On your Mark Scheifele's and other matters

I wonder if part of the interest in keeping 18 year old Mark Scheifele with the Winnipeg Jets by fans is that we want this kid to experience the same party we as fans of the Jets are having. Sure it would be better for him to wait, but he's just so excited and enthusiastic and so are we so it builds and builds until finally we win the Stanley Cup. Okay probably not, but his enthusiasm really seems to mirror that of the fans and it's certainly catching.

I noticed at the Jets game yesterday that there were one or two Atlanta Thrashers jerseys in attendence. There are former Atlanta Thrashers fans in Winnipeg. Who knew! Anyways, I was reading comments on TSN's website about the Jets. There was a bitter Atlanta Thrashers fan, and commenters and Winnipegers were sympathetic to his plight (with caveats of course).. but someone made the comment that everyone should all chip in and send him to Winnipeg to see his team here. And I thought, wouldn't that be a brilliant marketing move (and peace offering to thrashers fans) by Travel Manitoba and the Jets organization? Get a few tickets and put together a Winter Wonderland sort of prize pass targeted towards Atlantans. Or Americans in general but use Atlanta as the hook. Maybe a few prize packs for different games. Why not? People in the south probably don't really get what Canada is about, so it could work to build up Winnipeg as a quirky winter destination. Surely there are hotels who would be on board and other people in the travel industry. Why not be proactive? Be creative? Stop coming up with stupid slogans like "It's Manitoba time". God that annoyed the hell out of me. Why are they paying to advertise Manitoba to Manitobans? You never see Winnipeg offered as a destination prize on the Price is Right either, but again, why not? It could lead somewhere. Winnipeg is a mystery place with a funny name to many people. It's like Timbuktu or Ouagadougou, only closer and okay maybe not as warm.

Finally, CBC was supposed to be up and running in HD over the air starting tomorrow Friday September 30th. But a notice on their website says that the ALREADY delayed switchover of a month will be delayed even further. So if you wanted to watch the return of the Jets in HD over the air, guess what, you're sh!t out of luck. But hey, it's not like they had 5 years notice on the digital changeover. Oh wait, they did? They waited until the last minute and finally said they would do Winnipeg because they were forced to? Pathetic.

This is your money funding the CBC. 1-866-306-INFO (4636) is the number to complain to the CBC, but I'd suggest you go further and complain to your member of parliament. The CBC needs to be accountable. This game of delaying the inevitable has to stop. Other countries have a public broadcaster that works for the public. Canada has a public broadcaster that seems to work only for special interests, and throws your money away not on providing you with high quality over the air service, but instead on trying to play in the same league as CTV or Global.

So to reiterate, the return of the Jets on CBC Hockey Night in Canada? WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE OVER THE AIR IN HIGH DEFINITION. Because the CBC is incompetent and seemingly does not have the capability to do their job.

I'd act surprised, but if you've read this blog before, and you've followed the actions of the corporation before in print media, you can see why I'm not.

In Winnipeg

Every game is a playoff game.

Wonder how many standing room only seats they'll have in the playoffs.

Great game tonight, Jets win. Finally found a way past Boucher in the third period.

One is the loneliest number

Unless true north releases single last minute tickets to jets games.. then being single is the best thing ever!  Wonder if this will happen a fair bit during the regular season.. take that,  people in relationships without jets tickets! Bahahahahahaha.  I'm so screwed if I meet someone and fall in love though.  Go to hell, kiss cam.

Cat Burglars stealing my pepperonis

Neighbours cat broke into my house. Got in by breaking the basement window screen. Walked up the stairs, only to find me waiting and scared the heck out of it. THUNK, jumped straight downstairs out the window. Made me close it. Went outside with a flashlight and spooked her a bit more. I'm watchin' you, cat. I think it stole one of my pepperoni sticks and came back for more.

I hate saying goodbye at the airport

The old Winnipeg airport is soon to be mothballed for the new one right next door which will finally be opening up next month.


I don't know if they will be tearing down the old one or not. I hope not, but I wouldn't be surprised if they do. As far as modernist architecture goes, what was once known as the Winnipeg International Airport is my favourite building of that style. I heard they were thinking at one point of putting the manitoba aviation museum in that building.. but that probably fell through. Which would be too bad, because it's also the perfect location for an aviation museum.

As a child, I would run around the airport from novelty to some other novelty. Many of said novelties requesting a tribute of quarters. I played pac-land and learned that pac-land is a quarter eating piece of garbage at the Winnipeg Airport. I played pole position, I played many an arcade game (a few of which are still there!) They also used to have some car game in where the arrivals area is currently. I think they also still have another arcade in behind the departures security zone. Probably still have good old Terminator 2 there.


There was also that weird plane/helicopter flying game that was always broken. They removed it years ago, but I remember it sat there for years. You put money on it and it seemed like it flew around.

I think they also had a sheriffs badge making machine once. I wonder why you don't see those anywhere? Kids today would still love that sort of thing.

Then there were the black and white TV's. Remember those? I watched an episode of Star Trek TNG on MTN one friday night on those. They only got local OTA fuzzy analogue TV. Now they have one big shared TV stuck on one channel (unless you bring in a universal remote.. which I've often been tempted to do)

I mostly remember the games and coin operated mechanisms. I remember sitting bored in the international arrivals basement area a couple times as well.

I also remember the secret basement pop machine that's 25 cents cheaper than the other pop machines. (Of course now they have Pepsi, used to be Coke.. I hate exclusivity contracts when Pepsi has them) Theres neat tunnels down there too.

It's the last place I saw my grandparents and many family members leave. No they didn't die in a plane crash. They just came to visit. I was there as a kid in my pajamas when my mom left with my sister to visit my dying grandmother (her mother) leaving my dad and me alone to eat McDonalds and pizza (Sometimes McDonald's pizza!) for two weeks. I was there when my sister went to Montreal for some French learning related thing, only to return complaining french guys kept hitting on her and talking to her in english, completely defeating the purpose. I remember going to vancouver on a cheap Jetsgo flight and returning a week and a half before they went bankrupt. I had a whole window seat and aisle to myself, but the lack of washroom facilities should have been a sign of what was coming.. but I still have my free jetsgo badge!

I remember my father returning from a few months on Baffin Island with an Ookpik owl for my sister and me. We still have them. Hers looked like a baby snowy owl, mine looked like a penguin.

I'll miss the observation deck. I showed it to my four year old nephew a few months ago. I don't know if the new one will have an observation deck. I somehow doubt it. I hope the new airport has decent (and free and public) areas for people to decompress and relax in.

But like my torn down elementary school (of which my mom managed to save a limestone brick as a memento), everything has its time and place. Winnipeg's airport was around during the heyday of commercial travel. It was there when Winnipeg was a hub. If any building in Winnipeg can be said to have a personality and soul imbued with the memories of the people who came and went, YWG is certainly at the top of the list. Farewell, YWG. Farewell unlimited refills at Harveys. Farewell overpriced DVD's and books at Virgin. Farewell money exchanging kiosk and bothwell cheese store (BEST CHEESE IN THE WORLD), Farewell pocket scissors from 5 years ago I had to throw in the garbage. I hardly knew ye.

I hope the new airport can live up to its predecessor. I hope it can absorb the memories of those in the city and those from outside who visit. I hope its not a cold and impersonal and boring and cold and sterile concrete monstrosity. I hope it gives people who visit a good impression.

But the 7 year old inside me is shuffling his feet and hanging his head down mumbling goodbye to someone he'll likely never see again. Thanks for the memories, airport. Last flights are on Sunday October 30th. New airport opens on Halloween. Oooh Spooky stuff! :)

Breaking news regarding the Canadian Museum for Human Rights

The proposed main tenant has pulled out, so instead of being a museum for human rights it's going to instead be turned into a really big Salisbury House.

Things I learned from the leadership debate tonight

Greg Sellinger has the worst qualities of Al Gore combined with John Kerry. Boring, boring boring. Why is he the leader of the NDP? Why are NDP members happy with this douche? Just keeps bringing up nonsense retorts to arguments. That he's likely to win is horrible. "Jon Gerrad admitted he made a mistake! He makes mistakes! But we're perfect! hurpdedurr I'm such a douche"

Green Party guy. I'm surprised they let him in, and he was very unpolished. His ideas, or at least those of his party, are nonsensical to me. Free transit? Stupid. There are enough smelly people stinking up the buses. I'd rather have an additional transit rebate from the province for buying a monthly pass.

Liberals/Jon Gerrard. While I don't personally believe youth drop in centers are enough to stop violent crime, otherwise, I found him sincere and measured and considerate. Maybe I'll throw my vote away on him.

Conservatives/Hugh McFadyen. Talking Points, Talking Points, Talking Points! Oh, have I TALKING POINTS yet? TALKING POINTS! This is what I hate about the federal Conservatives, and obviously the same people are micromanaging things provincially. Good luck with that. Not impressive really.

Ideal (best case scenario) situation would be a minority NDP government with the liberals holding the balance of power to keep them somewhat in check.

PARTY AT THE FORKS

October 9!

From CJOB.com:
"The Winnipeg Jets have announced that fans not attending the Oct 9th Regular Season Home Opener at MTS Centre vs the Montreal canadiens will be able to watch the game at The Forks. This family-friendly event will start at noon with live-entertainment, followed by the CBC Hockey Night in Canada broadcast of the game starting at 3:00 p.m."

Should be fun!

New provincial flag design in Manitoba is popular

So popular that I saw a flagpole in the backyard of a building on Jefferson near pipeline that had the provincial flag in the dominant position in largest size, while the Canadian flag was tiny in comparison lower on the pole.

Did I say provincial flag? I meant the Winnipeg jets flag. Welcome to jets country. all other allegiances pale in comparison.

Also saw a vehicle in the keewatin area with two individuals putting up Conservative signs, and they had a large NDP sign underneath those signs in their vehicle.. Now I didn't witness any actual sign removal, but it strikes me as suspicious. Hopefully there aren't any shenannigans going on in that area or any others for that matter...

Conservatives plan to push draconian copyright law at behest of their American and EU overlords

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110913/03331815927/canada-plans-to-re-introduce-bad-copyright-plan-with-damaging-digital-locks-provisions-with-no-additional-consultation.shtml

You know what, I know Federal politics and Provincial politics aren't one and the same, but this bullshit is one of the reasons why I didn't vote for the Conservatives in the last election, and now I won't vote for them provincially either. Sorry Hugh, you're guilty by association. Any government that tries to pass this off as anything but corporate welfare for media cartels is a fool. Liberals, Conservatives, anyone who votes for them, convince me why you're not all idiots right now.

There was an opportunity to do this right, there was an opportunity to listen to the citizens of this country. But the Conservatives clearly work for a small segment of society. Anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves.

Yes I'm mad. If you think this is just about downloading music you're an idiot. If you think this is about rewarding musicians and performers, you're an idiot. This is about controlling free speech, about shutting down the internet as we know it. And it's a blatant and ignorant sellout of Canada.

CTV Fall Preview tour

The CTV Fall Preview tour takes off in Halifax at Mic Mac Mall on August 19-21
Arriving in Montreal at Le Mail Champlain on August 24-25
Arriving in Ottawa at Bayshore Shopping Centre on August 27 – 28
Arriving in Calgary at CrossIron Mills on September 2-4
Arriving in Vancouver at Metrotown in Metropolis on September 9-11
Arriving in Edmonton City Centre on September 15-17
Arriving in Toronto at Vaughan Mills on September 23-25

Hmmmmm....

Somethings missing....

Why are they skipping Regina?

I assume they couldn't find any mall space in Winnipeg to do it here. No point in doing it at Portage Place.

Or maybe they just don't give a crap about Winnipeg.

Jon Gerrard's Crickets

So Dr. Jon Gerrard, leader of the Provincial Liberal Party, is campaigning. I'm watching CTV news in high def and he's discussing some platform early in the day, and all I hear in the background are crickets. Bad timing/planning or brilliant controlled release of crickets by the Conservatives and/or NDP.

Or maybe the crickets were a figment of my imagination?

Things to do today:

1. Nothing

Mission accomplished.

Oh wait, I just did something.

Damnit!