869...Sports Is The Opiate Of The People

I sincerely believe that if Karl Marx had have written Das Kapital in 2009 as opposed to 1848 he would have changed the line "Religion is the opiate of the people" to "Sports is the opiate of the people". And in much of The Great White North you could say that "Hockey is the opiate of the people".

In my town, Ottawa, the government could fall, the sky could fall with it but if the Ottawa Senators made a big trade, ala the Dany Heatley deal, in the same news cycle as the previous two stories they, the Sens, would be front page news in the Ottawa Sun and Le Droit and above the fold in the Ottawa Citizen.

Case in point. Prime Minister Harper is in Washington to meet with the President of the United States. The first story being fired out of the meeting is not about trade or war or jobs it is about hockey as referenced in Post 792 "Blame Obama If The Habs or Senators Lose".

In that post I wrote how the law would make travelling for the Canadian teams extra difficult by not allowing their charters to hop from one U. S. city to another. Here is the cut and paste from the Canadian Press about an hour ago addressing that topic:

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper says the U.S. and Canada have reached a tentative deal to resolve a dispute over charter flights that threatens to disrupt the upcoming professional hockey season.

The U.S. prohibits carriage of passengers or cargo for compensation or hire by a foreign airline solely between points in the U.S.

Yet Canadian teams could have difficulty playing back-to-back games in the U.S. if they are forced to return to their home country between each game.

Harper said Wednesday: ``We think we're very close to resolving that ... I think we have some kind of a tentative agreement in principle and we're working to finalize that in the next few days.''

He spoke in an appearance with President Barack Obama.

The first story from this meeting between our guy and the most important guy on the planet and the topic is Go Leafs Go.

What a country.

WFDS

718...Did You Know Canada Is At War?

And in a recession?

There is also a lot of other funky stuff going down, homelessness, a bit of crime, archaic drug laws that criminalize non criminals, the lack of a CFL team in Ottawa.

All this pales of course when one thinks of la cause celebre Dany Heatley in our National Capital.

Mr. Heatley is on the front page of both of the Anglo papers in Ottawa, The Sun and The Citizen and, perhaps, I don't live in a francophone area, on the front of Le Droit.

In case you don't know, Mr. Heatley is a hockey player for the Ottawa Senators but he doesn't care for his new coach [read: boss] and has had enough of living in Ottawa, working for the Senators and wants to be transferred elsewhere. From the reaction of Joe Fan, who doesn't know better and muckty mucks like Barry McWhat'sHisName, Mayor Larry's spin doctor, one would think Mr. Heatley is some kind of devil, er, demon.

Think it through folks. First off, he is a hockey player, an entertainer. Two, have you ever had a job you di'nt like, a boss you di'nt like? This seems to be the case with Mr. Heatley.

Doesn't like his new boss, is bored with the town, wants to move.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Get a grip Ottawa. Gatineau. Eastern Ontario. Western Quebec.

WFDS

591...Tomorrow Morning Six To Nine Thirty 93.1

Myself, Emily O and Josh Grace will be joined by Pierre Jury of Le Droit to talk restaurants from 8 30 to 9. Also politician Blake Batson from 8 to 9 and Pro Choice advocate Jenn Farr from 7 to 8.

Your input always welcomed.

Listen to me on the wireless, 93.1 or on the 'net, www.ckcufm.com.

WFDS

484...Bluefest Blues

The 2009 Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest is happening as we speak and, of course, nimbyism is rampant.

All the papers---Le Droit, Le Sun, Le Citizen, Le Metro---are rife with stories of neighbours who are so angry that these rock and roll bands are playing their music so loud. I mean, like, why can't we have quiet rock and roll?

My friend Lindsay Ferguson, the pride of Belleville, will be making noise this evening at 6 15 on the Subway Stage on Lebreton Flats. Check her and her hot new Le Chateau clothes.

Look for me in my blues sombrero.

WFDS

470...Larry O'Brien Update

As reported everywhere in the Nation's Capital, Sun, Citizen, Le Droit and on and on, Hizzoner Larry O'Brien, will have to wait until August 12 to find out his fate in his influence pedalling trial.

He will be acquitted says moi.

His accuser is former mayoralty candidate Terry Kilrea who was aptly described in his summation by Mayor O'Brien's lawyer, Michael Edelson, "He's dumb like a fox. He's street smart, devious and disingenuous."

WFDS