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footballxwrites · 4 years ago

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Ridiculously in love with your writing so giving another one😂

So read reports that Christian pulisic maybe going back to the bundesliga to play for Bayern so maybe you could write one on that where he feels guilty for not having been able to probably make it work in Chelsea. He’s been with his fiance since they were like 12 and she’s a British citizen and an arsenal fan so she was definitely the happiest when they moved to london as because she runs her own company and their main office is in London. Christian feels like a crap fiancé also because now she’ll have to travel up and down every other week like she did when they were in Dortmund, and she’s done and sacrificed so much for him and he couldn’t even make it work so she can be in her hometown for once and also be with her family, plus they’re looking to start a family so this travelling business and not having grandparents around the corner isn’t ideal either. With all this plus not starting games plus family stuff weighing him down, he starts to be distant from her and she obviously notices. She gives him a bit of space at the beginning but then quickly realises that they should talk about it like they always have in their relationship. So she brings it up and he lets out everything and she’s like “ don’t be stupid, I want the best for your career and if that’s in freaking Finland well go there, you’ve had a tough year and not the ideal start to your time at Chelsea ans that’s okay. Everyone has set backs but we need to make a comeback so we’re gonna do what’s best for you and then go from there. Europe is small and London to Munich or wherever it is isn’t too bad at all, plus you know I genuinely like travelling for work. And when the kids come we’ll just figure out a schedule that puts them first and have you seen our parents, they’re gonna be coming and seeing us all the time. It’s fine, we’re gonna be fine, you’re gonna be just fine” and then Christian is just crying by then because how did he get so lucky blah blah blah... can’t wait for this one xxxxxx

Long Distance Love ♡

𝖧𝖺𝗁𝖺 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗒𝗈𝗎! 𝖨 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝗊𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 (𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗍 𝗆𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗌𝖾𝗇𝗌𝖾 𝗅𝗈𝗅)...𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗌 𝖨 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽𝗇’𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝖻𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝖼𝗁𝖾𝖼𝗄 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝗈 𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗍𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗈𝗇 𝗆𝖾 😅𝗑

January 10 2021

Suddenly, you felt him stir slightly, readjusting his arms that were snaked around your body, which made your head shoot up to gaze at him, seeing his eyes fluttering open and a lazy smile creep upon his lips as he leaned into a kiss. His arms were quick to pull your waist against his so your head was flat on his chest, listening to the peaceful sound of his heartbeat, instantly making you feel at home. You little moment was cut short when his phone went off and he rushed out the room with a groan, leaving you annoyed and your heart pounding, having a feeling you knew exactly what the phone call was about, hoping he come back and give you the answer you wanted to hear...

“It’s gone through...the transfer” he sorrily spoke, making your breath hitch in your throat, although knowing it was a high possibility of the move actually happening, a part of you was certain he’d be staying here in central London for at least another year. “Guess you’d better get packing then” you softly laughed, feeling disheartened to say the least, the words of “it’s happening” not being the ones you wanted to fall from his lips, “look can we talk about this properly-“ he began, reaching for your hand as you swiftly dodged his grip and made your way to the bathroom, ready for a complete meltdown about everything, “No I have to get ready for work...while I still have my own business” you trailed off, letting the door close behind you with a slam...

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January 2 2019

"The real question is, how did I get so lucky?" you giggled before he gently pushed the mug of coffee into your hands while leaning in to plant a small kiss on your forehead. Instantly, that warm feeling flew through your body just from the smallest, loving touch he gave you, it never getting old. “Good morning, beautiful." he mumbled against your lips, before wrapping his arms around your neck and resting his head on top of yours, “and a very good morning to you handsome” you smiled, feeling the most relaxed you’ve felt in a while, lifting your gaze to him, love dancing in your eyes as you leaned in to clasp your mouths together.

"Kissing you never gets old," you mutter softly as you both pull away, Christian flashing you a cheeky grin before spotting his luggage packed and ready for the off beside the front door of your new complex, a sigh falling from his lips, “can’t believe I arrived here a week ago and I’m already flying back to Germany” he frowned, pulling a pout. “It’s only six months and it’ll be over before you know it, I’m not going to lie I will miss living over there, especially the weather” you giggled, messing up his perfectly gelled hair to which you got no thanks for, “hands off, this took ages to do” he said, pretending to be serious and grabbing your hand as if to say ‘go on do it again I dare you’. “I’m gonna miss you, the apartment’s gonna seem empty without you here...and it means I have to build all the flat pack furniture from IKEA myself” you huffed, pointing at the hundreds of cardboard boxes filling the spacious room as he laughed, culling your face and running a finger along your cheek, “you’ll be fine, we’ll FaceTime every night and whenever we have a minute spare because you’re gonna be busy as hell now...my super business woman” he winked as you shook your head, still not quite believing you actually own a company, like a whole ass company belonged to you and it was mad to just even picture it.

“Ah shut up, you’re making me blushing Mr Pullisic, now go before you miss that flight of yours” you grinned, going in for one last peck while shoving him out the door with a struggle, feeling like his clingy self wasn’t ever gonna leave, “I love you, see you in half a year” he happily said, grabbing his many cases and walking out, letting the door gently fall closed...

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July 1 2019

The classic iPhone ping went off as an incoming text message lit up your phone screen, instantly opening the pic attachment of him saying ‘en route’ which meant he was on his way and by god you couldn’t wait to just see him in person after all this time. He barely got through the front door before you took a leap, linking your legs around his torso as his hands secured under your thighs to carry your weight. Squeezing him tight, you rested your head in the crook of his neck, enjoying his presence as a laugh escaped his lips, “missed me just a bit?” he stupidly asked, not even bothering to let you answer before smashing his lips on yours for the first time what felt like in forever.

Gently tapping your legs, he slowly placed you feet on the ground and then cupped your face, pulling you in for another long, loving kiss, “so how’s everything been then, and by the way you’ve done a good job decorating this place” he nodded, eyes gazing at all the modern interior, “funny you asked, I managed to open two more branches this week, one in Gateshead up north and the other in Manchester!” you exclaimed letting out a small squeal, not able to control your excitement any longer as his eyes went wide with joy. “I didn’t think you could make me any prouder but I guess I was wrong eh” he gushed, heading over to sort out his cases, “I’m saying the same about you” you laughed as he pulled out a couple man of the match awards along with a jersey signed by all the teammates. “It felt strange to say goodbye to them after all these years...but it’s time for a fresh start, here in London with Chelsea Fc and with you” he whispered, excited for the new chapter in your lives to finally begin.

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The next year could only be described as perfect for the both of you, his career taking off and loving every moment at the club, getting along with everyone in the dressing room and then loving the fans and atmosphere within the stadium, and knowing you were in the stands somewhere cheering on your ‘captain America’ made it all the more special. As for you, your company was doing beyond amazing, going from National to world wide, owning buildings in Dubai, Spain and you’ll never guess where, Germany. Your main branch was of course London, where the company was founded and to which was the office you managed and were based at, meaning you rarely visited the abroad ones but you weren’t complaining, with you being a London gal to be in your home city with your own bloody business was unimaginable, not to mention you were only a 20 mins drive from your family.

Oh yeah and he popped the question about four months into the move on your eight year anniversary which you of course said yes to, already having planned out your dream wedding, the pair of you agreeing to have it here rather than America with work and travel and all that malarkey.

For the first time in ages, it all seemed to be coming together for yous...

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January 10 2021

8 hours later and the two of you hadn’t spoken all day, with him going off to what you assumed was his last training session and proceeding to ignore you and your many questions, you decided to go to work too, trying to get this whole moving countries once again after only one fucking year back home thing off your mind.

“Right that’s it, you’re going to talk to me Christian because you must think I’m a mind reader or something and I can just tell what’s going in in that brain of yours” you said, stumbling through the door and throwing your keys in the side before throwing yourself on the sofa beside your sad looking boyfriend. “I’m sorry” was all he could say, looking down at the ground leaving you with a confused frown on your face, “enough with the apologies, I just want to know what this means, for us” you sighed, placing a hand on his cheek and giving it a small pinch, hoping it’d put a smile on his lips.

“Well I’m definitely leaving Chelsea, guess not everything works out...but it means I’m back off to Germany” he said as you slowly nodded, “you have to do what’s best for your career, ok?” you smiled, running a hand through his hair as he was quick to shake his head, “no I can’t. I don’t wanna leave you, not again. And anyways we’re supposed to be trying for a baby and that’s going to be a challenge if we’re in different countries don’t you think?” he’s spoke with a slight laughter. “I’m not arguing with you Pullisic, go and sign that contract and get yourself away to Germany to revive your job. I’m not saying I’m going to drop everything and move again because I have my work and life, but I can easily fly out and visit, you’re forgetting I have an office over there. As for kids, we’ll get to that part when it comes around...so just take one step at a time and get on the phone to your agent to tell him you’re taking the transfer” you blurted out with a soft smile, knowing exactly what you were saying and that this was just another step in your life, at the end of the day, life isn’t life without it’s challenges along the way...❤️

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If you got this far reading it, I hope you enjoyed it! x

@kingkepa @champagne-coys @footballcloud @footballmagical @alexajanecollins @masonmounts @hoely-pavard @hazardybala @jamesmaddiscnx

#football #footballer #football blurb #footballer imagine #christian pulisic #chelsea fc

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luckylq54-blog · 4 years ago

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informationpalace · 5 years ago

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This Man Tries to Visit All Countries in the World without Taking any Flight

Pedersen, within a single trip, is on a mission to visit all countries in the world, without taking a single flight. Pedersen is only nine countries away from achieving this target after approximately six and a half years on the road with a budget of US$ 20 a day. There is only one problem: Owing to the novel coronavirus pandemic, he is stuck in Hong Kong. While the 41-year-old waited in town to board a ship to his next stop, Palau's Pacific archipelago, Coronavirus outbreak and subsequent travel restrictions disrupted his plans. Yet the Danish resident and representative of goodwill for the Danish Red Cross is eager to make the best of the situation. He has spent his days walking the many hiking trails in Hong Kong, collaborating with the local Red Cross society, delivering motivational speeches and updating his blog, Once Upon a Saga, where he chronicled his adventures. When I meet Pedersen for tea at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club he looks remarkably bright-eyed for someone who has been in transit for over six years. The 41-year-old, who is wearing road-worn Black Salomon X Ultra trekking shoes and a chest-length beard, is visibly itching to run. "Every day I spend in Hong Kong is another day that I'm not making progress. I'm losing time but trying to make the best of it," Pedersen said. "With what's going on in the world, it will take at least another year to finish. Quitting is a consideration -- I'm dead tired (of traveling) and ready to go home. But I'm also stubborn and driven." Pedersen, born in Denmark, had an international upbringing where he always had "one leg in Denmark and one leg somewhere else." Throughout his youth, his family flitted between Toronto, Vancouver and New Jersey for his father's work in the textile industry, and during summer and winter holidays visited his mother's side of the family in Finland.

"My mother is a travel guide, so she speaks several languages and has always been interested in the world," he added. "When it comes to a sense for business and structure, getting up early and getting things done, I got that from my father. I got walking around in the forest looking for mushrooms and trolls, thinking outside of the box and being adventurous from my mother." As an adult, Pedersen operated as a Royal Life Guard in the Danish Army and then served for 12 years in the shipping and logistics sectors, where he was taken from Libya to Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Greenland and Florida. The idea of carrying out this particular task – visiting all countries in the world on a non-stop adventure without taking a single flight – came to him fortuitously, through an article his father sent him. Pedersen states, "I discovered that it's actually possible to go to every country in the world -- I had never thought about it before." 6 Years away from Home Pedersen left on 10 October 2013 after 10 months of careful preparation. First, he would be roaming across Europe, then North America, South America, the Americas, Africa, the Mediterranean, Middle East, Western Europe, Asia, and the far-flung Pacific islands. He adds, "Since I worked in shipping and logistics, I was used to having multiple things in the air at the same time, finding solutions and making everything more efficient. That helped a lot in a project like this - it could easily take 20 years if you're not careful." According to the UN, there are 195 independent nations in the world but Pedersen is not stopping there. He will have visited 203 countries in total by the end of his voyage.

Pedersen put extremely stringent restrictions on himself: he must live in any country for at least 24 hours and can't go back home until he's done visiting all countries in the world. Pedersen also intended to visit the Red Cross wherever the organization works in order to raise awareness of their local programs. He has already toured Red Cross communities in 189 countries so far - an achievement Pedersen says was never done before. He will have to navigate the globe by trains, taxis, buses, ride-shares, ferries and container ships with the convenience of airports off the table. Pedersen worked closely with companies such as Maersk, Blue Water Shipping, Swire, MSC, Pacific International Lines, Neptune and Columbia to rely heavily on container ships to travel long distances. "You can't just show up and get on a container ship; you need to get approvals from the company ahead of time, which takes a lot of time and patience." says Pedersen. Pedersen depended in some cases upon his professional contacts. His involvement with the Red Cross has helped in others, while the daunting nature of this mission has led to cement partnerships. "Coordinating everything takes a lot of time. And even if you do have all your connections planned and everything lined up, you can't plan for natural disasters or typhoons," which he says threw off his routine several times. However, he kept all his promises to himself and his thousands of online followers investing in his trip across all countries in the world. He says, "There's nothing stopping this journey from ending, except for me ... But I have to ask myself: Do I want to be the person who quit? Or do I want to be able to say that I never quit, not even once. Not when I had malaria. Not when I was losing my girlfriend. Not when my grandmother died. Not when I lost financial backing. Not when I was in pain." "By completing this project, I'm telling people you can achieve any objective if you just keep working at it." An Impulsive Decision

Pedersen was no longer able to handle it after spending several days jumping through hoops to reach neighboring Gabon. "People didn't understand what I was doing. I wanted to give up and just go home, thinking 'Why the heck am I even doing this? What's in it for anyone at this point?' I kind of lost it." He made a risky decision to try another crossing in the middle of the night which required a drive of 800 kilometers on dusty dirt roads. A pair of headlamps flashed ahead at 3 a.m. Three uniformed men marched down the street and raised their arms, demanding that Pedersen and his taxi driver get out of the vehicle. He recalls, "They were armed to their teeth and drunk out of their minds. That's just a no-go situation." "My heart dropped. This is it. This is the end of my life. If my life ends there, they toss me in the forest, ants and animals will eat me in no time, no one will ever know. I hadn't told anyone I was going to do this." He waited 45 minutes in this state of fear as the men harassed him with their guns, their fingers on triggers. And they let him go for no purpose whatever. "We just got out of there like bats out of hell." The Finish Line

Looking at the sheer distance he has traveled - more than 300,000 KM - over the past 6.5 years, Pedersen has now toured the globe seven times over. He has passed 194 countries, with just nine to go to maintain a record of reaching all countries in the world: Palau, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Tuvalu, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives Grand Final. When he enters Maldives, he's organizing a party with his fiancé and colleague globetrotters, including Lexi Alford, who's the youngest person to reach all countries in the world, and Gunnar Garfors, one of the few men to have traveled every country twice. He cannot wait to see his fiancé, whom he intended to marry in New Zealand before the globe was frozen by the outbreak. Pedersen states, "My fiancé has been incredibly supportive during this whole process." She's been out to visit me 21 times.” "Actually, there's a running joke-slash-tradition: I only shave it off when she comes out to see me!" he says of his impressive beard. "I haven't seen her now for seven months, so that's why it's this long." According to Pedersen's prediction, even if he can actually get to Palau this summer, the rest of his journey would take at least another 10 months to a year. "It would be easy to just go to the airport and fly home. Sometimes I think about it. But at some point, this project stopped being about me, and started being about other people." At its heart, he states, this is not a plan for travel, but a project for people. His main goal is to shed some light on people's innate goodness, on how much we have in general — not our distinctions. Do not forget leaving your valuable comment on this piece of writing and sharing with your near and dear ones. To keep yourself up-to-date with Information Palace, put your email in the space given below and Subscribe. Furthermore, if you yearn to know about the Trumps instructions to the U.S. Navy, view our construct, ‘Trump Tells US Navy to ‘Destroy' Iranian Boats that Harass US Ships’. Read the full article

#coronavirusoutbreak #CoronavirusPandemic #Countries #CountriesinTheWorld #Danisharmy #HongKong #NewZealand #outbreak #Pedersen #RedCross #SingleFlight #Theworld #World

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thrashermaxey · 6 years ago

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Ramblings: Hart Wins His Debut, Ghost Wakes Up, Morrissey, Skinner, Kadri, & Kase (Dec. 19)

The Maple Leafs and Devils met on Tuesday evening in Jersey. Toronto came into the contest on a mini-slide, picking up just four points in their last five contests. That slipped them to third in the Atlantic and they were looking to right the ship. Meanwhile, Taylor Hall returned from injury for a floundering Devils squad who needs to get the momentum running in the right direction if they have any aspirations of a wild card spot this spring.

It was all Toronto early in this one. The Maple Leafs scored three goals on their first eight shots, with Auston Matthews getting in on two of them (1+1). The porous play of Keith Kinkaid only further exacerbates the issues in net for the Devils. Cory Schneider is now mercifully on the IR, but his days of stopping pucks at a respectable level appear over. Kinkaid has had stretches of success, but shouldn't be considered a long-term solution.

That leaves Mackenzie Blackwood.

The 22-year-old is up with the big club after posting a .911 save percentage in 15 AHL games this season. Blackwood has the pedigree of a potential NHL starter but still has more than a few warts to clear up. If you're looking for a prospect goalie with a clear path though, there aren't too many better spots than in New Jersey.

Blackwood would see some action after Kinkaid let in his fifth of the night. It wasn't overly promising for the youngster either as he stopped 8/10 and the Leafs cruised to a 7-2 victory.

Nazem Kadri produced three even-strength primary assists on the night. The line of him, Marleau and Nylander seem to be forming some chemistry. Kadri still sees strong deployment on that vaunted top power-play unit. He's likely good for a better pace than the 45-point clip he was at coming into this game.

Watch for an opportunity to buy low.

With Dave Hakstol finally and mercifully, let go. The Flyers hosted the Red Wings on Tuesday evening. Fill-in coach, Scott Gordon shook up the lines ahead of this one. It was JVR being elevated to the top line next to Claude Giroux and Travis Konecny. A great spot for the two youngsters.

Jakub Voracek, who has been waking from his early-season slumber and just saw a seven-game, eight-point streak snapped in Vancouver last Saturday, was skating next to Sean Couturier and Wayne Simmonds. That left Nolan Patrick to skate beside Scott Laughton and Michael Raffl.

What really needs to be fixed for the fantasy folk is the power play.

The Flyers have historically been a dangerous team on the man-advantage. They clicked at 20.7 percent a season ago, but have slipped all the way the 30th overall this season with a putrid 12.7 percent conversion rate. This has been felt in no bigger a spot than to Shayne Gostisbehere owners.

Ghost led all defenders in power-play points last season with 33. He has seven in 31 contests this year to be on pace for 19. Bravo to all you who have remained patient, waiting for your All-Star blueliner to return to form.

Ghost continued to skate on the top unit with Voracek next to him on the point. Simmonds was given the first crack at the net front job on the top unit – a place that he occupied (and thrived in) for years in Philly.

Lo and behold, Gostisbehere managed to get in on the action tonight. He assisted on a van Riemsdyk first period even-strength tally and converted an even-strength goal as well. That brings the Gostisbehere up to 15 points in 33 games. We'll take this a positive indication that more good times will follow.

Allow me to bury the lede here and slip in that 20-year-old, Carter Hart started his first NHL game. He's the sixth goaltender to start a game for Philadelphia this season.

The Flyers' top prospect wasn't exactly lighting the AHL on fire as a first-year pro, with just a 0.901 save percentage in 17 games. He had been warming up though, with a 0.922 mark across his last seven starts.

And what'd ya know, the kid earned himself a victory. Hart stopped 20 of 22 shots as the Flyers took down Detroit 3-2. Not a bad opening act.

Obligatory Elias Pettersson chat. Coming into Tuesday's matchup against the Lightning, here is how the 20-year-old rookie compares to his first-year brethren over the past 25 years

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Most points through their first 30 NHL games (last 25 years):<br><br>Alexei Yashin 36<br>Elias Pettersson 35<br>Alex Ovechkin 34<br>Connor McDavid 34<br>Evgeni Malkin 33<br>Sidney Crosby 31<br>Patrick Kane 30 <a href="https://t.co/DgtIhvtQrS">pic.twitter.com/DgtIhvtQrS</a></p>— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1074537548616163329?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

The 20-year-old saw his seven-game, 13 point streak come to an end on Tuesday as the Canucks fell to the Lightning 5-2. It was a feisty and shot-filled affair. Not bad for a couple of teams on opposite ends of the continent.

The Lightning are now 26-7-2 on the season. Vasilevskiy is back and looking like the franchise netminder he is. This team is jacked up.

The Ducks took on the Rangers on the road. They've been riding hot of late and I think I know the reason.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ducks are 12-3-2 since Ondrej Kase recovered from concussion and joined the lineup. Nine goals in his 17 games, with six in his last six.</p>— Eric Stephens (@icemancometh) <a href="https://twitter.com/icemancometh/status/1074894735196733440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

I've been a big proponent of Kase's for a while. Maybe not as big as our boy, Slim Cliffy, but a proponent nonetheless. His spot in the top six was facilitated by injuries, but he's held it due to his production. He looks like a perfect fit next to Ryan Getzlaf on L1. Now all that's left is to get him onto the top power-play unit and watch him produce at a consistent 60-point-pace.

Kase managed to snag a secondary assist in this one to give him eight points in his last five games. That's a heater. But it's not as good as what Kevin Hayes is up to. The Rangers' pivot scored the shorthanded game-winner on Tuesday to extend his point streak to five games and 10 points.

Hayes has been excellent in the second quarter and doesn't look to be slowing down anytime soon. He's clicking below his career shooting percentage and has been feasting on opponents at five-on-five. Those are great signs for prolonged success.

If he's still on the wire, it's time to snatch him up.

Vladdy Namestnikov had a goal and two helpers in this one. But he's seeing virtually no power-play deployment and has been living in the bottom six.

Leave him be for now.

John Klingberg skated at Stars' practice for the second consecutive day. He's getting closer to a return and could suit up on Thursday against Chicago. Needless to say, this is a big-time Christmas present for the Stars and for fantasy owners. I know it's been a long five weeks without him on my roster.

Dallas and Calgary hooked up for a battle in the Big D. The Flames came into this one having won eight of their last nine games. Meanwhile, the Stars reunited Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alex Radulov on the top line to spark some offence. The Dallas trio hooked up on the first goal of the game as the Stars beat the Flames 2-0

It wasn't an overly exciting contest, but Ben Bishop did leave this one after taking a knock to the head. He returned to lock up the shutout, but we've seen players come back into games after potential concussions only to feel the effects a day later. Keep an eye on his status.

{source}<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Chicago just announced that they will loan Henri Jokiharju to Finland for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WJC2019?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WJC2019</a>. That's HUGE for the Suomi. They've got their top defender now and will hope to get Vaakanainen to complete the top pair.</p>— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hockey_Robinson/status/1075069051234222080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>{/source}

The Panthers earned a much-needed victory on Tuesday evening. They overcame two first period deficits to beat the Sabres 5-2. Evgeni Dadonov led the way with two goals and an assist. One of the tallies came via a penalty shot that narrowly squeaked in. And I do mean narrowly.

https://dobberhockey.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/12/Daddy.mp4

Dadonov continues his terrific season. The 29-year-old now sits with 33 points in 32 contests.

Jeff Skinner tallied his 25th goal of the season and added an assist in this one. He's all alone in second for the race for the Rocket. But at some point, his 24 percent conversion rate is going to crater. I love him next to Eichel in all-situations as captain Jack is establishing himself as a premier talent in this league. However, I smell a serious sell-high opportunity here with Skinner.

If you can pull an established 75-80 point player for Skinner, please do.

Martin Jones and the Sharks shutout the Wild 4-0. Logan Couture provided two goals, while Tomas Hertl chipped in with a couple of assists.

This was a big outing for Jones and his owners. He had just a 0.893 save percentage over the last six weeks coming into this game. Hopefully, this is the beginning of a sustained run of quality starts. Erik Karlsson is looking more and more like himself. That shouldn't hurt things.

Josh Morrissey kept his hot play alive despite Winnipeg losing 4-1 to LA in one of the late games. The 23-year-old grabbed a first period assist to give him 10 points in his last seven games. He's up to 21 points in 32 games all while seeing just 1:43 on the man-advantage each night. Granted, that Jets' second power-play unit boasts some big skill, but it's difficult to maintain a 50-plus point pace from the backend with top unit deployment.

I expect a cold streak is coming.

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @Hockey_Robinson

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-rambling/ramblings-hart-makes-his-debut-ghost-wakes-up-morrissey-skinner-kadri-kase-dec-19/

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currentbdnews · 6 years ago

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https://ift.tt/2PdBwlC yanks ex-CIA chief’s clearance, hitting vocal critichttps://ift.tt/2vOI02j Trump yanks ex-CIA chief’s clearance, hitting vocal critic For update news visit All Bd Newspaper

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump abruptly revoked the security clearance of ex-CIA Director John Brennan on Wednesday, an unprecedented act of retribution against a vocally critical former top U.S. official.

Trump also threatened to yank the clearances of a handful of individuals, including former top intelligence and law enforcement officials, as well as a current member of the Justice Department. All are critics of the president or are people whom Trump appears to believe are against him.

In a statement Trump denounced Brennan’s criticism and spoke anxiously of “the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behaviour.” The president described his own action as fulfilling his “constitutional responsibility to protect the nation’s classified information.”

Later, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump drew a direct connection between the Russia investigation and his decision to revoke Brennan’s security clearance. The newspaper reported that Trump cited Brennan as among those he held responsible for the investigation.

“I call it the rigged witch hunt, (it) is a sham,” Mr. Trump said in the interview with the Journal, which posted its story on its website Wednesday night. “And these people led it!”

He added: “So I think it’s something that had to be done.”

Trump’s action against Brennan, critics and nonpartisan experts said, marked an unprecedented politicization of the federal government’s security clearance process. It also was a clear escalation in Trump’s battle with members of the U.S. intelligence community as the investigation into Russia election meddling and possible collusion and obstruction of justice continues.

And it came in the middle of the president’s latest controversy — accusations of racism by former adviser Omarosa Manigault Newman and his bitter reaction to them. Trump’s statement, distributed to reporters, was dated July 26, 2018, suggesting it could have been held and then released when needed to change a damaging subject. The White House later released a new version without the date.

Cuomo blasts Trump, says America 'was never that great'

Omarosa: I 'will not be silenced' by Trump

Democratic members of Congress, reacting to Trump’s announcement, said his action smacked of an “enemies list” among fellow Americans and the behaviour of leaders in “dictatorships, not democracies.” Brennan, in a phone interview with MSNBC, called the move an “abuse of power by Mr. Trump.”

“I do believe that Mr. Trump decided to take this action, as he’s done with others, to try to intimidate and suppress any criticism of him or his administration,” he said, adding that he would not be deterred from speaking out.

Trump, his statement read by his press secretary, accused Brennan of having “leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official with access to highly sensitive information to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations, wild outbursts on the internet and television about this administration.”

“Mr. Brennan’s lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nations’ most closely held secrets,” Trump said.

In the Journal interview, Trump said he was prepared to yank Brennan’s clearance last week but that it was too “hectic.” The president was on an extended working vacation at his New Jersey golf club last week.

Brennan continued that criticism on Wednesday. “I’ve seen this type of behaviour and actions on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats for many, many years during my CIA and national security career. I never, ever thought that I would see it here in the United States,” he said.

Brennan said he had not heard from the CIA or the Office of the Director of National Intelligence that his security clearance was being revoked, but learned it when the White House announced it. There is no requirement that a president has to notify top intelligence officials of his plan to revoke a security clearance. “The president has the ultimate authority to decide who holds a security clearance,” the ODNI said in a statement.

Former CIA directors and other top national security officials are typically allowed to keep their clearances, at least for some period, so they can be in a position to advise their successors and to hold certain jobs.

Trump’s statement said the Brennan issue raises larger questions about the practice of allowing former officials to maintain their security clearances, and said that others officials’ were under review.

They include former FBI Director James Comey; James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence; former CIA Director Michael Hayden; former national security adviser Susan Rice; and Andrew McCabe, who served as Trump’s deputy FBI director until he was fired in March.

These file photos, top row from left are former CIA Director Michael Hayden, former FBI Director James Comey, former acting FBI director Andrew McCabe and former national security adviser Susan Rice. Bottom row from left are former FBI Deputy Assistant Director Peter Strzok, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and former National Intelligence Director James Clapper. (AP Photo/Files)

Also on the list: fired FBI agent Peter Strzok, who was removed from the Russia investigation over anti-Trump text messages; former FBI lawyer Lisa Page, with whom Strzok exchanged messages; and senior Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, whom Trump recently accused on Twitter of “helping disgraced Christopher Steele ‘find dirt on Trump.”‘

Ohr was friends with Steele, the former British intelligence officer commissioned by an American political research firm to explore Trump’s alleged ties with the Russian government. He is the only current government employee on the list.

At least two of the former officials, Comey and McCabe, do not currently have security clearances, and none of the eight receive intelligence briefings. Trump’s concern apparently is that their former status gives special weight to their statements, both to Americans and foreign foes.

Former intelligence officials are also wondering how far Trump will go, according to a former senior intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity to share private conversations he’s had with people who have worked in the field.

They said Trump has moved from threatening to revoke security clearances of former intelligence officials who have not been involved in the Russia investigation to former officials who did work on the probe. And they wonder if he will next choose to target those who currently work on the investigation, which Trump has called a “witch hunt.”

The CIA referred questions to the White House.

Clapper, reacting on CNN, called Trump’s actions “unprecedented,” but said he didn’t plan to stop speaking out. Asked what linked those threatened by the White House, Clapper said he and the others have been outspoken about the Trump administration, have “directly run afoul of it” or have taken actions the president dislikes.

“So I guess that’s what we all have in common,” Clapper said.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump’s press secretary, insisted the White House wasn’t targeting only Trump critics. But Trump did not order a review of the clearance held by former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who was fired from the White House for lying to Vice-President Mike Pence about his conversations with Russian officials and later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

Democrats, and even some Republicans, lined up to denounce the president’s move, with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., slamming it as a “stunning abuse of power.” Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, warned that a “dangerous precedent” was being set by “politicizing the way we guard our national secrets just to punish the president’s critics.”

And California Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, tweeted, “An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American.”

Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen tweeted, “Trump is now categorizing dissent and free speech as ‘erratic behaviour.”‘ He added, “Leaders behave like this in dictatorships, not democracies.”

Several Republicans also weighed in, with Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., saying, “Unless there’s something tangible that I’m unaware of, it just, as I’ve said before, feels like a banana republic kind of thing.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., had previously dismissed Trump’s threat as nothing more than presidential “trolling.”

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investmart007 · 6 years ago

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WASHINGTON | Trump pulls Brennan's clearance, links move to Russia probe

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/2hwLRU

WASHINGTON | Trump pulls Brennan's clearance, links move to Russia probe

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump abruptly revoked the security clearance of ex-CIA Director John Brennan, an unprecedented act of retribution against a vocally critical former top U.S. official.

Later, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump drew a direct connection between the Russia investigation and his decision, citing Brennan as among those he held responsible for the investigation.

“I call it the rigged witch hunt, (it) is a sham,” Mr. Trump told the Journal, which posted its story on its website Wednesday night. “And these people led it!”

He added: “So I think it’s something that had to be done.” That connection was not in a statement issued earlier Wednesday in which Trump denounced Brennan’s criticism of him and spoke anxiously of “the risks posed by his erratic conduct and behavior.” The president said he was fulfilling his “constitutional responsibility to protect the nation’s classified information.”

Democratic members of Congress, reacting to Trump’s initial announcement, said his action smacked of an “enemies list” among fellow Americans and the behavior of leaders in “dictatorships, not democracies.” Brennan, in a phone interview with MSNBC, called the move an “abuse of power by Mr. Trump.”

“Mr. Brennan’s lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nations’ most closely held secrets,” Trump said. In the Journal interview, Trump said he was prepared to yank Brennan’s clearance last week but that it was too “hectic.” The president was on an extended working vacation at his New Jersey golf club last week.

Brennan has indeed been deeply critical of Trump’s conduct, calling his performance at a press conference last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Finland “nothing short of treasonous.” Brennan continued that criticism on Wednesday. “I’ve seen this type of behavior and actions on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats for many, many years during my CIA and national security career. I never, ever thought that I would see it here in the United States,” he said.

The CIA referred questions to the White House.

“So I guess that’s what we all have in common,” Clapper said. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Trump’s press secretary, insisted the White House wasn’t targeting only Trump critics. But Trump did not order a review of the clearance held by former national security adviser Mike Flynn, who was fired from the White House for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his conversations with Russian officials and later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.

And California Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, tweeted, “An enemies list is ugly, undemocratic and un-American.”

Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen tweeted, “Trump is now categorizing dissent and free speech as ‘erratic behavior.'” He added, “Leaders behave like this in dictatorships, not democracies.”

House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., had previously dismissed Trump’s threat as nothing more than presidential “trolling.”

By JILL COLVIN , Associated Press

#Brennan clearance #director John Brennan #National Intelligence #Russia Probe #Street Journal #TodayNews #Trump denounced #Trump pulls #Washington #white house

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thornburgrealty · 6 years ago

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The relationship between bears ryan pace additional

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zeroviraluniverse-blog · 7 years ago

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Winter Olympics 2018 - US men's hockey team remember when Jim Johannson gave them the news

Visit Now - http://zeroviral.com/winter-olympics-2018-us-mens-hockey-team-remember-when-jim-johannson-gave-them-the-news/

Winter Olympics 2018 - US men's hockey team remember when Jim Johannson gave them the news

PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — In front of an empty stall inside the United States men’s locker room at the Gangneung Hockey Center sits a chair with a blue jersey draped over it. Ironed in bright white lettering is the No. 18 and the name JOHANNSON. For the 25 players brought together from all across the world to represent Team USA, it’s a constant reminder that their architect isn’t here.

Jim Johannson, the executive director of USA Hockey, died in his sleep at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Jan. 21. He was 53. It was Johannson, along with head coach Tony Granato, who built this squad, the first U.S. team since 1994 without current NHL players.

For all but the biggest of hockey fans, it’s a roster of unknowns, a twisted mix of aging veterans searching for one last moment of hockey glory and promising youngsters barely old enough to drink. But they all share one thing in common: They were brought together by that one man, through one phone call. When the moment came, some of them cried, some fell over, most were speechless. It never would have been like this with NHL players, which is what made the moment so special.

Here are a few stories about when these players’ lives were forever changed, when they received that call from the same man — Jim Johannson.

The 2018 men’s Olympic hockey tournament gets underway Wednesday, but you might not recognize too many names on the Pyeongchang ice. Chris Peters looks at players to watch, including some intriguing prospects.

Do Jordan Greenway and the NHL-less U.S. men have enough firepower to fend off Canada, Finland and OAR? And will the American women gain revenge on their archrival and strike gold for the first time since 1988? Here’s who will take home the hardware.

Greenway is big, really big. The Americans hope to use his size to create havoc around the net in these Olympics. After the Olympics? His hockey future is bright.

2 Related

Chad Kolarik, 32, forward

Current club: Adler Mannheim of the DEL (Germany) Hometown: Abbington, Pennsylvania NHL experience: Six games Last NHL game: 2011

“I was in my apartment in Mannheim. I had missed the call, but JJ texted me and asked me to call him back when I had a second. As soon as you see that message, you drop everything. First thing he tells me is that this has been one of the greatest days in his career at USA Hockey. At that point, you don’t know what he’s going to say. He tells me, ‘You’ve been selected to play for the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team.’ I immediately dropped to my knees. I literally fell down, and just started tearing up. My wife was in the kitchen. As soon as I dropped to my knees and started crying, she knew. It was just amazing. First thing I did was called my mom. Dad was at work. But I talked to him later and it was cool to hear his voice. He’s not an emotional guy, but you could tell — he was proud.”

Noah Welch, 35, defenseman

Current club: Vaxjo Lakers, Swedish League (Sweden) Hometown: Brighton, Massachusetts NHL experience: 75 games Last NHL game: 2011

“I was suspended for that night, so I was outside building a snowman with my family in Sweden. We were told we’d find out in late December, but this call came earlier. It was a number I didn’t know. I honestly thought it was the IRS actually after me for taxes or something. I don’t know why, but I’ve gotten audited three years in a row. I didn’t want to answer it, but for some reason, I did. And it was Jim Johannson. He says to me, ‘How is your day going?’ As soon as he said that, I started smiling, because I don’t think you would follow that up with, ‘You didn’t make the team.’ … But in my head I’m thinking, ‘Get on with it.’ And then he just said, ‘I wanted to call and tell you that you made the team.’

“I couldn’t talk. I was shocked. I just didn’t know what to say. I think I said, ‘Thank you.’ I hope I said thank you. My wife picked up on it. She knew it was JJ. She saw the look on my face. I just didn’t know what to say, and then I hung up and my wife ran over and tackled me on the snow. I remember she said, ‘Dad just made the Olympics!’ and then my son jumped on me and there was this big pile, right there in the snow in Sweden. I’ll never ever forget it.”

Jim Slater, 35, forward

Current club: HC Fribourg-Gotteron of the National League (Switzerland) Hometown: Lapeer, Michigan NHL experience: 584 games Last NHL game: 2015

“I was back home in Michigan. I play in Switzerland and we had five days off, so I came home because my wife and daughter still live in Michigan. I had my Swiss phone and I couldn’t get any phone calls, but I could receive text messages. And there was a message from Jimmy Johannson saying to give him a call. It said it was going to be a good call. So, I grabbed my wife’s phone right away, made the call and he just said, ‘Slates, you’re on the Olympic team.’ We talked for about five minutes. I told him how thankful and grateful I was. Then I got off the phone and told my wife. We started jumping up and down, my 3-year-old daughter got into it. Right away, we called my parents, and I let my daughter break the news to my them. To hear her tell my parents, ‘My daddy is going to be an Olympian,’ was really the most special thing. It’s something she probably won’t remember, but something I’ll always take with me. That’s right up there with my first NHL game, being drafted, my first NHL goal. It’s just so special.”

Bobby Butler, 30, forward

Bobby Butler’s surprise announcement to his father went viral before the Winter Olympics. Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports

Current club: Milwaukee Admirals, AHL Hometown: Marlborough, Massachusetts NHL experience: 130 games Last NHL game: 2014

“I was in Milwaukee. On Dec. 27, I had a game. Coach Granato came to watch me play. He said afterward he’d let me know in the next few days. So, the next day, I’m in the locker room; I’m there for early training, just hanging out. I’ve got my Apple Watch on, and it starts buzzing. I look down and it’s Jim Johannson, so I book it to my cell phone probably 50 feet away. … He says, ‘I want you to know that when we announce the team on Jan. 1, you’re going to be one of the Olympians who is announced.’

“Immediately, I got the chills. I mean, I still get them every time I tell the story or even think about that moment. Then I FaceTime’d my wife. I told her I was an Olympian. She’s like, ‘What did you say?’ I told her, ‘You heard me.’ And she goes, ‘I want to hear you say it again.’ So I did, and she was so proud of me. I just thanked her for letting me be a big kid and play hockey for a living.

“From there, I called my dad and told him to come to practice. He had flown in the previous afternoon. … He wanted to be there either way, whether I made the team or I didn’t. So, then he came to practice and I surprised him. You probably saw the video. From there, the moment my wife hung up the phone, she called and got us a babysitter. That night, we went out to dinner — me, my wife, my dad and her parents. It was pretty special.”

play

0:32

Bobby Butler of the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals shares the news with his father that he was named to the U.S. Olympic hockey team.

David Leggio, 33, goaltender

Current club: EHC Red Bull Munchen, DEL (Germany) Hometown: Williamsville, New York NHL experience: None.

“I was in the park across the street from my apartment [in Munich]. I was there with my dog and my son. I was hoping that was the day they were going to call. [U.S. assistant coach] Keith Allain [called first]. He called and was making some small talk, how’s the weather, this and that. And I’m like, please tell me what’s going to happen! So he told me and the emotion just goes through you.

“My son is 1½ and I just picked him up and ran home. My wife was just coming home from the store. I tried to beat her upstairs, but we got in the elevator at the same time, so we went upstairs and then I told her. Then, Jim called later — he was so happy for me. It’s hard to think about it now. He was just such an awesome guy. One of the best you’ll ever meet in hockey. And you think about how much he loved telling everybody and making those calls. You don’t need any additional motivation in the Olympics, but he’s the reason we’re all here. We want to do this for him and his family. We will honor his legacy.”

Ryan Donato, 21, center

Current club: Harvard University Hometown: Scituate, Massachusetts NHL experience: None.

“I was at school, in the library with one of my teammates studying for an exam. I got the call from Jim, so I answer it and I sort of whispered, ‘Can you just wait a second? I’m in the library.’ He starts to laugh. So, I go outside and he just said, ‘We selected you for the team.’ All my emotions just sort of came into one. My breath was taken away. Literally taken away. I told him thank you. I went back into the library and my buddy goes, ‘Was that the call I think it was?’ I told him it was, but that he couldn’t tell anyone anything. Then I called my mom and dad and told them. I thanked them for everything.”

Brian Gionta won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2003. David E. Klutho-USA TODAY Sports

Hometown: Rochester, New York NHL Experience: 1,006 games Last NHL game: 2017

“I was at home, with my wife. We were in the kitchen. JJ calls and told me he not only wanted me to be part of the team, but he also wanted me to be the captain. It was a pretty special moment. My wife knew. She knew from caller ID who was calling. And she could tell by my reaction that I was on the team. But then I had the added bonus of being able to tell her I was captain. It was pretty special for both of us.”

James Wisniewski, 33, defenseman

Current club: Kassel Huskies DEL2 (Germany) Hometown: Canton, Michigan NHL experience: 552 games Last NHL game: 2015

“I was at home in Castle, Germany. It was three days after Christmas. My family was in town visiting, they were still fighting jet lag. It was probably 9:30 in the morning. I’m lying in bed with my two daughters and my wife next to me. At some point, I look at my phone and I see I have a missed call and a text message from Jim Johannson. The message said, ‘Call me. It’s going to be a fun one.’ So I’m like, ‘Whoa.’

“I immediately start getting all sorts of anxiety. The shakes. The sweats. I got a little emotional. I wake my wife up and show her the text and she goes, ‘Are you s—-ing me?’ Then I woke my dad up. He jumps out of bed, ‘Are you serious?’ We got up, poured some coffee. I was nervous to call JJ back. I don’t know why. Eventually, I called him, we make small talk. He tells me he’s having the time of his life making these phone calls. And then, he says, ‘I’d like you to know you made the cut and you’ll be representing our country in 2018.’ Total silence. And he’s like, ‘Are you there?’ I told him it meant so much coming from him. From there, well, it was time to celebrate. We didn’t have a game the next day, or the day after, so let’s just say I had a good time, a really good time.”

Matt Gilroy, 33, defenseman

Current club: Jokerit, KHL (Finland) Hometown: Bellmore, New York NHL experience: 225 games Last NHL game: Last NHL game: 2014

“I was in Northern Finland. We had a few days off, and my wife was in town, so we went to the North Pole, basically. No service, the phone wasn’t really working. We were sitting at a restaurant and I looked down at my phone and it was JJ calling. At that time, I knew if I got that call, I knew what it was going to be about. I stepped away and picked it up, talked to him and the first thing he brought up was, ‘Matty, this has been the best day in USA Hockey for me, calling you guys. Congratulations. you’re an Olympian.’ And you talk about excitement? Just all the emotions racing through you. How am I going to get there? When does it start? I want to go now! I was with my wife, which was special. I walked back to my wife and she kept looking back at me like, ‘What’s going on?’ I gave her the blank face and then I told her, ‘I’m going to the Olympics.'”

Bobby Sanguinetti, 29, defenseman

Current club: HC Lugano, National League (Switzerland) Hometown: Trenton, New Jersey NHL experience: NHL experience: 45 games Last NHL game: Last NHL game: 2013

“I was home. I had just gotten up from a pregame nap, so I missed the original call. Jim texted me, asking me to give him a call back when I can. I didn’t know exactly what it was, but I quickly called him right back. I didn’t waste any time. Just to hear him say I made the team was an incredible feeling. You can’t describe it. I don’t even know what I said after that. You try not to get too emotional or too excited on the phone. You want to hold it together. And then you hang up and everything comes out of you. My wife was out with my son, so I immediately called her and told her the news. Then I called my parents. Two special phone calls I’ll never forget.”

Ryan Zapolski, 31, goaltender

Ryan Zapolski leads the goaltending efforts for Team USA in Pyeongchang. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Current club: Jokerit (KHL), Finland Hometown: Erie, Pennsylvania NHL experience: None

“I was in my apartment in Helsinki. My wife and I were getting ready for dinner when he called. I saw it was him and took the call in the bedroom. He just congratulated me and said how honored he was to be making these calls. It was really special. I probably said thank you 10 or 15 times. It was emotional. I felt like I was going to cry. I wanted to cry, but I didn’t. There were just all these emotions.; you don’t know how to process it. Then I came out of the bedroom and told my wife. I gave her a nice hug. Something I’ll never forget.”

Brian O’Neill, 29, center

Current club: Jokerit (KHL), Finland Hometown: Yardley, Pennsylvania NHL experience: 22 games Last NHL game: 2016

“I was actually at a team event at a casino in Helsinki. It’s about 2 p.m. and I have a missed call. I knew it was his number. My heart just sank. I assumed it was good, but you don’t know. I was sitting next to Zapolski. He already got a call. Jim says, ‘Brian, you’re on the Olympic team.’ When you hear those words, you just go into shock. You never imagine that call and so you don’t know what to do. First thing I did was call my dad. He was taken aback. And then I got back to the poker tournament. We did pretty well. I had quite the day.”

Will Borgen, 21, defenseman

Current club: St. Cloud State University Hometown: Moorhead, Minnesota

“I was at home in Moorhead. It was Christmas break, so I was home for a bit. Bob Motzko, who coached world juniors with Jimmy, they both called me on my way home from skating with the local high school kids. I pick up the phone and Bob is basically laughing to himself. They told me right away. ‘You made it.’ I freaked out. I called my dad. I told my mom and my brothers and sisters who were out of town. That night I went out with my friends. I couldn’t tell them. I knew they couldn’t keep the secret, but I was celebrating in my head.”

#2018 #Gave #hockey #Jim #Johannson #Mens #news #Olympics #Remember #team #Winter #Sports #Sports News

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yahoo-the-dagger-blog · 7 years ago

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Ball brothers picked 'worst possible place,' says American who played in Lithuania

LaMelo (L) and LiAngelo Ball have signed to play professionally overseas. (Getty)

When he learned where LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball will be playing pro basketball this season, Ben Brust couldn’t help but chuckle.

The former Wisconsin guard isn’t optimistic two pampered teenagers from sun-splashed Southern California will make a smooth transition to a club based in a remotely located, snow-covered town in Lithuania.

“I think they’ll last a month maximum,” Brust said. “It seems like the worst possible place they could have picked.”

In October 2016, Brust signed with BC Pieno Zvaigždės of the Lithuanian League six months after helping lead Wisconsin to the Final Four and a few days after the Milwaukee Bucks cut him during training camp. The culture shock he experienced during his lone season in Lithuania left him more homesick than he expected.

Hardly anyone in the 7,500-person village of Pasvalys spoke English. Restaurants typically only served traditional Lithuanian dishes unrecognizable to Brust. He and American teammates Michael Dixon Jr. and Alex Oriakhi had to drive 30 to 40 minutes to the nearest big city to find a mall, a grocery store or restaurants that offered American fare.

Only the premier teams in Europe can afford the charter flights and high-end hotels that major-conference American college teams take for granted. Brust’s team bused or ferried to games in Latvia, Estonia and Finland and saved money by staying in bargain hotels.

“My American teammates and I would literally count down the days until we got back to America,” Brust said. “It was always cold and dark. There are only like 5 or 6 hours of sunlight every day, and you’re in a gym for half of it. It’s a good basketball league, but there are plenty of other places in Europe that I would much prefer to live.”

LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball will face many of the same challenges Brust did as they try to adapt to life in Lithuania. The younger brothers of Los Angeles Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball signed Monday with the Lithuanian club, BC Prienai, ending a week-long search for an overseas professional team willing to try to develop both of them.

LiAngelo parted ways last week with UCLA after his infamously outspoken father LaVar became frustrated with the length of the suspension his middle son was serving for shoplifting in China. The 19-year-old swingman and UCLA teammates Cody Riley and Jordan Hill had missed eight games since returning to Los Angeles and had not been allowed to practice or travel with the Bruins.

LaMelo left Chino Hills High School a few months ago to be home-schooled because LaVar no longer got along with the school’s new basketball coach. The 16-year-old’s future in college basketball was already in doubt after LaVar jeopardized his NCAA eligibility in August by giving him his own Big Baller Brand signature shoe.

The team that LiAngelo and LaMelo are joining is based in Prienai, a scenic 10,000-person town that attracts tourists interested in taking advantage of the surrounding rivers, lakes and forest. It’s a 90-minute drive from Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius, and a 40-minute drive from the country’s nearest big city, Kaunas.

It may be difficult for LiAngelo and LaMelo to develop at BC Prienai since the coach reportedly has a volatile temper and speaks little English. Billy Baron, an American guard who once played on a different team coached by Virginijus Šeškus, tweeted earlier this week that he does not have fond memories of that experience.

“Same coach there is the one who told me during training camp (through a translator) he wouldn’t play me much my rookie year at Rytas because he didn’t speak English,” Baron said.

Only one American has played for BC Prienai in the past decade: Former Vanderbilt guard Brad Tinsley. When reached by Yahoo Sports on Tuesday, Tinsley declined to comment on why he left the team this past October after only two months.

While adjusting to an unfamiliar language, a gloomier climate and a new lifestyle will be difficult for LiAngelo and LaMelo, the challenge of competing against grown men may turn out to be even tougher. Future NBA players Brandon Jennings and Jeremy Tyler both struggled transitioning straight from high school basketball to matching up against savvier, stronger professional players in Italy and Israel.

The top of the Lithuanian League features a pair of powerful teams that regularly participate in EuroLeague and EuroCup, but BC Prienai is unlikely to ask the Ball brothers to play in those games. They’ll probably instead only play for BC Prienai in the less competitive Baltic League, which includes lower-tier Lithuanian clubs and teams from neighboring Latvia, Estonia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

“It’s a low-level league, but it will still be a huge adjustment for them,” said Francesco Cavalli, director of scouting for EuroHopes.com. “They’ll play against players who aren’t as talented, but they’re more experienced and more physical, they make decisions quickly and they know every trick in the book. It’s just a totally different environment.”

NBA scouts who spoke to Yahoo Sports last week were skeptical that either LiAngelo or LaMelo are ready to make an impact for an overseas team of any level.

LaMelo, a consensus five-star recruit entering his junior year in high school, is considered the more talented of the two. The slender 6-foot-3 combo guard is a natural scorer off the dribble who has shown potential as an outside shooter and facilitator, but he would benefit from a coach who played a more traditional system than what LaVar favors, one who would emphasize shot selection and force LaMelo to defend for the first time in his career.

Coaches familiar with LiAngelo in high school pegged him as a small-ball power forward at a mid-major program had UCLA not taken him as part of a package deal with his brothers. The 6-foot-5 swingman is a dangerous spot-up shooter, but he lacks the quickness or athleticism to attack off the dribble, nor has he learned to take advantage of his strength in the post. His defense is also a major question as he isn’t able to stay in front of wings off the dribble yet he’s shorter than most power forwards.

“No young players, with the exception of the occasional DeAndre Ayton or Luka Doncic, are good enough to succeed in the top division overseas or in the G League at 18 or 19 years old,” one NBA scout said last week. “LiAngelo could probably play third division in Spain, France or Germany. I doubt that’s what he has in mind.”

It won’t cost BC Prienai much money to find out if LiAngelo and LaMelo can exceed scouts’ expectations. Cavalli said that players in the Baltic League typically receive about $1,000 per month salary.

BC Prienai could also benefit more from the publicity it receives by adding the Ball brothers than it would anything LiAngelo or LaMelo do on the court. General manager Adomas Kubilius did not return an email seeking comment from Yahoo Sports, but he told Lithuanian journalist Donatas Urbonas that attracting new advertisers was one of the motivations behind the deal.

BC Vytautas Prienai want to sell the ad on the front of the jersey for USA company only for €50 000

— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) December 12, 2017

Vytautas Prienai director Adomas Kubilius: 'We don't know what to expect. But we hope that it will help the club. We already got a lot of attention. I hope it will also helps us financially. This is intriguing'

— Donatas Urbonas (@Urbodo) December 12, 2017

“In my opinion, we shouldn’t see this as a basketball move,” Cavalli said. “It’s a marketing move. That’s it. These kids are not ready to play pro basketball.”

Added ESPN international draft expert Fran Fraschilla, “I think this is a publicity stunt.”

What’s in it for LaVar Ball besides the chance to crow about his younger sons playing professional basketball as teenagers? More attention for the fledgling Big Baller Brand and some potential fodder for the third season of the Ball in the Family reality TV show.

Get ready for footage of LaMelo and LiAngelo trying to order dinner off a Lithuanian menu. It will be the basketball version of Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie trying to milk a cow on The Simple Life.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Brust said with a laugh. “I want the new season of Ball in the family, the Balls take on Lithuania, to start ASAP. I’m intrigued to see someone of their popularity share the same experience I did.”

– – – – – – –

Jeff Eisenberg is a college basketball writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!

Follow @JeffEisenberg

More from Yahoo Sports: • Angels’ prized new Japanese star has elbow damage • Kaepernick visits prison inmates, angers union official • Saints sued for ‘disrespecting’ flag, anthem and USA • Why Machado is now MLB’s most interesting man

#_author:Jeff Eisenberg #_lmsid:a077000000CFoGyAAL #_revsp:497660ab-6a82-4a53-b16c-6a93638f82dc #_category:yct:001001076 #_uuid:8860f273-1f86-3f78-bd17-75df67f17352

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furimmerfrei · 8 years ago

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Title image credit: Panthers Images

Miika Wiikman is in his second season with the GMB Nottingham Panthers and is arguably one of the best net-minders in the Elite Ice Hockey League. This season he has won silverware for the club along with the rest of the team and secured the Continental Cup for the Panthers, making them one of the first British clubs to ever do so as well as qualifying for the Champions Hockey League for next season. Though as always, this interview seeks to take you Behind the Mask and into the mind somewhat of the man who wears it.

Wiikman was born in Sweden to Finnish parents. He actually has dual citizenship, but it was in Sweden that he grew up. He went to school there but once he’d finished with school he went to Finland to play hockey back in 2003 . I asked him what made him leave Sweden and move to Finland in order to pursue his career.

“This was back in 2003, the goalie coaching in Sweden wasn’t really at the same level as it is today. I knew Finland was the leading country for goalie coaching and I pretty much get a better offer from a better league in Finland, Mestis. It’s their second league and I didn’t really have any good offers after Juniors in Sweden so I thought I might as well try it and it’s also my Mum’s hometown actually, so we spent a lot of summers there so it was a place that I knew and it was pretty easy to go there. I knew they had a really good goalie coach with a really good reputation so there was really nothing to think about. Just sign and go there. I only stayed one season there, I had a really good season and then I got a contract with a really good league, with the SM-liiga. I played three seasons there for HPK.”

I asked if he had a favourite team from the Liiga. “Not right now, though of course the first team I played for HPK, great memories. I won the championship there and everything, It’s a smaller club, they don’t have the same money as those big teams like IFK or Helsinki. So yeah, HPK is probably the closest to my heart. I was also with Saipa for a couple of months and that was a really, really nice club, good club, great people around the team and it was fun to play there for a few months.” Miika explained.

Photo credit: Panther’s Images

Next we move on the the Panthers and talking about the Elite League. Claire Bentley wanted to know if he would he want to play again next season with the Panthers? “Yeah, absolutely.” No hesitation in his answer. “I mean if I don’t have any really good offers from like KHL or the Swedish Elite League or Finnish League then I don’t really see any reason to go anywhere else. I mean, I like it here, my family loves it here too.”

The move to Nottingham, how was that for him in comparison to where he was before? “Well I played in Slovakia and Slovenia the year before and it was a horrible experience.” He still hasn’t been paid for his time there and this doesn’t sound like he’s an isolated case in that repect, as Desbiens of the Steelers has also played there and didn’t get paid both with the Olimpija Ljubljana. “I’m close to giving up on that too.” He comments when I mention that it might take a while and possibly won’t ever come his way.

Photo credit: Panthers Images

Back to Nottingham; and we talk a bit about his family life here, thank you for Audrey Davis for the question. “My son he goes to school here and he’s there for more than half of the day.” I asked him about if there were any places he liked to go with the family in Nottingham.”He loves to go out and search for Pokemons, but he’s so tired when he comes back from school that we don’t go out much. When we do that’s pretty much what we do. It gets us outside and walking everyday and we go to parks and do stuff, like play football. Actually we just came back from the rink just now since he’s got half term so we went skating for an hour and a half. He’s a really active boy and there is a lot of stuff to do here in Nottingham so that’s good, but we don’t have any particular places we like to go or anything.”

How does he enjoy the crowd in Nottingham? It’s one of the biggest arenas in the league. Does it have an effect on his game? asked Panther’s fan Pippa Morley. “Oh yeah of course. Especially when we’re winning. When we’re losing it’s pretty quiet in the arena.” He begins and it’s interesting when he begins to compare to places he has played around Europe. “It reminds me of Finland a little bit, it’s pretty quiet in the rinks. In Sweden it’s completely different. People are happy and cheering for their team and it doesn’t matter what the score is, it’s always nice and loud. Here sometimes it gets so quiet, I mean we got a big arena and a big crowd and it’s so quiet, it’s just weird sometimes but these are probably some of the best fans I’ve played in front of but then again I’ve played in Finland and North America and in Slovenia we had like 50 people at the game, so here it’s a little bit different.”

And now for the obligatory, did you always want to be a goalie question. I always like to hear the different stories on how they moved from wanting to play hockey in general to wanting to play goalie. “Ah, not really. I did a lot of different sports when I was a kid, football, wrestling everything. I started as a player in hockey and I think I was nine or ten when I started playing goalie. Every guy on the team got a chance to try it and I guess I was the best at it, I got stuck there pretty much.”

Miika preparing to make a glove save, his favourite when he was a child. Photo credit: Panthers Images.

“I always wanted to make glove saves and catch the puck, the was the big thing. I remember when I was a kid, every practice I counted how many glove saves I made. It was my favourite way when I was a child, now it doesn’t really matter so much.”

Routine is something that I’ve found to be crucial for goalies specifically, as it helps them get into the zone or head space they need to be in to be able to play their absolute best. Miika is one who takes his routine incredibly seriously as he describes. “Obviously it’s a bit different between home and away games as you have to take a seat on a bus for a couple of hours. It takes a lot of time and energy to prepare for a game for me at least. I know a couple of goalies and they don’t care, like they can do whatever they want, do grocery shopping or whatever but I can’t do that. I can’t leave the house pretty much. I try to stay in and do the same thing every time, it’s kind of like an OCD, it was way worse when I was younger though. I’m a bit different now I got the kids and stuff, I can do more stuff with them, be a little bit more relaxed and it doesn’t have to be that strict but I still have to eat the same breakfast, try and do the same things in the morning. Like if I have a morning skate I do the same things. If I don’t have a morning skate I still try to do some of the things. It’s almost overdoing it and a bit OCD. I try not to let it stress me out though if things don’t go to plan.”

His main example of this was in Italy during the Continental Cup campaign and the fact that the breakfast wasn’t even close to what he would normally eat. He had it anyway and then got a shut out in the first game. It seems to take the pressure off if he can break his routine and still be okay in games. “Oh yeah.” He continues. “Exactly, when I was younger it was a disaster, if even one thing went wrong it threw me off completely, now stuff like that doesn’t really affect me anymore.”

So does he have a favourite NHL team? “Not anymore really, when I was younger I was a Vancouver fan.” Why Vancouver? I ask, with a small grin. I wonder what it is about the team that drew him in. “Oh, the jerseys.” He says with a small laugh. “And the logo, I just loved it and Kirk McClean was my favourite goalie when I was a kid.”

Team Russia and Columbus Blue Jacket’s stating goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky.

“Of course I watch the NHL goalies, there is always something you can try and I’m always open for new stuff and I’m a pretty quick learner too so it’s pretty easy for me to put that into my game. One guy I’ve been watching recently is [Sergei] Bobrovsky in Columbus. Obviously Holtby.” That makes me chuckle, Holtby is my favourite goalie and when I mention it, Miika makes a comment about seeing my twitter. Consider me busted! “I actually played against him in the East Coast, I beat him 7-0. I’ve played against a lot of those guys who are in the NHL right now. Halak, Rask. I played against Rask a lot in the Finnish league. Quick, all those guys and it’s just crazy how I have actually been when I start thinking about it. You just have to be in the right place at the right time and making good choices I guess.”

So what advice would Miika give to an aspiring netminder? “Learn how to skate, without gear and then try the gear on. That’s where everyone starts.” He says, like it’s the most obvious answer in the world. I ask him about the weight of the gear and if it’s really as heavy as I’ve heard. “Well it’s getting lighter every year, those Bauer pads are real light, CCM’s are a little bit heavier. Some guys like that a little bit more, like me. I’ve just had CCM all my career and I tried the Bauer stuff and I just didn’t like it. It’s really just individual. How you like it, working out what gear you want. I feel comfortable in mine. I’ve been thinking about trying some other brand but I don’t know if there’s any point because I really feel comfortable in what I’m wearing now.” If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

I had to ask him about the inspiration behind his mask design as it has become quite the talking piece this season, I wanted to know why he chose to make it the way he did.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Thank you to Juha Peltonen of Paint It Black in Finland for the images of Miika’s mask.

“I kind of forgot about the whole Pokemon thing, coz I played it when I was a kid, with my brother and then Pokemon GO came up and me and my son started playing it, then we started talking about maybe putting it on my mask and he was all ‘Yeah, we should do Pikachu on mask’ So I said let’s do it then, so it was pretty much my son’s idea. On the other side I have Megaman, remember that? From the old Nintendo? I’m just a huge fan and I love those games, I still play them on the Wii back home. The back plate is the logo and I think there is a smaller logo in the front somewhere too.”

___

This is not all that we spoke about in the hour, but I wanted to break it down into more manageable chunks for those of you reading it. The other topics we spoke about are:

His time with the New York Rangers organisation

Continental Cup experience and the CHL

Junior Hockey in the UK

Moving to the Elite League.

Team that taught you the most about yourself.

Best goalie in the league besides yourself.

Who do you not like taking shots from?

Movies, Books, Podcasts and other on the road trip entertainment.

Discussing the league and how the goalies should be used according to Miika.

If you want to me to post more of this interview with Miika, leave me a comment on my Facebook page @chasingthepuck or tweet me @freiheit_1989 with which one you’d particularly like to read about next.

I want to take a moment to say thank you to all those who have helped me in providing images and also permissions to do this interview and to the Panther’s organisation as well. Thank you so much to Adam Gouldson and Karl Denham of Panthers Images for the images of Miika Wiikman that have been used in this article.

Behind The Mask 4 | @miikawiikman : @panthersIHC Title image credit: Panthers Images Miika Wiikman is in his second season with the GMB Nottingham Panthers and is arguably one of the best net-minders in the Elite Ice Hockey League.

#Behind The Mask #EIHL #Interview #Miika Wiikman #Nottingham Panthers

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bongaboi · 8 years ago

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Revons Plus Grand, Chapter 2

Revons Plus Grand

Chapter 2:

Comme D'Habitude

A pinch. Another pinch. So soft and delicate to the touch it might as well be freshly baked bread. Mmmm, bread. The desire for homemade starch was rampant in her own peace of mind that walked the line. She pinched again. And again. And again, that soft side of her that her partner was always pleasuring while they slept.

"Uh, Jose, why are you pinching yourself?" Sadako Shimohara asked Georgette Lemare as the two of them admired the Paris skyline.

"I am alive. Somehow, I am alive after waking up," Jose said.

"I'm alive too, but it's not big deal. Why are you pinching yourself? Conscious of something or something, hmmm?"

"I have to prove to myself and to you that I am not dreaming right now." One more pinch. "No, this is real! This is reality! This is Paris! The genuine article. The Paris that Perrine was talking about, the biggest city of all, the City of Lights! That's the Eiffel Tower, Sadako. We are here!"

"Calm down, calm down, Jose, we'll be all right, do you need me to rub your shoulders?" She received a headbump and was placed in a corner.

"No thank you, but thank you for asking, hmph!" But she did feel bad about it, a few seconds afterwards. "Sorry. It was the heat of the moment."

"The heat of the moment, said the cat to the rabbit," Sadako said, getting up and looking around their bed. "At this rate, I'm gonna get cat scratch fever and I'll be in trouble."

Jose turned around, horrified. "You wouldn't...!" Then she blinked. "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Check out all these clothes," Sadako said, opening the dresser to a full arsenal of women's clothes and swimwear and loungewear. And yes, even high-end underwear custom made. "Such taste!"

A hand was around Georgette's head as she laughed hesitantly. "Ahahahah, you're embarassing me."

"Such culture! Such style! This is truly...um, uh..." Sadako saw a poster across from her. "France! We are apparently in a place called France!"

"France? I don't even know where that is on a map," said Georgette. "I only know Gallia. Unless...France IS Gallia...then that means..."

"WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT DIMENSION!" they both said.

Sadako continue to leaf through the pret-a-porter sets while Georgette was deep in thought, scheming. A brand new side never seen, on debut, on showcase, in private. "This might get some getting used to," Jose said, pondering.

"Of course, take a look below and see what the locals are wearing," Sadako said.

"Oh my..." Georgette noticed that some girls were dressed like boys.

Sadako showed her an example. "In this era, in this dimension, in this timeline you can actually dress like a boy and wear long pants!"

"I've never done that before, it looks weird," Jose said, eyes rolling.

"There are dresses as well," Sadako deadpanned, showing a sundress with a red blouse and red high heels.

"More like it."

"And, apparently the outfits of actual sports clubs are in this dresser too. Like this one." Sadako tossed Jose a blue football jersey with purple accents, some writing, and some touches of red and white.

"I've never worn something like this before," said Georgette. She turned the jersey around. "Ib...ra..hi..mo..vic? 10. I don't even know what that's supposed to stand for." She turned it around. "Fly Emirates? What's that?"

"I think we are in a timeline and dimension that does not use striker units," said Sadako. "Emirates must be the name of a notable civilian passenger air fleet company."

"What? But, our familar forms, they are still working, right?"

Sadako stroked her right nipple fast and hard to the point that she moaned profusely, triggering the rabbit ears and tail. "Hyaaaaaah!" she cried.

Jose blinked. "...eh?"

A thumbs up and one eyes closed. "It still works!" Sadako grinned. Seconds later, she was bent over in a corner with a headbump. "I told you it still works but you must think I've turned into a jackass already!"

"What...jackass are you referring to, I may ask?" Jose asked, her mouth twitching, annoyed.

Sadako pointed to a painting of an old politician with an unmistakable haircut and color. A caption "This guy! Do..nald...Tr..ump! Yeah, this guy!"

Georgette was steaming. She did not know who that man was, but somehow her bad vibes suggested it was a Neuroi in disguise. "Sadako, did you just..."

"Noooo, don't kill me! I loved you then, I love you now, please forgive me!" Sadako lamented, begging for forgiveness in her blue underwear. A hand was extended. "...huh?" A blink. "Eh?"

"Let's head to the bath. We could use one," Jose said, the aura of an angel with wings and a halo on her figure. "Eheheh!"

"I am saved. There is a God...!" Sadako whispered dramatically.

"Hurry and get up already," she deadpanned.

"Ahahahahahah..." And they both went to the bath for a long soaping and unintended make-out, her mind having melted into goo. "Ohhhhh baby..."

Naoe Kanno was no longer distraught. She was in disbelief as she and Hikari Karibuchi left the test chamber, picking up the clothes of Sadako and Jose and putting them in a basket to be placed in the wash. "How?" she asked. "How? How the hell is it possible for them to disappear like that? Did they get abducted? What is going on? My head is spinning!"

"I don't know Nao," Hikari said. "I think the Countess knows exactly what happened."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do," Flying Officer Waltrud Krupinski said, appearing in front of them. "Let's head to the dining hall, I will explain further."

Nao and Hikari's stomachs growled on cue. "Yes ma'am."

Nao and Hikari sat on one side, while Flying Officer Krupinski and Commander Rall sat on the other. Flight Lieutenant Charlotte E. Yeager. carried a couple of trays and served some plates of sandiwches, salads and utensils.

"What's this?" asked Nao.

"Sliders and Waldorf salad, as served in Liberion," Commander Rall replied, sinking her teeth in one of the bite-sized wonders.

"Mmmm, this is actually pretty good."

"You like it?" asked Shirley. "I made it myself."

"Oh! You must be that Liberion girl from the 501st, Charlotte Yeager!" Nao said. She shook her hand. "We finally meet after a while! Greetings!"

"It's nice to be here. You are Flying Officer Naoe Kanno, correct!"

"That's right! Thanks for the meal! It's yummy!" She continued to dig in.

"The Waldorf salad is actually a New York, Liberion invention. I'm from West Virginia and I decided to do my take on steak sandwiches. So I developed the slider. Seems it's a grand slam." She looked at the plate. Empty, nothing. "And there it goes. Rest in peace, lunch."

"Can you believe this, we were actually transporting condoms to the base for safekeeping. Of all things, earlier today!" Nao said, exasperated. "Sigh...when it comes to those nasty things, leave me out of it!"

"Different standards for different Witches, I believe."

"But more to the point, was that room that I just went in...did that have something to do with the disappearance of Pilot Officer Shimohara and Pilot Officer Lemare?"

"Pretty much. Mainly because, Lucchini and I designed and built the new room."

"Whoa...what does that room do?"

"The built-in magic engineered in the room allows a partnership to transport themselves to anywhere they want in the world, but in a futuristic timeframe and a different dimension."

"Wow...so where did they go?"

"I don't know the answer to that. All I did was build the room for you guys while visiting. I have no idea after that."

"I did overhear," said the Countess, "that Jose wanted to see a place in Gallia called, I think, Pa..ri..."

"Paris?" Nao exclaimed, a fang sticking. "They went to Paris!?"

"I guess that's where they went."

"In another dimension and a different timeframe," Hikari added, deep in thought.

"Ohhhhh my head is spinning from all this," Nao said, her head hurting. "Dammit! Will we ever see them again after a while?"

"Knock on wood, we're working on that as we speak," said Shirley with a thumbs up and a smile.

"Flight Lieutenant Yeager, do you know the year that the room is set to by any chance?" asked Commander Rall.

"Good question Gundala," Charlotte said, pulling out her clipboard. "According to my notes here, the room is set to have the users transported to the location in the designated dimension in the year...ah, 2017, later January to early February."

"That far?" Hikari exclaimed.

"Yep, that far," Shirley replied.

"Whoa, they have been thrown into a dimension set to the future. It definitely is not the Paris as the Gallians known it here. Is the place even called Gallia in the timeline?"

"Actually, it goes by different name, and the land mass shapes are also different," said Shirley, showing a full map of the dimension and places. This is where we are. Russian Federation, and in that dimension, the city is called SAINT Petersburg. Hikari, your country, Fuso, is called Japan. And this is Gallia. It's a place called France."

"Do you know the demonyms for people of that dimension?"

"People in Fuso are Japanese, people in Orussia are Russian, people in Gallia are French, and I'm from Liberion, and on this map, that is labeled as the United States of America, which means I would be labeled as an American. Oh yeah, and Suomus is Finland and Karlsland is Germany. Finns, Germans. And Lucchini's place, Romagna, is Italy, while Brittania is the United Kingdom. However, Lynette Bishop was born here, near where I live, a place called Canada. So she is a Canadian."

"What a nice name...Canadian."

"An unconfirmed report tells me that the current head of government in that realm in that dimension and timeline is as untalented politically as that of my own realm and my leader in particular is off to a tough start in terms of standing among certain citizens as he just began his term as head of government. I can't really confirm this, though for sure, because I, well, am, not participating in my own chamber I designed."

"You're just making this up to get a rise out of all of us," Nao said, her eyebrows twitching through her false laugh. "You LIAR!"

"Calm down, Kanno," Flying Officer Krupinski said.

"Kanno, do you want to go through seiza again?" Commander Rall said in a threatening voice.

"Ahahahahahha, never mind, sorry, Shirley!" Nao said, embarrassed by her outburst.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Shirley said with a grin.

"uwu..."

"But I also wanted to ask this," asked Hikari. "When can we expect them back? They won't be out for very long in that different dimension you speak of, right?"

"Shouldn't be too long but I don't believe I set a end time for when they are out there," Shirley replied with a shrug.

"Why didn't you set an end date again?"

"Because I got so busy and worked up that I ended up getting tired, fell asleep and Lucchini also got tired and decided to sleep with her head between my cleavage sounding like a motorboat or a housetruck, I think that's what they call it over there, don't know for sure.”

The Countess was in stitches. "I'm dying here!"

"That's a little bit too much detail for us to digest, don't you think?" asked the Commander.

"I just wanted to lay it out there." Shirley said.

"Grrrrrr!" Nao wanted none of it. "Let me have some...now!" She squeezed Shirley's voluptuous breasts, causing her to sigh lustily. "Eheh..." But no sooner had Nao found her piece of heaven that Francesca Lucchini walked. "Uh...hi?"

"Keep. Your. Hands. Off. My. Woman," she snarled.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" cried Nao, fleeing the room while being chased by Francesca. The pecking order didn't lie. Nao could never win but it was fun while it lasted, the fresh squeeze from the heavens.

"Dear me, someone must have gone full frontal on the coffee today," Flying Officer Krupinski offered.

"Or has a certain anatomy envy," the Commander added. The two of them laughed.

"I'll head back to the kitchen to clean up," Shirley said. "Later tonight, Lucchini and I need to depart for North Africa to take care of some humanitarian work, as per Hanna's request."

"Thank you for stopping by and giving us this new room, we appreciate it."

"A pleasure, both of you. And you too, Hikari."

"Of course," she replied, nodding. She returned to her thoughts. "But still...to be in a different Paris that the Paris we know...will they both be all right over there?" She meant to find out.

"Ahhhh, nice long baths with you is like floating on a cloud that I could never fall out of," Sadako said as the two of them walked out of the bath, the scent of lovemaking replaced by natural flowery tones and purity dancing with piety. "Feels great, Jose."

"You keep fondling me so much, I'm just amazed that I am okay with this," Georgette said, looking for some bows to fix her hair. She noticed two new bows on the bed. "Hmmm, this is new. Red on the left, blue on the right? Mmmm, a nice change from the usual. Sadako, is there any underwear sets in the rack down there?"

"Here is one," she replied, holding a stylized top and panties that looked like an adapted version of the local team's uniform.

"You're already dressed!?" Jose shot back. Sadako was dressed in a white shirt, black jacket, jeans and one of the blue scarves in the study, along with brown fur boots.

"Ahahah, I dress quickly. Go ahead and put it on."

"I guess this will do. It looks like my underwear, but with a unique twist." Georgette put the top and panties on, with Sadako watching, her left hand discreetly over her crotch. It was getting a bit damp, too. "I knew it," she said, a sweatdrop on her face, her eyebrows twitching.

Sadako withdrew the hand and laughed hesitantly. Jose did see that she was touching herself while she was putting it on. "You...do keep it clean down there, I realized."

"Of course I do. You do the same. How do I expect to get a taste of you myself if it doesn't get shaved?"

"!? Well, I concede, you do have a point. Ah!" Sadako went and took out a shirt. "Here is a skirt to go with the top."

"Ah." A lambskin top. "It says...Chanel. This must be a brand." Georgette put the skirt on. "And it fits me, too! I like it." She giggled and decided to put the jersey on as well, putting on a scarf on a whim before looking at herself in the mirror. "How do I look, Sadako?"

"In your language, if I recall, that would be...c'est magnifique! Extraordinare! Magnificent and extraordinary."

"You're picking the language up easily, not bad," Jose replied with a smile. "But, this crest must be something. It says...uh..."

"There's actually a bigger sign on the wall next to the mirror."

"Oh! I didn't notice. Paris...Saint...Germain. Ici C'est Paris...Paris Est Magique. This is Paris. Paris is magical. Ah, I guess this means that this is a jersey and a scarf associated with Paris Saint-Germain. Are they an important organization?" Jose noticed Sadako reading a magazine. "What is that you're reading?"

"Information on this so-called Paris Saint-Germain," said Sadako. "It says here that they are a major sports club. They do three sports: football for men and women, a sport called handball, and a category called electronic sports, also known as e-sports, with the two games in question called FIFA 17 and League Of Legends. I have no idea what that League Of Legends is but there is a financial record here that shows that they are one of the richest sports organizations in the country and they are best known for their men's football team. Have you heard of football?"

"Football. Um, I recalled that before I was assigned to the 502nd, while working in the countryside near Barenton I noticed in the distance two plots of land that were shaped like there were going to be used for some sort of sports event. Two sets of posts, line markings, and there were two groups of 11 boys, moving a ball with their feet and trying to move the ball past this thing called an end line and score into the goal area for a goal. In my language it's called a but, pronounced bih."

"Oh."

"I also recall this. One player on either side was allowed to collect or stop the ball with his hands. Nobody else was allowed to. There was some tackling and physical play and the supporters were singing, clapping and chanting, some even saying some nasty words. Most of them were boys. I wondered what that sport was because just watching it for a few minutes was a joy because the player had actual skill in passing the ball and even doing some creative footwork and juggling with their feet. So it's called football. Naturally. What's today by the way?"

"I am looking at the clock, and it says, Sunday, January 29, 2017. We are apparently in the year 2017 and it's late winter." Georgette and Sadako broke out some coats, while Georgette took some leg warmers out of curiosity and put them on along with some white boots. "I also noticed we have two handbags on the table. One has a rabbit marking, the other a cat marking. Ah, this is actually our familiar mark. And it even has wallets with everything on it. These are stuffed."

"Cards and all, and plenty of money too," Jose added. "As well as makeup, perfumes, toiletries, chewing gum.” She took out a tube of lipstick. "I think you put it on like this." Shiny pink. She applied it on and puckered her lips. She never put on eyeliner or eyeshadow in her life but somehow she was able to do it easily.

"Putting on makeup? I never know you could actually do that!" Sadako exclaimed. "Maybe I should try it in the future." Seconds later, Sadako gave in and the two of them were putting on light makeup and looking flash like euro cash. "So it seems in this part of the world, the currency is called the euro and we use cards to make payment. Hey, and I have a passport from Japan."

"I have my own passport but I have some identification cards, and even this thing. I think the people here in this dimension call this a credit card. I think there is a way to use it." She put it away. "But I'm not sure."

"Well, I'm done here. I wonder what hotel this is," Sadako said as the two of them walked out of the room, into a hall with other doors. She noticed a sign. "Radisson...Blu. I think Radisson is the name of another brand of this dimension."

"You might be right." As they walked, they noticed a few players in warmup kits walking to the elevator in the distance before disappearing. "Oh my, are those...?"

"They must be the people from PSG!" Jose replied.

"PSG?"

"PSG = Paris Saint-Germain."

"Ohhh. Did you come up with it?"

"I think it's been established before we even got here. But for you, I'll claim it."

"For me? Oui, oui, oui! Rrrrrr!" The two of them giggled like mindless idiots madly in love as they walked to the elevator and went down to the floor. "So this is a lobby. We must have been transported to a hotel room. So we are in a hotel."

"A futuristic one at that," Georgette noted. "Let's take a look outside." The two of them walked out the door and left the Radisson Blue. "Oh. My. Goodness." A good deal of the major attractions were there, as well as the Eiffel. "This place is even better up close!" And Georgette's stomach growled. "So where should be eat?"

Sadako's eyes glowed as she scanned for a place for the two of them to have an afternoon bite. The two of them walked down and soon enough, Sadako saw a bar. "Frog XVI. Maybe there is something here. Shall we go in?"

"Could be worse...I guess so," Jose said with an embarrassed look and a hesitant laugh. "Let's go." As Sadako took Georgette's hand, the look became an assertive, knowing smile and their first-ever experience with visiting a restaurant referred to in this dimension/timeline as a sports bar would begin in earnest.

END CHAPTER 2

#fanfiction #writing #revons plus grand #Saimoe #strike witches #brave witches #sadako shimohara #georgette lemare #paris saint-germain fc #yuri

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thrashermaxey · 6 years ago

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Dobber’s Offseason Fantasy Grades 2018: New York Rangers

Dobber's offseason fantasy hockey grades – New York Rangers

For the last 15 years (12 with The Hockey News, last year’s via pinch-hitter Cam Robinson) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

The 16th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey.

Enjoy!

* * Buy the 13th annual DobberHockey Fantasy Guide here – always updated and you can download immediately * *

Gone – Paul Carey, David Desharnais, Ryan Sproul, Coach Alain Vigneault

Incoming �� Fredrik Claesson, Coach David Quinn

Impact of changes – The Rangers didn’t have much in the way of changes this offseason as they got all that out of the way back in February when they moved Rick Nash and Ryan McDonagh. The two trades brought in a lot of young assets, both for the roster and in the system. A new coach in David Quinn certainly offers a fresh start for several players, most notably Pavel Buchnevich, who perhaps wasn’t getting used in an ideal manner under Vigneault and I look to him as having been impacted the most and in a positive way.

Ready for full-time – It looks like the Rangers will be going ahead with Alexandar Georgiev as their backup netminder. And that’s great, unless Henrik Lundqvist gets injured, as has happened more frequently this late in his career. Even then, maybe it’s still great. Or perhaps Georgiev doesn’t handle a starter’s workload well, in which case the Rangers can either go and acquire help or chalk 2018-19 up as a rebuilding season anyway. The 22-year-old Georgiev was a standout in Finland before the team signed him last summer as an undrafted free agent. He did fairly well in 37 AHL games before being called up to the big club. His 0.918 SV% in 10 games was impressive enough that the team is going ahead with him. Pencil him in for 25 starts, more if Lundqvist gets hurt.

Defenseman Neal Pionk is another great undrafted free agent signing that they made last summer. After a standout sophomore season for Minnesota-Duluth, he transitioned well to the pros, tallying 17 points in 48 games with Hartford. He was even more impressive when New York called him up as he picked up 14 points in 28 games. He’s being used more for defense at even strength and is only a secondary power-play option, so getting 30 points this season will be tough. But he should at least make this team and put up 25.

Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil are the Rangers’ two top prospect forwards, both drafted last summer – for those counting, that makes four prospects that the team added in 2017 who are close to NHL ready today. Andersson was selected seventh overall last summer. He has scoring-line upside and could make the squad as a third liner. He did not look out of place when he played seven games to end the season. Chytil was drafted 14 slots after Andersson, and he actually made the team out of camp and played two games before being sent down. He has just as much chance as Andersson of making this team, though I wonder if the team will make room for both straight out of camp – you may see one get called up midseason. I don’t think either will reach the 30-point mark as a rookie, but this season will be a nice stepping stone for them.

New York Rangers prospect depth chart and fantasy upsides can be found here (not yet ready for mobile viewing, desktop only right now)

Fantasy Outlook – Once the Rangers decided to rebuild, they moved quickly and decisively and I like that. Today the organization is much better with Ryan Spooner, Vladislav Namestnikov, Brett Howden, Ryan Lindgren, Libor Hajek, Nils Lundkvist, K’Andre Miller instead of Rick Nash, J.T. Miller and Vladislav Namestnikov – even if they were forced to take Matt Beleskey, too. The problem is that nobody on this team will reach the 60-point mark this season. And while five or six players will hit 50 points, that’s just not enough to make fantasy owners excited about one of their players getting dealt to the Rangers. The prospect pipeline is weak, other than the players I already mentioned as well as elite prospect goaltender Igor Shesterkin. But at least this team is on the road to turning things around.

Fantasy Grade: C- (last year was B)

Pick up the 13th annual DobberHockey Fantasy Hockey Guide here (out on August 1)

Get the Fantasy Guide and the Prospects Report as part of a package and save$8.00 – here!

Other Offseason Fantasy Outlooks:

Fantasy Outlook for the Anaheim Ducks

Fantasy Outlook for the Arizona Coyotes

Fantasy Outlook for the Boston Bruins

Fantasy Outlook for the Buffalo Sabres

Fantasy Outlook for the Calgary Flames

Fantasy Outlook for the Carolina Hurricanes

Fantasy Outlook for the Chicago Blackhawks

Fantasy Outlook for the Colorado Avalanche

Fantasy Outlook for the Columbus Blue Jackets

Fantasy Outlook for the Dallas Stars

Fantasy Outlook for the Detroit Red Wings

Fantasy Outlook for the Edmonton Oilers

Fantasy Outlook for the Florida Panthers

Fantasy Outlook for the Los Angeles Kings

Fantasy Outlook for the Minnesota Wild

Fantasy Outlook for the Montreal Canadiens

Fantasy Outlook for the Nashville Predators

Fantasy Outlook for the New Jersey Devils

Fantasy Outlook for the New York Islanders

from All About Sports https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home/the-dobotomy/dobbers-offseason-fantasy-grades-2018-new-york-rangers/

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w-astron-blog · 8 years ago

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Artificial Intelligence era: What we will do when robots can do anything

Work is a constant in most of our lives – but it is changing as never before. Artificial intelligence that could automate most jobs already exists. While opinions differ about the likely impacts and what society’s response should be, one thing is sure: the deep influence of work on the human psyche means all of us will feel the effects.

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- Can machines take our jobs without ruining our lives?

Models, cooks, managers, lawyers – artificial intelligence is capable of doing a widening array of our jobs. But maybe that’s not all bad

John Maynard Keynes always assumed that robots would take our jobs. According to the British economist, writing in 1930, it was all down to “our means of economising the use of labour outrunning the pace at which we can find new uses for labour”. And that was no bad thing. Our working week would shrink to 15 hours by 2030, he reckoned, with the rest of our time spent trying to live “wisely, agreeably and well”.

It hasn’t happened like that – indeed, if anything many of us are working more than we used to. Advanced economies that have seen large numbers of manual workers displaced by automation have generally found employment for them elsewhere, for example in service jobs. The question is whether that can continue, now that artificial intelligence is turning its hand to all manner of tasks beyond the mundane and repetitive.

Fear of machines taking jobs dates back at least as far as the Luddites, a group of British weavers who went on a mill-burning rampage in 1811 when power looms made them redundant. Two centuries on, many of us could face the same predicament. In 2013 Carl Frey and Michael Osborne of the Oxford Martin Programme on the Impacts of Future Technology at the University of Oxford looked at 702 types of work and ranked them according to how easy it would be to automate them. They found that just under half of all jobs in the US could feasibly be done by machines within two decades.

The list included jobs such as telemarketers and library technicians. Not far behind were less obviously susceptible jobs, including models, cooks and construction workers, threatened respectively by digital avatars, robochefs and prefabricated buildings made in robot factories. The least vulnerable included mental health workers, teachers of young children, clergy and choreographers. In general, jobs that fared better required strong social interaction, original thinking and creative ability, or very specific fine motor skills of the sort demonstrated by dentists and surgeons.

Others find that list overblown. A recent working paper for the rich world OECD club suggests that AI will not be able to do all the tasks associated with all these jobs – particularly the parts that require human interaction – and only about 9 per cent of jobs are fully automatable. What’s more, past experience shows that jobs tend to evolve around automation.

According to this more Keynesian view, technological progress will continue to improve our lives. The most successful innovations are those that complement rather than usurp us, says Ben Shneiderman, who founded the human-computer interaction lab at the University of Maryland. Witness for instance the prominence of “cobots” at the 2015 annual automation expo in Chicago. Such robots are designed to work alongside people, making their work safer and easier, not replacing them. “Technologies are most effective when their designs amplify human abilities,” says Shneiderman. They could help us solve problems, communicate widely, or create art, music and literature, he believes.

The weight of expert opinion is behind him. In 2014 the Pew Research Center, a US think tank, asked 1896 experts whether they thought that by 2025, technology would have destroyed more jobs than it creates. The optimists outnumbered the pessimists.

That’s not to deny that AI is spreading into some surprising settings – whether it be organising nightly maintenance on Hong Kong’s subway system, or helping out with subtle legal research, as does ROSS, an AI assistant built on IBM’s Watson computer. This suggests that AI could still cause short-term turbulence in the labour market.

One unfolding example is the gig economy. Here AI systems serve up a platter of casual labour to a convenient app for consumers. Examples include the taxi firm Uber and outfits like TaskRabbit, which helps people find casual labourers to complete all sorts of chores. Although the gig economy is still small in absolute terms, a recent study of 1 million people who bank with JP Morgan Chase suggested that the number of people getting some of their income from the gig economy has increased tenfold in two years.

In such set-ups, workers are typically considered self-employed contractors, so the company has no obligation to keep supplying work or provide benefits like holiday pay or pensions. That has already led to strikes.

How can we adapt? The answer might simply be to update our social frameworks to reflect the new reality of work. Many countries are considering new regulatory frameworks for the gig economy. In the US Uber and Lyft, another taxi service, face ongoing lawsuits about the classification of drivers as contractors rather than employees. Drivers may vote with their wheels, too: Transunion Car Service, established in New Jersey in 2015, is an Uber-like taxi business owned by its drivers that promises health and retirement benefits.

Others are thinking more radically about how to reconfigure our whole relationship with work. That speaks to an important point: ultimately we, not AI, are in charge of our own destiny. Given the benefits of work for our health and well-being, maybe we’ll opt not to abolish fulfilling, rewarding work. “There will be inequities and disruptions, but that’s been going on for hundreds of years,” says Shneiderman. “The question is: is the future human-centred? I say it is.”

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- What happens if we pay everyone just to live?

Think universal basic income is a pipe dream? Experiments all over the world are already showing its potential to transform society for the better

Each month, Nathalie Kuskoff repeats the process that ensures her family’s security. Her two young children both have chronic illnesses, so their apartment in southern Finland is mostly paid for by the government, which also helps with childcare, medical bills and education. “I get a lot of different social benefits because of my situation – I mean a lot,” she says. They come at a price: relentless form-filling.

Most developed economies have some form of welfare state to redistribute wealth from the economically active to those who are unemployed or can’t work. People differ about who they think should get what, but few dispute the principle of a basic safety net.

But as Kuskoff and many others find, welfare on the basis of need is a cumbersome, bureaucratic affair. And as automation continues its march, many more of us may find ourselves caught in its net. This is the background to a radical idea to rejig the way we distribute welfare that has recently been in the headlines: universal basic income.

At its simplest, the premise is to replace welfare with a contract promising everyone the same money unconditionally, covering basic human needs – food, shelter, clothing – which people can add to by working. Its proponents cite an array of advantages including higher employment, better community cohesion and improved health. Others see it as an excuse to shirk. Now, as the debate rages, several huge social experiments could settle these differences.

Universal basic income has a long history. Thomas Paine, a US founding father, believed that natural resources were a common heritage and that landowners sitting on them should be taxed and the income redistributed. While the idea has never fully materialised, neither has it entirely gone away. In a few corners of the world variants are discreetly part of the furniture. In Alaska, for example, an annual dividend from state oil revenues is paid to citizens each year – a windfall of $2072 per person in 2015.

The idea has been gaining adherents across the political spectrum. In the UK, for example, proponents include the left-wing Green party and a right-wing think tank, the Adam Smith Institute. The main opposition Labour party is also toying with the idea. In Canada, testing the approach forms part of the policy platform of the Liberal party, elected to government in 2015.

Licence to laze

The perceived threat of automation is a timely spur to revisiting universal basic income, but it isn’t the only one. First, conventional welfare systems are not just bureaucratic but also costly. Even though basic income pays out more money, it cuts the costs of red tape. Various schemes have been proposed that look affordable, including one in 2015 from the RSA, a UK think tank. Basic income also promises to eliminate financial disincentives to work that bedevil many welfare systems – under a basic income system, you always earn more if you work.

The most entrenched criticism is that too many would exploit a guaranteed income to sit on their hands, grinding the economy to a halt. There are signs, though, that this is too gloomy a view.

For four years beginning in 1975, the 10,000 citizens of Dauphin in Manitoba, Canada, were guaranteed a basic level of financial security: if their monthly income dropped below a certain level, the government would top it up. Support for this experiment soon dried up, and it was never properly analysed.

Evelyn Forget at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg recently revisited the experiment, comparing public records from Dauphin with those from similar small towns. Forget found the only groups that spent less time in work during the trial were teenage boys and new mothers. The boys were staying in school rather than bowing to pressure to take agricultural jobs, and the mothers were nursing. What’s more, Dauphin had noticeably lower hospitalisation rates and fewer depression-related illnesses.

That was just one small-town trial. But in Alaska, experience suggests that a basic income could help reduce the rising inequality that has been hobbling world economies. Economist Scott Goldsmith at the University of Alaska Anchorage points out that the state is the only one in the US in which the income of the poorest 20 per cent grew faster than that of the top 20 per cent between the 1980s and 2000.

Now experiments are afoot to test such effects more exactingly. One, in Finland, is one of the grandest social experiments ever conceived, says social scientist Jurgen De Wispelaere at the University of Tampere. “There’s nothing like it happening anywhere.” Starting in 2017, as many as 10,000 Finns will get a no-strings-attached monthly income of €600 for two years. That sum is designed to guarantee subsistence, says Ville-Veikko Pulkka of Finland’s social insurance department Kansaneläkelaitos (Kela), covering housing, food and services like water and electricity.

Kela will publish the full trial design in November, but the point is to test whether a basic income gets more people working. “Removing disincentives to joining the labour force is the key task given to us by government,” says Pulkka. The ideal is to give people a platform to enter the labour market on their own terms.

In Finland, that taps into a well-anchored social principle called universalism: that the same services and education should be available to everyone. “At some level, people want to believe in this system,” says Pulkka. Kuskoff would certainly be interested in participating. “Getting the money without all the paperwork sounds like heaven,” she says.

Reducing bureaucracy is the driver of a similar large-scale experiment kicking off in the Netherlands in 2017. It started when the Dutch government passed a law giving municipalities the responsibility for administering welfare. Their staff baulked at taking on the job of continually vetting welfare applicants as the central government had been doing. “People realised this was going to do their heads in and they needed to change it,” says De Wispelaere.

Nineteen municipalities are now changing how they administer welfare payments, says Sjir Hoeijmakers, who is coordinating the experiments. Each will test different supposed benefits of a basic income like those Forget flagged in Dauphin. In Eindhoven, for example, the focus is on whether the changes help build strong neighbourhoods, while other municipalities are concentrating on randomised controlled trials to determine how individuals fare. A certain amount of freeloading is expected, says De Wispelaere: “In any policy you have good and bad. We want to know how many people move to the couch, and then compare the positive effects.”

Private companies are also getting in on the act. Y Combinator, a venture capital firm with stakes in the taxi app Uber, has announced that it will run a basic income experiment, with a pilot phase slated to begin in Oakland, California.

The most important arguments in favour of basic income are about improved health and well-being, says Louise Haagh, a social economist at the University of York, UK. These too are now coming under more scrutiny. For example, a study of 1000 children by Kimberly Noble of Columbia University in New York found a strong positive correlation between family income and brain development. One theory is that families with a secure income can focus extra resources on their children. “But with purely correlational data we can’t say which way the arrow is pointing,” says Noble.

To find out, she is now running an experiment in which 1000 low-income mothers across the US will receive a basic income for three years. One group will receive a nominal $20 a month, the other $333. Noble’s focus is on brain development, not economics, but a pilot study in New York in which money was handed out on trackable, prepaid debit cards suggested freeloading wasn’t a problem: of 1100 transactions, most of the money went on groceries. Just three happened at a liquor store.

So is a basic income a panacea? Some, like Kuskoff, who have special care needs, worry that such a system might push them to a harsher edge of the welfare state in the name of homogenisation and efficiency. And Haagh thinks that a half-hearted implementation might entrench, not dissolve, social inequalities by offering rich and poor the same. Governments could end up subsidising companies that give few or no benefits to their workforces, while the lucky few with more conventional employment receive far more. The problem is that a poorly designed basic income “might not end up changing society that much”, says Haagh.

Other variants do exist. Negative income tax is a means-tested version of universal basic income: poor people receive a guaranteed income from the government, middle earners aren’t taxed, while the rich are.

It sounds fairer, but could have a significant disadvantage, as the work of Silvia Avram at the University of Essex, UK, hints. She recently asked people to perform a tedious task to earn money under different taxation models. The participants were divided into two groups. One group started with a lump sum that was reduced as they earned – much as would happen under a negative income tax – while the others were taxed as they earned. Both groups ended up with the same money for a given amount of work, but the first group was far quicker to quit the task, suggesting that a well-documented human tendency to loss aversion was kicking in: we are wired to place more importance on minimising losses on what we already have than realising gains of the same value.

For Anthony Painter, director of policy and strategy at the RSA, and author of its report on how basic income could work in the UK, it is an indication that negative income tax wouldn’t be as effective at getting people into work as a basic income. Painter and others also think a basic income could benefit society in other ways, freeing up people to look after older relatives and children, or to pursue creative and innovative work that traditionally pays less, like music, arts and invention.

Such supposed whole-society benefits aren’t easy to test objectively, and that might be the most crucial point. If the referendum on basic income that took place in Switzerland on 5 June is any indication, basic income has a long way to go to gain public acceptance. During the debate, triggered when a group of citizens collected more than the necessary 100,000 signatures for a vote on such constitutional change, no political party endorsed the idea: it was widely seen as indulging shirkers. In the end, 77 per cent of voters rejected it.

However, basic-income campaigners were celebrating that evening, saying their objective was to get people talking. The conversation continues. Maybe the mark of ultimate success for the proponents of universal income, says Hoeijmakers, will be if at parties the unfashionable question “what do you do?” morphs into: “why do you do?”.

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