Looks like the bus strike is over in Ottawa, eh?
Good.
Now, according to everyone, including moi, the trick is to get them, and by them I mean, you, back on the busses.
What t' do, what t' do, what t' do.
I have an idea and, as per usual, it is not an original one, but it is a good one. Why doesn't the city do what the city of Portland, Oregon does on TriMet, their version of OC Transpos. Free busses, as in free. Since the mid 1970's in Portland, O, a town about twice the size of Ottawa/Gatineau, they have had a large free fare zone called Fareless Square. It encompasses most of downtown and they are considering expanding it to cover even more routes.
Of course, in Ottawa, where our leaders have shown over the seven week plus transit shut down a brilliant ability to offer a case study in a lack of leadership, and, love them or hate them, at least the transit union was consistent in its message, this will never happen.
Too bad.
Coz the WFDS plan, as follows, is brilliant and simple.
Free transit from now until July 2, 2009 on all routes and O-Train.
After that, all transit way busses, and the O-Train are free.
And a toonie for everything else.
My goodness, does that make sense?
As a bonus, it would give Lowell Green palpatations which would make for fun radio.
WFDS
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
5...January 29, 2008
Super Bowl XXXMICKEYMOUSEIV is this Sunday and about a third of those of us in Ottawa and environs will watch some or all of the show. Ditto for Quebec, the United States and the ROC. Here are a couple or three things to think about when watching the Super Bowl.
At Super Bowl VI, Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas asked a very simple question:
"If this is the Ultimate Game, why are the playing it next year?"
He was soon out of the National Football League by the way.
Larry Fitzgerald, Junior, number 11 for the Arizona Cardinals, a wizard and a true star, may have the largest ass in the history of mankind. Just watch the game if you don't believe me.
Larry's dad, Larry Senior, is a sportswriter for a fish wrap called the Minnesota Spokesman-Reporter and he has been feted by many many many newspapers and electronic outlets for being just pretty much the least biased sports writer in history. I mean, his boy is playing in the SuperF'ingBowl and Larry is just taking it in stride. Except they be wrong.
Check this out from Tom Hoffarth's, a writer for the Los Angeles Daily News, blog:
[Geez, I hope the links work...]
The curious cause of Larry Fitzgerald Sr.
By Tom Hoffarth on January 29, 2009 4:20 PM Permalink Comments (0)
There have been some neat, feel-good stories written about Larry Fitzgerald Sr., father of the Arizona Cardinals receiver with the same name, and a sports editor for the African-American weekly newspaper called the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
One by the Washington Post's Mike Wilbon (linked here). By ESPN's Rick Reilly (linked here). By USA Today's Jarrett Bell (linked here). A week before, by the Boston Globe's Dan Shaunessey (linked here).
Then came a few more from Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star (linked here), and Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Trbune.
Fitzgerald was even on Wednesday's episode of "Inside the NFL" on Showtime. And he's got his own website (linked here).
It must be cool to be him right now.
But amidst all that, there's a piece by Josh Levin for Slate.com (linked here) that kind of puts it into better perspective.
"The point isn't that Fitzgerald Sr. is a bad guy because he failed to disclose a relationship," writes Levin. "It's that he's always happily blurred the very line that Reilly et al. say he refuses to blur."
Just read some of the stories that Fitzgerald Sr. has written the last few weeks (linked here, off his own site).
Unbias? Call it what is it. It's not Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism here.
Levin concludes that maybe the best piece on the subject was done earlier this month by the New York Times' Joe LaPointe (linked here), who wrote: "No matter what happens on Sunday, Larry Sr. will evaluate his son's performance not as a journalist but as a parent."
Ah, doncha hate it when facts screw up a feel good story?
Enjoy the game.
Last Super Bowl thought. Save money, be smart, buy your beer in Hull/Aylmer/Gatineau.
WFDS
At Super Bowl VI, Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas asked a very simple question:
"If this is the Ultimate Game, why are the playing it next year?"
He was soon out of the National Football League by the way.
Larry Fitzgerald, Junior, number 11 for the Arizona Cardinals, a wizard and a true star, may have the largest ass in the history of mankind. Just watch the game if you don't believe me.
Larry's dad, Larry Senior, is a sportswriter for a fish wrap called the Minnesota Spokesman-Reporter and he has been feted by many many many newspapers and electronic outlets for being just pretty much the least biased sports writer in history. I mean, his boy is playing in the SuperF'ingBowl and Larry is just taking it in stride. Except they be wrong.
Check this out from Tom Hoffarth's, a writer for the Los Angeles Daily News, blog:
[Geez, I hope the links work...]
The curious cause of Larry Fitzgerald Sr.
By Tom Hoffarth on January 29, 2009 4:20 PM Permalink Comments (0)
There have been some neat, feel-good stories written about Larry Fitzgerald Sr., father of the Arizona Cardinals receiver with the same name, and a sports editor for the African-American weekly newspaper called the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
One by the Washington Post's Mike Wilbon (linked here). By ESPN's Rick Reilly (linked here). By USA Today's Jarrett Bell (linked here). A week before, by the Boston Globe's Dan Shaunessey (linked here).
Then came a few more from Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star (linked here), and Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Trbune.
Fitzgerald was even on Wednesday's episode of "Inside the NFL" on Showtime. And he's got his own website (linked here).
It must be cool to be him right now.
But amidst all that, there's a piece by Josh Levin for Slate.com (linked here) that kind of puts it into better perspective.
"The point isn't that Fitzgerald Sr. is a bad guy because he failed to disclose a relationship," writes Levin. "It's that he's always happily blurred the very line that Reilly et al. say he refuses to blur."
Just read some of the stories that Fitzgerald Sr. has written the last few weeks (linked here, off his own site).
Unbias? Call it what is it. It's not Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism here.
Levin concludes that maybe the best piece on the subject was done earlier this month by the New York Times' Joe LaPointe (linked here), who wrote: "No matter what happens on Sunday, Larry Sr. will evaluate his son's performance not as a journalist but as a parent."
[The links work...]
Ah, doncha hate it when facts screw up a feel good story?
Enjoy the game.
Last Super Bowl thought. Save money, be smart, buy your beer in Hull/Aylmer/Gatineau.
WFDS
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
4...January 29, 2009
Couple of quick points.
First off, watching Canada's number 1 men's basketball team Carleton working number 2 U of Ottawa on The Score. The women have already won and the men are up by four late in the third quarter of the game. Make it 11 late in the 4th.
Good as Ottawa is, they are missing one thing, Dave Smart, who is the not just the best coach in Canada but one of the best in the world. He has to be worth at least six or seven points a game. Alabama just quit their coach and if their Athletic Director, Mal Moore, is reading this, step up to the plate and make Coach Smart a Godfatheresque offer. Then book your tickets for the return of the Final Four to New Orleans in 2012.
Before the game The Score had some lame ass bit with Gerry Dee called Gerry Dee Sports Reporter. OMG, I know Mr. Dee makes a living as a comedian and was on NBC's Last Comic Standing and does a zillion commercial spots and and but cancer is funnier than Gerry Dee. As bad as he is on The Score, I saw him do some NHL Hall of Fame type dinner last year on the tube and he really sucked the pipe there. Terrible would be an improvement.
The announced attendance at the Carleton/U of Zero game is 10,000 plus. Yeah, surrrrre. The reporters in Ottawa are the worst when it comes to reporting accurate attendance figures; from the way the cameras are not showing the crowd, and the sea of empty seats when they accidently do show it, I am thinking may be 5,000 are in attendance. You should be pissed off too, coz when The Score, The Sun, The Citizen, Le Droit, CJOH et. al. provide inflated attendance figures, numbers that those watching and/or at the game and, more to the point, the reporters and announcers know are blatant lies, it taints all their other reporting. Like, may be we have a deficit or may be they are just reporting what the guv feeds them. Ditto, ditto and ditto.
Still, the game is big time, the atmosphere is electric, the broadcast is brilliant, and it shows that CIS basketball is as good as any but the top 50 or so NCAA teams.
WFDS
First off, watching Canada's number 1 men's basketball team Carleton working number 2 U of Ottawa on The Score. The women have already won and the men are up by four late in the third quarter of the game. Make it 11 late in the 4th.
Good as Ottawa is, they are missing one thing, Dave Smart, who is the not just the best coach in Canada but one of the best in the world. He has to be worth at least six or seven points a game. Alabama just quit their coach and if their Athletic Director, Mal Moore, is reading this, step up to the plate and make Coach Smart a Godfatheresque offer. Then book your tickets for the return of the Final Four to New Orleans in 2012.
Before the game The Score had some lame ass bit with Gerry Dee called Gerry Dee Sports Reporter. OMG, I know Mr. Dee makes a living as a comedian and was on NBC's Last Comic Standing and does a zillion commercial spots and and but cancer is funnier than Gerry Dee. As bad as he is on The Score, I saw him do some NHL Hall of Fame type dinner last year on the tube and he really sucked the pipe there. Terrible would be an improvement.
The announced attendance at the Carleton/U of Zero game is 10,000 plus. Yeah, surrrrre. The reporters in Ottawa are the worst when it comes to reporting accurate attendance figures; from the way the cameras are not showing the crowd, and the sea of empty seats when they accidently do show it, I am thinking may be 5,000 are in attendance. You should be pissed off too, coz when The Score, The Sun, The Citizen, Le Droit, CJOH et. al. provide inflated attendance figures, numbers that those watching and/or at the game and, more to the point, the reporters and announcers know are blatant lies, it taints all their other reporting. Like, may be we have a deficit or may be they are just reporting what the guv feeds them. Ditto, ditto and ditto.
Still, the game is big time, the atmosphere is electric, the broadcast is brilliant, and it shows that CIS basketball is as good as any but the top 50 or so NCAA teams.
WFDS
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
3...Tomorrow
Tomorrow on the wireless, http://www.ckcufm.com/ and 93.1CKCU over the air in Ottawa/Gatineau at 6 am I, the World Famous Dan Shields, will, theoretically, be chatting in studio with Brad MordenArtistic DirectorLittle Voice Big Sound...he says he is bringing me a coffee...I like him.
Brad is promoting Ottawa's Art Out Loud Opening Show - January 30th. Little Voice Big Sound is launching the first in a full year series showcasing the diversity of Ottawa's artistic talent. Over the course of 2009, Little Voice Big Sound will bring together visual artists, local musicians, poets, dancers and actors to share their artistic expression of solidarity for a more positive world. Venues will range across the city and integrate all elements of Ottawa's artistic and cultural communities.
The Grand Opening EventDate: Friday, January 30thPlace: Don Monet's CUBE Gallery, 7 Hamilton Ave. N., right next to the Ugly Club [aka the Carleton Tavern]. Just get off the Queensway at Parkdale and head north to Armstrong and hang a left.
This is going to be a brilliant show and I am looking forward to talking to Brad and maybe schmoozing a bit with the glitterati of Hintonburg at the event.
Also tomorrow morning, tic, the man with the 7 person fan club [which is 7 more than I have...] and I will argue about something inane from 6 30 am til 7.
Finally, tomorrow night, in my living room, on The Score, Carleton men, number 1 in Canada play the Gee Gee's D'U of Ottawa, the number 2 team in Canada live from Scotia Bank Place. The women's teams who are also quite competitive this year, play at six pm. If you come over, please, bring libations.
Libations.
That is why I got a degree in English.
So I can use words like libation.
Without sounding like a toff.
L8r.
WFDS.
Brad is promoting Ottawa's Art Out Loud Opening Show - January 30th. Little Voice Big Sound is launching the first in a full year series showcasing the diversity of Ottawa's artistic talent. Over the course of 2009, Little Voice Big Sound will bring together visual artists, local musicians, poets, dancers and actors to share their artistic expression of solidarity for a more positive world. Venues will range across the city and integrate all elements of Ottawa's artistic and cultural communities.
The Grand Opening EventDate: Friday, January 30thPlace: Don Monet's CUBE Gallery, 7 Hamilton Ave. N., right next to the Ugly Club [aka the Carleton Tavern]. Just get off the Queensway at Parkdale and head north to Armstrong and hang a left.
This is going to be a brilliant show and I am looking forward to talking to Brad and maybe schmoozing a bit with the glitterati of Hintonburg at the event.
Also tomorrow morning, tic, the man with the 7 person fan club [which is 7 more than I have...] and I will argue about something inane from 6 30 am til 7.
Finally, tomorrow night, in my living room, on The Score, Carleton men, number 1 in Canada play the Gee Gee's D'U of Ottawa, the number 2 team in Canada live from Scotia Bank Place. The women's teams who are also quite competitive this year, play at six pm. If you come over, please, bring libations.
Libations.
That is why I got a degree in English.
So I can use words like libation.
Without sounding like a toff.
L8r.
WFDS.
Monday, January 26, 2009
2...93.1 CKCU
I am thrilled to be able to tell you that I am on the radio for a full hour tommorrow morning, six to seven a.m.- - -prime time for the wireless.
Tommorrow is the day of the big meal for those on the lower rungs of our societal food chain here in Ottawa. It is at Heartwood House, 151 Chapel, right off Rideau and starts about Noon.
Pete Cassidy from Jewish Family Services will be on to chat with me about that. The Cassidy interview will be bookended with two of my fave crazies: Evy and Tyrone who will both be ranting about something, something, something.
And then it is off to Heartwood House to help serve with a number of local celebrities including CKCU's own tic [who's dat?] and Yasir Naqvi, the MPP for Ottawa Centre.
L8r,
G8r.
WFDS
Tommorrow is the day of the big meal for those on the lower rungs of our societal food chain here in Ottawa. It is at Heartwood House, 151 Chapel, right off Rideau and starts about Noon.
Pete Cassidy from Jewish Family Services will be on to chat with me about that. The Cassidy interview will be bookended with two of my fave crazies: Evy and Tyrone who will both be ranting about something, something, something.
And then it is off to Heartwood House to help serve with a number of local celebrities including CKCU's own tic [who's dat?] and Yasir Naqvi, the MPP for Ottawa Centre.
L8r,
G8r.
WFDS
Saturday, January 17, 2009
1...What A Thrill
...to be blogging...how 90's...I am hardcore member of both the Liberal Party of Ontario and Canada, serving on both MPP Yasir Naqvi's executive and Penny Collenette's executive in the most diverse riding in the Great White North, Ottawa Centre...in addition I have media chops as a radio personality Wednesday and Thursday morning from six to seven a.m. on 93.1CKCU, based at Canada's 46th best university,Carleton..."If you've got the money, we've got the degree"...and do some TV work on CBC-TV's Living In Ottawa...I suppose I may have a bit of an iconoclastic bent...like you care, I am a big college hoops fan, specifically the Carleton Ravens and the Syracuse Orange.
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