Look out!

This guy totally makes it through The Outhouse this week because he didn't end up in the cemetery.

If I ever get my hands on you!

This morning, Tuesday October 18, I woke up to my iPhone “bark” alarm. Quickly my half-asleep body slapped down my hand to kill the annoying barking. I headed to the shower to freshen up; it seemed to be a normal morning. After my eyes finally opened to at least 50%, I rushed through getting dressed, grabbed my laptop, and headed out the door. Once again, everything seemed normal, but that “normal” feeling to my day quickly received a kick in the balls.

When I approached my SUV I was saw a light from inside my truck beaming into the dark morning sky. I unlocked my doors and took a look inside only to see that my rear-passenger window had been smashed…just f#cking great. 

Another dumb thief.

  

There was a mess of my Creative Communications papers scattered across the seats. The glove box was open but didn’t contain anything that it used to be in there. After about a minute of staring at my smashed window and open glove box I realized that I should be checking for my possessions. Anything that was worth more than $10 was gone. Before I knew it I was running late, so I had to suck it up and take my angry show on the road.

The further I drove down Provencher the further my anger was pushed. This is mostly due to the fact that freezing cold wind was being shot into my truck through the smashed window.

Now, I’ve had a little more time to “cool my jets.” Thoughts of teaching those punks a lesson are still circulating through my head, but the odds of figuring out who they are, are slim.

When I lived in the small Manitoban town of Lorette I never had any problems with break-ins. Never! Even hearing of a friend or family member running into break in problems was rare.

However, the case in the city is completely different. I’ve been living in St. Boniface since March 14, 2011 and already my roommate had her car broken into, and now I’ve had my truck broken into. It’s easy to understand why people with safety concerns flock to the country. Theft is rampant in Winnipeg, even in the “nicer” areas.

But really, what can you do to protect yourself from these cowardly thieves?

We set up a spotlight in the back lane back in March when my roommate was broken into. Still, the spotlight didn’t prevent thieves from smashing my window and helping themselves to my possessions.  Besides having a “stakeout” (which could last months or years), there isn’t much one can do.

Setting up security cameras might detour some criminals, but even then, that’s nothing a mask can’t fix for them. Even if you’ve caught the criminals red-handed and have their face on video, it might not put them in jail. Setting up security cameras is the next step for our household, but that’s no crime-free guarantee.

Maybe crime would decrease in Canada if we abandoned the “slap on the wrist” justice system that we’ve been praising for so long. Recently I came across a story where two Manitobans living on a reserve beat a man with a baseball bat and a 2x4 piece of wood, and then they proceeded to stab the man 35 times in the neck.  Guess how long these two got in jail? Just guess… 50 Months in addition to 23 months already served. They got a break because they were “too drunk” - technically speaking: 4x over the legal limit. This sentencing absolutely disgusts me. (More on the story here.) My point here is that, anywhere else this case would have gone differently. In Texas this pair would probably be dead or waiting to die. Regardless, all I wanted to say is that Canada is very laid back when it comes to their justice system and there are major problems there.

In the end, I’ll live, worse things could’ve happened. I’ll pay my deductible, buy some new stuff, and have a beer with some friends to get my mind off of the whole thing. Eventually, I’ll get around to setting up those security cameras, and who knows, maybe I’ll do that stakeout and catch those bastards. So, the bastard(s) who broke into my truck last night got tipped over in The Outhouse and ran away, leaving a giant shit trail that I can hopefully follow back to my possessions, and maybe revenge. 

At least that's not my car

This guy has the right idea.

Jets chants fizzling out?

Photo from thestar.com

GO JETS GO, GO JETS GO.

Winnipeg is still hearing this chant…daily. However, when you look at the Winnipeg Jets’ record, it doesn’t seem like Winnipeggers have much to cheer about. The Jets have started out the 2011/2012 season 0-3. Unfortunately, that’s not the only gloomy foreshadowing for the Jets. When D-man Ron Hainsey and 4^th line Centre Jim Slater are your leading scorers, something is terribly wrong. Yes, it’s only three games into the season for the jets, but those three games haven’t given Winnipeg fans anything extra to cheer about, and now we are the only NHL without a point.

Regardless, Winnipeg fans are still chanting “Go Jets Go,” and still have lots of support for their home team. My question is: How long will it last?

My prediction is that it will last all year, at least for some fans. For me, it’s hard because I’ve always been an avid Leafs fan, and they’ve opened the season with a 3-0 record – completely opposite to the lackluster Jets’ record. But, if the Jets’ keep up the sloppy play and can’t grasp hold of team chemistry they might lose some fan support.

I’ve already predicted that the Jets won’t make the playoffs this year, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not behind them, I am. I’m just a tad bit of a realist, and from what I’ve seen the Jets have a long way to go. They are a young team, with loads of potential, but currently they’re lacking firepower. As mentioned before, Jim Slater and Ron Hainsey are sharing the lead in the points column, something no one could’ve predicted. It’s early, but someone needs to step up soon. 

Players like Burmistrov, Wheeler, Kane, and Scheifele are who coach Claude Noel will look to in order to ignite the scoring spark. Thus far, none of them have scored.

So, tonight the Jets are at home facing off against Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens have already played six games this season, compared to the Jets’ three. The Pens are also a solid team, but they are without Sid the Kid and have a banged up Evgeni Malkin. The Jets will need to play a solid defensive game in order to keep the Pens at bay. Hopefully the Jets can pull off their first win of the season tonight at the MTS Centre, but it won’t be an easy task.

Tune in to TSN-Jets tonight at 7:30 CST, and be the judge of the Jets. You decide if they make it through The Outhouse.

Bring back Domi!

Don. Oh Don.

Intense.

Donnnnn Cherrrryyy.

What a man - A man of booming volume, flamboyant suits, and intensely voiced opinions.

I’ve grown up watching Hockey Night in Canada (HNIC) which also means I’ve grown up watching dandy Don Cherry on Coach’s Corner. Every Saturday night I would sit down to watch my favorite NHL team play (the Toronto Maple Leafs), and during the 1^st intermission I would catch Don Cherry with co-host Ron MacLean.

During all of those years watching HNIC I was exposed to several of Don’s rants and opinions - all live-to-air. Some of these rants and opinions have been heated, hate filled, and outright stupid. However, the way Don voices his opinion is “Don’s way.” He has patented his arrogant and in your face style of shooting down sloppy or dirty players, teams, or countries for that matter.

Don’t get me wrong; Don has had some awesome and valuable hockey advice for Canada. He’s been an interesting character to watch, he’s very patriotic, and most of the time he sends out good messages. But still, every year Don manages to wind up in the middle of a media super-storm.

One example of him being outright stupid is the time that he called out French and European players over their “toughness” and how they all wore visors. Even if there were more European players wearing visors, Don had no right to make those comments over the air.  His comments are either loved or hated by fans, which is why the media soaks up all of his jargon, somebody always has an opinion on it.

Now, Cherry has found himself in the hot seat again. This time for calling out three former NHL enforcers that took a stance on fighting in the game. Don referred to Chris Nilan, Stu Grimson, and Jim Thomson as “pukes” and criticized them for being hypocrites. 

The fact that Don went on air, called out these three, and actually used their names disappoints me. He could’ve made his point without the name calling, but instead he stirred up a national debate. Now, Don has the fear of a lawsuit in the back of his mind, but I can’t see Don losing if it does come to that.

Overall, I think Don is on his way to being senile. He is already an old man, so he’s half way to being a senile old man. He’s always played a great role of the “angry hockey dad,” but past episodes have made him seen more like the “dumbass hockey dad.” Still, I’ll keep watching Coach’s Corner. None of this has turned me away. Why? Because I love controversy, and I like it when people actually speak their minds. That being said, Don could’ve avoided all this drama by re-phrasing what he said. No name-calling and no country bashing. He could’ve made his points, just in a less direct way.

So for all of those reasons, Don Cherry took a headshot, got his teeth knocked out, and got tipped over in The Outhouse. 

Ahhh, how I miss the country.

Ahhhh, how I miss the country.

This past weekend was Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. That means lots of turkey, gravy, and alcohol was consumed. For me, it was a rather tamed weekend, consisting of family gatherings, relaxation, and Winnipeg Jets watching. If you’re concerned, than yes, I did get to enjoy some “brewskies”.

At one point this weekend I found some time to sneak away to my hometown of Lorette, Manitoba. More importantly, I snuck away to dad’s place on Highway 405 (in the middle of nowhere). It was early in the day and I wanted to pick up a briefcase I had left there.

Before I saw my father or the briefcase I saw what I thought was a ginormous dog. I was wrong.  My next thought was that it was a tiny horse. Once again, my eyes misinformed me. A big pine tree covered most of the creature, making it hard for me to decipher what the creature was.

I snuck up closer to get a peak at what was munching on the grass behind the tree. That’s when I found this:

Brown chicken - Brown cow

Simple things like finding a wandering cow in your father’s yard are what make me miss “the country life.” It reminded me that I used to live in a place where I didn’t hear sirens every night or have to worry about locking my doors.

Don’t get me wrong city people.  I like the city… it just has its flaws. Flaws such as: more crime, poverty, and crammed space.  To me, the country life is a lot less worrisome and gives you a better appreciation for the nature and wildlife around you.

It turns out that the calf was wandering around because of the extreme winds the night before. Supposedly that wasn’t the only escaped calf, the farmer told me that over 15 calves got loose. So it sounded like the farmers had a busy day.

My father and I spent about five minutes trying to lasso the poor guy. We showed off our rootin’-tootin’ country cowboy skills and wrangled ourselves the calf. Within two minutes the farmers were in my father’s driveway, ready to manhandle the calf into the back of a John Deere Gator.

In the end, the calf was fine, the farmers were happy, and I got my briefcase. However, that calf had an impact on me. It made me remember the little things that I loved about the country, and made me hope that one day I’ll be able to settle into a nice country home.

So, the brown calf made it through The Outhouse even if he had to be lassoed, wrangled, and subjected to my ultimate cowboy skills. 

Dog chasing after calf

Voting? Or lack of it?

Voting has always been a big issue here in Canada. We can’t seem to muster up the same numbers that the States do during elections.

One factor I attribute to that; is that very few Canadian youth vote. This is a topic that has been dragged on more than a shitty comic on stage. It seems like there is no shortage of “talk” about why youth aren’t voting, but I do see a shortage on action.

Last year, during the federal election, approximately 300 University of Guelph students formed a “Vote Mob” to greet Prime Minister Steven Harper.

Acts like this show some hope for student/youth voting, but still 300 youth won’t make the difference.

Growing up in Lorette, Manitoba – a rural Manitoba town. I was exposed to countless displays of reluctancy to vote. It seemed that there was never a shortage of campaign signs during election season, but there was always a shortage of voters. The first and only year I voted in Lorette I was doing a little cover story on the results of the polls. I waited around the polls, looking for younger voters to interview, but to my dismay there were barely any.

I think there is a huge un-tapped source of voters in rural Manitoba, and they are the youth. Reeves and Councilors should hold events targeted towards rural youth - Events that would engage them, and get them thinking about the election. Yes… I know… easier said than done.

It seems that the election culture in the country doesn’t go too much farther than setting up signs, shaking hands, and crossing our fingers. I decided for myself that rural elections were hokey at best, at least in Lorette. I base this statement off the fact that I had to track down Lorette’s new councilor at the infamous Lorette Bar, or should I say, The Inn Seine Nightclub. I mean, I love Lorette bar, I really do. But, to me, it’s not where I would go after winning the polls.

To get youth to vote, you need to appeal to them, and practically slap them in the face with the STRONGEST facts. Times are changing, and getting the message out isn’t a one-way street. It’s actually a street with several roundabouts, intersections, and bicyclists that get in the way.

Platforms should be pitched through social media, face-to-face, television, radio, online, and overall everything. Getting the message out seems to be trickier than ever. Either that, or people are hearing but not listening.

Youth voting could be low because most candidates have gray or no hair, and the youth find it hard to relate to them…But to me, it’s lack of action on the political parties’ parts. That is what is responsible for the low youth turnouts.

Do I have a solution? Maybe, maybe not. However, if I were in charge of funneling youth into polling stations I would take different routes.

Here are a few things I would try:

Throw events that youth can relate to: Even if the cost is high, the benefit of associating voting to a known concert or party could be great.

Use risky or bold copy in ads: Youth have heard it all, or at least that’s what they think. Using risky or bold copy in ads could spark interest, gain publicity, and create buzz about the campaign.

Liven it up: Some campaigns stress how they’ll crack down on crime, or boost the economy. Instead of just making those statements, politicians should use anecdotes to illustrate how those factors can directly relate to the voter. In the future or present.

Be personable: Politicians often come across as stone-faced and emotionless - Others perceive them as puppets or robots, being told what to do. Jack Layton was an extremely personable politician who had great success with youth voters. He is a great example of how a face, personality, and a good mustache can be related to the success of a campaign.

To me, the youth voter turnout is absolutely pathetic. I’m not placing the blame solely on the political parties and politicians; youth voters have a big part of the blame to take on too. 

However, there could still be more done to encourage the youth to vote and get engaged. Because of this, “the lack of youth voters” got tipped over in The Outhouse. 

Does it work?

I think this one works...

Scheifele is Staying. For now.

Winnipeg has already been hearing it, but get ready to hear it even more.

Scheifele! Scheifele! Scheifele!

Winnipeg Jets 18-year-old forward, Mark Scheifele, signed his first NHL contract today – an entry level, three year deal that will have Scheifele making around $925,000 along with annual bonuses.

Before the Jets’ pre-season kicked off the general consensus was that Mark Scheifele was going to play in the juniors (OHL – Barrie Colts) or AHL. Barely anyone predicted that he’d start out in the big leagues.

Coaches, fans, and teammates have been exposed to Scheifele on ice magic, watching him boast very impressive stats in his first NHL pre-season. Scheifele put up 8 points throughout 5 games, netting 4 goals – leaving him tied for 1st in the NHL preseason for goals and 2nd for points.

Winnipeg Jets GM, Kevin Cheveldayoff had this to say, "He's showing great potential. Certainly we're very excited about his training camp and very happy to have him signed to a contract.”

I had the chance to see Scheifele play live at the MTS Centre as well as catch him on TSN. Scheifele is the type of player who can burn you with his speed and finish goalies off with his hands. He really stands out among the rest.

On draft day, most of Winnipeg and the NHL were saying: Scheifele who? Now, Scheifele is a Winnipeg superstar and is being looked at as the future face of the Winnipeg Jets. Some are already putting the weight of the Stanley Cup on his shoulders. But if he remains in the NHL for the full season and continues to stay on the scoreboard he’ll be good in my books.

Only time will tell how he will fair playing against the toughest and most skilled players on the planet. One thing is for sure, Scheifele will get his shot in Winnipeg and Winnipeg will be backing him the whole way. 

So Scheifele made it through The Outhouse with finesse and speed. I also predict that he'll make it through/into the NHL with no problems either.