Jafo's Journal

The Absurdity Of Censorship

2011-01-13T12:30:00.001-05:00

Everyone has heard about the controversy over the rewriting of the books by Mark Twain. Because the dreaded "N" word was used in the tales of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, the books have recently been redone using different words. instead of the "N" word, slave was used. Instead of "Injun Joe", it's now Indian Joe. Just plain ridiculous if you ask me. Now comes a new round of absurdity.

In 1985, British rock group "Dire Straits" came out with their biggest hit, "Money For Nothing". Since it's release, it garnered the following ...

Billboard #1 single September 21 - October 5, 1985

1986 - Grammy for Record of the Year

1986 - American Music Award for Record of the Year

1986 - 9 MTV Video Music Awards

The song was used for everything from the theme song for the WWE wrestling to MTV and has even been parodied by Weird Al Yankovich.

Now more than 25 years later, some over-sensitive woman from Newfoundland lodged a complaint with the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and had the song banned from airplay. Why??? because of 1 little word. Faggot.

What the hell is wrong with people that they can ban works, whether art, music or video, based on the complaint of 1 narrow minded individual? There are a lot of things that deserve to be censored but a song that's been around for over 25 years is just plain ludicrous.

If you disagree with the censorship of Money For Nothing, then let them at The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council know. E-mail Ron Cohen at ron@cbsc.ca or phone him at 613-233-4607 ext.#14

To protest the air-play ban, here is Money For Nothing by dire straits. Uncensored.

A Letter To Hamilton City Hall

2011-01-05T01:49:00.000-05:00

Dear Hamilton City Council

     Every week, it seems I am reading or hearing about what council is trying to do for the betterment of our community. And sadly, every week I am left with the same sour taste in my throat over some of the most ridiculous crap I've ever heard. The people of Hamilton elected you to help our city grow but what I've heard in the last few months is doing nothing but tearing our city apart.

     I was just made aware of a Spectator article concerning the change of venue for Festival of Friends and cannot for the life of me wonder why you would agree so fast to the decision. The article states that the festival is growing too big for the park. BULL####. There is plenty of room for the festival to grow at Gage Park. If everything was spread out a little more rather than trying to keep it all huddled around the bandshell, there would be no problems with space. The area by the King St. entrance closest to the delta for example had nothing there. More tents, rides or whatever could have been set up there with very little problems. There was a wide open field between the bandshell and the fountain that had virtually nothing there save for maybe 2 or 3 stalls. What should have been there was something like, oh I don't know, how about a dunk tank where people throw balls at a target and hopefully drop a councilor into a tank of Hamilton Harbour water.

     I used to go to Gage park for the festival every year since it began. I took my sons there and eventually my grandson. But if the festival ends up in Ancaster, I'm afraid that visits to the festival have ended for our family.
     There are a couple of other items that should be addressed, like the stupidity of an LRT in this city when the HSR is a load of crap, water mains that are forever in need of repairs, some of the worse streets in the province, exorbitant taxes which cause an endless number of store vacancies in the core. But that's all I'll say about those. There is one subject I can't ignore. The stadium/Ti-Cat fiasco.
     When Fred Eisenberger was mayor, he tried to push through the West Harbour area for a stadium. Shemp Howard could not have made a dumber move. There was virtually no access to highways and street congestion would have been a nightmare to say the least. Then there was the option of a stadium on the east mountain. Good move. Put a stadium way out in the boondocks where a lot of the fans can't get to it. Next came the area near Longwood Road. Problem with that is it would have had Hamilton taxpayers paying for it until Hamilton gets an NHL franchise (and we all know the likelihood of that happening). Now there is talk about the stadium being built in Burlington and the Ti-Cats playing there. Here's a little newsflash for you....
     If you people would get your heads out of the sand, especially a couple in particular I refuse to name because when I do I get nauseous, you will see that Confederation Park is the best possible site for a new stadium. It is close to the highway, it is close to hotels for overnight fans, it has great visibilty, local transit (as good as it is) isn't that far off and could be modified to accommodate games and it wouldn't cost nowhere near what the Longwood Road site would cost. I can't understand why a few think it's a bad site unless there are other plans in the works for something there like maybe a hotel or such thing.
      The more I think about it, the more I think that as tax payers who voted in the men and women on city council, we are as much to blame for our city degrading as it is. After all, if we hadn't voted in the same people as the last election (well except for Eisenberger) things might have been a little different.

          Signed......One Disgruntled Hamiltonian.

A New Year, A New Start

2011-01-04T22:50:00.000-05:00

I've had to deal with a few major issues concerning family matters over the last couple of months (particularly 2 deaths in the family) so I really didn't feel like doing much posting on here. It's a new year now and time to get on with things.

Starting tomorrow, I'll post as much as I can. It won't be every day but the gloves are coming off over local issues, Doltin Dalton, as well as a few others I have in mind. So hang onto your asses cause the ride's just getting started and it could get bumpy.

The 2010 Darwin Awards

2010-11-25T20:55:00.000-05:00

You've been waiting for them with bated breath, so without further ado, here are the 2010 Darwin Award Winners:

Eighth Place-

In Detroit, a 41-year-old man got stuck and drowned in two feet of water after squeezing head first through an 18-inch-wide sewer grate to retrieve his car keys.
Seventh Place-

A 49-year-old San Francisco stockbroker, who "totally zoned when he ran", accidentally jogged off a 100-foot high cliff on his daily run.
Sixth Place-
While at the beach, Daniel Jones, 21, dug an 8 foot hole for protection from the wind and had been sitting in a beach chair at the bottom, when it collapsed, burying him beneath 5 feet of sand. People on the beach used their hands and shovels trying to get him out but could not reach him. It took rescue workers using heavy equipment almost an hour to free him. Jones was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Fifth Place-
Santiago Alvarado, 24, was killed as he fell through the ceiling of a bicycle shop he was burglarizing. Death was caused when the long flashlight he had placed in his mouth to keep his hands free rammed into the base of his skull as he hit the floor.
Fourth Place-
Sylvester Briddell, Jr., 26, was killed as he won a bet with friends who said he would not put a revolver loaded with four bullets into his mouth and pull the trigger.
Third Place-
After stepping around a marked police patrol car parked at the front door, a man walked into 'H&J Leather & Firearms' intent on robbing the store. The shop was full of customers and a uniformed officer was standing at the counter. Upon seeing the officer, the would-be robber announced a hold-up and fired a few shots in the air from a target pistol.
The officer and a clerk promptly returned fire, and several customers also drew their guns and fired. The robber was pronounced dead at the scene by Paramedics. Crime scene investigators located 47 expended cartridge cases in the shop. The subsequent autopsy revealed 23 gunshot wounds. Ballistics identified rounds from 7 different weapons. No one else was hurt.
HONORABLE MENTION
Paul Stiller, 47, and his wife Bonnie were bored just driving around at 2 A.M. So they lit a quarter stick of dynamite to toss out the window to see what would happen. Apparently they failed to notice that the window was closed.
RUNNER UP
Kerry Bingham had been drinking with several friends when one of them said they knew a person who had bungee-jumped from a local bridge in the middle of traffic. The conversation grew more excited and at least 10 men trooped along the walkway of the bridge at 4:30 AM. Upon arrival at the midpoint of the bridge, they discovered that no one had brought a bungee rope. Bingham, who had continued drinking, volunteered and pointed out that a coil of lineman's cable lay nearby. They secured one end around Bingham's leg and then tied the other to the bridge. His fall lasted 40 feet before the cable tightened and tore his foot off at the ankle. He miraculously survived his fall into the icy water and was rescued by two nearby fishermen.. Bingham's foot was never located.
AND THE WINNER IS....
Zookeeper Friedrich Riesfeldt (Paderborn, Germany) fed his constipated elephant 22 doses of animal laxative and more than a bushel of berries, figs and prunes before the plugged-up pachyderm finally got relief.
Investigators say ill-fated Friedrich, 46, was attempting to give the ailing elephant an olive oil enema when the relieved beast unloaded. The sheer force of the elephant's unexpected defecation knocked Mr. Riesfeldt to the ground where he struck his head on a rock as the elephant continued to evacuate 200 pounds of dung on top of him. It seems to be just one of those freak accidents that proves... 'Shit happens."

It always seems fitting to thank these people for unwittingly removing themselves from the gene pool.

Is The Canadian Legion Hypocritical

2010-11-04T14:50:00.000-05:00

Every year at this time for the past 3 or 4 years, a new controversy arises. A new group calling itself the Island Peace Committee feels that the selling of white poppies to represent non-violent conflict resolution should be allowed alongside the sale of the Legions red poppies. The white poppies are for those who support peace while the red poppies represent those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. But here's the rub.

The Canadian Legion feels they own the poppy emblem and should have total excusivity on their sale. As I understand it and what I was taught growing up, the men and women who died during WW1, and WW2 did so in the name of freedom. They died so we would have the freedom to live life without being dictated to. Isn't the Legion doing just that though with the demands against a group whose sole purpose is to promote a peaceful life? Sounds a little hypocritical to me.

If it were up to me, I say let them sell the white poppies to remind us that there is an alternative to war and so that we don't have to wear a red poppy but we do so to honour those who died for our freedom. It's not disrespectful to want something that those who died for us wanted us to have.

Just for the record, I am a member of the Canadian Legion and I wear a red poppy every year. I thank those who died during the wars and am grateful for the sacrifice they made. My own Father was a member of the armed forces who saw combat during the Korean conflict. Just because I say a white poppy has it's place in todays society does not mean any disrespect to those honoured by the wearing of a red poppy.

Where Is the Justice?

2010-10-28T13:59:00.000-05:00

In October 2004, a 49 year old Hamilton labourer, I'll call him "M", walked out of his apartment at about 10:00 p.m. to go buy some liquor from a bootlegger. That was the last time he walked anywhere. Just shortly after arriving at the bootleggers residence, M was attacked from behind by an 18 year old woman who had already drank 2 bottles of wine. The blow to M's back was hard enough to shatter several vertabra in his spine. He was then thrown over the railing of the front porch and fell 3 feet to the ground. If that weren't enough, the assailant proceeded to kick M in the chest a couple of times saying "If he thinks he's hurt now, he'll really feel these". The motive for the attack was to rob M so the woman and a friend with her could by more wine from the bootlegger. M was left a quadriplegic.

For the next 5 years, M went from the Hamilton General Hospital where he had his surgery to Chedoke's Holbrook Center where he received therapy and counseling for 2 years and finally to the long term facility at Hamilton's St. Josephs Hospital. Due to the severity of his injuries, M battled an array of medical problems daily. He had to be fed through a tube which ran to his stomach. He had a tube running from his bladder to a bag which required constant monitoring so it wouldn't plug up or overfill. He constantly had trouble breathing and needed oxygen masks to help him. There were bouts of depression when all he wanted to do was die. M would finally get his wish.

On October 10th 2009, M succumbed to pneumonia brought on by his bodys inability to fight infections caused by the vicious assault 5 years earlier. This happened just 2 weeks after his mother passed away as the result of a massive stroke. The woman responsible for the attack was finally arrested and charged in May 2009 and was sentenced on October 22nd 2010. Her sentence...... 2 years probation, 6 months of that was house arrest with the right to leave for certain functions, Dr. visits and so on. Followed by 6 months of curfew (5 p.m. to 6 a.m.), no alcohol or prohibited drugs for 2 years (the judges words), and a lifetime ban on owning any weapons.

This woman was responsible for paralyzing a man with 4 daughters and several grandchildren. His one daughter was pregnant at the time of his death. His grandchildren will never really know him because of the actions of a thoughtless uncaring drunk whose only motive was to get more alcohol. He's dead and she gets nothing more than a slap on the wrist. When the judge asked her if she had anything to say to the family, she nonchalantly replied "I'm sorry but I just don't remember".

She may not remember but M's family and friends will never forget.

Should Canada Reinstate Capital Punishment

2010-10-27T01:20:00.000-05:00

Just 2 minutes after midnight on December 11th 1962 at the Don Jail in Toronto, Arthur Lucas and Ronald Turpin took their place in Canada's history books. They were the last 2 persons to be executed in Canada. In 1967 a moratorium was placed on the death penalty but it wasn't until 1976 that Canada would officially strike capital punishment from the books. That was almost 35 years ago.

In the last 15 to 20 years, this country has seen an increase in violent deaths. Murders committed by the likes of Robert Pickton, Paul Bernardo, and Clifford Olsen. This past month everyone learned of the depravity committed by Col. Russell Williams. Two murders, multiple break and enters and so on. What do we, as law abiding tax payers do? We give them free room and board, meals, and clothes. It costs Canadians millions to house someone who has been found guilty of murder.

One of the main reasons capital punishment was removed from the books was "because of fears about wrongful convictions, concerns about the state taking the lives of individuals, and uncertainty about the death penalty's role as a deterrent for crime". With todays extensive methods of crime scene investigations and the tools at the hands of the criminologists, it is virtually impossible to convict the wrong person. DNA sampling alone accounts for almost a 95% conviction rate. In the case of Russell Williams, his confession and all the photographic evidence that surfaced waould be enough to have him hanged almost immediately.

If capital punishment were to be reinstated, it should be set up in this manner -> 1)Trial - If found guilty, you get two (2) appeals. 2)Date of execution set - This is set only after the two appeals are over with 3)Execution. Granted there are exceptions to the rule. Williams for one. He pled guilty and there was more than ample proof to convict without his confession. In a case like that, he should get thirty (30) days to make his peace, make sure his affairs are in order and say good-bye to any family. The only other change would be that instead of the body being buried in an unmarked grave, turn it over to the family, unless there is no other option.

I don't know about anyone else but I'm getting tired of my tax dollars being used to keep someone like Bernardo, Pickton or Olson or their kind alive. I'm sure the French's and Mahaffeys aren't too keen to the idea either. If you had a loved one murdered by some low life, would you want to pay for them to stay alive? Their housing, clothes and meals paid by you after they had killed your son or daughter or grandchild. I think it's time the Canadian Government actually did something and bring back the death penalty. Enough of this namby-pamby kid glove treatment of sick depraved monsters.

Slander Or Just A Poor Loser?

2010-09-16T12:31:00.001-05:00

One of the greatest sporting events Canadian football fans look forward to, besides the Grey Cup game, is the rivalry known as the "Labour Day Classic". The greatest rivalry that I know of comes between the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger Cats. The banter between fans can and does get wild at times. This year was no different..... with one exception.

A female Toronto fan who was in Hamilton to cheer on her beloved Argos, sent off a letter to the Hamilton Spectator's "Letters To The Editor" section with accusations of everything from being called names to actually saying she was urinated on by a Hamilton fan while in the stands. Sixty one year old Sandra Granahan says it took her several days to recover from the shock and anxiety she suffered as a result of the abuse she received while in Hamilton. The letter appeared in about the Sept. 8th issue (not exactly sure).

Since her letter appeared in the paper, there have been other letters published. They ran the gamut from outrage, to sympathy to disbelief. There was a letter by someone from the Ti-Cat organization stating an investigation would be launched.

Today (Sept.16th), an article titled Writer's Take On Ti-Cat Crowd Absurd seems to dispel every statement made by Ms Granahan. The writer of this article, Mr. Ben Lawrence, was in the same section during the game and witnessed none of what was claimed. Mr. Lawrence backs everything up with logic, common sense and an eye-witness accounting of the whole time. Hard to dispute that.

On Ms. Granahan's FaceBook page , she states, [QUOTE] I will never go to Hamilton again in my lifetime.[/QUOTE] All I can say is "Thank you. I'm sure you've made all Hamiltonians and Tiger Cat fans very happy.

Dalton McGuinty And Tragedy

2010-09-13T15:31:00.001-05:00

Ontario's Premier Dalton McGuinty was visiting an Ontario primary school and the class was in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings.

The teacher asked Mr. McGuinty if he would like to lead the discussion on the word 'Tragedy'.

So our illustrious premier asked the class for an example of a 'Tragedy'.

A little boy stood up and offered: If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playin' in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a tragedy.

Incorrect, said McGuinty. That would be an accident.

A little girl raised her hand: If a school bus carrying fifty children drove over a cliff, killing everybody inside, that would be a tragedy.

'I'm afraid not',explained McGuinty, that's what we would refer to as a great loss''

The room went silent. No other children volunteered. McGuinty searched the room.

Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?

Finally, at the back of the room, little Johnny raised his hand and said: If a plane carrying you and your cabinet members were struck by a 'friendly fire' missile & blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy.

Fantastic, exclaimed McGuinty, and can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?

Well, said Johnny, it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss, and it probably wouldn't be a bloody accident either!

A Touch Of Class

2010-09-08T17:31:00.002-05:00

One of the great things about any sporting event is the friendly little bets you make with friends, co-workers or even rivals. One such bet was made between Hamilton police Chief Glenn De Caire and Toronto police Chief Bill Blair over which team would win between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts at the annual Labour Day Classic football game. The bet, whoever's team won the game would have their team flag fly proudly over the police station of the losing city for 1 week. Chief Blair was true to his word and as the video below shows, he hoisted up the Ti-Cats flag for all to see. Very classy Chief Blair.

Here's a request to Chief De Claire.... "What are the odds you can make the same bet with Montreal?"

Warning - New Disease To Hit Ontario Fall Of 2011

2010-08-25T21:53:00.000-05:00

It's true folks. Word has come down that a new disease is about to invade Ontario and apparently it's a lot tougher than the H1N1 virus that invaded our area a couple of years ago.

Information About Gonorrhea Lectim (Liberalis strain)

The Ontario Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of this old disease.
The disease is called Gonorrhea Lectim. It's pronounced "Gonna re-elect 'em," and it is a terrible affliction.
The disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior involving putting your cranium up your rectum.
Many victims contracted it in 2008...but it is only now that most people, after having been infected for the past few years, are starting to realize how destructive this sickness is.
It's sad because Gonorrhea Lectim is easily cured with a new drug just coming on the market called Votemout.
You take the first dose in 2010 (HST variant) and the second dose in 2012 and simply don't engage in such behavior again; otherwise, it could become permanent and eventually wipe out all life as we know it.
Most ridings are already on top of this, like many in the north, and apparently now in the east, with many more seeing the writing on the wall.
Please pass this important message on to all those bright folk you really care about.

New Political Acronyms

2010-08-20T00:21:00.000-05:00

As I get older I can't help wonder what my future will be financially. Will I have the money I need to retire on? What can I expect from the government if I fall short financially? It's enough to boggle the mind. Then one day I received an e-mail from a friend of mine and while it did give me a good chuckle, I can't help but wonder just how close to reality this was.

Here is the message I received. I hope you get a chuckle out of it too.

Due to the current financial situation caused by the slowdown in the economy, Parliament has decided to implement a scheme to put workers of 50 years of age and above on early, mandatory retirement, thus creating jobs and reducing unemployment.

This scheme will be known as RAPE (Retire Aged People Early).

Persons selected to be RAPED can apply to Parliament to be considered for the SHAFT program (Special Help After Forced Termination).

Persons who have been RAPED and SHAFTED will be reviewed under the SCREW program (System Covering Retired-Early Workers).

A person may be RAPED once, SHAFTED twice and SCREWED as many times as Parliament deems appropriate.

Persons who have been RAPED could get AIDS (Additional Income for Dependants & Spouse) or HERPES (Half Earnings for Retired Personnel Early Severance).

Obviously persons who have AIDS or HERPES will not be SHAFTED or SCREWED any further by Parliament.

Persons who are not RAPED and are staying on will receive as much SHIT (Special High Intensity Training) as possible. Parliament has always prided themselves on the amount of SHIT they give our citizens.

Should you feel that you do not receive enough SHIT, please bring this to the attention of your MP, who has been trained to give you all the SHIT you can handle.

Sincerely,

The Committee for Economic Value of Individual Lives (E.V.I.L.)

PS - Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas and oil, as well as current market conditions, the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off.

A Residents Concern

2010-08-12T12:38:00.001-05:00

After the previous post, I received an e-mail from a woman who lives in the area affected by city councils decision. I can't help but wonder how Mr. Mayor feels when he reads letters like this or if he even does read them.

I have already replied to the woman and at the time it seemed that there might have been a reversal of outcome but that was not to be. There was another vote today and the final vote went ftom 12-2 to 9-6 in favour of the West Harbour.

I wish the Mayor or somebody who voted for the West Harbour would read this letter, respond here and explain to the letter writer why she should have to be subjected to such an atrocity.

Here is her letter.

Hamilton City Hall Drops The Ball

2010-08-12T00:08:00.002-05:00

In the business world when someone is willing to invest up to $74 million in a project, you try to work with that person for the benefit of all. That's not the case where Hamilton city council is concerned. I'm talking about the West Harbour fiasco of course. Mayor Fred Eisenberger and all but 3 city councilors basicly killed a 141 year tradition in Hamilton by ignoring the wishes of Tiger Cat owner Bob Young and voting to have the new stadium built at the West Harbour site.

One of the first sites to be considered for the new stadium was at Confederation Park but that was quickly shot down by councilor Chad Collins and the vote was pushed right through without any sort of debate. That left the West Harbour and the East Mountain locations. After an 11 hour last minute debate, Hamilton council backs West Harbour stadium . Bob Young, the Hamilton Ti-Cats and all their loyal fans got screwed. Royaly.

The vote of course did not sit well with Mr. Young. Ticats owner calls stadium decision 'massive mistake' was the headline the following day. A massive mistake is not exactly what I would call it. A fiasco of epic proportion. The death knoll to the Cats. Another downtown white elephant to the city. Take your pick. There are more I could come up with but you get the idea. The topper in this was when CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon threw his support for Bob Young and the Ticats in the dispute

The area chosen is a toxic waste land. I worked at the plant that sits in the midst of the site. It would cost millions to clean the area up even before construction can begin. What about run off after the stadium is built? There's no telling how far down the toxic sludge runs.

As I said above, I worked there for some time and I am well acquainted with the streets and what the traffic is like. On a regular business day traffic can get to be a pain. Some say it's close to the highway. IT'S NOT. Once you are able to get away from the immediate area, it's another 10 or 15 minute drive to the highway on-ramp.

On July 1st, Canada Day, Hamilton had a fireworks display for the citizens. There were approximately 300 to 350 people in attendance. What follows is a video of what took place after the fireworks display was over.

Video compliments of meejoebee at YouTube

Take a good look at the amount of traffic. Now imagine what it would be like after a football game with about 25 to 35 thousand fans. A nightmare to be sure.

As a friend of mine stated, the Mayor of this city will become known as "The Man Who Lost This City Their Team".

Canada's Shame

2010-06-28T20:35:00.002-05:00

Whenever anyone from another country is asked what their impression of Canada is, the answer is usually either "A country of polite people" or "A peace loving country". On Saturday June 26th during the G20 summit in Toronto, the second statement is no longer valid. In my opinion.

While "some" of the protestors tried to have a peaceful demonstration, that was not to be. A radical group of thugs called "The Black Bloc" descended on Toronto leaving a trail of destruction behind them. Smashed windows, burned out police patrol cars, and more. There were even reports of looting and assaults. If you were anywhere near them with a camera, you were practically taking your life in your hands. These thugs should be rounded up, charged top the fullest extent of the law, made to pay restitution for "everything" and made to clean up the damage they did.

The one lingering question in all this is..."Where were the cops when the Black Bloc was creating all this mayhem and destruction?" That's a good question. In a lot of the videos shown on main stream media videos and on YouTube, they were just standing nearby doing absolutely nothing.

To be honest, the cops did make arrests during the melee. Out of an estimated 700 to 900 arrests, most were protestors. The part that is really troubling, of those arrested, 1 was a shop owner on her way to work (held in detention for about 5 hours or more with no washroom facilities), 1 was a security guard on his way to work ( held in detention for 20 hours) and the list goes on. The cops overstepped their bounds. There is no question about it. They should be held accountable for not doing their job properly. In my opinion, the cops in Toronto during the G20 did a worse job than the O.P.P. did in Caledonia. And that's doing some.

Canadian TV "IS" Crap

2010-06-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

According to Alberta Culture Minister Lindsay Blackett, the Canadian television industry produces nothing but crap and I have to agree with him. I can "probably" count on 1 hand the number of Canadian made shows that I believe merited any type of accolades for being worthy of watching.

"I sit here as a government representative for film and television in the province of Alberta and I look at what we produce, and if we're honest with ourselves … I look at it and say, 'Why do I produce so much shit? Why do I fund so much crap?'" Blackett told the panel, to ripples of laughter....Alberta Culture Minister Lindsay Blackett

Let's face it, when it comes to watching high quality television programming, Canadian tv is miles behind what comes out of our southern neighbours studios. Granted there have been some pretty good movies made here in Canada (The Hulk with Edward Norton wasn't too bad) but there's a lot of work to do to get the same quality as that of American television.

Just for the record, what I considered pretty good Canadian television programs were...1) The Beachcombers (From what, the 1970's?)...2)The Red Green Show...3)Corner Gas (I've always been a fan of Brent Butt though)... 4) The Murdoch Mysteries (Not to bad but could be better)....5) Royal Canadian Air Farce (Was great at first but after John Morgan died and they brought in Alan Park and the other 2, it just went downhill fast).

I could have listed "The Rick Mercer Report" but to me he's nothing more than a comic trying to do a video blog. Trailer Park Boys is crass, rude, and panders to the Canadian version of a hillbilly redneck. Others include...

Kids in the Hall....Boring inane nonsense.

Mantracker...Not too bad at first but how of many times can you watch 2 guys on horseback chase down 2 people on foot usually with the same outcome.

Da Vinci’s Inquest....Snore, Snore.

One Canadian show I can't really comment on is Slings and Arrows with Paul Gross. I've only seen a couple of episodes (it's hard to get in this area without paying through the nose.) but what I have seen looks pretty good. Then again, Gross is a fine actor whose comedic timing rates right up there with Leslie Nielsen.

To those who disagree with Minister Beckett and myself, just ask yourself this, "Would Canada be able to produce shows like N.C.I.S., Numb3rs, or even something as sappy as Ghost Whisperer and have it come out just as good?" My answer is, I doubt it.

On a side note, there is a new news show coming out from the Sun media outfit that is nothing more than a CNN clone but geared for Canadians. Will it fly? Doubtful. We'll just have to wait and see.

What Were They Thinking?

2010-05-26T14:03:00.000-05:00

In what can only be described as a "What were they thinking?" moment, 4 teens in the U.S. were hurt when the van they were in crashed after the driver passed out. What caused the driver to pass out? The teens were trying to hold their breath for about 1/3 of a mile. This caused the driver to pass out, the van hit a boulder, and luckily nobody was seriously hurt.

What penalty did the driver receive from his stupid stunt? A fine for driving in the wrong lane and possibly an honorable mention on The Darwin Awards website.

The L.C.B.O. Must Go

2010-05-25T06:14:00.002-05:00

It's time Canadians stood up and said, "Enough of this crap we are forced to put up with from the L.C.B.O." As adults, we shouldn't have to be dictated to by some of their inane standards. In other provinces, it is legal to buy beer from corner and grocery stores. You can't do it in Ontario though. The big kicker came in 2 stories that made the press concerning Canadian entertainer Dan Akroyd.

Last week, actor Dan Akroyd announced he was donating wine to the troops in Afganistan. The troops were allowed free beer but had to pay for any wine at a cost of $9.00 for half a bottle and that didn't sit well with Lt.-Col. Doug Johnson. So he looked around and finally made a deal with Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits Ltd., the winery which produces Dan Akroyds wines, and they agreed to supply hundreds of bottles of 2007 Pinot Noir and Riesling to the base.

In the second story, Dan Akroyd's Crystal Skull Vodka was pulled from shelves by the L.C.B.O.. The reason? The shape of the bottle. A crystal skull. Give me a break.

On one hand we have Akroyd donating wine to the troops and in the same instance, the L.C.B.O. turns around and bans one of his products because they don't like the container the vodka comes in.

I turned the legal age to drink many years ago and in my opinion, that makes me old enough to decide what I want to drink. Beer, wine, whiskey or whatever. If I decide I would like to buy a bottle of vodka in a bottle that is shaped like a skull, that should be my right. It shoud not be mandated by some pompous bureaucratic clown sitting in a stuffy office somewhere.

It is my strong belief that the board that makes up the L.C.B.O. should publicly apologize to Mr. Akroyd for this faux pas, allow his vodka to be sold in Ontario and to thank him for his donation of wine to the troops.

Maybe a large boycot of L.C.B.O. outlets is in order.

I Couldn't Stay Away

2010-05-20T22:18:00.003-05:00

It has been 6 months since I last posted here and that is because I wasn't going to do this anymore. Certain events have come up that have made me reconsider that option.

A few of the things that have been getting under my skin are McGuintys H.S.T., the archaic establishment known as the L.C.B.O., and the the sudden appointment of David Braley to the Senate. Let's see, he makes a substantial contribution to Harpers campaign a few years ago and now Harper appoints him to the senate. Curious.

I will be coming back to this blog every so often and putting in my 2 cents starting Tuesday May 25th. In the mean time, if you're so inclined, you can reach my by e-mail (webcanada54@gmail.com) or on Facebook (Jafo Canada)

I shall Return.

Time To Move On

2009-10-19T00:35:00.004-05:00

I have been writing posts to this blog for almost 3 years now and due to certain events that have occured, I have decided to pack it in. I've had fun writing here, sometimes arguing with a few knot-heads who have no clue, to just having fun reading the responses to a post or two.

Since Feb. 23, 2007, I have written posts on all manner of subject. To me, everything and anything is fair game in the blogosphere and I usually had something to say. The list of subjects included...

Hamilton and the N.H.L.. - The answer is relatively simple now. Not as long as the "Lord High Regent Bettman" is in office will Hamilton ever have an N.H.L. team. Never mind the fact that the perpetual losers in Toronto haven't won a cup in 40+ years, that's about as close to a Grey Cup as Bettman will allow for Southern Ontario.

The Caledonia Crisis - That's what the people in Caledonia like to call it. Here's a suggestion for all of you, Native and non-Native alike. Stop bitching and moaning to the media or to all those boards and blogs out there. They can't do squat. Go scream at the morons (and that's about as polite as I can be on that) in Ottawa. Whether it's Provincial or Federal, yell at them. Demand action. When enough people yell long enough and loud, things begin to happen. Let the people who wish to protest, protest. It is their right whether some idiots agree or not. One more thing, stop listening to that jackass in Binbrook and his merry band of half-wits.

Gary McHale - What can I say about McHale and his group of ******** without running the risk of being sued for one thing or another? There's an old saying, "The truth shall set you free". Unfortunately if I say the truth, at least the definition of truth by most, I could get a subpoena. I believe I'll just treat Gary and his group like I would with any other "pole-cat". Give them a wide berth, plug my nose, and ignore them.

The Canadian Government - I didn't have any choice on where I was born and while I do love Canada, the people we elect to run it always seem to leave a bad taste. Harper doesn't plan to do anything about Omar Khadr who is still behind bars at Guantanamo Bay. McGuinty seems hell bent on pushing through everything and anything whether people want it or not. Face it, the Canadian government is a joke and sadly, the rest of the world knows it too.

Police Services - WOW... What can I say? Robert Dziekanski, tasers, University of Western Ontario, tasers, the smoking truck driver, tasers. It seems to me that as we as a people move forward, our law enforcement agencies keep taking one step backward for every 2 steps forward. It is getting to the point where it is increasingly hard to tell the crooks from the cops. Wait.... I know. The cops wear the uniforms and the crooks aren't nearly as violent and the O.P.P. don't do anything but hand out tickets for smoking.

The Right To Bear Arms - There are some who still believe Canadians should have the same right as our neighbours to the south. I said it before and I'll say it again, if you want to act like an American by being able to carry a gun and watch the N.F.L., then move down to the states. It will only be one less moron the rest of us need not worry about.

The Hamilton Ti-Cats - I have been hard on the Cats over the years only because as a die-hard fan, I want to see them win. It's only been this past year where they have made their best showing in some time. I can only hope under the coaching of the present staff, we can only hope we go on for the cup. OSKEE-WEE-WEE.

That's about all I have to say. I know I have said in the past that I was giving it up but I always managed to come back. Sadly, this time I won't be back to post. Family takes precedent over everything and right now I have family obligations which must be addressed.

I wish you all the best and as the character Dr. Stanley Freedman of M*A*S*H so eloquently said as he was leaving.....

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Take my advice

Pull down your pants

And slide on the ice.

If for any reason a copy of any of my posts are needed, I have them all backed up for quick reference. Just send me an e-mail with the particulars of the post and/or the date and I'll try to accommodate you as best I can.

Vicious Arrest At University

2009-10-16T00:17:00.000-05:00

After reading the news story, watching it on t.v. and with the clip at the bottom of this post, all I can say is I would be accused of resisting arrest too.

Officials at the University of Western Ontario in London are defending the violent arrest of a student that was captured on video and posted on YouTube.
The video, shot on Wednesday at the university's social sciences building, shows what appears to be five campus and police officers surrounding the man and pinning him to the ground.... cont.

The suspect is on the floor, 1 cop is repeatedly slamming his knee into him (at 15 seconds). Another cop is hitting him with what looks like a billy (at 23 seconds) and a 3rd is punching him about the head (at 1:10). The other 2 are trying to handcuff him while the guy is trying to keep his parts in order.

Don't believe what I'm saying? Watch the clip.

I can't help but wonder, after watching that disgraceful display, if any of those "peace officers" were ever at Vancouver Airport? They acted just about as bad as a few that were there that also made headlines.

Wrestler/Entertainer Lou Albano Dead

2009-10-15T00:11:00.000-05:00

When I was in my early teens, I watched wrestling almost religiously. Haystacks Calhoun, The Beast, Sweet Daddy Siki and others provided entertainment like nobody could. At least in my opinion. Even to this day, some 40+ years later, I must admit I still like watching the WWE and the rest of them every so often.

One of the wrestlers from the early years right up to the 90's, Capt. Lou Albano , provided entertainment of every kind. Along with wrestling, he also did music videos with Cyndi Lauper and host a Saturday morning cartoon show.

Captain Lou Albano, who became one of the most recognized professional wrestlers of the 1980s after appearing in Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" music video, died Wednesday. He was 76.
Albano, whose real name was Louis Vincent Albano, died in Westchester County in suburban New York, said Dawn Marie, founder of Wrestlers Rescue, an organization that helps raise money for the health care of retired wrestlers. He died of natural causes, Marie said... CONT.

The following clip shows Capt. Lou squaring off at Madison Square Gardens, against another wrestling legend Gorilla Monsoon who unfortunately passed away 10 years ago.

Naturally He Would Say That

2009-10-14T00:22:00.000-05:00

It seems there is just no end to the controversy over the stun-gun.

The Taser used on Robert Dziekanski had nothing to do with the Polish immigrant's death at Vancouver International Airport, according to the manufacturer's lawyer.
David Neave told the Braidwood inquiry that all the peer-reviewed evidence from medical experts is that the stun gun does not affect a subject's heart, matabolism or breathing....cont.

Yeah right!!! I suppose all those other people who died after being tasered were all suffering from strange maladies and the stun-gun had nothing to do with their deaths. Tell that to their families.

Let's face it, David Neave is Taser's attorney. He can't say anything negative against the company or the product or he's out of a job. That's only common sense. That doesn't mean that I or anyone else should believe the stun-gun is safe.

In yesterdays entry, I even posted a link to a news story and to a PDF file where Taser themselves revised their manual. The revision warns against shooting the stun-gun at the chest of the intended victim.

Now I wonder why they would put out that bit of info if their own lawyer states the stun-gun isn't lethal?

Singer Al Martino Dies

2009-10-14T00:12:00.000-05:00

Al Martino, a crooner who had several pop hits spanning more than 20 years and played Johnny Fontane in the 1970s "Godfather" movies, died Tuesday at his childhood home in Springfield, Pa. He was 82.
He was born Alfred Cini on October 7, 1927, in South Philadelphia. Encouraged by his boyhood friend Mario Lanza, Martino began his singing career in the late 1940s. His single "Here in My Heart" hit No. 1 in the U.K. in 1952 and stayed on top for a record nine weeks. He performed for Queen Elizabeth at the London Palladium that year. Martino's publicist, Sandy Friedman, said the singer planned to return for an anniversary performance at the Palladium next year....cont.

Strange Days Indeed

2009-10-13T00:10:00.001-05:00

After being away for 2 weeks and very little computer access, I felt it time to make a comment or two concerning a few news items I've come across.

First off, it seems some police forces and Taser have started listening to people over the use of the Taser stun-gun. Too many people were dying after being stunned by one of these devices. The fact that it was stated that the stun-gun didn't actually cause the deaths, it just seems too coincidental to ignore. In a release by Taser , it states (on page 2) that the devices should "Not" be aimed at a persons chest so as to reduce the possibility of affecting a persons heart.

A number of Canadian police agencies are changing their policies on stun-gun use in light of a new training bulletin from the manufacturer of the weapon.
Taser International says the guns should not be aimed at a suspect's chest whenever possible. Instead, officers are advised to target the abdomen, legs or back.... cont

I personally would like to see the use of them banned. I guess one could be thankful that it is illegal for just anyone to possess them here in Canada. We don't need Canadians acting like Americans.

It's too bad some of the changes hadn't been implemented when the R.C.M.P. used them numerous times on Robert Dziekanski. He might still be alive today. I would like to wish his mother luck in her lawsuit.

Robert Dziekanski's mother is suing the federal and provincial governments, four RCMP officers and the Vancouver International Airport for the loss of her son.
Dziekanski died minutes after he was shocked up to five times with a Taser by the RCMP in the arrivals lounge of the airport two years ago.... cont.

There were two items that I just could not believe. First up, a truck driver was fined for smoking in his truck. There was nobody under 16, he was alone just driving down the highway when he was tagged.

A truck driver from London, Ont., has been fined $305 for smoking in the cabin of a tractor-trailer because it is considered a workplace.
Essex County Ontario Provincial Police pulled over a truck on Highway 401 near Windsor, Ont., at about noon on Wednesday after the driver, 48, was seen smoking.... cont.

Can we say "Overkill"? It's time the cops started smartening up. This guy is out slaving away to make a buck and a cop pulls him over for smoking in his truck. Since when did Canada become a communist nation?

I think the biggest shock was learning that President Barack Obama received the 2009 Nobel Peace laureate . My question is, "FOR WHAT?" He hasn't been in office long enough to actually warrant that kind of acheivement. It just doesn't make any sense.

Can It Get Any More Ironic

2009-09-25T00:24:00.001-05:00

One can't help but wonder when a headline like "Halifax-area Fire Department Gutted In Blaze" seems to jump right out at you. So many questions rise up that you just don't know where to start. The fact is, since the fire department that was destroyed was in a small town, it wasn't manned 24/7 like most.

A Halifax-area community centre that housed the local fire department was badly damaged in a blaze that broke out just before midnight Wednesday.
The Beaver Bank Kinsac Community Centre, built in 2004, was gutted by the flames.
Besides being home to the Beaver Bank-Kinsac fire department, it also housed an RCMP community station and a daycare.... CONT.

I won't be posting anything about Gretzky jumping ship (other than this) as too many have already thrown their 2 cents into the pot.

Balsillie Makes His Own Concession

2009-09-24T00:17:00.001-05:00