Kill the Beast
Sports, Politics and Entertainment
June 22nd,
2008
Sports
Daffy draft
day in
Without delay, the Tampa
Bay Lightning’s first overall pick in the NHL draft was Steve Stamkos, fresh
out of the OHL. This was not unsurprising or extraordinary. However, the
Lightning’s new owners, Oren Koules and Len Barrie later
drafted a player, who, prior to the draft, announced his retirement at a young
age due to health issues. They said they did it just to reward the otherwise
esteemed player with the honour of being drafted. Touching, but kind of goofy.
Just like the reports that these two seem to be trained in the Charlie Wang
school of player contracts, by offering Vinny Lecavalier a lifetime contract to
play and work in
On the west
coast, the Vancouver Canucks, amid change in the GM position, did the same
thing they’ve been doing for the last year or two: not much. They selected a smaller
playmaking forward with the tenth pick overall who probably won’t have much of
an impact this year. Meanwhile, barring an unlikely and unpopular trade, Roberto
Luongo will play out the last couple years of his contract in Vancouver and
then seek greener pastures if they haven’t won a cup in that time. Incoming GM Mike
Gillis was brought in, presumably, because outgoing GM Dave Nonis did next to
nothing last year, other than trade away character player, Matt Cooke. Gillis
already missed out on big man Olli Jokinen and doesn’t seem anywhere near the
hunt for Sundin. Who will lead this team next year? Or does Markus Naslund’s
former agent still believe Nazzy can wear the ‘C’ for the “Can-Knuckleheads”?
He’d be daffy to think so.
Entertainment
Amplified
Wrinkles -Pepper
After
six seasons and three years snappy sex talk in the big apple, women across
North America strapped on their high heels, squeezed into their favorite
dresses, gulped down a few cosmos and headed towards the movie theatre prepared
to welcome back their old friends; Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha. The
film stuck with the same themes: boredom, infidelity, marriage, babies, and love.
As a follower of the HBO series, I was skeptical as to what these characters
still had left to show me that I hadn’t seen previously.
The
surprises in the plot start quick though, with Big and Carrie who are still
going strong and take the inevitable step of moving in together. Tired of
Carrie referring to him as her ‘man friend’ and for ownership purposes, Big
concludes that they should get married. Of course, with these two, we know
nothing is quite so simple. Meanwhile, Miranda and Samantha are together in the
same boat: bored and dealing with infidelity in their relationships. On the
other hand,
Some skeptics feel the show has all along been a forum
for hating the male gender, but oh how wrong they are. For example, Miranda,
the most cynical of the four, eventually forgives Steve for his infidelity and
decides that a future with him is what she wants. In an act of symbolic romantic
salvation, they meet halfway on the
This film has its moments and reveals some long
awaited secrets like Big’s full name and Samantha’s real age (she can’t
celebrate 35 forever!). At some points, this feels like a marathon episode (it
runs almost 2 and a half hours). That said, while it sticks with the original
formula, the dialogue never feels forced. Lucky for the audience, these four women,
aged forty-something, still know how to make us laugh. Sex and the City is
proof that women will never give up and will do almost anything for love…even
wear blue feathered birds on their heads.
Feature
Fenton’s
Choice (Part 2 of 4) –Marie Sulford
It had been dark when the train drew in. I knew
Fenton at once and only one other man got out. The boy glanced uneasily back
over his shoulder as I held out my hand, “Good to see you again Fenton, I hear
you’ve done rather well”, and I slipped my arm through his and felt him
shivering and stiffen up. “I’ve just this suitcase”, he said.
We hurried off in the dark to the ferry, it was
blowing hard. Only when we stood waiting for the ferry boat to dock did we hear
footsteps behind us. The ferryman heard them too. “Someone else off that train?”
he asked “ticket office well be closed now”. The cold shrimpers wind that blew
the boats back up the river whipped through us. We peered into the gusty night “let’s
go” Fenton muttered, “I can’t see anyone”. The ferry pushed off… red and yellow
snakes of light slithered across the wide black water from the boats and
houses, dwarfed by the stretch of the estuary.
We had a mile to walk up the hill and away from the
river and we struggled with the wind to reach my gate. As I shut the gate I found
myself listening – yes – through the gusts I could just make out the sound of
footsteps coming up the lane. Fenton pulled my sleeve, “Please can we go in?”
he asked urgently.
“Nice of you to let me come” Fenton said when we got
inside. “But there is someone following us”, I insisted, “no one comes up here
at this time of night”. We looked but couldn’t see a thing in the dark lane
behind us.
I had prepared supper and made up a good fire to
welcome us. “It’s quiet here” Fenton said as he sat down to eat. “Not another
house for half a mile”, I explained, “you need seclusion after a lifetime of
looking after boys. I do everything for myself. I’ve been painting the outside
doors by the way, so be careful”.
We talked of Fenton’s scholarship over the fire, but
I couldn’t make him feel less uneasy or relax. He kept getting up to look out
of the window and fidgeted with the curtains and the latches on the doors.
Suddenly, he said “My mind seems to quiver. I expect I’m tired. I’ll go up to
bed”. He stood up to go, “don’t you hear anything?” he asked and suddenly ran
upstairs.
I think I did hear something. There were steps up my
path, then a knock at the door, it was a hesitant knock. I hurried to the door
but saw no one there. Then I heard a soft stroking sound at my window. I drew
back the curtain and I could see a clear impression of five fingers and the
palm of a hand in white paint against the darkness. “My fresh paint!” I thought
and went to the back door, opened it and stole round the cottage so Fenton
wouldn’t hear. But whomever it was had gone. (To be continued)
Horoscopes
Aries: When it rains, it pours. Think about buying an umbrella or cleaning out the gutters.
Taurus: Hasty decisions make for long hours cleaning up a mess. Luckily you’ve made perfect decisions as usual and have nothing to fear.
Gemini: Physical activity is best when the sun is out. Don’t be afraid to take some time for yourself after all your hard work.
Cancer: Slow down is coming to an end. Things are going to pick up soon, so be prepared to hop on the wave when it comes.
Leo: Don’t sneer at gifts at this time of year. Generosity can always be reciprocated.
Virgo: Sometimes, to be intimidated is just good old fashion caution. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
Libra: The romantic nights of summer are on the way for Libras. Just don’t get too carried away. The fall is just around the corner.
Scorpio: The way is often a long hard slog rather than a noble climb to the peak. Keep at it and you’ll get out of the swamp..
Sagittarius: The good times can’t last forever. Plan for the future now or suffer consequences later.
Capricorn: Dancing shoes are only needed for parties. Buy more work boots.
Aquarius: Summer is the time for enjoyment and relaxation. It will pass sooner than you think so take advantage now.
Pisces: A recent obstacle has you stuck. Try chewing bubble gum, it works for math problems.
