The RCMP and Me!

In the news today, there is an outcry over a YouTube video that depicts the murder of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski. The Herald says death, but let's call a spade a spade. In late November, the man, who doesn't speak English, wandered around the Vancouver airport for nine hours. He became disoriented and upset. When he was approached, there was no Polish translator. Four men tasered him, which led to his death. This was despite the fact that they could have subdued him without weapons.

Now, I think everyone who actively uses a blog has some sort of outcry about tasers. This will not follow suit and become some cry for peace and happiness.

The Calgary Herald and RCMP gets the January 3rd head scratcher award. This comes from their article today, which tells the story of a YouTube video that depicts a retro video game character MegaMan ® zapping a character that has the face of Dziekanski.

The article puts the blame on some heartless internet freak: "The public was disturbed by the event. This is how the subculture reacted to it," said Grywalska.

The article further says that the RCMP has tried to censor the video, and admits that the Polish Ambassador to Canada has seen the video, an obvious black eye for Canadians to be depicting the death of a Polish citizen as humourous.

But the real humour comes from the article itself:

Kamloops, B.C., resident Jurek Baltakis, who gave the eulogy at Dziekanski's funeral, said he would not want to show the video to Dziekanski's mother Zofia Cisowski.
"It seems like a little innocent video game, but I can tell you for Robert Dziekanski and his mom it was not a game. It was terribly shocking," said Baltakis.

Hold on! There has GOT to be a better adjective for a taser case than shocking. Maybe I'm just looking into this too much, but come on man... You should realize that saying surprising is really what you are looking for.

Point number two, at the end of the article, after urging people not to go watch the video. They post the link.

tsk tsk tsk. This is so counter productive to the cause. It's ADVERTISING what the RCMP doesn't want the public to see. If you really want the video down, have Capcom contact the man and threaten legal action if the video is not removed. Do it very quietly, and in such a manner that the man cannot form a stronger case to get more newspaper headlines.




Finally, don't taser the man. Then we wouldn't have this lousy blog post, lousy Herald article, and lousy YouTube video (I didn't watch it, but I got the gist), and furthermore (most importantly), no black eye for Canada because of the death of a Polish citizen. Don't defer the blame for this publicity to someone who made a satirical video. They have every right to be upset at what YOU did Vancouver... Show the public what improvements you have made, rather than pointing the finger at someone else.

Okay, slow news day. I'm off to change the headlight of my car.

Another Victory For Don Cherry

As I write this, the zamboni is on the ice at the 10 minute mark of the third period. The teams switch sides to ensure the ice is not a deciding factor of the game. The snow is making a blanket of the ice, and the scene could not be better for the 71 217 in attendance. The CBC shots of the crowd are great, everyone is huddled together with an average of 2.3 beer per person.

The game resumes, and Sergei Gonchar blasts a shot well wide of the goal and out of play. The camera zooms in on a frustrated Gonchar, trying to clean his snow covered visor. Sidney Crosby, also clearly bothered by his visor.

Sergei Gonchar is quoted as saying 'it's really hard after you sit on a cold bench'. Visor-yielding pansy. You won't hear a good Canadian kid crying about that.

The puck bounces right infront of Russian Evgeni Malkin. Malkin does not see it, and coasts right past it. Colby Armstrong (Canadian, no visor) scoops it up and continues play.

More ice problems. More delays. Enough snow has fallen to make the ice surface unplayable. However, the Dodge ® Zamboni stopped working. (NOOOO!!!!! North American cars ARE more dependable! We CAN justify massive trade tariffs on cheaper, more enviro-friendly imports)

Crosby (what is he doing fighting with a visor?) tries to split the Buffalo d-men, but loses the puck. Foggy visor?

One more reason why we should discourage the use of visors. One step closer to the main goal, banning helmets. (We'll look so crazy the European players will only play in the competing European Superleague. We get a league without those diving, drug-abusing, quitters!)

CBC commentator Jim Hughson defends the teams justification for playing the trap because of the significance of the 'two points'. To hell with that.. Too bad the NHL gave us Buffalo and Pittsburgh for this barn-burner. If this game were in Red Deer, and pitted the Flames and Oilers it would be a war! And with the way Kipper is playing, you can guarantee it would be a higher scoring game than 1-1.

Don Cherry must be smiling. Seeing our good Canadian stars thrive in the climate that puts those with a visor at a disadvantage. I've been trying to tell you, Don Cherry is the greatest Canadian of all-time, and the most reliable man in hockey.