Thursday, February 28, 2008
Advice, please
The late WFB offers some advice to Christians in politics in this 1995 Christianity Today interview
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music?
In honour of Larry Norman, who died yesterday, a post of one of his songs: Why Should the Devil have all the Good Music?
Friday, February 22, 2008
This "battle of the sexes" is apparently no contest
American writer Todd Gallagher's recently published book, Andy Roddick Beat Me With A Frying Pan, answers the kind of sports questions that you might talk about over a cold beverage, questions such as "Could a morbidly obese goalie shut out an NHL team?" or "Would sumo wrestlers make good NFL linemen?". Mr. Gallagher and his team of helpers conducted experiments that tried to answer such questions, and he amusingly documents the results in his book.
One of Mr. Gallagher's questions, however, is quite politically incorrect to ask. It does, however, point to some reasons why Canada's national women's hockey team may never play as well as our national men's hockey team, a question that I suspect that even Don Cherry might be afraid to touch.
One of the questions explored in the book is "How big is the gap between male and female athletes?" Mr. Gallagher argues that a top-level male athlete and a top level female athlete are definitely better than the couch-potato of either sex. Certainly there are lots of valid reasons to admire female athletes.
That said, he argues that there is anecdotal and statistical evidence that the gap in performance between male and female athletes may not be due to "sexism". Efforts to allay sexual discrimination in sports may never totally eliminate this difference.
He writes:
"The truth of the matter is that the gap between pro female athletes and their male counterparts is wider than the general public understands and considerably more severe than the sports media has ever presented. Not surprisingly, the gap is largest in sports where size, strength and speed are essential. Somewhat more surprisingly, there's also a significant gap separating men and women in the games that are almost exclusively skill based."
He then goes on to develop his argument for most of the chapter. He then finds an example that may be of particular interest to Shotgun readers.
He notes that the U.S. women's hockey team has played boy's high school teams, in games where checking was not allowed, and lost. He then adds:
"These outcomes aren't aberrations; the women's Canadian national team, which won the Olympic gold medal in 2006, regularly plays and loses to Midget AAA men's teams (sixteen to eighteen year olds)."
I wonder if Canadian sports reporters ever take notice of this. I doubt it. I also doubt that any reporters who may have covered these games asked "Why can't championship-level female hockey players defeat younger male hockey players who should be less skilled than they are?"
I doubt that even Don Cherry is that brave.
One of Mr. Gallagher's questions, however, is quite politically incorrect to ask. It does, however, point to some reasons why Canada's national women's hockey team may never play as well as our national men's hockey team, a question that I suspect that even Don Cherry might be afraid to touch.
One of the questions explored in the book is "How big is the gap between male and female athletes?" Mr. Gallagher argues that a top-level male athlete and a top level female athlete are definitely better than the couch-potato of either sex. Certainly there are lots of valid reasons to admire female athletes.
That said, he argues that there is anecdotal and statistical evidence that the gap in performance between male and female athletes may not be due to "sexism". Efforts to allay sexual discrimination in sports may never totally eliminate this difference.
He writes:
"The truth of the matter is that the gap between pro female athletes and their male counterparts is wider than the general public understands and considerably more severe than the sports media has ever presented. Not surprisingly, the gap is largest in sports where size, strength and speed are essential. Somewhat more surprisingly, there's also a significant gap separating men and women in the games that are almost exclusively skill based."
He then goes on to develop his argument for most of the chapter. He then finds an example that may be of particular interest to Shotgun readers.
He notes that the U.S. women's hockey team has played boy's high school teams, in games where checking was not allowed, and lost. He then adds:
"These outcomes aren't aberrations; the women's Canadian national team, which won the Olympic gold medal in 2006, regularly plays and loses to Midget AAA men's teams (sixteen to eighteen year olds)."
I wonder if Canadian sports reporters ever take notice of this. I doubt it. I also doubt that any reporters who may have covered these games asked "Why can't championship-level female hockey players defeat younger male hockey players who should be less skilled than they are?"
I doubt that even Don Cherry is that brave.
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Your home for Super Tuesday results!
"The results are exactly as I predicted, except that the Silly Party won!"
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Matinee at the Bijou
According to this neat blog, efforts are being made to return Matinee at the Bijou, one of my favourite PBS TV shows when I was a kid, to television. I'd certainly pay a dime to see that. Or 25 cents, if you threw in popcorn. :)
Monday, January 21, 2008
Ce n'est pas Gene Pitney!
The Baronets again, with "L'amour, ça fait pleurer", the Quebec cover version of It Hurts to be in Love. Incroyable!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Look out, he's got a non-kosher object!
Part of the pilot for Makkat Medina, the Israeli pro wrestling show! Although it's in Hebrew, I trust that you will be able to figure out that the "rabbi" character is the heel!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
The Bizarroworld Elvis Presley
This is German comedian/singer Bill Ramsey's version of Bossa Nova Baby. I think it loses something in translation....
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Does she come with the slot cars?
French chanteuse Dalida singing the very pretty Je n'ai jamais pu t'oublier from 1964
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Rene Angelil, teen idol!
I didn't know that Rene Angelil, Mr. Celine Dion, was a teen idol back in the day, but there you have it...
He's apparently the one on the left...
He's apparently the one on the left...
Friday, January 04, 2008
Superman returns...to Istanbul?
Oh my gosh, someone has posted the Turkish knockoff version of Superman, "Supermen Donuyur", on YouTube. The entire movie...with English subtitles!
Here is the first part...
Here is the first part...
Monday, December 31, 2007
"Its the music video from Village of the Damned!"
At a party last night, some of my friends and I were playing a "top this"! game using YouTube videos. I innocently suggested "Ton Amour A Change Ma Vie" by the Quebec group Les Classels. My friends thought this an amusing example of "vintage wackiness":
"Oh my God, he's glowing. That's so creepy!"
"Stick Twirl! Stick Twirl!"
"Oh my God, he's glowing. That's so creepy!"
"Stick Twirl! Stick Twirl!"
Thursday, December 27, 2007
It's like "His Girl Friday" but with more flatulence
On today's episode of Alice Wrigley, Gal Reporter...
It's the most wonderful time of the year...in Iceland
It's a couple of days late, but here is "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"...sung by the Icelandair Stewardess Choir. In Icelandic!
(I got a CD in the mail today and my mother said "Is it the Chinese version of My Boyfriend's Back?" This should top that. :) )
(I got a CD in the mail today and my mother said "Is it the Chinese version of My Boyfriend's Back?" This should top that. :) )
Monday, December 24, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
The female Iain Gregory?
A brave YouTube is seeing whether he can listen to Jingle with Jillian, the new Christmas EP by WWF diva Jillian Hall, without having his head explode:
For what it's worth, there is speculation that Jillian Hall can actually sing and is deliberately singing badly. You could listen to her singing Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and decide for yourself...
At least, unlike Iain Gregory, she's allowed to sing on her own records.
For what it's worth, there is speculation that Jillian Hall can actually sing and is deliberately singing badly. You could listen to her singing Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree and decide for yourself...
At least, unlike Iain Gregory, she's allowed to sing on her own records.