2011 Stanley Cup Playoff Second Round Prognostications...

Couldn't find a hockey pic but I've got this swell pic of some home grown spuds from last summer...

Reader warning: Every year I indulge in NHL (National Hockey League) playoff prognostications. Suffice to say, ice hockey is not the most popular sport on the planet but in Canada it's the only game in town (CFL football follows closely). So, please bear with me while I stick out my neck out on these important predictions.

Ok, the second round of the NHL playoffs (the eight of fate teams remaining) just started minutes ago. It's the Vancouver Canucks vs. the Nashville Predators. As anticipated it's a snoozer of a game.

This will be a closer series than most people think.

Nashville plays a pretty boring game. They have superstar Shea Weber on defence and a world class goalie in Pekke Rinne. The rest of the team is pretty generic. Despite this they buy into a complete total team concept. They beat a pretty hot team, Anaheim Ducks, in the last round. So, I anticipate they'll be pretty tough this round.

As for Vancouver, the Sedin twins better pick up their play or they're toast. All-universe goalie, Roberto Luongo was just adequate against the Chicago Blackhawks. He best leave his imitation of a fish-out-of-water at home. Otherwise, they should have enough horses to outlast the Predators.

My prediction, Canucks in 6.

San Jose Sharks vs. Detroit Red Wings.
I really liked how the Wings played the last round against the Phoenix Coyote. They dominated the Coyotes in all aspects of the game. Their skill level was just incredible.

The Sharks were also impressive in beating the Kings of L.A. Their strength seems to playing deep and along the boards in the offensive zone. They're pretty deep in scoring talent with the likes of Dany Heatly, Logan Couture, to name a couple. The only weakness I see in San Jose is their goaltending. Niemi has looked awful at times.

This series is difficult to predict. If the Sharks play well, the Wings will have their hands full. If Wings winger Zetterberg comes back from injury, I'd lean towards the Wings taking the series.

For the record, Wings in 7.

Philadelphia Flyers vs. the big bad Boston Bruins.
I cannot express the hatred I have for both these teams. But these prognostications are not about me. Just my impeccable hockey knowledge.

Having said that, who really cares? I just hope they beat the crap outta one another. That alone makes this series worth watching.

The Flyers played a miserable last 2 or so months of the regular season but against the Sabers of Buffalo in the first round, I thought they fought back valiantly from a 3-2 deficit. Having said that, I don't think they were firing on all cylinders still. In the end, they had to drag out a less than optimal Chris Pronger to save a miserable power play. Then there was the annual dog and pony show at the goalie position for the Flyers. Perhaps they'll get a proper goalie one day.

I have nothing to say about the Bruins after they beat my beloved Habs.

Ok, I'll say this. Goalie Tim Thomas can be beat. All Universe defenceman Zdeno Chara looked like a pylon against the speedy Canadiens forwards. The Bruins first line of Lucic, Krejci, and Horton was pathetic (except on two overtime goals).

This series is difficult to predict.

I'll go with my gut on this one. Flyers in 7.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Washington Capitals.
Another close series.

I haven't seen either team play much this season except in the first round.

Both are high scoring teams. With the presence of Ovechin, I'll give the edge to the Caps in offense.

I really don't buy the fact that the Caps have become an immoveable dominant defensive force. I'll give the edge to the Bolts in defence.

If Dwayne Roloson, Bolts' goaltender, stands on his head, I'd give the Bolts the edge. But Caps goalie, Michal Neuvirth is just consistently good. That's enough for the Caps to win.

I'll give the series edge to the Caps. Washington D.C. in 7.

I'll also predict the odds of an upset in this series. The Bolts will have 75 percent chance of defeating the Caps.

That's it for now.

I've got to catch a Royal Wedding at midnight.

So, it's nap time for me.

Slow Train Coming And The Art of Perpetual Travel: Part One.

These are my friends, Sally and Richard.

They are indeed gods of travel.

They've found in the world of traveling what amounts to the Holy Grail, the El Dorado, a state of Nirvana...

They are perpetual travelers.

We first met in the Dahab Hostel (that name keeps popping up) in Cairo back in the day. My first impression was that these folks really had it together. They were really serious travelers who were curious, engaging, adventurous, and knew how to chillax.

Anyway, I hung out with them in Cairo and then eventually bumped into them again out in the real Dahab.

We had long nightly discussions about the dream of perpetual travel.

Sally and Richard had a plan.

They went home to Australia after Egypt and sold all of their worldly possessions and hit the road, forever.

For the past couple of years they've traveled India. Now they're touring SE Asia ever so slowly.

Sal and Richard sitting on the porch of their Malaysian love shack.

Sal posing with "Rubber Man" and condom decorated Xmas Tree in Bangkok, Thailand...

I worship them and their lifestyle.

I'm not worthy...

They're keeping a brilliant blog, Slow Train Coming. Check it out.

Biking It Down The Pan American...

(L. to R.) Bob, Jason on Montreal in the Baha Peninsula. (photo courtesy of Jason)

This is my good friend, Jason.

I first met him in Cairo at the venerable Dahab Hostel on Talaat Harb (a stone's throw from Midan Tahrir). I'd been hanging there for a least a couple of weeks beforehand, chillaxing from a long haul overland journey from South Africa. The Dahab was just what the doctor ordered: a large population of cats and motley crew of international wasters/guests in search of adventure.

Jason and I teamed up and headed out west to the Oasis of Siwa, an improbable, tiny patch of palm trees clinging for dear life in the Great Sahara Desert.

While in Siwa, we spent days under a baking desert sun, throwing back gallons of ice cold, sickly sweet cane juice, climbing the ruins of Shali, swimming in pools of cool spring water, and endless bike rides through forests of date palms.

(L. to R.) Jason, Tomo, Robbie... cycling amongst the salt marshes of Siwa.

Little did I know back then that Jason was really serious about his biking.

Currently, he's biking down Central America on his bike Montreal, volunteering, couchsurfing, and hangin' out along the way.

Check out his blog, Biking It.

You won't be disappointed.

He'll have you coming back for more.

His prose is insightful, yet hilarious. I liken him to a modern day, Seinfeldian Renaissance Man on two wheels.

Very refreshing read...

While you're there buy him a taco.

Or check out the coffee table book he's published about his adventures so far, Me, Montreal & Bob.

Hot New Africa 2011 Calendars On Sale Now!!

Hey everyone,

If you haven't gotten your freebie 2011 calendar from your corner gas station yet or just need some Christmas stocking stuffers, please buy my new hot-off-the-presses Africa 2011 Calendar! A new year means 12 more of my favourite mindblowing African portraits gracing your wall at home or at the office!

If you missed out on my Africa 2010 calendar, fear not, for I have converted it into a 2011 calendar. Check it out here.

As always, the proceeds will go towards the beer... uh... internet access fund for the upcoming BTOG expedition!!

I thank you again, the loyal readers of BTOG, for your great taste in Calendar art and relentless support of BTOG expeditions!!

Autumn On The Canadian Tundra 2010, Part 5 - A Haiku.

A Haiku.

Slender tall grass, drenched in tepid sunlight, sway in cold autumn wind.

Autumn On The Canadian Tundra 2010, Part 4.

More Aspens in Fish Creek Park.

Autumn On The Canadian Tundra 2010, Part 3. - Bonus Movie Review: Sicko

The Aspen Poplar (Populus tremuloides) in Fish Creek Park in late October...

Movie Review: Sicko.

I've had Sicko recorded on the PVR since January of this year and finally watched it yesterday.

In Sicko, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore (Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine) looks at the state of health care in the USA.

Moore makes a convincing, driving case for reform of the US health care system by highlighting a plethora of individuals who have been denied health care because of cost of insurance or by unscrupulous HMO's/insurance companies (and their political lackeys) looking out for their bottom lines.

I thought Sicko, like Moore's other works, was pretty entertaining.

In order to entertain, he occasionally goes overboard in pressing his case.

For example, as part of his argument for socialized medicine in America, he does a comparative study of social medicine in countries like Great Britain, France and Canada (ugh). He questions "naive" consumers of medical care in each of countries on how they pay for services rendered by their respective health systems. Each patient answers, "it's free". I cringed each time I heard the word "free". Well, I want to warn my American friends that it isn't free. Nothin's free. We pay for it through taxes. Lots of taxes.

I could launch into an exhaustive lecture regarding the merits/demerits of socialized medicine (a system I hold dear to my Canadian heart) but that would be beyond the scope of this post.

I definitely recommend that you watch Sicko though (whether you like or dislike Michael Moore).

It might make you think.

Autumn On The Canadian Tundra 2010, Part 2. - Now go and vote!

Nice to see some non-yellow leaves once in a while...

It's the big Calgary Civic Election today.

How many times have I used the word "big" to describe a mayoral election in Calgary?

From what I've seen on the news, it looks like a close race amongst three candidates for mayor and a huge turn out of voters.

There's a few more hours until the poll stations close.

If you haven't already done so, please vote.

I don't really care who you vote for, it's just important to vote.

Just vote.

Click here for all the info you need.

Autumn On The Canadian Tundra 2010, Part 1

Looks like we're well into a lazy, hazy, and surprisingly warm autumn out on the tundra.

It's a small miracle actually, considering the abysmal summer we had in cowtown.

Everyone should get outside and bask in the warmth of the sunshine before the first blast of winter blows our way.

Bounty of the Harvest 2010, Part 2 - The Carrot.

It was good to be a root in the garden this year. Most of the "above-the-ground" vegetation was blown to smithereens by a devastating hail storm in August.

I think I managed to dig 15 to 20 kg of the orange (and a couple of yellow) taproots out of the dirt this year.

Now for your...

Little Known Facts About Carrots:

Mel Blanc, beloved voice of Bugs Bunny, didn't like carrots.

The world record for longest carrot is 5.839 m or 19 feet 1 7/8 inches.

The heaviest carrot ever recorded: 8.61kg or 18.96 pounds.

Beta-carotene is the pigment in carrots that gives them the orange colour. In the presence of bile salts in the stomach, beta-carotene is converted to Vitamin A.

Eaten raw, only 3 percent of a carrot's beta-carotene is released during digestion. 39 percent is released if you cooked them before eating...

Daucus carota, or the wild carrot is thought to be indigenous to Afghanistan.

China produces a third of the world's carrot supply. No other country comes close. Good job my bruthas...

The first Western variety of carrots first appeared in the Netherlands in the 17th C. Dutch nobleman William I, Prince of Orange (aka William the Silent or Willem van Oranje) organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish imperialists back in the day. Dutch people love orange carrots... Are you still with me people? Did you follow that logic?

Sources: The Carrot Museum, Wikipedia.