Notes from the Great White Near North

[captainsblog]

A message to the ownership and management of Active Transport, Ltd. of beautiful Milton, Ontario:

We don't have many people living here anymore. Unfortunately, most of the ones who do still live here have jobs, and those jobs often involve traveling our major highways during something known as "rush hour."

As the name implies, we're kind of in a RUSH to get where we're going, especially during the morning version of "rush hour," where being to work, or outside commitments, or in my case today a conference center at which two dozen students and a panel of fellow speakers were awaiting my arrival.

It is very difficult to accomplish the "rushing" part of a "rush hour" when your otherwise fine and lovely company chooses the precise heart of that time frame, at roughly 8 this morning, to run not one but two of your finest pieces of fabricated bigass concrete, on WIDE LOAD trucks with flashing lights and Certified Escort Vehicles (hired cheap, no doubt, cause Spitzer doesn't need them anymore) through the Williamsville Fucking Toll Barrier and onward to the already-bottlenecked Depew exit, taking up about 2 of the available 3 lanes and slowing the "rush" down to something far more ant-like.

Next time, send the trucks oot an hour or so earlier, plskthnx? Timmy Ho's are open 24/7 on both sides of the border and even at our rest stops if that helps with the transition.

----

And yet, despite that aggravation? O Canada, I officially forgive you.

Because you have finally inspired a reality series that I can, and in fact will, actually watch:

The Toronto Star reported Monday that NBC has acquired exclusive rights to launch 10 episodes of a proposed television show called Rockstar Curling.

Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, apparently closet curlers, are among the megastar rockers being courted to host it.

Citing unnamed sources, the Star said the two rock stars are among a group of entertainment types who rent arena time on occasion to pick up brooms instead of guitars.

Organizers are trying to negotiate a deal to get one of them involved in the proposed show, possibly as a host.

The series' winners could wind up with a berth at the U.S. championships and perhaps at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

The concept was developed in partnership with a New York-based sports marketing firm, mktpartners, the newspaper said.

"The sport of curling is clutter-free compared to mainstream American sports sponsorship," Colin Campbell, Canadian president of mktpartners, told the Star. "Rockstar Curling is an excellent opportunity for brands to capture the attention of consumers, leading up to the Olympics."

Curling was a surprise hit for NBC during the last two Winter Olympics, once getting better ratings than an NHL playoff game at the same time the following day.

The show would begin with nationwide tryouts, continue with the 10 chosen contestants receiving six months of free training in Lake Placid, N.Y., and conclude with the Olympic trials in February 2009, according to the Star.

That six-month stint is a bit of a bear, but surely there's someone here who's ready to make the commitment- to the only sport where beer is not only permitted on the field of play but actively encouraged.

Men with Brooms, meet Men and Women with Blogs!

Comments

[headbanger118.livejournal.com]

I don't understand curling, but I really dig watching it, and if Bon Jovi's in on it...score!