about. Being white, black, brown, purple or green isn’t of concern to me at all. John Lennon, that damned Communist, is an icon to me, and one day the world will give peace a chance. Today,however, I was angered. Angered by a billboard, angered by an article in the paper, and then just angered. The ad was for Jewishpages.ca, a telephone/business directory dedicated (but not exclusive) to people of the Jewish faith. This brought to mind an interview on ChumFm’s “In Toronto” a 1980’s radio news program in which Paul Cross, then interviewer, talked with Millicent Redway, co-founder of Toronto’s Black Pages, a directory that promoted “black businesses” in Toronto. I remember the hair sticking up on my back at this interview, and being close to the situation, I know Paul’s was as well. The joke of the argument is that there is already a White Pages, why shouldn't there be a Black Pages. Of course the White pages is in reference to the colour of paper it’s printed on, as are the Yellow Pages, not anything to do with the content. I don’t understand in this day and age, as people still hear shouts of racism, how this is acceptable. Aren’t Jewishpages.ca or the Black Pages exclusionary, racist or bigoted? I know in Canada, if I wanted to start a club that catered to “whites”, “wasps” or “Catholics” I would have a VERY difficult time getting anything off the ground. Some will argue that Churches, Mosques and Synagogues are exclusionary, but in reality they aren’t. Firstly, I don’t believe that any religion sees colour. Secondly, any and all religions that I know see themselves as open to the public and welcoming with open arms to all comers. I haven’t spent any time investigating the Jewish pages or Black Pages, but will assume that anyone can advertise in their guides, just by paying the standard fee. That’s part of my point quashed, but the main point is still there: Are we not creating divisions and barriers by allowing these papers to exist? Again, I know that anyone can join, but what is the purpose of these papers? I would assume that it’s to provide a resource for people to do business transactions amongst people of their own ilk. We’ve already gone down this path in North America with something called slavery. That didn’t turn out so well either. The fundamental backbone of Capitalism is free trade; the ability and encouragement of people to do business with others freely and openly. Maybe it’s because I am a white person living in a white man’s world (for which I completely disagree with this statement) but are we not openly trying to close our minds and businesses to outsiders by creating these directories? By no means would I advocate anyone to advertise in the White or Yellow Pages (Does anyone use them anymore?), but I think that by naming anything that has anything to do with race, colour or creed you are attempting to exclude others. Something that I was brought up to understand is racism and or bigotry. Rant part two – The government is looking into its own hiring practices. Apparently the government hires only minorities and as these are tax-payer paid positions, maybe that’s a bad thing? This was a policy they put in place years and years ago when it was found that government, police, fire and ambulance were slapped with allegations of bad hiring practices. The problem was rectified inside of a year, yet the rules were never changed to a more equitable stance. Here’s my beef; If I hire based on the colour of a person’s skin, I am fired, the company is fined and likely I am publically stoned to death. When the government does it? It’s possible that this is a bad hiring practice. Hopefully the government is recruiting from the Jewish Black Pages….That would give them a two-birds-one-stone success story I suppose.
Why oh Why???
Why oh why are we so afraid as a nation that people won’t like us or respect us, that we continually embarrass ourselves when the world is watching. Canadians are a bit like that kid in the boys change room who can’t bear himself in front of others; when it does happens, he’ll do something that makes others laugh at him and think they are laughing with him, and continue the shtick until, well 40 years later I am still scarred from that incident, but this isn’t about me.
Canada just opened its doors to the sporting world for 17 days. For 17 days we watched in joy, disappointment, happiness, glee, and horror as athletes plied their trades against the world’s best. From Nodar to Joannie we cried and prayed. From the Big Carrot, Shaun White to Canada’s Gold medals in hockey, we watched in awe. There weren’t many “world records” broken in these games, yet we saw world class performances every day.
Canadian athletes turned in their greatest single games performance in history and in fact set a record for the most gold medals by a country in a single Winter games.
The world was watching and this was our stage. The mountains were in plain view, the reveler’s were as well, deep into the Pacific night. Plainly put this was a brilliant display of Canada and Canadian-ism.
Then came the closing ceremonies.
We knew the opening ceremonies were certainly going to be in tough. The last Olympic opening ceremonies were in Beijing where the Chinese spent 45 kagillion dollars to awe the world – Vancouver spent less and awed a lot less, but they were alright for most of us, capped off by incredible performances by Measha Bruegergosman and KD Lang. There were glitches and quite frankly it wasn’t my cup of tea all the way through, but it was palatable.
Then, like all great things it must come to a close and we watched the closing ceremonies like a train wreck. Keep in mind that closing ceremonies are always less glamourous and less captivating than opening ones, but they are also usually fun to watch.
As the announcers warned us, the pokes at Canadian-ism in fun were poking fun at every Canadian stereotype known. The table top hockey and monster-Mounties were god-awful, and worst of all was the constant stream of the Canadian-Hollywood set.
Let’s show the world our greatest – KD, Neil, Michael J. Fox….Errrrr, ummmm….Catherine O’Hara and Bill Shatner. Actually William Shatner’s I am Canadian rant was quite funny. By the time we got to O’Hara and Fox – wow, it was dead. Each of them could have been hilarious, but three of them was brutal overkill.
Now let’s throw our “greatest” bands at the world, Nicklecrap, Avril, some French artists, Alanis singing a dirge, Hedley. Wow isn’t we great. In case the committees aren’t aware, we have super groups in this country. Where were the Burton Cummings/Randy Bachman’s (He who lives in White Rock just down the highway), Where were Rush, Tom Cochrane, the Hip….There’s a lot of bands I put ahead of Avril and Hedley AND they are bands with a much greater global appeal.
I wasn’t asked for my opinion in either or any of the ceremonies, so that’s why I am giving it now!
We looked like a nation who doesn’t have an identity, a history or a past – which is sometime how we’re portrayed, and when you see an event like last night with the eyes of the world upon us, it’s no real wonder why people think we don’t have those things, because we never give them a reason to believe that we do have a history that is anything but a nation built by natives, stolen by white man and run by cartoon characters! Come to think about it - that sounds far more realistic than it should be!
