Robert Latimer will be released from prison immediately. The right decision.
He should be allowed to return to his farm near Wilkie SK, and required to report to a parole officer weekly. For the rest of the sentence.
Nothing is to be gained by having him establish some sort of life in Ottawa, when his life is at his farm.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Insiders' Perspectives
Last night at a meeting I attended, I sat beside a more avid curling fan than I am. She has been ill, so I asked her if she had seen the Scotties last week. Yes, she had, and immediately went on a bit of a rant about the commentary. Since she had been bed-ridden, or couch-ridden, she had seen pretty well every game. Without slagging Mr Harris anymore, I will just say that she felt that he talked too much and came across as a know-it-all. She didn't want to hear what he thought the skip would do for her next shot either.
Spend a bit of time reading the posted comments on Joan McCuster's blog on the CBC website. I sent in a comment making this point, which has not been posted, so it wasn't me who started this discussion about Mike Harris.
Read "Dennis" who offers up the view that Harris comes across as "Mr Know-it-all."
In spite of comments on this blog from the curling community, it's time to let it go. The point has been made. Let's hope that when the semis and finals of the Strauss Canada Cup are shown on the CBC this weekend, that the commentary is less biased, more sparse, and broader in its perspective.
Spend a bit of time reading the posted comments on Joan McCuster's blog on the CBC website. I sent in a comment making this point, which has not been posted, so it wasn't me who started this discussion about Mike Harris.
Read "Dennis" who offers up the view that Harris comes across as "Mr Know-it-all."
In spite of comments on this blog from the curling community, it's time to let it go. The point has been made. Let's hope that when the semis and finals of the Strauss Canada Cup are shown on the CBC this weekend, that the commentary is less biased, more sparse, and broader in its perspective.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Seems Others Agree Wiith Me!
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/curling/mccusker/
Well, I'm not the only one who thinks that Mike overdoes it. Log on to Joan McCusker's blog at the CBC (above) and read comments after the last 3 or 4 entries.
Like I said, Joan pulled the telecast out of the embers. Constant yakking by the analysts and host, too much negativity, and talking at breakneck speed. Let's hope that Mike reads the recent Globe and Mail article about the speed of talking.
Fear of "dead air" seems to grip them. For the fans, "dead air" isn't bad! It gives us time to watch, consider, and look ahead.
Well, I'm not the only one who thinks that Mike overdoes it. Log on to Joan McCusker's blog at the CBC (above) and read comments after the last 3 or 4 entries.
Like I said, Joan pulled the telecast out of the embers. Constant yakking by the analysts and host, too much negativity, and talking at breakneck speed. Let's hope that Mike reads the recent Globe and Mail article about the speed of talking.
Fear of "dead air" seems to grip them. For the fans, "dead air" isn't bad! It gives us time to watch, consider, and look ahead.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
2008 Scotties and the CBC
As often is the case, the games BEFORE the big game are often the better ones. We've seen that many times in the Grey Cup, the Brier, and in the Scotties. This afternoon's final was a good game, but not one of the best.
Congratulations to Manitoba on their win today! They will do Canada proud at the Worlds in March.
The CBC crew did much better today than yesterday, but there is still a way to go. Joan bailed Mike out a few times, when he said such stupid things as "Jennifer Jones would like to...." while Alberta was still playing its rock. He had no idea what Jennifer Jones would like to do; he had his personal opinion about what HE would do, but that is not what Jennifer Jones might do. Joan was gentle enough to say that there was an alternative to what Harris was saying, and on occasion, he even grudgingly acknowledged it. There's an old saying, "There's more than one way to skin a cat." Harris would do well to consider this, as an analyst, and maybe even as a skip. Thinking outside the box is a creative way to solve problems.
Analysts who listen to the tape after a game often catch such repetitions as "a huge error," or "a critical mistake," or "a big mistake." Viewers can see these mistakes; if I had to guess, I'd say that anyone watching the Scotties final is someone who knows the game, knows a lot of strategy, and probably has played the game. So they don't have to be told, repeatedly, that something is a "huge mistake." Remember when Harris told us that "this is going to be heavy and wide"? Good grief. Everyoone watching could see that. Telling the viewers the obvious is pretty new-analyst behaviour. Better say nothing, than to report the obvious.
Joan was far more objective in her analysis of the final than was Harris. She deserves a lot of credit for the overall quality of the content.
The telestrater didn't work most of the 2 days of games, so fortunately Harris didn't use it much. The sound in the interviews was out of sync with the talking heads; quite distracting to viewers.
Most viewers would tell the CBC, and TSN, not to talk when the athletes are discussing strategy. That's what we are interested in hearing, not the ideas of the analysist (at least not while the athletes are reviewing their options). And, at the end of any game, trying to talk over the cheering and the tears isn't a good idea. Let the game and the camera, tell the story.
The CBC opted not to give us any shots of the Alberta team. The tears are part of the game. This really is censorship, not just being kind. Perhaps in the moments after the loss, that's fair, but not one shot of the team during the lead up to trophy presentation? The question is where to draw the line. For my money, the CBC drew it way too far away; the reaction of the Alberta team is part of the game, part of the telecast.
It was and is a tremendous loss for Alberta, and no doubt Kleibrink will assume all the load. Yes, she missed her shot, but had others made theirs along the way, it might not have come down to that. Much was riding on this game, for both teams.
In the final analysis, it has been a long week for the last few teams standing. Nixon looked tired today. No doubt that ALL of them are exhausted. Anyone who says that curling isn't a sport, should just spend the week watching this competition. Or the Brier. These weeks require the lighest levels of physical fitness and mental preparation. I hear this in coaching courses I facilitate: "curling and bowling aren't sports because you don't have to be in any kind of shape to do them." Well, the reason people on the street don't do gymnastics or synchro is because they aren't well trained and in good enough shape to do them. And they certainly aren't in the sort of shape that theese athletes are in.
Curling is a great sport, probably the best spectator sport going. It's great to have so much on TV, and to have some of the finest teams in the world in Canada.
We're looking forward to the Brier coming up early next month; let's hope the two TV networks spend some time evaluating their work on the Scotties.
Congratulations to Manitoba on their win today! They will do Canada proud at the Worlds in March.
The CBC crew did much better today than yesterday, but there is still a way to go. Joan bailed Mike out a few times, when he said such stupid things as "Jennifer Jones would like to...." while Alberta was still playing its rock. He had no idea what Jennifer Jones would like to do; he had his personal opinion about what HE would do, but that is not what Jennifer Jones might do. Joan was gentle enough to say that there was an alternative to what Harris was saying, and on occasion, he even grudgingly acknowledged it. There's an old saying, "There's more than one way to skin a cat." Harris would do well to consider this, as an analyst, and maybe even as a skip. Thinking outside the box is a creative way to solve problems.
Analysts who listen to the tape after a game often catch such repetitions as "a huge error," or "a critical mistake," or "a big mistake." Viewers can see these mistakes; if I had to guess, I'd say that anyone watching the Scotties final is someone who knows the game, knows a lot of strategy, and probably has played the game. So they don't have to be told, repeatedly, that something is a "huge mistake." Remember when Harris told us that "this is going to be heavy and wide"? Good grief. Everyoone watching could see that. Telling the viewers the obvious is pretty new-analyst behaviour. Better say nothing, than to report the obvious.
Joan was far more objective in her analysis of the final than was Harris. She deserves a lot of credit for the overall quality of the content.
The telestrater didn't work most of the 2 days of games, so fortunately Harris didn't use it much. The sound in the interviews was out of sync with the talking heads; quite distracting to viewers.
Most viewers would tell the CBC, and TSN, not to talk when the athletes are discussing strategy. That's what we are interested in hearing, not the ideas of the analysist (at least not while the athletes are reviewing their options). And, at the end of any game, trying to talk over the cheering and the tears isn't a good idea. Let the game and the camera, tell the story.
The CBC opted not to give us any shots of the Alberta team. The tears are part of the game. This really is censorship, not just being kind. Perhaps in the moments after the loss, that's fair, but not one shot of the team during the lead up to trophy presentation? The question is where to draw the line. For my money, the CBC drew it way too far away; the reaction of the Alberta team is part of the game, part of the telecast.
It was and is a tremendous loss for Alberta, and no doubt Kleibrink will assume all the load. Yes, she missed her shot, but had others made theirs along the way, it might not have come down to that. Much was riding on this game, for both teams.
In the final analysis, it has been a long week for the last few teams standing. Nixon looked tired today. No doubt that ALL of them are exhausted. Anyone who says that curling isn't a sport, should just spend the week watching this competition. Or the Brier. These weeks require the lighest levels of physical fitness and mental preparation. I hear this in coaching courses I facilitate: "curling and bowling aren't sports because you don't have to be in any kind of shape to do them." Well, the reason people on the street don't do gymnastics or synchro is because they aren't well trained and in good enough shape to do them. And they certainly aren't in the sort of shape that theese athletes are in.
Curling is a great sport, probably the best spectator sport going. It's great to have so much on TV, and to have some of the finest teams in the world in Canada.
We're looking forward to the Brier coming up early next month; let's hope the two TV networks spend some time evaluating their work on the Scotties.
CBC and the Scotties
Yesterday's production of the semifinal of the Scotties was one of the poorest CBC undertakings I've watched for a long time.
I'm a sports fan. I watch every curling game, football game, amateur sport, university sport and almost every minute of the Olympics. So I've logged a lot of hours!
We all agree that Don Wittman will be difficult to replace, so Bruce Rainie will get a bit of slack. It doesn't sound as if he has watched a lot of curling, at least at this level, but that's not the most annoying part of yesterday's telecast.
The most upsetting aspect was Mike Harris' obvious bias toward Ontario. It wasn't so much beating on Manitoba, but it was giving way more air time to Middaugh, and more positive comments about her and the team.
Most curling fans feel for Sherry. She's a fine curler and frankly, in the last year has developed mentally well beyond where she was before. Having lived in Saskatchewan for many years, I watched her and discussed her team's work with avid curling fans. And I give her more than full marks for her fine development in the mental aspect of the game.
But this is about the telecast.
Not only did Mr Harris demonstrate bias towards Ontario's team, he talked much too much, and he overanalysed the game. It was more than annoying. It was as if he was afraid to let the curlers show their abilities to analyse the game. It is THEIR game. What HE would do or WOULD HAVE DONE is immaterial. He is no greater expert than either of the teams on the ice yesterday.
So, today, can we have some "dead air"? The mics on the athletes have given the game to the TV viewers. Let us listen to the athletes, let US think about what they are doing, and let US decide how good the outcome is.
I'm a sports fan. I watch every curling game, football game, amateur sport, university sport and almost every minute of the Olympics. So I've logged a lot of hours!
We all agree that Don Wittman will be difficult to replace, so Bruce Rainie will get a bit of slack. It doesn't sound as if he has watched a lot of curling, at least at this level, but that's not the most annoying part of yesterday's telecast.
The most upsetting aspect was Mike Harris' obvious bias toward Ontario. It wasn't so much beating on Manitoba, but it was giving way more air time to Middaugh, and more positive comments about her and the team.
Most curling fans feel for Sherry. She's a fine curler and frankly, in the last year has developed mentally well beyond where she was before. Having lived in Saskatchewan for many years, I watched her and discussed her team's work with avid curling fans. And I give her more than full marks for her fine development in the mental aspect of the game.
But this is about the telecast.
Not only did Mr Harris demonstrate bias towards Ontario's team, he talked much too much, and he overanalysed the game. It was more than annoying. It was as if he was afraid to let the curlers show their abilities to analyse the game. It is THEIR game. What HE would do or WOULD HAVE DONE is immaterial. He is no greater expert than either of the teams on the ice yesterday.
So, today, can we have some "dead air"? The mics on the athletes have given the game to the TV viewers. Let us listen to the athletes, let US think about what they are doing, and let US decide how good the outcome is.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
What an Embarassment!
The dreaded LVEC in Kingston appears to be still a work in progress.
Why anyone thought the facility should be open, or even could be ready, for February 22, 2008 is well beyond most people's understanding.
The Fire Department hasn't cleared the building as of 1.15pm today, and the city will make an announcement later this afternoon. What a farce.
This morning, I asked a clerk if she was going to the Frontenac's game on Friday evening. She laughed. Then, she asked me if I thought the building would be ready. She said that she would laugh when they had to have the OHL game in the Memorial Centre. "I wonder if IT will be ready to use?" she asked, laughing.
The process of site selection, management, fund-raising will be a good "case study" for some MBA program. What not to do to get "buy-in" from the community, how not to get community input, tricks to not reaching the fund-raising target, how a council and mayor can sabotage the project, why "design/build" is the wrong way to build your 'showcase' facility....there are so many lessons to be learned here.
Let's hope that other cities study this sad situation, and learn from it.
The next municipal election can't come soon enough for a lot of citizens.
Why anyone thought the facility should be open, or even could be ready, for February 22, 2008 is well beyond most people's understanding.
The Fire Department hasn't cleared the building as of 1.15pm today, and the city will make an announcement later this afternoon. What a farce.
This morning, I asked a clerk if she was going to the Frontenac's game on Friday evening. She laughed. Then, she asked me if I thought the building would be ready. She said that she would laugh when they had to have the OHL game in the Memorial Centre. "I wonder if IT will be ready to use?" she asked, laughing.
The process of site selection, management, fund-raising will be a good "case study" for some MBA program. What not to do to get "buy-in" from the community, how not to get community input, tricks to not reaching the fund-raising target, how a council and mayor can sabotage the project, why "design/build" is the wrong way to build your 'showcase' facility....there are so many lessons to be learned here.
Let's hope that other cities study this sad situation, and learn from it.
The next municipal election can't come soon enough for a lot of citizens.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
LVEC Opening
The mostly secret opening of the LVEC in downtown Kingston will be on February 22, 2008 from 11.30-1pm in the ice surface area of the building. Enter by the Barrack Street entrance, and be seated in the lower seating area by 11.45am.
Don't forget your camera!
Don't forget your camera!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Harassment
Harassment is a serious offence.
Being charged with harassment is a blight on one's reputation that sticks, whether or not a conviction results.
You know who you are, and I know who you are.
Being charged with harassment is a blight on one's reputation that sticks, whether or not a conviction results.
You know who you are, and I know who you are.
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