Olympic Opportunism

Another Olympic torch relay. Another Olympic Games start. Another batch of opportunistic idiots deciding to protest everything under the sun. *SIGH*

The day of the Opening Ceremonies, there were three or four groups that converged on one spot to protest at the Olympics. A couple other places along the relay route had to be diverted because of protests. The stupid thing is, nobody was protesting the Olympics themselves. No, that came once the games started, idiots throwing garbage cans through shop windows. Most of the protests had been for their own pet projects that they either didn't get out to public before-hand, or the public just doesn't care.

Instead of going through normal channels, example contacting your local government official, these people prefer to make asses of themselves with the world watching.

One thing we've been known for as Canadians is tolerance. But really, I'm tired of reading about or watching people yelling outside major events about things that have no bearing or relation to the said event. Does the Japanese tourist care there's no Daylight Savings Time in Saskatchewan? No, stop protesting at the Olympics. Does the Jamaican bobsled team care about Native Rights? No. Stop protesting the Olympics. Talk to your government. You can't do that? Then suffer is silence.

The groups protesting the Olympics, however, are a special breed of stupid. Rather than actually protesting, they just cover their faces and vandalize property with no ties to the Olympics. If you are protesting legitmately, don't cover your face. Have material to support your position. Covered faces yelling down the street does nothing but invite the ones who want to smash things to do so.

And, anyone protesting about "stolen Native land" better be Native. If not, well, guess what? You've "stolen" as much as I have.

So what I want to see happen:
1. Protests about the Olympics happen in designated places. How about Alert?
2. Protests cannot happen without a permit. The organizer can get a permit but is directly responsible for any property damage, as well as the ones who cause it.
3. Protesting without a permit carries a $5000 fine for each member.
4. Protests cannot be done with covered faces. Each person is accountable.
5. Instead of organizing protests, organize people to help find solutions to the problems you are protesting about. Action speaks louder than only shouted word.

Athlete's Pipe Dream (Don't Get to Big for your Britches Boy!)

It's odd what comes up some nights.

Tonight, a conversation on egotisitical athletes. Now it's one thing to have an ego once you make it to the top and establish yourself. It's another to believe you're the next BIG THING before you're even drafted.

Believe me, guys, it doesn't matter that you were that much better than everyone else. Until you reach the top, you probably won't find many people at your level. There will be people below your level. But they're all there for the same shot.

Once you make the big time though, the gap narrows quite a bit. It's at this point your ability matters. After years of coasting, you need to turn it on. Can you live up to the hype? Or, will you be yet another to buy into your hype so much that you become a footnote in history?

So what's it going to be? Hall of Fame, or Where Are They Now?

Walk at Your Own Risk

So far this year it seems like it's open season on pedestrians in Toronto. I'm not laying blame on any one place here, since many factors come into play, but here's my breakdown.

Drivers:
SLOW DOWN! REMOVE THINE LEADEN FOOT FROM THINE GAS PEDAL! Watch where you're driving. No put down the coffee, the cell phone, makeup, toothbrush, and stop steering with your knees! Get up earlier, get ready at home then drive. Or, take the TTC, where you can get ready while someone else drives you. See that light? It's Red. Red means "you stay put." Turn right if allowed and the area is clear. Look many times to make sure the way is clear. If you're not sure, STAY! TTC Drivers, same thing. Yes, I know you have a schedule to keep. But guess what? Hitting someone puts you further behind than if you were patient.

Pedestrians:
Ok...two simple words: PAY ATTENTION!  Know your surroundings. You see those big, noisy metal things? They're vehicles. You get hurt when you get hit by one. When you come to the corner or the crosswalk, stop texting, tweeting, playing around on the ipod while listening to music and LOOK AROUND YOU. The little white man is up? Ok, walk. Make sure there's no idiots trying to turn right and walk. The little hand is up? SIT UBU, SIT. Cross at the designated areas. Playing Frogger is nice, but you don't get three lives. You're one and done.

The City:
I know you're trying to help the flow of traffic. Since people are being stubborn about liking to be able to go where they want, you need to work on the system. Having the dedicated crossing as some corners is good. Add it to all the heavy use crosswalks. Synchronize the stoplights. If it's even done only on the main corridors. Something so that people don't feel like they're crawling. Extend some of the crosswalk times. 10 years ago I almost got hit crossing at a crosswalk. When I started: green, halfway through: red with traffic turning at me. NOT COOL!

Of course, these are just some quick and dirty ideas. I'm not a city planner. What do I know about the topic?

It would be nice to open the paper in the morning and not see a story about a pedestrian getting hit.