Sunday, May 31, 2009

181...I Am Pretty Sure This Is Against The Rules

The Ten Commandments/rules, as laid out in the Bible.

Sad story from Wichita, Kansas, Scott Roeder allegedly shot abortionist Dr. George Tiller in the lobby of Reformation Lutheran Church. Well, more to the point, someone shot Dr. Tiller dead and the police arrested Mr. Roeder.

Dr. Tiller was a notorious late term abortionist who was public enemy number one for the anti abortion people but shut the f'k up, two wrongs don't make a right and God was super serious about the Ten Commandments, especially number six.

Killing this dude would be dumb enough but killing him in God's house is extra crazy, no sense of justice. No matter what you think about the doc's chosen job, his murderer is nothing more than a domestic terrorist who is attempting to impose by force a policy that one cannot get in place through democratic means. Dr. Tiller’s killer is no better than any others who attempted to use violence for their extremist ends. Those who truly value life know that murder is the antithesis of the pro-life movement.

WFDS

180...Either It Is A Country, Or It Is Not

I love the Mohawks and the Akwesasne Nation, I really do. They have stones. Big ones, really, really big ones.

In today's Ottawa Citizen they, the Mohawk Warrior component of Akwesasne, are talking about shutting down the border with Canada if the Canadian border guards starting carrying guns, as planned, at midnight tonight.

Fair enough.

Except for a couple of things.

First off, the Yankee guards have been carrying since 1789; how come the Mohawk Warriors are not and have not shut down that border? Could it be that the United States government scares the f'k out of them and we, well, don't? If we don't, shouldn't we? You know, Teddy Roosevelt, "Walk softly, but carry a big stick."

Secondly, well, either they are a country, nation, state or not. Geez, isn't time for the Canadian government, that's you Prime Minister Steve, to man up here?

This nation within a nation thing, both for Quebec and Akwesasne is getting a bit tired. And, when you consider Akwesasne is partially inside Quebec, well, now you have a nation inside a nation inside a nation.

Confused?

I am.

Stay tuned, the s't is supposed to hit the fan at midnight tonight.

WFDS

179...I Read Them So You Don't Have To

The fluffy parts of the paper.

This week, near the end thereof, in the fluffy part of the paper, there was a story about Wall of Sound and Beatles producer Phil Spector, who has found out the hard way that you cannot shoot and shoot dead an actress, even if she is in your home, even if her only movie of any note sucked and was in 1985.

The victim was 40 year old Lana Clarkson, best known [not known, really] as the star of Roger Corman's 1985 cult film classic "Barbarian Queen".

The 69 year old Mr. Spector will be given 19 years to reflect on his malfeasance in a facility provided by the State of California.

WFDS

178...This Is Why We Need The CFL In Ottawa

Matt Dominguez.

Never heard of him? That's okay, he has never heard of you.

Seriously, he is a Texas boy who ended up in Regina playing for the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League and now, his career in, best case scenario, its twilight, is continuing to live in the city that rhymes with fun working for a real estate company and living with his wife and two children in that town's north end.

Here is why you should care.

Men like Matt Dominguez bring a different flavour, the flavour of diversity, to markets like Regina, Saskatchewan. I think it is safe to posit that when growing up in Georgetown, Texas, Mr. Dominguez didn't know who, what or where Saskatchewan was. Now he is an important member of the community. What got him there? Professional football.

Flash to my town, Ottawa. If it wasn't for the Riders [may you rest in piece] we wouldn't have a Lone Star Restaurant, Local Heroes and a number of other things that give the city flavour. Ditto the 67s, Gatineau Olympiques and Senators.

That is why we need the CFL [and NHL, and the OHL and the QMJHL] in Ottawa.

Not at any cost; I subscribe to the Neil deMause's Field of Schemes philosophy, but we need 'em.

Just don't use public money [or as much public money] on the teams, ca va?

WFDS

177...Government Hypocrisy

On a micro level this time.

As reported by CanWest News Service's Meagan Fitzpatrick in the Regina Leader-Post yesterday the Canadian Convenience Stores Association is none too happy with the new laws on tobacco, laws that their members are expected to enforce.

Dave Bryans, president of the association, made a sound point when he said the government should also ban the possession, consumption and purchasing of tobacco for anyone under the age of majority. As it stands now only Alberta and Nova Scotia proscribe sub 18 year olds from smoking. He goes on to make a great point, to wit: “You don't see teenagers standing outside of high schools in Canada drinking beer, because they are not allowed to. So if we're that serious about teen smoking, and retailers and our association is, then let's just get on with it so we can all move forward and run businesses instead of having one Band-Aid solution after another.”

The way it stands now, the government is hooked on tobacco as much as smokers are, hooked on the drug for the revenues it brings to their coffers.

WFDS

176...Kobe versus Superman

The NBA finals start this week and it is Kobe Bryant, arguably the best player on the planet [and without question the best Italian speaking player on the planet] versus Dwight Howard, who may have the broadest shoulders on the planet.

Lakers/Orlando.

Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.

Coming to a boob tube near you.

WFDS

175...This Is Why More Media Is Better

In a comment attached to WFDS 172...Reusable Bags Are Killers

Ward of the State said...
I note that CBC ran this story at first with no reference to the fact that the Canadian Plastics Industry Association paid for it. Duped.
May 31, 2009 12:29 AM
More likely they just were in a hurry, did not notice, something like that. Facts being as the are, there are so many of them, that they are easily overlooked.

The more newsrooms there are the more likely that they won't be able to get stuff by us.

In a less competitive environment the talent tends to be blander and more in tune with serving the quid pro quo. We have, with no exceptions, a less competitive environment in Canada.

WFDS

Saturday, May 30, 2009

174...Wrong Again, I Am, Phase Two

King James is dead.

WFDS

173...Wrong Again, I Am

Post 170 I stated that the World Wildlife Federation was against the seal hunt.

As John pointed out in his comment, my bad.

http://www.panda.org/faq/response.cfm?hdnQuestionId=11320030954082

Is the link to the WWF's balanced approach to the seal hunt.

Nothing about lambs though.

WFDS

172...Reusable Bags Are Killers

Plastic industry says.

In an unextensive study reported on http://www.newsmax.com/ Thursday, a study that was theoretically totally independent but paid for by the Canadian Plastics Industry Association, two dozen reusable bags were analyzed.

The labs found that 64 percent of the reusable bags harboured some level of bacteria. Yeast or mold was found in 40 percent of the bags, and some bags even had detectable levels of fecal intestinal bacteria. Sounds serious.

“The main risk is food poisoning,” said Dr. Richard Summerbell, research director at Toronto’s Sporometrics, a division of Fly By Night Industries, who were commissioned to evaluate the findings of the study. “But other significant risks include skin infections such as bacterial boils, allergic reactions, triggering of asthma attacks, and ear infections.”

We are all going to die.

171...Tonite, 830pm, Live From Disney World

LeBron versus Superman.

WFDS

170...WhySeals?Instead of Lambs?Here is why.

Ever wondered why they, they being the World Wildlife Federation, Bridget Bardot, People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals, Paul McCartney and on and on have such a hardon re the seal harvest? Especially considering that when you break it down, the 57,000 seal seal harvest is minute when it is compared to the slaughter of 20 million plus cuddly, cute and playful New Zealand spring lambs.

No contest in the cuteness department between baby seals and lambs, lambs win hands down, so why doesn't the WWF, PETA et. al. freak out on the farmers of New Zealand?

I will tell you why, because the true target, the hunters, are easy. The hunters of seals are Inuit [non Edmonton Eskimos] and rural Newfoundlanders. Outsiders. Way, way, way outsiders. The men who silence the lambs in New Zealand are involved in the biggest export business the Kiwi's operate. Insiders. Way, way, way insiders.

Take on big agri business and there is a price to be paid. Take on a bunch of dudes trying to make a few, as in few dollars, e=z.

WFDS

Friday, May 29, 2009

169...Happy Birthday, JFK

It is JFK's 91st birthday today; John Fitzgerald Kennedy for those of you who may be drawing a blank.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4SLSlSmW74

Sing along with MM.

WFDS

168...Bernie Sanders, Junior Senator From Vermont

Watching him on HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher and Bernie The Red makes a couple of great points about the USA and their f'd up economy.

Point one is that they, the USA, are the only major country in the world without a national health care system and that has contributed to the demise of General Motors. According to the only sitting Senator who is neither a Republican or a Democrat, General Motors spends more money on healthcare for retired workers than they do on steel. That doesn't happen in Japan, Korea, etcetera, etcetera.

Point two from Bernie The Red is that the top 1 per cent of American wage earners make more than the bottom 50 per cent combined. President Obama has just raised the tax rate for the uber rich from 36 to 39 per cent; fifty years ago under President Eisenhower, in the greatest period of United States economic history, the top rate was 90 per cent. In fact the top marginal tax rate was 91 per cent until 1963. The alleged trickle down economy doesn't work because they, the ones at the top, don't trickle down. As Bill Maher says, they buy antique commodes. But, if the government has the money, they are more likely to trickle it done.

Food and fact for thought.

WFDS

167...Heifer Fest III, Saturday, Sparks Street Mall

Get your drink on this Saturday at the Cock and Lion Pub and get a chance to win passes to the Bluesfest.

As you heard on my CKCU morning show Wednesday, this is a fundraiser for rural families in developing countries and 100% of proceeds go to CHF's Gifts That Matter campaign.

Not only can you get your drink on, you can also get your dance on with local bands Sadie Hell and Dave Snider Sings.

I will be there, look for the red sombrero.

heiferfest.blogspot.com

WFDS

166...Why Seals?

Why are they, they being the World Wildlife Federation, Bridget Bardot, People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals, Paul McCartney and on and on so over the moon about seals?

The seal industry is minute compared to the slaughter of lambs and other cute animals that we like to eat and make into gloves.

Why aren't they, the above they, storming the shores of New Zealand to protest the slaughter of the lambs every year, a slaughter that is exponentially higher in numbers [26.4 million lambs were offed in 2008 according to Meat & Wool New Zealand; on its website The Humane Society of the United States says 57,622 seals were killed, no time frame] than the seal harvest?

Just a question.

WFDS

165...Lobsters For The Troops

I read all the newspapers for you and this morning I was perusing the Moncton paper of record, Times & Transcript, and on page A10 there was a brilliant opinion piece by Brent Mazerolle who parsed a neighbour of his idea and it is a brilliant one.

There seems to be a huge surplus of lobster in Atlantic Canada and the idea being floated is to load up a plane with a few thousand pounds of the little guys and take them on a one way road trip to Kandahar.

Mr. Mazerolle is succinct when he tapped out "...if we as a nation could make Tim Horton's available to our soldiers overseas, then surely a lobster dinner is doable."

WFDS

164...My Mother Told Me To Always Ask Permission

And I am sure Prime Minister Steve's mom tried to get the same point across to her little boy.

"Tory ad uses clip from U.S. network; C-SPAN unhappy permission wasn't sought for material"
is the headline on A4 of the hard copy of the Ottawa Citizen today‏; in the article Glen McGregor writes that C-SPAN is none too happy that the Tories used a clip from their network in the attack ads against our next Prime Minister, Mikey I.

Paradoxically in the same article, C-SPAN vice president Bruce Collins "said the network never gave the Tories permission to use the clip, but he didn't see any point in pursuing a claim. "There's nothing legal to do with it, Collins said. "Given the way video is used throughout the world, with You Tube, it would be fruitless." Collins says he watched the ad and believes it falls within the fair-use provisions in copyright law because of the short length and subject matter. "It's the highest form of speech ... political speech," he said, adding there would be no economic loss to C-SPAN resulting from the ad."

Kind of like what I am doing here.

Momma tried, momma tried.

WFDS

Thursday, May 28, 2009

163...Trat Italia

Preston at Gladstone.

Ottawa.

Grand Opening.

Re Opening.

Fun.

Very.

La creme de la creme.

And me.

WFDS

162...The Receptionist's Voice Mail

What?

What the f'k is that about?

Receptionists are supposed to answer the phone, no?

This new to me.

WFDS

161...Many Voices Make Us Stronger/ZMZ

Here is what I posted on ZeroMeansZero a few minutes ago.

World Famous Dan Shields said...
RE: CFRA and surrendering their lic.Um, doncha think multiple voices are better than no voice? Frankly, agree or not, CFRA is at least out there and, as Lowell has said in the past, it is suprising that some of the underperforming stations, ratings are out today, look to the bottom of the list, don't go talk, hot talk, etc.Also, 540, 630,970, 1440 and 1150 are still signals assigned to this market. If CFRA and CFGO/The Team can make money on AM, one would think that a talker on a flamethrowing signal like the one 540 has would make a few shekels.ZMZ Radio?WFDS
May 28, 2009 12:37 PM

160...Note To Mark Francis re Voltaire

First off, thanks for tuning in.

Secondly, finding you on Facebook, tres hard.

Third, Voltaire and that quote:

http://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLL_enCA313CA313&q=%22Monsieur+l%27abb%c3%a9%2c+I+detest+what+you+write%2c+but+I+would+give+my+life+to+make+it+possible+for+you+to+continue+to+write%22.

Not hating, just stating.

Thanx.

WFDS

159...Betty or Veronica?

Who would you pick?

WFDS

158...Thought Police Strike Again; Poor Stephane

The Canadian Standards Broadcast Council, your Thought Police in action, see Post 150 for more on these National Socialists' work, have sanctimoniously decided, Juliet O'Neill reports in this mornings' National Post, that "CTV was unfair and unethical when it broadcast outtakes of an interview with then-Liberal leader Stephane Dion, who repeatedly did not understand a question, during the election campaign last fall..."

Uh, and I am wearing a Stephane Dion hat as I write this, may be CTV was being unfair and may be their ethics were questionable but, so what? To remind you, Steve Murphy, anchor at ATV Halifax, asked-the-man-who-would-have-been-so-much-better-as-Prime-Minister-than-the-guy-we-have-now "If you were prime minister now, what would you have done about the economy and this crisis that Mr. Harper has not done?"

Mr. Dion had a brain pause and then another and then another and it was all on tape and the tape made it to the broadcast waves. End of story.

One would think. But it only takes one complaint to get the CSBC Anti Free Speech Squad to go into action.

Again the CSBC has decided that they are going to decide what is funny, what is satire, what is right in this country.

They are a cancer and anti free speech. You have to decide, do you want to live in a country, and we are perilously close to living there, where all speech is carefully constructed as so not to offend? Or do you want to live in a country with freedom? Free speech is there, or should be there, to defend those that colour outside the lines. And certainly someone who asks a question as benign as the one Mr. Murphy asked should not be chastised. One would think.

Imagine how much broader the discourse in this country would be with more voices, especially on the local levels, like they have in that country below us. Left, right and center. Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Keith Olbermann, Drew Lane, Jay Severin, Sean Hannity, John Stewart, Steven Colbert, Allan Colmes, Mancow Muller and on and on and on. In this country, because of self righteous groups like the CSBC, freedom of expression on air is virtually non existent and none of the above would be able to work the way they do, which is often in an outrageous manner.

Voltaire said "Monsieur l'abbé, I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write".

The CSBC takes a different tact.

Bullies.

WFDS

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

157...Who Is More Credible?FoxTV/New York Times

Entertainment Weekly reports online that "The New York Times reports that AT&T may have influenced the outcome of American Idol by providing free text-messaging services at parties organized by fans of Kris Allen, who won the competition last week. Representatives of AT&T, a corporate sponsor of the show, reportedly taught Allen fans how to "power text" at the parties, allowing them to send multiple messages with a push of a button. Questions remain as to whether power texting violates American Idol voting rules."

Denials all around.

Imagine that.

WFDS

156...Note re Annie M: 911 Truth, Terrorist Found

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uwOL4rB-go&feature=fvst

155...Spy Time - Black Sombrero

Look for me, tonight, at the Bronson Centre, black sombrero, rocking out to MI 5 ex agent, and my morning guest on CKCU, Annie Machon.

7 o'clock.

Hey, the Red Wings be winning tonight and nothing good is on TV until Jay Leno.

Say "Hi", k?

WFDS

154...How Insane Is Steven Harper?

First off, I like the United States, most Americans, even Rush Limbaugh has his moments.

But, there is a lot of stuff wrong with the States and one of the big things wrong with the US of A is mandatory sentencing. Judges should be given discretion; the law in my view should not be a club to hammer people with. Mandatory sentencing laws, like the ones in respect to marijuana that have passed second reading in the House of Commons, repute said discretion.

Sadly, my party, the Liberal Party of Canada, is going to support said laws because they don't want to seem soft on crime.

Please, explain to me how sending a university freshman to jail for a year for growing [most likely ineptly] a pot plant in his closet makes one a crime fighter?

In fact it is the opposite; if people grow their own then they won't be buying, and supporting financially, from the bigger boys, i.e. Les Hells, who allegedly are involved in major grow operations and have franchised their distribution networks down to the street and bar level dealers.

Time to take a stand Mikey I.

WFDS

153...How About Them Blue Jays?

Wheels, have, fallen, off, officially, damn, Yankees, Red Sox.

WFDS

152...Local TV

I am in Ottawa, Ontario and, according to Wikipedia, we have 15, soon to be 16, local signals. Here, though, is the problem. Even though this market is pretty big, top 50 North America, most of the stations are mere repeaters out of Toronto.

This is insane.

The CRTC should do what the FCC does in America and require stations available over air in a market to actually serve the market that they are licensed to. In addenum they should also not allow out of market stations, i.e. CITY, CHCH, TVO, CTS, SUN TV on cable systems outside their catchment areas.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

TV in Canada is soooooooo broke.

Fix it.

WFDS

151...tic Is My Only Follower

And he thinks that this Blog sucks therefore I am of the mind to deBlog, i.e. retire.

He is a member of the CKCU board who have been working on a website for about two years and he pointed out a couple of times this morning that the website that I put together yesterday in two hours totally sucks and that their website that they have been working on for f'ing ever will be so much better than mine.

I guess I have no choice but to pack it in; I don't want to offer you an inferior product, something stale and dated.


WFDS

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

150...Thought Police In The House

Canadian Standards Broadcasting Council.

Self important haters of free speech and comedy experts, think of the Bruno Kirby character on Good Morning Vietnam, the CSBC, have determined that Radio-Canada "...was wrong to show a skit that joked about the possible assassination of President Barack Obama and suggested he could be a thief..." in its December 31, 2008 Bye Bye show reports Reuters via Yahoo News yesterday.

Radio Canada received 200 complaints about the program, presumably from viewers who were too shocked to find the remote and do what most people do when they don't like something on TV. Change the f'ing channel.

Freedom of speech is overrated.

WFDS

149...Rick Mercer, Radio, Q107 Calgary, 8 am Wed

Patti McNeil of the Q107 Terry and Patti in the Mornings show in Calgary has sent me a tip that Rick Mercer of Mercer Report fame and funny guy will be on her show tomorrow morning at 8 Calgary time which is 10 in Ontario.

I think the reason the time is higher in Ontario is because our government charges more taxes and is less pro business than the Albertan regime. Then again, I have been wrong before, eh?

http://www.q107fm.ca is the link to follow to hear Mr. Mercer being interviewed by Miss McNeil and her co host Terry DiMonte.

WFDS

148...Mikey I: Travelling Man

Macleans magazine has a little poll on the wanderlust of our next Prime Minister.

Voila: http://www2.macleans.ca/macleans-poll/

WFDS

147...The 8th Stage of Grief is LeBron

I have parsed this from Awful Announcing who took it off You Tube who got it off Channel 5 in Cleveland.

http://awfulannouncing.blogspot.com/2009/05/tales-from-news-desk-joy-of-lebron.html

WFDS

146...Send In The Clowns, Part Two

Sorry, Bill 101...Part Deux...this is the biggest blog ever, s i x comments.

Wow, that is like, for me, s i x comments more than I usually get.

As much as I like you reading my blog, and yes, I am talking to YOU, do a modicum of home work before you hate on me. Being Progressive doesn't mean being ignorant. And, since I am certain that you will perceive the word "ignorant" as a pejorative, Princeton University, the alma mater of Brooke Shields, says it means YOU were unaware because of a lack of relevant information or knowledge.

http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=ignorant

Y'all should may be go to the Globe and Mail and read the article
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/quebec- sending-in-the-clowns/art icle1145603/

But, to save those of you who are post literate [yes, I am writing about YOU] here is a quick edit:

...“Since...consultations on the living conditions of the elderly [in 2007], our government has injected $2.3-billion to improve their living conditions,”...most of the money has gone to maintaining salaries...Hundreds of private nursing homes as well as homes for the elderly are without properly trained staff, according to patients' rights groups who contend that the elderly can go days without being washed...they receive inadequate care for some of their most basic needs.Lisette Lapointe, Parti Québécois critic for the elderly, noted...the vast majority of...residences that care for more than 100,000 patients operate without proper certification... “What are you going to do to make sure our elderly get proper care...” Ms. Lapointe asked Ms. Blais...the problem, the minister argued, was that too many people are negligent and forget to visit their aging parents or family members who live in nursing homes. “We all have a responsibility in overseeing the living conditions of the elderly,” Ms. Blais said in explaining the usefulness of hiring clowns.The solution does not lie in having clowns as part of therapy to break the loneliness, said Paul Brunet who heads the Council for the Protection of Patients. There's nothing wrong in wanting to entertain people, he said, but that certainly isn't the priority..."If anybody thinks this is a priority, then they must be living on Mars,” Mr. Brunet said... “There are some elderly residents that stink. They aren't bathed because there isn't enough staff to do the work. They lose their dignity and, when that happens, they lose the desire to live. Their basic needs aren't being met. And that's what they need more than clowns.”
Feed 'em, bathe 'em then clown 'em.
WFDS

145...Temporary Housing, Ottawa

From Warren Kinsella's Blog:

Male, forties, non-smoker, (relatively) quiet, looking for furnished Ottawa living space for five weeks, near Parliament Hill. May need urgently.

WFDS

144...Brooke Shields: I RegretLosingMyVirginity@22

My namesake [and look alike, I mean, I am not a girl but I am the Hot component of Hot or Not, right tic?] Brooke has come clean in the June issue of Health magazine. "I think I would have had sex a lot earlier!" the actress jokes in the June issue of Health magazine. "I think I would have lost my virginity earlier than I did at 22. "

The best line on that comes from, well, I don't know who it comes from, but, after graduating from Princeton University in 1987, Miss Shields proclaimed that she had made it through her college years intact, to wit, she lived in res' and did not get drunk nor did she lose her virginity. The line was, wait for it: "What a waste of 100,000 dollars."

Apparently Brooke now concurs with that wag.

WFDS

143...Radio Is The New Salvation

And I am on it.

Tomorrow morning, six to be precise, with my buddy Blake Batson and Annie Machon, a real live British spy, with me the World Famous Dan Shields on 93.1CKCU.

For research purposes I watched Get Smart, the film, earlier this morning.

I will never get those two hours back.

WFDS

Monday, May 25, 2009

142...Self Centredness

Or.

Self Centeredness.

Either way, this post is about SC and me.

I get on average 60 page views a day; not the Globe and Mail or the Ottawa Citizen or even the Orleans Star but, for a fat guy sitting on his couch writing about schtuff, not bad.

Yet I have only one follower.

I am pretty sure he is only doing that out of love.

C'mon, be a follower, I need more love.

Self Center/redness over.

And out.

WFDS

141...Tuesday, 93.1, 6 am sharpish.

Blake Batson, personal friend of mine, about, well, whatever Blake wants to talk about.

Plus Concillia Muonde who is the public education coordinator at The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Ottawa.

And, of course, you.

93.1CKCU, around the world on the web, www.ckcufm.com.

WFDS

Sunday, May 24, 2009

140...Send In The Clowns/Only In Quebec

Beautiful story from the Globe and Mail Thursday last. In a place where the unthinkable happens on a regular basis the geniuses who run La Belle are signing a four-year, $293,000 agreement on Monday with Dr Clown, a provincial non-profit organization that sends clowns to visit residents in nursing homes.

As for important stuff, such as ordering staff in cotton head centres to feed, clean and care for the golden agers, that will have to wait.

WFDS

139...Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

I love the Stanley Cup and Stanley Cup weather; too bad the only Canadian team left are the Windsor Red Wings.

It was interesting to see Bob Probert drop the puck today, he was wearing a Chicago Black Hawks jersey but he also was born and raised in Windsor and played the first half of his career with the Wings, back in the Dead Wings phase of the franchise, so one has to think his allegiance is at least partially split, no matter what sweater he wears.

Ditto Chris Chelios, the 125 year old defenseman with the Wings who grew up in Chicagoland.

WFDS

Saturday, May 23, 2009

138...Teachers and Corey Booker

When is the last time you heard of a teacher getting fired? Seriously.

Corey Booker, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, late last summer at the Democratic convention, made the point that once a teacher is hired he is never fired and that the reason is because their union is way, way, wayyyyyyyyyy too strong.

This isn't new of course. I cannot speak for you but I had at least as many bad teachers as good ones. I don't recall anyone getting their ass fired. And my high school, St. Pius X in Ottawa, had teachers that molested kids, not fired; teachers who punched kids in the head, not fired; teachers who were drunk, not fired; and on and on and on. According to HBO's Bill Maher, out of 43,000 teachers in Los Angeles last year, 11, e l e v e n, were fired. One would have to think that number would be a bit, and by a bit I mean a lot, low.

WFDS

137...Stop Picking On Mikey I.

Um, Prime Minister Steven, play nice now.

One of the beautiful things about being a Canuckistanian is that you have the freedom to leave Our Home And Native Land and work/live elsewhere if it is something that you wanna do.

Start talking about important stuff, PM Steve, like the masses of unemployed and homeless and closing factories and and and leave Mikey I. alone.

He, Mikey I., is the prodigal son and he hath returned, chill out.

WFDS

Thursday, May 21, 2009

136...Triumph of 14 Year Old Girls and Redial

Kris Allen, American Idol, 2009.

WFDS

135...If Only Brian Had Of Used H and R Block

It would have saved him so much trouble, Brian being the Honourable Brian M., late of 24 Sussex.

Because if there is a problem with your taxes, H and R Block will represent you.

It is all there in the fine print.

If only.

WFDS

134...Welcome To Birmingham, Drive Carefully

Saw this with Peter Mansbridge on the CBC last night, check it out.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2009/05/alabama_gov_bob_riley_today.html

Crazy thing is they fired these cops for beating on someone.

Dude didn't even die.

How unCanadian that is.

WFDS

133...Weirdest Town In The World

Ottawa.

At least when it comes to weather.

Snow.

No one complains.

Freezing Rain.

No one complains.

Forty below zero.

No one complains.

But when it gets nice, like today, 29 degrees C/84 F, people just bitch, bitch, bitch.

"It's too hot. I hate this."

Oy frigging vey.

WFDS

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

132...An American Idol In Ottawa

Tonight is the night for the unveiling of the results of the voting for this year's American Idol.

Will it be Adam Lambert or will it be the other guy?

[Kris Allen.]

We will know in a matter of hours but what I know right this second is that the American Idol of 2006, Taylor Hicks, will be coming to Ottawa to appear in the road production of GREASE™.

The new Broadway production of the Tony Award nominated musical GREASE™, opens at The National Arts Centre on July 21 – 26, 2009. Tickets will go on sale on Monday, May 25th at 10:00 am and can be obtained by visiting the NAC Box Office at 53 Elgin Street or by calling Ticketmaster at 613-755-1111 or online at http://www.ticketmaster.ca/.

Taylor Hicks, career on fire, platinum record, appeared on Broadway in GREASE™ and now is in Ottawa, where, if he drinks at the Mayflower Pub on Cooper after the show, may get to meet the WFDS.

Good times, good times.

WFDS

131...Shouldn't They Be Paying Rogers/Shaw Etc?

The TV stations that is.

If you have been watching the box, CTV/AChannel have a concerted effort to make cable companies pay to carry them. Which, of course will mean you and I will have to pick up the tab coz, dead or not, Uncle Ted Rogers is going to pass the cost on to me. Ditto Mr. Shaw and Mr. Cogeco.

But, but, buttttttttttttttttttttt, here is what the World Famous Dan Shields doesn't understand. Isn't TV just advertising surrounded by programming? And isn't the more households that have access to your station, your programs and your ads the better?

Doesn't it follow that the cable companies are giving channels like A and CTV the opportunity to reach more households and therefore increase their audience?

Just asking.

Don't hate on me.

WFDS

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

130...Wednesday morning, 93.1

CKCU.

Me, and Astro the dog.

Plus American Idol chatter and tic explains how a/he doesn't follow all that mainstream stuff and b/then will bitch about his job, his mortgage, the car, you know, mainstream stuff.

I love him.

Not that way.

But close.

See you at six am, 93.1.

WFDS

129...One Less Radio Station

Seems like AM1150 in Ottawa, CJRC AM is no longer. For those of you that follow such things, the station transitioned to FM at 104.7 about a year ago and was simulcasting AM/FM.

What I fail to understand is why the AM has to die; the same thing has happened repeatedly in this market with 540, 630, 970, 1150 and 1440. The more voices the better one would think.

But I suppose it doesn't make the leather tied bureaucrats at the CRTC happy so, c'est la vie.

WFDS

Monday, May 18, 2009

128...Speaking of Beggars and Crackheads

I live off Elgin Street in Ottawa, Ontario and if there is a world wide epicentre for crackheads, drunkheads and panhandlers, downtown Ottawa has to be it. When I go on infrequent trips to Montreal, Toronto and elsewhere it takes a while to adjust to not being constantly asked for change. It is non stop here in Ottawa.

I realize that if you are addicted to crack, booze, whatever it is a struggle but it does start to wear.

Usta be, back in the day, say, oh, April 2009, one could leave the core, go to the 'burbs of Ottawa-Gatineau and escape the non stop harassment by beggars.

No more.

In the last two weeks I have been approached by, for wont of a better word, crack heads in the most suburban of places: the Loblaws at Merivale and Baseline [sir, do you have four loonies; I do like ambition]; by a toothless woman who is also a regular on the Market and Elgin street at the South Keys box store configuration [she just mumbles the words "...money, money, money..." with her hand out; brevity is a nice touch] and; four losers, two couples, one pregnant which is always nice, operating out of an old Toyota at the SuperC in Hull, near the casino [their approach was very interesting; if you refuse, like I did, one of the crack heads's boyfriends, wearing a UNC TarHeels shirt btw, similtaneously threatens you and runs away which is at once perplexing and a relief].

I love living in the cosmopolitan capital that is Ottawa. Love it.

WFDS

127...You know how when...

...a panhandler asks you for money for food, he is usually/probably going to spend it on booze, dope or nicotine?

Same thing with A Channel and CTV Ottawa. They are running these ads talking about how important local TV is [it is] and how they are there for the community and so on.

Imagine my surprise when, today, Monday May 18, 2009, I turn on CTV Ottawa for the noon news to keep in touch with my community and so on and see some band I never heard of in concert. For the full newshour. So, it seems, like the aforementioned panhandler, they say one thing but do quite the other.

Guess holidays are not for the community.

WFDS

126...Tuesday Morning; American Idol; 93.1.

6 am Tuesday morning from Live 88.5's Big Money Shot winners Down In Ashes to talk with me, The World Famous Dan Shields on CKCU FM about who is going to be the 2009 American Idol.

The final two shoes are Tuesday night and Wednesday night. Who, who, whom is it going to be?
Will it be the heart throb Kris Allen or the flamboyant rocker Adam Lambert? My money is on Mr. Lambert but America will decide.

More people vote for American Idol than for the American President and this show is now and has been driving popular musical culture for almost a decade. Ruben Studdard, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood come on down!!!

So dat's the deal, tomorrow morning, six bells, 93.1 CKCU.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

125...Michael Steele, Idiot

On NBC's Meet The Press this morning, Michael Steele, who is the chairman of the Republican Party, says that the University of Notre Dame should not award an honorary degree to President Barack Obama.

Mr. Steele says Notre Dame is right to be honoured that Obama is speaking at Sunday's commencement. Then he does a 180 degree turn and says granting Obama an honorary degree is inappropriate because the President is pro abortion while the Roman Catholic Church opposes abortion.

That be crazy.

For starters, President Obama is Pro Choice, not pro abortion. There is a big difference there Chairman Steele. Catholics, and I am one, are not a monolith and many of us, including prominent Catholics like New York's former governor Mario Cuomo and myself, are Pro Choice. Pro Choice does not make one pro abortion; it means one respects the right of a woman to choose.

Mr. Steele also referred to Notre Dame as the nation's largest Catholic university. Uh, no, the South Bend, Indiana school is not even the largest Catholic school in that part of the country. DePaul University, in Chicagoland, is the largest Catholic university. Honest mistake though, Notre Dame has a higher profile, dating back to the days that it was good at football. Which are so over by the way. Charlie Weis, what a schmuck. But that is another story.

Abortion, like a lot of medical procedures, should not be restricted to those who have financial means. When abortion is proscribed it becomes a right of those with privilege and connection; one would have to be naive to think otherwise.

Medical access should not be only for the elites, it should be available for all.

Not just in the United States either; it should be available across the board in Canada also. It is not and that is elitist.

WFDS

124...They Booed The US Anthem in Los Angeles!!!

Today.

At the Staples Center.

Before game 7 of the Los Angeles Lakers/Houston Rockets game this afternoon.

Don't get too excited, it is not the start of the revolution, it is just when the anthem singer sang the line "...and the rocket's red glare!", it did not go over so well with the Laker faithful.

A chorus of boos greeted that line.

WFDS

123...Greetings From Regina

The Regina Leader-Post to be precise, Ian Hamilton's column which is cut and paste job. And the boy can really cut and paste.

He bookended Saturday's column with two gems.

Mr. Hamilton led off with this bit of economic news: Shoe giant Nike announced Thursday that it will be cutting about five per cent of its workforce -- roughly 1,750 jobs -- worldwide due to the economic downturn. Thankfully, those eight- and nine-year-olds still have time to find new careers.

That kills me.

Then he closed with: The last word this week goes to Samantha Haylock, who had this say to the St. Petersburg Times to describe her disappointment when the Lingerie Football League's Tampa Breeze held tryouts: "They aren't very organized. They didn't ask any questions. It's all about looks." Go figure.

Double killer.

WFDS

Saturday, May 16, 2009

122...Panhandling

I am seeing the talent on Ottawa's A Channel panning for support from the government instead of actually, um, being entertaining. Please, clue in, the way to make money in the entertainment business is to entertain. Plus, as the Detroit stations we get on cable here in Ottawa illustrate, local is key.

In what is a visual medium you would think they could find hot people to read the news too, not just on A, on any channel in this town, this Canada. By hot I mean currently hot, not formerly hot, not hot in a certain light but hot, currently hot, like Shay Ryan from 7WXYZ Detroit [who is now on FOX5, New York], ESPN's Erin Andrews, CBS's Katie Couric etc.

I know this is anathema to the politically correct, but being hot, does not mean one is not competent. Cup size is not inverse to IQ.

The national sports channels get it, they are rife with fine looking [men and] women who also are great at reporting le sports.

WFDS

Friday, May 15, 2009

121...Those Who Forget History

Are stupid.

Case in point the on going front page of the Globe and Mail [today at least] saga of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney who, apparently, is lying through his teeth and/or lying by omission on the Hill.

Now, I voted for the man, twice, and think that NAFTA was and is a wonderful thing but, hello, pay attention here, doesn't anyone, anyone, remember his nickname?

Lyin' Brian.

WFDS

Thursday, May 14, 2009

120...A Friend of A Friend Needs Your Help

My buddy James Bowie, who got me into this blogging bidness is friends with Warren Kinsella and Mr. Kinsella has just posted this:


HELP WANTED
Thursday, May 14, 2009, 10:02 PM
I am assisting a journalist(s) doing a story on Conservative MPs and staffers, and how they deal with domestic caregivers. Anyone willing to participate should contact me at
wkinsella@hotmail.com. Confidentiality is assured. [ view entry ]Commentspermalink

Personally I cannot imagine any of the Tory MPs doing anything untoward toward anyone, especially people who are less fortunate than they are.

Wait, yes I can.

WFDS

119...Paulus commits

As predicted in post 112, Greg Paulus, who ran the point at Duke for three years and came off the bench for the Blue Devils as a senior is, the Daily Orange reports online, going to play quarterback for his hometown Syracuse University Orange.

A rare 5th year varsity athlete, Mr. Paulus hasn't played footie since high school but was in the mix in this year's NFL draft. He was the number one rated QB in the country when he came out of Christian Brother's Academy but chose to follow his heart and the rock to Duke University.

SU, which was pretty much the worst BCS team in college football last year, has a new coach, a homeboy, Doug Marrone and now a high profile transfer who is also a homeboy.

I am not predicting a bowl but 5 wins would be nice.

WFDS

118...Iggy The Bastard

Andrew Steele in this morning's Globe and Mail points out that a/the Tory attack ads are branding the next Prime Minister of Canada Michael Ignatieff as a bastard and b/we like voting for bastards.

Mr. Steele subscribes to the to the Will Ferguson theory of Bastards and Boneheads and points out that historically the bastard beats the bonehead.

Trudeau/Clark winner was the bastard.
Chretien/Day winner was the bastard.
Harper/Dion winner was the bastard.

Soon.

WFDS

117...Kobe

Ends it tonight.

WFDS

116...Remedial Media

Watching CJOH/CTV Ottawa's Noon News package and, geez, would someone please tell Michael O'Byrne what commas are for.

It is not a race dude.

WFDS

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

114...Tomorrow, on the wireless

Fingers crossed, I am hoping to talk to Sister Helen Prejean, of Dead Man Walking fame, who will be appearing at the Tulip Festival Wednesday evening along with Lawrence Greenspon.

Failing that, it will be me and Doug Hempstead from the Tulip Festival plus, of course, tic in the last half hour.

WFDS

113...Uh, I Dunno

Wednesday.

Wireless.

Dunno.

WFDS

Monday, May 11, 2009

112...Greg Paulus, QB

After playing four years, the first three as a starter, as point for the Duke Blue Devils, Greg Paulus is on the move to, according to today's The Sporting News, Syracuse to run the show on the football field for his hometown Orange.

Best I can figure out the NCAA rules, although one is allowed 4 years of eligibility you get a fifth one if you play a second sport for that year and transfer out.

Whatever.

Deally deal is Mr. Paulus was a two sport star in high school in Central New York and feels that he has a shot at the NFL as a quarterback. So does the NFL apparently, with the Green Bay Packers being especially keen.

Kinda cool, eh?

Play a little QB, pick up a Master's and go to the NFL.

WFDS

111...Tuesday Morning, I Interview A Dog

No, not Travis Henry, a real live doggie.

Astro, from Canines With A Cause, will be in the CKCU studios with me tomorrow morning at 6 am to explain what his [or her, I didn't look that closely] organization is about.

Also on will be Astro's translator, Thomas Sandor. Later in the hour I will have Doug Hempstead from the ultra cool Tulip Festival to let you know what cool stuff is going down during the last week of this year's fest. Financial advisor Michael Kirkpatrick will join me at 6 20 with information on how you can get your cardio up for only two dollars.

Check it out, best hour of morning radio on the planet.

WFDS

Sunday, May 10, 2009

110...NHL, Group Think: An Addenum

Another thought on this issue. The NHL in its smugness is, in my view, in danger of f'ing up their most important market, Southern Ontario/GTA, through their shortsightedness.



As we all know, businesses are built on new customers and allegiances are built early in life, in middle school.

For sports, in Southern Ontario/GTA, a lot of the young ones are new Canadians, not just by the obvious, age, but by ethnicity. They are developing loyalties for sure but the loyalties are not to the NHL/Leafs but to the Raptors/NBA and the TorontoFC/MSL. The Leafs are becoming less and less reflective of the community and this does not bode well for the NHL.

WFDS

Saturday, May 9, 2009

109...NHL, Group Think and Failure

The National Hockey League and their commish Gary Bettman are the most absurdly run major professional sports league in North America and most likely the world.

Just because you say something over and over and over again does not make it true but it does reinforce group think.

Case in point comes from Rod Bryden's interview in Friday's Ottawa Citizen under Don Brennan's byline where the former owner of the Ottawa Senators wraps himself in the flag and repeats the company line which is small market Canadian cities, like Ottawa, cannot make it in a world full of big bad American cities that want to steal our hockey teams and make them our own.

It is Joesph Goebbels big lie theory redux; if you say it enough and with sincerity then it must be true. No one, and I mean no one, in media, either main stream or in the blog sphere has ever questioned the fact that little ol' Ottawa is a small market.

The only fly in the ointment is that we are not a small market. We are not Toronto or New York or Montreal that is for true but out of about 300 markets in North America we are in the top 20 per cent.

Keep in mind sports fans that the NHL is not selling corn flakes or pop or cars, they are selling a specific product, hockey, and when you take that into account Ottawa is safely ensconced in the top 10 per cent of North American markets, as are Edmonton and Calgary.

When Mr. Bryden's Ottawa Senators were spiralling into bankruptcy he kept saying what he said in yesterday's Citizen: I could have sold them to an American market for a lot more money than keeping them here. Yeah, well, no. Seriously, where Mr. Bryden, where? No one ever asked that question. Until now.

The truth of the matter is in the little story right below the piece on Mr. Bryden where our beloved Premier, Dalton McGuinty is quoted in an uncredited piece as saying "I don't know what's up with these guys. I mean, this is a great market [referring to Hamilton and Southern Ontario]...the strongest and most committed fan base on the face of the planet. We would welcome one, two or three more franchises in the province of Ontario." The Premier suggested that the NHL come to grips with the realities of the hockey business, that being it works well in markets that have snow. He is, of course, right.

You could drop a team in Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and somewhere north or east of the CN Tower and do just fine with those clubs. For those of you who have been to the Joe Louis in Detroit, do you think it is a coincidence that the Detroit Red Wings rink is right, right, right on the border with Windsor, Ontario? For those of you not familiar with Detroit's demographics, the metro is a bit over 21 per cent Black, a bit under 4 per cent Hispanic but the city of Detroit is about 90 per cent Black and about no per cent White. Look around next time you are at a hockey game, it is very pink and pale in that house. If the owners of the Wings were merely marketing to their Michigan fans the arena would be above 8 Mile Road; in a lot of respects the Detroit Red Wings are really the Windsor Red Wings.

The concept of a metro in North America having more than one major league team in the same sport should not be anathema, in fact the NHL has two teams in the Los Angeles region and three in the New York City area, spread out over two markets in both locales. You can not tell me or anyone sane that there are more hockey fans in either places than in Toronto. In England's Premier League [soccer] London has five teams, Liverpool and Manchester, a pair each and best I can figure Birmingham will have two in the Premier League next season. It is germane to point out that the combined population of Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham is less than the GTA and Liverpool is smaller than Ottawa-Gatineau. Therefore, the concept of cities spread tens of klicks from each other in the most hockey mad part of the world having individual clubs in the NHL should also not be anathema. It should be an no brainer.

Which may be Gary Bettman's problem.

WFDS

108...The Ideal Mother's Day Gift

I nearly died in a flaming car crash today when I heard an ad on the radio, a Mother's Day ad, proclaiming that they, and Lord knows if I could recall the name of the store I would tell you, they had the perfect gift for mother on her special day.

Meat. Fresh meat.

Problem solved then.

WFDS

107...ZeroMeansZero are Zeros

Reading the Mayor Larry hate log this afternoon and I was thinking, boy, you anonymous posters/cowards on ZeroMeansZero would have loved Germany, late thirties, early forties.

A good judge like Roland Freisler, a sharp guillotine, none of these fancy defense lawyers, especially ones like Michael Edelson [and you know what I mean] y'all would have had tres fun.

By the way, when are you ZeroMeansZero cowards starting an I Love Ruby hate group?

WFDS

Friday, May 8, 2009

106...How About Them Blue Jays!!!

Cito Gaston is a genius.

WFDS

105...You Know What I Dislike?

Dya care?

I mean, why wouldja?

You aren't me, you don't know me and a blog is self indulgent enough with out pointing out my likes and dislikes.

Still, I opened the proverbial door soooooooo, at least for today, what I hate is bad, White bad not Black bad, rap. Bad as in yucky, terrible, weak, lame.

What brought this on was I was driving in my 5.0 with the top down trying to find some decent jams on the radio and the seek sucked 89.1CHUO and they were playing rap. Sadly it was not good rap, not the Jay Z, Mike Jones, L'il Wayne [note to music programmers: they sell tons of records coz people like them and people like them coz they are good] raps that are, well, good. No, it was bad, White bad not Black bad, rap.

So I put in my Russell Peter's CD and laughed all the way to the bank.

Literally.

WFDS

104...Ruby Dhalla and Mayor Lar' Offered Me A Job

Seriously, the Honourable Dr. Ruby Dhalla deserves better.

John Mraz, personal friend of mine, was succinct in the National Post when he wrote that they, and by they he means you ZeroMeansZero mindset people are all about convicting, due process be damned.

Poor Ruby, following in the footsteps of Mayor Lar', Sinclair Stevens, Greg Sobara and on and on. Presumed guilty until proven innocent. That be backwards, eh? Totally.

There has been no establishment of the facts in the case, which the Tory less Ontario Tories are calling slavegate. Heaven forbid there should be a cooling off period where one would wait for a bit of due process, perhaps an investigation, an inquiry or review of the facts. Nah, what's the point, let's just ruin her career of public service coz three of her ex employees don't like her.

Here is why you should be pissed: when they take away Ruby Dhalla's rights they diminish yours.

That sucks.

WFDS

Thursday, May 7, 2009

103...Gilles D and the Bloc Q

Dude was dissing our future Prime Minister Michael I and frankly, I don't get it.

What I don't get, among other things is, the BQ. You have been in the Parliament of a foreign-to-you country, Canada, since before I went to university and keeping stamping your feet and saying you are leaving but you don't go.

Iggy is not evil for wanting national education standards and for wanting to insure [ensure? I went to Carleton, and didn't major in spelling or grammar only English] energy sufficency for all from sea to shining sea, not just those from Rimouski to Rouyn.

Not evil.

Time for you to make your move Gilles D. or shut the f up.

Don't get me wrong, I do like Quebec. A lot. SuperC, Simon, Bedo. It is a cultural thing. And it isn't just the fact that they have cheap beer, no speed limits and you can touch strippers. No, it goes deeper than that.

WFDS

102...A Response to a Comment re 100

Thanks for the note Eric. It is worth commenting on it.

For those who have not read Eric's comment, please look underneath note 100 from WFDS.

Let me congratulate you on your measured response.

Here is what I think, with respect to the maximum.


First off, there is a little thing that makes Canada different from say North Korea or, back in the day, Soviet Russia and the Third Reich, that being the presumption of innocence; the onus is on the state to prove that Mayor Lar' is guilty, not the other way around.


Secondly one of the things that makes us, as Canadians, a strong country and society is the ability to face one's accuser. The pussies that are on ZMZ are afraid for their jobs and their mortgages and their little lives. They are the kind of cowards that in a different time and a different place would allow regimes like Adolph Hitler's, Joesph Stalin's and the disgrace that is North Korea to exist. If they are city employees they are keeping the system going going going by doing their jobs or, if they are goldbricking, they are stealing time from all citizens of this town.


Three, they, the state, seem to be building their case with Terry Kilrea as the foundation. The man couldn't spell 'cat' if you gave him the 'c' and the 't' and, at best, has an elusive relationship with the truth.


Thank you Eric, for both reading my blog and for signing your name.


WFDS

101...Comedy is Crazy

Tomorrow night it is for certain at the Bronson Centre, Bronson and Laurier in Ottawa.

It is the annual Stand up for mental health show, May 8 at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $10.00 for the general public and are $5.00 if you admit you’re crazy. If you pay ten you really are crazy.

Be there and look for me in the red sombrero.

WFDS

100...Ottawa, the city, not the capital

I am still obsessed with the cowards who populate ZeroMeansZero, the Mayor Larry O'Brien hatefest populated by those who are hiding behind the cloak of anonymity.

I did not vote for him either but he is our mayor, show a little support.

It is said that nature abhors a vacuum yet none of the fearless civic leaders, both elected and pretenders to the various thrones in north eastern Ontario, have stepped up to fill the supposed vacuum that is the mayor's office in Ottawa.

Not that you haven't had opportunity: a bus strike, the light rail/subway issues, an impending health crisis, the stadium kerfuffle all come to mind.

Yet none of you know it alls have stepped up to the proverbial plate.

Meme chose for the many who spend their work day filling ZeroMeansZero with their libelous rants.

What's with that?

Fear factor I suppose, fear factor.

As per usual, I sign my work, not anonymously, not with a cute nick name, but with my name.

WFDS

99...Buzz Words/Follow up to Post 98

Gary, the commish d'NHL, Bettman, throws around buzzwords like market size with great regularity without knowing what they mean.

Hamilton/Vaughn/Winnipeg/Quebec City/Saskatoon are all bigger markets than Phoenix/Washington/Nashville. Not in gross numbers, no, but Gary ain't selling Coke or Hondas, he is selling hockey and there are 10 times more hockey fans in Vaughn than in Phoenix.

Research, Gar', research.

If I can do it from my laptop on Elgin Street in Ottawa, you can do it too!!!

WFDS

98...Gary Bettman

WTF, how clueless is this guy?

WFDS

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

97...McHappy Day

Just remembered, today iffen you buy a Big Mac or a Happy Meal from the second best ubiquitous restaurant on the planet, Mickey D', a buck goes towards kids.

Or something like that.

Mangia, mangia.

WFDS

96...Thursday, CKCU, Radio Carleton

8 am til 9 30 am, 944 Rogers, 93.1 FM on car and clock radios in Eastern Ontario, Western Quebec and New York's North Country, http://www.ckcufm.com/ for the rest of the world, I will be talking to Jill Nelson about Johnny Wadd, John C. Holmes, the Elvis of porno.

In addition, Doug Hempstead updates the Tulip Festival for y'all y'all and Daniel Stringer on the UN Peace thingy at St. Paul University Thursday day.

Plus, in studio, Lindsay call me Liz Ferguson, a singer I am told, for the full 90 minutes.

Hey, c'mon over, I am funnier than CFRA, sportier than The Team 1200 and smarter than CBC One and Two.

WFDS

95...Stephen Harper Does Something Right

After all these years, I knew he had it in him.

Well, I didn't know, but pleasant surprises are pleasant.

The headline in the online version of the Ottawa Citizen says it all:

Harper supports another Canadian NHL franchise

Blackberry Jim Balsillie wants to buy the money pit that is the Phoenix Coyotes [formerly the Jets of Winnipeg] and move them to Southern Ontario. My guess would be either Hamilton, Kitchener or Vaughn, but anyhow, is smart idea.

Of course the NHL is famous for rejecting smart ideas because, well, because they are maroons.

In my opinion the NHL would be well served with another team in the Greater Toronto Area, a club in Kitchener and one in Hamilton. And I am right about this. Ain't gonna happen, but I am right.

WFDS

94...As The Dust Settles

OMG, is this country lucky Michael Ignatieff is going to be Prime Minister soon or what?

Lucky it is.

WFDS

93...Willie Mays

Happy birthday to the Say Hey Kid.

WFDS

92...Larry O'Brien, Mayor For Life

His life.

Note to all the haters: when His Worship of Ottawa, Larry O'Brien, gets acquitted of the spurious charges leveled against him by that window licker Terry Kilrea it is my prediction, and I am right 57.28 per cent of the time, that Larry O will run for mayor yet again and win by a huge margin.

Tell that to the anonymous posers and posters on ZeroMeansZero.

WFDS

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

91...Happy Cinquo de Mayo

Boy, it seems like only yesterday that Corona was on sale at the SuperC.

Cinquo de Mayo is the Mexican National Holiday for Mexicans living in the United States, i.e., it is not a huge day in Mexico, really only big in the state of Puebla [think of St. Jean Baptiste Day; a huge holiday in Quebec, rien in the ROC] but bigger, huger, massiver in Southern California and other environs that have large Mexican populations.

Cut up some lime and have one for me.

WFDS

90...Moob Season

Note to all citizens of northern climes such as the one I reside in, that being Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Please respect the fact that you may have gained weight this winter and last summer's summer clothes may be more revealing/less flattering than they were when you were 10, 20, 30 pounds/kilos lighter.

Check in the mirror before hitting the street.

I thank you.

WDFS

89...Wednesday, 6 am, 93.1

Radio is the new sensation and I, the World Famous Dan Shields, am in yours tomorrow morning at 6 sharp with Emily O, standup comic who will be breaking a leg at the Bronson Centre this Friday on the Standup For Mental Health gala.

Also joining me will be Doug Hempstead from the Tulip Festival and Daniel Springer from the UN Peace Festival that blows through O-town Thursday.

93.1CKCU.

WFDS

88...Gutless Wonders aka ZeroMeansZero

Ottawa Mayor Larry O'Brien's trial commenced yesterday, Monday May 4, 2009 and the gutless wonders that populate the blog ZeroMeansZero are wetting themselves with joy.

Of course none of them are signing anything with their real names.

These people are the biggest losers extant: at least the people whom they hate on, Mayor Larry, Lowell Green, Steve Madely and so on, have the integrity to sign their names to their work.

Embarrassments to the human race they are, embarrassments.

WFDS

Monday, May 4, 2009

87...Tuesday on the Radio, Life and Death

I am fortunate enough to be on 93.1CKCU tomorrow at six am.

Daniel Stringer from the Interreligious Council at the UN is going to be with me at about 6 20 and then Doug Hempstead from the Tulip Festival will join me at 6 40.

Plus for the full hour Joel Lemieux from http://www.ottawabroker.com/ to explain the ins and outs of Life and the insurance thereof.

It is important, eh?

WFDS

86...The Team1200

Is a local Ottawa all sports station. For those of you unfamiliar with Canadian radio and TV, direct competition is an anathema to the governing body of broadcasting in the Great White North. The Canadian Radio and Television Commission is bureaucracy and superciliousness taken to the next level. Therefore, unlike the land down under the 49th, there will never be two of anything trying to serve the same market and demographic in this country on the radio dial if the CRTC can help it.

In Ottawa that means we have one country station, one all news station, one sports station etc. Our sports station is The Team 1200 and it is sooooooo random.

Please bear in mind this is really a one sport town and that sport is hockey, National Hockey League hockey. Everything else pales in comparison.

Here is what is cool about The Team 1200. Saturday afternoon they had the Washington/Pittsburgh NHL playoff game on and allowed the full feed, with Pittsburgh local adverts and id's and everything. It felt so local on two levels, an Ottawa level and a Western Pa. level.

Here is what is random.

Sunday when the Detroit Red Wings were playing Anaheim Ducks The Team 1200 ran...no hockey, no local feed from Detroit or Anaheim, no cut ins just a talk show from either ESPN or FoxSports where they were talking about college and NFL football. One, and I am one, would think at the very least you could find some Eastern Ontario or Western Quebec motormouth who would talk about hockey for like 12 dollars an hour but noooooooooo they just run a feed from the States talking about stuff that, well, I am interested in but most in Ottawa are not.

Not hating, just stating and wondering, that's all.

WFDS