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Waldo710
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Name: Thomas
Country: Canada
State: Ontario
Metro: Toronto
Birthday: 7/10/1900
Gender: Male
Interests: Blading, skating, skiing, badminton, reading, playing piano, karaoke, writing, hiking, hockey, basketball, biking, eating, reading, drinking, golfing, chattin' w/ friends, ...movies, movies, movies, listening to music............. and many others
Expertise: Sleeping
Occupation: Retired
Industry: Nonprofit
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
ICQ:  1034422
AIM:  Waldoscius
Member Since:
12/2/2003
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| In Canada, and in most of the civilised world, we have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty before that person is incarcerated and put in jail. Innocent until proven guilty. I have no problem with that. What I DO have a problem with, are the ex-convicts that have perpetrated seriously heinous crimes that are walking amongst us simply because they have "done their time". They walk amongst us despite being unrehabilitated pedophiles or unremorseful murderers. They walk amongst us because the parole board deemed them a "reasonable risk".
I believe in second chances. I believe in rehabilitation. And I believe that people should have the opportunity regardless of what they have done to redeem themselves. That being said, I don't believe that murderers, rapists, and pedophiles should be set free simply they are considered a "reasonable risk"! We already proved beyond a reasonable doubt that they were dangerous and a menace to society. We already proved that they were guilty of heinous psychopathic and sociopathic crimes. I think those guilty of perpetrating such dire crimes need to make the same effort to get out as we did to get them in. I think those that we have proved beyond a reasonable doubt that they were indeed murders, rapists, and pedophiles need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they are not JUST a reasonable risk; but that they are no longer a threat to society.
~Cheers. | | |
| Growing up, I always had a need to understand things. My brain refuses to accept things that it cannot understand. I've thus asked a lot of questions and I've tried to keep an open mind. I understand that while I might see a lot of things, there is likely even more that I don't yet understand and don't yet know. By doing this, I've been able to become a perpetual student, always looking for information, always looking to understand and comprehend.
I like getting to know people. I like hearing their stories. The more I hear people's stories, the more I realise how much cause and effect there is in people's lives. While there are intricacies in every situation, there are only finite options as to how to deal with situations. By opening your mind to the myriad of possibilities of how a person might react to events in their lives helps us to understand why someone has gotten to where they are today. I don't judge people. It's not in my position to judge. Who am I to judge anyone? I'm no better than that other guy. I'm not perfect. I have flawed.
As I said in a February 20, 2008 entry:
We are but a patchwork of our memories. Lessons gleaned from our experiences and learned from those of others. Through trials and tribulations, failures and success, we come to realisation the person we are and perhaps the one that's yet to be. Every step we take is a step taken in choice. Choices that come with consequence and responsibility. And while it is easy to blame others, it is when we look upon ourselves with the same scrutiny that we learn and grow.
Everything we do. Every choice and action we make has a consequence. Looking at a person's past, you come to understand their present. Why this person is who they are today. And looking forward, you can see a glimpse of the possibilities of where they will go tomorrow. A person wielding a gun demanding your wallet, didn't always have that gun. Necessary steps HAD to have taken place to get them there. If you were made to walk in their shoes, there would be a different outcome. Maybe better, maybe worse. This person, chose to wave that gun. It is THEIR responsibility alone. Not someone else, not society. Theirs and theirs alone. And it is thus their responsibility too, to face all consequences of their choices.
~Cheers.
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| It's been said that the entire generation born after 1984 is selfish. I think it started earlier than that. I look at my parents' generation. They speak of the war, they speak of revolutions. They talk of a time that, while I might be able to understand, a time that I will hopefully never experience for myself. The experiences they had running and hiding, the hunger they endured as food rations ran thin. These are things that I've never experienced and like I said, hopefully never will.
But all the people I've met who HAVE experienced such tumultuous times have gained in their suffering as well. They've experienced REAL struggle. They don't take anything they have for granted. They weren't born with a silver spoon. As a generation, they saw what poverty is and luckily, have struggled out of it. There's no sense of entitlement and they appreciate all the rewards that have come to them from years of hard work and dedication.
We....sitting here in front of the computer writing and reading blogs. What struggle have we experience? What suffering have we endured? We haven't. We complain when meat is overcooked. We throw things out when it's a day past expiration. We get bored when they show re-runs on television. We covet technology and toys which we don't have. Wii, HDTVs, cars, etc.
I've ranted against entitlement. And while I don't feel that any of us are entitled to anything, I AM guilty of what most people in my generation are guilty of. Taking things for granted. And why not? While I did not grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth, I've wanted for nothing in my life. Anything I've ever really NEEDED has magically appeared before me. I needed food and clothing growing up. It was provided for me. I needed running shoes for gym and track & field. It was given to me. I took care of them, they were good shoes. But I didn't wear it to bed and I certainly didn't ever try mending them when the holes started to poke thru.
Everything is at our fingertips. Starbucks everywhere we go, the Internet on our mobiles; driving seems to have become a right as opposed to a privilege. I challenge each and every person to go into their closets. I bet there there is at least one article of clothing in there that you haven't worn in a year. Most of us have a few pieces that we've forgotten we had. We waste and then we want more. Someone worked for us to have those things. Maybe we worked for it ourselves. Maybe it was given to us. But it didn't magically appear. Let's not forget that.
~Cheers.
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| The NHL might be the most poorly managed professional sports league in modern sports, but there's one thing all of the other major sports leages needs to learn from the NHL: How to make a friggin' trophy. The World Cup. Probably the most coveted trophy in the world looks like this:
America's Favourite Past Time is baseball. I'll admit that the World Series Trophy is a beauty, with all the flags of all the teams. But look at how small it is:
Even the magnificent Vince Lombardi Trophy for the NFL, a league, who's final game is called the SUPER bowl. Probably the single, most advertised sports game in the world, has only a trophy that's a football on a stand.
And the NBA? I'm glad Dwight Howard didn't win it. The dimunitive trophy would look like a candy bar in his gargantuan hands:
No ladies and gentlemen, there is NOTHING like the Stanley Cup. Now THAT'S a trophy. A magnificent piece of hardware that needs to be hoisted with both arms. Held over your head like a real champ, a spectacle for all to see.
And it's not just about the size. Bigger isn't always better. But look at what it stands for. You are amongst the greats. Every team that has ever won the Stanley Cup is engraved onto the rings below the cup. Over the years, some of the rings have been put away in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Let's face it, Even Shaq doesn't have the wingspan to hoist a trophy that has about a hundred years of winners. But this shining chalice, that goes from trophy winning team mate to trophy winning team mate, reminds all who have the privilege to gaze upon it, of the legacy of what this Cup represents.
~Cheers.
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