...watched The Outer Circle at the Actress & Bishop (read more here)

...listened to Super Furry Animals' "Something for the Weekend"

...read the Guardian (just realised that I don't read anymore - shit)

...laughed at baulking the credit crunch by purchasing a new 32 inch flat screen, high definition television (it truly is a thing of beauty)

...despaired at people who walk out of equalities training sessions because they think they are more equal than me

...had hope about watching the England match on Rob's Setanta Sports card on my new 32 inch flat screen, high definition television (it truly is a thing of beauty)

...been completely random about about unpacking books and getting them in the right order (in an extremely anal way)

Interested in what I've been doing previously...??? Then click here...

No, not the mother or baby. The damn carjacker. Seriously, who attacks a mother and her baby with a gun? What kind of coward does it take to do that? And then he hangs the baby out of the car by its feet. The man is pathetic and I really hope they catch him, then let random people beat the hell out of him. It disgusts me that people like this exist.

Oh, and cute baby. Babies are so cute. It takes a horrible person to hurt a baby.

So here we have it, the highlights of Caroline and Mike’s wedding day. This was without doubt a wedding with a bit of a difference. Caroline had designed and made just about everything for their wedding. The bride’s bouquet is crafted out of literally millions of tiny beads, which took her months to make and weighs a ton. She also made bridesmaids’ bouquets, buttonholes and venue decorations with the same amount of dedication, patience and number of beads! She also designed her own dress and expertly decorated her wedding shoes to match. Although she didn’t bake the wedding cake, she did design it. I believe that by now you will take it for granted that she also made all the invitations, menus, orders of service, … It’s a good thing she had 18 months to prepare for this wedding!

The day itself was splendid, the weather behaved most of the time, but even if hadn’t been, the setting was just so amazing that it wouldn’t have mattered. The ceremony took place in the Great Hall at Adlington Hall in Cheshire. This is a stunning venue, steeped in history, dating back to the Doomsday Book. Their wedding breakfast was in the adjacent Hunting Lodge which had been personalised with little touches by Caroline complete with a much appreciated candy bar! We also went to Shrigley Hall Hotel for a short photo session with Rob, the most fabulous photographer known to mankind.

So now, without further ado, I present to you Caroline & Mike’s Highlights straight from their wedding DVD.

In other news, I've had a major breakthrough with my ideas for the sequel to RoB. Trust me, it'll be genius. But also very different. I can't wait to write it!

Finally, my throat hurts, and I can't talk properly. Too much shouting.

Man those words hurt, Lord. To be honest, I don't think I'm lovable and I'm astounded that he even told me he loved me, yet in the end he didn't did he?  he left. he broke me so bad. he tore my heart out and affirmed my worst fears: that I am unlovable, that I am not good enough, that i wasn't enough, that i couldn't even love him right.

But, here's the root of all of that...I found my everything in him, in loving him, in our life together, in our future.  Even more so, I still do.  I still define myself and see myself through those lens.  Every little word that cut my heart, replays in my mind. The words that told me I needed to lose weight, the words that screamed do better, be more, do this, you're not her.  I'm stuck on replay.  Yet, even as those words fade I simply find others similar enough.  I find myself reaching out, trying to show that I need just a little something and the response becomes we're too busy--only to find out that they're reaching out to couples, they're meeting with the couples.  Because of course, when I was a couple that's who they reached out to as well.  

So how do I move on now and turn to You to find out who I am.  How can we as sinners even be lovable?  Am I?  I don't believe it. I don't see how to believe it. I keep looking for a laundry list of "to do" items to check off before I might except I know that the list only gets longer. 

Here I am. At the root of the problem talking myself in circles because this has all been said before and will probably be said again.  My solution for tonight. Bed.

Rob=the boy talked about here, here, here, here, here  here here and here. All of that means way too many posts about such a heart-wrenching topic.

The 30V also has a system called Eye Control Focusing. It works simply by "knowing" which part of the viefinder you are looking at, and it will focus on the nearest AutoFocus Zone to where you are looking.
Generally a point and shoot camera will focus at the centre of the image all the time. SLR cameras have multiple focus points that are usually selected manually by the user by pressing buttons, or the camera can automatically select the "best" point. But the Eye Control Focus lets the user slect the point manually by simply looking at the desired point of the frame.
For example if you're shooting a group of people standing in a line, you would compose the image so as to fit everyone in the frame as desired, but if you want to highlight the focus on one particular individual, you would simply look at that person through the viewfinder and press the shutter release to take the image. Very neat system when used in the right places.

I have always loved the "suprise" of opening a pack of freshly printed photo's that were shot with film, and there is something just plain fun about shooting film.

I also love black and white, especially for portraits or groups of people, which I feel digital lacks the character that B&W film can deliver.  It also adds a little elegance to portraits, and also highlights the technical attributes of a picture.  Rather than being reliant on bright/ saturated colours to grab your attention, your composition, lighting and perspective must do the attention grabbing instead.

Thanks to Nige Honey for suggesting I see Alan at PhotoForce in Hobart (free plug) to discuss what options for film would best suit my needs.

So hopefully I have somthing worthwhile to share in the near future.

The weekend started off with a trip to my drummer's house. Me and Rob always got along great, so when I found out he got drums, we thought it was only natural to start a band. It's been great. We had a spring break where all we would do is play songs and make stuff up. It's great because we're both on the same level and have a good "chemistry". But over the summer I kind of neglected the band... Argh I feel bad, because he'd get kind of mad or not be so willing to practice anymore. But on saturday we picked up where we left off. We made a couple more songs and we really need to work on completing them.

We headed back to my house and there we recorded in the HotBox. This is a room in the back off my house that I built for myself to make musical madness. I didn't really intend for more than me to be in there so space is cramped. It gets REALLY hot in there. Thus the name: HotBox. All summer I didn't really use it and it got filled with my dad's tools while he was away, so I spent Friday cleaning it out. Especially because Rob was freaking out about the rat droppings (fear of rats)

So now, while he's at Urbana-Champaign, I could sent him my guitar/vocals and he can do the drums/send me guitar ideas. I hope that this year we can finish the LP, that would be great.

Then, we headed over to my friends Steph and Dave and Tony's band show! It was pretty great, since Rob decided to come! We always look for ways to improve our sound, with the goal of finally being in a show. I want to do atleast one where the crowd is going crazy for us and jamming to our songs. It was really great. I almost missed Steph's band (Halo Halo) but I made, albeit it kind of late. She wasn't too mad. The inbetween bands were really good. Believe me, Rob, and Steph were being music nerds, critiquing every little thing and noting the equipment. Haha, I love these concerts.

Tony and Dave have been making music/doing shows for a good four plus years. They command a crowd so well and are so good. I asked Tony a lot of questions about playing live and he was so helpful in letting me know some of the inner workings. I really like those guys. And as usual, their set was amazing. After the show there was a lot of downtime, but a lot of talking. Which I missed because as you know IIT is not a place for that. I was so happy to be talking and laughing with people again. Sad, but true. We ending up going to White Castle (so good, but I knew I'd pay for it in the morning/long run) and I couldn't stop talking and laughing. So much that me and Rob just chilled like we used to. It was good times.

Sunday, I went to see Tiffany! We ate and talked so much I was so happy. It was abbreviated because she had to study for a test, but I cherished it. The best part was when I started to say something to the effect of, "Even when everything is going bad..." she finished my sentence, "...everything melts away when I'm with you." I could not be any happier! I don't think anyone has any idea of how completely head-over-heels in love I am with this girl. She isn't like any others. We're young, but who can really deny what we have? I don't think anyone with a logical mind would. Hanging with Tiffany again today just made me even happier. We fell asleep in each others arms. I can't even describe the feelings I have waking up next to her. I just want to move in with her already...

I've decided that next weekend (not the 11th), I'm going to Urbana. I've missed my friends a lot. I'm going to visit as many as I can. I hope Tiffany will be strong during that time. I'll miss her, but I really just want to see my friends, for one weekend atleast. I'll be staying with Rob at his house. Just have to figure out how to get there and what I need to bring. I'm super excited!

Okay, I should be studying for my Digital Design class. Ugh. 01010100101011101100111. All day, Everyday. (Well, just all Tuesday).

Yip, i'm signing up....

Like the giant cell phone at the begining of the video? How about those AWESOME Zubaz! Zubaz is back BTW and if they made the Dolphins colors again I would so buy em!

Rob nabbed our tickets on EBay on the cheap and I'll be packing up a cooler with some good booze! Since the game will be on TV in the Orlando area turn it on and see if you see us...HINT-We'll be in the jerseys! If you don't live around here check out this post about how you can figure out easily what games will be on in your area!

So, Orange Juice has finally been found guilty. Oh, wait, wrong OJ. Whew, that was close. I love Orange Juice, I hope nothing bad ever happens to it.

OJ Simpson was found guilty of all charges pertaining to his robbery. And apparently some people related to him were sad or something.

His sentence is unclear for now, but it could last until the end of his life. Now, it sucks the dude might die in prison, but come on. He did a lot of damage with this incident, and from past events, it is pretty clear that he isn't completely sane, nor is he a good guy.

I am one of those people on the "OJ did commit murder" wagon, just so you know. You can't try a guy for the same crime twice, but this is close enough I guess. The guy really should be behind bars. It's about time somebody figured that out, lest another incident like this happen.

I found this interesting:

"During jury selection, Simpson's lawyers expressed fears that people who believed he got away with murder might see this case as a chance to right a wrong.

As a result, an usually large pool of 500 potential jurors was called, and they were given a 26-page questionnaire. Half were almost instantly eliminated after expressing strong feelings that Simpson should have been convicted of murder.

The judge instructed the jurors to put aside Simpson's earlier case."

That shows just how big a deal his murder case was, and the kind of impact it left on people. They can try to make it as unbiased as possible, but it still stands that many people do believe that OJ should have been convicted before. It doesn't really matter about last time though, he was clearly guilty this time, and it's about time they took this criminal off the streets.

NEW DELHI, October 3 (Compass Direct News) – At least two more Christians were killed today in Orissa state’s Kandhamal district after Hindu extremists this week set fire to nearly 400 homes there and in Boudh district. A third man succumbed to axe injuries on Wednesday (Oct. 1).

Weeks after Hindu extremist violence erupted against Christians, this morning tribal peoples in Sindhipankha village killed Dushashan Majhi, a local influential Christian, first shooting him and them cutting him to pieces. Local Christian leaders reported that Majhi was a government servant working in the treasury.

The mob then turned on Sanyasi Majhi, also said to be Christian, who was with Dushashan Majhi. There were unconfirmed reports that a third victim was killed along with the other two.

A local Christian who wished to remain unnamed told Compass that after killing the two men, the assailants massacred cattle belonging to village Christians and burned Christian-owned houses. Sindhipankha is about seven kilometers (four miles) from Tumudiband.

Local news reporter Lalit Jena told Compass from Kandhamal that the attacks – which have continued unabated since Hindu extremists blamed Christians for the death of Hindu leader Laxmanananda Saraswati on Aug. 23 even though Maoist militants admitted murdering him – involve women first ransacking the Christian homes.

“The modus operandi of the tribal mob is such that women go first and attack the Christian houses,” he said. “They ransack and rob the household’s gold and other jewelry, TVs and all that is precious. The men then follow and burn the houses. Lately it has been reported that now they are fighting among themselves for the booty.”

Jena added that tribal peoples who lived in poverty before the violence now have obtained many heads of cattle, including goats and cows, within a short span, as well as household goods.

“They may have no electricity in their villages, but one can see lots of television sets, nearly all of it looted from the Christians,” he said.

Axe Murder

On Wednesday (Oct. 1), Lalji Nayak, believed to be about 80 years old, died from axe wounds after a Hindu extremist mob attacked his village of Hrudangia the previous day. Nayak and 14 others were wounded, with Nayak struck between his neck and chest.

While three of the wounded received first-aid at a health center in Kandhamal, eight others, including Nayak and his wife Mandaki, were admitted to MKCG Medical College in Berhampur. At press time Nayak’s widow, who received an axe blow just below the ear, remained in the medical center with a serious head injury.

Local Christians in Berhampur wanted to give Lalji Nayak a Christian burial, but police did not allow it. Utkal Christian Council members B.D. Das and J.R. Patro expressed strong objections to the police action.

Nayak’s brother, Junas Nayak, was taken to Cuttack Medical College for gunshot wounds. He remained in critical condition at press time with multiple gunshot wounds, and according to Jena has a total of 13 bullets in him.

“Seven are on his left thigh, and six in his right hand, but the doctors have so far done nothing to remove them from his body, even though he has been admitted in the hospital since September 30,” Jena told Compass. “We are concerned that he may develop septic [shock or infection] because of the delay.”

In the attacks, an 8-year-old boy miraculously survived after being hit by an axe in the middle of his skull.

Two pregnant Christian women, Archana and Geeta Sahu, this week were brought from Kandhamal to Berhampur hospital, where they gave birth and were said to be out of danger.

Houses Burned

Nearly 400 houses were burned or destroyed in Orissa state’s Boudh and Kandhamal districts this week.

On Wednesday (Oct. 1), mobs set fire to dozens of houses in the Raikia area of the Kandhamal district. Yesterday the violence crossed over to neighboring Boudh district as about 100 houses were torched by mobs in at least nine villages. Worst affected was the village of Kantamal.

The burning of houses continued this morning, with more than 400 houses reported to have been either burnt or destroyed in Boudh and Kandhamal districts.

Police have reportedly arrested five people so far in connection with the burning of the houses in Boudh district.

Additional District Magistrate Mihir Chandra Mallik told reporters, that unidentified people set fire to over a hundred houses of Dalit Hindus in at least nine villages in Boudh district.

“We have set up a relief camp at Kantamal town to provide food and shelter to the people who have lost their homes,” he added.

The administration said that the motive for burning these houses was ethnic, as Kandh tribal peoples attacked Dalit Pana homes.

Area church leaders confirmed this, but one said on condition of anonymity, “First they were targeting Christian Panas only, but now even Hindu Panas are not being spared. All Hindus who have not joined the mobs in attacking Christians are also being treated in the same way as Christians.”

Both Dalit Pana houses as well as homes belonging to the Christian Pana community have been targeted in Boudh district, he said.

In Barakhama village near Kandhamal, Christians may move to the safer Daringbadi. A local pastor told Compass that Barakhama was also targeted last December, when around 400 homes belonging to Christians were burned and demolished.

“The same continues now,” he said on condition of anonymity. “The Christians love their homes, but it is just not safe to live here anymore, for the government has failed to protect us. The Christians in Barakhama have almost decided to move collectively to Daringbadi, which is at least a bit safer.”

It is estimated that around 500 Christian families will leave the village.

Nun Raped

Police have finally confirmed the rape of a nun in Kandhamal two days after the death of Hindu leader Saraswati.

A mob of around 40 men attacked the nun at K. Nuagaon village, where she and a priest, Father Thomas Chellantharayil, had taken shelter after their center was attacked. The mob allegedly dragged her and the priest to a deserted office of a Non-Governmental Organization, where she was stripped and raped. The priest was reportedly doused with gas and beaten as he tried to stop the attack on her.

Police have arrested four suspects in the rape. Juria Pradhan, 52, his 22-year-old son Kartik Pradhan, Biren Sahu, 35, and 26-year-old Tapas Patnaik were arrested in connection with the assault and rape of the 29-year-old Catholic nun on Aug. 25.

The inspector-in-charge of Baliguda police station has since been suspended in connection with the incident. The Orissa government has also ordered a probe, 39 days after the initial complaint.

District Superintendent of Police S. Praveen Kumar this week told reporters that a medical examination report confirmed that the nun was raped.

The Hindustan Times reported today that although the report was filed weeks ago, police obtained the medical examination report only two days ago following media reports and the efforts of Sister Nirmala, Superior-General of the Missionaries of Charity, who wrote to the state seeking justice.

“A police official said they were busy in maintaining law and order and could not find time to look into the case,” the national daily reported.

Attempts at Law and Order

Since Wednesday (Oct. 1), 46 people have been arrested on charges of rioting in Kandhamal district. A police official said that they had arrested more than 300 people in the past month.

Christian leaders attributed the sudden arrest of 46 people in the last two days to new state Director General of Police (DGP) Manmohan Praharaj, who took over from Gopal Chandra Nanda, who retired on Tuesday (Sept. 30).

Hindu extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad International President Ashok Singhal did not take kindly to the latest arrests.

“The new DGP is indiscriminately arresting leaders of Hindu organizations that are not related to any case,” he told reporters this week.

Nearly 53 companies of paramilitary forces have been appointed in Kandhamal district, and curfew was still imposed. The central government sent 1,000 paramilitary personnel in the form of 10 Central Reserve Police Force companies on Wednesday (Oct. 1) to Kandhamal district. Local sources said 10 more companies were expected by Sunday (Oct. 5).

The central government has come down heavily on the Orissa state government. Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil wrote a strongly worded letter to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday (Oct. 3) asking him to take effective measures and provide security for the Christian community in the state.

“Merely continuing to ask for additional forces after every few days cannot be the solution,” Patil wrote. “The state government has to implement overall strategy for creating an environment of security.”

The letter came hours after the Union Cabinet expressed grave concern over the situation in the state, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh directing Patil to present a report on the situation at the next cabinet meeting.

Peace Rally in New Delhi

In New Delhi, nearly 15,000 Christians joined in a peace march in solidarity with the victims of the Orissa and Karnataka violence yesterday.

The peace march was the culmination of the week-long sit-in organized by the Christians of Delhi and NCR (National Capital Region) beginning Sept. 26 to protest atrocities on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka. The peace march took place on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, father of the nation.

Many national leaders, including central ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Oscar Fernandes, addressed the gathering at the Dharna (sit-in). Yadav, the union minister for Indian Railways, promised to personally meet with the prime minister and urgently discuss the matter. He said that he would “take up the anti-Christian violence in Parliament and debate the hatred of Hindutva [Hindu nationalist] forces.”

Hindu leaders such as Swami Agnivesh addressed the peace march at Rajghat (Gandhi’s final resting place), saying that the “very killers of Mahatma Gandhi, are the same killers of Christians in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and other parts of the country . . . The Hindutva fascists do not represent the peace-loving Hindu societies, rather they are damaging the Sanatam Dharma [eternal law] of Hinduism,” he said.

Report from Compass Direct News

yes this is quite belated, but here are the topics and links referred to in the meeting. I'm trying to get things a bit more up to date with the website this year. So hopefully only these few posts will be out of date.  If you miss a meeting (you really shouldn't, but just in case) you can hopefully find all the cool websites we looked at, or download and figure out the interesting programs we found.

Movies we want to watch as a group some time:

Any other suggestions, leave it in the comment box.

• Watched funny clip on io9.com
• "Scifi Love Question"

Quicklook - the OS X feature that gives you instant previews of common document types. Try selecting a photo on your computer, and without opening the file, hit your space bar; that's quicklook.

Some dandy hotkeys for doing a screen capture (taking an image of what's on your screen)

command + shift + 4 = use cursor to make a selection of desktop to 'capture'

command + shift + 4 + space = hover over the window you want to take a picture of

command + shift + 3 = image of whole desktop

"stacks" - a folder on your dock

Open up a finder window and drag a folder (such as your documents or applications) to the doc near the trash can and it should let you set it there. Once placed, clicking on it will give an expanded view of the folder contents. Handy for getting your docs and such quickly!

...Rambled about iPods again

Meeting officially over, followed by comments, questions, random fun

• We want to know how to send student email to mail.app

• Time machine

• iWork?

• Grand Rapids Apple user group

• No pants on the bus!!??!

• zomg

• Watched some old youtube clips

• Mentioned Gawker

Thaaaat's all, folks!

Oh PS... that really MESSED UP clip by Rob on Vimeo.

I had a fun past few days, last night was a crunk fest to say the least. Finally we stopped drinking liquor and got a case like I was waiting for for about two weeks. Thank the Lord above for that beer session, and the shotguns in Jackie's shower and going 4-0 in BEER PONG (not berut) with Pat the great taking down pretty much everyone there. We could have gone all night but we were getting low on brews at that point.

Oh and to further prove my point that Beer Pong is not called Berut, try typing Beer Pong and then Berut in Microsoft Word and tell me which one has a spelling error. It's OK, I'll wait. Berut is not a fucking game, and Beer Pong is not played with paddles. Beer Pong is the sport of champions.

I had class this morning at 8:30 and I woke up at 8:35, being the great student that I am, I went to class and made it there by 9:15, mind you this class ends at a quarter to ten. I had to turn in a fucking paper that was pretty pointless and was made aware that I have a lot more homework that I didn't turn in.

I'm making up for the missed day with this long post, and I'll tell you a little about my day at work study. No, actually I will tell you about how my FUCKING iChat won't work right now, I am about to have a heart attack. It hasn't worked in the Hyatt, which really pisses me off because thats where I fucking live? Yeah get that shit I can't take it.

Im sure the only people who actually ever read this is me, Rob and Pat and if you are reading this right now i have a surprise for you. What you need to do is comment on this post and respond how you'd like but at the beginning you have to put a number 1-20, the first person to guess the number (in my head) will win a very special prize.

The entire time I've been writing this post I've also been jamming out, the list below are the jams that helped me get through writing this dish, a lot.

Currently Listening To: She's a Lady -Forever the Sickest Kids, No Hook -Jay Z, Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse -Minus the Bear, Float On -Modest Mouse, No Surprises -Radiohead, Boss -Rick Ross

I didn't say I wouldn't shotgun a few brewskis with the man.

Ron Cortes/MCTPittsburg Penguins' Sidney Crosby celebrates a goal by Ryan Malone during last year's Eastern Conference Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers.

The NHL season starts Saturday in Prague, Czech Republic, with the New York Rangers taking on the Tampa Bay Lightning. This season begins after numerous offseason signings and trades that are sure to shake up the standings. Will the Detroit Red Wings repeat? How will the local teams, Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes, do? Which team is the dark horse? Which team will tumble into the depths of last place? Those questions will all be answered.

Following their Stanley Cup Finals victory, the Red Wings decided it would be best to sign another sniper -- Marian Hossa. Surely, this will keep Detroit in the upper echelon of the Western Conference, but things will not be as easy this year. Goalie Dominik Hasek finally retired and defenseman Nick Lidstrom is one year older, as is Chris Chelios. Age has always been a factor for Detroit but they are winners in Hockeytown. However, the Central division, which Detroit is a part of, has been retooled and looks very formidable for the defending champs.

The Chicago Blackhawks are the team to watch in this division, and in the whole NHL. With their two young stars, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane (both could be sophomores or juniors with us here at Virginia Tech), Chicago could easily challenge Detroit for the division crown. Its defense has been bolstered with offseason acquisition Brian Campbell, bringing offense to their blueline. The question mark for Chicago is its goaltender, Cristobal Huet. If he can match his second half of last season with Washington, Chicago will be in tremendous shape.

Let's head back east and take a look at the defending Eastern Conference champions -- the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens lost quite a few players in the offseason, namely Gary Roberts, Ryan Malone and, of course, Marian Hossa. This is going to hurt them this year. They are in one of the most difficult divisions in hockey, the Atlantic.

Philadelphia is the main opponent for the Pens. There was not much movement by the Flyers except a huge contract extension for young franchise man Mike Richards. The past year allowed Richards and Briere to gel, and let Braydon Coburn break out into a top defenseman.

The Rangers lost a lot with Jaromir Jagr going to Russia. All of that experience and scoring is now halfway around the world. The pressure now solely rests with centers Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, both entering their second year in Madison Square Garden. The Rangers front office did help the loss of Jagr by bringing in Markus Naslund and blueliner Wade Redden. It will be a three-team race for the Atlantic title, but all three will end up in the playoffs. That means the Devils are out.

We will stay in the Eastern Conference and look at the Southeast division, won last year by Washington. Alexander Ovechkin proved again why he is one of the best players in the game, every bit as good as Sidney Crosby. There is a problem for the Capitals, though -- the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tampa yanked Barry Melrose away from ESPN to be head coach, and with a slew of signees things look bright for the Lightning. This is the dark horse for the NHL. It would not be surprising for them to make it to the Eastern Conference finals, if they can sure up the goaltending.

Wrapping up the east is the Northeast division. Montreal goalie Carey Price, said to be the second coming of Patrick Roy, proved his worth last year. The Canadians dumped some useless salary and are still attempting to bring in will-he-or-won't-he free agent Mats Sundin, your Roger Clemens of hockey. They should finish first in the division.

Montreal's archrival, Boston is going to turn some heads this year. Barring any more injuries, they will be contenders, along with Ottawa and Buffalo in the division. Ottawa is going backwards, and Buffalo is at a stalemate. Now is the time for Buffalo to make its move. Watch for a big trade deadline deal for the Bruins.

Back out west, we find the Northwest and Pacific divisions. In these two, you will find some of the best goaltending and defense in the NHL. It's all about hardnosed hockey here, with the occasional sprinkling of offensive firepower in San Jose and Detroit. The Northwest division lost a lot of talent and players shifted around to teams in the same conference. Anybody can win the Northwest -- it's that simple. Every team has a solid defense backed by exceptional goaltending.

The Pacific division is home to a perennial regular season powerhouse, the San Jose Sharks. The Sharks' problems come in the playoffs, and that is why they fired their coach Ron Wilson last year and brought in one of Detroit's assistant coaches, Todd McClellan, to give the team a new, winning attitude. This coupled with the addition of a revamped blueline -- Rob Blake, Dan Boyle and Brad Lukowich -- means the pieces are once again in place for a deep playoff run.

The Stars and Ducks are going to give the Sharks everything they can handle, though, especially with goalies like Marty Turco and Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Anaheim did not make any huge moves in the offseason, and Dallas lost a few key players from their Conference Finals run. That will not stop them from competing though. Both teams have superior coaches.

With all of that said, this looks to be another fantastic hockey season. More and more fans are tuning in and attending games, bringing back the love for hockey in America. It is truly a great and exciting sport. There is nothing more emotional in sports than seeing players lift the Stanley Cup after a strenuous eight-month journey. That journey begins tomorrow.

- Ray

Every year Mick (see the backyard blitz post) and his mate Ryan put on a barbeque at the MCG before the game...this year was the 10th year they've done it so they pulled out all the stops, with 100 punters, a wedding band, lamb spit roast, lino and gino the italian barbie-meisters, a red carpet, beer drinking on duty cops and waitresses hired from a 'specialist' modelling agency.

It went very well, Ed had a great day, unfortunately it all finished up for him before half time.

The Venezuelan backpacker did a great job as a waitress.

And Rob managed to nearly sever his thumb cutting the legs off the lamb with a blunt bread knife so it would fit on the spit.