It seems that 2 of Saskatchewan's toughest guys are teaming up to offer self help clinics.

Derek Boogaard (of the Minnesota Wild), the second toughest guy in the NHL, is offering a hockey self defence clinic for those players getting tired of being intimidated.

Meanwhile, Monty Loree of Regina, is offering a self help clinic on how to get tough with collection agents that intimidate you, not only over the phone, but also those who call in person.

When asked the inevitable question of who was the toughest guy in Saskatchewan, him or Boogaard, Loree brashly attested that he was.

In fact, being the host of a website that deals with money, he assured us that he should be given credit for always "putting his money where his mouth is. "Afterwhich, he offered to take on Boogaard "any time, any place" to prove it.

He merely added the condition that he would have to be with Fedor - and Fedor would have to go first.

Lets hope that Fedor can skate.

Ray

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Minnesota Wild's enforcer has turned teacher, but his lessons involve beatings, not books.

by Adam Proteau (THN.com)

The Minnesota Wild's enforcer has turned teacher, but his lessons involve beatings, not books.

• How proud the NHL must be to know one of its players has been hosting a camp that instructs kids as young as 12 how to physically decimate their opponents with their fists.

In addition to providing that oh-so-valuable life lesson in common assault, the second "Derek Boogaard Fighting Camp", held last week in the Minnesota Wild enforcer's home province of Saskatchewan, also gives the kiddies T-shirts "splotched with blood-red dye," according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Awwwww. Cute. But I think Boogaard hasn't gone far enough. He should be demonstrating what ambulance rides to a hospital's intensive care unit feel like. The tykes ought to know how it feels to have reconstructive surgery on their orbital bones. And there's got to be enough room in the curriculum for showing campers how to push aside their consciences, as well as how to live with the long-term, physical effects that follow when you pummel other human beings for a living.

Can you imagine the public outcry if an NBAer - especially one of a particular skin color - held summer camps for inner city children on how to throw down? David Stern would be on the first private jet to meet that player and politely inform him to immediately desist before the commissioner ceases to employ him.

However, in the NHL, Gary Bettman simply yawns and turns a blind eye to such a disgrace. I suppose he's too busy being insulted by Jim Balsillie's uncouth attempts at buying a franchise to notice.

But back to Boogaard, who told the Pioneer Press he's just thrilled to see wanton goonery (OK, perhaps those weren't his exact words) wedge its way back into the NHL.

"The way the league's going, (teams are) signing everyone back that fought before because they saw what Anaheim did all year long and in the playoffs," Boogaard told the Pioneer Press. "Fans were excited after the lockout because it was such a fast game. It was, but then it got boring.

"(Fighting) is coming back. I'm excited for the season."

Editor's Note: It seems that the writer, Adam Proteau, is not a big fan of Boogaard and so the article may be somewhat slanted. Oh well, let him watch "The Knitting Channel" if rough hockey is not to his taste.

Correction: Don't you mean "Bar-drinking Street Scum?" Collection agents don't brawl; they never stand and fight."

Which is why I ask, "Can we ever have too many pictures of collection agencies on this site?"

Ray

Hi all,

I'm so glad I found this place -- because I'm in great need of a place to vent!

I am a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. I moved to Florida last November, and still used my TD Canada Trust bank account and Visa. I was self-employed, making an excellent income, until the payment processors I used to process my clients' payments took the money and disappeared. I had no idea they would turn out to be crooks after nearly two years of reliable payouts.

When they "went out of business", they assured and reassured every company that they would be working night and day to get the money from the credit card companies to pay us, their clients. As I waited, blindly believing that my money would be on its way to me soon, I continued to use my bank account and Visa to support myself.

Up until that point, I paid my debts religiously. If I spent $200 on Visa, I'd transfer $200 from my personal bank account into my Visa account. I always paid everything off almost immediately.

I have fallen on very bad times, and the longer I blindly waited for my payments to arrive, the more debt I got myself into. Now Nor-scum is after me, and they have refused to accept monthly payments. In fact, on a few occasions, they've told me that if I don't pay them $4000 by next week, they will ruin my credit so that I will have no hope of a good life in Canada or the United States. They told me they can and will report me to the credit bureaus in both countries.

I tried to explain my situation to her, but she yelled at me and told me to tell it to a therapist. I told her I cannot come up with that kind of money, and she demanded that I borrow from family and friends. I don't know anyone who can pull that kind of money out of a hat. They keep calling me at my home in Florida, insisting that I pay them $4000. I've told them in as many ways as possible that I cannot do, but can offer payments. They refuse to accept, and have told me they will have a judgment placed on me.

These calls are abusive, as far as I'm concerned. How does she know that I'm not already seeing a therapist for emotional issues as a result of falling on hard times? That comment was too personal for my liking. She also yelled at me that crying wasn't going to solve anything, and to pay my debt. How dare they invade my home with this kind of pressure, abuse and scare tactics? My voice only quivered for a second, and she jumped all over me.

They got the best of me, and now each time they call, I have no tolerance for them and yell back at them.

She even asked who I bank with in the United States and how many other credit cards I have. For God's sake, I am not the criminal that they seem to think I am. In fact, I have fallen on such hard time, I no longer have a bank account, and the TD visa was the only credit card I had.

They demand that I get money from family or friends. What don't they get? If I can't do it today, I'm still not going to be able to do it next week. I loath these people, and the fact that they refuse to accept payments indicates to me that they're nothing more than glorified bullies who get off on harassing honest people who have fallen on hard times. How do they go to bed at night or look at themselves in the mirror?

My fiancé is financially supporting me and our six birds. He lives on a military income, and nor-scum told me to have him take out a loan to pay my debt. What planet are these people living on?

With no income, I can't consolidate, manage, etc, my debt because services who offer that expect the client to be working.

I'm waiting for my social security number, which should be here within the next three weeks. Until then, I can't work, and I guess I'll have to let nor-scum play their game with me.

Shessh, I feel better now! Thanks for letting me rant!