Blog of Kurt

The Beat 94.5 - Officially "Dead to Me"

2006-01-10T19:13:00.001-06:00

In an homage* to the best new show of 2005, The Colbert Report, I have decided to publicize my "Dead to Me" list. This list of people, places, and things whose existence, for one reason or another, I officially no longer acknowledge. This is especially true of things that I once loved but have disappointed me to the point that I will forever completely ignore them.

Currently the list it comprised of the Phoenix Coyotes (for leaving Winnipeg) and Randy Moss (for the heinous crime of becoming a Raider).

Today's addition is Vancouver radio station The Beat 94.5.

The Beat was once the sole hip-hop station in Vancouver, a place where you could hear non-Eminem rap, deep Pac track, old school, and funk throughout the day. Yet over the past 5 years as it has grown in ratings it has moved closer and closer to Top 40, until last year when they dropped their any mention of urban culture and the all black morning crew and replaced it with non-stop pop music and the suburban-friendly poser Kip (or Kit or something) Carlson and two girl that I can only assume were picked up in a shopping mall somewhere. Lately The Beat has taken to hours of celebrity gossip, Hillary Duff promotions, hourly play of "My Lumps", and Ryan Seacrest (**shudder**). The worst though is how they loosely cling to a whitened up version of their past by promoting the odd mainstream hip-hop show and once having the askew-hat wearing Carlson (because wearing a Yankee-cap slightly off centre gives you street-cred) interviewing 50 cent, the pinnacle of hip-pop. Of course, soon another radio station will start up playing hip-hop and any coolness left in the station will vanish and leave something that is only palatable to 30 something female office workers (see Z95).

So tonight after waking up to Nickleback's Photograph for the last time, I will be switching the station on my alarm clock and never going back because The Beat is officially Dead to Me!

Kurt

PS: In case you are wondering the following things are "On notice" of becoming dead to me: Joaquin Phoenix (for pronouncing his name wrong); Brendan Morrison (for floating and never winning a faceoff); Family Guy (for not having an episode with a plot since Season 3); and Wendy's (for square hamburgers - if you were going to adjust the shape of anything on a cheeseburger make the cheese round not the hamburger square - if it wasn't for your delicious spicy chicken sandwich the whole chain would be dead to me!)

* Homage is a French term that loosely translates into ripoff

2005 Injustice

2006-01-08T03:53:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year!

In a year of America denying torture claims and Gomery, the biggest injustice of 2005 is TSN's selection of play of the year.

The #1 play according to TSN is Marek Malik's through the legs shootout goal.

Granted that was quite to shot..... but it was a game winning goal (that won the Rangers 1 point) in October!!!!

Tiger Woods made a chip shot for the ages on the 16th at Augusta. This was the best play of the 21st century, let alone 2005! Tiger's shot won the Master's, redeemed his year of winning nothing while he reworked his swing, and provided Nike with the greatest product shot ever!!

In the greater scheme of things Malik's goal meant nothing. Tiger's shot meant everything. I know TSN is head over heals for pro hockey being back but they made a horible decision in their play of the year.

Kurt

If Freedom's worth a buck 'o five, what's sovereignty worth?

2005-03-03T01:31:00.000-06:00

So our government finally did it! Bush, Cellucci, Powell, and our own Conservative Party have been hounding our country to bow to the pressure and join America as one nation under god... or at least as one nation under a missile defense shield. Paul Martin in a very Canadian confrontation-avoiding kind of way, politely but firmly told the Americans, "No". Now we wait out the initial backlash which is coming and coming big, because America is pissed. The US administration really wanted an excuse to dole out another few billion tax payer dollars to their friends in the engineering/ military industry, especially if we were going to be footing half the bill!

First, Condoleezza Rice canceled her state visit to Canada. No biggie. If she wants to keep her pock-marked, Letterman-toothed grill south of the 49th, I'm cool with that. [Ed. note: I mean she is a republican, you'd think she could afford some orthodontic work and a case of stridex pads!] The big news came today and was plastered on the front of the National Post. "BUSH WON'T CALL PM"!! Like a note passed around a junior high home room, the Post is spreading rumours that Bush is dumping Canada... I heard he's now taking Vincente Fox to the prom! Seriously though, of course Dubya is too busy to make time for the guy that cost him and his buddies millions of dollars, I would be too. The Post continues it's fear mongering by quoting a panel of leading citizens (ie: rich conservative people) who are worried about the growing anti-Canadianism in the USA and how this could have drastic negative effects on our economy. Therefore, the panel concludes, Canada should agree to US demands for this new version of Reagan's Star Wars plan.

Ah, negative effects to our economy! The right-wing ace in the hole for anything and everything they oppose. The argument was, historically, for things like higher pollution, lower taxes, and free trade, things that, in the short-term at least, would negatively effect our economy. Now the debate has switched to anything that would upset the Americans, especially Republicans. There were arguments against Marijuana de-criminalization, gay marriage, and now, not joining this missile Defense plan based on the economy.

The truth is, when we oppose right-wing American values there will be a short-term negative effect on the economy, stalling on re-opening the border to cattle for example. In the long run though, California and New York still need power, Detroit still needs auto parts, middle America still needs Alberta oil, and Washington State still needs BC pot (okay, bad example). For all the posturing of the right, America's glut for our resources will inevitably open the border for the free flow of goods. Even if it does cost us in the long-run, what's a little sovereignty and freedom worth? Clearly, more than a small hit to the economy.

Saying "no" to Americans every now and then will not leave us all in the poor house. What it will do is give us independance and increase that special condecending Canadian knowledge that we are better than those stupid Americans. So before we go thinking that America will close down Canada, remember two key things 1) America is totally run by businesses; Canada is only partially run by businesses and 2) All businesses want an open border and since business has a greater sway in Washington than in Ottawa they will crack first, no matter how much pot we smoke, gays we marry, or terrorists we harbour. So let's just sit tight and wait, because they'll eventually stop bitching and listen to where the money is. If for no other reason than because Jeb is gonna need a lot of it to beat Hilary in 3 years!

"Either you're slingin' crack rock or you got a wicked jump shot"

2004-11-24T20:19:00.000-06:00

In case you missed it, in Friday night's Pacers -Pistons game a fight broke out. This was not your usual NBA brawl of name calling, pushing and slapping each other like little girls (man I miss hockey). This fight involved real punches, things being thrown and, oh yeah, the fans. That''s right, after some name calling and a fan throwing popcorn at the Pacers, Ron Artest (24) ran into the stands and started attacking the guy who was taunting him. A melee ensued of Detroit fans v. Pacers players, including Artest cold-cocking another fan on the court. The guy took in and went after Artest; it's good to see my view as Detroit being the toughest city in America is well warrented. On Sunday it was announced that Artest is suspended without pay for the rest of the season. Is this fair? yes. Did the fan act out of order too? yes. That's easy. Now comes the real question: who is to blame?

Well according to some rap music is to blame. That's right. The same music that teaches our youth the joys of drug use and promiscuity is teaching grown men to go to work and fight their customers. Huh?? Rap music is an easy target because to some people, people from the ghetto are too stupid to not do what their music tells them to do. Saying Rap Music is the culpret is as racist as saying black people are to blame. It's simply not true. Immaturity is the real culpret. There is really two reasons this thugism is so prevalent in the Association: 1) basketball prodegies are treated as royalty in their communitee and never have to take responsibility for themselves and 2) the NBA promotes this "urban" culture and has turned a blind eye to these actions because it gives the league "street cred".

The truth is that NBA stars have never had to mature. The majority of NBA stars come from America's ghettos. From a young age they are seen as better then their peers, simply for playing basketball. When they get in trouble (fights, stealing, drugs, rape, etc) those who should be in power (teachers, parents, coaches) have always looked the other way because of their talents. For most of these kids basketball was the only way out of the ghetto, so adults let problems slip or cover them up. Kids playing basketball don't have to mature because there are no consequences for their actions. Added to this, most superstars are now drafted out of high school (Artest being one of them) as opposed to after 4 years of university. This further limits their maturing process. What you end up with is a league full of gangsta thugs that don't respect the game, the league, or the fans and play just to get paid. I have nothing against their salaries, that's what the market is willing to pay, but their attitude is starting to wear on the fans.

Added to this is that the gangsta attitude is practically encouraged by the NBA. The NBA is currently kept alive by America's obsession with "hip-hop" or "urban" or (insert euphamism for black people) culture. In the 1980s, David Stern took over the fledgling NBA, and on the emense skills of the megastars (Bird, Magic, Jordan) grew it into one of the world's most profitable sports leagues. In the mid-90s, these megastars retired. To stay profitable Stern began associating the NBA with black culture, hoping to cash in on the bling bling and hip-hop that took over the music industry around the same time. Unfortunately this has led to more flash and less skill. Owners started looking for the next young kid, because young, cool, and "street" is what was selling jerseys and tickets. Drafting high school kids is taking boys who would normally be spending 4 years in a structured university environment, where the boys are taken out of the ghetto and (ideally) taugh some morals and ethics, and drops them into American pop culture with a boat load of cash.

So who's to blame? the NBA that's who. They fostered the gangsta culture, now they have to deal with in. They also have promoted themselves as a way to get out of the ghetto, and the promise of NBA stardom has driven educators and parents to allow boy to get away with anything. Now the NBA must deal with the side of the ghetto that isn't shown on MTV. The side that teenage white kids who wear Kobe jerseys and listen to 50 cent, while playing GTA: San Andreas don't know about or ignore.

The year-long suspension was the right decision by the commissioner. It sets a precident that the fans are in charge, even though the fan baited Artest, the player needs to check himself. This may be too little too late. Real sports fan are starting to move away from the NBA, to the NFL, back to baseball, and to (shutter) NASCAR. This will only give the average ticket buying sports fan one more reason to spend their money elsewhere.

kurt

Wal-mart IS good for America

2004-11-15T20:23:00.000-06:00

I was watching a documetary on MSNBC yesterday (yes, the football was that bad) about Wal-mart and it's effect on America. I hoped for a hardhitting exposé on the company, but, like everything else on NBC, it was bland and predictable (the last season of Friends anyone?). The main question posed in the show was "Is Wal-mart bad for America?" which was inevidably answered 'kinda but not really'. What it really showed was that Wal-mart is a great example of unbridled capitalism at its best and worst. It also showed why capitalists must be kept in check because once one corporation is too dominent it shifts the balance of power and allows that corporation to control the market. Once one corporation controls the market, it becomes the equivalent of a state planned economy controling the freedom of the market to seek an equilibrium, making it inefficienct.

I should probably make it clear that I am biased; I hate Wal-mart. I hate everything about Wal-mart, for example:

their censorship of all their merchandise,
the way they treat their employees (sorry associates),
the way they sell themselves as a small town store (how could a little company from Northern Arkansas do any wrong?),
the people who shop there,
how they are creating a divide between expensive top of the line goods and the cheap crap they sell - eroding the supply for quality mid range products

As part of the "liberal elite", as the right-wing pundits call us, it is easy to see all the negatives that Wal-mart creates. Especially when one looks down the supply chain. Wal-mart puts pressure on their suppliers to lower costs (because, in theory, that's what customers want - low price at any cost), the supplier takes a bit of a hit but passes most of the price cut on to their suppliers, and so on and so on. Eventually you get to the actual producers in an Export Development Zone in some corrupt country like the Phillipeans, Sri Lanka, or China where the government will ignore the environmental and social consequences of doing business with such companies because the money they will spend will end up in the hands of the government one way or another. Now, the government corruption is not totally to blame. These producers pit 3rd world counrties against each other in order to lower wages, taxes, and all other costs knowing that for most countries this is their only source of income. The real social, economic, and enviromental costs are huge but are largely ignored by all involved, especially Wal-mart, whose CEO repeatedly stated (in the MSNBC interview) that a company from a little town in Arkansas couldn't possibly change the world.

So, obviously Wal-mart is bad for the world, and probably bad for America, right? wrong!

What you "liberal elitists" forget is that this is the new America, and in the new America the rest of the world doesn't matter. The working class who you "liberal elitists" have been trying to protect for so many years are, on the whole, happy to lose a few jobs in order to get motor oil at $1 a gallon. Even Wal-mart's over-worked underpaid associates are happy because they can buy toothpaste for 30 cents less that at Safeway. These hard working, god-fearing, blue collar folk like being taken advantage of. They like paying less for cheap crap. The like being told when and what to buy and believe that buying a DVD player will solve their problems. So, Wal-mart provides them with a DVD player for $88.87 and they love it. Even though it's going to break in 2 years.. but hey then they will need a DVD recorder.... which Wal-mart will have for some low low price just in time for the holidays!!!!

The few people that lose their manufacturing job or their small business don't really matter anyways because they are less that 50% of the whole and probably live in the loser blue states. So Wal-mart IS good for America, it gives the working class a way to get enough luxury at a cheap price to keep them content. They do this while making record profits, so the stockholders and suppliers are happy. Those who aren't happy can be dismissed as just commie trade unionists who have never worked a day in their lives. Everybody wins! And the American machine can keep truckin' along!!

Kurt

God Bless America!

2004-11-04T01:19:00.000-06:00

Well this does it.... I used to say 'I hate America but I don't hate Americans'. Americans are good, honest, caring, hardworking people who are kept at bay by the powers that be. Most Americans are unable to change the system, and although they seem to have a strange fear of sex and swearing, and have an unhealthy fascination with big guns and violence, they are good people. They are not as pig headed and xenophobic as their foreign, defense, social, and environmental policies make them out to be. America is run by greedy corporations and a corrupt government who kowtow to said greedy corporations. If the people were really in charge, they would protect the environment (well, at least stop speeding its destruction), get guns off the streets, talk with and not down to other countries, and stop policing the world; fuck ya!

Well this has all changed! I hate Americans!! Americans ARE stupid! Yesterday, Americans were given a choice between continuing their course of paying the rich, alienating the rest of the world, digging a deeper debt, and oppressing the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. OR choose somebody else! Yesterday, Americans--not corporate America, the media, or the government, but Americans--chose to keep the Bush-Cheney vision of American Imperialism. Americans are either too pig headed to see that the rest of the world hates them and that the government is eradicating the future prosperity of their country OR, what's worse, they are aware, kinda like being the world's bully, and don't really care about public schools, the elderly, and the environment. Americans have shown they are happy to ignore problems in the world and even in their own states and cities, and move out to the 'burbs where they can drive an SUV, shoot assault rifles, and hate gays.

Okay, Americans aren't totally stupid, and by this I mean stupider than the average herd of cattle. What they really are is afraid. Afraid of everything! They move to the 'burbs and buy guns because of a fear of "crime and poverty", which is really just a euphemism for black people; they support illegal wars and grievous human rights abuses because they are afraid of terrorism; and they support tax cuts and cuts in essential services because they are afraid of losing their money. This is really the heart of the problem. Americans are afraid of losing their wealth and place in the world. Let's face it: the USA is #1. In pretty much everything they want to be (ie: everything but soccer) and they have been since WWII. In the last 60 years, the history of America has been the history of the world, but it is starting to look like things are about to change. With the union of Europe and the awaking of China from its 3000 year slumber, America's spot as the be all and end all on earth is coming to an end. In the areas of foreign affairs (the growth of the UN and other international bodies), economics (have you seen their dollar lately?), and culture (anything on FOX), America is starting to falter. And just like all previous empires, the Americans are starting to grab on to what's left and hold on to the past. From oppressing people of colour and gays (equality? no! dancing like monkeys on reality TV and in rap videos? yes!) to lowering corporate tax and ignoring the run on fossil fuels on the planet, America is clinging to its puritan foundation, hoping that God will magically cure all their ills. So, be prepared for 4 more years of Kickbacks to the rich, Kissing up to the moral right, and Killing any people or country that opposed America's god given right to rule the world. Hey Kickbacks, Kissing up and Killing... KKK, what a coincidence! No wonder all the southern states were red!

Kurt

Iran supports Bush!!

2004-10-20T21:52:00.000-05:00

Glancing at the Vancouver Sun today I saw an interesting acticle titled "Iran backs Bush".

That's right 1 of the 3 governments that Bush marked as the axis of evil, feels that keeping the current administration in power is in the best interest of Tehran. So either Al Jazeera needs to hire better translators OR the war or terror is going SO poorly that the terrorists are supporting the president. If the terrorists and countries that harbour terrorists that dubbya is appearently so hell bend on bringing to justice are pro-Bush, maybe they know something the average American doesn't. Mainly that the War on Terror was a smoke screen to invade Iraq, that terrorism is being used to scare average Americans into voting Republican, and, most importantly for Iran, that the white house has no plans of going after real terrorists, stopping the proliferation of WMDs and spreading democracy like they say.

I would hope this would wake americans up to this whole 'War on Terror' scam the right-wing is using as a scare tactic to get votes... but of course it won't because the media seems to think that the fact the Dick Cheney's daughter is gay it a much more important election issue.

American, fuck yeah!!! Kurt

Happy Birthday _________ !!

2004-10-20T21:47:00.000-05:00

So as a new member of the "real world" there are a few things that I've seen in office politics type sit-coms that are starting to hit closer to home. The big one I'm currently on is the office birthday. Back at, Ham and Ass a birthday was special... mostly because with only 7 or so people they didn't happen so much, but now I'm in an office somewhere between, everyone is friends and everyone is a number... so the birthdays come with some regularity. The card is what really bothers me. On every employees birthday, a card is passsed around the office, which will undoubtably say something generic like "congrats on the b-day, thanks for letting us take a longer coffee break OR thank for giving us a chance to eat cake, or something else almost funny... probably bought in bulk for $5/ lb one bin over from where my aunt and uncle buy the "Happy Birthday we didn't buy you a present" cards I receive every year. The only thing more generic then the cards are the birthday wishes inside, because it's not like it's a get well soon card where you actually care to write something nice, you really just want to get it off your desk as soon as you can without the recipient knowing that you don't really care and just want to get it off your desk as soon as you can. Also there are only about a half dozen different birthday wishes. Happy Birthday! Have a Happy Birthday! Have a great day! I hope you have a great day! and Have a ____ (insert positive adjective here) Birthday! Now back at an office with only 7 or so people this was fine. Now I find myself hunting for the card early just to stake claim to one of the big 4 greetings so I don't have to copy someone else, or worse yet be original!! The worst it there is always the office artist who shows you all up by drawing something and being all creative. So the rest of us are outed as the lazy bums we are. This is bad the next thing I'll be whining about is the line at the DMV... wow, the "real world" is great!! When's the next AIESEC conference or commerce social???

A great time for football

2004-10-18T23:57:00.000-05:00

It is a fantastic time in the NFL. Two teams are striving for perfection and I really think that this could be the year that one or both achieve it!

The New England Patriots are one of the greatest foootball teams ever. With 20 wins in a row and a couple championships under their belt, they have the maturity and consistency to 'focus on the task at hand' and 'take it one game at a time', to use a few cliche. Also they have already faced the 2 toughest teams on their schedule, Seattle and Indianapolis. Although Baltimore and St. Louis won't be easy, KC and Tennessee are not the powerhouses they were last year and the rest of the AFC East is pretty weak (the Jets will fizzle, trust me). The Patriots really have a shot at the '72 Dolphins perfect season, and I'd love to see those old men sitting around after the super bowl with unopened bottles of champaign, losing the only meaning that their pathetic little lives have anymore.... I mean why else would they celebrate it ever year?

Now speaking of the Dolphins... they also have a chance of a perfect season... only this the perfect that the Cardinals and Chargers have been shooting for recent years. The Dolphins are bad, real bad. They can't run, they can't throw and their defence is on the field so much that by the forth quarter, the opposition can do anything they wants to it. Usually scoring when necessary, then milking the clock untill the final whistle. Although Miami has faced some pretty stiff competition in New England and New York, they have also lost the the other bottom feeders, giving Cincinnati and Bufalo their only wins. There are still some tough hurdles, games against pittiful Arizona and San Francisco squads and the home game against Buffalo that could be a nail bitter, but Miami could make a run that even the Clippers, Tigers, and Duke football can laugh at!

kurt

Sports greatest rivalry?

2004-10-12T20:56:00.000-05:00

Well sports fans... The leaves are changing colour, there's a chill in the air, and all of New England's hands are around their collective throats ready to start choking... It must be October.

The ALCS starts tonight, or this afternoon for us left coasters, and it's time once again to watch as the more talented Red Sox choke away their chance at immortality to the over-hyped, over-priced, and, much more important, over-confident New York Yankees. This is my new favorite annual sports collapse, finally de-throning the moment Bob Cole must admit the Leafs aren't going to the Stanley Cup... well the Leafs need a goal.. and quick... seconds left.... gotta get one now.... and... sniff sniff....Philadelphia is going on (actually that's still my favorite :-) )

The best part of the Red Sox collapse is Joe Southey calling the US national radio shows all season and trashing the Yankees. ahhhh.... Jetah.... ahhhh... ARod... we won 20 games in May...ahhhh....howdayalike dem apples!!!! Only to be replaced by whining in mid-October about only having the second highest payroll in the league .... Steinbrennah... ahhhh... too much money... ahhh.... ruining basebah!

The problem with the Red Sox is not their payroll... ask the Angels and Marlins about beating the Yanks with a low payroll... and it's not "The Curse of the Bambino" per se. No, the problem is they believe in the curse, they believe that they will fall apart in the Bronx when it counts. You will see it the year when at the first sign of adversity they quit. Just like last year when they had multiple chances to put Game 7 away, but they just couldn't do it.

kurt

PS: Yanks are up 6-0 in game 1 through 6... oh and Mussina is pitching a perfect game... howdaya like dem apples!!!! AHHHH!!!

The new McDonald's conspiracy

2004-10-01T09:22:00.000-05:00

I saw an ad at work this week that got me thinking. It was for NEW fresh tasty oven toasted subs at.... McDonalds?? Well besides the point that 'McDonalds' and 'fresh' are about as synonymys as 'Red Sox' and 'champion', something else jumped out at me. Maybe McDonald's is not so much looking to conquer a new market segment as to nip it in the bud by making it look boring and uncool. Maybe once Quizno's looks lame people will go back to burgers and fries.

There is a certain portion of the population that wants something new and cool for lunch ... with out being too different, like I don't know, using cutlery. They want to look like they are on the edge without actually being different. These are teenagers. Teenagers are the people who swooned over pizza in the mid- 90's, but once this new food is popular with their parents it looses it's mystique. Remember Mac Tonight? Once McDonald's had some moon-headed Ray Charles selling pizza to mom and dad, the kids suddenly wanted Big Macs again.

McDonalds was okay with Subway, really Subway claims to be healthy, clearly not McDonalds market segment. Quizno's on the other hand is tasty! not healthy! This is encroaching a little too much on McD's bread and butter. Time for action! So time for another abortion of a "spokes-heavenly body" to sell toasted subs to mom and dad (who really want to be cool for the kids), knowing that as soon as the 'rents start wanting subs the kids will run back to happy meals like the pimply-faced grease addicts they are.

I'm lovin' it! Kurt

Thoughts on Week 2

2004-09-19T18:33:00.000-05:00

First, I thought it would be a few more week until I said this, but right now I'm missing Clinton Portis! Broncos lose 7-6 in Jacksonville today, with 30 seconds left new RB Q. Griffin fumbled on the Jags 25 as the Broncos were setting up a game winning Jason Elam field goal. The loss hurts, but it hurts more that they would have won the game if not for an aweful mistake! Ah well there is still 14 games left to win.

Around the league:
Oakland: Jerry Rice did not catch a pass today. This breaks his streak of 250+ consecutive games with a catch. Further proof that he is far past his prime and should just retire!

San Diego: Thoughts and prayers to the family of the San Diego Chargers. Today the Chargers were reinvested with cancer. Cancer in the name of Doug Flutie! Flutie did what he has done every year since leaving Canada for the Bills 5 years ago, came in as backup, started a rally, and nearly won the game. That may sound good except Flutie will now start his backstabbing campaign to usurp the starting job and destroy any morale left in the team... good luck finishing above .250 San Diego.

Tennessee: Jeff Fisher cannot call an offense. Twice the went for it on fourth down once a run outside that failed and the second a fake punt, the problem with the punt was they sent a player in motion before the snap. If you are trying to catch a team off guard you want to fake them by looking like you are going to punt. Motion is a red flag to the defence that you aren't going to punt. Horrible call!

Tampa: The Seahawks defense looked really good. Although the Bucs offense is poor at best they only scored 6 points. The Seattle D bent but did not break as Seattle moved to 2-0 on the season, with 2 away victories, matching their total road wins in all of 2003!

Hoping for a Broncos win in Week 3!
Kurt

Kurt gets a job

2004-09-19T18:23:00.000-05:00

Well, I got a job! Starting Monday I will be working at Nemeth Thody Anderson a CA firm in downtown Vancouver. What amazes me is how happy I am to be employed again. This is not just for the pay cheque, although it will be nice to be making money again, but the feeling that I will be doing something with my life and pursuing my chosen career. I always though that if I won the lottery or got extremely rich somehow I would spend my time lounging around, drinking, playing videogames, and just chillin'. I used to think that unemployed people who say they want to work are suckers. I've come to realize in my time unemployed, both recently and the last time I was in Vancouver, that I hate being unemployed. I want to be doing something productive with my time. I want to contribute to society... boy, am I a sucker!!

Kurt

The Broncos are winning the Super Bowl!!!

2004-09-13T13:51:00.000-05:00

Mark my words... the Broncos are going to win the Super Bowl this year!

Okay. I know I say this every year after they start 1-0 but this year is different.

Why? Defence, that's why!

Okay, Priest Holmes went for 151 and 3 TDs, but he is the best back in the league, but the Broncos shut down the rest of the KC offence, Gonzalez had only 2 catches for 17 yards and Green only threw for 50% for 174 yards and a pick. The chiefs got 2 interceptions in the 3rd quarter and got 10 points to tie the game but after that the Broncos absolutely stuffed them.

Also the Broncos are a Running Back factory! Q. Griffin went 156 yards and 3 total TDs. As long as Plummer stays healthy (and that's a big "if") and the running game stays solid, I can't see any scenario where the Broncos won't be playing in late January!

Although I might be a little biased :)

Go Broncos!!! Kurt

Well I'm voting for Nader!

2004-06-15T23:42:00.000-05:00

I watched the 2 leaders debate on the CBC and was pretty unimpressed. 4 white guys yaking at each other; yesterday in french, today in policy and rhetoric (which I believe are Ottawa's 2 official languages). Going in, I was prepared to give the PM a chance to win back my support.

He Failed.

After weeks of negative ads preying on our fears of some wacko-wannabee-yanks from Alberta running our country, I was getting tired. I wanted to see a man who I could support as our PM. I was never a huge fan of Chretien but I respected him as a leader Mr. Martin does not garner this respect. I saw a man with his back to the wall, concealing his guilt, and scratching for his life and a few more votes. My only problem is I do hold the fear of Harper's pro-US agenda. I don't want to be the vote for Ralph Nader that gave dubbya the white house!!!!

The good news is: the media people think Harper did not do enough to win a majority. Since we'll have an oligopoly on parliament hill, Harper and his gun toting yahoos won't be able to implement the harshest of the pro-US agenda. Therefore we'll be left with just the more centralist ideas, like tax relieve for families and smaller government. So I can freely vote NDP and not fear ICBM silos in my backyard! NADER! NADER!

Hey I could use the tax cut in a couple of years anyway :P

Kurt

Legalize it, dude!

2004-06-11T12:26:00.000-05:00

I saw an article on the news yesterday about a Fraser institute study that marijuana smoking is not going away, and with the current police enforcement levels it is impossible to stop the producers. It concludes that maybe the government and industry, rather that gangs, drug dealers, and organized crime, should benefit from the spoils. ie: legalize it, dude!!

http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/admin/books/files/marijuana

This is a position I have been arguing for years. That pot sold by the joint alongside smokes or beer it would essentially put the drug dealers out of business. That legal pot would be a huge tax benefit (the paper estimates $2 billion a year) for the government. That with legal pot, police manpower could be put to better use, not trying to stop something that 23% of the population will admit to using at sometime in their life.

The major factor against the legalization of marijuana is the Americans. The USA has said that legal pot in Canada would have very strong negative effect on cross-border trade. That border patrols would go up and traffic would be very slow. Okay, fine. But we have heard this before! On terrorism, on BSE, on government farm subsidies, the Americans favorite way of intimidating us is the threat of reduced trade. The Bush administration want us to be like Mexico, a little yesman that responds to every threat and whim of the US government.

The Canada I believe in, stands tall, makes its own decisions, and deals as an equal with the Americans.

Unfortunately recent polls are showing that a lot of Canadians would rather have a little extra pocket money and a pat on the head of Uncle Sam than sovereignty. With the conservatives in power there is NO chance marijuana will be legalized because we wouldn't want to upset America. So it looks like my vision must wait and Canada will continue to waste millions fighting a drug no worse that alcohol, while gangs and orginized crime make billions selling it to the kids of those who vote to keep it illegal.

Kurt

Selective Racism

2004-06-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

Everyone loves a good stereotype.

Admit it you do.

Scots get jiggy with sheep. Women can't drive. The Irish can drink. Euros don't shower very often.

Poking a little fun at yourself and other groups of people can be a fun lighthearted way to acknowledge our history and small differences in an ever shrinking world. My biggest problem with stereotypes is the selective filter North American media puts on stereotypes.

Yesterday Dallas Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells referred to some sneaky trick plays his assistants have been using as "Jap plays". This obviously refers to the "Japs" sneak attack on Pearl Harbour. He also said that he didn't want to offend "Orientals" in saying it. Listening to American sports talk radio all day as I do, most of the callers and host didn't seem to think that the statement was that bad. Regardless of how racist the statement was I wonder what the reaction would be if he called his plays involving gangs of players "nigger plays" or his cheap plays "Jew plays". The North American media would crucify Parcells for saying such things as they did John Rocker and Fuzzy Zoeler. If a black stereotype is bad why is a Asian one okay? I believe it is largely to do with guilt and advertising. The plight of the Jews and the African-Americans is well documented. Every person knows of slavery and the holocaust and at some level feels guilty or ashamed that North America didn't do more to help. Like Oscar Schindler after VE day we believe more could have been done. I wonder how many North Americans know of the prison camps we set up for Japanese during WWII. Or the Chinese immigrants that were promised a better life only to be killed by the thousand building our railroads. Or the British immigrants that were sent home by the Canadian government when they found out the Brits were actually Sikhs from India.

So what's my point? Well I don't really know, but I think we all need to be a little more open about our heritage. Not talking about race, colour, and creed only heightens racial separation and tension. I think this selective racism the media and society in general confuses people and scares them to mention colour because they will be viewed as a racist. North America is becoming more multi-ethnic we can no longer see people of colour as foreigners. How can we call someone brother and countryman if we don't really know them or their heritage. So learning a little history, heritage, and, yes, even the little stereotype and idiosyncrasies can lead to better cultural understanding.

Kurt

PS: Flames suck. Go Canucks.

Horse Racing

2004-05-20T12:10:00.000-05:00

A little background:

1) I am a huge sports fan. I will watch just about any sport on TV.

2) I am a huge gambling fan. I will gamble on just about anything, I'm not putting next month's rent on the line, but I'm always down for a little action.

So it would stand to reason that I'd love any activity that seamlessly combines the beauty of sport with the excitement of gambling, a sport such as horse racing.... WRONG!

Horse Racing and the Triple Crown is an absolute abomination! It is months of lead up to less than two minutes of action it which the desired outcome of a Triple Crown winner hasn't happened in 30 years. It more anti-climactic than the Super Bowl.

First off it's not a sport! Horse Racing is a form of transportation before cars were invented!

Second it's animals racing!! Not humans! Not real people who work and sacrifice for years to reach the apex of their sport, but 3-year old animals who have been bred to run fast and don't know any better.

Third I can't stand the way the media tries to pass off the anorexic leprechauns who drive the horses as athletes. I heard the lollipop guild member who rides Smarty Jones (the triple crown contender) on two separate national radio shows this week! I mean I guess I should give him credit for conducting the interview in English, instead of his native Elvish, but I couldn't care less about what he has to say about anything!

So to conclude.... Horse racing sucks and jockeys are freaks! The End.

Kurt

Friendster

2004-05-18T12:28:00.000-05:00

So karen has a new website to spend hours a day on, it's called Friendster! From what I can gather Friendster is merely an extension of junior high school, people trying to justify their existence by showing off how many friends they have and proving that they are cool by being just like everybody else. They then use this to make new friend that bond with them on their most superficial aspects. Now if you are using this as a dating service and just trying to get laid so be it, but the suggestion that this is to make real friends, as in the name, is laughable.

Included is a form to show off your personality, with such deep and meaningful questions as "Favorite Movie" and "Favorite TV show" WOW! How in depth! What is this the Teen Choice Awards? What no fav' music hottie?

Now I have nothing against having your little piece of the web to express yourself (what do you think this blog is?) but this friendster thing is about as expressive as paint-by-numbers. All I can see is people expressing a need to fit in. Maybe I'm just jaded from only being able to fill up 2 of the 4 blank pages in my high school yearbook and the picture of the curling team not getting me the respect that the football goons got, but this reeks of high school self-doubt and frankly I think it's a little sad!

Kurt

My first post!

2004-05-18T12:25:00.000-05:00

Hi everybody!

I don't realy know what I am doing here.... but I got alot of steam and rants to blow off.. so here i go

Kurt