Shut Your Pie Hole and Go Home

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 ...

Vancouver Protest Turns Violent This has gone beyond ridiculous. The first full day of the Vancouver Olympic Games saw protesters turning violent, vandalizing cars, businesses, and public property in the downtown area. What do they think their actions - and their shouted obscenities - are going to prove? The Games have begun and they're going to continue. I'm not even sure what these people are protesting. Whatever it is, they don't have the brains to organize a peaceful and respectful protest, which probably would have been far more effective in presenting their position.  They also don't have the guts to show their faces. Most of the protesters were dressed in black and wore masks. Of course, if I were participating in such a blatant display of idiocy, I wouldn't want anyone to recognize me either. I watched every minute of last night's Opening Ceremonies, full of national pride and with tears in my eyes.  Our great country of Canada was showcased so bea...

Russian Skaters' Aborigine Theme Causes Outcry It is my firm belief that any and every situation is now cause for an outcry.  You missed the bus - cry out - it's transit's fault for not knowing you intended on catching that bus!  The dog ran away - cry out - it's the SPCA's fault for not adopting out pets that love their owners enough!  You got a hangnail - cry out - it's skin care companies' fault for not warning that a lack of use of moisturizer can lead to hangnails!  Bad hair day - cry out!  Car won't start - cry out!  It's not your fault!  Nothing is ever your fault and it is your RIGHT to make a stink about it! In case you, reader, believe I'm serious, I'm not.  But, seriously, it takes some talent to keep coming up with new things to cause a ruckus over.  Most everything has already been outcried. After reading only the headline of the above article, I was fully prepared to shake a fist at the Russians, but after seeing the first...

More Businesses Test Olympic Trademark Rules Wouldn't want to get sued by VANOC for unauthorized use of a trademark.... Now, I haven't really paid all that much attention to other host countries, but I have a difficult time imagining that their Olympic (I hope I don't get in trouble for using that word) committees have come down so hard on so many businesses.  Apparently no one else on the planet is allowed to reference the 2010 games in Vancouver, except official sponsors and those with authorisation from VANOC. Poor Olympia Pizza in Vancouver.  They've been around for more than 20 years and VANOC has not been making things easy for them, claiming unauthorised use of the Olympic trademark.  It apparently doesn't matter that the pizza joint began serving locals years before the city even hatched the idea of being an Olympic host city. Of course local businesses are going to do everything that they can to make bank during the games! And so they should!  They de...

I know that we've been going on and on about H1N1 and the Olympics, but since that's pretty much all that's in the news these days, there has been little choice.  (Help us out Canada and complain about something new so we can tell you what we really think about it.)  I was mighty pleased, though, when I read the following: "I despise Campbell, but the money's been spent and the debt's incurred. The only way we cut the debt is with a successful Olympics. They're not going to go away. Wishing for failure is the stupidest, blindest, partisan politics imagineable. Failure will just cost the province more." That's fine if you don't want the Olympics, but at least this person has accepted the inevitable with dignity.  However, I do wonder where the fuel for this comment came from as it was discovered under an article about the storms presently battering southern British Columbia...  (thinking... thinking...)  Perhaps some intelligence has be...

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091105/torch_ceremonies_091105/20091105?hub=TopStoriesV2 Yet another story of people who have a problem with something Olympic related. I want to scream at you! First people are protesting at every leg of the torch's run, now people are complaining that the torch run organizers are trying to avoid the protestors! Wow, Liberals, Bloq, NDP. I am so proud that you are associated with this fine, free country of ours. The Olympics are supposed to be a time when the world can come together peacefully, a time of good sportsmanship. And here we are, fighting with each other over which constituencies the torch should pass through. If I'd been planning this whole event, I would have purposely put the entire torch run far away from known protestors. I can just see the rest of the world watching the torch run on their local news, the joy of the Olympics being diminished by placards and screams from protestors. How ashamed our...

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091103/bc_torch_protest_apology_091103/20091103?hub=BritishColumbia" I read this on ctv.ca this morning, and I'm appalled. A young man was honoured with a dream come true, and protesters ruined his moment. What is wrong with you people! The Olympics are coming, and there's nothing you can do at this point. This example crossed the line of peaceful protest. How do you sleep at night knowing that a 17 year-old kid with cerebral palsy was forced to walk away from his dream (bless the people who were able to give him another chance) because you had to completely block his way. Good for you. I hope you're happy. And I hope you find it in yourselves to apologize to this young man. You crossed the line. So apologize, then SYPH and GO HOME!

I read this article on CTV news this morning: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091102/canada_peaceful_091102/20091102?hub=Canada Apparently, We're the eighth most peaceful nation in the world. Really? I think we're building a reputation as sore losers, whiners, and a people who will protest pretty much anything just because we can. As the Minister of Correction and Dismemberment, I think it's time for us "too nice" Canadians to start standing up for ourselves. We're not "nice", we're sissies! (Well, except for maybe on the rink) Do you ever look at the pictures of protestors and think to yourself that the very same people who are protesting the Olympic torch look an awful lot like the ones who protested Charles and Camilla's visit? That's because they are! It's always the same people who aren't grateful for anything in this country. Let's protest our horrific health care! (Which is among the best ...

CTV Olympics - Olympic protesters disrupt torch relay#olympic+protesters+disrupt+torch+relay#olympic+protesters+disrupt+torch+relay#olympic+protesters+disrupt+torch+relay#olympic+protesters+disrupt+torch+relay Hello Canada! This is the Minister of Corrections and Dismemberment. I know this doesn't fall under my jurisdiction, or maybe it does. What is with the Olympic protests? I don't get this. Are we not proud to be hosting the world at this time-honoured tradition of sport? Are we not proud to be showcasing how great of a country we live in? Oh, wait....we're too busy screaming about the money being spent, and protesting just to protest to realize that we're making our great nation look like an idiot on the world stage. Way to go! Haven't we given a thought to all the money that will be arriving in droves over the course of the Games? To the lasting legacy that the Games will leave? To our country becoming a tourist destination to people around the glob...