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When a family or Coast Guard unit is faced with the unthinkable loss of an active duty Coast Guard member, we step in and provide immediate financial relief, whether it's a care package, or paying for an airline ticket for a family member to attend their loved one's memorial service.
During these difficult times, we are reminded of the stark danger that Coast Guard members face on a daily basis, and the sacrifice these brave individuals are willing to make for their country. We are proud to be able to help during such trying times, and our support for families extends beyond these efforts.
Family Assistance
We offer a robust support system for families in the wake of tragedies through our Fallen Heroes Fund. If a service member is injured or becomes critically ill, we provide financial support to allow for their family to be nearby during these difficult times so they can be supported and focused on recovery.
In all cases we pay close attention to the unique needs of the families and Coast Guard members affected, working to provide care and comfort in a supportive and respectful way.
Disaster Relief
When disaster strikes our Disaster Relief and Response Program supports Coast Guard families who have suffered personal property damage; catastrophic loss; and, supports those who require immediate needs for housing, food, and transportation following hurricanes, wild fires, and other natural disasters.
While Coast Guard members are often the first responders to these incidents, they are also the first impacted. We work with the Coast Guard to assess members needs to ensure support reaches them as soon as possible.
Fallen Heroes Scholarship
Our Fallen Heroes Scholarship is granted to Coast Guard children whose parent die in an operational, line-of-duty death. This scholarship covers 100 percent of their higher education costs ensuring service members' children have the opportunity to graduate college debt free.


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Big Bend (Wv)
Cabins, West Virginia
OverviewBig Bend is a family-oriented campground along a bend on the South Branch Potomac River in Smoke Hole Canyon. With its convenient position on the river, the campground creates a recreation hub for fishing, tubing, kayaking and swimming.
About 1.3 million people visit the Monongahela National Forest each year. The forest is a drivable distance from metropolises like Washington, D.C., and Pittsburg, yet still offers a remote and scenic camping getaway.
RecreationThe Big Bend Loop Trail is a one-mile nature trail that circles the campground. The majority of the trail follows along the river bend.
Thirty miles of maintained trails can be found nearby, and mountain biking is permitted on most trails.
FacilitiesBig Bend offers 46 sites; 18 sites are non-reservable. Twelve sites on the river loop have tent pads. All sites have a lantern holder, picnic table and fire ring. Drinking water is available. There are two pit toilets, one shower house, and flush toilet restrooms in each loop. There is also a dump and fill station.
Natural FeaturesBig Bend Campground is in the northern portion of the Monongahela National Forest, boasting beautiful old growth trees that become vibrant with color in fall.
The river runs north through the Smoke Hole Canyon, which bears a name of uncertain origin. One theory is Native Americans used the caves of the gorge for smoking meat, which created "smoke holes." Another is that misty fog often lies along the river and ascends in what looks like smoke from a hole.
Nearby AttractionsThe Highland Scenic Highway provides an unforgettable drive through narrow, steep valleys and rolling, tree-topped mountains. Estimated time to drive on this byway is two to four hours, and highlights include Cranberry Glades Botanical Area, Summit Lake and Falls of Hills Creek.
Have you stayed here? Be the first to leave a review!
More Places to Stay
Adventures Nearby
Hike to Chimney Rock in the Monongahela National Forest
5 Miles Round Trip - 1500 ft gain
Backpack the North Fork Mountain Trail & Chimney Top
24.7 Miles Round Trip
Hike to Rohrbaugh Cliffs in Dolly Sods
5 Miles Round Trip

subset: commoncrawl


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Ready in 5 steps as an importer
Our chain-wide solution comprises 5 easy steps for the customs obligations which arise in shortsea and ferry traffic after Brexit. Each link in the logistics chain has its own task and responsibilities in that respect. All information will precede the cargo. This allows for smart supervision on the part of Customs, with minimal disruption to the logistics process. As a result, all cargo will always swiftly travel through the Dutch ports after Brexit as well. Participation is mandatory at all ferry terminals and most shortsea terminals in the Netherlands.
Your checklist
As an importer, will you make sure that you are ready in time for Brexit in the Dutch ports? Read here which actions are required on your part for transport via both shortsea and ferry.
Step 1: Register with Customs
No relationship with Customs yet? Then register for an EORI number with Customs as soon as possible. Every company in Europe involved in import or export requires such a unique identification number from Customs. Also if you are an importer who uses a forwarder or customs agent for your import declarations. Pay attention! Are you currently working with a British EORI number? After the Brexit you have to convert this to an EORI number from the EU.
Step 2: Establish who is responsible for the import declarations
Following Brexit, decide whether you will submit import declarations to Customs yourself as an importer or whether you will use a forwarder or customs agent. If you submit declarations yourself, separate software and licenses will be required.
You may also need to arrange this:
*NVWA is Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority
Step 3: Determine who will pre-notify the customs documents
After Brexit, the pre-notification of customs documents via Portbase is mandatory at all ferry terminals and most shortsea terminals in the Netherlands. You can take care of this pre-notification yourself in your capacity as an importer, but the forwarder, customs agent or, on occasion, transporter can do this as well. Make clear agreements about this! Without pre-notification, your cargo will come to a standstill at the terminal.
Step 4: Subscribe to the Portbase services
You use Portbase to digitally pre-notify cargo at shortsea and ferry terminals.
For import (cargo from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands): service Notification Import Documentation
Updated service for pre-notifying all customs documents at shortsea and ferry terminals as well after Brexit. Take note! Existing customers also need to register again with Portbase for the usage of Notification Import Documentation at shortsea and ferry terminals.
Costs and participation Notification Import Documentation
The use of Notification Import Documentation for the pre-notification of import documents at shortsea and ferry terminals involves a one-off connection fee of € 249.50 (excluding VAT). For the day-to-day use, there is a monthly subscription fee (€ 6.12 for the web service and € 20.43 for a system link-up) plus a transaction fee of € 0.18 per message.
Step 5: Check beforehand whether the terminal has the customs documents
After the pre-notification, you can use Portbase to track the cargo in real-time. If necessary, you can still take action should something not be correct with the pre-notification.
For import (cargo from the United Kingdom to the Netherlands): service Import Status
New service for real-time insight into the customs status of incoming cargo at shortsea and ferry terminals. You can immediately see whether the required customs obligations have been met and whether Customs might want to inspect the cargo. The transporter is expected to use Import Status to verify whether the customs documents are known at the terminal prior to departing for said terminal. Without correctly pre-notified customs documents, the cargo is not permitted to leave the terminal. The driver that picks up the cargo, will then be referred to one of the temporary parking locations in the port area. In consultation with his planner or you as client, he can still arrange the customs formalities here.
Costs and registration Import Status
Import Status is a free service.
News for importers
Agenda for importers
FAQs for importers
Customs guide for businesses
European Commission - All businesses concerned have to prepare, make all necessary decisions, and complete all required administrative actions, before the Brexit in order to avoid disruption. Follow the checklist and get to know which practical steps you need to take as soon as possible to be prepared.
25 questions and answers about Brexit
Dutch government - For all Dutch citizens and companies. (Text available in Dutch only)
Frequently asked questions evofenedex
evofenedex - For Dutch trade and industrial companies with a logistical or international operation. (Text available in Dutch only)


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Listen to this article!
Yesterday, Samsung revealed a new laptop. The Galaxy Book S is a Windows 10 laptop driven by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8cx ARM processor claimed to be as mobile and durable as mobile phones.
The company argues that the device will last up to 23 hours and will connect to gigabit LTE on-the-go.
Like other ARM laptops, S is promised to be 'always on' and 'always connected' with an instant touch to wake. The device is only 0.95 kg in weight and has a 13.3-inch, multi-touch (10-point) display, making portability a vital component of the value proposition.
During the unpacked Galaxy Note 10 event, Samsung announced the device, and it took quite some time to talk about the accomplishments of Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx.
The chip mentioned above is a 7nm system-on-a-chip, which is 40% faster than Galaxy Book 2 that Samsung earlier launched, and can perform 80% more quickly. The laptop is fanless and quiet, as with other mobile devices.
Other Specifications
- One terabyte of solid-state storage
- Sound by AKG stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support
- 1080p screen resolution
- 8 gigabytes of LPDDR4X RAM
- One MicroSD slot
- 720p front-facing camera
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac
- Bluetooth® v 5.0
- USB-C port
- Windows Hello sign-in via a fingerprint sensor
- Dimensions 305.2 x 203.2 x 6.2-11.8 mm
- Anirudh is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at Clickdotme. He does not like describing himself in the third-person and had a hard time coming up with these two sentences!
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- Apple2019.09.09Apple iPhone 11 Event: How To Watch, Start Time, Livestream Options, What To Expect


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Universal Credit is a new working age benefit introduced by the Government to help with your living costs. It is available to those who are on low income because they are, out of work, work part-time or are not working due to illness, disability or caring commitments.
Universal Credit replaces six existing benefits:
- Jobseeker's Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Working Tax Credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Employment and Support Allowance
- Income Support
You cannot claim any of these benefits and Universal Credit at the same time.
What are the main differences between Universal Credit and the current system?
Under Universal Credit:
- Claims can only be made online
- You will be paid monthly
- Universal credit is paid in arrears and can take up to five weeks from when you claim for your first payment to be made
- Your rent will be included in your monthly payment and you will be responsible for paying it to your landlord (except in certain circumstances)
- Your existing Housing Benefit will be paid for two weeks after you have made a claim. You will then need to wait for your first Universal Credit payment before you receive any more money towards your housing costs (see previous point)
- If you are living as a couple and both of you claim Universal Credit then you will be paid one joint monthly payment
- There is no limit on how many hours you work. Instead of losing your benefits all at once they will gradually reduce as you earn more
You may also want to have a look at Universal Credit and You, a handy guide from the Department for Work and Pensions.
There's also a short video explaining the changes available to view or visit www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk for more information.


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Updated on April 25, 2019 by Asher Fergusson
Heading out on the open water on a canoe is exhilarating, and a great getaway from everyday life. It's a unique and interesting way to explore your surroundings and get in touch with nature. Whether you're going alone, or are partnering up and going with a friend, check out this list before you go.
What to bring on a canoe trip:
Other packing list items for canoeing:
What to wear on a canoe trip:
For your canoe trip, make sure you wear comfortable, breathable fabrics. It's a good idea to wear a swimsuit underneath, so you can jump in the water occasionally, if the weather permits. Skip the flip-flops in favor of old sneakers or water shoes that will stay on your feet if you need to pull the canoe through the shallows or if your canoe flips during your trip. Moisture-wicking fabrics that won't stay wet when you sweat are key!
What NOT to take on a canoe trip:
2) Electronics – No need to weigh yourself or your canoe down with extra electronics.
4) Nice clothing or shoes – No need to dress to impress on a canoe trip, so leave the nice clothes at home.
FAQs about camping:
1) Do I need prior paddling experience?
If you have no experience, but would like to go on a canoe trip, sign up for an organized trip. Your local REI most likely has a canoe trip scheduled for the near future, so go and learn with a group of other adventurous folks.
2) How many people fit in a canoe?
It depends on the canoe. The norm is two to a canoe, although they do make canoes with three seats. Definitely check the weight allowance before adding any extra people to your canoe.
3) How do you deal with inclement weather on a canoe trip?
Be prepared! Bring rain gear (jacket, umbrella, etc.) and make sure your stuff is in a waterproof bag.
4) Is it better to use a double canoe rather than a single one?
There are pros and cons to both types of canoes. If you are canoeing solo, you have the freedom to choose where to go and how fast, but you have to paddle by yourself. In a double, you share the weight and paddle together, but must agree on where to go and how fast or slow to take it.
5) What if I am driving and the ending of the trip is in a different location?
Have a friend pick you up at the pullout point. Or, if you're going with a buddy, leave one car at the end point and one at the beginning.
6) How do you ensure safety while out on the water?
Make sure to bring a first aid kit and emergency throw bag with you at all times, and observe canoe safety protocols. If you're not confident in your swimming abilities, make sure to wear a life jacket!


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Check Out These Adorable Photos of Dharamendra and Hema Malini
The eternal dream girl and her hubby snapped
Hema Malini will always be the Dream Girl, a moniker she earned after working in a movie of the same name. Her pairing with real life hubby Dharamendra were the stuff movie legends are made of. And time has done nothing to change the ardour. Recently, Hemaji, who is also a politician now, posted some pictures of herself with Dharamendra taken during their recently holiday together and they look just as adorable as they used to in movies like Sholay, Charas Tum Haseen Main Jawan etc – classics from the past!
The love story of Hema and Dharam is perhaps one of the most charming stories of Bollywood. The couple met on the sets of a movie (Tum Haseen Main Jawan) and it wasn't long before Cupid struck. It was said that so smitten was Dharamendra by Hema that during the shoot of Sholay, he actually bribed the light boys, asking them to disturb the lights on the set so that they could go for continuous retakes and he would get a chance to hold her!
Initially Hema, it is said, didn't reciprocate Dharamendra's affections since he was already married but soon she fell in love with him. The duo then got married, despite severe opposition from their families. Things were complicated because of his marital status but their love strong enough to overcome the barriers. Years passed and they continued to rule as the power couple of Bollywood. Hema then took to politics though she has never given up her first love – classical dance while Dharamendra is rarely seen in public life. These pics are therefore, a refreshing reminder of their chemistry!
Hema tweeted, "Hope you like the photos of Dharamji and me taken during a recent holiday together." Of course we do Hemaji!


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Installing ductwork correctly is essential for proper heating and cooling in your home. Poorly installed air ducts will lead to heating and cooling loss through air leaks that can cost you hundreds of dollars per year in wasted energy costs through higher utility bills.
Not only that, but you also lower the quality of the air inside your home. Leaky ducts can introduce toxins, dust, and other contaminants into the air that you breathe.
With more than two decades of experience handling ductwork and with our trained and certified personnel, Skyline Mechanical will install your air ducts the right way. The precision work that is required when it comes to this process is something our team is proud to have perfected.
When you choose Skyline to install your air ducts, you won't have to worry about the many issues that come with an improper installation. Not only will we provide a hassle-free installation at a customer-friendly price, our proven professionals can help you with superior duct sealing, duct cleaning, and duct fabrication services.
Every installation job is different, which is why our process includes careful scrutiny of the job site and detailed planning of the work involved. We discuss with you the design and suggest any upgrades and modifications that can help improve your home's ducting system before any work is done. We also suggest maintenance plans that include scheduled cleaning and checkups to ensure your ducting will continue to provide you with the clean air that you and your family deserve.
When you need to have ductwork installed in your home in the Greater Vail & Aspen, CO area, Skyline Mechanical is your go-to ductwork specialist. As your local HVAC experts, we also have a long list of heating and cooling services we offer for your home. When you need our help, contact us online or give us a call at 970-410-2737.


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Free education for poor Assam students
The Assam government has made education free from this academic session for plus two, degree and polytechnic students whose parents earn Rs 1 lakh or less annually.
- Published 12.06.16
Guwahati, June 11: The Assam government has made education free from this academic session for plus two, degree and polytechnic students whose parents earn Rs 1 lakh or less annually.
The announcement was made by education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma here this afternoon. Sarma had said at a meeting of college principals here on Wednesday that the government would be taking a decision on waiving/reducing fees for girl/poor students within 48 hours.
The next phase will see similar benefits being extended to university, medical and engineering students, he said. The move suggests that the new government will continue to focus on the student/youth force.
"The government of Assam has decided that provincialised and government colleges in Assam will not take fees, including admission, tuition or any other kind, from students who will take admission in higher secondary or first year of the three-year degree course provided the income of their parents is Rs 1 lakh or below per annum from all sources. They also don't have to pay any fees in the second year," Sarma said.
There are 301 provincialised and government colleges in the state.
To claim the benefit, a student will have to submit his/her parents' income certificate to the principal.
"We have made it very easy for the students to claim the benefit. It would help 50,000 to 70,000 students. If the parents work for the government or the private sector, the monthly salary slip will do. If they are not working for either the public or the private sector, they can get the income certificate from the circle officer or the mouzadar," Sarma said.
Students who have already taken admission will get their money back, he added.
Today's decision is the first step towards implementing the BJP's vision document for students of the state released before the Assembly elections, he said. The decision also covers more students from what was initially planned vis-à-vis girl and poor students.
Dispur had earlier told the principals to make an assessment of the revenue loss before the move can be announced. According to the assessment, the colleges will lose around Rs 70 crore, which the minister said would be compensated within two months.
"After admission is over, the college will give a detailed account of the revenue loss to the director of higher education for reimbursement. The director will then submit the compensation proposal to the government," the minister said. The government has not included private colleges because "imposition could lead to litigation but I am sure they will be able to reduce their fees," Sarma said.


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Here is the top news from the biopharmaceutical industry this week:
Biotechnology is helping to heal Delaware: Nearly 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. Another 14,000 will die from the disease. One Delaware biotech firm is working to change that. In December, Wilmington-based AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals released Lynparza, a new medicine for women with advanced ovarian cancer. Innovative treatments like Lynparza help Delaware patients live longer and healthier lives. Drug development also keeps Delaware's economy healthy by creating jobs and supporting local businesses. But now, Congress may jeopardize the health of our state and its residents with ill-advised changes to Medicare Part D and patent laws. Read the full post here.
U.S. officials warn medical devices are vulnerable to hacking: The federal government is warning about a medical device that could be tampered with by hackers. The FDA and Department of Homeland Security issued a statement that "strongly encourages" health care facilities to discontinue the use of Hospira's Symbiq infusion pump after officials learned the devices are vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. The medical device company confirmed that the computerized pumps -- which continuously deliver medication over an extended period -- could be accessed remotely through a hospital's network. This could allow an unauthorized user to control the device and change the dosage of medication the pump delivers to a patient. Read the full post here.
Allow medical devices sector to work with doctors: Pitching for allowing medical devices industry to engage doctors, industry body CII today said preventing medical practitioners to undergo training about latest technologies may be detrimental. Currently, under the voluntary the Universal Code for Pharmaceutical marketing Practices (UCPMP) industry is not allowed to engage medical practitioners for continued medical education on latest technologies, CII said in a statement. "Medical Device Industry is an innovation driven industry and needs to work with medical practitioners as well as paramedical professional in close proximity," the industry chamber said. Read the full post here.
How can we derisk innovation in pediatric medical devices?: Sometimes, kids need intensive medical treatment – and the tools used for adults aren't necessarily suitable to treat smaller, growing bodies. This presents a unique challenge for surgeons and clinicians, who find themselves with limited options when treating sick children. That's where the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation comes in. It's a division of the Washington, D.C.-based Children's National Health System – and focuses on making pediatric surgery more precise, less invasive and, ideally, pain-free. Kolaleh Eskandanian, executive director of the Institute, spoke with MedCity News about the unique challenges in pediatric medical device innovation – and ways they're helping jumpstart entrepreneurship in this small but important market. Read the full post here.
Technavio Says the High Demand for Biopharmaceuticals Will Inflate the Global Single-use Bioprocessing Systems Market Through 2019: Technavio has published a new report on the global single-use bioprocessing systems market, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 34% from 2015-2019. The new report indicates the increase in the aging population is leading to a rapid increase in patient population suffering from diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney diseases, cerebral strokes, and cancer. This increases the demand for biopharmaceuticals among patients. Read the full post here.
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The Japanese House, I know peculiar name, is beginning to release their newest album, Swim Against The Tide. Swim Against The Tide is filled with four tracks and 15 minutes long. Not going to do a stand out track with this one due to how short and how good it is.
The Japanese House is labelled to be Pop but I honestly feel like it deserves its own genre if anything. Swim against the Tide gets 4.5 TAU symbols out of 5. Album is to short leaving me wanting more. Vibes on this project are just right on this project, Prefect for driving at night or conversations. The Japanese House lyrics should not be over looked though. At times hard to hear, the feelings are crystal clear. I plan on looking for more from this amazing artist.


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The basic structure of auto-industry across the world is changing swiftly. Think of the rising prices of energy, the growing effect of greenhouse emissions, and urbanisation are just a few of those challenges that the mankind is facing today. With this scenario at the forefront, there is an ever-increasing responsibility on the entrepreneurs and innovators to create a future that is environment-friendly and sustainable. The future of mobility is in question. And a brave step to combat this big challenge is taken by the leading face of the auto-industry, Mahindra & Mahindra.
Mahindra's Nuvo Sport, KUV100, Quanto, Verito, Rexton, Tivoli are some of the latest additions to Mahindra's family of cost-efficient, power-packed, and classy vehicles. Cars and tractors that were once mechanically driven can now be monitored by softwares. Modern engines of trains are being run on electricity and hydrogen in place of petroleum. Even the ownership models have seen a change. Today, even if people do not own cars, they have the choice of renting them out. This implies a prominent shift in the traditional ownership models from private ownership to sharing models.
The 5C's which will revolutionise the way the future of mobility is looked at:
- Convenient: Technology is being used to make things simpler for consumers such as online shopping through which people can purchase cars online. There have been innovations through multiple car ownership models which enables even the sharing of a car. Therefore, convenience will act as key reason.
- Clean: Manufacturers need to work beyond engines that are just efficient. From the manufacture to the use as well as disposal of vehicles through the life-span should be aimed at being carbon-neutral. The means there is a necessity for sustainable manufacturing processes and zero-emission charges.
- Cost-effective: In developing countries such as India, there is a need of technology being accessible to all consumers. This means it should cater to every individual which is only possible if it is cost-effective in nature.
- Clever: The existence of remote diagnostics will be succeeded by driverless cars. There will be advanced developments such as semi-autonomous and autonomous cars which will include features such as self-parking. These may eventually turn to driverless cars.
- Connected: In the future, there will be creation of more connectivity in cars such as safety features to avoid accidents through car-to-car connections, car-to-infrastructure for efficient management of traffic and connecting cars with people such as through smartphones.


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About Us
Dr Paul O'Shea BA (Hons) LLB MSc PhD GDLP is the principal solicitor of O'Shea Lawyers.
He has more than 30 years experience as a commercial lawyer and has conducted some of the leading cases in consumer credit law. He has advised governments, consumer groups and industry.
Dr O'Shea was a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Queensland and has published in Australia and the United Kingdom. He has conducted courses and seminars for universities, professional associations, governments and private agencies in Australia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and China.
He is a member of Banking and Finance and Consumer Law Committees of the Queensland Law Society and the Investment, Life Insurance and Stock Broking Panel of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.
He is an ASIC approved external compliance reviewer for Australian Credit Licences


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Why the new Apple Watch could be a game-changer for runners
by Tehrene Firman, September 12, 2017
Having an Apple Watch on your wrist can totally change the way you run: It lets you track everything from your pace and splits to distance to heart rate, keeping you continually motivated to better yourself. (And obviously looking super cool and tech-y in the process.)
But there was one prickly issue runners encountered with the previous models of the arm candy: Some apps required a connection to your iPhone via bluetooth in order to work. Take Apple Music, for example. If you wanted to go jogging sans iPhone, you'd only have access to the 20 songs you could store locally on your watch. And texting or receiving calls? While it's unlikely you'd be doing much of either while breaking a sweat, you would need your iPhone on you to use your Apple Watch for those purposes while running. Until now.
Apple unveiled some solid updates today. Likely the most exciting advancement the brand's runner contingency is that the new Apple Watch Series 3 has cellular capabilities built right into it. That means, as Apple's COO Jeff Williams put it, "you have the freedom to go anywhere with just your Apple watch"—no strings (or iPhone) attached.
Besides being able to make and receive calls and texts, you'll also be able to stream 40 million songs straight from your wrist.
Evidently this plan has been on the books since the beginning of the Apple Watch days, but now that it's finally here, there are a lot of perks to look forward to. One of the biggies? Besides being able to make and receive calls and texts without your phone in close proximity, you'll also be able to stream 40 million songs straight from your wrist. The watch is also swim-proof, has an updated heart rate app with new measurements like resting and recovering heart rate, and is predicted to hold its battery power for up to 18 hours.
If you're already planning on snagging a new Apple Watch for yourself to ensure you never run out of music on your runs, mark your calendar for the September 15, when you can place your order $399 cellular-enabled product, or wait until it's officially available, starting September 22.
The next time you're prepping for a run, download these must-have apps. But before you hit the pavement, this running playlist will power you through your first mile.
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Quiet like the dawn crashing upon the rocky shore of darkness.
Full of noise, full of life. A roar of silence.
Too loud to speak.
In all things I am.
I exist. Sentient.
Feeling, knowing, being. Thunderous. Mute.
Heaving towards stillness, the permanent precipice, the denouement.
Beauty in knowing acceptance. Birthing terminus.
The rocky shore of darkness as the light creeps quietly away.
Waiting to be reborn.
Me, spewing my bad poetry on an unsuspecting readership. 😉 It had to be done. Sorry all. Just one of those days/nights.
Posted on December 12, 2012, in Just a Note, Nuthin' much, Our World and tagged acceptance, art, bad poetry, beauty, birth, death, life, nature, pensive, philosophy, poem, poetry, prose, quiet, verse. Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.


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FAQ for Enrollers assisting Medi Cal Enrollment
FAQ's on CA Department of Health Care Services
Medi-Cal Eligibility & Covered CA
FAQ's for Call Center Representative
Summary Insure Me Kevin.com
Pregnancy – Covered CA Website Explanation MCAP – Medi-Cal Access Program Prior AIM Program
Does dependent child's income count as MAGI Modified Adjusted Gross Income – Line 37 for Medi-Cal Qualification?
Estate Recovery – How and when Medi-Cal can get their money back from your kids inheritance…
Food Stamps – Cal Fresh
NEW CA Earned Income Tax Credit
What if I have a major tax loss and show negative MAGI or AGI?
More FAQ's
Child Pages
- $58 Medi-Cal One time Agent Compensation AB 82 §70
- Dual Coverage? Medi-Cal & Individual Private or Employer Plans?
- Dual Eligible – Medicare & Medi-Cal
- Ideas to make more $$$
- MORE Social Services – In Addition to Medi-Cal
- Veteran's Administration
- Visiting Hospital no $$$ no Insurance – Not Lawfully Present?


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The Wrongful Death Act in Oregon dates back to 1862 when the first statute was passed regarding one's death that was caused by the negligent acts of another. Before that time, there was essentially no common-law cause of action for wrongful death. But in 1862, the Oregon legislature provided recovery for the benefit of the estate. This was written by the Oregon Supreme Court in 1982 as the "loss of estate" rule:
"The proper measure of damages, under our statute, is the pecuniary loss suffered by the estate, without any solatium for the grief and anguish of surviving relatives or pain and suffering of the deceased; and that loss is what the deceased would have probably earned by his intellectual or bodily labor in his business or profession during the residue of his life, and which, as representing his net savings, would have gone for the benefit of the estate."
In 1939, the Wrongful Death Act was broadened by the Oregon legislature to allow a surviving spouse or dependents to collect the pecuniary value of the benefits that the beneficiary might have expected to get from the continued life of the decedent. This was held to include damages such as the loss of a mother's care for her child and the loss of a wife's or husband's household abilities. See Prauss v. Adamski, 195 Or 1, 24, 244 P2d 598 (1952).
In 1967, the Wrongful Death Act was again amended to allow damages to be awarded in an amount calculated to reasonably compensate the spouse, dependents, or estate for the actual pecuniary loss, if any, to the spouse, dependents or estate caused by the decedent's death.
The Wrongful Death was yet again reexamined and amended in 1973 to its current form, ORS 30.020. Among other changes, this allowed seven types of damages, 1) medical and funeral expenses, 2) disability, pain and suffering of the decedent before death, 3) loss of income to the decedent before death, 4) pecuniary loss to the decedent's estate, 5) pecuniary loss to surviving beneficiaries, 6) loss of society, and 7) punitive damages (if appropriate).
A wrongful death action must be brought not later than the earlier of: a) 3 years after death, or b) the expiration of the longest of any applicable statute of repose. ORS 30.020(1).
These periods of time begin to run when the injury causing death is discovered, or reasonably should have been discovered, by the decedent, the personal representative or the person for whose benefit the action may be brought. ORS 30.020(1).
However, under the Oregon Tort Claims Act, a plaintiff must submit a tort claim notice within one year if they wish to bring a wrongful death action against a public body. This one year begins to run either upon death, or when the plaintiff knew or reasonably should have known that someone's negligence caused the death.
The three-year statute of limitations applies to deaths caused by medical malpractice, rather than the two-year statute of limitations for non-death medical malpractice claims set forth in ORS 12.110(4).
There are now five categories of damages that a personal representative may seek and be awarded under ORS 30.020:
- Expenses incurred for services rendered to the decedent, including charges for doctor, hospital, nursing or medical services, and burial and memorial services;
- Compensation for the decedent for disability, pain, suffering and loss of income between the time of injury and death;
- Compensatory damages for pecuniary loss to the decedent's estate;
- Just, fair and reasonable compensation for the decedent's spouse, children, stepchildren, parents and stepparents for "pecuniary loss and for loss of society, companionship, and services of the decedent,"
- Punitive damages that the decedent would have been entitled to recover if he or she had lived.
ORS 31.710 limits the amount of non-economic damages to $500,000 in wrongful death cases. In other words, any damages for non-economic things such as loss of care, comfort, companionship and society, pain, mental suffering or loss of consortium, are limited to $500,000.
This does not "cap" the amount of economic damages that are recoverable. Economic damages are verifiable monetary losses such as medical expenses, burial and memorial expenses, and loss of income.
The "cap" also does not apply to punitive damages, if punitive damages are found to be appropriate.
Under ORS 31.710, a jury is not allowed to know about this cap on damages, so even if a jury awards a personal representative of a decedent over $500,000, the Judge will reduce the award to this amount.


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June 27th, 2009
As Trevor Timmins announced the Montreal Canadiens' 1st-Round Pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the crowd at the Bell Centre began to rise to their feet. When Timmins finally got to the name of the prospect being selected – Louis Leblanc – his words were barely audible compared to the cheering of those in attendance.
Louis Leblanc was, at the time, a special pick. He was not only viewed as a potential #1 centreman, which the Habs would need quite soon, as long-time captain Saku Koivu was set to be a free agent. Leblanc, however, was more than just a centreman: he was a French-Canadian centreman. Born in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, Leblanc would serve to be a symbol of the Canadiens respecting their provincial heritage, and the team's Francophone identity, in particular. To be a French-Canadian player for the Habs is considered special, and to be a French-Canadian superstar in Montreal would make you deified across a province that has always looked to protect their culture – and their language.
That idea of a French-Canadian superstar had been present in years long past, with the likes of the Richard brothers, Jean Beliveau, Guy Lafleur, and Patrick Roy all leading their teams to Stanley Cups. The hope was that Leblanc would be the next in line, ready to lead the Canadiens to their first Cup since 1993. But just a few months prior to the Draft, another French-Canadian superstar had been linked to the club: Vincent Lecavalier.
Lecavalier was with the Tampa Bay Lightning, who had been stuck near the bottom of the standings in the 2008-09 season. Despite the team's poor play, Lecavalier himself could hardly be blamed; he had just come off a 92-point season with Tampa Bay, and had led the league in goals the year before with 52. He was squarely in the prime of his career, and had just signed an 11-year contract with Tampa prior to the campaign, but even that wasn't going to quiet any talk of a trade as the Lightning's season got worse and worse.
In January of 2009, rumours began to pop up about a potential trade between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens involving Vincent Lecavalier. Despite talk of a trade, the month, and year, would go by without a deal being made. Two different packages were reported to have been in play for Lecavalier, with all manner of names being discussed, including Tomas Plekanec, Chris Higgins, Carey Price, and P.K. Subban. Regardless of what the actual package offered by Tampa GM Brian Lawton was, no deal could be reached, and Lecavalier would stay with the Lightning until 2013, when his contract was bought out by the team.
But what could have happened had Bob Gainey and Brian Lawton struck a deal? Would Lecavalier have become a hero in Montreal to join the likes of "The Rocket", "Le Gros Bill", and "Saint Patrick"? Would the Habs even draft Louis Leblanc, knowing they had their new French-Canadian star? And how would Tampa Bay fare in their re-build with the pieces they would acquire?
WHAT MUST BE CONSIDERED, AND WHAT MUST CHANGE: Well, obviously, the two sides would actually have to agree on what was being given up for Lecavalier in order for such a deal to take place. The original deal, leaked soon after the offer was made, was a package of Tomas Plekanec, Chris Higgins, Josh Gorges, and a prospect (believed to be P.K. Subban) in exchange for Lecavalier. The second package proposed comes from a tweet by Jeff Marek, who stated that Tampa Bay GM Brian Lawton wanted Carey Price, Max Pacioretty, a 1st-Round Pick, and one of either Subban or Ryan McDonagh. Assuming those were indeed the packages offered, let's take a look at the players discussed:
- Tomas Plekanec and Chris Higgins were in the middle of their fourth full year with the Habs, having become regulars in the 05-06 season. In 2007-08, Plekanec managed a career-high 69 points, second on the team behind Alexei Kovalev. Higgins also managed a career high of 52 points that year. Partway through the 08-09 season, both were well off the pace of the previous year.
- Josh Gorges had just wrapped up his first full season with the Habs, having been traded in 06-07 from San Jose. He had managed no goals in 62 games in 07-08, but did have an even plus-minus rating. (The deal, incidentally, saw Gorges and a 2007 1st-Rounder – used on Max Pacioretty – go to Montreal in exchange for Craig Rivet and a 2008 5th-Rounder, used on Julien Demers.)
- Carey Price was arguably the most important piece in Montreal's system. Having already proven himself to be a top goalie at the Junior and AHL levels, Price would play the 2007-08 season as the NHL team's #1 netminder, posting a strong .920 SV% in 41 games of work. He was the goalie of the future for a couple of years, and he was now swiftly morphing into the goalie of the present.
- Max Pacioretty, as mentioned, was taken with San Jose's 1st-Round Pick in 2007. In 2008-09, he was bouncing between the Habs and their AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs. He still held plenty of promise, being only 20 years of age at the time the deal was being discussed.
- Finally, the Lightning had asked for one of P.K. Subban or Ryan McDonagh. Both blue-liners had been selected in the 2007 Entry Draft, McDonagh in the 1st Round, and Subban in the 2nd. McDonagh was a more physical, defesinvely-minded D-man, while Subban was more known for his playmaking skill.
Now, while I do tend to try and stick to the facts in this section, once in a while, I have to throw some of my own opinion out there, and this scenario calls for a bit of a hot take: I don't trust Brian Lawton one bit on that second deal, which, as Marek tweeted, was straight from his own mouth. I just don't see a trade happening in which Montreal gives up their anointed goalie of the future in any deal; sure, the Habs had Jaroslav Halak on their roster, and he was proving to be quite effective at the NHL level, but he didn't have anything near the reputation of Price, who had already shown to be a budding star.
To look for the most comparable trade in recent memory, one doesn't need to look far, considering the Lightning had traded another top centreman less than a year ago. Brad Richards, a Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 2004 as playoff MVP, and former 90-point player in 05-06, was traded at the deadline to the Dallas Stars. Richards, along with goalie Johan Holmqvist, were traded to Dalls in exchange for Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Halpern, Mike Smith, and a 4th-Round Pick in 2009.
To recap those pieces:
- Jussi Jokinen was in his third year with Dallas, and had twice put up more than 40 points. His rookie year was his high mark at this point, with 55 points in 81 games. He had also developed a reputation as a shootout specialist.
- Jeff Halpern was never going to be a top-line player for any team, but could regularly put up 40 points, as well as providing some good defensive work ethic. He had received votes for the Frank Selke Trophy on two occasions by 2008, but never got close to being nominated.
- Mike Smith is really just part of a goalie exchange for Johan Holmqvist, but it could be argued that Tampa Bay got the upgrade, here. While Holmqvist had been disappointing as a starter for the Lightning, Mike Smith had been a decent back-up for Dallas, putting up a .912 SV% in his rookie year. With Marty Turco still with the Stars, it was unlikely that Smith would supplant him any time soon.
- The 4th-Round Pick in 2009 would soon be traded to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for the rights to Brian Rolston, who then shipped the pick to Edmonton in a package deal for the rights to Kyle Brodziak. Edmonton would finally use the pick on Kyle Bigos, who never made an NHL impact.
To sum up, the Stars gave up a somewhat solid prospect, a two-way forward with a permanent NHL third-line spot, a good back-up goalie with starter potential, and a mid-round pick for a player who wouldn't be out of place as a #1 centre on a good team. Naturally, the pieces given up for Lecavalier would have to be better than what was given up for Richards, given the value increase. Using some (poorly) educated guesswork, and looking at the Richards package, I would imagine that the original trade offer – Plekanec, Higgins, Gorges, and Subban for Lecavalier – would have been the more likely deal that was agreed upon; of course, had Brian Lawton not leaked those names to other teams in the hope of getting something better, there's a good chance that this would end up being made.
On January 3rd, media outlets across the city of Montreal are buzzing. Multiple sources are reporting that a trade has been worked out between the Montreal Canadiens and the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning, with Vincent Lecavalier being the primary piece in the deal. Eventually, the news is broken by RDS that Lecavalier is indeed joining the Habs, with multiple young players going the other way: centre Tomas Plekanec, multi-purpose forward Chris Higgins, blue-liner Josh Gorges, and defensive prospect P.K. Subban. While the package was certainly large, one player in particular stood out; Subban was in Ottawa for the 2009 World Juniors, and was a highly-valued player on the Canada team that would go on to win the country's fifth straight gold medal.
Even despite the high price paid, Montreal fans – especially Francophone fans – rejoiced. Vincent Lecavalier, a man born in the city, was coming home to play for the Habs. For the first time in years, the team was now led by a French-Canadian star, restoring the tradition once upheld by the likes of Rocket Richard, Jean Beliveau, and Guy Lafleur. Across the city (and the province), the trade was already being hailed as the first step in turning the Habs into a Stanley Cup winner once more. Armed with a true #1 centre, and a star goalie in the making in Carey Price, belief was spreading that as soon as this year, the Canadiens could appear in the Stanley Cup Final.
2009: The Canadiens go into the meat of the schedule with a renewed sense of optimism, as they now have a former league-leading goal scorer in their line-up. The optimism shows on the ice, as in their first game following the trade, the Habs defeat the Florida Panthers 6-5, with Andrei Markov providing the shootout winner. In his first game on home soil, Vincent Lecavalier would be given a lengthy standing ovation by the Montreal faithful. He would not score, and would take a two-minute minor for tripping, but it was only one game, and Habs fans were hopeful that he would return to form soon enough.
As the season goes on, the fuzzy feelings surrounding the Lecavalier trade would give way to disappointment as the season rolled on, and Montreal found themselves tumbling down the standings. Throughout January and February, the Canadiens would manage three different losing streaks of three or more games, with wins coming few and far between. The topper to the manure sundae would come in late February, when a story broke that the Kostitsyn brothers, Andrei and Sergei, were close with a local Mafia figure. (Though controversial enough on its own, some figure in Montreal media were speculating of even worse stories to break, even going so far as to call the day "the darkest day in Habs history" – which, in retrospect, make the Kostitsyn news somewhat underwhelming considering even worse rumours were being thrown around.)
With Montreal now in danger of missing out on the playoffs entirely, the Habs' front office pulls the trigger on a coaching change, as Guy Carbonneau is fired, and GM Bob Gainey takes the interim job for the rest of the season. Gainey is unable to get the team back on track, and thanks to two losing streaks of six and four games, respectively, the Canadiens finish outside of the playoff spots, claiming 10th in the East with 91 points. Needing an experienced head coach, the Habs turn to Jacques Martin, signing the former Ottawa and Florida bench boss on June 1st.
At the 2009 Entry Draft, which is held in Montreal, the Habs select bruising winger Zack Kassian of the Peterborough Petes with the 13th Pick. Kassian had a breakout year in the OHL, scoring 24 goals and 63 points in 61 games, while adding 136 penalty minutes.
Also of note, a major trade that happens in the OTL is nixed this time around. Having acquired a #1 centre in Lecavalier, and having traded Chris Higgins to do so, Montreal no longer needs (or is able) to make the trade with the New York Rangers that makes Scott Gomez a Hab. As a result, they keep prospect Ryan McDonagh, but still lose Doug Janik to Detroit in free agency.
2009-10: With the disappointment of 2009 now in the past, Habs fans were looking forward to the team regaining their stride in the upcoming campaign. After all, they had an experienced coach in Jacques Martin, as well as a new captain in Vincent Lecavalier, who would get a full season to prove that he was the same player that stood amongst the league's best for a time in Tampa. Though the team would lose players like Alex Tanguay and Alexei Kovalev in free agency, Montreal would act quickly to replace them, signing the likes of Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta. Gionta was signed in the hopes that he could rekindle the magic that Lecavalier had with another small winger, Martin St. Louis.
Any hope the Habs had for the 2009-10 season would be tested quickly, as Montreal would follow up a pair of season-opening wins with a five-game losing streak. As time went on, the losing streaks would be more frequent than the wins, as the Canadiens plummeted in the Eastern Conference standings once more. Though Lecavalier did his part, putting up 70 points, nobody could match his production on the team. The one saving grace for the Habs seemed to be the play of goalie Jaroslav Halak, who would steal a few games (and the starting job, for a brief time) with a solid .924 SV%. Though Carey Price managed a respectable .912 SV%, he was no longer the fans' first choice, as Montreal supporters clamored for the former 5th Overall Pick to be dealt out.
Montreal was out of the playoffs, and how. The Habs would finish 13th in the East with 78 points, which was also good enough (or bad enough, if you prefer) for 4th-last in the NHL. The abysmal regular season would lead Bob Gainey to retire as GM, with assistant Pierre Gauthier being promoted to take his place. His first major move as General Manager would anger the fan base, as Jaroslav Halak was traded to the St. Louis Blues for Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. Despite immediate calls for his job, the Canadiens would not relieve Gauthier of his duties so soon after he was hired.
Montreal would have the 4th Overall Pick in 2010, using their selection on centre Ryan Johansen of the Portland Winterhawks.
2010-11: After all of their expectations for 2009-10 were utterly crushed, few Montreal fans had any excitement for the 2010-11 campaign. Vinny Lecavalier was underperforming somewhat, and the goalie that many wanted to be the team's new starter had been shipped off to St. Louis. Though he was feeling the heat from the locals, Carey Price would do what he could to try and win them back, as he was given the bulk of games by Jacques Martin. With the team in front of him being awful at times, Price's play was enough just to keep the team in the playoff race, as his .923 SV% in 72 games of work earned him some Vezina Trophy consideration.
As mentioned, however, the team in front of Price was nowhere near playoff-quality. Vincent Lecavalier would go through some injury troubles, managing only 54 points in 65 games. Sadly, his point total was enough to lead the team, as nobody else on the team could crack the 50 mark at all. Though Mike Cammalleri did miss games as well (67 games, 47 points), Brian Gionta (82 games) and Andrei Kostitsyn (81 games) didn't have that excuse despite getting top-line minutes. All in all, Carey Price's heroics kept Montreal in the playoff race, but they couldn't quite make it to the post-season, finishing 9th in the Eastern Conference with 88 points.
The Habs would have the 12th Overall Pick in 2011, selecting blue-liner Ryan Murphy of the OHL's Kitchener Rangers.
2011-12: Fans in Montreal were beginning to get really impatient with their team. For three years running, the team had failed to make the playoffs, and with so much money committed to their captain Lecavalier, fans were beginning to turn on the player that the team had given up so much to acquire. Mike Cammalleri was also given heat by the locals, and responded by remarking that the team was "playing with a losing attitude". Jacques Martin would be fired mid-season, replaced by Randy Cunneyworth, who was immediately targeted by local media due to the fact that he didn't speak French.
No amount of change, not even a new coach, could alter the fact that the Habs were going to miss another post-season. They would finish in dead last in the Eastern Conference, and 3rd-worst in the NHL, with 76 points. Pierre Gauthier would be axed from the GM role, and Randy Cunneyworth would be demoted to assistant coach, then fired a day later; Marc Bergevin would take over as General Manager, while Michel Therrien would take over behind the bench. Bergevin's first order of business would be the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, where Montreal would take Alex Galchenyuk with the 3rd Overall Pick.
2012-13: For the Montreal Canadiens, the 2013 lockout-shortened season was a time to start over, a chance for the team to refresh itself after previous failures. There was hope that Vincent Lecavalier would get a "full" season, rather than the 60+ games of the past couple of years, and there was hope that Carey Price would be good enough to make the team a playoff contender. As the season got underway in late January, nerves were tested following an opening-night loss to Toronto, only for the Habs to win six of their next seven. It looked like after all of the failures of previous years, the Canadiens were once again playoff-bound.
As the season went on, nothing much was able to knock the Canadiens off their path to the post-season, as they spent most of the time battling with the Boston Bruins for top spot in the Northeastern Division. They had a strong first defensive pairing in Andrei Markov and Ryan McDonagh, a trio of productive centremen in Lecavalier, David Desharnais and Cody Hodgson (acquired for Zack Kassian the year prior), and strong years from young players like Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk. The one weak link seemed to be, of all place, in goal; Carey Price would play 39 games, registering a mediocre .905 SV%, while his back-up Peter Budaj wasn't much better with a .908 SV% in 13 games.
Despite the regressed goaltending, Michel Therrien seemed to have the Habs performing well, and their playoff drought was officially over. They would not win the Northeast, but would finish 4th in the East with 60 points, setting up a first-round clash with their long-time Canadian rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs were coming out of their own dark age, and had a young team with a few strong pieces, with speedy scorer Phil Kessel most notable among them. They also had somewhat of an advantage in goal, with James Reimer getting back to the form that had nearly made the Leafs a playoff team two years earlier. All of Reimer's form, however, deserted him in the post-season, as he would lose three straight over-time games before being benched for back-up Ben Scrivens, who would lose Game Five by a score of 6-3. The Habs had not only made the playoffs, but had beaten a major foe in order to do so.
The Canadiens were faced with another Original Six match-up in the second round, as they would face the New York Rangers. While the Leafs had a goalie who hadn't been tested in the NHL post-season, the Rangers had one of the best of the current game in Henrik Lundqvist, who had won the Vezina Trophy the year prior. To everyone's surprise, Lundqvist would fumble his way through the first three games, losing all of them before finally winning Game Four with a shutout. The damage had been done, though, and with Montreal's Game Five win, the Habs had taken down another tough opponent. They would face the heavily-favoured Pittsburgh Penguins in the Conference Final, which proved to be one test too many; the Penguins would sweep the series en route to the Stanley Cup Final.
After so many years of misery, fans in Montreal were ready to believe again. They may have needed over-time for several of their playoff victories, but they had shown resilience in the face of tough challenges from Toronto and New York. Losing against Pittsburgh was pretty much inevitable considering the Pens' talent, so there were few complaints from the Montreal faithful. The team would have the 28th Pick in the 2013 Draft, selecting Regina Pats winger Morgan Klimchuk.
2013-14: The Canadiens had, for the time being, broken their playoff duck. But advancing to the post-season in a half-season was one thing; replicating that feat in a full season would be something else entirely. This year, the divisions would be changed up, with Montreal being placed in the new Atlantic Division alongside Boston, Buffalo, Ottawa, Toronto, Florida, Tampa Bay, and Western Conference migrants Detroit. The playoff format was also changed, as now, the top three teams in each division would make the post-season, as well as the two highest-ranking "wild card" teams.
Montreal was not prepared to sit back and rest on the laurels of the previous season. First among those to step up their game was Carey Price, who would have the best season of his career with a .927 SV% in 59 games. In front of him, young players like Ryan McDonagh and Ryan Johansen would become key players on the team, with Johansen cementing himself as the new #1 centre with 33 goals and 63 points. Not even Johansen would lead the team in goals, however, as the honour would go to Max Pacioretty, who scored 39 over the course of the regular season.
The Habs weren't flukes. They would go on to a 2nd-place finish in the Atlantic Division with a remarkable 111 points. This would put them up against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team that they had acquired Vincent Lecavalier from five years earlier. The series would be a heated one, with P.K. Subban in particular getting under the skin of a few Montreal players. To their credit, the Habs were unwilling to give in to his antics, and stuck to their game plan, eventually winning the series in a four-game sweep. This would set up a clash with the Habs' long-time playoff adversaries, the Boston Bruins. The series between the Canadiens and the Atlantic-winning Bruins would go the full seven games, but thanks to goals from Dale Weise, Max Pacioretty, and Danny Briere, the Habs would win Game Seven, advancing to the Conference Finals once more.
The Canadiens were set to square off against the New York Rangers, the same team they had defeated in the Conference Semis the previous year. The Rangers were gunning for the Stanley Cup, and had acquired Martin St. Louis in order to give them a better chance at the Cup Final. The Canadiens knew they needed a full team effort if they wanted to advance, but Ryan McDonagh had decided that he would put in a team effort all on his own. The first-pairing blue-liner would have the series of his life, potting 10 points in the series, and shutting down all of New York's top scorers. His efforts, however, went for naught, as New York would hold on for a testy seven-game series victory.
While there was still a buzz thanks to another deep run for the Habs, there was also disappointment. Despite Ryan McDonagh's best efforts, the team around him seemed to disappear late in the post-season, squandering a 3-1 series lead against the Rangers. Some blame was put on Carey Price for his poor performance in Game One that led to Dustin Tokarski getting the rest of the starts, but even more blame fell on the shoulders of Vincent Lecavalier, who had played all 18 games in the playoffs, and put up only 5 points. He had been dropped well down the depth chart, and talk of a buyout was swiftly getting louder. Marc Bergevin would not commit to buying out the captain, a decision that was rumoured to be out of fear of riling up Francophone fans.
Montreal would pick 26th Overall in the 2014 Entry Draft, selecting Russian winger Nikita Scherbak of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades.
2014-15: For two straight years, the Montreal Canadiens found themselves on the cusp of a Stanley Cup Final appearance, barely unable to break through. Fans wanted more, and the fact that the team was unable to sign many impact free agents (only getting Tom Gilbert on a two-year deal) had a few fans concerned that the team would be about to tumble down the standings once again. Most of the blame for the Habs' precarious position was placed on Vincent Lecavalier. Now in year six of a monstrous $7.7M/year contract, Lecavalier had been declining year after year, and was now pencilled in as the team's third-line centre. With his contract on the books, the team was stuck with little room to do much in free agency, and would have to rely on a bargain or two to keep them competitive.
Any hope that Lecavalier would return to form would soon be crushed. The former 1st Overall Pick would play only 62 games, notching only 22 points. In addition to some injury troubles, he would a few games as a healthy scratch, a testament to how far he had fallen since being acquired by Montreal. His replacement on the top line, Ryan Johansen, had filled in well, setting a new career high with 71 points, while Johansen's line-mate Max Pacioretty would put up another good year with 37 goals and 67 points. By far the best player on the team, however, was goalie Carey Price, who had recovered from his playoff failure of the previous year by putting up a remarkable .933 SV% in 66 games, earning not just the Vezina Trophy, but also the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
As was the usual in recent years, the Habs had qualified for the playoffs, finishing 2nd in the Atlantic Division with 106 points. This would pit them against the aging Detroit Red Wings, who were finding life in the Eastern Conference somewhat difficult. With so many of their key players over thirty years of age (including Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg), the Red Wings looked to be in tough against a younger Montreal side. Despite their perceived disadvantages, the Wings would actually win Game One in Montreal, then, after dropping the next three, would come back from 3-1 down in the series to win it in seven games.
The Habs were knocked out at the first hurdle, and there was now discontent amongst the fan base. Many in the fan base now believed that Vincent Lecavalier HAD to go, as he was too much of a liability. He has missed the playoffs entirely due to injuries, and was still eating up a huge chunk of the salary cap for such poor production. Once again, however, Marc Bergevin would not buy him out, which now had fans and media thinking about Bergevin's place in the front office.
Montreal would have the 25th Overall Pick in 2015, selecting forward Jack Roslovic of the U.S. National Team Development Program.
2015-16: Pressure was mounting on the Habs, and Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien in particular, to get in another good playoff run before the team imploded, a possibility that was looking more and more likely by the day. In the early parts of the season, debate would rage on as to who was meant to be the team's true #1 centre, Ryan Johansen or Alex Galchenyuk. Galchenyuk had shown some potential, but not quite enough to take the top-line spot. Johansen had the playmaking ability, but wasn't completely reliable defensively, which got him into a few off-ice scrapes with coach Therrien. Vincent Lecavalier was nowhere to be found in the centre discussions; he was injured far too often, and when he did play, he was a disappointing shell of the man who once led the league in goal-scoring.
From December on, GM Bergevin would begin to reshape the team, preparing for the future instead of going for it now. Zack Kassian, acquired for Brandon Prust in the off-season, wouldn't get a chane to play for his team following an impaired driving incident, and was traded to Edmonton for goalie Ben Scrivens. Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise were traded out for Philip Danault and a 2018 2nd-Round Pick (eventually used on Alexander Romanov). Finally, both Johansen and Lecavalier would be traded out; Johansen would be traded to Carolina for Seth Jones, while Lecavalier would join the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a 3rd-Round Pick in 2016, used on Carsen Twarynski.
The Habs had well and truly given up on 2016. They would finish 14th in the Eastern Conference with 81 points, and now had more problems to deal with on their roster. Though Galchenyuk had been anointed their #1 centre of the future, he was still not clicking with coach Therrien. The players that had been traded away fared better with their new clubs, as Johansen would put up 34 points in 42 games with the Hurricanes, while Lecavalier did pick up his goalscoring, registering 10 goals and 17 points in 42 games before being bought out at the end of the season. Lecavalier's departure also left a void in the captaincy; much to the chagrin of hard-line French-Canadians, American Max Pacioretty would be made captain in his place.
Montreal would have the 8th Overall Pick in 2016, selecting Alexander Nylander from the OHL's Mississauga Steelheads.
2016-17: The Canadiens were in a rough place. Not only had they angered extreme Francophone fans by trading away Vincent Lecavalier and making Max Pacioretty captain in his place, but their poor finish had angered the general fan base as well, with many calling for Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien to be removed from their jobs. While Bergevin would stay put, Therrien would indeed be sacked mid-season, as a stretch of one win in nine games would be his undoing. In his place would come former Boston coach Claude Julien, who was actually in his second go-around with the Habs, having started his coaching career with the team in the early 2000s.
Considering Julien was a former Stanley Cup winner, it would come as not much of a surprise that the Canadiens responded well following his taking over of the team. One of his biggest changes was with the defensive units, as young Seth Jones would be paired with Ryan McDonagh. The two would provide a solid mix of offensive skill and defensive punch, giving up few opportunities and even fewer goals down the stretch. Behind them, Carey Price was back to his old self, stealing quite a few games thanks to his impressive .923 SV%.
Julien would finish with a 15-8-1 record down the stretch, as the Habs would return to the playoffs with 97 points. They would finish 3rd in the Atlantic Division, setting up a clash with the Ottawa Senators. The Sens had become competitive thanks to the coaching of Guy Boucher, the playmaking of Erik Karlsson, and the strong goaltending of Craig Anderson; in order to win the series, Montreal would have to overcome all of those factors. Julien would put the McDonagh-Jones duo up against Ottawa's top unit, which worked to great effect, as the pairing only allowed two goals in the series. After both sides earned road splits in the first four games, the Habs would take the next two, winning the first round clash in six games.
Standing in Montreal's way next were the New York Rangers, who had become a frequent foe of the Habs in recent years. Though the team was aging somewhat (especially goalie Henrik Lundqvist), they still had enough talent for the series to be a tough one. Though Claude Julien had solved the Sens, New York coach Alain Vigneault – who actually faced Julien in the Stanley Cup Final in 2011 – was ready to adapt. Vigneault would do everything he could to avoid having his team's stars on the ice with McDonagh and Jones. Carey Price kept games close, but the Rangers would eventually close out the series in six games, eliminating the Habs.
After a dark year, the Habs were back to being a competitive team again. The hope was now that this would be permanent, rather than a "dead cat bounce". Montreal, however, was not prepared to rest with what they had, though. They would make a major trade with the Nashville Predators, getting Jonathan Drouin in exchange for Alexander Nylander and a conditional 2nd-Round Pick in 2018 (dependent on Nylander playing less than 40 games with Nashville). Not only did Montreal have another impact forward, but also had a new French-Canadian star in the making.
Montreal would get the 19th Pick in the 2017 Entry Draft, selecting U.S. NTDP centreman Josh Norris.
2017-18: With the Habs back in the post-season, and Jonathan Drouin added to the cast for this year, expectations were high for another playoff appearance, maybe even a legitimate Cup run. Those hopes would be put to the test early on, as Carey Price would sustain a foot injury that would require the Canadiens to ride their back-ups, Al Montoya and Charlie Lindgren, for a month or two. When Price came back, he would be unable to get back to form, and he would sustain a concussion in February. Not having Price at his best (or even in the line-up at all) would severely hamper Montreal, who struggled to win as a result.
It wasn't just that the Habs were getting bad goaltending (save for Antti Niemi, who had bounced around the NHL over the past two years before finding a home with Montreal), but their offense lacked any impact. Jonathan Drouin was shoehorned into a centre role, and struggled in his first year as a Canadien, putting up only 46 points in 77 games. So offensively impotent were the Habs that a blue-liner, Seth Jones, would lead the team with 57 points. Jones, Niemi, and rookie Alex DeBrincat (52 points in 82 games) were the only bright spots in a season that seemed to go off the rails following Price's injury woes.
The Habs were back out of the post-season, but at least this time, they had some excuses, which lessened a bit of the heat on both Marc Bergevin and Claude Julien. They would finish 10th in the East with 88 points, nine out of a playoff spot. Following a few years of being groomed for the team's #1 centre role, only to fall short of meeting coach Julien's expectations, Alex Galchenyuk would be traded a week before the 2018 Draft. He would be sent to the Arizona Coyotes, with fellow forward Max Domi going the other way.
Montreal would be slotted 12th in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. They would grab defenseman Noah Dobson, who had been playing in the QMJHL with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
THE CANADIENS TODAY: The Canadiens got their man. At long last, after nine and a half years with the Lightning, Vincent Lecavalier had gone back home. In doing so, Montreal parted with several important pieces, but what mattered was that the team had a #1 centre and captain that the province could get behind. As it turned out, acquiring Lecavalier was more like making a wish on a monkey's paw, as while Lecavalier proved somewhat effective in his first year and a half with Montreal, his health would decline, and so too would his on-ice play. By the time he was traded in 2016, he would be one of the most divisive figures on Montreal; while hard-liners still supported him as captain, several other fans felt he held the team back by being sub-par.
Indeed, when Montreal fans look upon what became of the players that were dealt away, they can only wonder what would have happened had they held on to those players. If they had the likes of Tomas Plekanec, Josh Gorges, and especially P.K. Subban, would they have beaten either Pittsburgh (2013) or New York (2014) in the Eastern Conference Final? Could they have then gone on to the Stanley Cup Final and ended their two-decade Cup drought? Given that they had so much going for them in those years, having a good top-six centre and a dynamic blue-line creator could have been just enough to put the Habs over the top.
As it stands, Montreal is by no means a bad team, but their fortunes rely on one player, and one player alone: Carey Price. Price, at his best, is arguably the top player in the world at any position, but injuries began to take their toll in 2017-18. When he is out of form, the Canadiens as a whole seem to struggle, and what could be a decent team ends up finding themselves out of the post-season, as was the case the previous year.
On opening night against Toronto in 2018, Montreal's roster looks as follows:
F1. Max Domi – Jonathan Drouin – Brendan Gallagher
F2. Artturi Lehkonen – Alex DeBrincat – Tomas Tatar
F3. Philip Danault – Paul Byron – Jack Roslovic
F4. Charles Hudon – Matthew Peca – Joel Armia
D1. Ryan McDonagh – Seth Jones
D2. Jeff Petry – Victor Mete
D3. Mike Reilly – Jordie Benn
G1. Carey Price
G2. Antti Niemi
There is considerable promise amongst the forward group, but with few natural centremen, Claude Julien is forced to use players who were previously wingers; among the likes of those who get centre minutes in pre-season are Drouin, Domi, DeBrincat, Tatar, Roslovic, and Byron. Again, though, despite the lack of true centres, there is enough skill to make the entire team pretty dangerous on the attack. Whether it's the scoring of a Gallagher or Tatar, the skill of a DeBrincat or Drouin, or the explosive speed of Paul Byron (who was claimed by Montreal after a highlight clip of his breakaways got the attention of the front office), Montreal has several elements in their line-up that can allow them to keep pace no matter who their opponent is.
The blue line is, in a word, solid. The top pairing of McDonagh and Jones is one of the best in the Atlantic Division, as they have both strength and skill to spare. The second pairing combines the experience of Jeff Petry with the youth of Victor Mete, who broke into the NHL the previous year at the age of 19. The third unit pairs Jordie Benn with Mike Reilly, with Benn providing a stay-at-home presence. Reilly, who got signed to an NHL contract by Minnesota in 2015 after a brilliant season with the NCAA's Minnesota Golden Gophers, has not shown the same offensive skill that he did in college.
One would argue that the goalie tandem is not so much of a tandem as it is a sure starter and a guy who helps keep the bench warm and cozy, but considering the past season, things could actually be different this year. Carey Price, as mentioned, is normally one of the very best in the NHL, but injuries (and a concussion) brought him back to the land of the mortals, as he put up a .900 save percentage. His back-up, Antti Niemi, was ridiculed after five games of unspeakably horrible goaltending in Florida and Pittsburgh, but he seemed to find his form with the Habs with a .929 SV% in 19 games. If Carey is healthy and in form, the Canadiens are easy favourites, but if he isn't, they at least have some support so long as Niemi repeats what he did last year.
Finally, let's address how the bolded players get to Montreal. Firstly, Ryan McDonagh, a Montreal draft pick in 2007, is never traded, as having already acquired Vincent Lecavalier, the Habs have no need to acquire Scott Gomez. Secondly, having given up Josh Gorges, the Canadiens never get one of the two picks they trade to Chicago for Andrew Shaw. As a result, the Habs hold on to the other pick, which is used on Alex DeBrincat. Seth Jones comes to Montreal thanks to the Habs drafting Ryan Johansen in 2010, while Jack Roslovic is drafted in the 1st Round in 2015.
Next week, I will post Part II of this scenario, where I look at the Tampa Bay Lightning's fortunes, as well as giving a verdict on this hypothetical deal.


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The Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC) provides independent research and authoritative recommendations to aid the development of policies for the UK's creative industries, contributing to their continued success.
The Centre provides a step-change for our three main stakeholders - industry, policymakers and the wider research community - in the quality of evidence for the creative industries, asking some of the best researchers across the UK the most pressing questions about the sector.
The PEC is led by innovation foundation Nesta and involves a UK-wide consortium of universities, comprising Birmingham; Cardiff; Edinburgh; Glasgow; Work Foundation at Lancaster University; LSE; Manchester; Newcastle; Sussex, and Ulster. The PEC's Director and Principal Investigator is Hasan Bakhshi, who is also Executive Director, Creative Economy and Data Analytics at Nesta.
The Centre works with a broad and inclusive group of partners from across the creative industries, including the Creative Industries Federation. Initial industry partners also include Creative England, the British Film Institute and Tech Nation.
The PEC is part of the Creative Industries Clusters Programme led by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and funded through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.


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Top 10 Books I'm looking forward to in 2016
Top 10 of 2015 Week is hosted by Rachel from Fiktshun, Jaime of Two Chicks on Books, Mindy of Magical Urban Fantasy Reads, and Nancy of Tales of a Ravenous Reader!
There's so many books I'm looking forward to in 2016, but not all of them have covers yet. So, these are just the books I'm excited about that have their cover images created/released already.
Author: Melissa Landers
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi
Series: Starflight #1
Release Date: Feb. 2, 2016
Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.
Author: Grace Draven
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Wraith Kings #2
Release Date: Jan. 31, 2016
In a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis has unleashed a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness and on the brink of war. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to secure his throne.
Three enemy kingdoms must unite to save each other, and a one-eyed, reluctant king must raise an army of the dead to defeat an army of the damned.
The Murder of Mary Russell
Author: Laurie R. King
Genre: Mystery
Series: Mary Russell #14
Release Date: April 5, 2016
When the novel opens, the shabby carpet of 221B Baker Street is drenched in blood—and no one knows the fate of Mary Russell. Could this be the final performance for the world's best-known Holmesian author?
City of the Lost
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: Mystery
Series: Casey Duncan #1
Release Date: Jan. 14, 2016
Casey Duncan once killed a man and got away with it. Since then she's become a talented police detective, tethered only to her job, her best friend, Diana, and the occasional evening with her sexy, no-strings-attached ex-con lover, Kurt. But then Diana's abusive ex finds her again, despite all Casey has done to help her disappear. And Casey's own dark past begins to catch up with her. The two women need to run—and Diana's heard of a place where they won't be found, a town especially for people like them…
Where the Wild Things Bite
Author: Molly Harper
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Half-Moon Hollow #5
Release Date: July 26, 2016
Delivering a rare book to a valued customer is definitely part of mild-mannered archivist Anna Winthrop's job description. You know what isn't? Protecting her precious cargo from mid-flight theft by the very pilot who is flying her to Half-Moon Hollow…while trying to appear as unappetizing as possible to the only other passenger, a vampire. Undead bookstore owner Jane Jameson could be waiting a very long time for her book. Possibly forever.
Fortunately, Anna's dashing fanged companion Finn Palmeroy helps her fend off the attack, but not before their plane crash lands in the forest hundreds of miles from civilization. Great, now she's stranded with a priceless tome and a rakish vampire whose bedtime is fast approaching. Why does everyone want this book so badly, anyway? Anna just wants to get it to Jane before Finn decides to turn her into dinner-or sweep her off her feet. Okay, the second option is really tempting. But they're not out of the woods yet…
White Tiger
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Shifters Unbound #8
Release Date: April 5, 2016
For twenty years, Kendrick, a white tiger Shifter, has been the Guardian of un-Collared Shifters who spend their lives living in secret—and in fear of being shunted into Shiftertowns. When Kendrick's group is discovered and forced to flee, Kendrick is more desperate than ever to protect them
In a diner in the middle of nowhere, lonely waitress Addison Price has seen a lot of unusual drifters come and go, but none has ever captivated—and intimidated—her like the imposing fugitive who wields a broadsword with incredible skill. But when he risks all to protect her, Addison's fear turns to empathy—and empathy to desire as she learns more about her savior. Soon she's more than willing to help the crushingly sensual white tiger and his cubs in a passionate bid for freedom. Whatever the cost.
The Last Adventure of Constance Verity
Author: A. Lee Martinez
Genre: Fantasy
Series: N/A
Release Date: June 14, 2016
Ever since she was granted a wish at birth by her fairy godmother, Constance Verity has become one of the world's great adventurers. It all began at her seventh birthday party when she defeated a snake. She has become a master of exotic martial arts, a keen detective, and possesses a collection of strange artifacts gathered from her adventures. But Constance has spent the past twenty-eight years saving the world, and she's tired of it. All she wants is to work in an office and date a nice, normal guy. And she is finally figured out a way to do it: she's going to kill her fairy godmother and reset her life. The only problem, though, is that saving the world is Constance's destiny. She's great at it, and there are forces at work to make sure she stays in the job.
Then again, it's also her destiny to have a glorious death.
Author: Kristen Callihan
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Darkest London #7
Release Date: June 28, 2016
Miss Layla Starling, the young, beautiful, and extremely wealthy heiress, is the talk of London. Until now, she's managed to evade the marriage noose. Despite the fact that she is unfortunately American, she's received a staggering number of offers. And turned down every one. St. John Evernight does not want to admit the relief he feels every time he hears that she has rejected one of her suitors. Which is unfair of him. Layla deserves to be happy. But he can not offer her happiness. He will never be normal, never be anything but a freak in her world. So St. John resolves to keep his distance, until he is recruited by the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals to guard Layla. For she is in grave danger, and he is about to learn the full extent of his powers.
The Abyss Surrounds Us
Author: Emily Skrutskie
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi
Series: Abyss Surrounds Us #1
Release Date: Feb. 8, 2016
For Cassandra Leung, bossing around sea monsters is just the family business. She's been a Reckoner trainer-in-training ever since she could walk, raising the genetically-engineered beasts to defend ships as they cross the pirate-infested NeoPacific. But when the pirate queen Santa Elena swoops in on Cas's first solo mission and snatches her from the bloodstained decks, Cas's dream of being a full-time trainer seems dead in the water.
There's no time to mourn. Waiting for her on the pirate ship is an unhatched Reckoner pup. Santa Elena wants to take back the seas with a monster of her own, and she needs a proper trainer to do it. She orders Cas to raise the pup, make sure he imprints on her ship, and, when the time comes, teach him to fight for the pirates. If Cas fails, her blood will be the next to paint the sea.
Night Study
Author: Maria V. Snyder
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Soulfinders #2
Release Date: Jan. 26, 2016
Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana's has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.
Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he's quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he's been keeping secrets from Valek…secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander's mysterious plans, they realize it's far more sinister that they could have ever imagined.