Quick Recap/Follow-up

Well, for those keep track of these things, I got a C+ on my mini doc. But don't worry (why would you, it's my grade?), C+ was the most common grade for this assignment. The highest mark was a B, the lowest were fails...

Apparently, in our department, a C is not a bad grade. It means that the work was/is acceptable, satisfactory, but not extraordinary in any way. In other words, if it had to air, it could. But probably wouldn't.

I'm still looking for a job, and for any summer opportunities. If anyone hears anything, and I mean anything (as long as it pays $10/h +++) then I'm in!

Today, I handed in my 316 (Print Law and Ethics) assignments. That's the midterm (law final) and the first assignment for Enn's part. I'm proud of myself for finishing them early. The deadline is on Thursday, at 4:30, and there is no class that day. Which means that I have no more school for the week!! :)

However, I do have a busy schedule, even if there's no "work" shifts. Tomorrow at 4, I'm meeting with Francesca (haven't seen her since the first week of school!!!) for drinks/coffee. Thursday morning, I'm interviewing Cecilia Anderson again, for a follow up on the Olympics. That might end up being my radio assignment AND my 201 meeting 2 assignment, on top of being an article for the Link. Excellent. I like bylines :)

I did a few tentative schedules, and I will take 5 classes each of the next 2 semesters (not including Summer). This means that I will have 1 class left, a full-year course, advanced television, to graduate with a Specialization in Journalism. I will also have 1 general ed class left, but I want to get rid of that in the summer semester.

This is assuming that my RELI 310 credit can be transfered to RELIZ 310 (the general ed course). Otherwise, I have 2 more general ed classes to go. Still. It would completely suck, and I say suck, to have 1 class left. Sure, I could take it part-time. That means lots of time for work. Except that people don't hire you without a bachelors, and there are not many places to work in the media in Montreal. At least not in what I want to do.

If I don't get a major internship next year, say, for the Gazette, or another major publication, I don't know if I will make it. I will also be applying to radio and TV internships, but I don't know if I'm good enough for them ;) Sure, the camera loves me, but hey... that's not all there is ;)

I could also take additional classes, in journalism, and maybe in communications or something else, but then I have to think of tuition fees. The best option, I think, would be to get a REAL job with 1 class left. I will be meeting with Enn sometime next week to get details on my options.

Also, I have been struggling with finding newsy topics for my classes. I feel a little lethargic and lazy, and I've got to say, I'm more than slightly stressed about, well, everything these days.

Ryan (my bf) will be starting at CDI next week In addition to working full-time, he will be studying full time. That means less income, which means I really need a good job. It also means a lot less time spent together, well, a lot less time in general. Which means that cleaning etc is going to be tough. This also means a lot more stress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

//

Ha! You know what always amuses me? funny commercials. No matter what they are. And when I see them, it puts me in a good mood, no matter what. And I have to sing the songs.
Some commercials remind me of Spencer, Ryan's lil bro, because we both sing songs ;)
For example, I still remember, when I first met him... One of the first car rides, his dad put the song "Hot Blooded" on. And Spencer was shy, but then started air-guitaring it, and singing it.
And since then, "Hot Blooded" makes me think of him. And I sing it in a childish way too. And it's in that Pepsi commercial.

//


I'm flipping between the hockey game and American Idol, and it's absolutely amazing, stunning, incredible...

Technology, that is. I can't wait for TiVo to really come to Canada. There are so many times when I want to watch more than 1 thing at a time, but I can't record and watch two different things. For example, yesterday, I wanted to watch the Apprentice, 24, CSI:Miami and Project Runway.
Here's where it gets complicated. 24 and the Apprentice are on at 9. 24 is also on at 10, with CSI:Miami and Project Runway. Which means I have to choose 2 out of 4. So we watched 24, then CSI:Miami.

Today, I want to watch the hockey game, but I also want to see who messes up on American Idol. Call me a junkie, but hey... My interests are so broad, I have to watch about a billion shows to satisfy all my cravings.

The other technological advance that I find exceptional, well, I just found out about it. If you look closely at the boards in the Nassau Memorial Coliseum in the Habs vs. NYI game, at both ends of the ice.... that's right! Those are animated billboards. Like a mini jumbotron (a tron?), on the boards... What happens if someone gets checked into it? Do the pixels die?

And isn't it truly amazing what technology has accomplished in this day and age? (cliche, I know... MUST avoid CATS)

But seriously. Im a gadget freak. And that's a great gadget.

/me signs off

Cecilia Anderson

Here's my article about Cecilia Anderson, now silver medalist at the 2006 Olympic Games, as I wrote it before the games started. Then, click the link to see the published version (pun intended) ;) Although I bet no one got it :P

Lemme me know what you think about the changes. I mean, I over-wrote so it needed to be edited for length, which is fine. And there were a lot of dull quotes. But I feel like some substance and rhythm were lost. So I seek your opinion.

*****

Stingers Goalie Goes for Gold
Women’s hockey star attributes success to Concordia

Cecilia Anderson. Does the name ring a bell?

You might have seen this Concordia student on CTV or Global practicing with the rest of the Stingers women’s hockey team. Why, you might ask, was Anderson getting national media coverage?

Here’s a hint. She plays on more than just one team.

Anderson joined Team Sweden in January for training in view of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. “Well I had to take this winter semester off, so that's a big change from what I'm used to,” said Anderson in an e-mail interview.

In fact, Team Sweden travelled to Italy two weeks ago, leaving plenty of time to get over jet lag, and just enough time for some extra training, sightseeing and an interview.

Anderson, who is in her third year in Leisure Sciences, is more than thrilled about this Olympic experience, since she is interested in studying Tourism.

“I’m really excited,” she said. “We are finally here, and I can’t wait for everything to start!”

With hockey on her mind since the age of seven, and three previous international experiences under her suspenders, including a bronze medal at last year’s World Championships, it’s no wonder Anderson is not nervous.

“I’m confident about me and my team. It’s a huge honour to represent my country in such a big event as this.”

A Sting-ing Passion

Anderson, whose childhood idol was fellow Swede and successful NHL goalie Tommy Salo, now tries to take the best out of everyone, including Stingers’ coach Les Lawton. She attributes much of her success and development as a player to Lawton and her time with Concordia.

“Making the Olympics without Les and Concordia would have been really hard for me,” she explains. “I have been practicing everyday with the women's team but this year I have also been practicing with the men's team at Concordia.”

The passion for the game is what keeps Anderson going, helping her juggle hockey and school.

“Other than [Concordia training], I have a work-out program with the national team, so I have been practicing two to three times daily,” stated Anderson.

“You have to manage your time very well,” she commented. “The biggest difference is that with the national team we always practice in the morning of a game, but at the same time all of our games are at night. With Concordia they are usually in the afternoon so we don't have time to practice.”

Despite her rigorous training program, Anderson has thoughts about life after the Olympics. “I’m going to visit my sister in Singapore.”

A winning team

But lets not get ahead of ourselves here! How was life before the Olympics?

“Well, it has not been easy this last year. [It’s] a big change from what I’m used to,” she added.

Anderson is up to the task and draws inspiration from those around her. “My dad has always said to me: You can’t expect people to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself!”

Her friends were really happy for her when she made the team. “Everyone has been very supportive,” she said. “My current teammates and past teammates are really excited for me, they are a big part of this.”

“If they weren't shooting at me in practice and challenging me to be better, I wouldn't be here today.”

And practice she did, since Anderson believes players need ice time to develop. “I get more ice time at Concordia, so it has been really good for my development to play at Concordia with a lot of ice time and a lot of shots,” she explained. “With the National Team, I get to play with and against the best players in the world which is a big challenge.”

Another challenge, for athletes and for the rest of the population, is staying on top of things. “My family has been amazing. This past year, I have been very busy and they have made sure that I could focus only on practicing and staying healthy, and I didn't have to worry about anything else.”

What’s to come?

“I always say to myself: Don’t make things complicated that aren’t complicated!”

This motto has led Anderson throughout her career. Several Concordia moments make the Väddö native’s highlights reel, which is far from finished.
Her most memorable moment with Concordia was last year’s playoffs. “It was great to win, we worked really hard to get that Championship.”

“With Sweden,” said the rising star, “so far it is the Bronze medal last year at the Worlds, but after the Olympics, I think that might change.”

Cecilia Anderson has come a long way from filling the gap between the pipes when the two goalies on the boys’ team she was playing on were out sick. With a strong support system, a great home team, and excellent techniques, Anderson will fuel her passion with determination and ambition. Take her hopes for Team Sweden, for example.

“We are going for a medal,” she said. “But we have to take one game at a time. We start with Russia Feb 11th and after that we'll go from there.”

*****

First Mini-Doc

I will be handing in my mini-doc for JOUR 203 tomorrow, at the CJAD Open House. I really like it, considering I did it in 3 days, during an internship, and having only 2 days to collect sound with a mini-disk recorder. So I decided to post it ;)

Here's the link to the audio (WMA), zipped. Let me know if it doens't work: http://www.boss.staticservers.com/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=47647

Here's my script... Don't worry, the original has a slug, and is formatted in radio style ;)


Announcer’s Intro:
It’s awards show season. The Grammys were last week and the Oscars are coming up, not to mention Canadian shows. With so much to watch and so little time, is it any wonder that ratings are down? Naila Jinnah has the story.

Wild sound:
IN CUE: “And the Grammy…” OUT CUE: Brokeback theme (6 secs)

Reporter’s copy:
It’s that time of the year again. Grammys, Oscars, Junos… Award show season is upon us. Despite organizers’ attempts to start stud the events, ratings are down. Only 15 million viewers tuned into the Grammys on Wednesday night, compared to 19 million in 2005. I went to the Paramount theatre in downtown Montreal, a hotspot for trendy teens. Fourteen-year-old Anthony thinks there are too many awards ceremonies.

IN CUE: “Yeah pretty much…”
OUT CUE: “… a month or something”

Thirteen-year-old Jade mostly disagrees with the critics who give the awards, yet she still watches the ceremony.

IN CUE: “I like like…”
OUT CUE: “sound live.”

Jade’s friend Phoenix, who is eleven, likes to see artists collaborating.

IN CUE: “I watch it also…”
OUT CUE: “… and Linkin Park”

Performance-wise, Phoenix has got it right. The show at the Grammys was one of the best in recent years. Critics and artists alike agree that performing is often better than winning. Album sales go up, whether they get the statue or not. In fact, Jade believes critics are often wrong in their choices.

IN CUE: “I think that…”
OUT CUE: “…gonna see it.”

Jade hit a sore spot for most awards shows, staying updated with today’s youth. The industry’s major market is hooked on entertainment, as Phoenix explains.

IN CUE: “I find them…”
OUT CUE: “… make conversation.”

Entertainment seems to be the key for Anthony as well. And for him, that means comedy.

IN CUE: “I don’t know…”
OUT CUE: “…boring.”

So while each award show has its highs and lows, there’s no question that it’s entertaining. Even for someone who is not at all interested in the awards. Twenty-one-year old Galia explains how she gets a kick out of the show.

IN CUE: “It’s no surprise…”
OUT CUE: “…best part.”

Galia might be cynical, but there’s no denying that a great fall is very entertaining. Add a few more performers and a funny host, and you’ll have a recipe for success. Maybe that’s what the low ratings are all about.

FADE IN WILD SOUND
For Concordia News, I’m Naila Jinnah.
WILD SOUND UNTIL FADEOUT



*****************

Well, that's it. I wonder if anyone actually reads this :O
Drop me a line, sometime...

Filipino Girl needs Bone Marrow Transplant

I have decided that occasionally, I will post calls for help, or other charity activities on this blog, to help spread the word in all kinds of events. Here's the first one, and it is very important.
Please help save lives, as cliche as it might sound.

EDIT: You can now visit Christine's website: http://christine.site.ph/

Copy pasted from Wil Wheaton's blog, please help:

Seeking a potential Marrow Donor

One of my fellow Los Angeles Poker Bloggers, StudioGlyphic (who won the WPBT Winter Classic last December) is looking for some help for one of his friends, whose girlfriend is very sick with cancer, and desperately needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. The odds of finding a donor match are about 1:20,000, but this girl's odds are even longer because she is Fillipino:

Medically, the only option Christine has left is a Bone Marrow Transplant. The survival rate of this procedure is 30-40%. Of those who do survive the procedure itself, only 50% survive the next two years. However, if she does survive those two years, it means the cancer won't come back.This is a pretty terrible option. However, the non medical option is also horrible.

Her doctor says that if she chooses not to have the Bone Marrow Transplant, she'll be dead within a year.This is hard enough for the average person. There are over 20,000 types of bone marrow, so the average person has a 1 in 20,000 chance of finding a match. These numbers are even worse for Christine. Because she is Filipino, she needs to find a donor of the same ethnic background, and there are hardly any Filipinos on the National Registry.

Because we caught the cancer early, right now is our best chance of having the Bone Marrow Transplant work. Every day we lose her chances of surviving drop.So please, contact your friends, and ask them to contact their friends. Anyone you know who is Filipino and between the ages of 18 and 61 is a potential donor. The system is nationwide, so it doesn't matter where they live. Signing up on the registry is easy and painless.

All it requires is a simple blood test. Some hospitals charge a small fee for this blood test, however if your friends contact me directly, I can put them in touch with one of the hundreds of local organizations that will do the blood test for free. They can use this email address:

jacobkrueger@gmail.com

You can reassure your friends that signing up for the registry does not require donating any bone marrow. If it turns out they are a match, they will be contacted, and can make the decision at that point about becoming a donor.There are lots of misconceptions about donating bone marrow. (I know I was terrified of doing it before I learned how minor the procedure actually is.) The procedure is simple and safe. You will be anesthetized the whole time, so you will not feel anything. When the procedure is over, you may have some soreness in the area for a few days and you may feel a little tired. That's it. The bone marrow you donate is replenished within 3-4 weeks. And again, you will only undergo this procedure if your blood sample shows that you are a match and you decide to donate, in which case the slight soreness you'll be feeling will be saving someone's life.All medical expenses for the donor will be covered by Christine's insurance.

And as I mentioned before, if they contact me directly, I can put them in touch with an organization near them that will put them on the National Registry for free and also make sure they are listed as a Sponsor for Christine.

Even if you aren't a match yourself, and even if you can't personally help Christine, please link to this post, and spread the word around. I know there are about a million of you who read this lame blog every month, and if just half of you make some effort to spread the word around, we may be able to help save Christine's life.

All Good Things Must Come To An End

Today is the last day of my internship, and I'm sitting through graduate paper presentations. Some are quite interesting; others are slide after slide of graphs explained in poor English. The Bolker prize will be given out at the end, one of the defining factors will be audience response. I don't think that means applause, though. Probably means how many questions are asked and on what points.

This article will be published in the next edition of Pulp and Paper Canada magazine.
(Psst: Hot Finnish guy just walked in!)

Getting back to business, I will be attending my second class of the week. I went to Radio on Monday night and explained my MiniDisk dilemna. Although the equipment depot at Loyola (the SGW depot doesn't have minidisks) is supposed to remain open until 1 PM, it usually closes a little before 5PM. According to a co-intern, they've had problems with that before.

I will be picking up a minidisk recorder later tonight, when I attend my Print Law & Ethics class. I can no longer use EXFOR 2006 as my topic, though, since the background noise won't make any sense. My topic development was weak anyway. I think I'm going to do it on award shows: if people watch them, why, etc, in light of the Grammy's last night. Again, my topic isn't fully developped yet. It needs to be done by Monday.


... This post kinda died while I got back to reporting ...

Cockling and Calendering

Three minutes. That's the time between the last speaker and the next. These presentations are loaded with information and I can't get it all down. I can consult the published papers, but it's more for my own curiosity.

There's so much data and scientific content, but it doesn't bother me. It's actually fun. I like being able to understand Mg(OH)2 and the significance of the strength of a correlation. My co-interns are not as amused. One seems confused; the other is glad she's taking "Chemistry in Our Lives" as general education so she can be relieved, at times, that she recognizes words.

I've always been like that, though. I've always been interested in anything and everything, and able to comprehend a wide range of topics. Except football. Which is a bad thing considering I want to be a sports reporter. I even mostly get rugby! But not football. I mean, I understand the topic, mostly, and some of the rules. I know what a down and a touchdown are. But I wouldn't feel confident enough to express myself on it.

Well, time's up! Lets flip the pages and take notes on graduate student Kathryn Kwong's Masters research on Modeling the Compression of Three dimensional Fibre Networks Using Dynamic finite element analysis.

Oh, and the Finnish guy was hot. Love the accent.

Potholes

I sprained my ankle and scraped my knee walking home from Radio 203 with Trudie Mason.
That's right, I actually got out in time to make it (on time) late to class.
My back is killing... You try carrying two laptop bags around, standing during a 30 minute metro trip. That's nine pounds for the laptop, and at least the same for a bunch of tecnical books from PAPTAC. Add the weight of the bags, notebooks, power supply... and my wallet. Which doesn't weigh very much, unless you count all the savings and ID cards.

Here's a bit I wrote for my 201 class with Bob, due today.

*****

February 2, 2006

Montreal police budgets 133 new cops
$8 million program aims to make streets safer

By Naila Jinnah

What do 133 new cops and 60 cruisers make?

According to Montreal Police chief Yvan Delorme, it will make “road users change their habits.” The bad ones, that is. Speeding, not respecting pedestrian crosswalks, abusing priority lanes for buses and taxis… the list of common traffic violations goes on.

But the road stops here. Or that’s what $8 million of this year’s Montreal Police Service’s $486.4 million budget hopes to achieve. But can the addition of a new traffic safety squad really make a difference?

Claude Dauphin, the city executive committee member in charge of public security, believes the new program, effective last Monday, will ease a major concern for Montrealers, driver and pedestrian safety.

“In the last (municipal) election campaign, 80 per cent of the complaints I heard going door-to-door concerned speeding and motorists not respecting pedestrian crossings,” said Dauphin, who is also the mayor of the Lachine borough.

The numbers agree with Dauphin. A 2005 police survey revealed that 94 per cent of citizens want Montreal police to prioritize road safety. Further results showed that 90 per cent of respondents believe that police presence is the best method for crime prevention.

By creating these new posts, the Montreal Police Service seeks to increase police presence and promote prevention, communication, and education.

“Citizens want to see officers on the street, not just police cars,” explained Yvan Delorme.

One of the keys to testing the effectiveness of the program will be the number of accidents and deaths on Montreal roads.

In 2004, there were 716 collisions resulting in death or severe injury, up from 151 in 2001. 226 pedestrians were killed or seriously injured in 2004, 161 more than in 2001. 60 cyclists were seriously injured or killed in 2004, compared to 42 in 2001. But most upsetting is the fact that 32 pedestrians a week are struck by cars.

The assistant police director, Pierre-Paul Pichette, confirmed that the new squad would have full police powers. The presence of the 60 new cruisers with the word “Circulation” printed on their windows is also meant to deter other crimes.

“All police officers currently do (occasional) enforcement of traffic bylaws but this group will focus on traffic every day,” specified Pichette. “The squad will work to ensure the orderly flow of traffic. We will enforce speed limits, especially near schools, and focus on stop signs and red lights.”

The full-time traffic squad, will be composed mostly of experienced officers, whose current posts will be taken over by the 133 rookies. These changes will allow 22 cops to provide a constant police presence in each of the four departments of the city, aided by a new, 44-member motorcycle squad.

Before these measures were applied, the city’s traffic safety was guaranteed by a 22- member motorcycle squad, and a single officer from each of Montreal’s 39 neighbourhood police stations.

“There will be a period of adaptation,” said Chief Delorme. “You cannot drastically change things right from Jan. 30.”

The new crew strutted their stuff on the last day of the month, setting up a speed trap in Anjou during morning rush hour. At least 31 drivers learned a serious lesson when they failed to respect the posted 50 kilometres per hour speed limit, with the highest ticket, at 91 km/h, costing $175 and three demerit points.

The crackdown will affect all road travellers. “We will also be targeting jaywalkers, but there's a lot of education on that subject to be done,” said Constable Ian Lafreniere.

Delorme dreams of a Montreal where motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians get along on the road, as they do in Ontario. “Our ultimate goal is to reduce the number of deaths and injuries resulting from traffic accidents while increasing the sense of security among residents through a bigger police presence,” stated Delorme.

Dauphin said it best when he declared, “More police across the island will affect the way we drive. If we can save just one life, it's worth the money.”


-30-

*****

The server is down. I knew it was going to happen, yet I didn't think twice about starting a post. Well, I guess that means I'll just have to keep rambling for a bit. ;)

I'm exhausted, and it's only day one. At least it's fun. The internship experience that is. The sessions could be dryer, so I'm glad I find this stuff slightly interesting. Furthermore, there was no Gazette letter in the mail, and my e-mail is clear.... There might be hope for my yet!

In the event that the Gazette internship doesn't work out for this year, then there's still the LOULOU Magazine internship I applied for. Or sticking with my current telephone survey job. Too bad summer is a slow season for that industry.

Speaking of seasons, did I mention that I was a huge hockey fan? My dream job would be to become a travelling sports reporter for the Montreal Canadiens. My ideal job would be to edit a national and/or international Interior Design or Fashion magazine. Maybe Lifestyles and/or Weddings.

Here are some bits written back in 1998, published on AllSports.com, a site for the fans, by the fans.

*****

Boston Victory Over Montreal Takes Ugly Turn

Zednik Leaves on Stretcher

By starshine_diva

April 25, 2002

The outcome of the game was already decided. Everybody knew that the Boston Bruins would be going home with a 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. With 1:28 minutes left in the game, an expected fight got underway after Habs tough guy Gino Odjick taunted P.J. Stock. Obviously, both players got 5 minutes for fighting.
But what happened with 1:17 left in the game was uncalled for. Bruins defencemen Kyle McLaren elbowed the NHL's top playoff scorer, and the author of both Canadiens goals, Richard Zednik, just as he lowered his head to cut to the net. He immediately went crashing to the ice, giving fans a sense of déjà-vu: the Brian Savage incident.
As all three of Montreal's doctors rushed to the ice, trainers from both teams were already assisting Zednik. After more than twenty minutes, he was completly immobilized and lifted by some of his teammates onto a waiting stretcher. The diagnosis comes as follows, major concussion, cheekbone fracture, and fracture of the nose.
The Canadiens were also victims of a vicious hit on defencemen Andrei Markov that resulted in a sprained knee and back. He had to be injected with steroids to be able to complete the game. It is expected that the management will contact NHL administrators to make sure that McLaren is punished with a playoff ending suspension, such as the sentence inflicted to Toronto's Tie Domi last year.
Obviously, Richard Zednik did not accompany the team to Boston, where the fifth game of this first round series between the Canadiens and the Bruins will resume on Saturday.

*****

The Ghosts Are Back In Montreal!

Emotions Rise High in Habs 5-3 Win

By starshine_diva

April 24, 2002

The old Forum Ghosts made a special appearance at the Molson Center last night. The Molson Center was shaking with emotion on Tuesday night, and the screaming fans led the Montreal Canadiens to their second win of the first round series against the Boston Bruins.
As soon as the home team stepped on the ice, cheers erupted in the building, resonating all through the first period. Perreault's goal lifted the crowd and all the spectators appeared to be on their feet until the end of the first session.
The second period was a whole different story. Although the Habs skated hard, the Bruins skated harder and took a 3-1 lead. It seems that the Ghosts took a coffee break, and it showed! Some so-called fans booed the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge at the end of the second, and that's when the big "A", Doug Gilmour, decided that enough was enough.
As the team rested in the locker room, Dougie called out to his teammates and told them to pay respect to the old Ghosts and show them what they were capable of. Well, probably not in those words, but it had the same effect.
In the last twenty minutes, the Habs, with a lot of help from the exuberating crowd, scored four breathtaking goals. First, Audette out-witted Boston goalie after a precise pass by captain Saku Koivu, off the faceoff. Next, on a brilliant long pass, Sheldon Souray handed the puck over to Mr. Stickhandling himself, and Oleg Petrov's rebound landed on Doug Gilmour's stick to finally settle behind Byron Dafoe.
The score was now tied at three. Four minutes later,on an amazing play at the blue line, defenceman Andrei Markov, seeing Donald Audette on the right of Dafoe's net, made a perfect pass. The man who lost 4 liters of blood a few months back imediatly passed the puck back to the man who battled cancer throughout the whole regular season. Saku Koivu lifted both the puck past Byron Dafoe and the Habs to a 5-3 win. Joe Juneau finalized it all with a well deserved empty net goal.
The three stars resume it well, Saku Koivu leading Donald Audette and Oleg Petrov. Both Sheldon Souray and Chad Kilger, who was paired up with Audette on the Koivu line in the third period, deserve an honorable mention.
The next game takes place at the Molson Center in Montreal, before the series moves back for a possible finale at the FleetCenter in Boston on Saturday night. Let's hope the legendary Forum Ghosts make the trip.

*****

Habs' Devastating 8-2 Loss Puts End to Round 3 Hopes

Season Considered as a Step in the Right Direction

By starshine_diva

May 15, 2002

No one could have predicted the outcome of this game. Every analyst had counted on a strong Montreal Canadiens team and maybe even a victory. But since the fatal 4-3 loss in game 4, the Habs were going down, and sinking lower every day.
The Hurricanes had the momemtum coming into the decisive game, and they used it to their advantage. Yup, they scored another quick goal, this one after having played only 25 seconds. The Canes then proceeded to outscore the Habs 17-3 over the final 8 periods of the series.
Although they tried hard, the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge couldn't make it. Most people say that they ran out of steam. I think so too. Some people blame the series loss on Michel Therrien, the Montreal's head coach, for taking a penalty in game 4. I don't agree. That defeat was definetly not the turning point of the series. Neither was the Canadiens' inability to fight back in games 5 and 6.
The turning point of the series happened before it started. The loss of winger Richard Zednik in game 4 of the Boston-Montreal series was. The two games that the Canadiens won in order to proceed to the second round were the product of emotions and a very good young goalie named Jose Theodore. He had been pretty ordinary, and he was due. It was his turn to carry the team. And he did. He stole those two games right from the hands of the Big Bad Bruins.
But let's talk about the coach. You can't blame the end of the Canadiens season on him. Think about it. He led his team all season in a fight for the final playoff spot without his three best players. First, Saku Koivu's season was finished before it even started. That was not good news, but Therrien stood tall and marched on. A little good news came when Doug Gilmour came back to hockey after less than one year of retirement. Plus, the Habs were going to have a solid goaltender duo. Then Jeff Hackett went down with his second shoulder injury in two seasons. Still, Therrien stayed composed and worked with what he had. What he got was veteran Shaun Van Allen and Quebec native Donald Audette, from a smart trade by GM André Savard, who got rid of potential free agents Benoit Brunet and Martin Rucinsky. But after a quick start, Audette was the victim of a laceration to all the tendons in his forearm.
The Montreal Canadiens weren't supposed to make the playoffs. And when they did, no one believed the would beat the Boston Bruins. But they did. They worked hard, and Jose Theodore showed up for every game. The 39 year old Doug Gilmour led a pack that was inspired by comebacks by Saku Koivu, Donald Audette and Sheldon Souray. They lost a man at combat, but got their revenge with a series win.
When we'll look back at the Montreal Canadiens season this summer, we won't think about those 2 losses to the Hurricanes. Everybody is proud of this team's success.
"This team has battled all year," said Sasku Koivu himself. "We're all disappointed. We hate to lose. But these last two games didn't show what we were all about this year. Everybody said we wouldn't even make the playoffs."
We're probably going to reflect upon the fact that the Habs discovered a few young potentials for the upcoming season when trying to fill in the spots left by the injured.
"It was great. It's been a while since the team was in the playoffs," said Doug Gilmour. "Obviously, this is not the way we wanted it to end, but we're proud. It's a steppingstone. There's a lot of young guys here."
And we definetly won't think about the 1,343 man-games lost over the past three seasons, but about the rising star that got his chance.
"I was really moved by the reaction of the fans," said Theodore, who is nominated for both the Hart and the Vezina trophy. "We came a long way. We faced a lot of challenges. A lot of people didn't think we'd make the playoffs, and we beat the top team. Everybody knows what we accomplished."
Sure, it was an embarrassing loss for such a great team. But they weren't even supposed to be there at all. Like the great Chief Gino Odjick said, "Even Napoleon had to capitulate after a while."

*****

Keep in mind, these stories were written way before I was officially interested in journalism... for the before last time. The writing is poor, in general, but the stories are good. I like the punch lines, I like the quotes. I like the fact that I wrote them all under deadline. That's right. Official, pre midnight, deadlines.

Give me a shout out, the server should be back up soon. I'll be posting ASAP.

By the way, 24 tonight was excellent, and CSI:Miami is a hit. Literally.

I really can't stay... -Baby it's cold outside...

Why is it always easier to get out of bed when you know you have to get up? For a meeting, or interview, for example. But when you just want to kick start your day, you'll press the snooze button at least twice...

Metso attendees are slowly filing into the room for Part 3 of the company's presentation at PaperWeek International 2006. I'm here on behalf of The Reporter, Pulp and Paper Canada's daily publication for the week. It's my first media related internship, and so far, it's not too challenging or exciting. Although, to be fair, Pulp and Paper is something hard to be enthusiastic about. It's mostly numbers and technical info.

One of my co-interns had her Gazette internship cover-letter on her USB key. She said one of her friends got a call, and the internship. She doesn't think she got it. I'll have to check the mail for my (rejection) "Thank You" letter when I get home.

I never used to put -30- at the end of my articles. It wasn't until recently that I started doing it, because I thought it was cool. I suppose it made me feel more professional. I found out recently, in my 318 class with Leo Gervais, that -30- was inscribed at the end of articles for the benefit of copy-editors and layout people. so they are certain that there is no more text. This way, you're sure your article will be printed in full and make sense.

Well, the presentation is about to start. The room is almost full, but not quite yet. Time to turn over a new (leaf) sheet on my notepad.

Test?

Okay. Typical first blog post, I know.

I'm just testing this out. Don't know if I'll keep it. I mostly just created it to post comments on "blogger only" blogs, like Bob Babinski's blog. Although I'm sure it will serve a good purpose.

Maybe it's time for a change... Have I outgrown LiveJournal? All my CEGEP friends have their blogs there. That's how I stay updated with their lives. No, I can't say they stay updated with mine, since most of my posts are quizzes. Maybe that's where I'll draw the line. LJ for fun stuff, Blogger for writing, reporting, creativity....

Yes! I will post all my assignments! Or those I'm most proud of.

Excellent. I like this. And now, I don't have to link people to my *not really a blog LiveJournal*. And I can comment, and link back to Laurie's blog as well!

Yes. That's the plan.