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LIVE BLOG... from the Draft floor
Jason Gregor
June 26 2009 10:51AM
11:00 am MST
It pays to get up early some days.
Because I got my accreditation late I wanted to make sure everything was still good, so I hoofed it to the Bell Centre. I wasn't on the list, which I expected, but once I showed my card I got my mug shot. I now work for the TEAM 1250, not 1260. It's a better keepsake that way.
There are seven rows with 14 seats in the media riser, and with so many media present, I fully expected to be in the overflow seating in section 12;, until I ran into Julie in the NHL PR. We chatted and I found myself in row seven on the media riser. I have a perfect view of the draft floor and it will be much easier to write on a table rather than using my knees as a make shift table. Julie is all class, and she gets another Nation shout out. I'd send the picture, but I'm an idiot and forget the cord to transfer pics from camera to computer. I'll have them when I get home.
It's the calm before the storm right now. It's noon and slowly the media is trickling in. I ran into some people as I was walking here and here's what I got.
- Heatley talk is at a stand still right now. The Sens want a lot, and most teams aren't willing to pony up. Heatley's agent, JP Barry and his CAA branch are taking a beating in the papers right now. Pundits are claiming it was irresponsible of them to leak the story, because it makes it harder to deal him. CAA is adamant they didn't leak the story, and feel it was probably Sens GM Bryan Murray, and then he could make Heatley look like the bad guy. This situation might get even uglier. I think the CAA camp has a legitimate beef. If the Sens don't make a deal before July 1st and pay Heatley the $4 million he is owed then many expect Murray to play hard ball and force Heatley to come to camp.
- Many wondered if Kevin Lowe could have gotten more for the Human Rake if he had played hardball. I'd like to see how it plays out for Murray if he chooses that route. If a deal is going to happen, it sounds like Heatley will have to be open to more teams. I still can't get exactly what Minny was offering, but it didn't include Burns or Koivu. It sounds like Murray's demands are too high right now.
- The Souray trade talk is heating up again. It sounds like the Oilers are willing to move him. Speculation is Souray and the Oilers 10th for LA's 5th pick, and something else. The Oilers really like Evander Kane. They have a history of making moves, so I won't rule it out. It makes sense on many fronts. Kings get veteran D-man and stay in top ten. Souray gets closer to family. Oilers get high prospect and free up some cap space. The key is what the "something else" is.
- The Leafs are trying to get another first round pick. They've been interviewing lots of mid to late first round picks this morning including, Camrose Kodiak, Dylan Olsen. I literally bumped into him walking here and asked him how his morning was. He'd just finished an interview with the Rangers, and earlier this morning had talks with the Islanders and Leafs, and was in a rush to get to an interview with the Blackhawks. It's a pretty stressful day for these young kids. You don't realize it until you see them. It will be a huge relief whenever his name is called.
- Currently the Sharks are the only team without a first rounder. The Islanders have the 26th pick, but look for Doug Wilson to get involved. Word is he wants to get in the first round, and Ryane Clowe is one of the pieces in place.
12:30 p.m. MST
Took a quick lunch break at the Cage Au Sports, the sports bar right in the Bell Centre, and what a meal. That's just another reason why sports fans in Edmonton deserve a new rink. I took a quick outside tour and they have four "action" statues of Maurice Richard, Jean Beliveau, Howie Morenz and Guy Lafleur. They are great, and then there is a line up of plaques down the side wall with other Montreal legends. (Pics will be up when I return...idiot that I am).
Some more rumblings...
The Kings supposedly offered Frolov and the 5th for Heatley. The Sens said no thanks.
And this seems to be the start of the Souray rumours. Let's play a little scenario.
Steve Tambellini finds out that the Kings are willing to move their 5th, so he makes a call. Keep in mind that even though the Human Rake to LA deal didn't happen, that doesn't mean the Kings weren't trying to acquire him and might still be interested in a top two D-man.
This is where the Oilers and Souray come in. Souray's value is at an all-time high right now. It might stay there for a few years, or it could be like the housing market in Edmonton; Piqued and is now on a downslide.
My gut still says it is a long shot, and I still don't buy that the Kings will move the #5 pick, because that goes against everything that Lombardi has done in building a pretty good stable of young talent., but remember the Kings surprised everyone in 2007 when they took Hickey at #4.
It seems pretty obvious that the Kings and Lightning are the teams in the top five that will listen to offers about their pick. The Bolts will considering moving the #2 if Hedman goes to the Islanders, if he doesn't then BOOK it that he will go to Tampa. Colorado and Atlanta have given the impression they are pretty secure at 3 and 4 respectively.
But the best story is that no one seems to know what the Islanders are going to do.
Many think they like Duchene, but won't take him at #1, but rather trade down a spot or two to get him and another pick. The uncertainty of the Islanders could set the ball in motion as far as teams trying to move up in the draft.
And the Vinny talk is still dominating the floor. What if Montreal can acquire him? This place would go nuts.
If Tampa doesn't get Hedman and take Tavares, would that make them more likely to move Vinny? It's almost mind blowing thinking of all the possibilities.
And can anyone tell me how I can disengage the update that goes to my cell phone telling me JOE SMITH is now following you on twitter. I love that people are following me there, but my phone has been ringing all day with these updates. I need to figure out how to stop it...ha
1:30 p.m MST
Right now...Front and centre in the middle of draft floor Brian Burke is on the horn.
He looks relaxed, his gum is getting one hell of a work out, tie undone, pacing back and forth in an area where no one can hear what he is saying. I wish I had one of those big cones that allows you to hear things from 50 feet away..
**Makes check list for next year...cord thingy for computer and camera...Cone thingy to hear things...Get a tech book to know what the hell Firefox and Chrome is...****
2:45 p.m MST
Regarding the Oilers/Thrasher rumour, (Oilers 4th, Cogliano and Gilbert for Lehtonen, Armstrong and #4) I just got a text that says that package is not correct, but they have had talks.
Discussions are happening, because the Oilers feel they need to get #4 to get Kane.
Kane is drawing comparisons to being 90% of what Jarome Iginla is as a player. If that is indeed the case then he'd be a great pick up.
I know this for sure...The Oilers are trying hard to move up. If they don't it won't be the end of the world for them, but they feel this is a great opportunity for them, and it would be the first time ever that the Oilers have moved up in the top ten in any draft.
Fans have already started to show up. The second deck is almost full. A "go Leafs go "chant was quickly booed and replaced by "Lets' go Habs." We are still more than two hours away from the official start but the fans here are just as anxious as NATION readers to get this going.
3:00 p.m MST
Teams are starting to file in. Scott Howson and the Blue Jackets are here...most of the Devils staff, sand big Lou...I just went down the stairs to say congrats to the hall of famer. Good guy. He's pretty humble about his Hall of Fame nomination.
*** Now they are pumpin out some Black Eyed Peas...Gotta get that...or Boom Boom Pow...not sure what title is, but some heifers are dancing in the second deck...I didn't need to see that.***
Still no sighting of anyone from the Oilers, or Thrashers or Kings or Islanders.
But the rumble on the floor is that the Islanders are leaning towards Duchene. That would be quite the start to the draft.
Now the Coyotes, Kings, Bruins, Ducks, and a few members of the Senators are on the floor.
Cam Neely and Brian Burke and a long and laugh-filled convo.
Howson and Ducks GM Bob Murray and Chiarelli from Boston are talking. The Bruins currently have #25, while the Ducks have 15 and Jackets 16. The Bruins have talked about wanting to move up, so maybe something will happen between them.
3:23 p.m. MST
The man of the hour has arrived. Garth Snow is in the HOUSEEEEE...okay so there was no theme music but right now he has everyone guessing what he will do. Most teams are here, except Chicago, Pittsburgh, NYR, Nashville,St. Louis, Calgary and Atlanta the the Oilers. It makes you wonder if the Thrashers and Oilers are still trying to hammer something out.
I just spoke with Rishaug and Dreger from TSN and they confirm that the Thrashers have indeed made it clear they are now open to offers. The Oilers are interested in that pick, but so are the Kings, Leafs and Dallas Stars. It might be a bidding war.
The Senators have lowered their trade demands for Heatley. They were supposed to be looking for a top-six forward, top-four D-man and a pick/prospect, but have relented a bit. Heatley's value seems to be diminishing as the day goes on.
The Canadiens management team has arrived to a huge roar from the crowd.
4:00 p.m. MST
The Oilers arrived about five minutes ago and right away Tambellini and Lowe were swarmed by TSN guys. Lots of laughing but didn't look like they got much out of them.
Had a great conversation with Daryl Evans, colourman on Kings broadcasts and former NHLer. He is certain the Kings will draft a forward, with all their depth on the backend. He fully expects the Kings to make a move via trade or free agency for sure.
Lots of friendly convo going on between media and various team management types, but it seems like the calm before the storm right now. Let's get it on.
4:36 p.m. MST
As of right now the Oilers have nothing definite, but it is still an hour away from the 4th and 5th picks, and even longer until their own pick.
Remember how late their deals came about at the deadline with O'Sullivan and Kotalik.
Craig Button said on my radio show earlier this week that many teams overvalue their pick on draft day, and that's why many deals fall through at the last moment, because the ransom is just too much.
It sounds like that might be the case with the Thrashers. Their demands for the Oilers might be too rich right now. Tambellini won't over pay, because the Oilers still feel they can get a quality player at #10. If they don't move up, I'd expect Glennie or MPS to be called by the Oilers.
Bruins just got introduced and got booed heavily. Gotta love rivalries.
5:06 p.m. MST
Former Habs owner George Gillette address the crowd. Lots of energy in the building. Each team had to announce who would call the name of their draft pick, and it will be Steve Tambellini for the Oilers.
Everyone is waiting patiently for this to start. There has been a bit of a delay, and now they are showing highlights of some of the top prospects. Tavares was shown first...is that foreshadowing, we shall see soon.
This big screen is crystal clear. It is awesome.
Now there are previewing Hedman. I hope they don't do the top ten or the draft won't start until 5:30
5:11 p.m MST
Dreger reports that Pronger has been dealt to Philly. It sounds like Lupul, but more details to come. The Flyers continue to surprise, and now maybe Lupul and Pronger have been involved in a deal for the second time.
5:17 p.m MST
Finally the first pick. Garth Snow makes everyone wait a bit more with some thanks to Montreal and their fans and then he goes with what I expected John Tavares. The fans at Nassau are busting it out with some confetti. A strong contingent of Islander fans here are cheering loudly.
Expect Hedman #2 and then Duchene #4...The intrigue will come if the Thrashers hold their pick or deal it.
5:53 p.m MST
WE had to wait 25 minutes to talk to Tavares. Well spoken young man, and he is very focused on bringing back success to Long Island. I knew the Islanders would take him, it was too big of a risk to pass up on a guy with his goal scoring ability. Hedman might be just as good, but the Islanders needed a scorer.
THey are playing highlights of players blocking shots on the big screen. Classic. And every time they show a picture of Vinny the place goes nuts. If the Habs somehow trade for him, I bet there will be a five minute ovation.
Larsson is soft, but it isn't surprising that the Coyotes took him. They have made some horrible first round picks and he might be another.
The "67" chant rains down from the rafters. That is awesome. That is a great chant. If the Oilers ever win the Cup again, you can bet that the next year Oiler fans will chant Eighty...NINE when the Flames come to town.
Burke can't even speak. This is one of the few times he has to pause before he speaks, so he'll probably say something good. Kadri is a solid pick. His tenacity is his best asset say the scouts.
6:31 p.m MST
I will be stunned if the Oilers don't choose LW Magnus Paajarvi Svensson. If they do I wonder if they will stitch both names on the back of the jersey. His numbers don't show it 7-10-17 in 50 games in the SEL, but they like his speed and offensive prowess.
I'll be curious if he stays in Sweden of they bring him over to play Major Junior.
He can skate, and some compare him to Markus Naslund. We'll go see what MacGregor and company have to say about him.
7:15 p.m. MST
MacGregor on Svensson.."He's a big power forward who takes it to the net and is a great skater. He's already played in two world junior tournament and will have another opportunity to play in Saskatoon this year. His game is an up tempo game and that's what we are hoping he can play in the NHL"
I also asked MacGregor about the plan looking ahead to round two and beyond.
"For our second pick we are going to go with a projection pick, a player that has a real big upside. Before I came to talk to you we were looking at what the scenarios would be and if we could make an attempt to try and get back in the first round"
7:30 p.m. MST
The Hab fans go nuts when the Canadiens are put on the clock. It was deafening in here. They start to sing their patented O le O le O le Ohhh lee song. They are hoping for a trade annoncement with Tampa Bay, but it won't happen. The Bolts aren't moving Vinny at this moment.
7:36 p.m MST
Hab fans give Louis Leblanc a standing ovation after his name is called at #18.
The Oilers are working the phones and might have another pick before the day is out.
They liked D-man John Moore and he is still available, also Carter Ashton is still out there...
7:51 p.m. MST
The Flames trade down three picks and add a 3rd rounder from New Jersey. Could the Devils "Parise" them like they did the Oilers back in 2003. The Devils moved five spots to take Parise, while the Oilers got the 22nd and 68th picks which turned out to be Pouliot and Jacques.
The Devils just took Jacob Josefson, the 4th Swede taken in the first round already.
8:26 p.m. MST
The energy in the building is similar to the feeling on the Nation...subdued. It was a good ride, but now they want it to end. You have to be respectful of the young kids waiting for their name to be called.
Awkward moment of the day comes for the Johansson family. Marcus Johansson went 24th to the Capitals and his family was very excited, his mom gave him the longest kiss or any mom on the day. It was good comedic relief for the crowd and got a mixed reaction.
Just going to interview Tambellini will be back with his thoughts in a bit.
8:52 p.m MST
I asked Tambellini how close he was to moving up into the top five.
"We knew that at pick ten it would take something incredible for us to move. If I had a pick in the top four, I don't think I would have moved to far down, maybe five or six, but to move to ten it would have taken a lot for that team to accept our deal."
Does the Pronger trade reveal how much it will cost to get a superstar? Is the asking price that high?
"Depends on who the player is I guess. Pronger is a dominant player and he will change what Philly looks like. That is a franchise type move, not just a player move. "
Do you think something will still be available on the table tomorrow?
I don't know. There is so much discussion, it's almost like the trade deadline where you feel like you've talked to everyone a dozen times around the horn. There was so much talk coming into today I thought maybe there would be a little bit more than what happened, but it could be tomorrow. There's lots that can happen tomorrow or before July 1st."
That wraps up day one from the 2009 NHL entry draft. Only one big move, and a move by the Flyers that has many wondering if they overpaid for the Human Rake, giving up Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and two first rounders. The Oilers did get a LW but it wasn't Heatley who many fans were hoping for.
And I wonder if the Flames in fact gave the Devils some compensation for signing Brent Sutter. The Flames had the 20th pick and traded down to Devils pick at 23. The Flames did get a 3rd rounder, but you wonder if that was a back door hand shake.
Talk to you tomorrow.
If you replace cogs with any one of our bags of spare pucks (nilson, pens, poo, schremp) then that deal would be awesome
or throw in two of those guys...
or all of them.
June 26 2009, 03:17PM
@ patty: If that holds true, I can't see TB or Colorado trading their picks. Getting Hedman at #2 is what was expected really, but JT at #3 wow that would be mind bottling.
Apples to oranges, Kane has NEVER been compared to those three. He's not a SURE thing is all I'm saying. Guys like Cammalleri, Heatly, Hossa pretty much are. Will Kane be good PROBABLY, though there is a big difference between will be good in the NHL and ARE good in the NHL.
June 26 2009, 03:18PM
What's the email for 1260?
June 26 2009, 03:18PM
Chaz wrote:
Je m'Excuse moi Monsiour. C'est obviousse, non? Je suis le idiot.
No worries, we all make mistakes from time to time. Except me. ...and Wanye...he's pretty solid.
June 26 2009, 03:18PM
Matt wrote:
Gregor would we be able to assemble a rag tag group of Oiler and Canuck fans to start a "Flames suck" chant? Just to be clear here, by "we" I mean you.
I've yet to see an Oiler jersey in the crowd here. Islanders are well represented. No Canucks or Flames jersey's either, but it is still early.
June 26 2009, 03:18PM
Hoodlum wrote:
uhm….I just got a written reprimand for using my phone to converse with my fellow nationeers while in a live operating plant. My boss was not impressed and clearly not an oilers fan. But screw it, I was looking for a job when I found this one
That sucks. Hang in there, dude.
*looks over shoulder to make sure the boss isn't around*
Je prends un sandwich au jambon de taille.
Apples to oranges, Kane has NEVER been compared to those three. He's not a SURE thing is all I'm saying. Guys like Cammalleri, Heatly, Hossa pretty much are. Will Kane be good PROBABLY, though there is a big difference between will probably be good in the NHL and is good in the NHL.
June 26 2009, 03:19PM
Ogden Brother wrote:
What's the email for 1260?
Hey Jason,
You're going to have to top yesterday's best:
June 25th: Summary: Bowed out of invite for sandwich action with Shaugher and his wife.
Based on:"So Gregor, any plans for a man-date with 'shaugher yet? A movie and smoked meat sandwich perhaps?" "...Shauger's wife will be there so thankfully no."
So far today you've targeted Burke and a french sound-check girl... this going to develop into something?
June 26 2009, 03:20PM
Jason Gregor wrote:
*** Now they are pumpin out some Black Eyed Peas…Gotta get that…or Boom Boom Pow…not sure what title is, but some heifers are dancing in the second deck…I didn't need to see that.***
Quote of the day - I just had some weird looks at work when I bursted out laughing.
June 26 2009, 03:21PM
I would LOVE to see the Islanders balk on Tavares only to see Garth Snow eaten alive by rabid New Yorkers.
Hey Gregor can you check on this rumor....I heard its Bryan Little, Lehtonen and the 4th overall, for Cogliano, Gilbert, Oilers prospect and the 10th overall?
I get off work for the week at 5, at which time I have a 3.5 hour drive home to watch the draft on my PVR. Going to be the LONGEST DRIVE EVER!!! AARRRRGGGGHHH!!!
Wicked job so far, Gregor!
I think that it's fair to say that the oil are willing to part with a D-man because they grew comfortable with Grebs last year and might as well sign him. I'm a Gilbert fan and think Grebs needs some work to be a top 3 but im willing to try that if the oil can land a Top 3 forward or a STUD prospect (Kane or Schenn)
Bob MacKenzie is sayin that he thinks NYI will take Hedman, if that happens, who actually has a shot at Tavares??? I know Burke has a hard on for him but is their any chance the oil can make a stab?? (Gregor)
Dreger thinks the Isles take Duchene. Just a hunch though.
Kyle S wrote:
Dreger thinks the Isles take Duchene. Just a hunch though.
From Twitter...damn fingers move faster than my brain.
@ OvenChicken8:
Indeed. I'd think the Avs would be ecstatic. I'd think the Isles would trade down to the third pick if they would take Duchene, but one can never underestimate the stupidity of others.
@ Boondock: Listen to 1260 and hear the melodious sounds of Brownlee!!
June 26 2009, 03:25PM
@ humantorch:
I love that line of windows. I know one started yelling at me because I was trying to take a picture to show my friends back home. You sir, live on the second finest place on the planet... Behind Canada of course.
June 26 2009, 03:28PM
Cam wrote:
@ Boondock: Listen to 1260 and hear the melodious sounds of Brownlee!!
He's running the show today? Awesome.
"Line 1, you're on......SHUT UP!"
"Line 2, you're on......"
LOL. "some heifers are dancing in the second deck" thats gold Gregor. lol
June 26 2009, 03:29PM
wazy08 wrote:
I heard its Bryan Little, Lehtonen and the 4th overall, for Cogliano, Gilbert, Oilers prospect and the 10th overall?
That's actually quite a bit better; Little is an Edmonton boy born and bred who can actually play. As long as the 'prospect' is Scremp, I might well deal Gibby and Cogs for Kane and a 50-point centreman, even if I had to eat the crappy goalie in the deal.
Archaeologuy wrote:
@ Bar Qu: That wont jive with my landlord.
call him a capitalist pig and threaten a proletariat revolution.
Then let me know how that worked ;)
I really hope the isles don't take Duchene at #1, as I don't want Tavares going to a division rival(colorado at #3) that would suck.
dyckster wrote:
Kevin wrote: Getting a guy like Evander Kane would be just as good as a proven commodity - this kid is the real deal. Some top 10 draft supposed future stars who turned out to be anything but: Rico Fata, Jason Bonsignore, Patrick Stefan, Alexander Svitov, Alexander Daigle, Pavel Brendl. To compare a kid who excelled in Junior to a proven NHL player seems foolish at best.
Not that I agree with either side, but if Kevin says that he thinks he is the real deal doesnt that mean he doesnt think he is Fata, Stefan...
Maybe Kevin is a dedicaded OHL/WHL fan, maybe he isnt... thats why I would not be critical of people who post about minor league players. There is no telling how much they actually know or have seen or if they are just following the hype.
Alexa.com for Canadianwebsite tracking......... ON is at 8867 and climbing
Rusty Shackleford wrote:
@ humantorch: I love that line of windows. I know one started yelling at me because I was trying to take a picture to show my friends back home. You sir, live on the second finest place on the planet… Behind Canada of course.
true story: our first week here, mrs. humantorch was trying to take a photo of one of the old churches in the red light district, and i was giggling at the curtains closing everywhere in sight when she took out her camera.
it became less funny when the large russian gentleman came out to, um, "have words" with us about taking photos of the ladies. he seemed oddly understanding at hearing our very north-american accents and feigning ignorance, thank the baby jesus. i'd STILL be in the gulag otherwise.
Cam wrote:
@ Boondock: Listen to 1260 and hear the melodious sounds of Brownlee!!
Would love to listen to RB, but the signal is a little hazy in the BC Interior.
Plus I have plans to watch it with some friends, all of whom are going to bury their heads in the sand for 4 hours so no one actually knows what happens. It might literally kill me.
June 26 2009, 03:35PM
wazy08 wrote:
Hey Gregor can you check on this rumor….I heard its Bryan Little, Lehtonen and the 4th overall, for Cogliano, Gilbert, Oilers prospect and the 10th overall?
I like the sound of that, even if it means giving up Cogs. Bryan Little is a stud. Get er done Tambo!!
Boondock wrote:
Cam wrote: @ Boondock: Listen to 1260 and hear the melodious sounds of Brownlee!! Would love to listen to RB, but the signal is a little hazy in the BC Interior. Plus I have plans to watch it with some friends, all of whom are going to bury their heads in the sand for 4 hours so no one actually knows what happens. It might literally kill me.
You can listen online at www.cfrn.com
Lofty wrote:
There is no telling how much they actually know or have seen or if they are just following the hype.
I wasn't suggesting Kane wasn't a good player at all. The point I'm trying to make is there is a risk putting all of your eggs in a basket for someone who's never played in the NHL before. Kid's can change once they've been exposed to a Pronger crosscheck in the back or a Franzen hit on the forecheck. I'm just a bigger fan of the proven guy. Nuff said (by me anyway).
On another note - Gregor AWESOME job, you've earned the right to tour Montreal's finest gathering places (after the last pick is made today of course.)
Ender the Dragon wrote:
wazy08 wrote: ...even if I had to eat the crappy goalie in the deal.
You are aware that Lehtonen is only 25 and his stas are similar to Roloson's and he plays behind one of the worst defensive units in the league, right?
June 26 2009, 03:43PM
@ Cam:
I can live with Lehtonen as well. My understanding is that he's really good...certainly better than what we've had for the last decade (Rolli notwithstanding).
humantorch wrote:
it became less funny when the large russian gentleman came out to, um, "have words" with us about taking photos of the ladies. he seemed oddly understanding at hearing our very north-american accents and feigning ignorance, thank the baby jesus. i'd STILL be in the gulag otherwise.
been there ;)
Lehtonen would be nice.
And he has an Optimus Prime mask. Thanks Wikipedia!
I feel passionately about Evander Kane as I've seen him play countless games over the last few seasons in the WHL.
This kid can and will get the job done - I'm sure of it. With that said, he's not the answer to all of our problems, we still need a guy to put the puck in the back of the net.
Cam wrote:
Ender the Dragon wrote: wazy08 wrote: …even if I had to eat the crappy goalie in the deal. You are aware that Lehtonen is only 25 and his stas are similar to Roloson's and he plays behind one of the worst defensive units in the league, right?
Gabe Desjardins, the genius behind the scoring equivalencies from junior leagues to the NHL, also has figured out expected save percentages based on the difficulty of shots faced. Lehtonen looks like a top 10 goalie by this measure.
Stats here:
dyckster wrote:
I wasn't suggesting Kane wasn't a good player at all. The point I'm trying to make is there is a risk putting all of your eggs in a basket for someone who's never played in the NHL before. Kid's can change once they've been exposed to a Pronger crosscheck in the back or a Franzen hit on the forecheck. I'm just a bigger fan of the proven guy. Nuff said (by me anyway)
I'll be the first to admit I know a lot about the players in the NHL but not much about minor leagues. Sure we all know Tavares is supposed to be good... although he didnt amaze me in the few playoff games I watched him play in the O. Hedman is also supposed to be good although he was hurt during the WJ. Duchene, Kane etc... are also top notch but not NHL ready.
I think the only people that know if someone is the real deal is the fans of the teams these guys come from. They know more than scouts or GM's, they see these guys every day.A la Iggy
Heatley getting cheaper - music to my ears
June 26 2009, 03:55PM
@ Kevin:
I had the people I work with in Toronto (that only care about OHL) looking at me like a moron when I said that I would do anything feasible to move up to #4 and get Kane a couple of months ago. At first I thought this was silly think, but hearing today that they're actually persuing him... I'm practicing my back-flip.
Toronto thought they were getting Kessel and a pick for Kaberle. Meanwhile, Boston thought they were getting Kaberle and the 7th pick for Kessel.
As soon as they understood what the other was talking about the deal fell through.
June 26 2009, 03:56PM
Kevin wrote:
I feel passionately about Evander Kane as I've seen him play countless games over the last few seasons in the WHL. This kid can and will get the job done - I'm sure of it. With that said, he's not the answer to all of our problems, we still need a guy to put the puck in the back of the net.
Bingo, you can't put Kane in the same class as these pussys(Rico Fata, Jason Bonsignore, Patrick Stefan, Alexander Svitov, Alexander Daigle, Pavel Brendl. I doubt any one of them has a WHL/NHL fight to their name.
Im digging this format... way to go OilersNation team... kinda cool to see the 'master plan' unfolding well so far...
June 26 2009, 04:03PM
patty wrote:
Lehtonen would be nice. And he has an Optimus Prime mask. Thanks Wikipedia!
Just saw some pics of his masks on Google. His anime/pop culture nerdiness + Gabe's numbers means I am officially ready for this man to be our goalie by the end of the night...
June 26 2009, 04:04PM
I think Ottawa will live to regret not taking LA up on their offer of Frolov and the 5th for Heatley.
@ Librarian Mike: I hope its us that gives him an offer that he takes and then later regrets :) 3 months later: "ohh god, Penner is eating a 3rd donair before practice? What have I done?"
June 26 2009, 04:09PM
@ Wanye Gretz: ...and chewing gum and binder twine, don't forget...
June 26 2009, 04:10PM
@Jason Gregor
"but some heifers are dancing in the second deck…I didn't need to see that."
I had to re-read that to make sure I didn't miss something. That was the best comment of the day IMO.


text:
Businesses, regardless of size, succeed or fail for a variety of reasons. Hard work, persistence, the appeal of an innovative product/service, persuasive marketing, consumer demand or need, can all play a part. Some say luck has a role. Others say it's a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
In still other cases, management is committed to addressing all the important aspects of ensuring the success of the business. Creating a vision, achievable goals, and a strategy is followed by developing a well thought out business plan, which is followed by the implementation of that plan.
It would be natural to assume that good management and proper planning are the most common reasons for success. Certainly only few would consciously choose to let fate dictate their success or failure. While that may seem to be the case, the reality is that business owners frequently get tied up working "in" their business rather than working "on" their business, and never really take the time to plan for the future of the business. Plans make the future happen, or to quote the old adage: "If we fail to plan, we plan to fail."
If you were to build a new home, would you just start nailing up boards, or would you go to an architect and have blueprints developed? Would the architect develop the final blueprints solely based upon your verbal description, or would he or she first submit a draft to help you crystallize want you want? Only when there is genuine excitement and approval of the draft will the final blueprints be developed. And so it is with strategic business planning.
Well managed, competitive companies have accepted the leadership challenge of creating a strategic business plan with a vision that is shared by everyone in the organization. In so doing, they position themselves to respond to opportunities, rather than react to market conditions and competitive pressures.
Planning the future of a business entails four stages:
Too many business people view weak market conditions or a poor economy as the reason for their lack of success. However, even in the worst economies, business leaders in every field emerge victorious. Why? Because they realize that success is not based on the conditions of the world, but on the decisions they make and the goals that they choose to set and achieve. Success doesn't just happen. It happens because the business owner predetermines his or her success by writing a business plan and setting achievable goals, and then making them happen.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Skip to comments.TERRORISM and COUNTERTERRORISM: News, INFORMATION & Analysis #2
Posted on 04/11/2010 9:33:03 AM PDT by Velveeta
Obama amputates our nuclear arms
By: Charles Krauthammer
Under President Obamas new policy, however, if the state that has just attacked us with biological or chemical weapons is in compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty, explained Gates, then the U.S. pledges not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against it.
Imagine the scenario: Hundreds of thousands are lying dead in the streets of Boston after a massive anthrax or nerve gas attack. The president immediately calls in the lawyers to determine whether the attacking state is in compliance with the NPT. If it turns out that the attacker is up-to-date with its latest IAEA inspections, well, it gets immunity from nuclear retaliation. (Our response is then restricted to bullets, bombs and other conventional munitions.)
However, if the lawyers tell the president that the attacking state is NPT noncompliant, we are free to blow the bastards to nuclear kingdom come.
This is quite insane. Its like saying that if a terrorist deliberately uses his car to mow down a hundred people waiting at a bus stop, the decision as to whether he gets hanged or 100 hours of community service hinges entirely on whether his car had passed emissions inspections.
Apart from being morally bizarre, the Obama policy is strategically loopy. Does anyone believe that North Korea or Iran will be more persuaded to abjure nuclear weapons because they could then carry out a biological or chemical attack on the United States without fear of nuclear retaliation?
The naivete is stunning.
Image by Cool Text
Various articles
Thanks for the ping!
Saddam's WMDs and Connection to Terrorism
Facebook group page Saddam's WMDs and Connection to Terrorism ^ | 4/17/12 | April15bendovr
Posted on April 17, 2012 11:59:42 AM EDT by april15Bendovr
Lots of good commentary.
BTW Iranian man arrested for molesting/fondling girls between nine and fourteen in a swimming pool in South America. Turns out to have diplomatic status! Good grief.
Having seen Zimmerman testifying on TV, I remembered Obama's claim that if he had a son he would look like Trayvon Martin.
In fact Zimmerman's features very much resemble Obama's and I wonder if someone with graphics skills could put together a combines photo of Zimmerman, Obama and Trayvon in that order and ask the question of who looks like Obama's son.
If you do please post it here with your comments.
One of these men could be the father of Trayvon if he had a son, the other has a genuine birth cerificate. Can you tell which one?
Good one, your jest ( guess) is as good as any other, if not better!
I can't believe that the control of what is said about Obama in the MSM is so strict , that some writer/broadcaster does not make a big break on the issue of Obama's proof of birth documentation.
What is scarey is that so few rag writers want the Pulitzer? Maybe they are actually afraid for their lives? One wonders what threat is being used.
thank you Fred Nerks!
As far as a stranglehold on free press and speech:
FYI the Google Browser "CENSORED/HID" this photo making you to click on a holder, then asking for it to be shown in a separate window.
Had to access our FR site with Internet Explorer to immediately see the photo.
Also Google is blocking Google Blogs from activating if you come in with Internet Explorer rather than Google's browser!
Luckily for long time Bloggers, they offer the old style option if you arrive via the Google Browser.
the new Google style may seem simpler and easier for THEM as they claim but NOT really for users.
I have been partly off the Internet for about a week but receiving teh usual severalhundred Emails so am a bit off center on where I saw something.
In this case the Recent "gift" of about $770 MILLION to a close relative of Nancy Pelosi as a loan for a failing Green Energy company he/she owns.
This is a very notable sum and event I cannot find it on FR nor via Search on Google. I have a vague recollection that it may have been a Lucy post.
Anyone remember this with a link? Please be so kind as to post it.
This is what I meant.
The Solar thing just got a little more interesting.......REALLY! The Tonopah Solar company in Harry Reid's Nevada is getting a $737 million loan from Obama's DOE. The project will produce a 110 megawatt power system and employ 45 permanent workers. That's costing us just $16 million per job. One of the investment partners in this endeavor is Pacific Corporate Group (PCG). The PCG executive director is Ron Pelosi who is the brother to Nancy's husband. Just move along folks.....nuthin goin on here.
I'm not real impressed with either browser, I use Opera myself. I was a long-time user of FireFox, but Version 4 was so horrid that I switched over to Opera and haven't looked back.
Firefox 4.0 was so awful, as was their support, that I'll never go back no matter what they've fixed. Until the next release, Mozilla would only offer elaborate workarounds and trial-and-error troubleshooting that mostly involved uninstallation, registry tweaks, then reinstallation in a do-loop that doesn't end until you stumble upon settings that are somewhat stable. No thanks. If the program is that unready for primetime, I'm not going to spend my evenings providing free troubleshooting for them!
I run into websites occasionally that aren't real compatible with Opera but it's worth having a browser that isn't a clunky RAM-hog whose main function is to throw advertisements in your face constantly.
We gotta get this psycho out before our elections are all like Putin's.
In case you missed any of this.
I just read that Firefox has come out with a new version. 11 ???
Sounds like they've put some work into it-as well they should! But they sure lost a lot of people with that rotten 4.0.
Oh, I've been "connecting dots" and taking names for years....
Beyond that, I'm in EMCON.
I know how trite this sounds because it would take a majority of GOP House members who could actually find their scrotals with both hands (!!), but that type of rip-off is directly Impeachable under the Rules of the House and Senate.
I tweeted it.
Good for you! Let us kow what comes back at you. If anything.
The source is often questionable but seems to always provide a situation of "where there's smoke there's fire" and worth a second look for more than just the title
Thanks for the ping!
could have copied the text here but it would lose the visual presentation found on Alan's site emphasizing the simplicity of these few words.
Amen. Thank you for sharing, FARS.
Bless you.
Hospitals Prepare for NATO Attack, Perform Dirty Bomb Response Drills (Chicago)
Suburban hospitals are preparing for a worst-case scenario during next month's NATO summit, in a FOX Chicago News exclusive. (snip)
Dr. Temple said Wednesday's dirty bomb scenario had been worked out in conjunction with the Secret Service and the federal Dept of Homeland Security.
U.S. authorities are preparing in the days ahead to deploy black-suited federal agents in and around federal buildings downtown.
They'll set up checkpoints at entrances to the area and at individual buildings. From there to Evanston Hospital, where a young intern tried on a protective hood this evening, the watchword is be prepared.
If something does happen, God forbid, we'll be ready to do something about it, Dr. Michael George said.
While the feds said there is no specific, credible threat of an attack inside the United States, they did warn Thursday that a so-called "lone wolf" terrorist might try to mark the first anniversary of the killing of Osama Bin Laden next week. That anniversary comes on May 2.
They're afraid that a rogue terroritst might take advantage of the cesium found in old nuclear plant waste leftover from the Cold War and use it in a suitcase bomb, or a dirty bomb like it.
Thank you, Velveeta
AND possible repeat of letter
EARLY PREVIEW of Saturday good reads and DOG FIGHT graphics
Thanks for the ping!
In trying to conform to Google Chrome which is now the only real way to access Google Blogspot.com and retain the AntiMullah address, Alan inadvertently put a "redirect" setting in Google Chrome setting it to redirect to www.antimullah.com (intending it to work in reverse).
As you can see, if you try to access antimullah.com, it comes up with a silly info that something cool is coming soon. Alan is setting up a termporary site to provide a message as to why AntiMullah does not come up nor does it under the Google direct link of noiri.blogspot.com (whihc tries to sent it to antimullah.com which was never set up as a web site.
Does anyone know or can discover how in Blogger or Google Chrome settings, teh "redirect" to another site can be cancelled, removed or undone.
Please either reply by Freepmail or send solutions directly email@example.com it is virtuallly impossible to get hold of anyone at Google to correct this. I have spent many hours trying to restore to previous settings BUT to no avail.
Gogle does not appear to have they way to do this posted in their help sections. Or not easily found.
All and any help would be greatly apreciated.
Best is to avoid Google Chrome. I actually would like to doscover how to block everything Google.
Blogger not Chrome is the problem. My site is being "redirected" and I cannot stop it doing that - so there is no AntiMullah Home Page
Google and Blogger help is useless and unrespopnsive
As you may have gathered Google ate up Alan's AntiMullah main page by not having a way to undo teh setti ng of redirecting it to elsewhere. So, a temporary work around was to export the Main page, create a new blog and import the old one.
The link above should be available for new posts.
Would you be so kind as to try the link and see if it gets you to AntiMullah (version 2)
thanks for lettin me know.
Works for me.
Firefox 12.0
Right to it.
Thanks for the link!
It works.
Thanks to everyone. In the meantime, with help from Bloggers, the original site has been fixed so all links, new or previous, all work.
the silver lining to all this is the new site Page with the Persian Gulf Medal. We certainly all know someone who served there.
Alan and I will see how best to "deploy" the new page.
Thanks you, FARS.
Thanks for the ping!
This article has been posted by Alan to both the original Antimullah (noiri.blogspot.com or www.antimullah.com ) the link below points to the new page set up when the original temporarily looped around.
Everything now works but you might like the simple layout of the newer one and the Persian Gulf Medal for our vets.
Lots of good reads and a couple of MUST reads
Thanks for the ping!
In case you missed this! We get NOTHING in return - NOTHING!
Thanks for the ping!
Thursday Good Reads
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.


text:
Hey guys
I was feeling nostalgic, decided that I will go back to some of the earlier chapters in Bleach, take a glance. Especially the Soul Society arc.
I was amazed to see how much the physical character designs have come along. Sticking so long with this series makes one not even realise how subtle Kubo was in making the character features "grow". If you check out those chapters, Ichigo looks almost child-like, frail. Now he totally manned up in appearance after time, and after so many battles. Same holds for the other characters.
I thought Kubo did well on that front.
Have a look.


text:
About The Morning Light
The Morning Light formed from the ashes of Pittsburgh's Transition, with bassist Harrison Wargo opting to leave the latter group and create his own music alongside vocalist Bobby Garver. The two began crafting piano-driven songs in the vein of Jack's Mannequin, and the duo soon swelled to a quintet with the addition of bassist Andrew McDonald, drummer Nick Baxter, and former Transition guitarist Matt Colussy. With both Wargo and Garver sharing vocal duties, the Morning Light spent 2007 on the road, playing nearly 150 concerts and signing with Fearless Records only nine months after their first show. The Sounds of Love EP introduced the band's mix of emo and alternative pop/rock in March 2008. ~ Andrew Leahey, Rovi


text:
Sorry guys to present you with a new problem concerning the X220 but I noticed today (only half an hour ago) that if I switch my screen to a black screensaver and wait around 15s and go back to normal screen then the colours will be "unreal" -> means they appear to bright and "undetailed" for some time (15 to 20s) and then go back to normal (it's like slowly increasing colour depth from 256k to 32bit or the latency of the all pixels is to high).
To literally talk in pictures: I have one of these standard "I-come-with-windows-please-use-me"-background pictures of a koala. In normal state I can the details of its fur. But if the I do the above the Koalas fur is more like a big grey surface.
Sadly, I couldn't capture the phenomena with a screenshot (I tried several times but no luck) so it seems to me more like a hardware issue (have an IPS panel but so far had no problem with ghosting. but I have the screen bleeding.). Also because it's late and quite dark here in Germany I can't take a good photo of it.
If a Lenovo employee should read this here are some more hints for debugging: Have a recently bought X220 (Type: 4290-W1B) and it's currently running on battery (haven't checked plugged-in yet because I'm dead tired but hopefully will have time tomorrow) with brightness level 5 (changed it to max of 15 but problem is still occuring).
Please tell me if you need more informations! And thanks for your help beforehand.
Solved! Go to Solution.
take a look at the following KB article and see if it helps. your issue may be due to how your intel graphics control panel is set. turning off the power-saving technology option might fix it.
ThinkStation P700 · C20 ThinkPad P40 · 600
erik wrote:
take a look at the following KB article and see if it helps. your issue may be due to how your intel graphics control panel is set. turning off the power-saving technology option might fix it.
ps/Display-contrast-reduced-while-on-battery-mode- ...
This sounds like it'll fix my problem but I can only confirm it this evening. Thanks for the fast help!


text:
An Accessibility Room, 47 Luxury Rooms, six Executive Rooms, and one suite make up the accommodation choices at the Tulip Inn Sevenum. Each room has a telephone, flat screen TV and a sitting area of cosy seats, with Wi-Fi access as standard. Large windows make the rooms airy and bright. For those on longer visits, the Executive Rooms offer that bit of extra room, while guests who like their little luxuries can book the suite, with its Jacuzzi. Check in is at 2pm and check out is by 12 noon.
预订 -
1 0800 852 2075


text:
Yes, you can eat sensibly on a cruise! Enjoy health-conscious gourmet dining options – just look for Canyon Ranch Spa Selections on the menu.
Award-winning Canyon Ranch cuisine will delight your palate and nourish your body. You'll dine on satisfying, reasonable portions of fresh seasonal selections made, whenever possible, with organic and sustainable ingredients. Our chefs and nutritionists have created meals that emphasize healthy eating with:
Quality Carbs & Fiber
Meals focus on healthy carb-rich vegetables, fruits, legumes and moderate portions of whole grains.
Protein Power
All meals, including vegetarian options, are balanced with protein-rich food.
Healthy Fats
We use fats that are beneficial to health, including extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil and omega-3 fatty acids. We have never used trans fats or other artificial ingredients in our cooking.
Salt Sense
Our food is seasoned with herbs and spices to keep the use of salt at a minimum.
Sweetener Savvy
We use a variety of sweeteners in moderation; we do not use artificial sweeteners.


text:
Not really.
On critics saying he tries to force passes
We're kind of having trouble running the ball.
By Mike Klis
The Denver Post
Updated: 11/26/2008 06:42:57 PM MST
Jay Cutler. (AP)
As always, Jay Cutler was honest.
Defeat or victory, good mood or not, he's always told it straight. But Cutler was also a bit more fun-loving and comfortable during his weekly press gathering Wednesday.
Naturally, he was asked if he thought he had a stronger arm than Brett Favre. Cutler immediately laughed.
"Yeah I think so," he said. "Is Brett 40 yet?"
Nope, he's 39.
"Thirty-nine, soon to be 40," said Cutler, the Broncos' 25-year-old quarterback. "I think he would give me a run back in his 20s but I think I've got him now."
Cutler in October got people talking after he claimed to have a stronger arm than John Elway did in his prime.
"Hands down," Cutler told the Sporting News.
To beat Favre and the New York Jets on Sunday afternoon in the Meadowlands, Cutler knows the Broncos either must not commit an early turnover, or not react so poorly when an early turnover is committed. In their five losses, the Broncos have been doomed by 12 first-half turnovers.
"I think this team, especially offensively, gets down a little bit," Cutler said.
"And it takes us some time to rally and get back on top. A lot of that is on my shoulders. It comes with time, experience, maybe mature a little bit as an offense, but we're getting there."


text:
Going shopping over the holiday period can be a bit like going into battle with retailers who use every sneaky scheme they can think of to get you to buy their goods. It is becoming more difficult to win, because marketers are increasingly using neuroscience to trick your brain into parting with money.
It helps to know some of the tricks they use so you don't fall prey to them. Here are just a few of the more common traps for shoppers.
A sense of urgency in advertising (the goods are on offer or on sale for a limited time only).
Shop assistants who are trained to talk to you. They are not just being polite. Statistics show you are more likely to buy in a shop if the assistant engages you in conversation.
Displaying goods in such a way as to encourage you to pick them up or try them on. The more physical contact you have with the goods, the more likely you are to buy.
High-margin impulse items next to the counter which tempt you just as you are about to pay.
Shopping baskets or trolleys provided in-store for you to fill.
Free samples, particularly those which tempt your taste buds or sense of smell.
The use of scent, such as the smell of freshly cooked bread in fast food outlets or the smell of perfumes in a cosmetics store.
If you truly want to keep to your budget over the holiday period, make a list of what you want and stick to it. Don't be tempted by offers, avoid picking up or trying on goods that are not on your list, don't use baskets and trolleys and avoid engaging in conversation with shop assistants.
Liz Koh is an authorised financial adviser.
The advice given here is general and doesn't constitute specific advice to any person.
A free disclosure statement can be obtained by free-phoning 0800 273 847.


text:
The Kingsford® Points Chase
Chasing Kingsford
Bourbon Barrel BBQ blazes own BBQ trail
May 17, 2011
From fast cars to low and slow barbeque, it's been a fun and wild ride for Andrew Armstrong.
Born and raised just a few miles from the Jim Beam distillery (the inspiration for his team's name – Bourbon Barrel BBQ) in Clermont, Ky., Andrew earned his barbeque chops the good old fashioned way – by making mistakes and figuring out how to correct them. It's that perseverance that lead him to a third place finish and a win in the Kingsford Points Chase at the Inaugural Run for the Ribs in Louisville, Ky. less than one year after entering his first contest.
Andrew's first passion was car racing, but after the birth of his son, a lack of time and money led him to find a new (and arguably, more exciting) hobby. Like any red-blooded American male would, he turned to the sport of barbeque.
He purchased a cheap grill from a local hardware store with an offset firebox on the side. Without the slightest clue about how to prepare professional barbeque, Andrew marched down to his local grocer in search of the quintessential barbeque meat – brisket. In his haste to get grilling, Andrew picked up the first package labeled "brisket" – a corned beef brisket.
His first venture into preparing competition barbeque produced a less than winning result – but that didn't stop Andrew. He worked to perfect his craft and ultimately mastered the art of preparing true (and uncured!) competition brisket. It's now his favorite category – he took home first place in brisket in Louisville.
Andrew and Bourbon Barrel BBQ have seen quite a few successes in their first year of competition barbeque – despite one fiery setback. In just their second competition, the team literally set the barbeque world ablaze. In the early hours of the morning, Andrew finished putting their pork and brisket entries on the cooker and he thought he'd closed the cooker door before heading in for the night. Twenty minutes later another team knocked on the door – turns out he hadn't closed the cooker door and his pit was now sporting 4-foot flames. Luckily no one was hurt and the fire was quickly contained – and Bourbon Barrel BBQ's brisket and pork still took home second place honors.
Bourbon Barrel BBQ has come a long way since Andrew's first venture into the world of barbeque. It's safe to say if this year is anything like the last, low and slow barbeque will provide him with just as many high-octane thrills as racing did – if not more!


text: McKoy Elden Allred is the son of David and McKette Allred. McKoy has been called to serve as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Iowa, Des Moines Mission. His farewell will be held on May 12 at 11 a.m. at the Huntington fifth ward chapel. He will be entering the Provo Missionary Training Center on May 22.


text:
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Book your hotel with British Airways and enjoy all these great benefits:


text:
Napoli appeal points deduction
Napoli are preparing an appeal for "true justice" after being handed a two-point deduction for their alleged involvement in match-fixing by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
- Related Content
The Azzurri have slumped to fifth place in the Serie A table, 10 points shy of league leaders and reigning champions Juventus, after the FIGC ruled the club "objectively responsible" for the actions of their former player Matteo Gianello, who confessed to attempting to fix a match between Napoli and Sampdoria in 2010.
The two players he allegedly approached, Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava, have been suspended for six months for failing to report Gianello's actions while the ex-Napoli goalkeeper has been banned from the game for 39 months.
- Profiles
Napoli, who were also fined 70,000 euros, were slow to react to this morning's news but come midday a statement appeared on the club's official website denying any wrongdoing and objecting to the timing of the punishment, without confirming having lodged an appeal with the FIGC's justice court.
It read: "The president Aurelio de Laurentiis, the head coach Walter Mazzarri and the whole team are calm, being confident that no violation could be attributed to Napoli.
"While not entering into the obsolete and outdated principle of objective responsibility, and reserving any comments on legal action for the appropriate forums, Napoli does not agree with the decisions of the National Disciplinary Committee, considering that they should not be able to irretrievably alter championships that are already in progress.
"Any decision must be made before the start of a tournament or at the end of it. There has been enough time to evaluate and make a decision since the 2009-10 season.
"We are confident that true justice can be applied to the separate decisions, based on law and equity, not on Justicialism (a theory of government involving government intervention)."
Napoli had originally been warned by FIGC prosecutor Stefano Palazzi that a one-point deduction was the likely outcome of their implication in the 'Calcioscommesse' scandal, with club captain Cannavaro and fellow defender Grava facing possible nine-month bans.
But this morning's official statement revealed the significant amendments to Palazzi's recommendations, most noticeably extending Gianello's predicted 16-month ban by almost two years.
The statement from the FIGC disciplinary commision read: "Two penalty points for Napoli and a 70,000 euro fine.
"A ban of three years and three months for Matteo Gianello and bans of six months for Paolo Cannavaro and Gianluca Grava."
Napoli - and the players - can first appeal for a reduced ban through the FIGC before approaching the TNAS tribunal court in Rome should they be unsuccessful.
Quoted in various Italian newspapers, club lawyer Mattia Grassani told Radio 24: "There is no liability from the club.
"Gianello did not play a single a minute during the 2009-2010 season, yet the club has been sentenced for failing to supervise or control their players.
"I think this is an unjust sentence and completely inadequate.
"The Neapolitan club have suffered financial losses and also damages to their image and on the field of play - these are all reasons for compensation once the justice system has finished its investigation."
The separate punishments come as a serious blow to Napoli's ambitions of catching Juventus.
An indifferent run of form saw Mazzarri's men slip to third place and eight points behind Juve, with today's deduction dropping the club behind Inter Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina and just two points clear of sixth-placed Roma.
The FIGC's wide-ranging investigation into match-fixing saw Juventus head coach Antonio Conte suspended from the game for four months for failing to report his knowledge of match-fixing during his time in charge of Siena.
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text:
Top Definition
Two straight guys hanging out on Valentines Day because neither of the have female valentines.
Guy1: Hey man, i dont have a valentine this year. wanna be broventines?
Guy2: As gay as that sounds, sure.
Guy2: As gay as that sounds, sure.
by Erre Dmiam January 26, 2012
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text:
Data Drilling, Search Engines Can Be Problem for Field Servicers
Data analytics has been universally embraced by the mortgage industry but contrary to popular belief many field services companies are missing out on their business potential, says Tim Grace, CEO of PointPredictive.
Various providers are using technology to amass mortgage fraud, home values and rental market databases. Nonetheless, property preservation is one of the mortgage industry areas "that are currently underserved with analytics,� he says.
Today too many companies "are building complex algorithms that business users don't understand and therefore don't use effectively," according to Grace, who claims that everyday experience "tells that now the market needs a new breed of analytic models that are simpler and more intuitive for the end user."
Banks, lenders, servicers and property management firms "have no real analytic tools to help them differentiate how to take care of propertiesbased on the house itself, the neighborhood, or crime rates,� he explained. The best way to take care of each property in a more cost-effective way is by collecting data and creatively using scientific methods that target existing and potential problems.
The PointPredictive approach is based on "gathering data in consortia, sharing information between the relevant parties to build analytics and predictive models,"�Grace adds. The firm is working to help facilitate that approach in the mortgage industry and property preservation management "for many different types of business challenges.�
Tighter oversight and regulatory restrictions on how mortgage servicers collaborate with the third-party field services industry also are challenging the industry to improve data drilling and analytics.
At the MBA's National Mortgage Servicing Conference and Expo 2014 in Orlando a session on emerging technology and data analysis strategies and tactics for property preservation and bank owned foreclosures is just one of a series of upcoming discussions that will inquire about solutions provided by specialized mortgage technology vendors, mobile options in the field, and cloud computing in the property preservation market.
Safeguard chief information officer George Mehok, who is one of the panel speakers, says he will introduce two of the firm's most used technologies: the MapAlert weather assessment service and a mobile technology for vendors that rely heavily on data analytics that generate business intelligence. The MapAlert system utilizes internal data, geo-mapping of 15 million properties, information about severe weather events from several sources, and Google mapping technologies to help determine the potential for property damage.
Mehok finds data analytics as a part of property preservation services has to continuously evolve. "It is essential to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements" to generate internal performance evaluations, scorecards and dashboards, evaluate vendor management network, to assess their performance, allocate work orders and identify market needs.
Data are very important, but this is not about the math, says Keven Smith, president and CEO of Mortgage Builder, a mortgage servicer's experience is what determines the focus and success of data drilling and analytics.
Servicers and vendors who really know the software and the data they have within each servicing system, work with computer programmers to link it with the databases and systems that each mortgage company uses to manage loan data.
Data analytics has always been there, he adds, but most recently the focus has moved on. "How do we go in and build something more dynamic to allow users maximize the value of data? It's not a math problem, it's more of a mortgage servicing issue of what lenders really want to see and what's important data-wise and how to make it user-friendly for lending mangers." This way users�can determine how to drill and analyze loan and property data, and�what results they want to�see, such as, for example, loan types and how these different loans�are being serviced.
In other words, computers and software power is determined by its user's expertise. The deeper the market expertise these users have, the better systems they will be able to help generate. Ultimately, data drilling strategies become even more important than the data itself.
"Data analytics is much more important today than in the past, and will only become more prevalent as time goes by," Smith says. "The mortgage industry has to�force managers�to look at data more seriously. The industry is using more and more�data today, which is a good thing because now people understand their businesses much better and that will only make the industry stronger."
The vision has�constantly changed. as it must, alongside the need for data analytics, agrees Grace. The key is in "breaking out of predictable operations."
"There is an art and science to building great predictive models," he says.
PointPredictive analytics are designed "to bridge the gap between sophisticated science and the practical things that business users need those algorithms to accomplish." Staff includes a group of math wizards who can help transform business experience into effective technology developing "hundreds of analytic models across multiple industries in the past two decades," such as debit card fraud prevention software for MasterCard a few years ago, says Grace.� In the past few years the team has been focusing on deployment technology solutions for the mortgage industry that allows faster deployment, easy data acquisition and access.
"In practical terms, data is not always clean or complete," Grace says, which makes it necessary "to effectively work around these realities and get creative." Mortgage companies constrained by internal resources, "such as lack of domain expertise, system integration constraints," or other challenges, need a targeted way to generate more cost-effective algorithms.
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Originally Posted by akwok
Of dynamic cans, I have owned: Sennheiser HD650, Audio Technica L3000, Headphile K3000, Grado RS-1, Grado HP-2, AKG K701 & K1000, Sony SA5000. I recently needed to repurchase a dynamic headphone, with a $1500 budget on the headphone itself, and after thinking it through I decided to buy the HD650. That should be enough to show what I think of the HD650, .
The K1000 was a close call though, but nobody had Aleph 3s on Audiogon to sell (Canman sold his a day before I was 100% sure I wanted an Aleph). If one pops up though, I'll buy the amp first, then the headphones - I probably won't sell the HD650, though.
The HD650s were the first headphones I loved, so I guess it has some sentimental value


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As you know I attended a Luncheon with Chef Ivy Stark at Dos Caminos this past weekend. And incase you didn't know, my goody bag consisted of 5 avocados, plus my husband received a goody bag too, so we are talking a total of TEN AVOCADOS! YIKES!
Besides making a batch of amazing Guacamole and Avocado Fries which turned out to be a disaster, I also made Creamy Avocado Pesto Pasta. It was quite amazing, and healthy, too.
Unfortunately, I can't take credit for this delectable recipe that I found on one of the best vegan blogs out there, Angela of Oh She Glows.
What I love about this dish is the pesto sauce incorporates avocado instead of the Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). Although both avocados and EVOO are healthy fats, it's a nice variant to use avocados for a change which results in a creamier, thicker sauce without any of the avocado flavor.
I went ahead and doubled Angela's recipe, however I halved the amount of EVOO used in the recipe. In addition, I added some crushed red pepper for that extra kick I need.
My mom, sister, and brother-in-law stopped by so I had a few family members to critique the recipe, in addition to my hubby, of course. Unsurprisingly though, my mom didn't like this dish, but she's also an extremely picky eater. My husband, sister, and brother-in-law enjoyed my pasta though.
Last point, the key to making this dish is serving it ASAP, else the oxidation process on the avocado pesto sauce begins almost immediately despite adding lemon juice to the sauce. Also, I don't think this pasta dish tastes that great in the event you do have leftovers, so plan on inviting a few people over and share the love.
NUTRITION: Avocados are rich in Antioxidants and are a good source of Fiber, Folic Acid, and Vitamins B6, C, E and K. In addition, they help lower cholesterol and contain anti-cancerous properties. Whole Grain pasta is a great source of Protein and Fiber. Basil is an excellent source of Vitamin K and a very good source of Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin A. Although high in fat, cheese is a good source of Calcium and Protein.
INGREDIENTS (mostly adapted from Oh She Glows):
* omit the parmesan cheese in this recipe if you are Vegan
- Pot of Water
- Barilla Whole Grain Penne – 1-13.5 ounce box
- Garlic – 4 cloves
- Lemon (juice) – 1
- Lemon (zest) – 1
- California Avocados – 2
- Fresh Basil Leaves – handful (I love basil, so I added a big handful)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 tbsp (the original recipe calls for 4 tbsp)
- Salt – 1 tsp
- Black Pepper – 1/2 tsp
- Crushed Red Pepper – 1 tsp (use less if you can't handle heat)
- Starchy Pasta Water (reserved) – 1/4 cup
- Parmesan Cheese – garnish on top (optional)
1. Star by boiling a pot of water on high heat.
2. While the water boils, get your ingredients out… garlic, lemon juice, and zest of a lemon.
3. Add the 3 ingredients to the food processor and pulse until everything is blended and chopped.
4. Once the water boils, follow the directions on the back of the box and cook until al dente.
5. In the meantime, slice an avocado, remove the pit, and add it to the food processor. Grab a handful of basil as well.
6. Add the basil, avocado, extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.
7. Process all the ingredients until you get a smooth and creamy consistency, get the sides as well.
8. Like this.
9. Drain the pasta and reserve some of the starchy pasta water. Add the avocado pesto to the pasta.
10. Toss well, and add the starchy pasta water, about 1/4 cup or a little more to thin out the sauce to your liking.
11. Optional, top with some parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.


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Frequently Asked Questions
- Does this doctoral program require a dissertation?
- Yes, this doctoral program does require a dissertation.
- Is there an advisor I can meet with to discuss my options?
- If after reviewing the website, you are unsure which program specialization would be the best fit for you, and would like to meet with an advisor, please email email@example.com to schedule an appointment.
- Is it possible to continue to work full-time and complete the doctoral program?
- It is not only possible for you to continue to work full-time and complete the doctoral program, but it is preferred. Our classes are a blended format of face-to-face, digital media (Blackboard, ITV, Podcasts, etc.), and current work location. We are trying to address adult learning theory and best practices in how we teach. Therefore, those things that need to be done face-to-face are taught in that manner on weekends and those elements that can be done effectively on-line are being done so. To insure that students are learning, you will also apply techniques in on-the job settings through assignments and practica.
- Are courses/meetings offered at extended campuses such as Elizabethtown or Owensboro campuses?
- Currently the face-to-face meetings are all being held on WKU's main campus; however, as stated in the previous answer, the classes are a blended format and we are trying to address adult learning in the most accommodating way possible.
- If I wanted to teach at a college level, which program specialization would be best for me?
- None of the specializations- This is not a program designed to create or improve college instructors; it is about educational leadership.
- Is it possible to earn Rank I status while earning my doctoral degree?
- Yes, it is possible but you must plan the programs separately both in the Office of Doctoral Studies and with the Office of Educational Administration, Leadership, & Research. For details concerning this process, please read more in the Graduate Studies catalog.
- If after I am in the doctoral program I decide to take a semester off, what should I do?
- If you are truly not making progress toward degree completion (no classes, not working on a practicum, the dissertation, etc.) in a particular semester/term, then registration is not required. However, we would appreciate you contacting the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program office to inform us, so we are aware of your decision. Also, note that Graduate Studies requires students who are not registered for three consecutive terms to update their record via the online application process.
- Does the program offer graduate assistantships?
- Although this program is designed for working professionals, there are a limited number of competitive GA scholarships for students seeking to enroll full-time. We are currently seeking persons who have strong research and/or P-12 backgrounds for these positions. Applicants who desire to be considered for these positions should indicate this in their Personal Statement,as part of their application.
- Can I apply to receive graduate credit for successful completion of the National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) process?
- Students admitted to the EdD program may apply to receive graduate credit for successful
completion of the National Board Certified Teacher process. Those approved will receive
up to six (6) hours of credit for EDU 695. To be eligible to receive credit, students
must document that they: have been admitted to the EdD program in either the Teacher
Leader or P-12 Administrative Leadership concentration; have completed at least 9
hours in the EdD program; and hold current National Board Certification status.
The student must submit an application form to the Doctoral Studies Leadership Council, which will consider whether to approve the application and then determine the number of EDU 695 hours to credit to the student's program. The hours may not be substituted for required (core) courses in the program. Once a recommendation for the awarding of hours for NBCT completion is approved by the Doctoral Studies Leadership Council, the student must arrange for the American Council on Education (ACE) to send an official transcript documenting the student's NBCT status to WKU's Office of Graduate Studies and Research so that the credit may be entered on the student's transcript. No charge will be assessed by WKU.
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Looking Into the Future: Blogs with crystal balls
Graphic Comments
October 09 2012 07:37PM
We are now at that stage in the lockout process where everyone starts to make up alternate realities for what might be, or might have been. Well, almost everyone one. Others have been living in an alternate reality for a long time now.
This is the little-known back-up stage in the grieving process, which can be subbed in if you want to skip one of the traditional stages. Since clearly nobody is interested in the bargaining stage, we've replaced it with using your imagination so we can keep things moving along.
I like to call it Blogs With Crystal Balls...
The first step in creating a realistic alternate reality, or a credible vision of the future, is to use just the right amount of imagination to make it all seem plausible:
Not enough
oxygen imagination and you're just going to wind up with a hand-drawn facsimile of the present, like say having the KHL expand to North America. I mean, I'm sure the NHLPA would have a much easier time negotiating with a these guys.
At the other end of the spectrum, too much imagination and you might as well be in a permanent state of delusion, similar to what might happen after too much time in the wilderness. But that's nothing that taking a course in remedial math couldn't cure.
The secret to successful hockey blog prognostication falls somewhere between the two. You need just enough reality to make it credible, and just enough imagination to make it alluring. In short, you need to take your readers to the place where dreams come true, but you can't because the gates are locked so you have to make alternate arrangements:
I'm sure you're asking yourself what this has to with the NHL. Well, we can start with the Ducks. If that's not a great example of mixing reality with imagination, I don't know what is. But that's not the only connection.
Last week, as I was drawing up the NHL's organizational structure, it struck me that only this kind of operation would pull it's product off the shelves during times of record revenues:
(Please don't sue me, Mr. Mouse.)
Anyway, back to the topic at hand, Blogs With Crystal Balls: How to create a credible alternate reality.
Now that we've seen how not to do it, here are three recent examples of ways to successfully provide a window into a what might have been:
- You can simulate it. That's the approach taken by @TheStanchion over at the Legion of Blog. The fake season has worked so well that he's even got Eddie Lack and Roberto Luongo playing along.
- You can take an analytical approach, like @CamCharron in his post at The Backhand Shelf that looked at how things might have been different under a 40-game season last year.
- Or you can just imagine what might have been, like Elliotte Friedman in a blog post from the future.
Ok, maybe that last one had a little too much imagination. And really, did he have to be so cruel about it? I mean, the Canucks have to lose in the Final even in imaginary seasons? In terms of heaping abuse on long-suffering Canucks' fans, that surely that crosses the line into cruel and unusual punishment:
So, to sum up, if you wan't to be a Blog With Crystal Balls, start with a good helping of reality and add a side of imagination. Do it well and you'll have your readers coming back for seconds.
Which reminds me. Happy Thanksgiving everybody. Hopefully you all excercised a little restraint and didn't go back for thirds at dinner, which is more than we can say for the NHL. I just hope this lockout doesn't have any leftovers:
October 09 2012, 09:35PM
Have you thought about making a book? Your stuff is gold.
October 10 2012, 12:08PM
@Jeff Angus
I beat you to that suggestion a week or two ago I believe.


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Ryan Pike
June 20 2012 10:12AM
Each and every year, a great deal of organizations put together lists of prospects and rate them. These are all very extensive undertakings done either with the goal of informing the NHL clubs themselves (as is the case with NHL Central Scouting and others) or looking to inform hockey fans heading into the draft season.
The difficulty is that it's very hard to conclude who did a good job after the draft. Sometimes NHL teams draft rather chaotically – looking to fill a specific positional need, for instance – and the lack of overlap between what the draft experts say will happen and what does happen is based more in happenstance than in poor preparation.
Want some examples? Look no further than the last three years of Calgary Flames drafting. Central Scouting's final rankings are in parentheses.
In 2009, the club drafted six players:
- D Tim Erixon (#5 European skater), drafted 23 overall
- LW Ryan Howse (#37 North American skater), drafted 74 overall
- RW Henrik Bjorklund (#23 European skater), drafted 111 overall
- LW Spencer Bennett (#142 North American skater), drafted 141 overall
- G Joni Ortio (#7 European goalie), drafted 171 overall
- LW Gaelan Patterson (unranked), drafted 201 overall
In 2010, the club drafted another six players:
- C Max Reinhart (#79 North American skater), drafted 64 overall
- D Joey Leach (#120 North American skater) drafted 73 overall
- D John Ramage (#131 North American skater), drafted 103 overall
- LW Bill Arnold (#36 North American skater), drafted 108 overall
- RW Michael Ferland (#146 North American skater), drafted 133 overall
- LW Patrick Holland (#180 North American skater), drafted 193 overall
In 2011, the club drafted five players:
- LW Sven Baertschi (#7 North American skater), drafted 13 overall
- RW Markus Granlund (#9 European skater), drafted 45 overall
- D Tyler Wotherspoon (#40 North American skater), drafted 57 overall
- LW Johnny Gaudreau (#193 North American skater), drafted 104 overall
- G Laurent Brossoit (#7 North American goalie), drafted 164< overall
Different Perspectives
Now, if you went by Central Scouting ratings alone, you could easily conclude that the Flames drafted Howse and Gaudreau way too early, Reinhart and Leach a bit early, and were extremely lucky to have Arnold, Granlund and Baertschi fall to them.
Then again, a quick perusal around the Internet reveals that extremely credible sources such as Future Considerations, Hockey Prospectus, the Hockey News and others have rankings that vary significantly in some cases. It's not that any of these outlets are in any way "wrong," it's just that they're all looking at things in sometimes very different ways.
The same thing happens with the NHL scouting departments.
There are 30 clubs with head scouts and general managers assessing talent in sometimes radically different ways. Flames general manager Jay Feaster has noted that precisely analyzing the decision-making behind previous draft scouting (and improving it) was one of the reasons why head scout Tod Button was retained.
Sometimes teams are rating players entirely based on offensive ability. Sometimes it's balanced more towards character or hockey sense. Sometimes scouting staff are instructed to replace an aging veteran via the draft.
In short: the NHL Entry Draft is one of the bizarre times of year when even the most prepared prospect experts are seemingly as "clueless" at times as the rest of the hockey onlookers. It's not because they're looking at things in the wrong way, it's because sometimes NHL scouts are looking at things entirely differently than everybody else.
If the Flames draft Faksa, Ceci, Maatta, or trade down and take Pouliot/Girgensons I'll be okay with it. Those guys should be the guys they take jersey's with their name on em.
If Grigorenko somehow slips all the way down to 14 (I don't see it happening, but I never saw Fowler and Gormley sliding a few years back either) I might burn all of my Flames merchandise if Feaster doesn't take him. Character issues or not, the kid has home run talent. Speaking of which, has anyone ever seen Patrick Roy say anything damaging about his Russian protege? I certainly haven't, and Mr. Roy is in a position to judge the boy.
Grigorenko would be a dream at 14. But I'll keep dreaming through the first round either way.
@Ryan Pike - if I understand the Flames' approach they do not need to consider what other teams will do - they have a ranked list 1..210 that they will follow to a tee. Do they spend a lot of time interviewing and thinking about Yakapov, maybe not since he is not going to be available at 14, but I guarantee he is on their list probably at #1. The list is based on their ranking of players, not their expectation of who does what ahead of them.
June 20 2012, 01:53PM
If you can somehow get Grigorenko... And they do have interest in Radulov... That'd be an interesting line!
I think Gio is the next captain. And should be. I wouldn't move him. He could be the ehart and soul of the team, the real leader... I am okay with Gio leading here...
As for the Pens, they have some issues with salary on the backline. No doubt. Martin will be the salary dump added to any deal that might pull Staal out of there. Martin's name going to Carolina was part of what I read, as well.
With Crosby still fragile.... Staal remains in Pittsburgh.
For now.
I wonder what it would take to get Simon Despres out of Pittsburgh? I'd love to have him here.
gio and dan girardi were both undrafted junior grads that fought and clawed their way into very well rounded defensemen. i place them ahead of several so called blue chippers such as dion phangoof.
How about the Jagr possibility that TSN put out there. Seems like a bad idea for a team that's not ready to win anything yet. Be better off to give Baertschi a shot.
the Flames don't have so many top 9 forwards that signing Jagr would preclude the inclusion of Baertschi on the roster. This isn't to say I'm a fan of the idea though.
Scouting and drafting is far from an exact science. Most of these kids are 18 years old, who knows how they might develop physically or mentally before they finally reach the NHL.
That's my understanding of their process as well. When their turn to pick comes up, they look at their list and pick the top ranked guy who is remaining. I like the philosophy, personally. When you draft for needs or by position you miss out on assets. That's part of why the Flames system wound up in the state it is. They would pass on talent to get that physical defenceman the system lacked.
Yes, I am talking about Matt Pelech...
@Ryan Pike
I don't think the farm is as barren as the experts want us all to believe. At the same time there isn't much in the way of elite and high-end talent coming because Sutter drafted for need and/or grit. His last draft has some promise with Reinhart and Ferland on the way, he did well to get them with mid round picks. For every Reinhart there were three Gord Baldwins... that's the problem.
on a semi-related note, heard this morning that Carolina made an offer to Pittsburgh for Jordan Staal that included the 8th overall and Brandon Sutter. If that happens, do you think the Pens accept Giordano in exchange for the 22nd and Zbynek Michalek? I say Gio because they'd only be taking on .05 million in cap, and they get an upgrade to their blueline. the Flames get another 1st rounder and a right-shooting dman with good size.
do the Flames need to add something else/offer Bouwmeester instead? I'm not really clear on how good Michalek is...
I have a feeling Gio will be the captain after Iggy moves on. I just wouldn't feel comfortable trading him unless the return was very substantial. He is one of the best kept secrets in the NHL. Took him a little while to find his groove last year, but he was excellent late in the season. He also seems to have a quick healing time compared to a lot of players, rarely seems to be out as long as other injured guys.
I agree that a team ought to compile a list ranking each of the players and stick to it.
Trying to guess what other teams might do seems to play more in the top eight or ten picks. After that I think things begin to settle down a bit more with each passing round.
Sometimes gambling can come into play in the later rounds where a player may be ranked higher on your list than you expect him to be on any other team's, so you let him slide and grab some other prospects first. This is basically what MacGregor did with Gernat last year and the gamble paid off when they were able to get Reider in the 4th round.
All that aside, I think one of the difficulties in the draft is that it requires two parties to meet halfway and operates under the assumption that Lady Luck isn't going to take you out behind the woodshed. A prospect has to work to cover their draft bet, a team has to provide enough support and communication to assist in that. Then they both need to cross their fingers and hope that no ACLs get blown up or brains too badly rattled.
As I understand it, many GMs prioritize certain aspects in evaluating talent. Would Omark have been selected by the Kings or Blues in the 4th round? Unlikely as they both have placed a high value on size as much as skill. Detroit, Tampa Bay, or the Rangers might have rated him more highly. Sutter probably wouldn't have given him the time of day.
That sounds like a really high cost for Staal.
Carolina could deal that pick for a winger and just wait until the trade deadline or next July and sign him as a UFA.
The only Staal I see them having to acquire by trade might be Marc.
If Rutherford moves that pick for Staal now, I suppose he can rest assured that he'll likely sign him to an extension, but it would be paying an awfully high price out of convenience.
eh, his leg issue kept him out of the lineup for the expected amount of time.
yeah, it does seem to be a high price. come to think of it, I think they said something about taking Paul Martin's contract.. It's hard to remember, I'm not really a morning person. and anyway, it was sportsnet


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Concert goers to a Punk Rock concert in Indonesia were caught off guard when authorities raided, detaining the punk rockers, forcibly shaved their Mohawks and held them for "re-education".
When the authorities approached, concert goers had no idea what was in store for them. Immediately those who were on the scene were forced to brush their teeth and take a group bath for "spiritual cleansing" all after having their Mohawks forcibly shaved.
"We didn't hurt anyone," he told the AP after his Mohawk haircut was shaved off. "This is how we've chosen to express ourselves. Why are they treating us like criminals?" Continue reading Punk Rockers Detained in Indonesia for "re-education" »


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John and Ginger Wiscombe of Price are pleased to announce the marriage of their son Clinton John Wiscombe to Danielle Jeanette Buchanan the daughter of Steve and Cratia Buchanan of Heber City.
Clinton and Danielle will exchange wedding vows on June 19 at Mill Creek Inn in Salt Lake City. A reception with family and close friends will be presented in honor of the newlyweds that evening.
Clint graduated from of Utah State University in 2008 as a civil engineer and is employed by Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction. Danielle is a 2009 graduate of Utah Valley University and is currently employed by Salt Lake City School District.
Grandparents of the groom are Ray and Maribelle Wareham of Ferron and the late Reid and Lula Wiscombe. Grandparents of the bride are Jack and Mim Buchanan of Merritt Island, Fla., and the late Edith Young and John A. Hungerford.
The couple will make their home in Lehi.


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Returning to Room 215 today, after a three-day weekend spent squiring my eldest around to job interviews.
The Muggles will all be in an uproar this week. It's the end of the first quarter; my journalistas ~ both of the newspaper and yearbook variety ~ have deadlines to meet, and I will be spending quite a bit of my "spare" time assessing student performance so I can put those little cyphers in Ye Olde Grade Book.
The cherubs need grades, but of course, so they can show off their savoir-faire on college apps. So in the great rush to report cards, I've got to do my part.
The festivities conclude at the beginning of next week with "teacher workdays" ~ two consecutive days designed for us to mingle, grade, munch, grade, and ultimately, attend a couple of mindless inservices.
The good news on this front, though, is Principal Man's recent executive decision. He's deemed that we should be treated like "professionals," and has given the his teachers the go-ahead to stay home next Monday. The assumption, of course, is that we will be working. Telecommuting, as it were.
So, why would I compare PM to the dreaded Voldemort? No reason, really. It just seemed apropos.


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Chip wrote:TIM wrote:Chip wrote:TIM wrote:Robert Fornell wrote:
Now we are talking. Simple, Natural, and with Great Spirits
And sadly, wayyyy out of my price range.
Chip- i did not know its for sale!!! Where Please?
Sorry, I was reacting to Cory's post where he mentioned a possible price of around 4-5 thousand (?). I don't know if it is for sale.
No Problem Sir Chip its hard to find something so exciting


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In ancient times, the body ruled when it came to measuring. The length of a foot, the width of a finger, and the distance of a step were all accepted measurements.
Inch: At first an inch was the width of a man's thumb. In the 14th century, King Edward II of England ruled that 1 inch equalled 3 grains of barley placed end to end lengthwise.
Hand: A hand was approximately 5 inches or 5 digits (fingers) across. Today, a hand is 4 inches and is used to measure horses (from the ground to the horse's withers, or shoulder).
Span: A span was the length of the hand stretched out, about 9 inches.
Foot: In ancient times, the foot was 111/42 inches. Today it is 12 inches, the length of the average man's foot.
Yard: A yard was originally the length of a man's belt or girdle, as it was called. In the 12th century, King Henry I of England fixed the yard as the distance from his nose to the thumb of his out-stretched arm. Today it is 36 inches.
Cubit: In ancient Egypt, a cubit was the distance from the elbow to the fingertips. Today a cubit is about 18 inches.
Lick: A Lick was used by the Greeks to measure the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the index finger.
Pace: The ancient Roman soldiers marched in paces, which were the length of a double step, about 5 feet; 1,000 paces was a mile. Today, a pace is the length of one step, 21/2 to 3 feet.
|Miscellaneous Units of Measure
|Cooking Measurement Equivalents