February 2009 Archives
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« January 2009 | | March 2009 » Page 1 of 5 » February 28, 2009 @ 13:31
Canadian Somali Congress Hello Mr. Patterson, I read your blog entry this morning titled "Blame The White Guy." After reviewing the facts contained in that blog, I have to agree with you on all the points that you raised. We in the Canadian Somali Congress, the national advocacy organization representing Canadians of Somali heritage, do not see this as a racial issue. We believe that the police and the crown have behaved in a professional manner and that the problem lies in the lack of witnesses who are willing to come forward. Regards, Website: www.canadiansomalicongress.com Category: Stuff
February 28, 2009 @ 13:30
White people get handled different than brown folk? You mean like how the media put so much emphasis on Jane Creba, a pretty middle class white girl that was killed in Toronto? Anyone remember the brown folk killed in a drive by while attending a funeral? You know Fred, the part where YOUR industry focuses on the death of middle class white folks because it sells. A pretty white girl that gets shot at the Eaton Center is no more tragic than a fat ugly brown girl getting shot. Just one sells more papers/brings in more ratings than the other. So maybe that's why they feel so pissed ? You remind me of an American Bush voter. You can't seem to understand why the rest of the world thought he was a tool. I'd love for you to be a minority for a while man.. but the closest thing you'll get to a minority is having a double burrito at Taco Bell Mark Irvine
And by the way, because my wife is "brown" my kids are racially mixed. My wife's birth certificate has "coloured" stamped across it. Her family lived in a one bedroom apartment in Scarborough with nothing but mattresses on the floor and they worked thier butts off to eventually buy a beautiful home and live a comfortable and safe life in Canada. I know its cool for psuedo intellectuals like yourself to look beyond the obvious and complicate things. But that is the root problem, parenting. Fix that and we go a long way in fixing the over-all problem. Gang related drives bys are a tad different. You talk big, but you really are an ignoramous. And by the way, I never go to Taco Bell, I much prefer curry. My mother in law makes the best chicken curry on earth. Category: Stuff
February 27, 2009 @ 08:52
A year ago 18-year-old Abdikarim Ahmed Abdikarim was killed and five others wounded in a brazen shooting at a housing complex in the city's west end. Although captured on video, yesterday the crown determined there wasn't enough evidence to go forward with the trial, so the accused, Owen Anthony Smith and Wendell Damian Cuff were set free. The video failed to supply positive identification, but more importantly, the five wounded men refused to come forward with any information so the prosecution was screwed. The whole thing came back to a growing problem in Toronto, the refusal of victims to "snitch" fearing backlash. Unfortunately, there are those who choose to take it in a completely different direction. You can understand the disraught family of the murder victim lashing out and blaming everyone and everything for what happened, but there are no excuses for the words of Osman Ali, head of the Somali Canadian Association yesterday. He took the race route "What's another black Somali who's been killed?" he asked as others nodded. "We feel it would have been handled in a different way if he was a white Canadian." How the hell can this become a race issue? The video failed to provide positive identification and five eye witnesses refused to speak. What could anyone in the "white" community have done differently without eye witnesses? Ali went on to say this. "It's more painful when the justice system fails you than when the criminals do," he said. What? Police used a couple of "tips" and made lightning quick arrests in the case, but to nail it down they needed eye witnesses, and even though they had five, in the end they had none. The justice system didn't fail Abdikarim Ahmed Abdikarim, his five buddies failed him. But instead facing the facts, Osman Ali prefers to take a wild turn and run it up the over-used, broken down and heavily abused racism road. And frankly, as a white Canadian I'm offended. Category: Stuff
She's A Darlin' February 26, 2009 @ 08:19
I thoroughly enjoyed doing the show because it was wide open. I was never given any boundaries and it was fun to bang heads with Donna, Mark and whoever "the other" guest was. There was something about doing "Live @ 5:30" that put me in a comfort zone that always left me wanting more, in fact in the back of my mind I was constantly thinking of ways I could unseat Hebscher and thus become the permanent co-host of "Live @ 5:30" with the delectable Donna. Unfortunately for me, head transplants are not yet possible, so Hebshcer was safe. Meanwhile, it appears that if something doesn't happen quickly, nobody will be hosting "Live @ 5:30" because CHCH won't exist. During my frequent visits to the station over a two year period I got a weird vibe in the halls. Canwest was pulling all kinds of weird moves and it was making the staff feel uneasy. The company is in dire financial straights and part of their recent repositioning strategy was to put CHCH up for sale, a wonderful TV station with a fabulous history of community service and local programming. Something Canwest never seemed to respect. Since buying the station a few years ago they've ripped it to shreds, and word is, if they can't find a buyer soon the station could shut down within weeks robbing Hamilton of what is rightfully theirs. However, Donna Skelly has come up with an idea to save CHCH while keeping it out of corporate hands. It's ambitious and there will be a few mountains to climb, but you've got to give the woman credit for taking action. Yup, she's a darlin' The Hamilton Spectator Donna Skelly, the station's former union chair and co-host of Live at 5:30, is spearheading a group of 100 CHCH staff members who are approaching the CRTC with their community-based business model. If successful, the TV station would use a governing structure similar to a hospital. Rather than being operated by a large media company, CHCH would be governed by a board of directors made up of community leaders. Canwest, CHCH's current parent company, has put the station on the market in light of Canwest's dire financial situation. If a buyer does not step forward, the station could be shut down within weeks. "We can't wait for this. We have to intervene," Skelly said of the group's decision to take action. Skelly says the station is a perfect candidate for a new annual CRTC funding program designated for local news that would allow the group to go ahead with its plan. The funding, which amounts to $40 million for English programming, is generated by a 50-cent per subscriber fee from cable providers. The recipients of the CRTC funding will be determined in April, Skelly said. "We believe that we are the primary candidates for this fund. We are the only station in this market. We need this funding to survive." Along with the CRTC funding, the station would also need to raise $500,000 from the community to go ahead with the plan. The new model would also allow for local businesses to purchase advertising at a greatly reduced rate. Currently, CH's ads are priced out of the market for most local organizations, Skelly said. The station would provide mostly local news, Skelly said, and no American programming. Category: Television
Today With Craig And Matt February 25, 2009 @ 08:57
Category: Radio
One Less Ladie February 25, 2009 @ 08:54
The fellas can dress it up anyway they want, but given what's happened over the past few months, and the concise message on their website, it's obvious this ain't pretty. The official word is that Steven Page has left the band to pursue solo projects including theatrical opportunities. The remaining members of the band will continue to record and tour as the Barenaked Ladies. It really shouldn't fool anyone. Since when did a guy have to leave a band to pursue a solo career or even become an actor? Lots of other people manage to do it; in fact I witnessed an example last week when Jim Cuddy played in Peterborough. Without having any documented proof, I think it's safe to say the professional relationship between Page and Ed Robertson became strained after Page was arrested for cocaine possession in upstate New York last summer. Page gave the band a huge kick in the nuts. A drug charge just didn't fit the Barenaked Ladies and it damaged their reputation as a wholesome group of Canadian guys who performed at Disney World and made children's records. For Page to leave the band completely just doesn't make sense. What happens at the next Ladies concert when it's time for Brian Wilson, or the rest of the huge repertoire that Page is responsible for? It just won't work. There's more to the story. Regardless of how you feel about the Barenaked Ladies it is a sad day. They were one of the few Canadian acts that managed to become international and they produced a lot of good music over the years. And what about their concerts? A lot of fun times, especially in the 90s. And what about their Humble and Fred appearances? All through the 90's and right into the new millennium the fellas always managed to make an appearance at our Christmas shows. It didn't matter how busy they were, it became a tradition for not only Humble and I, but for them as well. The Ladies were always good to CFNY / Edge because it's where they got their initial push. This is a picture of the Barenaked Ladies with my wife, kids and niece during the Humble and Fred Christmas Show back in 1992.
Category: Show Biz
Habs Watch February 25, 2009 @ 08:53
Category: Sports
What Recession? February 24, 2009 @ 18:10
It doesn't sound like much, but any increase at this time shows that MLSE believes Leaf fans are not only loyal, but extremely stupid as well. Can you imagine having the audacity to raise ticket prices when it's already been determined that you're not going to make the playoffs for the fourth season in a row? Not only that, but given the current economic climate you'd think MLSE would show a little more class and hold off. The Leafs make huge profits and they pay their players millions of dollars, things the average sports fan can't relate to. But that doesn't matter because it's all about gouging and greed. The official statement from MLSE claims rising costs and inflation has forced them into this. They don't want to do it, but they just have to. They also claim that over the past four years ticket prices have risen just one percent, but the obvious reply to that, is this. Why would ticket prices rise over the past four years, you've done nothing to justify it. You've delivered nothing but a shitty product. And there's more. Next season the NHL salary cap is expected to fall which plays right into the hands of the Maple Leafs. Once again, their revenues will go up while their costs go down, but they fail to mention this as they lay out their plans to increase the price of a ticket. Listen, at the end of the day it's all up to fans, from the average guy sitting in the purples, to the rich bastards sitting in the platinums. Nothing is going to change until the you stop buying tickets and stop giving in to an organization that takes you for granted and gives you nothing in return. I still can't believe it. We're in the midst of a super serious economic crisis, where virtually everyone is pulling back and doing without. But not the Maple Leafs. They're special? Category: Sports
Today With Bruce Barker February 24, 2009 @ 08:54
Category: Radio
Today With Jeff McArthur February 23, 2009 @ 08:57
Category: Radio
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This is a posting from Mark Irvine, a former Ontarian turned Alberta oil baron. (in his own mind)
What a shame. What a shame that following yesterday's 
If you've been a follower of this blog for any length of time you know that before wrestling control of the Corus Radio Empire in Peterborough, I was a frequent guest on "CH Live @ 5:30" with Donna Skelly and Mark Hebscher.
Leaf tickets, Ladies and Obama.
It's a sad day for Canadian music. The Barenaked Ladies have broken up.
It's only fun when they lose.
Here's another reason professional sports sucks and it hits close to home. The Toronto Maple Leafs will raise ticket prices next season to the tune of 3.5 percent.
Just sports.
Air, Oscars and Sundin
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