text:
"Birds of Prey" — Bill Robinson presents animals that he has shown on "The Tonight Show," "Late Show With David Letterman" and other venues. Wallkill Public Library, 7 Bona Ventura Ave., Wallkill, 2 p.m. Jan. 26. 895-3707. wallkillpubliclibrary.org. Also: "The World of Animals" with Bill and Brian Robinson, Stone Ridge Library, Main Street, Stone Ridge, 3:45 p.m. Jan. 29. 687-7023. stoneridgelibrary.org.
Bossy Frog Band — Musical show for ages 2-8. Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center, 1351 Kings Highway, Sugar Loaf, 11 a.m. Jan. 26, $10. 610-5335. sugarloafpac.org.
Fakoli Dance and Drum — Kingston Library, 55 Franklin St., Kingston, 10:30 a.m. Jan. 26. Amadou Dialo and Toby Stover begin the 2013 "Super Saturdays Performance Series" with a focus on traditional West African drumming. Dialo and Stover also demonstrate other musical instruments and talk about West African traditions in this interactive event. Drums available.
"The Little Mermaid Jr." — Ellenville Middle School production of the Disney musical about a mermaid who longs to explore the world on land. Ellenville High School Auditorium 28 Maple Ave., Ellenville, 7 p.m. Jan. 31 and Feb. 1-2, $6. ecs.k12.ny.us.
"Yo Gabba Gabba! Live!" — New show, "Get the Sillies Out!," featuring DJ Lance Rock, Muno, Foofa, Brobee, Toodee, Ple xand Biz Markie. Ulster Performing Arts Center, 601 Broadway, Kingston, 2 and 6:30 p.m. Jan. 29, $25-$125. 473-2072 or 339-6088. bardavon.org.
Christ Episcopal Church — Area choirs sing anthems and hymns in a Christian Unity Service, followed by a reception, 20 Carroll St., Poughkeepsie, 5 p.m. Jan. 27, free. 452-8220. email@example.com. christchurchpok.org.
Ellenville Public Library and Museum — The Ministers of Apollo re-create an 18th-century chamber concert, 40 Center St., Ellenville, 2 p.m. Jan. 27, free. Seating limited; early arrival recommended. 647-5530. eplm.org.
Newton Theatre — Tusk (Fleetwood Mac tribute), 234 Spring St., Newton, N.J., 8 p.m. Jan. 26, $24-$34. 973-383-3700. thenewtontheatre.com.
Old Dutch Church — "Handel's Great Messiah Sing-in," 272 Wall St., Kingston, 4 p.m. Jan. 27. 338-6759. olddutchchurch.org.
Old Glenford Church and Hall — DB Leonard, Todd Nelson's TN3, 210 Old Route 28, Glenford, 6 p.m. Jan. 25, $5. Call 203-592-0537.
St. Mary's-in-Tuxedo Episcopal Church — "A Celebration in Brass," West Point Brass & Percussion, with organ, 10 Fox Hill Road, Tuxedo Park, 6 p.m. Jan. 26, free, reservations required. 351-3473. firstname.lastname@example.com.
"The Blue Dahlia" — Director George Marshall's 1946 film noir written by Raymond Chandler stars Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in the tale of an ex-bomber pilot who is suspected of murdering his unfaithful wife. Shown as part of the "Shadow of the Falcon Film Series." Hyde Park Library, 2 Main St., Hyde Park, 7:15 p.m. Jan. 25. 229-7791, ext. 205. hydeparklibrary.org.
"Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky" — Director Jan Kounen's 2009 drama about the love affair between the fashion designer and the composer. R for some strong sexuality and nudity. Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main St., Rosendale, 7:15 p.m. Jan. 31. 658-8989. rosendaletheatre.org.
"Dolphin Tale" — Director Charles Martin Smith's 2011 drama spotlights a boy who befriends a dolphin whose tale was cut off in a crab trap. Albert Wisner Library, 1 McFarland Drive, Warwick, 1 p.m. Jan. 28. registration required. 986-1047. albertwisnerlibrary.org.
"Double Indemnity" — Director Billy Wilder's 1944 film noir adaptation of James M. Cain's tale about a seductress (Barbara Stanwyck) who ensnares an insurance salesman (Fred MacMurray) in her scheme to murder her husband. Shown as part of the "And The Winner Isn't" (Films That Should Have Won the Academy Award)." Beekman Library, 11 Town Center Boulevard, Hopewell Junction, 7 p.m. Jan. 25. Preregister at 724-3414. beekmanlibrary.org.
"Malena" — A woman in a Sicilian town in 1940 provokes sensual awakenings in a group of adolescent boys. Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, 7 p.m. Jan. 25. 831-1134. beaconlibrary.org.
"Mondo Matinee" — Offbeat film shown with selected short subjects and a cliffhanger serial chapter. Wherehouse, 119 Liberty St., Newburgh, 2 p.m. Jan. 26. 561-7240. thewherehouserestaurant.com.
"Picasso and Braque Go to the Movies" — Director Aren Glimcher's 2008 documentary on how early filmmaking influenced the Cubist painters Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. Seligmann Center for the Arts, 23 White Oak Drive, Sugar Loaf, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25, donations accepted. 469-9459. occf-ny.org.
Saturday Movie Matinee — Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library, 393 Broadway Monticello. 3 p.m. Jan. 26. Different movie each week. Call library for title and rating. Age 9 and younger must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Snacks are permitted during the movie. Free. 794-4660, ext. 5.
Mid-Hudson Civic Center — "The Man Show," Civic Center Plaza, Poughkeepsie, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 27, free admission. Cars, trucks, bikes, sports, games, poker, health, blackjack, food, music and beer. Schedule to appear are former Knicks basketball John Starks and former Giants football players Rodney Hampton and Leonard Marshall. 454-5800. midhudsonciviccenter.com.
"Maria Stuarda" — "The Met: Live in HD" screening of a production of Donizetti's 1835 opera about Mary, Queen of Scots, and her cousin and rival, Queen Elizabeth I, is directed by David McVicar and stars Joyce DiDonato as Mary and Elza van den Heever as Elizabeth. Time and Space Limited, 12:55 p.m. Jan. 26-27, $25, $15 students. 518-822-8100. timeandspace.org.
"All Over but the Shooting" — Rich Troiano directs Lee Mueller's play as part of a murder mystery dinner at the First Presbyterian Church of Monroe, 142 Stage Road, Monroe, 6 p.m. Jan. 25-26 and 12:30 p.m. Jan. 27. Tickets $35, $25 senior citizens and age 9 and younger. Make reservations at 783-1632. email@example.com.
"Annie Get Your Gun" — Andy Weintraub directs a revival of the 1946 Irving Berlin hit musical with songs that include "I Got Lost in His Arms," "I Got the Sun in the Morning" and "There's No Business Like Show Business." Center for Performing Arts, 661 Route 308, Rhinebeck, 8 p.m. Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2, 8-9 and 15-16 and, 3 p.m. Jan. 27 and Feb. 3, 10 and 17. Tickets $26, $24 senior citizens. 876-3080. centerforperformingarts.org.
"The Exonerated" — 2002 play by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen that dramatizes the true stories of six people who had been wrongfully convicted of murder and other offenses, placed on death row, and later exonerated and freed after serving varying years in prison. Elmwood Playhouse, 10 Park St., Nyack, 8 p.m. Jan. 25-26 and Feb. 1-2 and 7-8. Also: 2 p.m. Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 and 9. Tickets $25, $23 age 65 and older and 21 and younger except Sat. 353-1313. elmwoodplayhouse.com.
"Fiddler on the Roof" — Revival of the 1965 Bock-Harnick-Stein Tony-winning Best Musical about a Jewish milkman and his family in czarist Russia at the turn of the 20th century. Westchester Broadway Theatre, 1 Broadway Plaza, Elmsford. Performances through Feb. 3: 11:15 a.m. Jan. 25 and 31. Also: 6:15 p.m. Jan. 25, 26 and 31; and Feb. 1 and 2. Also: 11:45 a.m. Jan. 27 and Feb. 3. Also: 5:15 p.m. Jan. 27. Tickets $52-$80 plus tax and gratuity. 914-592-2222. broadwaytheatre.com.
"For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf" — AnnChris Warren directs a production of Ntozake Shange's choreopoem about the struggles and obstacles that African-American women face throughout their lives. Beacon Theatre, 445 Main St., Beacon, 8 p.m. Jan. 25-26 and 3 p.m. Jan. 27. Tickets $18. thebeacontheatre.org.
"Handy Dandy" — Worthington Players revival of a 2003 comedy-drama by William Gibson about the unlikely and slowly developing friendship between a worldly District Court judge and an aging, radical nun. Shawnee Playhouse, 552 River Road, Shawnee, Pa., 2 and 8 p.m. Jan. 25, 8 p.m. Jan. 26 and 2 p.m. Jan. 27. Tickets $18, $15 senior citizens, $10 children. 570-421-5093. theshawneeplayhouse.com.
"Joseph" — A story about dreams and the power of forgiveness. DVD of a production filmed before a live audience in a Sight & Sound Theatre. Scotchtown Presbyterian Church, 365 Blumel Road, Scotchtown, 7 p.m. Jan 25. 361-3843. email@example.com.
"The Magistrate" — Simulcast of a National Theatre of London production of a Victorian farce by Arthur Wing Pinero starring John Lithgow. Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main St., Rosendale, 2 p.m. Jan. 27, $12, $10 members. 658-8989. rosendaletheatre.org.
Too Much Information! Round 5" — Men and women share their real-life stories that they've developed for the stage in TMI Project workshops. New material is presented each evening. Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main St., Rosendale, 8 p.m. Jan. 25-26, $15-$20, brownpapertickets.com/event/296713. 658-8989. rosendaletheatre.org.
Arts Society of Kingston — ASK Playwrights' Lab play readings, 97 Broadway, Kingston, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 29. 338-0331. askforarts.org.
Cafe Devine — The Yarnslingers share true personal short stories on the theme of freedom, 33 Lower Main St., Callicoon, 3 p.m. Jan. 27. 887-3076.
Club Harmony at Wok'n'Roll Cafe — Featured poet and an open mic hosted by Michael Platsky, 52 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, 8 p.m. Jan. 28. firstname.lastname@example.com.
Fat Lady Cafe — Open mic hosted by Ron Barenburgh for poets and jazz musicians, 13 Horseshoe Lake Road, 7 p.m. Jan. 26. Contact 583-7133, firstname.lastname@example.com.
Gardiner Library — Local author Stefan Bolz reads from his new book, "The Three Feathers," 133 Farmer's Turnpike, Gardiner, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Jan. 27. 255-1255. gardinerlibrary.org.
Goshen United Methodist Church — Featured poet and an open mic hosted by Ted Gill, 115 Main St., second-floor community room, Goshen, 7 p.m. Jan. 28, donations accepted. Call 294-5010.
Half Moon Books — Featured poets and an open mic, 35 N. Front St., Kingston, 5 p.m. Jan. 26, $3. 331-5439. firstname.lastname@example.com.
Hudson Opera House — Author Samuel Shem talks about his book "The Spirit of the Place," 327 Warren St., Hudson, 2 p.m. Jan. 26. 518-822-1438. hudsonoperahouse.org.
Hudson Valley Writers' Center — Author Dr. Sharon K. Farber reads from her book "Hungry for Ecstasy," 300 Riverside Drive, Sleepy Hollow, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25, $5. Also: Author Scott Alarik reads from his book "Revival," accompanied by guitar and fiddle player Jackson Lynch, 4:30 p.m. Jan. 27, $5. 914-332-5953. writerscenter.org.
Kingston Library — Author Alan Greenhalgh reads from and discusses his book "Alan's Italy: My Personal Journey ," 55 Franklin St., Kingston, 6 p.m. Jan. 29. kingstonlibrary.org.
Millbrook Library — Author Colette Martin talks about her book "Learning to Bake Allergen Free" and shares some of her favorite baking products and tips for baking without traditional ingredients, followed by a demonstration. 3 Friendly Lane, Millbrook, 2-3:30 p.m. Jan 26. millbrooklibrary.org. 677-3611.
Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck — Author Christine Wade talks about her book "Seven Locks," 6422 Montgomery St., Rhinebeck, 4 p.m. Jan. 27. 876-0500. oblongbooks.com.
Time and Space Limited — "Poets Raise Their Voices," dealing with issues of poverty, justice, mass incarceration, and emancipation, 434 Columbia St., Hudson, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25, starts with potluck supper, $10, $5 members. 518-822-8100. timeandspace.org.
Tuscan Cafe — Poetry open mic, 5 South St., Warwick, 7 p.m. Jan. 29. 987-2050. tuscancafe.net.
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Hall — Spoken Word Cafe, featured reader and open mic, 67 S. Randolph St., Poughkeepsie, 7 p.m. Jan. 26. 471-6580. uupok.org.


text:
Item #0124
60-70 days. Chinese kale, also called Chinese broccoli, Kailaan, or Gai Lan can be substituted for regular broccoli in many recipes-its unique flavor will win you over! Chinese kale is easy to grow and will tolerate heat better than many kale and broccoli varieties. High in calcium, iron, vitamins A and C. Very popular for stir-fry dishes; it can also be steamed or boiled. For a gourmet treat, lightly sauté the thinned seedlings!
This packet sows up to 40 ft.
Seedling Image
Days to Emerge:
Seed Depth:
Seed Spacing:
Row/mound Spacing:
When to sow outside: RECOMMENDED. 4 to 6 weeks before average last frost. Also, in late summer for fall harvest. Mild Climates: Can be sown in fall for winter, early spring harvest. Optimal soil temperature for germination is 60°-85°F.
When to start inside: Not recommended; transplants tend to bolt (prematurely flower).
Harvesting: Pick the center bud stalks first; side branches will continue to produce flower buds for secondary harvesting. Whole plants should be harvested just before flower buds open when plant is 8"-10" tall.
Artist: Priscilla Baldwin
Item #0124
0.75 grams
Provide Diversity
Why do large monoculture farms use so many pesticides? Because, their huge fields of a single crop are like big neon signs to…More…
What is Soil?
Soil is a diverse mix of substances, teeming with life and composed of minerals, decayed plant and animal matter, water, and air. It…More…

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I am trying to figure out how to concat two strings if certain conditions are met or not met. Say I were to enter a string, and the string did not contain any letters. I would then prompt the program to add 007 at the end of the string, and if I were to include numbers in the string in the first place it would output what I entered in the first place. I have tried the following sequences below, but have not found anything that works properly.
Say I entered John1... I want it to output John1.
If I were to enter John... Then I would want it to output John007.
Or if I were to enter Area51Games... Then I would want it to output Area51Games.
Does anyone have any helpful advice to help me solve my problem, because isLetter, and isDigit just aren't working for me.
//My code
import javax.swing.JOptionPane;
public class Word {
public static void main(String[] args){
String word = "";
word = JOptionPane.showInputDialog("Enter a word: ");
}//end main method
public static void valid(String input){
String number = "007";
String output = "";
for(int i = 0; i < input.length(); i++){
// else if(!Character.isLetter(output.charAt(i))){output+= number;break;}//end 007 else if
// else if(Character.isLetter(output.charAt(i))){output+=n umber;break;}//end 007 else if
// else if(!Character.isDigit(output.charAt(i))){output+=n umber;break;}//end 007 else if
// else if(Character.isDigit(output.charAt(i))){output+=nu mber;break;}//end 007 else if
// else if(!Character.isLetter(input.charAt(i))){output+=n umber;break;}//end 007 else if
// else if(Character.isLetter(input.charAt(i))){output += number;break;}//end 007 else if
// else if(!Character.isDigit(input.charAt(i))){output+=nu mber;break;}//end 007 else if
// else if(Character.isDigit(input.charAt(i))){output+=num ber;break;}//end 007 else if
}//end for loop
JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,"The output is: " + output);
}//end valid method
}//end Word Class


text:
Dan Richards is, well, unrepentant.
"There is zero chance I would consider resigning my position as President of the California Fish and Game Commission," Richards said this week in a fiery letter sent to state lawmakers. Just in case there was any doubt.
Richards has been embroiled in a growing dispute over his shooting of a mountain lion during a legal hunt in the state of Idaho. A picture of him posing with the dead animal surfaced in a publication called Western Outdoor News, prompting 40 members of the Assembly to call for his resignation.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
And then Lieutenant-Governor Gavin Newsom piled on this week, saying the killing doesn't reflect California values. The state has banned mountain lion hunting since voters approved Prop 117 in 1990.
But Richards, in his letter, mocked his critics, saying his hunting activity is "none of your business," and that he would "continue to hunt and fish wherever I please," in a legal fashion.
Richards also chose to clarify and defend his hunt by explaining that he ate the animal.
"I did not use a high powered rifle with a scope at 300 yards and we did dine on Mountan Lion for dinner," Richards wrote. "Under your standards all Californians who enjoy gaming in Nevada are somehow ethically challenged as true Californians and should be removed from any official position."
Richards' choice of menu items notwithstanding, animal rights groups are furious and want to see his head on a plate.
Wednesday, a group of Senate Republicans offered their support for Richards.
Gov. Jerry Brown, who received a copy of the letter, has no authority to remove Richards, and has offered no opinion on the controversy.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.


text:
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text:
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Indefinite Hiatus
After much thought, consideration, and soul-searching-- I think it's time for me to give this whole thing a break. So, like many of my favorite bands, I've decided to put this blog on an "indefinite hiatus" and see how long it takes in order to get my feeling for this whole blogging thing back.
Part of the reasoning for it has to be just the ideal that this has become more of a chore for me to do rather than an outlet to get my thoughts and stuff out. Due to personal and "professional" frustrations in my life-- it's better to actually let go of this for a while rather than beat myself up over not posting on a normal basis and not putting up stuff that I actually believe is good. Granted, none of the stuff I deem "good" ever gets the credit I think it should-- but that's probably me being too hard on myself through all of this.
Thanks to the people who did read, link, and gave feedback on the stuff that I have written. It's always nice to get some kind of recognition for a hobby like this. Plus, the people I have met and interacted with because of this blog has been pretty cool, too. Not to mention the opportunities it has afforded me, it's been a crazy ride.
I won't be completely gone, as my Twitter will live on in its randomness, as will Face Off Hockey Show every Wednesday (and on Facebook and YouTube). It's also not to say I won't create a new project and go on from there, but as it seems right now-- The Strangest One of All blog will lay dormant until something I feel is worthy enough to post here comes about.
Take care of yourself and someone else.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 2:38 PM 4 comments:
Labels: Bloggers, Face Off Hockey Show, FOHS
Monday, July 15, 2013
Absurd Goalie Monday: Alphonse "Frenchy" Lacroix
When it comes to goalies, it's always a rough task to come on in an emergency situation like an injury. Even worse back in the olden times when only one goalie dressed at a time as the concept of a back-up hadn't been invented as of yet. However, this week's AGM had the task of going in for, at the time, one of the most heralded teams in the NHL to that point with only an amateur background to boot. This week, the profile of Alphonse "Frenchy" Lacroix.
Lacroix started off as a 16-year-old with Newton High School in Massachusetts in the 1914-15 season, going 5-1-1 in seven games, while in the 1915-16 season; Lacroix would post a 5-2-0 record. In his final high school season, Lacroix went 7-0-1 in eight games.
Post-high school, Lacroix would play in the amateur ranks with the Boston Navy Yard in 1917-18 and posting a 7-4-0 record in a 11 games, as well as playing exhibition games for the Navy Yard in the 1918-19 season. Begining in the 1919-20 season until the 1923-24 season, Lacroix would play for the Boston AA Unicorns across different amateur leagues. Lacroix would go 15-4-0 in the 19 games played in that time-frame and 4-3 in seven playoff games.
Playing in the amateur ranks allowed for Lacroix to be selected for the 1924 Olympics by the USA, where Lacroix went 4-1-0 in his five games played and helped the US to a silver medal. Lacroix would return to the Unicorns for the 1924-25 season, playing in 21 games and ending up with a 15-6-0 record.
In November of 1925, the Montreal Canadiens signed Lacroix as an emergency goalie. When Georges Vezina started to cough up blood on the ice due to an undiagnosed tuberculosis; Lacroix would play in five games and going 1-4-0 before yielding the crease to Herb Rheaume for the duration of the 1925-26 season. Lacroix would spent the 1926-27 season under contract with the Canadiens, but not play a game with them that season.
Lacroix returned to the amateur ranks, playing with the Providence Reds of the Can-Am League in the 1927-28 season, posting a 1-3-0 record in four games. Also that season, Lacroix played for the Lewiston St. Doms in the Northeast League and went 8-12-2 in 22 games played. Returning to the St. Doms in the 1928-29 season, Lacroix went 3-1-0 in four games, then 2-1 in three playoff games. Lacroix would return to the Can-Am League in the 1929-30 season with the Reds again, playing in only one games-- which was a win. In the 1930-31 season, the Boston Tigers would use Lacroix in net for four games, where Lacroix went 1-3-0 before he would retire after the season was over.
Having to come into the NHL with no professional background and take over for a legend like Vezina is a taunting task for someone who actually had professional games under his belt. However, with a silver medal in tow and a decent amateur background-- Lacroix did what he could in the emergency situation.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Kovalchuk Russian Back Home; Will Others Follow??
With Ilya Kovalchuk retiring from the NHL to return to the KHL, it not only shocked the hockey world in their reaction to it all, but it also made people question about if it was about being homesick or something more to it. While Kovalchuk could make $15-20 million a year, he did express interest in staying over in the KHL even after the lockout was resolved-- so the money may not have been the true issue. The factor of Olympics could be another factor, as the NHL and PA haven't decided yet on participation.
This whole scenario could spring up a much more interesting conundrum in the future when it comes to Russian superstars. For a while now, the KHL has been an alternative for many minor league players and some players at the end of their careers. Yet, with Kovalchuk going over to the KHL in his prime age, would this be the thing that finally makes the KHL a viable option for other players to ship off to and maybe leverage their NHL team into contract demands??
Sportsnet's Jeff Marek did bring up the idea of Kovalchuk being the modern day Bobby Hull, though rather than bringing free agency into the NHL fold-- Kovalchuk's move could make many NHL teams force their hands and their wallets in order to keep their talent from jumping ship. Though many have reviewed the KHL as not well run, especially the lower tiered teams, if enough talent can come over-- the money will be found one way or another.
Not only that, but with the league expanding into Croatia this season, as well as Finland and Italy in 2014-15 and Norway, Poland, and Switzerland for 2015-16; there should be a lot of money and a lot of variety to go around in terms of where some players want to play. Even if the top North American players don't go over, the role player threatening to go overseas could cause much overpayment to the players that won't live up to it and will make fans and pundits alike sweat heading towards this CBA's ending.
Going the other way, the crop of Russians have hit a lull when it comes to those who have played in the NHL. Some of that is due to mismanagement, some of it due to not being the right fit; but you can definitely see that the likes of Pavel Datsyuk, Alex Ovechkin, and Evgeni Malkin aren't too much on the horizon. While the jury is still out on Nail Yakupov, it's probably safe to say that he could be the last of this generation to come over and have a bit of success in the NHL.
With the KHL influence on the National players, it has made many NHL leery over selecting a Russian in fear that they may never come over, which is probably why Valeri Nichushkin dropped in the Draft due to his adamant feeling about playing in the NHL or else he'll go to the KHL to make the big money. That's also a reason why Evgeni Kuznetsov has stayed in the KHL, though the Caps are confident he could be over next season. That KHL money and the influence to the younger players that this is their league to take over when they get older and they should have pride in their national league, as much as the North Americans have with the NHL.
As this whole thing will completely settle itself out, it does give a lot more to talk about than just development camps, lingering free agents, and upcoming arbitrations. Not only that, it makes some fans worry about what their top player could do with this development. Kovalchuk could be the first domino to fall or just the exception to the rule of Russian players.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 11:35 PM No comments:
Labels: Ilya Kovalchuk, KHL, New Jersey Devils, Russian Hockey
Monday, July 08, 2013
Absurd Goalie Monday: Don Head
Starting in the Junior B system with the Weston Dukes during the 1950-51 season, Head would move forward during the 1951-52 with the Toronto Marlboros for 37 games, winning the Dave Pinkney Trophy for goalie with the best goals-against average for his team. Head would return to Weston for the 1952-53 season to end out his junior career.
Going the amateur route with Senior Hockey, Head played for the Stratford Indians from the 1953-54 season until the 1955-56 season, playing in a total of 74 games over that span. Head moved to the Windsor Bulldogs in the 1956-57 season, where Head would go 30-17-3 in 50 games, six wins by shutout. During the 1957-58 season, Head moved to the Chatham Maroons of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association and would play there for two seasons for a total of 96 games. Returning to Windsor for the 1959-60 season, Head used it as a tune-up for his role for Canada in the Olympics.
Head would pilot the Canadians into a solid position in the Olympics, going 5-1-0 in the seven games he played in, but they were upset by the United States, relegating the Canadians to take silver.
Starting in the 1960-61 season, Head moved onto his pro career with the WHL's Portland Buckaroos, where Head went 38-23-9 in his 70 games, then going 10-4 in the playofs to help Portland to the WHL title-- the Lester Patrick Cup. Head would win the WHL's Rookie of the Year award and Outstanding Goaltender Award for fewest goals-against on the season.
Portland would trade Head to the NHL's Boston Bruins ahead of the 1961-62 season, where Head would play in 38 games for Boston, posting a 9-26-3 record. Head would also spend five games in Portland that season on loan, going 3-1-1 in those games.
The Bruins traded Head back to Portland before the 1962-63 season, where Head would rebound from his NHL downside with a 43-21-6 record in 70 games, then 3-4 in the playoffs-- which was enough for another Outstanding Goaltender Award. Injuries hampered Head for the 1963-64 season, playing in only 16 games and having a record of 6-9-1; but Head would get back to play a majority of the games for Portland in the 1964-65 season, posting a 26-20-4 record in 51 games played, then 8-1 in the playoffs; helping Portland to another Lester Patrick Cup as champions.
Head's workload would decreased starting in the 1965-66 season, playing in only 36 games and finishing with a 20-12-3 record, sharing an Outstanding Goaltender Award with teammate Dave Kelly. During the 1966-67 campaign, Head played in 44 games for Portland, going 26-13-5, then 0-3 in four playoff appearances.
Portland traded Head to the Seattle Totems before the 1967-68 season, where Head would go 23-19-4 in 46 games and then posting an 8-1 playoff record to help the Totems to the Lester Patrick Cup, the team's second in a row. Back for the 1968-69 season, Head played in 44 games for Seattle and compiled a record of 22-13-4 (0-4 in the playoffs), while in the 1969-70 season; Head went 8-10-2 in only 20 games with the Totems. The 1970-71 season would turn out to be the last for Head, going 4-7-3 in 16 games before he would hang up the pads for good.
Head was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame thanks to his time and achievements with the Buckaroos.
Though he had a cup of coffee in the NHL (which resulted in a Sports Illustrated cover....sort of) and Olympic glory, Head's contribution in the the semi-pro side of things made him a memorable aspect of Pacific Northwest sports lore. Though it might not be the big time for most, Head make the most of it and succeeded quite well due to it.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 8:00 AM No comments:
Labels: Absurd Goalie Monday, Boston Bruins, Don Head, Hockey Canada, Olympics, WHL
Friday, July 05, 2013
On the Topic Of Alfredsson's Departure
At the end of the day, you cannot blame Daniel Alfredsson.
The emotion of everything that has happened today with the news that Alfredsson is leaving the Ottawa Senators for the Detroit Red Wings; the thing lost in all of this has to be the idea that with the departure of Alfredsson, they actually need to have someone pick up the pieces for contribution. It's a time for Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek, and the other players to step up their game and hopefully find a way to stay healthy in order to contribute more.
Not only that, the void left in the locker room for the Senators is something that won't be as easily replaced as the scoring contribution. For a core of young players, it's a huge hit in trying to turn to someone, but for guys like Erik Karlsson, it will make them grow up a little more and actually learn to become a leader and get the experience by being fed to the fire. Not only that, it'll be a big thing for Paul MacLean to be the motivator that he has shown off to the world with his Jack Adams Trophy campaign this past season.
Yet, the biggest sign this signing to Detroit brings is that Alfredsson doesn't believe himself to be the primary contributor to the Ottawa Senators, as he was being called upon to do. Getting up there with age, it just shows that Alfredsson is at the point of his career where he wants to be able to ride shotgun and let the others actually be the superstars of the team and he can lay back and be the secondary scoring and the leader on the ice by example.
With this, the Red Wings will get some experience they have lost in the past few years with the retirement of Nicklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper, and the like. Alfredsson's voice is something that's respect around the league and is someone who could teach Henrik Zetterberg how to be a leader off the ice, as well as on. Sure, the teaching of that is often futile, but if Zetterberg is willing to learn a thing or two from Alfredsson; it couldn't hurt to get some pointers here and there.
Plus, they get a little bit of consistency out of Alfredsson, who won't bring big goals or assists; but all of his points are very timely and will add more punch to the second power play unit, especially on a big one-timer chance. While it may not completely fill the void and drop-off from Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk's points contribution; Alfredsson could give a shot in the arm to the top-six guys.
Most importantly is what the fans of the Senators will do when they meet their new division rival Red Wings this season. They will be mad, regardless of what Alfredsson says his reasons are for leaving Ottawa. The wounds of this signing is going to be hard to make heal with time or at all. I'm sure long after Alfredsson has retired, he will be welcomed back by the Ottawa faithful as Mr. Senator-- but for now, there's bitterness, tears, and a lost feeling trying to find out what went wrong between the Sens and Alfie.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
On the Topic Of Vindictive Reporting
Morning Radio Zoo co-host and part-time sports writer Eric Francis had a gem of a column today when it comes to what he's been able to put together. In his recent piece, Francis said that Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff should have been more forthright with the Flames about his impending retirement rather than have the news break thanks to the Finnish media. Also, Kipper should have done more of an exit for the organization, fans, and community.
Of course, Francis forgets that whole thing about Kipper saying he wouldn't show up if moved at the trade deadline, but who needs to remember that to put out a story about how he personally feels let down that Kiprusoff didn't make a bigger exit.
And forget that on April 16th, Eric Francis knew that this was Kiprusoff's last home-stand and on April 17th reviewed Kipper's last game and wrote, "The end is near -- one day away in fact. Kiprusoff may not go out with much fanfare, but he seems focused on going out in style -- something he certainly did Wednesday night as the game's shining star."
Yet, it seems that Francis was shocked (SHOCKED) by Kiprusoff not giving a big farewell. Luckily, a Calgary writer named Eric Francis (yes, the same guy) knew that when he wrote on the 16th:
After rounding out the season -- and most likely his career -- on the bench watching Joey MacDonald audition for Kipper's old gig, the bearded Finn will no doubt punctuate garbage-bag day by doing his annual backdoor dash.
No sayanora (or however you say goodbye in Finnish) news conference thanking the fans, city or organization for embracing him and his family over the years. After years of fishing pucks out of his net with a stunningly calm sweep, swig and stare at the Jumbotron, far be it for Kiprusoff to get all misty-eyed at the prospect of perpetual anonymity, peace and quiet in Finland's remote lake district.
He'll leave just like he arrived; under the radar.The fact that Francis thinks that he was let down by Kiprusoff not giving the Flames, their fans, and the media more of a send-off is just another example of writers thinking it's a little more about them and a little less about the facts of the story that have been out there for a while. Even written by Francis himself.
This is one day after Randy J. Miller of the South Jersey Courier-Post went on a Twitter tirade about Ilya Bryzgalov's antics in the locker room were the big thing that got him bought-out by the Flyers and not the media scrutiny that Bryzgalov had implied during the season-closing interviews.
Even with the traditional media bashing the new media of blogging and podcasting as something that is not needed in hockey media; the traditional media themselves may need to take a step back and not make themselves a part of the story as much as referees and linesmen shouldn't make themselves a part of the game with false face-offs and penalty junk.
No player or coach or GM owes writers much of anything. Even if there's something pressing, just because the information isn't put out there doesn't mean the writer has to take it as a personal insult and then try to actually embarrass the organization by airing out their own personal gripes because they didn't get exactly what they wanted. This isn't the toy store and writers don't need throw a tantrum just because the overseer doesn't allow them to get something because the writer thinks they deserve it.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Here's To You, 2013 Chicago Blackhawks
From start to finish, the Blackhawks were the team to beat. With an impressive start to the season, to dealing with injuries in their key positions, to dealing with a rough playoffs-- the Blackhawks used their core to get back to the promised land and get a second Stanley Cup in four seasons.
Corey Crawford was the breakout star of the playoffs and the season for the Blackhawks. While some people draw parallels to the 2010 goalie star, Antti Niemi; Crawford did draw plenty of criticism for his inconsistent play, despite keeping the Hawks in many games. However, next year will be the litmus test for Crawford with a full season ahead, but the confidence he has to have now is going to be amazing.
Upfront, the best offensive players were the best for the Hawks, with Conn Smythe winner Patrick Kane leading the charge and Jonathan Toews being the leader by example. The biggest thing for the Hawks is Brandon Saad coming into the line-up and contributing like he did. For a franchise to have the model to bringing up young players and getting them to contribute quickly, Saad just falls into line of what Kane and Toews did for the Hawks.
Outside of the top two of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, Johnny Oduya became the surprise for the Hawks, playing solid defense and contributing when needed on the offensive side, especially during his slide during the Atlanta/Winnipeg years. Nick Leddy contributed for the Hawks in the regular season, but did have some shaky times during the playoffs; which I'm sure will come into play during contract talks this summer.
And speaking of contract, the Blackhawks may have to break-up some of their team as they did in 2010. With only $2M in cap space going into next season and two more players to sign-- not to mention UFAs and RFAs; the Hawks may need to do something creative in order to get some breathing room going into the season. Luckily, two amnesty buyouts are available and may have to be burned this summer rather than having to wait for next off-season.
You can bet they won't think about that now. The party is on in the Windy City, the Second City, That Toddlin' Town, City by the Lake, City with a Lot of Nicknames-- and it won't be rained on today.
Thanks For Coming Out, 2013 Boston Bruins
With a team who was hidden in the fourth spot in the East, the Boston Bruins overcame a first round scare and had the whole city on their back for the ride as they got to the Stanley Cup Finals, but the counterattack was a little too much for the Bruins, but a lot to build off of.
One big bright spot is David Krejci's production in the playoffs, only seven points off his regular season output in 25 less games. With his budding performance, you can bet that Krejci will be the focal point along with Patrice Bergeron for the Bruins offense, despite them being a primarily defensive team. On the flip side, the snake-bit nature of Tyler Seguin's post-season is something that could be a worry going forward if he can't shake it off.
The play of Tuukka Rask definitely made the Bruins fans forget about Tim Thomas's off-ice wrangling; though many though Rask was more than ready when Thomas was already there. Keeping the Bruins in many games and facing a ton of shots, Rask is showing that he could be considered a top-tier goalie, so long as his temper and focus are kept in check.
The young guns on the defense, Torey Krug and Dougie Hamilton, are going to be maturing more and more as the summer and into next season comes. Krug had an early showing of what he could do in the playoffs to start and should be able to build off that, while Hamilton got a taste of the experience though he didn't play all that much. It is still Zdeno Chara's defense, though the Blackhawks seemed to have a game plan that worked against Chara's size and strength.
For the Bruins, it's a bright future and continues to have a nice little feeder system working for them that allows their younger players to get into the line-up quickly and the system that's in place allows them to succeed on the big stage and allows them to get noticed quickly. While this defeat hurts, the fact is that they'll be able to learn from it on the fly and adjust as needed.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 8:01 AM No comments:
Monday, June 24, 2013
Absurd Goalie Monday: Jim Pettie
This installment includes a goalie who has his own attachment to a certain Bruins/Blackhawks match-up, though it was in the beginning of the season rather than the end. For a man they called "Seaweed" due to his hair, he had a small shelf-life, but he'll live on thanks to that and being a main part in a well-known novel. This week, the profile of Jim Pettie.
Starting in the 1972-73 season, Pettie played in the OHA for the St. Catherines Black Hawks for 31 games and registering a 5.04 GAA in that span. It wouldn't deter the Boston Bruins from picking Pettie in the 9th Round of the Draft in 1973.
Pettie made the jump to the pros during the 1973-74 season, playing in the IHL with the Dayton Gems, playing in 118 games between the 1973-74 season and the 1975-76 season (no record provided). During the 1975-76 season, Pettie went 12-3 in the Turner Cup playoffs to help the Gems win the Turner Cup. During that run, Pettie played in the North American League for the Binghamton Whalers for five games.
The Bruins gave Pettie a boost in the 1976-77 season, placing him in the AHL with the Rochester Americans, where he would play 43 games and have a record of 26-15-1, then go 6-5 in the playoffs. Pettie was called up to the Bruins and won his only game; which was the first time a Bruins goalie would play against Bobby Orr-- who was with the Blackhawks at the time.
At the start of 1977 training camp, Pettie was roomed with author George Plimpton as the latter was doing research for his upcoming book, "Open Net." Because of that, Pettie was referenced in the book plenty of times. Pettie returned to Rochester for the 1977-78 season, posting a 16-12-4 record in 32 games, while losing his only game when he was called up to the Bruins. During the 1978-79 season, Pettie was up with the Bruins for most of the season, going 8-6-2 in 19 games as the back-up. Also that season, Pettie went 0-7-1 in nine games with Rochester.
Before the 1979-80 season, Pettie was signed by the New York Rangers, but was placed in the AHL with the New Haven Nighthawks, going 16-13-3 in 33 games; then 1-1 in the playoffs. For the 1980-81 season, Pettie played with the Central League's Birmingham Bulls, playing in 21 games with a GAA of 5.50, while also playing one game for the Eastern League's Richmond Rifles, which was a loss. After that season, Pettie would retire.
Not for long in the NHL or hockey in general, Pettie does live on in a well-known book and has the distinguished honor for being the first Bruin to play against Bruins legend Bobby Orr, so despite not much of a stat-line, he'll always have those things to hang his hat on.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 8:00 AM 1 comment:
Labels: Absurd Goalie Monday, AHL, Boston Bruins, IHL, Jim Pettie, Minor League Hockey
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Sakic Not Keeping Up With the Jones
If the reports out of the Denver Post saying the Colorado Avalanche won't take Seth Jones with their 1st overall pick are true, we could see the Avalanche making a once model franchise become the punchline of many jokes to come. While there are many who think Sakic could be using this in order to get a better offer in a trade, odds are that they are serious about taking a forward because.....well, I really don't know why.
While the debate rages whether or not you should pick for need versus picking for want, it seems the Avalanche are taking the latter, thinking that it could boost their offense to pick either Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, or Alexander Barkov. Any of the top-three skaters would help out the Avalanche for the short-term and for personal numbers, the long-term vision may be skewed. Sakic saying the forwards are too good to pass-up is one thing, but on his first months onto his job; it seems that he didn't take a full vision of his roster.
Any of those players will be projects, but it seems that the Avalanche are looking more towards a quick fix with a forward who can blend in with the crowd rather than take the time to build up a franchise defenseman like Jones is projected to be. While Erik Johnson is the top guy on the Avs roster, the depth behind him isn't the best. Jones would be a franchise player and help the offensive output for the defense. With the free agent market being somewhat unspectacular-- the trade market could be the only way for them to improve their blue line this summer.
This whole report is adding to the reunion of the better years that the Avs have put in the front office and behind the bench. It almost seems that, instead of trying to improve the team, the Avalanche are trying to bring the shiny names from the past and preach patience to the fan base as they go through some clunky times. There was a small light with the Avalanche's 2010 performance, but since then it's been quite shaky and doesn't look to be going too much better in the long-term. Not to mention that Greg Sherman is still the team's GM is another target for ridicule for this team, but the bigger legend names who used to be with this team coming on board with the front office mask that as much as the struggles during the season.
Yet, in the end-- Sakic could be swerving everyone and trying to get more talk for a trade for the first pick to leap over the 2nd and 3rd picks to get Jones and make sure other teams don't get there. Of course, if Sakic is misleading people-- especially after saying they wouldn't hire a coach out of the major junior system-- you have to wonder if it's good to have a guy who has no front office being so quick to lie about what's going on with his franchise.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 8:26 AM No comments:
Monday, June 17, 2013
Absurd Goalie Monday: Roberto Romano
This week's AGM is a guy who almost gave up before his career was able to take off. With the pressures of a young starting goalie in a certain market, it was almost too much for this week's goalie-- but he was able to level himself off a bit and made a decent career for himself. This week, the profile of Roberto Romano.
Romano started off in the QMJHL playing for the Quebec Remparts in the 1979-80 season, going 20-14-3 in 52 appearances, then 1-2 in the post-season. During the 1980-81 season, Romano would play in 59 games for Quebec and post an even 24-24-2 record (1-2 again in the post-season), while playing only one game for Quebec in 1981-82, which was a loss. Romano was traded during that season to the Hull Olympiques and played in 56 games and finished with a 34-17-2 record and then 6-7 in the playoffs.
As an undrafted goalie, Romano finished his junior career as a free agent. The Pittsburgh Penguins signed Romano before the 1982-83 season, playing most of that time in the AHL with the Baltimore Skipjacks. With Baltimore, Romano went 19-14-3 in 38 games, then finishing with an 0-3-0 record with the Penguins that season. For the 1983-84 season, Romano went an impressive 23-6-1 with Baltimore before being called up to the Penguins and going 6-11-0 in 18 games. It wasn't a stellar 1984-85 season, as with Baltimore, Romano posted a 2-8-2 record; but in Pittsburgh-- the record of 9-17-2 was enough to make Romano think about retiring after that season.
Trying to earn his teammates and his organizations trust back, Romano fought back in training camp and was somewhat better in the 1985-86 season, finishing with a 21-20-3 record. It was a hectic split season in the 1986-87 season for Romano, spending five games in Baltimore (0-3-0) while also spending 25 games in Pittsburgh (9-11-2) before adding some other destinations to his resume.
On February 6th, 1987, Romano was traded to the Boston Bruins for Pat Riggin. Romano played one game in Boston that season (a loss) and appeared in relief for one game with the team's AHL affiliate, the Moncton Golden Flames, but didn't figure in the decision. The 1987-88 season saw Romano play for the Maine Mariners for 16 games and ended up with a 5-8-1 record.
After that season, Romano went international and went to Italy to play. From the 1988-89 season until the 1992-93 season; Romano played with HC Merano, HC Bolzano, HC Milano Saima, HC Milano, and Romano gained his Italian citizenship; which allowed him to play for Italy in the 1992 World Championships.
Returning to North America in the 1993-94 season, Romano signed again with the Penguins and knew that the IHL's Cleveland Lumberjacks would be the destination of choice. With Cleveland, Romano went 2-7-2 in 11 games; but due to injuries, Romano was called up to Pittsburgh for two games and went 1-0-1 in that times. After that season, Romano hung up the pads.
For a player who was on a subpar team and almost quit because he wasn't playing up to snuff-- Romano was able to actually rebound (all things considered) and make a steady career for himself. It also allowed him to actually get outside of North America and experience his Italian heritage side and representing that nation.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 8:00 AM No comments:
Labels: Absurd Goalie Monday, AHL, Boston Bruins, IHL, Italian Hockey, Pittsburgh Penguins, Roberto Romano
Saturday, June 15, 2013
MOCK!! YEAH!! DRAFT!! YEAH!! 2013 Edition
As we await the rest of the Awards and Game Two to start, we must be reminded that we're just two weeks from the annual NHL Draft. While it's only one day this year, many say it's the DEEPEST DRAFT EVER!!! They also say that about every other year, but that's besides the point. Because of the organizational depth, what's on the board, what's on the rankings, and some comments made by prospects about wanting to only play in the NHL, it could cause some havoc after the top three picks.
Now, I will make a note of this-- these picks are how I think some things will play out if the draft board is to remain the same. With the Blue Jackets and Flames carrying THREE first round picks, you can bet they will barter a deal here and there in order to get rid of them and get some roster players to fill out their team. Also, with picks 29 and 30 still undetermined because of the Stanley Cup still going on, I'll put out what the team will do rather than the positioning.
1. Colorado: Seth Jones
2. Florida: Nathan MacKinnon
3. Tampa Bay: Jonathan Drouin
4. Nashville: Elias Lindholm
5. Carolina: Aleksander Barkov
6. Calgary: Darnell Nurse
7. Edmonton: Sean Monahan
8. Buffalo: Valeri Nichushkin
9. New Jersey: Curtis Lazar
10. Dallas: Alexander Wennberg
11. Philadelphia: Ryan Pulock
12. Phoenix: Adam Erne
13. Winnipeg: Max Domi
14. Columbus: Robert Hagg
15. NY Islanders: Andre Burakowsky
16. Buffalo (From Minnesota): Nikita Zadorov
17. Ottawa: Bo Horvat
18. Detroit: Mirco Mueller
19. Columbus (From NY Rangers): Josh Morrissey
20. San Jose: Hunter Shinkaruk
21. Toronto: Samuel Morin
22. Calgary (From St. Louis): Anthony Mantha
23. Washington: Kerby Rychel
24. Vancouver: Rasmus Ristolainen
25. Montreal: Ian McCoshen
26. Anaheim: Jacob De La Rose
27. Columbus (From Los Angeles): Michael McCarron
28. Calgary (From Pittsburgh): Ryan Hartman
--. Boston: Frederik Gauthier
--. Chicago: Zachary Fucale
So there's that. All purely speculative and shows I could have as good a chance as any to pick them all right. The crazy thing is that with most teams, you won't be able to figure out their mindset from some picks (Mark Jankowski at 21st over anyone??), but I think this year could be very straight forward with many team playing by the book at least in the first round.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 12:46 PM No comments:
Labels: Mock Draft, NHL Draft
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Stanley Cup Prediction: (1W) Chicago Blackhawks vs (4E) Boston Bruins
It's come to this. We've all waited
Out of the East are the Boston Bruins, who were pushed to the brink in the first round; but since then have been world beaters. You can almost sense that the first round scare could have been a wake-up call this team needed to stave off the likes of the Rangers and Penguins.
But the Bruins are a scary bunch. They have all the tools to be a successful playoff team and are a team that will battle for every piece of land out there. Brad Marchand and Milan Lucic have lead the charge with their hard-nose play, while David Krejci and Nathan Horton have produced fantastically for the Bruins this post season.
When it comes to defense, you can't bet against Zdeno Chara, who provides pleny of intangibles, but with Torey Krug coming on like a house of fire this post-season has been a great surprise. With Johnny Boychuk and Adam McQuaid holding down the fort in their own end, the Bruins seems impenetrable.
And even if they get past them, Tuukka Rask shut down one of the most prolific offenses in the NHL today last round and has had plenty of support to help him along the way. One big thing is that he has been strong mentally, not letting the junk in front of the net or a bad goal get to him and making him bust out into his rageful mood.
Out of the West, the team that has been one of the top teams from start to finish-- the Chicago Blackhawks. Much like the Bruins, they've had to come back from a series-- granted they were down 3-1 and not up--and have showed their guile and depth, especially with their top players not filling the net as many would have hoped.
In that, I mean that Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane haven't been setting the scoresheet on fire, sans Kane's last game in the Conference Finals with a hat-trick. That said, the scoring has been spread around, making the offense a decent threat regardless of the line out there.
Defensively, the Blackhawks have had it a little rough, with Brent Seabrook not having the best playoffs-- but Johnny Oduya coming up clutch for the Blackhawks in their own zone, as well as making that first pass to create offense. Michal Roszival has also played rather well on the third pairing. Duncan Keith, despite the one-game suspension, has been the offensive leader on the defense.
In net, Corey Crawford is looking like Antti Niemi did when he was in net for the Blackhawks' Cup run in 2010 (observation by Lyle Richardson). While he hasn't been extremely extraordinary-- he has gotten the job done and been able to get the wins needed to get the Hawks to this point. He's not the most flashiest and may give Hawks fans fits, he has gotten the job done in a big way.
So, prediction time: Boston is very scary. They have all the tools needed in order to actually take this series handily, but Chicago won't let their record start be tarnished with a pathetic showing at the end of the year.
With that all in mind, I feel the Blackhawks will take Lord Stanley's Cup in six games.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 9:13 AM No comments:
Monday, June 10, 2013
Absurd Goalie Monday: Jack McCartan
While many of the past goalies have toiled at their craft to be successful, this week's AGM took an unusual route. While he may not have been outfitted from the start, he lucked into the position and thanks to his baseball background, he was able to excel in net with a solid glove hand. This week, the profile of Jack McCartan.
McCartan fell into the goalie position, playing the spot in youth hockey when all the players too rotations in net, but didn't have the proper gear for it. McCartan acquire the gear of a friend, which enabled him to play for St. Paul Marshall High School and while his team was often defeated, McCartan played well enough to be name to the All-City Team in his senior season of 1953.
While he was recruited for a baseball scholarship, McCartan was lured back into hockey when at the University of Minnesota by hearing the puck bang against the boards when going to ball practice. After playing for the freshman team to start, McCartan played with the Golden Gophers for 67 games from 1955-56 until 1957-58, being named to the WCHA First All-Star Team in 1957 and 1958, and named to the NCAA First All-American Team in 1958.
McCartan continued his amateur aspirations in order to try out for the Olympic team, playing for the US National Team in the 1958-59 season for 29 games. McCartan did make the 1960 Olympic team, playing the unlikely hero for the underdog team that won the Gold Medal, as McCartan went a perfect 5-0-0 during the games and being named the Best Goaltender for the Olympics.
That exposure was notice by the New York Rangers, who signed him to a try-out contract following the Olympics, where he would play in four games and go 1-1-2 before being sent down to the Central League's Minneapolis Rangers for five games. The 1960-61 season had McCartan play only eight games for the Rangers (1-6-1), then being sent to the Eastern Pro League's Kitchener-Waterloo Beavers for the duration of the season, finishing with a 25-21-6 record in that span and 3-4 in the playoffs. Staying with the Beavers for the 1961-62 season, McCartan played in 70 games and posted a 36-24-10 record, then 3-4 again in the playoffs.
The Rangers would trade off McCartan to the WHL's Los Angeles Blades in the inter-league trade. McCartan played with the Blades for the 1962-63 season, putting up a 31-27-2 record, then 1-2 in three playoff games.
The Chicago Blackhawks would claim McCartan in the inter-league draft before the 1963-64 season, being relegated to the Central Pro League's St. Louis Braves and went 31-30-6 and 2-4 in the playoffs. McCartan only played in five games for the Braves in the 1964-65 season, going 1-4-0 before being on the move again.
The Blackhawks traded McCartan back to the LA Blades for the rest of the 1964-65 season, going 8-22-2 in the last 32 games of that year. McCartan stayed in the WHL for the 1965-66 season for the San Francisco Seals, going 23-27-3 in 53 games, while in the 1966-67 season for the California Seals; McCartan put up a 25-26-10 record, then 2-3 in the playoffs.
The 1967-68 season had McCartan playing in the CPHL again, this time for the Omaha Knights, but would go 9-25-7 in the 43 games he played.
After some summer shuffling, McCartan landed with the San Diego Gulls before the 1968-69 season, posting a 20-14-6 record in his first season there. Coming back for the 1969-70 season, McCartan got more games under his belt, finishing with a 21-20-9 record then 0-3 for the playoffs, while during the 1970-71 season, McCartan finished with a 24-20-11 record and 2-4 in the playoffs. Finally in the 1971-72 season with the Gulls, McCartan played in 36 games and posted a 14-16-2 record, then 0-2 in the playoffs.
With the WHA coming along, it gave McCartan another shot at the pros, as he was picked up by the Minnesota Fighting Saints in the 1972-73 season, playing in 38 games and having a 15-19-1 record, but only saw two games of action in the 1973-74 season for the Saints, but only in relief. McCartan went to the Southen League during the 1973-74 season for the Sun Coast Suns for six games (no record provide) as well. McCartan came back to the Saints for the 1974-75 season for two games, going 1-0-0 before hanging up the pads for good.
Post playing career, McCartan was a scout for the Vancouver Canucks for a time before he retired to Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
For not directly wanting to play goalie, McCartan got a lot of mileage from his career thanks to being able to get equipment from a friend and being lured back into hockey just from the sound of the puck hitting the boards in college. Though he toiled in the minors, his amateur career was more than enough for him to be remembered for the long run.
Posted by ScottyWazz at 8:00 AM No comments:
Labels: Absurd Goalie Monday, College Hockey, Jack McCartan, Minor League Hockey, New York Rangers, Olympics, Team USA, WHA
Sunday, June 09, 2013
Thanks For Coming Out, 2013 Los Angeles Kings
After getting over the hurdles of the first round, the defending Cup champions looked as if they were going to be the team to beat in the West. However, their defense-first mentality just wasn't able to stop the top team in regular season, thus making it 15 years since there was a repeat Stanley Cup winner.
Defensive teams need a solid goalie and that's what the Kings have in Jonathan Quick. After a shaky start-- Quick showed off his Conn Smythe ways in the playoffs and proved himself capable to living up to the long-term deal the Kings signed him to, especially after back surgery in the off-season. The question now lies on whether or not Jonathan Bernier wants to stick around, knowing that he won't get a chance any time soon to be the starter. Of course, he's a restricted free agent and the goalie market will be slim pickings...so odds are he'll stay in LA for the short-term.
Offensively, Jeff Carter was the Cy Young winner in the NHL (much more goals than assists) and helped out for filling the net, while Anze Kopitar kept getting better and better. Overall, the Kings were the solid, evenly distributed team that really had scoring by committee. Outside of Carter, (and maybe Dustin Brown), the goal scoring wasn't too spread out-- which is good for useful getting everyone involved, not allowing opponents to focus on one line or player.
On the blue line, there's a lot of valuable RFAs, but only $11M left. Slava Voynov and Jake Muzzin will probably want their money for their performance this past season, but whether they get it in LA is another story. Yet, with buy-out candidates being mulled over, you can bet the Kings will be able to free up the money to make sure their valuable pieces don't get away from there.
Under Dean Lombardi and Darryl Sutter, the Kings look to be in good hands-- so long as neither of them do anything to divide the room and break apart the great chemistry they have. They were hungry again for the Cup, but just ran into a team with a lot of momentum on their side and a little more fire-power than they could handle.
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Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been garnering praise for her golden look at the cannes Film Festival this year. Everyone, including her husband Abhishek Bachchan, is going gaga over her look. But Ash's winner look has apparently been picked out from another actress' wardrobe. Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth wore the same gold strapless Roberto Cavalli gown to this year's Academy Awards. But, copycat or no copycat, Aishwarya looked beautiful!
Fukrey' actress Richa Chadda took a leaf out of Sameera Reddy's (style) book as she sashayed down the green carpet in a risque Falguni And Shane Peacock outfit at IIFA awards held in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Richa borrowed Sameera's Blenders Pride Fashion Tour 2013 look almost completely with bright pink lips, he only difference being the top knot. (Photo: Twitter/Varinder Chawla)
We saw pretty girl Alia Bhatt in a white sweater with a heart print for a screening of her film, '2 States' last week and we immediately liked it but a few days later, 'Total Siyappa' actress Yami Gautam was also snapped wearing the same sweater at the airport on her way to Tampa Bay for IIFA 2014. We believe, Yami's stylist needs to be more up-to-date on fashion, Yami are you listening? Ahead: Other copycats of Bollywood.
Looks like actress Divya Dutta took a little styling lesson from fellow actress Kajol. She wore a grey-toned sari with a bright pink border paired with a sheer blouse for the success bash of 'Main Tera Hero', a look that was similar to what Kajol had sported on the ramp at a Manish Malhotra show.
Recently, Kalki Koechlin was spotted wearing this Yogesh Chaudhary summer dress to a brunch party recently. Few days later designer Nishka Lulla wore the same printed dress to the screening of Yellow.
Deepika Padukone – Katrina Kaif: Both these Bollywood actresses have been spotted wearing the similar dress on two occasions. While Deepika donned the stunning Alice & Olivia white maxi to a film premiere, Kaif Katrina wore it for a commercial. Another instance saw Katrina wearing the sexy gold and black sequined Monisha Jaising mini dress that Deepika wore for a photo shoot.
Both Deepika Padukone and Shilpa Shetty were spotted wearing a blue printed midi Zara skirt with white blouses. However, while Deepika chose to style it more casually with flats, Shilpa went chic in nude coloured heels.
Bollywood fashionistas Sonam Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut tried their luck with the grey Gucci number. Sonam Kapoor, who wore it to a magazine launch got our vote hands down, while Kangana sported it at a promotional event in Dubai.
Deepika Padukone wore a nude and black coloured Atsu sari to a film promotional event, a look that which was also worn by Sonam Kapoor.
'Queen' actress Kangana Ranaut, who has now carved a niche for herself in the fashion circle, often borrows her look form Hollywood's fashionistas. Here, Kangana opted for a sequin blue-green Burberry dress copying actress Emma Stone.
Amrita Puri from 'Kai Po Che' rocked this printed Etro dress at a party. The updo made the whole look extremely graceful with the dark lips. Gangs Of Wasseypur actress Richa Chadda later wore the same dress at an award nominations party. However she chose to wear minimal makeup and let down her hair. | Wedding Dresses Online
Madhuri Dixit also went down the copycat lane when she wore this immaculate white Zara dress to her website launch that was previously worn by Sonakshi Sinha on the sets of a reality dance show.
Singer-actress Sonal Chauhan went sexy in a cutout black Shivan & Narresh gown at an award show that was previously seen on Bollywood-turned-Hollywood actress Frieda Pinto on controversial chat show 'Koffee With Karan'.
Pretty girl Evelyn Sharma stunned in a nude coloured Sailex maxi dress at a magazine bash. Actress Neha Dhupia who also did justice to the creation was later snapped wearing it to another television channel party.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also seemed to have provided Deepika Padukone with a few ideas. The yum mum wore a gold embroidered Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla churridar suit to the anniversary celebration of the designers. Later that same week, Deepika Padukone was spotted wearing the same creation at an award function.
Check more : Formal Dresses Online or Plus Size Wedding Dresses


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"It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future."
Last week, I was in San Francisco speaking to 700 financial planners from northern California. The areas that seemed to generate the most feedback and questions were on expert commentary and on risk.
People love forecasts. They shouldn't but it's how they're wired. When it comes to forecasting the future, people have two strange and internally inconsistent perspectives. First, most of us know that forecasts are folly: Experience teaches that the people who make these guesses about the future aren't very good at it. Economists, strategists and analysts have amassed a track record that is more or less abysmal.
The second aspect of forecasting is even more fascinating: As consumers of predictions, we want them to be bold and precise, and informed by very confident forecasters. If they happened to have gotten a big outlier right, we like them even more.
What makes these circumstances so odd is how little we seem to care about the track record of these prognosticators. To be polite, it is embarrassing how wrong they have been as a group. Yet, that seems irrelevant to the public, who prefer specificity over uncertainty, confidence over humility, accuracy be damned.
This quirk has influenced a generation of soothsayers, who are often wrong, but never in doubt. Marc Faber has been calling for an imminent, 1987-like crash for several years. Nouriel Roubini had been forecasting a different type of crash for many years before 2008 rolled around — and for completely different reasons than he had warned. Peter Schiff has been predicting hyperinflation and gold at $5,000 an ounce for almost as long. Yet they are among the most sought after pundits and television guests.
If you like, you can make bold, specific forecasts like these gentlemen. Or, you make better predictions than they do by learning a few simple insights. These aren't tricks, but rather, a framework for understanding the inherently unknowable nature of the future.
Learn these three techniques, and you can outperform the big bold forecasters of today.
1) Be less specific: There is an old joke amongst technicians: Forecast the price level or the date, but never both at once.
Economics and markets are complex realms, filled with a near-infinite number of variables. These all influence each other. Even a modest change in one can cascade across a variety of other variables. This is why precise forecasts are nothing more than guesses. Rather than try to do the impossible, instead, learn to think about the future in terms of multiple variables and possible outcomes.
Years ago, when I first started boating, the process of docking was nerve-racking. Between the currents, winds — and that brand new expensive yacht next to my slip — my attempts at docking were awful. An old salt saw my efforts, and told me the secret. Don't aim for impossible precision; instead, get close enough to throw a rope to someone on dock. It worked wonders, both in the marina, and when making forecasts.
2) Understand statistical analysis: You don't need a doctorate in applied mathematics to understand the basics of looking at the world of investments from a quantitative prospective. You only need a basic familiarity with a spreadsheet, and a willingness to roll up your sleeves.
A recent Morningstar study provides a perfect example of how to use this approach. They reviewed thousands of funds, and discovered if they controlled for just one factor — cost — they could forecast quintiles of outperformance. The lowest fifth of funds outperformed the second fifth, which then outperformed the third fifth, etc.
You don't need to find a Svengali to select the top-performing fund; rather, you need only to learn the quantitative characteristics of funds to avoid the under-performers.
3) Probability theory can help determine probable outcomes: Many investors are using probability theory and may not even know it. Value investors are buying the lowest-cost equities based on their valuations. It that states cheaper is better than more expensive. This is a simple probability forecast that more expensive stocks will perform worse than cheap stocks. It is based on previous returns of those stocks bought at a discount to fair value.
There is no guarantee that this will happen, only a past correlation — cheap has outperformed expensive — and a likely reversion to the mean.
Investing would be easy if you could predict the future, but the reality is you can't with any degree of consistency or accuracy. No one can. Instead, focus on the numbers, using probability to determine likely outcomes.
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Slow recovery for Northeast after epic blizzard
- Storm blamed for at least 3 deaths in Canada and 5 in U.S.
- Storm initially cut power to 650%2C000 homes and businesses
- Airports reopen%2C but flight cancellations continue to rise
A deadly blizzard of historic proportions pounded the Northeast, already bringing more than 3 feet of snow to some areas and at one point cutting power to 650,000 homes and businesses.
More than 3 feet had fallen on central Connecticut by Saturday afternoon, and areas of southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire notched 2 feet or more of snow — as the storm began to wane.
Crews are beginning to get the lights back on in the areas that took the brunt of the storm's force.
About 400,000 homes and businesses remain without power early Sunday, down from a high of 650,000. But utilities in some hard-hit areas, such as Massachusetts and Rhode Island, warn that residents could remain in the dark at least for another day.
In Massachusetts, NStar utility said in many areas it was too dangerous to send in crews. National Guard troops were helping evacuate coastal areas where there was some flooding.
The storm is blamed for at least eight deaths, three in Canada and five in the USA. In Connecticut, a 73-year-old man died when he fell while cleaning up in Danbury and a woman in her 80s was struck and killed Friday by a hit-run driver. A 74-year-old man died after being struck by a car in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; the driver said she lost control in the snowy conditions, police said. A second New Yorker, 23, died when a tractor he was using to plow his driveway went off the edge of the road. And, in Boston, an 11-year-old boy died when he was overcome by carbon monoxide in a running car that his father was digging out of a snow bank.
Hurricane-force winds and history-making snowfalls combined to spread misery from New Jersey to Maine. Winds gusted to 76 mph at Boston's Logan airport and 84 mph in Cuttyhunk, Mass. The storm piled the most snow on Hamden, Conn. -- 40 inches -- and was the fifth largest in Boston history, with 24.9 inches of snow recorded there.
The 31.9 inches in Portland, Maine, is the most ever recorded there from a single snowstorm; the storm was the second biggest in Harford, Conn. (22.8 inches) and Concord, N.H. (24 inches), and third biggest in Worcester (28.7 inches).
More than 6,600 flights in North America have been canceled, according to flight-tracking service FlightStats.
In the New York City area, John F. Kennedy Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Airport were open as of 7 a.m. Saturday, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Boston's Logan Airport resumed operations late Saturday night.
Travelers were urged to call ahead and check with their carriers for specific flight information.
Amtrak said trains between New York and Boston were suspended Saturday but some trains would run Sunday.
While the blizzard, dubbed "Nemo" by the Weather Channel, the blizzard has ended in New York City, heavy snow and strong wind gusts are expected to continue across much of New England through midday, before tapering off from west to east through the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
The snowfall ended and all blizzard warnings expired by 4 p.m. everywhere except far northeast Maine. Temperatures will rise into the 30s Sunday, according to AccuWeather.
YOUR WEATHER:Send us your snow photos
New York City's Central Park, where the official snowfall totaled 11.4 inches, filled with bundled-up men, women and children. Some went with sleds, some with skis, some strolled casually, and some, like Gauri Pradhan of Manhattan, took photos of the snow-covered scenery.
"It's pretty," Pradhan said.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Saturday morning the city "certainly avoided the worst of it."
In Long Island's Suffolk and Nassau counties, the state's hardest-hit areas, about 200 motorists were stranded with their vehicles, and even firetrucks became stuck.
In a Saturday morning news briefing, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo urged Long Island motorists to stay off the roads and allow plows and emergency workers to clear the snow.
"You have an historic amount of snowfall. It does not go away in a matter of minutes," he said. "Today is not a day for people to be leaving the house unless they have urgent, urgent business."
Additional snowplows from adjacent Nassau County and from New York City were en route to help eastern Long Island dig out, Cuomo said. New York was also sending plows, personnel and other storm-response aid to Connecticut and Massachusetts, he said, explaining that "this state had (storm-related) consequences, but nothing like out neighboring states."
Conn. Gov. Dannel Malloy ordered all roads closed statewide through Saturday afternoon.
"It's critical right now that residents stay off the roads, so that our plows can continue their efforts to clear our streets and highways," said Malloy. "This is a record-setting storm. It's going to take time to dig out of the snow. Stalled or abandoned vehicles will only slow that process. Unless you face an emergency, please stay put."
The storm stranded hundreds of motorists on highways and roads across Suffolk County on Eastern Long Island.
"We're taxed. We're still trying to rescue people in a number of places and get them home," said a spokesman for the Suffolk County Police Department Saturday morning. "We have the National Guard and the State Police helping us."
"It's very hard to get on an entrance or exit ramp right now. They're under several feet of snow," the police spokesman said.
The Long Island Expressway eventually opened on Saturday, but about 30 miles of the highway was to be closed again Sunday for snow removal.
The snow also caused a 19-car, four-hour pileup on I-295 near Cumberland, Maine. Several people had minor injuries, police said. In Vermont, the storm was being blamed for a series of crashes on I-89 in Bolton and South Burlington. Two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts have declared states of emergencies.
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said in a Saturday afternoon news conference he banned traffic Friday afternoon, before the storm hit, in contrast to the state's last such ban in the blizzard of 1978.
"We tried to take experiences from the blizzard of 1978, when the travel ban was issued after the storm had already hit," Patrick said.
This time, while there were some "knuckleheads" who went out anyway and a few dozen got stuck, "we think we were well served by that" early travel ban, he said.
The roadway travel ban was lifted across the state by Saturday afternoon, but public transit in the city remains suspended.
In Somerville, Mass., Amsterdam Falafelshop Boston was one of the only business to open on time Saturday, after staying open til its regular closing time at midnight Friday.
"The way I see small business is that we're providing a service to the local community," owner Matt D'Alessio, 29, said as he shoveled the knee-high snow and salted the sidewalk outside his restaurant. "We remained open because people came to our shop," buying multiple sandwiches for friends at home, D'Alessio said.
TWITTER:Follow USA TODAY Weather on Twitter
The Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant in Plymouth experienced an automatic shutdown at around 9:15 p.m. Friday after losing off-site power. Spokesman Neil Sheehan says that the reactor shut down without any problems and that backup generators are powering plant equipment.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission says there's no threat to public safety.
Contributing: Melanie Eversley, Ben Mutzabaugh, Stephanie Haven; Alesha Williams, Laura Petrecca, Natalie DiBlasio, TIm Mullaney; Associated Press


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Stacey Nash tagged me in the "Next Big Thing" Blog Hop–go back and check her post out. She's a wonderful author with great stories you don't want to miss.
So #pitchwars is coming and I'll talk to you about Glowing Shadow. The story that will participate.
At the end you have an excerpt of the story. Not of the beginning but of a very steamy page.
Ten Interview Questions for The Next Big Thing:
1. What is the working title of your book? /2. Where did the idea come from?/3. Genre?
Glowing Shadow is a YA Urban Fantasy with strong romance elements. The idea actually came from a song. I was listening to it and all this feelings overwhelmed me and I thought about being an emphat. From there on the characters started to live in my head. They seemed to feel comfortable there since they didn't leave in a year and still now I hear them.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Dalkiel is absolutely inspired by Ian Sommerhalder. One day I was watching the vampire diaries and some interviews with him and I thought this is Dalkiel. For Muriel I'm still searching. So hard to find her!
5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When eighteen-year-old empath Muriel moves to Madrid, she finds herself fighting for her soul in the middle of a battle between lights and shadows.
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I am searching for an agent that loves Glowing Shadow as much as me.
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
It took me a month, the story was so clear in my mind that I couldn't stop writing.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
Die for me by Amy Plum and Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor. Fantasy lives in big cities in each story. And the city itself is a character.
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book?
As I seed the need to feel others emotions took me to explore something unimaginable to feel them all. Shadows always intrigued me, there anything can live so it made me think about the Malekia. Of course the romance element came to me quickly. Love romance!
10. What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?
It's a story settled in the wonderful city of Madrid, were you explore beautiful places with Muriel. While you're afraid of the shadows stealing her soul. If that's not enough there's a very steamy romance with lots of sexual tension.
Once the Bolognese was almost done, pasta simmering and cookies in the oven, I let myself enjoy my little addiction. Chocolate. Knowing that would calm my nerves at least a little I cut a small piece, put it on my mouth and moaned in ecstasy at the taste. My inability to stop moaning when eating chocolate always led my brothers to tease me but I couldn't help it.
"What are you eating?" I felt the warm air of his breath when he whispered those words in to my ear, multiplying my euphoria. His chest brushed against my back. I jumped forward a little forward, but I didn't get too far, I was trapped between him and the counter. My hormones awakened and overheated my body.
"Cho…colate." I said almost without voice when I recovered a little.
"It seems you really like it." He was still whispering in my ear while he put an arm around me to take a piece of the chocolate. "I like it too. It's a great supplement for other things…" He turned away from me.
"Forget it," he said as a smile played on his lips. How hard was it for this man to answer questions.
Thanks for reading! I am tagging:


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Link to original story, audio.
Public Weighs In On Budget Process
Tuesday, 11/20/12 7:24am
VPR/Steve Zind
Representatives of the Vermont Worker's Center, which pushed for the budget hearings legislation turned out at many hearing locations, including one in Randolph Center.
The state held the second of two public forums Monday to give Vermonters a chance to weigh in on budget priorities.
The forums, mandated by the legislature last session, require the Governor to hold public meetings on budget priorities before the budget is written and presented to the legislature.
Participants at Monday's final forum took part at Vermont Interactive Television sites around the state.
The invitation to Vermonters to weigh in on how the state should allocate money came with caveats.
Department Of Finance and Management Commissioner Jim Reardon says there's less flexibility in budget decisions than most people think.
There are a number of reasons for that, Reardon says, including the fact that 35 percent of the state's budget comes from federal money.
"We are a state that is on a per capita basis very heavily reliant on federal funds," he explained. "We actually get back from the federal government than as a state we pay into the federal government."
About two dozen people offered their comments, including advocates, social service workers, labor representatives, parents of children with disabilities and one business owner.
Many encouraged the administration to do more to protect the most vulnerable Vermonters and address issues like public transportation in rural areas and state support for higher education.
Kathleen Kolb of Lincoln says she's concerned about increasing strain on the social services she depends on to care for her adult son with autism.
"I am grateful for what he gets," said Kolb. "I think its really important that the agencies that provide this level of care are not stressed any further. I've been watching over the past few years, the level of stress increase for jobs that are not that well rewarded in the first place."
Reardon and Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding listened, responded and sometimes asked their own questions.
Traven Leyshon of the AFl-CIO challenged the administration's contention that increased taxes would put Vermont at a competitive disadvantage. Leyshon called for higher taxes on the wealthy, which prompted an exchange with Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding who said Vermont has one of the most progressive income tax systems in the country.
When Leyshon pointed out that effective tax rates for wealthy Vermonters has declined, Spaulding observed, "That's because of changes in the federal income tax." He agreed that Vermont could increase taxes on wealthy individuals if the Governor and legislature decided to.
Spaulding says there are constant pressures on the state's ability to maintain, much less expand services.
He says the budget that the Governor will present to the legislature early next year has not yet been written.


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You are here: Home / March Read of the Month: "Into the Free," by Julie Cantrell / Julie Cantrell
Julie Cantrell
February 26, 2012 by Allen Mendenhall Leave a Comment
About Allen Mendenhall
Allen Mendenhall is associate dean at Thomas Goode Jones School of Law and executive director of the Blackstone & Burke Center. His books include Literature and Liberty (2014), Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., Pragmatism, and the Jurisprudence of Agon (2017), The Southern Philosopher: Collected Essays of John William Corrington (2017) (editor), and Lines from a Southern Lawyer (2017). Visit his website at AllenMendenhall.com.


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Brentwood Arts Exchange features three unique, distinct and affordable spaces for hosting various types of events of all sizes. Each room provides a different atmosphere and size that can accommodate groups and events of various sizes.
MAIN GALLERY: This contemporary art space can accommodate 50 people seated to 125 people standing comfortably. The main gallery features 6 shows annually and provides a beautiful and thought-provoking setting for an event, such as Corporate or organization events or celebrations, holiday parties, individual birthdays, graduations, baby or bridal showers, lectures, book signings, workshops, film screenings, concerts and more.
LAB GALLERY: Perfect for a more intimate occasion, our secondary art exhibition space can accommodate 30 people seated to 50 people standing. This gallery also has a rotating exhibition schedule to provide your guests with inspired displays of different artworks.
CLASSROOM: The classroom at Brentwood Arts Exchange is perfect for Saturday Birthday parties for kids, or team building creative exercises for adults and can accommodate approximately 30 people seated to 50 people standing. This classic workspace provides guests with a space to find their inspiration and enjoyment as well. This room is also available for workshops or classes (during open hours only).
ADD AN ART ACTIVITY: Brentwood Arts Exchange, in collaboration with Arts on a Roll, can provide an entertaining and stimulating creative activity to any rental! Adults can enjoy such projects as paint your own wine glass, mosaic masterpieces, painting on canvas, or block printing. Or you can add a fun creative event for your child's birthday party, for example: Paint a flower pot, T-shirt or hot chocolate mug, printmaking for kids or paint your own canvas.
*Discounts are given to Nonprofit organizations and businesses or individuals who reside in Prince George's or Montgomery County.
All rental requests require a completed application. Rental contracts are issued based on availability and rental needs. A refundable $200 security deposit is required at the time of booking and, rental payments are due in full 15 days in advance of the event. Rentals include access to the amenities. Follow this link for the rental application.
Use of the kitchen will include access to the refrigerator and the microwave for warming. All food brought into the Brentwood Arts Exchange must be prepared by a licensed Food Service manager. For catered events, a certificate of Insurance and Occupation License must be received by the Facility Director prior to approving the rental contract. Please note that home-cooked or other food not prepared by licensed food service companies is not permitted. Rental includes the use of up to 50 chairs and 20 3x5' folding tables.
All renters are expected to be fully aware of and comply with all rules and regulations.
Parking at the Brentwood Arts Exchange is limited. Guests may also use street parking.


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Calla Lilly duo 2
A one-time price of $249.00 will be added to your order.
Categories: Flowers and More
- Description
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Calla Lillies in bloom photographed on black background.
All prints are made using Exhibition Fiber Photographic paper and Archival Ultrachrome inks, ready to be put in a frame. Each artwork is printed and signed by the Artist. A Certificate Of Authenticity comes with each print ensuring the origin and the quality of the artwork.
This print is available in various sizes. Select between a Standard Print and a Signature Series Print.
-Option to get is Square size 8x8, 11x11, 16x16 and 20x20


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Conservation and Environment in South Africa: Monthly Updates
Kwa Tuli Conservation Project - December 2011
December was another great month for conservation in the Tuli block. The rain brought some delays to work but gave the eco-system a much-needed burst of life. December saw the Baobab survey surpass 90 trees, an amazing figure that none of the management on the reserve thought we would reach in that area. With these results we have decided to extend the survey to all the neighboring properties; it may be a 2-year project but as it's the first of its kind we will be the leading authority on these trees in the central Tuli area, all thanks to our volunteers.
December also saw the hard work of previous volunteers pay off as dams started to fill up with water. We now hope these dams retain water for many months into the dry season. They certainly contributed to our soil erosion plans as the water retained did NOT contribute to surface run off, stripping the topsoil of vital nutrients.
All other projects in December continued producing great results; our 48 hour hide survey was great in terms of data collection and provided the team with more data and information on our animals within the reserve.
Volunteers conducted a 48 hour observation at a man-made water hole, to collect data on the importance of man-made water sources at different times of the year.
They took turns spending 6 hours at a time at Ma Matumi Hide, with at least 2 people awake at all times. The time of month was deliberately chosen, as it was full moon, to help see the animals come and drink during the night.
Volunteers had to keep very quiet for long periods of time – no talking or music was allowed, as this might scare off the animals. They also had to keep very still, as movement would also have scared off the animals.
The weather was unfortunately not ideal – it was windy, and cool, and it had rained recently. Despite this, 6 species were recorded: Impala (Aepycerosmelampus), Greater Kudu (Tragelaphusstrepsiceros), Zebra (Equusquagga), Steenbok (Raphiceruscampestris), Warthog (Phacochoerusafricanus) and Elephant (Loxodontaafricana).
This study will be conducted several more times, to collect more data at different times of the year.
Volunteers needed a lot of patience to successfully complete this particular project, and they all did very well. We'd like to thank the volunteers who sat at the hide for 6 hours at a time:
Thibaut Juvet (Switzerland)
ManonSente (Belgium)
Maria Fuchs (Germany)
Patrick Hungerbuehler (Switzerland)
Melanie Sottocasa (France)
Kasumi Suda (Japan)
There is no doubt that without the input of previous volunteers to the area studies like this could not take place, so thank you to all previous volunteers, too!
Kieran Harkin
Conservation Manager