I'm opening a sticky subject here, my need to understand causing me to throw caution to the wind. It's about Alberta. Alberta vs. the rest of the Canada. The Globe And Mail runs something about Alberta's gripes every day, and I try to follow along. If it weren't for wmtc's resident Albertan , and the ensuing arguments in comments, I would've had no warning. It's not something Americans know about. As is, observing for more than a year, I have only the smallest of clues. Here's what I know. Please pardon my ignorance and oversimplification, but I have to start somewhere. The province of Alberta is rich, because it has oil. The province of Alberta is conservative, relative to the rest of Canada. Hmm. Funny how those two go together. Because of its great oil wealth, Alberta revenue helps fund services in the rest of Canada. (These are transfer payments?) Apparently many Albertans resent this. They want to keep Alberta's money in Alberta. They don't...
Is Hockey Night in Canada going back on the air? I can't tell from out here...
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Red Sox Nation is very much in mourning this morning. Is it coincidence that the remnants of a tropical storm are pouring down on us right now?
ReplyDeleteThey stepped up and played a good game, though, and kept it close until the top of the ninth. Some good Chicago D saved the day for the White Sox. If they were going to go out, at least they made it a close one, and kept it interesting all game long. Even I (who loves to criticise all) can't be too critical of that. There's always next season ... look at the Angels, as a prime example of a team back in title contention after an off year.
ReplyDeleteFor someone (me) who doesn't know this yet.
ReplyDeleteWhy are they called the Toronto Maple Leafs when we have maple leaves on the ground?
That's what I thought up while running this morning... Oh the thoughts you have while you think to yourself...
There's always next season ...
ReplyDeleteThe motto of baseball fans everywhere: wait til next year.
look at the Angels, as a prime example of a team back in title contention after an off year.
After winning the WS in 1996, the Yankees lost the division series to Cleveland in 1997, then came back as a dynasty. I'm hoping the Red Sox can manage it, too.
Thanks for the good wishes, G. :)
Why are they called the Toronto Maple Leafs when we have maple leaves on the ground?
ReplyDeleteAnybody...?
English has some odd rules concerning pluralization of words ending with "f". Leaf -> leaves, roof -> rooves, but elf -> elfs and proof -> proofs. Not to mention dwarf -> dwarrows. Unless you're J.R.R. Tolkien, in which case it's elf -> elves and dwarf -> dwarves.
ReplyDeleteApparently the rule here is that compound nouns ("Maple Leaf", "lowlife", "sabretooth", "still life") are pluralized with -s instead of whatever the last part would normally use. You don't say "lowlives", "sabreteeth", or "still lives". Thus, "Maple Leafs".
Then again, there's "Red Sock" -> "Red Sox"...
Then again, there's "Red Sock" -> "Red Sox"..
ReplyDeleteIf you read anything written in English before the 18th Century, spelling hadn't yet been standardized, and you get some funny combinations. You might be, for example, a musique fanatique.
I'm pretty sure the Rolling Stones were around then, right? Led by Micque Jaggre?
Given that the aristocracy was essentially French (Norman), it's not surprising that people would adopt Frenchish spelling to try to look more "sophisticated". :)
ReplyDelete