Are We Really That Stupid?

I recently bought a new piece of hockey equipment, from a known manufacturer. It came with the following warning.

"Caution: Competitive sports, by their very nature, pose the continuous threat of injury, which no type of protective equipment can ensure against or prevent. Ice, roller and ball hockey, ringette, broomball and lacrosse are dangerous collision sports. This personal protective equipment (PPE) affords no protedction from back, neck, or spinal injury. Severe head, brain, neck or spinal injuries, including paralysis or death may occur despite this PPE."

This is prefectly reasonable and pretty much what I'd expect a corporate lawyer to insist on to make sure the manufacturer isn't held liable. There's just one thing - the equipment in question is a glove.

Which One?

I just can't decide which is creepier - the giant plastic king from the Burger King commercials or the new McDonalds breakfast slogan "Wake up and smell your life."

April Thoughts - maybe part 1

The Canucks didn't make the playoffs. In theory, they should have been able to. They have a lot of players who ought to be doing a lot better than they are. There's the whole injury thing, which happens on all teams, but then there's how the coach handles it. The Canucks really messed up their goalie situation. Their number one is injured for most of the season, which would not be such a big deal if he hadn't been out more than not the past few seasons as well. Side note - time to cut him. One would think that the coach wouldn't play their rookie for over 90% of the remaining games, particularly when there's another good option as well as an adequate one. One would be wrong. Incidentally, it's also time to cut Bertuzzi and maybe Naslund. Morrison can stay another season and hopefully help the younger players get some seasoning. The defense is actually ok, and there's some good potential in the newer players so it's not like thay have nothing. If it was up to me, and it's so not, I'd also say goodbye to the coach. I'd do that first.

**topic change**
I was out of town last week. When I left it was cold and wet, with the promise of spring but not a lot of actual spring around. When I got back there was grass, and buds on the trees and shrubs, and early flowers. Granted, there was some severe weather while I was gone, but I was too far away to notice. Spring's pretty nice, but mostly what I'm thinking now is all the gardening I need to do in the next few weeks.

**another new one**
Taxes are done for the year. I think I was less bothered by months of unemployment than I am by having to pay more taxes this year than I had deducted. It's the first time in about forever, and it seems unfair. I made less.. Why am I paying more? At least it's only the federal taxes. I still get money back from the state, as usual.

**this one has a transition**
And last - for now. There's this guy I play hockey with, and I want to avoid saying enough to make him identifiable. Oh, I'm not worried that he'll know - he's not the type to recognize himself in anything other than glowing terms. But it's just possibled that someone else might. So I'll just say that everything about him annoys me more than everything else. Fortunately he's always at the exact opposite end of the ice, so it's bearable. Oops - that was too much. Well, if you know who it is just snicker and move on.