JohnF

Looks like a scene from a sci-fi movie, the part where the music gets very ominous and the extra-terrestrial invader ships are about to lower through the cloud bank. JF

One of my favourite dive destinations. JF

The radio report I heard tonight was that it was in fact a Greenland Shark, and was caught while icefishing. The fisherpersons had to enlarge the hole to land it, took some pics, and stuffed it back in the hole, alive. JF

So how come they call it "getting s--tfaced" when we drink too much alcohol? JF

You're right. We should be glad that locks and deletions are all that happens. I used to post (note the used to part) to a popular scuba forum until I caught the chief moderator editing the content of one of my posts to alter my meaning without any indication he had done it. When I called him on it he said something along the lines that he thought my comment might lead to other nastier posts so he thought he'd just change my meaning slightly to avoid trouble with other members. You'll just have to trust me that there was nothing wrong with my post other than being humorous. The fact was he just didn't agree with the point I was making. He said he didn't think I'd mind. I made one last post to that board. I never went back to see if he "fixed" that one too, or just removed it. I seriously doubt he left that one up. 8) JF

He lives in Sevierville, just down the road from Pigeon Forge. JF

Yeah, but in his defense he tries real hard to fight with me as often as possible. We tend to disagree on things like politics and guns. 8) JF

It's a good idea when carrying a revolver under the seat to be sure it's secure. We were riding with a friend in Tennessee one evening when this peculiar strangling sound came from the back seat. I turned and saw my wife pointing at the floor near her feet - at a big ole 6 shooter. My friend just chuckled and told her to kick it back under the seat. She did, very carefully. JF

Good for you. A little humility is a small price to pay for the freedom and relative safety we enjoy in North America. Cops have a tough enough job without having to take that kind of lip from every sullen punk and snotty taxpayer. It's time that particular kid learned a little appreciation for just why he can even think he can get away with that crap. I only wish the video had been of him encountering a better example of police protection than that clown but no one ever wants to bother showing or even recording those guys, do they? That so many otherwise law abiding folks are so willing to slag LEOs is in itself a sad commentary on how our society is regressing. Lack of respect for a few policemen leads to lack of respect for all of them, and that leads to a lack of respect for the law generally, and that leads to disrespecting the entire system which assures us of a reasonably safe comfortable existance. Without rules and people willing to obey them we have anarchy, and that cop and that kid both would either rise to the very top or be taken down is a serious way with their respective attitudes, and the rest of us would be very very unhappy with the way we were living. One of our sons went to Cuba when he was 16 with his high school volleyball team to play a series of exhibition games (yeah, they were pretty good for a high school team). He brought home pics of a few of them braced against a police van on a city street with several black uniformed officers holding what looked to be machine pistols with the shoulder extension and big magazines. He told me they were just talking to these cops and asked if they could pose the picture for fun. The cops went along with it. The smiles on their faces said it all. But Steve (our son) said he sure figured out quick that the whole world doesn't have it as good as we do in North America. You can bet he'd be like you if he got pulled over today, and he wouldn't mind a bit. JF

Both, but I gotta admit it does my heart good to see the mouthy little punk get knocked down a rung or two. There are too many kids and even adults with that kind of crappy attitude towards authority these days. What really worries me is that a lot of younger people don't even recognize it as crappy attitude. Imagine how smoothly our world's gonna run in thirty or so years with surly little pukes like that in charge. Should add a really interesting flavour to negotiations and statesmanship. The problem with that whole scenario, if in fact it wasn't faked, is that the kid's Mom probably will defend the little darling's right to disrespect authority, encouraging his crappy attitude. And on it goes...... Having seen a few real life instances like that I can't say I blame the cop for going over the top. There were times when I was coaching hockey & ball that I felt exactly the same, and I like kids. The worst behaviour problem I ever had was a 13 year old boy who was convinced he was on his way to the NHL. When I finally turfed him off my team for insolence & troublemaking his Dad's response was to punch me - or at least try to. The cop, or bylaw officer, whatever, is just another kind of problem child. They work under pretty crummy conditions in a lot of cities. There are too many bleeding hearts and over-indulgent parents with misplaced priorities turning the kids they influence (they would say protect) into that little punk on the video. Unfortunately it is what it is and the people who choose to work in law enforcement need to control their responses to everyday occurences like dealing with a surly kid. I deliberately answered this before reading other responses. Now I'll read on. BTW. I don't hate kids at all, and I don't even hate kids with spirit. They're the ones who'll take over this world. I hate the people who spoil the kids' potential. It's a very fine line to walk between freedom to grow & indulgence. JF

Fortunately for the survival of the species we have Darwin's Law. JF

Exactly why I've always been happy we had only boys. I wouldn't have survived raising daughters. I don't know how some of you do it. You're obviously better men than me. On the other hand I'm sure glad there are those of you who could handle it. The world would be a cold and lonely place with only us guys in it. JF

But won't it smell like dogbutt? JF

I hear John Ferguson is doing some commentary for TSN. JF

Are they goalies? JF

The talking heads on one of the shows talked about that the other night. Apparently the Leafs have a young guy in the system who looks promising. I wish I could remember the conversation but it seems to me they worked up a good sounding scenario for trading him. JF

Make sure you drop 'em at the right terminal. And have one of them carry a cell phone so they can phone you from the terminal when they're deplaned (before immigration etc) so you can wait at a coffeeshop 15 minutes away, then just cruise up to Arrivals and pick them up without ransoming yer vehicle to the Parking Building. Actually the parking charges aren't that bad for short stops. JF

Do you ever go to the Horseshoe? You might know my son if you do. JF

Okeydokey. I take that back. I have now seen a 2-stroke blower. I suspect it's not really Ariens built, as someone else suggested. I don't think I've ever seen a single stage Ariens before, and I used to sell 'em. They show two models on their website now. JF

Probably explains why it seized. He's been putting the oil in the gas instead of the crankcase. I can't say I've ever heard of a 2-stroke blower. JF

Hey, in those days there's a pretty good chance I hadn't recovered my sanity from Saturday night. JF

The ice fishermen should start a tin can curling league. JF

I don't bet where I drink any more. I learned that lesson when I was about 20 when I bet $20 on the outcome of the Grey Cup. I lost. Found out the next day the game was already over when I made that bet. JF

Any bets the producers have a demographic study that says the average football viewer likes Tom Petty's music? Think about the market for the NFL's product. All us boomers (and I'm right on the front edge of that group) grew up with tv football and now control a large share of disposable consumer dollars. Given the amount of advertising money that's spent on the show don't you think they're looking at who's watching and tailoring the product to the market. As a young guy I was far more interested in playing the violent games than watching 'em on tv. Nowadays I'm a watcher of violent sports and settle for fishing, diving, golf & curling as my "contact" sports. I often leave the tv during the halftime extravaganza because I don't usually relate to what's happening, but this time I stuck around and kinda enjoyed it's lowkeyness. But then I also enjoyed the game, so what do I know? 8) JF

The long tuck slide deliveries you see on the tv spiels aren't the only way to deliver a rock, and grippers make it much easier to navigate on the ice. Watch a league night at the local club and you'll see lots of less bendy delivery techniques used, including the stick someone mentioned. I've been out of curling for a couple of years because of other commitments but I sure miss it. People who don't understand the game laugh about it being a wimpy game but if you're lucky enough to get hooked up with a competent instructor, and then get into a league with the right guys or gals, you realize there's a nice blend of strategy, skill and stamina involved that the average person can handle with some effort. JF