Welcome to my blog.
This is my creative outlet that could include my thoughts on anything from current affairs, my weight loss quest and things that just make me need to voice an opinion.
It never ceases to astonish me how popular Soccer (Football for you European types) is around the world. Even here in Canada people are going crazy insane supporting their teams.
I’ll set my irritation aside (for the most part) regarding “ethnic” Canadians cheering for their home teams. Suffice to say, as far as I’m concerned, if you live in Canada, are a Canadian citizen, work in Canada or have earned the right to enjoy all of the benefits of being a Canadian, then you should only support one team…CANADA! There are no part-time Canadians and you can’t be Canadian only when it suits your needs and purpose.
Of course Canada, being the soccer power that we are, failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. But I have no doubt in my mind that if Canada had qualified, all of the Italian, Greek, German, British, Brazilian, Argentinean, etc. Canadians by descent would still be cheering for their former respective countries…and that would have pissed me off beyond words.
In fact, not too long ago a team from another country (lets say Italy) came to Canada to play an exhibition match. I was watching the news and there were Italian Canadians beside themselves with giddiness eager to watch the game. That’s fine; but what really ticked me off was when these “Canadians” were interviewed on the TV news and said, “I’m so excited to watch my country play”. I double checked and nope, Canada wasn’t playing in the game.
These people, living in this great land, don’t even consider this their home country. I say if you’re not 100% Canadian then get the hell out and stop sucking at the Canadian teat.
Perhaps I’m just taking what these people said too literally, but my family has been in Canada for many generations. In fact, I’m having a tough time tracing them all to their origins in Canada for my family tree. I do know that my ancestors came from Scotland and Germany as well. Now Scotland isn’t in the World Cup but Germany is. I’m not cheering for them though as my home is in Canada and that’s who I support no matter what.
Well, I guess I didn’t set my irritation aside on that after all.
Back to the World Cup, even if Canada was involved, I’d only have a tiny bit of interest. I find the sport boring to watch with very little action to keep me entertained. I’m sure the soccer purists would inform me that I just don’t understand the nuances and tactics of the sport and they’re probably correct. Actually, there’s no probably about it, I don’t understand it.
I can appreciate the physical fitness of these athletes and their skills with footwork and using their head to propel the ball but it’s just too damn slow and there’s no “real” body contact. Even if I could get past the sluggish speed and relatively boring passing, I’d still be sickened and turned off by the continuous diving by the players.
Where’s the honour in the game? Where’s the toughness? It’s obvious that skill doesn’t translate into heart and grittiness with these guys. Soccer players make Baseball players look like Ultimate Fighters. Even in the NHL you see the odd dive from time to time which is an embarrassment to the sport but it’s nothing like a soccer game where the slightest physical contact results in one or both players writhing on the field in agony. I don’t know how they summon up the courage to continue playing after such horrific collisions.
Of course I’d never complain without having actually seen a good (or bad) example. I was watching Group W action on Sunday. I guess the “W” stands for wimps. Brazil was playing Ivory Coast. Luckily it was a mismatch so there was actually a bit of scoring (3-1 for Brazil) which made it a tad bit more tolerable.
Kader Keita for the Ivory Coast was lightly jogging toward Brazil’s Kaka. Yes, his name is Kaka and I can’t even tell you if he has a first name or not. Of course, Kaka means “poop” in Canada, but that’s neither here nor there.
Keita ever so slightly made contact with Kaka’s elbow which would have done little to a child let alone a grown man acting like one. Down goes Fraser! I mean, down goes Keita like he’d taken a knockout uppercut to the jaw from Cassius Clay. Of course Kaka’s elbow only made contact with Keita’s chest but he grabbed his face and fell to the ground as though Oswald himself had pulled the trigger.
The official, who had given a yellow card once already to Kaka, was sucked in as you’d expect from a European official (just like hockey). This resulted in his second yellow card which then means an automatic red card and ejection from the game. Wow, look at me describing the rules like I know what I’m talking about.
Anyway, my point is clearly made by this example. Soccer isn’t a man’s game, it’s a boy’s game and it isn’t even much of a game at all in my opinion. Give me hockey, rugby or any other manly sport and leave this soccer nonsense to the people with delicate sensitivities and low pain thresholds to enjoy. Luckily the World Cup of Snoring only lasts a month and the Canadian Football League will be back underway by the time it’s over. Somebody give me a wake up call then.
Well it appears as though I didn't win last nights $50 million Lotto Max jackpot. Actually, nobody won it for the second week in a row.
So that means we can all spend our money again as another $50 million will be up for grabs plus 55 draws of $1 million each. Does that mean my odds of winning are getting better?
In the meantime, it's back to work on Monday as usual. .
For the first time in what seems like months I was finally able to take advantage of a day off work and pick up my camera and use it for a change. I wasn't overly motivated but felt guilty that I hadn't produced anything lately.
It was a rainy, overcast and windy afternoon today and I didn't think I'd come home with much when the trip first started but I managed to snap about 80 photos and ended up with about five keepers that I thought were pretty good.
I've posted a few here for you to have a look at. Hope you like them.
As someone in my early 40’s I consider myself quite tech savvy and fairly up to date on the latest gadgets and gizmo's that propel this modern society. Having grown up in the 70’s and 80’s I’ve seen a lot of changes and advancements in technology over the years. I can’t help but wonder though if these innovations have hurt us in some way
Walking around town I’ve noticed more and more people, mostly 45 and under in age, becoming less social or friendly with their fellow man. Everything seems so impersonal. Frequently I’ll see people passing each other without so much as a friendly nod. The basis for this lack of cordial behaviour is most likely linked to technology.
These people are spending more time walking and texting or wearing earphones for their iPods and listening to music. Others have Bluetooth earpieces plugged into their heads and they’re talking on their mobile phones.
Maybe it’s because I don’t have any friends or anything important to say but I rarely use my mobile phone anymore and I never text. I think texting is ridiculous. If you want to have a conversation then just call that person or better yet, go meet them some place and talk face to face. If your only option is to text, then chances are you shouldn’t be doing it any way.
Do kids still call each other at home on the phone and go out and play sports? Road hockey games or football and basketball games used to be quite common in my neighbourhood growing up. I had a group of friends and we’d get together all of the time to play outside. I rarely see that anymore.
OK, I’ll admit there was a short period in the mid-80s when I went through a Dungeons and Dragons phase. We spent countless hours in a buddy’s basement casting spells and defeating trolls with our hit points and maces. But once my grades slipped, mom and dad put a stop to that.
Perhaps it’s just me but the whole world seems to be more antisocial. As an example, I have almost 500 friends on Facebook. Some of those are close friends from over the years, others are school friends and acquaintances, past co-workers and a myriad of other family and other folks I know to varying degrees. Of those 500 friends, I might run into or see a handful of them on a regular basis and another 20 I will run into throughout the year.
I’m not saying Internet sites like Facebook are bad. In fact, I think it’s great because without it I might never have made contact with some people I lost track of that I really wanted to touch base with again. I had some great friends in college that I never saw after graduation but thanks to social networking I was able to talk with them again some 20 years later.
These sites serve a purpose but I think they can also discourage real face to face communication thanks to the ease of being able to sit at a computer and chat rather than interact in person.
I’m just as guilty at times as everyone else who falls into this anti-social, Internet fuelled, technology loaded culture. I’d be lost without my computer, Internet, email, iPod Touch and mobile phone. I’ve become dependant on it and admit I get the shakes if I’m away from it all for too long. My computer is like the Mother Ship calling me home at times.
I suppose everything has its place and purpose but as good as new technology can be I question sometimes if we’re all turning into a horde of robots losing the capacity to interact with the other robots.
Have you ever wondered how the rocket scientists prepare the Space Shuttle for launch?
Well, as the final Shuttle launch quickly approaches, I found this time-lapse video that was obviously created by someone with all-access privileges at the Kennedy Space Center.
I have always been a "space fanatic" and am always intrigued by everything involved with exploring the heavens. My visit to the KSC many years ago was like going to the holy land. I even saw two shuttles return that day on the back of the modified 747's.
Any way, enough with my geek memories. Have a look at this video and I think you'll be quite impressed.
NOTE:There is no sound to the video until near the very end. Also, you can view the video full screen by clicking on the square with the four arrows.
There are a few topics that evoke passionate beliefs and often times anger. Abortion is certainly one of those subjects. It’s a huge topic that can’t be covered completely, especially by me but there’s nothing wrong with some discussion.
Being a man I’ll never be forced to make a decision on whether to terminate a pregnancy or to go to term. My biggest concerns are usually centered around deciding on chicken or beef for supper.
This doesn’t mean I don’t have an opinion on the subject. I am pro choice. A woman has the right to decide what to do with her body. I believe that if I were a woman and I became pregnant, nobody should be allowed to tell me what I can or cannot do with my body. I’m not going to get into the debate about at what point a fetus becomes a life. That can be discussed another time.
Now, before the anti-abortion activists and supporters jump all over me, allow me to elaborate. I’m sure what I say won’t make a difference but at least I’m being honest and forthcoming.
That’s right folks…we interrupt my usually light-hearted and laid back blog for some seriousness once again.
When I think of the ways a woman can conceive I come up with voluntarily, accidentally and forcefully.
Voluntarily would be when a woman lays down with a man and knowingly has unprotected sex that results in pregnancy. The intent to conceive was there and the resulting outcome was expected. In a case like this, I still believe a woman has the right to choose if she wants to remain pregnant. Depending on the circumstances (health issues or dangers to the mother) an abortion may be necessary. I’d like to think that if a woman in this situation can carry the baby to term that she would do so. I think in most cases this does happen.
Accidentally is when a woman has sex with a man but doesn’t expect to get pregnant. Perhaps the chosen method of birth control didn’t work but no matter the reason, the outcome was unexpected. As someone who is pro choice I see no problem with the woman aborting the pregnancy if that is what she wants.
Lets be honest, when I drive through my town, there are a lot of unfit mothers pushing strollers. I see these young women hanging out at the local Tim Hortons parking lot at 11pm or later with their child in a stroller. This is not a proper way to raise a child. What kind of an upbringing will this kid have? The point is there are a lot of women who have kids and they aren’t mentally equipped to deal with the responsibility let alone financially. Adoption would have likely been a better choice for these kids. Sometimes love isn’t enough to raise a child. Of course when the government hands these girls a cheque each month per child, that’s all the incentive they need to keep reproducing.
If a woman accidentally becomes pregnant and knows that there is no way she can properly care for and raise a child then her choices are abortion or adoption. Either choice is fine with me.
Forcefully is obviously as a result of being given no choice in having sex with a man with the outcome being the same. This may happen as a product of rape. The factors surrounding the rape are not vital. If a woman is forced to have sex against her will, drugged or under the influence of alcohol and proper consent is not attained, then that is rape.
I can’t imagine any woman wanting to carry her rapists’ baby to full term. That’s not to say it hasn’t happened before because I know religion plays a huge factor in the decisions surrounding child birth for many. I was hoping to keep religion out of this but the fact is abortion is a no-no with some faiths. That’s fine if that’s what you believe but if a woman doesn’t follow that religion, her rights as a human are just as important and he beliefs and decisions should be based on her choices and not some other religious group or organization. What makes your beliefs more important than hers?
As an example, if one religion believed that anyone over the age of 50 should be euthanized to decrease the population and to lessen the strain on our society, does that mean that everyone should be forced to follow their thinking?
Having said all of that, I would much rather have a woman give birth than have an abortion but rarely is it that simple. For me, having the choice is important and significant and a right as a human being. Nobody has a right to tell me what I can and can’t do with my body so why should abortion be any different.
There’s nothing wrong with education. As an example, in Oklahoma, a woman seeking an abortion will have to undergo an ultrasound at least one hour before having the procedure. She must listen as the doctor describes the fetus’s organs, lungs and heartbeat, even in cases of incest and rape. This may deter some women from continuing with the procedure but even if they do go ahead with the abortion; at least they do so with some knowledge.
It is my personal belief that the government, religious groups and other organizations should mind their own business. What may be good for them may not be good for others and if a woman wants to have an abortion, it’s her choice and nobody else’s.
I just wanted to take a moment to wish my fellow Canadians a very Happy Canada Day on July 1st.
It never ceases to astonish me how popular Soccer (Football for you European types) is around the world. Even here in Canada people are going crazy insane supporting their teams.
Perhaps I’m just taking what these people said too literally, but my family has been in Canada for many generations. In fact, I’m having a tough time tracing them all to their origins in Canada for my family tree. I do know that my ancestors came from Scotland and Germany as well. Now Scotland isn’t in the World Cup but Germany is. I’m not cheering for them though as my home is in Canada and that’s who I support no matter what.
Where’s the honour in the game? Where’s the toughness? It’s obvious that skill doesn’t translate into heart and grittiness with these guys. Soccer players make Baseball players look like Ultimate Fighters. Even in the NHL you see the odd dive from time to time which is an embarrassment to the sport but it’s nothing like a soccer game where the slightest physical contact results in one or both players writhing on the field in agony. I don’t know how they summon up the courage to continue playing after such horrific collisions.
Keita ever so slightly made contact with Kaka’s elbow which would have done little to a child let alone a grown man acting like one. Down goes Fraser! I mean, down goes Keita like he’d taken a knockout uppercut to the jaw from Cassius Clay. Of course Kaka’s elbow only made contact with Keita’s chest but he grabbed his face and fell to the ground as though Oswald himself had pulled the trigger.
Anyway, my point is clearly made by this example. Soccer isn’t a man’s game, it’s a boy’s game and it isn’t even much of a game at all in my opinion. Give me hockey, rugby or any other manly sport and leave this soccer nonsense to the people with delicate sensitivities and low pain thresholds to enjoy. Luckily the World Cup of Snoring only lasts a month and the Canadian Football League will be back underway by the time it’s over. Somebody give me a wake up call then.
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As someone in my early 40’s I consider myself quite tech savvy and fairly up to date on the latest gadgets and gizmo's that propel this modern society. Having grown up in the 70’s and 80’s I’ve seen a lot of changes and advancements in technology over the years. I can’t help but wonder though if these innovations have hurt us in some way
Walking around town I’ve noticed more and more people, mostly 45 and under in age, becoming less social or friendly with their fellow man. Everything seems so impersonal. Frequently I’ll see people passing each other without so much as a friendly nod. The basis for this lack of cordial behaviour is most likely linked to technology.
OK, I’ll admit there was a short period in the mid-80s when I went through a Dungeons and Dragons phase. We spent countless hours in a buddy’s basement casting spells and defeating trolls with our hit points and maces. But once my grades slipped, mom and dad put a stop to that.
I’m just as guilty at times as everyone else who falls into this anti-social, Internet fuelled, technology loaded culture. I’d be lost without my computer, Internet, email, iPod Touch and mobile phone. I’ve become dependant on it and admit I get the shakes if I’m away from it all for too long. My computer is like the Mother Ship calling me home at times.
Now, before the anti-abortion activists and supporters jump all over me, allow me to elaborate. I’m sure what I say won’t make a difference but at least I’m being honest and forthcoming.