Time for the Canucks to hit the button, really and truly thinking this club is gonna miss the playoffs...

The future of the Vancouver Canucks. Question is who the hell is gonna fucking start playing with these guys??? Canucks worried this lad tonight, though the new D looked good despite their plus/minus. Holy shit though, tis team needs to score!

""A university in the Halifax area is banning the use of computer software designed to help professors catch plagiarists.

Student leaders at Mount Saint Vincent University in Bedford, N.S., have been lobbying to stop professors from using the online database turnitin.com, and the university's senate agreed in a vote on Monday.

"Students go to university for a higher education. They don't go to be involved in a culture of mistrust, a culture of guilt," said Chantal Brushett, president of the students union.""

Dear god, 'a culture of guilt' shouldn't the guilt come from the cheating, not the honest students fear of being caught??? Seems to me the student leaders may not be the most honest students, or are bowing to the not so honest membership. Though I'd post this forum to gather the Doc's opinion...

Could this be the next Kipper? I really like what Nonis did at the deadline, the D is shored up, and with the return (hopefully) of the top three D; we're about as deep in that dept. as any club in the league. Brown brings some toughness which'll be welcome as it seems Brookbank was rushed back, still looks dizzy out there. Hopefully the veteran leadership of Carney and Mr. yellow visor will help the room a bit, as I have a hunch it needs it. Shall be interesting to see what the next few games bring. In not trading Bert, I think management was giving er one last go with the core, and attempting to keep Naslund happy and content. That or the offers either weren't there, or not a fair swap for the 'asset.' Hoping this club will finish strong and head deep, however I've been let down before................

DRo wins the ten spot...in your face JFu!!!!

Oscar night coming up, little soire at JFu's, tis gonna be great. And did I mention I'm gonna win 10 bucks?

Why do they always pose with the cute baby ones??? Sir Paul and his lovely wife are creating quite a bit of global noise in anticipation of the annual Newfoundland seal hunt....thoughts??? Personally, I feel seal hunts draw the ire of many due to graphic, brutal way in which the animals are harvested (thus bludgened and clubbed) yet culling of the population is the only way to ensure healthy fish stocks. Funny how we interfere with nature by way of economics huh??? I hear after the ice flows, Sir Paul is gonna hang with that hack Sting and the dude with his flared nose down below the equator. Speaking of which, what's with these old washed up rock stars? Rod Stewart is recording the worst (yet best selling) music of his life; but none the less still siring children with super hot young uns. Good for him, maybe Paul and Gordon Summner ought forget about the wasting globe and indulge in more earthly delights like Mr. Stewart. And the pun was intended.

'A la SNL of the late 80's:'

'Bure' - Here me now, and believe me later Gino; you are so pumped, not like that girly-man Capain Kirk in his little tights and cape.

'Gino' - Rocket, flex for me and I 'will pump you up'

Lordy am I bored tonight, don't feel modivated to do a damn thing. Laying around watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas on TV and feel the need to chew on an adrenal gland...if only half of what Mr Thompson claimed to do was done, truly a miracle they made it out alive. Man, to trash a hotwl room like that...While on the film note, watched Domino last night. Some interesting filmaking re. pacing, lighting, shots etc (and holy shit is Ms. Knightley some hot stuff) but the dialog blew. The story probably could have been dealt with in a better fashion as well. Ok, enough rambling, I'm predicting the Swedes to take the gold tommorrow by a two or three goal margin. Hank and Daniel are gonna shine...

Leaked pic of a bruised and battered Bond...still not sure about this guy.

Especially after reading this quote:

Daniel Craig stunned James Bond bosses when he couldn't drive 007's classic car - reports LSE.

Filmmakers had transported Bond's original Aston Martin DB5 to the Bahamas to shoot new movie 'Casino Royale'.

But the star confessed he didn't have a license to drive the manual car, which Sean Connery drove when he played the dashing spy.

The 39-year-old reportedly said: "Er... I don't do gears."

An insider is quoted in Britain's Daily Star newspaper as saying: "They've started shooting here and are using the old DB5, which is absolutely sensational. It was shipped over and was ready to go but then we found out he can't drive a manual car.

"So we have had to adapt it so it's like an automatic. You don't expect that with James Bond, to be honest."

Last year, Craig admitted he is struggling to overcome his biggest fear to play Bond - he's terrified of guns.

The star will have to handle weapons in the film but said he was left petrified after seeing a real life bullet wound.

He said at the time: "I hate handguns. They are used to shoot people and as long as they are around, people will shoot each other. I've seen a bullet wound and it was a mess."

Don't need these anymore, surgery was easy as pie...going for my follow up post op today, though everything is already crystal clear with no pain whatsoever. Watch this blog for another excitng entry re. eye surgery. Will be up shortly............

Caught the tail end of this film yesterday, and had forgotten just how great it is...didn't do any research for this post, but the French actor who plays the inspector (also a wise old guy in Ronin and Munich) is a superb actor. I need to learn more about him. Anyway, if you haven't seen the movie, do yourself a favour and watch a classic cat and mouse chase with this one. But don't, repeat don't mistake this for the Bruce Willis movie where computers talk to you, and you can pick up vans with enough firepower to bring down mountains. All while sneering and sporting that 'I was good in Moonlighting, wasn't I?' look. After Reindeer Games Bruce's version of 'Jackal' should go down as one of the most ridiculous pieces of film ever shot.

Wow, the long lost Sutter brother!

Don't point that piece at me please Vice President Chenney. I understand he gunned down a 78 year old lawyer while quail hunting yesterday. Wonder if the lawyer was a member of the Axis of Evil? What's next 'Shrub' aka Bush Junior takes out his lawyers eye while juggling foreign policies? Look out Iran, he's only got so much longer in power.....

Had it with this guy, had it with the manager, the coach, the so called 'power forward' the injuries, the refs, the ice, the pucks, the game itself....FUCK

The NHL has reached a settlement with a group of recreational hockey players over the Stanley Cup.

Gard Shelley and David Burt, members of a Toronto pickup hockey league called the Wednesday Nighters, filed a claim against the NHL and the trophy's trustees in Ontario Superior Court last April, seeking clarification of the terms under which Lord Stanley provided the Cup and how it is to be awarded.
The Stanley Cup is shown here with a young fan and former coach Scotty Bowman. (CP File Photo)

The group challenged the NHL's claim that it had exclusive control of the Cup and contended that Lord Stanley wanted the best hockey teams to compete for the trophy every year when he donated the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup in 1892.

The cancellation of the 2004-05 NHL season meant the Stanley Cup was not awarded last season, but Shelley and David Burt filed its claim seeking to ensure that the trophy is contested for even in the event of another labour dispute.

Shelley and David Burt argued that the Cup's trustees – Ian (Scotty) Morrison, former head of the Hockey Hall of Fame, and former NHL official Brian O'Neill – should be able to award it to someone else if another lockout or strike wipes out an NHL season..

A court hearing on the case was scheduled for Tuesday, but Tim Gilbert, the lawyer for Shelley and Burt, confirmed Tuesday that a settlement has been reached with the NHL.

"A David and Goliath story," Gilbert said Tuesday morning.

Under the terms of the deal, the NHL acknowledges that the trustees who control the Cup can award it to a non-NHL team in a year where the league doesn't operate.

Also, the NHL must donate $100,000 a year into hockey leagues for women and underprivileged children for the next five years.

The settlement does not mean the trustees have to award the Cup if there is another work stoppage, only that they now have the option to do so.

"In a lot of respects, the litigation was the sole remaining vestige of a year-long labour dispute that was difficult for us and for our fans," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said. "It was time to turn the page and move on.

"We're satisfied that the terms of the settlement adequately protect the league's interests."

He's going to have to stand on his head for a few more games before getting a break. Tonight's bold prediction: Nucks 5, Blue JackAsses 2

HaHa, look at Monkey Faced Taylor laughing at that poor 'Hawk.

A lovely book here kids. A pal at work, who's Irish, but loves Scottish writing turned me on to this title. I've read loads of other Ian Rankin novels from his series centered around Inspector J Rebus, and so I really didn't know what to expect from his first ever Novel, The Flood. He wrote it while still in University, and may have written his best book yet in my opinion. It's set in a now Defunct Fife coal mining town and follows three generations of a very unusual family through their trials and tribulations. The sections dealing with Sandy, the 15 yr old bastard son were really telling and fun. Anyhow, think it was released in rather low numbers, but keep your eyes peeled in those dusty old book stores, for Rankin is an author to read.

Pic courtesy of a Revolutionary...maybe this guy could pull it off.......Got my room wired today and all set up with surround sound, can't believe what a difference the new woofer and good wiring makes...scary shit; which should be the first Bond film to break this room's cherry???

Apart from golfing, this looks like a fine way to spend one's retired years eh?

Two of the only pics I have from Havana as my batteries croaked out for the digital (another reason I'm ready to swear off the technology for holidays, weddings etc) and sixty bucks for two Lithiums seemed like a bit of a gouge. Alas, the beautiful, though crumbling city lives in my minds eye...I only hope it someday regains it's splendor and pride.

These pics were taken one early morning where I joined up with a couple of fellow Canucks for a round of golf on the Dupont's old mansion on the North coast of Cuba:

Alrighty, finally some pics of Cuba for you all: Loved this billboard in the village of Varadero. These pics were all taken in varadero, where I tried to escape the commercialism of the resort area where I was staying. This was the start of a look deep inside the poverty that envelops a very proud, lovely population. I wish I hadn't traveled to Cuba alone, as my first trip to a third world country demanded conversations that were inpossible to begin with tourists seeking only sun and mucho rum.

Man alive, just found these pics...prior to Cuba I drove straight from work and went to Geo's. Fair enough to say we got a little loaded and I wandered home at 5ish to turn in for the 'night.' After night shift, I'd been up for over 24 hrs at this point. Must have pulled out the digital and tried to get all artsy in the Doc's hallway. Sleep deprivation and Stella abuse yields photos like these mes amis.

Here's the Panic Button Nonis needs to hit! Wow, is this team unacceptable....absolutely puzzling. Anyhow, last post prior to Cuba; talk to y'all later. Adios Amigos.

In an unpresidented move Crawford will start both Alex Auld and Maxime Ouellet in net wednesday versus the Dallas Stars, while Crawford will mix up the lines with 3 forwards and one defenceman. He claims that the 2 goalies that will start will be able to defend the net better than just one. By doing this crawford claims that he has founded a new goaltending style which will help loosing teams. Both Auld and Ouellet will be able to play side by side or stack on top of each other for deflections. Reactions from all around the league have been fast and furious with comments from Mika Kiprusoff such as "Ha HA Ha". Crawfords mixing up of the core lines with one defenseman and 3 forwards is said to bring speed and basically allow a non present defense to conitnue its non presence. The gamble should pay off, while perhaps playing shorthanded the whole game would get players playing with heart, and perhaps into shape in order to get them hustling again. Crawford earlier started to teach the defenseman of the Vancouver canucks how to play goal so they could fall back during odd rushes, however Crawford arrived at starting two goaltenders by realizing his defenseman couldnt block shots to save their lives, coupled by the defensemans non stop efforts to leave the zone too quickly.

Check out Rory's restoration of the '79 here....

The Nephew makes this old man proud, what a kid...

Link

Heading here on the Ninth to forget about hockey for a while! Oh yeah, and to forget about work too...heehee...email addy if ya want a postcard. God, I can't wait to swing a golfclub, home on the 17th.

Alrighty then, here's the score as I see it. The Nucks are losing ground fast and furious. They've exhausted all efforts at trying to find the diamond in the rough via Manitoba. To date, there's been ten call ups I believe. The lastest one is done for ages with a busted leg. Still limped off the ice though, tough lad. Reports say Jovo is doubtful again for tonight with some sort of 'lower body injury,' and our latest goaltender experiment is failing misereably to say the least. If this slump continues, the team will be in the basement before we know it. Puffy's gotta have something up his sleeve hasn't he? I also wonder if ownership actually gives a shit, the building is selling out ain't it????

Betcha this guy would have fared better than Alex Auld last night; Auld's positioning is truly starting to freak me out. Nonis better lay off the buttertarts this holiday season and get on the phone. Our goldtending situation is fragile. A few more bad games, or even worse and injury, and the price for another keeper is going to go up steeply. I really hate the postition the Nucks are in at the moment: WCE is rocking, even without a completely absent Morrison. Anyone remember the days when he used to hit as well? No more. Second line is our best, matter of time before some bastard runs right over one of the twins and takes him out for a while. I'm liking the third and four lines, though Kesler needs to eat some popcorn and watch from above. The kids wheels are great, but he needs to find his touch again. Great seeing Cooke back in the lineup, they truly are a differnt club with him in the lineup. Again, this brings us to goaltending. Freaky, freaky, freaky. Don't know if Nonis is thinking of a no. 1 or no. 2 - I think he should be thinking of a starter. Cloutier can be packaged in the summer for some pics/prospects. No more can we deal with these freaky injuries. I feel horrible for the guy; but the more Nucks hockey I watch, the more I realize Auld is being pushed too far along, too quickly. he will be a great goaltender, but the pressure of being a no. 1 is getting to him. He's letting in weak goals that Cloutier would have on an off night, and his overall positioning and rebound control has been steadily dwindling over the past few weeks. Alas I ramble, and hope that our GM makes his mark by shaking up this club and aquiring the pieces we so desperately need.

Well, Cloutier's knee is shot, requiring surgery. What Nonis going to do? As much as I've loved Auld's play of late, I doubt he can carry the load for a full four months. As the cap doesn't count against players on the injured reserve; I suspect we'll see a move in the near future with Nonis attempting to pick up a new keeper.

I'm moved back in!!! Some prelim pics. Still a few odds and ends to take care of, but I can tell you I've never just wanted to stay in my room for so long once I got moved back in. Odd how we get so in a funk with such a simple wee change...

The Nephew told me the other night that this mask (AKA Chief Dan George) freaks him out...anyone else out there scared of painted Cedar?

Loving this album, what a recording, check it out.

/www.emilianatorrini.com/

Saw this truck going across the bridge the other day and snapped a shot of his licence plate. Think he's a nerd who sits in fields all night looking for flying sacucers, or is he some mutant alien spy in our midst waiting for just the right time to call down the ships and turn us all into Yoda food???

Well well, long time no post. Just to inform you all that I've still got the renovation touch. Redid a bedroom here at home that some silly bastard had destroyed. Found a 3/4" solid oak floor hiding beneath a sexy red disco rug that was in fact - GLUED to this oak. Suffice to say, after 6 hrs scraping, approx 18 hrs sanding and five hours varathaning, it looks swell. Will be tacking on the trims, tassing round some filler, caulk, and paint to touch up and I can move back into my room. I'd be willing to provide this sevice to anyone out there who can provide me with vast amounts of Tech Cominco stock, BJ's from supermodels, or simply vast sums of the almighty Canuck Buck. Do not reccomend wasting days of your lives doing it, do what I should have - hire some shmo.

If a Canuck goaltender is weak or fragile, the elder members of the bandwagon will kill and eat it. Thus the circle of life continues.

Hey kids, in addition to driving one of these:



I got my new job and also get to run this:



and this:



As well as one of these:



And best of all, this baby:



Should be a hoot learning all the new equipment, God know I need a change. Training will be about four months, then at least a day or two per set after that.