#hound of newtown

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Dianne Feinstein, the woman who represented California in the US Senate and was the longest-serving female senator in history, “blazed trails for women in politics and found a life’s calling in public service”, Hillary Clinton said.

The former New York Senator and Secretary of State, who in 2016 was the first woman to win the presidential nomination of a major US party, paid tribute to her fellow Democrat shortly after the announcement of her death. At the time of her death, Feinstein was 90 and still in office.

Clinton added: “I’ll miss her greatly as a friend and colleague.”

From the White House, Joe Biden saluted “a pioneering American.”

The President added: “Serving in the Senate together for more than 15 years, I had a front-row seat to what Dianne was able to accomplish. It’s why I recruited her to serve on the Judiciary Committee when I was chairman – I knew what she was made of.”

“… Often the only woman in the room, Dianne was a role model for so many Americans … she had an immense impact on younger female leaders for whom she generously opened doors. Dianne was tough, sharp, always prepared, and never pulled a punch, but she was also a kind and loyal friend.”

Gavin Newsom, the Democratic Governor of California, will select Feinstein’s replacement. Calling Feinstein “a political giant”, he said she “was many things – a powerful, trailblazing US Senator; an early voice for gun control; a leader in times of tragedy and chaos.”

“But to me, she was a dear friend, a lifelong mentor, and a role model not only for me, but to my wife and daughters for what a powerful, effective leader looks like.”

Feinstein’s “tenacity”, Newsom said, “was matched by her grace. She broke down barriers and glass ceilings, but never lost her belief in the spirit of political cooperation. And she was a fighter - for the city [San Francisco, where she was the first woman to be mayor], the state and the country she loved.”

There was some discord among the praise. David Axelrod, formerly a senior adviser to Barack Obama, pointed to recent controversy over whether, given her evidently failing health and absences which affected Democratic Senate business, Feinstein should have retired.

“How sad that the final, painful years will eclipse in the memories of some a long and distinguished career,” Axelrod said⁩. “RIP, Senator Feinstein.”

Many users cited a recent piece in New York magazine by the writer Rebecca Traister, about Feinstein’s declining years, which asked: “She fought for gun control, civil rights and abortion access for half a century. Where did it all go wrong?”

John Flannery, a former federal prosecutor turned commentator, was among those who had a rejoinder: “I hope some of those who hounded her in her dying days will remember her contributions.”

Many tributes highlighted Feinstein’s contributions to attempts to combat the problem of gun violence.

Though Feinstein “made her mark on everything from national security to the environment to protecting civil liberties”, Biden said, “there’s no better example of her skillful legislating and sheer force of will than when she turned passion into purpose, and led the fight to ban assault weapons.”

Chris Murphy, a Democratic Senator from Connecticut and a leading voice for gun control reform, said Feinstein would “go down as a heroic, historic American leader … an early and fearless champion of the gun safety movement as author of the monumental Assault Weapons Ban of 1994.”

“For a long time, between 1994 and the tragedy in Newtown in 2012 [in which 20 young children and six adults were killed], Dianne was often a lonely but unwavering voice on the issue of gun violence.”

“The modern anti-gun violence movement – now more powerful than the gun lobby – simply would not exist without Dianne’s moral leadership.”

From the US House, Maxwell Frost of Florida, one of the youngest congressional progressives, called Feinstein “a champion for gun violence prevention that broke barriers at all levels of government.”

“We wouldn’t have had an assault weapons ban if it wasn’t for Senator Feinstein and due to her tireless work, we will win it back. May her memory be a blessing.”

From outside Congress, Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, a pro-gun control group, pointed out that Feinstein was “one of the first among her colleagues to support gun safety – including Democrats”.

Inside Congress, as a government shutdown loomed, Feinstein’s desk in the Senate was draped in black cloth, a vase of white roses placed to mark her death.

From the other side of the political aisle, the Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins called Feinstein “a strong and effective leader, and a good friend.”

Newsom has pledged to pick a Black woman to replace Feinstein until the midterm elections next year.

On Friday, Barbara Lee, a Black Democratic congresswoman running for the seat, said: “This is a sad day for California and the nation. Senator Feinstein was a champion for our state, and served as the voice of a political revolution for women.”

Among commentators, the MSNBC anchor Mehdi Hasan highlighted what will to many prove a complicated political legacy.

“The high point and low point of … Feinstein’s long and storied career as a US senator both relate to the ‘War On Terror’,” Hasan said. “Low point: voting for the Iraq invasion. High point: going against the CIA to expose their torture programme.”

In his statement, Newsom said: “Every race [Feinstein] won, she made history, but her story wasn’t just about being the first woman in a particular political office, it was what she did for California, and for America, with that power once she earned it. That’s what she should be remembered for.”

“There is simply nobody who possessed the poise, gravitas, and fierceness of Dianne Feinstein.”

Jennifer Mercieca, a historian of political rhetoric at Texas A&M University, put the case for Feinstein perhaps most simply of all.

“Dianne Feinstein was on the right side of history,” she said.

[fantasyimmortal]

Saeran with the Cŵn Annwn

Goes with @7space0chips7 idea for MM/Welsh folklore collaboration!

I actually did two ^^;; One with a mask and one with puppers. First time drawing muscles at all and tried my hardest to color them as well. Info about the Cŵn Annwn under the keep reading.

See the other arts here: Seven the  Welsh Dragon by @s-fellows-art Rika the Morgan by  @saeranlover Zen the Tylwyth Teg by  @sakebobomb Jumin the Adar Llwch Gwin by @7space0chips7 and @elvendara Yoosung the Twrch Trwyth  by @elvendara and @7space0chips7

In Welsh mythology and folklore, Cŵn Annwn (Welsh pronunciation: [kuːn ˈanʊn], "hounds of Annwn") were the spectral hounds of Annwn, the otherworld of Welsh myth. They were associated with a form of the Wild Hunt, presided over by either Arawn, king of Annwn in the First Branch of the Mabinogi and alluded to in the Fourth, or by Gwyn ap Nudd as the underworld king and king of the fair(y) folk is named in later medieval lore. In Wales, they were associated with migrating geese, supposedly because their honking in the night is reminiscent of barking dogs. Hunting grounds for the Cŵn Annwn are said to include the mountain of Cadair Idris, where it is believed "the howling of these huge dogs foretold death to anyone who heard them".[citation needed] According to Welsh folklore, their growling is loudest when they are at a distance, and as they draw nearer, it grows softer and softer. Their coming is generally seen as a death portent.It was once firmly and generally believed, that these awful creatures could be heard of a wild stormy night in full cry pursuing the souls of the unbaptized and unshriven. |Mr. Chapman, Dolfor, near Newtown, Montgomeryshire, writes to me thus:—|"These mysterious animals are never seen, only heard. A whole pack were recently heard on the borders of Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire. They went from the Kerry hills towards the Llanbadarn road, and a funeral quickly followed the same route. The sound was similar to that made by a pack of hounds in full cry, but softer in tone."|The words Cwn Annwn are variously translated as Dogs of Hell, Dogs of Elfinland. In some parts of Wales they are called Cwn Wybir, Dogs of the Sky, and in other places Cwn Bendith Y Mamau.The Cŵn Annwn is associated with death, as it has red ears.[6] The Celts associated the colour red with death.[6] White is associated with the supernatural, and white animals are commonly owned by gods or other inhabitants of the Otherworld.[6] Therefore, the Cŵn Annwn is associated with death and the supernatural. 

I did not draw the references below and do not claim them as mine! They will show up on a google search.

[jodybouchard9]

The Best Big Dogs for Apartments: Large Breeds for Small Homes

ChristopherBernard/iStock

The best big dogs for apartments tend to be the mellowest breeds—just as you might have guessed. They can thrive in small spaces because, in spite of their large size, their lower energy needs mean they don’t need a large indoor space to roam. That’s good news for those of us living in limited square footage.

So if you have your heart set on a massive pooch taking up most of your sofa, consider these low-energy, large dog breeds.

Greyhound

Think of this breed as “40 mile-per-hour couch potatoes,” says Lisa Sallie, founder and owner of the 501(c)(3) rescue organization Grateful Greyhounds. “They’ll happily sprint during their morning exercise,” she says, “but after that, easily sleep for 20 hours.”

At the racetrack, greyhounds are kept in cages, Sallie adds, “so even a small apartment seems like a large space to [them].”

Greyhounds rarely bark, which will endear them to the neighbors in your building. And they don’t have undercoats, “so while they do shed,” says Sallie, “it’s just the fine outer fur.”

Mastiff

Have an empty space in your heart/bed? Maybe you need a slobbery 230-pound mastiff to fill it.

“While puppies can be active, mastiffs do mellow out quickly and, with a nice walk each day, will be very content snoozing in your smaller living place,” says Nicole Ellis, a pet expert and certified dog trainer with Rover.com, an online network of pet sitters and dog walkers. “Be prepared to clean up some drool though.”

Irish wolfhound

Among the tallest of dog breeds, these shaggy, bearded behemoths “are extremely sweet and calm, making them ideal for an apartment,” according to Ellis. “The one caveat is Irish wolfhounds are leggy and long, so make sure to watch where you step in case he or she is sleeping underfoot.”

Basset hound

These long-eared, short-legged pups can get to be as heavy as 70 pounds, but “they’re compact and known to be loafers,” says Ellis. “They’re more than content sitting on the couch watching television in a smaller environment.”

Great Dane

OK, hear us out on this one. Although initially bred to hunt fierce European boars, Great Danes—which can tip the scales at around 200 pounds—are truly gentle giants.

“They do need exercise, as all dogs do; but despite their size, Danes tend to be lower-energy than many other big dogs. They’re often happy with sleeping over running,” says Dr. Heather DiGiacomo, owner of Newtown Square Veterinary Hospital  in suburban Philadelphia. Just look at Scooby-Doo.

Standard poodle

Not all poodles need to be purse accessories. This much larger version can weigh 10 times more than its toy counterpart—as much as 70 pounds.

“They tend to have relatively low energy levels for large-breed dogs,” says DiGiacomo. “And since they’re highly intelligent and trainable, they can be trained to not bark, and not be destructive in a small space.”

What about other big dogs for apartments?

Don’t spot your favorite dog breed on this list? Don’t despair. If dogs get enough playtime and social interaction, “the size of home or apartment is largely irrelevant to a dog or parent,” says Russell Hartstein, a certified dog behaviorist and trainer in Los Angeles.

So you’re better off evaluating your own activity level and the time you have to devote to your pooch rather than your square footage. If you’re interested in a more energetic breed such as a border collie or husky, you need to be able to exercise the dog multiple times during the day. That means anything from daily walks to playing fetch, socializing with other pups at the park, and even training your pooch.

A few things to keep in mind

Convinced that you can happily house a canine in your small space? Before you run out and buy or adopt one, keep this expert advice in mind.

Know the rules on pet breed and size restrictions where you live. “Buildings, homeowner associations, even cities, villages, towns, and states can come with their own dog regulations,” says Janine Acquafredda, an associate real estate broker for House N Key Realty and founder of Realtors 4 Rescues, a nonprofit that educates real estate professionals on the importance of getting landlords to “say yes to pets.” Know yours before you bring home a new furry BFF.

Large dogs can have large health issues. Many big breeds tend to be prone to hip issues. “That can prevent their mobility as early as 3 years of age, so a space where they don’t have to climb stairs is probably best,” says Acquafredda. “A tubless bathroom could also come in handy as the dog matures and you may need to take grooming into your own hands.”

Every dog is different, regardless of size. “Each dog has a unique personality that could be quite different than the norm for the breed,” Acquafredda cautions. You could bring home a Labrador retriever who is perfectly content lounging around the apartment every day. Be prepared to love the individual pup you get and give it plenty of attention and exercise, regardless of the size of your living space.

  The post The Best Big Dogs for Apartments: Large Breeds for Small Homes appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

George Michael gets the 'rainbow priest' memorial mural he deserves

George Michael was a saint. Don't let anyone tell you differently. 

Although the press hounded him for his supposed controversies, the man was a shining beacon of hope, light and leather. 

So it's fitting then that the late, great singer and gay icon has been honoured with a memorial mural in Sydney, Australia, casting him as pseudo a religious icon.

SEE ALSO: George Michael helped a generation realise it was okay to be gay

The portrait, painted by acclaimed local graffiti artist Scott Marsh, shows Michael as a "Patron Saint of Parks at Night" — a tongue-in-cheek tribute to his healthy sexual appetite and proclivity to "go outside."

Saint @GeorgeMichael Patron Saint of Parks at Night ❤🌈🏳️‍🌈❤ by Scott Marsh Newtown, Sydney. 2017 pic.twitter.com/1kg5V4AgpO

— stereogamous (@stereogamous) January 12, 2017

He's also been painted holding a joint, because of course he has.

The portrait seems particularly fitting given the huge number of stories that have emerged in the wake of his death concerning Michael's secret, incredible generosity. 

"St. George" 🌈🌈🌈#georgemichael #sydney Better photos tomorrow.👍🏻 #innerwest #sydneystreetart Corner of bray st and flora st in st peters

A photo posted by Scott Marsh (@scottie.marsh) on Jan 11, 2017 at 10:50pm PST

Throwing a free Christmas concert for nurses is pretty saintly, after all.

Vale George. Thanks for keeping the faith.

BONUS: Finally, a device that can work out your vagina

[drjorighetti]

Pet Problems Solved likes to encourage potential pet owners to consider adopting a Greyhound and April is all about Greyhounds, as Greyhound Rescue tell us…

  Apartment pals and household companions – April is all about Greyhounds

Sydney charity, Greyhound Rescue (GR) is again declaring April to be ‘Adopt-a-Greyhound Month’ and has over 50 dogs now in need of a loving home.

Macc, Greyhound adopted and living in a high-rise apartment

  Apartment Pal

One GR greyhound called Macc got lucky with couple Nick and Jen on the 13th floor of a high rise building in Sydney. Nick and Jen adopted Macc from GR last year. They did their research about what pet would suit their lifestyle. A greyhound seemed like a good fit. They say Macc’s fantastic on the lead and ambivalent with other dogs. They’ve been amazed at how easily he’s settled in.

Like most greyhounds, Macc’s quiet and just needs two 20 minute walks a day, but like most dogs would be happy to do more. There’s been no trouble with neighbours as he doesn’t bark. Macc’s even slowed down the couple’s normal frenetic lives because they now sit down for cuddles with him, teach him recall and play hide and seek.

Interestingly, GR says male greyhounds are often overlooked as pets because they’re a bit bigger than the females, yet both genders are laidback and easy-going.

Macc with Nick and Jen

We asked Nick and Jen a few questions to test Macc’s adjustment to apartment living…

Was it difficult getting permission to have Macc in your apartment? Not at all.

How do you manage taking Macc for regular toilet breaks ? We take him out just before bed and he generally sleeps through the night. We give him a morning feed then take him for a 15–20 minute walk. He sleeps monitored via webcam during the day (it’s a Furbo and throws treats) and Jen’s work is not too far away.

3. How long did it take Macc to get used to the stairs? Or the lift? He took to both readily.

4. Dogs can take a little while to get used to a new home. What issues did Macc have adjusting to your home? He can slip on the floor sometimes, so we’re considering non-slip socks or a big rug.

5. Does Macc have any endearing or funny habits? We have a small car and he fits entirely across the back seat. He settles down there, all 38kg of him! We’re so pleased we found Macc.

So, if you’re living in an apartment and want a dog, a greyhound may be the way to go. Also, because it’s April, Greyhound Rescue (GR) is offering a discount until the end of the month – $250 instead of $350 per dog – which helps pay for these ex-racers to be desexed, vaccinated, heartworm tested and have a full health check.

Household companions

Meanwhile, if you live in a house with a backyard, there are two greyhounds in particular which have been living in GR’s rented kennels for over a year and need a home badly:

Zephyr

Axel

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These two dogs are the flipside of the greyhound story and part of a minority arriving with problems which GR goes to great lengths to solve. It’s a no-kill charity run almost entirely by volunteers and started by Janet and Peter Flann from their backyard.

Janet said Zephyr had a rough start because he wasn’t socialised with humans, but now he loves the kennel volunteers. He’s fine with other dogs, but needs a kind, patient household. He also needs someone at home with him a lot, as he was left on his own too much in his prior life. So, someone who works from home or is retired would be the ideal owner for Zephyr. Unlike many greyhounds, he’s still quite active at five years, so he also needs a backyard for the occasional ‘zoomie’.

Greyhound Axel has also been in the kennels for over a year. Janet says he’s a playful eight-year-old. She says he’d suit a home without young kids as he might knock them over, but teenagers would be fine. Also, Axel needs to be an only dog because he wasn’t socialised well other animals and needs a backyard.

  Adoption vs Fostering a Greyhound

Whether you live in an apartment or a house, you can foster then adopt, adopt straight out or become an ongoing foster carer.

Fostering means people can ‘try before they buy’. GR pays the full cost of necessary vet bills incurred when a dog is in foster, while also providing a muzzle, coat, collar and lead. Carers cover food, shelter and flea treatments and GR will help with costs if necessary.

How long a hound stays with foster carers depends on the number of adoption applications GR receives, but foster carers should be prepared to accommodate a dog for at least six months.

People become foster carers for various reasons such as they:

have lost a treasured pet and can’t face being an owner again

want the flexibility that comes with not having a pet for periods of time

want to help out rescue greyhounds adjust to home life

You can read about one person here who fosters for a special reason – www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/newtown-woman-fosters-greyhounds-to-redress-familys-past-in-racing/news-story/dc05c36de780eb05a80ccc19500c4951

Foster greyhounds need simple training and carers must allow ‘meet and greets’ with adopters when the time comes. For most greyhounds, being fostered is the first time they will live as a pet, so they don’t know about household routines, stairs or beeping appliances.

Would-be foster carers don’t need to worry about the dog they’ll get to foster. GR carefully matches carers with greyhounds, while they also ensure compatibility with your family and other pets. GR’s re-homed over 1000 greyhounds since it began in 2009, with few returnees.

People who are interested in adopting or fostering should complete an application form. GR’s available greyhounds are listed here.

One of the many Greyhounds available for adoption

Muzzling Greyhounds

Finally, those interested in adopting should be aware that muzzling your pet greyhound in NSW is not needed if they obtain a Greenhound collar. Muzzle rules vary across Australia – greyhoundequality.org/laws.html  – with both the RSPCA and the Australian Veterinary Association recommending against muzzles for pet greyhounds.

  Apartment pals and household companions – April is all about Greyhounds Pet Problems Solved likes to encourage potential pet owners to consider adopting a Greyhound and April is all about Greyhounds, as Greyhound Rescue tell us...

[thepuppytrainingtips]

The Newtown Bee Horses & Hounds: Seasonal Safety — Thanksgiving Day Tips To Protect Your Dog The Newtown Bee When you have a pet, planning for Thanksgiving can become a somewhat challenging experience. Without question, Holiday foods need to be secured … https://t.co/nd64h3Ptnq https://t.co/912zbxiC9I http://twitter.com/puppy_training_/status/1064181048114905090

[flauntpage]

Simply Not Enough: Five Takeaways from Jets 3, Flyers 2

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  Well… they scored. Twice actually.

Not enough.

Nolan Patrick returned to the lineup from his “upper-body injury” for the first time in nine games. That’s a plus.

Not enough.

Brian Elliott had another really good start – that makes five in a row for him.

Not enough. 

Much maligned to start the season, the one other thing that has been pretty steady for the Flyers in recent games has been their defense, and they were relatively good again last night.

Not enough.

Hey, they earned a point on the road against a good team in a difficult building in which to play.

Not enough.

But Radko Gudas looks like he’s going to be suspended for slashing someone in the neck – although the referees didn’t give him a game misconduct until after seeing a replay – which isn’t allowed.

ENOUGH! On both fronts.

Yes Flyers fans, this was another frustrating one-goal loss. They seem to be paramount these days. Much in the way one-run losses crippled a last-place Phillies team this past season, they’re starting to plague the last place Flyers a little now too.

And maybe that’s just the sign of a team that’s getting closer and just doesn’t have that killer instinct to put a game away.

Or maybe it’s a sign there isn’t enough talent on the team to get it done.

Either way, things aren’t looking very hot for the Flyers right now, and at some point, someone is going to have to identify where the issue is for a team that has stagnated both in style and philosophy.

But for now… to the takeaways.

1) Drought’s over… sorta

It didn’t take long for the Flyers to snap their goalless streak. All of two-and-a-half minutes actually:

The Flyers scored. http://pic.twitter.com/YwyUkq0nsx

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) November 17, 2017

And then they scored again, less than three minutes later:

POWER. PLAY. GOAL. http://pic.twitter.com/Q9OnFd2ot8

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) November 17, 2017

But what do you see on those goals? Here’s a clue: it’s something familiar.

That’s right. They were scored by the usual suspects. Jake Voracek and Sean Couturier with Claude Giroux involved in the action.

Voracek’s tally snapped a 158:36 span of hockey without a Flyers goal. They were starting to sneak eerily close to a franchise record for an inability to score, and only came 41 minutes short.

But there’s a more daunting number that still exists:

263:23

That’s how long it’s been since a player – any player, defense included –  other than Voracek, Couturier or Giroux scored a goal. That’s more than four games. It’s more than 13 periods.

It’s unacceptable.

Something has to give. Dave Hakstol has to stop waiting for it to happen and he needs to break up his top line. It doesn’t need to be a permanent breakup – just until the offensive flow can start to regenerate through the lineup. But it needs to happen.

But how do you do it? How do you mix and match and keep lines equally responsible defensively as offensively?

Let’s break it down.

  2) A new lineup

First thing’s first. There’s a clog at right wing. Voracek is a lefty shot, but doesn’t like playing left wing. He prefers the off wing. Always has, always will.

I remember former Flyers coach Craig Berube telling me once that if Voracek was willing to learn how to play the left side, he would have much more lineup flexibility.

When I asked him why he just didn’t put him over there and force him to learn, he just gave me a glance and said, “I want to keep my job.”

Well, he didn’t keep it much longer after that conversation.

I wasn’t sure if that meant Voracek had former GM Paul Holmgren’s ear, or word came down from above to Berube that Voracek had to play right wing, or what the case was, but Voracek has remained on the right wing since Day One in Philadelphia, and it doesn’t seem like that’s going to change either under the Ron Hextall/Hakstol regime.

So, who do you move off the top line?

Well, Voracek. Quite simply because you need to plug another right wing there since he has to take a right wing spot in the lineup somewhere.

Conventional wisdom would tell you to put Wayne Simmonds there, but I don’t think that’s a good idea. First of all, Simmonds is in the second longest stretch of his Flyers career without a goal (11 games), so he’s pressing a bit. Not to mention, he’s still likely not completely recovered from a groin injury that has been hounding him for a month.

But most importantly, he changes the way the line is playing.

Simmonds isn’t a playmaker like Voracek. He plays a game too similar to what’s working for Couturier right now – go to the net and make things happen in front.

With two guys like that on the top line, it leaves Giroux as the only creator, and defenses would clamp down on him and force others to create the offense – which they wouldn’t be able to do with any regularity.

No, instead, Giroux and Couturier need another playmaker on the other side.

Enter Travis Konecny.

The young winger has speed to burn, is incredibly creative and is an offensive risk-taker, often forcing defenders to make a quick decision, sometimes one they don’t want to make.

His skating ability will still give Giroux some room to operate on the left side and not clog the middle for Couturier.

Now, Konecny is still prone to defensive lapses – and I know that’s what frustrates Hakstol about him – but playing him with Couturier, who is one of the top five most defensively responsible forwards in the entire NHL, will help cover for those occasional errors in judgment.

He also doesn’t have Voracek’s heaviness with the puck, which could affect puck possession a little bit, but there has to be some trade off to improve the lineup elsewhere.

Now the second line is where things would get really new.

With Patrick back in the lineup (more on him in No. 3 below), I’d love to see a line full of creative types play together, especially if you can coach it in such a way to keep them away from the other team’s top scoring line via a smart deployment strategy. Maybe give them only offensive/neutral zone starts. Maybe make a quick line change if the top unit from the other team is out there against them. Whatever… be smart about their use 5-on-5 and you could end up with something special here.

That combination would be Jordan Weal, Patrick and Voracek.

Again, three different styles, but if you want to instill confidence in Patrick’s game, and get Weal more chances to score, you play them with one of the league’s best assist men.

So where does this drop Simmonds?

Onto a third line I love for grit, puck possession, energy, and reliable defense that you can throw out with confidence against the other team’s top unit without much worry.

This line would be Michael Raffl, Scott Laughton and Simmonds.

Yes, I know I’m breaking up the best fourth line in Flyers history, but again… we’re talking temporarily here.

And yes this diminishes Simmonds scoring opportunities a bit, but it puts him into a role where he doesn’t have to press as much, and can still get to the front of the net. Put this group out there when Shayne Gostisbehere is on the point, or even Ivan Provorov, guys who know how to get the puck to the net, and watch them collect the trash and put it in the bin where it belongs.

Not to mention, Simmonds creates space and Laughton and Raffl are good enough to make things happen with a little room.

Finally, the fourth line, using players that are here mind you and not elsewhere in the organization, would be Dale Weise, Valtteri Filppula and Taylor Leier.

This isn’t a brutal fourth line and actually has a little bit of skill with Filppula and Leier that can take advantage of the fourth line of the opposition.

Ultimately, I’d like to see Mike Vecchione of the Phantoms get a chance here in this spot, but if we’re using what’s on this team right now, this is what I’d go with.

I could also swap Weise with Matt Read and not be disappointed. I don’t want to see any more of Jori Lehtera. I’ve seen enough.

Point is, something needs to change. Because this is one of the most dreadful scoring droughts for 15 of 18 forwards I’ve ever seen.

  3) Patty’s back

Patrick returned to the lineup for the first time in almost a month for the Flyers. He did so in his hometown of Winnipeg. He started on the second line, but didn’t play much. just 7:32 of ice time. He didn’t look especially good or noticeably bad. He just existed.

The thing is, he didn’t miss all this time with his “upper body injury” – a.k.a. concussion.

No, he could have played sooner. The Flyers just wanted to work on his game with him. When you hear a 19-year-old player say the things he said, I can assure you he is parroting what his coaches are telling him.

Here’s what he told the Courier-Post’s Dave Isaac before yesterday’s game:

“I think I need to move my feet a little more. I think too much out there. I was thinking instead of moving my feet and making plays. I think I need to contribute a little more offensively and stay good defensively and keep improving on faceoffs. I think those are the main things.”

Yeah… it wasn’t the concussion keeping him off the ice. It was the slow adjustment to the NHL pace.

Patrick will ultimately be just fine. The Flyers are going to baby him a little bit and only use him in certain situations, but it’s good to have the No. 2 overall pick back in the lineup. He just needs to start showing everyone why he was picked there.

  4) Steady goaltending?

Those two words are rarely used together in reference to hockey in Philadelphia, but, for a few games at least, Elliott has been really strong for the Flyers.

Brian Elliott coming up big again. http://pic.twitter.com/hrrMvn1VKy

— Chris Jastrzembski (@CFJastrzembski) November 17, 2017

O.K. he didn’t look great in the shootout last night, but most goalies don’t. But in the game, he was excellent again. He made another 31 saves.

In his last five games, he’s allowed just seven goals (1.39 GAA) and has a .954 save percentage. And yet, he has only one win in that stretch.

That’s a tough break. But, he’s keeping his team in every game. He has to with the ineptitude in scoring. I expect he’ll be back in net tomorrow against Calgary, since he was the Flames goalie last year, and probably doesn’t get a game off until next week, when the Flyers play three games in four days around Thanksgiving.

He’s been a recent bright spot for the team while the struggles have been so incredibly noticeable elsewhere.

  5) Gudas and the Stripes

Sounds like the name of a bad bar band, no?

O.K. first, here’s the play – which is definitely a penalty and probably deserving of some league discipline, especially with Gudas’ reputation:

Radko Gudas has been given a game misconduct for this play.

What do you think of the call? http://pic.twitter.com/tTL5rQnF6E

— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) November 17, 2017

One could argue that it was just the way Gudas came down and landed on the back of Mathieu Perrault’s neck. But, you still need to be in better control of your stick there.

Gudas has dodged suspensions before, and maybe he does again here – especially since the league isn’t as quick to hand out suspensions if there weren’t injuries involved, which is stupid, but hey.

However, I think Gudas gets one here. It may be just a one game suspension, but I think it’s a send-a-message type pf suspension.

Gudas has regressed so far this season after having a very good showing for the Flyers last season. Andrew MacDonald is close to returning, and when he does, it might not be a bad idea to sit Gudas for a game or two to make him remember that he plays precariously close to the edge. When he stays on one side, he’s effective. When he plays on the other side, he’s reckless and ineffective.

But the grander scale issue here is the scoreboard officiating.

Now, full disclosure, I didn’t watch the first part of the game live. I went back and saw it on DVR after the fact, but I didn’t need to see what happened more than once.

The penalty was originally called a slashing minor on Gudas. But then, the in-arena scoreboard showed the replay of the video, the officials looked up and saw it, huddled together and decided to change the call to a slashing major and a game misconduct.

That’s not allowed.

You can not use replay to change a call – and yet these guys did.

They tried to explain to the Flyers that they didn’t, but that was some serious B.S.

Once again, Dave Isaac from the Courier Post was all over it and reached out to a league official (I’m pretty sure I know which one, because there is one who answers emails during games all the time – and he would be the right person to go to).

Here’s what the official told him via email:

“The Situation Room is unable to confirm the exact sequence of events which occurred between the officials on the ice.”

Translation: Yep. They looked at the video.

That’s a disgrace. The league needs to stop protecting these guys from continued abuse of the rule book or finding loopholes in the rules to justify their poor decisions. There have been far more egregious mistakes in the first 19 games of this season than I can remember.

Whether they ultimately got the call right or not is not the point. The point is, allowing this to happen sets a precedent for the future of the game – and a bad precedent at that.

Not only does the NHL need to do something about this, but they need to address it publicly, otherwise they will be continued to be viewed as a flim-flam operation not just by me, but scores of other writers and fans of this sport.

  Simply Not Enough: Five Takeaways from Jets 3, Flyers 2 published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

[philsadelphia]

It Would Cost Your Corner Bar $2,000 to Show the Mayweather-McGregor Fight

Floyd Mayweather Jr., center left, and Conor McGregor pose for photographers during a news conference Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2017, in Las Vegas. The two are scheduled to fight in a boxing match Saturday in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Scroll to the bottom of this story for a full list of the bars showing the Mayweather-McGregor fight in the Philadelphia area.

I love a good fight, but usually when there’s a “big fight” on pay-per-view, it can be hard to find a decent place to watch it. The strip clubs are the only guarantees. But this weekend for the Mayweather-McGregor fight, the rules have changed completely.

I don’t remember the last time that people were this excited for a boxing event. It’s sort of like your pals who could care less about the Phillies until they are in the World Series, and all of a sudden, they all want to watch the game.

I’ve got friends who’ve never seen a boxing match in their lives calling me to ask me where to go to see the Mayweather-McGregor fight in Philadelphia. If you’re watching it at a bar and hear someone ask, “What’s a TKO?”, don’t be surprised.

Philly bars have definitely caught up with the hype. One month ago, I could barely find anyone showing the Mayweather-McGregor fight in Philly. Now, you have a wide range of options, with more than 130 spots in the Philadelphia and South Jersey area participating.

“This is our biggest commercial PPV ever in terms of locations,” says Tim McManus of Joe Hand Promotions, the Feasterville-based boxing and UFC promotions company. “This is a monster. Most of our staff are working twelve-hour days. We’re averaging more than 3,000 calls per day over the last week. We got close to 1,000 email inquiries yesterday. We’re basically sleeping here at this point, but we’ve all be thrilled to be a part of history.”

For the bars, being a part of history isn’t a cheap endeavor, and so it’s not a cheap night out for you.

It would cost your average neighborhood spot about $2,000 to show the fight.

Comcast gets a $125 PPV fee and then the promotions companies get $30 per person based on the legal occupancy of your bar — not based on how many people actually show up but how many people legally could. So if the joint down the street holds 60 people, they have to shell out nearly $2,000 to show the fight. Some bigger venues, like XFinity Live, are able to negotiate special deals, but those agreements are all confidential.

“It’s expensive,” admits Pete Ciarrocchi, owner of Chickie’s & Pete’s. All of the Chickie’s & Pete’s in the area are showing the fight, with a variety of packages available. At the South Philly location, you’ll pay $40 for a ticket in the bar area (barstool not guaranteed), and that includes a $20 voucher for food or drink.

At Fado in Center City, they’re charging $25 in advance, which just gets you in the door… assuming you arrive before 10 p.m. Otherwise, they might not even let you in. It’s going to be crazy.

As for me, I’m either going to watch the fight at Chickie’s & Pete’s… or at a Delco bar I know of that’s going to be showing it illegally.

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you say that,” says McManus, who says he’s hoping to get into the bar at the private Veterans Boxers Association in Port Richmond, which sounds like pretty much the coolest possible place you could go to watch the fight.

As for bars showing the Mayweather-McGregor fight illegally, don’t think this is without the possibility of consequence. Joe Hand Promotions just filed a federal lawsuit against a bar in Oregon that allegedly showed a bunch of UFC fights illegally. The fine for doing so? Up to $110,000 each time you do it.

Below, all of the bars signed up to show the Mayweather-McGregor fight in Philadelphia and the surrounding area as of 10 a.m. on Friday. It’s organized by town name, so you can easily check and see who is showing it near you. (Forgive the typos — this data comes directly from Joe Hand.) To stay up to date with the latest additions, visit the Joe Hand Promotions website.

Where to Watch the Mayweather McGregor Fight In the Philly Area

Racks Bar & Grille @ Atco296 White Horse PikeAtcoNJ21 Bar @ Caesars2100 Pacific AveAtlantic CityNJBallys Park PlacePark Place & BoardwalkAtlantic CityNJBorgata Hotel Casino & SpaOne Borgata WayAtlantic CityNJChickies & Petes @ The Tropicana2831 BoardwalkAtlantic CityNJDucktown Tavern2400 Atlantic AvenueAtlantic CityNJGolden Nugget @ Atlantic CityHuron Ave & Brigantine Blvd.Atlantic CityNJResorts Atlantic City1133 BoardwalkAtlantic CityNJRi Ra Irish Pub @ Atlantic CityTropicanaAtlantic CityNJTropicana Atlantic City Casino & Resort2831 BoardwalkAtlantic CityNJVagabond Kitchen & Tap House672 N Trenton AveAtlantic CityNJWonder Bar3701 Sunset AveAtlantic CityNJChickies & Petes @ Parx Casino2999 Street RoadBensalemPAHigh Tides Restaurant & Bar1067 Totem RdBensalemPAChickies & Petes @ Bordentown183 US Highway 130BordentownNJSaint George Pub4282 Harbor Beach BlvdBrigantineNJClub Risque @ Bristol3025 New Rogers RoadBristolPAIntegrity Title Agency110 Barclay Pavillion EastCherry HillNJKaminskis Sports Bar1424 Brace Rd.Cherry HillNJP.J. Whelihans Pub @ Cherry Hill1854 E. Marlton PikeCherry HillNJVera Bar & Grill2310 Marlton Pike WestCherry HillNJChampps @ Collegeville51 Town Center DrCollegevillePACreekside Cabaret3225 Advance LaneColmarPAFirewaters - Concord1110 Baltimore PikeConcordPAOtts @ Delran3112 Bridgeboro RdDelranNJAdelphia Balis Restaurant & Bar1750 Clements-Bridge RoadDeptfordNJBuffalo Wild Wings @ Downingtown PA103 Quarry RoadDowningtownPAJD McGillicuddys Drexel Hill690 Burmont RoadDrexel HillPAChickies & Petes @ Egg Harbor6055 Black Horse PikeEgg HarborNJTimothys Lionville121 Eaglesview BlvdExtonPAScruples at the Oakford4508 Super HwyFeastervillePAMcGuire Dix Bowling Center6054 Doughboy LoopFort DixNJChickies & Petes @ Glassboro234 Rowan BlvdGlassboroNJLandmark Americana Tap & Grill1 East West StreetGlassboroNJBuffalo Wild Wings @ Glen Mills PA920 BALTIMORE PIKEGlen MillsPAGlen Mills Schools - Community Center54 Three Wood DriveGlen MillsPAHooters @ Concordville1122 Baltimore PikeGlen MillsPACheerleaders @ Gloucester City54 Crescent Blvd.Gloucester CityNJTavern on the Edge332 Jersey AveGloucester CityNJHarrigans Pub1051 W County Line RoadHatboroPACrossbar2225 E Darby RdHavertownPAIron Abbey Gastrol Pub680 N Easton RoadHorshamPADrake Tavern304 York RoadJenkintownPAChampps @ King Of Prussia330 Goddard BlvdKing Of PrussiaPACity Works King of Prussia220 Main St.King of PrussiaPAFox & Hound @ King of Prussia160 N. Gulph Rd. Suite 211King of PrussiaPAHooters @ King Of Prussia240 N Gulph RoadKing of PrussiaPAValley Forge Casino Resort1160 1st AveKing of PrussiaPAVinnys Bar & Grill826 W. DeKalb PikeKing of PrussiaPAMillers Ale House Rest. Inc. (Langhorne)2250 E Lincoln HwyLanghornePAMcStews Irish Sports Pub5316 New Falls RdLevittownPAMurphys Beef & Ale5725 Bristol Emilie RoadLevittownPABocca Coal Fired Bistro7805 Ventnor Ave.Margate CityNJMaynards Cafe9306 Amherst AveMargate CityNJBuffalo Wild Wings @ Mays Landing4311 Black Horse PikeMays LandingNJPole Position6760 Harding Hwy.Mays LandingNJBuffalo Wild Wings @ Millville NJ2164 N 2nd StreetMillvilleNJTom & Jerrys Sports Bar1006 MacDade Blvd.Milmont ParkPABuffalo Wild Wings @ Moorestown NJ1598 Nixon DriveMoorestownNJDempsters Pub437 Pine StMount HollyNJMillers Ale House Rest. Inc. (Mount Laurel)554 Fellowship RdMount LaurelNJEscape @ Newtown Athletic Club120 Pheasant Run NewtownNewtownPAGreen Parrot Pub & Patio240 North Sycamore AvenueNewtownPAChickies & Petes @ Audubon675 Shannondell BoulevardNorristownPAGreene Turtle @ North Wales1100 Bethlehem PikeNorth WalesPA2 Play1526 Packer Ave.PhiladelphiaPA6 Feet Under727 Walnut StPhiladelphiaPAAura628 N Front StPhiladelphiaPABenny The Bums9991 Bustleton AvenuePhiladelphiaPABricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Union Hall2706 Black Lake PlacePhiladelphiaPABuffalo Wild Wings @ Philadelphia9701 Roosevelt RoadPhiladelphiaPACheerleaders @ Philadelphia2740 S. Front St.PhiladelphiaPAChickies & Petes @ Robbins4010 Robbins AvenuePhiladelphiaPAChickies & Petes @ Roosevelt11000 Roosevelt BlvdPhiladelphiaPAChucks Alibi7301 Oxford AvePhiladelphiaPACity Tap House Logan2 Logan SquarePhiladelphiaPAClub Onyx @ Philadelphia2908 S Columbus BlvdPhiladelphiaPAClub Risque1700 S Columbus BlvdPhiladelphiaPAClub Risque @ North East5921 Tacony StPhiladelphiaPADave & Busters @ Franklin Mills1995 Franklin Mills CirclePhiladelphiaPADave & Busters @ Philadelphia325 N. Columbus Blvd. Pier 19 N.PhiladelphiaPADelilahs100 Spring Garden St.PhiladelphiaPADimensions Sports Bar7318 Caster AvePhiladelphiaPADraught Horse Restaurant1431 Cecil B Moore Ave.PhiladelphiaPAEast Coast Wings & Grill2539 Castor AvenuePhiladelphiaPAFado Irish Pub @ Philadelphia1500 Locust StPhiladelphiaPAFounding Fathers Sports Bar & Grill1612 South StreetPhiladelphiaPAFox & Hound @ Philadelphia1501 Spruce StreetPhiladelphiaPAHooters @ NE Philly9183 Roosevelt BoulevardPhiladelphiaPAJ.J. Bootleggers35 South 2nd streetPhiladelphiaPAJimmys Timeout Sports Bar5000 Linden Ave.PhiladelphiaPAJJs Cafe1071 E. Erie Ave.PhiladelphiaPAMillers Ale House Rest. Inc (South Philadelphia)2100 S. Columbus BlvdPhiladelphiaPAMillers Ale House Rest. Inc. (Philadelphia)9495 E Roosevelt BlvdPhiladelphiaPAMonarch Philly1031 Germantown AvePhiladelphiaPANicks Roast Beef2214 Cottman Ave.PhiladelphiaPAOasis on Essington6800 Essington Ave.PhiladelphiaPAOrtiebs847 N 3rd StPhiladelphiaPAPaddy Whacks Irish Sports Pub9241-43 Roosevelt Blvd.PhiladelphiaPAPublic Sports Bar LLC DBA Field House1150 Filbert St.PhiladelphiaPAPunch Line Philly33 E Laurel St.PhiladelphiaPAS Lounge4101 Paul StPhiladelphiaPASmoke4453 Main StPhiladelphiaPASweeneys Station Saloon13639 Philmont AvenuePhiladelphiaPATavern on Broad200 S Broad StPhiladelphiaPATir na nOg Irish Bar & Grill1600 Arch StPhiladelphiaPAVanity Grand Cabaret6130 Passyunk AvePhiladelphiaPAVesper223 S SydenhamPhiladelphiaPAVeteran Boxers Association2733 E Clearfield StPhiladelphiaPAX Marks the Spot6364 Stenton AvePhiladelphiaPAXFINITY Live1100 Pattison AvePhiladelphiaPADave & Busters @ Plymouth Meeting500 W Germantown PikePlymouth MeetingPAMarty Magees Irish Pub1110 Lincoln AveProspect ParkPAFlip & Baileys Bar & Grill900 Conestoga RdRosemontPAPhily Diner31 S Black Horse PikeRunnemedeNJBuffalo Wild Wings @ Sicklerville NJ627 Cross Keys RoadSicklervilleNJTilted Kilt @ Sicklerville645 Cross Keys Rd.SicklervilleNJMillers Ale House Rest. Inc. (Springfield)18 Baltimore PikeSpringfieldPATelford VFW # 5308395 W Broad StTelfordPAMystic Bar Restaurant1218 south clinton aveTrentonNJChickies & Petes @ Drexel Hill5035 W Township Line RdUpper DarbyPAOtts @ Voorhees890 Haddonfield-Berlin RdVoorhees TownshipNJBuffalo Wild Wings @ Warrington PA201 Easton Road Suite 118WarringtonPAChickies & Petes @ Warrington510 Easton RdWarringtonPAVictory Bar and Grill795 S Route 73West BerlinNJRams Head Bar & Grill40 E Market StWest ChesterPATimothys West Chester929 S High StWest ChesterPARacks Bar & Grill @ Williamstown2021 North BLack Horse PikeWilliamstownNJMillers Ale House Rest. Inc (Willow Grove)2300 Easton RdWillow GrovePAQueen Wilmington500 N Market StWilmingtonDESikar Cigar Lounge & Bar1624 Delaware AveWilmingtonDETimothys Riverfront Grill930 Justison StWilmingtonDETonic Bar & Grille111 W 11th StreetWilmingtonDEVape Saloon1616 W Newport PikeWilmingtonDEHollywood Cafe940 Mantau PikeWoodbury HeightsNJ

The post It Would Cost Your Corner Bar $2,000 to Show the Mayweather-McGregor Fight appeared first on Philadelphia Magazine.

from Phil's Blog http://philrobertson023.blogspot.com/2017/08/it-would-cost-your-corner-bar-2000-to.html

[thepuppytrainingtips]

The Newtown Bee Horses & Hounds: Seasonal Safety — Thanksgiving Day Tips To Protect Your Dog The Newtown Bee Overindulging in the family meal can be unhealthy for humans (4,500-plus calories!), but vastly worse for Fido: Fatty foods are hard for animals… https://t.co/M0fRapvT0Y https://t.co/2osXOtSedo http://twitter.com/puppy_training_/status/1064169219439435776