Today I wanted to show you an absolute gem of a party dress that I was kindly sent from Bonprix to try out and that is super cute and affordable for your xmas parties and celebrations this year.
The dress I am wearing is their Sequin Shift Dress* available in black or gold and sizes 8-20 for £49.99.
The sleeves and lace detailing are stretchy and a cute animal print effect, the body of the dress is very close fitted and doesn't stretch so depending on your shape I would possibly recommend sizing up if you carry your weight on your bottom half.
The dress overall is very comfy to wear and I like the coverage of the sleeves with the lace detailing as a really pretty way of still showing a little bit of skin in a classy way. As far as LBD's go this one is a (christmas) cracker and it looks fab on it's own inside a venue or outside I'd pair it with a fluffy coat or little shrug.
Let me know what you think of this dress in the comments, I plan on wearing it to a pre-xmas get together with my friends in a couple of weeks and have been looking at Bon Prix's other dress options for the office Xmas party on the 17th. I'll let you know what I come up with for that!
Thanks for reading and I have another Slimming World update very soon for you.


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Crash Course: A Beginner's Guide to Sparkling Wine
Written by Brooke Sager on December 9, 2019
American sparkling
Trentodoc
Illustration by Irene Goddard
Sparkling wine: it's the official libation of celebration. From the 18th-century French royal courts, to your sister's wedding, and the annual New Year countdown — where there's a milestone or holiday to commemorate, there's always bubbly flowing and someone shouting "Pop champagne!"
For starters, let's clear something up: Champagne is a wine region in France that makes sparkling wine; it's not a blanket term for all sparkling wine as a category.
Champagne is only one kind of bubbly (and often the most expensive). But with so many delicious options out there — most of which won't run you $200 like a bottle of Krug — people are starting to realize that the fizz need not be reserved for special occasions.
Popping bubbly on a Tuesday, simply because you feel like and it pairs well with dinner, is reason enough. Let's raise a toast to that and break down your options…
Only sparkling wine made with grapes from Champagne, France in the traditional method (basically, fermented in bottles) may be labeled Champagne.
Growing, harvesting, and processing standards in Champagne are rigorous, which is why this prestigious bubbly always comes with a hefty price tag.
Don't make mimosas with real-deal Champagne; it has delicate flavors and yeasty, nutty notes that don't care to mingle with OJ (but also, don't taint an $80 bottle with juice). Instead, pair champers with oysters, burrata toast, flaky pastries, and one pinky in the air because dang it, you're fancy.
Prosecco is Italy's most popular bubbly and everyone's brunch table staple. Made with Glera grapes, it's produced using the tank method (fermented in a tank), which is more affordable and often creates sparkling wines with lighter, spritzier bubbles.
Prosecco is fruitier and slightly sweeter than other bubblies, which makes it the perfect base for mimosas, bellinis, and other cocktails — the flavors won't clash with added mixers and spirits.
Hailing from Catalonia, Spain, Cava is made with three local grapes — Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo, for those wondering. It's aged just like Champagne, but the price is right — you can snag a great bottle for under $15.
Cava can be blanco (white) or rosado (pink). It's your drink-all-day bubbly that loves to play with all foods. It has tart acidity to cut through a greasy bacon-and-eggs breakfast, plus fresh flavors (citrus, apple, pear, minerals) to complement a green salad or Gazpacho.
Back in the day, many of California's most famous wineries were set up by the OGs of the Champagne world, like Roederer Estate (Louis Roederer) and Domaine Carneros (Taittinger).
Today, as desire for domestic sparkling continues to grow, many other wine regions across America are making noteworthy bubbly using a variety of grapes, like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Pinot Blanc.
So whether you're popping a bottle from Oregon or New York's Finger Lakes, there's no such thing as a "traditional" American sparkling wine — they're all a little different, and that's the beauty of it!
So, where do the bubbles come from?
Sparkling wine may be easy to drink, but it's complex to make since it undergoes two fermentations: one to make the wine and a second to create the bubbles. These are the two main methods used in bubbly production around the world:
Traditional method (aka Méthode Champenoise): This is the classic fermentation method started by the French in Champagne. Wine goes from still to sparkling (with added yeast and sugar) right inside of the bottle, then is left to age to create a more interesting bubbly. Some argue this method creates the highest quality bubblies, but it's also costly.
Tank method (aka Charmat Method): Technological advancements in the winemaking industry developed this more affordable option. The wines undergo their second fermentation to make bubbles (again, with added sugar and yeast) in a large tank, and are then bottled without aging. The final bubblies are often said to have fresher flavors.
Trentodoc is Italy's more elegant sparkling wine, grown in the high altitudes of the Italian Alps and made using the traditional method.
It has a fuller body and more richness than Prosecco, with crisp acidity and refreshing mineral notes — meaning, it belongs at the dinner table alongside a full-blown Italian meal of pasta all'Amatriciana or eggplant Parmesan.
In addition to Champagne, France is home to 22 other sparkling wine regions, eight of which produce delicious Crémants. This sparkling wine is made using the traditional method, but every region uses different grape varieties, giving each Crémant a unique flavor (and more economical price tag).
Generally, Crémants have high acidity and yeasty flavors, so if you're enjoying one with food, balance the acidity with something fatty (like a goat cheese omelet) and match the yeasty flavors with a crusty slice of bread.
The Germans may be best known for their beer, but they also produce sparkling wine called Sekt that many people don't know about — but should, because it's delicious.
Unlike most other fizzies, Sekt is made from Riesling, creating a sparkling wine that's bursting with freshness, ripe fruit, and zingy acidity. It also has a lower alcohol content (about 6 percent vs. the usual 12.5 to 13.5 percent).
Sekt is often sweet, making it the ultimate dessert wine to serve alongside cinnamon cookies and an array of soft, mild cheeses (like Brie or chèvre).
Brooke Sager is a freelance writer who shares her musings on wine, wellness, beauty, relationships, and all-things lifestyle.
Crash Course: A Beginner's Guide to Red Wine
Hungover? Don't Think About It. Just Drink This
9 Rosé Cocktails That Will Put Your Frosé to Shame This Summer
I Tested Cauliflower Parm 3 Ways — This Is the Best
Pop these fancy words like the corking expert you are.
Double-fist (not like that) with water in one hand and extra hydration in the other.
Rock the rosé and then the dance floor.
Yeah, you can parm anything but cauliflower especially deserves it.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Charlie Huddy Autograph Card
If the Edmonton Oilers win tonight against the Anaheim Ducks, they will pass them in the standings and be two points out of the final playoff spot in the Pacific Division; if the Winnipeg Jets beat the Arizona Coyotes tonight, they will catch up with the Colorado Avalanche in the Central Division standings.
What those two teams have in common is former star defenseman Charlie Huddy, who was part of all five of the Oilers' Stanley Cup-winning teams, as he is currently an assistant coach with the Jets. He also reached the Cup Final with the Oilers as well as the 1992-93 Los Angeles Kings, alongside fellow former Oilers Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri and Marty McSorley.
He finished sixth in Norris Trophy voting in both 1982-83 and 1983-84, and finished his career with 453 points (99 goals and 354 assists) in 1017 regular-season NHL games, and another 85 points (19 goals and 66 assists) in 182 playoff games. Not bad for a guy who didn't get drafted.
His big, black mustache screamed "1980s", and so did his play, where his go-to defensive-zone play was to bring opposing forwards closer to the boards to get bad-angle shots, but he had a decent shot, good skating skills and tremendous passing abilities.
Here he is wearing Edmonton's white (then-home) white 1980s uniform, from Upper Deck's 2013-14 Edmonton Oilers collection (card #FI-CH of the Franchise Ink sub-set), with a blue-sharpied autograph that was too large for the sticker they provided him with:
He's wearing a full beard here, so it's probably from the playoffs, either 1988 or 1990. I like that almost all of the 80s' Oilers wore those Jofa helmets.
Labels: 2013-14, Autograph, Card, Charlie Huddy, Edmonton Oilers, Franchise Ink, Hockey, Insert, NHL, Upper Deck
Jacob Markstrom Autographed Card
About a year and a half ago, I wrote that I believed Jacob Markstrom would become a very good #1 goalie in the NHL; this season, he is by far the best to have manned the Vancouver Canucks' crease, 13 goals-against average points and 8 save percentage points better than former Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller:
from HockeyDB.com
He has had 38- and 42-save nights against the Los Angeles Kings and Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively, and looked very solid in most games, save for one outing against the Boston Bruins on December 5th, a 4-0 loss where the whole team looked flat.
The Canucks therefore seem set in nets for when Miller's contract comes to an end, following next season. In the meantime, they'll probably have to resort to a timeshare situation, because he's just too good to leave on the bench.
I had mentioned back in April that I'd sent him four cards and he had returned the three featuring him with the Florida Panthers but not the one showing him with the Rochester Americans; that was rectified earlier last summer when I gathered extra mail from my old apartment, which had this card from In The Game's 2011-12 Heroes And Prospects set (it's card #168 in the collection, with the mention that he is a ''Rookie''):
It's signed in blue sharpie and looks really nice. I really like the fact that his mask sticks out of the frame - it's simple but effective, design-wise.
Ironically, Miller's also an Americans alumnus, as they have a long-standing relationship with the Buffalo Sabres, with whom he spent twelve years.
Labels: 2011-12, AHL, Autograph, By Mail, Card, Heroes And Prospects, Hockey, In The Game, Jacob Markstrom, Rochester Americans, Rookie Card
Brett Hull Jersey Card
I mentioned a trade last week involving Benchwarmer cards for hockey cards... well, here's the final card that made it my way:
Yes, that's Hall Of Famer Brett Hull, from card #GJ-BH of Upper Deck's 2014-15 Series 2 set (part of the UD Game Jersey sub-set with a white game-worn swatch enclosed), showing him in the St. Louis Blues' mid-1990s white (then-home) uniform, when they decided to incorporate red into more their design, as it had only served as a delimiting element previously; it's not the worst uniform they've ever had - I leave that title to the Reebok practice-style piping-heavy jerseys from the mid-00s) - but I prefer when they stay true to their classic colour palette of blue and yellow. I'd featured the away version of this one in this Tony Twist post last October.
The son of Hall Of Famer Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, Brett is the epitome is a scoring right winger, his generation's Alex Ovechkin if you will. He is the second-fastest to reach 700 career goals (to a certain Wayne Gretzky) and had the deadliest combo of accuracy and speed in a slap shot the 1980s and the 1990s have known. He ranks third all-time with 741 tallies in 1269 games, with another 103 in 202 playoff games.
Not initially known for anything else than his shot, he did manage to amass more assists than goals in his final years, and during his time with the Dallas Stars even stopped being a defensive liability, often back-checking far into the defensive zone; he won a Stanley Cup in Dallas in 1998-98, and another one with the Detroit Red Wings in 2001-02.
It was with the Blues, however, that he made a name for himself, one that got him in the Hall, with eight 40-goal seasons in 9 years - the one exception being the 29 goals in 48 games he scored during the 1994-95 lockout, third-most in the league behind Jaromir Jagr (32) and Alexei Zhamnov (30). But more than just 40 goals, his three-season run from 1989-90 until 1991-92 were nothing short of astonishing, with goals totals that read: 72, 86 and 70, part of a run of four straight 100-point seasons, followed by one where he posted 97.
Because the Blues (and later the Stars) made the playoffs every year, he didn't get to play for Team USA too often, but when he did, it certainly counted, with a second-place finish at the 1991 Canada Cup, the title at the 1996 World Cup, and Olympic silver in 2002.
Labels: 2014-15, Brett Hull, Card, Game Jersey, Hall Of Famer, Hockey, Jersey Card, NHL, Series 2, St. Louis Blues, Swatch Card, Trade, Upper Deck
Craig Johnson Autographed Card
This year, I treated myself to many things I wanted for Christmas, as an excuse to treat myself to things I wanted. One of these was this magnificent ''Burger King'' card of Craig Johnson's, from trusted collector BG:
It's card #80 from Upper Deck's 1996-97 Series 1 set, an otherwise pretty, foil-rich collection.
Perhaps the worst jersey in NHL history, this Los Angeles Kings abomination was part of the NHL's inaugural ''Third Jersey Program'' in 1995-96. Coming out of the (first) lock-out, the league wanted a way to ''reconnect'' with the fans - and take back some of the money they'd lost by not playing any games from October to December - by bringing in ''state-of-the-art'' jerseys to be used on special occasions.
And, just like they did with Reebok coming out of the year-long 2004 lockout, they let the manufacturer design the uniforms (CCM for these) with zero input from the teams that were selected (other victims of this program were the Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Mighty Ducks). CCM desperately wanted to showcase that their new manufacturing equipment could print gradients - they just forgot that they still had to design something that was nice to look at.
At this point, the Kings were still wearing their beautiful Wayne Gretzky-era white-black-silver uniforms, coming off their purple-and-gold Marcel Dionne-era uniforms; unlike what they did for other teams (the Bs got a yellow uniform with a grizzly bear as a logo, the Pens and Canucks more of less just got some red inserted on theirs, and the Ducks got a cartoon goalie flying off its jersey), the Kings were treated to a mash-up of their colour palette heritage with these white (as they were primarily to be worn at home) jerseys, with the Gretzky-era grey-to-silver, to which they decided to add a purple collar, purple-and-gold numbering and lettering and, of course, the purple-haired ''King'' with the golden crown logo, worn on the heart rather than middle of the chest, soccer-style.
What you want to do when designing a logo is follow two simple rules: as little text as possible, because fonts can get dated very quickly - and text is boring; you also want to avoid human-like drawings, particularly of faces, as the renderings are often too cartoon-y for a major-league organization, and look downright unprofessional. Here, we have proof of how #2 fails miserably. It looks like something an ECHL team would wear once, not something The Great One should ever be forced to put on.
And it got its nickname because it closely resembled the fast food chain's mascot:
So, yeah, totally minor-league-worthy. At least the team scrapped these after the one season, whereas the Bruins and Pens kept theirs for years - Pittsburgh even made them their road jerseys for a few years, though they were the best of the five. The Ducks also retired them after one season, while the Canucks' experiment lasted two seasons.
As for Craig Johnson, born in the American hockey hotbed of Minnesota, he was the St. Louis Blues' first draft pick of 1990, chosen 33rd overall in the second round; they had traded their own first-rounder to the Montréal Canadiens, who picked Turner Stevenson 12th overall.
Johnson suited up for Team USA at the 1994 Olympics (then reserved for amateur players) as well as many World Championships, and made a good enough impression to become the key player going the Kings' way when they sent Gretzky to St. Louis; he made his way West with Roman Vopat and Patrice Tardif and played in L.A. for seven full seasons after the trade.
2003-04 was a difficult year for him, playing for the Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals, and he exiled himself to Europe where he posted decent - albeit fading in time - numbers in Germany, Finland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Denmark.
Posted by Sébastian Hell at 10:45 AM No comments:
Labels: 1996-97, Autograph, Card, Craig Johnson, Ebay, Hockey, Los Angeles Kings, NHL, Series 1, Upper Deck
Cam Talbot: Two Autographed Cards
Another great return from the Edmonton Oilers yesterday (December 26th, 2015), as goaltender Cameron Talbot sent back these two cards that I'd sent out on November 4th, 2015, so a 52-day return for two cards, signed in black sharpie:
Talbot didn't start the season out so well, and there was chatter that he'd lost the #1 job to Anders Nilsson - but he has bounced back of late, with a 2-1-2 streak in his last five games where he twice stopped more than 40 shots.
He's making the case that he deserves some time in front of the crease at least in tandem with Nilsson; unlike the former New York Islanders draft pick, though, Talbot is an unrestricted free agent at season's end, so he's not just playing for ice time, but possibly for his very future in the NHL.
At 28 years of age, he needs to show that his finishing 7th in Vezina voting last year filling in for an injured Henrik Lundqvist was not just a product of playing behind the New York Rangers' stingy defense but also of his own doing.
Over two seasons in Manhattan, he posted a 2.00 GAA and .931 save percentage with 8 shutouts in 57 games - 53 of them starts, 33 of them wins, for 17 regulation losses and just 5 more in overtime.
Since the 2015-16 season started, he's 5-9-2 with the Oilers (who've had a poor start, regardless of his play, and didn't help in any statistical department), with a .905 save percentage and 2.93 GAA in 17 games.
But things are improving. He's making huge saves in bulk, and his losses at least come with points, helping Edmonton stay in contention for a payoff spot. And all the while, he and his wife bring smiles to the tundra as they give their time to the community.
Here are the cards he signed, first wearing the Rangers' blue (home) uniform, on card #535 of Panini's 2011-12 Score set and Hot Rookies sub-set, sporting his rookie number (81):
Then, in a picture that seems identical from that from my post four years ago, card #232 from Upper Deck's 2011-12 Victory set and Rookie sub-set, here he is wearing the white (away) uniform:
So two rookie cards signed, because I didn't have one of his with the Oilers. I think he can be a good fit with them, and I'm glad it's going much better now.
Labels: 2011-12, Autograph, By Mail, Cam Talbot, Card, Hockey, Hot Rookies, New York Rangers, NHL, Panini, Rookie Card, Score, Upper Deck, Victory
Ryan Pulock Autograph Card
Ryan Pulock is one of the New York Islanders' strong prospects on defense that enabled the team to deal Griffin Reinhart to the Edmonton Oilers for two draft picks last summer.
The right-shooting defender, who was chosen in the first round (15th overall) at the 2013 draft - ahead of Nikita Zadorov (16th), Curtis Lazar (17th), Mirco Mueller (18th), Kerby Rychel (19th), Anthony Mantha (20th), André Burakovsky (23rd), Hunter Shinkaruk (24th), Michael McCarron (25th), Shea Theodore (26th), Marko Dano (27th), Adam Erne (33rd), Zachary Fucale (36th), Laurent Dauphin (39th), William Carrier (57th), Eric Comrie (59th), and Anthony Duclair (80th) - is an offensively-minded defenseman in the same mold as current Isles Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk so, in comparison, he's in the same situation as Nathan Beaulieu with the Montréal Canadiens (behind P.K. Subban and Andrei Markov) or like Ville Pokka for the Chicago Blackhawks (behind Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook).
So far, he was a point-per-game producer in the OHL with the Brandon Wheat Kings, and is at half that pace with the AHL's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, which is fitting for a kid who is 21. If he were to follow a normal evolution for someone of his pedigree, he could be an NHL regular by 23 or 24, starting with second-unit powerplay time and becoming a first-unit player by 26 or 27, and getting his 30-40 points even in the NHL by then. Barring any injuries, bad luck or attitude issues.
He's won a bronze medal with Team Canada at the 2012 U-18s, but has not competed in the World Juniors, which is rare for a first-rounder.
Here he is wearing the Wheat Kings' black uniform, in card #A-RP from In The Game's 2012-13 Draft Prospect set (and Autograph sub-set, the Silver Version variant):
I reviewed that set last May.
Labels: 2012-13, Autograph, Brandon Wheat Kings, Card, CHL, Draft Prospect, Hockey, In The Game, Insert, OHL, Ryan Pulock, Silver Version, variant
Darnell Nurse Jersey Card
Number 25 for December 25th - good concept, no?
Here's card #SSM-14 from In The Game's 2013-14 Heroes And Prospects set (and Game-Used Jersey sub-set), featuring a huge red swatch and matching picture of Edmonton Oilers prospect Darnell Nurse suiting up for the OHL in the Subway Super Series:
Nurse, an Oilers first-round choice (7th overall in 2013), was supposed to be groomed over time and spend at least a full year in the AHL - possibly two - before being brought in with the big club to have an immediate impact; injuries and sub-par play on the main team forced the Oilers' hand, however, and he has appeared in 26 games so far, and played nearly 25:56 in his last one, a 3-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets. His impact is already being felt.
I like what I've seen from him so far, and I'm excited to see where it will lead.
Labels: 2013-14, Black Version, Card, CHL, Darnell Nurse, Heroes And Prospects, Hockey, In The Game, Insert, Jersey Card, OHL, Subway Super Series, Swatch Card, variant
Jake Allen Jersey Card
I mentioned a trade last night in this Mikael Backlund post, it also involved two jersey cards coming back my way and ten Benchwarmer autographed cards I had doubles of going the other way. One of the jersey cards is this one of Jake Allen, from Upper Deck's 2014-15 Series 2 set (card #GJ-JA of the UD Game Jersey sub-set):
It shows him wearing the St. Louis Blues' blue (home) current/late-1990s throwback jersey, but the enclosed game-worn jersey swatch is white.
Allen was named one of the stars of the week in early November and hasn't cooled down since, as he is currently leading the NHL in shutouts (5) and is fourth in wins (16), also ranking in the top-10 for goals-against average (2.06) and save percentage (.928).
The knock on him so far has been that he's been pretty good in the regular season but hasn't stolen a game in the playoffs; well, he's stepping up this year and not only bringing consistency in his play, but also raising his game to elite levels; unfortunately, he plays for the Blues, who have a habit of falling short in the postseason. Maybe he's what they need to get over that hump, but playing in the same conference as the Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings means it won't be easy making it to the Conference Finals, let alone the Stanley Cup Final.
Let's see how it goes.
Labels: 2014-15, Card, Game Jersey, Hockey, Jake Allen, Jersey Card, NHL, Series 2, St. Louis Blues, Swatch Card, Trade, Upper Deck
Mikael Backlund Autograph Card
With three points and a +4 showing in his last 4 games, Mikael Backlund is on a hot streak that coincides with that of the Calgary Flames as a whole, with an 8-2-0 showing in their last 10 games. He's getting some ice time with Johnny Gaudreau and is usually playing in the final minute when the other team takes their goalie out of their net, which shows coach Bob Hartley's trust in his defensive game.
Now having to contend with minutes in the middle with the likes of Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett, the play-making genius from Vasteras, Sweden has seemingly found a way to maximize his ice time and contribute on a regular basis, though perhaps not at the level that people such as myself once envisioned - I thought he would hover between 45 and 60 points per season, but his best year so far saw him post 18 goals and 21 assists for 39 points in 76 games in 2013-14.
Then again, it's a different NHL, where the Art Ross winner didn't get 90 points last year, Alex Ovechkin is the only player who is able to score 50 goals, and first-liners and elite players such as Jonathan Toews reached the 70-point mark just once, let alone the point-per-game average. These are unique times in pro hockey in general, with the KHL also being really tough to score in (and where goalies usually have a GAA below 2.00).
That being said, I still traded for this card showing him in the Flames' red uniform, though I'm now looking for one of his with the throwback jersey:
It's card #I-MBA from Panini's 2013-14 Contenders collection (and more specifically, the NHL Ink sub-set). It's signed on-card in thin blue sharpie.
Labels: 2013-14, Autograph, Calgary Flames, Card, Contenders, Hockey, Mikael Backlund, NHL, NHL Ink, Panini, Trade
Phillip Danault Autographed Card
Following an off-season hip surgery, Phillip Danault was recalled by the Chicago Blackhawks last weekend and earned his first NHL point (an assist on an Andrew Shaw goal) against the San Jose Sharks on December 20th.
Chosen 26th overall by the Hawks at the 2011 draft, Danault is projected to become a two-way playmaking centre who will play on the second (at best, on a mid-level team) or third line - in the mold of captain Jonathan Toews, with less offensive upside. He's seen as Marcus Kruger's eventual replacement, and it was Kruger's injury that prompted the Hawks to choose him as their call-up despite having only played in 6 AHL games this season.
The Toews comparison is particularly striking because Danault captained his hometown Victoriaville Tigres in the LHJMQ for three seasons before getting traded to the Moncton Wildcats, who were attempting a Memorial Cup run in 2012-13 (the Halifax Mooseheads instead got out of the ''Q'' and ultimately won the championship).
He had a very god season with the Rockford IceHogs last year, finishing fourth in points with 38 and leading the team in goals in the post-season (with 3); he was also a +20 during the season an a team-leading +8 in the playoffs. He didn't win the Guy Carbonneau Award in the LHJMQ without reason...
Here he is wearing the Tigres' white (home) uniform, with the captain's ''C'' visible on his jersey:
It's card #113 from In The Game's 2012-13 Heroes And Prospects set, which he signed in blue sharpie in 2014 after a game against the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Labels: 2012-13, Autograph, Card, CHL, Heroes And Prospects, Hockey, In Person, In The Game, LHJMQ, Phillip Danault, Victoriaville Tigres
Ilya Kovalchuk Jersey Card
So, uh, Ilya Kovalchuk's been acting weird since going back to the KHL, eh? From boycotting the Canadian national anthem at the World Championships to a recent incident where he seemingly took on the opposing team's entire forward line, he seems to have some anger management issues.
Talent-wise, he may very well be the best right-winger not named Alex Ovechkin, but Ovie has leadership qualities and a happy-yet-calming demeanor that Kovy clearly does not possess.
Just putting it out there while showing off this nice card from Upper Deck's 2007-08 Trilogy collection (and card #HS-IK of the Honorary Swatches sub-set):
Though the game-worn jersey swatch is dark blue and could be from either of the Atlanta Thrashers' uniforms, he is pictured wearing the team's white - and best-looking - garbs.
Despite having ''retired'' from the NHL at age 30, he stands seventh among Russians in all-time scoring, with 417 goals, 386 assists and an even 816 points in 816 regular-season games, and another 27 points in 32 games - most of them in a 22-game Stanley Cup Final run with the New Jersey Devils, because the Thrashers were so awful he only played 4 postseason games in his 8 years with the franchise.
He has six 40-goal seasons, two of them being of the 52-goal variety. He has exceeded the 80-point mark six times as well, with highs of 98 (in 2005-06) and 91 (in 2008-09).
He is also a point-per-game producer in the KHL, with 137 points in 135 games.
Labels: 2007-08, Atlanta Thrashers, Card, Hockey, Honorary Swatches, Ilya Kovalchuk, Insert, Jersey Card, NHL, Swatch Card, Trilogy, Upper Deck
Louis Domingue Autographed Card
I would like to congratulate Louis Domingue on obtaining his first NHL shutout against the New York Islanders last night, at a time when the Arizona Coyotes really needed it.
It was his first start this season. He'd also won in his first-ever start against the Montréal Canadiens, when he signed this card for me (and two others) in blue sharpie:
It's card #49 from In The Game's 2009-10 Between The Pipes set (and Future Stars sub-set), showing him wearing the Québec Remparts' classic red uniform.
Domingue plays a sound positional game that is made for his size (a smaller-than-his-contemporaries 6'2'', clocking in at 200 pounds of muscle), and he's relatively agile and has quick lateral movements from his strong legs. I foresee him being a starter some day, following in the footsteps of Jake Allen, another former LHJMQ standout currently starring for the St. Louis Blues. Allen was a 2008 draft pick, Domingue was drafted in 2010.
Labels: 2009-10, Autograph, Between The Pipes, Card, CHL, Future Stars, Hockey, In Person, In The Game, LHJMQ, Louis Domingue, Québec Remparts
Dainius Zubrus: 3 Autographed Cards
Before their game against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, the Montréal Canadiens hosted the ever-boring San Jose Sharks last Tuesday. I didn't have a ticket so I didn't attend it, but I watched it on TV and nearly fell asleep. The whole time.
Had I paid to see that spectacle, I probably would have incited a riot. Or I would've been in a boredom-inspired coma.
But I did get to see Dainius Zubrus in the late afternoon. He did not recognize me from when he used to score on me during summer pick-up games at Brébeuf Arena; in his defense, the last time was ten years ago, and I did put on some 75 pounds since then. I'm not sure if he still lives here in the summer, but he used to, since he's married to Montréal-based model Nathalie Sanschagrin.
The former Philadelphia Flyers first round pick (15th overall in 1998) scored against the Habs, his former team, that night - his first tally of the season, after signing on with the team following a PTO.
He stands as the first Lithuanian to have played in over 1000 NHL games - he currently stands at 1254, with 226 goals, 360 assists, 586 points and 779 penalty minutes in the regular season and 11 goals and 24 assists (for 35 points) in 92 playoff games.
He reached the Stanley Cup Final twice (in 1996-97 with the Flyers, falling to the Detroit Red Wings in a 4-game sweep, and in 2011-12 with the New Jersey Devils, losing 4-2 to the Kings), and the Conference Finals in 2006-07 with the Buffalo Sabres.
He shares the Devils' record for most goals in a game (4) with Brian Gionta and Patrik Elias. He also got a few Selke Trophy votes in 2002-03 when playing for the Washington Capitals.
Which is to say he's had a distinguished career, and will likely bring some much-needed leadership to any team he's on, including the Sharks, unfortunately.
Here are the cards he signed for me, showing him with three different Flyers uniforms from the end of the 1990s, starting with the black one, from Upper Deck's 1997-98 Black Diamond set (card #8 in the collection):
And for the white (home) uniform, here's card #102 from In The Game's 1998-99 Be A Player series:
And though it's mostly a head shot, you can see him wearing the orange one in card #145 from Upper Deck's 1998-99 Series 1 collection:
All three cards contain silver foil, which I thought was cool.
Labels: 1997-98, 1998-99, Autograph, Be A Player, Black Diamond, Card, Dainius Zubrus, Hockey, In Person, In The Game, NHL, Philadelphia Flyers, Series 1, Upper Deck
Anze Kopitar Jersey Card
So... last night I went to see the Los Angeles Kings play against my hometown Montréal Canadiens...
Many thoughts went through my head: even if the Habs don't play well, hey, it's the Kings. As long as Milan Lucic doesn't score, I'm good, with Drew Doughty, Tyler Toffoli, Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Quick and Marian Gaborik...
Doughty and Gaborik each had a goal and an assist, and Kopitar scored the other one, Toffoli and Lucic each got an assist, and Quick made 45 saves in a 3-0 shutout win. Alex Galchenyuk was the most dangerous forward for Montréal, playing on two lines in the third period, centering his own unit with Lars Eller and Sven Andrighetto, and playing right wing on the top line with Tomas Plekanec and Max Pacioretty.
It was a very entertaining game, despite clueless idiots booing for the final two minutes as the Habs couldn't buy a goal or even get a shot through Los Angeles' four-man penalty-killing box.
What I like about L.A. is how they're so good, they never have to force anything. They're huge but fast, so they can match anyone's speed and overpower anyone. All they need to do is keep at it, relentlessly, pushing forward, and good things come. That's exactly what Kopitar brings as well. He could easily concentrate on getting 90 points a year and pad up his resume, but instead he plays a sound two-way game where he plays like all the other great two-way centres (Pavel Datsyuk, Patrice Bergeron, Plekanec), stopping the opposition from stacking their own points, taking the puck away, winning faceoffs, getting his 70-plus points and Selke nominations (top-4 finishes in the last three seasons, including runner-up last year) relatively quietly. Oh, and winning Stanley Cups, the whole point of this.
The Kings wore their white, silver and black uniforms on Thursday, but here's a card where Kopitar is sporting their throwback purple one:
It's card #S-AK from Fleer's 2013-14 Showcase set (and Stitches sub-set), manufactured by Upper Deck. The game-worn jersey swatch that's incorporated in it is white, but it doesn't detract from the purple and gold at all.
The only negative point about my outing is that instead of staying to mingle with players after the game, I decided to show my friend, who was visiting from Mexico, the Ring of Honor on the highest wall around the rink; no less than four security guards stopped us to ask us what we were doing, while small groups of drunken frat boys were left alone as they were screaming obscenities while finishing their drinks.
One security guard asked if he could ''help'' us, to which I replied: ''why, sure, you could concur that Doug Harvey is the greatest defenseman of all time''.
Labels: 2013-14, Anze Kopitar, Card, Fleer, Hockey, Insert, Jersey Card, Los Angeles Kings, NHL, Showcase, Stitches, Swatch Card, Upper Deck
Claude Larose Autographed Card
In a long-awaited new installment of my Habs Numbers Project, here stands the first of two representatives of #11 (edit: Ryan Walter is now also online), Claude Larose:
It's card #69 from Parkhurst's 1995-96 Parkhurst Reprints set, the third such set by the revived card brand, this time hypothesizing how a 1966-67 set would have looked like. He signed it in person, in thin blue sharpie, with a very clear signature.
A French-Canadian from Hearst, Ontario, Larose was a heavy power forward who made his mark for most of the 1960s and 1970s with three teams - the Montréal Canadiens, Minnesota North Stars and St. Louis Blues - including two separate stints with the Habs that led to seeing his name engraved on the Stanley Cup five times in ten seasons.
He reached the 25-goal mark with each team, with a high of 29 with the Blues in 1976-77, his penultimate season. He reached the 20-goal mark six times and totaled 226 (along with 257 assists, 483 points and 887 penalty minutes) in 943 regular-season games, and another 14-18-32 and 143 PIMs in 97 playoff games.
He had a knack for making his linemates better, as Ralph Backstrom had his best years alongside Larose, and Danny Gare won the Calder Trophy by his side with the North Stars.
He claims to hold a Canadiens record by scoring 9 goals in 3 games, the first being a 4-goal outing alongside Frank and Pete Mahovlich, the second being a hat trick skating with Jacques Lemaire and Steve Shutt, and the third a two-goal performance in what would eventually be Guy Lafleur's spot with #25 and #22.
His son, Guy Larose, played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins - all Habs rivals - in the 1990s. Claude has been a scout with the Carolina Hurricanes since their days as the Hartford Whalers.
Labels: 1966-67, 1995-96, Autograph, Card, Claude Larose, Hockey, In Person, Montréal Canadiens, NHL, Parkhurst, Parkhurst Reprints
Drew Doughty Jersey Card
So the Los Angeles Kings fell to the Ottawa Senators in Kanata tonight, but remain atop the Pacific Division. After missing the playoffs last year, the Kings made sure they started the season off on the right foot and will not be content to just enter the picture as the 8th seed this time around, thanks to the ever-stellar play of Jonathan Quick and Drew Doughty, as well as the timely waking up of Anze Kopitar and Marian Gaborik.
Ironically, Doughty has been saying his team's trip in the East against the likes of Norris Trophy winners Erik Karlsson and P.K. Subban was a chance to show what he can do to members of the press here, and he sounded miffed and perhaps even bitter at times in this piece on NHL.com, where the two-time finalist talks about wanting recognition for his ''better'' play.
So far, it's 1-0 Karlsson, not just for the 5-3 win, but also, as Doughty has claimed to be better on the defensive side, his -3 showing against Ottawa is a clear message that he might want to check his ego at the door, whereas Karlsson's goal and assist leave him at +1. Subban got the best of Karlsson on Saturday night, and Subban will face Doughty on Thursday.
In my opinion, all three are worth building a team around. They are the best and most complete defenders in the league; Doughty was always pretty much top-notch at everything, and Subban has had to polish his defensive game but always had the offensive flair and hits; Karlsson has the attacking part down pat, but has worked on both his defensive prowess and hitting, which is now a big part of his game.
They will likely each retire with at least one Norris each, perhaps two each (Karlsson's already there), so it's a testament to how they dominate at one aspect either overshadowing the rest or have a level of compete that makes the average of their qualities rank them higher than any other defensemen in the world.
The fact that Subban and Doughty both suit up for Team Canada does give the country an edge in international competitions, though.
Here's the Kings superstar wearing the team's black (home) uniform with a matching game-worn jersey swatch:
It's card #GJ-DD from Upper Deck's 2013-14 Series 2 set (and UD Game Jersey sub-set).
Labels: 2013-14, Card, Drew Doughty, Game Jersey, Hockey, Insert, Jersey Card, Los Angeles Kings, NHL, Series 2, Swatch Card, Upper Deck
Jake Virtanen Autographed Card
I couldn't attend the Montréal Canadiens game against the Vancouver Canucks on November 16th because I was in Las Vegas with my brother and mother, so I gave my ticket to a friend of mine who was tasked to do one thing: get this 2012-13 Heroes And Prospects card of Jake Virtanen with the Calgary Hitmen (#45 of the set from manufacturer In The Game, part of the CHL Rookie sub-set) signed in blue sharpie, which she did:
He was a -1 in the game, and he stands at one goal and 3 assists (4 total points) in 19 games at the NHL level in his rookie season but is fourth among rookies with 53 hits; he was loaned to Team Canada for the World Juniors in an attempt to win back-to-back gold medals for his home country, this time in Finland, where his father and grandfather were born.
The sixth-overall pick of the 2014 draft will thus have a chance to gain some confidence as the Canucks enter the stretch run to try to make the playoffs in what is so far considered to be the ''worst'' division in the NHL, where only three teams may make the final cut.
Labels: 2012-13, Autograph, Calgary Hitmen, Card, CHL, CHL Rookie, Heroes And Prospects, Hockey, In Person, In The Game, Jake Virtanen, Rookie Card, WHL
Les Deuxluxes Signed CD
I went to a concert on Thursday night at Club Soda, where the headliners were the Quebec Redneck Bluegrass Project, but openers Les Deuxluxes really stole the show in my opinion (though my friends who are huge QRBP fans might disagree).
They were reminiscent of The White Stripes because (wait for it...) they're a two-piece, riff-based blues-rock band (yes, the same criticism I face at nearly every show), and they're a woman and a man as well, so the comparisons are obvious. Too obvious. Too easy.
Here, the drums are played by Étienne Barry - the one with natural facial hair. And it's mostly just the bass drum, as he plays lead guitar as well. He keeps things steady and on pace, and can be aptly described as ''band leader'' or ''maestro'', but the true star is frontwoman singer and guitarist Anna Frances Meyer, whose powerful voice, fine guitar chops and moves just mesmerize.
She is strong, energetic, confident, a terrific crowd leader, captivating, compelling and sexy as all hell let loose.
I met them after the show and purchased their EP, which unfortunately isn't up to par with where they're at in terms of power, energy and presence at this time, and they signed it for me in gold sharpie:
It's not bad by any means, but if we're going with the White Stripes comparison, it's like measuring The Big Three Killed My Baby off their eponymous first album (1999) next to Seven Nation Army (2003) or Icky Thump (2007).
I hope their next release catches their primal intensity a tad better and sounds maybe a little dirtier, in the vein of their newly-released French-language Christmas single (in which Barry sings lead).
And perhaps we can one day share a bill and they can upstage me as well.
Labels: Anna Frances Meyer, arts, Autograph, CD, Étienne Barry, In Person, Les Deuxluxes, Live Show, music
Vincent Lecavalier Jersey Card
So, Vincent Lecavalier has been a healthy scratch for the past 12 games, yet spent yesterday getting treatment on his back. Is he healthy or not? Is his health part of why he hasn't been traded yet?
In any event, after being bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning, it now appears the Philadelphia Flyers were not the right team for him, as the playmaking center with the soft hands has gotten slower and could never be paired with the right snipers, because they were set up with Claude Giroux or Brayden Schenn.
Some Flyers writers have explained the situation as nothing more than his needing to be utilized better, which I agree with in general. But in the few instances where he was given a legitimate shot at better minutes, he did prove to be inconsistent, whether it can be attributed to rust or age, no one knows for sure.
And for all the flak he gets from Flyers fans, they forget that he still scored 20 goals in his first season with the team in 2013-14, the 13th time in 14 seasons that he had reached that mark - and the one where he hadn't was the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, where he scored 10 goals in 39 games, a pace of... 20 on a full year. Sure, gone are the 100-point and 50-goal days of 2006-07, but we're talking about a former NHL captain, a member of a gold-winning Team Canada and a Stanley Cup champion wth hardware (a Rocket Richard Trophy and a King Clancy), the type of leader you'd pay just so your young players could learn around him, let alone produce at a half a point per game clip as he had prior to this year (he has just one assist in 7 games).
I hope he finds a new home soon. I could see him on the Nashville Predators, Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames. Here he is sporting the Bolts' black (home) Reebok Edge pajama-style rags from 2007-11, from Upper Deck's 2011-12 Series 1 set (card #GJ-VL of the UD Game Jersey sub-set):
It contains a bright/dark blue game-worn jersey swatch from the underarm lining.
Labels: 2011-12, Card, Game Jersey, Hockey, Insert, Jersey Card, NHL, Series 1, Swatch Card, Tampa Bay Lightning, Upper Deck, Vincent Lecavalier
Two Nail Yakupov Autographed Cards
At first this season, the Edmonton Oilers were having trouble finding their groove; then, Connor McDavid and Nail Yakupov started clicking, and the team won a few games; now, the entire second line is out with injuries (both McDavid and Yakupov, as well as Benoit Pouliot), and of course losses were initially piling up, but they've now won three in a row, with the stellar play of goalie Anders Nilsson at the forefront.
That's not to say Edmonton doesn't want its three talented forwards back, far from it. The Russian right winger had a seven-game point streak in October and had just collected an assist when he suffered an injury during an awkward ''collision'' with an official (where linesman Matt MacPherson actually pulled Yak down as a reflex when he himself was falling, right at the faceoff).
I could foresee him surpassing the 50-point mark for the first time in his NHL career, that's how good he looked at times.
As a life-long Oilers fan, I tell you, I'm as excited about the current crop of forwards as I was in the 1990s, with Yakupov, McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Jordan Eberle leading the way, followed by the likes of Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
One or two of them might have to be traded for a stud defenseman (hello, Shea Weber) but, essentially, most of them are there to stay and form the next powerhouse team in the Western Conference.
In an attempt to check off both #10 and #64 off my Oilers Numbers Project, I had sent Yakupov the two cards above on October 26th, 2015, and received both of them back on December 8th, 2015 - 43 days later - signed in (fading) blue sharpie. I keep hearing comments like ''the Oilers are terrible signers'', but I'm extremely satisfied with my returns from the tundra; perhaps if collectors took care of the letters they were sending and/or who they were sending them to, and came off as honest, they would get better returns. Or maybe I'm just lucky.
In any event, here is the one who will now count as #64, from Upper Deck's 2014-15 MVP set (card #59 in the set), showing him wearing the team's current/classic white (now-away) uniform:
He had always wanted to wear #10 (his number since his youth), but Shawn Horcoff had it at the time, and since Horcoff was the team's captain, Yakupov waited a full season later to ask for the number, out of respect. So here he is sporting his favourite number (and that of his childhood idol Pavel Bure), wearing the Oilers' classic/current blue (now-home) uniform, from Upper Deck's 2015-16 MVP set (card #58 in the collection):
As you can see, the set didn't change much from one year to the next; there's something to be said about consistency when a brand is doing well and doesn't get wild ideas just for the sake of messing with things. I also did the ''consecutive MVP'' thing with the Calgary Flames' Sean Monahan earlier this season.
Labels: 2014-15, 2015-16, Autograph, By Mail, Card, Edmonton Oilers, Hockey, MVP, Nail Yakupov, NHL, Upper Deck
Kyle Turris Autographed Card
Kyle Turris, the Ottawa Senators' first-line center, suffered a knee injury last night by falling both over and underneath New York Islanders defenseman Casey Cisikas, who showed tremendous sportsmanship by calling for the trainers to come to Turris as soon as he got up from the fall.
Prior to the injury, Turris had been enjoying a career year, having improved his points total in each of the previous three seasons, starting with 29 points in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season - a total he'd reached twice before but by appearing in more total games - then following that up with 58 points (26 of them goals) in 2013-14 and 64 points last year.
At 11 goals and 22 points in 26 games thus far, he was looking at a third-straight 20-goal season with 30 a real possibility, and flirting with the point-per-game pace, which ranked him 30th in the NHL.
He had signed this card for me about a month ago, in blue sharpie, after the Sens beat my hometown Montréal Canadiens:
It's card #129 from Upper Deck's 2012-13 Series 1 set, and shows him wearing Ottawa's red (home) uniform.
Labels: 2012-13, Autograph, Card, Hockey, In Person, Kyle Turris, NHL, Ottawa Senators, Series 1, Upper Deck
Scott Hartnell Jersey Card
There have been many good story lines this week in the NHL, and I'll get to a lot of them soon, but first, in keeping up with John Tortorella putting his stamp on the Columbus Blue Jackets, Scott Hartnell was a healthy scratch last night, possibly for a costly mistake against the Montréal Canadiens earlier in the week... or just because.
I think it was to light a fire under his ass before tonight's game against his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, against whom he ended up having a goal and an assist. So, that race for the Jack Adams Trophy, it's between Torts, Paul Maurice and Michel Therrien, right?
The sixth-overall pick of the 2000 draft behind (in order) Rick DiPietro (New York Islanders), Dany Heatley (Atlanta Thrashers), Marian Gaborik (Minnesota Wild), Rostislav Klesla (Jackets), and Raffi Torres (Islanders), the 6'3'', 215-pound power forward would, in retrospect, probably be a top-3 pick of his draft class, along with late selection Henrik Lundqvist (205th, New York Rangers).
More than just a bruiser, Hartnell has reached the 30-goal mark twice and the 20-goal mark eight times, with a high of 37 goals in 2011-12, the year he also reached his highest points total (67). He reached the 60-point mark three times, in 2008-09, 2011-12 and 2014-15.
He reached the 100-penalty minute mark ten times, with a high of 159 in 2007-08.
So, yeah, he was a perfect Flyer, but GM Ron Hextall traded him to the Jackets for R.J. Umberger and a fourth-round pick in an effort to shed contract years off his salary cap-challenged team.
Here is is wearing Philadelphia's current/retro orange uniform, from Upper Deck's 2013-14 Series 1 set (card #GJ-HS of the UD Game Jersey sub-set):
Included is a matching orange game-worn jersey swatch which is much flashier to the naked eye, similar what can be seen in the picture.
Labels: 2013-14, Card, Game Jersey, Hockey, Insert, Jersey Card, NHL, Philadelphia Flyers, Scott Hartnell, Series 1, Swatch Card, Upper Deck
Justin Faulk Autograph Card
Honestly, if I was a billionaire who was interested in buying an NHL hockey team, I think I would rather apply for a new franchise via expansion than make an offer on the Carolina Hurricanes.
For starters, a new team is a clean slate; the Canes have been awful for a very long time, and apart from their surprise Stanley Cup victory in 2005-06, they're worse now than they ever were when they were known as the Hartford Whalers.
Also, they come pre-loaded with staff members who have been unable to make anything out of this team despite a salary cap on other teams, decent tax and weather conditions, and favourable draft positions.
Hall Of Fame player Ron Francis has not impressed me as a GM so far, and his hiring of Bill Peters hasn't shown me anything promising down the line either. The only player they have I would like to keep is Justin Faulk (ok, and perhaps Noah Hanifin as well), which means I'd have to ask whoever I put in charge after handing out a large sum in severance pay packages to get rid of 20 NHL contracts, possibly another 20 to 30 minor-league contracts, and instead of starting from scratch at dispersal and amateur drafts, having to go with players who I might not have chosen on the team for the first three to five years.
The team's such a mess, it would seem like buying a building for the land it's on, imploding it, and building on top of the ruins instead of by using the current foundations. It would feel like I was in the Las Vegas hotel industry.
But hey, there's Faulk, the 23-year-old American defenseman who was chosen 37th overall in 2010, behind Taylor Hall (1st), Tyler Seguin (2nd), Erik Gudbranson (3rd), Ryan Johansen (4th), Jeff Skinner (7th), Alexander Burmistrov (8th), Mikael Granlund (9th), Cam Fowler (12th), Jaden Schwartz (14th), Vladimir Tarasenko (16th), Nick Bjugstad (19th), Beau Bennett (20th), Jarred Tinordi (22nd), Kevin Hayes (24th), Evgeny Kuznetsov (26th), Emerson Etem (29th), Brock Nelson (30th), Tyler Pitlick (31st), and Alex Petrovic (36th), and ahead of Christian Thomas (40th), Devante Smith-Pelly (42nd), Ryan Spooner (45th), Tyler Toffoli (47th), Calvin Pickard (49th), Jason Zucker (59th), Max Reinhart (64th), Radko Gudas (66th), Michael Bournival (71st), Teemu Pulkkinen (111th), John Klingberg (131st), Micheal Ferland (133rd), Louis Domingue (138th), Petr Mrazek (141st), Brendan Gallagher (147th), Mark Stone (178th), and Frederik Andersen (187th), among others, so it's safe to say it was a pretty deep draft class, though in retrospect, Faulk, Pickard, Toffoli, Klingberg, Gallagher, and Stone would probably have been chosen in the first round if the draft had been held today.
Faulk fits in with the recent breed of Team USA defensemen, good with the puck, relatively fast, with a decent shot and improvements needed in his defensive game, though he has made huge strides in that department these past few seasons. He is definitely built in the same mold as Erik Johnson, Jack Johnson, James Wisniewski, Ron Hainsey, Fowler, Zach Bogosian, and Torey Krug, except he has won gold (2010 U-18s) and bronze (2011 World Juniors, and 2013 and 2015 World Championships) medals.
He's also young enough to be able to learn to play a more complete game. He's already an All-Star, he could eventually perhaps become an All-World defender.
I traded for this 2011-12 Limited card from Panini (#228 of the Phenoms sub-set, numbered 268/299) roughly a month ago:
It contains a blue-sharpied on-cloth autograph (with his then-uniform number, 28, added on top - he now wears #27) inserted into a card that barely shows him and the Canes' former red (home) uniform, one of the few that Reebok got right at inception. Packs of 2011-12 Limited went for $55-65 for all of seven cards, three of which were autographs or memorabilia cards, and four which went to the completion (...) of the 175-card base set.
Labels: 2011-12, Autograph, Card, Carolina Hurricanes, Hockey, Justin Faulk, Limited, NHL, Panini, Phenoms, Swatch Card, Trade


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December 1 marks World AIDS Day and the start of this year's Advent season. "Comfort, yes, comfort my people, says your God," (Isaiah 40:1).
In the most neglected regions of the world where the HIV epidemic has raged for over 30 years, the reality of this epidemic is evident with its disproportionate impact on children. The number of children affected by the HIV epidemic increases each year almost as if the numbers are simply meant to convey what we already know — that not much is being done to care for those who are orphaned or to slow one of the most neglected complications of the HIV epidemic.
As one looks into the faces of the orphaned children, one wonders what they are thinking as they struggle each day to survive. What is it like, to get up as the sun rises and realize that it is unlikely there will be enough food for the day, or that you will again stand and watch all the other children go to school with their books and uniforms while you remain still and staring. When they look at any visitor, do they see an individual who might, just might, change their daily lives and their future. Or maybe they have gotten so used to visitors from foreign lands who come, look, listen and then never return, that their hopes never reach the level that creates disappointment. These orphans are frequently the most impoverished, and yet, somehow, they manage a smile that breaks through their obvious poverty. It's moving to see so many orphans in need and to watch individual children jockeying to the front to get a space where they will be more visible to the visitors. It reminds one of the scene in the movie Cider House Rules adapted from the 1985 novel by John Irving, where the orphan children line up waiting to be adopted and shout out to the potential parents, "Look at me, look at me." Today the HIV orphan epidemic needs to be made visible and needs to be seen as individual children who deserve the love and care that all children long for.
On this year's World AIDS Day we continue to worry more than ever about the HIV orphan epidemic. Perhaps we shouldn't. Maybe some big international organization or some large non-government organization or a benevolent government will take up the cause. But in reality there are too many orphans and so someone's got to worry, and in fact, a lot more people need to be moved to worry. We all need to recognize that there is an entire generation of children orphaned by the HIV epidemic that are in desperate need of being rescued. Just as Jesus recognized the potential of the children who sat at his feet and refused to send them away as his disciples urged, we need to acknowledge that orphans are also welcomed inhabitants into the kingdom of heaven.
In 2013 the orphan crisis looms large. So large, in fact, that many will turn their eyes away, overwhelmed by the enormity of the need. Currently it is estimated that there are over 16 million orphans worldwide, with 6 million added to that number each year. Fewer than 20% of the orphans are infected with HIV. The majority have escaped HIV infection but not orphanhood. In two to three years there will be more orphans as a result of the HIV epidemic than there are adults living with HIV.
Every life is important, but over the last decades the priorities for the HIV epidemic have been to provide education to adults to help them to protect themselves from getting HIV infection, or if they are already infected, to provide them with drugs to control their infection so that they will have a normal life expectancy. All this is extremely important. But the orphan crisis is a direct consequence of placing their needs at an unacceptably low priority. Children do not choose to become orphans of the epidemic, nor is there a magic medicine that will erase their orphan status.
Worrying is the beginning. There's a lot that we can and should do. Women need to be protected from unwanted HIV infection that destroys their lives and that of their family. If infected, they need access to life-saving medicines to keep them healthy so that they can provide for their children and prevent them from becoming orphans in the first place. Pregnant women can also be given medicines to keep the virus from being transmitted to their infants. Advocacy is required to protect women from physical violence, the major source of unwanted HIV infection. Donations will help provide medicines to keep mothers healthy and prevent children from becoming infected. Donations can also purchase food to provide severely malnourished children with nutrition so that the medicines work. This can be done for one orphan, or for two, or for five, or for 10, or even for 100 children, providing orphans with the comfort that there are individuals who believe that they have a responsibility to care for the widows and the orphans of this world.
The severity of the orphan crisis may not be on the radar screen of all of the big organizations or for that matter most Christians. Orphans need advocates because they cannot advocate for themselves. Any new direction will not come from inside the political process. Politicians love to make speeches about families and children, but when they get back to Ottawa and budget battles, kids are the last to cross their minds. Kids don't vote. And political leaders respond to three things: threats to their re-election, potential embarrassment in the media, and the promise of campaign contributions. Children don't make campaign contributions, and many of their parents are too busy struggling to make ends meet to get involved in campaigns. If change is to come, it will happen because people like you respond in an aggressive, sustained, and even outraged way.
We are in good company when we advocate for orphans. We join with God, the prophets and Jesus in urging the Christian community to care for the widows and the orphans of this present world. It will be a tragedy if the Christian community looks back years from now and says that more should been done to rescue the oppressed.
In Isaiah chapter 40:11 we read, "He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." In the flock I see not just individuals, couples and families. I also see widows and orphans. God has given us the privilege of gathering them together and bringing them close to his heart. "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." James 1:27.
and through us into the dark corners of our world.
and it's always about the light for us.
and into your marvellous light.


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Check out our range of 'adult friendly' inflatables below, feel free to give us a call if you've any questions – our team are here to help!


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Provincial Credit Union is a democratic financial institution that operates with the best interests of our owners, community and environment in mind. You could play an integral role in shaping the future direction of this progressive, dynamic, and caring organization. For more information becoming a member of our board, please contact Doug Bridges at (902) 629-1940, or email at
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A person who is a citizen of Canada, 18 years of age or older, an owner of the credit union, acts as an individual owner, not on behalf of a company/organization and who satisfies the requirements set out in the by-laws of the credit union may be a director, unless he or she:
a. is an employee of a credit union, credit union central or the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation;
b. is a director of another credit union;
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Start your Saturday/Sunday with fellow Dads and their kids with 'Movies for Juniors' at Cineworld Ashford.
Movies for Juniors runs on Saturday and Sunday mornings and on weekdays during school holidays at Cineworld in Ashford. From just £2 you can take advantage of these discounted tickets to enjoy a film with your little ones in the company of other kids and Dads (Mums, Grandparents, Aunties, Uncles, etc.).
Come and make some new friends for you and your kids, and enjoy discounted cinema tickets. If sufficient interest we will then meet afterwards for a tea/coffee and a chance to get to know everyone.


• 20 Three Bedroom units (Master bedroom has built in robe), Lounge, Kitchen with walk in pantry, Dining, 2 way Bathroom, Laundry with 2nd toilet, Garage under main roof....a private enclosed unit.
• There is a weekly maintenance fee charged to our residents that covers council rates, water, levies, building insurance, all interior and exterior repairs and garden maintenance.
• Our residents pay their own electricity/ gas, phone and contents insurance.
• Located adjacent to the Gawler Health Service in an attractive location.


As most adults know, men and women develop and age differently at every stage of life.
Generally, men are more driven by physical needs and are able to get their needs met in concrete and clear ways on their own. However women, for the most part, tend to use their emotions to understand and manage situations in life.
As a result of these emotions, women can also feel misunderstood and unsupported.
In our practice, we help women learn to understand how their emotions impact their day-to-day life. We help women discover how to feel empowered as emotional beings in today's society.
We show women how to manage the aging process and/or retirement, how to deal with the "empty-nest" issues of children moving on to build their own lives, and how to develop and sustain nurturing relationships.
Quite often, discussing these issues brings up past unresolved conflicts in a woman's life that can be worked through for better awareness and clarity. This counseling helps recognize negative behavior patterns.
After acknowledging these patterns, the therapist and client can work together to develop positive and healthy behavior patterns for further empowerment and self-confidence in a safe and nurturing environment.


text:
The Official website of MEP Dr. Miriam Dalli
meet Miriam
About Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli is a MEP and the Vice President of the S&D Group
Miriam Dalli (born 19 May 1976) is a Maltese politician, and former journalist, serving as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) since May 2014, on behalf of the Labour Party.
Dalli completed a first degree as Bachelor of Laws at the University of Malta She later graduated with a second degree with a Bachelor in Communications (1998), completed her Masters in European Studies (2003), and in Business Administration (2001).
In her first political stint, Dalli successfully contested the 2014 European Elections in Malta.
She campaigned on the mantra of 'Priorita Malta' (Priority Malta), underlining her commitment to focus on issues of paramount importance for the country such as job opportunities, irregular immigration, affordable energy, EU funding, youths and cutting red tape for businesses. Her candidature was approved by Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, saying the Labour Party needed dedicated MEPs.
In the EU election, Dalli garnered around 23,500 first preference votes, making her the third candidate most votes Most preferred candidates from six eligible seats. She became the first Labour female MEP to be elected directly to the European Parliament, after the preceding year saw three female MEPs becoming elected only through a bi-election. In her first comments to the TVM, she thanked the electorate for the responsibilities given and promised to work hard for the needs of Maltese people.
Dalli sits as a member on the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), the Committee on Petitions (PETI), and on the Delegation for Relations with the Maghreb countries & the Arab Maghreb Union.
She is a substitute member on the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), and Delegation to the EU-Armenia, EU-Azerbaijan and EU-Georgia Parliamentary Cooperation.
In October 2016 she was chosen as the Coordinator on the ENVI committee, on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, replacing German MEP Matthias Groote. She was re-elected in January 2017. This led the VoteWatch.eu to consider Dalli as one of the winners in the European Parliament's mid-term reshuffle, adding that she shown capabilities to negotiate between the two major parties in the European Parliament.
Dalli was chosen to serve on the Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automative Sector, after the Volkswagen emissions scandal was revealed. She represented the European Parliament in the Climate Change Conference (COP21) held in Paris in December 2015.
Following the 2019 elections, Dalli was elected vice-chair of the S&D Group, under the leadership of chairwoman Iratxe García.


text:
James Bond: The Man, the Myth, and the Birds He Loved
Laura Mallonee
A new exhibition explores the myth of James Bond – both the legendary spy and the bird lover he was named after.
PUSSYGALORE
"Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman), 1964"
James Bond is the world's most famous spy. He's also an esteemed ornithologist.
Everyone who knows Bond knows Ian Fleming is the British former naval intelligence officer who wrote the 14 novels that gave rise to the roguish spy. But Fleming had another passion: birds. He so loved them that he named his dashing protagonist after American ornithologist James Bond. As Bond the spy grew in stature, Bond the ornithologist faded from view. This dynamic fascinates photographer Taryn Simon. "What's interesting to me is how identity can be usurped by fiction," she says. "When you're dealing with such a powerful fantasy, there's almost a third space that opens up between fiction and reality."
Her series Birds of the West Indies (which shares its name with an ornithology book written by the real Bond and beloved by Fleming) sits within that surreal space. It combines Bond the agent with Bond the ornithologist, examining both men through the creatures and objects that enchanted them—or, as Simon cheekily puts it, their mutual "love of birds."
Part 1 features the British spy's "birds"---his love interests, weapons, and luxury cars. From his iconic Walther PPK to the Aston Martin DBS he favored in later films, Simon tracked down the spy's best hardware at museums, auction houses, and private collections around the world. She photographed them against a simple black backdrop, much like an ornithologist might pin a small bird to a board. "I was dissecting the components of a fantasy that has had a global draw over a long period of time," she says.
She also contacted the 57 women who appear in the films. Ten of them weren't interested in participating, so Simon used an empty black frame instead of a portrait. Of those who said, "No thanks," several did so simply because they had no desire to revisit the Bond universe. "You have these people who have other names and lives outside the films, yet the fiction is so strong and so powerful that it's almost impossible to see them independent of their established characters," Simon says. "And I think for them, as well, it's difficult."
Part 2 is a taxonomy of birds that appear in the movies. Simon binge-watched the films several times, collecting over 300 stills and classifying each animal by location (be it a real place like Switzerland or a fictional one like Spectre Island), much like Bond categorized the creatures in Birds of the West Indies. They're juxtaposed with images of the ornithologist's correspondence and papers detailing expeditions, kills, and awards. It's strange to see them close with Bond's signature. "You can't help but read those letters and think that it's been written and signed by the fabricated man, as opposed to the ornithologist," Simon says.
Each image tells a different story about James Bond. And in the end, it's still hard to parse fact from fiction. It shows that the two Bonds are inextricably linked. "It's this strange thing that happens to your mind, where you can't find reality," Simon says. "And for me, that's what it's about—this weird collapse."
Taryn Simon: Birds of the West Indies shows at the Eastman Gallery in Rochester, New York from February 13 through May 15.
Laura Mallonee is a writer for WIRED covering photography.
TopicsFine ArtJames Bond


Working For Cannabis NB ? Join CUPE!
In New Brunswick, Cannabis NB is the only legally authorized retailer for cannabis products. Despite good development prospects, the Crown corporation does not seem ready to commit to make these jobs stable and have all the benefits that should come with such a profitable industry. At CUPE, we feel this can change and we want to help Cannabis NB staff achieve job security and gain negotiated improvements to their working conditions. This is why Canadian Union of Public Employees is organizing Cannabis NB workers.
Job security. Protection against unjust layoffs and potential management abuses.
Better wages. Collectively bargained wage increases.
Vacations, pension, insurance and other benefits.
Experience. CUPE already represents workers in the retail of controlled substances. Alcohol NB workers, for example, are unionized with CUPE.
Union strength. With over 650 000 members nationwide, CUPE is the largest union in Canada and in NB. This means resources and staff to represent and help members.
Visit our website: https://www.cupecannabis.ca/ and call or email our organizer today !


text:
Una cúpula inflable es una estructura en la cual su integridad estructural se basa en la utilización de aire a presión para inflar un material flexible desde su interior.

Este concepto se popularizó a gran escala por David H. Geiger con el pabellón de los Estados Unidos en la Expo '70 en Osaka (Japón) en 1970.

Por lo general tiene forma de cúpula, ya que esta forma crea el mayor volumen con la menor cantidad de material. Para mantener la integridad estructural, la presión en el interior debe ser igual o superior a cualquier presión externa que se aplique a la estructura (es decir, la presión del viento). La estructura no tiene que ser hermética para conservar la integridad estructural; el sistema de presurización que suministra la presión interna deberá reemplazar cualquier fuga de aire. Todos los accesos al interior de la estructura deben estar equipados con dos juegos de puertas o una puerta giratoria, que funcionan como un esclusa. Las cúpulas inflabes están fijas al suelo mediante un sistema de pesos pesados, anclajes, fundaciones o una combinación de todos ellos.

Se suele utilizar en instalaciones deportivas y de recreación, almacenes, refugios temporales y cúpulas. La estructura puede ser total, parcial, o funcionando como techo. Una estructura total puede utilizarse para una instalación temporal o permanente, mientras que una cúpula funcionando como techo suele ser construida para un edificio permanente.

La cúpula inflable más grande en Norte América es la cúpula de la  École secondaire publique Louis-Riel (Escuela pública de secundaria Louis-Riel) en Ottawa, Ontario, Canadá. Además tiene el récord de ser la segunda cúpula inflable más grande del mundo.

Concepción

Forma
La forma de una cúpula inflable está limitada por la necesidad de aplicar una presión uniforma a toda la superficie de la cubierta. En caso contrario, la distribución irregular crea arrugas y puntos de tensión que puedon producir la ruina de la estructura.

En la práctica, cualquier superficie inflable implica una doble curvatura. Por lo tanto las formas más utilizadas son hemisferas, óvalos o semicilindros.

Estructura
Las acciones principales que actúan sobre una cúpula inflable son la presión del aire, el viento y la nieve. Con el fin de hacer frente a las cargas variables de viento y nieve, la inflación de la estructura deberá ajustarse en consecuencia. Las estructuras modernas tienen sistemas mecánicos controlados por ordenador capaces de detectar las cargas dinámicas y compensar la inflación de la misma. Las de más alta calidad son capaces de soportar vientos de hasta 190 km/h (120 mph), y cargas de nieve de hasta 18 kg/m².

Por supuesto, la presión del aire en la cubierta es igual a la presión del aire ejercida sobre el suelo en el interior, empujando a toda la estructura hacia arriba. Por lo tanto, la estructura debe estar firmemente anclada al suelo (o subestructura en el caso de tratarse de una cubierta). Para las grandes estructuras son necesarios cables para el anclaje y la estabilización. Todas las formas de anclaje requieren algún tipo de lastre. Inicialmente se utilizaban como lastre bolsas de arena, bloques de hormigón, ladrillos, o materiales similares, colocados en todo el perímetro de la falda de la cúpula. Hoy en día la mayoría utilizan sistemas de anclaje propios.

El peligro de colapso repentino es despreciable, ya que la estructura se deforma o se hunde en caso de una sobrecarga (nieve o viento). Solo si estas señales de advertencia son ignoradas o inadvertidas, la acumulación de una carga extrema pueden romper el material, lo que lleva a una deflación y el colapso repentino.

Materiales
Los materiales utilizados para las estructuras inflables son similares a los utilizados en las estructuras en tracción, es decir, telas sintéticas, tales como la de fibra de vidrio o el poliéster. Con el fin de evitar el deterioro de la humedad y la radiación ultravioleta, estos materiales están recubiertos con polímeros como el  PVC o teflón.

Dependiendo del uso y la ubicación, la estructura puede tener forros interiores de materiales más ligeros para el aislamiento o la acústica.

Presión del aire
La presión del aire interior necesaria para este tipo de estructuras no es perceptible desde el interior y pasa inadvertida para el usuario. La cantidad de presión requerida es una función del peso del material -y el conjunto de sistema suspendidos en él como iluminación, ventilación, etc- y la presión del viento. Sin embargo, solo representa una pequeña fracción de la presión atmosférica. La presión interna se mide comúnmente en pulgadas de agua (inAq) y varía entre un mínimo de 0,3 inAq y un máximo de 3 inAq, siendo 1 inAq el nivel de presurización para las condiciones normales de funcionamiento. En términos del sistema internacional, una inAq equivale a 254 Pa.

Ventajas e inconvenientes
A continuación se citan algunas de las ventajas e inconvenientes de utilizar este tipo de estructuras respecto a una construcción convencional para el mismo tamaño y aplicación.

Ventajas:
 Coste inicial considerablemente menor que los edificios convencionales.
 Reducción de los costes de funcionamiento debido a la simplicidad del diseño.
 Sistema fácil y rápido de montar, desmontar y reubicar.
 Espacio libre interior abierto, ya que no hay necesidad de columnas.
 Capacidad de cubrir casi cualquier proyecto.
 Personalización del tamaño y los colores del tejido, incluyendo la tela translúcida, permitiendo la entrada de luz natural.

Inconvenientes:
 Funcionamiento continuo de los ventiladores para mantener la presión, en ocasiones requieriendo la redundancia o una fuente de alimentación de emergencia.
 Derrumbe de la cúpula en caso de pérdida o rotura del tejido.
 Aislamiento inferior al de las estructuras de paredes duras, con el consiguiente aumento del coste en calefacción o refrigeración.
 Capacidad de carga limitada.
 Vida útil corta en comparación con edificios convencionales.

Cúpulas inflables famosas

En uso
 Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Míchigan, Estados Unidos
 St. Louis Science Center Exploradome, San Luis, Misuri, Estados Unidos
 Tokyo Dome, Tokio, Japón
 Burswood Dome, Perth, Western Australia
 Generations Sports Complex Dome, Muncy, Pensilvania, Estados Unidos
 Bennett Indoor Complex, Toms River, Nueva Jersey, Estados Unidos
 Dalplex (athletics complex), Halifax, Nueva Escocia, Canadá
 Rocky Lake Dome Arena, Bedford, Nueva Escocia, Canadá.
 Harry Jerome Sports Center, Burnaby, Columbia Británica, Canadá.
 The Alaska Dome, Anchorage, AK
 Krenzler Field, Universidad Estatal de Cleveland, Cleveland Ohio, Estados Unidos

Cúpulas famosas antiguas
 BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, Columbia Británica, Canadá. Inaugurado como el estadio más grande del mundo con techo inflable. Techo reemplazado por un techo retráctil soportado por cable en 2011.
 Carrier Dome, Syracuse, Nueva York, Estados Unidos. El techo inflable se desinfló por última vez en marzo de 2020. Techo con estructura de acero instalado en septiembre de ese año.
 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Mineápolis, Minesota, Estados Unidos. Demolida en 2014. El U.S. Bank Stadium, con techo fijo, ahora se encuentra en el sitio.
 RCA Dome, Indianápolis, Indiana, Estados Unidos. Demolida en diciembre de 2008.
 UNI-Dome, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Estados Unidos. Techo inflable original reemplazado por un techo fijo de acero y fibra de vidrio en 1998.

Referencias

Enlaces externos

 NRC Canadian Building Digest CBD-137 - 1971 Online version
 Estructuras tensadas (en inglés).
 Manual de concepción para cúpulas infladas montadas en tierra.
 Guía para la estimación de las cargas de anclaje para cúpulas inflables
 Cúpula inflable para planetarios.

Edificios y estructuras por tipo
Arquitectura efímera
Cúpulas

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Students in the Electrician program at Summit College will learn the skills necessary to launch a successful career as a professional electrician. Guided by knowledgeable faculty with years of experience working in the field as electricians, you will gain a deep working knowledge of the most current technology and equipment.
The Electrician program at Summit College is designed to put graduates in a position to offer families and businesses the highest level of service and ensure that they have power when they need it.
At Summit College, we are aware of the important part electricity plays in our lives. From hospitals to schools, every setting needs electricity in order to provide services. And consequently, every setting needs a skilled electrician to make sure everything is working properly.
Our Electrician program offers comprehensive, hands-on training and the theoretical knowledge electricians need to launch a successful career in this high-demand field.
This nine-month program will provide you with certification as an registered electrician trainee that will allow you to enter the job market and take advantage of increasing demand for these professionals.
At Summit College, you will learn what matters most in an active learning and training environment. Your time will be spent on gaining a solid understanding of the resources, equipment and technologies you will use as a professional electrician.
As a student in our Electrician program, you will take advantage of hands-on training that will prepare you to work as a skilled professional electrician in multiple settings.
At Summit College, our main goal is to help you find an entry-level position in your field of expertise. We do that through a well-rounded education that will provide you with critical knowledge about the subjects you need to understand in order to provide reliable service as an electrician.
An extensive portion of your learning experience will involve hands-on training. Our modern facilities provide you with the perfect environment to practice the theories you learn in the classroom.
One of the high points of our Electrician program is our faculty. They are professional electricians with years of experience working in different settings and handling various scenarios. Our seasoned faculty brings relevant experience into your classroom and can share advice from the real world that will help you improve your abilities and be prepared for new challenges.
This is a thriving industry with a lot of opportunities. According to O*NET Online, U.S. electrician jobs are projected to grow by 181,800, or 14%, from 2014 to 2024. This exceeds the overall projected employment growth rate of 7%*.
The Electrician program at Summit College is tailored to prepare students for entry-level positions as registered electrician trainees. With this certificate, you will be prepared to work for electrical contractors or wiring installation contractors.
The demand for qualified electricians is high nowadays. And even though the job outlook is promising for the next few years, employers look for professionals who are skilled and able to communicate successfully with clients. A certification from an approved college can make all the difference when launching a career, and it's the best way to take advantage of the growing opportunity for professionals in the electricity field. Summit College's Electrician program will equip you with the abilities the job market is currently looking for, through current facilities, tutoring services and strong academic support.
At Summit College you will also find a Career Services team ready to help you. When you graduate from the Electrician program, our team will assist you in writing a resume, getting ready for interviews and looking for externship sites.
At Summit College, students will be prepared to face the challenges they might find working in the electrician field. That's why we blend theoretical lectures with hands-on training. Our purpose is to provide you with a well-rounded education covering every detail you will need when launching your career.


text:
Q: Highcharts: multiple yAxes labels overlap I've got a chart where there are multiple yAxes and labels that overlap. I cannot instantiate them with different x values because I've got a UI that will switch the axes on and off, so that would leave weird spacing to one of the labels. I want to use formatter to detect if the label is not a first label and then change the x value then, but I have trouble finding how to change the value in formatter callback. Below is my code
{
        title: 'Count',
        gridLineDashStyle: 'Dash',
        gridLineColor: '#e8ebef',
        showFirstLabel: false,
        labels: {
          enabled: true,
          align: 'right',
          x: 5,
          y: 15,
          style: {
            fontFamily: fontFamily,
            fontSize: '10px',
            fontWeight: 'bold',
            color: '#8596a5'
          }
        },
        opposite: true,
        allowDecimals: true,
        min: 0,
        minRange: 2 // Ensures flat charts don't show line at the bottom
      },
      {
        title: 'Cost',
        gridLineDashStyle: 'Dash',
        gridLineColor: '#e8ebef',
        showFirstLabel: false,
        labels: {
          enabled: true,
          align: 'left',
          x: 5,
          y: 15,
          style: {
            fontFamily: fontFamily,
            fontSize: '10px',
            fontWeight: 'bold',
            color: '#8596a5'
          },
          formatter: function() {
          if ( this.isFirst ) { console.log("first") }
            this.attr({ x:44 })
          }
        },
        allowDecimals: true,
        min: 0,
        minRange: 2 // Ensures flat charts don't show line at the bottom
      },

Any ideas?

A: Both of your yAxis should have order in which you want to show them.YAxis needs to be stacked.  Use
yAxis:0, //for first series
yAxis:1  //for second series

I Will add a fiddle in few mins.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The art of luxury in an autonomous age
Listen to podcast one of a three-part special with Bentley, which looks at how luxury, sustainability and technology will play a part in the future of the ultra-luxury automotive market
In partnership with Bentley
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Bentley's Head of Interior Design, Brett Boydell, and programme leader of the luxury brand management MA at the University of Southampton, Debbie Pinder, discuss the future of luxury and how forthcoming Bentley models will redefine what it means to travel in style.
Bentley is a company steeped in history. A company that has long created luxurious automobiles that are as at home on the world's most famous race tracks as they are touring some of Europe's finest winding roads. W.O Bentley's motto was 'to build a fast car, a good car, the best in its class', which still rings true to this day, but how does a company founded on speed, handling and poise on the racetrack continue to attract customers in a future that will introduce increasing levels of automation?
"Bentley owners have experienced autonomous driving for over 100 years now, it's just that they've typically had someone in the driving seat doing the work for them," explains Bentley's Head of Interior Design, Brett Boydell.
"But the advent of more advanced autonomous systems and electric drivetrains allows us to be more creative when it comes to conceptualising the automotive interior of the future. This technology has the potential to increase the levels of luxury we know today," he adds.
How AI can help us all lead happier lives
In partnership with Hitachi
This subject has been explored in the marque's recent EXP 100 GT concept vehicle, which features a dramatic 5.8 metre body and an interior that showcases cutting-edge sustainable materials, the latest in wellness tech and configurable seating that seamlessly switches between a first class lounge experience and a more traditional driving position.
Charlie Surbey
According to luxury brand consultant and programme leader of the luxury brand management MA at the University of Southampton, Debbie Pinder, the definition of luxury has shifted in recent years. The growth in popularity of social media and other digital platforms means today's high net worth individuals are seeking products and experiences that are truly bespoke. More importantly, issues of privacy and escapism are rapidly becoming the new currency of the wealthy.
"A constant bombardment of information will soon become the norm and high net worth individuals will happily pay for moments of calm and tranquility. The fact that they will be able to design and specify the interior of their future car so it becomes a space to relax and improve wellness will alter the way we approach travelling," she explains.
Electric propulsion means the basic architecture of the EXP 100 GT is very different from the cars we know today and its flat floor means it feels more like a relaxing space in the home than a typical automotive experience. The concept is designed to celebrate Bentley's centenary but also look forward at the next 100 years, so it features myriad technologies that Boydell believes will be commonplace in the next 20 years or so.
How HP's Elite Dragonfly will help you conquer the future of work
In partnership with HP AND INTEL
"Autonomy and artificial intelligence embedded in the car will be common practice by the year 2035. Although intelligence will be woven into every surface, the interior remains beautiful and beautifully crafted, with the connectivity we require to carry out our daily lives seamlessly fused within a space where we can relax and escape," he adds.
Driving towards the future
Despite a rise in traffic and congestion in the world's largest cities, many still view the automobile as the ultimate freedom machine. Granted, the halcyon days of luxurious continent-crossing grand tours might be somewhat stifled, but Bentley believes there is still something inherently luxurious about the journey.
Hence the decision to ensure a traditional steering wheel and pedals remained in the EXP 100 GT, because what's more luxurious than taking control when the route ahead opens up and the full performance capabilities of the vehicle can be explored?
"Admittedly, it would be a small percentage of the time that future Bentley owners will be driving but that choice and ability to take control is crucial - ensuring that every journey has the ability to make memories and experiences," Boydell claims.
The digital tools that could save the NHS
Brett Boydell, Bentley's Head of Interior Design
Interestingly, the British marque also believes that the choice to interact with the outside world or shy away from it is also essential in defining automotive luxury in the years to come. Smart glass and increased levels of connectivity will allow passengers to interact with their surroundings if they so wish, but the ability to silence the hubbub and escape it all is a true marker of luxury.
"Emotional connection will become very import in the future. Digital information is quite distant and cold, so we see a yearning, particularly among the next generation, for tactility and feedback. They want to be involved in the experience. Just because we can travel autonomously doesn't mean we have to neglect the connection with the machine," Boydell adds.
Mobility is a current buzzword within the automotive industry and there is a worry that travel is merely becoming a pragmatic process of getting from A to B, but Bentley believes that there is an opportunity with its next generation of vehicles to reinstate a sense of opulence in the act of hitting the open road.
Beautifully crafted interiors that fuse technology with artisan manufacturing methods, advanced autonomous driving modes and artificial intelligence that ensures occupants exit the vehicle in a better mental and physical state than when they arrived will assist in this journey, which for Bentley, is only just beginning.
From graphene to smart jewellery: how tech and fashion are colliding
Google's latest experiment teaches AI to dance like a human
This high-wire robotic acrobat can build towers all by itself
By Gian Volpicelli
Preparing for an autonomous future with Shell Retail
In partnership with Shell Retail


text:
Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies
Journal of the Association for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies
Home > BSPHS > Vol. 44 (2019) > Iss. 1
The Ruin of a State is Freedom of Conscience: Religion, (In)Tolerance, and Independence in the Spanish Monarchy
Scott EastmanFollow
Hispanic clerics, intellectuals, and radicals avidly discussed religious tolerance in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. For most, liberty, political independence, and freedom of the press remained paramount concerns. They agreed that religious liberty could not be implemented in the Spanish Monarchy. In this sense, the collective superseded the individual right of worship. Although Hispanic liberals did not include religious tolerance among their foundational principles, they crafted a heterodox ideology that guided the construction of modern Spanish institutions and represented a rallying cry for many on the left throughout the nineteenth century in Spain, Spanish America, and beyond.
Eastman, Scott (2019) "The Ruin of a State is Freedom of Conscience: Religion, (In)Tolerance, and Independence in the Spanish Monarchy," Bulletin for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies: Vol. 44 : Iss. 1 , Article 4.
https://doi.org/10.26431/0739-182X.1328
Available at: https://digitalcommons.asphs.net/bsphs/vol44/iss1/4
All Issues Vol. 44, Iss. 1 Vol. 43, Iss. 1 Vol. 42, Iss. 2 Vol. 42, Iss. 1 Vol. 41, Iss. 1 Vol. 40, Iss. 1 Vol. 39, Iss. 1 Vol. 38, Iss. 1 Vol. 37, Iss. 2 Vol. 37, Iss. 1 Vol. 36, Iss. 1 Vol. 35, Iss. 1


text:
NFL midseason predictions: Seahawks rule Super Bowl XLVIII
Published: Nov. 1, 2013 at 12:40 p.m.
Updated: Nov. 1, 2013 at 02:23 p.m.
By NFL.com
What happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object? Our analysts' Super Bowl picks produce a popular matchup: Peyton Manning's Broncos vs. Richard Sherman's Seahawks.
Back to Article >>
Thinnest position groups across NFL: Pats' big flaw?


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