Greatest Canadian?

I keep seeing ads for a show called "The Greatest Canadian" or something to that effect, and it has the usual suspects, Sir John A. Macdonald (Canada's first PM), Terry Fox, Alexander Graham Bell, and

I think it's fantastic that Lester Pearson, Pierre Trudeau and David Suzuki and Tommy Douglas are all on the top 10 list too- but then we have 2 that stick out like a sore thumb.

Don Cherry?
Wayne Gretzky?

How would the inventor of Insulin feel about being grouped with them?  How would Terry Fox or the inventor of the Telephone feel about having to compete for pride with Hockey players.

I mean- sure- it's a popular sport, but this is totally ludicrous!!!  Don Cherry took the place of Marshall McLuhan and Wayne Gretzky took the place of Mordichai Richler or Farley Mowatt!

But nooooo- Canadians have once again proved themselves as simply mediocre by voting for sports personalities.

Edgar Bronfman Jr or Jeff Skoll rather have made larger impacts on the everyday lives of people than the Sports personalities.

Feedback required

The government is run by a corrupt madman!  They are protesting- insisting they didn't vote for that conservative a-hole.  There's speculation he used strong arm tactics against his opponent and that the left leaning, free wheeling handsome fellow had his just and rightful victory snatched from him!  Shame on that crook!  Shame on his corrupt government, and the 'gonifs' around him.

Am I talking about the Ukraine, Alberta or The United States?
You decide!  Post your Comments now.

Reserved Parking

It's been a while since my last blog update, and it's been partially because of my overwhelmingly busy time at work, and partially just plain old sloth.
Here is a brief run-down of recent events:
I worked a great deal.

I talked with a woman at University College of Dublin- assessing suitability for their MBA program next year. We both agreed it might a good fit. It's a good program, however- the name of the school is unfortunate. It's named after the patron- The Michael G. Smurfit School of Business. Ouch! Why don't I just go to the GI Joe Academy? Maybe they have a spot at the Cabbage Patch Kids University.

I went to the Symphony on the week end with my beady eyed friend. Pinchas Zuckerman was the guest conductor and the violinist who regaled us with a very spirited Mozart Concerto. It was completely enthralling! This sweaty little Jewish man kept cracking his knuckles and setting his violin into a frenzy of notes that alighted our senses and sent us into a transcendent state.

Speaking of alighted senses- went for Korean BBQ. Wow! Big plates of raw meat- fish, chicken and beef were put before us- which we throw on the BBQ ourselves. When the plate gets finished off- they give us more! What a simple, yet truly delightful experience! It was additionally delightful that the line up for a table was a good 20 person long endeavour. I called 3 hours before and booked a reservation, and got shuttled right to our seats as we entered. I highly suggest reservations for all who have the foresight for it!

I have been reading about a Homeless Protest in Queens Park- people camping out in Queen's Park- so on my run this morning decided to swing by Queen's Park and hopefully see something interesting- maybe get some fodder for my blog.

What I saw- I was totally unprepared for. It went way beyond what I would have even thought would be the case from what the media kept telling me.

I saw no one. I ran through Queens Park when this huge group of Homeless activists and affordable housing interest groups were supposed to be camping out- and they were no where to be found!



Maybe they forgot to make reservations and got turned away.

Parrish Photos

Carolyn Parrish- an illustrated abridged version.

My Caucus- my rules, young lady!	You don't scare me! I have moral self-superiority on my side
That's enough!	Those Damn PMs can’t stop me! He’s a coalition of the idiot! He’s a Bastard! He can go @*&$#@&^&!!!!
That's not nice	And *!@*&#&^$
You tell ‘im sister! I ham wit chuu! ‘E iz a very (@#*&!@&^	Enough! please! Enough!
You leave him alone!	Jeeze- Klein is sticking up for me now? I must have really screwed up.
Where did I go wrong??? WHERE????		YOU'RE OUT!!!!

Scorched Earth Policy

It looks like the United States has another four years with a corrupt politician whose sole purpose is to serve his own needs and the needs of his financial supporters instead of the interests of his constituents.

I guess needs is a pretty ambiguous term- I mean- he doesn’t NEED to be a power whore, and he doesn’t NEED to make millions in shady back room deals, and he doesn’t NEED to protect his friends and fight their battles- but for some reason he does anyways.

Ooops! I wrong- George W. got re-elected… hmmm… the above statement applies.

He doesn’t need to sell us all up the river environmentally while his rich friends with oil companies not only get sweet tax breaks, but also legislative protection so they can keep contributing to this environmental Armageddon.

Currently there is a mass of news about the melting of the Polar Ice caps. I can’t believe this is news worthy! This is NOT news- it should be history. It’s terrifying to think about all the species that this endangers- Polar Bears, Arctic Hairs, and Human Beings through out the world…

Bob Hunter has been saying for decades that this is happening – do people not take him seriously because he never changes out of his bathrobe?

What’s keeping every car company from offering alternative hybrid engines on all cars and lines? Why do we have to choose specific lines and models for it? It’s not like it’s a tough engine to implement- I mean; If Ford could do it…

I sometimes fear my generation will be the last generation that will live to see old age- and even then- I wonder if we’ll live that long.

All this and I’m neither an alarmist nor a worry wart.

Scary Blog

Last Night was Halloween- and it passed with barely a nod of acknowledgement form me. I didn’t dress up, I didn’t give out Candy. I didn’t even eat any sweets (unless you consider a sublime pistachio encrusted goat cheese salad in balsamic vinegar accompanied by strawberries and hazelnuts over fresh organic greens to be sweets).

Someone (I don’t recall who) mused yesterday that it didn’t feel like Halloween to them because multiculturalism was killing Halloween. After giving it some thought- I decided it’s a spurious causal statement- and here’s why:

It doesn’t feel like Halloween to the person because they were attending a fine birthday party at a restaurant that served great salads and made excellent Souvlaki. When you’re a kid- October’s big thing is Halloween! That’s what it does! It’s a time to think about your costume, to watch Halloween cartoon Specials and to think about all the candy you’re going to get!

When you’re pushing 30- stuffing yourself with candy might hold a little less appeal- I mean- it might be fun, but looking forward to a candy pig-out day since July is well- perhaps not widely practiced.

Then another thought occurred to me. Like an epiphany- it all suddenly made sense!
The reason why kids run around in the outside all day
The reason they squirm when their parents drag them to church, synagogue or mosques.
The reason why Halloween is so important
Why kids are so big on Christmas presents

Kids are really all in the closet Pagans!! You little runts can’t deny it! My eyes have seen the light about you ankle biters!

Halloween is not what you’re excited about- it’s all a rouse to cover up your celebration of the Festival of Samhain! Christmas presents are actually an ancient custom of sharing the Harvest performed on the Winter Solstice which falls on December 21. Nice try, half pints!

Your squirm at church, synagogue and mosques because you are pagans and listening to a Cleric wax divine about the glory of a monotheistic lord sickens you and eats away at your conscious like a Beady eyed friend of mine eats away at Dark Chocolate! Don’t you? Don’t you???!!!

Finally- running around all day is your way of connecting with Mother Gaia. Isn’t it?? Admit it!!!

Well- to all you kids I say happy Festival of Samhain and to the rest of you monotheists, agnostics and atheists alike- I say happy Halloween!