I'm Getting Old - Politics and Wordy Words

Or... [Why Am I Talking Politics? - I don't...know]

Canada's #1 entertainment export, owned by America.

First, let me say I say I believe in Evolution; not just in the Darwinian sense but in the Opinionated Matters Sense. People are born to form opinions and if we are lucky, we are given the ability to evolve those opinions into other opinions. Then those opinions evolve into other opinions. The same goes with Values, Morals, Codes of Conduct, Religion, Politics, Cheating.

At its most base level at one time we all thought it was okay to pick our nose whenever we felt like it; hopefully that time was in elementary school. Then as we grew social ostracizing made us evolve our opinion that it was best to pick one's nose discreetly. Then it evolved again into 'just around family' until we get so old we just say 'fuck it, I'll pick my nose where ever the damn hell I want to.'.

That said, I've been a Canadian Conservative supporter for over a decade - primarily for their focus on Western Provinces in their early years; Preston Manning (great name) was a solid person in those early years and I respected that. I respected the party, laughed at the Conservative Reform Alliance Party (CRAP for short) and that they were the underdog for many years trying to unhook the claws of Liberal dominance in the Canadian Parliament.

But things change, people and opinions evolve. I've been having lots of issues with the way the government has been run since the Conservatives have gained majority power; our nationality is being sold and chipped away through the guise of 'foreign investment'. Our major natural resources are being plundered by other nations with minimal investment in Canada as a country. Privacy issues, the attempt of rebranding Canada as a military power on the national stage and of course, the direction we are taking in persecuting non-Christian based religions both inside our borders and overseas is well...making my opinions evolve into what I want my Canada to be come next election.

This is a piece of propaganda posted by a Conservative Wannabe MP. It reads indicatively of why my opinion is evolving from pro-con to pro-next party please. It's a small speech but to me, representative of a government that is no longer acting in the best interests of Canadians. There is no pledge to national ownership and patriotism but a hastily assembled dubious claims made up by a speechwriter who seems to have a generic template on his Microsoft Office software for these occasions. 

Right/wrong? Feel free to add your comments.

Winners of the 2014 NHL Draft now that nobody cares...

Winners:

#1 The Philadelphia Flyer fans.

It's amazing to me that thousands of Philadelphia fans showed up at the Spectrum (is it still called that?) to watch a bunch of grown men basically play the real version of a fantasy hockey draft. But then I heard what they did during roll call and I thought 'That's fuckin' Awesome.' Thank you, Philly fans for what I hope is going to be a yearly tradition because if there is anything that yells out SUCKS more than 24 hours of dedicated TSN coverage, its the NHL entry draft.


#2 Mickael Grabvoski 

I admit i have a soft spot for the guy - he was a steady contributor in my own dynasty fantasy pool up until he was moved to a defensive role thanks to Randy Caryle (SUCKS). Getting out of Toronto was great, the 1st game hat trick with Washington led to some hopeful thoughts of years past production but he wasn't able to put up Ovie-like numbers (35 points in 58 games) as the 3rd, sometimes 2nd line center.

Yet he did well enough to earn a $2 million dollar raise in the eyes of the New York Islanders who see the potential in the fighting Finn. Or Russian. Anyways, Behind Tavares and Nilson and on a team that threatened to make Islander jokes a thing of the past, he should make a decent fit in a team that desperately needs to remember they used to be a Dynasty. Speaking of other teams that really under-performed last season...

A good article explaining Hockey to The English.

In an effort to move that previous post down a notch as its been visually hampering Ogie's blog layout, here's a picture I find amusing and a link to a blog post explaining hockey to English soccer/football fans.

Quick New Dad Refresher...

On the Difference Between Being Selfless and Selfish

Just a short rant that's been bugging me over the weekend.


This is the line that has been drawn in the BC Teacher's Dispute (it's gone way past just being a 'strike' in my opinion).

Its that line between being selfish and selfless.

Teachers, by their definition are selfless - they, along with the thousands of others in health care, social services and non-profit volunteer agencies are selfless. Its an admirable trait we say. I could never do it, say others.

Yet look at them, out on strike - being selfish. They should be ashamed of themselves, holding the future of our children hostage.

You know who says that? Selfish people.

Don't get me wrong. We need selfish people - they are the ones that see the Big Picture in a different way. They see the necessity of pain and sacrifice (usually for others, not themselves). They are the ones that think the other person is the asshole and stopping the evolution of progress. Selfish people are the ones that cause change immediately, they shout and scream and break things, such as contracts, laws, weaker people. Selfish people are the ones that expect to be paid first and wouldn't have it any other way. They might contribute to charity; if you don't know, don't worry- they will tell you. They are the politicians, the financial wizards, the ones that are in mid-management positions and won't risk a thing for the betterment of all because they have everything to lose, which in reality is nothing truly tangible; it's an intangible. It's their sense of self.

If those selfish people were to suddenly become selfless, they would lose their sense of identity, the anchor of their entire value system.

It's a rare person who can balance the selfish side of the ego with the selfless side; Jim Iker has that in spades. Fassbender and Clark don't. They are selfish-heavy. While they may believe that they are doing what's best for BC, the enormity of the situation and the facts against them, the other options they have, the lack of selflessness in their decisions showcase not only the crutch of this dispute but also the values system that we are leaning towards; a values system leaning on individuality, not society.

 So while Clark and Fassbender and their sheeple tell you that the teachers are being selfish; be mad. They represent those members of society that lead by their selflessness. Your nurse is underpaid and overworked in comparison to your doctor. Your welfare worker is underpaid and overworked compared to the middle manager formulating budgets and cutting services. Your teacher is underpaid and overworked in comparison to your financial adviser.

It is time for the selfless to start being selfish. Being selfless is now no longer an honorable trait to have, only a trait for the selfish to exploit.

And once the selfish see that you no longer care what they think; that you too are willing to be selfish for the Big Picture, then things will change. Just don't look in the mass media for your messiah - they can only be found in the mirror.