December 23rd, 2005...

1 - Ah, the wonders of modern technology..., we regret to inform you that there will be no links today. We're using a different computer... it's actually newer than our other one, but alas, it appears to be 'too new.' The links will return in January, along with our larger, older, slower, but somehow better, computer. On the bright side, we can do cool things like this, this, and this, which we couldn't do on our old computer. Or maybe we could and we're actually just computer stupid.

2 - More wonders of modern technology. Rumors are swirling (at least in these parts) about the new X-Box 360. Seems the discs keep getting fried in the machine. The father of one of the founding members of Man on Fire thinks this is just a rumor started by Sony, based on the fact that every person who repeats this rumor to him does not, in fact, own an X-Box 360. (That would include all of us too.) So... if anyone out there has an X-Box 360, we'd like to here about what it's like.

3 - Team Canada Hockey selections: As one columnist noted (someone on Sportsnet maybe, we can't remember) this years team has sparked only minor debate and disagreement. There is the crowd that is upset with Todd Bertuzzi's inclusion, and the faction that was lobbying for the inclusion of either a) Dion Phaneuf, b) Sidney Crosby, c) Eric Stall, d) Jason Spezza, or e) Team Quebec, in the Olympics and is upset that only Stall and Spezza will be going (on the taxi squad). The most interesting omission from the roster is Curtis Joseph. We know Marty Brodeur is great, and Luongo and Turco are good too, but when you consider that Joseph is having a great season in Phoenix where he's Gretzky's main man, we thought he was a lock. Having said that, the goaltending still looks good.

4 - Quote: The whole goalie debate reminds us of a hockey writer in the U.S. who was lamenting over the retirement of Mike Richter. He said from an international stand point it's tough to lose Richter because, "this isn't Canada where you can shake a tree and good goalies fall out of it."

4 - Due to the lack of linkage we can't substantiate this week's sign of the apocalypse, however the younger brother of another founding member of M.O.F. just spent the last ten minutes explaining how he feels one of his university text books is encouraging the drug trade. He's in pre-business admin... at the University of Regina... go figure. According to the text book, if the supply of a product shrinks, then the resulting high demand will send prices sky-rocketing. It then gave two examples: prohibition, and drug trafficking. We pointed out that the text book only teaches students why drug dealers can afford 'bling', and by no means encourages the drug trade. However, the sleuth in us is intrigued, so...

5 - Conspiracy Theory of the Week: All the drug dealers in Regina are actually pre-business admin students from the U of R with crushing student loan debt.

6 - From the Oops File: It appears we've been leading you all astray. Last post we blasted other bloggers, while recommending 'Mader' because he wasn't Canadian. Anyway, if you read the comments section you'll find out he's from Ottawa... oops. He's still one of the more unbiased commentators we've found out there.

7 - In other news, a long time ago, (like... two months) we opined that Jim Reed, CBC news correspondent in the Middle East, was out to lunch. Now Jim Reed himself suspects that maybe M.O.F. is actually on an extended mid-day break. Once again, if we could use links we'd take you right to his comment, so once January hits we'll provide everyone with a link. If you don't have any patience, try bringing up the 3rd M.O.F. entry from the archives. It should be there. Mr. Reed feels he's been quoted out of context. Fair enough we say, lets look at the whole paragraph in Reed's column:

Recent anti-Israel remarks by the president of Iran have been interpreted by many as the true belief of the Iranian “leadership." However, we should keep in mind that the effective head of Iran's political establishment is not the president; that role belongs to the Supreme Leader--a religious figure selected by a so-called Assembly of Experts. And there is some evidence that the real powers in Iran do not condone Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statement about “wiping Israel off the map."

Okay, so in fairness to Mr. Reed, what he's saying is right. The Supreme Leader and the Assembly of Experts do not support "wiping Israel off the map." However... we wonder whether popular support lies with the Supreme Leader or the President of Iran? Reed notes later on that there is a growing number of 'reformists' who agree with the Supreme Leader. Let's hope they continue to grow despite being 'under fire.'

8 - Christmas has been ruined in Beantown. Mullet-wearing power hitter Johnny Damon has taken his ball, left the Red Sox and gone to New York. It's a good thing these two teams don't play a sport that's violent, or you know what would happen. It appears as if George Steinbrenner and the Yankees are taking the if you can't beat 'em, sign 'em approach. On the other hand, we are curious to see if there will be a mass exodus from Boston because Theo Epstein resigned, or if Damon is just part of a much smaller trickle.

9 - Eddie 'O' is out in Pittsburgh and Claude Julien is in. Several sportswriters have noted that Julien doesn't have the cherry disposition Eddie had. This could be the shot in the arm the Penguins need. Some have also noted that Sidney Crosby may not be working out well in Pittsburgh. Some commentators (Bill Watters and Don Cherry) think he's a brat. If he is acting like a brat, then a stint on Team Canada would have done him good (if being ignored by Joe Sakic, threatened by Todd Bertuzzi, and benched by Pat Quinn doesn't send a message nothing will). Cherry and Watters say one thing is clear though. Lemieux needs to stop throwing his weight around, and let Julien coach. The Penguins will be better off if he does.

10 - We should note that we're now taking Jim Reed seriously again.

11 - Apparently the Ottawa Renegades weren't satisfied to just shoot every CFL team in the feet (that's right, not just one foot, both of 'em - see last post), now they've signed quarterback Kerry Jospeh to a five year contract that works out to roughly $400 000 a season. Whoa, that's Casey Printers type money. Joseph's good, but he aien't no Casey Printers. Looks like the 'Gades are doing there best to go bankrupt.

Until some other day...

M.O.F.