Esau.

Belak hung himself apparently... fuuuuck.

I just read that on CBC.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2011/09/01/spf-belak-thomson.html?cmp=rss

What the fuck is going on this summer? I know (personally) of two people who attempted suicide this summer, sadly, one was successful.

A sad off-season in the National Hockey League continued Wednesday with the death of former Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames tough guy Wade Belak, CBC News has confirmed.

Belak, who played 15 seasons in the NHL with five teams and had retired on March 8, reportedly was found in the tony 1 King West Hotel and Residence, just blocks from the Air Canada Centre in downtown Toronto. He was 35.

Born in Saskatoon and raised in Battleford, Sask., Belak is the third NHL player to die in less than four months.

In mid-May, New York Rangers enforcer Derek Boogaard, 28, was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment from a drug overdose, while one-time Vancouver Canucks forward Rick Rypien was found in his Alberta home earlier this month, a "sudden" and "non-suspicious" death, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Rypien was suffering from depression.

Belak, who maintained residences in B.C. and Nashville —where he last skated in the NHL for the Predators —was in Toronto to film the third season of Battle of the Blades, the CBC's successful reality-show mixture of hockey and figure skating, which begins Sept. 18.

"We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Wade Belak. We send our thoughts and condolences to his family and friends. He will be greatly missed," Kirstine Stewart, CBC executive vice-president of English services, said in a statement.

The Predators also released a statement: "The entire Nashville Predators organization and family is shocked and saddened by the sudden and untimely passing of Wade Belak. Wade was a beloved member of the organization, a terrific teammate and wonderful father and husband who will be greatly missed.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Jennifer and children Andie and Alex. We offer our full support to them at this very difficult time."

1st-round pick

The Belak family is not commenting at this time, CBC News in Saskatchewan reported Wednesday evening.

Belak was a first-round pick of the Quebec Nordiques (now Colorado Avalanche), drafted 12th overall in 1994. He broke into the NHL with the Avalanche during the 1996-97 campaign, playing five regular-season games. Belak appeared in eight games the following season and 22 in 1998-99 before moving on to the Calgary Flames for two-plus seasons.

It was during Belak's next NHL stop in Toronto, where he spent the next six-plus seasons, where the player realized he had a future in the league.

"That's where I learned to play forward and defence," Belak told the Toronto Star in May of this year. "I knew my role was the enforcer type, but I learned a lot of things along the way from people like [former NHL tough guy] Warren Rychel."

After a short stint with the Florida Panthers, Belak joined his fifth and final team in Nashville. He played two-plus seasons with the Predators before the grind of the job had given Belak arthritis in his pelvis and he chose to end his playing career.

He went on to launch a career in media as a sideline reporter for radio during Predators broadcasts while collecting his salary of $575,000 US.

There were hospital visits, cortisone shots and needles directed into his midsection followed a three to four days of recovery.

"My body was telling me it was ready [to retire]," Belak told the Star. "I thought last year I was ready, but when the [Predators] offered me a chance to come back, I jumped at it. I was helping the younger guys, as you get older, your role changes and I think I was more of a mentor … a good guy to have in the dressing room, lighten up the locker room."

Belak finished with eight goals and 33 points in 549 NHL regular-season games, collecting another goal in 22 playoff contests.

"All players and NHLPA staff are sincerely saddened and shocked by the passing of former member Wade Belak," NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said in a statement. "His affable personality made him popular with teammates, fans and media, and he was a hardworking, respected member of the Association. He will undoubtedly be greatly missed throughout the entire hockey community. Our deepest condolences go out to Wade’s family and friends during this very difficult time."

An outgoing personality, the six-foot-five, 220-pound Belak often brought a comedic presence to the dressing room, trading barbs with teammates, offering his quick wit in interviews, and providing funny and entertaining quotes for reporters.

He also would poke fun at himself and became a regular on Leafs TV and on morning radio in Toronto with alternative rock station The Edge 102.1

Belak was asked by the Star about the best thing that happened to him as a player and he answered by saying the first goal he scored in the NHL with Colorado in 1997-98 and his last, with Toronto, in 2007-08.

"Fans were chanting my name in the streets," he said, "it felt like I was mayor for a week."

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2011/08/31/sp-belak-death.html?cmp=rss

Approved today. Now all I do is wait for Health Canada to get things rolling (no pun intended).

I must say, my daily prescription is a hell of a lot larger then I figured it would be, and it's near 3x what Health Canada claims is the "available information suggests" amount. Not quite sure how all that works yet. I'm pretty happy with the results though and honestly, quite relieved, it's been a long time coming since I first tried and applied.

My entire Dylan collection.

The 2TB worth of live Dylan (WAV, FLAC, SHN & DVD), plus every album on CD, as well my vinyl & cassettes of Bob, including rares etc.

Not like that would be possible, but that's what I would want out of my entire collection.

I don't have many mp3s, (like 2gb maybe) and I wouldn't give a shit if they did disappear, I hardly listen to them.

Nothing in Hamilton Mountain.

Nothing at my area (west) mountain either.

Right on. Bookmarked.

ICP brings the ruckus!

It was a secret?

Well stop by here before you go Booche and I'll give you all my old cancer and back pain meds I may have kickin around here still. You should be able to sell them no problem.

btw - wtf is with the site today, loads halfway and hangs for a bit...

anyone else having that issue? This is the only site pulling that on me.

One thing I learned from reading that article:

1. Juggalos bring the lulz.

I was checking their tour listings and saw this:

Old Crow Medicine Show is on hiatus as we seek health and wellness over the coming months.

Thank you for your continued love and support.

http://www.crowmedicine.com/tour.php

Anyone heard any info on what's up here?

If you haven't read these yet, grab them all and read them in that order. Awesome books. Easily some of my favourite stories.

They all tie in together and are based on true events, and injustices.

Main subject of the stories.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ihalmiut

The Ihalmiut were largely ignored until author/explorer Farley Mowat visited and lived among them in the 1940s. At the time, they were located between Lake Yathkyed and Lake Ennadai, in the area of the Padlermiut.[10]

Mowat wrote several books about his experiences and the subsequent fate of the Ihalmiut people including People of the Deer and The Desperate People. Based on the oral histories of the people, he estimated that the Ihalmiut had numbered 7,000 in 1886,[12] down to 40 by 1947-48, and by 1950, only 30 remained.[10] Their destruction was due to changes in their hunting dynamics (from hunting for food to hunting for furs), introduction of flour and sugar into their diet (through fur trader contact),[8] disease (probably diphtheria),[5] the failure of their primary food source (barren-ground caribou), and sickened sled dogs (possibly rabies).

People of the deer - Farley Mowat

http://www.ecobooks.com/books/peopdeer.htm

The Desperate People - Farley Mowat

http://www.ecobooks.com/books/despeop.htm

Walking on the land - Farley Mowat

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/329539.Walking_on_the_Land

Awesome.

You can delete your account, but that will also delete your gmail account you signed up with, as well any other Google products associated with that account.

http://www.google.com/support/accounts/bin/answer.py?answer=32046

As for privacy, I dunno seems fine to me, but I have no issues on FB either.

Happy birthday my friend. I hope you have a great day. I'll be sure to tip my elbow many times this eve in your honour.

Nostrovia!

Yeah, that's how I see it Hal, still though.. 3" puck in and 3 1/2" hole, 89 feet out, awesome shot.

I better get my inverted cross out of storage!

The Green Album, out August 23, sticks to songs written specifically for or performed by the Muppets, and culls from a deep catalog of fan favorites. OK Go kicks off the mix appropriately with a trippy, extended version of the Muppet Show theme song, the one that hails "the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational" show on earth. Weezer and Hayley Williams of Paramore trade verses in a wistful version of "Rainbow Connection." Andrew Bird's whistling and string arrangements reach well into the heart of "Bein' Green." And Rachael Yamagata's version of "I'm Going to Go Back There Some Day," a song I'd long forgotten, brought tears to my eyes.

First Listen: 'Muppets: The Green Album'

http://www.npr.org/first-listen-muppets-the-green-album

Your friend is having a skipping competition? An he isn't 8 years old?

Don't you have a Mario Kart race to finish?

Not sure if it quite counts, but I love the story of Peter Grant going up to Bob Dylan at some record company shindig and saying, "Hello, I'm Peter Grant, I'm the manager of Led Zeppelin", and Dylan replying, "Look, buddy, do you see me going up to you and telling you my problems?"

ha - that was actually something that crossed my mind too after reading/posting this yesterday. I'm surprised there isn't a few Dylan comments to be honest.