Friday Family Fun Guide
Disney on Ice.. "The Incredibles" is at the Bell Center...through the weekend.
You can pick apples, pumkins and purchase the amazing baked goods at Quinn Farm in Ile Perrot ..
At the Cote St. Luc Shopping Center.. The Amazing Todsky will be doing magic shows Sunday from 11 til 2..at Illusions Magic Shop
Happy Thanksgivng.. Ted Kim and Kemp return Tuesday morning.
Cute shoes..and cute dogs..!
http://www.houseofshoes.piczo.com/
P.S she's now located at
what color car do you drive..??
- ((Car color..and you))
British researchers have determined that the color of your car tells others something about your personality. Granted, this isn't true for every driver on the road, but if you chose the color of your car, check this out to see if it matches your personality.
· Black: Aggressive personality or someone who is an outsider or rebel. Of all car colors, this is the most likely to be involved in an accident.
· Silver: Cool, calm and slightly aloof.
· Green: Hysterical tendencies.
· Yellow: Idealistic and novelty loving.Friday Family Fun Guide
Fri, 2008-10-03 08:44.((WIPC))
There is a BeneRock charity dance planned at Clydes TOMORROW night (Saturday) benifiting the West Island Palliative Care Residence
Well known West Island band "Big Fun" and there will be raffles and lots of prizes as well. Admission will be $10.00 and you can purchase tickets at the door.
((Secret and Mystery))
Hey--did you know that Caramilk's secret celebrated it's 40th anniversary yesterday!! How do they get that soft, flowing caramel into the Caramilk Bar?!?! Well, many have speculated, hundreds of online myths can be found, but Cadbury never confirmed how the chocolate bar is actually made! To this day, it still remains a mystery....
THE MAX FACTOR
Fri, 2008-10-03 05:22.The Montreal Canadiens probably have no fewer than ten million general managers and at least that many coaches, but actual decision-making power only rests in the hands of two men - Bob Gainey and Guy Carbonneau - which leaves the rest of us free to make trades, roster cuts and other personnel decisions willy-nilly with no fear of consequences, and whether we're media mouthpieces, bistro blowhards or rec room rhetoricians, no Montreal prospect has generated more discussion and controversy than Max Pacioretty, whose eye-opening performance is the hockey talk of the town for all the right and wrong reasons. In his first NHL training vamp, Pacioretty has demonstrated poise and instinct beyond his 19 years and built a compelling case for making the team, but at whose expense? That's where it gets ugly. The mere suggestion of the anglo-American Pacioretty usurping homegrown Guillaume Latendresse opens a can of cultural worms, which was further complicated this week when Latendresse's media advocates dragged European sensitivities into the fray by arguing that if anyone gets bumped by Pacioretty, it should be Sergei Kostitsyn, even though Kostitsyn racked up the same number of points as Latendresse last season in 21 fewer games. Ultimately, the argument is academic, because barring a change in front office philosophy, Pacioretty is ticketed for Hamilton and seasoning at the AHL level, while both Latendresse and Kostitsyn will continue take a regular shift for the Canadiens until such time as one or both of them plays their way into the press box, and if off-season work ethic and upside are anything to go by, the re-focused Latendresse won't lose his spot for lack of commitment, nor the talented Kostitsyn his for want of ability.
Call for the Cure..
Thu, 2008-10-02 08:20.- ((Donation))
- Here's a novel way to make a charitable donation.. Avon Canada 's call for the cure.. is just that..a phone call equals a 2 dollar charge that's added to your phone bill..
- 1-900-561-PINK (1-900-561-7465)
On Bell Mobility: #PINK (#7465
their goal is to raise 2 million dollars..
- Coming up tomorrow.. The Friday Family Fun Guide.. events happening this weekend for the whole family!!
ALS ROMP, WEAR OUT THE FLAG BOYS
Wed, 2008-10-01 08:17.With back-to-back blowout wins over Edmonton and Saskatchewan, the Alouettes have resoundingly answered legitimate questions over whether they can compete with the CFL West. More than two-thirds of the way into what was supposed to be a transition year, the Als are overwhelming favorites to represent the East in the Grey Cup, and Marc Trestman is the unrivalled frontrunner for CFL Coach of the Year... After the goings-on in Singapore this weekend, only the most resentful hillbilly can possibly cling to the notion that Formula One is boring and predictable. The setting was spectacular, the atmosphere electric and the story line thrillingly chaotic. F1 and its immediate periphery may be overpopulated by posers, hangers-on and various members of the lucky sperm club, but it takes a truly committed bumpkin to dismiss it as monotonous...I can understand the law of supply and demand as it pertains to ticket prices, but why do professional sports franchises insist on gouging fans with outrageous prices at the concessions and souvineer stands, and why do we continue to pay them? The second question probably answers the first...So I'm at the football game yesterday and every time the Als score and those two kids with the giant Alouettes flags sprint the 110 yards from one end zone to the other, I think to myself: at least the flag guy in Calgary has a horse. Couldn't they get these kids an ATV or golf cart or even a scooter? Failing some mode of transportation, how about an oxygen tank?
Booster seats..the good AND bad..
Wed, 2008-10-01 05:25.Several car booster seats do a poor job of positioning children to fit in their seat belts, according to a review by the insurance industry and researchers.
The Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute found Wednesday that 13 booster seats don't put children in the best position to be protected in a crash.
The Institute, which conducts crash tests of new vehicles, did not recommend:
Compass B505, Compass B510, Cosco/Dorel Traveler, Evenflo Big Kid Confidence, Safety Angel Ride Ryte, Cosco/Dorel Alpha Omega, Cosco/Dorel (Eddie Bauer) Summit, Cosco Highback Booster, Dorel/Safety 1st (Eddie Bauer) Prospect, Evenflo Chase Comfort Touch, Evenflo Generations, Graco CarGo Zephyr, and Safety 1st/Dorel Intera.
IIHS President Adrian Lund said the 13 boosters "may increase restraint use by making children more comfortable, but they don't position belts for optimal protection."
Rare Christmas Gift..
Mon, 2008-09-29 08:07.Oil Prints are available of boxer OTIS GRANT & of Musician OLIVER JONES.
These are limited prints (only 250 will ever be printed) and available by calling Andrea Gordon 693-1718 ext 227 (at west island palliative care)
Cost is $350 a print..and the artist is renowed Canadian painter TONY HARRIS...
Do Not Call Me ANYMORE!!
Mon, 2008-09-29 06:16.Say goodbye to nightly calls from pesky telemarketers
Tonight may be the last time you ever have to hang-up on a telemarketer.A federal do-not-call-list comes into effect tomorrow (sept 30th, 2008) and according to a survey done by Acrobat Research, nearly two-thirds of Canadians (60 percent) plan to register their phone numbers on the list.
Once a phone number is on the no-call registry, telemarketers who dial it will face a hefty fine.
If you want to add your name and number to the registry, you can call 1-866-580-DNCL, or log on to http://www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca and follow the directions.
Friday Family Fun Guide
Fri, 2008-09-26 09:31.Not much on this weekend.. but check out this site for the Journees de la culture with events scheduled all weekend long
http://www.journeesdelaculture.qc.ca/
enjoy!
NEW LIFE FOR HOCKEY THEME
Thu, 2008-09-25 08:57.The biggest coup of the NHL off-season wasn't Tampa Bay winning the draft lottery to get blue chip prospect Steve Stamkos with the number one selection, or Phoenix picking Florida's pocket in the Ollie Jokinen trade, or even Detroit's signing of marquee free agent Marian Hossa. The boldest acquisition of the summer didn't even involve a player. It involved a song. TSN and RDS have fashioned a stroke of business and public relations genius by acquiring the rights to the old Hockey Night in Canada theme, which the CBC foolishly left up for grabs because it didn't want to pay the going rate to retain the rights to what's widely considered to be Canada's second national anthem. To call it a "song" doesn't do justice to the hockey theme's place in the Canadian psyche. It's a cultural soundtrack - more recognizable than any top 40 track and more revered than any symphony, and by acquiring its rights, TSN and RDS have become custodians of a sacred trust. There's no understating how much the hockey theme resonates with Canadians as a crucial element of our heritage. You could hoodwink several million of us into watching three hours of test pattern by playing the theme on a loop, or put it on the Food Channel and give Emeril Lagasse instant hockey credibility. It's not exactly a stunner that a savvy private broadcaster had the business acumen to recognize a golden opportunity and seize the initiative from the fat, lazy, taxpayer-funded CBC. Between their visionaries in the executive suite, an accomplished and innovative production staff and a stable of outstanding announcers, CTV-owned TSN and RDS had already left Hockey Night in Canada in their dust as the country's signature hockey broadcasters. Acquiring the time-honored theme only makes the New Order official.
HOCKEY NIGHT IN ROBERVAL
Wed, 2008-09-24 09:47.You probably have to be from a place like Roberval to appreciate the enormity of the local hockey arena hosting last night's NHL pre-season game between the Canadiens and Buffalo. If you live in Montreal and you don't know a guy who can get hockey tickets, chances are you know a guy who knows a guy, and with a little bit of legwork and the right amount of money or charm or both, you can score a pair for a game with Phoenix or Columbus if you can't get your hands on something for the Penguins or Red Wings. You certainly don't want to waste that connection on a meaningless exhibition game, unless someone's offering tickets. It's an entirely different mentality in a relatively remote place the size of Roberval, where there probably hasn't been a hotter ticket since the last time Sol the Clown opened for Ding et Dong. Take it from someone who grew in a town where the biggest hockey hero ever was and remains Danny Grant, who was a fair to middling winger who broke in with the Canadiens in the late 60s and had one 50 goal season for Detroit in an otherwise pedestrian journeyman career. People in Fredericton still get excited when they see Danny Grant walking down the street. For the Montreal Canadiens to come to town - even a watered-down split squad for an exhibition game - would be nothing short of monumental, on a scale with a visit by the Queen or the Pope, who both have tremendous public appeal but neither of whom can make a glove save on a one-timer from the top of the faceoff circle or turn a defenceman inside out before going top shelf. I'm not kidding. Her Majesty has a terrible glove hand and the Holy Father couldn't fake out a pylon. But I digress. They'll be talking about last night in Roberval for the next ten years and then some. You think the Habs are big in Montreal? As much as their legacy means here, it can carry even more clout in the small corners of the country where geography still makes the Canadiens more myth and mystique than they are material.
Run..with Rob and Kim.. for leukemia.
Wed, 2008-09-24 06:26.
Here's the registration link for the run coming up October 4th 8 am in Hudson.. hope to see you there!![ http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=4019 ]
k
ALS MAKE A STATEMENT; THE TENDERNESS PICKS UP THE PACE
Mon, 2008-09-22 08:50.
The licking the Alouettes laid on Edmonton at Molson Stadium yesterday is all the more impressive in light of what was on the line for the Eskimos: a share of first place in the hotly-contested CFL West. Coming off a lopsided loss in Calgary that dropped Montreal's record against the West to 1-4, yesterday's beatdown represented a bold step in the right direction for the Als, especially on defence...Time will tell whether this is good news or bad: after a summer of power skating, the notoriously lead-footed Guillaume Latendresse was one of the Canadiens' fastest skaters on the opening day of training camp. What's next - Sergei Kostitsyn dropping Georges Laraque with one punch when tempers flare during scrimmage, or Saku Koivu being named Patriot of the Year by the Societe St. Jean Baptiste?...The outrageous ticket prices for the new Yankee Stadium suggest the Bronx Bombers are looking to cater to a higher class of fan, but if you're an opposing player, Yankee fans are Yankee fans, whether they're pelting you with batteries and beer or Rolexes and empty bottles of Chateau Margaux...There's something unseemly about cheering a missed putt at a golf tournament, which is why the Ryder Cup should be played at a neutral site, like Canada, and ticket sales restricted to neutral fans, like Canada geese, who make the same noise whether or not the ball goes into the hole.
Friday Family Fun Guide (Sept 19-21)
Fri, 2008-09-19 12:22.Saturday/Sunday:
There is a Festive Autumn Bazaar from 9:30 til 5:30 (sat) and from 1 til 5 (sun) .. at St. Nicolas Antiochian Orthodox Church
80- de Castelneau street East (corner of St. Dominique)
BBQ, face painting music..and tons of shopping..linens, jewellery, clothes, decorations, toys, crafts and homemade baked goods and preserves..
Need more info.. call 514-270-9788
Saturday:
The 50th Annual Pointe-Claire Village Antique and Country Fair
9 til 5 on Cartier blvd. between Lanthier St and Lakeshore
Somone call AA...
Fri, 2008-09-19 07:25.Everyone likes to have a good time.. check out this video of a guy who gets drunk and falls asleep sitting up at a ball game at Shea Stadium.. the crowd is having a good time with him after they stack a 4ft tall tower of beer cups on his head..
http://www.break.com/index/fan-at-ballgame-parties-too-hard.html
The video is a little long.. jump ahead if you like..
k
SMART FOR LIFE
Tue, 2008-09-16 07:57.Click on the link for before/after photos of Bucky Beaver and Skinny Minnie Miller:
www.chom.com/node/785679
HABS LET IT ALL LANG OUT
Mon, 2008-09-15 08:45.After years of investing in undersized overachievers at center, the Canadiens have decided to go in the other direction with the acquisition of oversized underachiever Robert Lang. The book on the 6-3, 219 pound Lang is that he plays soft for his size and has a suspect work ethic, but the Canadiens are betting the 37 year old, 15 year NHL veteran is the right player in the right place at the right time, and the price - a surplus second round draft pick - makes him worth the gamble...If Friday's mistake-filled loss in Calgary is a measure of how the East Division-leading Alouettes stack up against the superior CFL West, there's a lot of improvement required in the little time remaining between now and the playoffs if the Als are to harbor any realistic hope of hoisting the Grey Cup November 23rd at the Big O...It's not much fun for the fans or the drivers, but the excitement and unpredictability created by rain-soaked conditions at consecutive Grand Prix races the past two weekends are a compelling argument for moving the circuit to Bangladesh on a permanent basis and having the F1 schedule coincide with monsoon season...If Patrick Roy was humiliated the night Mario Tremblay left him in the Canadiens net for nine goals, imagine how Bulgarian national women's team goaltender Lyubomira Shosheva felt before getting the hook last week with Bulgaria trailing 77-0 in the third period of an 82-0 Olympic qualifying round loss to Slovakia. Amazingly, it's not the most lopsided result on record in women's hockey, coming up short of the 92-0 spanking South Korea laid on Thailand in a U-18 tournament in 1998. Apparently, someone broke into the dressing room before the game and smoked all the Thai sticks.
Queen + Paul Rodgers AMAZING... hear it here!
Thu, 2008-09-11 16:55.((New Queen))
The new Queen + Paul Rodgers Album "Cosmos Rocks" is online.. check this out.. Pete Marier actually premiered their first single off of it this afternoon.. it's called "Celebrity" AMAZING!!!...
The album will be available in stores or for download October 14th.. ENJOY..
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/poprock/detail/-/hnum/3863975?rk=poprock&rsk=hitlist
...please drop me an email and let me know what you think..
HOWE AWESOME WAS GORDIE?
Thu, 2008-09-11 05:54.Along with being a reflection of his own dedication and athleticism, the return of Chris Chelios for his 25th NHL season is a remarkable testament to the incredible durability of the only player who lasted even longer than the 46 year old Chelios. Gordie Howe was 52 when he retired at the end of the 1979-80 season, during which he played in all 80 games for the Hartford Whalers, plus three playoff games, logging 15 regular season goals and 41 points, which are decent numbers by any standard and exceptional for somebody's grandfather. What's even more remarkable about Howe's longevity is that while Chelios is notorious for his punishing year round fitness regimen, Howe played in an era when players who didn't just let themselves go during the off-season were left to their own devices, which didn't include personal trainers, scientifically calculated exercise programs in state of the art physical fitness facilities and a diet carefully planned by a professional nutritionist and prepared by a personal chef. Left to his own devices, Howe still had the physical and mental stamina to play 25 years past the prime age of most NHL players. Work ethic is only part of it. What set Howe apart was God-given. A 1980 Sports Illustrated cover story on Howe quotes his cardiologist as saying that where a normal 50 year old man might have a pulse rate of 80, Howe's was 48, which the doctor said is like the heart of a dolphin. Make that the PULSE of a dolphin. The heart was that of a lion, and the instincts those of a shark. As admirable as it is that Chris Chelios is still going strong at 46, he's got another FIVE seasons ahead of him if he's going to match still-unrivalled legacy of Gordie Howe, who was and remains one of a kind.
IMPACT OF BRADY INJURY OVERSTATED
Tue, 2008-09-09 06:46.As blessings in disguise go, the season-ending injury to New England quarterback and reigning National Football League MVP Tom Brady isn't exactly a chart-topper, but it's creating a motivational element for the Patriots that didn't previously exist. The rush to write off the Brady-less Pats not only as a Super Bowl favorite but as a playoff contender is in no small part calculated folly from doomsaying columnists and commentators with a knack for negativity. Fortunes in football rarely turn on a single player, even when that player is the best quarterback in the league and especially when the roster is as deep and talented as it is in New England, where whomever replaces Brady for the long haul has a supporting cast that's still as good as any and better than most, not only in terms of talent but also at the coaching and organizational levels. The list of Super Bowl winning quarterbacks is liberally sprinkled with journeymen, has-beens and never-weres, including Jim Plunkett, Doug Williams, Mark Rypien, Jeff Hostetler, Kurt Warner, Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson. Brady himself was not only unproven but completely unknown before winning his first championship as a replacement for the injured Drew Bledsoe, and despite the consensus that Giants quarterback Eli Manning "came of age" en route to winning last year's Super Bowl, Manning's success was based as much on the mistakes he didn't make as it was on the plays he made. If everyone else plays to their potential, all the Patriots need from a replacement quarterback is someone who can do what Manning did for the Giants: manage the game and minimize his own mistakes so as not to undermine the rest of what is still an elite football team. The loss of Brady is a significant blow, but New England has more than enough impact players on both sides of the ball to survive his absence, and anyone who summarily dismisses the Patriots because of an injury to one player does so at their peril.
OPEN SEASON ON KOIVU - AGAIN
Fri, 2008-09-05 08:49.They just can't let it go. French media commentators were on Saku Koivu like flies on stink this week when Koivu decided to skip the Canadiens annual golf tournament in Laval and remain in Finland to spend time with his family and train for the upcoming season. The ostensible foundation for the criticism is that as the Canadiens captain, Koivu has a responsibilty to show up at team functions, and that his failure to attend is symptomatic of Koivu's lack of understanding of or respect for the captaincy. That, of course, is a load of crap on a scale with the contents of Andre the Giant's bedpan. The relentless criticism of Koivu has nothing to do with leadership and everything to do with language. Nationalist elements in the local media have had it in for Koivu for years over his lack of fluency in French, and they stir that pot at any and every opportunity, as if linguistic proficiency has anything to do with the business at hand, which is winning hockey games. If Saku Koivu ever owed the community anything, he's repaid it in spades with a 13 season-and-counting committment to the city and the team, and tireless charity work - both publicized and unpublicized - in the wake of an inspirational and successful battle against cancer. It takes small minds to nitpick at such a man, and even smaller minds to pretend the criticism is motivated by something other than what it's really all about.
Quick run for leukemia..with Kim and Rob
Fri, 2008-09-05 08:07.Rob Kemp and I are going to be the "celebrity" runners in the upcoming 10k in Hudson.. benifiting the Leukemia Foundation..
Come join us won't you..it's Sunday October 4th at 8 am.. the link to register is listed below..hope to see you there
http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=4019
local guys.. wanna play.. with Motley Crue!
Fri, 2008-09-05 06:20.These guys are in B-C.. but one was actually born and raised in Magog..
http://www.makerockhistory.com/backstage.php?artist_id=21867
They are trying to be the opening band for Motley Crue when they tour the world next year..They are called Sound Collision...and have been an opening act for many events.. featuring Jeff Healey, Nazareth, Streetheart, Tom Cochrane and Glass Tiger..
They need your help.. in the form of votes.. click on the link above to listen..and vote.. I'll keep you updated on how they are doing..
You won't need to CRY WOLF.. if you know this!!
Thu, 2008-09-04 08:12.There are wolves in these parts.. yeah sounds scary..but if you head into the woods with a little knowledge it'll be a much safer venture for you..
According to the Park Journal.. put out by the Parc National du Mont-Tremblant..
If you SEE a Wolf:
1. Show your respect by keeping your distance from it.. If the wolf gets closer to you:
- Don't feed it
- Don't mimic it's howl
- Don't crouch down to eye level
- Don't talk or make gestures
2. BUT if the wolf gets within 50 meters of you:
- Make your presence felt by raising your arms into the air and making yourself look bigger than you really are
- Make noise; clap your hands or yell
- Slowly walk away without turning your back or losing eye contact with the wolf
- If necessary, throw rocks or branches at the wolf.
3. Report your encounter to a park ranger or other authority.
PATRICK NO SAINT BUT #33 SHOULD HANG
Mon, 2008-09-01 08:29.Character defects notwithstanding, Patrick Roy is as worthy as any other Montreal Canadiens legend of having his jersey number retired. As long as Jacques Plante's number 1 and Ken Dryden's 29 hang from the rafters, the Canadiens would be remiss not to honor number 33, whose two Stanley Cup championships on marginally above average Montreal teams were worth four Cups from Plante and Dryden, who had the good fortune of playing in eras when the Canadiens were head and shoulders above the rest of the NHL...Sure, Friday's electrifying win over the visiting BC Lions was one for the ages, but if it means not giving up more than 500 yards in total offence and blowing three different leads, Alouettes fans can probably do without the excitement of a last minute goal line stand...It's typical of the boneheadedness that's characterized the Bud Selig era that major league baseball is only allowing instant replay on disputed home run calls, which are only slightly less frequent than UFO sightings. It doesn't take a visionary to understand that video technology would be much better used as a means of settling disputed plays on the basepaths - especially close calls at first base - but Commissioner Selig has never had the guts or the smarts to do the right thing...Pro wrestling fans will note the passing this weekend of legendary villain Killer Kowalski, who reportedly requested a closed casket to prevent grieving former adversaries from attempting to administer one last piledriver during visitation.
Friday Family Fun Guide
Fri, 2008-08-29 09:36.There are a ton of things to do this labour day weekend...
IN Laval:
La Fete de la Famille de Laval.. Sunday.. from 10 til 6.. at the Centre de la nature.. and it's FREE..and filled with music, entertainers, inflatables, wall climbing, sports demos a basketball tournament..and DJ's... for more info.. www.ville.laval.qc.ca or call 450-978-8000
The First EVER Port in the city event.. is Sunday..and also FREE.. at the Old Port.. find out and explore how they operate.. and tour various facilities by boat, train or bus.. it's at the Jacques Cartier Pier.. there will also be entertainment..
Charity dinner complete with STARS!!
Fri, 2008-08-29 07:09.The West Island Palliative Care Residence and The Otis Grant & Friends Foundation invite you to join us as we celebrate the international achievements and community contributions of two great Montrealers, jazz legend Oliver Jones and world boxing champion Otis Grant.
During this special evening, artist Tony Harris will unveil the two commissioned paintings of these Montreal legends. We will also launch the release of a limited edition print series of these works that night. These prints will be available for purchase and all profits from the sales will benefit both charities. Finally, both legends have offered to sign any print you may purchase that evening. This will be your only chance to have the prints endorsed by Oliver or Otis.
How to tell if your kid is gifted....
Thu, 2008-08-28 09:14.((gifted kid??.. likely not))
ONLY 2% TO 5% OF KIDS ARE ACTUALLY "GIFTED":
I know you love your kids . . . and you probably think they're incredibly gifted. But if you go strictly by the numbers, chances are . . . they're NOT.
Technically, only about 2% to 5% of kids are "gifted" (--meaning they display exceptional ability in a certain area . . . even though they haven't been explicitly taught).
Of those kids, only about ONE in a HUNDRED is considered "highly gifted" . . . and prodigies (--or geniuses . . . like kids who go to college at age 11) are literally about ONE in a MILLION. (CNN)
CHINESE OLYMPIC PROPAGANDA COUP WOULD IMPRESS GOEBBELS
Wed, 2008-08-27 07:53.There are newstands and libraries everywhere, and Lord knows the Internet has a wealth of information on every topic under the sun, but you have to wonder whether the ignoramuses applauding and congratulating China for the 2008 Summer Olympics have ever read a newspaper or history book or surfed anything more intellectually challenging than perezhilton or ratemypooh.com. Chief among the obsequieous bootlickers is International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, who proclaimed during the closing ceremonies that "the world learned more about China and China learned more about the world." News flash, Jacques - anyone who'd been paying attention already knew about China and its dearth of fundamental individual freedoms, abysmal record on human rights and brutal repression of anyone who openly questions the ruling party line. What's even more depressing is what China learned about the world: our collective naivete and willingness to buy into the big lie as long as it's served up with the appropriate amount of razzle dazzle. Of course, China isn't the first country to employ the Olympics as the ultimate propaganda tool. Spectacular facilities, unyielding attention to organizational detail and unprecedented pagaentry were hallmarks of the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin under a totalitarian German regime run by a guy named Hitler. The world subsequently learned a lot about him as well, only they learned it the hard way. Sadly - and perhaps ominously - the pathetic post-Olympic pandering to China suggests the lesson was not passed on.
The 9th Annual Young Achievers ..nominate one...
Mon, 2008-08-25 08:48.There are many outstanding young people in this province.. and the Chronicle.. has been recognizing them in the West Island.. for the last 8 years.. this year..it's their 9th annual Young Achievers Awards..
if you know an extraordinary young person between the ages of 10 and 16 write the Chronicle telling them about this person..they are looking for kids who are contributing something special to their family, school, church or community...
You have until September 10th to sumbit your entry.. forms are available at www.wwestislandchronicle.com
WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION
Mon, 2008-08-25 08:04.WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION
On my summer vacation, I went to Boston wth my 18 year old daughter, Lauren. The last time Lauren and I went on a father/daughter vacation, she was 11, so it was pretty obvious that we were father and daughter. This time, anyone with an easily misguided imagination and a nose for other people's business could have mistaken us for a creepy old guy with his young mistress, so imagine the level of scandal and confusion when the rest of the family joined us later in the trip and Lauren and I went out to dinner one night with her brother Charlie, leaving the busybodies to ponder the mathematics of the creepy old guy with his teenaged wife and their seven year old son.
It's a testament to the staying power and universal appeal of classic rock that Lauren and I had no disagreements over musical selections in the car during the six hour drive, and that more often than not we were listening to Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Joe Walsh or some other artist who comes from my generation but still resonates with her's, marking a significant narrowing of the generation gap compared to 30 years ago. Driving to Boston was an annual summer family ritual when I was a teenager, but I can't say that I recall my Dad cranking up the 8 track and signing along at the top of his lungs to Space Truckin', Fairies Wear Boots or Rocky Mountain Way.
Every time I try to navigate my way around Boston by car, I'm reminded of the expression "you can't get there from here." In my dozen or more visits, I've lost count of the number of times we were able to see the site or attraction we were attempting to visit, but were repeatedly thrwarted from actually arriving there by a random collection of one way streets, dead ends and infuriatingly vague traffic signs. It's as if the urban planners who mapped out Montreal's thoroughly confounding network of avenues, alleyways and thoroughfares got high on mushrooms and went to work on Boston. I became so rattled that at one point we stopped and I asked a Boston cop where Fenway Park was. He said "Wheah's WAT?" I said "Fenway." He gave me a look of disgust and pointed over his shoulder. He was standing right in front of it.
Of course, no trip to Boston is complete without taking in a Red Sox game at Fenway: part ballpark, part cathedral, and so steeped in history and tradition that even for the casual baseball fan it can be akin to a spiritual experience. Central casting was good enough to put us two rows in front of a local kid who kept exhorting his favorite Red Sox players to "hit a homah, ovah the Monstah." The Sox didn't hit any homahs that night, but they did beat Texas 8-4, which made for a gratifying two hour, 50 mile drive back to our hotel six blocks from the ballpark.
By the time Danielle and the rest of the kids joined us, we'd seen everything we wanted to see in Boston, so the whole gang headed south for a shopping at the mother lode outlet mall in Wrentham, Massachusetts and a day at the seashore in Newport, Rhode Island - home to some of the most spectacular old money summer mansions in America and some of the crabbiest service industry people who apparently harbor an inbred resentment from generations of subservience to old money. I don't know any other conclusion to draw when you ask someone for directions or change or extra ketchup and they look at you like you just smothered their puppy.
Indiscriminate hostility and puppy smothering aside, it was a great trip and another reminder than we're only a six hour drive from one of America's best cities. Boston might not have southern California's climate, New York's grandeur or the sizzle of South Beach, but for history, charm and character it can't be beat. Just do yourself a favor and make GPS your 21st century version of American Express travellers cheques: don't leave home without it.
And that's what I did on my summer vacation.
18 MEDALS AND $1.25 GETS A CUP OF COFFEE
Mon, 2008-08-25 07:49.There's a perception that Canadian athletes salvaged our national pride by racking up an impressive 18 medals during the second week of the Beijing Summer Olympics after being shut out in week one. Call me madcap, but my national pride is still rooted in Canadian core values like compassion, respect and generosity, and not on Olympic medals or other flashy but ultimately trivial window dressing. If we're measuring our standing in the community of nations according to how well we perform on the trampoline or row a boat, then we've lost touch with what we're about...Considering that Taiwan was long suspected of winning multiple Little League World Series championships by passing off players old enough for compulsory military service as 13 year olds, isn't it more than a little ironic that China is being accused of winning a bucklet load of Olympics gold medals with underage gymnasts?...The Cuban nutjob who received a lifetime ban from the Olympics for kicking a referee in the face after being disqualified from a tae kwon do match got off easy. Angel Valodia Matos is lucky he's not cooling his jets in a Chinese prison cell awaiting trial for assault...It's become abundantly clear that the only way to beat the Kenyans or Ethiopians in the marathon is to recreate their natural training regimen and make running away from man-eating lions part of your daily routine.
Build a Bear fundraiser THIS SUNDAY...
Thu, 2008-08-14 07:55.Kim RossiI am thrilled to be the host and your emcee for this fabulously fun event happening August 17th.. (sunday) from 9 til 11 am at the Build a bear workshop at Fairview Pointe Claire...
Kids get to build and dress their own teddy bear..have breakfast.. and then model their bear in a teddy bear fashion show.. great fun.. and all for a good cause.. money raised will benifit the weekend to end breast cancer.. coming up at the end of the month..
Tickets are 60 dollars.. there are only about 20 left..and a partial tax reciept will be issued.. to get your now..
call
The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe EVER..
Sat, 2008-08-09 11:13.**make sure you chill the dough for 24 hours..it makes a world of a difference..
the article was found in the New York Times..enjoy!!
Friday Family Fun Guide
Fri, 2008-08-08 08:56.Italian week starts...for all of the details.. go to
The Montreal Chamber Orchestra will mark the first anniversary of Luciano Pavarotti's death with a concert entitled "Hommage à Pavarotti" that will take place this Saturday at 7 pm.. at Parc Georges-St-Pierre in NDG.. which is at the corner of Oxford..and Upper Lachine Road..
DDO Family Fun Day.. take 2.. August 10th (sunday) from 11 til 4 at Centennial Park..
There is a festival in Bedford this weekend..
And the fireman's parade in Pincourt is tomorrow..
bear breakfast and fashion show for the kids!!
Thu, 2008-08-07 07:19.I am thrilled to be the host and your emcee for this fabulously fun event happening August 17th.. (sunday) from 9 til 11 am at the Build a bear workshop at Fairview Pointe Claire...
Kids get to build and dress their own teddy bear..have breakfast.. and then model their bear in a teddy bear fashion show.. great fun.. and all for a good cause.. money raised will benifit the weekend to end breast cancer.. coming up at the end of the month..
Tickets are 60 dollars.. there are only about 20 left..and a partial tax reciept will be issued.. to get your now..
call 514-839-26
BASEBALL HOTHEADS BETTER LEFT IN BASEBALL
Wed, 2008-08-06 05:57.In the wake of a dugout shoving match this week between Milwaukee Brewer teammates Prince Fielder and Manny Parra, foxsports.com came up with a list of baseball's top 10 hotheads, which included a pair of former Expos: Texas outfielder Milton Bradley, whose history of erratic outbursts includes head-butting and umpire and going after a TV announcer DURING a game, and pitcher Pedro Martinez, who once famously wrestled Yankees third base coach Don Zimmer to the ground in a baseball version of the dwarf toss. I don't have a big problem with short tempers on the diamond - players like Bradley and Martinez add spice to the game, while volcanic managers can be hugely entertaining in the process of being thrown out of a game for arguing with an umpire, frequently in a calculated bid to inspire their players while sacrificing themselves at the altar of ejection. The competitive and bottom-line nature of professional sport is such that irascible personalities are not only tolerated but often embraced for their passion and will to win. There are, however, professions in which emotional volatility is a far less desirable character trait. Surgeon comes immediately to mind. Nobody wants a guy throwing scalpels, clamps and beta blockers around the O.R. because he's not happy with the way the sutures turned out during open heart surgery. Similarly, air traffic controller requires an uncompromisingly even temperament, as does bomb disposal expert, just to name just a handful of occupations for which a guy like, say, Lou Pinella would be extremely ill-suited. I'm okay with Lou throwing his hat on the ground, kicking dirt on the umpire and tearing up one of the bases and heaving it into the outfield in a fit of rage, but he's not my guy when it comes to life-saving triple bypass, talking an Airbus in during an electrical storm or disarming a roadside IED. Those are jobs better left to the experts who may or may not know a squeeze play from a hit and run, but have an ingrained aversion to hysterics.
WISHY WASHY SUNDIN MAKES FAVRE LOOK DECISIVE
Tue, 2008-08-05 08:44.It's been a month and five days since the Brinks truck traffic jam formed on Mats Sundin's street, and his agent says Sundin still isn't close to making a decision on his future. The hold-up, supposedly, has less to do with which lucrative contract offer to accept than it does with whether Sundin wants to come back at all, and therein lies the risk in pursuing a 37 year old free agent. If, four months after his last game, Sundin still hasn't made up his mind whether to return or retire, how hungry and committed can he possibly be if he decides to play? If I'm the Canadiens or Leafs or Canucks and I'm dangling 7 to 10 million dollars a year in a multi-year contract, I'm wary of a waffler, no matter what his talent and track record. It's beginning to get to the point where Canadiens fans clamoring for Sundin to sign with the Habs should be careful what they wish for. If now is the time and Montreal is the place, Sundin would already be locked up and itching to get started on his best chance to win his first Stanley Cup. Sundin doesn't owe the Canadiens or anyone else anything, and his future is his own business, but that he hasn't embraced the opportunity to be part of a legitimate contender with hockey's most storied franchise during its centennial celebration - and reportedly even vetoed a trade to Montreal last spring - says something about his enthusiasm and resolve. The longer Sundin goes without deciding on his future, the less attractive he becomes as a potential free agent signing.
friday family fun guide..
Fri, 2008-08-01 07:53.The final international fireworks competiton goes tomorrow.. (saturday) at 10 pm.. it's CHINA..it's at La Ronde.. tickets are 10 bucks..
Saka is an equestrain show on out in Bromont www.admission.com for tickets and details.
Over on the west island.. there is a family fun day tomorrow.. from 11 til 4 at Centennial Park on Lake Street.. all kinds of things are planned for the kids.. the city of DDO has details on their website..
ENJOY!!
WHEN A BIRD IS A PIG
Thu, 2008-07-31 08:55.I've made a number of on-air references this week about the stunning good looks of some of the players at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament at Stade Uniprix, and drawn the predictable overreaction from the usual suspects accusing me of objectifying and degrading women. One even tried to shame me as the father of my own 18 year old daughter, who - my detractor suggested - should be disgusted with me. Well, here's the thing. When my 18 year old daughter sees me ogle or hears me crack wise about a good-looking tennis player, she does the same thing my wife of 10 years does - rolls her eyes and shakes her head, because she knows that I love and cherish and respect her and that all the talk about tennis babes is for the benefit of a listening audience of middle-aged males and assorted free thinkers who tend to gravitate to classic rock stations like the one on which I regularly broadcast. Happily for women's tennis and its sponsors, several top players past and present have embraced sex appeal as a legitimate and valuable promotional and marketing tool, rather than something to be ashamed of or otherwise eschewed. It takes all of five seconds on Google to find tastefully provocative ads or photo spreads featuring Anna Kournikova, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic and Playboy cover girl Ashley Harkleroad, among other female tennis pros. Apparently, they're OK with exploiting their natural aesthetics, so I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the logic of accusing someone of objectifying women who have already voluntary objectified themselves. I guess some people just can't take a compliment, especially when it's not directed at them.
COC GETS IT RIGHT
Thu, 2008-07-24 08:51.Well, whaddaya know about that? The Canadian Olympic Committee got it right and proved this cynical old gasbag wrong by refusing to pander to political correctness and selecting kayaker Adam van Koeverden as the country's flag bearer for the August 8th opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics. The COC's logic in opting for a reigning Olympic and world champion is surpassed only by its courage in choosing the same young white male anglophone who carried the flag for the closing ceremonies at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens. In selecting van Koeverden, the COC risks accusations of ageism for passing on 61 year old equestrian rider Ian Millar, charges of sexism for spurning gymnast Karen Cockburn, further affronting perpetually outraged Quebec nationalists by snubbing diver Alexandre Despatie, and fomenting civil unrest among notoriously short-tempered red-haired people by rebuffing carrot-topped triathlete Simon Whitfield. By making the selection based on merit rather than which gender, age, linguistic, cultural or blood type group's turn it was, the only form of criticism the Olympic Committee exposed itself to is the petty whining that we would have heard anyway even if the choice had been a politically correct one. With the proliferation of minority and special interest groups, it's tough enough to please even some of the people some of the time. The only guaranteed result when you try to be all things to all people is that you'll be nothing to anyone.
Amazing... you tube video.. dancing with the world
Thu, 2008-07-24 08:28.Matt travelled to 42 countries over 14 months.. Montreal is a stop.. so is Vancouver.. and just about every other place you can think of.. stick with it til the end it's awesome!!
PATRICK GETS A BAD RAP
Wed, 2008-07-23 08:01.Danica Patrick's reputation may have preceded her into an altercation in an opponent's pit stall at this past weekend's IRL Indy 200 in Lexington, Ohio but Patrick was by far the more level-headed of the two adversaries in Saturday's dust-up with fellow female driver Milka Duno, whom Patrick thought was blocking faster traffic during qualifying. While her detractors accuse Patrick of being a chronic whiner and serial confrontationalist, one person's crybaby is another person's fiery competitor, and you only have to watch the videotape of the incident once to understand that if anyone behaved like an insolent brat, it was Duno, who threw a towel in Patrick's face even though Danica approached her in a manner that was far more measured and calm than it was hostile. So Patrick started it by invading someone's else's space on pit row for the second time since the Indy 500 - so what? If tempers flare at 90 kilometers an hour on the Met, what do you expect at 190 on a race track where there's a lot more at stake than getting to Nona's house before the gnocchi goes cold? Race car drivers have been getting in each other's face since J. Walter Christie and Vincenzo Lancia swapped paint in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup. Just because the reputed hothead in this case was a woman who went after another woman doesn't make it any more of scandal than a row between two good ole boys...considerably more erotic, perhaps, but no more scandalous.
HARRINGTON A TRUE CHAMPION; TOUR DE FRANCE ACID TRIP
Wed, 2008-07-23 07:57.In an era too often defined by petulance, self-absorption and a sense of entitlement among professional athletes, it's especially gratifying when a gentleman wins a major championship. Padraig Harrington oozed class and charm in his victory speech at the British Open, where Harrington's nod to Greg Norman's sportsmanship under hugely disappointing circumstances for Norman was as elegant as it was commendable...Lewis Hamilton's come-from-behind win at the German Grand Prix paradoxically rebuffed both sides in the argument over whether success in Formula One is dictated by anything more than the car. Hamilton's brilliant overtaking was an undeniable demonstration of driving skill, but at the same time, he's one of only a handful of drivers with a ride that allows him to capitalize on his talent...The Alouettes' loss to the Roughriders in Regina Saturday was a textbook exercise in woulda-coulda-shoulda. They should've beaten Saskatchewan and could've prevailed if Jason Armstead would have had his head in the game instead of in the clouds. Armstead wasn't the only Montreal player who made mistakes, but his were the most glaring, ill-timed and inexcusable...If Tour de France competitors insist on taking drugs, I say legalize it, but counterbalance the competitive advantage by making them take one mandatory hit of hallucenogenic LSD for every dose of performance-enhancing EPO. It's one thing to conquer a punishing mountain route through the Alps, but something else entirely to do it while you're covered in spiders and being by chased by machete-wielding circus clowns in rubber bikinis.
Rob's hat is on ebay.. bid for the montreal children's hospital..
Wed, 2008-07-23 07:51.click on the link to access ebay..Alice Cooper's at work time waster..
Tue, 2008-07-22 07:37.
((distraction))If you are looking for an at work distraction.. try Alice Cooper's online pinball game..
it's www.spv.de/alicecooperMeantime.. Cooper's new disc.. "Along Came a Spider" is in stores Tuesday the 29th...
enjoy!
Alice Cooper's at work time waster..
Tue, 2008-07-22 07:37.
((distraction))If you are looking for an at work distraction.. try Alice Cooper's online pinball game..
it's www.spv.de/alicecooperMeantime.. Cooper's new disc.. "Along Came a Spider" is in stores Tuesday the 29th...
enjoy!
Here is your David Lee Roth impersonator..
Wed, 2008-07-16 06:58.You be the judge...
Click on the link for side by side photos..of the Van Halen Singer.. and the imposter..David Kuntz
http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/460634
Here is your David Lee Roth impersonator..
Wed, 2008-07-16 06:58.You be the judge...
Click on the link for side by side photos..of the Van Halen Singer.. and the imposter..David Kuntz
http://www.thecompletesheet.com/today/david_lee_roth_impersonator.htm
A-ROD'S FORGIVEABLE FOIBLES
Mon, 2008-07-14 09:39.The baseball writers who moonlight as guardians of the gate for the Hall of Fame are infinitely more tolerant of players who cheat on their wives and families than they are of players who cheat on the fans, which is why - failing an unforeseen steroid scandal - Alex Rodriguez has a clear path to Cooperstown, despite being much less discerning about whom he beds than he is with pitch selection. A-Rod is every bit the ego-driven narcissist that Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are, but as long as he stays clean between the white lines, he'll be admiring his own bust in the Hall of Fame (no matter whose wife's bust he's fondling at the time) while human chemistry experiments like Bonds, Clemens, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are outside in the ticket lineup. If banjo hitter and admitted adulterer Wade Boggs can get into Cooperstown on the first ballot, a run-producing machine like A-Rod can't miss, regardless of sexual morals...For all of his considerable success as a baseball player and broadcaster, the late Bobby Murcer may be best-remembered for his simultaneously heart-wrenching and uplifting eulogy for Yankee teammate Thurman Munson following Munson's death in a plane crash in 1979. Whomever delivers the eulogy at Murcer's funeral this week will do so in the shadow of an enormous legacy...I hope Green Bay quarerback Brett Favre's comeback doesn't pan out - if only for the sake of his honor and dignity, which would never survive a second maudlin, weepy spectacle the next time he retires...So I'm reading a column on Kyle Busch's phenomenal NASCAR season and where it ranks him among so-called NASCAR royalty, and it occurs to me that while "NASCAR" and "royalty" might not seem to be compatible terms, there's a greater historical record of inbreeding among European nobility than there is among stock car fans, which should give pasty-skinned, pink-eyed, jug-eared aristocrats pause the next time they deign to condescend to the riff-raff.
friday family fun guide #4
Fri, 2008-07-11 09:55.The just for laughs festival is in town and it's not all about buying tickets to see adult only shows.. there is the honey nut cheerio's zone for the kids... little festival goers are invited to come and discover a world of clowns, puppets and even friendly pirates ..11 days of shows a worshops await your little budding comedians.. go to www.hahaha.com for info
also on tomorrow..two of a kind... TWINS WEEKEND.. tomorrow.. a parade of twins.. actually it's for anyone who came into the world in pairs of 2.. or sets of 3 or more!
Enjoy..
NADAL WEARS WIMBLEDON CROWN AND CAPRI PANTS WELL
Mon, 2008-07-07 07:54.A sunny Sunday afternoon spent indoors is usually a regrettable exercise in guilt management, but anyone who opted out of yesterday's spectacular summer weather in favor of watching the men's final at Wimbledon did so guilt-free. Rafael Nadal's breathtaking five set win over five-time defending champion Roger Federer rivalled the Borg-McEnroe, McEnroe-Connors epics of the early 1980's, if it didn't surpass them. I'd have felt guilty if I'd missed it...While she may break the stuffy, white Wimbledon mold along racial and social lines, five-time champion Venus Williams set the standard for class after beating Serena Williams in the women's final Saturday, when Venus said her overriding emotions in the immediate aftermath of the match were empathy and compassion for her sister...Meanwhile, there was never any conspicuous connection between the Williams sisters and Bozo the Clown, but that apparently didn't stop the recently-deceased entertainer from willing his fright wig to Venus and Serena's mother...Yes, you need to be on one of the top teams to have a chance of winning in Formula One, but Lewis Hamilton's victory under nearly impossible conditions at the British Grand Prix had at least as much to do with skill and daring as it did with technology...For longtime admirers of Ben Cahoon's resolute professionalism, it was as gratifying as it was unsurprising that the Alouettes receiver celebrated his team record 55th career touchdown reception the same way he celebrated the other 54: by nonchalantly flipping the ball to the referee and jogging back to the sidelines to get ready for the next series...By the way, if you don't look like Rafael Nadal in capri pants, don't wear capri pants under nearly impossible conditions at the British Grand Prix had at least as much to do with skill and daring as it did with technology...For longtime admirers of Ben Cahoon's resolute professionalism, it was as gratifying as it was unsurprising that the Alouettes receiver celebrated his team record 55th career touchdown reception the same way he celebrated the other 54: by nonchalantly flipping the ball to the referee and jogging back to the sidelines to get ready for the next series...By the way, if you don't look like Rafael Nadal in capri pants, don't wear capri pants.friday family fun guide #3
Fri, 2008-07-04 09:56.((in the streets))
The Carifiesta Parade is tomorrow (Saturday) at noon... it's free and fun and starts at Rene Levesque and Guy
((Jazz Fest))
It's the final weekend of the Jazz Festival enjoy the sights and sounds that fill the downtown core there are a ton of FREE shows.. ENJOY..
((FREE ROCK))
and of course all weekend it's a CHOM free rock weekend listen to win passes to the Granby Zoo for you and the whole family..
Sneak Peak of "The Dark Knight"
Thu, 2008-07-03 06:11.HERE ARE THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES OF "THE DARK KNIGHT":
You can watch the first five minutes of "The Dark Knight" here . . . and it looks pretty cool . . .
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_movies_blog/2008/07/dark-knight-the.html
p.s The Dark Knight.. where the late Heath Ledger plays the Joker will be in theaters July 18thk
LOW PROFILE ATHLETES SET HIGH STANDARD; YOUPPI NEVER DIES
Wed, 2008-07-02 08:44.Whether or not they like it, athletes are role models, and when they embrace the part, the results can be spectacular. I spent this weekend ferrying kids between the Concordia Stingers youth football camp and the Formula Atlantic race at Circuit Mont Tremblant, and saw what a hugely positive impact some genuine interest and attention from seemingly larger-than-life figures can have on impressionable young minds. More than a few much higher-profile athletes could learn something about the power of example from anonymous Canadian university football players and obscure third tier race car drivers whose capacity for good will more than makes up for what they lack in notoriety...Former Pittsburgh Penguin Ryan Malone is a good hockey player, but at 31.5 million dollars over seven years, Tampa Bay overpaid to sign Malone and set the bar artificially high for the mid-level unrestricted free agents... Apologists for Anaheim Angels manager Mike Scioscia aren't wrong in saying that Scioscia was putting the team first Saturday when he lifted Jered Weaver for a pinch hitter even though Weaver had a no-hitter going in the seventh inning, but the fact remains that the only 25 people in the ballpark who wanted Weaver to leave the game were the guys on the OTHER team. If it's any consolation to disappointed spectators hoping to witness baseball history, how many fans can say they saw a guy get the hook DURING a no-hitter?...The mascot for the University of Georgia football Bulldogs has died prematurely of congestive heart failure - a story that initially confused me until I learned he was an actual bulldog named Uga and not one of those oversized mascots with a person inside. Along with robbing Georgia of a much beloved team and fan favorite, the unfortunate demise of Uga the real-life bulldog serves as a grim reminder that Youppi is immortal.
GAINEY'S CALCULATED GAMBLE; ITALY'S COMEUPPANCE
Mon, 2008-06-23 06:20.Nothing Bob Gainey does isn't calculated, so the Canadiens general manager has presumably weighed the intangibles involved in trading for Alex Tanguay and pursuing would-be free agent Mats Sundin - two moves that aren't without potential complications. If Tanguay couldn't get along with his coach and got snippy with reporters in Calgary, it'll require more than a minor attitude adjustment to play for a hard case like Guy Carbonneau under the unrelenting glare of the Montreal media spotlight. Signing a still productive player of Sundin's stature looks good on paper, but what effect would it have on the dynamic in the dressing room, where substantial egos may already be in conflict after Alex Kovalev effectively usurped Saku Koivu as the team's de facto captain last season?...The Canadiens most intriguing draft choice over the weekend was 6 foot 8 inch goaltender Jason Missiaen - potentially the only guy at training camp who can call 6-5 defenceman Ryan O'Byrne "Stumpy"...How typically Canadian that we write more letters to the editor denouncing Tiger Woods for making a throwaway comment about hockey than we do taking governments to task for squandering public money or praising Canadian soldiers for their service in Afghanistan. We'll bend over for the taxman and take our military's self-sacrifice for granted, but woe betide the next American celebrity who slags off the beaver or maple syrup...It was a long time coming, but Spain's victory over reigning World Cup champion Italy in the Euro 2008 quarterfinals presents Italy fans with an opportunity to demonstrate that they can be as gracious in defeat as they are overbearing in victory.
Issue:2 The friday family fun guide ..
Wed, 2008-06-18 09:07.I know it's Wednesday.. but I am on vacation tomorrow and friday and didn't want to leave anyone hanging..Issue:2 The friday faminly fun guide ..
Wed, 2008-06-18 09:07.I know it's Wednesday.. but I am on vacation tomorrow and friday and didn't want to leave anyone hanging..dating sites for particular personalities..
Wed, 2008-06-18 07:46.((dating sites))
Looking for love.. that will rock out to the same stuff you do.. try.. www.RockNRollDating.com... the site.. just launched 3 months ago.. and is getting quite popular as it tries to match singles who share compadability.. especially.. in music..
Science and nature lovers.. check out www.sciconnect.com
For pet lovers.. www.petspassions.com
www.singleparentsmingle.com is for single parents looking for love..
and if you are looking for a first mate or a saucy wench..... check out www.piratespassions.comfriday's family fun guide!!.. Happy Father's Day CHOM DADDIES!!
Fri, 2008-06-13 09:31.THIS IS THE FIRST FRIDAY FAMILY FUN GUIDE.. EVENTS THIS WEEKEND ARE FREE.. ENJOY..AND IF YOU KNOW OF AN EVENT THAT IS FREE OR LOW COST COMING UP.. PLEASE PASS IT ALONG TO kim@chom.comKids are funny..and creative... check these videos out!!
Thu, 2008-06-12 09:01.Take a 40-foot roll of plastic, a downhill slope, a motorboat, and one insane drunk dude . . . and you've got yourself a dangerous Slip-N-Slide.
(--WARNING!!! There's some unintelligible background talking that may contain unedited profanity.)http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1818245
THEN...
This kid secretly records himself messing with Drivers Ed teachers by picking up the phone while driving and refusing to follow directions.
(--WARNING!!! This clip contains bleeped profanity, including one UNEDITED instance of someone taking the Lord's name in vain.)
Kids are funny..and creative... check these videos out!!
Thu, 2008-06-12 09:01.Take a 40-foot roll of plastic, a downhill slope, a motorboat, and one insane drunk dude . . . and you've got yourself a dangerous Slip-N-Slide.
(--WARNING!!! There's some unintelligible background talking that may contain unedited profanity.)http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1818245
THEN...
This kid secretly records himself messing with Drivers Ed teachers by picking up the phone while driving and refusing to follow directions.
(--WARNING!!! This clip contains bleeped profanity, including one UNEDITED instance of someone taking the Lord's name in vain.)
RED WINGS A MODEL FOR THE HABS
Thu, 2008-06-05 08:52.Four Stanley Cups in eleven years is as impressive as it gets these days, but despite the temptation to label them a dynasty, the championships are too far apart and the player turnover between them too great to put the Detroit Red Wings in the same company as the Rocket Richard or Guy Lafleur-led Canadiens, the Bossy/Trottier/Potvin Islanders or the Oilers juggernaut headlined by Gretzky and Messier. In fact, Detroit's last two Cups were fashioned under remarkably different circumstances. To no small extent, the Wings used their owner's deep pockets to BUY a championship in 2002, when they employed the New York Yankees' tried and true formula of overpaying marquee free agents and mortgaging the future by trading young, inexpensive assets for proven veterans whose former teams wouldn't or couldn't meet their salary requirements. This time around, the Wings built their core from within, and their success is all the more remarkable given that most of their best players were something akin to draft day afterthoughts: Johan Franzen, 3rd round; Pavel Datsyuk, 6th round; Henrik Zetterberg, 7th round; Thomas Holmstrom, 10th round. Their roster is a testament to excellent scouting, shrewd drafting and outstanding player development, and an encouraging example for the Canadiens, who as much as any other team in the league are emulating Detroit's recipe for success.
FREE beauty advice.. and a not so free store grand opening
Wed, 2008-06-04 08:13.First off.. the freebee..
the beauty and wellness tour is making stops at Walmart stores across the montreal area from may 29th to July 5th.. you'll be able to meet with beauty advisors who will draw up a "prescription beauty card" specifically tailored to your hai, skin type and beauty needs..
you will also get a booklet of beauty tips.. hairstyle and colour advice.. and even dental and skin care.. and if you buy 25 bucks worth or products.. you'll get a 10 dollar walmart giftcard mailed to you..
below is the calendar for the beauty and wellness tour at participating Wal-mart stores
mosquito-less... bugs be GONE!!
Tue, 2008-06-03 08:22.Looking for Jim little's contact info.. with regards to the all natural product Mosquito-less.. which will rid your home of mosquitos, black flies.. and more..
his email is contactproducts@sympatico.ca
or you can call him.. at 514 428-0669
enjoy the cottage!!
Cha CHING!.. Students win lawsuit..
Mon, 2008-06-02 07:46.((Students win))
80-thousand Quebec Students have just won a 30 million dollar class action suit against the minister of education... the case involved the illegal charging of interest on loans students took out.. before April 30th.. 1998...starting today.. CEJEP and university students can file their claim at
www.afe.gouv.qc.ca...the amount of money you are owed will be calculated automatically.. and if you accept it.. the cheque in the mailbox in less than a week.
MMA network TV debut a freak show
Mon, 2008-06-02 06:16.In yet another sign that the end is nigh, the sporting phenomenon of the early 21st century debuted on mainstream network television this weekend, and if the highlights are anything to go by, mixed martial arts on CBS made the carnival freak show look like Masterpiece Theatre. From the deliberately menacing appearance of porn industry bodyguard-turned extreme fighter Kimbo Slice to the shocking spectacle of James "The Colussus" Thompson's cauliflower ear exploding in blood, it was a prime time exercise in graphic brutality, worthy of the gladiators of ancient Rome - another civilization that collapsed under the weight of its own degenerate excesses...For every offensive and outdated stereotype he occasionally blurts out on Hockey Night in Canada and for which he's mercilessly pilloried by the self-appointed guardians of journalistic virtue, Don Cherry offers dozens of valid and intelligent observations that go uncredited. Cherry's insight on Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien allowing Detroit to dictate the line matchups Saturday even though the Penguins had the last change was a shrewd piece of analysis ignored by or lost on the resentful wanna-be's whose media careers would benefit from a large dose of Cherry's honesty and integrity, not to mention his hockey acumen...It's fascinating that from a Red Wings roster liberally stocked with tall, blond-haired, strong-jawed models of Nordic masculinity, Hollywood sexpot and Detroit native Kristen Bell has the hots for bookish-looking Wings goalie Chris Osgood. Maybe the attraction has something to do with Bell being the so-called queen of geek chic and Osgood having the dorkiest helmet and mask of any goalie in the NHL...Anyone who's ever played hockey recognizes what a remarkable scoring touch Marian Hossa demonstrated with his deft stickwork on the first goal of the game Saturday, but it takes someone with bad hands to truly appreciate it.
COWBOYS STOCK UP ON OUTLAWS
Fri, 2008-05-30 08:37.The NFL season doesn't start for another three-plus months, but the stink is already palpable in Dallas, where the Cowboys are poisoning their 2008 Super Bowl hopes by stocking their roster with rotten eggs. As if Terrell Owens isn't trouble enough all by himself, Dallas is retaining the services of Tank Johnson - whose rap sheet includes criminal charges related to drugs, weapons, aggravated assault and resisting arrest - and Adam "Pacman" Jones, a serial miscreant whom the Cowboys actually pursued and acquired on the trade market after Jones spent the entire 2007 season under suspension for allegedly assaulting a stripper in a nightclub altercation that escalated into a shooting incident in which three people were wounded, including a bar manager who was permanently paralyzed. It rang more than a little hollow this week when Johnson looked into a TV camera and appealed directly to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to reinstate Jones, who remains on indefinite suspension. His heart may be in the right place, but Tank Johnson pleading for clemency for Pacman Jones is like Charlie Manson asking the parole board to go easy on the Unabomber. There's not a whole lot of credibility at either end of the equation. One article I read yesterday described Johnson and Jones as kindred spirits - a phrase normally reserved for people whose shared experiences are rooted in compassion, understanding and hope, which are not the typical qualities or emotions associated with unrepentant convicted felons. There are many ways to build a Super Bowl champion; recruiting multiple repeat offenders isn't one of them, and the Cowboys are setting themselves up for trouble, on and off the field. As a Giants fan, I'm good with that. In fact, I'm still hoping Dallas signs OJ.
Giving credit where credit is due..
Tue, 2008-05-27 09:51.Every year Canadian Living Magazine searches the country for Canadians who make a difference in the lives of others. Since 2005, they have given out 15 "me to we" awards and honoured each winner with $5000 for their favourite charity.
This year, Teresa Dellar - Executive Director of the West Island Palliative Care Residence has been nominated as one of the 3 finalists under the community category! Teresa's work with the West Island Palliative Care Residence definitely deserve to be recognized!
A winner will be chosen based on the total number of online votes he or she receives, so Join us in supporting Teresa and the Residence by voting today!
SEVEN SPORTS CHANNELS AND NUTHIN'S ON
Fri, 2008-05-23 09:33.It must have been on a night like last night that Bruce Springsteen wrote his famous lament about 57 channels and nothing on. With the Stanley Cup playoffs on a five day hiatus, prime time sports pickings were mighty slim, to the point where I actually found myself looking forward to the basketball game. I realize the Pistons and Celtics in NBA Eastern Conference final is a big deal for hoops fans, but I'm about as well-versed in basketball as Ice Cube is hockey-savvy, so if I'm watching b-ball, you know there's nothing else on. The alternatives last night were Australian Poker on the Score; the US Open Nine Ball Championships on TWO of the four regional Sportsnet channels; the Ms. Fitness USA competition, which sounds like it has potential until it quickly becomes apparent that most of these none-too-delicate flowers look more like Brian Urlacher than Brian Urlacher; Prime Time Sports with Bob "I'm Too Cool to Take Off My Sunglasses Indoors" McCown; and Classic Boxing, which has been a contradiction in terms since about 1980. I didn't bother to surf over to RDS, because in the absence of live hockey or Formula One coverage, it's practically a given that they'd be showing duck pin bowing or mini-putt. It was just as well, because some old friends I hadn't seen in too long dropped by and we did some catching up, which probably did me a lot more good spiritually and intellectually than watching some vacuous filler on sports television. Speaking of vacuous filler, I'm Ted Bird, CHOM Sports.
Friday's Family Fun Guide
Thu, 2008-05-22 08:50.Starting Next friday I will be introducing a weekly feature to my blog.. called " The Friday Family Fun Guide".. it'll list events that are family friendly for that weekend and the coming weekend
If you have a family friend event coming up..email me the details kim@chom.com
and check the guide regularly if you're looking for something to do..!!
k
Friday's Family Fun Guide
Thu, 2008-05-22 08:50.Starting Next friday I will be introducing a weekly feature to my blog.. called " The Friday Family Fun Guide".. it'll list events that are family friendly for that weekend and the coming weekend
If you have a family friend event coming up..email me the details kim@chom.com
and check the guide regularly if you're looking for something to do..!!
k
BARKLEY NEEDS TO IMPROVE THE ODDS
Tue, 2008-05-20 08:40.Charles Barkley says he's going to quit gambling, but don't bet on it. While Barkley probably means well, the NBA Hall of Famer is already setting himself up for a fall by going public with a vow to stop gambling "for a year or two" after reportedly paying off a 400 thousand dollar debt to a Las Vegas casino. By his own admission, Barkley is a problem gambler, but rationalizes by saying he can afford the losses he's racked up over the years - a figure Barkley himself puts at 10 million dollars, which is almost certainly a conservative estimate, coming from a self-admitted casino junkie. A gambling addict saying he can afford to lose is like an alcoholic saying he can afford to drink because he doesn't have cirrhosis of the liver. Addiction is a progressive disease that untreated never gets better, only worse. It's also something that successfully recovering addicts will tell you they didn't conquer by putting a time frame on it - not a year or two, and especially not forever. One day at a time isn't just a hollow platitude uttered at self-help meetings in church basements. It represents a manageable time frame for overcoming destructive obsessive compulsions, and those church basement meetings - whether they're for gamblers, alcoholics or addicts - have a success rate that's second to none, owing in no small part to their anonymity, which isn't about hiding your identity as much as it's about humility. There's no humility in telling a national TV audience you're going to quit gambling. This much you can take to the bank: unless he changes his way of thinking as well as his habits, Charles Barkley is only marking time between bets. Help is out there if wants it, and the signals - above and beyond the obvious - clearly suggest he needs it.
Want to talk to David Suzuki??
Mon, 2008-05-19 08:06.Environmentalist David Suzuki is coming to Montreal this Wednesday (21st)..and he will be our guest "LIVE" in the CHOM studios at 7:40 am..
If you have a question for him.. email me kim@chom.com and we'll get him to answer it for you..
Suzuki is in town for a board meeting...there is a new advisory board office opening in Montreal next week..
Want to talk to David Suzuki??
Mon, 2008-05-19 08:06.Environmentalist David Suzuki is coming to Montreal this Wednesday (21st)..and he will be our guest "LIVE" in the CHOM studios at 7:40 am..
If you have a question for him.. email me kim@chom.com and we'll get him to answer it for you..
Suzuki is in town for a board meeting...there is a new advisory board office opening in Montreal next week..
Want to talk to David Suzuki??
Mon, 2008-05-19 08:06.Environmentalist David Suzuki is coming to Montreal this Wednesday (21st)..and he will be our guest "LIVE" in the CHOM studios at 7:40 am..
If you have a question for him.. email me kim@chom.com and we'll get him to answer it for you..
Suzuki is in town for a board meeting...there is a new advisory board office opening in Montreal next week..
Want to talk to David Suzuki??
Mon, 2008-05-19 08:05.Environmentalist David Suzuki is coming to Montreal this Wednesday (21st)..and he will be our guest "LIVE" in the CHOM studios at 7:40 am..
If you have a question for him.. email me kim@chom.com and we'll get him to answer it for you..
Suzuki is in town for a board meeting...there is a new advisory board office opening in Montreal next week..
Want to talk to David Suzuki??
Mon, 2008-05-19 08:05.Environmentalist David Suzuki is coming to Montreal this Wednesday (21st)..and he will be our guest "LIVE" in the CHOM studios at 7:40 am..
If you have a question for him.. email me kim@chom.com and we'll get him to answer it for you..
Suzuki is in town for a board meeting...there is a new advisory board office opening in Montreal next week..
Want to talk to David Suzuki??
Mon, 2008-05-19 08:05.Environmentalist David Suzuki is coming to Montreal this Wednesday (21st)..and he will be our guest "LIVE" in the CHOM studios at 7:40 am..
If you have a question for him.. email me kim@chom.com and we'll get him to answer it for you..
Suzuki is in town for a board meeting...there is a new advisory board office opening in Montreal next week..
Want to talk to David Suzuki??
Mon, 2008-05-19 08:05.