Ho Ho Holy Holidays

I'm not sure if I'll have an opportunity over the next several weeks to update the blog as I normally would. As you can imagine the holiday season is a busy time of year and this year in particular is going to be hectic for me and the rest my family.

I'd just like to wish all of my family, friends and blog readers all the best for a Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and all the best in 2008!

All-Time Christmas Movies

The presents are nice, decorating the tree is fun and all of the lights on the houses help to put me in the mood for the holiday season but when it comes right down to it, there's nothing I enjoy more than parking my butt in my comfy chair and watching my favourite holiday movies to get me into the mood.

Everyone has their favourite movie with a Christmas theme that they have to watch prior to the big day. For me there are several movies that make the holidays that much more enjoyable if I get a chance to view them in December. I won't count the annual television specials like Rudolph or Frosty. They're fun but I'm sticking with movies only for now.

Here now is a list of my Top 10 Christmas Movies.

10. Home Alone (1990)
I doubt anyone thought this would be a classic movie when it was released but almost 20 years later that's exactly what it is. Young Kevin is left behind by his family when they go on vacation and he has to run the house and defend it against thieves who are attempting to rob his family. This is a cute story with some very funny and heartfelt moments. Plus the fact it also stars John Candy it helps to put it in my Top 10.
Quote: "Kevin McCallister - Bless this highly nutritious microwavable macaroni and cheese dinner and the people who sold it on sale. Amen.

9. Trading Places (1983)
Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) is a successful Philadelphia commodity broker while Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) is a hustling beggar. Winthorpe's employers, the elderly Duke brothers, make a bet that by switching the lifestyle of the two, Billy Ray will make good and their man will take to a life of crime. Suddenly Louis finds himself uncomprehendingly with no job, no home and only a new acquaintance, glamorous hooker Ophelia, prepared to help him.
OK, maybe it's not your typical Christmas movie but it is set around the holiday's and Aykroyd does get stinking drunk in a Santa suit. A hilarious movie.
Quote: "Billy Ray - When I was growing up, if we wanted a Jacuzzi, we had to fart in the tub.

8. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Christmas just wouldn't be the same if we didn't get to see all of those postal employees dumping the letters to Santa in front of the judge in this holiday flick. A man claims to be Kris Kringle and nobody believes him so it's up to a lawyer, a little girl and the courts to decide. Edmund Gwenn plays the part of Kringle perfectly and has to defend himself or face being labeled as insane. This is a black and white gem and another not to be missed during the season.
Quote: Kris Kringle - No, but don't you see, dear? Some children wish for things they couldn't possibly use like real locomotives or B-29s.

7. White Christmas (1954)
Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-and-dance act. When Betty and Judy travel to a Vermont lodge to perform a Christmas show, Wallace and Davis follow, only to find their former commander, General Waverly, is the lodge owner. A series of romantic mix-ups ensue as the performers try to help the General. It's an entertaining musical with plenty of music and dancing but of course the highlight is at the end when they finally sing the title song.
Quote: Bob Wallace -Oh, Phil, when are you going to learn that girls like that are a dime a dozen?
Phil Davis - Please, don't quote me the price when I haven't got the time.

6. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
I think this movie will make almost everyone's Christmas movie list...even though it's not really about Christmas. It's the story about a man going through some hard times, and makes the wish that he had never been born. Feeling that the world would be better off without him, he wants to remove the pain of everyone around him, by removing himself. For a short time, and angel grants him his wish, and the chance to see what life would be like if he really had never been born. Sometimes one life can have a big impact on others without even realizing it. Jimmy Stewart turns in one of his best performance ever.
Quote: George Bailey - Well, you look about the kind of angel I'd get. Sort of a fallen angel, aren't you? What happened to your wings?

5. Die Hard (1988)
New York cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies to Los Angeles on Christmas eve to spend the holidays with his family. He arrives at the Nakatomi building for his wife's office party. International terrorists take over the building and hold every one as hostage to steel $600 million of bonds from the vaults of the building. Now its up to McClane to face the terrorists and save his wife and the other hostages. OK...it's not your typical heart-warming holiday tale but it's set at Christmas time, the soundtrack has Christmas music and in the end the good guys win.
Quote: John McClane: I got invited to the Christmas party by mistake. Who knew?

4. A Christmas Story (1983)
Set in the 1940's, this film relates the tale of Ralphie Parker who wants an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and 'this thing' which tells time" and will go to any lengths to get it. Ralphie is on a mission and does everything within his power to make sure Santa delivers on Christmas morning. Ultimately, Ralphie's "Old Man" gives in. This is a funny movie that has almost gained cult status as one of the most loved movies of the season. Last Christmas one television station played the movie non-stop for 24 hours beginning on Christmas Eve.
Quote: Ralphie - Ooooh Fuuudge! [narrating] Only I didn't say "Fudge." I said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the "F-dash-dash-dash" word!

3. Elf (2003)
The newest movie on my list is destined to be a holiday classic as well. Buddy (Will Ferrell) was a baby in an orphanage who stowed away in Santa's sack and ended up at the North Pole. Later, as an adult human who happened to be raised by elves, Santa allows him to go to New York City to find his birth father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan). Hobbs, on Santa's naughty list for being a heartless jerk, had no idea that Buddy was even born. Buddy, meanwhile, experiences the delights of New York City (and human culture) as only an elf can. If you've never seen this movie, do yourself a favour and watch it this Christmas. You'll be happy you did.
Quote: Buddy - We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.

2. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
There's nothing like the holiday's with the Griswald's. Chevy Chase returns as Clark Griswald the family patriarch who wants nothing more then to spend a good 'ol family Christmas at home...and to get those damn lights on the house to work...and to get that nice bonus from his boss. This is easily my favourite of the Vacation movies and is a humourous holiday classic.
Quote: "Clark - Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny f**king Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse."

1. A Christmas Carol (1951)
This black and white classic produced in the UK is beyond a doubt my most favourite Christmas movie of all time. The worst thing they ever did was colourize a version of it as the original B&W is the only way it should be shown. It stars Alastair Simm as Ebeneezer Scrooge and the story is well known but the acting and atmosphere of this movie is head and shoulders above any other attempt at telling this story in film. It always seems to be on every Christmas Eve and it's a tradition to watch it before I go to bed. No doubt about this being my #1 Christmas Flick.
Quote: "Ebenezer - Bob, I haven't taken leave of my senses. I've come to them."

Here's a clip from the movie when Scrooge meets Jacob Marley.

So there you have it. If you have a favourite that I didn't mention or perhaps I've forgotten one then please feel free to leave a comment and let me know about it.

Merry Christmas!!

Clip of the Week - December 10/07

As the year quickly draws to an end I thought it would only be appropriate to post the YouTube clip that was voted Clip of the Year in 2006.

I have to admit that I really like this clip. The idea behind it is simple yet powerful.

This three and a half minute clip has been viewed over 21-million times on YouTube and is quite moving.

Here's the story behind the video...

Sometimes, a hug is all that we need. Free hugs is a real life controversial story of Juan Mann, A man whose sole mission was to reach out and hug a stranger to brighten up their lives.

In this age of social dis-connectivity and lack of human contact, the effects of the Free Hugs campaign became phenomenal.

As this symbol of human hope spread across the city, police and officials ordered the Free Hugs campaign BANNED. What we then witness is the true spirit of humanity come together in what can only be described as awe inspiring.


Enjoy!

Clip of the Week - December 3/07

As you may have heard, one of my boyhood heroes passed away this past weekend. Evel Knievel died on Friday in Florida at the age of 69 after a lengthy illness. He suffered from diabetes and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung condition. He also had a liver transplant in 1999 after he almost died from hepatitis C, a disease that he likely got through a blood transfusion.

Growing up in the 70's there was nobody more exciting than the legendary Evel Knievel. What boy didn't pretend to be him at one time or another as we set up ramps on the street and rode our bikes off them while jumping our buddies lying on their backs. How we didn't kill anyone I'll never know. Evel was a hero to many young boys with his throw caution to the wind attitude.

I also recall playing for hours with my Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle that you'd attach to this mechanism which you then cranked up and upon releasing; the motorcycle with an Evel action figure along for the ride would race across the floor. I never owned an Evel Knievel lunchbox but I know some guys who did and boy was I jealous.

Knievel made a name for himself by cheating death over and over again. He used his motorcycle to jump cars, double-decker buses, the fountain at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas and of course his failed attempt at crossing the Snake River Canyon in is jet powered "Skycycle" made his a household name.

Below is video taken of his failed attempt to jump the Caesar's Palace fountain. Actually, he cleared the fountain but botched the landing as he lost speed during the takeoff. As a result of the crash, Knievel received a crushed pelvis and femur, fractures to his hip, wrist and both ankles and a concussion that kept him in a coma for 29 days.

Are Olympic Mascots Canadian?

Earlier today the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics committee revealed the mascots for the big event. When I first saw them my initial thought was..."When did they decide to move the Olympics to Japan?"

Just like the original Vancouver Olympics symbol that was introduced a year or so ago, I have to wonder what people were thinking. Sure these new guys are kind of cute and I'm betting the kids will just love them and will be begging their parents to buy them; which is probably what organizers are hoping for; but does anyone look at them and say..."ahhh...they must be the Canadian Olympic mascots!" I doubt it very much.

Lets examine them shall we. First we have Quatchi the first Sasquatch in history to make an appearance before human beings. This brown furball is said to come from the mountains of B.C. and has a love for hockey. Yes...it's a well known fact that all Bigfoot creatures can be found on the frozen lakes and ponds of the west coast playing shinny. They say Quatchi reminds us of the mystery and wonder associated with the great Canadian wilderness. If you ask me, he reminds me of what a bear might look like after wrestling with an electric fence.

Next is Miga the Sea Bear. Perhaps we should ask Captain Hiliner how many sea bears he's come across in all his years on the sea. Have you ever seen a sea bear Billy? I'm guessing no. As the back story goes, Miga is inspired by the legends of the Pacific Northwest First Nations - tales of orca whales that transform into bears when they arrive on land. Part Spirit Bear, a rare white bear unique to BC, Miga’s outgoing spirit and high energy draw her to action and adventure. Aaahhh....OK.

Finally it's Sumi the unknown creature. Honestly what the heck is it? According to the VANOC, Sumi is an animal spirit who wears the hat of the orca whale, flies with the wings of the mighty thunderbird and runs on the furry legs of the black bear. With a name that is derived from the Salish word ’sumesh,’ meaning ‘guardian spirit,’ Sumi is passionate about the environment and is a fan of all Paralympic sports. Of course he or she or it is. They don't need to tell us that because it's so obvious.

Is it just me or do these mascots look more like something you'd see on a Saturday morning cartoon that's produced in Japan with the English language dubbed over the original voices? And don't even get me started on the names which once again seem more foreign then Canadian. Of course, if you've been to Vancouver in the last 20 years you'd think you were probably in Hong Kong any way. Why else do they refer to it as "Hongcouver"?

I don't want to sound anti-aboriginal either because I'm not but it just seems like sometimes organizers of Canadian events such as the Olympics or a World Championship of some kind go out of their way to include an aboriginal theme. We all know the reason why as well. If they don't then all we'll read in the news or hear from tribal leaders is how they were slighted by organizers. So to avoid this problem they make sure they are not forgotten. I just had to vent on that for a moment.

Back to the mascots. When you ask people around the world or other Canadians what they think of when someone might suggest mascots for a Canadian Olympics I'm sure they wouldn't come up with any of these new ideas. Nothing wrong with change but they just don't scream Canada to me.

I guess when you're paying people millions of dollars to create a mascot they can't come back with a moose or beaver. Nobody's going to buy those I guess. Heck I would have even liked to see something based on Ogopogo the legendary creature located in Lake Okanagan. At least most Canadians have heard of it.

I say get rid of Sumi at least and bring in an Ogopogo character that the Canadian adult public can relate to. The kids can still have their Quatchi and Miga.

Clip of the Week - November 26/07

Hello once again my loyal readers and visitors. And to those of you who just drop by every now and then or are visiting for the first time...greetings to you as well. This is a clothing optional blog don't forget.

I have been extremely busy with work lately so I just haven't had any free time to put my creative writing skills to the test as I would normally like. But I don't like to go too long without some form of update so here's another video clip I hope you will enjoy.

The following took place near the end of October but I just came across it and enjoyed it so much I had to share it. If you enjoy watching sports then you'll appreciate this play.

It was a U.S. College Division III football game between the Trinity Tigers and the Millsaps Majors. Trinity was trailing by two points with two seconds left on the clock and needed to go 60 yards for a touchdown if they hoped to win the game.

Trinity won the game and here's how they did it.

Tis The Season

If the cold weather wasn't proof enough then today's Santa Claus Parade in my hometown was a sure sign that Christmas is quickly approaching.

I hadn't attended the annual parade in a few years but I decided to go check out this years event and I must say I wasn't disappointed.

Aside from the usual bands and floats I was eager to see Santa this year. I mean who doesn't love Santa? He's jolly and happy and brings lots of gifts. The bonus this time around was the fact that my dad was playing the part.

It seems the usual gent who wears the red suit for the annual event had a mishap a couple weeks ago and was unable to fulfill his yearly duties. So he contacted my dad who filled in and did an admirable job.

As far as the parade goes, it was easily one of the best I've seen in this city in quite some time. The night time parades are always more interesting with all of the lights but there was a lot of effort put into the floats this year. I've seen some parades in the past where all it is is one long commercial ad for local merchants who enter their company vehicles and tie a few bows on it to give the impression of effort. But that wasn't the case this time around and everyone is to be commended for a job well done...even Santa.

Bonus Info:

This has to be one of the most insane things I've ever read.

In Australia, Santa's are being asked to say "Ha Ha Ha" instead of the traditional "Ho Ho Ho". The powers that be feel saying it could 'frighten' children and it the Santa recruiting firm feels it's derogatory to women. They say it's too close to the North American slang for 'Prostitute'.

Thankfully most Santa's are not following their orders and rebelling against this nonsense. I think this falls under the category, "Aren't their worse things to worry about?"

Clip of the Week - November 19/07

I love watching old TV shows that I enjoyed as a kid. Of course for me, being a kid was in the 70's and 80's so there were plenty of great shows to choose from back then.

I'll admit it, I watched The A-Team, The Brady Bunch, The Jefferson's, Good Times, Charlie's Angels, Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, Duke's of Hazzard and of course The Six Million Dollar Man. I still remember pretending to be bionic while playing with my friends.

And nothing was more enjoyable than the old Game Shows that don't seem to be around anymore...at least not on cable.

I loved watching:
The Newlywed Game
Match Game (host Gene Rayburn)
Family Fued (host Richard Dawson)
Beat The Clock
Definition (host Jim Perry)
Front Page Challenge (host Fred Davis)
Hollywood Squares (original)
Tattletales
The Dating Game
Let's Make A Deal (host Monty Hall)

Below are a couple of clips I found of some bloopers from Match Game and Family Feud. I hope you get a laugh from them.

Favourite Christmas Commercials

In honour of my 100th blog posting I thought I'd do something a little special.

As we approach the holiday season, the Christmas commercials on Television are already in full swing. If you're like me, you enjoy the creativity of some of the new commercials, but there's just something special about some of the older advertisements from Christmas' past.

Here now for you to enjoy are some of my all-time favourite Christmas commercials.

Coca Cola - The Holiday's Are Coming



Hershey's Kisses


M&M's Meet Santa


Norelco Santa


Polaroid Cameras


Bud Light - Horse


McDonald's - 1975


UPS


Coca Cola...Again


Coca Cola - Buy The World A Coke


Coca-Cola Bears


And perhaps my favourite Christmas commercial of all-time...not really:

Victoria's Secret


I hope you enjoyed some of my favourites. If you can think of any others, let me know by leaving a comment and I'll see if I can dig it up.

Clip of the Week - November 11/07

Today is Remembrance Day and we must remember.

They died for us, for their homes and families and friends, for a collection of traditions they cherished and a future they believed in; they died for Canada.

For many of us too young to remember or too far removed from current conflicts, war is something we watch on television broadcasts or read about in newspapers or online.

For those who fought overseas or served their country by staying home and working in factories, voluntary service organizations and wherever they were needed, we need to not only remember them on this one day set aside in their honour but every day we are able to go about our daily lives free of fear.

On Remembrance Day, we recognize the sacrifice of those men and women who served and continue to serve their country and we are responsible to work for the peace they fought hard to achieve.

The following is a short video montage produced by Veterans Affairs Canada.

Clip of the Week - November 5/07

It's time for another Clip of the Week.

Last week their wasn't anything worth posting but this week I love this clip. It's not flashy or exciting or going to leave you with a tingly feeling all over but it warms my heart.

As a big guy who used to play football, nothing makes me smile more than to see a 360 pound lineman score a touchdown in the NFL. Add the fact that he has to run 66 yards to do it, gives the last tackler a good stiff arm to the head and then dives into the end zone exhausted...it's just a thing of beauty.

Times and Technology Change

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Golf Winners Again

I don't like to brag...probably because I rarely have an opportunity to do so but I thought I'd do it just this one time.

Back on October 13 I took part in the Terry Fox Golf Tournament for the seventh year in a row. My current team (foursome) has been together for six of those years and of those six we've won the tournament four times, including this most recent event.

Of course we play mainly to support a good cause but with so many members of our golf club taking part we also enjoy bragging rights for a year.

It's a good time and with so many of us taking part there are usually some impressive shots during the round. This year was no exception.

Clip of the Week - October 22/07

Far be it for me to promote violence. In fact, it's a well known fact that I'm a lover, not a fighter. Actually...truth be known...I'm neither most of the time.

I do believe however that there is still a place for fighting in hockey and a lot of the bad things that have happened in the NHL in recent years would have been avoided had the rules on fighting not changed from the past. Even the players agree that fighting has its place in the game and by reverting back to the old rules, the marquee players would be looked after much better and the high number of dangerous stick infractions and plays on the ice would drop once again.

There is less respect for the opposition in today's game. In the past, the actions of an offending player would be dealt with swiftly on the ice rather than the league having to step in and hand out suspensions and fines. Coaches and players didn't have to whine to the league to dish out the punishment...the players took care of it right away and it was done with. Players knew that if they messed with the wrong guy or did something stupid, they'd pay.

I might also add that very seldom are players seriously hurt in a hockey fight. The same can't be said when a player is checked from behind, boarded or takes a stick to the face.

The NHL wants to appeal to Americans and grow the game south of our border and I don't have a problem with that. I've been to hockey games in the U.S. and the fans sit on their hands most of time. The cheers erupt to a deafening level though when the gloves come off. I don't recall anyone leaving a hockey game because it was too violent. Well, maybe the Soviets did back in the 70's...but they don't count.

Here is a recent tilt of current NHL heavyweights Georges Laraque and Donald Brashear from Saturday night.

Clip of the Week - October 15/07

I must apologize for not providing you with a more interesting clip this week but I'd rather provide quality rather than quantity and sadly there hasn't been anything worth posting other than this latest joke from Eli.

I scoured YouTube for an hour or more and there really wasn't much interesting to post.

Hopefully the week ahead will produce something more entertaining.

Clip of the Week - October 8/07

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!...for those of you in Canada any way.

It's time for yet another clip of the week.

I wasn't sure what to choose this week since there weren't a lot of great new clips available. So I figured I'd add another episode of Eli's Dirty Jokes. Be sure to listen carefully to this one or you might not get it.

No foul language to worry about in this one either.

Seasons Change

Seasons Change
Originally uploaded by Bundy68

Where did summer go?

Some in my neck of the woods might argue that summer hasn't even left yet when you consider the fact the temperatures continue to be well above normal for this time of year.

It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and we haven't come close to having frost let alone flurries. I recall Thanksgiving's past when a little snow and cold was the norm. Is it the dreaded global warming or just Mother Nature finally giving us a break? Either way, I'm not going to complain and I'd be happy to see it continue right into January and beyond.

Of course the realist in me realizes that just won't happen and at some point we'll be up to our waist in snow and praying for the thermometre to just get to zero. Until then, I'll be working on my tan.

OUCH!...What Now?

I would say I’ve been quite fortunate that in my nearly 40 years of playing sports, roughhousing with friends or wrestling with my brother, I’ve only suffered a few injuries.

After recently being plagued with another mishap I tried to recall some of my wounds over the years and most have come from playing competitive or friendly sports.

My earliest injury I can recall came in Kindergarten or perhaps Grade 1. I was just five years old when I was climbing on a jungle gym type apparatus in the playground at Marmora Street School. Hanging upside down I lost my grip and dropped like a large piece of ham onto the ground and landed on my tailbone. The instant agony was more than I could handle. Of course I hobbled home in tears and upon entering the apartment I couldn’t climb the stairs. As I recall, I didn’t receive much sympathy from my dad which is probably one reason I toughened up in future years. Plus I made sure I went to mom from then on.

Playing ball as a young lad I sustained numerous bumps and bruises. I recollect a game in Brighton at the public school where I was playing first base and took a short hop in the mouth chipping a tooth. I eventually became a catcher and that led to plenty of foul tips to the “Jewels”. I could never understand why people always said to “walk it off” because the last thing I ever wanted to do was go for a walk after taking a fastball to the “boys”.

In high school I played football and rugby and my weak ankles that kept me from wearing skates and becoming the next NHL superstar came into play once again. It seemed as though I was forever turning my ankles and pulling or tearing things that worked better when they weren’t abused like that. To this day my ankles still cause me pain and during my lob-ball years the day after games I would have to hobble around. And I played a lot of ball.

My most painful football wound came in my very last game in Grade 13 on the second play of the game. We were in Belleville at Centennial Secondary School and I came off the line to block my man when I pulled my groin muscle and the pain was excruciating. I wouldn’t class myself as a tough guy but knowing that this could be my last game there was no way I was coming out. Coach Tom Nigro wanted to bench me but I told him I was finishing the game. I think he used a roll and a half of tape to wrap my thigh and back in I went to finish. It hurt like hell and by the end of the game I was in tears but I had to play. I can still remember to this day how painful it was just trying to lift my leg in bed from this injury.

Next it was an injury that ended my baseball playing days. It was the Wednesday Night fun league in town and as I swung the bat I felt a pop in my left hand and the intense pain quickly followed on the follow through. I knew I had broken something. I tried to finish the game but it hurt to just catch the baseball so I had to pack it in. After I had x-rays taken I had a visit with my family doctor and he told me it wasn’t broken but I had pulled or torn something. I insisted that he was wrong despite the x-rays showing no break. He decided to send me for an MRI to be sure and the technician and I could see the broken bone right away. I love it when I’m right but this was bitter sweet. It was called the Ken Griffey Jr. injury since he had done the exact same thing. It hurt to golf as well so you can imagine how angry I was when I was two years from the time of diagnosis until I finally had the operation to remove the floating piece of bone in my wrist. At least I was left with a cool mean looking scar.

My latest injury is in my left foot. I was out golfing a couple of weeks ago when I took a step following my second shot of the round and felt another pop in my foot. Despite the pain I was able to finish my round and didn’t do too bad considering I was hitting off my back foot the rest of the round. I eventually went to the hospital and had x-rays which found a fracture in one bone but more likely the pain was coming from torn or badly pulled ligaments. Either way, it’s still very uncomfortable and I have yet to hear anything from my family doctor on this one. Perhaps I’ll have to force his hand again and make the correct diagnosis before anything is done to fix this problem.

So as you can see I haven’t had as many injuries as some but I have had my share and I can honestly say…they all suck.

Clip of the Week - October 1/07

I've been very busy with work lately so I haven't had much time to update in the last week but I hope to find more time in another week or so. In the meantime, here is yet another Clip of the Week for you to enjoy.

The NHL season is underway and that is cause for celebration in Canada. The rest of the world could probably care less but that's their problem if they can't come grips with the greatness of the coolest game on the planet.

Just before the season began, Philadelphia Flyers rookie Steve Downie made himself known to Dean McAmmond of the Ottawa Senators. Shortly after this incident he had a meeting with the NHL disciplinary folks and was handed a 20 game suspension to start the season. The reason may or may not appear obvious to you in the following clip.

Personally I agree it was a cheap hit and he deserved to be punished but I think 20 games is a little severe. I think this could come back to bite the NHL when a marquee player does something similar and the league won't want to dish out the same punishment but will need to if they don't want to look even more foolish.

What do you think....did he deserve the 20 games?

Clip of the Week - September 24, 2007

When I saw this weeks video clip, my mouth just dropped open. I couldn't believe my eyes.

This weeks clip takes us to yet another Airshow, only this time it doesn't feature a tragic mid-air collision. Instead, this clip shows an Airbus A310 doing a low speed pass and a high speed pass over the airfield.

It doesn't sound all that impressive but watch the video and look at just how low the airplane is on it's second pass. On the first pass, keep on eye on the left wing tip and how low it comes to the ground.

I realize the pilot is a professional but with a plane this big and and all the things that could go wrong, it just seems a little reckless to me. But it makes for an interesting video clip.

Heavenly Light

Scanning Aliens
Originally uploaded by Bundy68

This past weekend I managed to get out with my camera and take a few photos.

A storm front was moving in and I was hoping to get a few photos before the rain arrived. I was just heading out from my parents campsite when I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the sun poking through the clouds. I pulled the car over and when I walked down by the lake and looked back I was amazed at what I saw.

As you can see in my photo, the sun was breaking through the clouds in two spots. The contrast of the bright sun with the dark clouds was kind of impressive I thought. It almost looked as though an alien spacecraft was just above the clouds and it was scanning the earth below. Maybe I've just seen too many science fiction movies.

You can check out more of my photos by clicking the link in the right column.

Clip of the Week - September 17/07

This weeks clip goes back to Labour Day weekend and some fun CFL action between the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Eskimos.

It wasn't the game that got the fans worked up so much as it was the streakers who hit the field and disrupted the action. Now normally I don't condone this stuff (wink wink) but I was impressed by the run made by the one guy so much it was worthy of Clip of the Week honours.

He had some good moves and in particular I thought his stiff arm on the security guy to avoid a tackle was very impressive. The Argos may want to sign this guy...it couldn't hurt them.

Sometimes I Ain't Too Bright

I'll admit it. It doesn't happen too often but there are, on rare occasions, times when I might not act in the most intelligent manner or do something that would be classed as being bright.

I'm certainly man enough to admit it when I've done something just not right. You know the moments when people look at you and say, "He's not the crispiest chip in the bag."

Well, one such occasion happened just the other day. I had arrived at my parents campsite and after helping to unload some firewood, I decided to start a fire. We had some time to kill before supper and it was a cool afternoon and a fire to sit around and chat would be nice.

Now I've made hundreds and hundreds of campfires in my lifetime. I've been camping every summer my entire life and know how to make a good fire. One thing I've never been accused of is having a fire that wasn't big enough or warm enough.

I shredded a bunch of paper and put it in the fireplace. Next I took some dry wood that will easily burn and get the fire going before adding any heavier wood. You have to build up some heat and coals before you add the big log that will burn for hours.

Everything was going great, until I spotted a can of lighter fluid. I don't recall the exact brand or the exact fluid but it was likely an aliphatic petroleum solvent to light BBQ's or it could have been good 'ol Naphtha. What ever it was, I don't normally use it but thought to myself, "Hmm...why not?" So I opened the can and started pouring it on a bit at a time. I stopped and then thought that a bit more would be a good idea so I more or less soaked the wood and the paper.

I stepped away for a bit to talk and then searched the trailer for the matches and sauntered over the the fire pit. I grabbed a match and proceeded to strike it. It didn't start. I struck it again and this time the match came to life with a nice flame. I bent over and was lowering the match into the pit in anticipation of putting the flame to the paper.

I'm sure you've figured out where I'm going with this story by now haven't you?

Before I could get the match close to the paper, there was an explosion...a big poof if you will, and a large fireball enveloped my hands, arms, head and upper body. I quickly jumped back, and I don't do much of anything quickly anymore, as the shock and heat had me patting my head, face and arms to put out the fire that wasn't even there.

It seems whatever had happened managed to start the fire, however it wasn't enough to set me on fire. Instead, the worst that happened was all the hair on my arms was burnt or singed and the smell of burnt hair was quite pungent. Luckily my eyebrows were still in place and came out of the experience unscathed.

Fortunately there was no real damage and I wasn't forced to "Stop, Drop and Roll" to but out any fire on me. I've certainly learned my lesson. From now on when I light the campfire, I'll be sure to light the match and then throw it in from a distance to ignite the lighter fluid. Come on now...you didn't think I was going to stop using that stuff now did you?

Vivid Memories of 9/11

Here it is, six years after that horrible day in 2001 and the images in my memory are as fresh today as they were on that horrific morning. It was one of those events in history like the Kennedy Assassination, the attack on Pearl Harbor or the Challenger Shuttle explosion where you can remember exactly where you were when it happened.

It sounds so cliché but it really was just another day like all the rest before it. On September 11, 2001 I was working as the morning announcer on the local radio station in my hometown. The morning had been going smoothly with the usual jokes, interviews, trivia contests and birthday announcements. I had just finished a break at 8:49 a.m. when Todd Smith, one of our news reporters, opened the studio door and told me to come to the newsroom and that the World Trade Center in New York had been hit.

I looked out the studio window and I clearly remember thinking, "it's a beautiful clear day how could you not miss the World Trade Center, it can't be an accident." I walked across the hall to the newsroom and joined the rest of the staff watching the TV as we speculated the size of the plane. CNN was reporting a small private plane had hit it but we looked at the hole in the building and knew that couldn't be the case. A small plane would have bounced off the side of the tower.

It was now 9:00 a.m. and with the news on I had five free minutes to go back to the newsroom to continue watching the events as they unfolded. Standing there I said, "they had to have hit it on purpose." No sooner did I get the words out of my mouth and the second plane came into view. "There's another one" I shouted just before it slammed into the second tower and erupted into a gigantic fireball over the city. The words that followed by most of us watching included "Holy Shit" and "Oh my God" as we stared in disbelief at what we were witnessing. I think Todd and I both said "It's an attack" at the same time as we rushed to get back to the studios to get the latest out to our listeners.

Realizing the magnitude of what was happening, I knew we had to change our programming immediately from music to information. Nobody was going to care that they weren't hearing the Eagles, all they wanted was the latest information. For the next 45 minutes and with the help of our news staff, I did my best to provide the latest details, facts and thoughts on what was transpiring.

At 9:40 a.m. the Pentagon was hit by yet another plane and this went from being more than a story we could handle with our limited resources. I managed to find ABC Radio's coverage on a satellite feed and switched over to live coverage from them for the remainder of the day. We stopped only for local news at noon and then returned to the ABC feed for the afternoon.

After watching for hours on TV at work and having seen the towers collapse, I finished off my duties for the day and went home to continue viewing from my couch. It was one of those things where you're watching all of these events unfold in front of you, yet you really can't believe what you're seeing. It was an overload of emotions as I watched in disbelief.

I can't remember what I did on the air the next morning as it was just a blur. I certainly wasn't in the mood to be funny, tell jokes or play games and I don't think my audience was in much of a mood for it either. I think all I did was take calls and talk about what had happened. There was much speculation of course on who was to blame but at the time all I could think about were the number of lives lost, how few survivours were pulled from "Ground Zero" and just the size of the disaster.

The number of victims was close to the total lost at Pearl Harbor but this was so different because other than the Pentagon this wasn't a military target and these weren't soldiers and sailors being targeted. These were civilians of all nationalities; average everyday hard-working people like you or me who never hurt anyone and probably didn't know much about the terrorists, their agenda or their homeland. All they did was get up in the morning and go to work or get on a plane and it cost them their lives. For the heroes wearing police and firefighters uniforms; they died doing what they were trained to do and I'm sure their families are proud of them and their sacrifice.

As I sit here six years later, a lot of things have changed in my life but I still remain angry at some things. I'm angry at those who perpetrated those acts and I'm angry that the cowards behind it have not been brought to justice. I always hear how this is a small world but for some reason we can't find Osama Bin Laden and bring him to justice.

I don't want to make this a political statement but I'm not a fan of George W. Bush. Having said that, I would like him a lot more had he been able to capture and kill Bin Laden as he promised in the hours and days following the attacks. I am in favour of the death penalty and I don't think anyone has deserved it more in recent years than him. I'll smile ear to ear if he is ever found alive and soon after killed.

Clip of the Week - September 10/07

It's time once again for the clip of the week. This week I have a funny one for you with a little foul language in it so be warned.

Eli's Dirty Jokes is a regular addition to YouTube lately. If I have the story correct, the jokes are told by an accountant and then put to animation. Or that could be what they want us to believe. Either way...enjoy the clip.

Clip of the Week - September 3/07

I have always loved Air Shows and having lived in an Air Force town my whole life, I've not only been to numerous acrobatic displays but I live each day with military planes flying overhead.

Sadly, the clip this week reminds us of how dangerous air shows can be and that a fun afternoon enjoying the sights can quickly turn to tragedy. I have been witness first hand to an air show accident that involved two Canadian Snowbirds and it's a sight I'll never forget.

This Air Show accident happened in Poland on the weekend and resulted in the deaths of two pilots.

Labour Day Weekend

Feeding His Face
Originally uploaded by Bundy68

Here it is, another Labour Day Weekend.

Jerry Lewis is getting extra sleep so he'll be ready to go for another Muscular Dystrophy Telethon beginning on Sunday night. How many millions will he raise this year I wonder.

Students who haven't already gone back to class will be doing their last minute shopping for new school clothes and supplies. Of course the supplies they buy today are a little different from when I went to school. I never had to buy a laptop computer or iPod to get by. For me it was a couple of pens and maybe a Sony Walkman cassette player.

And of course another sure sign of Fall is evident to the campers getting in their final fill of "roughing it" prior to the inevitable first snowfall. That sign would be critters like the chipmunk above gathering nuts and other goodies to stock up their food supply for the long winter ahead.

Of course I do the same thing but I start storing my food internally all year long.

Clip Of The Week - August 27/07

Ladies and gentlemen...I give you the youth of America at its finest.

That's OK sweetheart, luckily you'll just marry some rich guy and you'll never have to think that hard again.

Favourite Sports Memories

Welcome to part two of my series on sports. Actually I didn't plan this but I was reading the Toronto Sun today and over the next few days their reporters or writing about their favourite moment in sports history from their perspective. Obviously they won't be talking about the 1906 World Series or the Montreal Maroons Hockey team but instead they'll discuss a sporting event they actually witnessed.

So along the same lines, I've decided to post a few of my favourite sporting moments in the last 40 years of my life. OK, I'm 39, but who's counting. I've also included plenty of video evidence to help you enjoy the moments again. Hopefully the links don't disappear.

In no particular order, here we go...

1993 Stanley Cup Final
I can remember it as if it was yesterday as the Montreal Canadians (my team of course) defeated the L.A. Kings in five games to win their 24th Stanley Cup. Sadly they haven't won again since then but I've been fortunate enough to see the "Habs" win ten Stanley Cups in my lifetime. I don't recall ever seeing the Leafs win one however.


1992 Blue Jays Win World Series
As a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team since they were born in 1977 I was thrilled to watch as the Jays won for the first time. The 1992 World Series was the first Series ever played outside of the United States of America. It pitted the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays against the National League champion Atlanta Braves. Toronto defeated Atlanta, 4 games to 2, marking the first time a non-United States based team ever won the World Series.

You may remember a faux pas occurred when a United States Marine Corps colour guard erroneously displayed the Canadian flag upside down during the opening ceremony of the second game. In the end it didn't matter as Toronto beat the tomahawk chopping Braves.

I'll always remember the thrilling 11th inning win in game six for Toronto. Otis Nixon bunted the ball to Jays reliever Mike Timlin who turned and tossed the ball to Joe Carter at first base to earn the first World Series for Canada.

1993 Blue Jays Repeat
The defending champion Toronto Blue Jays of the American League against the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies. With Toronto ahead 3 games to 2 in the series, Joe Carter hit a three-run game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 6 to win the series for Toronto, giving them their second consecutive championship (the first repeaters since the 1977-78 Yankees).

This was only the second Series concluded by such a home run (the first was in the 1960 World Series on a Bill Mazeroski home run for the Pittsburgh Pirates), and the first such occasion where a come-from-behind walk-off home run won a World Series.

I was in Toronto on Younge Street watching the game on the big screen at th HMV store and it was pandemonium when the game ended. I never kissed so many girls I'd never met before in my life. It was awesome...and a little scary.


1987 Canada Cup - Game 3
This was simply the best series of hockey I have ever seen in my life.

The final three-game series of this tournament between Canada and the USSR is considered by many to be the best exhibition of hockey in history. The tournament also was the first time ever that the two most dominant players of the last quarter century, Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, played on the same forward unit, and as expected dazzled fans with electrifying goals.

With the series tied 1-1, the Soviets stunned all of Canada by scoring three times in the first eight minutes to take a 3-0 lead in Game 3. Canada's grinders took over after that (particularly Rick Tocchet, Brent Sutter, and Dale Hawerchuk), and pulled Canada into a 5-4 lead after two periods. The Soviets tied it back up in the third and the game looked like it would head to overtime again. But late in the third period, Canada coach Mike Keenan sent the Gretzky-Lemieux-Hawerchuk line out to play, with a faceoff in Canada's end.

The rest is history as Hawerchuk tripped up Vyacheslav Bykov and Gretzky, Lemieux and Larry Murphy rushed down the ice on a three-on-one. Once again, Gretzky set up Lemieux, who fired a shot over the glove of goaltender Sergei Mylnikov with 1:26 remaining. The Gretzky to Lemieux play is one of the most memorable plays in Canadian hockey history.


Canada Wins 4x100 Relay in Atlanta
It was the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. My dad and I were in Toronto to watch a Jays game with some American friends who were up camping. After the game ended and everyone was making their way from their seats, all of a sudden the Jumbotron screen came alive just in time with the start of the race.

Donovan Bailey teamed up with fellow sprinters Bruny Surin, Glenroy Gilbert and Robert Esmie to defeat a faltering American team in the 4x100 metre relay. The year before the Olympic final, the Canadian foursome captured the title at the world track and field championships. But some commented that the absence of the United States left some lingering doubt as to how good the Canadians really were.

In Atlanta, their victory confirmed their status as the champions. The cheering in the dome was deafening as everyone was cheering wildly. Our American friends didn't feel too welcome with the anti-American comments being thrown around following the win.


1972 Summit Series
My memories of this series are dim at best as I was only four years old but it still remains one of the greatest sports moments ever and if you're Canadian then you know all about it. Canada needed a in win in game eight of the series in Russia to claim victory after a slow start. In the end they did just that thanks to a late goal by Paul Henderson.


1988 World Series - Game One
I'll be honest...I don't remember much about this series other than the fact that the L.A. Dodgers went on to upset the Oakland Athletics. However, one of the most amazing moments in baseball history took place in the bottom of the 9th in game one when an injured Kirk Gibson came off the bench to pinch hit and hit an impossible homerun to take the lead in the series.

To see Gibson hobble around the bases was unforgettable and to see Manager Tommy Lasorda jumping up and down like a little kid reminded us all that baseball is still just a game.


Red Army versus Montreal - December 31, 1975
The game showcased two distinct systems: not capitalism versus communism, but the determined, linear play of a Montreal team on the cusp of a dynasty versus the swooping, circular style of the Soviets -- the one now prevalent in the NHL.

The Canadiens outshot the Red Army 38-13, but Boris Aleksandrov beat Montreal goalie Ken Dryden on a three-on-one late in the third period to secure the tie. After the game Montreal defenseman Serge Savard said, "God was Russian tonight." It was a game for the ages.

1987 World Junior Hockey Championships
The "Punch-up in Piestany" erupted halfway through the final game of the 1987 world junior hockey championship. Canada was assured a medal, and would have moved ahead of Finland for the gold if they had beaten the Soviets by at least five goals.

The blow-up began as a fight between Pavel Kostichkin and Theoren Fleury. Four Soviet players left their bench to join the brawl, and then all the players on both teams swarmed onto the ice. I was never so proud as I was to see our boys stand up to the Russians and in the end...kick their Commie asses.


1984 Adams Division Finals - Game 6
Montreal Canadiens vs. Quebec Nordiques - Known as "Good Friday brawl/the battle of Quebec" this is possibly the most famous game ever played between the Montreal Canadiens and the Quebec Nordiques. A bench clearing brawl erupts and during the brawl Louie Slegr KO's Jean Hamel and later Dale Hunter goes ballistic. I really miss this old rivalry.


2002 Winter Olympics - Canadian Gold
It had been a long time since Canada had won a Gold Medal in Men's Hockey at the Winter Olympics and this time they were on a mission that nobody was going to stop. The final game was an awesome match-up with Team U.S.A. and was the perfect finish.

Sadly my memories of this game are mostly from video tape and from what I saw at the airport. I was flying home from a cruise of the Caribbean and we had left New Orleans and landed in Houston to catch our connecting flight. We didn't have a lot of time but we did see a bit of the game before we had to board the next flight. At that point the game was still close. We had asked the Captain to give us updates which he really never did until the game was over and when he announced that Canada had won...the plane erupted in cheers and applause by the Canadian passengers...mostly in our group.

Upon our arrival in Toronto there were people waving flags and blowing their car horns in celebration. Thankfully my parents taped the game for me and I was able to watch it once I got home. Knowing the outcome certainly made it easier on the nerves to watch. It was an amazing game even on tape.


And so that's a list of my favourite Sports Moments. I'm sure I've missed a lot of others but perhaps I can save those for another day. If you can think of any, please feel free to let me know by leaving a comment.