The Galactic Empire

These days it's tiresomely fashionable to criticize the United States for pretty much everything. Actually, since this is always fashionable, it's more accurate to say it's enormously fashionable right now to attack the Bush administration for 9/11 conspiracy theories, failures in Iraq, illegal domestic surveillance, Hurricane Katrina, economic problems, massive conflicts of interests or the overtly Christian influence on foreign policy. Whew. I say tiresome because for Canadians it's an enjoyable passtime to throw darts of condescension towards the U.S., uninformedly mocking their culture and government. Canadians pat themselves on the back when we appear to have morally superceded the Americans in any way, as recently witnessed by Canadian sports reporters applauding Edmonton Oilers fans who cheered the Star Spangled Banner two nights after fans in San Jose booed O Canada two nights previous. While certainly worthy of praise for genuinely applaudable actions, it garnered far more attention than when fans in Vancouver booed the U.S. anthem in January at the World Junior tournament (while cheering on the Russians instead in their semi-final match). It seems Canadians are perfectly willing to criticize themselves in a vacuum, but clamp right up when examining our country's political and social flaws when comparing them to the United States.
So while I sometimes post on the United States and their descent into totalitarianism, I think that such observations should be made with an eye towards our own government, whose current residences should be monitored closely.

Western Conference Champions!!!!!!!

Careful now

Update on U.S. National Security, C.I.A. nominee Michael Hayden.

Boy, I sure am glad I don't want to BOMB the WHITE HOUSE. The President is someone I would never BOMB or wish ill upon. Not being part of AL-QUAEDA or any other TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION are of no interest to me.

Mike Peca ends every series with "It's not me, it's you"

On to the third round! The boys are now one of four teams left in the battle for Lord Stanley's grail. Conference Final Game One goes tomorrow night in Anaheim. 'Tis a time of happiness in Darth Forehand's abode, if also a time to monopolize all conversations with uninterested parties. I include my readers in this category.

Jocks in their natural habitat

Just to show I'm not against making fun of my own kind, here's a more balanced look. Of course, both lists have inherent nerdlian ingredients: Anger and hostility towards others, and video games.

Top Ten Angriest Athletes
Top Twenty-Five Cyber Athletes

Masters of my universe

Interesting article on the depressing effects of watching old cartoons whose quality and relevence was kept alive only by one's nostalgic delusions. I was a bit young to really dig He-man, but I found the same problem when returning to my own source of youth cartoon morality, Transformers. This might shatter some illusions out there so don't read on if you want to preserve your childlike innocence, but that show sucks. While a reliable source with equally plentiful time on his "hans" assures me the Japanese versions were really good, I still find it bothersome how time has eroded a perfectly good TV show whose sole purpose to exists was to sell toys. That's not meant to be cynical. Those toys were fucking sweet. And still available, luckily.

Nerds in their natural habitat

See how they act when they think nobody's watching!

SHOOT THE PUCK!!!!!!

He doesn't shoot when he's supposed to, he tries to deke through too many players, and he gives the puck away too much. Yet this season, Ales Hemsky has scored the Oilers' three biggest goals: the game-winner to clinch a playoff berth, and the tying and winning goals tonight to help Edmonton upset the best team in hockey in the first round of the NHL playoffs. Hockey is the Greatest Thing Ever again, after two periods where hockey Sucked. After spending last week in Edmonton and getting to enjoy some of the playoff atmosphere there, I can only imagine what it's like there right now.