Everything All Canuck

2008 NHL Draft, ABC's new hockey series, and baseball deja vu

2008-06-20T23:24:00.003-04:00

Well, this evening, the NHL held its annual draft --- the annual ritual where 18 year old junior hockey players become multi-millionaire adults. This year, the draft took place north of the border in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, Ontario. There were little surprises with those selected. Of note, the Toronto Maple Leafs moved up in the draft selection sequence and picked defenseman Luke Schenn. This is certainly the beginning of a new era in Maple Leafs hockey and it is apparent that General Manager Cliff Fletcher wants to shake things up. Of note even before the draft started was the news that the Leafs have given the Montreal Canadiens exclusive permission to talk with Mats Sundin. This is ironic since Sundin invoked his "no trade" clause prior to the trade deadline this past season when the Habs expressed strong interest in him for the playoff and Stanley Cup run.

In other news from the draft, the Florida Panthers traded their captain, Olli Jokinen to the Phoenix Coyotes. In return, the Panthers received two former first round pick defensemen, Keith Ballard and Nick Boynton. While Jokinen was a fan favourite, he pulled a disappearing act in the last 22 games last season, scoring only 5 goals --- at exactly the time when the Panthers needed him the most! Now, it is time for the rest of the Panthers to step up and lead this team to the playoffs!

Speaking of hockey, what is with ABC's new soap, "MVP"? The show shows hockey players as self-centered, drug addicts or alcoholics. The show is laughable; they don't even show these guys wearing a pair of Bauers!!!! The only thing missing is a stereo-typical Canuck accent and a flurry of "oooots" and sentences ending with "eh".

And, am I stuck in a time warp? Seems the Toronto Blue Jays fired their manager and the entire coaching staff and replaced the former with...wait...yes, Cito Gaston! Yes, you reading correctly. This is the same Cito that took the Jays to the promised land year after year after year and made the Jays one of the most feared teams in baseball history --- THE 1992 AND 1993 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!!! What's next? I guess the Jays bring Dave Stieb, Jim Clancy, Tom Henke, Duane Ward out of retirement for the pitching staff AND convince Joe Carter, Kelly Gruber, George Bell, Jesse Barfield, John Olerud back to the major leagues! "O.K....Blue Jays!...Let's Play Ball!!!!!"

A Need to Blog --- A Sad Historic Day and Hope for the Future

2008-06-05T22:54:00.009-04:00

I have not authored an entry on this blog in some time --- personal reasons and time have been barriers. But, with June 5th ticking away, I felt compelled to express some views about this day --- the 4oth anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy's assassination at the hands of the cold blooded murderer, Sirhan Sirhan. I was not born until a month later in July 1968, but even as a Canadian school student, we were exposed to American history and the impact that RFK had on American politics during JFK's short-lived 1,000 days and his own "maturity" after becoming a Senator for the state of New York. RFK's campaign only lasted 82 days --- minute compared to what we have experienced over the last many months between Obama and Clinton. But, during those 82 days, there was hope --- hope that the United States would finally leave Vietnam; hope that the race divide would end even after MLK's murder in Memphis; hope that the divide between the have's and have not's would be narrowed. This was the hope and dream that vanished after RFK stepped off the podium at the Ambassador Hotel that fateful night. Some would say that this dream has never been rekindled --- and this can be true.

What has followed after RFK? Nixon's escalation in Vietnam and Cambodia and as Gerald Ford so aptly stated, "the long, national nightmare". This was followed by Carter and the humiliation of the Iran hostage taking. Reagan? The great communicator who did not know he was even president during his second term? Yes, he made the United States feel good again, but at what price? Bush Sr.'s presidency was a blip --- forget about reading his lips about taxes and his war for oil that his son has escalated into a quagmire that will leave this country --- the country where dreams are made of --- bankrupted and hated many external forces. Clinton was promise unfulfilled; if only he had kept his $#^&* in his pants.

And, on this day that we mournfully look back 40 years ago, it is ironic...but more so, we are hopeful that RFK's dream has come alive once again in the form of Barack Obama. Obama is packing them in for his speeches that are reminiscent of the crowds that reached out to RFK. His words are inspiring and he is reaching out to all backgrounds to join him to make this country great AGAIN and stresses the potential that this great country has and a need to shed ourselves of the last eight nightmare years of George W. Bush.

So, on this day, we should not forget the passing of RFK and images that have haunted us for 4o years --- the famous picture of the hotel worker holding his near-lifeless body in the Ambassador Hotel's kitchen, the funeral train winding its way from New York to Washington, or Teddy Kennedy's famous eulogy. We should also be looking to the future and hope that RFK's dream for a just American society is channeled through Barack Obama and an historical victory in November!

Final Thoughts for Exercise 7 - Week 3

2007-09-13T23:42:00.000-04:00

Well, time is running short to get all my blog postings for Week 3 in.

So, here goes my "mini" rant about technology. It seems that this past week Apple Corporation "refunded" $100.00 to those techno addict junkies who acquired the iPhone gadget during its original time of sale. Why? Well, it seems Apple decided to cut the price of the toy by $200.00, thus alienating those who stood in line for hours or sometimes even days ... or those who mortgaged their homes and bought the device on eBay. Actually, it is not even a refund --- it is a credit to be spent at Apple stores. In the end, Apple Corporation gets the dollars no matter what. My rant is why should consumers who want to be the guinea pigs for new technology get a break? I guess it is goodwill on Apple's part, but those who purchased the iPhone knew very well that Apple would cut the price at some point. It always happens with technology --- whether it be an iPod, a notebook, cell phone.

What does this have to do with Canada? Not much...sorry. But, the iPhone currently is not available for use on Canada's wireless network providers (Rogers, Telus, Bell Mobility). At this point in time, the iPhone is only available through AT&T Wireless in the United States. But, there are hackers who have been able to crack the iPhone lock. See the article on CNN's web site:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/ptech/08/24/iphone.unlocked.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch

By the way...

ONLY 22 DAYS AND 19 HOURS AND 2 MINUTES UNTIL THE FLORIDA PANTHERS OPEN THEIR 2007-2008 NHL HOCKEY SEASON!!!!

Shana Tova - Flickr Third Party Tools

2007-09-13T22:57:00.001-04:00

Today is the first day of Rosh Hashanah --- Happy New Year!

As such, I was fortunate to have the day off to attend synagogue with my wife and enjoy lunch with friends. While immediate family is back in Canada celebrating the High Holidays, we are fortunate to have excellent friends down here and to celebrate this joyous time of the year. To all friends and family far and wide and close to South Florida, we wish you a healthy, happy, and prosperous new year --- Shana Tova.

Now, onto the official work.

As part of the Library Web 2.0 initiative, the next exercise is to examine Flickr third party tools. I found one in particular that allows a Flickr account user to embed a Flash program to display all public photos on a web site (or in this case, my blog) without having to physically point to the Flickr site. Check it out...

Flick anywhere can be found at http://www.flickranywhere.com/ .

Canadiana At Work

2007-09-11T22:55:00.000-04:00

There have been comments that my office (or personal workspace) is a shrine to all that is Canadian --- hockey, beer, hockey. As part of the TLC 2.0 exercises, here is a glimpse of my clutter:

Empty Sleeman beer bottles --- by all miracles, Sleeman can be found for purchase at Albertson's in South Florida!!!! Better than that swill that is called BUD!

Toronto Maple Leafs "tapestry" commemorating the 1967 Stanley Cup Championship - the last time the Leafs Nation had something to really cheer about.

Empty box of Crispy Crunch candy bars

Guided tours of my office are available from 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Admission is free of charge. All pictures are publicly available on FLICKR using the tag, "NSUTLC2.0". However, here is a sample...

9-11-07 - We must never forget

2007-09-11T22:28:00.001-04:00

Stars & Stripes with Canadian Flag
Originally uploaded by acopnick

It seems that the arrival of 9-11 is a day that everyone now fears and looks forward to its conclusion. Now that it is almost over and done with for another year, it seems that the atmosphere in a workplace is somewhat subdued, bordering on mournful. And, as it should. It should be a day to remember those who so tragically lost their lives in an instant of sheer madness, thus changing the lives of those who were closest to them.

The images are frozen in time; two planes charging towards the World Trade Center's towers, a massive fire at the Pentagon, and a crater in a barren field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. While a previous generation remembers where they were exactly when JFK was killed, the same is true when this generation saw or heard the news that terrorism had landed in the United States and wreaked havoc.

On this day, Canada became a temporary landing strip for commercial airliners who were forced to the ground for the first time since air travel became a way of life for all of us. In the midst of utter confusion and chaos, air traffic controllers from Vancouver, British Columbia to Gander, Newfoundland guided both domestic and international flights carrying passengers of all nationalities safely to the ground. And, it was communities like Halifax, Nova Scotia and Winnipeg, Manitoba who took care of the weary homesick travellers like they were members of their own families. Canada became a temporary safe haven during those heady days in September 2001.

The next time you are travelling and there are long lines to get through security, or you are forced to remove your shoes or required to show your 3 ounce bottle of shampoo/conditioner, remember to put one thing in perspective. You must never forget those who lost their lives during that terrible day and for the response teams who lost their lives attempting to rescue those in need.

Loss of a legend

2007-09-07T01:30:00.000-04:00

This posting has nothing to do with Canada, but instead, has everything to do with the loss of a legend. Lucianno Pavarotti passed away after battling pancreatic cancer at the too early age of 71. While opera buffs may debate Pavarotti's legacy against those of his predecessors (Caruso, Bjoerling) and peers (Carreras, Domingo), there is one thing for certain --- he was larger than life and had an even larger voice. Pavarotti was the Enrique Caruso of this generation. He will be forever known as one of the three "Great Tenors" and his rendition of "Nessun Dorma" from Puccini's opera "Turandot" for the 1990 World Cup of soccer in Italy will live on.

The world of music has lost a legend. Please enjoy this clip of Pavarotti's last public performance at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics closing ceremonies. Even sick and frought with cancer, his voice was rich, vibrant, and full of life.

Where Canadians Travelled and Visited

2007-08-30T17:00:00.000-04:00

My entry today concerns a very interesting web article located on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's news web site. The article discusses where Canadians travelled and spent their holidays. I guess not to my surprise, Canadians visited the United States 15,992,000 of the total 22,731,000 trips abroad in 2006. According to the statistics, that is 1.1 million more visits than in 2005 and almost 2.5 million more than in 2001. Of the most visited states between 2000 and 2006, New York, Michigan, Washington, California, and Ohio were the top ranked respectively. Of course, Florida ranked high for winter visits...no kidding! Starting in November, I feel as if I am driving in Montreal or Toronto with the number of Quebec and Ontario license plates (notice, I did not say "TAGS" --- what is a tag?). What kills me is that there are so many Quebecers here during December that the pre-game announcements for the Montreal Canadiens/Florida Panthers game are made in both English and French. C'mon --- gimme a break!

So, what has caused this surge in travel to the United States? Travel south of the border has always been a magnet for Canucks, whether it be for NFL Football (Buffalo Bills), bargains at outlet malls for cross-border shopping, cheaper cigarettes and liquor, or the thrill of hugging Mickey Mouse. But, I think it is more than that. The U.S. dollar has fallen on hard times of late on the world's currency exchange markets (and, who is to blame for that? --- a high five from me personally to the first who answers the question correctly), making travel a literal bargain compared with going to Europe. The Canadian dollar as of today is trading at almost 95 cents U.S. currency. That is almost on par; this has not been the case since the mid to late 70's. As a contrast, the Canadian dollar was worth a miniscule 64 cents in U.S. currency in August 1998. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm....who was the President of the United States back then? Travelling to Canada was a bargain, even with the provincial sales taxes and federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 7 per cent. As visitors to Canada, you were eligible to receive a refund for goods purchased and your hotel taxes.

Americans continue to visit the "Great White North" --- but the numbers are falling off due to the above and to the current administration's passport regulations. While there were 13,856,000 overnight trips across the 49th parallel in 2006, this is a decrease of 500,000 from 2005 and 2.3 million less from 2002.

Just as an aside, Cuba was the fifth most popular destination for Canadian tourists --- 638,000 visits in 2006. Why is this so? One word ---- CHEAP. A dialogue about this is worthy of another blog posting.

Article from The Toronto Star - Canadian Perspective!

2007-08-29T14:07:00.000-04:00

In a follow-up to my previous post, please check out an article from today's Toronto Star written by Antonia Zerbisias about Miss South Carolina --- a truly Canadian perspective!

Miss South Carolina - Teen USA

2007-08-29T00:17:00.000-04:00

Here is my latest blog entry. As a Canadian living in the USA, I was wonderstrucked by the sheer stupidity of Miss South Carolina during the Teen USA contest earlier in the week (yes, my wife had the show on TV....really). For those who are not familiar with this national crisis (I hear the screaming from Charleston right now!), Miss South Carolina was asked why most Americans cannot locate this country on a map. The answer that was uttered from her lips had me saying, "What?!?!?!?!". I think public libraries provide access to their collections, including maps. Check out this link to see the answer, complete with United Nations sponsored sub-titles.

Now, what does this have to do with Canada? I guess the answer that Miss South Carolina gave proved the point that the education system in the U.S. is on par with Sierra Leone. Maybe her role model was the current President, who needed a AAA trip-tik to find his way to the recent Mexico-Canada-U.S. summit outside Ottawa, Ontario --- yes, the nation's capital. As a product of the public school system, I was taught WORLD geography and knew the states that made up the USA (of course, the first state I knew was Florida because that's where family vacations took place), we knew that Washington, D.C. was the nation's capital, and that chicken wings were invented in Buffalo, New York! We were also taught European and Asian geography and knew that Australia was not only a country but a continent, too! What a revelation that would be to Miss South Carolina --- how can a country be a continent as well. I guess that would be too much data for her brain cells.

I think I know what Miss South Carolina was trying to say through her gibberish, but of course it came out all wrong, especially the point where she says that some Americans don't have access to maps. Huh? Honey, if you need a map, I have a whole bunch to donate from my previous year's trips assisting my mother on her annual snowbird trek to South Florida. I have the entire Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeastern states, including AAA Tour Books. So, if you are reading this blog posting, just let me know ... I will MapQuest you directions on where to pick them up.

A H-U-G-E Omission

2007-08-28T17:48:00.000-04:00

A friendly voice from the "unknown" commented to me that I forgot to mention a big favourite of mine ---- MY WIFE.

How terrible of me --- yes, indeed, my wife is my PRIMARY favourite, but unfortunately, Dara does not have a web site or a blog to link to. After I get through this Web 2.0 exercise, I will try and convince her.

But, yes, indeed, my wife of almost 3 1/2 years is my favourite --- Sorry Bruce!!!

Home Opener - Florida Panthers

2007-08-28T00:13:00.000-04:00

Whoooooooooo-hooooooooooooooooooo ---- less than 40 days until the Florida Panthers open the 2007-2008 National Hockey League season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Actually, it is 39 days and 19 hours exactly as I write this blog entry. I have my tickets for the home opener, but have yet to latch onto a ticket plan. My wife and I had a 13-game mini-plan last season (but, I ended up seeing about 22 home games), but I was not permitted to renew at what I had originally paid for the two tickets during their end of the year renewal drive ("Pay now and lock in for 07-08 for what one paid for the 06-07 season"). I was not a happy camper --- so, instead, we'll go to less games and pick and choose. The must-see games are my hometown Leafs (GO LEAFS GO!) in December and February and my wife's Montreal Canadiens. Sell outs are assured for the games in December --- snowbirds galore and French Canadians in Speedos (just kidding --- too cold at the Bank Atlantic Center).

Hockey is a difficult sell down in South Florida, and I just cannot figure out why it is so with all the transplanted Northeasterners --- this area is a melange of New Yorkers, New Jerseyians, Pennsylvanians, and immigrants from Massachusetts and the smattering of midwesterners. Football...this is the true love down here; or as the short-lived 1970's sitcom, San Pedro Beach Bums said, "Football, you bet!". South Floridians love the 'Fins --- may it be another year of frustration. If the Panthers play up to their expectations, it could be a very interesting season now that the Ghost of Roberto Luongo has been purged with the addition of Tomas Vokoun. Only time will tell.

Introduction

2007-08-25T12:52:00.000-04:00

As the Rolling Stones once sang, "Please allow me to introduce myself". As the "About Me" indicates, my name is Andrew and I am a Canadian ex-pat living and working in South Florida as an Acquisitions Librarian for over 11 years. Even though I am located south of the border, you cannot take the Canuck out of the Canadian. Having been born in Montreal and raised in Toronto, I miss Hockey Night in Canada, good Canadian beer (not this Budweiser stuff!), Montreal smoked meat (beats the hell out of corned beef/pastrami), and the Autumn's changing colours.

So, what is the blogging stuff all about? The institution that I work for is encouraging all staff members to get Web 2.0 "compliant" --- and this includes getting on board with blogging, picture sharing, wikis, and interacting with the interconnected Web community. Being distanced from family and long-time friends, I have always used the Internet to maintain contact with everyone back in the Motherland, including email, instant messenging, and personal web pages. But, this blogging business is new to me and I obviously do not want to be left behind in the perverbial technology ice-age. Therefore, the TLC 2.0 challenge that has been initiated and encouraged by the Library (grateful that administration is giving time for performing the tasks) for which I work for is not a bad thing. The initiative is an opportunity to gain a new skill and to evolve into a "lifelong learner" --- the primary goal of the programme.

So, now to get back to the original question --- what is this blogging about? My first intuition is that this is an online diary sort of thing. Quite possibly. Indeed, it is a means of maintaining contact with friends and family and sharing memories, or simply documenting life events. But, it can be more that simply thoughts being documented in entries. The blog can be a means of exchanging viewpoints --- whether they be political (god forbid!) or non-political. This blog will not be limited to my profession, but to my interests including music (Springsteen IS God), sports (GO BUFFALO BILLS - SQUISH THE FISH!), my passion (aside from my wife --- golf), and travels.

So, sit back and enjoy this wild ride with me --- this is only the beginning of my Web 2.0 journey and I hope to enhance this blog as my knowledge becomes deeper. I welcome your comments and to interacting with you.