It snowed today in Ottawa for the first time in weeks. The snow lasted about four hours. Remember as kids that when the week before Christmas rolled around, you already had cracks worn into your boots from the ice, snow and cold? ...
If Ottawa-Gatineau is the fourth-largest urban area in Canada, why is it so bloomin' impossible for municipal Capital politicians to do the right thing -- build a north-south and an east-west rapid transit train/subway line, with a downtown tunnel, sometime before the Toronto Olympic Games? What's that you say? Toronto hasn't been awarded an Olympic Games? Think about it ...
The Philadelphia 76ers traded Allen Iverson, a.k.a. The Answer, to the Denver Nuggets (pending approval from the NBA's head office). It's one of the biggest developments of the young season, coming on the heels of the "brawl" between the Nuggets and the New York Knicks on Friday night. I love basketball and I often wonder what comes over these young men when they start throwing haymakers, like the recently suspended Nuggets superstar Carmelo "Bitch-slap-tha-mo'fo-'n-run" Anthony. His years as an endorsement vacuum, sucking millions of dollars out of the economy and into his pocket, are over. Sidle up to Barry Bonds and see how much you enjoy the view, 'Melo ...
Liberal Party Leader Stéphane Dion, Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, NDP Leader Jack Layton and millions of Canadians have finally persuaded Prime Minister Stephen Harper that the environment should be one of his top priorities for the duration of his government. If he hadn't so completely failed to do anything useful with his Clean Air Act (when he was in full control of the agenda on climate change), and if the duration of the government didn't coincide with the date my orange juice will finally go rancid, I might believe him. "Top priority" means "defuse issue before next election" in Harperese. Am I concerned about the environment? Do I think things have changed since I was a kid? Refer to today's snowfall in Ottawa for proof of my feelings ...
Mark my words -- the Toronto Raptors are the next major league team in the Big Smoke to win a championship. Not the Leafs, not the Jays, not the way those clubs are managed ...
Christmas is my least favourite holiday. I like aspects of it -- getting together with family, relaxing, playing games, enjoying the company of loved ones -- but I detest the way it has been taken over by corporate interests. I wish I could skip the December 23 to 28 period altogether and head straight for New Year's Eve.
Plus, the whole "Christ's birthday" is also problematic. It's like the recent celebrations for Fidel Castro's birthday. It should have been celebrated months ago, but because he was sick they were put off. Even then the man of honour didn't show up. It's the same with Christmas. The birth of Jesus is not believed to have happened at all in the month of December, and he never shows up for it. Unless the guy in the red suit is Jesus. Didn't The Son of Man spend forty days and forty nights in the desert? Must be a pretty plentiful desert ...
George W. Bush is an idiot. Okay, it's not a profoundly original thought, but it crossed my mind ...
I've been reading The Hanging of Angelique, the book about Canadian slavery written by Afua Cooper. It's brilliant, and if you don't have a copy, you should. It's the definitive work describing the reality in opposition to Canada's greatest myth -- that slavery did not happen here. Shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Award for Non-Fiction, it's a crying shame the book didn't win. And on top of that, Dr. Cooper is a fantastic dub performer and one of the humblest, kindest poet/writers I've ever met. She's a Canadian hero (or heroine, depending on your level of sexism) ...
Ottawa's airport is nice now that the new terminal is operational. But it's still undersized for a city of its size and importance. It's nice, though. Does anyone remember coming in the front doors of the old terminal, practically tripping over people trying to drag their luggage off the baggage claim carousels? I thought I was in an airport in Jamaica or something. It was nutty. But I wish I were on an airplane to Jamaica right now. Does Canjet fly there now? ...
Ground chicken is far superior to ground beef. But is it better to be a vegetarian? Given all the recent scares with contaminated produce, and people getting sick from E. coli and botulism, I'm not so sure these days. I wonder if the militant vegetarians are a little less smug these days? ...
Be sure to read my column in the City Journal (www.cityjournal.ca), where I have a bi-weekly arts and entertainment column called Shine. I've already profiled The Souljazz Orchestra, Amanda Rheaume and her weekly open mic in Old Ottawa South, and DJ Ben Jammin. My next column will appear on January 3, 2007 ...
Everyone, have a good holiday and try not to overeat during the festive season. I'll be chillin' at home, eating fried plantains and watching basketball. Can't wait for this year to be over. Here's hoping 2007 will be a better than this year ...
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all that jazz!
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