Shut Your Pie Hole and Go Home

It's been seven years since the last post. Back then, I thought North America was going to hell in a handbasket. Little did I know what was to come. Looking back, I long for the days when heating oil in a basement was the worst of my worries when it came to the stupidity of humanity. These days, I can't even read the news without getting anxious, stressed out, and just plain pissed off. So SYPH and GH is being revived. I couldn't care less if anyone reads this or not. It's more of a venting outlet than anything. Opinions that were strong when this all started are even stronger. The divide between the right and the left is even wider. My commentary will likely be even more colourful. If you don't like it, well, you can just shut your pie hole and go home.

High School Player Flagged For Touchdown Nod to God It's been a while since our last entry and for that, I apologise. It has not been for lack of atrocities in the news, but more of a lack of time to comment on them all. This article hit me first thing this morning and I couldn't let it slide. Now, I'm not American, nor do I aspire to be, but when something like this happens so close to home, I can't help but be affected. I'm a football fan. I bleed green for my Riders. I for one like to see some action after a touchdown. Nothing ostentatious, but if a player wants to do a backflip after scoring, be my guest! Is that also unsportsmanlike conduct? What about a chest bump? Jumping up and encouraging the fans to make some noise? I question whether or not the ref would have made the same call had the player been Muslim, Buddhist or Sikh. What is unsportsmanlike about a guy giving honour where honour is due? Players given nods to their team mates, fans, families al...

Canada has two official languages. Two. Period. English or French - take your pick. Not Mandarin or Cantonese, not Punjab, or German, or Spanish, or Russian. If you want to live here for any length of time, please learn and develop a working knowledge of at least one of our languages. And if you've chosen to live in western Canada, that language would be English. Today, a young family came into my place of business to ask for directions. No one in this family could speak enough English to make themselves understood, and it was only through catching the odd word and figuring out some gestures that I finally got what they were trying to say. These people were not tourists (if they had been, I would have sympathized with their plight). They were asking for the auto insurance business that used to occupy the space where my business now resides. This means they've been in Canada long enough to have a driver's license and an insured vehicle. And since they were carrying the tel...

This is the proof in the pudding regarding our earlier post today referencing a request to respect protesters. My personal favourite is photo number 13, but I don't know what the Chaotic Insurrection Orchestra  has to do with G8 meetings. As for #12, not every protest is a reason to light a joint. I love that I don't even have to make a point.  These people have made it for me and on day one, no less. Thank you, protesters, thank you.

  Obama arrives for G8 I'm somewhat saddened by the fact that Obama's arrival in Toronto made front page news.  What about the other world leaders?  I know what other countries are being represented next week, but I don't know who has arrived.  I personally don't think Obama is that big of a deal. It's not really the article that got me going this morning.  It was the idiotic comment by someone who makes me ashamed to be Canadian.  I'm proud that these meeting are being hosted on Canadian soil, but for once, I wish there could be peace. StanJohnston wrote, " Since when has it become ok for Canada not to respect protesters or the idea that their are many valid opinions? We are becoming more and more like the US every day and it's a terrible thing for Canada to become." Okay to not respect protesters? You have got to be kidding me, right?  Respect protesters ?  The same protesters who created a situation so dangerous a disabled kid could...

G-20 Nations Should Look to Canada for How to Build a Better Economy I can't even begin to describe how proud I am to be Canadian after reading this article.  Not to mention the fact that it was written by Americans. I was pleased to see Stephen Harper shown in a good light.  The gentlemen who wrote the article seem to have more respect for our Prime Minister than many Canadians. Despite the rantings of so many Canadians, it's been proven that Canada is indeed recovering faster than the majority of countries around the world. If you're not proud of that, you can shut your pie hole and go home.

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20100622/crime-costs-page-100622/ I don't get it. We have $1.8 billion to spend on prisons, but we're closing schools and decreasing days in the school year due to budget restraints. Isn't this how a vicious circle begins?

--> I think this is is something that needs to be forwarded until every Canadian with a computer receives it. The year is 1907, one hundred and three years ago. -->   Wilfrid Laurier's ideas on Immigrants and being a Canadian in 1907. 'In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes a Canadian and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet a Canadian, and nothing but a Canadian.  T here can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is a Canadian, but something else also, isn't a Canadian at all. We have room for but one flag, the Canadian flag. We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and t...

Fla. Christian School Fires Teacher Over 'Fornication' Claims I graduated from a private Christian school and am forever grateful to my parents for shelling out the atrocious tuition costs for those four years of my life.  While "worldly" things still go on in a Christian school, they are not a blatant as in the public school system and yes, some things have a harsher penalty. Through my years in high school there were suspensions and expulsions.  Every student, upon starting high school, signed a contract saying they would refrain from certain exercises: drugs, drinking alcohol, smoking and fornicating (sex outside of marriage).  It was certainly no surprise that there were many students who chose to break that contract.  It was also no surprise when there were dire consequences for those acts.  Getting caught with drugs or alcohol would result in an immediate suspension.  Getting caught more than once often resulted in expulsion.  A girl getting ...

My Take: Ending 'don't ask, don't tell' would undermine religious liberty   Editor's Note : Tony Perkins is President of the Family Research Council and a Marine veteran. By Tony Perkins , Special to CNN Some people think allowing open homosexuality in the military means nothing more than opening a door that was previously closed. It means much more than that. It would mean simultaneously ushering out the back door anyone who disapproves of homosexual conduct, whether because of legitimate privacy and health concerns or because of moral or religious convictions. This outcome is almost inevitable, because pro-homosexual activists have made it clear that merely lifting the “ban” on openly homosexual military personnel will not satisfy them. The stand-alone bills that have been introduced to overturn the 1993 law, such as S. 3065, call explicitly for: Revision of all equal opportunity and human relations regulations, directives, and instruction...

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/05/19/jennifer-knapp-chely-losing-conservative-fans-coming-lesbians/?test=faces Let me get something across to all you readers out there. If a Christian artist "comes out", their album sales are going to be affected, end of story. I have long been a fan of Jennifer Knapp. I remember seeing her in concert more than 10 years ago - she was on stage sitting on a bar stool just her and her guitar. It was incredible. She has an amazing voice, and is incredibly talented. Will I allow my son to listen to her music? No. The fact of the matter is... the words "lesbian" and "Christian" do not coincide. I'm not necessarily saying that homosexuals cannot be saved and cannot be Christians. This is not what I mean. But when someone out there is promoting themselves as a homosexual Christian artist, I'm not going to be a fan, nor will I allow it into my home. I imagine the majority of conservative Christians feel t...

Mentally disabled man flew with store card ID As a frequent long-distance flyer, I just don't understand how someone was allowed to board a plane with only a VISA and a Costco card as ID.  Really?  Nothing to verify his citizenship, real name, place of birth, address?  I've never flown anywhere without presenting at the very least my valid passport!  Apparently Doug Tiedeman isn't the only on in this situation operating at the mental capacity of a 12-year-old.  The difference is that Mr. Tiedeman cannot help his condition, the person who checked him in can. I suppose that now when someone asks me for a piece of ID, that I can present my Costco card.  It doesn't matter that the blurry, black and white picture on the back doesn't look a thing like me, the card has absolutely no personal information on it but my name and the only date on it is the date I got my initial membership.  Heck, I know people who have borrowed other people's Costco cards and h...

Bullies force 5-year-old off school bus Less than a month ago, people across Canada donned their pink shirts to bring awareness to the growing issue of bullying.  Apparently making people aware of the issue does nothing at all to solve the issue. My heart goes out to little Ryan and his family.  I can't imagine what that family has already gone through with their boy, let alone have to deal with insensitive kids and their ignorant parents. The state of parents in our country these days is a topic that I've heard come up several times over the past couple of days and I can't help but agree with some of the commenters regarding this article. ottawamum said, " The Prairie South School Division should be ashamed of themselves. CBC should provide the names of the school principal, bus driver, board of directors for the school and the bullies themselves. They do not deserve privacy and certainly not the protection they refused to provide for little Ryan. The adults sh...

Banff booze banned for long weekend Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks have banned alcohol for the May long weekend! Anyone who has the audacity to open their pie holes over this one needs to shut your pie hole and go home.  If you can't have a good time on a long weekend without booze, you've got bigger issues at hand and should seek help rather than an ammendment to the ban. It's about time some people in our country started promoting a good time that does not include the consumption mind-altering drugs and drinks. Besides, isn't camping supposed to be a family kind of thing?  I'd personally find it difficult to have a good time with my family if the bone-heads at the next site over were too wasted to keep their party contained.  If you want to drink, stay at home or go to a bar.  Those are places where it's acceptable to indulge.  But camping?  Come on and grow up.  Let the families have a good time without the drunks ruining it.  ...

A Jesus Christ cartoon is in development at Comedy Central .  "JC is a playful take on religion and society with a sprinkle of dumb.”  This comment makes me wonder just how many Christians and biblical scholars are involved in the creation of this show.  My guess is a big, fat 0. I personally believe that Comedy Central has already gone too far.  I thought cartoons were supposed to be for kids.  Since when is animation R rated?  Apparently clean humour is no longer appreciated. While I appreciate good humour like any real Canadian, I take offense as a Christian when non-believers take all respect and honour away from my Saviour.  I have no doubts that God loves to laugh, the Bible speaks often of the joy of the Father.  I can only imagine Jesus laughing and joking around with his disciples, but to place God in the role of an apathetic, video-gaming father?  That's offensive.  That's disrespect. I'm all for promoting Christianity in...

After reading an article on the education of black kids in America, I got to thinking about the education on minorities in Canada - specifically aboriginals.  It is my understanding that anyone with a registered treaty number is entitled to a university education at any public post-secondary school in the country without paying a penny of tuition.  I wonder just how many people take advantage of this opportunity and how many people without a treaty number would give just about anything to gain such an advantage. My proposition is this:  for every registered aboriginal who does not take advantage of a free post-secondary education within a year of graduating high school, award a full-ride scholarship to a young person whose family is on welfare.  This could accomplish two things:  1) more aboriginals would take advantage of furthering their education and/or 2) more financially insecure families could send their young people to university. If everyone plays n...

National Day of Prayer goes on despite ruling "America was birthed in prayer and founded on the God of the Bible, on his biblical principles and on his moral values," Day of Prayer organizer Shirley Dobson said. Thank God for people who still have faith and morals!  God bless Shirley Dobson and Rev. Franklin Graham.  Even though the US Army rescinded its invitation to Rev. Graham, I am beyond overjoyed that he refused to back down or apologize for his comments against Islam. Why is it that Muslims can speak out against Christianity and it's call free speech, but when Christians speak out against Muslims, it's called hate speech? It saddens me that the President of the United States does not see the importance of participating in the National Day of Prayer.  Presidents before Obama took seriously counsel from various Christian leaders within the country.  I may not be American, but as Canadians, we feel strongy the effects of our southern neighbour. "In ...

So all you naysayers and protesters - how do you like them apples? The Olympic Games ended in Vancouver with a giant street party. Canada glowed golden and its citizens glowed red and white. The games were played, games were won and lost. No, it was not two weeks without incident, but what are we going to remember? We will remember the Georgian luger, Nodar Kumaritashvili, who died tragically that first day. We will remember the tears of Joannie Rochette and her glorious bronze medal win. We will see Sidney Crosby score that final goal for gold. Who cares if there wasn't quite enough snow? The games went on. Transit issues? Oh well, people still made their way downtown. That last arm of the caulrdon didn't lift? We're Canadian, we can make fun of our own mishaps. Our city, our province, our country came together to celebrate an historic event. And, if I do say so myself, did a dang good job of it, too! Stand up Canada, be proud! We've nothing...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/feb/15/vancouver-winter-olympics-2010 I wish I had written the following in response to the article by Lawrence Donegan in the February 15th of the UK Guardian. This says it all: We never claimed to be perfect That means we've learned to be humble We say excuse me and I'm sorry as well as please and thanks Even when its not our fault we apologize Sure one arm of the torch didn't rise, But when the earthquake struck Haiti, Canadians raised their hands to say we'll help And yah, there is a fence around the torch But you can walk right up and shake hands with our prime minister and most famous Canadians We put Gretzky in the back of a pick up, in the rain, not surrounded by police and he was okay And by the way... The great one is Canadian and he wasn't complaining! We do have security at the games, of course, but most people don't even have a gun they have to leave at home The medals ARE under lock and ...

Tiger Wood's Apology http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/02/19/tiger.woods/index.html I know this isn't a piece of Canadiana, however, the "sport" of golf is near and dear to the hearts of many males in my family. This caught my attention. As it was supposed to. Splashed all over the home page of CNN's website today, I found articles, video clips and slide shows of  Tiger Woods' very public apology. In case you don't follow the sports news, Tiger is a bit of a golf phenom. But he's been a bad boy. His wife and kids took off when they found out he'd been involved in numerous extramarital affairs and who knows what else. Advertising endorsements dropped off as well. Tiger slipped out of the golf world and has spent the last several months digging himself out of a very deep hole. Now he comes on national television to apologize for his behavior. Honestly, who gives a rip? The guy plays a good game of golf and earns millions doing it. Good for him. We d...