Via Physics Geek in the off topic at Daily Pundit, from Purple Avenger at Ace of Spades:
Aussie scientists kill cancer cells with trojan horse.
Last I heard, Canada was using chemo drugs that real health care systems gave up on 10 years ago. Do you suppose that technologies such as this one will be rapidly adopted here? Remember, new technologies are expensive, and it's in the single payer's interest to cut costs.
Oh well, there's always that guaranteed waiting list.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
I'm Back
Okay, as I'm sure my regular reader noticed, posting has been light for a while. First I was busy, then I was away, then I was back and catching up on the news. Now I'm ready to fulminate. Hell, I fired up two posts up yesterday.
Where was I? Cuba. Why? Mrs. Fulminandrew liked the price, and we had the time, and her cousin was just back singing the praises.
So, I've been to another third world pisshole. Hell, I've been to another third world, commie pisshole. For my entire life, I've been hearing people sing the praises of Castro's island paradise. Just this spring, one of my Sunday hockey buddies, after proclaiming "I'm not a commie, but" told me of the good communism did for Cuba, what with keeping out the American influence and all.
Before I light off, I'm going to say this...Taiwan vs China, S. Korea vs N. Korea, W. Germany vs E. Germany. Three comparisons between countries with one racial/cultural origin, divided by American influence on one side, and communism on the other. Three of them are relatively free, open, and wealthy places. Three of them ended up as third world, commie pissholes.
Communism did Cuba some good? Really? I spent a year living in poor, rural China. The conditions the Chinese peasant lives under are horrific. It is a life of soul crushing, mind numbing, back breaking stoop labour, without the most basic of rights and freedoms, and basically no hope of improvement. I can't speak to the labour conditions of the Cuban peasant, I wasn't there long enough to see, but... But their housing is as awful as, or worse than, the Chinese. There is no middle class and they're still using beasts of burden to pull taxis. Shit, even the Chinese have discovered the existence of internal combustion.
We passed a hospital and a medical campus. The vaunted Cuban health care system? Scary. I've seen factories that were cleaner. But, hey, at least the (female) doctors can earn a living, provided they supplement their incomes by turning tricks. Oh, wait, that's NOT a recommendation.
In fact, only two things recommend Cuba. First is the people. Like China, and Vietnam, and Indonesia, and... well, you get the idea, the Cubans are a wonderful people beset with a truly repulsive government. Second is the climate; the place should be a paradise. Instead it's a prison, 90 miles of choppy, shark infested waters from Miami, and still thousands risk death to get away. Poor in Florida beats the ever loving shit out of poor in Cuba.
And now Raul Castro is talking about revitalizing the block-snitch system. Nothing like another heavy dose of totalitarianism to revitalize the old failing economy. Hey, it worked for N Korea, right?
In sum, another trip to another commie pisshole later, Fulminandrew is not budging from his position that communism never did any good for anyone, except the commissars. Anyone trying to tell you different is blind, a fool, or sees himself as one of the commissars.
Where was I? Cuba. Why? Mrs. Fulminandrew liked the price, and we had the time, and her cousin was just back singing the praises.
So, I've been to another third world pisshole. Hell, I've been to another third world, commie pisshole. For my entire life, I've been hearing people sing the praises of Castro's island paradise. Just this spring, one of my Sunday hockey buddies, after proclaiming "I'm not a commie, but" told me of the good communism did for Cuba, what with keeping out the American influence and all.
Before I light off, I'm going to say this...Taiwan vs China, S. Korea vs N. Korea, W. Germany vs E. Germany. Three comparisons between countries with one racial/cultural origin, divided by American influence on one side, and communism on the other. Three of them are relatively free, open, and wealthy places. Three of them ended up as third world, commie pissholes.
Communism did Cuba some good? Really? I spent a year living in poor, rural China. The conditions the Chinese peasant lives under are horrific. It is a life of soul crushing, mind numbing, back breaking stoop labour, without the most basic of rights and freedoms, and basically no hope of improvement. I can't speak to the labour conditions of the Cuban peasant, I wasn't there long enough to see, but... But their housing is as awful as, or worse than, the Chinese. There is no middle class and they're still using beasts of burden to pull taxis. Shit, even the Chinese have discovered the existence of internal combustion.
We passed a hospital and a medical campus. The vaunted Cuban health care system? Scary. I've seen factories that were cleaner. But, hey, at least the (female) doctors can earn a living, provided they supplement their incomes by turning tricks. Oh, wait, that's NOT a recommendation.
In fact, only two things recommend Cuba. First is the people. Like China, and Vietnam, and Indonesia, and... well, you get the idea, the Cubans are a wonderful people beset with a truly repulsive government. Second is the climate; the place should be a paradise. Instead it's a prison, 90 miles of choppy, shark infested waters from Miami, and still thousands risk death to get away. Poor in Florida beats the ever loving shit out of poor in Cuba.
And now Raul Castro is talking about revitalizing the block-snitch system. Nothing like another heavy dose of totalitarianism to revitalize the old failing economy. Hey, it worked for N Korea, right?
In sum, another trip to another commie pisshole later, Fulminandrew is not budging from his position that communism never did any good for anyone, except the commissars. Anyone trying to tell you different is blind, a fool, or sees himself as one of the commissars.
Why Canada Sucks, Part III - Health Care
I realized recently that my "Why Canada Sucks" series could be broken down by components; things about Canada that suck, and reasons why Canada sucks. Correlations, vs. causes. F'rinstance, our disgusting, fundamental, bred in the bone anti-Americanism is something about Canada that sucks. Multiculturalism is a reason why Canada sucks.
I could, I suppose, separate the two, but I'm not going to, as there's too much crpsspver. Take health care as an example. Socialized medicine is something about Canada that sucks. However, being the only "free" nation in the world that refuses to allow a private medical system has become so much a part of our national identity that it affects our politics. In so doing it moves out of "something about Canada that sucks" and into the realm of "a reason why Canada sucks."
So without further ado, Why Canada Sucks, Part III - Health Care
I've been meaning to have a go at our national disgrace for some time now. Having just brushed the edges of the only other totalitarian health care system in the western hemisphere was enough, on its own, to push me to get at this. However, via Darleen Click over at Protein Wisdom, we have one Michael Stickings squatting over the inter tubes and grunting out a particularly stinky one, and that kinda put me right over the top.
Short version, severe premies need critical neo-natal care. No beds in Canada (what a fucking surprise), so they get shipped off to Buffalo. Problem; the parents don't have passports, and the family's separation is the fault of, wait for it, the USA. Yes, the failure of the Canadian medical system to provide care is no party to this tragic separation, it was goddamn George W fucking Bush.
If that soulless chimp bastard, who stole the election by the way (in spite of winning how many Florida recounts? oh, yeah, all of them), hadn't changed the entry rules, with only 2 years notice, then this would never have happened. Oh, sure the parents could have gotten passports at any time in the last 2 years, but if we mention that, we take responsibility away from where it rightly rests, on George Bush. But I digress.
First off, from Stickings:
Sure, let's don't get into the relative merits of the systems. After all, that would mean examining the piece of shit system we have up here, as compared to the problematic, yet infinitely better, American system.
Folks, you read that number up there correctly. The 2008 Ontario budget calls for 96.2 billion in spending. Pull out the 8.9 B for interest, leaving 87.3 for programs, and 40.4 of that is for health care. Now, what does that 46% get you?
Guaranteed care? Yeah, sure, if you have connections, or money, or can get to an American hospital. If not care then, how about waiting lists? In 2008:
Want an appointment with a specialist? 7 - 13 weeks. Need treatment? After getting to see the specialist, add another 6 - 16 weeks. Do the math, 3 to 7 months from your GP to specialist treatment. Geez I hope you don't have anything serious, like pancreatic cancer (median survival 3 - 6 months). Do the math, folks, socialized medicine will kill you.
Access to a GP? That's a waiting list. Need emergency care? That's a waiting list. Need an MRI, you betcha that's a waiting list.
But the quality of care is so much better, right?
Can anyone out there tell me the name of the only industrialized country in the world to have a SARS outbreak? Anyone? Yes, Canada, stands proudly alone in that distinction. We might not have, if patient 1 had a doctor who had paid attention to WHO bulletins, and if patient 2, her son, hadn't been left, undiagnosed and untreated, on a gurney, in the Emergency at Scarborough Grace for 12 hours. How many sick people, you know, the kinds who go to the emerge, do you suppose were exposed in those 12 hours?
So, we have a lousy, overpriced system which delivers lousy care after long delays. That is the "what about it sucks." Now for the "why it makes Canada suck."
Canadians can be generally counted on for 3 things. Incredible, overwheening arrogance, disguised as modesty, rancid anti-americanism, and blind faith in our POS health care system. Michael Stickings' idiotic missive is a perfect example. He won't get into comparing the relative merits of the systems, he will just say that the one that guarantees care, and fails to provide it, is superior to the one that doesn't guarantee care, yet succeeds in providing it.
This, in a nutshell is Canada. We're better than Americans. Even when we are demonstrably inferior, we will simply assert our superiority, and move on. How, is the Canadian system superior? Everyone has equal access to a waiting list, unlike in the "Two tier, American style health care system." I swear, I will cock punch the next asshole to pull that line out of his ass. I said above that health care distorts our politics, and that is the money line for it.
When the Liberals need to bump their poll numbers during an election, you are 100% guaranteed to hear about the eeeeeevil conservatives and their hidden agenda to bring "two tier, American style health care" to Canada.
First, bullshit. Alberta has the most conservative govt in Canada, and they spend the most on their universal health care system, and don't have a parallel private system.
Second, bullshit. At the federal level, even though it's the right thing to do, even though our POS socialized medical system is quite literally killing us, the pussy "conservative" govt isn't going to touch the Canada Health Act with a ten foot pole. It's radioactive. If there was even a hint of a whiff of Harper doing the right thing on health care, the stupid fuckers who vote in this nation would hand him an electoral drubbing that would make Kim Campbell's comeuppance look mild.
Third, bullshit. We have multi-tier health care already anyway.
The bottom tier is for anyone outside a major health services providing centre. The north, the rural areas, and especially the reservations. Access to care truly sucks, and all the "guaranteed access" in the world ain't gonna change that.
The next tier up is for the ordinary riff raff who live in decent care areas, i.e. the cities. They might be lucky enough to have a GP, they can get to the emerge (where the wait could be 2 minutes, or 2 days), they can access the lovely 3 to 7 month waits for care.
The next tier up is for the connected. They might be professionals, they might be family of health care providers, they might be our ruling class in Ottawa or Queen's Park, but they're connected. If they need care, they get it, waiting lists be damned. Who out there is going to tell me that Premier McMoron, or Bobo the Clown Rae, or Jack O'lantern, champions all of our fascist health care system, would actually wait for care, if they or their families needed it?
The top tier is the wealthy. If they can't get care here, they go to the US and get it, and get reimbursed, or not, by their provincial providers.
Government health care is rationed health care. Follow. It is in the payers interest to slow down the provision of care. The patient might get better, or might die. In either case, no payment necessary. So, if govt is the payer, the govt rations care, to reduce the payout.
This is no different from private payers. It is also in their interest to slow down payment. Of course, if there is more than one payer, let a private insurer get a rep for refusing payment and it's out of business.
Who prescribes treatment? The doctor, AKA the payee. It is in the doctor's interest to get paid, so rapid treatment is in his interest. If he works in a system of multiple payers, competing for clients, rapid treatment ensues. So, in the USA, you go to your doctor, he sends you to a specialist and you get treated. Waiting times are measured in days, not months.
Don't believe that? Look at the health care options not covered under the Canada Health Act. Need acupuncture, massage therapy, physio therapy, dental work, chiropractic, etc.? There is a surplus of providers lining up to compete for your business. Only with the medical/hospital system is there a shortage. And only in the medical/hospital system is there a single payer.
Of course, this is reality. And we can't allow reality into the little fantasy world constructed by the soft fascists in charge of our health care.
I could, I suppose, separate the two, but I'm not going to, as there's too much crpsspver. Take health care as an example. Socialized medicine is something about Canada that sucks. However, being the only "free" nation in the world that refuses to allow a private medical system has become so much a part of our national identity that it affects our politics. In so doing it moves out of "something about Canada that sucks" and into the realm of "a reason why Canada sucks."
So without further ado, Why Canada Sucks, Part III - Health Care
I've been meaning to have a go at our national disgrace for some time now. Having just brushed the edges of the only other totalitarian health care system in the western hemisphere was enough, on its own, to push me to get at this. However, via Darleen Click over at Protein Wisdom, we have one Michael Stickings squatting over the inter tubes and grunting out a particularly stinky one, and that kinda put me right over the top.
Short version, severe premies need critical neo-natal care. No beds in Canada (what a fucking surprise), so they get shipped off to Buffalo. Problem; the parents don't have passports, and the family's separation is the fault of, wait for it, the USA. Yes, the failure of the Canadian medical system to provide care is no party to this tragic separation, it was goddamn George W fucking Bush.
If that soulless chimp bastard, who stole the election by the way (in spite of winning how many Florida recounts? oh, yeah, all of them), hadn't changed the entry rules, with only 2 years notice, then this would never have happened. Oh, sure the parents could have gotten passports at any time in the last 2 years, but if we mention that, we take responsibility away from where it rightly rests, on George Bush. But I digress.
First off, from Stickings:
I won’t get into the relative merits of the American and Canadian health-care systems here. Suffice it to say that there obviously need to be more neo-natal intensive care unit beds up here. Thankfully — and this doesn’t mean that the American system is better (after all, at least the couple and their baby are guaranteed care up here, thanks to our public system, even if it’s not perfect) — there was an opening south of the border.Fuck, where to begin?
Sure, let's don't get into the relative merits of the systems. After all, that would mean examining the piece of shit system we have up here, as compared to the problematic, yet infinitely better, American system.
Suffice it to say that there obviously need to be more neo-natal intensive care unit beds up here.Yeah, shithead, but there aren't. Why not, do you suppose? Could it be that with 46% of (Ontario) provincial program spending going to health care, there are no more govt dollars? And could it be that, since private care is illegal, there is no more money, at all? Where, then, are these beds going to come from?
at least the couple and their baby are guaranteed care up here, thanks to our public system, even if it’s not perfectDid you type that particular nugget with a straight face? Guaranteed care up here? Guaranteed care up here? If they were fucking "guaranteed care up here" they'd be fucking getting care up here, numbnuts. Jeebus, does the word "guarantee" mean something different in your universe?
Folks, you read that number up there correctly. The 2008 Ontario budget calls for 96.2 billion in spending. Pull out the 8.9 B for interest, leaving 87.3 for programs, and 40.4 of that is for health care. Now, what does that 46% get you?
Guaranteed care? Yeah, sure, if you have connections, or money, or can get to an American hospital. If not care then, how about waiting lists? In 2008:
Want an appointment with a specialist? 7 - 13 weeks. Need treatment? After getting to see the specialist, add another 6 - 16 weeks. Do the math, 3 to 7 months from your GP to specialist treatment. Geez I hope you don't have anything serious, like pancreatic cancer (median survival 3 - 6 months). Do the math, folks, socialized medicine will kill you.
Access to a GP? That's a waiting list. Need emergency care? That's a waiting list. Need an MRI, you betcha that's a waiting list.
But the quality of care is so much better, right?
Can anyone out there tell me the name of the only industrialized country in the world to have a SARS outbreak? Anyone? Yes, Canada, stands proudly alone in that distinction. We might not have, if patient 1 had a doctor who had paid attention to WHO bulletins, and if patient 2, her son, hadn't been left, undiagnosed and untreated, on a gurney, in the Emergency at Scarborough Grace for 12 hours. How many sick people, you know, the kinds who go to the emerge, do you suppose were exposed in those 12 hours?
So, we have a lousy, overpriced system which delivers lousy care after long delays. That is the "what about it sucks." Now for the "why it makes Canada suck."
Canadians can be generally counted on for 3 things. Incredible, overwheening arrogance, disguised as modesty, rancid anti-americanism, and blind faith in our POS health care system. Michael Stickings' idiotic missive is a perfect example. He won't get into comparing the relative merits of the systems, he will just say that the one that guarantees care, and fails to provide it, is superior to the one that doesn't guarantee care, yet succeeds in providing it.
This, in a nutshell is Canada. We're better than Americans. Even when we are demonstrably inferior, we will simply assert our superiority, and move on. How, is the Canadian system superior? Everyone has equal access to a waiting list, unlike in the "Two tier, American style health care system." I swear, I will cock punch the next asshole to pull that line out of his ass. I said above that health care distorts our politics, and that is the money line for it.
When the Liberals need to bump their poll numbers during an election, you are 100% guaranteed to hear about the eeeeeevil conservatives and their hidden agenda to bring "two tier, American style health care" to Canada.
First, bullshit. Alberta has the most conservative govt in Canada, and they spend the most on their universal health care system, and don't have a parallel private system.
Second, bullshit. At the federal level, even though it's the right thing to do, even though our POS socialized medical system is quite literally killing us, the pussy "conservative" govt isn't going to touch the Canada Health Act with a ten foot pole. It's radioactive. If there was even a hint of a whiff of Harper doing the right thing on health care, the stupid fuckers who vote in this nation would hand him an electoral drubbing that would make Kim Campbell's comeuppance look mild.
Third, bullshit. We have multi-tier health care already anyway.
The bottom tier is for anyone outside a major health services providing centre. The north, the rural areas, and especially the reservations. Access to care truly sucks, and all the "guaranteed access" in the world ain't gonna change that.
The next tier up is for the ordinary riff raff who live in decent care areas, i.e. the cities. They might be lucky enough to have a GP, they can get to the emerge (where the wait could be 2 minutes, or 2 days), they can access the lovely 3 to 7 month waits for care.
The next tier up is for the connected. They might be professionals, they might be family of health care providers, they might be our ruling class in Ottawa or Queen's Park, but they're connected. If they need care, they get it, waiting lists be damned. Who out there is going to tell me that Premier McMoron, or Bobo the Clown Rae, or Jack O'lantern, champions all of our fascist health care system, would actually wait for care, if they or their families needed it?
The top tier is the wealthy. If they can't get care here, they go to the US and get it, and get reimbursed, or not, by their provincial providers.
Government health care is rationed health care. Follow. It is in the payers interest to slow down the provision of care. The patient might get better, or might die. In either case, no payment necessary. So, if govt is the payer, the govt rations care, to reduce the payout.
This is no different from private payers. It is also in their interest to slow down payment. Of course, if there is more than one payer, let a private insurer get a rep for refusing payment and it's out of business.
Who prescribes treatment? The doctor, AKA the payee. It is in the doctor's interest to get paid, so rapid treatment is in his interest. If he works in a system of multiple payers, competing for clients, rapid treatment ensues. So, in the USA, you go to your doctor, he sends you to a specialist and you get treated. Waiting times are measured in days, not months.
Don't believe that? Look at the health care options not covered under the Canada Health Act. Need acupuncture, massage therapy, physio therapy, dental work, chiropractic, etc.? There is a surplus of providers lining up to compete for your business. Only with the medical/hospital system is there a shortage. And only in the medical/hospital system is there a single payer.
Of course, this is reality. And we can't allow reality into the little fantasy world constructed by the soft fascists in charge of our health care.
at least the couple and their baby are guaranteed care up here, thanks to our public system, even if it’s not perfectYou simply cannot penetrate arrogant ignorance like that, and as long as a majority of Canadians believe this sort of tripe, Canadian health care is going to suck, and it's going to help Canada continue to suck.
Not a Good Day for the Rich and Shameless
Michael Jackson is dead. So what?
C'mon, the guy was a fucking freak. And he hasn't done anything important, in his chosen career, in 20 years. So, again, who cares?
Farrah Fawcett is dead. So what?
C'mon, yeah, she was the pinup girl when I was a kid. And, yeah, she was a Charlie's Angel. But, what was the last noteworthy thing she did in her chosen career?
If you want to discuss something important because of these deaths, how about this:
FF was 62, and died of cancer. MJ was 50 and died of a heart attack. 62, 50, this is way too young to die.
First, cancer. Cancers are many and varied, and we've made incredible progress in defeating them, but there is still a long haul ahead. 62 is too young to die. Rich, famous, beautiful, poor, anonymous, ugly. It doesn't matter. 62 is too young to die.
Next, heart attack. I don't know MJ's medical background, but I do know this; dancer's tend to be very fit people. They don't suffer heart attacks. I'm just typing out of my ass here, (like that's news) but I can't help but think that there is an external factor involved.
Let's face it, the man was a mess. All those surgeries, the attempts to remain a little boy forever. We know he had no childhood to speak of, and I think therein lies the problem. 50 is too young to die, especially if the seeds of that death were sown, in childhood, by an overbearing prick of a celebrity father. God DAMN it, love your kids. Shelter them. Protect them. And if anyone tries to harm them, tear the sonuvabitch apart. Don't exploit them, and if they do achieve fame, do whatever you can to keep them sane.
The Spears girls. The Olsens. Danny Bonaduce. The list is sooo damned long.
C'mon, the guy was a fucking freak. And he hasn't done anything important, in his chosen career, in 20 years. So, again, who cares?
Farrah Fawcett is dead. So what?
C'mon, yeah, she was the pinup girl when I was a kid. And, yeah, she was a Charlie's Angel. But, what was the last noteworthy thing she did in her chosen career?
If you want to discuss something important because of these deaths, how about this:
FF was 62, and died of cancer. MJ was 50 and died of a heart attack. 62, 50, this is way too young to die.
First, cancer. Cancers are many and varied, and we've made incredible progress in defeating them, but there is still a long haul ahead. 62 is too young to die. Rich, famous, beautiful, poor, anonymous, ugly. It doesn't matter. 62 is too young to die.
Next, heart attack. I don't know MJ's medical background, but I do know this; dancer's tend to be very fit people. They don't suffer heart attacks. I'm just typing out of my ass here, (like that's news) but I can't help but think that there is an external factor involved.
Let's face it, the man was a mess. All those surgeries, the attempts to remain a little boy forever. We know he had no childhood to speak of, and I think therein lies the problem. 50 is too young to die, especially if the seeds of that death were sown, in childhood, by an overbearing prick of a celebrity father. God DAMN it, love your kids. Shelter them. Protect them. And if anyone tries to harm them, tear the sonuvabitch apart. Don't exploit them, and if they do achieve fame, do whatever you can to keep them sane.
The Spears girls. The Olsens. Danny Bonaduce. The list is sooo damned long.
On Hockey
On Marion Hossa:
Okay, yesterday I watched my local news and got the answer to a question I posed in my last post. The question, "Can we now dispense with the myth of the usefulness of Marianne "The Passenger" Hossa? Short answer, no.
Seems the chatter is about whether the Wings can afford to ink him to a long term deal. If not, who's going to pony up 7 - 8 mil per season for however long. Hmm, let's recap.
Ottawa; scored a bunch of regular season goals, carved Bryan Berard's eye out of his face, disappeared in the playoffs. "The Scalpel" gets traded to Atlanta.
Atlanta; scored a bunch of regular season goals, disappeared in their one (IIRC) playoff appearance. Quick get him to Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh: made no impression on me whatsoever. But, to be fair, that may simply be because he was on a team with Crosby, Malkin and Staal. A lightweight like Hossa is simply going to vanish against that sort of competition. Anyway, did he do anything in that playoff year? Other than lose the final and jump ship to Detroit, where the talent is so deep they could afford to drag "Deadweight" Hossa to the cup.
Last season, signed in Detroit as a free agent. Undistinguished regular season, although, again, to be fair, there is so much real talent on that team that he might have had a decent showing and just faded into the shadows. Much like he did in the playoffs. Scored in one game of each of the first three series.
Look, you just can't give a guy 10 - 15% of your salary cap if he's going to disappear when it counts. Unless it is your intent just to get to the playoffs, not caring if you win anything, for the extra revenue.
On Mike Babcock:
Okay, Babcock has been named to be Canada's coach at the Olympics. Cool, you've got a proven winner with a ton of experience behind the bench. I just got one, tiny little dissent to voice...wouldn't it have been better to have a proven winner with a ton of experience coaching Canadian players behind the bench. I mean, he'd be a fine choice for Team Sweden, but Canada?
Oh well, we'll see, and I'll be making a post about the results, eating crow if we win, and snarking some more if we lose.
We? What the hell am I saying, "we." I was never good enough to get out of house league. If Canada wins, it ain't because of anything I did. So, to rephrase, oh well, we'll see, and I'll be making a post about the results, eating crow if Canada wins, and snarking some more if Canada loses.
Okay, yesterday I watched my local news and got the answer to a question I posed in my last post. The question, "Can we now dispense with the myth of the usefulness of Marianne "The Passenger" Hossa? Short answer, no.
Seems the chatter is about whether the Wings can afford to ink him to a long term deal. If not, who's going to pony up 7 - 8 mil per season for however long. Hmm, let's recap.
Ottawa; scored a bunch of regular season goals, carved Bryan Berard's eye out of his face, disappeared in the playoffs. "The Scalpel" gets traded to Atlanta.
Atlanta; scored a bunch of regular season goals, disappeared in their one (IIRC) playoff appearance. Quick get him to Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh: made no impression on me whatsoever. But, to be fair, that may simply be because he was on a team with Crosby, Malkin and Staal. A lightweight like Hossa is simply going to vanish against that sort of competition. Anyway, did he do anything in that playoff year? Other than lose the final and jump ship to Detroit, where the talent is so deep they could afford to drag "Deadweight" Hossa to the cup.
Last season, signed in Detroit as a free agent. Undistinguished regular season, although, again, to be fair, there is so much real talent on that team that he might have had a decent showing and just faded into the shadows. Much like he did in the playoffs. Scored in one game of each of the first three series.
Look, you just can't give a guy 10 - 15% of your salary cap if he's going to disappear when it counts. Unless it is your intent just to get to the playoffs, not caring if you win anything, for the extra revenue.
On Mike Babcock:
Okay, Babcock has been named to be Canada's coach at the Olympics. Cool, you've got a proven winner with a ton of experience behind the bench. I just got one, tiny little dissent to voice...wouldn't it have been better to have a proven winner with a ton of experience coaching Canadian players behind the bench. I mean, he'd be a fine choice for Team Sweden, but Canada?
Oh well, we'll see, and I'll be making a post about the results, eating crow if we win, and snarking some more if we lose.
We? What the hell am I saying, "we." I was never good enough to get out of house league. If Canada wins, it ain't because of anything I did. So, to rephrase, oh well, we'll see, and I'll be making a post about the results, eating crow if Canada wins, and snarking some more if Canada loses.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Eff You Dirtroit Red Wings
The title pretty much sums it up.
Update:
Couple of thoughts on the final:
Can we now dispense with the myth of Marianne "Hacker" Hossa? That would be the myth that he's worth having on your team, especially come playoff time. He scored what, 4 goals this playoff? Scoring about one game per series, as I recall. Hmm, did nothing in Ottawa (postseason), got traded to Atlanta, did nothing there (postseason), got traded to Pittsburgh, lost the cup, left for Dirtroit for his guaranteed cup, and was a passenger on the cup-missing playoff express.
Yes, Lidstrom is a great defenceman. One of the all time greats of the game. No he is no Bobby Orr. I don't care if he manages to get that next Norris before he retires, tying him up with Orr at 9. Hell, I don't care if he gets 2 more to pass Orr. If it takes you twice as long to get the same number of awards, then you are not as good.
Why, oh why did Jim Hughson start channeling Bob Cole and begin calling the line changes and time left on the clock? The first is not terribly interesting and the second is displayed on a banner at the top of the screen. I've gotta brush up on my French and start watching the Radio Canada broadcasts again. As I recall, the French play by play guys are much better at their trade.
Update:
Couple of thoughts on the final:
Can we now dispense with the myth of Marianne "Hacker" Hossa? That would be the myth that he's worth having on your team, especially come playoff time. He scored what, 4 goals this playoff? Scoring about one game per series, as I recall. Hmm, did nothing in Ottawa (postseason), got traded to Atlanta, did nothing there (postseason), got traded to Pittsburgh, lost the cup, left for Dirtroit for his guaranteed cup, and was a passenger on the cup-missing playoff express.
Yes, Lidstrom is a great defenceman. One of the all time greats of the game. No he is no Bobby Orr. I don't care if he manages to get that next Norris before he retires, tying him up with Orr at 9. Hell, I don't care if he gets 2 more to pass Orr. If it takes you twice as long to get the same number of awards, then you are not as good.
Why, oh why did Jim Hughson start channeling Bob Cole and begin calling the line changes and time left on the clock? The first is not terribly interesting and the second is displayed on a banner at the top of the screen. I've gotta brush up on my French and start watching the Radio Canada broadcasts again. As I recall, the French play by play guys are much better at their trade.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Woo Hoo - No Bob Cole
Being (1) cheap, (2) not really liking much to be found on TV and (3) generally having better things to do, I don't have cable. So I either stream the playoffs in a crappy little pop up window, or if I happen to be at my in-laws, I catch the game there.
Since I don't like the quality of late round games, I don't put much effort into seeing them, so it was only with game 4 that I got the pleasant surprise of no Bob Cole in the final.
At long last, the CBC has someone competent to call the games.
Now if only the Penguins would be good enough to win game 5...
Since I don't like the quality of late round games, I don't put much effort into seeing them, so it was only with game 4 that I got the pleasant surprise of no Bob Cole in the final.
At long last, the CBC has someone competent to call the games.
Now if only the Penguins would be good enough to win game 5...
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tamils Just Love to Miss an Opportunity
Via Kate
Okay, I seem to be stuck with opining on this topic (see here and here), probably since the Tamils have been pissing me off for 25 years. Short version of why...illegally come ashore in the Maritimes, hop in a cab and tell the driver, destination, Toronto. Aaarrrggghhh. Fast forward to yesterday.
Now they're in Ottawa protesting the usual. Seems they want intervention in the Ceylonian refugee camps. Umm, by whom? Are they asking us, Canada, to invade? Sorry, we're Canadian "soft-power" pussies, and what few combat effective troops we have are busy in Afghanistan.
Not asking us to invade? Want the UN involved? First, why do you want the Blue Helmet brigade raping your 8 year olds? Second, do you honestly think Canada can stir the U(seless) N(itwits) into action?
Further down in the linked article one Sahabthan Jesuthasan said, in justification of the bringing out of the Tiger flags:
Also, I think it's worth pointing out that the very second a group of "peaceful" protesters didn't get what it wanted, it immediately, and with malice aforethought, pulled out the terrorist flags. Learned the lessons of Mayor Moron and Premier McDipshit pretty well there, didn't you? Too bad the rest of this spineless, balless country won't learn its lesson and tell you to kindly fuck off, will it?
So, in closing, since arrest and deportation is un-Canadian (rolling over like a bunch of pussies...that's the Canadian way), and since you don't want to get with the whole, "leave your shit in the mother country" program, and since you seem so much more worried about events in the toilet you escaped, rAthan what your behaviour might do the not completely fucked up country you escaped to, might I ask you to kindly go the fuck back? You know, since we've hurt your feelings so badly.
And, since the Tamils seem to have been pretty much defeated in Ceylon, can we get those Tigers that are here gone, and prevent any more from arriving? And can we do this before their habit of exporting their shit (Rajiv Ghandi assassination) leads to suicide bombings in Toronto or Ottawa?
Okay, I seem to be stuck with opining on this topic (see here and here), probably since the Tamils have been pissing me off for 25 years. Short version of why...illegally come ashore in the Maritimes, hop in a cab and tell the driver, destination, Toronto. Aaarrrggghhh. Fast forward to yesterday.
Now they're in Ottawa protesting the usual. Seems they want intervention in the Ceylonian refugee camps. Umm, by whom? Are they asking us, Canada, to invade? Sorry, we're Canadian "soft-power" pussies, and what few combat effective troops we have are busy in Afghanistan.
Not asking us to invade? Want the UN involved? First, why do you want the Blue Helmet brigade raping your 8 year olds? Second, do you honestly think Canada can stir the U(seless) N(itwits) into action?
Further down in the linked article one Sahabthan Jesuthasan said, in justification of the bringing out of the Tiger flags:
We were let down by the Canadian government. They asked us to put the flags down, and we did. We have no faith because no one came out to speak to us. We felt neglected.Okay, if I read this right, because the govt did not drop its business and come right on out to talk to you, you switched from Tamil protest to Tamil Tiger protest. You are aware that the Tigers are a banned terrorist organization? And that would make membership a crime?
Also, I think it's worth pointing out that the very second a group of "peaceful" protesters didn't get what it wanted, it immediately, and with malice aforethought, pulled out the terrorist flags. Learned the lessons of Mayor Moron and Premier McDipshit pretty well there, didn't you? Too bad the rest of this spineless, balless country won't learn its lesson and tell you to kindly fuck off, will it?
So, in closing, since arrest and deportation is un-Canadian (rolling over like a bunch of pussies...that's the Canadian way), and since you don't want to get with the whole, "leave your shit in the mother country" program, and since you seem so much more worried about events in the toilet you escaped, rAthan what your behaviour might do the not completely fucked up country you escaped to, might I ask you to kindly go the fuck back? You know, since we've hurt your feelings so badly.
And, since the Tamils seem to have been pretty much defeated in Ceylon, can we get those Tigers that are here gone, and prevent any more from arriving? And can we do this before their habit of exporting their shit (Rajiv Ghandi assassination) leads to suicide bombings in Toronto or Ottawa?
Mr Obama Goes to Cairo
Okay, so President Oboner and his teleprompter band went to Cairo. Stop me if you've heard this one.
According to Christine "Sticky Thongs" Amanpour, it was the most important foreign relations speech of his administration. Judas Priest on a pogo stick, he's only been president for 4 months, and besides that, how many "most important...speeches" is the teleprompter kid going to make? It seems that, since he got the nomination, every speech he made is the most important speech in the history of oratory. Would that Shakespeare got press like this. If he had, maybe he'd be recalled as one of the great wordsmiths of all time. Oh, wait...
Anyway, once again the topic of Obimbo and his great oratorical skill comes up. This time he got standing o's (and not just from Chris Matthews, and those were standing Big O's, anyway) and amazed the audience with his honesty and sincerity.
Okay, two things there; his great speaking skills, and his honesty and sincerity.
First, every time someone tells me what a great speaker he is, or what a great speech he made, I say the same thing, "Quote him" or "Qutoe something from it."
I'm Canadian, and I can give you chunks of Lincoln, Kennedy (the president, not the Chappaquiddick lifeguard), Reagan. You know, actual great orators. I can even recall pieces of Roosevelt (the 2nd, commie, one, not the first, fascist one) Nixon, Carter and BJ Clinton; not great orators, but notorious in their own rights.
But Puh-resident Uh-bama? His speeches are like candy floss. Pretty, fluffy, totally lacking substance and gone the moment you bite into them. And delivered to you by a second rate carnival barker. The man is not a great orator. Read five words...pause...turn to other teleprompter...read five words...pause...lather, rinse, repeat. I say again, NOT. A. GREAT. ORATOR. Just catch him without his telebinkie.
As to wowing the audience? He went to Cairo and pissed on the USA. Something about the power of "soft power." Which there ain't no such thing, otherwise Canada, where the idiotic phrase either originated, or was perfected under Chretien's Foreign Affairs Minister (whose name escapes me) would be a major world player, rather than a whiny little punk hiding behind big jock brother. But that's a different fulmination...hmm I sense a "Why Canada Sucks" posting topic.
Where was I? Oh, yeah, Obama goes to the Muslim world, pisses on the US, and Bush, and a captive audience applauds his "honesty and sincerity." Shit, do these jounalistic hacks actually believe this garbage?
Honest? He's a corrupt Chicago ward heeler who oozed his way to the top spot in the machine. He got elected by getting his opponents kicked off the ballot, and running either unnopposed, or against the second or third stringer, brought in late in the game. When he finally hit the big time and had an actual opponent, the MSM picked his opponent for him, ran interference the whole way, under electoral conditions that, on their own, should have guaranteed a Democrat victory, and STILL he only managed 52% of the vote.
Sincere? Okay, I'll give you that. He probably is, unlike Clinton, a truly great liar. Clinton is not a great liar. He is an habitual liar, but not a great one. Great liars are believed, and no one, especially not BJ himself, believed him. OTOH, Obummer, IS a great liar, although I don't know why.
It might be that he believes his own lies. He could simply better at faking sincerity. Or, through a combination of MSM propaganda and audience self-hypnosis, his bullshit is taken at face value. Or some combination of the above. Or, hell, it could be something completely else.
We're what, 140 days into this administration? It's gonna be a loooonnnggg 4 years.
According to Christine "Sticky Thongs" Amanpour, it was the most important foreign relations speech of his administration. Judas Priest on a pogo stick, he's only been president for 4 months, and besides that, how many "most important...speeches" is the teleprompter kid going to make? It seems that, since he got the nomination, every speech he made is the most important speech in the history of oratory. Would that Shakespeare got press like this. If he had, maybe he'd be recalled as one of the great wordsmiths of all time. Oh, wait...
Anyway, once again the topic of Obimbo and his great oratorical skill comes up. This time he got standing o's (and not just from Chris Matthews, and those were standing Big O's, anyway) and amazed the audience with his honesty and sincerity.
Okay, two things there; his great speaking skills, and his honesty and sincerity.
First, every time someone tells me what a great speaker he is, or what a great speech he made, I say the same thing, "Quote him" or "Qutoe something from it."
I'm Canadian, and I can give you chunks of Lincoln, Kennedy (the president, not the Chappaquiddick lifeguard), Reagan. You know, actual great orators. I can even recall pieces of Roosevelt (the 2nd, commie, one, not the first, fascist one) Nixon, Carter and BJ Clinton; not great orators, but notorious in their own rights.
But Puh-resident Uh-bama? His speeches are like candy floss. Pretty, fluffy, totally lacking substance and gone the moment you bite into them. And delivered to you by a second rate carnival barker. The man is not a great orator. Read five words...pause...turn to other teleprompter...read five words...pause...lather, rinse, repeat. I say again, NOT. A. GREAT. ORATOR. Just catch him without his telebinkie.
As to wowing the audience? He went to Cairo and pissed on the USA. Something about the power of "soft power." Which there ain't no such thing, otherwise Canada, where the idiotic phrase either originated, or was perfected under Chretien's Foreign Affairs Minister (whose name escapes me) would be a major world player, rather than a whiny little punk hiding behind big jock brother. But that's a different fulmination...hmm I sense a "Why Canada Sucks" posting topic.
Where was I? Oh, yeah, Obama goes to the Muslim world, pisses on the US, and Bush, and a captive audience applauds his "honesty and sincerity." Shit, do these jounalistic hacks actually believe this garbage?
Honest? He's a corrupt Chicago ward heeler who oozed his way to the top spot in the machine. He got elected by getting his opponents kicked off the ballot, and running either unnopposed, or against the second or third stringer, brought in late in the game. When he finally hit the big time and had an actual opponent, the MSM picked his opponent for him, ran interference the whole way, under electoral conditions that, on their own, should have guaranteed a Democrat victory, and STILL he only managed 52% of the vote.
Sincere? Okay, I'll give you that. He probably is, unlike Clinton, a truly great liar. Clinton is not a great liar. He is an habitual liar, but not a great one. Great liars are believed, and no one, especially not BJ himself, believed him. OTOH, Obummer, IS a great liar, although I don't know why.
It might be that he believes his own lies. He could simply better at faking sincerity. Or, through a combination of MSM propaganda and audience self-hypnosis, his bullshit is taken at face value. Or some combination of the above. Or, hell, it could be something completely else.
We're what, 140 days into this administration? It's gonna be a loooonnnggg 4 years.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
CDN Nuclear Secrets Left at CTV Studio
Okay, so Lisa Raitt, Minister of Natural Resources, leaves a confidential binder at a CTV studio.
Thoughts. First, fire the idiot. The "Conservatives" have a minority government, and can't close ranks if the opposition decides to bring them down. They also must live up to a much higher standard than the Liberals. Okay, that's not fair, so I'll rephrase. The "Conservatives," unlike the Liberals, must live up to a standard.
A Liberal prime minister could be caught on an open mike, talking about how much he loves pissing off the Americans (I'm looking at you, Jeanny Cretin), a Liberal member (Carolyn Parrish) could say, to reporters, "Damn Americans...I hate those bastards," Liberals could steal millions of taxpayer dollars (Adscam) and it would be no big deal. A "Conservative" leaves a confidential, not secret, not top secret, merely confidential, document? Scandal, SCANDAL, SCANDAL. Fire her now, save us the faux hysterics, on both sides.
Second. The press, having a new "Conservative" "scandal" to dwell on, is not going to ask the following question. If the documents are so secret, and critical to national security, and important, and Scandal, SCANDAL, SCANDAL, why is it not a bad thing that CTV kept them for over a week, instead of calling the dept of natural resources to return them?
Third. Aren't the "Conservatives" supposed to be the grown ups? The serious ones, capable of governing in these difficult times? This comes out a year after Maxime Bernier, former Foreign Minister, left secret (yes, secret, as in important) documents at his girlfriend's apartment. Are there any adults in this country willing to enter politics? Hey, don't look at me...pot, meet the fulminating kettle.
Update:
Okay, Raitt offered to resign and Harper refused her resignation, taking the resignation of one of her subordinates, instead. What I said above about adults, and standards? Double down on that. Chretien or Trudeau could get away with scapegoating a subordinate. Even Mulroney, due to massive majorities, could. Stevie, you've got a minority, and a "Conservative" one, at that. Behave like an adult, and apply standards.
And now the talking heads on the new are calling it Raitt Gate or something. I'm with Kathy Schaidle on this one. No more (fill in the blank)-Gates. How about we call this Chalkaquiddick?
And STILL no one is asking why CTV didn't call the DNR and tell them about the forgotten documents.
Thoughts. First, fire the idiot. The "Conservatives" have a minority government, and can't close ranks if the opposition decides to bring them down. They also must live up to a much higher standard than the Liberals. Okay, that's not fair, so I'll rephrase. The "Conservatives," unlike the Liberals, must live up to a standard.
A Liberal prime minister could be caught on an open mike, talking about how much he loves pissing off the Americans (I'm looking at you, Jeanny Cretin), a Liberal member (Carolyn Parrish) could say, to reporters, "Damn Americans...I hate those bastards," Liberals could steal millions of taxpayer dollars (Adscam) and it would be no big deal. A "Conservative" leaves a confidential, not secret, not top secret, merely confidential, document? Scandal, SCANDAL, SCANDAL. Fire her now, save us the faux hysterics, on both sides.
Second. The press, having a new "Conservative" "scandal" to dwell on, is not going to ask the following question. If the documents are so secret, and critical to national security, and important, and Scandal, SCANDAL, SCANDAL, why is it not a bad thing that CTV kept them for over a week, instead of calling the dept of natural resources to return them?
Third. Aren't the "Conservatives" supposed to be the grown ups? The serious ones, capable of governing in these difficult times? This comes out a year after Maxime Bernier, former Foreign Minister, left secret (yes, secret, as in important) documents at his girlfriend's apartment. Are there any adults in this country willing to enter politics? Hey, don't look at me...pot, meet the fulminating kettle.
Update:
Okay, Raitt offered to resign and Harper refused her resignation, taking the resignation of one of her subordinates, instead. What I said above about adults, and standards? Double down on that. Chretien or Trudeau could get away with scapegoating a subordinate. Even Mulroney, due to massive majorities, could. Stevie, you've got a minority, and a "Conservative" one, at that. Behave like an adult, and apply standards.
And now the talking heads on the new are calling it Raitt Gate or something. I'm with Kathy Schaidle on this one. No more (fill in the blank)-Gates. How about we call this Chalkaquiddick?
And STILL no one is asking why CTV didn't call the DNR and tell them about the forgotten documents.
Hockey Stuff
Passing thoughts on the state of hockey today.
I previously posted on the "Let the players decide the game" whine of the losing team's fans. Today in the Sun, Bruce Garrioch made a comment to the effect that the result of the game was aided by the referees doing something a little different this time; their jobs, i.e. calling penalties. Why is it that we never hear the "Let the players decide the game" whine when the refs really are deciding the game by allowing an horrendously dirty team like the Wings get away with all but murder?
And why is it that the League noisily punishes coaches who criticize the referees, but never the referees for fucking up? Does the League think it to be good customer relations to punish the critic, but not the fuckup? Think the Maple Leaf whiners would still be snivelling about Frazier's non-call on Gretzky if the League had visibly sanctioned him for single handedly turning a series?
Who am I kidding. The League could have fired Frazier, tarred and feathered him, run him out of town on a rail, keelhauled him, and, worst of all, taken away his hair gel, and the Maplepucks would still be crying about it 16 years later.
I'm hardly the first to note this, but what the fuck is up with playoffs stretching well into June, and, if the League had had it's way (the original schedule was to start on the 6th), possibly well past the halfway point? I don't know about y'all, but I haven't watched a game since the second round. One; it's not exactly hockey weather out there, two; I've always found the quality of play drops off precipitously in the third round, and three; it's hard enough to stomach reading about the Dirty Wings victories in the paper. Actually watching them is too much for my blood pressure.
A couple of weeks ago, the 3% owner of the Coyotes started putting together a purchase bid, with the intent to move the team to Las Vegas. I think that one died, but, I've been reading for years that Gary Buttman wants the next two NHL cities to be Vegas and Kansas City. Balsillie offers to buy the Coyotes and move them to Hamilton. Buttman doesn't want a team in Hamilton, Buttman hates Balsillie with a burning passion, and out of absolutely nowhere, someone makes noises about scooping Balsillie and moving the team to the very place where Buttman wants it. Coincidence I'm sure.
I went to McMaster. Hamilton sucks. Seriously. Big, wet, dangly donkey balls. Having said that, it'd still be a much better place for hockey than Phoenix. You want to talk about not-hockey-weather? One March I saw the Coyotes play the Devils; it was 100 degrees. Seriously. Not. Hockey. Weather. And, after losing 300 million, I think we can say the Jets took a serious step down in terms of hockey locations.
Playoffs are almost done, so the dog days approach. I wonder who the Toronto media will have moving to the Leafs before all is said and done. And I wonder how many of the players reported to be on the move there will actually be moving there.
I previously posted on the "Let the players decide the game" whine of the losing team's fans. Today in the Sun, Bruce Garrioch made a comment to the effect that the result of the game was aided by the referees doing something a little different this time; their jobs, i.e. calling penalties. Why is it that we never hear the "Let the players decide the game" whine when the refs really are deciding the game by allowing an horrendously dirty team like the Wings get away with all but murder?
And why is it that the League noisily punishes coaches who criticize the referees, but never the referees for fucking up? Does the League think it to be good customer relations to punish the critic, but not the fuckup? Think the Maple Leaf whiners would still be snivelling about Frazier's non-call on Gretzky if the League had visibly sanctioned him for single handedly turning a series?
Who am I kidding. The League could have fired Frazier, tarred and feathered him, run him out of town on a rail, keelhauled him, and, worst of all, taken away his hair gel, and the Maplepucks would still be crying about it 16 years later.
I'm hardly the first to note this, but what the fuck is up with playoffs stretching well into June, and, if the League had had it's way (the original schedule was to start on the 6th), possibly well past the halfway point? I don't know about y'all, but I haven't watched a game since the second round. One; it's not exactly hockey weather out there, two; I've always found the quality of play drops off precipitously in the third round, and three; it's hard enough to stomach reading about the Dirty Wings victories in the paper. Actually watching them is too much for my blood pressure.
A couple of weeks ago, the 3% owner of the Coyotes started putting together a purchase bid, with the intent to move the team to Las Vegas. I think that one died, but, I've been reading for years that Gary Buttman wants the next two NHL cities to be Vegas and Kansas City. Balsillie offers to buy the Coyotes and move them to Hamilton. Buttman doesn't want a team in Hamilton, Buttman hates Balsillie with a burning passion, and out of absolutely nowhere, someone makes noises about scooping Balsillie and moving the team to the very place where Buttman wants it. Coincidence I'm sure.
I went to McMaster. Hamilton sucks. Seriously. Big, wet, dangly donkey balls. Having said that, it'd still be a much better place for hockey than Phoenix. You want to talk about not-hockey-weather? One March I saw the Coyotes play the Devils; it was 100 degrees. Seriously. Not. Hockey. Weather. And, after losing 300 million, I think we can say the Jets took a serious step down in terms of hockey locations.
Playoffs are almost done, so the dog days approach. I wonder who the Toronto media will have moving to the Leafs before all is said and done. And I wonder how many of the players reported to be on the move there will actually be moving there.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Blogging Has Been Light
I know blogging has been light the last couple of weeks. Other stuff has gotten itself in the way. We will return to regular ranting and raving forthwith.
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