Born-Again Flamingo

Aw, I purely love this story! For more than one reason, on several levels, it just tickles me all over!

"...WWT staff took an old eggshell, carefully popped the newborn chick inside, taped it up and returned it to Carlos and Fernando's empty nest. The pair were soon seen "talking" to the chick inside the egg and a little while later the chick hatched for a second time..."

A few months ago, I got into a "discussion" on the Shotgun about some of the bullshit reasons people dredge up in order to discriminate against homosexuals. I just happened to question why, if god didn't like homosexuality, did he create other animals besides humans that were homosexual?

Well, you'd a' thunk I was attacking motherhood, apple pie, and the blessed virgin's sincerity in swearing she never had sex with that man...

One poor little weeper almost literally fell apart and dissolved into tears on the thread! She kept telling me I didn't love animals if I insisted on slandering them, and then she'd implore me to "take that back!" I got accused of making up all the news stories about gay animals (all by myself, too -- wasn't I an amazin' person?).

It was a hoot. Pathetic, but hilarious at the same time. I didn't know that in this day and age, people with access to so much information and education can actually be that ignorant.

Well, Carlos and Fernando are gay. They are also damed good -- even insistent -- parents.

To the homophobes of the world, the question now is: Whatcha gonna do about it?

Rock The Pipes

Liam Clancy once referred to Tommy Makem as "a gentleman," that is, a man who can play the bagpipes...but won't.

Johnny Bagpipes is no gentleman. He can play the pipes...and does! With humor and an attitude.

Green Living

Summer is just around the corner. You know about summer. It's that's season right after the hockey playoffs when you incinerate your dinner by placing it directly on top of open flames, when you compete with the flies for the eating of it, when you compete with the mosquitoes for the use of your blood supply, and when you mow your lawn furniture.

Canada Wins Gold!

Whoop! Team Canada takes the Gold in Moscow!

Way ta go, guys!

Moral High Ground

Thought for the day:

For the record...

I am not interested in taking the Moral High Ground.

I am interested in winning.

And if that means kicking my enemy's teeth down his throat right before I slit it open for him, so be it.

Questions?

Swedish Blog Supports Shane Doan

In my previous post, I had linked to a Swedish blog (pure lucky guess on my part) as an example of how this shameful attack on Shane Doan by our own government has been noted -- and commented upon -- around the world. Krohniskt noticed the link, and supplied the following translation, for which I send back many thanks:

The language on the link is Swedish. Here is a translation in short brief (don't mind the spelling please):

"The canadian parliamemt thinks that the choise of Shane Doan av captain of Team Canada is inapropriate. That’s something that can only happen in Canada, the parliament discussing hockey line ups. Even worse is that they summoned Hockey Canada officials to explain their choice of Doan. That’s almost humor. Imagine the swedish parliament summon Bengan Gustafsson (General Manager swedish national team) to explain the line up for Tre Kronor (swedish national team).

"And for what reason?

"Well, Shane Doan has an old accusation about racial slur towards him aganiskt a french-canadian linesman. I can’t find what he said but odds are low for something like frog. That Shane Doan was freed from the accusations by the NHL makes it even more rediculous.

"The IIHF chairman’s comment om this matter is both godd and entertaining:

"'We simply cannot have parliaments or governments interfering in things like the selection of a captain of a national team. Hockey Canada, its president Bob Nicholson, Team Canada's officials here in Moscow and, of course, Shane Doan have my personal support and the IIHF's full support in this matter. Also, personally, I cannot understand how Canada's national assembly can find time to deal with issues like these. I am very, very surprised, not to say shocked.'

"I can only agree. René Fasel, beeing av frech-swiss is fulle aware of howe it is beeing a linguistical minority. That he also is the chairman of the Coordination Commission for Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, makes it even more funny. Vancouver is however closer to Phoenix, where Shane Doan plays hockey, than it is to frogcanada…"

end translation

I've signed the petition by the way and I'm urging more swedes to do so.

http://krohniskt.wordpress.com

Once again, Krohniskt, thank you!

And if anyone knows of a translating program that can outdo Babelfish, wouldja let me know, please?

SaveDoan.ca

There's a petition up on the 'net for anyone who wants to express his views on Parliament's expropriation of Hockey Canada's jurisdiction in the management of Team Canada.

SaveDoan.ca

I sent an e-mail to my MP (Penny Priddy) yesterday, telling her how unhappy I am at Parliament's wasting time and taxpayer dollars on something that should be none of their concern.

I got an automated response back, telling me that she's too busy to reply, but she'll get back to me in a few weeks.

Too busy to reply to the concerns of her constituents. But not too busy to meddle in the business of something that is none of her business. I'll be remembering this come election time. And I'll be making sure that other constituents remember it, too.

Makes me ashamed to admit I'm Canadian.

Thanks to Garth for the petition link.



UPDATE: Here is a list of members of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. Funny thing...they're all from Ontario, Quebec, or New Brunswick. Not a Western Canadian in the bunch (and the Associates don't matter).

Shane, of course, is from Alberta...and he plays on an American team that is owned/coached by another Albertan.

Sometimes a conspiracy theory has merit...

And Still Later: Luc Malo, Bloc "member" for Verchères—Les Patriotes (and a bloody virgin at that -- this is his first term -- could be he's trying to get on the map with his leader?) was the one who started this mess. Catch him trying to justify his actions in this video.

Meanwhile, Canada is becoming a laughingstock around the world. Anybody know what language this one is in? Looks like it might be Swedish, but I'm not sure...

Doan Go There!

Will somebody please tell our federal politicians-cum-smokechasers that they need to keep their minds on governing the country rather than trying to meddle in the non-governmental affairs of athletes?

Not only does this phony "issue" not belong in the HoC, but I've looked into this, myself, when it was first "reported" (quote marks denoting a nasty taste in the mouth for having to use these particular words). I was satisfied that he never said what someone thought he said.

See, I've been there.

Years ago, walking down the street in downtown Vancouver, I was approached by a flower child (I did say it was years ago, right?) who was passing out candy to all and sundry. No money involved, she was just happily skipping (!) down the city street, giving candy to perfect strangers.

I have issues with candy. I don't like too much sugar because it makes me feel nauseous. So when she got to me, I shook my head and said, "Not for me, thanks."

Could be I mumbled, and she didn't hear me correctly, because all of a sudden this flower child morphed into a screaming harpy.

"Not from me, eh!" she screamed. And I mean screamed. Her voice coulda shattered windows for blocks. "You think I don't wash? You think I'm dirty? You think I'm not fit to walk on your streets?" And other words to that effect.

I was not only taken aback, I was horrified. I had said, "Not for me," but she had apparently heard, "Not from you." I tried to correct her impression that she had heard me wrong, but she musta gotten up on the wrong side of her bed of roses that morning, and she refused to let me get a word in. Not only that, but when I gave up trying to fix a bad situation, and tried to walk away, she followed me down the street, screaming at me for two blocks.

It was embarrassing. Not fatally so, and I took a lot of comfort in the knowledge that I had been wrongly accused. Still, I could feel my face, neck, and ears burning for hours afterwards, every time I thought about it.

I think Shane Doan is being wrongly accused. Again. And I think he's being used as a tool to try and keep the government off balance.

If I were him, I'd be launching a lawsuit against more assholes than just Denis Coderre. I'd also be lining up the entire gamut of opposition MPs -- who are involving themselves in this taxpayer-funded game of cat-herding -- against a wall with their mouths wired open. Then I'd start practising my slap shot.

(H/T Andrew)

AFTERTHOUGHT: Shane Doan is being vilified in the HoC by MPs who are looking for any excuse to assume the role of "poor victim" of "slurs" (note that all of them defend mightily their protected privilege to cast whatever slurs they wish upon anyone they wish, as long as they stay within the confines of the House).

He's captaining Canada's international hockey team. He has already been cleared of any taint of wrongdoing. Criticism of this type from politicians could be construed as trying to undermine Canada's hockey team against all other hockey teams.

So, I have two questions.

1. Since the government has taken the steps of striking a committee to call Hockey Canada to account, I take it to mean that this has to do with National Security. After all, the team is over there in Russia, right? So...can it be that those MPs who are making these noisy and erroneous accusations are actually trying to undermine Canada's National Security? Should we be pointing fingers at them and calling them (the MPs, not the players) treasonous traitors?

And yes, I know "treasonous traitors" is redundant. But then, so are a lot of MPs.

2. If it's not about National Security, then who is going to lose a pile o' money because he bet on the opposition, and he's tryin' ta force Canada's team to lose not only focus, but the championship?

Kinda makes ya go hmmmmmmmm...