With the World Cup games on the TV every two hours 24/7 I have had the opportunity to watch more soccer (or football if you are a purist) than I have seen in my lifetime. I even think I am beginning to understand the game a little more each match that I watch. And as I caught on to the strategy and execution of the game I started to compare my favorite sport, which is baseball, to this game loved by so many around the world. To begin with the fields of play are not much different in terms of sq footage if you consider not only the diamond size in baseball, but also the foul ball territory. What makes it somewhat more challenging in baseball is that no two baseball parks are exactly the same size and visiting teams must adapt to new surroundings at every game played away from their home park. Next, the main objective in soccer is to score a goal and in baseball it is to score a run. The difference between the sports is that soccer requires that you kick the ball past the goaltender and into a large net while baseball requires that a runner crosses home plate. Of course in bb this may be executed in over 2 dozen different ways whereas in soccer it is pretty much straightforward that you kick or head the ball into the net. Obviously baseball requires many more defensive measures and somewhat more cerebral activity. The main skills in soccer require you to be able to run while in control of a round ball, to be able to kick this ball in a certain direction and to be able to bounce it off your head also to a predetermined area. Generally the defensive and offensive players are confined to their specific roles and are only involved in the play when the ball enters their territory. In bb every player changes from defence to offence at a minimum of 8 times a game. The number of play possibilities that each player must know and react to in baseball are significantly higher than in soccer so once again the knowledge required to play the game is much more in bb. In soccer there are 3 officials, 2 linesmen and one referee who makes all of the calls except offsides and out of bounds. In baseball there are a minimum of 4 umpires that have the authority to make most calls on their own. They also deal with improper behaviour but do not publicize the act (yellow & red cards) until the player is ejected from the game. In soccer the game is over when the time runs out regardless if the score is tied or not. In bb the game continues until someone wins and someone loses. Baseball players play almost everyday during the season whereby soccer players play maybe 2 or 3 times a week tops. It is commonplace to see soccer players taking a dive and rolling around on the field screaming in pain where in baseball when a player is hit with a hard ball traveling at 90 miles an hour he rarely shows any emotion as he trots down to 1st base. In baseball there may be over a dozen potential plays a player could make when a ball is hit to him whereby in soccer you pretty much kick the ball to a teammate, out of bounds or down the field... period. Finally, it is rare to see fans of baseball riot or commit heinous acts of violence after their teams win or lose but not so with soccer. Hooligans, as they call them overseas, prevail at most soccer games and can cause many injuries as well as a lot of property damage. Overall I think I've shown why baseball is a much more athletic game that requires as much brain power as it does physical prowess. Anybody choose to differ?

In My Hand I Hold A Ball,
White And Dimpled, Rather Small.
Oh, How Bland It Does Appear,
This Harmless Looking Little Sphere.

By Its Size I Could Not Guess,
The Awesome Strength It Does Possess.
But Since I Fell Beneath Its Spell,
I've Wandered Through The Fires Of Hell.

My Life Has Not Been Quite The Same,
Since I Chose To Play This Stupid Game.
It Rules My Mind For Hours On End,
A Fortune It Has Made Me Spend.

It Has Made Me Yell, Curse And Cry,
I Hate Myself And Want To Die.
It Promises A Thing Called Par,
If I Can Hit It Straight And Far.

To Master Such A Tiny Ball,
Should Not Be Very Hard At All.
But My Desires The Ball Refuses,
And Does Exactly As It Chooses.

It Hooks And Slices, Dribbles And Dies,
And Even Disappears Before My Eyes.
Often It Will Have A Whim,
To Hit A Tree Or Take A Swim..

With Miles Of Grass On Which To Land,
It Finds A Tiny Patch Of Sand.
Then Has Me Offering Up My Soul,
If Only It Would Find The Hole.

It's Made Me Whimper Like A Pup,
And Swear That I Will Give It Up.
And Take To Drink To Ease My Sorrow,
But The Ball Knows ... I'll Be Back Tomorrow.

Yesterday I was called upon to take my grandsons to school in the morning because their parents had to go into work early that day. I do this from time to time and I try and arrive at their house around 7AM so they can "hit the road" on their long journey to the work place. I then sit at the table and have a coffee and a couple of pieces of toast while the two boys (7 & 5) eat their breakfast. During the meal I hear quite a bit about their latest exploits and a description of some of their latest toys. Usually the older grandson and I finish eating much earlier than the little guy so we go into the living room to watch TV while we wait for #2 grandson to finish his breakfast. Now to really understand this special moment you have to know a little about #2 as he is somewhat unique in both his culinary habits and his personal hygiene. While he most times holds his own with his older brother and can rough house with the best of them he also is very particular about his food and his cleanliness. For breakfast he usually has a banana and a bowl of cereal which can take him up to 1/2 hour to consume as he chews each and every bite thoroughly. He rarely finishes his cereal ( I think because his jaws get tired) so he checks with me to see if he has eaten enough. My standard answer is usually "just two more spoonfuls" and funny enough he downs these in 2 seconds. Next he heads to the washroom where he gets out his stool and stands over the basin to carefully wash his hands. Hopefully you now get the idea about his meticulous habits so you can understand a little more about the special moment I encountered this Wednesday morning. As we often do the boys and I went downstairs to their play room where they had a raucous battle of Go-Go's which are little figures that are flicked back and forth to eliminate each others men. After 30 minutes it was time to get them shoed and jacketed for the trip to school so we climbed up to the main floor. All of a sudden #2 headed directly upstairs to his bedroom (I thought) as #1 and I headed for the door. All of a sudden I hear, "Grampa I need you". I thought oh oh, somethings not right so I hustled up the stairs and as I reached the top step I looked straight ahead into the bathroom and there was my little man with his pants at his ankles and his bare bum staring me in the face. He was bent over in a "mooning" position with his head turned towards me and he said and I quote" Grampa I couldn't get it all out so can you help me?". I was almost ready to break up but I thought that he would not appreciate that reaction so I held my cool and proceeded to help him out which by the way was to wipe absolutely nothing off his backside. Regardless this seemed to do the trick so he said "thank you Grampa and then pulled up his drawers and we headed downstairs. After dropping the kids off at school I sat in my truck and laughed for 10 minutes as I thought to myself, "he'll never believe me when I tell him about this at 16 or maybe 20. What was even better was when he thanked me for rescuing him he smiled and I can still see that wide grin and the twinkle of those beautiful blue eyes. He is such a darling and this event will definitely be filed in my "special moments" folder to refer to in years to come. You see Grampas do come in handy once in awhile.

When you were a teenager I bet you heard from your parents this famous phrase, "While you are living in my house and I am taking care of you my rules must be followed." And rightly so because you are not an adult, have little to no experience, no money and no job to earn a living. And yet when you become an adult, begin attaining experience, have a job and can support yourself why do you want to turn over your freedom to a "mother" state? Before you pooh pooh this statement let's think about how you have done this over the past 100 years. Old Age Pension was the first major program sponsored by the Government in which they required you and your employer to pay into a fund which would provide you with some funds when you hit 65. Next came the Canada Pension Plan that also required you to pay into a fund to reap some benefits when you hit retirement age. I would suggest to you that if you took this same money and put it into a private plan you would be reaping much better benefits than the few hundred dollars a month that the government sends people. It is impossible for anyone to live on this paltry amount but you had no choice and as any insurance or investing scheme would do the government itself invested this money. Now because its government I can't tell you that they made a lot of interest on it but the point is that they made the rule and you had to abide by it. Next is the Health Care Plan that everyone raves about until they need it, particularly at an older age and they find out you are bound by many rules and really have little or no choices (loss of freedom). If you want to choose a doctor forget it, there is a massive shortage of doctors (government created) and you are lucky to find one (Almost 3 million people are without doctors). Because of socialized medicine many laws have also been incorporated purporting that it is for your own good. While it may be the case, you have still lost the choice for instance, to smoke inside everywhere except in your own house. This is because you may get cancer and the Social Health Care system will be burdened with the cost of caring for you. The law regarding seatbelts and motorcycle helmets are in place for the same reason. At one point in time you were free to smoke, drive without seatbelts and go helmetless on a Harley because it didn't infringe on anyone else's freedoms. The smoking ban has gotten so ridiculous in Ontario that you can't even see the products on the store shelves because of government infringements on our rights. Remember I'm not arguing the merits of doing any of these things I am explaining that you have lost the freedom to do so even if you chose to. Because it is very costly to administer all of the many laws that are "for your own good" the government then needed money so they legalized theft. To do this they created taxes. Now look at this in a simple manner. If a man came into your house with a gun and took your money that would be theft. This is what the government does without the gun (they call it the tax code) but it is still theft. The freedom to keep the money you earned has been lost and if you try and retain any more than they say you will quickly be put in jail. The worst part of this "Nanny State" is that it creates more and more "adult kids" that need to be taken care of by the government. Sooner or later when a larger portion of the population become dependants rather than suppliers of tax revenue guess what will happen?

Whether you are an Israel supporter or not the facts seem to point to an unusual bias against this small middle east nation. Here are a few that are undisputable:
1. If Hamas and the Palestinians laid down their weapons there would be peace in the area.
2. If Israel laid down their weapons they would be anhialated.
3. Hamas has stated categorically that they want the State of Israel destroyed and their peoples wiped out before there can be peace.
4. Hamas continues to send rockets into Israel daily but around the world there is no news coverage of these events.
5. The Iranian President has said that he wants Israel wiped from the face of the earth and Iran is close to obtaining nuclear weapons.

Currently Israel is being vilified for attacking a ship identified as a supply boat bringing food and clothing to the people in Palestine. Apparently the ship tried to sail through an Israeli blockade set up to stop weapons from reaching Hamas which will in turn be used on Israel and its citizens. I think if any country had the same situation it would take similar actions. The problem is however that these people were not aid workers but instead were Al Queda operatives who attacked the Jewish soldiers when they boarded the ship. There is some video tape supporting this story. This nation of people formed after the 2nd world war when Jews were trying to establish (some say reestablish) a homeland has been facing war and violence since its inception. Over 6 million Jews died in the Holaucost because of bias and racism and today it seems that history (the hatred and bias)is repeating itself. The difference of course is that Jews will not be quiet and timid as they are being led to slaughter like they were with the Nazi's. No these people will defend themselves to the bitter end because they know all too well of the consequences if they don't. The USA has always been a staunch ally of the tiny Jewish State but Obama has shifted away from that policy and the Europeans have grown silent as their Muslim populations have increased. So it looks like Israel is on its own and I think that should cause everyone to shudder. The reason being that Israel will not stand idly by and let Iran get nuclear weapons without an attempt to stop it from happening. Therefore there will be a pre-emptive strike on Iran if nothing else prohibits them from attaining these weapons. If that happens all hell will break loose in the middle east and then sides will be chosen and the makings of a large war is a possiblity. I hope I'm wrong but with the USA becoming a weak sister in the world of Nations there is no other democracy with the will or the might to stand with Israel. Its ironic that at one time some 75 years ago the piece of land now known as Israel was considered worthless and uninhabitable. As Ripley says "believe it or not".

Everytime there is some sort of important session being held anywhere in the world there always seems to be a multitude of people available to protest and cause major disturbances for the host city. Where do you think these folks come from? Are they concerned citizens out to vent their frustrations and make their points with the politicians? I doubt it very much because most citizens are working to earn their wages and feed their families. Even if they are on shift work I don't think you'd find many of them on their off hours out hurling bricks and such at police officers. So where do they come from? Well if you talk to those in the know they would tell you that these goons are "professional" shit disturbers who follow these events wherever they are held. They are schooled in the various techniques of rabble rousing and doing the things that will get them in the headlines. The funny part of it is that most are funded by radical groups that get their money from the government through grants and other such avenues. So these jerks show up and create violence and chaos on your dime. If that isn't bad enough the taxpayer also has to fund the cost of the security needed to protect the politicians, the ordinary citizens and the many businesses that are in the vicinity of the event. Of course the media loves this stuff because it makes headlines so it feeds right into these bullies hands. The cops have to face unruly mobs, the people of the city get disrupted from their daily routines and millions are lost in business revenue through damage and a lack of sales. It's about time we take action to rid ourselves of these jerks who assemble under the protection of " free speech" and throw them in jail at the first sign of violence and then charge them with disorderly conduct and a large fine to help defray the massive costs borne by the taxpayer. If they can't pay then lock them up for a year or two and I can guarantee you this will stop the violence. If they want to voice their opinions in a peaceful way then no problem but the minute they pick up bottles and bricks to create damage or try to injure someone "BAM" hoosecow! This would stop most of the paid thugs from plying their trade at the expense of law abiding citizens. Once they are finger printed and logged into the justice system then the fines and jail time would go up everytime they repeat their actions. However, instead of this everybody complains and asks why do we have to have to host these meetings if it cost so much? We could fund a lot of other things. Maybe so but it is a shame that we are held ransom by a band of well paid goons that we ourselves are funding with our own taxes. I for one am tired of seeing these idiots take over our towns and cities while nobody will get tough with them for fear of getting a backlash from the bleeding hearts. Where are our leaders? Oh yeh I forgot we don't have any.

Just when you thought the anti-smoking campaign might be working, along comes a news story that proves otherwise. Ardi Rizal, aged two years, has a 40-per-day smoking habit. His mother has tried to get him to stop, especially since the government has offered to buy the family a new car once the child quits, but she says he is entirely too addicted. His father, on the other hand, doesn't see any problem - "He looks pretty healthy to me..." In the meantime, Ardi's health is such that he can't run around and play with the other kids. Instead he rides around on a plastic toy truck while puffing away, looking like a parody of a middle-aged truck driver.

The next big (stupid) thing with kids is vodka in the eyes. That's right kids, already drunk, are then putting vodka in their eyes to get drunker. It apparently hits the system faster and is becoming a popular fad. Ophthalmologists are saying it is dangerous because the alcohol content is enough to damage the cornea and cause scaring. Darwin must be pleased to be proved correct once again.

A guy's Army Reserve unit got sent to Iraq, and his wife consequently went into a deep depression, including not keeping up with the mail or homeowners' association fees. The guy gets back to find his $300,000 home was sold by the association for $3,500, and he has only a slim chance of getting it back. Associated Press via ABC News /// WFAA-TV (Dallas-Ft. Worth)

She, a pregnant young woman, thrown out by her family. He, a heartbroken lover, mourning the loss of his fiancee the day before the wedding. Both were despondent and chose the 'only way out' on the same bridge. Maria Petrova, 21, having arrived first was climbing up to jump when Andriej Ivanov, 26, came onto the scene. He called out to her to stop and she jumped-into his arms. They became a broken hearts club for two and are now in love with each other and planning to wed. As for any children the two might have together, I wonder, does Prozac make baby formula?

Josh Henderson 12, is ranked 25th in the U.S. and 75th world wide in pinball. He has played since he was 4 yrs. old, and has competed in tournaments for the last 5 years. His dad says he competes against 30 to 40 yr. old professionals and remains cool and steady. He's some kid. Question, there are professional pinball players?

According to a Cornell University study a defendant's attractiveness, or lack thereof makes a difference in both the trial and penalty phases of their legal proceedings. Esthetically challenged defendants were 22% more likely to be convicted and were sentenced an average of 22 months longer in prison than good looking defendants. Wuvians could have told them that before their study even started.

The key difference between Canada, Europe and the United States are the principles their respective nations follow in order to manage their society. Canada and Europe, while starting with “Individualism” in the 1800’s have evolved into a form of “Collectivism” over the past 200 years. The USA has remained steadfast in its belief in “Individualism” but with the latest left wing regime now in power it appears they are joining the rest of the world in the belief that the “group” is more important than the individual. Let’s look at the differences. If society embraces the individual, a person can enjoy the widest range of freedoms and decision making power over their own lives with very little interference from their government or anyone else for that matter. The government’s purpose is 1) to establish and maintain common sense laws that allow a society to function and 2) to protect its citizens from foreign invaders. In this type of environment every citizen has the right and freedom to pursue their goals in life and to capture every opportunity they choose. However, with this freedom comes responsibility and accountability for one’s own actions. It also leaves the onus on each citizen to provide for themselves and not to be dependent on their neighbour. A sense of morality borne in this type of society also creates the will for charity to help those not as fortunate.
Collectivism on the other hand chooses to see the group as the most important part of society and therefore restricts the decision making venue of the individual to minor issues of less importance while the government or head of the Collective makes the important decisions for everyone. The most relevant examples in today’s environment are the Unions and the recent Communist regime in Russia. In the Union philosophy the brotherhood (or Sisterhood if applicable) determines what wages and benefits everyone gets and no member can expect any more for their efforts whether they work harder or do less than their peers. The rules they live by are those directed by the union “bosses” who under the guise of democracy rule their minions with an iron fist. Anyone who has belonged to a union knows what I mean. The Collective thinking governments are worse because the elites actually make decisions that affect not only your working day but every aspect of life itself. They dictate what you can see, what you can eat, what you can read, what you can say and how you can protect and provide for your family. In Ontario for instance I will provide a small list of some of the things that either the Federal or Provincial government controls:
1) Soon you will not be able to purchase cola, soda pop or bottled water in public places.
2) You are not allowed to see tobacco products on the shelves of any store
3) You cannot purchase liquor or beer from anywhere but a government sanctioned outlet
4) You cannot hunt, fish or drive without paying a fee
5) You cannot get a second opinion on health matters unless you go out of the Country because the government makes it impractical to do so.
6) You cannot in Canada choose when or where you get critical medical treatment and yet if you go outside the Country the government will not cover the entire cost.
7) Because the government pushes political correctness all people in airports must be searched and detained regardless of age or nationality
8) Government censors screen movies, TV programs and books to remove any objectionable (to whom?) material.
9) The Human Rights collective doesn’t allow you to say certain things if they are deemed (by whom? to be hateful or discriminatory.
10) You are not allowed easy access to a weapon to protect yourself or your family even if your life could be in danger
I could go on but you get the point. All of these things are argued to be necessary for the greater good of the group so we must of course relinquish some personal freedoms. And of course there needs to be a bureaucracy set up to administer each and everyone one of these control mechanisms.Obviously then the government needs money so we are taxed on everything we earn,do or buy until we die. At this point you are still not clear because you must pay inheritance tax. I hate collectivism but it appears, in Canada at least, there are more people that want to be taken care of from cradle to grave and who are ready to give up their rights and freedoms to be wards of the State. Achtung!!!

Based on Jack’s crimes over the last 24 hrs of the series “24” he should have been shot dead and thus taken the pressure off all of the Liberal minded folks who hated him and everything he stood for. You see he was the macho American hero who singlehandedly takes on anyone and everyone while saving the USA and possibly the world in one day. He uses all kinds of weapons including very sophisticated guns while he defends his country against the most evil of tyrants and their minions. The man can also take punishment as he is constantly tortured and subjected to beatings of all sorts and yet he responds when needed to capture or eliminate his enemies. Of course he can also mete out pain and agony as he tortures key terrorists in the quest for valuable information which is required to save humanity. These particular acts drive Liberals nuts because it offends their sensibilities and upsets their kindness meter. They don’t believe in subjecting any terrorist to torture regardless of how many innocent lives would be saved by extracting information from these animals who kill babies with no remorse. Jack also takes shortcuts around rules and regulations in order to complete his missions using his friends and allies inside and outside of the intelligence community. He is a loner who never is able to establish a meaningful relationship without something popping up and putting the kibosh on the affair. Over the past 9 years several of his love interests have actually died along with many of his close friends and compatriots but Jack somehow manages to trudge onward. Let’s face it Jack is a hero and we all need heroes. He is principled and passionate about his job and his Country and is willing to give all to defend it to the death. He is the good guy who kicks the butts of the bad guys and always saves the day when the show ends. Today there are very few heroes on TV anymore because it isn’t fashionable. Reality” shows are the brand today along with forensic experts that can analyze dirt to get evidence that can be used to track down the culprits. It’s too bad that Jack is going off the air but if so “Why didn’t he go out in a blaze of gunfire? I know I know there is going to be a movie but it just isn’t right. Jack owes us a hero’s death fighting to the last minute with an assault rifle as bullets tear into his chest and he falls to the earth after killing the major domo of the “Bad Guys Inc.” Long Live Jack!

It never ceases to amaze me how a woman can walk into a room, talk to two people, walk out after 15 minutes and relate the entire wardrobe of each person and the specific decor of the room she was just in. A man doing the same thing would walk out and say something like,"What was her name again?". I have been with my wife on many occasions where we have visited friends and she has commented on their new furniture or room accessories and I cannot draw up a single memory of anything new or old based on our recent encounter. I suppose it has something to do with instincts and focussing on the things you enjoy but then how do you explain a woman remembering what another woman wore to a function over a year ago. I have seen this happen time and time again without any hesitation and it is usually two women talking about another. Now some would say that men only get focussed on something sexual such as a naked woman for instance. But I don't think so, they may focus instantaneously on a breast or a body but if you ask them to remember anything about it 5 minutes later you will find they remember nothing specific because in the end they all look pretty much the same. Now talk about a car and you may find that a man can relate not only colour and model but also tire size, engine displacement, horsepower rating, gas mileage, interior accessories along with pricing and upgrades. Do you see the difference? A car is an inanimate object whereby a women's clothes, her jewelry and her interior design reflect her taste and to a certain extent her personality and these are all things women love to scrutinize. It is a personal thing with women as they try to draw comparisons to a rival's choices and their own (which by the way are always the right ones). Perhaps it is a certain feeling of inadequacy that bares the fangs and curls the claws I don't know but I sure do know that Inspector Clouseau could take a few lessons on observation from the members of female gender. I figure I better stop now before I get myself into further trouble.