Like all critics who imagine they might be excellent playwrights someday, I have occasionally daydreamed about what a totally marvellous city councillor I might make.
However, I’m starting to think that the sports-related demands might be just too much.
I note that it seems to be practically mandatory now that if you want to rise in government in this city, you have to ride your bike everywhere. The mayor routinely rides to news conferences, sometimes with his faithful staffer, Kevin Quinlan, peddling by his side. Eight of the councillors ride their bikes frequently. The new deputy city manager doesn’t need a car allowance, presumably because he’s going to ride his bike. And I saw city manager Penny Ballem, after this morning’s news conference at the Olympic village, roll her pants into her socks, put on her helmet, and jump on a sturdy yellow mountain bike to get back to city hall.
That’s bad enough. Now they’re all out playing soccer. A media release I got this week invited everyone to a soccer match between the mayor, councillors, school and park reps versus shelter residents from the Portland Hotel Society’s New Fountain residence in Gastown. Director Liz Evans says the residents have been training for six months and are sure to whip some political butt.
It’s at Moberly Field, Saturday morning 10:30, 7646 Prince Albert, if anyone wants to cheer on either side, by the way.
I can’t imagine what they’re going to dream up next: Mayor plus senior staff swim (wet suits or bear grease, your choice on how to stay warm!) from Stanley Park to Ambleside to confer with West Van mayor on Olympics live sites? Mayor and councillors cross-country ski to next FCM mid-winter meeting in Penticton? (Pausing to shoot something along the way, for the biathlon event) Future contenders for all Vision nominations decide their fate by throwing javelins?
22 responses so far ↓
1 The Blackbird // Oct 10, 2009 at 5:48 am
Fine if the Mayor and Councillors want to swim next. Just keep Rachel Marsden away from the water.
2 Fersure // Oct 10, 2009 at 8:43 am
Ahh Rachel Marsden joke… one can never have too many of those in their back pockey. Thanks Blackbird!
3 Blaffergassted // Oct 10, 2009 at 9:09 am
Old reporters have good reasons for driving. Riding a bike can aggravate the carpel tunnel syndrome!
4 Anon // Oct 10, 2009 at 1:29 pm
lol @ Blackbird. What an old reference. Is she still around making headlines for something or another? I worked with that lady once, back in the day, at the Surrey CCRA Center. She didn’t seem especially crazy to me, but I was naive, 17, and had no idea about the whole SFU mess at the time.
5 Hoarse Whisperer // Oct 10, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Yes! The original bunny boiler just wrote an awful piece for the Daily Telegraph on the Olympics. She is the poor man’s Ann Coulter. Or is Ann Coulter the rich man’s Rachel Marsden?
Here is the September 29 Telegraph piece.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/rachelmarsden/100012709/vancouvers-2010-winter-olympics-are-peddling-a-politically-correct-fantasy/
And here is her response to the uproar on October 9th:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/rachelmarsden/100013147/i-make-fun-of-the-vancouver-winter-olympics-logo-and-suddenly-im-a-racist/
And here is a piece from Salon.com that appeared in the Tyee, following her downward career trajectory. Perhaps her rabid Torygraph supporters should check out her history. It might be a revelation:
http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2007/04/05/RMarsden/
Never has someone with so obvious a shtick and so little real talent gotten so far. What a cynical media world we live in—one that keeps feeding her narccissitic personality and vainglorious attitude about her own skills as a writer, and god save us, a political pundit.
I live for the day when her neo-con/sexpot storyline is sooooooooooo done. Please!
6 spartikus // Oct 10, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Rachel Marsden graduated to Fox News. No, really.
7 A. G. Tsakumis // Oct 11, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Marsden is a nightmare. Always has been, always will be. She’s struggling in New York, Both CNN and Fox have now been informed of her stalker history. Fox, in particular, will not have her back and CNN have one producer that keeps having her back so that somehow the fact she is Republican and a nutter will hurt the Republicans (I have good freinds who work at both Fox and CNN).
But let’s get back to the main topic here…
Jolly Green Gregor and “his (soccer) team” will be playing…
HTF are you going to get 11 players including the goalie all on left wing???
8 Rachel Marsden // Oct 11, 2009 at 1:47 pm
I would argue that, in fact, I land wealthier dates than Ann Coulter (for free, so kindy don’t go there). So I suppose perhaps you could say, if you really must, that she’s the poor man’s version of me.
I wasn’t aware that I was “struggling”. Perhaps wishful thinking going on 15 years now, for some? New book out in March, worldwide. Will be back on Fox News and other networks at that time for the media tour. But focused on doing regular national TV here in Paris, France for the time being. Thanks for your collective (albeit misplaced) ongoing concern.
Much love,
Rachel
9 Rachel Marsden // Oct 11, 2009 at 1:53 pm
BTW, my sincere apologies, Frances. I didn’t mean to further encourage the hijacking of your blog comments in my name – particularly when the relevance to your post in question is precisely nil. Kindly pardon the intrusion.
All best,
Rachel
10 Rachel Marsden // Oct 11, 2009 at 2:08 pm
“What a cynical media world we live in—one that keeps feeding her narccissitic personality and vainglorious attitude about her own skills as a writer, and god save us, a political pundit.”
I would argue that my media career puts me in perfect company, when you put it that way. I certainly would never deny being narcissitic or vain – those traits have served me well in this industry. I can understand why my success might upset some, though. But I’m just a testament to what one can achieve when they focus 100% on career and goals, rather than spending umpteen million hours looking and critiquing others in online forums or elsewhere. Focus on yourself, and see where it gets you rather than looking around trying to figure out the trajectory of others.
All best,
Rachel
11 Frothingham // Oct 11, 2009 at 7:31 pm
“Just keep Rachel Marsden away from the water.’
Best Fickin line of the Year!
12 Chris Keam // Oct 12, 2009 at 11:28 am
“I certainly would never deny being narcissitic or vain – those traits have served me well in this industry.”
Those traits may have served you well Rachel, but they aren’t very admirable or particularly useful to those of us seeking quality information from the the media. Have you considered becoming part of the solution, rather than being emblematic of the problem?
13 Frothingham // Oct 12, 2009 at 12:58 pm
“Kindly pardon the intrusion.”
LOL… is FB being Stalked by RM
I am beside my self with laughter! The more one lives the more funny the world becomes!
14 Bill Lee // Oct 12, 2009 at 4:58 pm
One of the privates had their cameras there for a news story and showed their tactics and footwork. (World Cup is coming, folks! It will be bigger than the Olympics or Stanley Cup. It will close the streets. 9 hour difference)
But there was no one watching from the sidelines. What is this? Even amateur games in the city get 100 watchers on the lines. Can’t anyone find Moberly in southest part of Vancouver?
Do we have to bring back Callister Park or the Athletic Park at 5th and Hemlock (now the latter would improve on a decaying neighbourhood of leaky condos)?
15 rf // Oct 12, 2009 at 6:53 pm
You certainly do focus “100% “of yourself on your goals, Rachel……
can someone attach a link to that “psycho” sound effect?
16 Hoarse Whisperer // Oct 12, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Wow. I must doing something right, to warrant three (3) ripostes.
Maybe I have a future, somewhere, doing something.
*focusing, *focusing, *focusing…
17 Higgins // Oct 12, 2009 at 7:41 pm
C’mon Spartikus. What have I ever done to you to deserve this? I checked your live link “really” and I still have… side effects… I had the bad inspiration to watch the video about RM debating feminism. Boy, oh, boy,I listened to Rachel’s points of view and now I’ve become a feminist too. [edited] And one more thing, go to the movies, see “Taken”, tzz, tailored for your French appetite. And for our other pathetic story, why would anyone want to watch a soccer game between Havitol Visionistas Hypocrites versus The Vancouver Havenots? So that Gregor “checked” another green initiative for 2009. Pitiful!
18 A. G. Tsakumis // Oct 12, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Perhaps, Rachel, you can apologize, not to Frances, but instead to Liam Donnelly for your infamously fabricated intrusion on (almost destruction of) his life; or Neil Boyd for similar, or the cop form Ontario…or shall I keep going?
You’re releasing a book “worldwide”? Who’s publishing David Letterman?
You are an utter joke. Everyone knows how you arrive at your “appearances”.
IMnot-soHO, I know of no use for women who give whores, media or otherwise, a bad name.
19 Frances Bula // Oct 12, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Help me. Someone please help me. What have I done? Look at what this thread has turned into.
20 A. G. Tsakumis // Oct 12, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Blame Blackbird and the genius who alerted Miss Stalkerazzi from her pied a terre…
21 Stephanie // Oct 13, 2009 at 8:22 pm
M*rsd*n googles herself obsessively. Do not invoke her, lest you find your pets flayed.
She chose her base country poorly, though: France updated the harassment provisions of its Penal Code in 2002.
22 spartikus // Oct 14, 2009 at 8:16 am
Alas, I do believe by linking to her site I summoned her. Black magic for the modern age.
Mea culpa.
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