Monday, March 27, 2006
Hockey versus Politics
Last year, I found myself so disgusted with politics that I started avoiding the front page of the paper in favour of the sports section. At the time it looked like Harper was misplaying his hand, and that Martin would be able to pimp the Dippers until a spring election returned another Liberal government.
It was so disgusting I had to look away.
Since the January election, I've been avoiding the front pages again--not because it's disgusting, but just because it's boring. Well, either boring or insane--like the Battle of Khartoon.
I don't really care about the internal machinations of a Tory government. I don't really care about whether Peter Mackay was awarded Foreign Affairs as a prize for hard slogging, or as a firework designed to illuminate the man's deep shallowness. I don't care about the Liberal "race"--a competition so shockingly pathetic that Belinda Stronach (insert DSM-IV Axis 2 reference here) is straightfacedly described as a front-runner.
As a cynical Canadian libertarianoid, I ask of my government only two things, really: (1) cut my taxes, and (2) don't piss me off too much.
The second probably requires some explanation.
I fully expect to be pissed off a lot by any Canadian government. Bombardier will continue to turn wealth into ashes. The Wheat Board will continue to try to prove that black is white, and will do so on my dime. The CRTC will continue to insist that I be entertained and educated only in a fashion Approved By The State.
But I don't need to have my face shoved in this pile of ordure. And as long as the government mostly stays out of my face, I'm not going to rush the barricades.
Harper's only been PM for a couple of months. He hasn't had a chance to do anything yet. So far he hasn't pissed me off too much, which is all I'm asking for. But I'll be scuppered if I'm going to blog about it. I've got nothing to say, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
So I'm back to the sports pages, and trying not to go crazy over my sadsack Vancouver Canucks.
For them to make the playoffs, realistically they've got to beat out Edmonton and Los Angeles. I don't think L.A. should be too tough--although as I write this the 'Nuckleheads are in tough against the Kings. It's the Oilers that are giving me the heebiejeebies lately. Not only do I think we're not going to beat them, I honestly don't think we deserve to. The Canucks have underachieved since at least Christmas. They have played like a team of Tin Men for months, and a team like that won't get anywhere in the playoffs even if the Oilers collapse out of the top 8.
Or maybe there's a simpler, psychological explanation for my ennui. Maybe I can only function as a contrarian. Now that my (Tory) team won the election, I have to find another team to grouse about--and thank goodness, I've got the craptacular Canucks!
Ahem.
Go Sens go!
It was so disgusting I had to look away.
Since the January election, I've been avoiding the front pages again--not because it's disgusting, but just because it's boring. Well, either boring or insane--like the Battle of Khartoon.
I don't really care about the internal machinations of a Tory government. I don't really care about whether Peter Mackay was awarded Foreign Affairs as a prize for hard slogging, or as a firework designed to illuminate the man's deep shallowness. I don't care about the Liberal "race"--a competition so shockingly pathetic that Belinda Stronach (insert DSM-IV Axis 2 reference here) is straightfacedly described as a front-runner.
As a cynical Canadian libertarianoid, I ask of my government only two things, really: (1) cut my taxes, and (2) don't piss me off too much.
The second probably requires some explanation.
I fully expect to be pissed off a lot by any Canadian government. Bombardier will continue to turn wealth into ashes. The Wheat Board will continue to try to prove that black is white, and will do so on my dime. The CRTC will continue to insist that I be entertained and educated only in a fashion Approved By The State.
But I don't need to have my face shoved in this pile of ordure. And as long as the government mostly stays out of my face, I'm not going to rush the barricades.
Harper's only been PM for a couple of months. He hasn't had a chance to do anything yet. So far he hasn't pissed me off too much, which is all I'm asking for. But I'll be scuppered if I'm going to blog about it. I've got nothing to say, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
So I'm back to the sports pages, and trying not to go crazy over my sadsack Vancouver Canucks.
For them to make the playoffs, realistically they've got to beat out Edmonton and Los Angeles. I don't think L.A. should be too tough--although as I write this the 'Nuckleheads are in tough against the Kings. It's the Oilers that are giving me the heebiejeebies lately. Not only do I think we're not going to beat them, I honestly don't think we deserve to. The Canucks have underachieved since at least Christmas. They have played like a team of Tin Men for months, and a team like that won't get anywhere in the playoffs even if the Oilers collapse out of the top 8.
Or maybe there's a simpler, psychological explanation for my ennui. Maybe I can only function as a contrarian. Now that my (Tory) team won the election, I have to find another team to grouse about--and thank goodness, I've got the craptacular Canucks!
Ahem.
Go Sens go!
