Comments: Survey's, Superfluous Muckraking and Spamming

-Perception is all that matters and substance counts for little.

Consider this survey about how people view a dozen selected countries. Israel comes last; behind such impressive societies as North Korea and Iran. Proof that the world's mindset is sufficiently warped. Canada comes out on top.

For the record, while Canada has many positives, I don't consider it the best. It depends on the criteria one uses. It remains, on a whole, a society that under achieves. We should be doing much, much better with what we have been accorded. Canada can be a great place. But do Canadians deserve it?

As a friend put it, "Canada: So popular, yet so useless."

One last note about the survey: Populism is over rated.

-On the heels of LÁffaire Kovalev, Francois Gagnon of La Presse believes that Montreal papers are not rags. I beg to differ, Franky, sometimes they are.

Definition of tabloid according to Oxford: a small-sized newspaper, often sensational in style.

Sounds very much like Montreal print media: in both languages. It seems poor Alexei "Call me Alex" Kovalev is the latest hockey star the French language press has decided to pick on. When it comes to to this sort of stuff, the French language papers have pulled some good ones in the past - mostly along language lines. Since it was usually within their own parochial circles, very few times have they been called out for it. This blog is.

They get very personal here. The scary thing is that they have no idea how subtle in their politicization they really are. It's hilarious to hear them speak about "les Anglais." They literally have no clue. That's because they are sedentary in their under sieged mentality.

Back to Kovvy - it's my nickname. I'm sticking to it - Apparently, he told a Russian reporter from a Russian paper that: Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau does not appreciate Russian hockey players and that he gives special attention to francophone players. Le ciel est noir! He also mentions that there are cliques in the dressing room - really? He said that? Never thought this could happen- and that Montreal's overall defensive play holds back creative players. Um, you don't say? Look who is running the team: Bob Gainey, Guy Carbonneau, Kirk Muller and Doug Jarvis. Tie them together and feed them jello and you get Frank Selke. They are the high priests of defensive hockey.

Here's the thing: Alex said it to a Russian paper. Should he have said it to local papers? Perhaps. But he didn't. Was it worth all the energy and resources to try and catch him in a lie? Probably not. For what? To hear what most Montrealers already knew? They have dedicated two, three days and multiple pages to this ridiculous story. Should he have denied the story? Nope.

And this is where they feel they are justified. The media is fond of saying they are not stupid. Neither is Kovalev. He's heard all the stuff about him - which comes with the territory of being a pro athlete. Some of it was over board. There's always talk among fans that the mercurial but exquisitely talented Russians can't win or that they don't play hard. Don't you think he doesn't know this?

They - being La Presse - say they fact checked their sources and work. Though we still can't know for certain - when you're dealing with libel best to be 100% sure - since the original tapes went missing.

Who the hell does Kovalev thinks he is? Tabernak, he has no business saying these things even if they are true! Yes, we are a small minded bunch but golly molly we wield a lot of power, you commie. Watch us.

And that we did - straight into the gutter.

Why do I consider this to be a silly story? Does it really matter what he said and where he said it? Maybe he felt more comfortable leaking it to an outside source. Who knows? Think of it. Athletes say - and do - far worse things.

Then they comically wonder why free agents don't want to come and play here. Indeed, you can't get more insanely illogical and passionate than that.

- Get this spam I received:

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Spam is for enterprising jackasses.

Scumbags posing as relatives and friends of murderous and corrupt African dictators have also stepped up the frequency of trying to carpet bag me into helping them launder millions of dollars. Hey, listen and listen good: Go screw yourselves, assholes.